Republican Neel Kashkari received enough votes in Tuesday's primary election to face-off with democratic incumbent Gov. Jerry Brown in the California gubernatorial race in November.; Credit: Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC

After a fierce primary battle against Tea Party candidate Tim Donnelly, GOP gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari will face incumbent Gov. Jerry Brown in the November general election, and he told AirTalk on Thursday that he knows he's in for a tough fight.

"The odds are clearly tough, but here's the thing: I'm running for governor because I want to rebuild the middle class of California," Kashkari told AirTalk. "We're literally ranked 47th out of 50 states for jobs. We're 46th for education, and we're No. 1 in poverty. I don't think that's right. I want to put people back to work and make sure our kids are getting a good education."

Many California Republicans consider Kashkari's primary victory over Donnelly a success for the state’s GOP, arguing that Kashkari’s more mainstream values give him a better chance against a Democratic governor in a blue state.

RELATED: KPCC's complete coverage of the June 2014 Primary Election

But Kashkari still has many hurdles to overcome in the race against Brown: He spent a great deal of his own money during the primary campaign and will be running against an incumbent with money in the bank and a high approval rating.

Kashkari said his financial plans for California will help with his appeal to voters during the November election, but could it really be enough to unseat Jerry Brown? What are his plans for the November race?

Interview Highlights: 

What are your recommendations for creating jobs in California?

"Regulations every year are getting bigger and more onerous. I don't want to eliminate all regulations. I just want to streamline them, get rid of the old ones that are no longer serving us well, modernize it so that our businesses and our farms can compete all around the world. We don't have to be cheaper than Texas to beat Texas, but we need to be competitive, and right now Sacramento is working against job creation instead of enhancing job creation."

How would you change CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act?

"Even Gov. Brown knows that CEQA needs to be reformed. So when he wanted to build a new arena for the Sacramento Kings, he said let's give them an expedited, streamlined review; otherwise, it's going to take years and millions of dollars in litigation. Well, Gov. Brown, if that expedited review is good for your pet project, why don't we make that the standard for all Californians? So my plan is to take Gov. Brown's own expedited review, which he gave to his pet project, and make it the new standard for everyone in California."

If you were to do that, wouldn't you open up the door for certain environmental problems?

"It's about finding the right balance. Right now the pendulum is swung so far, it's working families that are hurt by this. Sacramento is lousy at a lot of things. Sacramento is really good at one thing: creating poverty. Sacramento today is in the poverty creation business, and every time another factory leaves California, it's the men and women that used to work in that factory whose lives are turned upside down. People don't want welfare; they just want a good job, and I want to give them that chance."

With the odds of your winning so slim, what is your ambition here?

"I always talk about two goals. One is winning the governorship to fix the state. Goal No. 2 is to help rebuild the California Republican Party around a positive, inclusive message. My vision for the Republican Party is the biggest tent you've ever seen in your life, where everyone is invited in. Every ethnic group, every socioeconomic background. And the issues that unite us are the principles of hard work, jobs, personal responsibility. I think that we can grow the Republican Party by bringing everyone together. As the son of immigrants, a kid from a middle class background, I grew up bagging groceries and mowing lawns. I think I can deliver that."

Tell us a bit about your background so we can get to know you better:

"My parents came here about 50 years ago from India. My family wasn't wealthy, but my parents were educated. They really prioritized education for me and for my sister. I studied engineering, and I moved to Los Angeles to become an aerospace engineer at TRW in Redondo Beach, went back to business school, went into business and finance and then worked in Washington, D.C.

"I think I've lived the American dream. There's no other country in the world where the son of immigrants, like me, could play such a big role in the federal government or become the nominee for governor of California. This is a great country, but you've got to get that good education to open those doors. Today, our schools in California are ranked 46th. I want every kid in California to have the same shot that I had that starts with a good education, then getting  good job and a chance to work hard."

