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The Bully Pulpit has merged with the Let’s Find Common Ground podcast. As the tone of public discourse becomes increasingly angry and divisive, Let’s Find Common Ground offers a healing path to reaching agreement and moving forward. At the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, we bring together top Republicans and Democrats to transcend partisan divisions and explore solutions to our most pressing national and global challenges. Join veteran strategists Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy along with other Center staff and major voices for fun conversations that advance civil dialogue and practical politics. The conversations go behind the curtain with elected officials, campaign staff, journalists, academics, pundits, and political operatives. Every exchange is guided by standards central to the Center’s mission: Respect each other and respect the truth. Opponents are adversaries, not enemies. And if you lose, don’t burn down the stadium.

Dec 21, 2023

Our final podcast for 2023 is the one-hundredth episode of “Let’s Find Common Ground”. We look back and include special moments from six shows during the year.

Americans disagree on many things, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Journalist and author Amanda Ripley explains why, all too often, we see conflicts that are more about scoring points than seeking resolution. Rachel Kleinfeld of the Carnegie Endowment, who studies democracy and conflict, discusses whether America’s divides could be spinning out of control. Author and Washington Post columnist Ted Johnson examines race and patriotism in creative, thoughtful ways.

In this episode, we also share several extraordinary moments in our conversation with two women on opposite sides of the abortion debate, and how they gained respect and understanding for each other without compromising their views on one of the most contentious issues of our time. Two faith leaders joined us to discuss religion's role in finding common ground. And acclaimed television journalist Judy Woodruff of the PBS NewsHour gives us a vivid example of how Washington DC is much more divided than it once was.