The NPR Politics Podcast
Episode: How To Avoid Talking About Politics This Thanksgiving
Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: Ashley Lopez (A), Elena Moore (B), Domenico Montanaro (C)
Episode Overview
This Thanksgiving-themed episode dives into how Americans can (or can't) avoid political conversations during holiday gatherings, especially amidst heightened partisan divides. The hosts—seasoned NPR political reporters—share insights from recent polling, personal anecdotes, and practical strategies for sidestepping political landmines, all while keeping the mood light and relatable.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Scope of Political Division (01:28 – 02:38)
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Polling Reflection: Domenico references recent NPR/PBS polling showing that the vast majority of both Republicans and Democrats view those in the opposing party as "closed-minded" and "dishonest."
- Quote:
"When you have more than 8 in 10 in, you know, each party saying that the other side is closed minded... I'd say the divide's pretty big."
— Domenico (C) [02:07]
- Quote:
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Family Dynamics: Elena speaks with poll respondents who reinforce this division, describing feelings of being judged or unheard, leading to "unspoken rules" in families to avoid political talk.
- Notable Story:
Elena shares about a Trump-voting man in Georgia, the "black sheep" of his liberal family:
"There is just kind of a known unspoken rule that we don’t talk politics at Thanksgiving... because it’ll take away from the holiday."
— Elena (B) [03:02]
- Notable Story:
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Wider Trends: Both sides recognize it’s harder to have productive, open-minded conversations. This climate leads some to feel "defeatist" about meaningful dialogue.
On Navigating Political Conversations (04:05 – 06:55)
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Reporter Perspective: As political reporters, the hosts often experience family members wanting to discuss politics with them, which can be uncomfortable.
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Deflection Tactics:
Domenico describes focusing on food or sports, giving himself an out by staying in the kitchen:
"I often will try to not engage generally... Mostly I cook, usually for Thanksgiving… so I have a lot of time in the kitchen and have a lot of time to talk about cooking or I'll talk about sports."
— Domenico (C) [05:04] -
Elena introduces the concept of the "Segway" or conversational shift to avoid tough topics: "There's no better tool than the Segway... as soon as you can kind of move the conversation along, that's kind of also our job."
— Elena (B) [05:19] -
Turning the Spotlight:
Instead of giving her own opinions, Elena tends to ask relatives why they feel a certain way—channeling what she learned from her "therapist mother": "I'm always like, well, I want to hear from you. You are the person that we're interested in... Tell me why you feel that way."
— Elena (B) [05:45]
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Emotional Distance: Ashley notes the difficulty of maintaining objectivity in discussions with close family members, acknowledging it's harder to set aside emotion in those moments.
The Effect of the Trump Era & Labels (06:55 – 09:25)
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Polarization Deepens:
Domenico:
"People have a big problem now in the Trump era of really trying to understand where each other come from... He's done so many things that have been so divisive."
[06:55] -
Labels Reinforce Misunderstanding:
Elena reflects on how party labels can cause people to be "written off" as one-dimensional, despite nuanced individual views: "It's like deeper and deeper repercussions of labels, really, because, like, a label inherently... makes a lot of folks feel misunderstood."
— Elena (B) [08:11] -
Even Amongst Loyalists:
Domenico mentions Trump’s strong approval within the Republican base, but Elena points out supporters still voice criticisms and want more focus on kitchen-table issues, especially the economy.
Can Any Topics Be Safe or Universally Relatable? (11:02 – 12:14)
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Common Ground in Complaints:
“Almost everybody can agree that the price of something in their life is too high,” Elena says, citing groceries, healthcare, and housing [11:02].
Ashley jokes that “complaining is fun” and uniting [12:45]. -
Landmines Still Lurk:
Domenico notes even agreement about prices quickly splits into debate over blame and solutions:
"People think that stuff is... expensive. But then, of course, you move to the next part... 'What are you going to do about it?'"
[12:14]
Non-Political Conversation Starters & Lighthearted Topics (13:16 – 16:19)
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Sports:
Domenico uses sports as a reliable fallback, sharing a personal family anecdote about his daughter becoming a Mets fan:
"For me, sports seems like an easy place to go… It’s metrics-based… whoever’s got the best points based on the best data gets to win."
— Domenico (C) [14:25] -
Reality TV:
Elena touts reality television (notably the Real Housewives series) as a nearly universal conversation starter in recent years:
"I have found it the most uniting thing… because really anywhere in this country you can find someone who watched a specific Real Housewives… scene."
— Elena (B) [15:28] -
Hobbies & Food:
Ashley advocates “bringing back hobbies”—knitting, sewing, and of course, talking about Thanksgiving food—as safe, cheerful territory.
"I've gotten really into knitting and sewing and I love talking about that… it’s sort of a light topic."
— Ashley (A) [16:19]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Family and Politics:
"It is kind of a big focus... but they have completely different causes or say they have different causes... that's a bit of a landmine right there."
— Elena (B) [12:14] -
On Navigating Hot-Button Issues:
"It can't be all bad. A complaint is fun. I think, like, you can complain about something you can't control is very uniting. It's a good time. I like a complaint fest sometimes."
— Ashley (A) [12:45] -
On Thanksgiving Perspective:
"It's Thanksgiving, so focus on what you're thankful for."
— Domenico (C) [16:55] -
On the Power of Diversions:
"No better tool than the Segway."
— Elena (B) [05:19]
Important Segment Timestamps
- Episode Theme Introduction: 01:28
- Recent Polling on Polarization: 02:07
- Family Rules on Discussing Politics: 03:02
- Reporter Strategies to Deflect: 05:04 – 06:24
- The Trump Era’s Impact: 06:55
- Labels and Misunderstandings: 08:11
- Can We Find Common Ground? 11:02
- Safe, Non-political Topics: 13:16 – 16:19
- Thanksgiving Sign-off and Takeaways: 16:53
Tone & Style
The episode maintains a conversational, lightly humorous, and empathetic tone. The hosts blend professional detachment with relatable personal stories, balancing serious political insights with playful banter about sports, TV, and family quirks.
Conclusion
While this Thanksgiving may feel politically precarious, the episode offers a toolkit of strategies—conversation segues, deflection, fostering curiosity, and the embrace of hobbies and pop culture. The hosts gently remind listeners that, however fraught political divisions may feel, it’s possible to savor small moments of togetherness by focusing on what unites us, or at least what keeps the peace at the dinner table.