About this episode

The episode discusses the evolving nature of political identity and the rise of independents in American politics.

On this episode of The Forward Party Podcast , hosts Lindsey Williams Drath , Governor Christine Todd Whitman , and Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey take on a question that sits at the center of today’s political conversation: How are political identity and media shaping the way Americans think, vote, and imagine what comes next? Politics once felt more predictable. Party affiliation was often inherited through family, geography, or tradition. Today, identity is shaped by a much broader mix of influences—media consumption, community, trust, lived experience, and how people interpret the world around them. As more Americans identify as politically independent, this conversation explores whether the country is entering a new era of political participation. Joining the conversation is John Avlon , journalist, political analyst, and host of How to Fix It , who brings historical context and practical perspective to questions around institutional reform, polarization, and the growing appetite for alternatives to the traditional two-party structure. The discussion opens with a look at governing norms and whether longstanding mechanisms like the filibuster still serve their intended…

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