How will Biden administration handle Facebook
Facebook under Mark Zuckerberg has spent plenty of time on Capitol Hill in recent years, but his squabbles with the federal government may just be beginning. People close to the incoming Biden administration believe the President-elect may choose a harder line approach with the tech giant, even as the feds are seeking to break up the company. Politico technology reporter Steven Overly joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain.
COVID relief battle in the Senate now
While President Trump dragged his heels in signing a COVID-19 relief package, his demand for 2,000 dollar relief checks was taken up by an unlikely ally: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. With the House passing that additional aid, the fate lies in the hands of the U.S. Senate and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. So does it stand a chance of passing? Business Insider senior Washington correspondent Dave Levinthal joined Jim on The Final 5 to talk about what could tip the scales, and how the political calculus includes next week’s Senate runoffs in Georgia that will effectively decide control of the chamber.
Celebrating Christmas with Capri Cafaro
In honor of Jim’s last The Final 5 before Christmas, friend of the show, former Ohio senator and author of the cookbook 'United We Eat,' joins in from her kitchen to offer up some last minute baking and gift ideas.
What will the GOP look like after Biden becomes POTUS?
Even as President Trump vows to fight Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, there’s speculation over what a post-Trump Republican Party will look like. On The Final 5, former RNC chair and former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele weighs in on what the party does next, whether President Trump will run again, and what it means for a party bench for 2024 that could potentially include current Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.
More states legalize weed; who’s next?
Measures to approve marijuana across the country, both medicinal and recreational, are winning at the ballot box across the country. Now, 15 states (and the District of Columbia) allow for various levels of pot possession. As Virginia ponders legalization, leaders in another commonwealth are trying to push for the cause. Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) joined Jim to explain why he’s taken up the cause, and why he believes President Trump missed a golden opportunity to jump on the bandwagon.
Russian hackers suspected in cyberattack on U.S. systems
Kremlin-backed hackers are believed to be behind a series of security breaches on federal computer systems over the weekend. This wouldn’t be the first time Russia is suspected in cyberattacks against U.S. interests, even though Moscow denies the allegations. Jamil Jaffer from the National Security Institute at George Mason University joined Jim Lokay on The Final 5 to explain why the attacks have the hallmarks of a Russian-backed attack, and what could happen next.
Georgia Senate races attract national attention
Control of the U.S. Senate rest in the hands of Georgia voters when they head to the polls in early January for a pair of runoff elections, both involving incumbent Republicans facing upstart Democrats. Republican supporter and Canary LLC CEO Dan Eberhart joined Jim on The Final 5 to break down what the stakes are, and how Republican efforts to overturn the presidential election may factor in to the runoffs.
House votes to decriminalize marijuana on federal level
On Friday, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives took the unprecedented step of voting to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level for the first time in history. The so-called MORE Act faces almost certain defeat in the Republican-controlled Senate, but what could change the equation? Young Voices senior contributor Dan King joined Jim to break down the bill, the politics of weed, and why it’s not strictly a party-line issue.
What does Trump’s election claims mean for country, party?
President Trump delivered a rambling, 46-minute diatribe on social media today, doubling down on his claims that the 2020 election was rigged – even as his own Department of Justice and several judges have dismissed his legal team’s efforts, both left and right. Former GOP policy chair and 2016 presidential candidate Evan McMullin, now head of the group Stand Up America, joined Jim on The Final 5 to lay out why he believes the President’s actions are harmful in the long run, for both the country, and the Republican Party.
Convincing public to get COVID vaccine could be tall order
With emergency approval of a COVID-19 vaccine perhaps weeks away, the focus now turns to convincing Americans to get one. 'Project Warp Speed' became a hot topic during the presidential campaign, with Democrats casting doubt on the efficacy of a vaccine under a rushed timeline, while President Trump accused drug makers of suppressing the announcements of vaccine breakthroughs until after the election to hurt his re-election chances. Dr. Joel Zinberg, M.D. from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, weighed in on the challenges ahead when it comes to vaccinating a wary public.
