The Assignment with Audie Cornish CNN

We’re seeing conflicting messages about the state of the economy, especially from political leaders. And we’re getting truly mixed message about what – if anything – can be done, at least in the short term. A listener from L.A. understands this first-hand, and calls in with an assignment. Audie brings in Dr. Gary Hoover, Executive Director of The Murphy Institute and Professor of Economics at Tulane University, to talk about the economy’s bad vibes, and what hope – if any – lies ahead. Audie also dives into the mailbag and gets an unusual email from a special listener. 
Call or text us at (202) 854-8802 
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With Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial heading into final arguments, it’s the perfect time to have Katelyn Polantz, CNN’s Senior Reporter for Crime and Justice, give a full review of the many trials of the former president.
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What happens when you take away a kid’s phone during school hours? In a word: drama. Some schools around the country are trying to completely remove smartphones from classrooms, requiring students to place them in pouches. Audie talks with Carol Kruser, Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services at Chicopee Public Schools in Massachusetts. She successfully advocated for a district-wide ban on phones. We also hear from Suzanna Kopans, a high school senior who willingly parted with her phone. She’s part of an organization called Phone-Free Schools Movement. 
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A mere 500 feet away from the site of People of New York v. Trump, another political legacy is on the line in a courtroom. Democrat Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey, who sidestepped corruption charges due to a mistrial in 2017, is under federal indictment again, and the timing couldn’t be worse for Senate Democrats trying to maintain control of the chamber. Gregory Krieg is covering the Menendez trial for CNN and he’ll highlight this blockbuster case that’s been completely overshadowed by the Trump show next door.
CNN: 4 big questions as Bob Menendez’s corruption trial enters its second week
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What can we learn from the first great rap battle of the streaming age? Like the ones that came before, the recent rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake is defined by lyrical dexterity and sheer intensity. But UNLIKE past battles this one was remarkable for its speed. Both rappers released songs within hours and even minutes of each other. Audie talks with CNN Entertainment Reporter Lisa Respers France about this moment, and how social media pushed this beef to a fever pitch. 
 
Read Lisa’s reporting on the feud : 
Kendrick Lamar and Drake gave us an epic hip-hop beef weekend. Here’s what to know 
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s beef: ‘Nobody won the war’ 
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Vice President Kamala Harris thinks about everything as a lawyer first. That's an observation CNN Senior Reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere has made after many interviews with the Veep. Audie talks with Dovere about how Harris has deployed her prosecutorial skills against Wall Street CEOs, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and even President Biden in a debate moment that nearly derailed his campaign. And they talk about how she is using those same prosecutorial skills this election year, especially around the issue of abortion.
Dovere is the author of “Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats' Campaigns to Defeat Trump.”
Dovere: Harris is making unprecedented Black outreach efforts as Biden campaign looks to her to bolster support
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