Grand Divisions: A Politics Podcast: Recent Episodes
USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Tennessean politics reporter Joel Ebert and state politics reporter Natalie Allison host this Tennessee politics and policy podcast. Hear from candidates, constituents and other reporters as they dive in and analyze issues voters need to know.
Sorry for the delay on this week's episode. With furloughs this week and next, the next episode may be out later than usual.
This week on the podcast, we talk about how national questions and conversations about racism have undoubtedly erupted at the Tennessee legislature, and how black legislators say they're feeling about a lack of progress on racism.
The episode also includes a brief overview of the Senate's budget, which the House has returned this week to finally put to a vote.
Last week, state Republican lawmakers and party officials quickly seized on reports of Nashville being under consideration to host the upcoming Republican National Convention.
Also last week, Gov. Bill Lee's administration presented lawmakers with their latest budget recommendation, which seeks to eliminate pay raises proposed earlier this year while creating a new state employee buyout program.
Joel and Natalie discuss the unrest that has ensnared America this week after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis. Violence erupted in Nashville Saturday after a peaceful rally, leading to businesses being damaged and a small fire being set at city hall. They also discuss the return of Tennessee lawmakers.
On this episode, you'll hear from Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, and Rep. Ron Gant, Rossville.
In separate interviews, both lawmakers give a preview of the work the legislature will face in the days ahead as Tennessee lawmakers come back in Nashville this week for the first time since March. They'll face decisions on how to make cuts to the state budget while considering a host of different bills.
Joel and Natalie provide an update to the ever-changing coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping through the country.
Due to social distancing protocol at the Tennessean's office, as well as furloughs announced by Gannett, new episodes of the podcast will be sporadic. We will not be able to commit to a once-a-week format as is usual, but we promise to bring you the updates when we can. Thank you for your understanding.
On this episode, Anita Wadhwani discusses being out in Putnam County in the days after Middle Tennessee was decimated by tornadoes, and healthcare reporter Brett Kelman provides an update on coronavirus in Tennessee.
This week, Tennessean reporter Jessica Bliss joins the podcast to help interview two guests on the racial dynamics going on in the Tennessee suffrage movement.
Carole Bucy, Davidson County historian with the Metro Nashville Historical Commission, and Tracy Sharpley-Whiting, a distinguished professor of humanities at Vanderbilt University, both come on this week to talk about that aspect of the suffrage centennial.
It's time to preview Super Tuesday!
On this episode, you'll hear from former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, businessman Tom Steyer, and actress Ashley Judd, who is supporting U.S. Sen Elizabeth Warren.
You'll also hear from volunteers and staffers with the campaigns of Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar.
This week, we sit down with The Tennessean's education reporter Jason Gonzales as he provides context about the House hearing where members of a committee scrutinized a contract related to Gov. Bill Lee's controversial education savings account program.
Later we talk with Adam Tamburin, who recently joined The Tennessean's investigative team, to discuss a story about how the governor and the General Assembly are now facing seven lawsuits over six laws enacted after the 2019 legislative session.
On this episode, we talk to Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn.
Schwinn spoke at length about the department's plans for the Achievement School District, which has not seen the improvement the state had intended for struggling schools that were brought into it.
Schwinn also discusses the need for more training for teachers and how the state plans to keep them from having to spend hours upon hours of extra time each week scouring Pinterest for lesson plans.
Gov. Bill Lee delivered his second State of the State address Monday, calling for a record-setting investment for teacher pay raises, setting aside money for the state's reserves and creating a new $250 million trust fund for K-12 mental health.
On this episode, we break down the governor's speech and analyze his proposed $40.8 billion budget.
In recent years, some liberals and conservatives have found some common ground while working on criminal justice reform in Tennessee.
This week on the podcast, Tori Venable, the state director of Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee, breaks down the ongoing efforts for criminal justice reform.
Of course, we also highlight and analyze the latest news in Tennessee politics and policy, including Gov. Bill Lee's announcement in which he said he will spearhead abortion-related legislation.
This week, Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, talks about his party's priorities for the year. Yarbro also lays blame for inaction by the governor on a multitude of issues facing the state, ranging from problems with the state's corrections system and turnover at the education department.
Later on the episode, Adam Tamburin breaks down a recently released audit of the Department of Correction by the state comptroller.
On this episode, you'll hear from House Speaker Cameron Sexton, who will be presiding over his first full session.
Sexton fields a host of questions on topics including refugee resettlement, school vouchers and health care.
Sexton also explains his recent decision to change the House's sexual harassment training once again.
With the Tennessee General Assembly set to convene next week, this week's episode examines the biggest political stories of 2019 and how they might continue to play out this year.
As we did when former Gov. Bill Haslam recently appeared on Grand Divisions, The Tennessean's politics editor Duane Gang turns the tables on your podcast hosts to recap the year.
