Cross Tabs

Farrah Bostic
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Our world is governed by numbers — surveys, polling, algorithms, and data. On Cross Tabs, we bring you the stories behind these numbers. This podcast is your introduction to the people, perspectives, and agendas that shape our reality, and call it “public opinion”. We invite experts to discuss pressing issues and walk us through their methods. You’ll hear about the issues that matter from some of the brightest thinkers in policy and politics, tech and business. Join us and you’ll learn about how polling works — or doesn’t work — and how research can be manipulated to advance a political agenda. Discover the history of topics in the news and hear insights on culture and society. And learn what’s really at risk in the race to influence and optimize, well, everything. The show is hosted by Farrah Bostic, founder of The Difference Engine, where she works as a qualitative researcher and strategist working outside The Beltway to understand what drives business leaders, experts, and people like you so we can all make better decisions.

  1. 18 THG 8

    Modern Political Campaigns with Michael D. Cohen, PhD

    Today on the show, we are diving deep into the fast changing world of political campaigns with someone who's had a front row seat to its transformation. Dr. Michael D. Cohen is the CEO of Cohen Research Group. A leading firm at the intersection of politics, public affairs, and corporate strategy. He's the creator of the Congress in your Pocket suite of AI powered mobile apps, and teaches digital political strategy at Johns Hopkins and NYU. He's also the author of Modern Political Campaigns now in its second edition with a. Timely new chapter on artificial intelligence. In this conversation, Dr. Cohen walks me through the evolution of campaigns from loosely organized operations to today's high speed tech enabled data-driven, consultant driven machines. We talk about how strategy has shifted from relying. Solely on polling to navigating a complex web of information sources. We also explore the rising importance of crisis communication, the fine line between authenticity and brand control, and the double-edged sword of AI in campaign operations. It's a candid, clear-eyed look at the machinery behind modern elections and what it means for democracy, strategy, and the future of campaigning. Our GuestMICHAEL D. COHEN, PH.D. is CEO of Cohen Research Group a leading political, public affairs, and corporate research firm. He publishes the pioneering Congress in Your Pocket suite of AI-driven mobile apps and teaches courses at Johns Hopkins University and New York University on digital political strategy and political campaigning. He is the author of Modern Political Campaigns: How Professionalism, Technology, and Speed Have Revolutionized Elections, a second edition featuring a new chapter on artificial intelligence published in early 2025 with Bloomsbury. After running political campaigns in college, Dr. Cohen served in leadership positions at The Gallup Organization, Microsoft, USA Facts, and Purple Strategies, as well as two political polling firms. He is a three-time graduate of the University of Florida with degrees in mass communications and political science, and he a member of its leadership Hall of Fame. Sources Mentioned:The Power and the Money by Tevi Troy "How Strategist Brain Took Over the Democratic Party" by Ben Mathis-Lilley in Slate Campaigns & Elections Magazine The "Harry & Louise" Ads via C-SPAN on YouTube Jake Rush's appearance on The Colbert Report a href="https://archive.org/details/COM_20140509_063100_The_Colbert_Report/start/660/end/720" rel="noopener...

