How Sen. Feinstein’s two-month absence is impacting the US Senate

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 8 May 2023

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It’s been more than two months that California Senator Dianne Feinstein has been away from Capitol Hill, as she recovers from a case of shingles that left her hospitalized in March. Her absence has created a critical vacancy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and her fellow Democrats say it’s hurting their ability to confirm judges nominated by President Joe Biden. Now the list of Democrats calling on Feinstein to resign is growing, amid Republican lawmakers’ ongoing refusal to seat a temporary replacement on the Committee. We’ll talk about the political impacts of Feinstein’s extended absence. Guests: Ro Khanna, U.S. Congressman, California's 17th Congressional District (Silicon Valley); chairman, House Subcommittee on the Environment; member, House Oversight, House Agriculture and House Armed Services committees Annie Karni, congressional correspondent, New York Times Joanne Kenen, journalist in-residence, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for KQIWID podcasts comes from Rancho LaPuerta, a wellness resort 45 minutes from San Diego.
0:07.2	Summer packages of three, four, or seven nights include hiking, mindfulness, and culinary adventures with farm-fresh ingredients.
0:15.0	Rancho LePuerta.com.
0:16.9	Support for Forum comes from Broadway S.F. presenting Parade, the musical revival based on a true story.
0:24.4	From three-time Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown comes the story of Leo and Lucille Frank,
0:30.8	a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in Georgia.
0:34.8	When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable
0:40.2	test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion. The riveting and gloriously hopeful parade
0:47.2	plays the Orpheum Theater for three weeks only, May 20th through June 8th. Tickets on sale now
0:54.0	at Broadwaysf.com.
0:57.7	From KQBD in San Francisco, I'm Nina Kim. Coming up on forum, calls for California Senator
1:20.6	Diane Feinstein to resign are growing, the latest coming three days ago from the New York
1:25.3	Times editorial board. Senators have won
1:27.9	primary and inescapable duty, they wrote, show up in person to vote in the chamber. If they
1:32.9	cannot do that for extended periods, they are depriving their constituents, and California
1:37.7	has 39 million of them, of a voice and a fundamental representation. Feinstein pushed back last week against the claim that
1:46.0	her health-related absence since February has hurt the Senate or her constituents. We hear
1:50.8	what you think after this news.
1:57.0	Welcome to Forum. I'm Nina Kim.
2:03.6	So what are Democrats to do? California's respected longtime Senator Diane Feinstein has said she'll return to the chamber, but has not said when.
2:13.6	She requested a temporary replacement for her on the powerful Judiciary Committee so President
2:19.0	Biden's nominees could move forward, and Republicans blocked it. Meantime, pressure for Feinstein
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of KQED and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.