Learning from the past to report the present and the future
As the old saying goes, 'Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.' So how can journalists, tasked with reporting the present, learn from the past? Curiosity of American history and politics led one reporter to embark on his own endeavor, a podcast that delves into the confluence of history and journalism. Evan Axelbank, a reporter at our Fox sister station in Tampa, joined Jim on The Final 5 to talk about why it was important to pursue, and how a new crop of presidential memoirs will paint a picture of our country for future generations. (MORE: @axelbankhistory on Twitter.)
Now that Biden transition is underway, what’s next?
The G.S.A. authorized the transition process to begin for President-elect Joe Biden, even as President Trump maintains he was the victor of the election. Now, as Biden builds out his team, the focus is on bridging a treacherous political divide. Political analyst Cristina Antelo joined Jim on The Final 5 to consider how the new administration will forge ahead.
America’s shifting attitudes on drug policy
Dozens of states, as well as D.C., have decriminalized or outright legalized marijuana. But earlier this month, Oregon voters took the drastic step of decriminalizing small amounts of all drugs, and that’s creating an entirely new conversation on how states deal with the criminal records that come with past convictions. Fiona Harrigan from Young Voices joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain what may account for the changing tides, and how they’re navigating the changes even as the federal government remains steadfastly opposed to legalization measures.
Former GOP Rep: Biden may have luck with split Congress
As President-elect Joe Biden plans for his transition, regardless of President Trump's legal maneuverings to reverse the results of the election, Capitol Hill will look much different in January: Democrats will hold the House in in the new Congress, albeit with a slimmer majority. Republicans have 50 Senate seats locked up, meaning they'll maintain control unless Democrats sweep both January runoff elections in Georgia. Still, former Republican Rep. Bob Inglis, who served six terms representing part of South Carolina, thinks a split Congress could still better bargain with the incoming Biden administration. He joined Jim on The Final 5 to look at where both sides might be able to compromise.
Women of both parties make history
Kamala Harris will make history by becoming the country’s first female Vice President, but Election Day also swept a record number of women into Congress — including a record-setting number of Republican women. Amanda Hunter from the Barbara Lee Family Foundation joined Jim on the Final 5 to break down what it all means for progress and equality, as well as the unorthodox employment situations of the future First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, and Second Gentleman-to-be, Doug Emhoff.
Veterans and 'The Talent War'
For Americans returning from active duty, they’re often left without a career blueprint to follow. A former Navy SEAL is parlaying his experience into showing off how business leaders can learn from U.S. Special Operations Forces. Mike Sarraille, co-author of the Amazon bestseller “The Talent War: How Special Operations and Great Organizations Win on Talent, joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain how he’s using his expertise to encourage veterans to adapt and succeed after their service.
Biden’s priorities, and can he sway wary Republicans?
With 72 days until Joe Biden takes the oath of office as the nation’s 46th Commander-in-Chief, there are numerous obstacles to face, including the 45th Commander-in-Chief, who shows no willingness to accept the results of last week’s election. With Biden vowing unity, can he find willing allies on the other side of the aisle to push ahead with a bipartisan agenda? Democratic strategist Kevin Walling joined Jim to talk about what’s next on The Final 5.
The final votes are still being counted, but the end appears to be near
Several key states are still counting votes, but it appears America will soon learn who the next president will be. Democratic strategist Cristina Antelo and Alliance for Market Solutions Alex Flint talk about how we arrived at this moment – and what we might expect going forward.
Final maneuvers for Trump, Biden on Election Eve
After a campaign that started shortly after the midterms, the race between President Trump and Joe Biden is in the hands of voters, at least the ones who haven’t cast their ballots yet! Kevin Walling and Joe Pinion join Jim on the Final 5 to break down the final day of the 2020 campaign, and what surprises could be in store during a contentious ballot count.
What is driving voters, and should we believe the polls
On the eve of the final day of campaigning ahead of the 2020 election, what will drive voters, and as the polls tighten, will America’s pollsters see a major failure as they did in 2016? Ameshia Cross and Dr. Melanie Burkholder joined Jim on The Final 5 to look at the race and talk about what we can expect between now and Tuesday.