Political Breakdown

San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez tells Marisa and Katie about making it as a single mom in politics for most of her career, giving up on love and finding it again, championing labor issues, and how she handles online harassment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Sacramento police officer was killed in the line of duty Wednesday night. Marisa and Scott discuss how that might affect the conversation on the death penalty. Then, former Bay Area Assemblywoman Catharine Baker discusses why that “R” next to hear name on the ballot doomed her re-election, battling cancer her senior year of college, and why bipartisanship was the only way to get stuff done. Lear...

A new poll finds Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren surging in California. Marisa and Scott discuss how the top candidates are fairing in the Golden State. Then, Los Angeles congressman Adam Schiff discusses how his kids view his newfound political celebrity, his mother's campaigning skills, his prosecution of an FBI agent, and his relationship with California Republican Devin Nunes on the Hou...

California takes center stage in the Democratic primary, as fourteen candidates make their case to delegates at the party convention in San Francisco. Scott and Marisa recap the speeches and the election of a new party chair. Then, an interview from the convention with New Jersey Senator and presidential hopeful Cory Booker, who discusses his push for "civic grace," his California roots, why he st...

California Democrats are gearing up for their annual party convention in San Francisco this weekend, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is blasting Facebook after the tech giant didn't take down a doctored video of her. Then, presidential candidate Julián Castro joins the breakdown to discuss growing up in Texas, tying with his twin brother in a college student senate election, and why he's made immig...

Tonya Mosley, host of KQED's new podcast Truth Be Told, joins Marisa and Scott to talk about identity politics and the struggle for candidates of color to be "enough." Then, Jenifer Ancona of Way to Win discusses the group's focus on voters of color, the importance of year-round organizing, why funding candidate campaigns isn't sustainable, and the "reverse coattails" effect they are hoping to spa...

Scott and Marisa discuss how Governor Gavin Newsom is spending his political capital, as the legislature stalls a clean water tax and legislation to increase housing density. Then, Kimberly Ellis joins to discuss her 2017 loss in the Democratic party chair race, her childhood in a military family, the death of her brother from cancer, and her current bid to lead the state party. Learn more about y...

Gavin Newsom lays out a revised state budget, and Marisa and Scott discuss the governor's break with Attorney General Xavier Becerra over the release of police misconduct records. Then, pollster David Binder joins to talk about polling vs. focus groups, early indications of Trump's electoral success, the myth of voters in the 'middle,' and the 2020 Democratic primary. Learn more about your ad choi...

California Senator Kamala Harris grabs the spotlight in her questioning of Attorney General William Barr. Then, Washington Governor Jay Inslee joins Scott and Guy Marzorati to talk about his Jimi Hendrix connection, hooping with Obama, the vote that cost him his House seat in 1994, climate change politics, and his campaign for President. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

Joe Biden enters the 2020 fray, more Democratic nominees head west, and Scott and Marisa are joined by Guy Marzorati to talk about the latest in housing politics at the state Capitol (0:30). Then, San Francisco Assemblyman David Chiu joins to talk about renter protections, his relationship with Governor Gavin Newsom, growing up with a "tiger mom," San Francisco vs. state politics, and jamming out...

The race for California Democratic Party chair is heating up, and Scott and Marisa discuss what's at stake. Then, they're joined by Rusty Hicks, candidate for chair, who discusses his vision for the state party, meeting his father at age 11, his decision to join the Navy Reserves, and the political work of the LA County Federation of Labor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...

A lukewarm poll and an ongoing utility crisis greet Governor Gavin Newsom upon his return from El Salvador. Then, Scott and Marisa are joined by Laphonza Butler, campaign advisor to Kamala Harris, who discusses her role on the campaign, her childhood in Mississippi and time at Jackson State, advocating for home care workers at SEIU and high-stakes negotiations with Governor Jerry Brown's office. L...

The debate over a proposed navigation center in San Francisco exposes the challenge local electeds face in addressing homelessness in California. Then, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert joins Marisa and Scott to talk about opposing her brother at the ballot box, Governor Newsom's death penalty moratorium, leading a breakthrough in the use of forensic DNA, her public announcem...

Freshman Congressman TJ Cox tells Scott and Marisa about waiting three weeks before emerging victorious in his Central Valley House district, the moment he knew the Democratic Party was abandoning his race, his childhood and the early death of his father, the Green New Deal, high-speed rail, and his bi-coastal family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Minnesota Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar joins Scott and Marisa to talk about embracing leadership at an early age, prom night trauma, why it's important to have "the voice of a Midwesterner" on climate change, her treatment of Senate staff, and using Dr. Seuss to convince colleagues to allow babies on the Senate floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

Gavin Newsom places a moratorium on executions in California, and Scott and Marisa delve into the factors that weighed into the governor's decision. Then, Newsom's chief of staff Ann O'Leary joins to discuss life inside the governor's office, her childhood in Maine, clipping newspapers in the Clinton White House, running the Clinton-Kaine transition, and the days leading up to Newsom's death penal...

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra says the two Sacramento police officers who shot and killed Stephon Clark last year will not face criminal charges, and advocates are calling for a change to the state's use of force standards (0:45). Then, Marisa and Scott are joined by Aimee Allison, president of Democracy in Color, to discuss the controversy sparked by Rep. Omar's criticism of Israel,...

Governor Gavin Newsom delivers his first state of the state, and struggles to keep his high-speed rail announcement on track (0:40). Then, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon joins Scott and Marisa to discuss his journey from school struggles to a Ph. D, what he learned from his first run for speaker, whether his leadership style is too deferential, the internal karma of the Capitol, and his relations...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi becomes a meme again, and California's delegation tries to flex its muscle as the majority on House committees. Scott and Marisa also look ahead to Gavin Newsom's first State of the State and new legislation on policing and deadly force (0:46). Then, Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino joins to discuss his organization's corporate philosophy, why he's staye...

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal joins Scott and Marisa to share the story of her move to America at 16, going from Wall Street to immigration advocacy, negotiating with Nancy Pelosi, how Democrats should approach the issue of single-payer healthcare, and what she wants to see in the 2020 primary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cal Fire finds that PG&E equipment did not start the deadly Tubbs Fire in the North Bay -- what does that mean for the utility's impending bankruptcy claim? Scott and Marisa also discuss Kamala Harris' entrance into the 2020 presidential field, and the debate over how "progressive" a prosecutor she was in California. Then, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi joins to discuss Harris' time as...

The government shutdown turns into a Trump/Pelosi showdown, and Governor Gavin Newsom is greeted with a teachers strike in LA and the possible bankruptcy of PG&E (0:58). Then, Scott and Marisa are joined by East Bay Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, who talks about juggling parenting and politics, her childhood in the Sierra foothills, working for President Obama, and facing challenges from the left in h...

Gavin Newsom takes the oath of office to become California's 40th governor. Live coverage and analysis from KQED's politics team and Capital Public Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy Pelosi regains the gavel as the new Congress is sworn in, and California's new members fall in line behind the speaker (0:25). Then consultant Aaron McLear joins Marisa and Scott to talk about leaving the Republican Party, working for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, why working for Uber was like working on a campaign, and managing a gubernatorial transition (6:00). Learn more about your ad c...

The state legislature continues to weigh reforms around utilities and wildfires, and Republicans jump on a failed attempt to audit the state DMV (00:40). Then, State Senator Kevin de Leon joins the show to talk about his childhood in San Diego, fatherhood, how he chooses his legislative battles, bringing organized labor into a clean-energy future, and his run for U.S. Senate (8:11). Learn more abo...