Breaking the Deadlock

[DanaK]

Moderator Aaron Tang guides a panel of prominent voices through complex hypothetical scenarios designed to encourage civil dialogue.

This started as a pilot or special, I think last year, and it appears it has turned into a series. Episode 1, "A Power Play" (Experts participate in a hypothetical story of executive power by a pair of rival US Presidents), premiered on May 20, so people might still be able to catch a repeat or catch it online

Both the pilot/special and the first episode were pretty fascinating. The participants are all known in political circles, journalism, etc and from both sides of politics but play fictional characters dealing with a fictional scenario. The moderator is pretty good

I forget what the initial special's scenario was, maybe some political standoff in the fictional state (ETA: I checked and it was a standoff over a presidential election result in a fictional state). In Episode 1, it was about the president of a certain party cutting off funds from a grant program for farmers and the courts stepping in to stop the action because the funds stuff is Congress' job. Then an election happens, the nominee from the rival party is elected, and the new president tries the same tactic. The segment included Chris Christie, Scott Jennings, 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl, among others

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:30 PM by DanaK