A Contentious Politics Discussion

When our political roundtable panelists and I took the stage in The Commonwealth Club’s main auditorium, my main sense was one of relief that the day’s warm temperatures had not made the room too hot. But as we got into our discussion of recent political issues, things got heated nonetheless—first with the audience, where some folks apparently thought they were attending a GOP congressman’s town hall—then even between our normally reserved panelists.

You can see the entire program in the video above.

What caused the emotions to run so high and hot? It’s not that anyone said anything particularly outrageous or at all insulting; this was not Milo Yiannopoulos criticizing his cultural enemies. Someone saying, for example, that they don’t think Russia’s a big threat might be something you or I disagree with, but it doesn’t rise to the level of requiring a shouted response. But it happened, more than once, in what is usually a civil and even fun and intelligent discussion of recent politics.

Why did it happen? It’s certainly in the zeitgeist: people are agitated and angry about decisions being made in Washington, and depending on the side of an issue one is on, it leaves many people feeling either empowered or self-righteous or scared or some other feeling, any of which seem to give people permission to take a leave of their usual good manners.

What do you think? Does free speech entail allowing people you disagree with speak? What are the borders to that free speech? And what are the borders to civil back-and-forth?

News Quiz Time! For Friday, September 11, 2015

My latest Week to Week News Quiz is out! See how much you know about current events.

Much Trumpage and More in Week to Week Political Roundtable

My recent Week to Week political roundtable at The Commonwealth Club of California, featuring panelists Daniel Borenstein, Josh Richman, and Debra J. Saunders.

VIDEO: Pre-election Political Roundtable

Featuring a panel of Debra J. Saunders, Josh Richman, and Dr. Tammy Frisby.

The $2 Billion News Quiz

My latest news quiz on Huffington Post San Francisco is up:

Take the quiz

And if you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, join us Monday, June 2, at 6:30 p.m. downtown for a live news quiz and a lively political roundtable (preceded by a lovely social hour with wine and snacks)

Catch Me on the California Channel

WATCH US ON THE CALIFORNIA CHANNEL: Tonight at 9 p.m. (PT), catch the first program in The Commonwealth Club's weekly series on the California Channel.

Tonight: my Week to Week Political Roundtable, featuring panelists Carla Marinucci, Dr. Larry Gerston, and Debra J. Saunders. In upcoming weeks: Economic forecasts, Randi Zuckerberg, Robert Reich, and more!

You can find The California Channel on your cable system by checking these listings: http://www.calchannel.com/local-listing/

Commonwealth Club programs will also air at various times throughout the week on that channel.

The State of the News Quiz

My fellow Americans, I am proud to tell you tonight that the state of the news quiz is healthy, and its best days are ahead of it.

Take the quiz

And Now for an Unspecial Unthanksgiving News Quiz

It pays to pay attention to these things.

Here's my latest Week to Week News Quiz, on Huffington Post San Francisco.

Special Thanksgiving W2W News Quiz

What'll he do with all of his time now?

Why are Hassan Rouhani, US Airways, and Popcorn thankful? Take my special Thanksgiving Week to Week News Quiz on Huffington Post San Francisco and find out.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Government Shutdown and Debt Ceiling Blues: Free audio

Here is the link to the streaming audio of my Week to Week political roundtable program from last night, with great panelists Lisa Vorderbrueggen, Josh Richman, and Debra J. Saunders. There was, as you'd expect, much talk about the parallel disasters facing us: Debt ceiling, government shutdown, Obamacare rollout, and BART strike.

People can also download it as a free podcast if they either go to their iTunes Store and search for "commonwealth club" or if they go to the iTunes web page.

Take My News Quiz and Win a Nobel Prize!

Did I say Nobel Prize? I meant win no prize. Typo. My bad.

Okay, this isn't even remotely what the
Nobel medal looks like; but that is a
copyrighted design, and this image is in
the public domain. It's a trophy. You get the
point.

