Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda

Scott Goodstein, Founder and CEO of Catalyst Campaigns, discusses the evolution and current state of social media strategies in politics in this interview, recorded on September 11 and the day after the murder of Conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Scott was the social media architect for the 2008 Obama campaign and contrasts the early, diverse social media landscape with today's video-dominated rapid-response environment, which is concentrated on a few major platforms. We talk about: CatalystCampaigns.com https://www.thewrap.com/wsj-trans-ideology-charlie-kirk-bullets-false-report/

This is an interview conducted by Deepak Puri of The Democracy Labs, discussing the art of podcasting with me, Karen Jagoda. Being a podcaster since the early days, I have seen my share of great guests, reluctant guests, and unprepared guests. Listening to other podcasters has helped me understand both the great potential and limited value podcasts and podcasters can have. In addition to the Digital Politics Podcast, I am also the producer and host of the Empowered Patient Podcast, which has allowed me to interview scientists and medical professionals who are increasingly interested in discussing politics and advocacy related to healthcare and research. Deepak and I talk about: TheDemLabs.org EmpoweredPatientPodcast.com

Hamid Ghanadan, CEO at LINUS, reports on their recent State of Science research that tracks scientists' sentiment, funding expectations, and barriers to their work. Key findings reveal that the politicization of science and erosion of public trust in science threaten to slow innovation rates and negatively impact public access to accurate information. The survey also shows a direct negative impact on scientists' morale, job satisfaction, and creativity. We talk about: #TheLINUSGroup #Scientists #MedicalResearchers #PublicTrust #PoliticizationofScience #HealthcareInformation #MedicalInformation TheLINUSGroup.com

Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, has developed the Fast Alert Now app that allows organizers and non-profit organizations to send alerts to people without requiring their phone number, email, or downloading an app. This free app is a channel-based system that uses QR codes and URLs to enable users to subscribe to a specific channel and receive push notifications on their phone or computer while protecting the identity of the recipient. Deepak and I talk about: Rapid alerts in emergencies and combating misinformation and rumors Why humor is a strategic weapon in advocacy #TheDemLabs #FastAlertNow #Advocacy #RapidResponse #Activists TheDemLabs.org

James Keppel is the Founder and CEO of Sarana Health and a healthcare advocate for an integrated, wellness-focused approach to keeping people healthy instead of simply treating diseases. While the impacts of current policy changes and budget cuts in healthcare and medical research have yet to be seen, all indications point to widening gaps in serving rural populations and those with complex conditions. James encourages private industry to step up to innovate new models of healthcare delivery and financing, and to use AI and technology to support healthcare providers in providing personalized, continuous care. We talk about: #SaranaHealth #Healthcare #HealthcareCuts #RuralHealthcare #MedAI Sarana.Health

Brian Rollins, Co-Founder of the MurMur Project, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss how individuals can engage more effectively through digital communication and social media, gaining a deeper understanding of political issues, campaigns, and elections, and have their own voices heard. Brian has a background in filmmaking and content creation, while his mother and co-founder has a long history in community organizing and running non-profits, making them a unique team to navigate the current political landscape. Deepak and Brian talk about: Calls to action for 2026 #TheDemLabs #AmericansUnitedforSeparationofChurchandState #AU #SeparationofChurchandState #JohnsonAmendment MurMur Impact Project Substack TheDemLabs.org

Rebecca Markert, Vice President and Legal Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State , joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the fundamental American principle of the separation of church and state, as included in the Constitution. The Johnson Amendment, passed 70 years ago, is a critical law that prevents churches and charities from endorsing or opposing political candidates. Deepak and Rebecca talk about: The rise of White Christian nationalism and efforts to dismantle the separation between church and state Calls to action #TheDemLabs #AmericansUnitedforSeparationofChurchandState #AU #SeparationofChurchandState #JohnsonAmendment au.org TheDemLabs.org

Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, discusses the 2.5 Project, an initiative by BISC that provides early, flexible funding to support ballot initiatives focused on economic justice. Recent efforts in Nebraska and Missouri to support minimum wage and paid sick leave ballot initiatives yielded positive results, demonstrating the ability to frame the issues and collaborate with related efforts, such as reproductive rights measures. We talk about: #BallotInitiativeStrategyCenter #BISC #BallotInitiatives #Organizing #LocalOrganizers Ballot.org

Jim Lardner, journalist, activist, and host of the podcast "Good Trouble," joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the "We Are Your Neighbor" Project, which aims to collect and promote personal stories of people impacted by the Trump administration's policies. The goal is to promote these types of stories in a non-ideological way to reach out to Trump supporters and others who may be reconsidering their political support. Deepak and Jim talk about: Serving as a resource for journalists and activists looking to better understand the real-world impacts of policy changes #WeAreYourNeighbors #TheDemLabs #FederalWorkers #FundingCuts #Healthcare #Immigrants #Storytelling #PoliticalResistance #Activism WeAreYourNeighbors.net TheDemLabs.org

Bill Moyer, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to explore the value of creative activism and visual props in promoting causes and values. The metaphor of the backbone is a symbol of moral power and strength that voters are encouraged to draw on to protest, drive awareness, and mobilize to bring about change. The Backbone Campaign is supporting organizers nationwide to help them collaborate and effectively convey their messages. Deepak and Bill talk about: Impact of large visual props and light projections Providing training, tools, and support to activists Need to drive conversations and build emotional connections #TheDemLabs #BackboneCampaign #Activism #GrassrootsActivism #Organizing #Protests #PoliticalProtests BackboneCampaign.org TheDemLabs.org

Allen Carroll, cartographer and lead of the Story Maps team at Esri, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the power of maps and the visualization of GIS data to tell a compelling story. The StoryMaps platform combines multimedia elements to create richer and more engaging maps to spark empathy, raise awareness, and potentially inspire change. Deepak and Allen talk about: Driving public engagement with maps and potential actions to be taken #TheDemLabs #Esri #StoryMaps #ArcGIS #GIS #Advocacy #CivicEngagement #Storytelling #Maps esri.com TheDemLabs.org

Lucian K. Truscott IV, journalist, author, and screenwriter, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to shine a light on the challenges of writing about and reporting on current events, political voices, and cultural trends. Lucian started working for the Village Voice while still a cadet at West Point in the 1960s and comes from a long line of military leaders and political figures. He is currently covering politics on his Substack newsletter, Lucian Truscott. Note that this interview was recorded a few days before the US dropped bombs on Iran. Deepak and Lucian talk about: Life Magazine His concern about hasty and ill-advised military and political decisions #TheDemLabs #LucianKTruscott #MilitaryAction #PoliticalReporting #AttacksonIran LucianTruscott.substack.com TheDemLabs.org

Nicole Cushman joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to talk about Charley. This private, secure abortion focused AI chatbot was created in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The goal of this project is to provide personalized, accurate, up-to-date information about abortion services while protecting the privacy of those looking for resources. Deepak and Nicole talk about: Abortion access in America Databases powering Charley to track changes in clinic locations and state-level abortion policies The power of combining healthcare experts, lawyers, and technology to provide a source for trustworthy information How Charley the chatbot has been designed to be embedded in websites that reach the target audience for this information Privacy and security measures that include not collecting any personally identifiable information and deleting chat logs #TheDemLabs #AI #Chatbots #AbortionServices #ChatwithCharley #INeedanA #AbortionPill #AbortionCare #AbortionbyMail ChatwithCharley.org INeedanA.org NicoleCushman.com TheDemLabs.org

Catherine Roland, Legislative Affairs Director at the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to explore the current budget reconciliation process in the US Congress. Regardless of the method, Catherine emphasizes that the voice of constituents can make a difference in the outcome and influence budget decisions. Deepak and Catherine talk about: #ProgressiveCaucusCenter #CongressionalBudget #BudgetReconciliation #Advocacy #CongressionalBudgetOffice ProgressiveCaucusCenter.org TheDemLabs.org

