The Odd Years

In political parlance, the “odd year” is the year in which there is no national election; that is: any odd-numbered year. Like 2023. Odd can also refer to something that is unusual or unpredictable. Like an interview with a writer or actor or athlete that highlights a topic or trend that isn’t normally associated with traditional political discourse. The Odd Years is designed for everyone who is multidimensional. Yes, it’s going to focus on politics (because this is brought to you by the Cook Political brain trust and host, Amy Walter); but, ultimately, The Odd Years will expand the definition of a ‘political program.’

The Odd Years is now available to the public to stream on all major podcast platforms. Exclusive content, including video footage and transcripts from each episode, additional analysis from Amy Walter, and other bonus content is available only to CPR subscribers.

Episode 6: Why Our Politics Feel Angrier Than Ever (And Why It’s Unlikely To Change Anytime Soon)

Amy Walter interviews Lynn Vavreck and John Sides, two political science professors. Their work chronicles what Vavreck calls the shifting dimension of conflict in American politics from one focused mainly on the size and scope of government to a fight driven over identity-inflected issues. Amy, John and Lynn discuss how we arrived at this current political state and why they believe the current political climate is unlikely to change anytime soon.

Watch episode six

Episode 5: Trailblazer Judy Woodruff Digs Deep Into America’s Political Divides (And Still Stays Optimistic)

Amy talks to Judy Woodruff, renowned journalist and former anchor of the PBS News Hour. Woodruff discusses her new series, America at a Crossroads, which aims to explore the deep divisions in American politics. She talks about her long and distinguished career in journalism, starting with covering Jimmy Carter's campaign for governor of Georgia in 1970. Amy and Judy discuss whether there can be a solution to America's polarization. They also delve into how Judy stays optimistic while covering these divides.

Watch Episode Five

Episode 4: Republican Pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson on Trump vs. DeSantis, Millennial Voters and GOP Messaging in 2024

Amy interviewed Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson. Kristen is the founding partner of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm. Amy and Kristen discussed the arraignment of former President Trump and its implications for 2024. They also touched on a potential DeSantis vs. Trump matchup, the impact of Roe vs. Wade on the midterms, millennial voters, and the state of political polling.

Watch Episode Four

Episode 3: Democratic Pollster Anna Greenberg on Why Dems Beat Expectations in 2022 and What They're Missing on Crime

Exclusive Subscriber Content: Amy Walter talked to Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg, a senior partner of the polling firm GQR. Anna and Amy discussed why some polls overestimated GOP strength in 2022. They also talked about 2024 and why Anna thinks that the GOP remains defined by Trump regardless of who the nominee is.

Watch Episode Three

Episode 2: What’s Happening In the States — And What It Could Mean for Federal Policy and Politics.

Exclusive Subscriber Content: Often described as “laboratories of democracy,” state legislatures have often produced legislation or ideas that eventually make their way to Washington. And, of course, many of these state executives also find their way into national political office. Helping us dig through the trends, priorities and personalities in state capitols is Reid Wilson, founder and editor of Pluribus News, a new digital media outlet offering the most comprehensive coverage of state-level public policy in America. (Recorded February, 2023)

Watch Episode Two

Episode One: The Impact of Narrow Margins & Divided Government on the 118th Congress

Exclusive Subscriber Content: On the first episode of The Odd Years, Amy Walter and Andy Laperriere (Head of US Policy Research for Piper Sandler) dig into the challenges and opportunities for Republicans & Democrats as they navigate a divided government and continued narrow margins. (Recorded January, 2023)

Watch Episode One

#OddPod:

The Odd Years is available to stream on all major podcast platforms.