In this episode, Farrah Bostic is joined by messaging strategist, author, and Words to Win By host Anat Shenker-Osorio for a wide-ranging and incisive conversation about political communication, campaign strategy, and why so much of what the Democratic Party does feels like a missed opportunity.

Together, they explore:

• How Anat’s early fascination with language and justice led her to a career in cognitive linguistics and progressive messaging.
• Why most political message testing (RCTs, MaxDiff, etc.) fails to reflect how real people encounter campaigns — and what to do instead.
• The danger of focusing on persuasion over mobilization, and why “say what you’re for” is the most important rule in campaign comms.
• How Democrats lost their working-class identity, and why organizing — not polling — is the only way to win it back.
• The power of persuasion windows and how the left can seize — or squander — them.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone working in politics, messaging, organizing, or simply trying to make change in a noisy, distracted, and deeply unequal world.

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

• ASO Communications – Open-source messaging guides and research
• Words to Win By podcast
• Don't Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy
• Follow Anat on BlueSky and Substack

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📍 Produced by The Difference Engine

After a brief break, Cross Tabs returns with a must-hear conversation between host Farrah Bostic and journalist-pollster Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN’s Editor of Polling and Election Analytics. Ariel shares insights from over a decade of political polling and reporting, shedding light on how polls get designed, interpreted, and communicated—and why public opinion is more nuanced, contradictory, and dynamic than we often assume.

📌 Topic Highlights

• How polling serves as a form of large-scale journalism
• Question design, framing effects, and the limits of hypothetical polling
• Expressive responding and partisanship’s effect on perception
• The challenge of polling on emerging topics like AI and crypto
• Why polls often fail to capture what people mean when they talk about democracy, education, or trust in government
• What polling reveals—and obscures—about voter discontent with both parties

👤 About Our Guest

Ariel Edwards-Levy is the Editor of Polling and Election Analytics at CNN. Previously, she was a senior reporter and polling editor at HuffPost. She is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and was awarded the 2019 Carey McWilliams Award by the American Political Science Association for her journalistic contributions to understanding politics. You can follow her work (and jokes!) on Bluesky.

🔗 Mentioned Resources

• CNN Polling Hub: https://www.cnn.com/politics/polling-center
• CNN/SSRS polling report: "A record share of Americans want the government to get more done": https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/08/politics/poll-government-done-party-trust
• The Breakthrough Project (CNN, Georgetown, Michigan, SSRS, Verasight): https://breakthrough.cnn.com
• Pew Research on AI: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/28/how-the-us-public-and-experts-view-artificial-intelligence
• Roper Center for Public Opinion Archives: https://ropercenter.cornell.edu
• Brian Schaffner’s research on expressive responding: https://sites.tufts.edu/brianschaffner/publications/

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We've been off for about a month. But we've been busy.

Check out our new trailer, and don't forget to like and subscribe to get new episodes each Wednesday.

The wealth divide is reshaping consumer markets, with 10% of households now driving 50% of all consumer spending in America while the majority struggle with inflation and debt. This economic distortion, hidden by misleading averages, is now colliding with new international tariffs that threaten to remove entire categories of goods from store shelves.

In this episode of Cross Tabs, Farrah interviews brand strategist Faris Yakob about how misunderstood economic metrics mask the real consumer experience. They discuss how the stock market crash will impact wealthy consumers who've been propping up economic growth, why statistical averages are increasingly misleading when wealth distribution looks nothing like a bell curve, and how political polarization mirrors these economic divisions. Yakob provides fascinating context for why so many Americans feel economically squeezed despite positive macroeconomic indicators.

Want to be a part of the future of Cross Tabs Podcast? Here are a few simple ways to get involved:

- Subscribe, rate, and review Cross Tabs Podcast on your favorite podcast app

- Subscribe to Cross Tabs Podcast Substack and suggest Cross Tabs to your audience if you have your own Substack - we’re happy to do the same!

- Contact Farrah with guest or topic suggestions you’d like to hear about on the show

Resources

Mar-a-Lago Accord

American Time Use Survey

The Road to Somewhere by David Goodhart

'What the Comfort Class Doesn't Get' by Xochitl Gonzalez in The Atlantic

“Strands of Genius” newsletter by Faris Yakob

Paid Attention by Faris Yakob

Our Guest

Faris is the co-founder of Genius Steals, a nomadic creative consultancy that works with brands, agencies and events. He and his partner Rosie speak at conferences and corporate events all over the world and have been living nomadically in between engagements for the last 7 years.

