PODCAST · news
To the Point
by KCRW
A monthly reality-check on the issues Americans care about most. Host Warren Olney draws on his decades of experience to explore the people and issues shaping – and disrupting - our world. How did everything change so fast? Where are we headed? The conversations are informal, edgy and always informative. If Warren's asking, you want to know the answer.
Episodes
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Nicholas Kristof on good news in a bad world; Steve Lopez on aging
Despite war and pandemic, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof finds good news in a “stunning” decline of worldwide poverty and “extraordinary” improvements in child mortality. Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez examines retirement options for an aging population as he finds himself...
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For the first time in Iran’s history, women are leading a counter-revolution
Writer and author of The Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran, Robin Wright says that after weeks of protest on the streets of Iran, “for the first time in human history, you're beginning to see a counter revolution ignited by women. ” Later, despite the failure of the UN’s...
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Can the news media help save democracy?
Former New York Times and Washington Post Media Critic Margaret Sullivan says America faces a threat to democracy. In her new book, “Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life,” she says it’s time to move on from “objectivity” and make reporting a form of activism. And,...
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Will Trump run for White House again, can PG&E keep lights on?
Will Trump run for the presidency again? And in the aftermath of California’s deadly wildfires, can the state’s largest utility, PG&E, mend its ways?
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Diablo Canyon: Can the nuclear plant work safely for 10 more years?
What are the risks of keeping the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant open? And an atheist and Muslim agree on what happens when people find religion through politics.
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Is catastrophic news coverage fit for human consumption?
Does the news really have to be all that bad, or does our addiction to catastrophe drive outlets to deliver what sells? How might today’s media be fixed?
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SCOTUS strikes down concealed-carry law. Is gun control in danger?
What to expect of the Supreme Court’s decision to ease conceal-carry restrictions, Biden’s new gun safety law, and the Sandy Hook lawsuit? Then, does it matter if Russia leaves the International Space Station?
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Baby formula crisis reveals dangers of too little competition in US economy
Why does America’s baby formula shortage continue? Also, Norm Eisen’s new book traces corruption from the Trump White House to the rest of the country.
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UN won’t end Russia-Ukraine war, diversity can threaten democracy
The United Nations can’t stop Russia’s war on Ukraine. And author Yascha Mounk says more diversity is a threat to democracy, but he’s still hopeful.
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Ukraine faces ‘bloody stalemate’ — and 4 other scenarios
Russia’s assault on Ukraine is the most destructive event in Europe since World War II, and though it’s hard to determine how or when it might end, a team from Foreign Policy magazine came up with an assessment of what might be in store for Ukraine.
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Will sanctions against Russia make Putin more volatile?
What does the first week of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine say about the likelihood of a cyber and nuclear war? While the West imposes heavy sanctions, Russian forces encounter fierce Ukrainian resistance on the ground.
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Why protesting at politicians’ homes may help undo climate change
An environmental activist is calling on like-minded advocates to build an “adamant nonviolent movement” to rapidly reach zero emissions.
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California is no longer climate change leader, says assembly speaker
California is losing its leadership position in the effort to mitigate climate change, and politics and other disasters may be to blame, according to a state lawmaker. Also, while two probes into the failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election results are underway, some have intensified their...
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California breaks promise to clean up radioactive pollution from nuclear meltdown
A nuclear meltdown near the San Fernando and Simi Valleys was kept secret for 20 years. Despite a cluster of rare childhood cancers in nearby communities, California officials have not kept the promise to clean up radioactive contamination at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory site.
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Sports superstars increasingly refuse to ‘shut up and dribble’
Celebrity athletes are shaping American politics and culture, says Jane Coaston of the New York Times. And even before this month’s UN climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow, wildfires, droughts, and floods have been increasing Americans’ belief in climate change, according to Anthony Leiserowitz,...
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Abortion and climate change: What will upcoming decisions mean in the long haul?
When the U.S. Supreme Court refused to stop a draconian new Texas abortion law, especially since Roe v. Wade is already on the high court’s caseload, Slate’s legal affairs correspondent Dahlia Lithwick says she was “stunned, numbed, and frozen.” Also, Vox reporter Umair Irfan describes the five...
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The recall in California goes on as nation building in Afghanistan comes to an end.
California’s recall makes sense, but the electoral system as a whole needs reform, according to columnist Joe Matthews. Also in this episode, author Rajiv Chandrasekaran says Afghanistan once had an American-style suburb in the 1950s until the Soviet Union took over. Meanwhile, Colonel Andrew...
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Fighting the Delta variant and California’s drought
Andy Slavitt, who was President Joe Biden’s former COVID advisor, talks about the recent Delta variant surge and best safety practices. The second part of this episode looks at how historic water wars could worsen California’s drought.
