Yes another campaign just kicking off the race for an open seat on the l.a. Unified School Board. Reports 17 candidates have filed to run in the March special election they hope to replace rough ride righ as who resigned amid a campaign finance scandal there's an old guard versus new blood dynamic in the candidate pool 2 former school board members are running Jackie Goldberg who served back in the eighty's and Bennett Kaiser who lost to Rodriguez in 20153 current elected officials are running to city councilman from Bell Fidencio guy Ardo and Nestor in Reeky Valencia and Huntington Park councilwoman Graziella Ortiz 10 candidates are current or former educators including charter school administrator Allison Bosher Chara also in the race Heather rapping a former aide to l.a. Mayor Gar SETI the candidates have until December 5th to get the signatures they need to qualify for the ballot covering education I'm Kyle Sox I'm happy Lin her days k.p.c. See news support for n.p.r. Comes from little passports a monthly subscription service for kids each package includes games souvenirs and activities from a new country designed to spark curiosity and cultures around the globe at little passports dot com slash radio. Good morning everybody hope you had a great weekend my name's John Raby I'm sitting in for Larry Mandel on air talk today here on 89.3 k p c c Before we go any further I want to thank the thousands of you who helped us raise more than a $1000000.00 in the fall fund drive we put it off and we put it off we had to cut out a half to fund raising to cover the fires we had a surprise challenge at the very end and you guys came through you helped us do it you helped to raise again more than a $1000000.00 to thank you to all of you it's really really gratifying especially as we go into Thanksgiving to have something so big to be thankful for so thanks for your support and if you forgot you can still give a k.p.c. See dot org So thanks for that hope you're ready for the holidays we have a couple segments coming up about Thanksgiving you know how it's basically like a law somehow in Southern California that you have to go to the Huntington with your in-laws when they come in from out of town Charles Phoenix is going to join us and we're going to have like at least 10 suggestions about other places you can take your out of town relatives and then the 2nd hour you know there are so many beautiful diverse different ethnicities and races and cultures in Southern California and everybody's got a different take on Thanksgiving we're going to explore that in the 2nd hour and I want to hear from you so that's all coming up on this edition of air talk this is Monday and so it's the day that we do our political roundtable and I'm joined by Matt Rodriguez in the studio are you very good and great weekend for his little money Matt is a Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez strategies and he was in the Obama administration and we're on the line with Lani Chen Highland Hi How are you I'm very good good to meet you on the on the radio yesterday with you Loni Chan's a research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford he was an adviser for Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign. He served as policy director for the Romney Ryan 2012 presidential campaign and like to welcome you both we're going to be taking your calls too but I want to jump in with a little bit of reaction to the story we just heard from National Public Radio Democratic senators suing over Matt Whitaker's appointment as acting u.s. Attorney general let's start with you Lanny is this going to go anywhere. I mean probably not the reality is this is an effort to raise awareness of the sort of Democratic messaging regarding Whitaker and and who he is but you know look more broadly I think there are some serious questions about the leadership of the Justice Department going forward and you know I the choice of Whitaker I think was puzzling to a lot of people given that there are probably a number of other people who could have stepped in a bully and well for Jeff Sessions and obviously the big implication the big question is how Whitaker's past commentary particularly with respect to the Moller investigation will impact that so I don't think that the lawsuit in particular is. A vehicle that will result in a whole lot of change I think more likely than not it's a venue and an ability creates an ability for Democrats to raise questions about Whitaker's role in any potential. Malfeasance or or malfeasance might be too strong but any potential shenanigans there might be with respect to the miller investigation going forward that what you think yeah I agree you know the bottom line is the more investigations been quiet for a few months and some of that while there was a political decision on the Mall a team's part of that they're still in the active you know fact finding phase we don't know but they didn't do a lot of on the midterms they didn't inject themselves into that political atmosphere we're past the midterms now or in the middle of the jockeying between who's going to be leader and what's going to happen in the new Congress and what policy priorities they're going to push but there's also been this sort of sort of Damocles hanging over the White House's head which is what is going to come with is there something more and the Justice Department ever since just session was. Was appointed has been a circus from the beginning and this sort of just continues that what's going to happen when it Gregory lying I don't think the last lesson I go are all out far but this really is about saying Ok here's what we've got to get the Muller probe coming and both sides are starting to dig in the Democrats trying to say we need to protect them all or they're obviously going to fund whatever comes out in the report is some of it's favorable and to their side and you have Republicans starting to line up to determine in some ways us credit if there's any kind of attack on the president so I think what you have here is both sides starting to line their ducks up Democrats feel newly empowered and so they're going to push and going to push hard on us what are our groups also strange choice and they skipped over Rod Rosenstein with the deputy they've he's had some issues back and forth with the White House a bit Whitaker was a chief of staff for sessions and so he and then Trump had talked about how much he liked and then he said well when all these other items came out about how. Whitaker thought they should indict Hillary Clinton written an op ed for this he also said her mother should be wound down and then Trump immediately said well I have no idea I don't know this guy well at all I don't know much about him well who knows and I misspoke by the way you worked on the Obama campaign you were not in the administrator I did work in the campaign right there's and there's a difference there so and this is this is for both the a tuna. Whitaker having political opinions there and correct me if I'm wrong I'm not an expert in politics but like judges are supposed to be above having opinions and they're not supposed to be out there with their opinions but Jeff Sessions had plenty of opinions there were known before he became so that kind of me seems to be like a red herring Oh he's he's got opinions about the mall or the mall or investigation so he's he's automatically not qualified you know because of that just doesn't that's never made sense to me you know I mean I think we may as you mentioned I think everyone sort of lining up to say you know this guy look this guy ran for the Senate he ran against Joni Ernst he lost you in the primary he was a u.s. Attorney back in Iowa which is where he's from so know a lot of the community in politics political opinions you pick a side that's typically what you do here and there are people in the Supreme Court of pesticides they might have worked on progressive causes or conservative causes So I agree with you. But we're balancing the mess we're in a messaging battle we're trying to they're trying to line up how do we get our side out there how do we poison the other side and both sides are kind of jockeying to Gonna get whatever high ground is going to come out of the challenges no one knows what Miller's going to do so a lot of this is just jockeying around what they don't know yet and they're trying to just line their their chess pieces up so when that eventuality comes they're ready to battle between each other but we don't know what that's going to look like as no one really does. Any thoughts on that no I mean I think that's right to a couple of issues I mean 1st of all it isn't unusual for political appointees to have expressed a point of view on any number of different issues the question is. You know whether because there were opinions that were expressed directly on point to the issue to sure whether in fact the White House could have avoided this by going with someone else who had made the same comments on point so a perfect example would be the guy who is the solicitor general of the United States now going to know Francisco very well regarded conservative attorney. I've known him for many years he's someone who has a sterling reputation in legal circles you know someone like him I'm quite certain he hasn't been out there making public pronouncements regarding the mother investigation of probably many other issues of the day would the White House have been better off going with someone who had not made those kinds of on point comments on on really what is a very very charged issue and the question then becomes you know what were the priorities of the White House in picking Whitaker as the acting a.g. Maybe the fact that he's the acting a.g. Suggests that they have a different pick for someone who would take take a more more permanent role but fundamentally. The investigation is at a point now where we're poised potentially to have a reporter have more of an outcome here soon I think they did the right thing by staying out of the midterm cycle I think that was a very savvy and smart move by Muller and his teen The question now becomes one of they haven't when we're going to see it because for all the pontificating around Washington and around the country no one actually knows what Bob Mueller has no one actually knows the dick stand of the investigation where he's at and who else is left to be interviewed obviously the president has some questions that he's chosen to answer in written form which is unusual in and of itself but that is certainly one more shoe that's left to drop before we have any finale on the investigation the Monday politics roundtable here talk on John. Raby sitting in for Larry mail he will be back tomorrow I'd love to put a question out to our listeners and that is assuming that Nancy Pelosi becomes the next speaker of the house what kind of a job do you think she can do what's your analysis of Palosi as speaker call us up 866-893-5722 that's 866-893-5722 let us know what kind of a job you think she could do and now let me let me turn to you guys. First of all does Nancy Pelosi even have the votes to be speaker she doesn't right now because if she did she would have looked through would have announced it she's close the challenge that she has is you have a lot of Democratic some incumbents and some challengers who won as a big Democratic year and a fair and a fair amount of them so they would not vote for her and they did that you know they always talk about running district by district and they ran what they felt would be important and helpful in their district saying we're not going to go for Nancy Pelosi she's got relatively low approval ratings around the country so she can be a bit of a burden to some candidates at least that's been the spin that flip side as they won 38 seats and potentially more and Democrats won by about 7 points nationally so I think there's no other obvious candidate other than Palosi right now I think most of this is just shocking I think if you were to put your money on she's going to become the speaker they're going to figure they're going to try to figure out a do they have enough votes and they've got to find a way to protect some of these members to maybe take an abstention vote but you can't beat somebody with nothing and so that's the challenge that the. That the opponents have right now I think what the opponents are trying to do is get enough votes to block her speakership and once that happens if they can announce that in some form then it sort of resets the game and says Ok she's not really get to speak or we have to find a new candidate now I don't tend to think it's probably not going to work but it's when these things take time to fall apart they go quickly so I think you had to bet your money she's going to win but there is you know there's some real opposition to her and she has a numerical battle she's going to need to fight to get to enough votes to force. A victory on the floor final pieces you've got Trump kind of out there talking about how he would might provider some votes and he really wants or so to say that we're heading into the silly season here a little bit so are you know this is a is a is that just a religion that I'm not sure even what he wants does he want or as I think he wants or because she's such a lightning rod I think it's sort of the rise of a lot of a Ted Kennedy was for a long time it's funny you know plough see is an enormously effective and historic figure not just because he was the 1st female speaker but there is no a barrier to talk about Obamacare there is no Obamacare without Nancy Pelosi she's she's one she knows it's the greatest fundraiser Democrats have ever but she's also incredibly unlike. A lot of Ted Kennedy was like that for a long time if you worked in the Senate Republican or Democrat they wanted to work with Ted Kennedy behind the scenes he was a great legislator he knew how to get things done not up front and then they would go back to their districts and talk about how he was horrible and were going to alternative Ted Kennedy's in his room in the country and polos there's an element of that with Palosi as well you know I mean he has been a remarkably effective leader for Democrats over the years I mean cheap you know to the to the point that was just made you know you wouldn't have Obamacare you wouldn't have done it Frank you wouldn't have all of these legislative accomplishments from the Obama years had it not been for Nancy Pelosi and we talk a lot about the dissonance on the right obviously the left is no cakewalk in terms of trying to get all of these different groups to work together and I think Palosi is done it well with a combination of a personal touch and understanding what her members have needed at various points and she's also had enough savvy to understand that politically sometimes you have to give your members some space and distance from yourself and I fully expect that she's someone who won't hold a grudge you know in terms of people who campaigned against her she fully understands that dynamic and needing to do that to win in certain districts now in terms of going forward I think the challenge the Democrats have is this they want to present