Aspen Ideas to Go

Midterms are often seen as the first nationwide referendum on a first-term president. Donald Trump’s ratings have ranged from low to medium-low, but a “blue wave” of victories is far from guaranteed this fall. Where Democrats strive for inclusiveness with regard to race, gender, and immigration status, critics see “identity politics,” and successfully fending off that critique may determine the party’s fate across the country. Who are the rising Democratic stars to watch, and what internal clashes must the Democrats resolve as they look toward 2020? This episode features Amy Walter, national editor of The Cook Political Report; Reihan Salam, executive editor of National Review; Jamelle Bouie, chief political correspondent for Slate; Mike Allen, chief White House correspondent for Politico; and Celinda Lake, pollster and political strategist for progressives. Show Notes Listen to the Aspen Ideas to Go episode, Off Stage 2: Fighting for Immigrants. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

At age 25, Gaby Pacheco was the first undocumented Latina to testify in front of Congress. In this conversation with New York Times Contributing Op-Ed Writer Wajahat Ali, she talks about the struggles immigrants still face years later. She spearheaded efforts that led to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and participated in the Trail of Dreams, a four-month walk from Miami to Washington, DC, calling attention to the plight of immigrants. In this one-on-one conversation, she speaks with Ali about her frustrations with the Trump administration, the challenges facing immigrants who want to become citizens, and the crisis at the US-Mexico border. Pacheco and Ali were speakers at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June. The "Off Stage Series" goes into the issues that impact all of us. These conversations feature presenters at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Off Stage is part of the Aspen Ideas to Go podcast. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

In our first “Off Stage” bonus episode, New York Times Contributing Op-Ed Writer Wajahat Ali speaks with former white supremacist skinhead Christian Picciolini. For 8 years, Picciolini was a follower, then a leader in the white supremacist movement. When the people he thought he hated showed compassion, he left the group. Now he helps others disengage from extremism. In this one-on-one discussion, he talks about what draws someone to join an extremist group, why white supremacy is growing in the United States, and how we can stop hate in its tracks. Ali and Picciolini were speakers at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June. The "Off Stage Series" goes into the issues that impact all of us. These conversations feature presenters at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Off Stage is part of the Aspen Ideas to Go podcast. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

One year after a deadly hate rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the city continues to heal. White supremacists gathered at the University of Virginia and then in downtown Charlottesville in mid-August last year. Protesters clashed and a young woman, Heather Heyer, died in the fray. Now, the historic city that was once home to Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe is also associated with the white supremacist hate rallies. Why did these groups choose Charlottesville? What has Charlottesville learned, and what can it teach America about healing and resilience in a time of re-surging hate and divisiveness? Slate Chief Political Correspondent Jamelle Bouie leads a conversation with former Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer, domestic policy advisor for President Obama Melody Barnes, and Leslie Greene Bowman, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. Show Notes Listen to the Aspen Ideas to Go episodes featuring Jerome Adams, Bill Browder, and Christine Matthews. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Russian President Vladimir Putin in July, singled out American-born businessman Bill Browder at a joint press conference in Helsinki, Finland. Putin, standing alongside President Trump, named Browder and his business dealings. Browder was the largest foreign investor in Russia until he was arrested in 2005 and expelled from the country. His corporate documents were seized by Russian authorities, he says, and the young lawyer he hired to investigate—Sergei Magnitsky—was arrested and died in prison. Seeking justice, Browder lobbied for the Magnitsky Act, which he says prevents “Russian torturers and murderers” from using America’s banking system. In this discussion with CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux, Browder talks about the Helsinki summit, the infamous Trump Tower meeting, and why he says he’s not afraid of Putin. This discussion was held on July 27th at the Resnick Aspen Action Forum in Aspen, Colorado. Show Notes Listen to the Aspen Ideas to Go episode, CRISPR: A Crack in Creation. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Is the Republican Party in the United States having an identity crisis? Are the priorities of the Republican Party, conservative ideals, and the Trump administration’s policies aligning? Or, are we witnessing the factions of the party splintering off? Our panel includes Jonah Goldberg (National Review), Allysia Finley (The Wall Street Journal), Michael Steele (former Republican National Committee chairman), and Mickey Edwards (former Republican Congressman from Oklahoma and Aspen Institute Vice President). They discuss whether the Republican Party is promoting conservative principles or becoming the Donald Trump party. Their conversation was held July 24 in Aspen, Colorado as part of the Institute’s McCloskey Speaker Series. Show Notes Listen to the Aspen Ideas to Go episode, It's Okay to be Clueless. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Since 2016, we’ve watched women rack up unprecedented wins in statehouses, city halls, and even Congress — and thousands more are throwing their hats into the ring. How did factors like Donald Trump’s win and #MeToo influence this wave, and why does the movement seem to be taking hold now? Writer Rebecca Traister (“All the Single Ladies”) leads a discussion with Christine Matthews, president of Bellwether Research and consulting; Ashley Nickloes, a candidate running for a Tennessee Congressional seat; political pollster Celinda Lake; and Michelle De La Isla, mayor of Topeka, Kansas. They talk about the challenges women face as they attempt to make 2018 “The Year of the Woman” in American politics. Show Notes Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats goes over President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in this discussion held July 19th. These are his first public comments after standing by the intelligence community’s findings on Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump has questioned the intelligence assessment. Coats manages America’s 17 intelligence agencies and serves as the President’s principal intelligence advisor. He spoke with Andrea Mitchell, chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News. Show Notes Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has defended the Trump administration’s controversial "zero tolerance" immigration policy that has led to families being separated at America’s southwest border. In this discussion, she addresses illegal immigration, saying it reflects a broken system. Her conversation with Peter Alexander, national correspondent for NBC News, also touches on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign and terrorism. Alexander asks if homegrown, lone-wolf terrorism is the greatest threat today in the US. Their conversation on June 19 was part on the Aspen Security Forum held by the Aspen Institute’s Homeland Security Program. Show Notes Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

FBI Director Christopher Wray is firm in his position that Russia was involved in the 2016 presidential campaign. “The intelligence community’s assessment has not changed,” he says, “and my view has not changed, which is that Russia attempted to interfere with the last election.” Wray spoke July 18 at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado. His interviewer, Lester Holt of NBC News, also asked Wray about the indictment of 12 Russian nationals, the Robert Mueller investigation, China, and North Korea. The Aspen Security Forum is a yearly gathering of top-level government officials, industry experts, and journalists. It’s held by the Institute’s Homeland Security Program. Show Notes Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Email your comments to aspenideastogo@gmail.com. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org