Best NC Policy Watch Podcasts (2025)

1
05/04/2025: The Rule of Law and Freezing the Biological Clock 51:14

3h ago51:14

51:14

On the campaign trail, President Trump vowed to wield the power of the presidency to go after his perceived enemies. Now in the White House, Trump is using Executive Orders to target some of the biggest law firms in the country that he accuses of “weaponizing” the justice system against him. Correspondent Scott Pelley reports on the law firms picke…

1
04/27/2025: NIH, Evidence, The Land of Declining Sons 51:12

7d ago51:12

51:12

In its ongoing mission to shrink the federal government, the Trump administration has cut more than a thousand jobs and billions in research grants from America’s crown jewel of medical research - the National Institutes of Health. While other administrations have tried to downsize the NIH before, leaked Trump administration documents show plans to…

1
04/20/2025: Bird Flu, Demis Hassabis, Flight of the Monarchs 51:11

12d ago51:11

51:11

Bird flu, which has long been an emerging threat, took a significant turn in 2024 with the discovery that the virus had jumped from a wild bird to a cow. In just over a year, the pathogen has spread through dairy herds and poultry flocks across the United States. It has also infected people, resulting in 70 confirmed cases, including one fatality. …

1
04/13/2025: Zelenskyy, Greenland, Banana Ball 51:13

22d ago51:13

51:13

Correspondent Scott Pelley interviews Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kryvyi Rih, his hometown, where last week nine children were killed on a playground in a missile attack. They discuss U.S. support for Ukraine, the state of the war, and the Oval Office dust up with the Trump administration. Until President Donald Trump expressed inter…

1
04/06/2025: The War in Gaza, The Prisoners, Wood to Whiskey 51:06

29d ago51:06

51:06

Correspondent Scott Pelley reports on an American doctor who volunteers in Gaza, and from Doha where medical teams work to rehabilitate children injured in the war. Who are the men President Trump sent to a notorious maximum-security prison in El Salvador using a wartime law dating back to 1798? The Trump administration says they are all violent ga…

1
03/30/25: Hostages, Voice of America, Left Behind 51:24

1M ago51:24

51:24

Correspondent Lesley Stahl dispatches to Israel for her 5th report since the Oct. 7 terror attack to interview freed Israeli and American hostages, including Yarden Bibas and Keith Siegel, who are speaking out to share their experiences in captivity and what they witnessed at the hands of Hamas. Correspondent Bill Whitaker reports on Voice of Ameri…

1
03/23/2025: Death on the Chazy River, Larkin’s War, Mr. Clooney Goes to Broadway 50:54

1M ago50:54

50:54

Correspondent Cecilia Vega reports from the U.S.-Canadian border – the longest international land border in the world – near the Chazy River, where migrants are crossing with the help of human smugglers who openly promote their services on popular social media platforms. Vega speaks with one of those smugglers, a Sinaloa cartel member who claims th…

1
03/16/2025: Under the Radar, America’s Own, Werner Herzog 51:07

2M ago51:07

51:07

With news of mysterious drones flying over New Jersey and concerns about spying, this week’s 60 MINUTES investigates a surprising story about another drone incursion. Correspondent Bill Whitaker reports what happened 15 months ago over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, which houses nearly half of the most advanced U.S. stealth fighter jets, the F…

1
03/09/2025: Firing the Watchdogs, The Settlement, A Method to his Madness 51:05

2M ago51:05

51:05

The chief of the watchdog agency that protects federal workers and whistleblowers, Hampton Dellinger, was one of the first to be fired by President Trump. So were eighteen inspectors general and the chief of the board that protects federal workers. What is happening to independent watchdogs and why are they being dismantled? Correspondent Scott Pel…

1
03/02/2025: Ukraine-US and Death Flights 51:12

2M ago51:12

51:12

During his campaign, President Donald Trump promised to bring peace to Ukraine. That hasn’t happened yet. However, he has changed how the United States deals with Russia. Correspondent Scott Pelley travels to Washington, D.C. to speak with members of Congress who argue America should not abandon Ukraine. 60 Minutes reports on how the flight logs fo…