The Los Angeles City Council celebrated LGBT Heritage Month by endorsing a state bill to ban therapies that "convert" homosexual minors to heterosexuals. ; Credit: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images

The LA Gay Pride Parade is taking place this weekend in West Hollywood. Last year, Prop 8 was overturned and the Defense of Marriage Act was repealed — huge, seismic leaps toward true equality for the modern gay rights movement.

On the political front, Assemblywoman Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) became the first lesbian to become the head of the California Assembly last month, but her ascension felt more historical for her being the first politician from San Diego to assume the position than anything else.

Robert Garcia this week was elected Mayor of Long Beach, the first openly gay and Latino to hold that post. But his sexuality was no more talked about during the election than his ethnic heritage and his age (at just 36 years old).

Historically, pride parades were about visibility and political empowerment, but has the meaning of gay pride observation changed for you in the wake of the political victories the community has had over the last few years?

Does the sexuality of a political candidate matter to you anymore? Are you as likely to vote for someone who identifies as LGBT today? Is a candidate’s sexuality enough of a “swing factor” for you? Politically, are we entering a “post-gay” phase in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California?

Actors Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise attend the "Edge Of Tomorrow" red carpet repeat fan premiere tour at AMC Loews Lincoln Square on May 28, 2014 in New York City. ; Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Larry and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Henry Sheehan review this week’s releases, including Edge of Tomorrow, The Fault in Our Stars, Obvious Child and more. TGI-Filmweek!

Edge of Tomorrow

The Fault in Our Stars

Obvious Child

Guests: 

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt FilmGuide

 Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 21: A job seeker fills out an application during a career fair at the Southeast Community Facility Commission on May 21, 2014 in San Francisco, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Friday's Labor Department numbers show a fourth month of growth with 217,000 jobs added to the U.S. economy, while the unemployment rate holds at 6.3 percent.

Five years since the Great Recession tapered, America has regained all the jobs lost during the downturn. Does it really feel that way though?

In a stunning infographic and 255 charts, The New York Times illustrates which sectors are flourishing, which have been the victim of the recession and how wages are faring. If you are in the housing sector, chances are your outlook has not been sunny. Folks in the health care field and luxury goods have less trouble finding work, but the wages are lackluster.

If you are interested in job mobility, where do you place your hopes? If your industry, such as bookstores and florists, has suffered, how do you find an edge or stay resilient?

Guest:

Gary Burtless, Labor Economist, The Brookings Institution; The New York Times consulted with him to produce the aforementioned infographic.

To hear this segment, click on "Listen Now in the upper left.

California Chrome #5, ridden by Victor Espinoza, crosses the finish line to win the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. ; Credit: Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Only 11 horses have won the Triple Crown, and the last victory was over thirty years ago. This year, California Chrome has a shot at the crown -- he’ll race in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday alongside 10 other horses.

California Chrome is coming off impressive victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, and has 3-5 odds in the Belmont Stakes. Excitement about a potential Triple Crown winner is at a peak in the racing community and beyond, Chrome’s trainer Art Sherman is predicting a win for the horse and jockey Victor Espinoza.

What goes into a Triple Crown victory? Who has won in the past, and what are Chrome’s chances? How might a big victory for California Chrome impact the sport?

Guests: 

Alan Balch, Executive Director of California Thoroughbred Trainers

Mike Willman, Director of Publicity at Santa Anita Racetrack

Tom Cruise visits "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" at Rockefeller Center on June 4, 2014 in New York City. ; Credit: Theo Wargo/NBC/Getty Images for "The Tonight Sh

The film reel that flutters through your mind when thinking of Tom Cruise likely includes the "Risky Business" boxers scene, the iconic "Magnolia" monologue and a real-life vignette of Cruise jumping maniacally on Oprah's couch.

RELATED: Cruise's 'Tomorrow' may flop: Is the era of the movie star over?

