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Let's Find Common Ground

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Civil argument for serious public questions.

The gist

Let's Find Common Ground turns political conflict into structured public conversation. Its episodes favor in-depth discussions, campus panels, and legal or historical framing over quick partisan certainty.

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About Let's Find Common Ground

Let's Find Common Ground is a public-affairs show shaped by the habits of the seminar room, the campaign war room, and the constitutional law classroom. It is measured, not sleepy. The show repeatedly returns to institutions under pressure: universities, courts, elections, state governments, presidencies, and fragile democracies abroad. Its conversations are usually built around named events, books, panels, and campus forums, with guests introduced through the subject they are there to examine. The questions tend to begin broadly. Then they narrow. A discussion of free speech becomes a practical argument over campus rules, public controversy, administrative judgment, inclusion, and viewpoint suppression. A conference panel on California politics becomes a story about 1988, 2016, 2024, party coalitions, county shifts, and the possibility of another realignment. A tax panel asks a blunt civic question: do high revenues actually produce results? The legal episodes are especially comfortable with doctrine, precedent, and constitutional structure, but they keep returning to real political incentives. Jeffrey Toobin's discussion of presidential mercy starts with the pardon power and moves toward the founders, discretion, and the absence of guardrails. Jonathan Turley's appearance is framed through rage, dialogue, curiosity, and the discipline of criticizing ideas rather than labeling people. The Iran conversation carries more urgency, focusing on democracy, nonviolence, civil disobedience, sanctions, conflict, and the danger of a vacuum after regime change. Across these subjects, the show prizes disagreement that remains legible. It does not flatten conflict into harmony. It asks what can be said, what power can do, what elections reveal, and what a civic culture owes to truth when institutions are strained. Listeners get patient analysis, formal introductions, dry moments of levity, and the expectation that hard questions deserve more than a performance of outrage.

Made for: For listeners who follow politics, law, elections, and civic institutions with patience for detail. It especially suits people who want disagreement handled through evidence, context, and public responsibility.

What sets it apart: The show sounds less like a partisan commentary feed and more like a curated civic forum, with campus panels and expert conversations allowed to breathe. Its strength is the space it gives to competing principles, from speech and inclusion to mercy, taxation, realignment, and democracy abroad.

In their own words

The Bully Pulpit has merged with the Let's Find Common Ground podcast. As the tone of public discourse becomes increasingly angry and divisive, Let's Find Common Ground offers a healing path to reaching agreement and moving forward. At the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, we bring together top Republicans and Democrats to transcend partisan divisions and explore solutions to our most pressing national and global challenges. Join veteran strategists Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy along with other Center staff and major voices for fun conversations that advance civil dialogue and practical politics. The conversations go behind the curtain with elected officials, campaign staff, journal…

As heard by us

Based on 4 episodes we listened to · September 2026

Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy use sustained questioning to turn political disagreement into clear examinations of principles, institutions, and consequences.

Let's Find Common Ground treats political disagreement as something to examine at conversational length. Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy frame discussions around contested questions, then use follow-ups to expose the assumptions beneath an answer.

Read our full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Campus free speech gets awkward when a dean asks how you'd actually put the principle to work.

Press play if you want

  • to hear a dean wrestle with welcoming speech without endorsing every view
  • to weigh voters' feelings about Biden against the economic numbers
Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
campus free speechcivil dialogueCalifornia political realignmenttax policy and public outcomespresidential pardon powerdemocracy in the Middle Eastconstitutional guardrailselections and party coalitions

Talks about

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Podcasts like Let's Find Common Ground

Episodes

  1. 1

    Experiencing Hatred: True Stories to End Hate and Educate

    ·1h 11m
  2. 2

    California at 175 Conference: "The Trends That Turned California from Red to Blue"

    ·1h 17m
  3. 3

    California at 175 Conference: "Ballot Initiatives 2026"

    ·1h 17m
  4. 4

    Rage & The Republic: A Fireside Chat with Jonathan Turley

    ·53m
  5. 5

    Redistricting Is Sexy! A Look Back on Prop 50 with CPF Fellow Seema Mehta

    ·1h 41m
  6. 6

    Britain, Europe, and America: The Future of the Transatlantic Alliance

    ·1h 35m
  7. 7

    New CPF Fellows on Politics Today

    ·52m
  8. 8

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "From The Off-Year to the Midterms"

    ·1h 10m
  9. 9

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "Redistricting: Are Politicians Choosing Their Voters?"

