KIRO Newsradio Commentaries

KIRO Newsradio Commentaries

Your favorite KIRO Newsradio hosts deliver bite-sized commentary on the people and events making news in your world.

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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Matt Markovich: Accountability is expensive

Matt Markovich looks at the changing trends in media consumption and news sources and the costs associated with it 

00:01:39
Nov 21, 2024 7:30 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Angela Poe Russell: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s 'good idea' is actually pretty disturbing

Don’t get me wrong, I love a great headline, and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s challenge/threat to Republicans is significant political theater. Sadly, it's also pretty disturbing.

To catch you up, Greene posted on the social platform X the following message to her Republican colleagues in the House and Senate: "If we are going to release ethics reports and rip apart our own that Trump has appointed, then put it ALL out there for the American people to see."

00:02:42
Nov 20, 2024 10:48 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Charlie Harger: Cut some slack for Seattle weather forecasters

It’s hard to communicate uncertainty, especially when the weather has a mind of its own. That’s why Charlie feels for Seattle meteorologists right now. They’re trying their best to predict a storm that’s as fickle as, well, Seattle weather. And they know that if they get it wrong, people will be cranky tomorrow, accusing them of hyping something up.

00:02:22
Nov 19, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Michael Goldenkranz: Benefactors need to reshape incentives for young lawyers

Listner Michael Goldenkranz has an idea to help serve those who are underepresented in the court of law and those going throgh the process of becoming a lawyer. 

00:02:38
Nov 18, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Matt Markovich: The Harris campaign and the biggest case of political ‘astroturfing’ yet

The postmortem on the Harris campaign is underway, and here’s a number that stands out.

According to The Washington Examiner, nearly $4 million went to a firm called Village Marketing. Their mission? Pay thousands of social media influencers to hype up Harris and tear down Trump. Now, at that point, can we still call them influencers or paid propagandists?

00:01:27
Nov 14, 2024 7:30 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Angela Poe Russell: Trump fills his team with dedicated loyalists

As President Elect Trump begins filling his cabinet roles, it becomes clear a theme is emerging. 

Loyalty - the very thing that likely hurt Kamala Harris.

00:02:36
Nov 13, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Charlie Harger: The top issue for voters this election

Exit polls show the top issue for voters this cycle was the economy. President Biden’s pointed out that America has the best economy in the world, comparatively speaking. And from a detached perspective, sure, maybe that’s true. It’s been hard everywhere.

00:02:14
Nov 12, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Dave Ross: What sports can teach us about the election results

Dave Ross takes a look at the election results through the lens of sports, and confirms, you can still be friends with someone who voted differently than you. 

00:02:20
Nov 11, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Rantz: Kamala Harris wasn’t the only one to lose. Left-wing did too but did it learn a lesson?

Kamala Harris wasn’t the only loser on election night, Left-wing media outlets suffered a stinging defeat.

00:02:37
Nov 8, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
'As goes King County, so goes the state:' WA turns into deeper blue state after 2024 election

Governor Jay Inslee -- the state's most powerful Democrat -- proudly proclaimed yesterday that all statewide offices are now held by Democrats.

He claimed the last time that happened was when Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was president 80-something years ago.

That prompted our Matt Markovich to dig up a familiar tune - to explain why our state is turning from blue to dark blue.

00:02:30
Nov 7, 2024 8:38 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Angela Poe Russell: Amazon’s “disgruntled” employees might have a point on hybrid work

Angela Poe Russell considers some of the impacts of Amazon workers return to the office, and wonders if we are missing the point when it comes to hybrid work

00:02:19
Nov 6, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Charlie Harger: As Election Day falls on a divided nation — can we try to find peace?

Well, here we are — it’s Election Day. In just a few hours, we’ll start to get a sense of the winners and losers. Sooner or later, we’ll know who the next president is. And no matter who it is, about half the country is going to be pretty upset.

00:02:20
Nov 5, 2024 7:35 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Dave Ross: Election Day and Decision Day are two seperate things

Tomorrow is Election Day – that’s what the calendar says. But there are two problems with the term "Election Day."

No. 1, we now have many election days, because people have been voting for weeks. No. 2, we have developed this expectation that, in addition to being Election Day, it should also be the day we find out who won.

And this is at the heart of the crisis of trust that we’re going through.

00:02:26
Nov 4, 2024 7:5 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Mayfield: A Timely Reminder From the Parents of a Nobel Prize Recipient

I am a dad. That means I worry almost constantly about our kids.

This week, I met two lovely people who made me worry a tiny bit less about how I am doing as a parent.

You may have heard of Dr. David Baker. He’s a genius who works at UW on creating brand new proteins.  He was just awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work. He’s a pretty big deal.

What you may not have heard, is that long before he was a Nobel recipient, he was a kid in Seattle Public Schools. He went to Garfield High School and what was then Meany Junior High.

00:02:59
Nov 1, 2024 8:45 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Matt Markovich: Why are initiatives so confusing?

Matt Marovich commentary 

00:01:44
Oct 31, 2024 11:21 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Angela Poe Russell: Election anxiety is real, here’s how to navigate all the political chaos

This time next week, we should have some sense of where the election is going. Instead of polls, we will be looking at the ballots counted thus far. With it being so close to election day, it might be time to brush up on some things we seem to have forgotten lately.

It’s a feeling I hadn't experienced in years. I started breathing faster, my heart raced and I just had this sinking feeling. Then it hit me: I was having anxiety. Election-related anxiety. This has never happened to me. And you know the craziest part? It wasn’t directly about the presidential candidates.

You see, over the weekend, like a lot of people, I had consumed social media, news and advertisements.

00:02:40
Oct 30, 2024 6:36 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Harger: Attacks on ballot boxes threaten democracy

Over the summer, the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning that was both alarming and, unfortunately, necessary. Election agencies across the nation were cautioned about emerging threats to destroy ballot drop boxes — a cornerstone of our democratic process that enables millions of Americans to exercise their right to vote safely and conveniently.

00:02:17
Oct 29, 2024 8:27 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Dave Ross: How I learned to stop worrying and love negative political ads

Love those ads.

People say they hate negative political ads, but the reality is conflict is the soul of drama, and negative ads work. They can make you hate anything.

00:02:19
Oct 28, 2024 7:29 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Matt Markovich on the 'Dark Money' in politics

Matt Markovich on the 'Dark Money' in politics 

00:01:36
Oct 24, 2024 7:59 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Angela Poe Russell: We have a 'weird' relationship with Russell Wilson

Angela Poe Russell: We have a 'weird' relationship with Russell Wilson

00:01:50
Oct 23, 2024 7:46 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Harger: Demonization of opponents is dangerous for Democracy

In just two weeks, we’ll start seeing the first wave of election results roll in, giving us a pretty good idea of who our next group of elected leaders will be. It’s a big moment after months of campaigning, debates and all the talk.

But honestly, I’m feeling a bit worn out.

The presidential race has been draining, to say the least.

00:02:48
Oct 22, 2024 10:51 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
An alternative version of January 6

Dave Ross commentary 

00:01:40
Oct 21, 2024 8:43 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Matt Markovich: Are RINOs actually libertarians?

KIRO's Matt Markovich asks the question - is a RINO - (republican in name only) a libertarian without knowing it. 

00:01:29
Oct 17, 2024 7:30 AM
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KIRO Newsradio Commentaries
Angela Poe Russell: Helping lonely people doesn't take much effort

Angela Poe Russell: Helping lonely people doesn't take much effort

00:02:35
Oct 16, 2024 8:53 AM
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