CMC In The News

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article comparing Vice President Kamala Harris to Gov. Gavin Newsom and their chances at becoming President. He stated, Harris has “near-universal name identification in the Democratic Party and access to the national media,” and yet “no independent authority.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article about the possibility of a Republican winding up in one of the top two Senate seats in California. He said, “…if two of the three (Democrats) fade in the stretch, then a Republican could place second.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article that discussed the debate between Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. Ron DeSantis, hosted by Sean Hannity. Prof. Pitney did not see the debate helping DeSantis since he's so far behind, but says the event has its benefits. He said, “The red model is very different from the blue model, and attentive viewers could learn something about the merits and defects of each.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article about the fire that damaged the 10 freeway in Los Angeles. He shared, in reference to Gov. Newsom’s involvement in fixing the road, “…if you are a governor, you want to be in on any good news involving roads.”

Prof. Piercarlo Valdesolo was mentioned in an article discussing his co-authored study on awe.

Prof. Tamara Venit-Shelton was quoted in a piece on TB testing for Ukrainian asylum seekers. She provided some historical context on how Los Angeles became a haven for health seekers in the mid 19th century. She shared, “…especially after the Transcontinental Railroad connected California to the rest of the country, health tourism became a more reliable source of income for Californians. It didn't take a lot of capital to set up a place that middle- and upper-class tourists could come to rest and recuperate.”

Prof. Minxin Pei was quoted in an article about President Biden’s meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping. He shared that “Xi needs the summit more than Biden does. He needs to show he’s respected, that he has stature. He’s definitely in a worse position than in November of last year.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was featured in an article on Robert F. Kennedy’s popularity among younger voters. He stated that RFK’s popularity "represents dissatisfaction about a choice between two old men. Many younger voters like the vague idea of 'independence.' His support will melt when voters learn about his positions, his record and his age."

Prof Jack Pitney was quoted in a piece on former President Trump wanting to cancel remaining debates. The article shared historical context as to the origins of Presidential debates.

Prof. George Thomas was quoted in an article about former President Trump’s free college plan. He said, “Trump’s latched on to something that’s going to resonate, at least, but it’s not like he’s thought it through.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in a piece about how top U.S. Senate candidates were raising funds. He said, “Particularly among Democratic candidates, there are a lot of rich liberals, and that’s something you don’t necessarily see in every location.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article about how colleges are working to curb cultural appropriation on Halloween. He said, “Yes, anybody wearing a costume on a college campus must beware of giving offense.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article regarding Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s deal with MAGA supporters, in which he promised to give up some of his gavel powers through a series of House rule changes that included changing the motion to vacate so that it would be easier to fire a speaker. Prof. Pitney explained that the motion to vacate “will continue to be a problem with any Republican Speaker.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in The Mercury News surrounding Gov. Gavin Newsom’s visit to Israel. Prof. Pitney explained, “…the polls indicate Americans strongly sympathize with Israel, and the Democratic Party’s support for Israel has increased substantially since the Hamas attack. So he appears to be with a majority of his party.”

Prof. Jack Pitney commented in an article on how the White House is maintaining its distance from the current chaos in the House. Prof. Pitney shared that lawmakers may “resent outsiders meddling in their internal affairs. Democrats support President Biden’s policies, but they might push back if he openly tried to tell them how to conduct their own business. Any intervention would have to go through back channels.”