themselves as the party of new thinking as a party of an alternative to Donald Trump it's hard to do that when you've got the same old leaders in the same already and. This is the challenge with with Palosi continuing but without a doubt she is the most effective leader for the Democratic Party in Congress at this time we had a call off air from James in Redondo Beach he says regarding Palosi I don't think she'll be able to get much done besides fund raising for the Democratic Party should get major donations but I don't think she'll help much with policy if you have thoughts on this give us a call 866893572286689357 to 2 before we leave Palosi Is there somebody I don't know Adam Schiff has been very very very very present. He left polarizing you know he's going to be kind of busy though yeah I think his role is pretty cast in terms of he's going to trump antagonist all the way through the challenge with with going after Palosi this happens with all leadership fights it's not a Democratic or a Democrat or Republican issue is that how far out there do you want to stop because if you step out there and you don't win and the chances are you're not going to win your career could be irrevocably damaged you're talking about committee assignments are talking about budget for your office your time to take you on there's a dot in office and Rayburn some are a bit of a bathroom somewhere in the boiler room and next to the ice machine Yeah and that really matters and so I think that what a lot of what you're seeing everyone's talk about this from a high like level point of view of this issue too polarizing or what's the Democrat are going to win or lose but a lot of this is just that she and Stanley Hoyer number 2 and James Clyburn they're they're almost 80 they've been there a lot they've had a lock on power for a long time and there's just a lot of frustration because everybody who wins for Congress has some ambition there in vicious people and they're just sitting around year after year after year waiting for a leadership position to open up and that's a big deal in those individuals career paths and it just does not happen and it's still not happening and I think I think she's going to get the speakership and I do think she's going to have to have some exit strategy or some. Expansion of the caucus and some form to start making way for members because people who are in their thirty's and forty's are just not going to say well I'll just sit here until I turn 50 and 60 and I'm going to wait for everybody and I think that is as much of a. As it is these macro political elements that people are talking about Lani I want to get your reaction to and its ideas for people who might who might fill her shoes if she doesn't come through but we do have to take a break and we've got some calls on the line to want to weigh in on this give us a call 86681357228668935722 and this is there talk here on 89.3 k.p.c. . Next time on the New York Radio Hour the story of the florist twins star witnesses in the trial of the drug lord known as El Chapo I would say that once they decided to cooperate they became as good a cooperators as they had been drug traffickers when they were on the other shot what it takes to put a cartel boss in prison that's next time on the New York to. Join us tonight at $989.00 k. P.c.c. . Support for the California report comes from California in town working to achieve health and justice for all learned more account in town dot org. K.p.c. Supporters include the Netflix Original film Roma from Academy Award winning director Alfonso clone limited theatrical engagement starts November 21st and on Netflix December 14th. Hi everybody we're back on our talk I'm John Raby sitting in for Larry Mandel a lot of you did you have any ideas on who might replace Pelosi if she doesn't manage to get those votes yeah I mean look there are a number of names that are out there I'm not sure that any of them are necessarily credible you know people have talked about Hakeem Jeffries for example who's a relatively more liberal member from Brooklyn. You know the sheriff we've talked about already a couple of people that are going to potentially also part of the more progressive wing of the party but they all suffer from this set of problems that that relates to the lack of a of a fresh image for the Democrats I mean and this is part of the problem is that if you're going to be speaker chances are you're going to have been in Congress for a while you can have built a network you're going to have built a record and I think what the Democrats would want ideally is a completely fresh face and it's just hard to do that in the construct of a leadership structure in in the Congress which is why I keep coming back to the fact that nobody's actually announced to be seriously in opposition to Palosi right well while it's true she doesn't have the votes suggests to me that she will get there it's just a matter of time all right let's go to the calls I would get Andrea on the line from Calabasas High under high How are you I'm good what's your take rate so I really believe in the next generation coming in and taking over and establishing a strong leadership because I feel that this Palosi generation of definitely aging out as you previously mentioned but I worry. You guys that are coming up are going to have like Palosi has and I feel that we should give our another chance because we need someone strong in there that isn't going to take any of Trump slack and somebody that's not afraid to go up against nothing that he's other guys might be or women whatever. But that we need someone with the experience to to really confront him and and do something for this party and then maybe she could mentor you know one of these up in timing Democrats these younger freshman. Congresspeople to take her place because we're going to need that we're going to need this next generation to take the leadership and to lead us into the future. Yeah. I think that she would the challenges would depends on what the Democrats really want in the house for their next leader because there's different kinds you may want someone who is a back you know kind of back room deal maker. And is someone who can really make things work we've seen this before you had very charismatic folks become national figures Newt Gingrich comes to mind his enormously compelling figure in that he's become kind of a parody in a caricature now but he was enormous the employer and charismatic figure in the early ninety's he was sort of each in some ways rivaling of Bill Clinton president of states in terms of attention and in terms of his influence over American politics but he wasn't very good speaker and it kind of fell apart because he just he had ideas and he was very compelling so he kind of came up to rose up like a celebrity and so the question is Do Democrats find someone who is compelling and they really is a national face or is it some who can actually make the levers of power work because some people who are very effective legislatively aren't necessarily great orators great political figures Palosi has in general been a great she's a phenomenal legislator she's a phenomenal fund raiser she's become more well known mostly because Republicans have made her know her natural Tenchi not a great speaker in terms of she's not a compelling speaker and she's not particularly charismatic that's not her appeal her appeal is being a vote counter a master strategist politician so say it's a little bit over the top she says it but it's true and there's really been nobody I don't think has been any member of Congress as a fact of the last 25 