Wisconsin Forward

In this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, host Matt Rothschild talks with Bianca Shaw, the new executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin. To learn more about this show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the network on Facebook, BlueSky, YouTube, X, and Instagram to keep up […]

In his ongoing series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, here’s Matt Rothschild’s interview with Mandela Barnes. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues across Wisconsin, including the seemingly split personality the state presents […]

Guest: Mandela Barnes

In this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, host Matt Rothschild interviews Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, about the demise of Wisconsin Eye and the anti-democratic ban on recordings in the State Capitol. To learn more about this show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head […]

Guest: Bill Lueders

In this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, Matt Rothschild talks with David Couper, Madison’s former police chief, about the murder of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, and what we all need to do to nonviolently resist the lawlessness of ICE. To learn more about this show and all of the […]

Guest: David Couper

In this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, host Matt Rothschild discusses his reaction to the news of President Trump sending the military to remove Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. Rothschild outlines four specific legal frameworks the action violated, including the U.S. Constitution and the UN Charter. To learn more about this show and all of […]

In his ongoing series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, here’s Matt Rothschild’s interview with Brett Hulsey. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues across Wisconsin, including the seemingly split personality the state presents […]

Guest: Brett Hulsey

In his ongoing series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, here’s Matt Rothschild’s interview with Kelda Roys. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues across Wisconsin, including the seemingly split personality the state presents […]

Guest: Kelda Roys

In his ongoing series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, here’s Matt Rothschild’s interview with David Crowley. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues across Wisconsin, including the seemingly split personality the state presents […]

Guest: David Crowley

In his ongoing series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, here’s Matt Rothschild’s interview with Missy Hughes. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues across Wisconsin, including the seemingly split personality the state presents […]

Guest: Missy Hughes

In his ongoing series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, here’s Matt Rothschild’s interview with Ryan Strnad. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues across Wisconsin, including the seemingly split personality the state presents […]

Guest: Ryan Strnad

In his ongoing series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, here’s Matt Rothschild’s interview with Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues across Wisconsin, including the seemingly split personality the […]

Over the next couple weeks, Matt Rothschild, the host of the “Wisconsin Forward” podcast, is interviewing Democratic candidates for governor. Here’s his first interview, with Rep. Francesca Hong. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background on a number of issues […]

Guest: Francesca Hong

In this episode of the Wisconsin Forward Podcast, host Matt Rothschild provides insights from Timothy Snyder and Ruth Ben-Ghiat and then interviews Carlene Bechen and Earl Ingram on why protests are so crucial right now. Wisconsin Forward tells stories from one of the nation’s most closely contested swing state. Host Matt Rothschild looks to explain the background […]

Guests: Earl Ingram, Carlene Bechen

In this episode of the Wisconsin Forward Podcast, host Matt Rothschild talks with David Couper, the former police chief of Madison, Wisconsin, and with Angela Lang, the executive director of BLOC, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities. They discuss the threat that Trump’s militarization of policing poses to our cities and to our democracy. Wisconsin Forward […]

In this episode of Wisconsin Forward, Matt Rothschild addresses Trump’s assault on trans folks, and how that assault has reverberated around Wisconsin. Matt talks with Abigail Swetz, the executive director of Fair Wisconsin; B, an anonymous trans man in Madison; and Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, who is running to be the first trans person elected to […]

Guests: Matt Rothschild, Abigail Swetz, Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford

On this edition of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, host Matt Rothschild speaks with immigrant rights activist Cely Flores, Aissa Olivarez, the legal director at the Community Immigration Law Center; and State Representative Darrin Madison. Hear how each is dealing with the threat environment, and their suggestions for what we all can do to combat the attacks on immigrants. […]

Guests: Darrin Madison, Iuscely Flores, Aissa Olivarez

On this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, Matt Rothschild talks about the national question of what should be done with redistricting in Texas, California, and other states around the nation with Ruth Conniff, editor-in-chief of the Wisconsin Examiner; Iuscely Flores, statewide organizer for the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition; and Sachin Chheda, one of the […]

Guests: Sachin Chheda, Matt Rothschild, Ruth Conniff, Iuscely Flores

On this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, Matt Rothschild talks with Dan Shafer, the political editor of Civic Media and the founder of the Recombobulation Area, about the upcoming race for governor of Wisconsin. Shafer picks the candidate with “the most upside,” and another one who would be the frontrunner if he jumps in. Wisconsin Forward […]

Guests: Dan Shafer, Matt Rothschild

On this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, host Matt Rothschild speaks with four faith leaders in Wisconsin about how to respond to Trump’s authoritarianism. The Rev. Dr. Kerri Parker, Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Pastor Walter Lanier, and the Rev. David Couper all offer their wisdom and their hopes for Matt and listeners across the state […]

Guests: David Couper, Bonnie Margulis, Walter Lanier, Kerri Parker

On this episode of the Wisconsin Forward podcast, host Matt Rothschild pursues the topic of the so-called urban-rural divide with two guests: Mike McCabe, who wrote Blue Jeans in High Places, and with Bill Hogseth, organizing director of a group called GROWW, which stands for Grassroots Organizing of Western Wisconsin. Is the divide real, or is it made up? […]

Guests: Bill Hogseth, Mike McCabe

In this episode of the “Wisconsin Forward” podcast, Matt Rothschild talks with Professor Kathy Cramer, the political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who wrote the classic book, The Politics of Resentment. They talk about the dangerous moment our democracy faces right now, and how we should engage with our neighbors. And Professor Cramer explains why she remains hopeful […]

Guest: Kathy Cramer

In this episode of the “Wisconsin Forward” podcast, host Matt Rothschild gives a brief history of conservation in Wisconsin, and he plays audio from Sen. Gaylord Nelson. Then he talks with Tia Nelson, Gaylord Nelson’s daughter and a lifelong environmentalist; Kerry Schumann, executive director of Wisconsin Conservation Voters; and Todd Allbaugh, host of “The Todd Allbaugh Show” […]

Guests: Matt Rothschild, Kerry Schumann, Todd Allbaugh, Tia Nelson

In this episode, host Matt Rothschild remembers the night in 2015 when the Republicans in the Legislature drastically rewrote our campaign finance law to give the super-rich more power than ever. For solutions, he speaks with Nick Ramos of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson, and Maggie Daun of “The Maggie Daun Show.” To […]

Guests: Chris Larson, Matt Rothschild, Nick Ramos

In this episode, host Matt Rothschild discusses how everyday folks can stand up to authoritarianism that is on the rise around the country. Hear from interviews that Matt has conducted with experts on the subject, including Trygve Olson, a senior advisor at The Lincoln Project, and Dominic Salvia, host of the Dom Salvia Show, sharing […]

Guests: Matt Rothschild, Trygve Olson, Dom Salvia

Host Matt Rothschild sits down with founder of the Recombobulation Area and Civic Media Political Editor, Dan Shafer, for a conversation on the April 1st Wisconsin Supreme Court race. The two take a look at the candidates in Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel, and share what makes this […]

Guests: Dan Shafer, Matt Rothschild