This browser doesn't support Spotify Web Player. Switch browsers or download Spotify for your desktop.

Political Breakdown

By KQED

Join hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos as they unpack the week in politics with a California perspective. Featuring interviews with reporters and other insiders involved in the craft of politics—including elected officials, candidates, pollsters, campaign managers, fundraisers, and other political players—Political Breakdown pulls back the curtain to offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics works today.

  1. 1.
    Dee Dee Myers on White House Briefings and California's Economic Outlook01/22/2021
    28:57
  2. 2.
    Inauguration Preview (Pt. 2): The Biden Administration and California01/20/2021
    28:58
  3. 3.
    Inauguration Preview (Pt. 1): Capitol Security and the Future of Extremism 01/19/2021
    28:58
  4. 4.
    Barbara Boxer on the Capitol Attack, Impeachment and Biden's Climate Agenda01/15/2021
    28:58
  5. 5.
    Steve Phillips on the Transformation of Georgia Politics and How the South 'Never Surrendered in the Civil War'01/08/2021
    28:28
  6. 6.
    2021 California Politics Preview01/01/2021
    29:32
  7. 7.
    Holiday Special: Steve Kerr on Beirut, Basketball During the Pandemic, and Learning from his Players12/24/2020
    29:55
  8. 8.
    BONUS: Alex Padilla Named California's New U.S. Senator12/23/2020
    29:56
  1. 9.
    Tom Ammiano on Activism, Comedy and a Life in Progressive Politics12/18/2020
    29:56
  2. 10.
    Sam Oh on How the GOP Flipped Back House Seats in California12/11/2020
    29:55
  3. 11.
    Dr. Anthony Fauci on California's New COVID Restrictions and Lessons from the HIV/AIDS Epidemic12/04/2020
    30:30
  4. 12.
    Lateefah Simon and Ron Davis on Reforming Policing11/27/2020
    29:31
  5. 13.
    Dr. Bob Wachter on California's Coronavirus Curfew and Pandemic Leadership11/20/2020
    28:52
  6. 14.
    Nikema Williams on Building Political Power in Georgia11/13/2020
    28:53
  7. 15.
    California Election Update: State Props and Down-Ballot Surprises11/06/2020
    27:48
  8. 16.
    A (Virtual) Trip to Arizona with Janet Napolitano10/30/2020
    30:02
  9. 17.
    Proposition 22 Update and Barbara Lee on the 2020 Campaign10/22/2020
    30:00
  10. 18.
    The Political Fight Over Voting with Dan Schnur10/16/2020
    29:57
  11. 19.
    VP Debate Recap and María Teresa Kumar on Turning Out Latinx Voters10/09/2020
    29:41
  12. 20.
    Tori Verber Salazar: The Central Valley District Attorney Pushing for Criminal Justice Reform10/02/2020
    29:43
  13. 21.
    Justice Goodwin Liu Shares Memories of Ruth Bader Ginsburg09/25/2020
    29:17
  14. 22.
    Wade Crowfoot on Confronting President Trump over Climate Change09/18/2020
    29:16
  15. 23.
    Mike Gatto on End of Session Fallout, Parenting in Office and Prison Realignment09/11/2020
    29:06
  16. 24.
    Buffy Wicks on Voting with Her Newborn, a Prop 20 Update and a Conversation with Jamal Trulove09/04/2020
    29:07
  17. 25.
    COVID Case Stalls Legislature and Joseph Rodota Opens 'The Oppo File'08/27/2020
    30:15
  18. 26.
    Democratic Convention Special with Addisu Demissie and Ro Khanna08/20/2020
    29:42
  19. 27.
    "I Can't Just Go Away": Katie Hill Charts Path Forward after Resigning from Congress08/14/2020
    29:46
  20. 28.
    Steve Kerr on Beirut, the NBA Restart and Learning from His Players08/07/2020
    29:45
  21. 29.
    Joe Trippi on the Veepstakes, Pioneering Netroots and the Real Story of Doug Jones' Victory07/31/2020
    28:43
  22. 30.
    Karen Bass on Volunteering for RFK, Life on the VP Shortlist and Reclaiming the Name 'Caren'07/24/2020
    28:28
  23. 31.
    Jay Jordan on the Ballot Fight over Criminal Justice Reforms and the COVID Outbreak in State Prisons07/17/2020
    28:28
  24. 32.
    Hilda Solis on Her Union Roots, Environmental Justice Fights and Biden's Pitch to Latino Voters07/10/2020
    28:28
  25. 33.
    Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager on COVID Concerns, Reforming Crisis Response, and Her 'Money Makeover'07/03/2020
    28:29
  26. 34.
    The 'Divided States' of COVID-19 Response and a New Push to Hold Big Tech Accountable06/26/2020
    28:34
  27. 35.
    John Pérez on a Historic Week at the Supreme Court and the Push to Bring Back Affirmative Action in California06/19/2020
    28:35
  28. 36.
    Ron Davis on Reimagining Public Safety After a Career in Law Enforcement06/12/2020
    28:14
  29. 37.
    'There's No Going' Back': Lateefah Simon on Her Career of Activism and Ideas for Changing Policing 06/05/2020
    28:33
  30. 38.
    Tom Steyer on California’s Economic Recovery and What He Learned on the Campaign Trail05/28/2020
    28:14
  31. 39.
    Carmela Coyle on How California Hospitals are Weathering COVID-1905/22/2020
    28:14
  32. 40.
    Assemblyman Kevin Kiley on California’s Budget and the Legislature’s Response to COVID-1905/15/2020
    28:15
  33. 41.
    Stephanie Valencia on the 2020 Latino Vote05/08/2020
    28:13
  34. 42.
    Dr. Shirley Weber on Her Family’s Journey to California and the Teachers Who Paved Her Path05/01/2020
    28:18
  35. 43.
    April Verrett on Leading the Nursing Home Workers at the Center of the Coronavirus Pandemic04/24/2020
    28:13
  36. 44.
    Alex Padilla on Preparing for the November Vote and His Stint as Mayor of L.A. on 9/1104/17/2020
    28:13
  37. 45.
    Dr. Mitchell Katz on Battling Outbreaks from AIDS to Coronavirus04/10/2020
    28:14
  38. 46.
    Congressman Raul Ruiz on Expanding Coronavirus Testing, Fundraising to Attend College, and Going from the ER to Congress04/03/2020
    28:13
  39. 47.
    Eleni Kounalakis on the Lieutenant Governor’s Role During the Coronavirus Outbreak and Lessons from Diplomacy in Hungary03/26/2020
    28:14
  40. 48.
    State Sen. Dr. Richard Pan on California’s Coronavirus Response03/20/2020
    28:13
  41. 49.
    Coronavirus Update: Six Bay Area Counties Issue ‘Stay-at-Home’ Order03/17/2020
    28:13
  42. 50.
    Lenny Mendonca on the Coronavirus’ Economic Impact — and His Career From Dairy Farms to the Newsom Administration03/13/2020
    28:15
  43. 51.
    Warren’s Exit and a California Primary Recap03/06/2020
    28:14
  44. 52.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: The Thrust02/29/2020
    27:43
  45. 53.
    Ace Smith on California Campaign Strategy, What Happened to Kamala Harris and Writing About Satchel Paige02/28/2020
    28:13
  46. 54.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: Think for Myself02/22/2020
    23:15
  47. 55.
    Nevada Caucus and Health Care Politics with Culinary Workers Union Leader Geoconda Argüello-Kline02/21/2020
    28:14
  48. 56.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: Direct Action02/15/2020
    27:48
  49. 57.
    Dan Pfeiffer on the State of the Primaries and ‘Un-Trumping America’02/14/2020
    28:14
  50. 58.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: Holy Water02/09/2020
    22:48
  51. 59.
    The Latest From New Hampshire and a California Primary Explainer With Paul Mitchell02/07/2020
    28:14
  52. 60.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: The Eye02/01/2020
    27:23
  53. 61.
    A Caucus Update From Iowa and Robin Johansen on a Career in Political Law01/31/2020
    28:13
  54. 62.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: But for Me01/25/2020
    23:29
  55. 63.
    State Supreme Court Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar on Growing Up in a Border Town and Switching from Academia to the Courts01/24/2020
    28:13
  56. 64.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: Ins and Outs01/18/2020
    27:29
  57. 65.
    NPR’s Steve Inskeep on California’s First Political Power Couple01/17/2020
    28:13
  58. 66.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown: The Novice01/10/2020
    23:05
  59. 67.
    Steve Glazer on Working for Jerry Brown and the Challenges of Reaching Across the Aisle01/03/2020
    28:14
  60. 68.
    The Political Mind of Jerry Brown01/03/2020
    2:34
  61. 69.
    Holiday Special with Libby Schaaf and Eric Garcetti12/27/2019
    28:14
  62. 70.
    Wrapping Up the Year in California Politics12/20/2019
    28:14
  63. 71.
