Capitol Weekly Podcast

CAPITOLWEEKLY
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The Capitol Weekly Podcast covers California politics and public policy, and features interviews with elected officials, staffers, advocates, analysts, newsmakers, and even, -gasp- journalists. Listen at Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or at capitolweekly.net

  1. Can Steve Maviglio kill the Top Two Primary?

    2D AGO

    Can Steve Maviglio kill the Top Two Primary?

    California's Top Two Primary, also known as a Jungle Primary, was approved by voters as Proposition 14 in 2010. Prop. 14 was promoted by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado and endorsed by most major newspapers as a way to lessen partisanship and reduce gridlock by encouraging compromise. (We'll leave it to readers to decide if it has had the desired effect.) official opposition to Top Two was wide, if not deep: All of the state's registered political parties, from GOP to Greens, were opposed, as were organizations as diverse as the California State Firefighters, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the United Nurses Associations. The Amendment passed by 8 points. Sixteen years later, California voters are beginning to sour on Top Two. Fears of a GOP - or Democratic - lockout in this year's race for governor have led many to call for a change. Recent polling by Capitol Weekly found the 79% of respondents wanted to revise or repeal the jungle primary.  Longtime Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio has heeded that call, filing a ballot initiative proposing to repeal Prop. 14. Maviglio is no newcomer to this fight - he led the opposition to the 2010 amendment. He joins us today to talk about the race for governor, the legacy of the Top Two and why it needs to change. :34 Op-eds 5:21 Polling on Top Two 7:32 Steve Maviglio 10:10 A problem for smaller parties 10:58 Could Republicans be shut out in November? 12:27 Top Two has not worked as advertised 13:43 Other options? Ranked Choice Voting? 14:28 The opposition: Steve Peace and the Independent Voter Project 17:29 Paid influencers 21:18 Will this campaign be relevant in 2028? 25:37 What about nonpartisan elections? 30:04 Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics?   Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    46 min
  2. Talking journalism with Soledad O'Brien

    MAY 18

    Talking journalism with Soledad O'Brien

    Our guest today is Emmy Award winning journalist, producer, documentary filmmaker and podcaster Soledad O'Brien. O'Brien got her start in broadcast TV in 1991, and has held a wide variety of positions, ranging from on-air reporter, to anchor, to producer. Her work has been recognized with four Emmy awards, three George Foster Peabody Awards; she has also received the Gracie Award, which honors women in media.  O'Brien joined us to talk about the state of journalism today.  :58 The final debate 3:17 Paul Mitchell shout out 5:05 Ballot initiative to eliminate Top Two 13:28 What's new at Capitol Weekly 14:59 Soledad O'Brien 16:00 The state of media 19:26 Approval rating of mainstream media 24:36 "Vast right wing conspiracy" 26:47 Bias 29:58 The 24 hour news cycle 31:20 "I think audiences are smarter than we give them credit for" 36:04 Roots 44:27 Financial literacy advocacy 47:04 Starfish Media 53:11 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 14m
  3. Jeff Randle: Modern campaigns & 25 years of Randle Communications

    MAY 11

    Jeff Randle: Modern campaigns & 25 years of Randle Communications

    Jeff Randle has been one of the Capitol community’s go-to political campaign strategists for decades. He has been a top advisor on five gubernatorial campaigns as well as serving as deputy chief of staff to Gov. Pete Wilson from 1991-1998. This year his firm Randle Communications celebrates its 25th anniversary so we figured it was a great time to have him joins us to share his perspectives on this year’s gubernatorial races and perhaps to share a war story or two.   3:55 Jeff Randle 4:55 “Chaotic” gubernatorial campaign year 5:49 Dramatic campaign spending 7:00 Advertising in evolving media landscape 10:50 “Boring used to not be such a detriment" 12:02 Paying micro influencers? 13:33 “There’s going to be 50 governor's races between now and the primary.” 17:07 Evolution of Republican candidates 21:45 Importance of endorsements in modern campaigns 27:39 “A wild ride” - 25 years of Randle Communications  31:42 Arnold’s campaign 36:24 Advice for the modern media landscape 39:50 Worst Year in California Politics    Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/   Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 1m
  4. Special Episode: A discussion on Affordability with Lorena Gonzalez and Mike Madrid

    MAY 4

    Special Episode: A discussion on Affordability with Lorena Gonzalez and Mike Madrid

    Affordability has become the buzziest of buzzwords around the California Capitol and beyond. It has become a major talking point for lawmakers, candidates for every office and even a certain governor with lofty ambitions beyond the Golden State. On this week’s podcast we share a lively and very candid discussion on affordability between two of the Capitol community’s most notable members – longtime political strategist, author and commentator Mike Madrid and former Assemblymember and current president of the California Federation of Labor Unions Lorena Gonzalez.   1:15 Introductions 2:00 Thoughts on the gubernatorial primary in terms of affordability 6:45 Insinuated promises 10:30 “There is no monopoly on good or bad ideas.” 15:37 “How many of these things are actually within their control?” 21:20 A lot of things could help 22:30 “In the digital age the most valuable commodity we have is our data” 26:21 “The old model doesn’t work” 29:15 Billionaire tax  36:20 Thoughts on the Insurance Commissioners race 41:30 Audience question - Responsibility of Labor in effecting affordability? 46:40 Audience question - Is this issue going to go away anytime soon?   Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    53 min
  5. The Status of Women and Girls in California, with Darcy Totten

    APR 27

    The Status of Women and Girls in California, with Darcy Totten

    Our guest is Darcy Totten, Executive Director at the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. The Commission on the Status of Women was established by the legislature in 1965 for the purpose of developing recommendations “which will enable women to make the maximum contribution to society.” In 1971 Governor Reagan made the Commission a permanent, independent agency. Totten joined us to talk about the history of the organization, the challenges women and girls face today and what the future might look like. 1:04 Telematics story 2:04 Cardroom regulations and impact on local governments 3:13 Affordability 8:40 Darcy Totten 11:41 Temperature check 15:09 The federal picture 18:17 Radical solidarity 21:01 The Girls' Agenda 26:15 'How do you bake gender equity into every system?" 30:33 What about the CA legislature? 36:05 Regulating AI or social media 38:07 "Sometimes you need the bigger change" 44:59 Statewide blueprint 45:44 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    56 min
  6. A chat with Debbie Cox Bultan of NewDEAL

    APR 20

    A chat with Debbie Cox Bultan of NewDEAL

    Most folks rightly recognize the New Deal as the collection of Great Depression-era government programs implemented under the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1930s. But there is another much more current NewDEAL out there as well, an organization that just turned 15 years old focused on bringing together center-left politicos from around the country with the specific goal of addressing and finding solutions for some of the country's most pressing problems. NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan has spent more than three decades in Democratic politics and public policy, including 15 years at the Democratic Leadership Council, including serving as National Political Director and Chief of Staff, helping shape strategy for state and local elected officials across the country. We spoke with her on today's show about NewDEAL and her work with leaders like San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan and Senator Alex Padilla, as well as a national network of leaders focused on pragmatic economic policy and opportunity.    2:30 Capitol Weekly Interns Jasleen Kaur & Chris Ramirez 7:25 Profiles on Assemblymembers Lurie Davies & Jessica Caloza 11:30 Debbie Cox Bultan 12:58 “The best kept secret in Washington” 15:15 What makes a NewDEAL leader? 17:25 What does joining NewDEAL offer? 21:52 “Democrats are going to to have to stand for something” 25:54 Focusing on kitchen table issues 28:17 “Democrats need to provide an on-ramp” 29:27 How did you get into this work? 30:57 A labor of love 33:02 "Politics is so disconnected from the reality of life” 37:25 An honorable profession 41:45 “They want something that’s going to deliver a result” 44:00 #WWCA 52:25 Affordability Conference   Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    55 min
  7. When Fiona Hutton talks: 25 years in public affairs

    APR 13

    When Fiona Hutton talks: 25 years in public affairs

    There was an old ad slogan for a well-known brokerage firm: When EF Hutton talks, people listen. The sentiment survives today, with a slight modification: When Fiona Hutton talks, people listen. Fiona Hutton runs one of the state's preeminent public affairs firms, with a score of employees handling strategic planning, research & insights, media relations and more for a host of high-powered clients. Fiona Hutton and Associates celebrates their 25th anniversary this year, and Hutton joined us to talk about her early years as a one-woman (and a baby) shop,  what it's like to do this work in LA, and the challenges of being a woman in this business.  Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in CA Politics. (You might have a guess....) 1:15 Affordability 4:05 Capitol Briefs 4:51 Asm. Jessica Caloza 5:07 Experts Expound 5:43 Fiona Hutton 7:45 90% of businesses in California are small businesses 8:50 In the beginning 10:16 "My water broke on a conference call with a client" 12:55 What does a public affairs firm do? 16:46 What is it like being a woman in this space? 20:13 Generational approach 26:06 "Do not look at your to-do list - go check on your team first" 26:52 What has changed in 25 years? 28:54 Working in LA 35:26 "There is no down-shifting" 38:35 What next? 40:52 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    57 min
  8. Covering the Capitol, with Lia Russell of the Sacramento Bee

    APR 6

    Covering the Capitol, with Lia Russell of the Sacramento Bee

    Today's guest is Sacramento Bee reporter Lia Russell. Russell covers the governor for The Bee’s Capitol Bureau, and was part of the team that broke the story of Dana Williamson's arrest last year.  We asked about that story, covering the capitol, and what it was like to cover politics in their earlier gigs in Bangor, Maine and Baltimore, Maryland.  :47 Affordability 2:00 What's on Capitol Weekly 4:16 Lia Russell 6:09 The race to replace Gov. Newsom 8:20 "Whether they like it or not..." 10:15 View from Maine 16:37 Working for the Baltimore Sun 18:37 The Dana Williamson story 23:45 Reading indictments 26:16 Origin story 32:04 The tattoos 33:43 Asm. Matt Harper mention 38:06 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    46 min
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3.9
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

The Capitol Weekly Podcast covers California politics and public policy, and features interviews with elected officials, staffers, advocates, analysts, newsmakers, and even, -gasp- journalists. Listen at Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or at capitolweekly.net

Information

  • Creator
    CAPITOLWEEKLY
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    459
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Capitol Weekly Podcast

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