168: Dr. Deborah Birx, Rep. Darrell Issa and Tom Steyer
This week, as COVID-19 cases continued to surge in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new curfews and limited safer-at-home orders.
31m Nov 21, 2020
31m
167: Dr. Oz, Anthony Scaramucci, and Rick Gates
Dr. Oz weighs in on Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine and handling of the virus during the holiday season. Anthony Scaramucci and Rick gates discuss election results.
27m Nov 14, 2020
27m
166: Carla Marinucci, Brian Goldsmith and John Kobylt
This week, FOX 11's Elex Michaelson hosts Carla Marinucci, Brian Goldsmith and John Kobylt for a post-election wrapup. ————— The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewide political show. For showtimes and more information, go to TheIssueIsShow.com (http://theissueisshow.com/) .
24m Nov 07, 2020
24m
165: Governor Gavin Newsom, Bob Shrum, Mike Murphy, and Rick Gates
We are just a few days away from Election Day. It’s the finish line to a political year that began with an impeachment trial, was dominated by a global pandemic, and, in the final days, saw the confirmation of a new Supreme Court Justice. Now, with more than 80 million voters having already cast their ballots, Tuesday’s results will determine whether President Donald Trump gets four more years...
29m Oct 31, 2020
29m
164: Tomi Lahren and Brian Tyler Cohen
With just days left in the campaign, President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden met one last time to debate. This, as coronavirus cases spiked in states across the country, as the number of early voters surpassed 50 million, and as the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. As the march towards Election Day approaches its ...
31m Oct 24, 2020
31m
163: Congressman Tom Mcclintock and Brynne Kennedy
 Elex Michaelson is joined on The Issue Is by Congressman Tom McClintock (R) and Brynne Kennedy (D) for California’s 4th District. The district, which includes El Dorado, Mariposa, and portions of Fresno, has been represented in Congress by Tom McClintock (R) since 2009. In this year’s race, McClintock is being challenged by businesswoman Brynne Kennedy (D). While on the show the two had a min...
13m Oct 17, 2020
13m
163: Katie Couric and political strategist Brian Goldsmith
Elex Michaelson is joined on The Issue Is by legendary journalist Katie Couric and political strategist Brian Goldsmith. The conversation kicked off with Couric and Goldsmith, who previously worked as Couric’s producer and podcast co-host. With just days to go this election cycle, the two first analyzed the state of the Presidential race. ————— The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California...
27m Oct 17, 2020
27m
162: Pete Buttigieg and Jeff Mason
The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewide political show. For showtimes and more information, go to TheIssueIsShow.com (http://theissueisshow.com/).
24m Oct 10, 2020
24m
161: Former Senator Al Franken
As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) pushes ahead with the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, former Senator Al Franken (D-MN) told FOX 11’s Elex Michaelson that Democrats need to push back in whatever way they can.  Franken discussed his concerns over the nomination as well as leadership in Washington. ————— The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is Califor...
23m Oct 03, 2020
23m
160: Senator Barbara Boxer, Areva Martin, Harmeet Dhillon, and Jessica Levinson
This week, justice took center stage. In Washington D.C., following last week’s passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the battle over her replacement began to heat up, as accusations of hypocrisy were lobbed from, and against, both sides. In Louisville, Kentucky, after months of protests over the death of Breonna Taylor, the state’s Attorney General announced that one involved...
32m Sep 26, 2020
32m
159: Gloria Allred reflects on the life and legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away Sept. 18 at the age of 87. He was a pioneer for women's rights and civil liberties.  Attorney Gloria Allred talks about the impact Ginsburg had on her life as well as the impact she had on women around the nation.  “She’s my ‘she-ro,’ and the ‘she-ro' to millions of women in the United States and around the world,” Allred said. “She was ...
8m Sep 19, 2020
8m
159: Jeff Mason
Elex Michaelson is joined by Reuters’ White House Correspondent Jeff Mason. The two met while covering President Trump's visit to California. Mason talks about his experience covering politics and reporting during the Obama and Trump administrations. ————— The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewide political show. For showtimes and more information, go to http://TheIssu...
14m Sep 19, 2020
14m
159: Former Gov. Jerry Brown on climate change and wildfires
As wildfires continue to rage across California, Elex Michaelson spoke with former California Governor Jerry brown on climate change and the issue of wildfires. President Trump attributed much of the wildfire activity to poor forest management in California. And even though Brown agreed that forest management is an issue, he placed the responsibility for overseeing that management at the feet o...
19m Sep 19, 2020
19m
158: Anthony Scaramucci, Seema Mehta, and Joel Pollak
This week on The Issue Is, President Trump and the White House go on defense against Bob Woodward and The Atlantic as the Presidential race tightens. To break it all down, Elex Michaelson is joined by former former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, Los Angeles Times political writer Seema Mehta, and Breitbart News Senior Editor-at-Large Joel Pollak. ------ The Issue Is: ...
19m Sep 12, 2020
19m
157: Chasten Buttigieg discusses new memoir
Chasten Buttigieg, husband of former Democratic presidential candidate and former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana Pete Buttigieg, just released his memoir 'I Have Something to Tell You.' Buttigieg spoke with Elex Michaelson about his memoir and about how he came out to his family - writing them a letter before running away from home. ------ The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only ...
16m Sep 12, 2020
16m
156: The Issue Is: Andrew Yang, John Cox, and Marcellus Wiley
This week on The Issue Is, a major announcement, a reunion, and a deep dive into the latest stories surrounding the 2020 election, coronavirus, racial justice, and more. To break it all down, Elex Michaelson is joined by former Presidential candidate Andrew Yang, 2018 California Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, and FOX Sports 1 host and former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley.  The Issue Is...
38m Sep 05, 2020
38m
155: Coronavirus, The RNC, and racial justice intensified
On the coronavirus front, The United States surpassed 180,000 deaths. On the political front, President Trump accepted the Republican nomination at a national convention unlike any seen in modern history. And on the streets of many of America’s major cities, protests for racial justice intensified following the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake. To break it all down, Elex Michaelson...
37m Aug 29, 2020
37m
154: A conversation with former CA Gov. Jerry Brown
This week joining us on 'The Issue Is' is former California Governor Jerry Brown. He spoke with Elex Michaelson on numerous topics including the Democratic National Convention, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, the coronavirus, AB5 and so much more. Brown is one of the longest serving governors in the state of California, he served as Secretary of State, Attorney General, he was the mayor of Oakland an...
27m Aug 22, 2020
27m
153: Discussing Kamala Harris as Biden's running mate with Gloria Allred, John Kobylt, Brian Goldsmith
This week, a pair of history-making headlines from the Golden State. On the coronavirus front, California became the first state to surpass 600,000 positive cases.  Then, in electoral politics, Senator Kamala Harris became the first California Democrat to ever be named to a Presidential ticket, as Joe Biden selected her to be his running mate. To break down the latter, and much more, Elex Mi...
19m Aug 16, 2020
19m
152: Former Rep. Katie Hill opens up about scandal, trauma, and more
At this time in 2019, Katie Hill was a rising star in the Democratic party. Having just flipped California’s 25th district for the first time since 1993, Hill, at 32 years old, had assignments on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Oversight Committee. She had also been chosen, alongside Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse, to represent the 116th House Freshman class. Then, in October...
15m Aug 15, 2020
15m
151: An exclusive with Arnold Schwarzenegger
This week is our exclusive interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger, known best as an action hero, a bodybuilder, and the 38th Governor of California, joins Elex Michaelson to talk coronavirus, race relations, the Presidential election, his famous pets, quarantine, family, and much more. With discussions surrounding race at the forefront of the American psyche, former California G...
38m Aug 08, 2020
38m
150: HHS Secretary Alex Azar speaks on the current COVID-19 pandemic
Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar spoke exclusively to FOX 11’s Elex Michaelson on the COVID-19 pandemic. Azar spoke about a potential vaccine that could be ready by the end of the year as well as the current criticism surrounding face masks.  The Issue Is is California's only statewide political show. Watch FOX 11 Los Angeles Fridays at 10:30PM and Sundays at 9:30AM. For more s...
10m Aug 07, 2020
10m
149: Discussing Vice President candidates and COVID-19 with Rep. Karen Bass, Mayor Garcia, Bob Shrum, and Mike Murphy
Nearly five months since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, a grim milestone, as the number of virus-related deaths in the United States surpassed 150,000. This, as the nation mourned the losses of Congressman John Lewis and broadcasting legend Regis Philbin. In an effort to navigate the grief, and to breakdown the latest moves and headlines in the 2020 Presidential race, Elex Michaelson is jo...
21m Aug 01, 2020
21m
148: Remembering Regis Philbin with Billy Bush & Meredith Vieira
Longtime television star Regis Philbin passed away at the age of 88. The former TV host died on July 24.  As we celebrate his life and legacy, game show host Meredith Vieira, who took over hosting Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and TV host Billy Bush share their memories of Philbin. 
15m Jul 30, 2020
15m
147: A debate on the government's role during the pandemic with Hasan Piker and Michael Knowles
Hasan Piker is a progressive, formerly of The Young Turks, Michaels Knowles is a conservative, a host at The Daily Wire. Both frequent guests of The Issue Is, they face off for the first time, debating the role of government assistance, the issue of masks, the deployment of federal law enforcement in Portland, the 2020 race, and much more. ---------- The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is Cali...
36m Jul 25, 2020
36m
147: Rep. Adam Schiff discusses pandemic relief in Congress
This week, confirmed cases of coronavirus continued to climb as millions of unemployed Californians feared the impending end of additional unemployment benefits. Schiff joins Elex to discuss future relief in Congress, national security threats posed by Russia and China, and his new legislation regarding Presidential pardons. ————— The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewi...
16m Jul 25, 2020
16m
146: The struggle of reopening the economy in California; a conversation with Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, attorney Harmeet Dhillon, and psychologist Michael Gervais
This week, some four months after California’s stay-at-home order began, the situation continues to take a turn in the wrong direction. For the first time, California recorded more than 10,000 new cases in a single day, as the total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the Golden State ballooned to more than 370,000. As a result, Governor Newsom followed up his announcement that indoor ...
32m Jul 18, 2020
32m
145: John Bolton, Eric Swalwell publish new books surrounding Trump's impeachment
Ambassador John Bolton and California Congressman Eric Swalwell are of different generations, they hail from different sides of the political spectrum, but the men have a surprising amount in common. Bolton served in four presidential administrations. Swalwell is currently in his fourth term in the House of Representatives. Bolton was born in, and currently resides in, Maryland. Swalwell, on ...
33m Jul 11, 2020
33m
144: 4th of July takes on new meaning during pandemic and racial justice protests
July 4, 2020 marks the 244th birthday of America. But this year, the celebration is quite different. As Coronavirus cases spike nationwide, millions of Americans are being told to avoid the BBQs, the fireworks, and the parties, and instead celebrate their nation’s freedom while locked at home. At the same time, as protests continue in the fight for racial justice following the killing of Georg...
21m Jul 04, 2020
21m
143: Dr. Deborah Birx speaks about the recent spike in coronavirus cases
More than three months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as states and localities take steps to reopen, cases are instead on the rise, jumping this week in 33 states. Elex Michaelson breaks down the spike in cases, what it means for our reopening efforts, our schools, our politics, and more, as he’s joined on The Issue Is by Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House Coronavirus T...
23m Jun 27, 2020
23m
142: Police reform in America
This week, after nearly three weeks of protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, changes of all shapes and sizes started to take place in America. From newly announced police reforms at the state and national levels to the removal of Confederate portraits in the halls of Congress, from a prominent Senator passing the baton in the race for Vice President to the possible return of an ...
22m Jun 20, 2020
22m
141: A discussion on COVID-19 with Dr. Fauci; and understanding the issue of race with Congresswoman Karen Bass
Another busy week in the world of politics. Another week marked by outrage, fear, and uncertainty. Coronavirus deaths in the US surpassed 115,000. On Tuesday, the Georgia primary was marred by voting problems. On Thursday, the Dow suffered its worst day since March. The debate over Civil War statues was reignited. And depending on the source, a six-block area of Seattle was occupied by protes...
34m Jun 13, 2020
34m
140: Fighting racial injustice; a one-on-one with Gov. Newsom
Another difficult week for The United States. This, as in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, protests spread from coast to coast. While many peacefully took to the streets, calling for justice reform and systemic change, others used the opportunity to loot and riot. Major cities instituted nightly curfews, starting as early as 1:00PM in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. Thousands were arr...
29m Jun 07, 2020
29m
139: The battle over California's churches
With churches not set to reopen in California until Phase 3, Pastor Jim Franklin of Fresno's Cornerstone Church was one of 1,200 California pastors who wrote to Gov. Newsom saying they would reopen on May 31 no matter what, as the state's reopening plan infringed upon their religious freedom. ------------------ The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewide political show, ...
20m May 23, 2020
20m
138: Discussing coronavirus with former California governor Jerry Brown
This week, grim economic news out of California. First, a revised budget proposal that would see cuts to the likes of public education as the state works to fill the $54B deficit caused by coronavirus-shutdowns. To fill that hole, the state is also looking for aid from the federal government. This, as Governor Gavin Newsom predicted the state’s shutdown-induced unemployment could peak as high...
42m May 19, 2020
42m
137: The latest reopening efforts with businessman Tom Steyer, chef Wolfgang Puck
What should have been a week punctuated by celebrations of Cinco De Mayo and Mother's Day, has instead been defined by anxiety, as more and more states cautiously ease restrictions in an attempt to reopen their economies.   This, as coronavirus-induced shutdowns led non-farm payrolls to fall 20.5M in April, and the nation's unemployment rate to shoot to a Depression-era-level 14.7%. In February...
41m May 09, 2020
41m
136: The economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrew Yang weighs in on stimulus payment
Under a cloud of anxiety and partisanship, this week saw both the federal government start to phase-out their "stop the spread" guidelines as well as a number of major cities and states make their first steps towards reopening. This, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US surpassed 1 million, and the number of newly unemployed ballooned to 30 million Americans. ---------------...
31m May 03, 2020
31m
135: Federal guidelines for reopening America have been unveiled
The federal guidelines for reopening America have been unveiled, but returning to normal could be a long way off.   This, as the number of Americans testing positive for coronavirus has passed 700,000, the number of deaths has hit 37,000, and the number of those filing for unemployment as a result of the virus has ballooned to 22,000,000 in just four weeks.   This week, Elex and "The Issue Is" ...
35m Apr 18, 2020
35m
134: America continues to adjust to a new normal with COVID-19
Of the 1.7 million confirmed cases worldwide, 500,000 are in the US. More than 18,000 Americans have succumbed to the disease, although the models keep improving in terms of how many ultimately will. This, as roughly 17 million have filed for unemployment in the past three weeks as a result of the preventative shutdown. ----------  The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewi...
32m Apr 10, 2020
32m
133: Coronavirus w/ Dr. Oz & Dr. Bassem Youseff
Dr. Oz kicks things off by evaluating the response to coronavirus in California, especially as the rates of infection and mortality have lagged behind many other less-populated states. Oz called much of the state's response "nimble," "sage," and "decisive." While looking at Los Angeles specifically, which has yet to become a hot-spot akin to New York City, Oz pointed to aggressive social distan...
32m Apr 03, 2020
32m
132: Coronavirus with Rep. Karen Bass, Gloria Allred & Carla Marinucci
Now  the House and Senate have passed the CARES Act, Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA37) breaks down how the bill will impact those Americans sitting at home weathering the storm. "If you filed your taxes, and had a direct deposit, you just get money put directly into your account," Bass said. "If you didn't have direct deposit, then it will take you a little longer, and you'll get a check in the...
37m Mar 27, 2020
37m
131: Coronavirus with Dr. Paul Song, Harvey Levin & Dr. Michael Gervais
We kick things off with Dr. Paul Song. Song, the husband of journalist Lisa Ling, is a radiation oncologist and healthcare activist, advising on insurance policy, clinical trials, and Medicare for All. Dr. Song discussed a potentially hopeful development, a study out of France that found a combination of hydroxychloroquine and zithromax had cured patients with coronavirus, eliminating the viral...
36m Mar 20, 2020
36m
130: Coronavirus from every angle: scientific, emotional and political
We kick things off with Dr. Drew Pinsky, who is currently co-hosting the nightly Coronavirus Crisis special on FOX 11 with Elex. The show airs nightly at 7:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy5ohCcwEKk&t=420s) PM, and streams for a full-hour on the FOX 11 Facebook page. Pinsky worked to downplay the fears currently gripping many Americans who are panic-shopping in the face of a global pandemi...
26m Mar 13, 2020
26m
129: The Presidential Race and Coronavirus
It's been another chaotic week in American politics: Millions of Americans in 15 states and territories cast their primary ballots, four major candidates suspended their campaigns, Coronavirus fears skyrocketed, and the stock market felt the impact of it all. Here to break everything down, Elex Michaelson is joined by an all-star panel of political insiders, political strategist and director of...
25m Mar 07, 2020
25m
128: Coronavirus and Super Tuesday
This week, new cases of coronavirus have been detected in South Korea, Italy, Iran, the US and 45 other countries; with the threat of a global economic slowdown, the Dow Jones tumbled some 3,600 points, the largest weekly drop ever; and as politicians look to pass the blame, the world is being gripped by fears of a global pandemic. To put the virus in context, provide advice on staying healthy,...
31m Mar 01, 2020
31m
127: Super Tuesday
On March 3, voters in 15 states head to the polls, awarding nearly 1/3 of delegates in the Democratic Presidential Primary. The largest share of those delegates will be from California. Will Sen. Sanders maintain his momentum through Super Tuesday? Who will come out triumphant in the battle for second place? Are Democrats on their way to the their first contested convention since Adlai Stevenso...
14m Feb 29, 2020
14m
126: FOX 11's Town Hall with Pete Buttigieg at USC
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg took questions on some of the biggest issues of the 2020 election race during an exclusive town hall hosted by FOX 11's Elex Michaelson at the University of Southern California on Thursday. The town hall gave voters the chance to learn more about Buttigieg, his policies, background, and goal for the country. Those in attendance also got the oppor...
1hr 7m Feb 22, 2020
1hr 7m
125: Addressing homelessness in California
In 2019, 567,715 people in the US experienced homelessness on a single night. 151,278 of those individuals were in California. California’s total represented a 16.4% increase over 2018, one of the largest year-to-year gains of any state, and enough to erase what would have otherwise been a national decrease in homelessness. This week, in an effort to speak with lawmakers and leaders on both sid...
24m Feb 15, 2020
24m
124: Representative Adam Schiff
For political junkies, every day this past week was like the Super Bowl. On Monday, the Iowa caucus kicked off the Presidential primary in the worst way possible. Tuesday saw the President deliver his third State of the Union, which was quickly overshadowed when Speaker Pelosi literally ripped his speech to pieces. The next day, the Senate acquitted President Trump in his impeachment trial. Sin...
22m Feb 08, 2020
22m
123: 92nd Academy Awards
The Oscars are this Sunday, to discuss the state of the race and make their final predictions, Elex is joined by Elizabeth Wagmeister of Variety, and Grae Drake, better known as Ms. Moviefone.  Beyond the awards, the group also discuss the impact of the streaming wars and the lack of female representation behind the camera. ----------  The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only sta...
14m Feb 08, 2020
14m