    1 giờ 11 phút

  2. 25 THG 7

    Strength in Numbers with G. Elliott Morris

    Farrah Bostic talks with G. Elliott Morris, the founder of Strength in Numbers (and author of a book by the same name) to discuss the evolution of data journalism and the critical role of public opinion polling in a healthy democracy. Morris, formerly of The Economist and FiveThirtyEight, shares his vision for a new era of "pollster-driven poll journalism" and how he aims to fill a crucial gap in the media landscape. We also discussed Strength in Numbers' July Poll, which looked at everything from Trump's approval numbers, to Democrats' weakness on the generic ballot, to the unpopularity of specific provisions of the reconciliation bill, to how people feel about third parties (and Musk's third party specifically). A core feature of these polls is that Morris takes suggestions from his community for questions to put on the polls - which means that the public gets a say in what we put on public opinion surveys for once. You can check out the latest July poll from Strength in Numbers (and subscribe) here: https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/new-poll-dems-lead-house-generic You can also find his book, Strength in Numbers: How Polls Work and Why We Need Them here: https://wwnorton.com/books/strength-in-numbers Our Guest Elliott Morris is a data-driven journalist and author living in Washington, DC. He is the author of STRENGTH IN NUMBERS: How Polls Work and Why We Need Them, a book about public opinion polling and democracy which was published in 2022 by W. W. Norton. Elliott was most recently the Editorial Director of Data Analytics at ABC News, where he developed polling aggregation and election-forecasting models and managed the research and data visualization teams for ABC’s data-journalism website FiveThirtyEight/538. He was a regular guest on the network’s broadcast and streaming news programs providing political analysis on notable events and upcoming elections. He is the founder of Strength in Numbers, a data-driven news website that provides regular analysis of national politics and elections in the United States. Your Host Farrah Bostic is the founder of The Difference Engine, a strategic research and innovation consultancy. Drawing on her extensive background in research and strategy, she examines how power dynamics and data patterns shape both democratic institutions and market environments, bringing a sharp analytical perspective to the intersection of politics, data, and business.  Her incisive questioning style and ability to connect political movements with business implications makes Cross Tabs essential listening for political analysts, business leaders, and engaged citizens seeking to understand the forces shaping our political and economic landscapes.  Learn more about Farrah’s experience helping B2B and B2C companies across various industries turn audience insights into effective strategies at thedifferenceengine.co, and be sure to connect with her on LinkedIn if you’d like to discuss how The Difference Engine can help your business grow with authentic customer insights. Stay in Touch 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. 📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast 💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social and @farrahbostic.bsky.social 📍 Produced by a...

    1 giờ 1 phút

  3. 3 THG 7

    Who was the 2024 electorate? With Pew Research's Hannah Hartig an Scott Keeter

    On July 1, I sat down to talk to Scott Keeter and Hannah Hartig from Pew Research about their 2024 Validated Voter Survey. We talked about the challenges of analyzing elections using panel data, and about the shifts in makeup of the electorate between 2020 and 2024, and what that means for how campaigns think about balancing turnout and persuasion strategies. More than anything, they tell us, mobilization is a result of campaigning. You gotta play to win. Links:How Changes in Turnout and Vote Choice Powered Trump’s Victory in 2024 Behind Trump’s 2024 Victory, a More Racially and Ethnically Diverse Voter Coalition Commercial Voter Files and the Study of U.S. Politics My interview with L2 about their approach to assembling the voter file: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cross-tabs/id1725891109?i=1000651891510 My interview with Michael McDonald discussing turnout models and his Election Project: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cross-tabs/id1725891109?i=1000666055702 The Red Shift Maps from NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/06/us/politics/presidential-election-2024-red-shift.html Hank Green's response video to the red shift maps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC9u7NZbGlQ) David Shor on Ezra Klein talking about changing demographics in the MAGA coalition: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democrats-need-to-face-why-trump-won/id1548604447?i=1000699618199 Our Guests: Hannah Hartig is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center, where she primarily studies U.S. political attitudes and voting behavior. She has authored analyses on topics including domestic opinions of the U.S., voter turnout in 2020 and views of abortion. Prior to joining the Center, she was director of research at the Penn Program on Opinion Research and Election Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She regularly discusses the Center’s political research with the news media and has served as an election night exit poll analyst for NBC News since 2014. Hartig received her bachelor’s in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and master’s degree in quantitative politics from the University of...

    59 phút

  4. 26 THG 6

    Say What You're For, with Anat Shenker-Osorio

    In this episode, Farrah Bostic is joined by messaging strategist, author, and Words to Win By host Anat Shenker-Osorio for a wide-ranging and incisive conversation about political communication, campaign strategy, and why so much of what the Democratic Party does feels like a missed opportunity. Together, they explore: How Anat’s early fascination with language and justice led her to a career in cognitive linguistics and progressive messaging.Why most political message testing (RCTs, MaxDiff, etc.) fails to reflect how real people encounter campaigns — and what to do instead.The danger of focusing on persuasion over mobilization, and why “say what you’re for” is the most important rule in campaign comms.How Democrats lost their working-class identity, and why organizing — not polling — is the only way to win it back.The power of persuasion windows and how the left can seize — or squander — them. This episode is a must-listen for anyone working in politics, messaging, organizing, or simply trying to make change in a noisy, distracted, and deeply unequal world. 🔗 Resources & Mentions: ASO Communications – Open-source messaging guides and researchWords to Win By podcastDon't Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy Follow Anat on BlueSky and Substack 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. 📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast 💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social 📍 Produced by The Difference Engine