Nonetheless, take my latest Week to Week News Quiz on Huffington Post and see how much you know about the week's news. It's fun. It's short. Did I mention the prize?

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Where Fake Scientists and Beanie Babies Meet

What includes a government shutdown, beanie babies, and fake science?

Why, my latest Week to Week News Quiz on Huffington Post, that's what.

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A Talkative News Quiz

Iran's new president is saying a lot, talking to anyone who will listen. Ted Cruz can't stop talking, even when no one's listening. And why has one big bank been talking to the feds? Find out; it's all in my latest Week to Week News Quiz, exclusively on Huffington Post San Francisco.

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Popes Unleashed, Snowden Untamed, & More: News Quiz

Pope Francis has been very busy lately in his travels and his embodiment of Christian humility. Edward Snowden has been busy lately in his travels and his embodiment of ... something. President Obama has been busy lately trying to patch together another grand bargain. What's happening?

Find out in my latest Week to Week News Quiz.

Take the quiz, exclusively on Huffington Post San Francisco.

Week to Week Political Roundtable Audio

Here's the audio from my Week to Week political roundtable program this past Monday, June 10, 2013.

Our fun and feisty panel was Dr. Larry Gerston, professor of political science at San Jose State University, political analyst for NBC Bay Area, and author of Not So Golden After All: The Rise and Fall of California; Melissa Griffin, columnist for the San Francisco Examiner, contributor to KPIX TV and San Francisco magazine, and an attorney; and Debra J. Saunders, columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and "Token Conservative" Blogger on SFGate.com.

We talked government surveillance!

We discussed young people hating the GOP!

We dissected California's screwy voter registration!

There was actual audience hissing!

Don't miss it.

Listen

Oh, and here's my Week to Week News Quiz on Huffington Post San Francisco, from the week leading up to our Monday's program.

ATM Crime, Tax Time, & Gubernatorial Prime: News Quiz

Take my latest news quiz on Huffington Post!!

News Quiz Time: Clinton and Kerry and McConnell and More, Oh My

It's my latest W2W News Quiz.

Here's a sample question: How did Senator John Kerry begin his comments to the Senate committee overseeing his secretary of state confirmation?

a. "I've never seen a more distinguished and better looking group of public officials in my life."
b. "Ask Osama bin Laden if he is better off now than he was four years ago."
c. "I'm John Kerry and I am reporting for duty."
d. "Domestic policy can only defeat us; foreign policy can kill us."

The answer to this – plus 10 other questions - can be found here.

News Quiz: Romney, Ecuador, & More

What did the UK threaten to do to Ecuador? Whom did Jerry Brown quote? How did Mitt Romney describe President Obama's campaign?

Find out how much you know about the week's news in my latest Week to Week news quiz at Huffington Post San Francisco.

All that – plus Helen Gurley Brown!

Free Audio: Politics, Climate, Supreme Court, and More

Here's a link to the free audio for my Week to Week program from Friday, June 29, 2012.

The panel (shown in the rather poorly lit photo above; my apologies) were (left to right) John Diaz, editorial page editor of the San Francisco Chronicle; Dr. Larry Gerston, San Jose State University professor, political analyst for NBC 11, and author of Not So Golden After All: The Rise and Fall of California; and Greg Dalton, founder and host of Climate One.

Naturally, we spent a lot of time on the Supreme Court's health-care ruling, so much so that we never got to the really important stuff, such as Tom and Katie's divorce.

Facebook and Orly Taitz and Chicago? Take the W2W News Quiz

Take my Week to Week news quiz over at Huffington Post San Francisco to see how much you know about the big events in the news.

This was a week in which Iran announced a social media strategy, of a sort; an entire political movement admitted defeat; boxers fought outside the ring and demonstrated why we don't ask them about anything other than boxing; and Chicago-style politics erupted in its usual sharp-elbowed, humorously nutty way.

Find out how much you know about things, and see if you can improve upon your score from last week.

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