We take a look back at the most important stories of the years by talking to the reporters that covered them.
You'll hear from education reporter Jason Gonzales, religion reporter Holly Meyer, health care reporter Brett Kelman, justice reporter Adam Tamburin and data reporter Mike Reicher about stories and issues they covered this year related to state government.
This episode was recorded in early December, so keep that in mind for any time references.
On this episode, we talk with Erik Schelzig of the Tennessee Journal and Stephen Elliott of the Nashville Scene/Post while discussing the inner workings of the Lee administration.
We reflect on the highlights and lowlights of the year while analyzing the administration's interactions with the media. We also look ahead at issues that might come up in 2020, including during the upcoming legislative session.
This episode was recorded in early December.
A longtime Grand Divisions listener and fan of fireside-type chats, former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam offered to guest host an episode while turning the tables on us.
Instead of fielding questions, Haslam asks Natalie and I about our personal history and the current state of the media landscape. He presses us how we do our jobs and set aside our personal biases.
During an at-times challenging interview, Haslam also stresses the importance of local news coverage to maintain an informed electorate.
On this episode, Rep. Ron Gant explains his motivation for renaming the state lawmakers' office building after former Gov. Winfield Dunn. He also discusses other legislation he anticipates seeing during the upcoming legislative session and reflects on the passage of Gov. Bill Lee's controversial school vouchers bill earlier this year.
On this week's episode, Gov. Bill Lee's communications director and senior adviser Chris Walker — who has worked with Lee since he launched his gubernatorial campaign in 2017 — shares insights on the governor's first year in office.
For the last 20 years, Tennessee's state Senate has seen many changes, including new members replacing old ones and a major shift in political power.
But while much has changed, one aspect that hasn't is the chamber's chief clerk.
A once aspiring attorney and the son of a political reporter, Russell Humphrey has served as the Chief Clerk of the Senate since 1999.
On this episode, we chat with Humphrey about how he began and what it's been like to serve under three lieutenant governors from two different parties.
This week on the podcast, we sit down with the Nashville Democrat to discuss the origins of the federal REAL ID legislation and what state officials are doing to address the increased demand at driver's license facilities.
Also on this episode, we break down the latest developments regarding a decision from Gov. Bill Lee's administration to begin spending money the state saved up from a federal block grant fund. The decision, which was announced in a press release, generated consternation among lawmakers, who expressed their frustrations during House budget hearings.
On this week's episode, we talk about the state of Metro's finances with deputy comptroller Jason Mumpower and The Tennessean's Metro reporter Yihyun Jeong.
They discuss the ins-and-out of this ongoing issue that must be addressed before the early part of 2020 or face the comptroller's office taking over. They also delve into calls for making changes to Nashville's financially distressed water department, which officials say will require a multi-year rate hike.
We also break down a recent opinion from Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery regarding an opinion related to Rep. David Byrd, who is facing allegations of sexual assault from three women dating back to the 1980s.
On this week's episode, we analyze news that state Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, is the subject of a federal investigation dating back to his failed 2016 congressional bid.
We also sit down with Tennessean investigative reporters Anita Wadhwani and Mike Reicher about what findings that analysis has yielded as a three-member reporting team continues to examine how Tennessee is — and isn't — spending money through the federal TANF block grant.
Finally, we talk with Tennessean health care reporter Brett Kelman to discuss the latest news involving TennCare, the state's Medicaid program.
This week on Grand Divisions, we sit down with Harwell to discuss a variety of topics, ranging from her thoughts about her successor's downfall - former House Speaker Glen Casada - and Tennessee's continued struggles with healthcare after the 2015 defeat of a controversial Medicaid expansion plan.
In Part II of our look at Operation Rocky Top, we explore the depths of the investigation and who was implicated by it, including two officials who ultimately took a different path than face further scrutiny.
We also look at changes that were implemented in the aftermath of the corruption scandal and parallels between the political landscape then and now.
During the 1980s, an illegal charitable bingo scheme took hold in Tennessee that implicated powerful politicians, lobbyists and others. Over a multi-year period, a lawmaker wore a wire and an undercover agent infiltrated the Capitol, while newspaper reporters exposed the massive operation.
For this special two-part episode of Grand Divisions, we talk with many of those involved in bringing the scandal to light and reforms done in the aftermath.
During a 10-minute interview, Pompeo fielded questions ranging from the Trump administration's recent decision to pull American troops out of northern Syria and his message to Nashville's Kurdish community to his office's cooperation with the ongoing impeachment inquiry and religious freedom.
In this episode, you'll hear the entire interview with Pompeo.
Later, we sit down with Laura Berlind and Mandy Pellegrin of The Sycamore Institute to discuss their latest report on medical debt in Tennessee.
On this week's episode, hear more from Finance and Administration Commissioner Stuart McWhorter about the task force, as well as a conversation between the hosts on last week's Medicaid block grant public hearings.
