On Tuesday, October 1st at the Hill Center (921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE), the 2019-2020 season of Talk of the Hill with Bill Press was kicked off when Press interviewed political analyst Charlie Cook.
For one hour, Charlie Cook discussed everything from impeachment to the trustworthiness of polling to the 2020 democratic race, providing a fascinating glimpse in to the world of politics from an insider’s perspective.
In 1984, Cook founded the Cook Political Report, a non-partisan newsletter that examines political campaigns and elections. He is also a political analyst for NBC and the National Journal Group, and has spent most of his life involved in all levels of politics.
Press set the audience at ease by beginning the hour with light conversation and jokes, moving to ask tough and engaging questions that challenged both the audience and the speaker.
During the interview, Charlie Cook explained his theory on whether politics in America is broken and what will need to happen to fix it. “My entire adult life has been watching and loving Capitol Hill and politics. This really is broken. It is really broken,” Charlie Cook said.
“You say, what could fix this?” he added. “My pessimistic side thinks […] for us to get better, we may have to have some truly horrific event occur that would be electroshock therapy on the body of politics.”
Like all of Press’ interviews, the program consisted of a thirty-minute conversation followed by thirty-minutes of audience questions. Press simultaneously conducts an educated, complicated discussion and a relaxed, informal conversation. Remaining collegial whatever political leanings, Press seems thrilled to be introducing the speakers to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It was the night of the first Washington Nationals wild card game versus the Dodgers, and the audience learned that Charlie Cook had performed the ultimate sacrifice—he had given his tickets to his son in order to come to the Hill Center.
The Talk of the Hill with Bill Press is one of the cultural contributors to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Press is a Capitol Hill resident, political insider, former talk show host, and author. He has hosted political and societal leaders such as Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer, Rep. John Lewis, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Chef Alice Waters.
The interview with Cook was covered by C-Span. Find the whole interview on their website now. The Talk of the Hill with Bill Press will host Senator Sherrod Brown on November 19th at 7:00 p.m.
Get tickets and find more information at: https://www.hillcenterdc.org/event/talk-of-the-hill-with-bill-press-senator-sherrod-brown/.
