Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Presidental Politics and the Promise of Change

    Barack Obama has been talking about "change" since the outset of his presidential campaign.  After he won the Iowa caucuses, other candidates began using the word so often it's become a mantra—not just for Democrats, but Republicans too.  Are they all saying the same thing, or are they using the same word to convey different messages?

    • rss
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Barack Obama has been talking about "change" since the outset of his presidential campaign. After he won the Iowa caucuses, other candidates began using the word so often it's become a mantra—not just for Democrats, but Republicans too. Are they all saying the same thing, or are they using the same word to convey different messages? Does "change" mean hope? Is it the opposite of experience? Does it mean seeing the last of George W. Bush or doing the same things, only better? Do voters want real change or a vague promise they can invest with their own expectations? We talk about the language and substance of politics.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Presidental Politics and the Promise of Change
    1. 1:39Is the US Economy Sliding into Recession?
    2. 7:46Presidental Politics and the Promise of ChangeYou’re reading this
    3. 44:56Sir Edmund Hillary, First to Reach Top of Everest, Dead at 88
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Mathew Littman

      former speechwriter for Senator Joe Biden

    • KCRW placeholder

      Thomas Hollihan

      University of Southern California

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michael Kinsley

      Columnist, Time magazine

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Presidental Politics and the Promise of Change
    1. 1:39Is the US Economy Sliding into Recession?
    2. 7:46Presidental Politics and the Promise of ChangeYou’re reading this
    3. 44:56Sir Edmund Hillary, First to Reach Top of Everest, Dead at 88
    Back to To the Point