As reported by USA TODAY Network in each city where sessions were held, the three-day listening tour brought zero positive comments about the proposal to convert TennCare, the state's Medicaid program, to block grant funding model.
You'll also hear an interview with Simon Sidi, the founder of Politicon, a national politics conference coming to Nashville the last weekend of October.
On this episode, we chat with former House speaker Jimmy Naifeh, Matt Kisber, who served in the legislature for 20 years before joining former Gov. Phil Bredesen's administration, and Billy Stair, who served as senior policy adviser to former Gov. Ned Ray McWhorter.
Naifeh, Kisber and Stair share their thoughts on modern day politics and reminisce about the Capitol Hill Press Corps during their days in office. They also swap stories of yesteryear, including about the times President Ronald Reagan came to Tennessee.
Earlier this month, Gov. Bill Lee's administration denied access to documents recommendations made by 22 state agencies on how to improve service in Tennessee's rural areas.
The administration denied The Tennessean's request, citing "deliberative process."
This week, we take a look back at the legal origin of deliberative process in the Volunteer State with our guest, Deb Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.
On this week's episode, we sit down with Brett Kelman, The Tennessean's health care reporter, for a discussion about health care in the Volunteer State.
We also break down former Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty's entrance into the Republican primary for Tennessee's open U.S. Senate race.
And finally, we discuss the results of Nashville's mayoral race while and later chat with Sam Hardiman, the Commercial Appeal's city hall reporter about the ongoing race to be the next mayor of Memphis.
On this episode, we sit down with Rep. Jeremy Faison to discuss how he ended up running for caucus chairman and whether there can truly be unity within the GOP caucus while encouraging members to be themselves.
Faison also shares his thoughts on transparency while defending closed caucus meetings and his future involvement in the medical marijuana movement.
And finally, Faison, who earlier this year was injured after a car accident, shares his belief about the government's role regarding safety and seatbelts.
On this week's episode we analyze the special session and the decision by the 73-member GOP caucus to close its latest meetings.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton was formally elected and sworn in as the chamber's top post, Rep. David Byrd survived an expulsion effort and the lower chamber's Republican caucus held three closed-door meetings in two days to discuss "family" matters.
The Tennessee legislature will convene this week for its 60th extraordinary session. On this episode, we sit down with legislative librarian Eddie Weeks to look back at Tennessee's rich history of special legislative sessions.
Weeks gives an overview of the more intriguing and notable extraordinary sessions, including the time there was a murder inside the state Capitol.
And usual, we cover the latest news of the week and preview the upcoming special session.
Week after week this legislative session, Kristina Richardson made the six-hour round trip trek from her home in Hardin County to the Tennessee state Capitol. She joined a small handful of other women that has launched a grassroots effort over the last year to oust Rep. David Byrd from the House of Representatives.
Richardson talks with us about the group's plans for the future, and what other lawmakers they have their eyes on.
On this week's episode, you'll also hear from Knoxville News Sentinel Reporter Tyler Whetstone about the state of the city's mayoral election, for which early voting is ongoing through Aug. 22. Election Day is Aug. 27.
Glen Casada is no longer speaker of the House of Representatives. He formally resigned last week, marking the end of a tumultuous seven-month period.
On this episode, we discuss what's next for the House as it looks to move forward from Casada's time as its leader and recap the news of the week.
We also talk with The Tennessean's Adam Tamburin about a recent conversation he had with former Gov. Bill Haslam, just days ahead of the release of Cyntoia Brown, and we sit down with Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, about recent issues ranging from immigration raids to the dismissal of Tennessee's lawsuit over refugee resettlement.
On this episode, we talk with Sexton, who has served in the legislature since 2011, about a wide range of issues, including potential staff and committee changes and the future of school vouchers once he becomes speaker.
Later, we sit down with Williamson County reporter Elaina Sauber, who recently published a deep dive story on former state Senator and Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron.
House Republicans selected Rep. Cameron Sexton to be their nominee for speaker during a Wednesday morning caucus meeting. On this episode, we break down the caucus vote and what it means for the House going forward.
You'll also hear directly from Sexton on a handful of issues as he spoke to reporters immediately after being named the GOP nominee.
We also analyze the resignation of Rep. Bill Sanderson, R-Kenton, who announced his plans to stop down hours before the caucus meeting.
On this episode, we break down all the latest developments with the U.S. Senate race in Tennessee, including President Donald Trump's early endorsement of Hagerty and Haslam's decision to not run.
In addition, we examine the reactions to Gov. Bill Lee's decision to sign a proclamation honoring former Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Later, we sit down with The Tennessean's Metro reporter Yihyun Jeong about the state of this year's Nashville mayoral race.
On this episode, we revisit Baker v. Carr, the landmark 1962 case that led to a "reapportionment revolution" while ensuring minorities had equal representation in state legislatures across the country.
