Tying It Together with Tim Boyum

The designation of North Carolina as a purple state is a common observation in the context of elections. But many might be asking, "what implications does that have and how might it affect the upcoming election?" Dr. Chris Cooper from Western Carolina University joins host Tim Boyum to talk about his new book, "Anatomy of a Purple State" to peel back the layers of North Carolina's unique and ever changing politics.

Four years after his U.S. Senate race and personal turmoil collided, Democrat Cal Cunningham sits down with host Tim Boyum to open up about that period in his life. They talk about his affair with another woman, why he didn't drop out and how it affected his defeat. They also break down the barbecue tweet that went viral, and why he says it made him more upset than just about anything else in the campaign. Later, you can listen to the stories between Cunningham and his then opponent Sen. Thom Tillis share several meals together, and just how difficult it is to be a moderate in today's politics. Both agree that though they may disagree on many things, dialogue is important.

Back from delivering a major speech at the Democratic National Convention, Durham Mayor Leo Williams joins host Tim Boyum this week for a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like in Chicago. Williams says his big speech almost didn't happen. He explains his range of emotions when he found out he was in the lineup, preparing for the speech, getting cut, then added back once again on the last night. Later on, they discuss how the speech has impacted his life and how he manages his personal, professional and campaign responsibilities.

Recently on Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum discussed what had been a whirlwind of a month in politics with North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton. On this week's podcast, it's Republican Party Committee Chairman Michael Whatley's turn. Whatley, thought a former NC GOP chair, is not to be confused with Clayton's counterpart, Jason Simmons. Whatley provides a behind-the-scenes look at an eventful political summer, including an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, President Biden's withdrawal from the race, the contrasting national and state leadership roles, and more.

Earlier in the year, host Tim Boyum asked national pollster Tom Jensen with Public Policy Polling, or PPP, about what topics he thought would influence voters the most. This week, he rejoins Tim to revisit that conversation, and talk about how the 2024 election has shifted since President Biden dropped out and Democrats nominated Vice President Kamala Harris. They also discuss the status of races in North Carolina and how those changes could make a difference.

On this week's podcast, Democratic consultant Morgan Jackson and Republican consultant Jonathan Felts provide insights on a politically eventful month in North Carolina. The two touch on topics like the impact of Biden dropping out of the race from the perspective of both sides, why Gov. Roy Cooper took his name out of the VP running before the vetting even began. The panel also uses their career expertise to hypothesise how President Joe Biden's Press Secretary Andrew Bate, a North Carolina native, might've immediately reacted when he discovered the president dropped out of the race.

North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton rejoins host Tim Boyum this week to talk about the tumultuous month since the debate. Their conversation spans from President Joe Biden's exit to her role in leading the state party's delegation, which unanimously supported Vice President Kamala Harris during the uncertain time. "Every single delegate was exploding with excitement," she said when holding a state call on Harris. "I didn't want to go into that convention not unified." She also responds to the question of the process in which Harris has become the Democratic nominee.

Rep. Jason Saine of Lincoln County abruptly filed his resignation letter July 15, confirming he would step down from his 97th House District seat, effective Aug. 12. Rep. Saine tells host Tim Boyum his reasons for leaving public office while his party holds the supermajority and what's next for him in the private sector. Boyum and Rep. Saine also talk freely about the financial and time challenges state lawmakers face in a part time system that requires full time work, mentioning that he's tired of being poor at his age, but thankful for the lifelong friendships he's made. He also gives us some behind-the-scenes insight into the battle over approving sports betting and the budget.

On this week's podcast, host Tim Boyum talks with 9th congressional district candidate Shelane Etchison. She's becoming the first unaffiliated congressional candidate to ever appear on a ballot in North Carolina, but making history is not new to her. She was also among the first women to serve in combat in the Army and earn two master's degrees from Harvard before coming back to her home state of North Carolina. This week on Tying it Together, she discusses those stories and the reasons behind her decision to not align with any political side.

On this week's episode, Tim talks with Rev. Dr. William Barber and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove about their new book, "White Poverty." The book looks at historical myths about race and class and makes a case that addressing white poverty might be key to mitigating racism and uniting a massive group of voters to demand change.