“New Voices” is a series highlighting contributors to journalism, news and politics who are under the age of 30.
On this bonus episode of the ChuckToddCast, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times political journalist Maya King joins Chuck Todd to discuss her evolution from potential activist to political reporter, exploring how the Trump era fundamentally changed political journalism and the misconceptions Democrats harbor about deserving softer media coverage. She explains her approach to checking cynicism while covering politics, the importance of avoiding national lenses when reporting on local NYC politics, and why Mamdani's recent victory proves that persuasion still matters in politics—while arguing that class has always been more significant than race in determining political outcomes. She provides insider insights into The New York Times editorial process, from the multiple layers of fact-checking before publication to the modern reality that push alerts carry more weight than front-page placement in today's digital media landscape.
The conversation delves into the evolving NYC mayoral race and the potential for other candidates to coalesce against Mamdani, King also offers broader insights about how giant cities like Atlanta are reshaping state politics, using Georgia as a test case for the "demographics are destiny" theory while noting that Georgia Democrats tend to be more culturally conservative than their national counterparts. Throughout the discussion, King reflects on the challenge of maintaining journalistic integrity in an era where political figures expect coverage to match their partisan preferences, while emphasizing the continued importance of local political reporting that resists oversimplified national narratives.
Timeline:
00:00 Maya King joins the Chuck ToddCast!
01:00 How did Maya get into political journalism?
03:15 Why did you choose journalism over activism?
04:45 Reporting on politics in the pre-Trump era vs Trump era
06:45 Democrats have misconception they deserve softer coverage
08:15 How do you check your cynicism about politics?
10:00 Can’t apply a national lens when covering NYC politics
12:15 Persuasion still matters in politics. Mamdani is proof
13:30 Class has always been more important than race in politics
15:00 What is the editing process at The New York Times?
18:15 How many people double check a story before it is published?
20:00 What does it mean to get a story on the front page?
21:15 The push alert means more than the front page
22:00 Has the Cuomo campaign changed after losing the primary?
24:15 Is Eric Adams running a full-fledged campaign?
26:00 Did you know the Guardian Angels prior to Curtis Sliwa?
29:00 Will other candidates drop out and coalesce to stop Mamdani?
30:30 Giant cities like Atlanta are redefining the politics of their state
32:30 Atlanta was a test case for the theory of “demographics are destiny”
34:30 Georgia Democrats are more culturally conservative