New York magazine / Democratic Strategist
Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York magazine and the managing editor of the Democratic Strategist, an online magazine.
Kilgore is a former senior fellow at the centrist Progressive Policy Institute, and a contributor to the Washington Monthly where he wrote the Political Animal blog. He has also written for the New Republic, and served as policy director for the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.
Will Republicans stand by their man? The GOP has been too divided to enact its program, despite majorities on Capitol Hill. How long can it remain united in support of President Trump? Two vulnerable members have already used the "i word" on national TV, although impeachment is unlikely any time soon. A special counsel to investigate Russian ties relieves some of the pressure, even though Trump says it’s part of "The greatest witch hunt…in history." But, as damaging revelations keep coming, is support from his own party beginning to fade away?
A noble pursuit or just a distraction? Donald Trump lost the popular vote, but prevailed in the Electoral College. Now his claim of a "rigged" election has come back to haunt him. Green Party candidate Jill Stein is paying for recounts in Wisconsin and possibly two other states where he won by very small margins. Trump is acting outraged, but his own, often repeated, warnings have added to public concern about Russian hacking and voting-machine malfunctions. The recounts are unlikely to change the outcome. Will they reveal weakness in the basic tools of democracy or distract attention from the consequences of Trump's victory?
The presidential election and the Founding Fathers Whatever happens next Tuesday, this year's election won't really be over until the December 19 when the Electoral College will get together. Like it or not, its 538 voters could counteract tens of millions of Democrats and Republicans — as they did when George W. Bush was elected 16 years ago. It's either the wisdom or the folly of the Founding Fathers — one of the compromises in the Constitution. We hear how the Electoral College works and how it could make for real uncertainty in the showdown between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
The presidential campaign goes back to the future America's founding fathers accused each other of crimes, hypocrisy and sexual misbehavior, but times had changed — until last night in St. Louis. As expected, Donald Trump’s comments about groping women, recorded some ten years ago, came up early last night in St. Louis. It was billed as a Town Hall, but some of the toughest questions came from the moderators.
The Brave New World of Presidential Politics It's all but certain that a real estate magnate and reality TV star who's never held political office will be this year's Republican nominee for the White House. Ted Cruz has dropped out , John Kasich's campaign is over , and Donald Trump is the only GOP candidate left standing. Will the nominating convention be able to hold the party together this summer? Yesterday, Bernie Sanders won , too. He's still challenging Hillary Clinton on some of the same economic issues that are working for Trump. Have the Democrats helped pave the road for Trump by ceasing to be the Party of Working People?
The US Supreme Court and the Race to the White House The late Justice Antonin Scalia was famous for reliance on what he called the "original intent" behind America's founding document. His sudden death is creating winners and losers in cases now evenly split between conservatives and liberals. Immigration, abortion, voting rights and the power of organized labor will all be affected, dramatizing the Supreme Court's enormous influence on American life. This year's election could help shape the Third Branch of Government for generations to come. So, what about Scalia's successor?
In Iowa, the Democrats Are Down to the Wire Hillary Clinton may lead Bernie Sanders in national polls, but the race to the White House is a state-by-state process. In Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders is coming on strong -- raising the stakes for last night’s final, televised confrontation before Democrats caucus in Iowa. There were lively exchanges on gun control, healthcare, taxes and Wall-Street domination……with appeals not only to the mostly white voters in the two early states — but to more diverse electorates in primary contests just around the corner.
Vintage Political Theater on Capitol Hill A committee of Congress today grilled Hillary Clinton about the deaths of four American officials in Benghazi, Libya in 2012 while she was Secretary of State. Republicans used stacks of emails and charts to bolster their claim that she was lax about security. Democrats used video to accuse Republicans of another partisan witch-hunt that has failed to turn up any new information. All this as the GOP continued to struggle with Paul Ryan’s conditions for taking what could turn out to be the thankless assignment of House Speaker.
Hillary Clinton Finally Does It Again More than a minute into a two-minute web video with "everyday Americans," talking about their futures, Hillary Clinton says what everyone already knew. What everyone doesn't yet know is why she's running and what she stands for -- beyond becoming the first woman to capture the White House. It's a campaign announcement that's low key compared to her launch in 2007. Now she's literally "hitting the road" to Iowa in her "scooby-Doo van" -- no more helicopters or jet planes. Will her new style appeal to her party's "liberal wing."
The Elections Are Over: Let the Campaign Begin Even before the midterm voting began, both parties were looking ahead to the next Presidential election. Now, Republicans have the Senate for the first time since 2006, and their biggest House majority since 1950. Can they legislate their way to success in 2016? We hear about their challenges — and those of a lame duck Democrat in the White House whose party blames him for its losses. What’s in store as both parties try to impress an electorate that will look very different from yesterday’s voters?
A Major Moment on Capitol Hill President Obama, who won office in part with the promise of ending wars, now faces a historic rebuke of his call for "limited" military action in Syria to punish the Assad regime's alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people. But that's not all. The Senate and Congress are back from the August recess facing so much unfinished business that veteran members call it "amazing." There are just nine working days until a possible government shutdown and a debt default that threatens the global economy. There's a chance that Obamacare will become a distraction and that immigration reform may be put off until the next President is in office. Is what's becoming America's most unpopular institution up to the job?
The Obama Administration and the Shadow of Scandal Attorney General Eric Holder is being grilled by a Congressional committee today about possible scandals in two agencies with investigative powers. The Obama Administration stands accused of abusing its powers to uncover leaks to reporters and make sure that taxes are being paid. In both cases, the devil is in the details. Was a terrorist threat really bad enough to justify the FBI's massive seizure of phone records from the Associated Press? Did the IRS target right-wing groups for partisan reasons or because they were more likely than liberal groups to be looking for tax exemptions? With the White House on the defensive against Republicans — and the national press corps — we update both stories.
Biden and Ryan: Substance and Style The instant polls show a split decision, and both parties are predictably divided about last night's vice-presidential debate . Democrats are saying Joe Biden re-energized their party. Republicans say Paul Ryan more than held his own during his first time on a very big stage. Did Biden interrupt too much and come off as disrespectful? Did Ryan get swamped by the onslaught and get lost in wonkish details? Will this change the campaign momentum by the time the President and Mitt Romney confront each other again on Tuesday?
The Democrats Get Down to Business Mitt Romney has taken heat for not being specific about proposals for turning the country around. Now it's the President's turn. Barack Obama has not laid out a specific second-term agenda, and Democrats have fumbled the ball when Paul Ryan asks, “Are you better off than four years ago?" With so many people still hurting, it's hard to run on the record. What can the President do to bring disappointed voters back into the fold? On Day One in Charlotte , we hear from reporters, Democrats and conservative columnist David Brooks of the New York Times. We also look at the Democrats' focus on the Latino vote, including tonight's Keynote Address and efforts at mobilization. (We also heard KCRW's Saul Gonzalez speaking with Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of NALEO, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.) To the Point is broadcasting live from the Democratic convention all week. You can find all our coverage at KCRW.org/election2012 . DNC image: Chris Keane/Reuters
Is Paul Ryan the Right Choice for Mitt Romney? Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate has invigorated both Republicans and Democrats. It brings their differences about the role of government into sharper focus—which carries risks as well as benefits for both presidential campaigns. Will Romney have to defend the most radical elements of Ryan’s budget? Will Obama appear even more as if he’s defending an unsatisfactory status quo? Last night on “60 Minutes,” Mitt Romney said his choice of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate was nothing sudden - but the result of a process that’s taken some time. We’ll learn more about Paul Ryan and what he’ll bring to the campaign trail. What’s his likely impact on close contests for the Senate and Congress?
Is Paul Ryan the Right Choice for Mitt Romney? Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate has invigorated both Republicans and Democrats. It brings their differences about the role of government into sharper focus—which carries risks as well as benefits for both presidential campaigns. Will Romney have to defend the most radical elements of Ryan’s budget? Will Obama appear even more as if he’s defending an unsatisfactory status quo? Last night on “60 Minutes,” Mitt Romney said his choice of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate was nothing sudden - but the result of a process that’s taken some time. We’ll learn more about Paul Ryan and what he’ll bring to the campaign trail. What’s his likely impact on close contests for the Senate and Congress?
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.