Author: Robert Scheer, Arianna Huffington, Matthew Miller, Tony Blankley Publisher: KCRW Offered: Weekly

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KCRW's Left, Right, and Center Podcast by Robert Scheer

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J.E., February 17, 2006
Reviewer: J.E. from Chicago, Illinois

The Left, Right, and Center podcast is produced by KCRW, which is a California radio station. This show features a regular panel of three hosts, one whose views lean to the right of the political scale, one who leans left, and one who is in the center. The show is about 30 minutes long, and usually the panel discusses only one or two issues.

I really enjoy this podcast. I find that each host gets pretty much equal airtime, which makes for a great, balanced presentation unlike many of the news talk shows out there. In addition, it's fairly common these days for political talk shows featuring advocates from opposite sides of the scale to devolve into little more than shouting matches. That doesn't happen on this show. The hosts are both well-spoken and well-mannered. This should definitely be one of your top political podcast choices.

Why I Love Podcasts, February 17, 2006
Reviewer: LOLDavid from Los Angeles, California

About a year ago I used to sit and wait in my car for "KCRW's Left, Right, and Center" to air here in Los Angeles. Every Friday I'd try to tune in at 7 PM but a lot of times I was doing something else or I'd forget. It was such an entertaining and intelligent political show, but I think I basically gave up on it because I just could not fit it into my schedule. Then came podcasting and I can listen to it whenever I want, whereever I want.

And it's an excellent podcast. I love Arianna Huffington and her biting comments on the latest failures of our politicians, and I also really like all the other speakers on here. Matthew Miller does an excellent job moderating the frequently heated debates. Robert Scheer comes up with the typical liberal comments, and Tony Blankley is a very sensible conservative who has his own opinions and argues them very strongly. In terms of debating our current political events, it doesn't get much better than "Left, Right, & Center".

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Patriotism; Obama Shifting Right? McCain Campaign Shake Up

Author: Podcast:Newspodmaster@kcrw.org (Arianna Huffington)
Fri, Jul 04, 2008

A substantive discussion amongst the panelists about what patriotism means. Bob expounds on George Washington’s farewell speech; Tony talks about how the theme plays out politically; Matt shares thoughts by Peter Beinart of The New Republic that the right says “America’s great,� the left says, “Here’s what would make America great;� and Arianna mentions the USA Today poll that says 2/3 of Americans think that protesting is patriotic. Are Obama’s moves toward swing voters going to win him votes or just the animosity of his base? And will John McCain’s campaign recover its footing with new guy, Steve Schmidt, at the helm.

The decision on gun control will raise many issues at the level of local regulation. Now that W has taken North Korea off the “black list� (against the will of Cheney and Bolton), what will this lead to, will it become the new Vietnam, the new South Korea? The oil market is skyrocketing, the stock market has the jitters: what’s to become of the American economy? So now that Obama and Hillary have kissed and made up, will Bill’s legacy get scrubbed up? And a unique phenomenon worth exploring: conservatives for Obama.

Obama announces he won’t take public funding--is campaign finance reform dead? Is it good news or bad news when more Americans add their dollars to elections? Would offering every voter a voucher to apply to whatever they support make Goldman Sachs’ money less influential? Should we start offshore drilling to offset the increase in oil prices? Or is that just more backward thinking, promoting further environmental ruin for not much of a difference in supply or demand? And finally, does China’s Communist-party controlled economic growth prove that America’s liberal capitalism is no longer a role model for the world’s developing powers? Tony’s just back from a trip there and shares his observations.

The Supreme Court delivers a blow to Bush policy on Guantanamo detainees; Obama and McCain square off on the economy, plus a dissertation on why Obama’s Social Security plan isn’t good; and is the media helping to destroy democracy? Amity Shlaes guest hosts. 

Amity proposes that we need a new center….not a new New Deal that is narcissistic; Bob says it should be a center that doesn’t eliminate Free trade but stands for protections for workers, child labor and the environment – matt says the left should be open to more market friendly ideas, and Arianna says, this is just exactly the kind of discussion the country needs as we turn a new page in our history. Amity Shlaes sits in for Tony Blankley. 

Is Scott McClellan “an inconsequential cipher� as Tony describes him? Can his new memoir’s revelations about the Bush White House’s deceptions be trusted? Why, if he knew, didn’t he tell the nation the truth about what the White House was doing in the lead up to the Iraq War? And are we seeing Hillary’s last stand? After the last primaries this Tuesday, and tomorrow’s rules committee meeting, does she have any defense left for staying in the race?

Whose fault is it: sexist Americans, the media or…a messy campaign? Hillary’s endgame – when will she bow out, and should she? Why won’t super-delegates declare? McCain’s grilling up some VP options, or is it just a friendly barbeque? Obama made a gaffe when he declared he’d meet unconditionally with tyrants, and McCain’s making hay with the statement. But can Obama turn it around with the right argument, and what is that argument? Lastly, just a little commentary about the rising price of oil. Plus the rants, as usual.

Will CA decision re: gay marriage matter in the election? Is Barack an appeaser? Pres. Bush, not naming names in Israel, says talking to our enemies is like appeasing Hitler and the Nazis— and Barack strikes back as Dems are outraged. Is the GOP suffering a nervous breakdown in view of recent election losses? And after all is said and done, Hillary is still here…and taking it to end game.

There’s a sense in the Democratic Party that Hillary has to get out of the race. But as even Obama acknowledges, she’s likely to win at least two more primaries. So who’s really electable? And Arianna has gotten into a tiff with McCain: she heard him say at a dinner in LA, and others have confirmed, that he said he didn’t vote for Bush…a fact he strenuously denies. Arianna contends that there are two McCains, and that the one you see now isn’t riding the Straight Talk Express anymore.

The Democrats are divided, as today’s show will clearly prove. The focus on the Reverend Wright may be news but is it important, or just a distraction to fueling Republican strategists’ dreams? Is a gas tax amnesty a gimmick or a legitimate cost-savings plan for Americans? John McCain proposes a tax break voucher for individuals to buy their own health insurance, but would he even be covered under such a plan given his pre-existing condition? And despite the gloom, is the economy doing better?

This Author: Robert Scheer This Publisher: KCRW

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