PODCAST · news
Cross Tabs
by Farrah Bostic
Our world is governed by numbers — surveys, polling, algorithms, and data. On Cross Tabs, we bring you the stories behind these numbers. This podcast is your introduction to the people, perspectives, and agendas that shape our reality, and call it “public opinion”.We invite experts to discuss pressing issues and walk us through their methods. You’ll hear about the issues that matter from some of the brightest thinkers in policy and politics, tech and business.Join us and you’ll learn about how polling works — or doesn’t work — and how research can be manipulated to advance a political agenda. Discover the history of topics in the news and hear insights on culture and society. And learn what’s really at risk in the race to influence and optimize, well, everything.The show is hosted by Farrah Bostic, founder of The Difference Engine, where she works as a qualitative researcher and strategist working outside The Beltway to understand what drives business leaders, experts, and people
Episodes
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Out of Pocket, with Ashley Kirzinger of KFF
With the elections a little over 2 weeks away, "affordability" is everywhere — and KFF's Ashley Kirzinger thinks a big share of it is about health care. Ashley, KFF's director of survey methodology, joins Farrah to talk about how KFF reaches people most polls miss, why health costs now tie gas...
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The Cloud Isn't Up In the Cloud, with Zoe Padgett from SurveyMonkey
Zoe Padgett, who runs public opinion research on SurveyMonkey's survey science team, joins Farrah to walk through three years of tracking data on how Americans actually feel about AI — not the LinkedIn-hype version. They dig into an unusual generational "crisscross" (Gen Z's trust in AI dropped...
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Cross-Pressured with Baxter Oliphant and Gabe Borelli of the Pew Research Center
Every few years, Pew stops asking Americans whether they're Republicans or Democrats and instead lets the data decide where the lines actually fall. This year it landed on nine groups — and the most-discussed one is defined less by policy than by style: 53% of the "No Apologies Right" say they…
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The Weighting Game with Ariel Edwards-Levy
Before things get heavier this fall, a conversation about the plumbing: CNN Polling and Election Analytics Editor Ariel Edwards-Levy joins Farrah to talk about why survey response rates keep sliding, what fraud and burnout look like from the respondent's side, and a fun experiment Ariel ran…
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Angrily Not Paying Attention: Polling in the UK with Matthew Price
Britain has spent a century as a two-party country. That may be over - and this week's local elections may be the strongest signal yet of a big breakup. This week, I talk with Matthew Price, analyst and strategist at Focal Data in London, about what's happening to British politics right now — and...
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Governing Drunk: Sleep & Power, with Lindsay Scola
What happens when the people making decisions on your behalf are running on fumes? In this episode, I talk with Lindsay Scola — former advance person for Barack Obama, Hill staffer, and now sleep health educator — about the always-on culture of American political life, and what it actually costs...
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Once You Start Asking Questions... With Kathleen Weldon of The Roper Center
The Roper Center at Cornell holds the world's oldest social science archive — over 25,000 data sets, nearly 900,000 survey questions, dating all the way back to the 1930s. It's a record not just of politics and elections, but of ordinary life: have you ever spent a night in jail? Would you tell a...
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"Life Is After You": Talking Gen Z Men with Charlie Sabgir of Young Men Research Project
In this episode, I sit down with Charlie Sabgir to unpack the "unprecedented gender gap" facing Gen Z. We dive into new research concerning the economic and social behaviors of young men—from the "gamification" of their finances through crypto and sports betting to their surprising nostalgia for...
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Paid Leave is What Power is For, with Dawn Huckelbridge of Paid Leave for All
It's likely that Democrats will retake the House this fall. But the most important question for a new majority is this: what will they use the power for? This conversation is part of an ongoing series of interviews and explorations I plan to do this year trying to answer a slightly modified…
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Talking Politics With People Who Don't Want to, with Kabir Khanna of CBS News
Cross Tabs End Notes The hardest thing to do in polling it seems is to accurately guess who the voters will be. Pollsters get better and better at weighting samples to more accurately reflect observable characteristics of voters, which is why the forecasts keep getting close to the center of the...