years of Nancy Pelosi but the question is are they going to want someone who's more of a national figure or is it someone who can kind of help them wheel the levers of power that they now have in the house my guess is they'll go for the latter but that we're going to have to say let's go now to Renee in Pasadena Good morning Renee good morning I just wanted to point out your last who was saying. It could be the could be House control the money they only the House can raise taxes only the House can. Appropriate the money to spend the taxes and that puts the Democratic majority in the house in relatively healthy position because they control the money now and rather than wasting their. Energy on political grandstanding I really think they should come together look at what kinds of things do to benefit our nation and also prevent Oh dear leader from loony Ron you shouldn't by the way to control the money thanks very much Rene Lanny is that is that actually correct yeah I mean the caller is an interesting point which is that bills of revenue and appropriation initiate in the house it doesn't mean that they have Ok that the unique ability they initiate obviously with the consent of the Senate and ultimately to become law the signature of the president so I think the caller raises a very good point which is that House Democrats have 2 options going forward one is to use their new perch to actually. Initiate changes that would both be politically bothersome from the trunk administration but also creates substantively some challenges in terms of policy and I think that's what the what the caller wants and I and I agree with her I think that's the right tack the the other tack is just to to to completely. Use the new perch they have to to push pet issues or to try and raise the dialogue on on issues that will never actually cross the finish line for example I'm thinking of impeachment if if they were to move in that direction I think it be very problematic in terms of setting them up for 2020 not just for the presidential but for holding onto power in the house and having any possibility of flipping the Senate so they've got a strategic decision to make which goes back to Palosi as well which is why I think Palosi again we can talk about the optics of having her as a leader but she has the right street. Egypt and tactical leader for the time because she gets this she understands that House Democrats have this unique opportunity to put pressure on the trumpet ministration that is both political and substantive in nature now can I can I ask you guys to just moving back to the elections for a 2nd you know that the talk was that it was it was focusing on health care that won the Democrats their their blue tsunami is do we have any evidence that that's actually true. Well there's an there was an element of that I like I think this this election was mostly about if you look at the way that this broke down this is an antitrust boat and the fact is what if you look historically and we've talked about this on the radio program before the president's power president's party generally it's happened a couple times it hasn't happened overwhelmingly over the last 100 years the president's party loses seats in the midterm election there's a variety of reasons for that not the least of which shows the other side is always energized once you lose a presidential election everything is dark in terrible and the other side is horrible and ruining the country so that gins up by definition your supporters right but did but did health care no work is the issue or could it have been any issue it was just not engaging with No I think health care did help I think if you look at the way that broke down you're seeing a lot of suburban women a lot of college educated voters are starting to move away from Republicans so used to have safe seats that urban areas are always democratic but now it's starting to stretch out in some of those suburban areas you're seeing out in places like a Dallas Texas or you're seeing it now in Orange County so you're seeing diet you're seeing some demographic shifts as well as just educational shifts happening so I think health care I think in places like California the tax law which was particularly harmful to homeowners here I think those were local issues that helped get local candidates a foothold but at the end of the day I think this was an antitrust vote he was a very unpopular president his numbers are typically in the low forty's and that's bad Lanny do you agree yeah I think this election was mostly about Trump I think the Democrats had amazing message discipline on the health care issue and so in that sense I think it showed up in in polling in terms of being an impactful an impactful question. But there may also make like made them seem there for something yeah and I mean that's always I think a positive thing in the election and obviously look the Republicans gave them a gift with their repeal and replace efforts of 2017 being such an utter failure that certainly helped the Democrats to be able to drive that message but health care is more a function of the time and less sort of the driving factor in the outcome in mind when you know it isn't like Democrats have any real solution for health care I know it is a little bit of Medicare for all whoever's in power takes a lot of grief around health care because health care costs I mean going up for 30 years it drives people crazy so whoever's in they complain at that particular Congress or that president well health care costs are soaring and those are and those ads end up on t.v. Like your health care costs going up you always have someone around the kitchen table signing a health care bill right now like using dirty needles Exactly and so when you know if Democrats are there they're going to take the same heat at some point if these prices don't get under control that's that is just this is just the way that it is but let's talk about talk a little bit you know with regard to an answer Pelosi going in the House speaker's presumably what to tell us about Kevin McCarthy what we could expect from him as House minority leader and Lani. Yeah well you know I think Kevin McCarthy is somebody who is going to be a much more politically oriented leader than Paul Ryan was and obviously it's different when the woman is in the minority Well I think Paul I know Paul quite well and love the guy to death I think he he was much more focused on 2 with 2 things one was fund raising and the 2nd was trying to articulate an affirmative policy vision for Republicans in the Congress now unfortunately for Paul I think he got drowned out a little bit by the occupant of the White House so he wasn't able to to push that as pro-actively maybe as he would have liked to Kevin McCarthy is a is a traditional politician he's very effective at managing the Republican conference in the House of managing the various factions and members he's sort of well liked by all of them but also somebody who's got a good relationship with the president so he. Going to be focused much more on the politics and yes the fund raising and probably a little bit less on the policy vision which is Ok because the Republicans are the minority in the house so that the minority in the house doesn't drive any kind of policy vision you just can't because the house as an institution doesn't really allow you to do that if you're in the majority you control and that's it so Kevin McCarthy I think will be an effective leader for the time that we're in for the Republicans in the house and he is someone who I think is quite well regarded by a number of the different factions of Republicans in the Congress you know I think picked up on that in that at one level his job is a little bit easier because when you're in the minority no one ever wants to be in the minority but the nice part is especially in the house it's such a majority area and institution you have no power so you can basically just jump up and down and oppose everything now some of that is going to be dependent upon what deals Trump strikes with Palosi or the Democrats or or whatever so that there is the potential to put them in an awkward position but in general at the macro level they could just sit there and say the Democrats are ruining the country this is horrible and that actually makes his job easy he doesn't have to fight his freedom caucus versus mobs the challenge that there is moderate Republicans the challenge that he does have is that he's from California and the Republican Party just continues to be obliterated and almost utterly irrelevant now that we saw what happened in Orange County so the things that will make him somewhat successful his closeness to trump his political savvy would trump that plays horribly here because Trump is in the you know is circling the drain here in terms of his the opinion of him and it doesn't get any better when he's out there trashing the state around things like wildfires you know that is going to put politically McCarthy in a challenging position and I want we have just like 2 minutes left in our Monday political roundtable What are the implications Lunny of having both the majority and minority leaders in the house be from California Well it's you know Kevin McCarthy is from California but his kind of appeal and what he's going to be doing or raising the focus is going to be entirely outside of California for the reasons that were suggested is that that the president in the Republican brand in California is not so good right now. So I while it's true that Kevin McCarthy technically is from California to discount that and in the same way for Pelosi I think that the fact that she's from California is a reflection of the Democratic party's constituency primarily which is as an urban party it's an urban area and now increasingly suburb an area party and in that sense her representation from California makes a whole lot of sense she is very much in line with where the majority with the base of the Democratic Party is and where the power base of the party is currently mesh she's a coastal leaders lot he wants to say has just died in the dying to say I just want to coastal elite set your sights set yourself free Loni just go at it don't it. Yeah and I think all that's right I think that human McCarthy has a has a larger national player I do think there could be some value in that but with both leaders being from here we there are a lot this is an enormous state it's by far the largest state it's the biggest economic engine and there's a lot of issues that are happening out here not least as wildfires you know you could be some college funding issues that come I think McCarthy could sort of actually oddly enough help defend what happens in California depending what kind of lunatic fringe Trump wants to do but it will all be kind of behind the scenes or he'll take the brunt of it politically but substantive way he may actually be somewhat helpful we've had Matt Rodriguez and Lenny Chen kind of acting out your relative's conversation over the dinner table at the Thanksgiving we're going to find a place for you to take your in-laws for Thanksgiving coming up as Air Talk continues here on 89.3 k p c c But let's get news 1st from headland heard us thank you John community members gathered in Westlake Village last night to remember the lives lost at the borderline Bar and Grill and also to honor the 1st responders and civilians who helped save lives that border line then ter County Sheriff Bill I you bring members Sergeant Ronn he lists what it was was it without a question here that we all wish we were there with Ron that right. Now many of us are so you know it was our system so it's. It's it's our heart. It's Brendan Kelly was a border line the night of the shooting and jumped in to help the wounded a lot of people stepped up to the plate that night and helped you out with it cages that's just how we are sound is courtesy of our media partner n.b.c. 4 Kelly is also a survivor of the route 91 Las Vegas shooting well because of damage from the Woolsey fire schools in Alabama are expected to remain closed at least through Thanksgiving weekend this week workers will start cleaning the schools while environmental specialists industrial hygiene specialists and other experts make sure the campuses are safe air quality will be tested before students will be allowed back on campus Well good news at the gas pump prices continue to drop in l.a. County prices have gone down for the 25th day currently averaging $368.00 a gallon in Orange County $362.00 and in Riverside County a likely pay around $360.00 a gallon those prices are about $0.20 lower than a month ago on headland heard News this is Terry Gross our team at fresh air is busy booking guests James Comey welcome to Fresh Air Well Michel Wolf thank you so much some of the most interesting people of our time I guess Madeleine Albright has written a new book fascism a warning you can help explain the news we're going to talk about the Trump Daphne or give you a break from it up try played out Roach doctor who lost his baby fresh air today at noon on 89.3 k. P.c.c. . Thank you for your support during the p.c. Sees Paul member dry your donations make a direct and powerful impact on our ability to bring you the essential local and national coverage that makes a difference in our community. P.c.c. For independent news and programming and we rely on you for financial support if you haven't donated yet there is still time to go to k b c c dot org and make your gift it will go a long way with Katie c.c. And thank you. Farai. We have a ticket giveaway Kathy U.C.L.A.'s Center for the art of performance presents Grammy nominated. Sweet Honey In The Rock Friday Nov 30th at 8 pm at Royce Hall staying true to their mission to educate entertain and empower through a capella singing and American Sign Language interpretation their performances centered on delivering a heart opening soul shaking experience will take the 1st caller at 626535300. Everybody you're listening to Talk here on $89.00 k p c c Larry is taking a day off I hope resting his voice after that wonderfully successful fundraiser bringing in more than a $1000000.00 to keep the shows on the air to help us do even more to bridge out and to bring even more people the good news of actual real news here on 89.3 p.c.c. I'm John Raby sitting in we're going to be talking about Thanksgiving coming up the in-laws are coming your in-laws are coming and I know that state law requires that you take them if they're from out of town to the Huntington and the Griffith Observatory that's an actual obscure state law that was put in place many years ago but there must be dozens of other places you could take them so we're going to figure that out today with my next guest you've seen him in his Test Kitchen videos maybe on Martha Stewart you've gone to a slide shows on American and you've heard him on the last episode of offramp you might even have on your coffee table his latest book addicted to America Ana he's the pride of Ontario California is Charles Phoenix Well most gracious Good afternoon thank you very much great to be here and we're going to come up with like maybe a dozen or 10 places you can take your relatives in southern California after you've gone to the Huntington and Griffith Observatory not Griffith Observatory you can do it in 110 Actually I don't know that I've even seen all of the beautiful Huntington Library and garden so we're not really dissing it and no there really isn't a state law that says you have to bring it but it's it is a tradition in Southern California there should be because they are world class of those places absolute but you know what you want to talk about where to take people that they don't usually get to go so here's some places I've got for you speaking of hometown pride Have you ever been in my hometown of Ontario California Have you ever been to the Graybar all of house know where the same family has been growing curing and canning all of us since the year of 18. 