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“A breath of fresh air in an all-too-toxic world.”
- Paul Maslin, Dem pollster and California-based research partner at FM3.
“Hell of a lot of fun. Great storytelling.”
- Former U.S. Rep Jack Quinn (R-NY)
Episode 1: America’s bewildered 71 million political orphans
71 million American voters define themselves as centrists. So why is nobody listening to them?
We do. Focus group guru Frank Luntz discusses what he calls commonsense voters.
And we find a ton of them in Rockford, Illinois, a blue-collar city that has voted for the winning Presidential candidate in 7 of the last 8 elections.
And finally, we tell you about the Ohio bi-partisan speaker election that should embarrass Washington.
See more information relating to the episode in the Reading Room.
Episode 2: Maybe America needs a mom to call a big time-out
Meet Tami, a Utah special-ed teacher, Mormon Tabernacle singer and mom of five who launched a civility index website to grade America’s politicians. And then had to take it down because of comments we will say weren’t remotely civil.
She’s not the first. A decade ago, a Georgia evangelical Republican and Jersey Jewish Democratic attack dog didn’t have any luck with a civility pledge either.
And we will introduce you to a brave Member of the British Parliament who won the UK’s first national civility award.
See more information relating to the episode in the Reading Room.
Episode 3: Broken hearts: Lessons from third-party runs for president and a bad high school date
I actually dragged a high-school girlfriend to a George Wallace rally. It was not exactly her dream date.
This year, a coalition of bi-partisan political leader plan to launch a bi-partisan presidential ticket in 2024. Nearly half of Americans say they are interested in the No Labels idea.
Important questions linger. Can an independent Unity Ticket win the White House in 2024? Did I get a second date?
Republicans and Democrats have made it very hard to get on all fifty state ballots, and impossible to get on the debate stage.
We talk to observers and campaign insiders to explain why Teddy Roosevelt, George Wallace, Ralph Nader and Ross Perot could not pull it off.
See more information relating to the episode in the Reading Room.
Episode 4: How the sale of a used car in 1995 blew up the American media
Meet an old friend of mine from my broadcasting days in Seattle who we are going to blame for the long slow decline of tv news.
And have you ever checked out a website called Newspaper Death Watch? You should before all the papers are out of business.
And in Palm Springs California you’ll meet a brave editor who came up with a formula to undercut partisanship in her community.
See more information relating to the episode in the Reading Room.
Episode 5: The joy of ticket splitting: How voters threw off their political shackles in 2022
Political Scientists tell us ticket splitting is disappearing. But it sure didn’t in the ‘22 elections where voters in Kansas, Nevada, Georgia, Vermont, New Hampshire, Wisconsin shopped around.
We focus on two states. Wisconsin where ticket splitting seems to be wired into the state’s DNA and Georgia which switched from deep blue to deep red 20 years ago and is now fading to purple.
Fierce partisans hate ticket splitting. But you’ll meet Georgia and Wisconsin voters who find it liberating.
Learn more in the Reading Room.
Episode 6: How the Democrats swapped the headquarters of Walmart to the Republicans for a fleet of Maine lobstermen: The never-ending realignment of American politics
Episode 7: Professional wrestling and the rise of the independent voter: Lessons from the American Southwest
If Republican and Democrats were listed on the New York Stock Exchange, I would sell right now. The two legacy parties are tied at 27% in January polling. And dropping.
And the buy signal is flashing bright green on independents. Now at 44% of voters ---most members of the lost political middle.
Can a surge of candidates for statewide office be far behind? Lessons from the pro wrestling ring.
Episode 8: Ugly campaign ads and car wrecks: Why we can't turn away
Scientists will tell you that if they scan people's brains while listening to negative campaign ads, it will light up a spot that triggers disgust and revulsion.
Did they have to spend a lot of money to figure that out? You can just talk to any one of America's 71 million political orphans.
Ugly campaign ads and car wrecks. Why we can't turn away in this month's Lost in the Middle.
Episode 9: From hanging chads to deep fake videos, American democracy wobbles
Once upon a time working as an election worker was a badge of honor, a commitment to democracy.
Now nobody wants the job. And now here comes AI.
From hanging chads to deep fake videos, American democracy wobbles in this episode of Lost in the Middle.