Later, we chat with Shanna Hughey, president of ThinkTennessee, a Nashville-based nonpartisan think tank about gerrymandering.
And as usual, we discuss the latest news of the week, including Rep. Gloria Johnson's plans to file a resolution during the upcoming special session that seeks to expel Rep. David Byrd from the legislature.
After weeks of speculation and consideration, Gov. Bill Lee issued a call last week for the legislature to hold a special session in August. We break down the latest developments regarding the upcoming special session.
Also this week, to coincide with the start of the new fiscal year, we sit down Senate finance committee chairman Bo Watson, R-Hixson, who shares his thoughts on the cost of education savings accounts to transparency in the budget process.
Finally, we close out the episode with a discussion with Elaina Sauber, a Williamson County reporter for The Tennessean, who recently spent time in Ridgetop, Tennessee covering a story of illegal ticket quotas, the dissolving of a police department and inquiries by the FBI.
After more than a month of indecision, Gov. Bill Lee has announced he would call the legislature back for a special session to have the House select a new leader to replace embattled Speaker Glen Casada.
Tennessee Republicans are set to gather in Nashville this weekend for the party's largest annual fundraiser.
Although this year's Statesmen's Dinner comes in a non-election year, there will be plenty of political intrigue given the scandal plaguing House Speaker Glen Casada and the looming U.S. Senate race in 2020.
On this episode, we chat with Michael Sullivan, executive director of the state Republican Party, about the June 15 fundraiser.
On this episode, we discuss the latest developments of the ongoing ordeal surrounding the House speaker, Glen Casada.
Beyond Casada, Tennessee's U.S. Senate race for the seat long-held by Lamar Alexander began a new chapter this week, after Nashville orthopedic trauma surgeon Manny Sethi told The Tennessean he was launching a bid for the GOP nomination.
Sethi said his campaign will focus on three areas: immigration, health care and combating the opioid crisis.
A lot has happened since House Republican members entered the basement of a modern hotel Monday afternoon to determine that they no longer had confidence in Speaker Glen Casada's leadership.
For the second week in a row, House Speaker Glen Casada continued to face the fallout of a scandal involving his former chief of staff.
On this episode, we break down the latest developments, including a recent call for the FBI to investigate the legislature, following a separate Tennessean story.
Later on, we sit down with Tennessean justice reporter Adam Tamburin to discuss the scheduled execution of Donnie Johnson, who murdered his wife in Memphis in 1984.
The first week after the 111th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned for the year began with a stunning development: the resignation of House Speaker Glen Casada's chief of staff, Cade Cothren, a departure that came amid a drug and sex scandal.
This week on the podcast, we talk about how the day unfolded Monday — which made a bizarre and chaotic last day of session on Thursday a minor footnote in recent events involving the Tennessee General Assembly.
Podcaster's note: This was the first podcast we recorded in our new building, so we experienced some technical difficulties. We promise the audio quality will be better next week.
Two dramatically different versions of Gov. Bill Lee's controversial school vouchers legislation were approved in the House and Senate last week, as lawmakers continue to work to wrap up the state budget and the legislative session.
On this episode, we chat about the ongoing budget talks and the ESA bill.
We also hear from Amelia Ferrell Knisely, The Tennessean's Williamson County education reporter, about local issues related to the ESA legislation.
Politics, protests and the press go hand in hand.
And this year, the Tennessee legislature has seen plenty of critics voice opposition to a myriad of issues — all of which have received some form of coverage.
But last week, in the midst of a group of protesters demanding a meeting with a member of Gov. Bill Lee's administration, state troopers threatened to arrest reporters.
On this episode, we break down the latest developments with Rep Rick Staples, as well as the newest forms of Gov. Bill Lee's controversial education savings account legislation.
To coincide with the new budget, we sit down with Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, who serves as chairman of the House finance subcommittee.
Holt offers an explanation of the budget process, including how decisions are reached on providing funding for legislative initiatives.
A Democratic lawmaker has been accused of sexual harassment, but it remains to be seen exactly what type of action will be taken as a result.
On this episode of Grand Divisions, we talk about the latest in the Staples scandal, his response the day after USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee's story broke, and hear from Sharon Roberson of the YWCA in Nashville about how the legislature should handle allegations of sexual harassment.
We also hear from Brett Kelman, who reported last week that more than 128,000 Tennessee children have been unenrolled from TennCare and Cover Kids, state government healthcare programs, in the past two years.
Gov. Bill Lee's biggest piece of legislation and the House's most significant distraction collided last week, leading to unpredictable action that could resonate throughout the remainder of the session.
On this episode we discuss the latest developments and also visit with Charlane Oliver of the Equity Alliance about a newly filed measure aimed at voter registration.
The bill, spearheaded by Secretary of State Tre Hargett, comes after a massive voter registration effort last year that led to legal action in Shelby County.