Previously he held senior agency roles at Naked Communications, McCann and MDC Partners, in London, Sydney and NYC. He is the author of Paid Attention: Innovative Advertising, writes a monthly column on effective brand communication, and bylines include Fast Company, Financial Times, The Guardian, Economic Times of India Brand Equity, and Campaign.

Your Host

Farrah Bostic is the founder of The Difference Engine, a strategic research and innovation consultancy. Drawing on her extensive background in research and strategy, she examines how power dynamics and data patterns shape both democratic institutions and market environments, bringing a sharp analytical perspective to the intersection of politics, data, and business.

Her incisive questioning style and ability to connect political movements with business implications makes Cross Tabs essential listening for political...

Educational attainment has become the new fault line in American politics, creating unexpected coalitions that cross racial boundaries. Research reveals a surprising shift of working-class voters across all demographics toward populist candidates who promise to fight for their interests rather than cater to college-educated elites.

Political researcher Patrick Ruffini, co-founder of Echelon Insights and author of Party of the People, discusses these findings in this conversation with Farrah. Ruffini explains how the Democratic coalition has fractured along educational rather than economic lines, with cultural values becoming increasingly decisive in voting behavior. This analysis shows the disconnect between political elites and mainstream voters, highlighting an underlying optimism among immigrant and working-class communities that starkly contrasts with the pessimism often expressed by college-educated whites.

Want to be a part of the future of Cross Tabs Podcast? Here are a few simple ways to get involved:

- Subscribe, rate, and review Cross Tabs Podcast on your favorite podcast app

- Subscribe to Cross Tabs Podcast Substack and suggest Cross Tabs to your audience if you have your own Substack - we’re happy to do the same!

- Contact Farrah with guest or topic suggestions you’d like to hear about on the show

Resources

‘Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP’

Echelon Insights

The Intersection

Growth and Opportunity Project Report

David Shor's Diploma Divide Hypothesis

Political Inequality in Affluent Democracies: The Social Welfare Deficit

What if the US Were a Multi-Party Democracy?

Our Guest

Patrick Ruffini is a founding partner at Echelon Insights, one of the most widely recognized public opinion and strategic research firms in the United States.

Patrick is the author of ‘Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP,’ called “the book that predicted the 2024 election” by The New York Times and ranked as a Best Book in Politics by the Wall Street Journal.

An expert in political realignment and demographic trends, Patrick is a prolific speaker, writer, and political commentator. He has offered on-air analysis, including on election nights, for CNBC, Fox News, the BBC, and NPR and written for The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, The Atlantic, and Politico, among others.

Patrick has led hundreds of strategic communications, survey, data analytics, and focus group projects for Fortune 500 companies, leading foundations and advocacy groups, and political campaigns...

Government efficiency is often misunderstood, with dangerous consequences when technology leaders wield power without understanding civic infrastructure. Today’s conversation explores what resilience means in technology and governance, examining how Silicon Valley's "move fast and break things" approach threatens critical systems that serve vulnerable populations.

In this episode of Cross Tabs, host Farrah Bostic and Dan Hon discuss the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk and how tech executives' worldview impacts public services. They examine how technology is inherently political, contrasting the "efficiency" valued by tech companies with government effectiveness, while considering how communities might respond to administrative breakdown in vital social programs.

Want to be a part of the future of Cross Tabs Podcast? Here are a few simple ways to get involved:

- Subscribe, rate, and review Cross Tabs Podcast on your favorite podcast app

- Subscribe to Cross Tabs Podcast Substack and suggest Cross Tabs to your audience if you have your own Substack - we’re happy to do the same!

- Contact Farrah with guest or topic suggestions you’d like to hear about on the show

Resources

“Things That Caught My Attention” by Dan Hon

‘Snow Crash’ by Neal Stephenson

‘Lexicon’ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16158596-lexicon by Max Barry

‘Jennifer Government’ by Max Barry

"The Nation's Data at Risk" by the American Statistical Association

“Imaginary Friends” by Jeffrey Goldberg, The New Yorker

Blue Ant Series by William Gibson series

Musk Watch Judd Legum

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

DOGE Live Tracker

Our Guest

Dan Hon is a technologist and civic technology expert with extensive experience at the intersection of government and digital services, previously serving as the Editorial Director of Code for America. Hon has worked in both the public and private sectors, including at advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, where he developed innovative interactive experiences. He's known for his insightful commentary on digital government, government efficiency, and the ethical implications of technology in civic spaces. He currently writes the “Things That Caught My Attention” newsletter and is a respected voice on how technology impacts government services and citizen experiences. His strategic consultancy is

Polling reveals most Americans support abortion access in almost every circumstance, even when they identify as "pro-life." Looking beneath surface-level survey questions shows that when people are asked about specific situations rather than abstract labels, 80% believe abortion should be legal, and even self-described pro-life voters support legal abortion in most medical circumstances or cases of criminal acts.

