Cross Tabs

Angrily Not Paying Attention: Polling in the UK with Matthew Price

Britain has spent a century as a two-party country. That may be over - and this week's local elections may be the strongest signal yet of a big breakup. This week, I talk with Matthew Price, analyst and strategist at Focal Data in London, about what's happening to British politics right now — and what the polls are (and aren't) able to tell us about it. They cover what the 2024 MRP polls got wrong about Labour's vote share, how public polling shapes voter behavior (including the Conservative "stop the supermajority" strategy), the unprecedented rise of five-party competition in a system built for two, and why the modeling tools that defined the last election may not be up to the next one. This episode is a shorter one to provide some background to the elections this week - a follow-up episode on MRP methodology and UK polling institutions is coming soon. Our Guest Matthew Price is a Research Manager in Focaldata's Analytics team. He previously worked as a pollster at Deltapoll, and has contributed political analysis to BBC Radio, Newsnight, and the Channel 4 election night coverage. Matthew holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford and an MPhil in Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin. You can follow him on Bluesky at @matthewbprice.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/matthewbprice.bsky.social]. Stay in Touch 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com [https://crosstabspodcast.com/] for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. 📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@crosstabspodcast] 💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/crosstabspodcast.bsky.social] and @farrahbostic.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/farrahbostic.bsky.social] 📍 Produced by The Difference Engine [https://www.thedifferenceengine.co/] 📨 You can also email me directly at farrah@crosstabspodcast.com [farrah@crosstabspodcast.com]

Governing Drunk: Sleep & Power, with Lindsay Scola

What happens when the people making decisions on your behalf are running on fumes? In this episode, I talk with Lindsay Scola — former advance person for Barack Obama, Hill staffer, and now sleep health educator — about the always-on culture of American political life, and what it actually costs us. From the Celsius cans visible in every Capitol hallway walk-and-talk, to the pharmacy hand-delivering Alzheimer's medications to sitting members of Congress, to a president who prowls Air Force One checking who's asleep: the evidence that our leaders aren't getting enough rest is hiding in plain sight. Lindsay brings both the insider perspective and the science — and the result is a conversation that reframes sleep not as a personal wellness choice, but as a matter of democratic consequence. ABOUT OUR GUEST Lindsay Scola began her career in politics the way a lot of people do: convinced it was a calling. Her first job was on the Hill, working for a congressman. From there, she joined the Obama campaign in 2007 as an advance person — one of the people responsible for building events from scratch ahead of the candidate, managing crowds of up to 75,000 people, then getting on a plane and doing it all over again somewhere new. She went on to work in the Obama administration and in entertainment before a diagnosis at age 35 changed the direction of her work entirely. After 19 years of symptoms being dismissed by doctors, Lindsay was diagnosed with narcolepsy — and spent the years since becoming an expert in what sleep actually does, and what we lose without it. She now works as a sleep health educator, offering one-on-one coaching, corporate talks, and an online course designed to help people understand their own sleep on their own terms. She is also the author of AI for ADHD: A Practical Guide for Starting and Actually Finishing the Things That Matter. 🔗 lindsayscola.com [https://www.lindsayscola.com] REFERENCES On the caffeine culture of Capitol Hill: * The U.S. government runs on Celsius — The Washington Post [https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/2025/01/14/celsius-politics-capitol-hill-mike-johnson-energy-drinks/] On the pharmacy that hand-delivers prescriptions to Congress — including Alzheimer's medications: * An old-school pharmacy hand-delivers drugs to Congress — Stat News / PBS NewsHour [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/old-school-pharmacy-hand-delivers-drugs-congress-little-known-perk-powerful] * DC pharmacist provides Alzheimer's drugs for members of Congress — Metro US [https://www.metro.us/news/todays-debate/members-of-congress-alzheimers-medication] On cognitive decline among senior officials as a national security concern: * Pentagon-Funded Study Warns Dementia Among U.S. Officials Poses National Security Threat — The Intercept [https://theintercept.com/2023/09/12/national-security-dementia-mcconnell-feinstein/] On President Trump's sleep habits and their effect on staff: * ‘The Superhuman President’ A good-faith attempt to ascertain the truth about Donald Trump’s health — New York Magazine [https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/donald-trump-addresses-health-hand-bruise-stroke-mri-greenland.html] * As Signs of Aging Emerge, Trump Responds With Defiance — The Wall Street Journal [https://www.wsj.com/us-news/as-signs-of-aging-emerge-trump-responds-with-defiance-769c5dcd?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfRs7aJ3Bbjh9GWcMROmiqW324WX-HK2MyXsD-Sps7_mU0HK2eo7BOiBbE5gOM%3D&gaa_ts=69c59399&gaa_sig=jIxYvQfX2UZW7Ma5J9zpcS6I4uxanxezUTEuc_uXwRBwHIwHJhdYGrp5kxtVnoWymJaxiSB3FTgi5qsOl_65dg%3D%3D] * Inside Trump’s Air Force One: ‘It’s like being held captive’ — CNN.com [https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/24/politics/donald-trump-air-force-one-travel-foreign-trips/index.html] On the White House Medical Unit's distribution of stimulants and sleep aids: * Trump's White House Was 'Awash in Speed' — and Xanax — Rolling Stone [https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-white-house-drugs-speed-xanax-1234979503/] * White House Medical Unit's 'severe and systemic' drug problems detailed — The Washington Post [https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/02/16/white-house-medical-unit-pharmacy-ronny-jackson/] * White House clinic improperly distributed controlled substances — NBC News [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-clinic-improperly-distributed-controlled-substances-previo-rcna135787] STAY IN TOUCH 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com [https://www.crosstabspodcast.com] for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. 📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@CrosstabsPodcast] 💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/crosstabspod.bsky.social] and @farrahbostic.bsky.socia [https://bsky.app/profile/farrahbostic.bsky.social]l 📍 Produced by The Difference Engine 📨 You can also email me directly at farrah@crosstabspodcast.com [farrah@crosstabspodcast.com]