Although Hargett says the bill is aimed at ensuring Election Day goes smoothly, Oliver questions the merits of the measure.
In an effort to gauge support for Rep. David Byrd, the USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee recently attempted to survey members of the House Republican caucus. This week, we break highlight some of the findings in the survey.
We also have a conversation with Michele Johnson, executive director of the Tennessee Justice Center, about the ongoing effort to require Gov. Bill Lee to request a block grant from the federal government for health care money.
This week, we discuss the controversial legislation passed by the Tennessee House commonly referred to as the fetal heartbeat bill, the floor debate and where it stands in the Senate, which has yet to taken up the proposal.
And finally, we chat with Dan Pabon, of the Tennessee Medical Cannabis Trade Association, about the ongoing effort to legalize medical marijuana in the Volunteer State.
In his first State of the State address, Gov. Bill Lee outlined his vision for the state, which he said includes bolstering the state's Rainy Day Fund, creating a pilot school vouchers program and funding pay raises.
On this episode, Tennessean justice reporter Adam Tamburin helps us break down the governor's education and criminal justice initiatives.
A secretly recorded video, an unusual editorial, a confrontation with a protester and a no show at a town hall. This week was arguably House Speaker Glen Casada's most difficult since becoming the chamber's leader last month.
The Franklin Republican is facing mounting pressure for his continued support of Rep. David Byrd, R-Waynesboro, who last year face allegations from three women who said he sexually assaulted them in the 1980s.
We break down Casada's tumultuous week and hear from USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee's opinion and engagement editor David Plazas about the decision to run the speaker's controversial editorial.
Later in the episode we hear from Sarah Sampson, deputy director of the Tennessee Disability Coalition, and Tennessean storytelling columnist Jessica Bliss about an ongoing effort to get lawmakers to fund program that serves more than 1,000 disabled children.
This week, we talk with state Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, and Rep. Michael Curcio, R-Dickson, about the ongoing voter restoration efforts and how Tennessee is an outlier compared to other states.
They say that's because there's a heavy-handed bureaucratic process that often prevents many from even trying.
Later on the podcast, we discuss a newly released campaign finance audit that found Rep. Harold Love, D-Nashville, used donors' money inappropriately.
On this episode, we'll share with you audio from that GOP Senate conversation and discuss the block grant effort.
We will also highlight some of the bills that caught our attention in recent weeks.
Among them is SB 1243 and HB 1016, which would require students to pass an exam using all 100 questions on the U.S. civics test. To test out the idea, we give a quick exam to our history buff/politics editor Duane Gang.
On this episode, we talk to Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, and Deb Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, about the ongoing public records efforts.
We also chat with The Tennessean's religion reporter Holly Meyer about a newly launched effort to change the state's statute of limitations for child sex crimes.
And of course we also highlight the news of the week in Tennessee politics and policy, including a recent move by some House committee chairmen to ban personal livestreaming during meetings.
On this episode, we chat with House Majority Leader William Lamberth about how the state could reform the justice system. Overall, Lamberth says this will be a multi-year effort and will include addressing everything from pay for correctional officers to changes to sentencing.
We also hear from The Tennessean's education reporter Jason Gonzales about the latest push for an education savings account system that's reminiscent of school vouchers and break down the latest news to come out of the Lee administration.
40 years ago, Tennessee's transition from one governor to the next was a somber event.
On Jan. 17, 1979, Lamar Alexander, a 38-year-old East Tennessee Republican, joined forces with key Democratic leaders, the chief justice for the state’s Supreme Court and a U.S. attorney, to take the oath of office early.
It was an unprecedented coup.
The group were forced into action because of the actions of then Gov. Ray Blanton, who was being investigated by the FBI for selling pardons for cash.
The story of how all this unfolded is remarkable.
On this episode of Grand Divisions, we talk with many of the key players involved in the coup and how it remains relevant today.
On the latest episode of Grand Divisions, we break down the first week of the session, which also featured a sexual harassment training, a decision to shut out media from some future House GOP caucus meetings and note the latest developments related to Gov.-elect Bill Lee, who is days away from taking office.
We also visit with Tennessean investigative reporter Anita Wadhwani, about a recent story she published highlighting how doctors are being paid to review and frequently reject disability requests.
Also, statehouse reporter Joel Ebert interviews Jed DeKalb, a soon-to-be retired state photographer who has captured images and moments of the last five governors.
On the eve of the first gathering of the 111th General Assembly, Gov. Bill Haslam said Monday he was granting clemency to Cyntoia Brown.
In this episode of Grand Divisions, we discuss Haslam's decision to grant clemency to Brown with justice reporter Adam Tamburin.
We also talk with House Minority Leader Karen Camper and Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro to get their thoughts on issues that the 111th General Assembly might face in the coming months.
In this episode of Grand Divisions, which was recorded Dec. 17, Corker weighs in on everything from the prospects of a shutdown of the federal government (he said it wasn't likely and would be brief), and his at-times rocky relationship with President Donald Trump.