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LA’s 1970s pop culture affects today’s politics. Plus controlling wildfires with fire
CNN’s Ron Brownstein says LA was so creative with music, movies, and TV in the 1970s that it’s still shaping American politics today. He writes about that in his new book “Rock Me on the Water.” KCRW also hears how California firefighters are updating an ancient Native American practice despite…
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Supreme Court could outlaw abortion once again
For most of American history, abortion has been legal, outlawed only from 1867 to 1973. Now the U.S. Supreme Court might outlaw it again by overturning Roe v. Wade. Also, young activists blame governments for climate change.
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In Our Backyard No. 6 (bonus): Warning! This is your Tortoise Service Announcement
With rising heat, deadly drought, and erratic storms, the desert tortoise needs your help. And there are many things you can do, especially if you are camping over the weekend or driving to Las Vegas. Susanna Mann and Gabby Barnas from the Ivanpah Desert Tortoise Research Facility will tell you…
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In Our Backyard No. 6: Life in the desert demands resilience, especially when lightning strikes
California deserts are unique in the world, but heat and drought threaten plants and animals with extinction. At the same time, desert windmills and solar farms provide clean energy to millions of people.
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In Our Backyard No. 5: Sea level rise means life on California’s beaches is ending up on the rocks
Scientists say that all 800 miles of California beaches may disappear in the next 80 years because of sea level rise caused by climate change. Scientists say large-scale interventions will be required to save them. Warren Olney finds that current practices are making things worse rather than better.
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In Our Backyard No. 5 (bonus): Melting icebergs are the least of your worries when it comes to rising seas. Satellites prove it
Rising seas got you confused? Severine Fournier from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab explains the basics of our warming ocean as a result of climate change. What she’s got to say might melt your brain. This is a special fifth bonus episode to In Our Backyard EP5: Sea level rise means life on…
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In Our Backyard No. 4 (bonus): Are you ready for the next wildfire? Get set for the hottest tips on preparedness when it’s time to go
California wildfires are dangerous, but they don’t have to be deadly. Don Butz, Lakeside Fire chief and San Diego Fire Safe Council president, says we can protect ourselves by following simple steps from American Red Cross’ Ready, Set, Go plan. We cover everything from managing gardens to...
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In Our Backyard No. 4: Fire is part of California’s natural landscape. We’ll always be waiting for the next, inevitable smoke out
Native Californians used fire to fight fire for thousands of years, but the cultural burning was virtually banned when settlers arrived. Since then, mismanagement, development, and now climate change have increased wildfires and the need for widespread evacuations. But host Warren Olney learns…
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In Our Backyard No. 3 (bonus): Heat islands are killers, but they don’t have to be
Live in a heat island? Want to know more? This is a special third bonus episode to In Our Backyard: Heat is the deadliest aspect of climate change. It’s turning LA’s neediest neighborhoods red hot.
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In Our Backyard No. 3: Heat is the deadliest aspect of climate change. It’s turning some underserved LA neighborhoods red hot
Redlining and other forms of discrimination have turned LA’s Black and Brown neighborhoods into “urban heat islands” that are especially vulnerable to climate change. In episode three of "In Our Backyard," community activists tell Warren Olney they’re organizing to demand a seat at the table for...
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‘Black community’ implies homogeneity and people are more libertarian than they think, says Jane Coaston
KCRW’s Warren Olney talks with Jane Coaston, host of the New York Times podcast “The Argument,” about politics and race.
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In Our Backyard No. 2 (bonus): Fresh air is hard to find in the big cities. Here are tips to keep you safe
Pollution blows. Here are some helpful ways to keep your lungs healthy. This is a special second bonus episode to In Our Backyard: Greenhouse emissions we can't see are often out of mind, causing pollution power lines
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In Our Backyard No. 2: Greenhouse emissions we can't see are often out of mind, causing pollution power lines
LA smog isn’t as visible as it used to be, but what’s out of sight can’t be out of mind. Air pollution is a major component of greenhouse emissions, as well as contributing to environmental injustice. In episode two of “In Our Backyard,” host Warren Olney hears how fighting both global warming…
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In Our Backyard No. 1 (bonus): Sherman Indian High School, from an institution of cultural genocide to a place of healing
Sherman Indian High School was once part of systematic genocide against Native Americans. Now, it’s a place of healing. This is a special bonus episode to In Our Backyard: Warren Olney looks at the changing climate in Southern California
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In Our Backyard No. 1: Warren Olney looks at the changing climate in Southern California
Southern California has a unique relationship with climate change. So what’s happening now? How did we get here? And what can we do? This first episode of the limited series "In Our Backyard."
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Introducing 'In Our Backyard'
In Our Backyard is a six-part series that explores how Southern California is changing in the face of global warming, and how we can respond.
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Everything must change when it comes to climate, says author
KCRW’s Warren Olney talks with Ben Ehrenreich about his recent New Republic article titled “We’re Hurtling Toward Global Suicide.” Ehrenreich is a freelance journalist and author of “Desert Notebooks: A Roadmap for the End of Time.”
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Texas blames blackouts on the Green New Deal, and Joe Biden says ‘America’s back’
Warren Olney talks about the blackout during the Texas deep freeze with meteorologist John Morales and USC energy expert Kelly Sanders. Andrew Bacevich of the Quincy Institute has a warning about President Biden’s boast that “America is back.”
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Right-wing US terrorists go global as Janet Yellen copes with climate crisis
Warren Olney talks about the globalization of America’s right-wing extremists with ProPublica’s Sebastian Rotella and American University professor Carolyn Gallaher. Later on, Rachel Kyte, Dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University, tells him that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will help…
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Political and religious violence at the US Capitol
Warren Olney talks about the U.S. Capitol insurrection with presidential historian Tim Naftali and David French, an evangelical Christian and columnist for the Dispatch and Time magazine.
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What’s next for Biden, climate change and Trump’s big lie?
KCRW’s Warren Olney talks with Harvard law professor Jody Freeman and Princeton international affairs professor Michael Oppenheimer about Biden’s climate plans and what it means to reach “net zero” by 2050. Then Brown University politics professor Corey Brettschneider warns that phony claims of...
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Authoritarianism in America: What it means for Republicans and Democrats
Win or lose, Joe Biden has a personal story of tragedy and ultimate survival. KCRW’s Warren Olney talks with Evan Osnos, author of “Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now.” He also hears from John Dean, former White House Counsel under President Nixon and co-author of “Authoritarian...
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Trump v. Biden on climate change
President Trump denies climate change. But Joe Biden has laid out “the boldest plan of any candidate in history,” says UC Santa Barbara environmental scientist Leah Stokes. KCRW hears how climate change threads the political difference between fossil fuel workers — who are worried about their…
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A new low for US presidential debates and election integrity
The first debate of the 2020 presidential campaign was like no other. Forget Lincoln-Douglas, Kennedy-Nixon or Reagan-Carter. Can a hallowed democatic institution be restored before the November election?
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America’s caste system is more than just racism, says author Isabel Wilkerson
The U.S. has a history of repressing people of color, but systemic racism doesn’t tell the whole story. Isabel Wilkerson traces it to the caste system in India, which had echoes in Hitler’s Germany. She describes an infrastructure that is not seen by whites or people of color, but needs to be...
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Promised vaccine and athlete activism: How will they impact the election?
The Trump administration claims a COVID-19 vaccine could be available as early as November, just in time for the election. Also pro athletes are being more politically active — will their message resonate with African American men?
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Nuclear war is as likely as ever, says former defense secretary William Perry
It’s been 75 years since two atom bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the world learned that nuclear weapons could annihilate civilization. Today, America’s nuclear weapons policy makes that as likely as ever. What needs to be done to make the world safer?
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What Americans' refusal to wear COVID-19 masks says about politics
Scientific evidence shows that wearing a mask can protect both the wearer and the community around them from COVID-19. Yet some Americans, including President Trump, are still reluctant to put on a mask. Are there political implications for President Trump and the Republican party, especially in...
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Should local police be warriors or guardians?
After killings and other violence recorded on camera, Black Lives Matter supporters are demanding police reform. Also an update on a potential travel ban from the European Union and the latest on the much anticipated June decisions from the Supreme Court.
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Is the American identity undergoing a transformation?
Less than a month after the police killing of George Floyd, the protests around the country continue. Diverse Americans are expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Is the country undergoing a transformation? Also: Ezekiel Emanuel on what Americans can learn from other…
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KCRW Presents: Samaritans
A four-part documentary series from KCRW. In the first episode of Samaritans, we meet Christine Curtiss, learn where she came from and what her everyday life is like on the street. She has a community of friends in Mid-City, LA who look out for her. One of them enlists the local government.…
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The link between racial and environmental injustice
The police killing of George Floyd has protesters focusing on another key issue — environmental injustice. Will a historically white environmental movement embrace racial justice and equality? Separately in the podcast, KCRW hears from two people who are anxiously awaiting this month’s Supreme...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A monthly reality-check on the issues Americans care about most. Host Warren Olney draws on his decades of experience to explore the people and issues shaping – and disrupting - our world. How did everything change so fast? Where are we headed? The conversations are informal, edgy and always informative. If Warren's asking, you want to know the answer.
HOSTED BY
KCRW
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does To the Point have?
To the Point currently has 1000 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is To the Point about?
A monthly reality-check on the issues Americans care about most. Host Warren Olney draws on his decades of experience to explore the people and issues shaping – and disrupting - our world. How did everything change so fast? Where are we headed? The conversations are informal, edgy and always...
How often does To the Point release new episodes?
To the Point releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 1000 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to To the Point?
You can listen to To the Point 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 To the Point?
To the Point is created and hosted by KCRW.
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