Politics is Personal with Leslie + Cole

politics is personal
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Politics is Personal is a weekly video and audio podcast hosted by former Colorado legislators Leslie Herod and Cole Wist. Built on a real friendship forged through years of legislative work, the show brings together a Black queer Democrat from Denver and a straight white former Republican from rural Colorado to have the kinds of honest, complicated conversations that feel increasingly rare in American politics. Rooted in the “Colorado Way,” the podcast offers a grounded, relatable approach to national conversations. Designed for the “exhausted majority,” Politics is Personal invites listeners back into political dialogue with curiosity, respect, and the belief that real conversation is still possible.

  1. 4d ago

    EP 22: Colorado Ballot Guide

    Progressive v Conservative. We've got both sides of the aisle at the table as we break down one of the biggest ballots in Colorado history. What's at stake, what matters, and what you need to know before you vote. Buckle in

  2. Oct 4

    EP 21: Cornell Belcher, Victor Marx and the Death Penalty

    This week we are joined by Cornell Belcher of brilliant corners Research and Strategies joins us to talk about national polling, Texas and the Cult of Trump. Additionally Leslie + Cole talk about the latest Marx drama and the death penalty.

  3. Oct 2

    SPECIAL EDITION: Michael Dougherty REACTS to the Cornell7

    SPECIAL EPISODE: Michael Dougherty REACTS to the Cornell7 and discusses sexual assault on college campus.

  4. Sep 27

    EP 20: Phil Weiser, Colorado Political Drama, and Farmers' Market Waymo

    Colorado's Democratic nominee for Governor, Phil Weiser joins Leslie + Cole. Plus the Colorado political drama of the week!

    EP 20: Phil Weiser, Colorado Political Drama, and Farmers' Market Waymo

  5. Sep 20

    EP 19: Mail Ballots, Lesbians, and Family Values

    Congress is a mess. What's going on this week in Colorado, Washington, and beyond.

    EP 19: Mail Ballots, Lesbians, and Family Values

  6. Sep 13

    Motherhood, Addiction, and Democracy w/ Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen

    Leslie Herod is back in the studio with Cole Wist — and there is a LOT to talk about. First, Leslie and Cole break down what’s taking over their feeds: influencer etiquette at the U.S. Open, the explosion of AI “slop,” Donald Trump’s latest online distractions, and what those distractions may be keeping Americans from talking about. They also reflect on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, how divided the country has become, and what national unity looks like today. Then, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen joins the show for a deeply personal conversation about her journey from community organizer to the United States Congress. Brittany opens up about growing up with a mother struggling with opioid addiction, becoming the first person in her family to graduate from high school and college, and how those experiences shaped her work on addiction, fentanyl, treatment and recovery policy. The conversation gets into one of the biggest questions facing Colorado: do we address addiction through treatment — or incarceration? Leslie, Cole and Brittany also tackle the growing political debate over working moms and stay-at-home moms, the realities of raising children while serving in public office, and why Brittany bringing her newborn onto the floor of Congress became such a powerful moment for women across the country. Plus: Are Colorado’s mail ballots safe? What should voters be watching heading into the midterms? And what could a Democratic majority in Congress actually mean for the final two years of the Trump administration? Brittany leaves us with a message worth remembering: “Democracy is a team sport.” And in this week’s What’s Bugging Us, college football is back — but has NIL and the transfer portal changed college sports for the worse? Leslie, who helped pass one of the nation’s early NIL laws in Colorado, weighs in on what’s working, what isn’t, and what may need to change. This is politics, policy and lived experience — because politics is personal. 👍 LIKE this episode 💬 COMMENT with your take 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for new episodes 📲 SHARE it with someone who should be part of the conversation Politics is Personal with Leslie Herod & Cole Wist Politics is personal, so keep talking.

    Motherhood, Addiction, and Democracy w/ Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen

  7. Aug 30

    (re)Introducing Leslie + Cole

    Why we chose each other.

  8. Aug 23

    EP 16: Abortion, Choice, and the Catholic Church

    Leslie and Cole discuss a hot topic -- abortion.

    EP 16: Abortion, Choice, and the Catholic Church
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4 Ratings

About

Politics is Personal is a weekly video and audio podcast hosted by former Colorado legislators Leslie Herod and Cole Wist. Built on a real friendship forged through years of legislative work, the show brings together a Black queer Democrat from Denver and a straight white former Republican from rural Colorado to have the kinds of honest, complicated conversations that feel increasingly rare in American politics. Rooted in the “Colorado Way,” the podcast offers a grounded, relatable approach to national conversations. Designed for the “exhausted majority,” Politics is Personal invites listeners back into political dialogue with curiosity, respect, and the belief that real conversation is still possible.

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