    ·1h 12m
  10. 10

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "American Democracy: From George Washington to Donald Trump and Beyond"

    ·1h 15m
  11. 11

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "The Democrats: Coming Back or Cracking Up?"

    ·1h 12m
  12. 12

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "Is Reaching Across the Aisle Now A Reach Too Far?"

    ·1h
  13. 13

    2025 Trojan Family Weekend: How's Trump Doing? What About the Democrats?

    ·44m
  14. 14

    Latino Voters: The 2026 Midterms and Beyond

    ·59m
  15. 15

    Doing Good: USC Nonprofit Leaders Shaping America's Future - Part 2 Even More Good

    ·1h 2m
  16. 16

    How to Scale Your Passion And Build a Movement: Dialogues Across Difference

    ·59m
  17. 17

    The Courts and the Future of Democracy

    ·1h 9m
  18. 18

    Former Senator Joe Manchin in Conversation with Bob Shrum

    ·56m
  19. 19

    U.S. Presidents and Civility

    ·53m
  20. 20

    Gen Z and Democracy: Disillusioned and Disengaged?

    ·52m
  21. 21

    New CPF Fellows on Politics Today

    ·58m
  22. 22

    Doing Good: USC Nonprofit Leaders Shaping America's Future

    ·1h 1m
  23. 23

    The Politics of the Conclave

    ·57m
  24. 24

    Pathways to Peace in the Middle East? A Conversation with Ben Rhodes and Max Boot

    ·1h 16m
  25. 25

    Boom, Not Gloom: A Battle Plan for the Next Four Years of Climate (In)Action

    ·1h 1m
  26. 26

    Climate Policy and the Two Parties: The Search for Common Ground

    ·1h 7m
  27. 27

    Are Cable News and Legacy Media All But Dead?

    ·1h 12m
  28. 28

    Immigration: Is There a Way Forward? - Sue and Jeff White Dialogues

    ·1h 17m
  29. 29

    "The Future Lies Ahead": The Second Trump Presidency

    ·1h 3m
  30. 30

    How Democrats Lost the Plot

    ·1h 5m
  31. 31

    Trump's Historic Comeback

    ·1h 4m
  32. 32

    Bully Pulpit Podcast and "Let's Find Common Ground" Podcast Merge Into One Super Podcast

    ·14m
  33. 33

    Inaugurating A New Future?

    ·1h 5m
  34. 34

    Election 2024: What Mattered Most?

    ·58m
  35. 35

    Election 2024: The Last Lap

    ·36m
  36. 36

    Election 2024: Where Are We Now?

    ·57m
  37. 37

    California at 175 Conference: "First in Taxes, First in Results?"

    ·1h 3m
  38. 38

    The Politics of Electric Vehicles: Why Have EV's Become a Partisan Issue?

    ·59m
  39. 39

    Climate on the Ballot: 2024

    ·51m
  40. 40

    Curiosity, Not Compliance: Bridge Building In The Workplace: Simon Greer

    ·31m
  41. 41

    Inside the East Wing: The Role of the First Lady

    ·1h 1m
  42. 42

    Presidential Debate: What Just Happened?

    ·57m
  43. 43

    Trials, Debates, and the Strange 2024 Election

    ·58m
  44. 44

    Finding Common Ground in a Divided Congress: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R) and Abigail Spanberger (D)

    ·29m
  45. 45

    Public Schools: Talking Across the Divide. Becky Pringle and Gisele Huff

    ·23m
  46. 46

    Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Leaders Together in the Same Room: Reverend Anne Fowler and Francis Hogan

    ·28m
  47. 47

    How The Media Rage Machine Divides America: Chris Stirewalt

    ·28m
  48. 48

    Why Trump is Popular in Small-Town America: Salena Zito

    ·27m
  49. 49

    Bipartisan Trust and Common Ground in Congress: Reps. Dusty Johnson (R) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

    ·30m
  50. 50

    Bipartisan Trust and Common Ground in Congress: Reps. Rusty Johnson (R) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

    ·30m
  51. 51

    A Lot Done; A Lot More To Do

    ·53m
  52. 52

    2024 Election Politics: How Divided Are We Really? Kate Carney and John Geer

    ·24m
  53. 53

    New Frontiers for Education Reform?

    ·1h 1m
  54. 54

    Depolarizing America: Ending Toxic Polarization. Peter Coleman

    ·24m
  55. 55

    Is Everything We're Told About Independent Voters Wrong? Jackie Salit and John Opdycke

    ·29m
  56. 56

    Ranking Reforms "The Cure for the Ills of Democracy is More Democracy"

    ·57m
  57. 57

    Truth Decay

    ·46m
  58. 58

    November Showdown

    ·1h 11m
  59. 59

    Primary Colors

    ·1h 25m
  60. 60

    How Curiosity Can Bridge Dangerous Divides: Mónica Guzmán

    ·27m
  61. 61

    What Americans Want from Politicians— And What They're Not Getting: Sean Westwood

    ·33m
  62. 62

    The Third Founding

    ·35m
  63. 63

    Year-End Show: Conflict, Patriotism and Creative Ways to Find Common Ground

    ·30m
  64. 64

    Disagree Better: Politics Across Divides. Utah Governor Spencer Cox

    ·33m
  65. 65

    The Soul of Civility

    ·27m
  66. 66

    Book Talk with Adam Nagourney

    ·54m
  67. 67

    Finding Common Ground In-person— Not Over Zoom: State Reps. Mark Klicker and Alex Ramel

    ·27m
  68. 68

    Presidential Race 2024

    ·1h 1m
  69. 69

    Polarization and political violence: Rachel Kleinfeld

    ·32m
  70. 70

    Combating Antisemitism and Hatred featuring Bob Shrum, Bret Stephens, and Zev Yaroslavsky

    ·1h 10m
  71. 71

    Populism, Polarization, and Threats to Western Democracy: Rory Stewart

    ·35m
  72. 72

    Trojan Family Weekend: How's Biden Doing? What about the GOP?

    ·54m
  73. 73

    Post Covid: The Unequal State of Health in America

    ·55m
  74. 74

    The Challenge of Fixing Congress

    ·26m
  75. 75

    Does Polling Still Work?

    ·58m
  76. 76

    A New Definition of Citizenship: Rights and Obligations. Richard Haass

    ·26m
  77. 77

    How States Hold Fair Elections. Secretaries of State Michael Adams and Steve Hobbs

    ·28m
  78. 78

    Fellows Discussion: Trump Indictments and the Politics of 2024

    ·56m
  79. 79

    Broken Media? Restoring Trust in News Coverage. Mark Sappenfield, Story Hinckley

    ·27m
  80. 80

    Two Friends— a Democrat and a Republican— Search Together for Common Ground. Jordan Blashek, Chris Haugh

    ·24m
  81. 81

    Anti-Racism: Fighting Bigotry With Love. Chloé Valdary

    ·30m
  82. 82

    A Pragmatic Republican Makes His Case: Will Hurd

    ·32m
  83. 83

    The Big Challenge of Common Ground Politics: Tulsa, Oklahoma Mayor G.T. Bynum

    ·32m
  84. 84

    America at a Crossroads, with Judy Woodruff

    ·29m
  85. 85

    Patriotism: Pride, Race and Reckoning. Theodore Johnson

    ·28m
  86. 86

    The Abortion Talks: They Found Respect, but not Common Ground. Frances Hogan, The Rev. Anne Fowler

    ·34m
  87. 87

    The Politics of Globalization with Gordon Brown

    ·1h 4m
  88. 88

    The Politics of Globalization with Gordon Brown

    ·1h 4m
  89. 89

    Divided We Stand? What Americans Really Think About Politics

    ·23m
  90. 90

    High Conflict vs. Good Conflict: The Vital Difference. Amanda Ripley

    ·26m
  91. 91

    Finding Common Ground in Climate Conversations

    ·1h 28m
  92. 92

    Finding Common Ground on the Politics of Climate

    ·1h 25m
  93. 93

    Women in Politics: Martha Escutia with Fran Pavley

    ·58m
  94. 94

    Break Out of Your Bubble to Build Friendship and Empathy

    ·35m
  95. 95

    Conversation with Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union Ambassador to the U.S.