94 this is a whole experience you go there they have this beautiful Gorm a shop they have a little museum they'll take you want to tour of where they cure the all of those and can them and what I love about it when they take you on the tour they say here's our newest piece of equipment it's from 1940 I mean this place is off the charts also in Ontario California Logan's candy store since 1033 let's let's visit Logan's in just a 2nd but but graders are actually delicious olives Yes and the green and the Black need to have a place on your Thanksgiving table well these are green olives not your traditional green olives they're like black olives only better they don't die I don't like blacks as well no they don't blow Ok as the black olives you know he died black but yeah the place Graber all of Ontario California Logan's candies they have reckoned he cane making demonstrations there every day go on their website it's amazing also in Ontario if you like spaghetti and you need more food Vinces homespun a family run it is the world's largest get a house serving it up since the year of 1945 there's a lot of things going on Ontario Well there's so much more I mean where do we begin we could go to the mountains to San his village member the classics and his village up in the mountains right was built 155 last year after 19 years of being close it got a total radical make over it's gorgeous and his village reopened it's in Lake Arrowhead It's like a Victorian theme now it's no longer the candy coated fifty's version that it once was but it's beautiful highly recommend it what's the story there how the well you know I don't really know exactly what the backstory is of how it all got somebody spent a lot of money and they you know they have all the old buildings are still there and everything there are more Victorian style now but they also have for the kids and for active people like me there's hiking trails and zip lines and all this other crazy stuff besides the old school stuff which is amazing Also do you ever go to Catalina How much do we love Catalina Island Charles I have a confession to make you better than their father right it's been 40 years since my last confession and I've not been to Catalina Island you know what it is. Southern California is best kept secret it's a wonderful time of year to go there go there was someone cozy It's a cozy place and go to the museum you can go to lunch on Mt Ada that's the Wrigley's chewing gum the Chicago Cubs they on the island Well I mean it's not well known anyway they used on the on the kind of still on the island but anyway never mind but it's a great Mt Ada for lunch the museum there is fantastic the casino tour you got to do that the Art Deco movie palace is one of the most gorgeous in the entire universe I mean it goes on and on and maybe you want to be casual and have fish and chips on the pier that's amazing So there's just I mean we could go on and on you want to go downtown l.a. Rediscover downtown l.a. It's like a great big theme park that's why I call it downtown Los Angeles land if you want to do the rooftop bar tour oh rooftop bars Let's start there Ok the Ace Hotel I think it opens at noon it's beautiful it's gorgeous you love it also there's of course this is the is the can you see the Jesus Saves sign you can with what was his name the priest Gene Scott Gene Scott Dr Gene Scott all who for years held sway at the theater at a hotel and now it is doing his fabulous cigar smoking Hebrew writing I don't even know what he was saying but he was fascinating and then interspersed would be videos of him like being chased by ladies or something of that sound that all sounds and then there's a huge sign that says Jesus saves and that has been saved and so that's up you can see that from the rooftop bar as well as you can Los Angeles Cheers to the Jesus Saves sign yes it's all there reinvented wonderful There's also this 7 Well the 77th floor of the Korean Air tower is the lobby of the Intercontinental Intercontinental Hotel there and you can see the entire city there it's amazing also on top of the Korean Air tower is the the highest rooftop bar in the Western Hemisphere Wow And then there's the standard Seattle from there you probably can see the Space Needle Yes thank you also downtown l.a. Right angles flight go to a Grand Central Market go to the Bradbury building. Go to the last bookstore go to Mocha go to the Broder I mean there's just so much to do downtown angel and Angels flight would be a nice little if you want to just go have lunch and do a ride well what ride is that is the angel of light no no no I mean but if you're in Disney Oh is it like a log ride or what we try we say I mean you know the Angels flight is phonetic you are from 1001 downtown l.a. Is most charming attraction sure it's going away in a world or something like if Disneyland if Main Street USA Disneyland had a hill this would be on it I mean it's that John of that strata of so you know him and so you can get Mocha and the brode if you have reservations and then take Angela's flight down to Grand Central Market and then don't forget the last book store downtown that is the best kept secret in downtown Los Angeles I mean how much we love that it's also it's a it's kind of this it's maze like inside so you could just get lost in all these old books and new books and it's wonderful changes in expensive books yes and the art section there is mazing Also if you like cars the automobile driving museum and also a gun show that's on the west side if you're going to be over there you might as well go to the Old Town music hall wait wait wait. You have too many ideas all on its Elsa Gondo else a condo that the driving museum the automobile driving museum where they will take you all right in a car wow yeah we have a lot of automobile music in the Peterson trial right now but I have not heard of this one yes it's been also gone what's it all about well it's a it's an amazing collection of classic cars that span the arrows and the styles and the horse powers and you go there and actually think it's just on Sunday they will take you for a ride in a classic car and of course that's so much fun and then around the corner there is the old town Music Hall which is a place where they have this unbelievable 925 pipe organ that was originally on the Fox Theater in downtown Long Beach and it's been there since 1068 for 50 years now at the old time music hall and also got out and they have silent movies that have all kinds of events and they play this. Leave a bowl pipe organ that's just like crazy it is so fun so amazing and then of course there's Randy's donuts over on the west side that's the ultimate donut stand on the planet and that's and that's a nice quick stop you don't you know you can go there for 10 minutes and just be amazed the shuttle passed right by there so