Political Breakfast from WABE

This week on Political Breakfast, Donald Trump and Joe Biden hosted two competing presidential campaign rallies in Georgia over the weekend.  Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson join host Lisa Rayam to compare the turnout and excitement at both events – as both candidate's approval ratings aren't reflecting the same energy.  Both Trump and Biden...

Former President Donald Trump’s last Republican challenger, Nikki Haley, has bowed out of the race ahead of Georgia’s presidential primary on Tuesday. Now the campaign is turning to the General Election, with Trump and President Joe Biden set to hold competing rallies in Georgia on Saturday. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas also discuss a busy qualifying week at the state capito...

On this special edition of Political Breakfast, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strateigst Tharon Johnson sort through some of the bills and issues that were getting tossed around on the all-important Crossover Day under the Georgia State Capitol. Immigration and sports betting captured their attention, but so did the overall buzz that filled the halls of the Gold Dome on this...

Lawmakers scramble to keep their bills alive on Crossover Day. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas discuss some of the major bills that are still making their way through the legislature and those that didn't make the cut this session. Plus a conversation about immigration with WABE's immigration and communities reporter Emily Wu Pearson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

On this week's Political Breakfast, we're joined by special guest, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, who is also an author and longtime historian! His new book is titled, 'James Oglethorpe: Father of Georgia, A founder's journey from slave trader to abolitionist.' It's been a decades-long journey for Thurmond. In 1996, he was part of a delegation that traveled to England to celebrate the 300th b...

On this Edition of Political Breakfast, we discuss the tragic murder of nursing student Laken Hope Riley on the UGA campus and the subsequent politicking that has followed. The suspect arrested in the murder case, 26-year-old Venezuelan national Jose Ibarra, unlawfully crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022. Now, Governor Brian Kemp is calling out the Biden Administration for allegedly not protect...

The “First in the South” Republican Presidential Primary is this Saturday in South Carolina. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas speak with South Carolina Public Radio's Maayan Schechter about the primary and more. Plus, a roundup of what's been happening at the Georgia Capitol. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Atlanta Civic Circle Director Saba Long discuss Atlanta's housing crisis. Wages have not grown with housing costs. There's also an overall scarcity on the market.  Are rent control and restrictions on landowners the solution? Or is it building more housing? With Atlanta's population expected to grow to around eight m...

As a judge considers whether to disqualify Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis from the election interference case, Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and Atlanta Civil Circle Director Saba Long weigh-in on Willis's testimony during last week's hearing. Willis is accused of having an improper relationship with Nathan Wade, who's the special prosecutor working on the case. A political con...

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took the stand in an Atlanta courtroom Thursday to defend her ability to continue helming the Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald Trump. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas discuss what ended up being a dramatic day in court. Plus, a roundup of the week's news from the capitol and a conversation with WABE...

Georgia's long-serving Democratic U.S. Rep. David Scott has a challenger in the party's May primary.  Democrat Marcus Flowers raised more than 16 million dollars to challenge alt-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and represent Georgia's 14th Congressional Distict. He lost in the general election in November of 2022.  We discuss the chatter surrounding the opposition to Scot...

This week on Political Breakfast, Atlanta and politics mixed with the Super Bowl.  Besides the 75-yard touchdown the Kansas City Chiefs pulled to win in overtime Sunday night, Atlanta's own R&B singer Usher put on a star-studded halftime performance at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He represented with Atlanta performers and singers, even shouting at the end "I turned the world to the A....

Advocates are calling a bill headed to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s desk a step back from years of criminal justice reform. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas speak with criminal justice reporter Chamian Cruz about Senate Bill 63 , which would add more than two dozen offenses to the list of charges requiring cash bail while limiting charitable bail funds from securing the release...

On this week's Political Breakfast, the team talks about a new book called 'Find Me the Votes' by investigative journalists Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman. They share intimate details about Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis "the person" and her prosecution of former president Donald Trump, and 18 co-conspirators, in their alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election results.&nbsp...

This week on Political Breakfast, the gang discusses the fallout of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis acknowledging her personal relationship with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade. Willis also called motions to disqualify her from the Georgia election interference case "meritless."  Plus, Atlanta rapper and activist Michael Render, known as Killer Mike, was just arrested at the Grammy...

The Georgia Senate has passed a bill that would allow sports betting, but a last minute addition could complicate its ultimate passage. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas also discuss efforts to recruit poll workers and speak with health reporter Jess Mador about a slew of health related issues, including a possible Medicaid expansion and the $636 million Georgia is getting from a...

A note of disclosure: This episode was recorded 2 days before the antisemitism bill was signed into law. GOP Governor Brian Kemp has signed a bill into law that officially defines antisemitism. Supporters say now Georgia prosecutors and judges can more easily define antisemitism as discrimination or a hate crime.  Democratic State Representative Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the G...

On this edition of Political Breakfast, the team analyzes how both the Republican and Democratic parties will leverage the abortion issue during this election cycle. Plus, Brian and Tharon swap theories on what Governor Brian Kemp stands to gain by taking a staunch conservative stance on immigration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Republicans under the Gold Dome have pounced on misconduct allegations lodged against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, the lead prosecutor in the Georgia election interference case. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has joined a motion seeking to disqualify Willis from the case. Also this week, WABE politics reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali speak with their colleague Stepha...

On this week's second episode of Political Breakfast, Georgia politicians are starting to kick up dust under the Gold Dome week 3 of the legislative session. Republicans and Democrats are both moving forward with hot-button issues. Host Lisa Rayam asks strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson what kitchen-table issues are being pushed so far. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

This week on Political Breakfast, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ended his 2024 White House bid on Sunday and endorsed rival Donald Trump. How will his decision trickle down in Georgia?  Host Lisa Rayam and strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson discuss whether or not Republicans will fall in line behind Trump? Or will former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley pull ahead?  See omnyst...

It's budget week at the Georgia State Capitol and more than $35 billion a year are at stake. WABE politics reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali talk about the state budget with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's James Salzer, who's been covering state government and politics in Georgia since 1990. Plus a look at the ongoing debate over Medicaid expansion and a roundup of election news ahead of Ge...

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis breaks her silence over the hiring of a prosecutor in the Donald Trump election case. But was her response enough?  Questions regarding an alleged affair between the two still loom. On this edition of Political Breakfast, strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson join host Lisa Rayam to weigh how this could hurt her re-election campaign and boos...

The Georgia legislature is back under the Gold Dome, just a few weeks after a contentious special session on redistricting. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas discuss what they'll be keeping an eye on this legislative session. Plus, some of the key takeaways from Governor Brian Kemp's sixth State of the State address and a preview of what will likely be a heated election year. See...

On this week's edition of Political Breakfast, it's our first time airing a second episode – the podcast is now airing twice a week in 2024.  Host Lisa Rayam, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and former Georgia GOP Chair Chuck Clay (in for Brian Robinson) debate the general voter climate.  Are voters on both sides really ready for 2024? Or is there an overall weariness surrounding th...