    Former State Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George on the Politicization of the Courts and His Historic Gay Marriage Ruling12/13/2019
    28:13
  64. 72.
    Kamala Harris’ Exit and Angela Glover Blackwell on ‘Radical Imagination’12/06/2019
    28:12
  65. 73.
    Thanksgiving Special with Anne Marie Schubert and Katie Porter11/29/2019
    28:13
  66. 74.
    Corrin Rankin on Recruiting African-American Candidates to the GOP and Growing Up in the Bail Industry11/22/2019
    28:14
  67. 75.
    Chesa Boudin on His District Attorney Victory, Parents’ Incarceration and Travels in South America11/15/2019
    28:14
  68. 76.
    Proposition 187 at 25 with MALDEF President Thomas Saenz11/08/2019
    28:14
  69. 77.
    The Politics of California’s Wildfire and Power Crisis with Michael Wara11/01/2019
    28:13
  70. 78.
    Bill Dodd on Utility Reform, Leaving the GOP and His High School Cover Band10/25/2019
    28:15
  71. 79.
    Katie Porter on Congressional Hearings, Class With Elizabeth Warren and Learning to Surf10/18/2019
    28:13
  72. 80.
    BONUS: Impeachment Inquiry Update from Washington, D.C.10/17/2019
    28:14
  73. 81.
    Nancy Skinner on PG&E Shutoffs, Criminal Justice Reform, and the NCAA ‘Fair Pay’ Law10/11/2019
    28:13
  74. 82.
    Chris Lehane on Impeachment War Rooms, Warren’s Rise and Kennebunkport Politics10/04/2019
    28:13
  75. 83.
    Libby Schaaf on Her Oakland Roots, Clashing with Trump and Fundraising for Spider Monkeys09/27/2019
    28:13
  76. 84.
    Jessica Patterson on Her Vision for the Republican Party, CEQA Reform and ‘Mexican Chop Suey’09/20/2019
    28:13
  77. 85.
    Mayor Eric Garcetti on the Homeless Crisis, Kosher Burritos and LA’s Green New Deal09/13/2019
    28:33
  78. 86.
    Ted Lieu on Tweeting at Trump, Running Against Kamala and Selling Jade09/06/2019
    28:15
  79. 87.
    Jordan Cunningham on Coastal Republicanism, Charter Schools and Nuclear Energy08/30/2019
    28:14
  80. 88.
    Andrew Yang on Support from Tech Workers, Universal Basic Income, and the ‘Bizarre’ Democratic Debates08/23/2019
    28:13
  81. 89.
    Marianne Williamson on Reparations, Vaccinations, and Spirituality in Politics08/16/2019
    28:14
  82. 90.
    Massaging the Message with Anat Shenker-Osorio08/09/2019
    28:13
  83. 91.
    Ro Khanna on Anti-War Activism, Regulating Silicon Valley, and Keeping His Kids Off of Social Media08/02/2019
    28:14
  84. 92.
    Amanda Renteria on Central Valley Politics, Working for DiFi, and Life on the Hot Corner07/25/2019
    28:13
  85. 93.
    Scott Wiener on Coming Out to His Frat Brothers, San Francisco Politics and Fashion Tips from Kamala07/18/2019
    28:14
  86. 94.
    Chad Mayes on Cap and Trade, Working With Democrats and the Future of the Republican Party07/12/2019
    28:07
  87. 95.
    Newsom’s First Budget, Kamala’s Big Night and Cory Booker on His California Roots07/05/2019
    28:13
  88. 96.
    Lorena Gonzalez on Labor Organizing, Working as a Single Mom, and Handling Online Harassment06/28/2019
    28:14
  89. 97.
    Catharine Baker on Losing an Election, Overcoming Cancer, and Reaching Across the Aisle06/21/2019
    28:14
  90. 98.
    Adam Schiff on His Mother’s Campaigning, Prosecuting an FBI Agent, and Working with Devin Nunes06/14/2019
    28:13
  91. 99.
    Cory Booker on His Push for ‘Civic Grace,’ Football at Stanford, and Dating in the Projects06/07/2019
    28:14
  92. 100.
    Julián Castro on Growing Up in Texas and Taking On President Trump’s Immigration Policy05/31/2019
    28:13
  93. 101.
    The Identity Politics of Being ‘Enough’ with Tonya Mosley, and Jenifer Ancona on Organizing a New American Majority05/24/2019
    28:14
  94. 102.
    Kimberly Ellis on ‘Losing with Grace,’ Her Brother’s Death, and Her Run for Party Chair05/17/2019
    28:13
  95. 103.