We also ask Corker about his future plans, which he says remain up in the air.
In addition to the Corker interview, on this episode we talk about the latest news in Tennessee politics, including new additions to Gov.-elect Bill Lee's administration.
In his latest appearance on Grand Divisions, which was recorded on Dec. 17, Haslam explains his process for weighing Cyntoia Brown's and others' clemency requests, the future of Medicaid expansion in Tennessee and a re-evaluation of his failed effort to outsource jobs at the state's public universities and colleges.
The term-limited governor, who is still mulling a potential bid for the U.S. Senate in 2020, and long-time listener of Grand Divisions also offers his view on the direction of the state and national Republican Party.
For the second time in two years, Tennessee will once again have an open U.S. Senate seat after Lamar Alexander announced his plans on Monday to not seek re-election in 2020. In this episode, we discuss the Alexander news and the political aftermath, as well as hear from Gov. Bill Haslam, who said Monday he is considering running for the seat.
With just over a month until he is sworn into office, Gov.-elect Bill Lee sat down with Grand Divisions to talk politics, policy and his transition.
On this episode, we ask Lee about everything from health care and education to the death penalty and refugees and immigrants.
We also ask him whether the Tennessee Titans will make the playoffs this year and if the Nashville Predators will win a Stanley Cup during his administration.
Senate Republicans brushed aside any concerns about giving too much power to the state's most affluent county this week while electing Franklin lawmaker Jack Johnson to be the chamber's majority leader.
On this episode, we break down the Senate leadership races, which included the re-election of Lt. Gov. Randy McNally to his post.
We also discuss a recently approved resolution by the Tennessee Republican Party's State Executive Committee and the potential impact it could have in future elections.
On this episode, we discuss the potential implications of Casada serving as the next speaker, as well as any impact it may have on the Senate's Dec. 3 leadership election.
We also touch on the recent House Democrats leadership election.
We are taking a couple weeks off to prep for the next season and gear up for the upcoming legislative session. In the meantime, here is a live recording from the Southern Festival of Books.
History was made in Tennessee during Tuesday's midterm election, with Marsha Blackburn and Bill Lee winning their respective races for the U.S. Senate and governor's office.
On this post-midterm election edition of Grand Divisions we break down both races and what they mean for Tennessee, as well as the state's political parties.
We also recap the races for the statehouse and the remainder of Tennessee's congressional delegation and touch on what's next in state government and politics.
The midterm election is finally here. After more than a year of campaigning to be Tennessee's next U.S. Senator, Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen delivered their final closing arguments over the weekend.
As Election Day nears, protesters and a caravan of immigrants spark debate in Tennessee's U.S. Senate race between Marsha Blackburn and Phil Bredesen that appears to be down to the wire.
On this episode of Grand Divisions we discuss the impact the protests may have on the Senate race, as well as the latest news in the Bredesen-Blackburn campaign and the gubernatorial election.
Our guests include Scott Golden and Mary Mancini, the heads of the Tennessee Republican Party and Democratic Party, respectively, for their perspective and predictions on the various races.
Early voting began last week, generating near-record turnout in many areas of the state. This week, we discuss the latest news in both races, including recent polling and other new developments.
This episode features a conversation with Sarah McCall, the executive director of Women for Tennessee's Future and Cade Cothren, the director of communications for the state House Republican Caucus, for their perspectives on the Senate and governor's races and the impact they may have on down ballot elections.
We also hear from David Plazas, the USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee's opinion and engagement editor, for an explanation about the newspapers' approaches to endorsements in this year's elections.
On this episode, we will catch you up on all the latest news including new campaign finance totals for the Senate race and the gubernatorial race between Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean.
In this special edition of Grand Divisions, we will discuss the highlights and memorable moments from the latest debates.
On Tuesday, Williamson County businessman Bill Lee and former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean squared off in a debate in Kingsport, where the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial candidates shared their visions of the state.
Republican Congressman Marsha Blackburn and former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen met in Knoxville Wednesday where they made their respective cases for becoming Tennessee's next U.S. Senator.
On this episode, we will discuss all the latest news, including pop superstar Taylor Swift's endorsement of Bredesen and the Senate candidates' latest fundraising efforts.
We will also talk with Bappa Mukherji, chairman of the board of Unity Medical Center in Coffee County, about rural health care issues, a topic that has increasingly become relevant in this year's gubernatorial race between Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean.
And we'll also touch base with John Geer, a Vanderbilt University political science professor and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, about Dean's efforts to use Medicaid expansion as a central component of his campaign.
On this special edition of Grand Divisions we discuss highlights from the debate and whether it will move the needle in either Lee or Dean's direction.
We will also catch up with Knoxville News Sentinel reporter Tyler Whetstone who traveled to Johnson City to cover President Donald Trump's campaign-style rally for U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn.
