Let's Find Common Ground

CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join political experts Brooke Armour, Christian Grose, and Mike Madrid for a discussion on the initiatives heading to California voters this November. They discuss how direct ballot measures are a dominate feature of California elections, and break down the pros, cons, and context behind the initiatives, who is funding them, and what their passage would actually mean for Californians.
 
Featuring:
- Brooke Armour: Executive Vice President, California Business Roundtable
- Christian Grose: Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC
- Mike Madrid: Former Political Director, California Republican Party; Co-Founder, The Lincoln Project; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife
- Mike Murphy: Co-Director, USC Center for the Political Future
We are immensely grateful to Jeff and Sue White for making this and other programming possible, and for contributing their insights as well as their constant support of the Center.

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins Fred Ryan, Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation's Center on Civility and Democracy, for a discussion on the state of American political discourse. They discuss presidential leadership and the role of civility in American democracy.
 
Featuring:
- Fred Ryan: Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation's Center on Civility and Democracy, Chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, Co-Founder of Politico, former Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan
- Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins education experts Amy McIntosh, Pedro Noguera, and Marshall Tuck for a discussion on the state of American education. They discuss which education reforms are working, and which ones are not, the state of our K-12 education, charter schools, and public education spending. This conversation is part of CPF's Jeff and Sue White Dialogue Series.
 
Featuring:
- Amy McIntosh: Former Assistant Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Pedro Noguera: Dean, USC Rossier School of Education
- Marshall Tuck: CEO, EdVoice; Former CEO, Partnership for Los Angeles Schools; Former President, Green Dot Public Schools
- Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife
We are immensely grateful to Jeff and Sue White for making this and other programming possible, and for contributing their insights as well as their constant support of the Center.

CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join Fall 2026 CPF Fellows, Michael Donilon, Julianna Goldman, Mike Madrid, Amy McIntosh, Claudine Schneider, and Jeffrey Toobin, for a discussion on the current state of politics today. They discuss the 2026 midterms, the Trump Administration's impact on the upcoming elections, and how the Democrats and Republicans are approaching the midterms. The conversation also explores the Fellows' study groups and their wide-ranging careers in politics and public service.
 
Featuring:
- Mike Donilon: Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Julianna Goldman: Former White House Correspondent, Bloomberg & CBS News; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Mike Madrid: Former Political Director, California Republican Party; Co-Founder, The Lincoln Project; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Amy McIntosh: Former Assistant Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Claudine Schneider: Former U.S. Representative (R-Rhode Island); Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Jeffrey Toobin: Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times; Bestselling Author of The Nine and The Run of His Life; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife
- Mike Murphy: Co-Director, USC Center for the Political Future

CPF Director Bob Shrum talks with former U.S. Representative Claudine Schneider (R-RI) about climate policy under the Trump administration and how Democrats and Republicans can cooperate on climate change issues. This conversation is part of CPF's "Climate Forward 2026" conference in partnership with the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability.
 
Featuring:
- Claudine Schneider: Former U.S. Representative (R-RI)
- Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife