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Left, Right & Center

Left, Right & Center

KCRW

Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly civilized yet provocative confrontation over politics, policy and pop culture.

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Top 10 Left, Right & Center Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Left, Right & Center episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Left, Right & Center for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Left, Right & Center episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Left, Right & Center - What will Israel’s war with Hamas mean for Gaza?
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10/13/23 • 50 min

After Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis in an attack at the Gaza border over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to respond with unprecedented force. That meant a wave of airstrikes over Gaza, killing more than 1,100 Palestians, reported the Gaza Health Ministry. Israeli forces are preparing a ground invasion as well.

Israel is known for having one of the world’s most powerful militaries — supported by billions of U.S. dollars annually. So how was Hamas able to penetrate the robust defense system?

President Biden said that the U.S. will offer whatever Israel needs to care for its citizens and defend itself. Biden’s message of support also came with a reminder about how democracies should act, even in self-defense.

For example, Israel ​​Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s statement that Gaza would be cut off from food, water, and power would be a war crime, Juliette Kayyem tells KCRW. She chairs the homeland security program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Meanwhile, a number of universities in the U.S. renounced public statements by student groups that blamed Israel for the attacks. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been a thorny conversation topic. Will our ability to discuss tense political issues survive the rush to make a point or be the loudest in the room?

So far, outsized attention on extreme responses are taking away from productive conversations about the conflict, this week’s LRC panelists say.

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Left, Right & Center - Can the party of Reagan right its course?
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09/29/23 • 50 min

Republican presidential candidates faced off in another primary debate this week. As they stated their case to voters, they aligned themselves with Ronald Reagan’s vision for the Republican Party. But is the party of Reagan a thing of the past?

Donald Trump and Joe Biden both made their way to Michigan in support of striking auto workers. What are working voters looking to see and hear from the presidential front runners?

Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s new book, Enough, is drawing a lot of attention. It gives insight into the final days of the Trump administration, but will the lessons stick?

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Left, Right & Center - Will Biden’s leadership hold under pressure?
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12/01/23 • 50 min

A temporary pause on fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas was agreed upon with the help of President Biden and the Qatari government. It’s a volatile situation, relying on the continued trade-off of hostages and prisoners between the two sides. There aren’t many on the left or the right who have been pleased with Biden’s handling of the situation, even with the desired outcome of released hostages. Will the president’s commitment to nuance continue to withstand the political pressures he faces?

The Republican Party’s lack of leadership has left Speaker Mike Johnson — and the future of the GOP — hanging in the balance. Johnson’s position remains vulnerable to the appeasement of his colleagues. Donald Trump’s allegiance can’t be relied upon. Would a new face of the party provide some much-needed stability?

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger died at the age of 100 this week. His outsized influence on U.S. foreign policy since the Nixon administration drew the admiration (and the ire) of many. In the wake of his passing, David Greene, Sarah Isgur and Mo Elleithee provide their thoughts on his complicated standing as one of America’s most legendary statesmen.

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Left, Right & Center - Will Navalny’s death motivate the US to act in Ukraine?
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02/23/24 • 50 min

Mourning continues after the death of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader and one of Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critics. Navalny, who returned to Russia in 2021 following an attempted poisoning, died in a remote prison last Friday. His widow Yulia vowed to take up his cause and urged the international community to join her as she seeks justice for her husband’s death. Will Putin tightening his hold on power in Russia motivate more direct support for Ukraine from the United States?

Crime is trending back to pre-pandemic levels in most major U.S. cities, except for Washington, D.C. The district has seen troubling increases in youth offenders committing carjackings, thefts, and gun violence. For our 50 States series, we look at proposed solutions in the nation’s capital, including a controversial crime bill that could extend police powers throughout the city.

The Senate is considering new legislation to regulate social media. Will the Kids Online Safety Act help protect children from the harmful impacts of being constantly online?

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Left, Right & Center - Republicans’ horrible, no good, very bad week in Congress
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02/09/24 • 50 min

A tumultuous week in Congress centered around the failure of a comprehensive immigration and national security bill. Democrats in the Senate compromised on demands by Republicans for tighter border measures. The hope was that it would help secure more military assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. However, the legislation failed to make it past a procedural vote after pressure from Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson faced issues in his own chamber as well, with the failure of a separate funding bill for Israel and an unsuccessful impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Can Republicans save face after a series of embarrassing losses?

