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Political Breakdown

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

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes786Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPolitics

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Artwork for Political Breakdown

Latest Episodes

This 4th of July marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Although we often remember the American Revolution as driven by anger over taxation and representation, journalist Rebecca Nagle says the country’s foundi... more

The Supreme Court term has come to an end with a flurry of blockbuster rulings. Today, the justices preserved birthright citizenship, striking down the executive order President Trump issued on the first day of his second term seeking to end it. They... more

Californians will vote on 14 ballot measures this November, including a voter ID initiative, two housing affordability bonds and an overhaul of the California Environmental Quality Act. The most dramatic negotiations ahead of the ballot finalization ... more

The World Cup is in full swing across North America, and the U.S. men’s team faces Turkey in its final group round appearance on Thursday. But behind the cheering fans and nail biting matches, FIFA's commitment to political neutrality is put to the t... more

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Recent Guests

Jeremy B. White
Senior politics reporter
Politico
Episode: The Fights That Shaped California’s November Ballot
Tariq Panja
New York Times Global Sports Correspondent
The New York Times
Episode: The Politics of the World Cup
Gail Pellerin
Assemblymember, Santa Cruz County former chief election official
California State Assembly
Episode: California’s Slow Vote Count: Feature or Bug?
Mike Bonin
Former Los Angeles City Council member; leads the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University in Los Angeles
Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA
Episode: LA Mayor’s Race May Become a “Slugfest” Between Former Allies
Christine Mui
Silicon Valley reporter for Politico
Politico
Episode: Big Tech Spent Big on California's Primaries. Did Voters Buy It?
Brian Marzerotti
KQED politics correspondent
KQED News
Episode: Two Democratic Challengers Make the Case for Change
Mai Vang
City Councilmember in Sacramento, candidate for Congress
Sacramento, CA
Episode: Two Democratic Challengers Make the Case for Change
Randy Villegas
Progressive Democratic college professor
California
Episode: Two Democratic Challengers Make the Case for Change
David Becker
Executive Director and Founder, Center for Election Innovation & Research
Center for Election Innovation & Research
Episode: Is California's Election System 'Crooked'? An Election Integrity Expert Weighs In

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 238 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 Statesa month 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 States2 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 States3 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 States6 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 States9 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
#234
United States/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

California’s Slow Vote Count: Feature or Bug?
Q: Why is California's count slow compared with some other states?
The guest explains that California's large, diverse electorate and the emphasis on counting every ballot—through vote-by-mail processing, signature cures, post-election canvassing, audits, and potential recounts—takes time, but it improves accuracy and voter confidence.
Tom Steyer Vows to Challenge Corporate Power and Protect Workers from AI
Q: What is your stance on public transit and urban infrastructure funding?
Steyer emphasizes building around public transportation, reducing commutes, and funding Bay Area transit projects like BART and Caltrain, arguing that infrastructure must be affordable and efficient to truly benefit working people.
Tom Steyer Vows to Challenge Corporate Power and Protect Workers from AI
Q: How will you address housing affordability and rent protections for tenants?
He supports expanding renter's credits, extending rent cap protections, and building more affordable housing by using Split Roll revenue to fund schools and health care, while pushing for faster permitting and zoning reforms to accelerate supply.
Tom Steyer Vows to Challenge Corporate Power and Protect Workers from AI
Q: What specific policies will you put in place to support workers in the AI era while maintaining California as a tech hub?
He outlines a detailed AI policy prioritizing worker protection, retraining through community colleges, and a small fee on AI calculations to fund worker protections; if the windfall is large, funds could back services like universal child care, ensuring AI aids rather than displaces workers.
Tom Steyer Vows to Challenge Corporate Power and Protect Workers from AI
Q: As governor, how will you balance keeping businesses in state while expanding housing and raising education standards for all?
Steyer argues for closing the Split Roll corporate real estate loophole, using the revenue—about 20 billion annually—to fund education and health care, while proposing practical tax reforms that don't chase away business. He emphasizes building housing around public transit, speeding up permitting, and leveraging state balance sheets plus targeted subsidies to expand housing without harming the economy.

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 786 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. Jeremy B. White
2. Tariq Panja
3. Gail Pellerin
4. Mike Bonin
5. Christine Mui
6. Brian Marzerotti
7. Mai Vang
8. Randy Villegas

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