Williamson County businessman Bill Lee and former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean will square off Tuesday at the University of Memphis for the first of three gubernatorial debates.
This week, we will discuss the state of the governor's race with Republican strategist Tom Ingram, who has run numerous successful statewide campaigns, and prominent Democrat fundraiser Charles Robert Bone, a Nashville attorney and former mayoral candidate.
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, and Democratic former Gov. Phil Bredesen squared off Tuesday in a fiery debate at Cumberland University.
In between barbs against one another, the candidates answered a host of questions, ranging from how to address the ongoing opioid epidemic to their views on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
We'll recap the highlights and lowlights from the first debate and whether either candidate came out a clear winner.
We discuss what to expect from both Bredesen and Blackburn, strategies each candidate may try to deploy and the impact of national news on the event.
Plus, President Donald Trump comes back to Tennessee, allegations a gubernatorial candidate is ducking events and scrutinizing whether Bredesen or Blackburn can legally hunt in Tennessee.
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican nominee in the race, joins the podcast to share her views on Russia, North Korea, Iran, presidential war powers and much more. We also share a few policy stances from the campaign of Democratic nominee Phil Bredesen.
Plus, a look at a big new poll in the race, scrutiny over both candidates' personal properties, another debate that wasn't and a sneak peek of coverage coming soon from the Tennessean politics team.
National political analyst Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, also gives us a run down on what needs to happen for Republicans or Democrats to be successful in the gubernatorial and Senate races.
Joel Ebert tracks Blackburn and Bredesen on the campaign trial, highlight the political strategies driving their campaigns.
Plus, a look at a proposed new tax plan from Karl Dean, where the gubernatorial candidates differ on gun policy and an update on a bizarre Google ad blitz.
Can a political outsider run government like a business, or will that lack of experience prove too much to be effective? Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee wants Tennesseans to trust his vision, while Democratic candidate Karl Dean hopes his track record will sway voters.
Sarah Treul, an associate professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, joined the podcast to discuss the history of the political outsider. Plus, we discuss upcoming debates and dive into the weird world of online political advertisements.
00:49 - Reporter Brett Kelman on a recent opioid forum
06:33 - Interview with Sarah Treul about political outsiders.
23:08 - Fake News in Tennessee and introducing Natalie Allison to the politics team
More than 3,000 Tennesseans died from overdoses in the last two years.
That figure does not include the tens of thousands of non-fatal overdoses in the state in the last decade.
Williamson County reporter Elaina Sauber discusses a recent interview she had with the parents of a man who died from his addiction last year. We also talk with Dr. Manny Sethi, an orthopedic trauma surgeon in Nashville and president of non-profit Healthy Tennessee, about the genesis of the epidemic, what proposals are working and what more politicians can do to help communities.
Plus, we hear from both U.S. Senate candidates on their attempts to show they are not always tied to their respective parties, take a look at new ads and discuss possible future debates.
02:58 - Excerpts from U.S. Senate candidates Phil Bredesen and Marsha Blackburn from a business forum at Lipscomb University
08:30 - Interview with Williamson County reporter Elaina Sauber
13:48 - Interview with Nashville orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Manny Sethi
Tennessee just executed its first inmate in nearly a decade. There are two more executions this year; one is scheduled for after the state elects a new governor.
Will the return of the death penalty in Tennessee affect either race? Could either candidate, after his election, work with the state legislature to change death penalty laws?
Christopher Slobogin, director of Vanderbilt Law School’s criminal justice program, joins the podcast to discuss policy questions and political realities surrounding the death penalty.
Over the weekend the vanquished Tennessee Republican gubernatorial candidates tried to grit their teeth and show support for Bill Lee, but didn't stick around long enough to answer media questions.
At the same time, Democrat Karl Dean and his supporters must find answers for how they'll defeat an outsider with no political records.
Both Lee and Dean join us on the podcast this week. Plus, we take a look at how each campaign could win, how Diane Black and Randy Boyd lost, and where the Senate campaign goes now that it's time for the General Election.
00:10 - Intro
02:26 - Interview with Bill Lee
05:01 - Interview with Karl Dean
11:51 - Interview with Tennessean Metro reporter Joey Garrison
24:05 - Interview with Governor Haslam
Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert analyze and discuss the results of Thursday's primary election. Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean will face off to be Tennessee's next governor, while Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen will look to replace Bob Corker in the Senate.
Vanderbilt professor John Geer stops by to break down what the results mean as attention turns to the general election on Nov. 6.
Tennessee GOP gubernatorial candidates have a matter of hours to convince undecided voters they should be the next leader of the state. Can any candidate pull ahead in the final days? Is Bill Lee's apparent surge — and the struggles of the previous GOP frontrunners —- for real?