you can tell your in-laws about that hey I was there even if you weren't on the day of the shuttle came by yeah on its way a major science center I thought you meant the shuttle that targeted the airport the space shuttle yes of the important shuttle right yeah and then you can also just drive through Randy's donuts by the way and then there's also pans coffee shop if you want to eat more homespun a family run the world's greatest Googie diner serving it up since 1958 very you know and pandas great they have very good fried chicken and also the clientele there is a cornucopia of all of the different people who live here in and Southern California is fantastic the mood is up it's a great place that's Pan's also the orange Empire Railway Museum way out in Paris is where you're going to see all the old street cars from l.a. And red cars and all that also the city interests. We're going to go to break in just a minute you need to just develop that theme for about 20 seconds these are all new places to me you've come up with places I've never heard of and I hosted off ran for 12 years you would love the orange impair Railway Museum that's where you go see the old famous red cars the legendary red cars that connected 5 counties from 1161 here in Southern California that's they they're there left over there they put them there I mean there's a couple of them the old street cars from downtown l.a. Are there this is the orange empower Railway Museum you go there they will take you for a ride and they'll tell you everything it's amazing there's all these old men there that are really like totally obsessed which we love Of course pretty cool Now if you've got some places that somehow Charles has missed you can call us with them 866893572286689357 to 2 that is your challenge will have more places to go in Southern California to keep your in-laws are your hair coming up. When big news is breaking the Ventura County sheriff has identified man they believe shot dead 12 journey General Jeff Sessions was forced out of his job to Radio right here Democrats are making significant gains in the u.s. House but they've lost ground in the Senate President Thomas now we go to Gavin Newsome with his acceptance speech I received a very generous call from John Cox we you are rude terrible person you should n.p.r. The b.b.c. And 89.3 p.c.c. . A.t.c.c. Supporters include the l.a. Film presenting Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Tchaikovsky 6 at Walt Disney Concert Hall led by the l.a. Born news ition the Los Angeles Philharmonic brings to life Tchaikovsky's deeply emotional final Symphony the potty earlier in the program Tilson Thomas shares his latest composition that's November 30th through December 2nd tickets at l.a. Fail dot com. Everybody you're listening to Talk here on 89.3 k.p.c. See I'm John Raby sitting in for Larry Mandel You may love your in-laws but after 2 or 3 days maybe you would like to send them out someplace in Southern California while you sit back and have a scotch on the rocks and just not talk to anybody about family stuff so Charles Phoenix is here he's the author of addicted to America and he is one of the experts on Southern California and we're coming up with a list of places to go that. Don't include the Huntington and the Griffith Observatory because you've already been there they're great but you've already been there Charles Some ideas have been coming up from listeners. Let's see we've got David in mid will sure you mentioned the space shuttle by Randy's donuts There's also the Falcon 9 rocket at space x. In Torrance it's about 5 donuts from Randy stone huts and Jean in Arcadia mentions everybody should go to Clockers corner breakfast at the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia family friendly they bring the horses out and there's a beautiful backdrop of mountains behind that sounds wonderful I would love to go to see that sea I love to listen to the listeners because they have great ideas to Wow So you so have you bend Clockers corner I have not Ok I understand I need a spark in Arcadia and then the Falcon 9 rocket at space x. In Torrance Well speaking of the saying Gabriel Valley also Christmas lights I mean how much do we all seriously love Christmas lasts 3 I'm an atheist and I love Christmas lights 3 of something Q 3 of Southern California is most spectacular Christmas lights attractions historic are right here in the San Gabriel Valley there is the St Albans road display which has been going on for decades that is in San Marino you got to see St Albans road Balian ice cream mansion and all to Dino they've been decorating since 1955 this is a 920 s. Mansion that is so overdone. With Christmas lights and yard decor and everything else under the sun that has anything to do with Christmas yard decor display nice it's what I was displaying as a word yes it is now thank you you know hey Wednesday we've got tickets to go see the lights at discounts for garden that's fun and that may be sold out so maybe you can't take your in-laws there but you can plan on it for next year because it's it is just freaking fabulous while the attractions I'm talking about are are easy including the Christmas Tree Lane and Al to Dina That is where you drive down I believe it's 2 miles of these giant giant giant giant pine trees completely covered in Christmas lights that is the oldest annual outdoor Christmas light display in the country I'm telling you you got to see it you haven't done Southern California until you've done that also we haven't talked about all Vera St I mean all Vera St an icon of Southern California a tourist attraction extravaganza extraordinary for decades and it kind of fits into your theme the idea you have that downtown Los Angeles has anagrams not anagrams analogues to everything there is at Disney Oh well yeah I mean that we go on and on about a log ride so what it's all very straight on there a street is a little bit Main Street USA meets adventure land meets Frontierland I love it down down there you can go and see what you can eat eat eat the tuxedo the tacos I mean it's all really good the shopping is amazing I love all the stuff and all the stores and stuff I mean you go down there you can stroll you can sit you can walk speak in a walk and shopping if you want to shop and you know have fun like that you go to retro in Long Beach that is a really amazing stretch of vintage store which is a 4th Street or 3 low yes and there's a place to eat there that I love called the pike and that's wonderful also orange circle in the o.c. Is a great show it's a walk in shop we could go on and on and on you could also of course you can go order your flock Christmas tree find a flock lot and you know have your Aunt Myrtle pick out what color you should have here. Flock this year cougar if they're still there this is their their this year cougar mountain has been for the last 3 or 4 years at the target in Eagle Rock and they flock in several different colors and they're wonderful we actually featured them on off ramp once in a flock tree as a as a fun experience to do it once or twice it's a lot different than your grandma's flocking let me stop you for just a 2nd we got a call from. Noted playwright and former k p c c employer Felix resellers and Silver Lake who says that people should check out the Frederick r. Weissman art museum had not been there he says it takes some planning but it's free and remarkable it's what is all that is a beautiful private collection of art in Beverly Hills or is it Bel Air actually in someone's private home basically the Wiseman's were right alongside there with the Norton Simons