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Maybe You Should Run for Something, with Amanda Litman
We're living in a time ruled by old men. And honestly, it's not going great. The richest, most powerful men on the planet - billionaires and political leaders alike - are well over 70, on average. Meanwhile, young people are suffering from the high cost of living, unaffordable housing, high...
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Monsters in a Kingdom of Kitsch, with Cy Canterel
There's an unreality about this political moment. It makes it hard to hold people's attention, to create any kind of focus on any issue or event or action. People don't know what's real, what's certain, what's not just for dumb show. And that is both by design, and the output, of totalitarian...
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They Want to Know What You Think, with Conor Kilgore of The Focus Group Podcast
Conor Kilgore is a producer of The Focus Group Podcast, and a qualitative researcher at Longwell Partners - and he joined host Farrah Bostic to discuss the value of listening to real people talk about their real beliefs and experiences in their own words. And he brought clips! We also discussed…
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December Mood Swings: Let People Say They Don't Know!
Keeping up our monthly Mood Swings discussion of polling and political strategy news that enrages, confuses, and inspires, host Farrah Bostic and guest Lauren Goldstein discuss the Harvard CAPS/Harris poll, which explores American voters' opinions on a wide range of current events. We discussed…
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Intelligence Is Not Wisdom, with Kevin Collins
Farrah is joined by Kevin Collins, co-founder and Chief Research Officer at Survey 160, about the applicability of AI in survey methodologies, the perils of synthetic sample, and the importance of respondent preferences when it comes to survey mode and the respondent experience. We discussed...
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Mood Swings with Lauren Goldstein
In this episode of Cross Tabs, host Farrah Bostic discusses the intricacies of the current political climate and the emotional toll with guest Lauren Goldstein, author of the 'Mind the Gap' newsletter. The conversation touches on the overwhelming events of the last month, including ICE raids,...
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Modern Political Campaigns with Michael D. Cohen, PhD
Today on the show, we are diving deep into the fast changing world of political campaigns with someone who's had a front row seat to its transformation. Dr. Michael D. Cohen is the CEO of Cohen Research Group. A leading firm at the intersection of politics, public affairs, and corporate strategy....
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Strength in Numbers with G. Elliott Morris
Farrah Bostic talks with G. Elliott Morris, the founder of Strength in Numbers (and author of a book by the same name) to discuss the evolution of data journalism and the critical role of public opinion polling in a healthy democracy. Morris, formerly of The Economist and FiveThirtyEight, shares...
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Who was the 2024 electorate? With Pew Research's Hannah Hartig an Scott Keeter
On July 1, I sat down to talk to Scott Keeter and Hannah Hartig from Pew Research about their 2024 Validated Voter Survey. We talked about the challenges of analyzing elections using panel data, and about the shifts in makeup of the electorate between 2020 and 2024, and what that means for how...
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Say What You're For, with Anat Shenker-Osorio
In this episode, Farrah Bostic is joined by messaging strategist, author, and Words to Win By host Anat Shenker-Osorio for a wide-ranging and incisive conversation about political communication, campaign strategy, and why so much of what the Democratic Party does feels like a missed opportunity....
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Off Year Questions with Ariel Edwards-Levy
After a brief break, Cross Tabs returns with a must-hear conversation between host Farrah Bostic and journalist-pollster Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN’s Editor of Polling and Election Analytics. Ariel shares insights from over a decade of political polling and reporting, shedding light on how polls get...
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TRAILER Time for a Refresh
We've been off for about a month. But we've been busy. Check out our new trailer, and don't forget to like and subscribe to get new episodes each Wednesday.
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Faris Yakob on Why Averages Don't Exist
The wealth divide is reshaping consumer markets, with 10% of households now driving 50% of all consumer spending in America while the majority struggle with inflation and debt. This economic distortion, hidden by misleading averages, is now colliding with new international tariffs that threaten…
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Patrick Ruffini on the New Populist Coalition
Educational attainment has become the new fault line in American politics, creating unexpected coalitions that cross racial boundaries. Research reveals a surprising shift of working-class voters across all demographics toward populist candidates who promise to fight for their interests rather…
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Efficiency in Government With Dan Hon
Government efficiency is often misunderstood, with dangerous consequences when technology leaders wield power without understanding civic infrastructure. Today’s conversation explores what resilience means in technology and governance, examining how Silicon Valley's "move fast and break things"...