As Amy Nicholson recounts in her new book:

“[W]hen Cruise began his publicity tour for War of the Worlds, he and his new flack (and sister), Lee Anne DeVette, were totally unprepared for TMZ, Perez Hilton, and the terrifyingly mean-spirited new world of celebrity journalism. They screw up. Miscalculating this new fan fixation on “real” lives, Cruise finally decided to open up to the press—way up.

On Oprah, he professed his love for his girlfriend of one month, the 16-years-younger TV actress Katie Holmes. He was so excited about possibly proposing to a near stranger that on national television, he pumped his fists dropped to his knees and holler "I can't be cool! I can't be laid-back!"

The moment was remixed and reposted all over the Internet, and his image was tarnished nearly instantaneously. What else impacted the image of Tom Cruise? Is it fair to focus so much on his religion - if it’s unrelated to his work? How did his early career choices create an exceptional career? Does he need to rehabilitate his star power? If so, how?

Guest:

Amy Nicholson, Chief Film Critic, LA Weekly; Author of forthcoming "Tom Cruise: Anatomy of an Actor" (Cahiers du Cinema/Phaidon Press); Recent LA Weekly cover story: How YouTube and Internet Journalism Destroyed Tom Cruise, Our Last Real Movie Star

LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat looks on against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Two of the 2014 NBA Finals at the AT&T Center on June 8, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. ; Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The Spurs dispensed with The Heat handily in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. But that was merely a sidebar to the heat, aka the malfunctioned central air conditioning system at the AT&T Center in San Antonio that caused LeBron James to cramp up. James felt so bad he asked to leave the game during the critical fourth quarter. Not everyone was sympathetic. Gatorade, which has no sponsorship ties to James, tweeted the following in response to a message: ''We were waiting on the sidelines, but he prefers to drink something else.''

Fans quickly slammed Gatorade for the inappropriate tweet, leading the sports drink brand to apologize on Friday.

Is real time marketing over social media worth it, especially with so many instances of faux pas, and then the inevitable retraction and apologies. Is the instantaneity afforded by social media engagement and marketing worth the damage control?

Guests:  

Alex Kantrowitz, staff writer at AdAge covering marketing and advertising technology

Sasha Strauss, founder and managing director of Innovation Protocol, a marketing and branding firm in Los Angeles

People walk by an Abercrombie and Fitch store on February 22, 2013 in San Francisco, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Abercrombie & Fitch, notorious to mall shoppers everywhere for its musky “signature scent,” is reigning in its odor. According to new research from Concordia University, that may be a good thing: researchers there determined that scent can heavily factor into successful marketing.

Customers who feel anxious in Abercrombie’s loud, dimly lit, heavily perfumed stores may be picking up on a claustrophobic vibe. Smaller stores benefit from “open space” smells that hint at the outdoors, while stores with lots of open space, like Apple, do better with “closed space” scents. Outside of retail, the food industry uses scent in marketing constantly and consciously.

At franchises like Panera or Cinnabon, where smell is a huge part of reeling people in, experts decide on bake times and oven locations to keep good smells wafting through the space.

Starbucks, famous for an in-store coffee bean odor, is careful about cooking temperatures for its food -- it doesn’t want to mix the smell of coffee with a breakfast sandwich. How are you impacted by scent marketing? Are there stores that make you feel anxious, or restaurants that reel you in with great smells?

KPCC's online polls are not scientific surveys of local or national opinion. Rather, they are designed as a way for our audience members to engage with each other and share their views. Let us know what you think on our Facebook page, facebook.com/kpcc, or in the comments below.

Guest: 

Sarah Nassauer, reports on retail and consumer trends for the Wall Street Journal

UCLA FORWARD ED O''BANNON CUTS DOWN THE NET AFTER THEIR 89-78 VICTORY OVER ARKANSAS IN THE NCAA FINAL AT THE KINGDOME IN SEATTLE ON APRIL 3, 1995:, ; Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images

Should college athletes be paid if their image is used for profit? That’s the question  former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon and 20 former college athletes are raising in an Oakland courtroom today.