    1 giờ 16 phút

  5. 18 THG 6

    Off Year Questions with Ariel Edwards-Levy

    After a brief break, Cross Tabs returns with a must-hear conversation between host Farrah Bostic and journalist-pollster Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN’s Editor of Polling and Election Analytics. Ariel shares insights from over a decade of political polling and reporting, shedding light on how polls get designed, interpreted, and communicated—and why public opinion is more nuanced, contradictory, and dynamic than we often assume. 📌 Topic Highlights How polling serves as a form of large-scale journalismQuestion design, framing effects, and the limits of hypothetical pollingExpressive responding and partisanship’s effect on perceptionThe challenge of polling on emerging topics like AI and cryptoWhy polls often fail to capture what people mean when they talk about democracy, education, or trust in governmentWhat polling reveals—and obscures—about voter discontent with both parties 👤 About Our Guest Ariel Edwards-Levy is the Editor of Polling and Election Analytics at CNN. Previously, she was a senior reporter and polling editor at HuffPost. She is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and was awarded the 2019 Carey McWilliams Award by the American Political Science Association for her journalistic contributions to understanding politics. You can follow her work (and jokes!) on Bluesky. 🔗 Mentioned Resources CNN Polling Hub: https://www.cnn.com/politics/polling-centerCNN/SSRS polling report: "A record share of Americans want the government to get more done": https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/08/politics/poll-government-done-party-trustThe Breakthrough Project (CNN, Georgetown, Michigan, SSRS, Verasight): https://breakthrough.cnn.comPew Research on AI: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/28/how-the-us-public-and-experts-view-artificial-intelligenceRoper Center for Public Opinion Archives: https://ropercenter.cornell.eduBrian Schaffner’s research on expressive responding: https://sites.tufts.edu/brianschaffner/publications/ 📣 Stay Connected Like what you heard? ✔️ Subscribe to Cross Tabs wherever you get your podcasts ✔️ Rate and review the show—it helps others find us ✔️ Follow the show on BlueSky ✔️ Watch full episodes on YouTube ✔️ Sign up for the free weekly newsletter: https://crosstabspodcast.com ✔️ Follow a href="https://bsky.app/profile/farrahbostic.bsky.social"...

    52 phút

  6. TRAILER

    TRAILER Time for a Refresh

    We've been off for about a month. But we've been busy. Check out our new trailer, and don't forget to like and subscribe to get new episodes each Wednesday.

    2 phút

  7. 7 THG 5

    Faris Yakob on Why Averages Don't Exist

    The wealth divide is reshaping consumer markets, with 10% of households now driving 50% of all consumer spending in America while the majority struggle with inflation and debt. This economic distortion, hidden by misleading averages, is now colliding with new international tariffs that threaten to remove entire categories of goods from store shelves.  In this episode of Cross Tabs, Farrah interviews brand strategist Faris Yakob about how misunderstood economic metrics mask the real consumer experience. They discuss how the stock market crash will impact wealthy consumers who've been propping up economic growth, why statistical averages are increasingly misleading when wealth distribution looks nothing like a bell curve, and how political polarization mirrors these economic divisions. Yakob provides fascinating context for why so many Americans feel economically squeezed despite positive macroeconomic indicators.  Want to be a part of the future of Cross Tabs Podcast? Here are a few simple ways to get involved:   - Subscribe, rate, and review Cross Tabs Podcast on your favorite podcast app    - Subscribe to Cross Tabs Podcast Substack and suggest Cross Tabs to your audience if you have your own Substack - we’re happy to do the same!    - Contact Farrah with guest or topic suggestions you’d like to hear about on the show     Resources  Mar-a-Lago Accord   American Time Use Survey   The Road to Somewhere by David Goodhart   'What the Comfort Class Doesn't Get' by Xochitl Gonzalez in The Atlantic “Strands of Genius” newsletter by Faris Yakob  Paid Attention by Faris Yakob    Our Guest  Faris is the co-founder of Genius Steals, a nomadic creative consultancy that works with brands, agencies and events. He and his partner Rosie speak at conferences and corporate events all over the world and have been living nomadically in between engagements for the last 7 years.    Previously he held senior agency roles at Naked Communications, McCann and MDC Partners, in London, Sydney and NYC. He is the author of Paid Attention: Innovative Advertising, writes a monthly column on effective brand communication, and bylines include Fast Company, Financial Times, The Guardian, Economic Times of India Brand Equity, and Campaign.  Your Host  Farrah Bostic is the founder of The Difference Engine, a strategic research and innovation consultancy. Drawing on her extensive background in research and strategy, she examines how power dynamics and data patterns shape both democratic institutions and market environments, bringing a sharp analytical perspective to the intersection of politics, data, and business.  Her incisive questioning style and ability to connect political movements with business implications makes Cross Tabs essential listening for political...

