logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
24m 21s

Two Friends— a Democrat and a Republican...

USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future
About this episode

Are Americans really as divided as we think we are? One liberal and one conservative jumped in an old Volvo and drove along nearly 20,000 miles of roads and highways in a series of journeys to find the answer. They went through 44 states and met an extraordinary range of people along the way.

At a time of political gridlock and hyper-partisanship, Republican Jordan Blashek and Democrat Chris Haugh formed an unlikely friendship that blossomed, not in spite of, but because of their political differences.

The result of their remarkable road trips is their book Union: A Democrat, A Republican and a Search for Common Ground." In this podcast episode, we hear a mixture of wisdom and humor and discover what Chris and Jordan learned about American politics, culture, civics, and our potential to find common ground.

Up next
May 5
The Politics of the Conclave
CPF Director Bob Shrum joins Paulist Productions Vice President Father Tom Gibbons and USC Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies President Richard Wood for a discussion on the politics of the conclave to select Pope Francis' successor. They discuss how the next Pope will be sel ... Show More
56m 56s
May 1
Pathways to Peace in the Middle East? A Conversation with Ben Rhodes and Max Boot
CPF Director Bob Shrum joins renowned foreign policy experts Ben Rhodes and Max Boot for a discussion on pathways to peace in the Middle East. They discuss the current conflicts in the Middle East, the prospects of a two-state or single state solution, the future of Gaza, and the ... Show More
1h 15m
Apr 18
Boom, Not Gloom: A Battle Plan for the Next Four Years of Climate (In)Action
USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability Director Joe Árvai joins former U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm for a discussion on how to move forward with climate change and energy issues under the Trump administration and how Democrats and Republicans can h ... Show More
1h 1m
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2023
Jon Lovett on Crooked Media, Politics, and More
Larry is joined by comedian and host of 'Pod Save America' and 'Lovett or Leave It', Jon Lovett. They begin their conversation by discussing the progressive network he co-founded, Crooked Media, and the tumultuous political landscape that inspired its genesis. Next, they dive int ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 2022
'The Run-Up': The Republic
In kicking off the midterms, Joe Biden talked about American democracy as a shared value, enshrined in the country’s founding — a value that both Democrats and Republicans should join together in defending. But there is another possible view of this moment. One that is shared by ... Show More
46m 42s
Jan 2023
Rentrée du Congrès américain: comment Joe Biden va-t-il composer avec les Républicains?
La rentrée, le 3 janvier 2023, du nouveau Congrès américain, issu des Midterms de novembre 2022, restera sans doute dans les annales de l’histoire politique des États-Unis : il a fallu, en effet, 4 jours de débats houleux, 3 nuits de tractations laborieuses et 15 tours de scrutin ... Show More
50 m
Oct 2022
Introducing The Revolution With Steve Kornacki
To understand the partisanship and bitterness of American politics today, you have to consider what happened in 1994. Steve Kornacki, National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, steps back from the Big Board to tell the origin story of the 1994 Republican “revolution ... Show More
1m 54s
Dec 2021
Checks and Balance: Three chords and the truth
Morgan Wallen became one of the stories of 2021 after he was caught using a racial slur. Banned from radio, the country music star’s sales and streams spiked anyway. The affair reinforced a stereotype of the genre as home to hillbilly bigotry. But country is changing and its poli ... Show More
45m 13s
Sep 2022
The Republic
In kicking off the midterms, Joe Biden talked about American democracy as a shared value, enshrined in the country’s founding — a value that both Democrats and Republicans should join together in defending. But there is another possible view of this moment. One that is shared by ... Show More
45m 53s
Oct 2023
The Politics of Disagreement with Steve Inskeep
In a time of a divided House (and divided GOP) — not to mention polarized social media — how can you engage through disagreement? Abraham Lincoln may have some clues, as Steve Inskeep deduces. The journalist and host of NPR’s Morning Edition has a new book, “Differ We Must: How L ... Show More
1h 4m
Jul 2021
How Democratic Is American Democracy?
By 2040, 70% of Americans could be represented by just 30 Senators. And twice in the last two decades, a Republican president has lost the popular vote but won the White House. America's government was built to protect the rights of political minorities, but some critics say the ... Show More
15m 11s
Sep 2022
Checks and Balance: A house divided
Red and blue states have always been different. Each state’s ability to experiment, iterate and differentiate has been a source of strength. But as federal politics has become more partisan, so have the states. On everything from abortion to climate, American policy is now dividi ... Show More
46m 6s