logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2021
48m 49s

The Improvement Association - Ep. 5

Serial Productions & The New York Times
About this episode

The Improvement Association PAC’s power in the county is threatened when an unlikely candidate enters the race for county commissioner. Plenty of people outside the PAC now have their own ideas about how to build Black political power here. Zoe examines what this election could mean for the PAC’s future.  

To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com 

Up next
Oct 30
The Preventionist - Ep. 3
What’s the harm of “better safe than sorry” in cases where abuse is ambiguous? One mother’s story is our answer to that question. Our newest podcast, “The Preventionist” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this and other Serial Productio ... Show More
58m 20s
Oct 30
The Preventionist - Ep. 2
One pediatrician’s path to Pennsylvania, and the rise of a powerful new field in child medicine. Our newest podcast, “The Preventionist” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this and other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on ... Show More
49m 55s
Oct 30
The Preventionist - Ep. 1
The story of how this extraordinary situation in the Lehigh Valley came to light — because it almost didn’t. Our newest podcast, “The Preventionist” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this and other Serial Productions and New York Times ... Show More
40m 23s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2021
Chapter Five: ‘Democrat, Republican, White, Black, Green’
The Improvement Association PAC’s power in the county is threatened when an unlikely candidate enters the race for county commissioner. Plenty of people outside the PAC now have their own ideas about how to build Black political power here. Zoe examines what this election could m ... Show More
48m 49s
Apr 2021
Chapter Two: ‘Where Is Your Choice?’
Zoe talks to people in the county who believe the Bladen Improvement PAC has been cheating for years. She tries to get beyond the rumors and into specifics, and comes face to face with the intense suspicion and scrutiny leveled against the organization. In the middle of another e ... Show More
45m 50s
Apr 2023
The New Demands of the MAGA Right
For Republican presidential hopefuls, the Conservative Political Action Conference has played a very specific role in the election cycle. It’s where candidates try to establish their grass-roots credibility and convince conservatives that those running are listening to what they ... Show More
46m 56s
Mar 2024
The Supreme Court Hands Trump A Legal And Political Win
Former President Donald Trump scored a legal victory today. The Supreme Court ruled 9 to 0 that the likely Republican nominee for President should be restored to the ballot in Colorado. The decision also says individual states cannot bar candidates for federal office under the in ... Show More
11m 2s
Jun 2020
The Battle Over the Democratic Party's Future
<p><em>This episode contains strong language. </em></p><p>Today’s Senate primary in Kentucky has been transformed by the outcry over police brutality. What can the election tell us about the future of Democratic politics? Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/jonathan-martin ... Show More
24m 25s
Oct 2011
The gloves come off at the latest Republican debate, strong positions on illegal immigration may be cause for concern in the general election for some candidates, and exactly what is a Super PAC?
The gloves come off at the latest Republican debate, strong positions on illegal immigration may be cause for concern in the general election for some candidates, and exactly what is a Super PAC? Chief correspondent for The Caucus at NYTimes.com Michael Shear, White House corresp ... Show More
16m 36s