Texas Tribune Conversations

Texas Tribune Conversations

Top conversations from The Texas Tribune's annual festival on all things politics and policy, along with additional interviews from past Texas Tribune events. Episodes feature conversations with CEO Evan Smith and newsmakers.

Episodes

February 14, 2019 62 mins
25 years ago George W. Bush did what was unlikely, if not impossible — he snatched control of Texas’ governorship from a popular Democratic incumbent. And the rest, literally, is history.

Ross Ramsey, executive editor of The Texas Tribune, leads a discussion looking back on that campaign and Bush’s years in Texas. He’s joined by four former aids to George W. Bush:

• Dan Bartlettt, a counselor to President George W. Bush, working on...
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These are challenging times for politically engaged members of the clergy. Ana Marie Cox, host of the "With Friends Like These" podcast, leads a discussion with three civically engaged spiritual leaders in Texas:

• Andrew Doyle, Episcopal Bishop of Texas
• Mara Nathan, Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in San Antonio
• Bruce Nieli, St. Austin Church in Austin.

Their conversation was recorded live on September 28, 2018, during the Texas ...
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December 27, 2018 66 mins
With popular apps and platforms under fire for their role in the hot mess presidential election cycle of 2016, we ask the hot question on everyone’s lips: “Is social media good for democracy?”

Gene Park of the Washington Post moderates a discussion with Jim Brady (Spirited Media), Roger McNamee (Elevation Partners), Vivian Schiller (Civil Media Foundation) and Siva Vaidhyanathan (University of Virginia).

This discussion was recorde...
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December 14, 2018 67 mins
In this symposium on rural policy and affairs in Texas, five lawmakers discuss whether and how rural interests will play in the next legislative session.

Evan Smith, co-founder and CEO of The Texas Tribune, moderates the discussion with state representatives Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin; Drew Darby, R-San Angelo; Mary González, D-Clint; Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass; and Four Price, R-Amarillo.

This conversation was recorded before a live ...
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November 29, 2018 59 mins
The state’s commissioners of public and higher education and a former U.S. education secretary on the innovations necessary to serve the next generation of students. Evan Smith moderates a discussion with John King, former U.S. Secretary of Education; Mike Morath, Texas Education Commissioner; and Raymund Paredes, Texas Commissioner of Higher Education.

This panel is presented by Raise Your Hand Texas and supported by the Texas Asso...
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November 15, 2018 55 mins
Even though more than half the population of Texas is female, women haven’t come close to achieving parity in the upper ranks of politics, the law, advocacy and academia — yet.

Texas Tribune reporter Alexza Ura moderates a discussion with Wendy Davis, former State Senator, D-Fort Worth; Eva Guzman, Texas Supreme Court Justice; Linda Livingstone, President of Baylor University; and Senfronia Thompson, State Representative, D-Houston...
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November 5, 2018 63 mins
They’re survivors of four infamous mass-casualty shootings — and they’re victims. Here are their stories.

Pamela Colloff, senior writer at ProPublica, moderates a discussion with Chris Grady, survivor of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting; Nicole Hockley, founder of Sandy Hook Promise; Suzanna Gratia Hupp, former state representative, R-Lampasas; and Frank Pomeroy, pastor of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Spring...
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The most monumental political year of the modern era feels closer than half a century ago. Hendrik Hertzberg moderates a discussion with Chris Matthews, Lawrence O’Donnell, Dan Rather, and Luci Baines Johnson. This event was recorded before a live audience at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin on Saturday, September 29 during the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival.
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The long walk from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump — a timely and important discussion about party, partisanship and ideology. Recording live during the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival at the Paramount Theater in Austin. Susan Glasser (The New Yorker) moderates a discussion with Matt K. Lewis (The Daily Beast and contributor for CNN), Bill Kristol (The Weekly Standard), Amanda Carpenter (author and contributor for CNN), and Ben Domenech ...
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October 10, 2018 69 mins
The three-term El Paso congressman speaks to Evan Smith about his headline-making race against Ted Cruz for the U.S. Senate.
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