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Minding the Gap Between Polls & Values with Lauren Goldstein
Polling reveals most Americans support abortion access in almost every circumstance, even when they identify as "pro-life." Looking beneath surface-level survey questions shows that when people are asked about specific situations rather than abstract labels, 80% believe abortion should be legal,...
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Bespoke Realities & Invisible Rulers with Renee DiResta
The invisible rulers of the internet are no longer just PR consultants and advertisers, but algorithms and influencers who shape our bespoke realities through immersive persuasion. Social media platforms have transformed from places to connect with friends to ecosystems where propaganda thrives,...
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Religious Nationalism with Pew Research
Religious nationalism manifests differently across the globe, with some surprising patterns emerging from cross-national research. The concept extends beyond legal frameworks into cultural values, with the US standing out among high-income countries for believing the Bible should influence laws,...
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What it Means to Fight with Rachel Bitecofer
The Democratic Party brand has hit historic lows despite Republican extremism, with nearly half of Democratic voters disapproving of their own party representatives in Congress. This crisis in party confidence reflects a failure in messaging strategy, with Democrats needing to centralize their...
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Cooperative Power with Mike Podhorzer
True democratic power requires collective organization, not just voting. The current political system serves the wealthy while unions remain the only reliable institution giving ordinary Americans access to collective political power — something authoritarians immediately target when taking…
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Behind the Curtain with Farrah Bostic
Understanding political contradictions - from voters supporting seemingly opposing candidates to holding conflicting policy views - reveals deeper truths about American democracy and the complex systems that shape public opinion. Modern polling methods, rooted in both the study of fascism and...
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The Nation's Data in Peril with Amstat's Connie Citro
Less than a month into the new administration, we have seen a flurry of headlines about datasets being purged all over the federal government — and in programs outside the federal government that receive money from federal agencies. Here are just a few recent stories: "What we all lose in Trump…
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Just Evil Enough with Alistair Croll and Emily Ross
Subversive marketing tactics and behavioral psychology intersect with modern political strategy, revealing how underdogs can convert attention into meaningful action by understanding human motivation and embracing calculated risk-taking to challenge established systems. Authors Alistair Croll and...
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When Democracy Isn't Democratic Enough with Pew Research's Richard Wike and Patrick Moynihan
Across democracies worldwide, citizens aren't necessarily losing faith in democratic values -- they're frustrated with how democracy is actually working in their countries. New research reveals a striking pattern: from the United States to Italy to South Korea, people want better representation…
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BONUS: Rob Harvilla on Music and Nostalgia
This is an interview from last year for another show I do called In The Demo. I talked to The Ringer's Rob Harvilla, host of 60 Song That Explain the 90s, about the role of nostalgia and generational identity in the way we experience music. It's a fun conversation, and I hope a bit of a break…
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29 - The Politics of Nostalgia with Grafton Tanner
Nostalgia has transformed from a medical condition in the 1600s into a powerful force wielded by politicians and corporations today, shaping everything from entertainment reboots to presidential campaigns. The tension between preserving the past and embracing change reveals deeper questions about...
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28: The Return of BSG
The 2024 presidential election revealed deep fractures in American democracy, from the failure of economic messaging to connect with voters to the growing disconnect between Democratic Party leadership and their base constituencies. Through candid analysis of polling data, campaign strategies…
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27: Natalie Jackson on What We Get Wrong About Most Voters
Most voters make election decisions based on limited information and fleeting moments of attention, not careful analysis of policies and positions - even for a presidential race with billions spent on campaigning. The disconnect between how political insiders discuss elections versus how typical...
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26: Brian Schaffner on Studying Hard Things
Modern political polling faces fascinating challenges beyond simple statistical accuracy - from voters who strategically misrepresent their views to express partisan loyalty, to the complex task of predicting who will actually show up to vote. Despite popular perception of a deeply divided…
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25: Valens Games: Providence & Politics
Immersive simulations and war games are transforming how organizations make complex decisions and understand human behavior, with artificial intelligence now making these powerful tools more accessible than ever. By putting participants in realistic scenarios with emotional stakes, these games...