In this enlightening conversation with Lauren Goldstein from Change Research, Farrah takes aim at how political polling often misses the deeper values that drive voter opinion. Their discussion reveals how understanding "symbolic politics" — the emotional frameworks and values that shape political identity — can transform political communication and uncover surprising consensus on seemingly divisive issues.

Want to be a part of the future of Cross Tabs Podcast? Here are a few simple ways to get involved:

• Subscribe, rate, and review Cross Tabs Podcast on your favorite podcast app
• Subscribe to Cross Tabs Podcast Substack and suggest Cross Tabs to your audience if you have your own Substack - we’re happy to do the same!
• Contact Farrah with guest or topic suggestions you’d like to hear about on the show

Resources

Lauren's essay on her substack, Mind the Gap: ‘Actually, Abortion Isn’t Polarizing’

Change Research

‘Where Do Americans Stand on Abortion?’

The American Voter

Symbolic politics theory research

Our Guest

Lauren Goldstein is the lead advocacy pollster for Change Research and holds a PhD from UCLA with ten years of experience as a public opinion researcher and social scientist. She has done extensive research and polling on issues related to racial justice (and injustice), criminal legal reform and police divestment, immigration, and reproductive rights.

Your Host

Farrah Bostic is the founder of The Difference Engine, a strategic research and innovation consultancy. Drawing on her extensive background in research and strategy, she examines how power dynamics and data patterns shape both democratic institutions and market environments, bringing a sharp analytical perspective to the intersection of politics, data, and business.

Her incisive questioning style and ability to connect political movements with business implications makes Cross Tabs essential listening for political analysts, business leaders, and engaged citizens seeking to understand the forces shaping our political and economic landscapes.

Learn more about Farrah’s experience helping B2B and B2C companies across various industries turn audience insights into effective strategies at thedifferenceengine.co, and be sure to connect with her on

The invisible rulers of the internet are no longer just PR consultants and advertisers, but algorithms and influencers who shape our bespoke realities through immersive persuasion. Social media platforms have transformed from places to connect with friends to ecosystems where propaganda thrives, creating fragmented information environments that leave users swimming in increasingly polarized content.

In this episode of Cross Tabs, Farrah Bostic speaks with Renee DiResta, a leading researcher on misinformation who traces her journey from concerned parent to disinformation expert. DiResta unpacks how platforms' business models prioritize engagement over truth, explains why political messaging strategies differ dramatically between left and right, and offers practical recommendations for resetting online norms beyond simple calls for media literacy.

Want to be a part of the future of Cross Tabs Podcast? Here are a few simple ways to get involved:

• Subscribe, rate, and review Cross Tabs Podcast on your favorite podcast app
• Subscribe to Cross Tabs Podcast Substack and suggest Cross Tabs to your audience if you have your own Substack - we’re happy to do the same!
• Contact Farrah with guest or topic suggestions you’d like to hear about on the show

Resources

'Propaganda'

'The Invisible Rulers'

'Shrimp, slop, spam: what counts as creativity?'

'Instagram 'Error' Turned Reels Into Neverending Scroll of Murder, Gore, and Violence'

'Influence and Improvisation: Participatory Disinformation during the 2020 US Election'

The Lawfare Podcast "Lawfare Daily: A World Without Cesars"

Our Guest

Renée DiResta is an Associate Research Professor at Georgetown's McCourt School who studies how information spreads and distorts online. Her research examines the ecosystem of influence operations, from viral misinformation to coordinated propaganda campaigns. DiResta investigates the interplay between algorithms, influencers, and human behavior that shapes our online information environment. She has advised Congress, the State Department, and global leaders on countering digital manipulation and is the author of ‘The Invisible Rulers,’ which explores propaganda in the digital age.

Your Host

Farrah Bostic is the founder of The Difference Engine, a strategic research and innovation consultancy. Drawing on her extensive background in research and strategy, she examines how power dynamics and data patterns shape both democratic institutions and market environments, bringing a sharp analytical perspective to the intersection of politics, data, and business.

Her incisive questioning style and ability to connect political movements with business implications makes Cross Tabs essential listening for political analysts, business leaders,