Once You Start Asking Questions... With Kathleen Weldon of The Roper Center

The Roper Center at Cornell holds the world's oldest social science archive — over 25,000 data sets, nearly 900,000 survey questions, dating all the way back to the 1930s. It's a record not just of politics and elections, but of ordinary life: have you ever spent a night in jail? Would you tell a five-year-old not to lie about seeing a purple dragon? Do you remember the color of your first love's eyes? Kathleen Weldon, Roper's Director of Data and Communications, joins me to talk about what the archive reveals — and what it's missing. We cover a lot of ground - from Cold War surveys that tracked global opinions about American civil rights, to the women who built polling from the ground up but rarely got credit, to the data destroyed to protect respondents from the Nazis, to how pollsters understood the power not only to measure, but to shape public opinion from the very beginning. About Kathleen: Kathleen Weldon is the Director of Data Operations and Communications at the Roper Center. She joined the Roper Center in 2014 as Research Coordinator. Kathleen manages data provider relations, oversees the data curation process, plans archival development, and works closely with the IT development team in building new user tools. A graduate of Wesleyan University with a BA in English, she started her career in public opinion at Harvard University designing surveys with media and foundation partners. The Roper Center can be found here: https://ropercenter.cornell.edu [https://ropercenter.cornell.edu] Stay in Touch 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com [https://crosstabspodcast.com/] for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. 📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@crosstabspodcast] 💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/crosstabspodcast.bsky.social] and @farrahbostic.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/farrahbostic.bsky.social] 📍 Produced by The Difference Engine [https://www.thedifferenceengine.co/] 📨 You can also email me directly at farrah@crosstabspodcast.com [farrah@crosstabspodcast.com]

"Life Is After You": Talking Gen Z Men with Charlie Sabgir of Young Men Research Project

In this episode, I sit down with Charlie Sabgir to unpack the "unprecedented gender gap" facing Gen Z. We dive into new research concerning the economic and social behaviors of young men—from the "gamification" of their finances through crypto and sports betting to their surprising nostalgia for unions and traditional stability. The conversation explores why the "manosphere" is winning the narrative war by offering concrete (if sometimes toxic) life advice, and how a positive reframing of masculinity—centered on serving the community—might be the key to re-engaging a generation that feels politically apathetic and economically "screwed." Charlie Sabgir is the Program Director for the Young Men Research Project, a research organization that studies the political and social trends among young men. He also writes for the Young Men Research Initiative Substack. Follow their work and read their research here: https://www.ymrp.org/polling [https://www.ymrp.org/polling] Subscribe to the substack here: https://youngmenresearchinitiative.substack.com [https://youngmenresearchinitiative.substack.com] Key Topics & Takeaways: • The Crypto Paradox: Why holding crypto and sports betting isn't just for the "basement dweller"—it’s becoming a "middle finger to the system" for employed, high-earning young men who feel traditional wealth-building tools (like 401ks) are too slow. • The Craving for Stability: Unlike the "hustle culture" pitched to Millennials, Gen Z men are showing a strong preference for the stability of unions and apprenticeships over the uncertainty of internships and college debt. • The AI Gender Gap: Men are approaching AI with excitement and frequent use, while young women report significantly higher levels of anxiety regarding the technology. • Redefining "Toughness": Message testing reveals that young men respond much better to masculinity defined as "fighting for your community" and "uplifting those around you" (+21 points) than they do to "anti-woke" grievance rhetoric. • Political Apathy vs. Engagement: Why young men are less likely to vote than women, and why successful campaigns are using "fun" community events (like scavenger hunts or UFC watch parties) to bridge the gap. Stay in Touch 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com [https://crosstabspodcast.com/] for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. 📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@crosstabspodcast] 💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/crosstabspodcast.bsky.social] and @farrahbostic.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/farrahbostic.bsky.social] 📍 Produced by The Difference Engine [https://www.thedifferenceengine.co/] 📨 You can also email me directly at farrah@crosstabspodcast.com [farrah@crosstabspodcast.com]

