KCRW's Left, Right & Center

KCRW
  • 5.0 (4)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Left Right & Center is for listeners who feel like people on the other side of the political divide are on Mars. David Greene pieces together the big picture by inviting people from the left and the right to unpack their ideological differences, not to smooth them over, and look at what’s truly at stake. The show offers a rare kind of clarity. It doesn’t ask you to agree. It asks you to look more closely at what’s happening and to challenge your assumptions.  You might not always agree – you might even get angry – but you’ll know why you feel the way you do. No knee-jerk reactions or name calling. This show doesn’t promise easy answers or warm fuzzies; it promises more clarity for the chaotic political era we’re all living through.

  1. Can Europe trust Trump’s vision for peace?

    3 DAYS AGO

    Can Europe trust Trump’s vision for peace?

    As peace talks between Russia and Ukraine continue, last week the White House released its National Security Strategy. The strategy, viewed favorably by Moscow, was critical of the European Union and views the suppression of far-right politicians as a threat to peace and democracy in the region, especially in resolving the war in Ukraine. A US-brokered peace plan would see Ukraine cede the Donbass region to Russia, a non-starter for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Trump sees it as the best way to end the bloodshed, but the plans have also concerned European leaders. What’s the president’s motivation for peace? The National Security Strategy also outlined immigration as a threat to European democracy. There were warnings that Europe risked “civilizational erasure" if it failed to curb mass migration. What is the tie between peace and President Trump’s skepticism on migration? Also, our panel answers your questions.  Can you still be a fiscal conservative and a social progressive without contradicting yourself? What happened to virtue in politics?

    51 min
  2. Trump rants, Hegseth deflects while Congress looks for answers

    5 DEC

    Trump rants, Hegseth deflects while Congress looks for answers

    At the end of a cabinet meeting this week, President Trump unleashed controversial comments about Minnesota’s Somali community. The president said he “[didn’t] want them in our country” and referred to Minnesota’s Somali-American congresswoman Ilhan Omar as “garbage”. His diatribe came as reports surfaced of ICE raids in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region targeting Somalis in the area. The Department of Homeland Security said that there would be increased focus on immigrant communities in the wake of the November 26th shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., which had no connection to Somali-Americans. Is the administration clouding legitimate questions about immigrant vetting with its actions? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continued to deny reports he ordered an illegal strike on a boat suspected of trafficking drugs in the Caribbean. Congressional Armed Services Committees have opened investigations into the attack. What could accountability look like legally and politically? A new feature on X reveals where accounts on the app originated from . A number of popular accounts posting about American politics were exposed as foreign users. Is there any way to push back on the influence of foreign actors on social media?

    51 min
  3. Why are executions on the rise in the US?

    28 NOV

    Why are executions on the rise in the US?

    President Trump has been a vocal supporter of capital punishment, even before his foray into politics. Now in his second term, he’s instructed the Department of Justice to help states facilitate more executions, and death row executions have reached the highest number in over a decade. Does Trump see  political value in capital punishment? What can we glean about our own values from the push for more executions? America’s youngest voters are going through hard times, facing an uncertain job market and high costs of living. Throw in a lack of faith in democracy and you’ve got a generation of voters who are less engaged than any other age group. We’ll discuss the political trends defining Gen Z, and ask how political leaders can ignite their political spark. Presidential pardon power has often been scrutinized - on the Left, Right & Center. One listener has an idea about how to fix it.

    51 min
  4. From Question Everything: The Epstein Files

    24 NOV

    From Question Everything: The Epstein Files

    This week we bring you an episode from Question Everything, another KCRW podcast. Host Brian Reed brings together the reporters who know the Jeffrey Epstein case best – along with one of their Trump-supporting producers – for drinks and a candid, no-holds-barred conversation. They compare notes, challenge each other’s assumptions, and reveal what it really takes to separate fact from rumor in a story that has tested the limits of journalism. It’s one of the most provocative and confronting discussions Brian’s ever hosted about power, accountability and what’s at stake when the media goes up against billionaires and their networks. Check out the Question Everything Substack, by the way, where we get into juicy behind the scenes details and other good stuff from our episodes.  “Question Everything” is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. Drinking and fact-checking don’t always go hand in hand, so clarifying and correcting a few statements from the conversation here – which honestly in themselves give a sense of just how many crannies of global power the tendrils of the Epstein story reach into.  We reached out to Anouska De Georgiou to see if she wanted to comment, but we didn’t hear back.  Leslie Wexner is not the founder of Victoria’s Secret – he bought the company in 1982, and he said Jeffrey Epstein had stolen $46 million from him, not $60 million. Meanwhile investor Leon Black paid Epstein $170 million for supposed tax advice – not $160 million.  Virginia Giuffre sued Prince Andrew as an individual, not the Crown itself. Tara Palmeri’s reporting that Elon Musk dm’d Virgina Giuffre saying Trump would release the files is based on Virginia telling her this – Tara didn’t see the DM.  At one point, Eric says that in 2015, Roger Stone called Epstein’s island a “democrat orgy island.” Really, Stone wrote a book excoriating the Clintons called The Clinton’s War on Women, and there’s a chapter in there called Orgy Island, which highlights Bill Clinton’s friendship with Epstein. So Roger Stone didn’t call Epstein’s island a democrat orgy island. Just “orgy island.”  And last, but not least: the pope who was in a picture with Jeffrey Epstein, which was displayed on Epstein’s credenza, was John Paul II.

