Actor Chris Hemsworth arrives at the Premiere Of Universal Pictures And Legendary Pictures' "Blackhat" at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on January 8, 2015 in Hollywood, California. ; Credit: Valerie Macon/Getty Images

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson, Andy Klein and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including "Blackhat," "Paddington," and "Little Accidents" and more. TGIFilmweek!

Guests:

Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and chief film critic for LA Weekly

Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and L.A. Times Community Paper Chain

Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine

Get your first look at Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the new 88-second teaser.
; Credit: Star Wars (via YouTube)

With nearly a year to go until its blockbuster release, Star Wars VII already is enjoying a massively successful marketing campaign with more than 87 million YouTube views of its teaser trailer released by Disney in November. In 2014, it was the second most viewed trailer of the entire year, according to The Hollywood Reporter, just after the “50 Shades of Grey” trailer, which had a much longer run online.

Millions of eyeballs have also seen trailers of two other fan-favorite franchises: Jurassic World starring Chris Pratt and Terminator Genisys with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those films are several months away, but the studios were pressured into early campaign launches both by the force of the Star Wars marketing beast and a leak of the Terminator trailer. The film blog HeyUGuys.com said the Star Wars trailer was a defining moment in 2014, adding: "Not only did the trailer views shoot up with terrifying speed but the delay between the inevitable parodies and breakdowns was far shorter than in previous years."

How has the Internet and social media changed movie marketing? How do you tease and sell a movie over the course of a year? What makes a great trailer? And how do they influence your inclination to see a movie?

Guests:

Matt Brubaker, President of Theatrical and Theatrical Home Entertainment for Trailer Park, one of the top trailer producers in the industry; Trailer Park has won a Golden Trailer Award every year since its inception in 15 years ago & countless Key Art Awards.

Andy Lewis, Book editor of the Hollywood Reporter who also  writes about trailers for THR; Contributor to recent book “75 Years of Marvel Comics: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen

New owners have a demolition permit for the iconic Norms Restaurant building on La Cienega. The structure is representative of the Googie architecture movement which originated in Southern California.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Norms Restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard has been open 24/7 since 1957. It’s seen as an iconic example of Googie architecture and is Norms’ oldest location. But late last year, the restaurant’s ownership changed hands. The Roybark family had owned the chain for three generations, but sold it late last year. When news broke that the new owners had gotten a demolition permit for the La Cienega Norms, many preservationists and others in L.A. were concerned about what might happen to the restaurant. The new owners have said they don’t have any immediate plans to demolish the property, but that didn’t stop the L.A. Conservancy from petitioning to make Norms a historical monument.

Yesterday, the Cultural Commission voted to consider Norms’ as a historical monument, saving it from any demolition...for now. Ultimately, the L.A. City Council will have the final say on whether the La Cienega Norms is actually designated a historical monument.

The La Cienega Norms is just one example of an iconic yet aging landmark in Los Angeles. But what does it say for the bigger conversation about how L.A. grapples with preserving its history? In the debate between preservation and progress, where do you draw the line? How can L.A. keep its history and defining characteristics intact while still being open to progress? What are some other L.A. landmarks that fall into the same category as the La Cienega Norms?

Guests:

Chris Nichols, associate editor of L.A. Magazine and President of the Southern California Historical Restaurant Society

Mott Smith, Principal with Civic Enterprise Development, which develops urban infill projects in and around Southern California. He’s also served on L.A. Conservancy committees and developed a project that won an L.A. Conservancy prize (the Maltman Bungalows in Silver Lake).

Oscars statuettes; Credit: Getty Images Entertainment

As the 87th Academy Awards arrives on February 22, the Academy has come under fire after releasing its list of nominations yesterday. The topic of controversy: diversity.

Diversity, or rather a lack thereof, is not a new issue for Hollywood - just two years ago, the same controversy came up as the LA Times found that Oscar voters were overwhelmingly male. But in the year after “12 Years A Slave” won the Academy Award for Best Film, this time around the nominations preclude any such victory. For example, all 20 nominations for lead and supporting actors are Caucasian; every director and screenwriter is male; and director Ava DuVernay of “Selma” did not get a mention (although the film is nominated for Best Film). While last year’s Oscars controversy was people voting for “12 Years A Slave” even if they hadn’t seen it, bringing up issues of one should vote for something just because it is “the right thing to do,” the pendulum seems to have swung back towards a dearth of diversity.

Academy President, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who has led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science and is also its first African-American leader disagreed yesterday when asked if there was an issue with diversity, stating, “Not at all. Not at all...The good news is that the wealth of talent is there, and it’s being discussed.”

