CPF Director Bob Shrum joins His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi, Exiled Crown Prince of Iran, for a discussion on democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Middle East at a critical moment in the region’s history.   Featuring: - Reza Pahlavi: Crown Prince of Iran; USC Alum (‘85) - Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife - Moh El-Naggar: USC Dornsife Interim Dean

Election 2024: Where Are We Now?   CPF Director Bob Shrum joins Jane Coaston, journalist and CNN contributor, and David Simas, former CEO of the Obama Foundation, for a discussion on how the 2024 election looks with less than two weeks to go. They discuss how each candidate is performing in the polls, the importance of the presidential debate, and each campaign's strategy and messaging. Featuring:  - Jane Coaston: Journalist; CNN Contributor; Lead Host of Crooked Media's Daily News Show “What A Day"; Fall 2024 CPF Fellow - David Simas: Former CEO of the Obama Foundation; Former Director of the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach under the Obama Administration - Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

CPF hosts a panel discussion on "Experiencing Hatred: True Stories to End Hate and Educate" as part of our "Combating Antisemitism and Hatred Series." The series explores the struggle against antisemitism in the context of countering hate, reducing violence, promoting empathy, and nurturing civil dialogue.   Featuring:  Jeff Blattner: US Department of Justice Deputy Assistant Attorney General; Former Judiciary Committee Chief Counsel for Sen. Edward Kennedy; Fall 2024 CPF Fellow Rob Eshman: Contributing Editor of The Forward; Former Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Journal Ron Galperin: Former Controller and CFO for the City of Los Angeles; Former CPF Fellow Aziza Hasan: Executive Director, Muslim Jewish New Ground; Former member of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Todd Levinson: Host of “Healing Race” podcast; Producer at MainStream Nation Aaron Nir: CEO of Sanei International; CPF Board of Councilors Member Pedro Noguera: Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education Marylouise Oates: Novelist, Activist, Former LA Times Journalist Dov Wagner: Rabbi and Director of the USC Chabad Jewish Center Kamy Akhavan: Managing Director, Center for the Political Future

CPF Director Bob Shrum and Marylouise Oates, former activist and LA Times journalist, join former First Lady staffers Anita McBride, Noelia Rodriguez, and Tina Tchen for a discussion on the influence of presidential First Ladies on politics, policy, and American society.   Featuring:  Anita McBride: Former Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush Noelia Rodriguez: Former Press Secretary and Director of Communications for First Lady Laura Bush; Former CPF Fellow Tina Tchen: Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Impact Officer for the Obama Foundation; Former Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama Marylouise Oates: Former Activist and LA Times Journalist who covered First Ladies Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy share their reactions on the historic presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris and the implications for the 2024 presidential election. They discuss who won, how their debate performance helps or hurts their campaigns, and voters' reactions to their messaging.    Featuring:    Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife Mike Murphy: Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; NBC Political Analyst

CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join Fall 2024 CPF Fellows, Jeff Blattner, Mike Bonin, Jane Coaston, Lea Endres, and Carissa Smith, for a discussion on recent political trials, the historic presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, and how the 2024 presidential race is shaping up.   Featuring:  Jeff Blattner: Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for U.S. DOJ Mike Bonin: Former LA City Councilmember Jane Coaston: Journalist and CNN Contributor Lea Endres: Co-Founder and CEO of NationBuilder Carissa Smith: Former White House Senior Public Engagement Officer    Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife Mike Murphy: Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; NBC Political Analyst

This episode makes a powerful case for compromise and pragmatism as crucial ingredients in passing laws and getting things done.  Our guests are Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Brian Fitzpatrick, who are both members of the Problem Solvers Caucus: 62 Members of Congress, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.  Although you wouldn’t know it from national media coverage, The Problem Solvers meet frequently when Congress is in session to discuss bipartisan legislation. They’re often successful in moving bills forward. We hear a substantive, compelling, personal conversation with two lawmakers who work together and put country before party.  We first recorded our conversation nearly four years ago. Despite their party labels they agree with each other much more than you might think.

Almost everyone has an opinion about public education, especially in the years since the COVID pandemic when the physical closure of schools and online schooling became highly controversial. The vast majority of American students attend public school, but the numbers are falling, partially because of growing financial support for school choice and the changing views of many parents. According to a Gallup poll last year, nearly two-thirds of Americans were dissatisfied with the quality of education students receive in kindergarten through 12th grade. In this podcast episode, we bring together two respected education leaders with different views about public schooling. Becky Pringle was a middle school science teacher for three decades, and is now President of the NEA - The National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union. Gisele Huff is a philanthropist, expert on education reform, and a longtime supporter of school choice and charter schools.

Abortion is one of the most passionate, divisive, and emotional issues in the 2024 election campaign. The debate is often dominated by extremes on both sides. But what if passionate pro-life and pro-choice movement leaders could get together in the same room and learn how to disagree better? That is exactly what happened in Massachusetts, beginning in the mid 1990's. Leaders on both sides held secret discussions over the course of several years .  These wrenching conversations began in the mid 1990’s at a very difficult time— after two women were murdered by an anti-abortion extremist in Brookline, Massachusetts. We hear from The Reverend Anne Fowler, an Episcopal Priest who served on the board of directors for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and lawyer Fran Hogan, who's been President of Women Affirming Life. They’re among the six women profiled in the 2023 documentary, "The Abortion Talks".  This interview was first published last year.

Political journalist Chris Stirewalt discusses the evolution of media landscape and its impact on American democracy, highlighting the rise of biased online journalism and the need for diverse perspectives. He emphasizes responsible news consumption, challenges in journalism, and the divisive effect of media polarization on personal relationships.