    Pollster David Binder on Focus Groups, the Myth of Voters in the Middle, and the 2020 Primary05/10/2019
    28:14
  96. 104.
    Jay Inslee on Hooping with Obama and His Climate Change Campaign for President05/03/2019
    28:13
  97. 105.
    David Chiu on Rent Control, San Francisco Politics, and Electric Violining04/26/2019
    28:14
  98. 106.
    Rusty Hicks on His Campaign for Democratic Party Chair04/18/2019
    29:02
  99. 107.
    Laphonza Butler on Her Move from Labor Leadership to the Harris Campaign04/12/2019
    28:15
  100. 108.
    Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert on the Death Penalty, Stephon Clark and Forensic DNA04/05/2019
    28:13
  101. 109.
    TJ Cox on His Nail-Biting House Victory, the Green New Deal and High-Speed Rail03/29/2019
    28:14
  102. 110.
    Amy Klobuchar on Early Moments of Leadership, Adding ‘The Voice of a Midwesterner’ on Climate Change, and Prom Night Trauma03/22/2019
    28:14
  103. 111.
    Inside the Horseshoe With Newsom Chief of Staff Ann O’Leary03/15/2019
    28:15
  104. 112.
    Aimee Allison on Empowering Women of Color, Rep. Omar Controversy and Identity Politics in the 2020 Election03/08/2019
    28:14
  105. 113.
    Anthony Rendon, from Dostoyevsky to Social D, His Leadership Style, and Working with Governor Newsom02/15/2019
    28:13
  106. 114.
    Carl Guardino on Representing Silicon Valley in the Halls of Power02/08/2019
    28:14
  107. 115.
    Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal on Her Journey to America, Negotiating with Pelosi, and How Democrats Should Talk About Single-Payer02/01/2019
    28:15
  108. 116.
    The Kamala Harris ‘Progressive Prosecutor’ Debate, and San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi01/25/2019
    28:15
  109. 117.
    Buffy Wicks on Parenting in Politics, Running Campaigns vs. Running for Office, and Her Race for State Assembly01/18/2019
    28:14
  110. 118.
    Newsom Inauguration Special: LIVE Coverage01/08/2019
    1:59:03
  111. 119.
    Aaron McLear on Working for Arnold and the ‘Campaign’ Culture at Uber01/04/2019
    28:14
  112. 120.
    Kevin de Leon on Fatherhood, His Legislative Battles, and Taking on DiFi in the U.S. Senate Race08/10/2018
    28:14
  113. 121.
    Eric Swalwell on His Iowa Roots, Lessons of Knocking Off an Incumbent, and How to Talk About Trump and Russia08/03/2018
    28:15
  114. 122.
    Governor Brown Unveils Controversial Plan on Wildfire Damages, and Drew Godinich Talks Orange County Swing Seats07/27/2018
    28:12
  115. 123.
    Attorney General Xavier Becerra on California’s Legal Battles with the Trump Administration07/13/2018
    28:14
  116. 124.
    Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on His Reforms to California’s Initiative System and Addressing Homelessness Locally06/29/2018
    28:12
  117. 125.
    Emergency Breakdown: Anthony Kennedy, California’s Supreme Court Justice, Announces Retirement06/28/2018
    28:13
  118. 126.
    Reporting from Border Migrant Camps and State Senator Connie Leyva on Labor Politics and #WeSaidEnough Legislation06/22/2018
    28:13
  119. 127.
    The #MeToo Movement’s Primary Impact and Josh Newman on the Lessons of His Recall06/08/2018
    28:13
  120. 128.
    June Primary Special: Newsom and Cox Advance to November Governor’s Race06/06/2018
    1:28:03
  121. 129.
    ‘Call Me a San Franciscan’: Angela Alioto on Political Lessons from Her Dad and Her Run for Mayor05/18/2018
    28:13
  122. 130.
    The Sacrifice Question and a Look Inside The Press Office with Gil Duran05/11/2018
    28:15
  123. 131.
    Jane Kim on Learning from Losses, Clean Streets, and Wu-Tang Love04/13/2018
    28:13
  124. 132.
    Attorney John Burris on How to Turn Police Shootings into Long-Term Reforms03/30/2018
    28:14
  125. 133.
    Sessions in Sacramento and Consumer Politics with Shannon Coulter03/09/2018
    28:08
  126. 134.
    Willie Brown on Power at the Capitol, the Mayoral Election, and His Newspaper Column02/23/2018
    28:07

Listen to Political Breakdown now.

Listen to Political Breakdown in full in the Spotify app