1
Remembering Clint Hill: Secret Service Agent #9 40:43

2M ago40:43

40:43

Clint Hill, a former U.S. Secret Service agent on duty the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, has died at age 93. Veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Mike Wallace once said that, in all his years as a journalist, very few interviews stayed with him like his time with Clint Hill. During that interview, Hill stunned Wallace -- and the natio…

1
02/23/25: The Justice Department, CFPB, John Oliver 51:15

2M ago51:15

51:15

Correspondent Scott Pelley reports on the recent firings and resignations at the U.S. Department of Justice. Correspondent Lesley Stahl reports on President Trump’s efforts to halt the work and cut the funding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an enforcement agency that was created in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Host John Oliv…

1
02/16/2025: 28 Days, Policing the Internet, Timothée Chalamet 51:16

3M ago51:16

51:16

Correspondent Scott Pelley reports from Washington, D.C., on whether President Trump’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) without Congress’ approval is legal. In the United States, most of what anyone says, sends or streams online, even if it’s hate-filled or toxic, is protected by the First Amendment as free speec…

1
Congresswoman Deborah Ross on the tumultuous first weeks of the new Trump administration 12:55

3M ago12:55

12:55

Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) (Photo: House.gov) Whether it was his intention or not, Donald Trump has undoubtedly caused more havoc in the first few weeks of his second administration than any president in U.S. history. The sheer volume of orders, directives, memos, and PR stunts — many of them contradictory and half-baked — has given rise to…

1
NC NAACP’s Deborah Dicks Maxwell on Jefferson Griffin’s effort to overturn the election he lost 11:17

3M ago11:17

11:17

Deborah Dicks Maxwell (Photo courtesy of the NC NAACP) Few political controversies in North Carolina loom larger right now than the effort of Republican state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin to overturn the election he lost last fall to Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs. Griffin still wants the ballots of more than 60,000 disproportionat…

1
Dr. Lauren Fox of the Public School Forum on NC’s top education issues 14:20

3M ago14:20

14:20

Lauren Fox, Senior Director, Policy & Research, Public School Forum (Photo: ncforum.org) At the start of the 2025 state legislative session, few needs in our state stand out as more obvious and dire than the ones we see in our public schools. From teacher pay to facilities to student well-being to the way we track performance in and demand accounta…

1
02/09/2025: Kevin Hart, Jeff Koons, Dua Lipa 50:34

3M ago50:34

50:34

Correspondent Anderson Cooper profiles Kevin Hart, one of the highest grossing comedians today and a bankable movie star, who is now adding a new title to his resume – entertainment and business mogul. Anderson Cooper profiles Jeff Koons, one of the most prominent and polarizing artists in the world. Known for making sculptures and paintings inspir…

1
Lynn Bonner on the ongoing efforts of a NC Supreme Court candidate to have 60,000+ ballots discarded 10:21

3M ago10:21

10:21

File photo of Lynn Bonner/ Photo of State Supreme Court signage by Clayton Henkel The big political story in North Carolina right now continues to revolve around the unsettled election for a seat on state Supreme Court. Multiple recounts confirmed that the incumbent justice, Democrat Allison Riggs, was the narrow winner over Republican challenger J…

1
SEANC’s Ardis Watkins on the state health plan and the possibility of big premium hikes

3M ago

—

SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins (Courtesy photo) One group that’s suffered the most in recent years as a result of the pennywise pound foolish fiscal policies of the North Carolina General Assembly are our state employees. Thanks to massive revenue declines resulting from repeated tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, state employee sal…

1
Natural Resources Defense Council’s Drew Ball on Trump’s plans to end wind energy projects 11:57

3M ago11:57

11:57

Drew Ball, Natural Resources Defense Council (Photo: Screengrab from NC Newsline interview) Wind energy. Whether it’s offshore or on land, wind energy is a booming and enormously promising industry that can play a big role in ending our heroin-like addiction to fossil fuels. What’s more, because of its geography, North Carolina is extremely well-po…

1
02/02/2025: What Will Mitch Do?, Robert Lighthizer, A Psychedelic Journey 50:57

