Today on AirTalk, our weekly political roundtable recaps the big stories you might’ve missed over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come in national political news. We also discuss whether or not the U.S. is ready for an atheist in the oval office; and more.
Week In Politics: How The New Wave Of Abortion Laws Will Play In 2020, The First Republican Calls For Trump Impeachment, New Presidential Candidate Announcements And More
AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the big stories you might’ve missed over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come in national political news. Here’s what we’re watching through the weekend:
- Impact of new abortion laws in Alabama, Missouri and other states on 2020
- Michigan GOP Rep. Justin Amash is the first Republican to call for Trump’s impeachment
- Mueller report updates:
- Trump debuts immigration overhaul
- Trump administration pulls $1 billion in high speed rail grant from CA
- U.S. and Iran: Trump does not want war
- Trump signs executive order to ban Huawei
- New candidates enter the race: Bill De Blasio, as well as Montana Governor Steve Bullock who is banking on swaying Iowa
- 2020 candidates check-in:
- Fox News poll: Biden leads by double digit among Dem candidates
- Kamala Harris announces proposal to close the gender wage gap
- Elizabeth Warren says no to Fox presidential townhall, slams network
- Kamala Harris laughs away suggestions that she should be Biden’s running mate -- how should VP’s be chosen? When and why?
- Trump pardons Pat Nolan, former GOP state lawmaker
Guests:
Sean T. Walsh, Republican political analyst and partner at Wilson Walsh Consulting in San Francisco; he is a former adviser to California Governors Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a former White House staffer for Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies. He is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets
Is America Ready For An Atheist In The Oval Office?
The latest batch of 2020 presidential candidates is more diverse in race, gender and sexuality than in the past -- but there’s one demographic that’s not represented: atheists.
In his latest column for the Washington Post, Max Boot argues that it’s time for an atheist in the Oval Office.
Americans who identify with no religion are the quickest growing demographic in the U.S. And according to a recent Gallup poll, 60% of Americans say they would vote for an atheist presidential candidate. And yet there are no atheist candidates on the field, and even the non-religious Bernie Sanders has said that he is “spiritual.”
Is there a meaningful difference for people between the vaguely spiritual, like Bernie, and an avowed atheist? How does a candidates’ religion, or lack thereof, play among different demographics of voters?
Guests:
Dan Schnur, professor of political communications at USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine; founder of the USC / Los Angeles Times statewide political poll
Sean T. Walsh, Republican political analyst and partner at Wilson Walsh Consulting in San Francisco; he is a former adviser to California Governors Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a former White House staffer for Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies. He is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets
Game Over: After ‘Game of Thrones’ Finale, Your Picks For The Most And Least-Satisfying Series Endings
HBO’s epic drama “Game of Thrones” came to an end Sunday night after eight seasons and years of anticipation by millions of fans.
Those who tuned into the 90 minute finale now know who ends up sitting on the Iron Throne and learned the fate of fan-favorite characters like Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen and Arya Stark. Reaction was mixed among fans, which reflected how many fans seem to feel about the final season as a whole. The show’s final two seasons included six episodes each, and many felt that the creators and writers attempted to take on too much plot and character development in such a short period of time.
Following last night’s finale, we’ll talk about the art of making a good series ending episode, look back at some other shows final episodes and how they were received by fans and critics, and hear AirTalk listeners share their most and least-satisfying series finales. Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Cynthia Littleton, business editor of Variety, where she covers television and business; she tweets
Pandora Musicologist Explains The Science Behind Our Musical Tastes
Music plays a central role in most cultures across the world.
Some music, like rap and hip hop, even permeates cultural differences to take on a global identity. But the question of why some people are drawn to jazz while others are drawn to heavy-metal is informed by a range of scientific and cultural factors. In his new book, Why You Like It: The Science and Culture of Musical Taste, the chief architect and musicologist behind Pandora’s Music Genome Project, Nolan Gasser, delves into the objective factors that inform our subjective tastes in music.
Gasser joins Larry Mantle to discuss why music has the universal power to move people.
Guest:
Nolan Gasser, composer, pianist, musicologist and author of “Why You Like It: The Science and Culture of Musical Taste” (Flatiron Books, 2019); chief musicologist and architect of Music Genome Project, the proprietary musical analysis system behind the music streaming site, Pandora