The plaintiffs argue that upon graduation, a former student athlete should become entitled to financial compensation for NCAA's commercial uses of his or her image. But the NCAA counters that these are amateur players and that any compensation elevates them.

Both sides agree that the outcome could have major ramification for the future of college sports.

Guests:

Michael A. Carrier, professor of law at Rutgers School of Law, expert in antitrust, copyright, patent, and innovation law

Anthony Sabino, professor of law at St. John’s University in New York, expert in antitrust law

Author Gore Vidal appears in conversation with writer Jon Wiener at the 12th Annual L.A. Times Festival of Books in Royce Hall on the U.C.L.A. campus on April 28, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

No twentieth-century figure has had a more profound effect on the worlds of literature, film, politics, historical debate, and the culture wars than Gore Vidal.

Vidal's professional life spans more than 50 years of American politics and letters. Featuring candid vérité footage of Vidal in his final years, "The United States of Amnesia" explores his enduring global impact on art, politics, and everything in between.  

Guest:  

Nicholas Wrathall, director, “Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia.” The documentary is screening this week at the Nuart Theatre

Men carrying briefcases walk at the intersection of Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden in Mitte district on October 12, 2011 in Berlin, Germany. ; Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The current steady job growth - albeit with caveats - and stability of the unemployment rate should spark labor mobility for American workers.

On Friday, AirTalk looked at how specific industries are faring since the Great Recession. Numbers from the Labor Department (jazzed up by The New York Times) break down which sectors workers would be wise to pursue, including wage expectations.

In light of the continuing economic recovery, are you considering changing careers or getting back into the workforce? Do you follow your heart or look at hard numbers? What is the best strategy to employ? Is education and training the only way to rework your career?

LINK

KPCC's online polls are not scientific surveys of local or national opinion. Rather, they are designed as a way for our audience members to engage with each other and share their views. Let us know what you think on our Facebook page, facebook.com/kpcc, or in the comments below.

Guest:

Nance Rosen, Faculty, UCLA Business and Management Continuing Executive Education; NanceSpeaks.com

A Las Vegas police officer walks away from the scene of a shooting near a Wal-Mart on Sunday.; Credit: John Locher/AP

Police have identified the shooters in a Las Vegas attack that left two officers and a bystander dead. Las Vegas police say Jerad Miller, 31, and wife Amanda Miller, 22, walked into a Vegas pizzeria yesterday gunning down two cops, then walked to a neighboring Walmart where they killed a man, then carried out an apparent suicide pact, with Amanda Miller shooting her husband then herself.  

After the Millers killed the officers, they draped a “Don’t tread on me” flag on the officers and a swastika. Today, Las Vegas Assistant Sheriff Kevin McMahill downplayed media speculation linking these suspects to white power movements.

McMahill said, “We believe at this point with the swastika, we don't necessarily believe that they are white supremacists or associated with the Nazi movement. We believe they equate government and law-enforcement fascism [sic] and those who support it with Nazis. In other words, they believe that law enforcement is the oppressors and they’re associated with the Nazi movement.”

Neighbors said the Millers were known to be anti-government and bragged about a gun collection and spending time at cattle rancher Cliven Bundy’s ranch during a recent standoff there between armed militia members and federal government agents.

Guest: 

Brian Nordli, Breaking News Reporter, Las Vegas Sun

Brian Levin, Director, Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino

The Griffith Observatory from Mt. Hollywood, with downtown Los Angeles in the background.; Credit: Ron Reiring

Using a rigorous, if not quizzical, methodology, the personal finance website WalletHub analyzed which American cities rank as the best and worst for "staycations."

Out of 100 cities, the survey ranks Los Angeles at a dismal 68. Coming in at number one (drumroll please) is Buffalo, New York. The survey looked at factors such as number of swimming pools, museums and golf courses per capita, miles of bicycle routes and cost of entertainment.

With LA's sizeable population, perhaps it never had a chance. Adding to the swell of residents, L.A. will be one of the top ten U.S. vacation destinations for this summer, according to Orbitz travel site.

Guests: 

Neha Singh,  Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs at the Collins College of Hospitality Management, Cal Poly Pomona

Susan Lomax, Vice President, Communications, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board

To listen to this segment, click on "Listen Now" in the upper left.

Thoughts?

"Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House” by Peter Baker is now out in paperback.

In Days of Fire, New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker chronicles the history of one of the most consequential presidencies in modern times through the figures of George Walker Bush and Richard Bruce Cheney.

Drawing on hundreds of interviews with key players, and thousands of pages of never-released notes, memos, and other internal documents, Baker paints a riveting portrait of a partnership that evolved dramatically over time, from the early days when Bush leaned on Cheney, making him the most influential vice president in history, to their final hours, when the two had grown so far apart they were clashing in the West Wing.  

Guest:

Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent, The New York Times; Author, “Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House” - now out in paperback

Getting married can be a lot of work and getting a divorce may be equally as difficult. A new one day divorce in California may change that. ; Credit: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images

In some California courts, getting a divorce is getting easier. One-day divorce programs in the state offer a speedy alternative for people who can’t afford a lawyer or don’t want one. Getting a divorce takes money and time, sometimes quite a bit of both.

A bad breakup can take months or even years to work through, and divorce attorneys are expensive. In California, about three quarters of family law litigants don’t have a lawyer -- once people file their initial paperwork, they aren’t sure how to proceed. One-day divorce programs were designed to accommodate that need. Once a couple has their paperwork and a general idea of how to divide property and child custody, a neutral counselor finalizes legal logistics.

Proponents say it’s efficient, but some family law specialists disagree, arguing that for a couple with significant assets or serious disagreements, hiring a lawyer is worth it. What are the potential benefits and drawbacks to one-day divorce programs? Will this kind of divorce spread? Is it worth it to save time and money during a divorce, or is the legal advice crucial to the process?

Guest:

Judge Maureen Hallahan, supervising judge for the family law division of the Superior Court of San Diego County

General view of the empty O2 offices on February 8, 2012 in Slough, England. ; Credit: Ian Gavan/Getty Images for O2

Once popular in the domains of high-tech and sales, noncompete clauses are now appearing in new professions. From hair salons to summer camps, employers across the country are putting in noncompete clauses in employment contracts to prevent employees from working for their rivals.

California bans noncompete clauses, but businesses are finding ways to get around the prohibition.

Supporters of the ban--mostly venture capitalists and high-tech companies--say it noncompetes stifle innovation. Opponents--including small businesses--argue that noncompetes encourage companies to invest and retain their workers.  Massachusetts is currently debating whether to put in a noncompete ban. Should California repeal its ban?

Guests:  

Orly Lobel, professor at the University of San Diego School of Law; author of “Talent Wants to be Free” (Yale University Press, 2013) focusing on noncompete clauses

Lee Fleming, Director of Coleman Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership; Professor of Management of Organizations at UC Berkeley who has studied the economic impact of noncompete clauses

Teacher Denise Severing congratulates a child during a math lesson at the federally-funded Head Start school on September 20, 2012 in Woodbourne, New York. A California judge has struck down teacher tenure protection, seniority-based job protection and existing disciplinary policy in a groundbreaking case for education equality.; Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

California Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu issued a decision this morning striking down teacher tenure protection, seniority-based job protection and existing disciplinary policy in a groundbreaking case for education equality.

RELATED: Vergara trial: Calif. judge says state teacher protections unconstitutional (updated)

The case considered policies that plaintiffs argue “handcuff the public education system” in the state. During two months of trial, Treu heard testimony from students who said the laws that make it difficult to fire tenured teachers deprived them of a good education.

