Press Advance with Johanna Maska Situation Room Studios

After Pro-Palestinian campus protests have shut down commencements and sent students home, Johanna Maska takes a step back in Press Advance to speak to an expert who spent his life trying to negotiate peace in the Middle East. In this wide-ranging discussion, Ambassador Dennis Ross discusses the history of tensions, US policy towards the Middle East, and how student protesters could use their energy for peace in the region. Ross also discusses the changes to women's rights in Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and describes what he's seen in the over 400 miles of tunnels Hamas built underground in Gaza. Ultimately, Ross says even though right now it feels like we're back to 1948— the existential nature of the conflict—he has reason to believe it is still possible to restore a two-state solution with reforms and institutions for a Palestinian state. 
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On this week's episode, host Johanna Maska speaks with Kristen Hawn, who served as the chief political advisor to the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of more than 50 moderate Democrats in the House of Representatives. They discuss the defense of indefensible actions by politicians in a post-Trump era, the continued criticism of Kristi Noem and whether she lied about meeting North Korean leader Kim Jung Un, and the indictment of Democratic Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar on bribery charges. Johanna also previews a bonus episode that will drop later this week with Middle East peace negotiator and former United States Ambassador to Israel, Dennis Ross, for a conversation about the history of tensions in the region. 
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On this week's episode, host Johanna Maska speaks with a political panel featuring Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins and veteran Republican campaign operative Matt Gorman. They discuss the state of the free and fair press, and President Biden's fight with The New York Times. The panel also shares thoughts on underreported races, including Congressman Colin Allred's bid to unseat Senator Ted Cruz in Texas and North Carolina Gubernatorial Candidate Mark Robinson's wife is facing scrutiny after closing a non-profit that she says was targeted by her political rivals. Plus, Johanna polls the group on who has what it takes to win the Trump Veepstakes and if South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is out of the running after admitting to killing her 14-month-old puppy Cricket. 
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On this week's episode, host Johanna Maska speaks with a political panel featuring Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins and Boyd Matheson, former Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah (R). They discuss pushback from Democrats and Republicans over threats to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, politics in the office and whether it should be off limits, and heightened tensions on college campuses after pro-Palestinian student protests have spread across the country. Plus, we talked to Hagar Chemali, an adjunct assistant Professor at Columbia University, for her first-hand account of what she saw at student protests on campus and the challenges the school faces in balancing freedom of speech with a safe environment for students.
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On this week's episode, host Johanna Maska speaks with a political panel featuring Adam Hodge, former Spokesperson for the National Security Council in the Biden administration, and Amy Tarkanian, former Chairwoman of the Nevada State Republican Party. They discuss the White House response to Iran's drone and missile strikes against Israel and pushback from the progressive wing of the Democratic party on U.S support for Israel, former President Donald Trump's legal troubles and if voters are paying attention, and abortion access in Arizona after the state's Supreme Court ruled a Civil war-era abortion ban can be enforced.
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This week's episode features "A Fair and Free Press? A Debate on the Role of Media in 2024 Politics," which was held Tuesday April 9 with Press Advance host Johanna Maska and Sean Spicer, a former White House Press Secretary in the Trump administration. The discussion was moderated by six-time Emmy award-winning journalist and former NBC 6 Miami news anchor Willard Shepard. Maska and Spicer discussed the media landscape from their first hand perspective before a sold-out audience of students at Florida International University. They spoke about network news coverage of the 2024 election cycle, how social media algorithms drive political polarization, and interacted and answered questions from students in the audience.

Disclaimer: This event was held at Florida International University as part of the OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS. Johanna Maska and Sean Spicer's views expressed on this podcast are their own and do not represent FIU. To learn more about FIU's statement of free expression, visit fiu.edu.
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