On Point

On election night 2008, photojournalist Matt Mendelsohn went to the Lincoln Memorial and took a picture of the people gathered there -- the quiet moment the photograph captures is almost impossible to imagine now, given the nation’s current politics. Mendelsohn’s photograph eventually came into the hands of Congressman John Lewis, who gave a copy of it to President Obama as an inauguration present. The picture hung outside Obama’s White House office for the next eight years. In this radio...

In its final days of power, the Trump administration is making last minute policy changes on the environment, foreign policy and national security. How will these moves influence the first weeks of the Biden administration? Karen DeYoung and Leon Panetta join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Los Angeles is experiencing a devastating coronavirus surge. On Saturday, LA County became the first county to reach 1 million cases since the start of the pandemic. The pandemic is having an economic impact, too. On Monday's show, we turn back to Sean Knibb, owner of Knibb Design interiors and Flowerboy Project, a cafe and flower shop in Venice, California. Knibb says the cafe has become a comforting community hub, even as the coronavirus spreads, touching his employees lives, his...

Los Angeles county is one of the hottest COVID hotspots in the U.S. right now. Every minute, on average, 10 more people test positive. Can Los Angeles get control of the surge? Dr. Elaine Batchlor and Anne Rimoin join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Listener voices drive On Point. We get many voicemails, emails and social media messages with thoughts, concerns and questions. Today, as a pod exclusive, we share some of your messages about insurrection and impeachment. Got a comment, question or thought for us? Call our voicemail line at 617-353-0683. We look forward to hearing from you!

We bring back guests from our voter roundtable series to hear how they're thinking through insurrection and impeachment. Can Americans talk with each other across political divides? Lucas Johnson, Lupe Harpster, Mike Richards, Bella D’Alacio, Daniele Anderson, Vadim Ostrovsky and Matt Powell join Meghna Chakrabarti.

America's racist roots were on display as pro-Trump extremists paraded the confederate flag in the Capitol on Jan. 6th. We discuss race, racism and the role it played in last week's attack on the Capitol. Keisha Blain, Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Jemar Tisby join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Pro-Trump extremists breached the Capitol, attacked police and called for the Vice President's execution. Now, national security experts see an even bigger danger. Are we facing domestic insurgency? And if we are, how can we heal as a nation? Ret. Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, Frank Figliuzzi and David Kilcullen join Meghna Chakrabarti.

House Democrats introduce an article of impeachment. What should accountability look like in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol? Rep. Jason Crow, Rep. Ruben Gallego, Olivia Troye and Kate Shaw join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Right-wing extremists plotted their Capitol insurrection openly on social media. So, what are they saying they'll do next? And this time, will law enforcement pay attention? David Ignatius, Alexandra Levine, and Daniel J. Jones join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Republican Mitch McConnell sends a warning to party rebels. Rioters attack the Capitol. Democrats win the Senate. We make sense of a historic week. Jack Beatty, Rose Scott and Heather Cox Richardson join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Calls grow for the president's removal, from top Democrats and at least one Republican. In a special edition of On Point, we make sense of chaos and insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. How can we restore the health of our democracy? Stephen Henderson, David Blight and Jason Stanley join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Yesterday, a mob descended on the United States Capitol. The world witnessed the consequences of rhetoric that subverts the truth and incites violence. We discuss what yesterday’s chaos means for our democracy. Matt Fuller, Jennifer Horn, Timothy Snyder, Rep. Raul Ruiz and Kwame Rose join Meghna Chakrabarti.

As President Trump continues his efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election, Hagel joins On Point senior editor Dorey Scheimer for an extended conversation on the presidency, military and how to strengthen American democracy. "You cannot allow yourself to be degraded in any way by partisanship and politics," Hagel says, speaking directly to military members. "You’ve got to stay above it all. Because you’re better than that."

President Donald Trump is attempting to subvert the will of the voters and overturn his election loss. But is he considering using the military to do so? We have an extended conversation with former defense secretary William Cohen about the presidency, military and how to strengthen American democracy. William Cohen joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

The pandemic could end in 2021, if enough Americans get vaccinated. But many don't want to. We take a look at what's driving that fear, and what it will take to overcome COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Dr. Georges Benjamin, Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson join Meghna Chakrabarti.

The winners in Georgia’s runoff election will tilt the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. So, what is a runoff election anyway and why don’t all states do it? Experts say it’s all rooted in racism and just another way to disenfranchise. We take a look. Paula Reid, Jack Beatty, Adrienne Jones and Cal Jillson join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Across 2020, we heard your stories: from health care workers to an unemployed mom to a journalist who was tear-gassed. Meghna Chakrabarti listens back to some favorite radio diaries.

What has become of the common good? Political theorist Michael Sandel traces how meritocracy went from a satiric idea in the 1950s to a bedrock of American culture – and what we might have lost in its ascendance.

We talk with entrepreneur and author Margaret Heffernan about how we can best survive -- and even embrace -- the chaos of a pandemic.