Left, Right & Center

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrw “Economic D-Day” – that’s how President Trump described his latest strategy in the Iran War. He’s promising to starve the country’s economy. A lot may rely on whether other countries play ball, especially China. Trump isn’t just going after Iran. He’s pushed us into a new tariff war with Canada, and our polite neighbor to the north is in no mood to cave.  We’ll talk about the pros and cons of economic warfare, how to know if policies like this will help or hurt Americans, and whether this will sway voters’ choices this fall. Also, Flock cameras are a sleeper issue in these upcoming midterms. They’re AI-powered and used by police to tackle crime, but some communities hate their surveillance power.  And we remember the late Dolly Parton, a talented musician with unique appeal to audiences all over the political spectrum.   Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Oren Cass, founder and chief economist of American Compass - @oren_cass Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrw The political lives of some Republicans literally depend on their carefully crafted messaging around an unpopular war and unpopular president. Many know they can’t abandon Trump, and getting on his bad side doesn’t generally end well for Republicans, either.  We talk about dire conditions reported on the USS Abraham Lincoln where its extended Middle East deployment has pushed some sailors to the brink. It’s put a spotlight on the morale of our troops, as well as what our military strength looks like to other countries. Plus we take listener questions, including from one who thinks a progressive swing left is a losing strategy for Democrats who’ll need the South to win the next presidency.  Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mike Dubke, veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 - @MikeDubke Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrw Part of any midterm election year is trying to guess the larger trends to see how our politics are evolving in one direction or another.  “Progressives are gaining momentum!” Except not in Wisconsin this past week. “President Trump can steer any primary vote his way!” Or not, given that his ally Mike Lindell didn’t advance in the Minnesota Governor’s race. We talk about the nuance and surprises from the latest primaries, and how the emerging message might be that voters just want new faces and new energy.  Plus, President Trump faces the inescapable reality that he’s lost support for the war in Iran among voters and his own party. The Washington Post also breaks the story that Trump secretly flew out of Turkey last month because of a threat, leaving Air Force One – and reporters and key Trump officials on board – to be used as a decoy.  And the WNBA has been getting its moment of glory, while also getting dragged into the culture wars.  Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Jonah Goldberg, co-founder and editor-in-chief at The Dispatch - @JonahDispatch

Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Senate primary, but he’ll have to beat Republican Mike Rogers who wants to flip this seat for the GOP.  Can El-Sayed and other progressive candidates win over independent voters this fall? Polls suggest they have a lot of work to do, with a lot at stake for Democrats.  Also, how our legal system pushes back against a president who often acts like he’s above the law.  And in Ohio, a Republican congressman clings to his re-election hopes even after his ex-wife accused him of domestic violence. That ex-wife also happens to be the daughter of a U.S. senator. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Will Swaim, CEO of the California Policy Center - @WillSwaim

What does “affordability” mean, and who should we trust to deliver it? Democrats are pounding the affordability message hard, saying President Trump began a global tariff war and a war in Iran that have both pushed prices up for Americans.  We’ll talk about what actual ideas Democrats are offering to bring relief. The boldest ideas so far have come from their more progressive members, which could be a potential challenge for the more moderate wing of the party. Republicans have their own challenge: GOP lawmakers seem willing to work on bipartisan solutions on affordability, but President Trump keeps undermining them. Mo and Sarah have their own policy debate to stump for proposals that can bring prices down, and also pick each other’s ideas apart. Plus, Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer questions about Covid in a congressional hearing, and we talk about whether he was justified. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons