Political Breakdown

Marisa and Scott close out the year by revisiting conversations with two rising political stars from opposite ends of the state: Honey Mahogany, the head of San Francisco's Democratic Party and Robert Garcia, the mayor of Long Beach who recently announced a run for Congress.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marisa and Scott talk about what the exodus of California congressmembers will mean for the state's clout in Washington D.C. Then, they revisit a 2018 conversation with Rep. Jackie Speier, who is retiring at the end of 2022. Speier discusses her memoir Undaunted and shares stories from her survival in Jonestown and her political journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott and Marisa discuss Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to use the framework of Texas' controversial abortion law for gun control legislation and the messaging from state and local leaders on concerns over crime. Then, California State Auditor Elaine Howle, who is retiring at the end of the year after more than two decades in the role, discusses the work of her office including the audit of the state's Employment Development Department, the biggest hurdles she sees to an effective government and what auditing skills she brings into her personal life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Gavin Newsom joins Marisa and Scott to talk about "Ben and Emma's Big Hit," his picture book about a child with dyslexia, before discussing how he deals with dyslexia in his daily life. Newsom also responds to large retail thefts in the state and critiques of Proposition 47, the 2014 criminal justice reform measure. Then, Attorney General Rob Bonta joins to discuss his parents' activism in the farmworker movement, how his office is responding to retail crimes and whether he'll work to reduce sentences of inmates on death row. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Supreme Court weighs a challenge to abortion rights established in the Roe v. Wade decision, Scott and Marisa talk to Katie Orr about the landscape of abortion access in California. Then, Jodi Hicks, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California joins to discuss the oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson and the case's potential impact on California and the 2022 midterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second part of their conversation with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on stage at KQED Live, Scott and Marisa get the Speaker's reaction to five images from her life and career: from meeting Senator John Kennedy and running for Congress to high-profile clashes with former president Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marisa and Guy Marzorati discuss Rep. Jackie Speier's decision to retire from Congress and the tough decisions facing Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats despite a projected $31 billion budget windfall. Then, Lenny Mendonca, Newsom's former chief economic and business advisor and senior partner emeritus at McKinsey & Company joins to answer questions about the economy and its political fallout and the lessons he's sharing with business and political leaders from his battle with depression and anxiety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California Citizen Redistricting Commission releases its first draft of the state's new political lines. Marisa and Guy Marzorati react to the proposal and criticisms of the line drawing process before discussing Governor Gavin Newsom's re-emergence and the latest local recall news in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Then, Antioch mayor Lamar Thorpe joins to discuss his childhood in a Mexican family, his political awakening, service in the Navy and his work on police reform and Antioch's groundbreaking apology for the past violence against the city's Chinese residents.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott and Marisa discuss what the election results in Virginia and New Jersey mean for the midterms in California and pay tribute to Wilma Chan, the former state and local legislator who was killed on Wednesday. Then, Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board, joins to discuss her upcoming trip to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (known as COP26) and how her agency plans to reduce emissions in California while protecting frontline communities from local pollution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marisa and Guy Marzorati discuss the impact of new district maps and the Build Back Better agreement on next year's midterm races in California. Then, former Democratic state Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero discusses why she supported Larry Elder in the recall, her critiques of teachers unions and school administrators, and her new book "Just Not That Likeable," about gender bias in the workplace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices