Let's Find Common Ground

For the 2025 USC Trojan Family Weekend, CPF Co-Directors and veteran political strategists Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy host a conversation on the 2025 election results and the latest political headlines. They discuss the 2025 California special election, 2025 New York City mayoral election, and analyze the election results across the nation and what it means for Democrats and Republicans. Featuring:

CPF Co-Director Mike Murphy joins voting experts Mike Madrid, Chuck Rocha, and Helen Torres for a discussion on Latino voters, the fastest-growing voting bloc in the country. They discuss shifts in Latino voting patterns, what to expect from Latino voters in the upcoming elections, and how Democrats and Republicans can connect with the Latino voting community for the 2026 midterms and beyond. Featuring:

Hear young USC alumni discuss their work in the nonprofit field. What fueled their success? How do they raise money? What impact are their efforts having? These inspirational and educational stories come from students who took the USC Dornsife Toolkit course "Doing Good: How to Start and Run a Successful Nonprofit Organization" CPF Managing Director Kamy Akhavan serves as the proud moderator of his former students. Gain valuable insights into nonprofit career opportunities. Featuring:

CPF Managing Director Kamy Akhavan joins gun safety activist Shannon Watts and environmental protection activist Benji Backer for a discussion on civic engagement, lessons from activism, and how to utilize your passion to enact social change. They discuss their books, how to work across the aisle to drive progress on causes, and how to build movements while reducing political polarization. This discussion is part of CPF’s Dialogue Across Difference series. Featuring: - Benji Backer: CEO & Founder, Nature is Nonpartisan; Author of "The Conservative Environmentalist: Common Sense Solutions for a Sustainable Future" - Shannon Watts: Founder, Moms Demand Action; Author of "Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age" and "Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World;" Former Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future - Kamy Akhavan: Managing Director, USC Center for the Political Future

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins legal experts Franita Tolson, Jeffrey Toobin, and Alexander “Sasha” Volokh for a discussion on the role and state of the judiciary today. They discuss the role of the courts in safeguarding checks and balances, the James Comey indictment, and how Donald Trump and his administration affect the Supreme Court. This event was in partnership with the USC Gould School of Law. Featuring:

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins former U.S. Senator Joe Manchin for a talk on his new memoir, "Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense." They discuss Manchin's decision to become an independent, his public service and White House experiences, and the importance of bipartisanship today. This event, part of CPF's Jeff and Sue White Dialogue Series, was in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Featuring: - Joe Manchin: Former U.S. Senator from West Virginia - Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins Fred Ryan, Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation's Center on Civility and Democracy, for a discussion on civility and the presidency. They discuss how past presidents bridged divides when working with political leaders they disagreed with, the importance of civility in today's political climate, and how political leaders influence the public and Congress. This event was in partnership with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute. Featuring:

CPF Assistant Director Diego Andrades joins voting experts Laura Brill, Jahnavi Rao, and Maddy Roth for a discussion on the forces reshaping how young voters approach civic life and democracy. They discuss Gen Z’s voting patterns, strategies for reaching young voters, and how Democrats and Republicans can capture Gen Z voters. Featuring:

CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join Fall 2025 CPF Fellows Jim DeBoo, Frank Lavin, April Ryan, David Simas, and Helen Torres, for a discussion on the current state of politics today. They discuss the Trump Administration, Gavin Newsom and California politics, and the impact of Trump's tariffs, ICE raids, and redistricting efforts. The conversation also explores the Fellows’ study groups and their wide-ranging careers in politics and public service. Featuring: -Jim DeBoo: Founder, DeBoo Strategic Affairs; Former Chief of Staff to Gavin Newsom; Fall 2025 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future -Frank Lavin: Former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore; Fall 2025 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future -April Ryan: Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent; Fall 2025 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future -David Simas: Managing Director, Emerson Collective; Former President, Obama Foundation; Fall 2025 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future -Helen Torres: CEO, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE); Fall 2025 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future -Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife -Mike Murphy: Co-Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Republican Strategist

Discover the power of young leaders changing the world through nonprofits! USC alumni share their incredible journeys in the nonprofit sector and reveal what it really takes to make a difference. CPF Managing Director Kamy Akhavan joins nonprofit leaders for a conversation packed with invaluable advice and real-world stories. From raising funds to navigating career paths, these leaders open up about their challenges, triumphs, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Featuring:

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins Paulist Productions Vice President Father Tom Gibbons and USC Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies President Richard Wood for a discussion on the politics of the conclave to select Pope Francis' successor. They discuss how the next Pope will be selected, what are the political calculations involved in the selection process, and how the Catholic Church under new leadership could and should influence the world. Featuring:

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins renowned foreign policy experts Ben Rhodes and Max Boot for a discussion on pathways to peace in the Middle East. They discuss the current conflicts in the Middle East, the prospects of a two-state or single state solution, the future of Gaza, and the role of the U.S. in ending the conflicts and fostering a peace process. This event is part of the CPF "Combating Antisemitism and Other Forms of Hatred" series. Featuring:

USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability Director Joe Árvai joins former U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm for a discussion on how to move forward with climate change and energy issues under the Trump administration and how Democrats and Republicans can help push climate action forward. This discussion is part of the Climate Forward conference in partnership with the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability. Featuring:

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and former U.S. Representative Garret Graves (R-LA) for a discussion on the state of climate policy under the Trump administration and how Democrats and Republicans can cooperate to tackle climate change issues. This conversation is part of the Climate Forward conference in partnership with the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability.

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins media experts, Martin Gurri, Adam Nagourney, and Gordon Stables, for a discussion on how the changing media landscape has contributed to global populist trends. They discuss the transformation of the media landscape, the role of the elites in the media and politics, and media's impact on the state of democracy globally. Featuring:

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins immigration experts, Andrew Arthur, Steven Davis, Deisy del Real, Ed Goeas, and Ehsan Zaffar, for a discussion on the future of immigration policy. They discuss the current immigration system and policies, amnesty, immigrant's contribution to the U.S. economy, and immigration reforms possible in today’s political climate. We are immensely grateful to Sue and Jeff White for launching this nonpartisan dialogue series at USC. Featuring:

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci for a discussion on current events and the first month of the second Trump administration. They discuss the state of the Republican and Democratic parties, the impact of Trump's domestic and international actions, and even touch on Bitcoin. Featuring: · Anthony Scaramucci: Former White House Communications Director; Founder & Managing Partner of SkyBridge Capital; Founder of SALT; Author of four books · Bob Shrum: Director, USC Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins bestselling author and CNN Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin for a discussion on presidential pardons and Toobin's new book "The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy." They discuss famous pardons throughout history and the latest pardons from Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Featuring: Jeffrey Toobin: CNN Chief Legal Analyst; Bestselling author of "True Crimes and Misdemeanors," "The Oath," "The Nine," "Too Close to Call," "The Run of His Life" (made into the FX series The People v. O.J. Simpson), and "A Vast Conspiracy" Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

Author Sasha Issenberg joins political and media experts, Jane Coaston, Reince Priebus, Simon Rosenberg, and Chuck Todd, for a conversation on what to expect during Donald Trump's second term as president. They discuss Trump's first actions as president, his influence on politics, how the Democratic Party has changed over time, and how politics is always shifting. This discussion is part of the Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics “The Trumping of America: Why and What's Next?” in partnership with POLITICO, PBS’ "Firing Line with Margaret Hoover," and C-SPAN. Featuring:

Democratic Strategist Tad Devine joins political and polling experts, Dale Butland, John Della Volpe, Mike Madrid, Carissa Smith, and Stephanie Young, for a conversation exploring how Kamala Harris and Democrats performed during the 2024 general election. They discuss the Democratic Party's messaging, how candidates connected—or didn't—with key voting demographics, and what polling revealed about voters. This discussion is part of the Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics “The Trumping of America: Why and What's Next?” in partnership with POLITICO, PBS’ "Firing Line with Margaret Hoover," and C-SPAN. Featuring: Tad Devine (Moderator): Chief Strategist, Bernie Sanders' 2016 Presidential Campaign Dale Butland: Democratic Strategist; Former Press Secretary and Ohio Chief of Staff for US Senator John Glenn John Della Volpe: Author; Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics Mike Madrid: Latino Pollster and Voting Expert; Author of “The Latino Century” Carissa Smith: Former Senior Public Engagement Advisor in the White House Office of Public Engagement Stephanie Young: Former Deputy Assistant to President Biden; Senior Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris