KCRW's Left, Right & Center KCRW

Days after dropping out as the Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office, pledging his commitment to finishing his term and restating his support for Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement on the November ballot. A whirlwind of donations and support for Harris has re-energized Democrats — does that effort qualify as “grassroots?”Both Trump and Harris spoke following the candidate change. Trump called for Harris to be “fired,” while she cited her prosecutorial experience dealing with perpetrators who are “Trump’s type.” Though she inherited the Biden/Harris campaign operation, Trump will be up against a potentially new platform and may have to switch his strategy. The question on everybody's mind: How will Harris fare against Trump?Utah’s Senate Bill 287 attempts to regulate websites that distribute pornography by requiring age verification to protect minors from accessing the potentially harmful content. The Free Speech Coalition challenged the bill in court, raising concerns about privacy and more. The bill was upheld. The protection of minors is something The Left, Right, and Center panelists all agree on — but is age verification the answer?

At a Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, rally on July 13, former President Donald Trump narrowly dodged an assassination attempt. The moment left both parties reeling as they came to terms with a landscape that prioritizes extremes and is ripe for political violence. Just 48 hours later, the Republican National Convention kicked off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump, with a bandage over his ear, pushed for unity within his party and across the country. But did his speech on the last day of the convention reveal actual changes in his vision for the GOP?Earlier in the week, Trump announced his vice presidential nominee: Ohio Senator JD Vance. Their messages of isolationism, nativism, and a reinforcement of traditional masculinity were echoed by the convention’s speakers. With the demographics of the Republican and Democratic parties going through dramatic changes, will Trump and Vance’s vision appeal to women voters?

This past week, President Biden ended the NATO three-day summit with a solo press conference. Since the first presidential debate, Americans have questioned his ability to fulfill another term in the White House. Journalists brought up this issue again to Biden during today’s press conference — did he smooth over concerns?The Republican National Committee’s party platform hones in most on the “migrant invasion.” Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” opens the 20-item agenda, which is an attempt to distance the campaign from Project 2025. Noticeably less prevalent in the platform: abortion. The panel looks at what’s currently in the platform and whether the proposals will lead to policy.In 2022, the state of Alabama voted to ban slavery — including its use as punishment for a crime. This year, six incarcerated people are suing Governor Kay Ivey and the Department of Corrections for forced labor. The lawsuit is the first of its kind to prohibit involuntary servitude and protect the prisoners from retaliation. As part of Left, Right, and Center’s 50 states series, the panel looks at the rights of people behind bars in Alabama. 

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump’s actions during his presidency were within constitutional power. The prosecution of his role in the January 6, 2021 insurrection will be delayed until after the election this November. The Left, Right, and Center panel discusses concerns about presidential power and what this would mean after the election. In Oklahoma, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters released a memo saying the Bible will be taught from grades 5 to 12. Walters said numerous Bible references are in political documents, therefore they are part of history. Similarly, Louisiana has made it the law to include the Ten Commandments in classrooms. School systems have become the battleground of church and state separation.This week’s installment of our 50 states series looks at anti-masking laws. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, along with leaders in North Carolina and New York, are looking to ban masks in light of protest clashes over the conflict in Gaza. Would these laws encroach upon the rights of demonstrators? What about medical concerns in light of the COVID pandemic?

This week in Atlanta, Georgia, a current and former president debated each other for the first time in U.S. history. But the highly anticipated clash between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump may have left many viewers with more questions than answers. Biden’s weak performance sparked panic among Democrats — will his campaign overcome this? Will the bluster and falsehoods of Donald Trump stick with voters? Plus, what impact did CNN’s moderators and a new set of debate rules have?U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently declared gun violence a public health crisis, and that young people are particularly likely to become targets. The announcement came after a school shooting occurred in one Seattle community, reigniting discussions about the role of on-campus law enforcement officers. Can those officers effectively keep kids safe?

How voters feel about the presidential candidates — and what issues are most important to them — are the focus of a new PBS/Marist poll. The economy is their top priority, and democracy comes in second. Hot-button subjects like abortion and foreign policy are noticeably absent. Meanwhile, how much impact will culture wars and tribalism have on winning over voters?In North Dakota this week, voters approved a ballot measure that set an age limit on the state’s members of Congress. It says that if a Senate or House candidate would be 80 or older at the end of their term, they would be ineligible to run for those positions. The Supreme Court may have to review the measure’s constitutionality. Joe Biden and Donald Trump will debate at CNN’s Atlanta studios next Thursday. Saying the wrong thing can sink campaigns and become tent poles for lasting narratives. KCRW reviews quips and blunders from past presidential debates, and previews what to expect from Biden and Trump now.