KCRW's Left, Right & Center
Left Right & Center is a political podcast hosted by David Greene that brings together voices from the left and right to discuss ideological differences and explore what's at stake in current events. The show aims to provide clarity without asking listeners to agree, encouraging them to challenge their assumptions and understand their own perspectives better. It avoids knee-jerk reactions and name-calling, offering a thoughtful examination of the chaotic political era.
Episodes
The Supreme Court Starts Its New Term Politicized And Unpopular
The Supreme Court started its new term. On its docket are cases involving the president’s immigration policy and whether communities can sue fossil fuel companies over climate change. But the court may also be drawn into fights over the upcoming midterms at a time when public trust in the court is at historic lows. Plus, we talk about the civil suit brought against Cornell University over
Trump Runs Midterm Ads About Himself Fighting America’s “Enemies”
The White House released what it described as a “public service announcement” warning Americans of so-called enemies like communists and Marxists. But the TV spot is mostly a replay of a campaign ad Trump ran just two years ago with a new caption, “Paid For By The U.S. Government.” Where is the line between PSA and propaganda, especially so close to those big midterm elections where his p
Trump’s Media Ban Threatens The First Amendment
President Trump kicked three news organizations out of the White House, but a judge ordered them back in…for now.There are deeper issues here about freedom of the press and, however this plays out, understanding what to do when a brazen president tries to dictate the story of his presidency. President Trump’s foreign policy is also in the spotlight as he speaks at the UN and hosts China’s
Introducing: Reaching Out
Today we’re excited to share a special episode of Reaching Out, a new podcast from Futuro and KCRW. Hailed by Ira Glass as the “best new show I’ve heard in years,” Reaching Out is a story about fathers, sons, and the distance between. The story begins on the eve of twin brothers’ Sayre and Connor’s 30th birthday, when they set out to find the biological father who abandoned them before t
Pressure Builds To Regulate AI Before It’s Too Late
The last week has been dominated by dire warnings about the threat AI could pose to humanity. A growing number of voices in government are calling for action. Even leaders in the industry say things need to slow down. But some like President Trump say there’s great risk in regulating – we could fall behind and let countries like China lead the way. We’ll talk about if and how to regulate
Trump Bets On Himself To Win The Midterms
This week’s Republican Party convention was a bit odd to have in a midterm election year. But President Trump spoke there for nearly two hours and said he wants voters to imagine that he is on the ballot. If that’s his strategy to help his party, will it work or backfire? Democratic Senator John Fetterman made a surprise video cameo at the convention, and it was his first big appearance s
Politicians Are Struggling To Keep Up With A.I. Backlash
Americans are mad about data centers being built near them. President Trump, however, argues building more of them on home soil helps the country’s economy and is critical to our national security. How can lawmakers on both sides of the aisle balance those benefits alongside the anger of the public?Plus, ICE switched up its enforcement strategy to attract fewer headlines and increase arre
Trump Launches Economic War On Canada & Iran
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
The Iran War Weighs On Troop Morale & Voters’ Patience
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrwThe 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. W
Let’s Make Sense Of Democrats’ Conflicting Primary Results
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrwPart 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 hi
The ‘Socialist’ Brand Helps Some Democrats…For Now
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 act
Affordability Rules the Midterms. Trump Calls It 'Made Up'
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, whic
The Midterm Impact Of Progressives, Election Deniers & Iran
Progressive Democrats are surging in primary elections across the country, but the party establishment is worried they’ll lose this November. Republicans think those progressives will be easier to beat, too.So how will this intra-party fight among Democrats play out and determine control of Congress? And why is the GOP so sure they can beat progressive Dems when some polls show their part
How Should Lawmakers Balance Privacy and Transparency About Their Health?
Senator Mitch McConnell was absent from Capitol Hill for weeks. Rumors and conspiracies swirled until he recently reappeared and said he was in medical care recovering from a fall.He’s not the only politician who’s hid their health from the public eye – Joe Biden, for instance, tried to keep concerns about his health quiet before the 2024 election – until it was too hard to ignore.We talk
Graham Platner Drops Out In Maine Senate Race
Democrats badly want to win control of the Senate this fall, but they just suffered a bad blow: Graham Platner, their candidate in Maine, dropped out of the race after facing rape allegations. Whose job was it to vet Platner? And what do Democrats do with this race now? Then, from cryptocurrency profits to calling the head of FIFA, what is President Trump’s relationship with corruption? H
No, The Supreme Court Didn’t Make Trump Unilaterally More Powerful
The Supreme Court finished its term with some pre-July 4th fireworks by issuing decisions that continue to shape the powers of the presidency. But how solid is this narrative out there that Trump benefits from a conservative-leaning court? The justices also loosened the leash for how much the parties can coordinate with and help fund congressional candidates. We look at what impact this c
Who Speaks For The Parties? Dems and GOP Fight It Out
Are socialists taking over the Democratic Party? New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a proud Democratic Socialist, won some stunning victories in Congressional primaries. His chosen candidates beat out more mainstream Democrats. Republicans have their own issues. President Trump met with several GOP senators and things got testy. His decision to target sitting Republicans in recent primaries m
Is Anyone Happy With Trump’s Iran Deal?
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/KCRWPresident Trump is lauding his peace deal between the U.S. and Iran as a success – one far greater than the deal former President Obama brokered. But even members of his own party are skeptical that the new plan is any better. What goals did he achieve in this
The World Cup Is Getting Outplayed By Politics
Politics cast a big shadow over several big sporting events this week. The President’s immigration policies are affecting players’ and fans’ plans to travel to World Cup events in the U.S., the Administration hosts a UFC event on the White House lawn, and Trump caused disruption and was met with boos when he visited Madison Square Garden for an NBA Finals game.We dig into the all-importan
Why Did Iowa Republicans Snub The Trump-Backed Candidate?
Iowa Republicans picked Zach Lahn over the Trump-backed Randy Feenstra in the gubernatorial primary. Lahn’s a farmer who spoke about the pain of high fertilizer prices and cancer caused by pesticides, earning him support from the MAHA. Was this some rebuke of Trump, or just voters looking for the right person to make their lives better? Critics say ICE detainees face horrific conditions.
Introducing "Intention to Treat: Money and Misdiagnosis"
We bring you an episode of "Intention to Treat: The Race Equation." It's a new series from the New England Journal of Medicine that investigates how race-specific diagnostic tools harm Black patients and contribute to growing health inequities.
Senate Control Rides On Paxton, Texas’ Flawed GOP Pick
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/KCRWTexas Republicans are pinning their hopes on Senate candidate Ken Paxton, the state attorney general who was impeached for abusing his office. Maine Democrats are pinning theirs on Graham Platner, who’s had to explain an old tattoo that looks like a Nazi symbo
Trump’s $1.8B Fund Draws Cries of ‘Brazen Corruption’
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/KCRWWhat is an anti-weaponization fund? Is it a legit use of taxpayer dollars to help people of all political stripes who were wronged by their government, or is it a corrupt slush fund to help President Trump and his political allies? One immediate question on th
The Gerrymandering Rush Is Leaving Voters In the Dust
Some voters are in the dark about which districts they live in and who their candidates are because officials in several states and the president are obsessed with redrawing congressional maps. The latest push on redistricting comes after the Supreme Court struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act.Also, public health officials are clear: hantavirus is different from COVID and highly unli
The Abortion Debate Returns With Risks For Both Parties
Abortion is back at center stage in our politics after a federal appeals court halted access to a mail-order abortion medication. We’ll talk about next steps in the Supreme Court and the decision facing both parties on whether to lean into this issue at this moment. Democrats know it can galvanize their base, but do they want to take attention away from affordability? On the right, could
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