    ·52m
  96. 96

    Racism Renounced: A Black Man Talks With White Supremacists. Daryl Davis

    Black musician Daryl Davis shares his 35-year journey of befriending and convincing over 200 KKK members to leave the Klan through dialogue and understanding.

    ·29m
  97. 97

    Let's Find Common Ground with Anthony Scaramucci

    Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy introduce a conversation with Anthony Scaramucci, a former Trump official turned critic, discussing his perspective on the second Trump administration.

    ·59m
  98. 98

    "The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy" - Book Talk with CNN Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin

    Jeffrey Toobin discusses his book 'The Pardon' and the constitutional power of presidential pardon with Bob Shrum at USC.

    ·1h 2m
  99. 99

    Election 2024 Breakdown with CPF Fellows

    Hidden gem

    USC's Center for the Political Future hosts Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy question four Spring 2024 Fellows — Tim Miller, Jane Coaston, Ron Galperin, and Douglas Brinkley — two days before the Iowa caucus, where Trump won 51% with turnout falling from 180,000 in 2020 to 110,000.

    ·55m·3 clips
  100. 100

    Democracy in the Middle East: A Conversation with His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi, The Crown Prince of Iran

    Hidden gem

    This episode of Let's Find Common Ground presents a recorded address and interview with His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran in exile, at USC's Center for the Political Future, hosted by co-director Bob Schrum.

    ·59m·3 clips
  101. 101

    US Senator Elissa Slotkin Delivers Warschaw Lecture at USC

    Apr 14, 2026·1h 5m
  102. 102

    Can You Really Say That? A Conversation with Former ACLU President Nadine Strossen and USC Gould Dean Franita Tolson

    Hidden gem

    Let's Find Common Ground hosts Bob Schrum and Mike Murphy from USC's Center for the Political Future convene former ACLU President Nadine Strossen and USC Gould Dean Franita Tolson for a discussion of First Amendment free speech principles, campus speech policies, and the marketplace of ideas.

    Apr 14, 2026·1h 8m·4 clips
  103. 103

    California at 175 Conference: "First in Taxes, First in Results?"

    Let's Find Common Ground examines whether California’s high tax levels produce effective public outcomes, with Ron Galperin moderating Bob Hertzberg, Richard Lieb, and David Creighton.

    Mar 20, 2026·1h 3m·4 clips
  104. 104

    California at 175 Conference: "The Trends That Turned California from Red to Blue"

    A panel discussion at the California at 175 Conference explores the historical and recent trends that shifted California from a competitive battleground to a Democratic stronghold, and whether a new realignment is underway.

    Mar 20, 2026·1h 17m
  105. 105

    California at 175 Conference: "Ballot Initiatives 2026"

    Mar 16, 2026·1h 17m
  106. 106

    Rage & The Republic: A Fireside Chat with Jonathan Turley

    A preview of a fireside chat with Jonathan Turley about his book 'Rage & The Republic', hosted by USC's Open Dialogue Project.

    Mar 16, 2026·53m
  107. 107

    Redistricting Is Sexy! A Look Back on Prop 50 with CPF Fellow Seema Mehta

    Feb 26, 2026·1h 41m
  108. 108

    Britain, Europe, and America: The Future of the Transatlantic Alliance

    Feb 21, 2026·1h 35m
  109. 109

    New CPF Fellows on Politics Today

    Feb 18, 2026·52m
  110. 110

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "The Democrats: Coming Back or Cracking Up?"

    Dec 22, 2025·1h 12m
  111. 111

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "From The Off-Year to the Midterms"

    Dec 22, 2025·1h 10m
  112. 112

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "American Democracy: From George Washington to Donald Trump and Beyond"

    Dec 22, 2025·1h 15m
  113. 113

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "Redistricting: Are Politicians Choosing Their Voters?"

    Dec 22, 2025·1h 12m
  114. 114

    Warschaw Conference 2025: "Is Reaching Across the Aisle Now A Reach Too Far?"

