Conversations With Enrique Cerna

"From tweeting tirades to Republicans choosing country over party, The Analysts weigh in as the year comes to a close. It’s easy to say, 2016 was a wild year in politics, both locally and nationally. KCTS 9’s Analysts are all over it, discussing the highs and lows of the year. Listen in as Joni Balter and C.R. Douglas recap the political scene from the election in Washington State, to the housing market in the Emerald City and Trump’s Christmas Weekend Tweet about an arms race. Plus hear their winners and losers for the year. They’ll also give you a quick snapshot of the Legislature and share their predictions for 2017. Image from flickr user dpbirds https://www.flickr.com/photos/dpbirds/"

"The results are in. Despite the many projections that suggested a victory for Hillary Clinton, GOP candidate Donald Trump has been elected as tThe results are in. Despite the many projections that suggested a victory for Hillary Clinton, GOP candidate Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th president of the United States of America. Running on three hours of sleep between the both of them, Joni Balter and C.R. Douglas take a look at what happened at the polls for our national election. They also dive into the state and regional results such as governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state, as well as analyzing what the initiative outcomes really mean for Washingtonians. Grab a cup of whatever you need and sit back, The Analysts will break it down for you.he 45th president of the United States of America. "

"Holding our collective breath; that’s what we are all doing now. We are waiting... waiting for Election Day to come and go, to get off Nate Silver’s “FiveThirtyEight” election forecast and all the other prognosticating that has reached a boiling point. Join Joni Balter and C.R. Douglas — together known as “The Analysts” — as they offer a few day-before-the-big-day musings about local races, specifically the governor’s race, the secretary of state’s race, I-732 and its proposed carbon tax, and Washington’s potentially rogue elector, Robert Satiacum. Listen in and maybe even catch your breath as we (finally!) approach the finish line."

With mere weeks until Election Day, amid a cacophony of sound bites, we sat down with the political junkies to help make sense of all the noise. KCTS 9 presents its newest podcast, “The Analysts,” featuring KCTS 9 Political Analyst Joni Balter and Q13 Political Analyst C.R. Douglas. Listen in as Balter and Douglas discuss some of the biggest issues being debated this election season, including an analysis of the presidential debates, the Washington State Gubernatorial contest, Sound Transit 3, the 7th Congressional District race, the statewide gun-safety initiative and more. Tune in for the facts, stay for the fun.

With less than three weeks to go, “The Analysts” rev up their discussion of state and national politics. Joni Balter, KCTS9 political analyst, and C.R. Douglas, political analyst for Q13, offer their insights into many of the momentous choices facing Washington voters. Perhaps you are wondering how Democrat Hillary Clinton might fare against Republican Donald Trump in our state? Are you curious about how the presidential race might trickle down to statewide races, like governor and lieutenant governor? Maybe you are perplexed by some of the statewide initiatives. “The Analysts” weigh in.

The Analysts are fired up with just 10 days left in the election-that-seems-like-it-will-never-end. KCTS 9 Political Analyst Joni Balter and Q13 Political Analyst C.R. Douglas discuss “The Trump Effect” on Republicans in local races, a few fireworks in the 7th Congressional District race, the recent U.S. Senate debate in Washington State and more.

The November election is no longer abstract or in the distance — it’s almost here. Or — for those suffering from election fatigue — we are almost there. The Analysts Joni Balter and C.R. Douglas are amped up — on way too much coffee — and ready to help you sort through your ballot. Listen as they dig into the Washington governor’s race, the sizzling-hot secretary of state’s race and many of the statewide initiatives.

The election hangover somehow morphed into a turkey-induced tryptophan hangover that then morphed into the recount hangover. Don’t worry. The Analysts have the balm for your frazzled mind. Political analysts Joni Balter and C.R. Douglas shed light on the future of the state Republican and Democratic parties and what to expect during the upcoming legislative session. Knowledge is power and The Analysts dish up a full plate of it.

The alarming sound bites keep rolling in: “The Russians hijacked our election!” “Donald Trump makes some perplexing cabinet nominations!” “Our congressional delegation is tested in ways it has never been tested before!” “The Seattle City Council is losing one of its most experienced members!” Join Political Analysts Joni Balter and C.R. Douglas as they cut through the noise with their candid insight.

Edgar Martinez is one of the most popular and admired professional athletes in Seattle. He will forever be remembered for “the double,” the hit that beat the New York Yankees in the 1995 American League Divisional Series and helped to keep major league baseball in Seattle. In August, Edgar’s jersey, number 11, will be retired by the Seattle Mariners. He joins Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., the only other player to have his number retired by the Mariners. In conversation with Enrique Cerna, Martinez — now the Mariners hitting coach — talks about having his number retired, his chances of making it into baseball’s Hall of Fame as a designated hitter and the hit that made him a legend with Seattle baseball fans.

