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Every day brings a new set of headlines.
Here on Off Script, we’re more interested in the questions they leave behind.
— The Unbiased Updates Team
In This Episode
- Political parties talk about unity when they’re worried about division. But in Michigan, Democrats aren’t just choosing a Senate nominee; they’re deciding what kind of party they want to be. Senior politics reporter Azi Paybarah explains why this race matters far beyond Michigan.
- Plus, autism is one of the country’s most polarizing health issues. But while the public conversation often looks for one simple explanation, the science points elsewhere entirely. Straight Arrow health reporter Jess Craig explains why this may be one of the most hopeful moments in autism research.
- And some of the most familiar moments in modern life have surprisingly tragic origins. The safety briefing before every flight is one of them. A newly discovered wreck in the Atlantic helps tell that story.
What Matters
First, what matters: a story that caught our attention this week — and why we think it deserves yours.
As midterms approach, Republicans defend while Democrats seek gains
Midterm elections are now less than 100 days away, and control of Congress is very much up for grabs.
Democrats need to flip just a handful of House seats to reclaim the majority, while Republicans are trying to hold their 53-to-47 Senate edge as President Donald Trump enters the final two years of his term.
Michigan race tests Democrats, highlights party’s ideological divide
A key race in Michigan involves Democrats not only selecting a nominee but also debating the party’s future direction.
This week’s primary debate put that divide on full display, with one candidate pushing the party further to the left and the other advocating a more moderate approach. Straight Arrow political reporter Azi Paybarah dove into the internal divide, analyzing how it translates into electoral outcomes in a state that decides closely contested national elections.
The race drew in former President Barack Obama, prompted pushback from the United Auto Workers and could offer an early glimpse of the kind of democratic message voters are most ready to hear this fall.
The conversation
CRAIG NIGRELLI: Azi, the title of your story is “Two candidates and a fractured party took the stage in Detroit.” It notes that Abdul el-Sayed is trying to pull the Democratic Party to the left. You touched on Zohran Mamdani in New York, and that wing of the party. And Rep. Haley Stevens leaning more moderate, if you will. Can you talk about that dynamic?
AZI PAYBARAH: Stevens represents a district northwest of Detroit, and by her own description, she represents one of the largest Jewish-American communities in the country. She has also described herself as a supporter of Israel, someone who wants to see a two-state solution, which some experts have said is so far out of the realm of possibility that it’s more of a talking point than something realistic. But she said at one point during a speech that Israel comes to her in her dreams, a line that has been picked up and mocked, but it really roots her candidacy on one side of that debate, and el-Sayed’s on another.
Now they both say they want self-determination for the Palestinian people, long-term peace and that everyone in the area deserves protection and human rights, but the way that takes shape really differs. el-Sayed noted that Stevens recently voted for another aid package that will help send money to Israel. He said that vote is one of the differences between them, along with $46 million that has been spent by a pro-Israeli government PAC in support of Stevens. It’s an independent expenditure, but it’s to her benefit.
NIGRELLI: Tell us about the Obama connection and where that stands.
PAYBARAH: If we can remember back to 2008, I know you and I were there — but some of our viewers may not have been — there was a gigantic financial crisis that threatened to take down essentially the world economy, including the auto industry in the United States, which is pivotal to Michigan. You have places like Detroit, which is known as Motor City. You have Pontiac, like the car. The auto industry is Michigan. And one of the things that the federal government did under Obama was create a task force to literally save the three giant automakers in the U.S. Haley Stevens was the chief of staff for that task force. She played an integral role in resuscitating and protecting that industry.
So when she’s campaigning, she features videos of Obama praising her work. Now viewers might interpret that as an endorsement. It is not. But it is an accurate description of what Obama has said about Stevens. And she says that is an example of the kind of workhorse candidacy, the kind of workhorse senator she will be if elected. But it is technically not an endorsement. Is the campaign to be blamed for people misunderstanding that nuance difference? El-Sayed has said, ” Hey, that’s not fair,” and other people have weighed in, saying that distinction should be clearer, but clearly the twice-elected president who won Michigan twice is a sought-after endorsement as these two candidates are heading into the Aug. 4 primary.
Now to You
Do you ever feel like leaving a comment on a news story is just yelling into the internet? Not here. Here we take questions, comments and hot takes from the Unbiased Updates community and actually talk them through.
Viewer question:
STRAIGHT ARROW: The Constitution gives states broad authority to conduct elections, but the federal government also plays a role, particularly in federal elections.
Congress has passed laws governing voting, and federal agencies enforce them.
The dispute here isn’t about whether the federal government has a role. It’s about whether a president can make these changes through an executive order or whether they must come from Congress.
That’s the question now working its way through the courts.
Viewer comment:
STRAIGHT ARROW: Seattle has stricter gun laws than many states, but whether those laws cause or prevent gun violence remains a matter of debate among researchers.
When looking at the data, Seattle’s homicide rate is higher than the national average, but it’s well below that of many other large U.S. cities, including Memphis, Detroit, St. Louis, Baltimore, New Orleans and Chicago.
At the same time, Seattle has struggled with rising gun violence since the pandemic, even as homicides have been declining nationwide over the past couple of years.
The short answer is: yes, Seattle has a gun violence problem. But the data does not support calling it one of the most violent big cities in America, and it doesn’t prove whether the city’s gun laws are responsible.
Inside the Story
Ok, let’s go inside the story now.
You can read the stories on Straight Arrow, but on Off Script, we get to pull back the curtain on how those stories came together and hear directly from the reporters who did the digging.
Seeking answers: The science behind autism’s origins
Most of us prefer clear answers pointing to a single cause, a single breakthrough or the moment when the mystery is solved. However, some questions don’t fit that pattern.
The longer scientists study autism, the more the picture seems to expand rather than sharpen. Every discovery answers one question and raises three more.
Straight Arrow health reporter Jess Craig has been digging into decades of research that have reshaped what scientists think they know — and what they still do not know.
The conversation
CRAIG NIGRELLI: You had a lengthy interview with Dr. Joseph Buxbaum in which you discussed environmental exposure. What does that term mean, and how does it affect autism today?
JESS CRAIG: There’s been a lot of talk about what environmental factors might trigger autism, especially since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. He’s really been pushing for different environmental factors and linking them to autism. I think the challenge is that it’s really difficult to link environmental factors to any disease, whether it’s autism or cancer. In some instances, we see clearer links when there’s a specific environmental exposure — like radiation — and then we see an increase in the number of cancer cases. So, when we see environmental links, we tend to see cases that are geographically clustered in a single place, which we don’t really see with autism.
So, on one hand, the epidemiological evidence doesn’t say that there is one very specific environmental exposure that is causing what seems to be a rise in the number of people diagnosed with autism. At the same time, there is some evidence that some environmental factors might play a role.
NIGRELLI: You mentioned the rising number of autism cases nowadays, with one in 31 children affected. Do you think this increase is due to better diagnosis methods, or did your research reveal that there are genuinely more cases emerging?
CRAIG: That is a very controversial and widely debated question right now. Many of the experts who have been studying autism for decades told me they do not believe there is an actual rise in the number of people with autism. It’s more that people are getting diagnosed more frequently because we have broadened the definition of what autism is. There’s certainly more awareness.
We all know someone with autism. We’ve all heard of it. There are definitely more people seeking a diagnosis because it’s helpful to them. Their kids can access additional educational services and other support. And I think our social and cultural perspective and acceptance of autism have changed. It’s no longer a very stigmatized condition. Many people see autism as a superpower or as part of their identity, so they seek out a diagnosis.
For all these reasons, I think we’re seeing an increase in the number of people being diagnosed with autism, which might not reflect a true increase in the number of people with it today compared to the 1940s or 1950s. However, the epidemiological evidence isn’t great, so I wouldn’t say with 100% certainty that we know at this point. But I think there are many factors that go into that statistic that are often not discussed, and it’s often presented as if we’re facing this autism epidemic, when in reality there are a lot of different factors that go into it.
Dive into Jess’ autism series:
- Inside the decades-long search for autism’s causes
- For decades, the definition of autism expanded. Is it now too broad?
- Are more children developing autism, or are doctors diagnosing it differently?
Also Worth Your Time
Want more to read?
Here’s what didn’t make the cut on Unbiased Updates this week — but we think it’s also worth your time.
Long-lost wreckage emerges, ends 74-year search beneath the Atlantic
More than 70 years after Pan Am Flight 202 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, explorers have finally located the wreckage at nearly 2,000 feet below the surface.
In 1952, the flight was en route from Puerto Rico to New York when engine trouble forced the crew to ditch the aircraft at sea. Remarkably, everyone survived the impact, but there was no formal safety briefing or organized evacuation.
As rescuers worked to reach the aircraft, many passengers remained inside. The plane eventually sank, killing 52 people.
Now, using Air Force mapping — high-resolution sonar and a specialized underwater drone — a team from the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, Deep Sea Vision and Discovery Channel has located the long-lost wreckage.
Discovery shared exclusive images with Straight Arrow, including the aircraft before the crash, wreckage recovered over the years and what appears to be the debris field resting on the ocean floor.
The disaster became a turning point in aviation safety, helping shape many of the pre-flight procedures passengers still hear before every flight today.
Tornado rips through Wisconsin, wrecking neighborhoods and cutting power to thousands
A tornado ripped through northeast Wisconsin earlier this week, destroying homes, damaging businesses and leaving more than 30,000 people without power.
The tornado touched down just after noon. The National Weather Service said it formed within a larger storm system fueled by days of heat and humidity that swept across the Great Lakes.
Some of the heaviest damage was reported in Menasha, Grand Chute, Appleton and Doty Island. Preliminary surveys indicate parts of the storm reached at least EF-2 strength, with winds of 111 to 135 miles per hour.
Here’s the Kicker
Feeling overwhelmed by this week’s headlines?
We’ve got a good way for you to head into the end of the week. Here’s the kicker.
Want a piece of KFC history? Colonel Sanders’ personal artifacts head to auction
Dozens of personal items belonging to Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland Sanders are set for auction.
The collection includes his signature black bow tie, a personal planner from 1964, watches, an original cash register, cutlery, a commercial gas range and even a sculpted bust created by his daughter. The auction also includes the Shelbyville, Kentucky, property, which became KFC’s headquarters after Sanders sold the company in 1964.
Although he gave up ownership of the business, he remained its most prominent spokesman, becoming one of the most recognizable brands in America.
“He also is a marketing genius,” Bill Menish, lead auctioneer, said. “Think about that. When he became a colonel, I don’t know if he ever planned to use the colonel in the way that he eventually did, but he did. He embraced it. He didn’t dress like that before he started building Kentucky Fried Chicken. He adopted the colonel, the clothes, the bow tie, the glasses, the goatee.”
Sanders lived on the property until selling it in 1974. Today, the property is home to the Claudia Sanders Dinner House.
The auction offers a rare glimpse into the man behind the white suit and the brand that helped define American fast food.