Michigan is home to the largest population of Arab Americans and Muslims in the United States. It’s also a state that is vital to the hopes of any presidential candidate. President Biden relied on the support of these communities in 2020, but his handling of the conflict in Gaza has upset voters and community leaders who are advocating for a permanent cease-fire. His campaign’s efforts to reach out have been met with accusations of playing politics. How can Biden maneuver the political reality of such a deeply personal issue?

There were mixed feelings when country star Luke Combs covered Tracy Chapman’s hit record “Fast Car” last summer. The pair came together for a moving duet of the smash song at last week’s Grammys. Our panel reflects on the moving lessons they took away from the performance amid a polarizing debate.

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Left, Right & Center - What does a just response from Israel look like?
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10/20/23 • 50 min

President Biden traveled to Israel this week to offer support, but warned against letting rage consume the response against Hamas. Plus, there’s been a lot of dehumanizing rhetoric around the conflict. What real world impact could that have?

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Congress agreed to a new spending bill this week to avoid a government shutdown. The bill relies on the same type of structured deadlines that cost former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy his party’s support and eventually his job. New Speaker Mike Johnson chose not to fight for the spending cuts and border funding that Republicans sought in order to get the bill through the House. Will his willingness to compromise lead him down the same path?

Israel’s war against Hamas has strong backing from President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. There’s also been plenty of public support, as seen from a large rally in Washington, D.C. this week. But rising civilian deaths in Gaza have led to calls for a ceasefire from Democratic voters as well as members of the State Department. Can Biden successfully navigate the growing rift over the conflict on the left?

Plus, reversing climate change will require forward-thinking solutions. The president of the Good Food Institute talks about his innovation to soften meat production’s impact on the planet.

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Left, Right & Center - Will Dems’ success this week boost Biden in 2024?
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11/10/23 • 50 min

It was Election Day in several states this week. Voters hit the polls to decide on abortion as a constitutional right in Ohio. Kentucky and Mississippi made their choice for governor. And every state legislative seat in Virginia was up for grabs. Democrats saw favorable results across the board. Do those results tell us more about Biden’s chances in 2024, or the struggles Republicans must overcome to get their message across?

Democrats and Republicans remain at a standstill on immigration policy. The president has suggested additional funding and new strategies, but some in Congress are unsatisfied. Can they figure out a way forward without direct executive action?

Alaska brings in thousands of workers from Ukraine to help keep its crucial seafood industry going. Can the same opportunities work at a larger scale for workers from other countries?

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Left, Right & Center - Biden’s race for re-election approaches new hurdle
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09/08/23 • 50 min

The choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is a toss-up nationally. Will a possible rematch turn emerging polling trends into a new political reality?

The effects of climate change were on full view this summer. The insurance industry claims that protecting Americans from those effects is growing too costly, forecasting some hefty costs for homeowners without an appropriate response.

A scandal reverberates throughout Spanish soccer. Plus, hear another installment of our Changed My Mind audio essays.

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Donald Trump made waves with a speech at a campaign rally in South Carolina last week. The former president recalled an encounter with a leader of a NATO country, where he threatened to withhold U.S. protection from Russia if the country didn’t make adequate financial contributions to the alliance. Is it an example of the leading Republican candidate’s flair for the dramatic? Are there more serious concerns about the United States’ credibility with its allies?

Special Counsel Robert Hur completed a report on President Biden’s handling of classified documents outside of the White House. The report found that Biden committed no wrongdoing, but included concerning statements on the president’s memory and mental sharpness. Democrats have pushed back on Hur’s analysis of the president’s cognition. Skepticism surrounding the age and ability of the president is nothing new. If his age isn’t the weakness critics claim it is, why is the party spending so much time defending it?

For our 50 states series, we turn to Georgia, where a conservative civil rights group is suing a venture capital fund aimed at increasing women of color’s access to capital. This shifts the affirmative action debate from the classroom to the boardroom. Can we address the difficult realities of disadvantage without focusing on race?

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FAQ

How many episodes does Left, Right & Center have?

Left, Right & Center currently has 243 episodes available.

What topics does Left, Right & Center cover?

The podcast is about News and Podcasts.

What is the most popular episode on Left, Right & Center?

The episode title 'What will Israel’s war with Hamas mean for Gaza?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Left, Right & Center?

The average episode length on Left, Right & Center is 52 minutes.

How often are episodes of Left, Right & Center released?

Episodes of Left, Right & Center are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of Left, Right & Center?

The first episode of Left, Right & Center was released on May 9, 2020.

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