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New York Times
Jim Rutenberg is a media columnist for the New York Times.
PROFILE
Jim Rutenberg
Guest
FROM Jim Rutenberg
To the Point
Russian trolls and American thinking When Twitter, Facebook, and Google visited Capitol Hill this week, they got a barrage of criticism from Republicans and Democrats, who accused them of allowing fake news and disinformation from Russia to be disseminated on social media. But the politicians also got a lesson. Russian disinformation is aimed more at creating chaos and discrediting democracy than partisan politics. We hear how fake news from St. Petersburg created real rallies in Houston while proposed solutions illustrate a yawning gap between Washington and Silicon Valley.
To the Point
RT and Sputnik; the weaponization of Information President Putin during a visit to the new Russia Today broadcasting center Photo courtesy Kremlin Press Office Russia's cable news channel, RT looks like other cable news programs, although its audience is comparatively tiny. But it doesn't have to have big ratings to accomplish the goals of Russia's state media operation. In the age of Twitter and Facebook, "Russia has built the most effective propaganda operation of the 21st century so far." That's according to Jim Rutenberg, in yesterday's New York Times Magazine .
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How the media missed Trump's rise The media is helping to orchestrate this so-called “rigged” election, according to Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly attacked the press during this campaign but those attacks have escalated amid reports that he’s sexually assaulted multiple women. The Republican nominee has also encouraged his supporters to direct their anger toward reporters covering him at his rallies, and the crowds have obliged with boos and taunts. One supporter even had a sign with a swastika next to the word “media.”
To the Point
Trump versus the media: can either side win? Every politician battles the media, including Hillary Clinton. But her toxic relations with reporters are nothing like Donald Trump's. Now, after helping Trump start his campaign with $2 billion worth of free air-time, are the media turning against him? Even one right-wing talk-show hosts says, "We've created a monster." Mainstream reporters insist Trump's contradictions and outright falsehoods are changing the rules. But others say Clinton's getting a free pass. Is media credibility already too compromised to survive this year's campaign?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Trump and the Media Donald Trump has publicly trashed journalists, feuded with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly and banned publications like the New York Times from events. His antagonistic relationship with the press is one of the ways his campaign is unconventional. Yet, for all the animosity, Trump and the press are locked in a co-dependent dance.
To the Point
Is Gary Johnson a Ralph Nader for the Right? Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson has just $50,000 in the bank and little name recognition. So what are the Republicans worried about? The two-term former Governor of New Mexico is now the Libertarian candidate for President, and is on the ballot in 48 of the 50 states. Jim Rutenberg is national political correspondent for the New York Times .
Which Way, L.A.?
Is Paul Ryan the Right Choice for Mitt Romney? Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate has invigorated both Republicans and Democrats. It brings their differences about the role of government into sharper focus—which carries risks as well as benefits for both presidential campaigns. Will Romney have to defend the most radical elements of Ryan’s budget? Will Obama appear even more as if he’s defending an unsatisfactory status quo? Last night on “60 Minutes,” Mitt Romney said his choice of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate was nothing sudden - but the result of a process that’s taken some time. We’ll learn more about Paul Ryan and what he’ll bring to the campaign trail. What’s his likely impact on close contests for the Senate and Congress?
To the Point
Is Paul Ryan the Right Choice for Mitt Romney? Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate has invigorated both Republicans and Democrats. It brings their differences about the role of government into sharper focus—which carries risks as well as benefits for both presidential campaigns. Will Romney have to defend the most radical elements of Ryan’s budget? Will Obama appear even more as if he’s defending an unsatisfactory status quo? Last night on “60 Minutes,” Mitt Romney said his choice of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate was nothing sudden - but the result of a process that’s taken some time. We’ll learn more about Paul Ryan and what he’ll bring to the campaign trail. What’s his likely impact on close contests for the Senate and Congress?
To the Point
Does Iowa Still Matter in the Age of TV? Last night was episode thirteen for the Republican presidential candidates. Has it been serious politics or reality TV? The TV debates have been compared to sitcoms and reality TV, with different leaders week after week and big audiences, apparently due as much to personal attacks and embarrassing gaffes as pronouncements on policy. Newt Gingrich , this week's principal target, said he was "editing" his remarks to avoid Mitt Romney 's charge that he can be "zany." Romney went back to his role of attacking Barack Obama without speaking ill of other Republicans. With time growing short, others showed no such restraint. Iowa voters will caucus in less than three weeks. Will they pick a winner or will their choices be soon forgotten as the candidates move on to New Hampshire? Websites of Republican presidential candidates: Michele Bachmann Rick Perry Ron Paul Jon Huntsman, Jr Rick Santorum
Which Way, L.A.?
The GOP and the Healthcare Battle After the economy, the biggest political issue in this pre-election year is the role of government in providing medical care. It once looked like a guaranteed loser for Democrats, but can the Republicans get their act together?
To the Point
Medical Care and Political Confusion Republicans who once warned about "death panels" are now telling Democrats to stop frightening old people with "Mediscare." But Newt Gingrich says the country's not ready for Paul Ryan's privatization plan , and some Republicans who voted for it are having second thoughts too. Meantime, the former Governor of Massachusetts is trying to explain why " RomneyCare " looks so much like " ObamaCare ." And the State of Vermont is about to embark on its own program of "universal coverage," the ultimate public option. We try to sort it all out.
To the Point
Can President Obama Organize America? To demand action from Congress — on healthcare, energy independence and the stimulus package — the President's using the bully pulpit. That's business as usual. But Obama's extraordinary campaign apparatus may give him a new kind of political weapon. With e-mail, social networking sites and text messaging, he can directly reach some 13 million Americans who supported his presidential campaign. The call has gone out for neighborhood meetings this weekend to discuss his agenda and how to get it approved on Capitol Hill. Will the "online army" that transformed campaigning change government too? What's the risk of backlash from Congress and from the "army" itself?
To the Point
Bush Opposes Raising Gas Tax for Bridge Repairs At a news conference today, President Bush took a dim view of raising gasoline taxes 5¢ a gallon to pay for infrastructure repair. Bush was also asked about smiling pictures of Iraq's President Nouri al-Maliki during his visit with President Mahmoud Ahmidenijad in Iran. Jim Rutenberg covers the White House for the New York Times .
To the Point
Bush Addresses Iraq and Immigration in Press Conference The House is scheduled to vote tonight on funding the war in Iraq from now through September, when Commanding General David Petraeus has promised a progress report. At a news conference today, President Bush conceded that this will make for a bloody August.
To the Point
Bush Takes Another Swing at Convincing Americans on Iraq President Bush says he knows Americans are not satisfied with the war in Iraq. He says he’s not satisfied either, and that American forces are “shifting tactics” in order to win. In a news conference today, he said that progress in Iraq will be measured by “benchmarks” adopted by President al Maliki. We hear about the political implications less than two weeks before the November elections.
Recommended
To the Point
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.
To the Point
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?