The Recount Daily Pod

The journalist Cokie Roberts left behind a tremendous legacy when she passed away in 2019. Her late husband Steven Roberts, who is also a journalist, grieved and honored her in his own way — by reporting on Cokie's life and work at organizations including NPR and ABC, and writing a book about it. "Cokie: A Life Well-Lived" chronicles the career, values, and personal faith of a journalist who proved to many other women that they had a place in the newsroom. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Severe staff shortages at Georgia prisons have contributed to a huge spike in violence, including at least 44 likely homicides since last year. In September, the Department of Justice opened an investigation into the violence and possible constitutional violations by the correctional system. Separately, a lawsuit filed by the Southern Center for Human Rights called the prison conditions “abysmal.” Sara Totonchi is the organization’s executive director, and Atteeyah Hollie is an attorney there. They join the podcast to shed light on the crisis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate envoy John Kerry described it as “the last best chance the world has" — this weekend world leaders and thousands of negotiators, journalists, and activists converge on Glasgow for COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. In the span of two weeks, can world leaders pull off what they never have, committing to realistic carbon-cutting policies in order to limit the planet's disastrous warming? Those who fear the worst may be familiar with the feeling of “eco-anxiety.” Caroline Hickman — a practicing psychotherapist and board member of the Climate Psychology Alliance — defines the phenomenon... and tells us what we can do about it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Will was the first political columnist to call for President Richard Nixon’s impeachment, and he's lent a leading conservative voice to the Washington Post and other publications ever since. Most recently, he’s out with a collection of his work — "American Happiness and Discontents" — first published between 2008 and 2020. He joins the podcast to talk about polarization in America; former President Donald Trump's hold on the Republican Party; and a column he wrote about his son, Jonathan Will, who is living a full life with Down syndrome. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Yang drew attention to universal basic income as a Democratic candidate in the 2020 presidential election, and earlier this year in his run for mayor of New York City. Since then, he’s announced he’s leaving the Democratic Party to start a new one. The Forward Party will back certain candidates — Democrats and Republicans alike, Yang says — in favor of open primaries and ranked-choice voting, two policies he believes would free politicians from appealing to the extremes and “give rise to a more vibrant, dynamic, multi-polar democracy.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.