Gwenn Fulton from the Addition Project joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to explore how storytelling is a powerful way to translate personal experiences into public dialogue, building shared understanding and action around common challenges. Stories of the working class are particularly needed so that their concerns and aspirations are told in their own voices. Deepak and Gwenn talk about: Effective storytelling balances facts with emotional expression to allow listeners to see themselves as part of the story How storytelling can drive grassroots organizing and mobilizationWhy narratives need to identify the heroes as well as the villains.How the Republicans are weaponizing storytelling to advance divisive narratives and how the Democrats are responding #AdditionProject #TheDemLabs #Storytelling #WorkingClass #SocialChange #Organizing #SocialJustice #ClassinAmerica AdditionProject.org TheDemLabs.org

Anna Chu, Executive Director of We the Action, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the critical role lawyers play in defending the rule of law and supporting nonprofits during these challenging times. The We the Action platform connects lawyers with organizations addressing the challenges both sides face in finding specific expertise and meaningful opportunities. Deepak and Anna talk about #WetheAction #TheDemLabs #Lawyers #Nonprofits #ProBonoLegalServices WeTheAction.org TheDemLabs.org

Jennifer Appel, filmmaker, teacher, and activist, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the American Dream and the need to provide a more complete and accurate portrayal of the American experience. Jennifer uses storytelling, music, and visuals to give voice to diverse perspectives, including those of Indigenous people and veterans, to rally the country and heal the divisions in American society. She reminds us of the Hopi Indian quote, "The one who tells the story rules the world." Deepak and Jennifer talk about What kind of change is needed in this increasingly materialistic society #SomewhereIRead​ #JenAppelCreates #TraitorFilm #TraitorMovie #TraitorAStoryOfPatriots #IndieFilm #Patriotism #Democracy #Democrats #GOP #Republicans #MusicInFilm #BruceSpringsteen #TheBoss #SpringsteenSongs #BornToRun #SpringsteenNation #MusicHeals #HealingTheNation #TruthOverTyranny #MikeAppelLegacy SomewhereIRead.com TheDemLabs.org

Shasti Conrad is the Chair of the Washington State Democratic Party and Associate Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Her involvement in political organizing and activism taught her that campaigns must focus on economic messages to build coalitions that cut across partisan lines. This year, before the 2026 mid-terms, there is an opportunity to engage diverse constituents in person and online to test new messaging and strategies for reaching consensus and winning races. We talk about: #ShastiConrad #WADEMS #Voters #Persuasion #Protests #ProtestingTrump #Townhalls #DemocraticParty #Democrats WADems.org

Zach Adams, Senior Specialist in Client Partnerships for Politics and Public Affairs at VDX.tv, discusses the evolving landscape of political campaigns and the importance of ongoing engagement with voters beyond election day. Candidates and campaigns often fail to maintain relationships with voters, except for requests for contributions. Data analytics is one path to effectively target messages to engage and motivate the base and attract new supporters. We talk about: #VDXTV #PoliticalAdvertising #PoliticalCampaigns #DigitalVoterOutreach #PoliticalEvangelists #VoterEngagement VDX.tv

Michael D. Cohen is the CEO of the Cohen Research Group, a political public affairs and corporate research firm, and the author of Modern Political Campaigns: How Professionalism, Technology, and Speed Have Revolutionized Elections. He has written a new chapter for this well-received book that focuses on the power of AI and opportunities to apply it in political campaigns. Michael emphasizes the need to balance the use of AI with maintaining the authenticity and voice of the candidate. We talk about: #CohenResearchGroup #PoliticalCampaigns #BookTok #Elections #AIinPoliticalCampaigns #AI #PoliticalConsultants #Voters CohenResearchGroup.com ModernPoliticalCampaigns.com