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Ken Rudin, the Political JunkieKen Rudin has a problem: he is hooked on politics. The political junkie regularly joins The State of Things for Friday discussions about the political world in North Carolina. Ken’s experience spans three decades of political coverage, most recently at NPR.From the latest congressional news to behind-the-scenes views on the campaign trail, Ken offers political insight, historical analysis and trivia. More information, including his weekly scuttlebutton puzzle, can be found at his website.

The Political Junkie: White House Suffers Major Missteps

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Rep. Elijah Cummings passed away on Wednesday from longstanding health complications.
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More explosive and fast-moving news from the Trump White House this week.

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney held a rare briefing Thursday during which he admitted that Donald Trump withheld military aid to to pressure Ukranian leaders. He said people need to “get over it,” because “elections have consequences.” Plus, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a ceasefire agreement between the U.S and Turkey, but shelling continues in the region, according to The New York Times.

Political Junkie Ken Rudin joins host Frank Stasio to talk about the latest in Trump’s foreign policy. And on the domestic front, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore died this week after "complications concerning long standing health challenges,” according to reports. As chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, he was frequently at odds with Donald Trump. Their feud took center stage this summer after Trump tweeted that Cummings’ district was a “rodent-infested mess” where “no human being would want to live.” Rudin and Stasio talk about the life and legacy of Cummings and how his passing will impact impeachment proceedings and the many investigations he oversaw. The Political Junkie takes on those stories and more of the biggest news of the week.

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Dana is an award-winning producer who began as a personality at Rock 92. Once she started creating content for morning shows, she developed a love for producing. Dana has written and produced for local and syndicated commercial radio for over a decade. WUNC is her debut into public radio and she’s excited to tell deeper, richer stories.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
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