    54 min
  5. Trump faces one crisis after another

    21 NOV

    Trump faces one crisis after another

    President Trump signed a bill ordering the Department of Justice to release all unclassified material related to Jeffrey Epstein. The bill - signed on November 19th - calls on the DoJ to deliver the files within 30 days. The president initially resisted Congressional efforts to sign the bill before reversing course ahead of a House vote. Democrats rallied around the push to get the files out, but are they picking the wrong fight?  The affordability issue was a boon for Democrats in their sweeping victories in the 2025 elections. It could be the defining issue of the midterms. In the face of a cost of living crisis, the president rescinded a number of tariffs on vital goods last week. Will it be enough to win back the political ground he’s lost? Plus, the redistricting effort in Texas faces a loss in federal court. Could that impact the effort to create more seats in California and other blue states that looked to counter Texas Republicans? As we look ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday, the panel shares what they're thankful for (with help from a few friends). Plus, KCRW remembers broadcasting pioneer Susan Stamberg.

    51 min
  6. The shutdown is over - but the fighting isn’t

    14 NOV

    The shutdown is over - but the fighting isn’t

    President Trump put his signature on a bill that will fund the government through the end of January. The bill brought an end to a 43-day shutdown of the federal government. A group of eight Democratic senators negotiated with Senate Majority leader John Thune to get concessions for furloughed and laid off government workers, and the funding of several federal agencies. The deal did not include the extensions for healthcare subsidies that had become a key messaging point for Democrats throughout the shutdown. Will working out a deal without a big win hurt the political leverage the party seemed to be building? What will it mean for the position of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer? Next, Congress turns back to the Epstein files, with new emails emerging that appeared damning for President Trump.  The president signed off on several pardons this week. Among those receiving the pardons were Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows and other members of the president’s inner circle who faced scrutiny for their roles in undermining the 2020 election. None of the 70 individuals pardoned were facing federal charges. So what was the point? Does the pardon process need a facelift?  The Supreme Court rejected the appeal of a Kentucky county clerk who wanted them to reconsider the landmark same-sex marriage case Obergefell v. Hodges. Concerns on the left about the case’s standing were high after the court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. KCRW discusses why Obergefell may not be overturned anytime soon, and answers a question from a listener looking for insight from last week’s election margins.

    50 min
  7. Did anyone learn anything from the 2025 elections?

    7 NOV

    Did anyone learn anything from the 2025 elections?

    Democrats are celebrating a collection of election wins across the country this week. Messaging around affordability and the cost of living scored big wins for the party in the Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races, as well as mayoral races in several major cities. Will a successful off year help the party smooth over its internal disagreements heading into next year’s midterms? California passed Proposition 50, a proverbial counter punch to redistricting efforts in Texas and other red states. The state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, says the legislation is a temporary fix to the campaign by President Donald Trump to create more congressional seats for conservatives. Democrats promise to be the “adults in the room,” but can they deliver? Can voters really exert their power if the two major parties control the candidates they have to choose from? KCRW discusses one potential solution to the political Coke vs. Pepsi problem.

    51 min
  8. Could the SNAP deadline get Congress to end the shutdown?

    31 OCT

    Could the SNAP deadline get Congress to end the shutdown?

    The federal shutdown is set to extend past the one month mark. The longer the shutdown goes, the more Americans could feel its impact. The Department of Agriculture announced that it would not use emergency funding to keep supplying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - also known as food stamps - after November 1st. Halting SNAP payments would affect more than 40 million Americans. Many federal workers, including air traffic controllers, are working without pay while the shutdown battle continues. With the holiday season approaching, airline travel could take a major hit. Will these economic pressure points jolt Congress into action?  Construction on a new grand ballroom at the White House has begun. Renovations at the ‘People’s House’ are nothing new. So why has the demolition and remodel of the East Wing drawn so much attention? One factor could be the stream of private donations funding the project. KCRW discusses how those payments and the access that comes with them puts one of Washington's biggest problems on display. New York City’s mayoral race hits the ballot next week, along with a number of elections across the country. We’ll discuss what to watch for as a precursor to next year’s midterms, and answer one listener’s question about the future of the Voting Rights Act.

    51 min
See All (308)

Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Left Right & Center is for listeners who feel like people on the other side of the political divide are on Mars. David Greene pieces together the big picture by inviting people from the left and the right to unpack their ideological differences, not to smooth them over, and look at what’s truly at stake. The show offers a rare kind of clarity. It doesn’t ask you to agree. It asks you to look more closely at what’s happening and to challenge your assumptions.  You might not always agree – you might even get angry – but you’ll know why you feel the way you do. No knee-jerk reactions or name calling. This show doesn’t promise easy answers or warm fuzzies; it promises more clarity for the chaotic political era we’re all living through.

Information

More From KCRW

You Might Also Like