Do you think the Academy and its members have a problem with diversity? Is this a larger issue with Hollywood and the film industry? How can people of diverse backgrounds break new ground in film?

Guest:

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt Film Guide

Warrington Hudlin, president of the black filmmaker foundation and the producer of the films "House Party," "Boomerang," and "Bebe Kids" 

A group of Nigerian traditional hunters and vigilantes gather on vehicles on their way to engage Boko Haram militants in Mubi from Yola, Adamawa State, in November. The hunters have being assisting the Nigerian military in their fight against the Islamic insurgents.; Credit: STR/EPA/Landov

New satellite images released by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International show devastating destruction suffered by two Nigerian towns at the hands of the militant group Boko Haram. The aerial images provided by Amnesty were dated Jan. 2 and Jan. 7 and showed areas before and after an apparent attack. The group estimated that more than 3,500 structures were razed in one town.

US Secretary of State John Kerry called Boko Haram’s reign of destruction a “crime against humanity” and said he had talked to UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on forming a “special initiative” on Nigeria.

The insurgent group first came to international attention last April, when it kidnapped close to 300 Nigerian girls from their school.

As Boko Haram’s terror spreads, should the US and the international community intervene?

Guest:

Drew Hinshaw, West Africa reporter for The Wall Street Journal. 

Police watch over demonstrators protesting the fatal police shooting of 24-year-old Ezell Ford earlier in the week August 17, 2014, in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

In the aftermath of high profile, controversial police-involved killings in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City, a number of states are considering legislation to change how such fatalities are investigated. California Assemblyman Kevin McCarty wants to create independent panels under the oversight of the California Department of Justice to investigate officer-involved fatalities, rather than local district attorneys. McCarty said local prosecutors are often perceived as too close to law enforcement agencies to investigate them fairly. "Is the current process fundamentally flawed and morally bankrupt? I don't know. Could there be a better process that brings more public trust and independence? Absolutely," McCarty said. The California Sheriffs’ Association is still reviewing the legislation that was introduced on January 6. Criminology Professor David Klinger, a former LAPD officer, says the legislation is unnecessary, harms investigative protocol and would slow down due process.

Is it worth creating the independent investigative body to avoid the perception that police officers are given special treatment by district attorneys?

With files from the Associated Press     

Guests:

Kevin McCarty (D), California Assemblymember for Assembly District 7, which includes the communities of Sacramento, West Sacramento, Rio Linda, Elverta, and Antelope

David Klinger, author of Into the Kill Zone: A Cop’s Eye View of Deadly Force, and professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis; Former LAPD patrol officer

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck in the KPCC Studios.; Credit: Lily Mihalik/KPCC

First Lady Michelle Obama invited two LAPD veterans to last night's State of the Union to honor their work in community policing. Captain Phil Tingirides and his wife Sergeant Emada Tingirides are part of a formal program created in 2011 to build partnerships between Watts residents in South LA and the LAPD. After months of "Black Lives Matters" protests, the symbolism of the Tingirides' efforts have taken on new importance. The distrust between some community members and policing is still very real.

Last week, impassioned Angelenos gathered at a forum to learn more and to express concerns over the use of body-worn cameras. How will Chief Beck quell fears over manipulation of camera footage or releasing video to the media? A more pressing issue for Chief Beck is the uptick in violent crime. Statistics released last week show that after more than a decade of decreasing violent crime rates, 2014 saw a 14 percent increase over 2013. Aggravated assaults accounted for most of the jump - and a change in how those assaults are defined in the statistics. There were 260 murders last year (251 murders in 2013) and 924 reported rapes (764 rapes in 2013). What impact has policing had on these violent crimes?

We will also ask about civil asset seizures on the heels of Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement limiting such seizures. Tens of millions of dollars from such seizures were used by the LAPD. What is Chief Beck's reaction to the significant policy change? How will LAPD make up for the cash squeeze? Finally, LA street vendors say LAPD has been confiscating goods without any documentation, and we'll ask Chief Beck's reaction to a Sacramento bill that seeks to change how officer-involved fatalities are investigated. What are your questions for Chief Charlie Beck?

Guest:

Charlie Beck, Chief, Los Angeles Police Department

Eric Byler, Co-founder and President of the Coffee Party, speaks during a protest in front of the U.S. Supreme Court February 23, 2012 in Washington, DC. Activist groups Free Speech For People, the Coffee Party and Common Cause co-hosted the rally to urge the Supreme Court to overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the decision that prohibits the government from putting limits on political spending by corporations and unions. ; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Supreme Court’s decision on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission changed politics in America in drastic ways. The ruling allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amount of money in election campaigns. Opponents fear that the decision would lead to our democracy being eroded by special interest groups and anyone with money, but proponents argue that the decision is being largely misconstrued and that it actually makes for a more democratic electoral system.

Five years after the Supreme Court’s decision, AirTalk revisits the Citizen United ruling and looks at its impact.

Guests:

Amanda Hollis-Brusky, Politics Professors at Pomona College and author of the new book, “Ideas with Consequences: The Federalist Society and the Conservative Counterrevolution” (Oxford University Press, 2015)

Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute and editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review

Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots talks with referee Walt Anderson #66 during the 2015 AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2015 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. ; Credit: Jim Rogash/Getty Images

The New England Patriots allegedly underinflated their footballs during their punishing victory (45-7) over the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday. Suspicions were aroused by D’Quell Jackson, Colts linebacker, when he intercepted a pass made by Tom Brady. The ball wound up in the hands of Mike Kensil, NFL director of football operations who brought it to the attention of on-field officials. All twelve of the Patriot’s balls were inspected. Eleven of them were found to be two pounds short of air.

Scientists say an underinflated football allows for a better grip and an easier catch. On the other hand, a softer ball might prevent it from soaring as far as it can go compared to when fully inflated. But, between the two options, a better grip is the advantage.

Most experts say the squishy ball likely played a small role in the winning performance of the Patriots, but if tampering occurred, rules were broken, and consequences will be had.

What should the consequences be? How much pride can New England take in winning, if foul-play occurred? What is the precedent for these kind of shenanigans?

Guests:

Vincent Bonsignore, sports columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News

Ben Volin, NFL/Patriots writer for The Boston Globe

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Speaker of the House John Boehner as he arrives to deliver the State of the Union speech before members of Congress in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 20, 2015 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Mandel Ngan-Pool/Getty Images

President Obama's state of the union address last night included calls for bipartisanship, but amidst a heavily Democratic wish list. He promoted several proposals he's been introducing over the past couple of weeks - free community college, mandatory sick days and parental leave, higher taxes on capital gains, to name a few. These very Democratic proposals were coupled with calls for bipartisanship. Is there any hope of that less than two years before the next Presidential election?

Guests:

Manu Raju, Senior Congressional Reporter for POLITICO

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist, Rodriguez Strategies; former senior Obama campaign advisor in 2008

Jonathan Wilcox, Republican Strategist; former speechwriter for Governor Pete Wilson

Comedian Kelly Carlin delivers remarks at the George Carlin Way Unveiling Ceremony on October 22, 2014 in New York City. ; Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty Images

In her solo show, Kelly Carlin reveals what life was like as the daughter of icon and iconoclast, comedian George Carlin. It's been seven years since Mr. Carlin passed at age 71. The man never stopped working and performing for legions of fans and, in fact, for the entirety of Kelly's life, her father was a striving, reinventing, and transcending force of American culture. In the 1960s, Mr. Carlin focused on whimsical, Seinfeld-like humor but by the 1970s transformed into a wry social commentator with critiques of American politics, foreign policy, pop culture, science and medicine. At home, life was more comi-tragic. In her February show at Burbank's Falcon Theatre, Kelly speaks candidly about her father's and mother's respective cocaine abuse and alcoholism, and about living a type of counterculture existence in the Pacific Palisades.  What was it like being raised by a man so cutting and cutting edge?

Guest:

Kelly Carlin, Performer of “A Carlin Home Companion: Growing up with George” at Burbank’s Falcon Theatre - Runs February 6th – March 1st; Previews Start January 28th; Falcon Theatre 

This undated photo provided by the Maynard family shows Brittany Maynard, who ended her life on Saturday.; Credit: Maynard Family/AP

A new bill has been introduced this week that lets California doctors prescribe terminally ill patients a lethal dose of medications to end their lives. Similar legislative attempts have failed in the past, most recently in 2006. The new bill, called the End of Life Option Act, is unveiled in the wake of the death of Brittany Maynard, the 29-year-old Californian suffering from brain cancer who relocated to Portland, Ore., to end her life. Her decision helped renew debate over physician assisted suicides nationally.

The California bill is modeled after the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon that was passed in 1997, with two differences. It requires a translator for non-English speakers, and extends legal protections to pharmacists as well as physicians.

Besides Oregon, Vermont and Washington also have euthanasia laws. New Mexico and Montana allow the practice via court rulings, according to the Mercury News. 

Guests:

Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman, (D-Stockton), representing the 13th Assembly District, which includes Stockton, Tracy, and Thornton. She is principal co-author of the bill, and author of last year’s bill on a related subject, AB 2139.

