Earlier this month, Disney reached a settlement with President-elect Donald Trump’s defamation case against ABC News. ABC News will pay $15 million to Trump after anchor George Stephanopolous made an on air claim that Trump had been found civilly liable for rape. Trump was in actuality, found liable for sexual abuse. Shortly after, Trump also sued a local Iowa newspaper and pollster Ann Selzer for reporting Kamala Harris had a large lead in the days leading up to the election. Trump’s back to back lawsuits raise concern over free press under his second term administration. Could these cases open the door for more lawsuits against media in the future?

With 2025 right around the corner, the Left, Right, and Center panel takes a retrospective at the biggest stories of 2024. Believe it or not, there was an election in November! The electorate swung right. There are drones over New Jersey. The divisions between the elites and working class grew larger. Governments across the globe turned against incumbents. What’s on the horizon for 2025?

As an end-of-the year treat, the panel opens up the podcast floor for listener questions. David, Mo, and Sarah answer your burning questions about what 2025 might politically have in store. Plus, David confesses his musical adoration for a soft rock superstar.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spent this week on Capitol Hill in hopes of securing the necessary Senate votes to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. As Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” platforms gain popularity, senators and health experts raise concerns over Kennedy’s stances against vaccines and certain public health policies.

As President-elect Donald Trump continues to flesh out his second term vision, immigration reform remains one of the biggest policies on his agenda. Trump won historically Democratic districts along the border and made large strides with Latino voters in the last election. Recently on Meet the Press, Trump expressed an openness to working across the aisle on deportations and family separations. It’s a more common sense approach compared to his rhetoric on the campaign trail. It’s also much more in line with how voters feel about immigration. In an article for The Atlantic, journalist Rogé Karma attributed the Democrats’ loss to their miscalculations about the Latino vote. Will Trump turn the electorate’s support for immigration reform into actionable policy?

While Democrats continue to analyze their election missteps with immigration, the Left, Right, and Center panel looks at how progressive activism might have contributed to their loss. In his essay “How Gay Marriage Ruined Democratic Activism,” writer Jeremiah Johnson posits that Democrats learned all the wrong lessons from progressives. How true is that? Did moral absolutism cost Democrats the White House?

Bashar al-Assad’s reign over Syria ended this week after 13 years of contentious civil war. Rebel forces captured the capital city of Damascus, freed prisoners from detention facilities, and ousted Assad from his palace. As Syrian citizens celebrate the end of Assad’s regime, President Biden has reaffirmed the need for a “Syrian-led” political transition. What’s next for Syria? Should the United States get involved to uphold international democracy?

Political violence struck in New York City last week when a gunman killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Police identified the suspect as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. Americans across the political spectrum, many of whom are upset about the state of health care in the U.S., have shared support for the shooter’s actions. Their anger isn’t new, but have these frustrations crossed a line?

As the NFL ramps up for its two Christmas Day marquee games, the Left, Right, and Center panel examines how modern sports culture mirrors politics. Both fields evoke a strong personal connection. Are sports as much of an identity as politics? Plus, how has gambling, ever more popular, affect the way we watch?