‘MHP’ Syllabus: 01.31.16

This Sunday, Melissa will be in the Hawkeye state to cover all the last minute political rumblings leading up to Monday’s Iowa Caucuses. Ari Melber will be guest hosting #nerdland from New York.

If you’re wondering what an Iowa caucus is, don’t fret because Melissa and EJ Dionne will give you the low down on caucusing and the differences between a Republican caucus and a Democratic caucus. Plus we’ll have live reports on the candidates’ final campaign events in Iowa and hear from their supporters.

Also the Supreme Court and the race for 2016.   As we count down to the first votes of the year, we’ll discuss what’s at stake for the court during this election and the types of justices the current presidential candidates have suggested.

And Ari Melber will have a special interview with a California inmate facing execution even though several federal judges have said he may be innocent.

Recommended

Maddowblog

‘I’m not familiar’: Three months later, the White House struggles with Minnesota killings

Steve Benen

Maddowblog

Iowa’s Joni Ernst to retire from Congress, despite pressure from Republican leaders

Steve Benen

Joining our Sunday morning conversation will be:

• E.J. Dionne, Washington Post Columnist, Author, “Why the Right Went Wrong (Iowa)
• Boris Epshteyn, Republican Strategist
• Elise Jordan, NBC News/MSNBC Political Analyst  
• L. Joy Williams, Political Strategist, Founder of LJW Community Strategies
• Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science, Yale University
• Mark Alexander, Associate Dean for Academics and Professor of Law, Seton Hall Law School
• Joy Reid, MSNBC Correspondent (Iowa)
• Addisu Demissie, VP and Director of Grassroots Advocacy, The Messina Group (Remote)
• Erika Alexander, Hillary Clinton Supporter, Actress
• Symone Sanders, National Press Secretary, Bernie Sanders Campaign

To prep for our discussions, feel free to check out:

• Iowa Caucus: Road to the White House Starts in Hawkeye State
• Clinton: Obama Has Supreme Court Credentials
• How the Iowa caucus works — and why it’s different from New Hampshire’s primary
• Dems want to scrap death penalty in California

Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Sunday at 10am ET on MSNBC. Join the conversation—share your thoughts about these issues on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.