3M ago50:57

50:57

Now that President Donald Trump has retaken the White House and is shaking up Washington with an onslaught of executive orders and controversial nominees for his Cabinet, correspondent Lesley Stahl profiles the longest-serving Senate party leader, Mitch McConnell, on his life, legacy and what he will do next since stepping down from Senate leadersh…

1
The new leader of NC Senate Democrats, Sen. Sydney Batch, previews the 2025 legislative session 15:33

3M ago15:33

15:33

Sen. Sydney Batch (Photo: NCGA) As the North Carolina General Assembly prepares to begin its 2025 session in earnest this week, Senate Democrats have a new leader. After several years at the helm, veteran Raleigh lawmaker and former state House Speaker Dan Blue recently turned over the reins to another member of the Wake County delegation — State S…

1
Political scientist Chris Cooper on Trump 2.0 and NC’s yet to be decided state Supreme Court race 13:39

3M ago13:39

13:39

WCU political scientist Chris Cooper (Screengrab from News & Views interview) As everyone knows by now, Donald Trump is president of the United States again. And while there are obviously many Americans who welcome this news and see Trump as a victim, a hero, and someone who will somehow restore “greatness” to the nation, for millions of others, th…

1
Duke OB/GYN Dr. Beverly Gray on reproductive healthcare and Gov. Stein’s efforts to protect it 12:26

3M ago12:26

12:26

Duke Health OB/GYN Dr. Beverly Gray (Photo: Courtesy of Scholars@Duke) Few policy debates received more attention in last November’s election than reproductive freedom. Strangely, however, despite widespread evidence that significant majorities favor abortion rights and the right to contraception — see for example the results of numerous ballot ini…

1
60 Minutes' Great Football Profiles 45:35

3M ago45:35

45:35

This weekend, four NFL teams will fight for their chance to play in the Super Bowl. To celebrate NFL conference championship Sunday, we're digging into the 60 Minutes archive and sharing three unforgettable football-themed stories. Steve Kroft's 2010 interview with NFL star Drew Brees, the then-New Orleans Saints quarterback, who led his team in 20…

1
Eliza Sweren-Becker of the Brennan Center on Jefferson Griffin’s efforts to discard 60,000+ ballots 15:46

4M ago15:46

15:46

Attorney Eliza Sweren-Becker of the national Brennan Center for Justice (Courtesy photo) The big political news story in North Carolina right now revolves around the yet unsettled election for a seat on state Supreme Court. Multiple counts confirmed that the incumbent justice, Democrat Allison Riggs, was the narrow winner over Republican challenger…

1
ITEP Senior Analyst Marco Guzman on the big hits to the economy that mass deportation could bring 12:20

4M ago12:20

12:20

Marco Guzman (Courtesy photo) Among the actions that the new Trump administration is expected to make a top priority in the coming days is an aggressive new mass deportation initiative targeting the nation’s millions of undocumented immigrants. It’s a plan that may sound superficially appealing to many Americans, but as we learned in a recent conve…

1
NC Budget and Tax Center researcher Logan Rockefeller Harris on the the 2025 Living Income Standard 14:46

4M ago14:46

14:46

Logan Rockefeller Harris (Courtesy photo) For 30 years now, the nonpartisan North Carolina Budget and Tax Center has been our state’s preeminent research nonprofit in the fields of fiscal and economic policy, and in recent years one of its signature products has been the biennial Living Income Standard report. The report documents what it actually …

1
NC League of Conservation Voters’ Dan Crawford on building on NC’s environmental accomplishments 14:33

4M ago14:33

14:33

North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Director of Governmental Relations Dan Crawford (Photo: nclcv.org) As has been the case for several years now, at the start of 2025, no single issue poses a greater threat to the long-term well-being of North Carolinians – and indeed, all Americans — than the global climate crisis. From the economy to pu…

1
Duke University Prof. Brandon Garrett on recent commutations and the future of the death penalty 14:01

4M ago14:01

14:01

Duke Law Professor Brandon Garrett (Courtesy photo) There are a lot of reasons that the death penalty is almost never imposed anymore. Not only is it hugely and uniquely expensive to apply and proven to be of no use in deterring crime, but stacks of evidence also confirm it has long been applied unjustly. Tragically, the death penalty is mostly res…