Marilyn Golden, Senior Policy Analyst at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, a civil rights law and policy center with offices in Berkeley, Calif., and D.C.

Panelist Robert Cristo works as a youth organizer with the Youth Justice Coalition while he’s completing his bachelor’s degree at Whittier College. ; Credit: Bill Youngblood

Recent events in Ferguson, Cleveland, Staten Island and here in Los Angeles have polarized the nation and renewed the debate about policing. AirTalk's Larry Mantle asked people on the front lines of the issue – cops who are out on the street every day and the people who live in the communities they police, to join us for an honest look at race relations and community policing, not from the 30,000 foot view, but from individuals confronting these issues everyday. 

Read more about it HERE 

Guests: 

Robert Cristo, a senior at Whittier College where he is completing his bachelors degree in political science and history; he’s also a youth organizer with the Youth Justice Coalition,  an organization that fights inequalities in LA County's juvenile justice system

Jonathan Henderson, student in the Master of Arts in Sociology program at California State University, Dominguez Hills

Lt. Al Labrada, Community Relations Section, Office of the Chief of Police, LAPD, spent 4 years as the Senior Lead Officer in Watts

Chief Robert Luna, Chief of Long Beach Police Department

Francisco Ortega, Senior Policy Analyst, City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission

Rafer Owens, Sheriff’s Deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, stationed in Compton

(L-R) Producers Ido Ostrowsky, Nora Grossman and Teddy Schwarzman attend the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 11, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. ; Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

World War II historical fiction sells well in Hollywood, but an independent film about a code-breaking mathematician with a personal secret takes real production prowess to become one of the biggest films of the year. Producer Nora Grossman optioned the popular screenplay about Alan Turing, and producer Teddy Schwarzman came on later to help shepherd the complex story - including bringing Turing's surviving relatives on set and to the final-cut screening with baited breath.

Producers of The Imitation Game talk about Hollywood hustleGrossman's Oscar nomination in the Best Picture category makes her one of the rare females at the top of the Academy nods this year. Women are more represented in producer ranks than other above-the-line credits, still the Producers Guild of America is ramping up the Woman's Impact Network to help more talent such as Grossman. What did you think of The Imitation Game?

Guests:

Nora Grossman, Oscar-nominated Producer of “The Imitation Game” - nominated for 8 Academy Awards; Nominated for The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures by the Producers Guild of America.

Teddy Schwarzman, Oscar-nominated Producer of “The Imitation Game” - nominated for 8 Academy Awards; Nominated for The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures by the Producers Guild of America.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) listens to U.S. President Barack Obama deliver the State of the Union address on January 20, 2015 in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

While not illegal, the recent invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by Speaker of the House John Boehner to address a joint session of Congress without White House approval just days after the President’s State of the Union speech has sparked controversy. Whereas typically state leaders try to avoid embroiling themselves in the domestic politics of the countries they visit by coordinating with other leaders, Boehner reached out to Israel’s ambassador to pass along the invitation. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has called it a “departure from [the] protocol,” although the administration has said that the President will not meet with Netanyahu during his visit.

The invitation is particularly poignant after the President’s call in the State of the Union for Congress to delay consideration of additional sanctions against Iran while nuclear talks continue. The talks have already been extended twice, and the administration believes that any ramping up of sanctions could have a destabilizing effect on negotiations. Republicans accuse President Obama of having started this tit-for-tat politics as news broke Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom had called several U.S. Senators to ask them on holding off on a sanctions vote.

So far, the administration seems wary of drawing Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu into a domestic fight even as they push for a nuclear deal with Iran. But Netanyahu’s address to Congress is expected to be one that pushes against any potential deal with Iran, which could make domestic support to sign off on any deal, if one does emerge from the talks,  quite tenuous.

Regardless of the short-term politics of “who started it,” Washington may be moving back towards partisan gridlock just days after Obama declared, “The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of our Union is strong.”

Did Speaker Boehner disrespect the President by inviting a foreign leader without consulting the White House? Will Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress have an impact on a potential nuclear deal with Iran?

Guests:

Laura Rozen, Middle East foreign policy reporter covering for Al-Monitor.com in D.C., has been covering Iran nuclear talks

Michael Crowley, senior foreign affairs correspondent for POLITICO

Eleanor Roosevelt High School graduates in Corona, CA.; Credit: Crystal Marie Lopez/Flickr

After success in Arizona, civics education advocates are looking to push through a requirement in California that public school students pass an exam based on one given for U.S. citizenship.

“We hope to get out to California maybe in the next year or two and start working with citizens, legislators, teachers there, and see if we can’t make this happen in California as well,” said Sam Stone, Civics Education Initiative executive director.

