Politics and Polls
Politics & Polls is a podcast produced by the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.
Episodes
The GOP is often seen as "the party of the rich," enacting policies that benefit the wealthy and leave the poor behind. However, a new book by historian Lily Geismer reveals that Democrats also played a significant role in deepening American inequality.
In this episode, she and Julian Zelizer discuss the Clinton-era policy decisions that led to skyrocketed inequality and poverty in the U.S. today. Her book, "Left Behind: The Democr...
Big questions are coming up as the midterm elections inch closer. Where does the GOP stand in the post-Trump era? How severe is political polarization? And how will President Biden and his team tackle some of the country’s biggest challenges from responding to the war in Ukraine to getting a handle on inflation?
Russia's attacks on Ukraine are getting closer to NATO countries and striking civilians trying to flee. Negotiations for a resolution have been attempted, but all have failed so far. Nuclear weapons seem as though they loom large, as the world watches how the conflict continues to unfold.
Julian and Sam discuss the current state of the war in Ukraine, how the media is responding, and w...
Following Russia's invasion into Ukraine, the world finds itself again in a moment of war. As gunfire and bombings continue, it's unclear whether Putin will give up this fight, leading to questions about how to achieve an end to the conflict. Moving into a successful post-war peace will require thoughtful and deliberate leadership — characteristics that President Abraham Lincoln displayed during and after the Civil War.
A new boo...
COVID-19 restrictions are being dropped around the country as the U.S. enters what feels like a state of normalcy, at least to some. Oncologist and health expert Ezekiel J. Emanuel joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang to discuss how the nation will continue to live with the virus. As Sam described on his Twitter feed: “What’s out: surface transmission. What’s in: air quality, HEPA filters.” Tune in to learn more.
Emanuel is the vice...
Taking readers from Ground Zero to the Capitol Insurrection, Karen Greenberg describes the subtle tools that were forged under George W. Bush in the name of security — all of which had profound effects on democracy. She details these tools in a new book, "Subtle Tools: The Dismantling of American Democracy from the War on Terror to Donald Trump," which she discusses with Julian Zelizer in this episode.
Greenberg is director of the ...
Laura Coates '01, CNN anchor and legal analyst and, believes in education as a form of activism. This led her to write her new book, "Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor's Fight for Fairness," a groundbreaking account of bias in the courtroom.
In this episode, Julian and Sam talk with Laura about the essays in her book, which document her time as a prosecutor in the Department of Justice, and reveal how she experienced both racism and...
On the anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection, this week's episode focuses on the strains placed on American democracy. From voter suppression to wreckage at the U.S. Capitol, many of our political processes feel under attack, leaving some hopeless and others searching for solutions.
Julian and Sam dive into the subject with scholar Carolyn Shapiro, an expert on the Supreme Court and its role in our constitutional democ...
It's the end-of-the-year broadcast for Politics & Polls! Julian and Sam recap the year, beginning with a discussion on the Jan. 6 insurrection and a seemingly under-the-radar fight for democracy. They also chat about the supply chain, inflation and jobs, as well as some of the biggest news stories of the year. Hint: COVID-19 continues to ravage, sparking anxiety and fear, but vaccine rates are going up. This is why the pair gives k...
Omicron, a new variant of COVID-19, is making its way around the globe, shuttering international flights and bringing back former restrictions. How will the U.S. react? Julian and Sam discuss this moment and how it's a big test for the Biden administration. They also chat about polarization, redistricting, and — looking ahead to 2022 and 2024 — how we can maintain our faith in elections.
Is it too early to talk about the 2022 Midterm Elections? Julian and Sam don't think so, which is why they unpack some of the issues that may threaten Democratic power next year. They discuss the role redistricting will play and the complexities of gerrymandering — an issue that’s always on Sam’s mind. Thanks for tuning in!
Abraham Joshua Heschel was a Polish-born American rabbi, theologian, and civil rights and anti-war leader. To this day, Heschel remains a symbol of the fight to make progressive Jewish values relevant in the secular world.
Julian Zelizer wrote a biography on Heschel’s life from childhood to death, detailing his position at the intersection of religion and progressive politics in mid-20th-century America.
Sam Wang interviews Julian...
Pro-Trump extremists seem to have a tight grip on the Republican Party at both state and national levels. With elections around the corner, traditional Republicans are now calling for party officials to move the GOP away from "Trumpism." Some are even wondering whether a new center-right party may be needed — as a last resort.
These concerns were expressed by Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and Miles Taylor in a recent Washington Pos...
Since President Joe Biden pulled U.S. troops out of Afghanistan, many are sorting through whether a withdrawal was really necessary. Regardless, the decision marks a decided end to a long and protracted war, which began during 9/11.
Amb. Robert Finn joins Julian Zelizer in this week's episode to analyze the decision and its effects in this week's episode. A former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Finn is a former lecturer on Turkish...
Big government is often attacked. In the 1960s and 1970s, social advocates like Ralph Nader and Rachel Carson led the charge in the form of public interest groups. While they disrupted a number of government plans, some unintended consequences emerged: the undermining of big government liberalism, which is the alliance between government, business, and labor.
A book by academic and author Paul Sabin traces the history of the public...
How are Congress and the courts exercising their powers on the issue of voting rights? Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang are joined by Wendy Weiser, vice president for democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, for a conversation about voting rights from the Texas State legislature to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Weiser has appeared on CNN, Fox News, ...
New daily Covid-19 infections in the U.S. are reaching 100,000+, yet, not too long ago, that number was 11,000. With everyone asking ‘where do we go from here?’, Dr. Leana Wen joins Julian and Sam to consider the path through the pandemic and the future of public health. The trio preview Wen’s brand-new book, “Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health,” which chronicles public health’s successful innovations thro...
Behind almost every U.S. President there has been a First Lady... but we don't always hear much about them. This week, author Julia Sweig joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang to discuss her book and podcast, “In Plain Sight,” which delves into the audio diaries of Lady Bird Johnson.
Julia Sweig is a New York Times bestselling author whose writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the Atlantic, the Nation, and more. S...
How are partisan identity and misinformation connected? Sam Wang is joined by Brendan Nyhan to discuss misinformation, partisan identity, and the stability of America's democratic norms.
Nyhan is a professor in the Department of Government at Dartmouth College. He is a researcher on politics, polarization, and healthcare, with an emphasis on false beliefs. He’s also a contributor to the Upshot from The New York Times a...
What in the world is going on? Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang catch you up on some of the biggest discussions happening in politics today: messaging about vaccines and the ongoing controversy about critical race theory and school curriculums.
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