Podcast / See How They Run / Sep 7, 2024

What Makes Arizona Tick

On this episode of See How They Run, Sasha Abramsky and Amy Littlefield on the chaotic, complicated, high-drama prize of the Southwest.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

What Makes Arizona Tick | See How They Run
byThe Nation Magazine

On this episode of See How They Run, DD Guttenplan is joined by Sasha Abramsky and Amy Littlefield to discuss the chaotic, complicated, high-drama prize of the Southwest.

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Kamala Harris and Tim Walz smiling and raising their hands at a rally.

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, his wife former Rep. Gabby Giffords, Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, stand together on stage a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena on August 9, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.

(Photo by Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)

On this episode of See How They Run, we’re continuing our series of deep dives into the swing states that will decide the presidential election. Today, we’ve moved southwest to Arizona, a state that had been slipping away from Democrats under Joe Biden but has moved back into contention under Kamala Harris. How she does there will be a crucial test of her ability to navigate some of the trickiest issues in American politics—from immigration to abortion to plain old MAGA hysteria. Throw in a blockbuster Senate race and a robust election-denial movement and you have a recipe for fireworks.

We’ll be speaking with Amy Littlefield, The Nation’s abortion access correspondent, about Arizona’s upcoming referendum on abortion, and with Sasha Abramsky, The Nation’s Left Coast correspondent and the author of the new book Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America. Sasha’s recent story, “Will Arizona Be MAGA’s Last Stand?” led our July issue.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Stinking and Miserable: Clio Chang on Cheryl Strayed’s Wild | Reading Writers
byThe Nation Magazine

In a scandalous rejection of holiday spirit, Jo and Charlotte reflect on the dark, elegant pleasures of Gabrielle Wittkopf’s The Necrophiliac alongside contemporary novel conventions as deployed in Rebecca Novack’s Murder Bimbo. The hosts are then joined by dear friend Clio Chang, who outlines the timeless, charming, annoying allure of Cheryl Strayed’s hit memoir Wild (2012).

Also discussed in this episode: Charlotte Roche’s Wetlands, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, and Lillian Fishman’s Acts of Service.  

Clio Chang is a staff writer at Curbed who can do three pullups. 

Please consider supporting our work on Patreon, where you can access additional materials and send us your guest (and book!) coverage requests. Questions and kind comments can be directed to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com. 

Charlotte Shane’s most recent book is An Honest Woman. Her essay newsletter, Meant For You, can be subscribed to or read online for free. Her social media handle is @charoshane.  

Jo Livingstone is a writer who teaches at Pratt Institute. 

To support the show, navigate to https://www.patreon.com/ReadingWriters

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D.D. Guttenplan

D.D. Guttenplan is a special correspondent for The Nation and the host of The Nation Podcast. He served as editor of the magazine from 2019 to 2025 and, prior to that, as an editor at large and London correspondent. His books include American Radical: The Life and Times of I.F. Stone, The Nation: A Biography, and The Next Republic: The Rise of a New Radical Majority.

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