    Dec 17, 2025·1h
  115. 115

    2025 Trojan Family Weekend: How's Trump Doing? What About the Democrats?

    Nov 24, 2025·44m
  116. 116

    Latino Voters: The 2026 Midterms and Beyond

    Nov 18, 2025·59m
  117. 117

    Doing Good: USC Nonprofit Leaders Shaping America's Future - Part 2 Even More Good

    Nov 11, 2025·1h 2m
  118. 118

    How to Scale Your Passion And Build a Movement: Dialogues Across Difference

    Oct 20, 2025·59m
  119. 119

    The Courts and the Future of Democracy

    Oct 11, 2025·1h 9m
  120. 120

    Former Senator Joe Manchin in Conversation with Bob Shrum

    Sep 25, 2025·56m
  121. 121

    U.S. Presidents and Civility

    Sep 24, 2025·53m
  122. 122

    Gen Z and Democracy: Disillusioned and Disengaged?

    Sep 20, 2025·52m
  123. 123

    New CPF Fellows on Politics Today

    Sep 3, 2025·58m
  124. 124

    Doing Good: USC Nonprofit Leaders Shaping America's Future

    Aug 11, 2025·1h 1m
  125. 125

    The Politics of the Conclave

    May 5, 2025·57m
  126. 126

    Pathways to Peace in the Middle East? A Conversation with Ben Rhodes and Max Boot

    May 1, 2025·1h 16m
  127. 127

    Boom, Not Gloom: A Battle Plan for the Next Four Years of Climate (In)Action

    Apr 18, 2025·1h 1m
  128. 128

    Climate Policy and the Two Parties: The Search for Common Ground

    Apr 14, 2025·1h 7m
  129. 129

    Are Cable News and Legacy Media All But Dead?

    Mar 17, 2025·1h 12m
  130. 130

    Immigration: Is There a Way Forward? - Sue and Jeff White Dialogues

    Mar 13, 2025·1h 17m
  131. 131

    Let's Find Common Ground with Anthony Scaramucci

    Feb 28, 2025·59m
  132. 132

    "The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy" - Book Talk with CNN Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin

    Jeffrey Toobin discusses his book 'The Pardon' and the constitutional power of presidential pardon with Bob Shrum at USC.

    Feb 22, 2025·1h 2m
  133. 133

    "The Future Lies Ahead": The Second Trump Presidency

    Feb 12, 2025·1h 3m
  134. 134

    Trump's Historic Comeback

    Feb 11, 2025·1h 4m
  135. 135

    How Democrats Lost the Plot

    Feb 11, 2025·1h 5m
  136. 136

    Bully Pulpit Podcast and "Let's Find Common Ground" Podcast Merge Into One Super Podcast

    Feb 11, 2025·14m
  137. 137

    Inaugurating A New Future?

    Jan 17, 2025·1h 5m
  138. 138

    Election 2024: What Mattered Most?

    Nov 26, 2024·58m
  139. 139

    Election 2024: The Last Lap

    Nov 4, 2024·36m
  140. 140

    Democracy in the Middle East: A Conversation with His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi, The Crown Prince of Iran

    Hidden gem

    This episode of Let's Find Common Ground presents a recorded address and interview with Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran in exile, at USC's Center for the Political Future, conducted by co-director Bob Schrum.

    Oct 28, 2024·59m·3 clips
  141. 141

    Election 2024: Where Are We Now?

    Oct 25, 2024·57m
  142. 142

    Experiencing Hatred: True Stories to End Hate and Educate

    Oct 17, 2024·1h 11m
  143. 143

    Inside the East Wing: The Role of the First Lady

    Oct 11, 2024·1h 1m
  144. 144

    Trials, Debates, and the Strange 2024 Election

    Sep 13, 2024·58m
  145. 145

    Presidential Debate: What Just Happened?

    Sep 13, 2024·57m
  146. 146

    Finding Common Ground in a Divided Congress: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R) and Abigail Spanberger (D)

    Jul 11, 2024·29m
  147. 147

    Public Schools: Talking Across the Divide. Becky Pringle and Gisele Huff

    Jun 20, 2024·23m
  148. 148

    Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Leaders Together in the Same Room: Reverend Anne Fowler and Francis Hogan

    Jun 6, 2024·28m
  149. 149

    How The Media Rage Machine Divides America: Chris Stirewalt

    May 23, 2024·28m
  150. 150

    Why Trump is Popular in Small-Town America: Salena Zito

    May 9, 2024·27m