Police

Lately, President Donald Trump’s speeches and tweets have become more pointed and divisive as he attempts to appeal to members of his base. There are four crucial months until election day and the president is spending them emphasizing racial divisions and defending symbols of white supremacy. The move is at odds with a cultural moment of awareness about systemic racism and police brutality. Maya King, campaign 2020 reporting fellow at POLITICO, David Nakamura, White House reporter for The Washington Post, and Clare Malone, senior political writer at FiveThirtyEight share what they’ve observed in their reporting on the President’s reelection bid.

The killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis sparked an uprising for racial justice and renewed demands for police reform. Across the U.S., calls to defund the police and reinvest the funds into schools and mental health services have grown louder as the mission of police departments is reconsidered. Daniel Nichanian, founding editor, The Appeal: Political Report, shares where these proposals are taking place and whether or not it’s just a liberal city phenomenon.

Plus, Cincinnati Council Member Chris Seelbach and founder of the Cincinnati Black United Front, Iris Roley reflect on the state of policing in their city and how effective their community-based model has been since it was enacted in the early 2000s.

Check out our ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here. 

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How a Legacy of Racist Policies and Police Brutality Contributed to the Mass Disenfranchisement of Black People

The death of George Floyd, an African American man, at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis has ignited protests and conversations surrounding the mistreatment of Black Americans at the hands of the state against the backdrop of a pandemic that is disproportionately affecting Black people. Americans in every state have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and chant “Black Lives Matter.” A look at the history of Black disenfranchisement, failures in leadership and policy, and the role ongoing protests will play in the general election.  

Guests:

Adam Serwer, Staff Writer at The Atlantic covering politics

Elizabeth Hinton, incoming Professor of History, law and African-American studies at Yale and the author of “From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America”

Carol Anderson, Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide”

Mayors, Past and Present

Since George Floyd was killed by police officers in Minneapolis, demonstrations against police brutality have taken place across the United States. For mayors, listening to the protester’s grievances and balancing them against the responsibility of engaging with police chiefs is a challenging task. 

A conversation with Michael Tubbs, the first Black Mayor of Stockton, California, about addressing police brutality at the local level and what he hopes will come from the protests.

Plus, a conversation with former San Antonio Mayor, Julián Castro. As a candidate for the Democratic nomination, Castro spoke often about the pattern of police brutality and how bias in the criminal justice system disproportionately impacts Black Americans. He reflects on his time as mayor, ending police brutality, and the future of the movement. 

Guests: 

Michael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton, California

Julián Castro, former Mayor of San Antonio and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

How Demonstrations Across the U.S. have changed the Vice Presidential Selection Process

A national conversation about race and the lack of police accountability has shifted the trajectory of the VP selection process for the Biden campaign. With the disparities in health care that coronavirus has underscored and the brutal killing of George Floyd, the selection process faces heightened scrutiny. 

Guests: 

David Siders, National Political Correspondent at Politico

President Trump Deflects Attention from Racial Justice Demonstrations by Invoking Far Left Groups 

President Trump has pushed the inaccurate message that far left activists are leading demonstrations around the country to distract from the real issues behind the uprisings.

How QAnon Conspiracy Theorists Are Influencing U.S. Politics

On May 19th, Jo Rae Perkins, an avowed supporter of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory, won the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate in Oregon, with nearly 50 percent of the vote. 

Former Felons in Florida May Finally Have Their Voting Rights Restored

A recent ruling by a federal judge declared a Florida law restricting former felons from registering unconstitutional.

After Nearly Three Decades, a Florida Man’s Voting Rights Will Be Restored

Eugene Williams was released from prison in 2011 after serving 18 years in Florida’s Department of Corrections for armed robbery.

What Does White Allyship Look Like at this Moment?

As uprisings spread across the U.S, white people are trying to figure out their role in the fight against police brutality and racism more broadly.

This week, the public witnessed yet another incident of a white person calling the police on a person of color when no crime had been committed. A white Yale student called 911 on a fellow student, who was taking a nap in the campus lounge. It’s just the latest in a string of similar incidents where the police have been called for discriminatory reasons, or for no reason at all. The Takeaway looks into who is calling the police on people of color and why they’re doing so. Plus, we examine the conflicting impulses that drive what it means to be both Native and American; and we review the films you should catch (or skip) at the box office this weekend.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Dec. 19, 2017: A former officer with the Baltimore Police Department reflects on the corruption he witnessed firsthand on the job. Plus, a look at the growing death toll in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria; a conversation with John Kasich about the future of the GOP; what went wrong with the Amtrak train in Washington State; opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge up to drilling; and a look at why the Navajo Nation is taking on Wells Fargo. 

Nov. 14, 2017: As many as 75 percent of women of all ages say that they have experienced sex-based harassment in the workplace. Today on The Takeaway, a look at how different demographics are disrupting the status quo, plus an analysis of the latest allegations facing Roy Moore; how Donald Trump is remaking the judiciary; police tactics in the interrogation room; an escalating humanitarian crisis in Yemen; why global carbon emissions are on the rise; and the EPA under Scott Pruitt. 

Nov. 13, 2017: David Neiwert has been following right wing extremism in the United States for decades. He says the alt-right is becoming ever more powerful under President Trump, especially as more and more Republican lawmakers retire. Today, a conversation with Neiwert, plus a look at the allegations facing Alabama Senate Candidate Roy Moore; the debate over footage of mass shootings; and the final installment in our series, “To Serve and Protect: Life Behind the Blue Line.” 

August 07, 2017: After her son was shot and killed by the San Francisco Police Department, Gwen Woods had to grieve in the public eye. Today, she tells her story. Plus, The Takeaway looks at the growing tension with North Korea, we examine a new project that aims to reimagine the prison system, we get the latest on an “act of terrorism” in Minnesota, and host a conversation about what it means to be American. 

April 28, 2017:

1. After 100 Days, Some Trump Supporters Maintain High Hopes (6 min)

2. Former Trump Supporter: ‘The American People Have Been Lied To’ (8 min)

3. A Shifting War Front in Afghanistan (6 min)

4. ESPN Layoffs Reflect Sea Change For Sports Coverage (4 min)

5. Films to Catch and Skip at the Box Office This Weekend (4 min)

6. John Ridley Pays Tribute to The L.A. Riots in New Doc (7 min)

7. How History Helped Predict the L.A. Riots (7 min)

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March 31, 2017:

1. Advocates Say N.C. Bathroom Bill Repeal is Not a Victory (8 min)

2. Federal Government Rolls Back Data Collection on LGBT Seniors (5 min)

3. Haze of PTSD Lingers When Veterans Put on The Police Badge (7 min)

4. Celebrating the Iranian New Year with Food and Family (7 min)

5. Films to Catch and Skip at the Box Office This Weekend (4 min)

6. Exploring the Evolution of Cuban Protest Music (4 min)

7.  Why Brexit Will Be a Boon for Russia (7 min)