in the bros and collecting contemporary art but their collection is just in their house and this big giant kind of art museum edition they built on the side of their house so you got to go online and make a big reservation for that but that is a real treat to see all this unbelievably like you know purposeless modern art it's wonderful like great living in Southern California where it is a huge step back there's something interesting around every corner no matter where you go. Take it someplace else well you want to be you want to live on the wild side I know it's finally time you and me we're going to go get and we're going to bring the relatives are all going to go get tattoos. Where should we go we are going to go to the oldest tattoo parlor in the entire country what Yeah ends in Long Beach it's called Outer Limits it is the only thing left from the pike which was our Coney Island in Southern California it basically got bulldozed totally got bulldozed in the seventy's there's virtually nothing left but the tattoo parlor is still there it is called Outer Limits and if I were going to get my tattoos that I've been dreaming of that's where I would be going to get them could we all go and get Larry Mandell tattoos like just Larry with that just his portrait just on right here on my arm and be great if there were dozens of a showed up one day that would be also you can go to the moonlight roller way in Glendale that is the most classic roller run all San Fernando Road your hand yes on San Fernando Road every Tuesday night actually I believe they dominate the owner plays the organ its classic its layers of time it is one of those places where you walk in the door and you go like what decade are we in also the Bob Baker marionette puppet theater is going to move after what is it 57 years in the same location then moving from their downtown location go online you can probably catch a show there it is a time on our experience before it moves right it is a time honored experience you walk in the door there as well and you go what decade are we on I mean they've hardly changed things I it's already fabulous and you actually were in Queen as a piece about about the baker Marionette Theater that we did 10 years ago or so Off-Ramp in which they're what they must be doing a Christmas show I bet they are I bet they're doing all kinds of stuff that's the same one you saw when you were a kid and they built charming Yeah and the ice cream in the little cups with the little wooden with Mr Bones is still Coralie wonderful I love the taste of ice cream with the essence of pine nice Yeah Ok is that inspectors this record I think it's true and I think we have room for like 2 more places Well you know we didn't talk about the citrus hair. Park museum or whatever it's called in Riverside that has 248 acres of orange groves that have been set aside as a historic state park it is amazing citrus Heritage State Park something like that look it up and you go there and you are like it's like in the 1930 s. All you can see as far as you look except for one little corner out of sight of your eye is nothing but orange groves and eucalyptus trees and they take you around they show you all these wild and wacky varieties of citrus mission in in Riverside is another place that is like a I mean that is a madhouse that is the ultimate attraction in all of Southern California land and we also talk about knots Mary farm at Knott's Berry Farm and I'm serious there they should have Larry there in call knots Larry farm for a day that would be perfect let's do it let's sign him up Charles Phoenix I knew that I didn't need to do any more than just invite you in and open the microphone got it all worked out it's great Charles Phoenix you've seen him pretty much everywhere he's the ambassador of America his newest book is addicted to America and he's got another book coming out next year but I hope these hints have helped you to establish firmer links with your in-laws and that you have a great Thanksgiving Charles have a great Thanksgiving you too John and to all of you too happy Thanksgiving we've got another hour of air talk Still to come we're going to talk about Thanksgiving traditions and how different cultures change their Thanksgiving to make it reflect what they've lived That's coming up as their talk continues. And coming up at noon it's Fresh Air with Terry Gross talking with Joel and Ethan Coen about their new film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 6 stories about singing gunslinging Cowboys bank robbers and wagon trains on the Oregon Trail and if you don't relish picking up your relatives at the airport Wednesday night well we can help with 3 episodes of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me To make your trip more bearable That's Wednesday night starting at 8 here on 89.3. P.c.c. Supporters include the gets men group project professionals to help assist in all areas of finance in a county since 1908 serving Los Angeles Orange County and now New York learn more a geo a.t.c. Am a group dot com. Your listening to Las Vegas and most interesting conversation ever talk. Pasadena Los Angeles thank you for listening and supporting k.p.c. State. Supporters include the Petersen Automotive Museum where over 300000 visitors have explored one of the largest public exhibitions of Porsche outside of Stuttgart the Porsche effect tells the complete 70 year story of the Porsche brand with more than 20 of the rarest Porsche cars ranging from the iconic 959 super car to the Steve McQueen speech you can reserve tickets by visiting Peterson Tickets dot org. Hi everybody I'm John Raby sitting in for Larry Mandell coming up on air talk we'll get an update on the Woolsey and campfires including President Trump's visit to Northern California this weekend then in a region with so many different cultures and ethnicities living side by side Thanksgiving takes on all kinds of shapes we want to hear how you tailor the American holiday to match your background it's our talk after the news. Live from n.p.r. News and Washington I'm Windsor Johnston Georgia governor elect Brian camp has named his transition team Martha Dalton from member station reports the Republican made the announcement today just days after his Democratic rival Stacy Abrams reluctant Lee ended her gubernatorial run while maintaining that her opponent relied on in her words deliberate suppression to win Abrams accused camp of mishandling the election in his role as secretary of state she plans to file a lawsuit against the state for mismanagement but Kemp says he's focused on what's ahead look we're moving own campaigns are about the future Powerball race but I won we're sided this group of people is ready to go to war camp to emphasize the diversity of his transition team several times the group includes former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr and Tom Price Price most recently served as a secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration for n.p.r. News I'm Martha doll in Atlanta attorneys for the trumpet ministration and the American Civil Liberties Union are in federal court in San Francisco today 2 hearings are being held on the trumpet ministrations attempts to limit who can qualify for asylum the a.c.l.u. Has sued over President Trump statement that immigrants who enter the u.s. Without permission will not be allowed to apply for asylum he was Customs and Border Protection a close the entrance from Tijuana and to the u.s. For a few hours today as James Frederick reports it caused chaos at the busiest us Mexico border crossing early Monday morning commuters from Mexico.