Inside Golden State Politics

We dissect the political farce known as the Iowa Republican  caucuses.  And we wonder whether ex-Dodger Steve Garvey can play in the political major leagues.

We analyze the  early version of the California budget and the cuts it may require. And we look at the internal churning at the Los Angeles Times.

We discuss the impact of immigration, abortion and the Trump trials on this year's elections. And we wonder whether Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be a wild card in November.    

We examine the impact of the Israel-Palestine conflict on  American politics .  We discuss the intricacies of the Colorado Supreme Court  decision to remove Trump from that state's primary ballot.  We look at Vice President Kamala  Harris' campaigning for abortion rights.   

We  wonder when free speech becomes hate speech.    And we assess  Mayor Karen Bass' first year on the job.

We take a look at the  high number of departures from Congress and what it means for  California.  We assess the so-called debate between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

We discuss the uncertainties of the upcoming election year.

We unveil a new IGSP  Thanksgiving  tradition:  The "Turkey Of The Year Awards."  This coveted honor is awarded to a person (or persons) who did something really stupid or venal in the 2023 political year.

We examine Donald Trump's rhetorical echoes of Hitler and Mussolini.  We also conclude Gov. Gavin Newsom should be spending more time on his day job.  And we take a brief look at California's U.S. Senate race. 

Adam Nagourney, national political  correspondent for the New York Times, shares his insights into the evolution  of the "Gray Lady"  to a 21st Century digital powerhouse, as reported in his new book "The Times: How the Newspaper Of Record  Survived Scandal, Scorn,  And The Transformation Of Journalism."

We explore how the twin evils of anti-Semitism  and Islamophobia are shaping politics at home and abroad.

Nobody trusts anybody anymore--politicians, journalists, you name it.   We take a gloomy journey through the speakership fight and  the Mideast and Ukraine  wars .   We also cast  a cynical eye on  Gov. Gavin Newsom's international excursions. 

We look at the  Gaza war's impact on American politics.   And we try to explain the war-caused turmoil roiling college campuses.

We  agree that the Hamas attack will impact American politics but we don't know how. We agree that  Gov. Gavin Newsom's recently signed mental health bill will affect  the lives of an untold number of Californians.   But we don't know how.  If you want certainty, you've got the wrong podcast.

Laurel Rosenhall, the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau chief, brings us up to date on Gov. Gavin Newsom's struggle to find a replacement for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.  She also discusses other developments in the recent  days of Golden State politics.

No podcast this week. Sherry is caring for her sister who's very ill. We'll be back next week for another look at Inside Golden State Politics

We examine obstacles facing President Biden as he campaigns for re-election. 

We examine the age issue from the halls of Congress to the White House.  We check on  Gov. Gavin Newsom's activities and take a look at the new California Assembly  speaker.

We look at  potential policy shifts  in  California and in the federal government.   They portend  a quiet revolution in governance.

So much to talk about in the soap opera of political life.  And we're doing it.

We look ahead to the aftermath of the debate and the media's impact on it

We examine the pros and cons of televising the potential Georgia Trump trial. We wonder whether enlarging the city council will improve Los Angeles city government.

A wave of labor disputes mean unexpected problems for Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass.  We also look at the Ohio election result and  the latest Trump indictment and how they may affect the 2024 election.

We take our own turn examining the legalities and politics of the latest indictment of former President Trump.

We loved the Barbie movie , the DeSantis campaign not so much.  And  we take a look at recent policy moves by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.