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Political Breakdown

KQED
California
Donald Trump
Trump Administration
Gavin Newsom
Democratic Party
San Francisco
Republican Party
Immigration
Proposition 50
Los Angeles
Redistricting
California Governor's Race
Governor Gavin Newsom
Homelessness
Public Safety
Medi-Cal
Housing
Kamala Harris
Housing Crisis
Congress

Join hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos as they unpack the day in politics with a California perspective. Featuring interviews with reporters and other insiders involved in the craft of politics—including elected officials, candidates, pollsters, campaign managers, fundraisers, and other political players—Political Breakdown pulls back the curtain to offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics wor... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes823Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

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Artwork for Political Breakdown

Latest Episodes

The Trump administration is facing increased scrutiny over its use of federal agencies, such as the FBI and DHS, to reshape how our elections are run. That’s raising concerns that it could be harder for some eligible Americans to vote in the midterm ... more

The California billionaire tax measure picked up major endorsements this week from the state Democratic Party and the California Labor Federation. The proposal to issue a one-time, 5% tax on the assets of the state’s billionaires has split Democrats,... more

Marisa sits down with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who’s in his sixth year leading California’s second largest city. Gloria’s tenure has been marked by ambition, but it also shows how hard it is to implement the policies he previously pushed with col... more

Political Breakdown continues an ongoing series on election integrity in America.

President Donald Trump repeatedly claims that the American election system is vulnerable and easily compromised. He has gone after electronic voting machines and ballo... more

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Recent Guests

Noah Baustin
Politico's California Energy Reporter
Politico
Episode: Who Pays for Wildfire Damage? And Other Fights Awaiting California Lawmakers
Camille von Kaenel
Politico's California Environmental Reporter
Politico
Episode: Who Pays for Wildfire Damage? And Other Fights Awaiting California Lawmakers
Dave Regan
SEIU-UHW President, healthcare union leader
SEIU-UHW
Episode: Dave vs. Goliath: The Union Man Behind CA's Billionaire Tax
Laura Fitzgerald
CapRadio reporter
CapRadio
Episode: Newsom Says Return to Office, Fall in Love?
Guy Marzerotti
KQED politics correspondent
KQED
Episode: Newsom Says Return to Office, Fall in Love?
Joanna Francescut
Newly elected registrar of voters in Shasta County
Shasta County Elections Office
Episode: The California County at the Center of the Election Integrity Fight
Roman Battaglia
Reporter at Jefferson Public Radio
Jefferson Public Radio
Episode: The California County at the Center of the Election Integrity Fight
Molly Taft
Senior Reporter at Wired
Wired
Episode: The Politics of Data Centers
Ese Olumhense
Investigative reporter and adjunct professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Reveal (investigative team)
Episode: The Modern Election Integrity Era

Hosts

Marisa Lagos
Host of Political Breakdown; KQED/KQED News; guides discussion and segment introductions
Scott Shafer
Host of Political Breakdown; politics correspondent; leads interviews and discussions

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 240 ratings
  • The best!

    This is one of my favorite podcasts! I moved to the bay a few years ago and this podcast was and is so informative - and the production value is incredible!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cambo213!
    United States3 months ago
  • Keeps me informed

    Always interesting. So great to hear in-depth, upbeat, fun, balanced stories about things that are at the forefront for our great state! Very appreciative.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MessyEm
    United States4 months ago
  • Softball interview

    I don’t understand how you can have Eric Swalwell on and not ask him about the sexual harassment allegations. If the interview was taped after they came out, you at least could’ve addressed it after or before the interview. Very strange oversight.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Max2948
    United States4 months ago
  • Never fact check guests

    I thought I’d give this another try, but once again, a guest dropped blatant misinformation and the hosts did not fact check.

    CA does NOT have “the highest illiteracy rate in the nation”.

    In addition, snark as a default mode is not useful, M Lagos.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Civil D.
    United States7 months ago
  • Frustrating

    I really want to like this show, but it’s so surface level. I rarely learn anything new. The discussion of Katie Porter’s bad interview was a case in point …truly did not learn anything I couldn’t have gotten from a quick skim of a CNN article or something. Why have guests on to discuss something (like the Sac Bee reporter on this episode) if they don’t have any new insight or new analysis or new context? Please go deeper. Have better guests and don’t just rehash the headlines. California politi... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    NY1235at
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience mentions strong coverage of California-specific issues and thoughtful guest selection.
Listeners praise informed, balanced conversations and high production quality.
Critiques note uneven interview depth and occasional lack of aggressive fact-checking, especially on controversial guests.
Overall, the show is seen as a valuable state-politics resource with strong host dynamics.
Fans appreciate deep dives into California politics and insider perspectives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#237
Italy/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Dave vs. Goliath: The Union Man Behind CA's Billionaire Tax
Q: What guarantees are there that this won't cause billionaires to leave California, and why a one-time tax instead of a permanent levy?
The plan specifies residency as of January 1 of the current year, so no incentive exists for billionaires to relocate; a five-year, one-time tax buys time to stabilize the system while a longer-term solution is developed.
Dave vs. Goliath: The Union Man Behind CA's Billionaire Tax
Q: Why a wealth tax rather than expanding the existing progressive income tax, given California already taxes high earners heavily?
Because billionaires derive most of their wealth from assets that do not generate wage-based income, such as stock portfolios, which means they pay a much smaller portion of taxes relative to their wealth; a wealth tax targets that accumulated wealth directly to fund essential services like health care.
The California County at the Center of the Election Integrity Fight
Q: What are you looking for in the next months as this measure heads through court, and how might the county proceed if some parts are allowed to stay?
The observer anticipates a nuanced legal decision where the court could allow certain legal components to remain while striking down others, depending on how the judge interprets the measure as a single package versus separate provisions.
Who Pays for Wildfire Damage? And Other Fights Awaiting California Lawmakers
Q: Camille, Newsom signed an extension of Cap and Invest last year. What happened next and how has it affected funding for climate programs?
Camille explains that while the program was extended, revenue growth slowed as the carbon market rules were adjusted to lower costs for businesses, which created pressure to find new funding for popular climate programs like transit, clean water, and High-Speed Rail.
Newsom Says Return to Office, Fall in Love?
Q: Tell us the genesis of Newsom's four-day-a-week policy and how the plan evolved.
Newsom announced the policy via an executive order last summer, with unions initially able to postpone the four-day in-person requirement; the July 1 effective date reflects a renewed push to bring workers back and demonstrate productivity and economic benefits.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Political Breakdown

What is Political Breakdown about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show provides in-depth, California-focused political analysis, featuring extended interviews with reporters, analysts, campaign professionals, and policy experts. Episodes frequently center on state and local governance, electoral dynamics, policy debates (housing, taxation, homelessness, climate, and elections), and regulatory issues, often pairing long-form conversations with live events, roundtables, and reporter insights. A recurring strength is its ability to translate complex policy and political strategy into accessible context, with a track record of balanced questioning and a willingness to tackle timely, sometimes contentious topics. Noteworthy is the sustained emphasis on California-specific political dynamics, insider perspe... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Political Breakdown?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Political Breakdown:

1. KQED's The California Report
2. The Bay
3. KQED's Forum
4. Bay Curious
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Political Breakdown are there?

Political Breakdown launched 9 years ago and published 823 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Political Breakdown?

Recent guests on Political Breakdown include:

1. Noah Baustin
2. Camille von Kaenel
3. Dave Regan
4. Laura Fitzgerald
5. Guy Marzerotti
6. Joanna Francescut
7. Roman Battaglia
8. Molly Taft

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