The lawsuit also attacked seniority-based protection known as “last in, first out,” teacher discipline and other benefits. The decision could have a broad impact in California public schools and beyond.

Lawyers for the California Teachers Association say that changes to the system will have a negative impact on students and staff, allowing the firing of teachers on a whim and deincentivizing the public school system for talented teachers.

How will this ruling change public education in California? Could changing teacher tenure improve education, or will it prevent good teachers from working in public schools?

Guests:

Evelyn Larrubia, Education Editor, KPCC

Gary Ravani, Vice President, California Federation of Teachers; Intervenors in Vergara v. California

Joshua Lipshutz, plaintiff’s counsel in Vergara v. California, part of the legal team for Students Matter

Trucks are driven near the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the busiest port complex in the US, near Long Beach, California.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

On Monday, New Jersey authorities said the Walmart trucker charged in the fatal crash that involved 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan reportedly hadn't slept in 24 hours prior to the accident that killed one and injured several others.

The high-profile crash comes only days after a Senate panel approved a proposal backed by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) to roll back new rules, first proposed in 2010, forcing truck drivers to pull over and log a minimum number of hours for rest.

What are the rules for rest and hours governing american truckers? How are they enforced and should they be changed?

Guests:

Rob Abbott, Vice President of Safety Policy, American Trucking Associations (ATA), the largest national trade association for the trucking industry

Steve Keppler, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), a not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives across north america

Julia Macias, one of nine plaintiffs in the Vergara v. California trial, welcomes a judge's ruling striking down teacher job protections.; Credit: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/KPCC

On Tuesday, California Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu issued some surprising decisions on some third-rail topics in education. He struck down teacher tenure protection, seniority-based job protection and existing disciplinary policy on the grounds that they were unconstitutional and harmed students.

RELATED: LA school teachers say Vergara ruling feels like an attack

The case is headed for an appeals court before any changes go into effect, but the landmark case raises the question: if these three elements are unconstitutional, then how should the education system look?

The plaintiffs took issue with teacher tenure after two years, but should there be any teacher tenure at all? If not, how to do you entice talented teachers to take on difficult, lower-paying jobs and stick with them?

RELATED: Vergara trial: Calif. judge says state teacher protections unconstitutional (updated)

Both sides agree students need stability to succeed, but what does that look like? Guest host Patt Morrison talks with several leaders in the field of education about their opinion of the ruling and their vision for the classroom.

Guests:

John Deasy, superintendent, LAUSD

Alex Caputo-Pearl, President, United Teachers Los Angeles

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers

Diane Ravitch, Research Professor of Education at New York University; former Assistant Secretary of Education (1991-1993)

Students study with their laptop computers in the Pedagogical Library at the Freie Universitaet university on September 20, 2011 in Berlin, Germany. In the U.S., Professor Daniel Rockmore has made a case in the New Yorker towards banning the use of laptops in college classrooms. ; Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

In an era when school districts are spending millions of dollars to arm kids with iPads, some college professors are reverting to pen-and-pad-only classrooms. As Professor Daniel Rockmore argues in the New Yorker, "Institutions should certainly enable faculty to experiment with new technology, but should also approach all potential classroom intruders with a healthy dose of skepticism, and resist the impulse to always implement the new, trendy thing out of our fear of being left behind."

He cites studies from Cornell, Princeton and the University of California that compare test-performance of students who take notes with laptops against students writing by hand. The latter group had greater memory retention thanks to what Rockmore says "[reflects and excites] a process of integration, creating more textured and effective modes of recall." What do you think of Rockmore's "electronic etiquette policy?"

How do students react when asked to turn off their screens? How does the subject matter factor in to laptop policy? How does this apply in work environments?

Guest:

Daniel Rockmore, Chair, Department of Mathematics, Dartmouth College in New Hampshire; Rockmore wrote “The Case for Banning Laptops in the Classroom” for the New Yorker