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24: Hit 'Em Where it Hurts with Rachel Bitecofer
Despite decades of political polling and analysis, most voters know almost nothing about politics, policy, or current events - and traditional campaign strategies completely fail to account for this reality. The key to winning elections isn't policy positions or positive messaging, but rather...
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23: Only the Good Poll Young, with Anil Cacodcar of Harvard POP
In this episode, Farrah talks to the Chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, Anil Cacodcar, about the origins and evolution of the Poll, which was started by students in 2000. We discuss the process the student team uses to develop survey questions, organize research topics, and partner with...
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22: The Gen Z Gender Gap and other Polling Stories, with Professor John Sides
Political polling and forecasting are complex and fraught with uncertainty, yet they remain crucial tools for understanding elections and voter behavior. The challenge lies in accurately modeling likely electorates, communicating probabilities to the public, and interpreting correlations between...
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21: Lost in a Gallup, with Professor W. Joseph Campbell
Quick production note: Farrah's audio gets better a couple of minutes into the recording. We have no idea what went wrong, but you'll only suffer for a few minutes before everyone sounds great. :) In this episode, host Farrah Bostic explores the fascinating relationship between journalism and...
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20: "Cool Poll, Crypto Bro" with Molly White
This week we're taking a break from national polling to talk about polling done by a group trying hard to influence the outcome of various races this cycle: crypto bros. The influence and agenda of the crypto industry is lurking behind a lot of the candidates and their policy positions. Crypto…
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19: Escape from Election Twitter, with Lakshya Jain
Forecasting election outcomes involves far more than simple polling averages, often incorporating complex models that account for candidate strengths, voter demographics, and historical trends. While these models strive for accuracy, they must grapple with the inherent unpredictability of human...
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18: The Two Americas, with Mike Podhorzer
America's political landscape is deeply divided into two distinct nations, shaped by historical, economic, and cultural forces that extend far beyond simple demographics. This divide manifests in vastly different lived experiences, policy preferences, and institutional structures between red and...
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17: Do Something
In this post-nominating conventions episode, I reflect on lessons learned as we approach the last 60 days before the election. Some key themes include: How not to be a crosstab truther Why elections aren't really that much like markets How forecasts predict the past Why campaigns don't need one...
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16: Takin It to the Spreadsheets, with Professor Michael McDonald
Polling data and turnout models are far more complex than most people realize, with numerous factors influencing their accuracy and interpretation. From the challenges of non-response bias to the intricacies of early voting analysis, understanding election forecasts requires a nuanced approach...
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15: In Our Feelings with Camille Burge-Hicks
Public opinion polling has historically underrepresented Black Americans and other minority groups, leading to skewed perceptions of national sentiment. Emotional responses to political issues and candidates play a crucial role in shaping voter behavior, yet are often overlooked in traditional...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Our world is governed by numbers — surveys, polling, algorithms, and data. On Cross Tabs, we bring you the stories behind these numbers. This podcast is your introduction to the people, perspectives, and agendas that shape our reality, and call it “public opinion”.We invite experts to discuss pressing issues and walk us through their methods. You’ll hear about the issues that matter from some of the brightest thinkers in policy and politics, tech and business.Join us and you’ll learn about how polling works — or doesn’t work — and how research can be manipulated to advance a political agenda. Discover the history of topics in the news and hear insights on culture and society. And learn what’s really at risk in the race to influence and optimize, well, everything.The show is hosted by Farrah Bostic, founder of The Difference Engine, where she works as a qualitative researcher and strategist working outside The Beltway to understand what drives business leaders, experts, and people
HOSTED BY
Farrah Bostic
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Cross Tabs have?
Cross Tabs currently has 63 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Cross Tabs about?
Our world is governed by numbers — surveys, polling, algorithms, and data. On Cross Tabs, we bring you the stories behind these numbers. This podcast is your introduction to the people, perspectives, and agendas that shape our reality, and call it “public opinion”.We invite experts to discuss...
How often does Cross Tabs release new episodes?
Cross Tabs has 63 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Cross Tabs?
You can listen to Cross Tabs on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Cross Tabs?
Cross Tabs is created and hosted by Farrah Bostic.
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