On this week's episode, we examine the final chapter of the gubernatorial campaign with voices from the right and the left;
Michael Sullivan, executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party;
Kalee Kreider, former advisor and communications director for Vice President Al Gore and current leader of her own consulting firm, Kreider Strategies.
Plus, a look at final pre-primary campaign finance numbers, the impact of Vice President Mike Pence wading into the race and final predictions ahead of polls closing Thursday night.
00:10 - Introduction
04:07 - Conversation with Jordan Buie about an old lawsuit against Bill Lee
07:13 - Interview with Michael Sullivan and Kalee Kreider
29:59 - Fact and Fact Check
31:27 - Conversation with David Plazas about endorsements
35:49 - Final thoughts
This week, Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert sit down with Gov. Bill Haslam, to talk about everything from his successes as governor, to regrets he has and mistakes he's made. They also discuss what his successor will have to do once this year's election is finished.
00:10 - Introduction
01:35 - Haslam Interview, Part I
19:59 - Face and Fact Check
22:19 - Halsam Interview, Part II
35:22 - Final thoughts and the week ahead
Haslam weighs clemency for death row offenders: https://tnne.ws/2A1pVmo
Haslam: At some point ahead, Tennessee can 'come out ahead' in expanding Medicaid: https://tnne.ws/2mFyvh6
New poll: Bill Lee leads in TN's Republican campaign for governor: https://tnne.ws/2LHYIq0
Early voting remains on the rise, still room for many last-minute decisions: https://tnne.ws/2LJfoNW
Why can't any of the four main Republican gubernatorial candidates separate themselves from the primary pack? We dive in to the GOP gubernatorial race with Brent Leatherwood, former executive chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.
Next week, we'll talk to Gov. Bill Haslam. Want to ask him a question? Tweet them to @Tennessean, @Dave_Boucher1 or @joelebert29 using the hashtag #GrandDivisions and we'll pick a few to ask him during the interview.
Related links:
The governor race has become the most expensive ever in Tennessee: https://tnne.ws/2ur68qX
'Death by 10,000 cuts' will beat Bredesen: https://tnne.ws/2L2403t
Harwell equates GOP rivals to children: https://tnne.ws/2mof6Ba
Potentially illegal text messages attack Boyd, Lee: https://tnne.ws/2uCOWyk
Is the Democratic gubernatorial race already over in Tennessee? Which Republican candidate would either candidate — House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh or former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean — prefer to face in the General Election.
Democratic campaign and public policy strategist Tom Lee joins Grand Divisions this week to analyze the Democratic side of the race to become the state's next governor.
Plus, a deep dive into the future of education policy in Tennessee and one GOP candidate's use of an Irish tax loophole.
With time to change minds running out, candidates in the crowded GOP gubernatorial field are starting to take shots at one another. Will it be enough to push one candidate over the top? Plus, U.S. Senate candidates look to mobilize their voters after a U.S. Supreme Court justice announces his retirement.
In our featured segment, Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, joins the show to talk about the politics of immigration in Tennessee.
Tennessee's gubernatorial race heats up with debates and a flurry of new television ads hitting the airwaves. The six top-tier candidates for governor participated in head-to-head debates that provided little clarity in terms of differences between the potential successors to Gov. Bill Haslam.
The Tennessean's Metro reporter Joey Garrison breaks down the debate between former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh.
In this episode of Grand Divisions, USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee statehouse reporter Joel Ebert explores their candidacies with Amanda Hunter of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and how a record number of women are running for offices in 2018.
Americans are trying to decide the best way to regulate who can have a gun, how they can have a gun, and where they can find guns. Tennessee's next governor has huge power over deciding the course of gun laws in the state.
This week on Grand Divisions, Jordan Buie speaks with the gubernatorial candidates to find out their positions and where they want to see gun laws go.
Also, Williamson County reporter Emily West speaks with Senate candidate Phil Bredesen.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has threatened -- or implemented -- new tariffs on a slew of products entering the U.S. from all over the world. That means other countries are imposing their own tariffs, prompting some experts to question whether the country is on the brink of a trade war.
Tennessean business and economics reporter Jamie McGee explains the local and national implications of these tariffs for this episode of Grand Divisions.
Plus, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker discusses his pending legislation aimed at giving Congress more control over the type of tariffs that can be imposed by the president.
President Donald Trump railed against former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen during a rally to support Rep. Marsha Blackburn's GOP bid to become the state's next U.S. senator.
What impact will his presence have on the U.S. Senate race? Will the president endorse any GOP gubernatorial candidates ahead of the August primary election?
We tackle that and more in this episode of Grand Divisions. John Geer, Vanderbilt University professor and co-director of the Vanderbilt poll, analyzes both races and the role Trump will play in each.
Welcome to Grand Divisions: A Tennessean Politics Podcast. Reporters Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert will give you an idea what to expect as Tennessee elections ramp up into full swing. The first episode will be available Tuesday, June 5.