    57 phút

  8. 23 THG 4

    Patrick Ruffini on the New Populist Coalition

    Educational attainment has become the new fault line in American politics, creating unexpected coalitions that cross racial boundaries. Research reveals a surprising shift of working-class voters across all demographics toward populist candidates who promise to fight for their interests rather than cater to college-educated elites. Political researcher Patrick Ruffini, co-founder of Echelon Insights and author of Party of the People, discusses these findings in this conversation with Farrah. Ruffini explains how the Democratic coalition has fractured along educational rather than economic lines, with cultural values becoming increasingly decisive in voting behavior. This analysis shows the disconnect between political elites and mainstream voters, highlighting an underlying optimism among immigrant and working-class communities that starkly contrasts with the pessimism often expressed by college-educated whites. Want to be a part of the future of Cross Tabs Podcast? Here are a few simple ways to get involved:   - Subscribe, rate, and review Cross Tabs Podcast on your favorite podcast app    - Subscribe to Cross Tabs Podcast Substack and suggest Cross Tabs to your audience if you have your own Substack - we’re happy to do the same!    - Contact Farrah with guest or topic suggestions you’d like to hear about on the show     Resources  ‘Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP’ Echelon Insights    The Intersection   Growth and Opportunity Project Report   David Shor's Diploma Divide Hypothesis   Political Inequality in Affluent Democracies: The Social Welfare Deficit    What if the US Were a Multi-Party Democracy?     Our Guest  Patrick Ruffini is a founding partner at Echelon Insights, one of the most widely recognized public opinion and strategic research firms in the United States.  Patrick is the author of ‘Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP,’ called “the book that predicted the 2024 election” by The New York Times and ranked as a Best Book in Politics by the Wall Street Journal.   An expert in political realignment and demographic trends, Patrick is a prolific speaker, writer, and political commentator. He has offered on-air analysis, including on election nights, for CNBC, Fox News, the BBC, and NPR and written for The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, The Atlantic, and Politico, among others.  Patrick has led hundreds of strategic communications, survey, data analytics, and focus group projects for Fortune 500 companies, leading foundations and advocacy groups, and political campaigns...

    59 phút
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Giới Thiệu

Our world is governed by numbers — surveys, polling, algorithms, and data. On Cross Tabs, we bring you the stories behind these numbers. This podcast is your introduction to the people, perspectives, and agendas that shape our reality, and call it “public opinion”. We invite experts to discuss pressing issues and walk us through their methods. You’ll hear about the issues that matter from some of the brightest thinkers in policy and politics, tech and business. Join us and you’ll learn about how polling works — or doesn’t work — and how research can be manipulated to advance a political agenda. Discover the history of topics in the news and hear insights on culture and society. And learn what’s really at risk in the race to influence and optimize, well, everything. The show is hosted by Farrah Bostic, founder of The Difference Engine, where she works as a qualitative researcher and strategist working outside The Beltway to understand what drives business leaders, experts, and people like you so we can all make better decisions.

Thông Tin

  • Nhà sáng tạo
    Farrah Bostic
  • Năm hoạt động
    2024 - 2025
  • Tập
    48
  • Xếp hạng
    Sạch
  • Bản quyền
    © Farrah Bostic
  • Trang web chương trình
    Cross Tabs

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