This week on AirTalk, our weekly political roundtable recaps the headlines you may have missed this week. Also on the show, we look at veterans' grief; the DACA case before the Supreme Court; and more.
Week In Politics: Impeachment Testimonies, Polls One Year Out, Haley’s New Memoir And More
AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the major headlines you might’ve missed in politics news over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come. Here are the headlines what we’re following this week:
Impeachment Watch
2020
Which candidates have qualified for the Nov 20 debates?
Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg throws his hat into the 2020 ring
NYT/Siena College poll says swing state voters prefer moderates. Plus, do polls one year out matter?
POLITICO-Morning Consult survey says 56 percent of voters expect Trump to be re-elected — what does that bode for turnout?
Is Buttigieg successfully advocating for himself as the Biden alternative?
Sixth Dem debates moved from UCLA to Loyola Marymount University
Nikki Haley has a new memoir, which in part discusses cabinet members who tried to undermine Trump
What’s the significance of last Tuesday’s elections? Is the bellwether blue?
Politicians have a history of trying to appear more youthful, hence hair dye, botox and more
Jeff Sessions’ Senate campaign
Guests:
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
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
Week In Politics: How Tuned In Will Americans Be To The Impeachment Hearings This Time Around?
The impeachment hearings regarding President Donald Trump will be broadcast live on TV, radio, and a multitude of streaming and digital services. So how will they compare to the Clinton and Nixon impeachment hearings?
According to the Associated Press, tens of millions tuned in to PBS, NBC, ABC and CBS for the Senate’s Watergate hearings, which eventually led to Nixon’s resignation. Then the three majors and PBS offered a more unified narrative of what happened at Watergate and in the hearings themselves. The impeachment inquiry into Trump launches into the public sphere starting Wednesday. It will be covered by a wide variety of nichecasting entities, made to fit the viewing habits and desires of a fragmented audience. Experts say viewing habits could enhance already existing partisan attitudes compared to Nixon and Clinton. Even if you want to escape today’s hearings, it may be difficult because of all the different watching modes available.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss how Americans (and the world) will tune in this time around and how it could impact the outcome.
Guests:
Jane Kirtley, professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota
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
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
Supreme Court To Decide Fate Of DACA
Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will be hearing arguments for the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, commonly referred to as DACA.
They’ll be deciding whether the Trump Administration can legally discontinue the Obama-era program, which protects about 700,000 young undocumented individuals from deportation. The hearings come after President Trump announced efforts to terminate the program back in 2017, but was blocked by various court rulings across the country.
Now, it’s up to the Supreme Court to decide whether the Trump Administration can move forward with terminating DACA. A ruling is expected no later than June 2020,
Two attorneys join us to preview the arguments before tomorrow’s hearing.
Guests:
Mark Rosenbaum, co-counsel on the DACA case, where he’s representing 11 DACA recipients who filed the lawsuit; he is director of the Opportunity Under Law practice area at the non-profit pro bono law firm Public Counsel
Josh Blackman, associate professor of law at the South Texas College of Law Houston, where he specializes in constitutional law; he tweets
On Veterans Day, AirTalk Listeners Share Their Proud And Painful Memories From Military Service
November 11th is a day to remember and thank military members both past and present for their sacrifice and service.
But today, it seems, when we read stories about veterans, often times those stories are focused on things like PTSD, high suicide rates, homelessness or inability to find work or get benefits. But the reality is that not every soldier, marine, sailor or airman or woman exits the service with only terrible stories to tell. As most who have served, or who know someone who has served know, the armed forces are a place where lifelong friendships are forged, where leaders are molded and created and where many young people find direction in life where they thought there was none.
Today on AirTalk, we’d like to hear about your best and worst memory from your military service. Share your story by joining our live conversation at 866-893-5722.
Could Veterans’ Grief Be Significantly Overlooked?
An abundance of research looking at war has focused on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, but researchers at the University of California, Irvine wanted to take a different angle: grief. The researchers say the more in-depth knowledge available on this topic, the better experts can address the public health impact of recent wars.
A recent study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine focuses on grief in veterans over the loss of a comrade to either combat or suicide. It hones in on how the specific form of death is associated with veterans’ responses and the levels of grief experienced. The study found that suicide deaths can be more challenging because it’s often unexpected, whereas combat deaths may be easier to accept. The study also reveals findings about blame, guilt and emotional responses when it comes to comrade deaths. And combat exposure is as strong a risk factor for grief as it is for PTSD, according to the study.
Today on AirTalk, Larry sits down to talk with a researcher who conducted the study. But we also want to hear from you. Are you a veteran who’s experienced the loss of a comrade? How has it impacted you? Are you a family member of a veteran? Do you think their grief was or has been overlooked? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Pauline Lubens, co-author of the UCI study; policy analyst at the nonprofit Swords to Plowshares, which focuses on veterans’ issues