Recounting the Fifth, the Opioid Crisis, and Jennifer Wexton's AI Voice

IN THE NEWS:

  1. If you're looking for an example of a recount that changed the results of an election, you'll have to go all the way back to Indiana, 1985. Here in Virginia, recounts have been conducted in three congressional elections since 1967, and none of them changed the outcome--but Bob Good in the 5th District is pushing for one anyway.

  2. With the aid of AI, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton has regaied her voice; trained up on her public speeches, the AI voice sounds much like Wexton did before she was silenced by Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and she says this tool could be life-changing for Americans with disabilities.

  3. The rapid rise of fentanyl overdoses is causing concern among lawmakers, although they are not yet on the same page about how to handle the situation.That's why the General Assembly created a new task force to consider the policy choices and how they would work. For example, how much does an individual need to have to be prosecuted as a dealer versus helped as a patient suffering from substance abuse disorder? 

At the Watercooler:

  • The Democrats are still trying to figure out if Biden will be their nominee

  • The 1932 Democratic convention, where Harry Byrd tried to unseat Franklin Roosevelt

Episode Transcript

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Jeff Ryer: Breaking Down the Republican National Convention

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Marian Van Landingham: Celebrating Alexandria's Torpedo Factory