1
Jennifer Roberts of the Carter Center’s Strengthening Democracy Project on Jimmy Carter’s legacy 15:45

4M ago15:45

15:45

Jennifer Roberts (Courtesy photo) Last week the nation paused to honor the life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter. Carter died December 29, 2024 at the age of 100, and while opinions vary as to how successful his one term in the White House was, there’s a widespread consensus that no president in American history enjoyed a more productive…

1
01/12/2025: The Fires, The FBI Director, The Gaza Policy 51:03

4M ago51:03

51:03

Bill Whitaker covers the catastrophic Los Angeles fires from the ground and the air. As Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray prepares to step down before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, correspondent Scott Pelley speaks with him for his only broadcast exit interview. Wray, whom Trump nominated in 2017, reflected on h…

1
Newsline political reporter Galen Bacharier on Roy Cooper’s legacy and the new Stein administration 12:02

4M ago12:02

12:02

Galen Bacharier (File photo) A new year is upon us and with it, some important changes in state government. As a result of the November election, North Carolina now has several new leaders serving on its Council of State – most notably a new governor. After eight years in the governor’s mansion and nearly 40 in elected office, Roy Cooper has exited…

1
Outgoing DHHS Sec. Kody Kinsley on NC’s health and accomplishments from his three years at the helm 28:45

4M ago28:45

28:45

Kody Kinsley, outgoing secretary of the NC Department of Health and Human Services. (Photo: DHHS) Gov. Roy Cooper’s second four-year term as our state’s chief executive has come to a close, and if there’s one accomplishment from that period that stands out above all others it was his tireless and ultimately successful campaign to expand the state’s…

1
01/05/2025: Pope Francis, Notre Dame, Built By Angels 50:57

4M ago50:57

50:57

This past May, Norah O'Donnell met Pope Francis for a rare and historic interview at his home, the Santa Marta guest house in Vatican City, a week before the Catholic Church hosted its inaugural World Children's Day. The 88-year-old, Argentinian-born pope, the first named Francis and first from the Americas, is known for his dedication to the poor …

1
Roy Cohn is Not an Enigma | 60 Minutes: A Second Look 32:32

4M ago32:32

32:32

When Donald Trump delivered a birthday toast to power lawyer Roy Cohn, back in 1986, 60 Minutes was there to record the future president's tribute to Cohn's loyalty. Much has been written about Cohn's influence on the young Trump and by listening through 60 Minutes' two interviews with Cohn, you can hear why the notorious lawyer is the subject of s…

1
NC’s agriculture leaders on the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene in 2024 9:23

4M ago9:23

9:23

Steven Troxler, commissioner of the NC Department of Agriculture, details the damage caused by Hurricane Helene (Photo: NCGA Screengrab) If there was one story that dominated the news this past year – aside from the election – and left a lasting imprint on North Carolina, it was Hurricane Helene. The storm ravaged western North Carolina in late Sep…

1
State Rep. Pricey Harrison on the climate crisis and lessons from Helene 9:23

4M ago9:23

9:23

Rep. Pricey Harrison (Photo: NCGA) The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina is rightfully provoking calls for more action than has been forthcoming from state and federal lawmakers, and one area in which one hopes such demands will bear fruit is in planning and prevention. Regrettably, state Republican legislative leade…

1
Jason Kanawati Stephany of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina on food insecurity 13:32

4M ago13:32

13:32

Jason Kanawati Stephany, Vice President of Communications & Public Policy at Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina This year’s election may have come and gone, but one thing that hasn’t gone anywhere in North Carolina this year is hunger. Especially since congressional Republicans blocked the reauthorization of some key social safety net pr…

1
12/29/2024: Cuban Spycraft, Nvidia, Finding Cillian Murphy 51:13

4M ago51:13

51:13

For decades, prolific Cuban spies working in the U.S. government, serving in high profile positions with top security clearances, have evaded American intelligence officials. Correspondent Cecilia Vega reports from Washington, D.C. and Miami on the stories of two such undercover agents, former U.S. Ambassador Victor Manuel Rocha and onetime Pentago…