Paid Leave is What Power is For, with Dawn Huckelbridge of Paid Leave for All

It's likely that Democrats will retake the House this fall. But the most important question for a new majority is this: what will they use the power for? This conversation is part of an ongoing series of interviews and explorations I plan to do this year trying to answer a slightly modified version of that question - what should the power be for? One answer to that question is paid leave for all. In 1993, the Clinton Administration and a Democratic-controlled Congress passed FMLA - the Family and Medical Leave Act, protecting workers with unpaid family leave. Since then, paid leave has become steadily more and more popular, and very nearly passed during the Biden Administration. Our guest this week is Dawn Huckelbridge, the founding director of Paid Leave for All and founder of Paid Leave PAC. With a career spanning gender policy, political organizing, and communications, she has successfully built and led campaigns to advance paid leave and gender equity across the country. We discussed what's at stake, their approach to getting The Family Act passed, what they've learned in their polling about support for paid family leave from across the socioeconomic spectrum, how states are leading, and what the movement is up against. Our Guest Dawn Huckelbridge is the founding director of Paid Leave for All, a position she has held since 2019. With a career spanning gender policy, political organizing, and communications, she has successfully built and led campaigns to advance paid leave and gender equity across the country. Previously, Dawn served as Communications Director for Supermajority during its launch and Senior Director of the Women’s Rights Initiative at American Bridge. During the 2016 election cycle, she served as Coordinated Program Director for Community Outreach Group at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, where she directed a team to execute the organization’s largest coordinated campaigns in battleground states. Dawn has also held senior roles with People For the American Way, the Center for Women Policy Studies, and the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and Political Office. She holds a master’s degree in gender and social policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science from Northwestern University. Her background in political and issue communications includes work with GMMB and various political and public interest projects. Dawn founded the Paid Leave PAC in 2022 and has served on the boards of several organizations, including Emerge Massachusetts, Family Values @ Work Action, and the DC Abortion Fund. Dawn’s expertise and leadership have earned her publications in outlets such as Newsweek, The Hill, The Nation, Glamour, and Marie Claire, and she has appeared on radio and network and cable TV. Further Reading "Americans Widely Support Paid Family and Medical Leave, but Differ Over Specific Policies" via Pew Research [https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2017/03/23/americans-widely-support-paid-family-and-medical-leave-but-differ-over-specific-policies/], March 2017 "New Poll Finds Strong Small Business Support for Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies" via National Partnership for Women & Families [https://nationalpartnership.org/news_post/new-poll-finds-strong-small-business-support-for-paid-family-and-medical-leave-policies/] and Lake Research, October 2024 1. More poll findings here: https://nationalpartnership.org/report/small-businesses-support-national-paid-family-medical-leave-program/ [https://nationalpartnership.org/report/small-businesses-support-national-paid-family-medical-leave-program/] "Creating a Nationwide Paid Leave Program and Bolstering Medicare’s Negotiating Power are Overwhelmingly Popular" via Navigator Research [https://navigatorresearch.org/creating-a-nationwide-paid-leave-program-and-bolstering-medicares-negotiating-power-are-overwhelmingly-popular/], September 2024 "Dads & Bonding Leave in State Paid Leave Programs", research via Paid Leave for All [https://paidleaveforall.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DadsBondingLeaveReport.pdf], June 2025 Stay in Touch 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com [https://crosstabspodcast.com/] for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. 📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@crosstabspodcast] 💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/crosstabspodcast.bsky.social] and @farrahbostic.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/farrahbostic.bsky.social] 📍 Produced by The Difference Engine [https://www.thedifferenceengine.co/] 📨 You can also email me directly at farrah@crosstabspodcast.com [farrah@crosstabspodcast.com]