Stone said his group cheered when Arizona lawmakers and the governor approved a new law requiring public school students to pass a civics test to graduate, one based on questions given by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to immigrants seeking citizenship.

Federal officials asks individuals 10 questions orally and require six correct answers. The Arizona law requires students to pass 60 out of 100 questions from the test.
Should California consider adopting the same requirement?

Read the full story HERE

Guests:

Brent Heath, a recently retired social studies teacher for 39 years from the Ontario-Montclair School District

Michelle Herczog, President, National Council for the Social Studies, an association devoted solely to social studies education

Jennifer Aniston in a scene from the movie, 'Cake.' ; Credit: http://cakemovie.net/

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Charles Solomon, Wade Major, and Henry Sheehan review this week’s releases, including ‘Goodbye to Language,’ ‘Cake,’ ‘Mortdecai’ and more. TGI-Filmweek!

Guests:

Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com

Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC and Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine

An Egyptian woman walks past graffiti reading 'Revolution' outside the American University, off Tahrir Square in Cairo on December 21, 2011. Egyptians trickled into polling stationsin the run-off of a staggered election marred by clashes between protesters and security forces that have left 14 people dead in five days. ; Credit: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images

A Jordanian statesmen who spent his diplomatic career bridging (Middle) east and west believes the Arab Spring lies in tatters on its fourth anniversary because it failed to make a case for pluralism in Egypt, Yemen and across the Arab world. Marwan Muasher, who opened Jordan’s first embassy in Israel in 1995, compares the first “Arab Awakening” in the early 20th century with the recent revolutions in his new book, “The Second Arab Awakening: And the Battle for Pluralism.”

Intellectual, pan-Arabists of the late 1800s struggled against Ottoman then colonial rule. The independent states that succeeded with secular rule focused intently on winning independence for all Arab nations, especially the Palestinians, to their own detriment, Muasher argues. Losing the 1967 war shattered pan-Arab aspirations and left a vacuum. Since then, due to internal and external forces, political Islam rose, yet as with many of the secular leaders, it has failed to be a solution to everyday problems facing many Arabs: weak economies, high unemployment and a dearth of law and order.

What is the future of Egypt under the new strongman, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi? On the Arabian peninsula, what comes next after this week’s ultimate coup d’etat in Yemen? What will the death of Saudi’s King Abdullah and falling oil prices mean for Saudi Arabia?  

Guest:

Marwan Muasher, formerly Jordan’s foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) and Ambassador to the U.S., Vice President for Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Author, “The Second Arab Awakening: And the Battle for Pluralism”

Sundance Institute Founder and President Robert Redford speaks at the Day 1 Press Conference during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2011 in Park City, Utah.; Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty Images

The laughter at Sundance usually is reserved for the parties not the movie screenings, but this year’s slate at the earnest, indie film fest includes some promising comedies on the big screen. Still, the Fest would not be complete without tales of sexual abuse, prison experiments and an investigation into Scientology.

Last night, Sundance founder Robert Redford kicked off the event. He spoke about the art and the business of filmmaking, and called the business of movie distribution “weird.” “What's in distributors' minds? What moves them? What galvanizes them? I don't know," said Redford.

What films and trends are you keen to hear about from Sundance?

Guest:

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA today

Anti-abortion advocates stage a 'die-in' protest at Lafayette Square near the White House January 21, 2015 in Washington, DC. In a written statement on Tuesday, the Obama administration denounced a GOP-backed bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks and suggested the President would veto H. R. 36 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act if the bill reached his desk. ; Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday forbidding the use of any federal money for abortions, in lieu of a proposal that would ban so-called "late-term" abortions. That version was considered too extreme by moderate Republicans, and was pulled from consideration at the last minute. The Thursday vote was held on the 42nd anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, and thousands of anti-abortion rights activists were at the National Mall for the annual "March for Life" rally.

The bill passed yesterday on a 242-179 vote, and it re-upped what was passed by the last Congress. The President promised he will veto the bill.

Its chance of survival notwithstanding, the vote is an indication that the Republican Party, now with a majority in both chambers, is redrawing the political battle lines in the remainder of President Obama’s term. Should the party stake the centerpiece of its agenda on the issue of abortion? Would it backfire? Does the muscle flexing of Republican women here forecast an increasing voice for them?

Guests:

Lisa Mascaro, Congressional Reporter at the Los Angeles Times whose latest piece is on the abortion bill and its political implications for the Republicans

Katie Packer Gage, founding Partner of WWP Strategies, a political consulting and issue management firm based in Washington, DC. In 2012, she served as Deputy Campaign Manager of the Romney Presidential Campaign