“It’s tough to think about yourself in color terms, even though people of color have to think about it every day.” Tyrone Beason is a staff writer for the “Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine.” On Jan. 26, the magazine published “Black Like Me: It’s time for a deeper conversation about race in America,” a personal essay written by Beason. At a time when our country is divided racially and politically, he asks ‘Who are we, and what are we really made of? What are we not saying to each other?’ In conversation with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna, Beason talks about the essay, the influences of his personal experiences and the people he discovered who are taking on issues of race, gender and equity in unique ways. http://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/black-like-me-its-time-for-a-deeper-conversation-about-race-in-america/

“My job is to put an objective lens on it to get results.” Chris Reykdal is the new superintendent of public instruction for the state of Washington. A former high school teacher and state legislator, Reykdal was elected state schools chief in November. He takes office as the Washington State Legislature is grappling with meeting a state Supreme Court order as part of the landmark McCleary decision to come up with a plan to adequately fund public education. In conversation with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna, Reykdal weighs in on the funding challenge and the various funding proposals. He also talks about school testing, the opportunity gap, graduation rates and his concern about the increasing number of homeless students in our schools.

Seattle and Vancouver B.C. have much in common. Both have wonderful scenery, a growing economy, an influx of newcomers and major traffic congestion that can make commuting a nightmare. In Vancouver, traffic is so bad that the 2016 TomTom traffic index survey rated the city as the most congested in Canada followed by Toronto and Montreal. It is not likely to ease anytime soon as more than 38,000 people are moving to the Metro Vancouver area annually. The traffic impact goes beyond the difficult daily commute — it affects the area’s economy, workforce, housing, affordability, livability and public health. What can be done to address the traffic concerns now and in the future? The Canadian members of KCTS 9’s Community Advisory Board decided that it was important to take up that question and much more. In early November, they organized a community forum at Vancouver’s Roundhouse Arts and Recreation Center titled Our Transportation Challenge: The Good, the Bad and the Bike Lanes? It featured exhibits of elec

On this edition of Conversations, host Enrique Cerna talks with author Michael Eric Dyson about his new book, a New York Times best-seller, “Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America.” Dyson, a scholar, ordained Baptist minister and the author of 19 books, delivers a hard-hitting sermon that calls on white people to take action and responsibility for closing the racial divide in America today.

President Trump signs an executive order to build a border wall and targets sanctuary cities like Seattle. But at the same time, he indicates that Dreamers, undocumented young people who are receiving protection under DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, are not the main target of his efforts to crack down on those who are here illegally. What is the reaction in our immigrant communities? Jorge Baron, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project talks with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna about their fears and concerns and what his organization is doing to counsel those fearful of deportation.

2016 ended on a high note for King County Executive Dow Constantine as he received national recognition for his governing of the state’s largest county. But 2017 brings challenges, with President Donald Trump and questions about future federal funding for transportation, housing and human services. Constantine talks about those concerns and more on this edition of “Conversations with Enrique Cerna.”

What is “White Fragility” and why do white people struggle with it? Dr. Robin DiAngelo coined the term to describe why many white people are unable to respond to racism without getting defensive. DiAngelo is the author of “What Does it Mean to be White? Developing White Racial Literacy. In conversation with host Enrique Cerna, DiAngelo explains how race shapes the lives of white people and why they have difficulty addressing racial issues. From her research and years of diversity training experiences, DiAngelo shares her perspective on why racism is hard for white people to see and discusses racial patterns that present barriers to greater racial equity in America today.

In this special edition of Conversations, Washington State Senior Senator Patty Murray shares her concerns about President-elect Donald Trump and his nominees for cabinet posts. Murray won re-election in November and now ranks third in the Senate Democrat hierarchy. In conversation with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna and political analyst Joni Balter, she weighs in on Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act, reports of Russian hacking of U.S. elections, the President-elect’s call for a Muslim registry, and what Democrats must change to appeal to the American electorate.

On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed African American was shot and killed after the scuffle with Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson. Wilson said he feared for his life and acted in self-defense. Brown’s shooting set off protests and riots in Ferguson and elsewhere throughout the country — especially after Wilson was cleared by a grand jury and a Department of Justice investigation. In her book, “Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil: The Life, Legacy and Love of My Son Michael Brown,” Lezley McSpadden speaks out about her son, the controversial shooting and her efforts to seek justice for her son and other families of young, black men shot and killed in controversial police shootings.

President-elect Donald Trump says will nominated Dr. Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and a former presidential candidate, to be the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). But as someone who has never worked in government or served at the head of a major bureaucracy, is Carson the right person for the job? KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna and Political Analyst Joni Balter take up that question and explore the incoming Trump administration with Ron Sims, former King County Executive and the former Deputy Secretary of HUD in the Obama Administration in this Vote 2016 conversation.