1
The Gladiator of Acting: Denzel Washington | 60 Minutes: A Second Look 40:30

4M ago40:30

40:30

It's rare that 60 Minutes interviews someone once, practically unheard of to interview the same person three times, but that's what happened with Denzel Washington. As he prepares to star in one of the most anticipated films of the year, Gladiator II, we look back at his journey from stage actor to blockbuster star, director and producer. For more …

1
Stateline reporter Alex Brown on how the new Trump administration may torpedo offshore wind efforts 10:51

4M ago10:51

10:51

Stateline Reporter Alex Brown (Photo of offshore wind project by John Moore/Getty Images) As the world races to reduce fossil fuel use and carbon pollution in order to combat the climate change crisis, one enormously promising source of non-polluting energy is offshore wind. Indeed, numerous East Coast states are counting on offshore wind projects …

1
Alexandra Sirota on the legislature’s power grab bill and the disinvestment in core public services 14:30

4M ago14:30

14:30

Alexandra Sirota (Photo: NC Budget & Tax Center) A new law enacted by North Carolina Republican legislators that purports to be about Hurricane Helene relief is, for the most part, anything but. Rather than providing desperately needed relief and recovery dollars to devastated families and businesses, Senate Bill 382 is a 131-page power grab bill t…

1
Erica Palmer Smith on NC’s child care crisis and the challenges ahead for 2025 13:26

4M ago13:26

13:26

Erica Palmer Smith (File photo) North Carolina remains plagued by a destructive child care crisis that has left many families without options and numerous providers hanging on by a thread. And while basic concerns for children and families should provide plenty of incentive for state leaders to tackle the problem, a new report compiled by experts a…

1
12/22/2024: The Pager Plot, The Iron River, Joy to the World 51:24

4M ago51:24

51:24

For the first time, ex-Mossad agents who led the exploding pager and walkie-talkie plot against Hezbollah, which garnered worldwide attention in September, detail their 10-year undercover op in an interview with correspondent Lesley Stahl. Meeting in Israel, the agents, who recently retired from service, share never-before-known details that caught…

1
The Forgotten Queen of Romance Novels | 60 Minutes: A Second Look 44:44

5M ago44:44

44:44

In 2024, romance – a genre once relegated to the back corners of bookstores – might just be saving the publishing industry. But while more and more readers are looking for love between their covers, few are reaching for titles by one of the first giants of the genre, Dame Barbara Cartland, author of over 600 romances, colloquially known as the “Que…

1
Author Dave Daley on the far right’s 50-year ploy to control American elections 28:29

5M ago28:29

28:29

David Daley (Courtesy photo) Over the last several years, few authors have done a better job of digging below the surface to chronicle what’s really going on in American politics – and in particular, the relentless brand of legal and policy hardball played by the Republican party – than David Daley. Daley’s best known book – which featured the prov…

1
Pollster David McLennan discusses Trump policy proposals, voters’ political news sources 13:12

5M ago13:12

13:12

Meredith College Poll director David McLennan (Photo courtesy Meredith.edu) The 2024 election is now receding quickly in the rear-view mirror, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still interesting and important to understand what voters were and are thinking and, here in North Carolina, that’s where public opinion surveys like the Meredith College Poll …

1
12/15/2024: Syria, Unveiling, The House of Hermes 51:40

5M ago51:40

51:40

As rebel forces toppled the Assad regime in a stunning victory that decimated a 50-year authoritarian rule, correspondent Scott Pelley reports from Damascus, Syria on what the future holds for a country recovering from brutal war crimes, displacement, and a deepening economic crisis. Pelley delivers his eighth report from Syria since he started cov…

1
Who Owns History? | 60 Minutes: A Second Look 44:10

5M ago44:10

44:10

In 2023, Anderson Cooper reported that a large number of antiquities in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection had come to the world-class museum by way of theft. Ancient art had been looted from Cambodian temples fifty years ago and the Cambodian Government wanted them back. But as Cooper discovered, returning the stolen goods was no simple m…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

NC Policy Watch Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen