Russian-American journalist and author
Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen is the author of Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot, The Brothers: The Road to an American Tragedy and The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia. She is a writer in residence at Oberlin College
Lessons from a 'totalitarian mafia state' (Part II) Masha Gessen was born in Russia but emigrated with her parents to the United States. She returned to Moscow in the early 1990s when political change was afoot. And since then, she’s become a leading observer -- and critic -- of Russian president Vladamir Putin. So much so that she fled Russia again in 2013. But she says that Putin was able to solidify his power by leveraging a Soviet bureaucracy that was never dismantled. Gessen's latest book is The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia . (Listen to Part I .)
Author Masha Gessen on the appeal of Putin and Trump Masha Gessen was born in Russia but emigrated with her parents to the United States. She returned in the early 1990s when political change was afoot. And since then, she’s become a leading observer - and critic - of Russian president Vladamir Putin. She fled Russia again in 2013. In this special podcast, Warren Olney talks with Gessen about her new book, The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia .
Lessons from a 'totalitarian mafia state' (Part I) Russia's President Vladimir Putin was an agent of the KGB — the Soviet Union's secret police. It's no accident that he's now the leader of a post-Soviet country controlled once again by bureaucrats who were never purged in the interests of freedom and democracy. Masha Gessen is a journalist who left Putin's Russia. Her latest book is The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia .
Gay men are fleeing Chechnya's LGBT crackdown for Russia Gay men are fleeing from Chechnya to relative safety… in Russia. Demonstration at the Place des Nations in Geneva against Chechen persecution of LGBT people, June 13, 2017. Photo by Rama Russian journalist Masha Gessen left Moscow to live in the US. For a story in the current edition of the New Yorker magazine, she returns to Russia to write about dozens of gay men who have fled there from Chechnya to avoid a brutal campaign against the LBGT community — by the government, by neighbors and even by family members.
President Donald Trump's 'un-reality' show All Presidents lie. But the current White House incumbent is using misinformation to increase his power by intentionally creating confusion. That's according to students of political strategy and the rhetoric that supports it. They compare President Trump to autocrats of history -- and Russia's Vladimir Putin. We're all familiar with "alternative facts," and allegations of "fake news" — stoking the conservative base and infuriating liberal opponents. Our series on the "Emotional States of America" continues.
Trump and Russia: A real scandal or a diversion? Just after the President accused Barack Obama of "wiretapping" Trump Tower, WikiLeaks dumped a massive database revealing CIA hacking. Coincidence? Now, conservatives are joining liberals in demanding to know if Trump and his associates have been lying about collusion with Russia. But others insist such conspiracy theories lead down "a rabbit hole," and distract attention from healthcare, the environment and the justice system. One week from the start of congressional hearings we get the latest on the political firestorm.
The America presidential nominee and the Russian strongman Donald Trump admires Vladimir Putin for what he calls "strong leadership" — especially compared to Barack Obama. The President says "strong leadership" means cronyism, corruption and censorship, while healthcare, education and the economy are in decline. But polls show many Republicans, once warned by Ronald Reagan about an "evil empire," now look more kindly on Russia under Putin’s iron-fisted control. W e talk with a reporter who interviewed Putin for two hours. What did he say about Donald Trump? What about trying to manipulate American voters? As Trump sings praises for Russia's leader, how strong is the appeal of Putin's authoritarian style to American voters?
Life or Death for the Boston Marathon Bomber? The evidence of guilt is not open to question. Jahar Tsarnaev's attorneys conceded he helped plant the bombs that killed three and injured 260. Now the jury that convicted him must decide the sentence. But even the families of victims disagree. Some insist only his death will provide closure. Others say his execution would inevitably be delayed by an endless round of appeals, prolonging their agony. Opening arguments began today in the penalty phase of a trial that raises basic questions about justice in America.
Putin’s Popularity Accusations that Russia may have played a role in the downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine have only added to Vladimir Putin’s international PR problems. But inside Russia, Putin’s popularity is at an all-time high. A recent Gallup poll says that 83 percent of Russians approve of his job performance.
Pussy Riot and Protest in Russia's New 'Dark Age' Masha Gessen's family fled Russia for the United States to escape anti-Semitism in the 1980's. She trained as a journalist and returned to Moscow for 20 years as an editor and reporter. Last year she fled again -- with her partner and their children -- because she felt targeted by the violent campaign against gays and lesbians. An outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin, she's had unique access to members of the protest group Pussy Riot, including the two who were imprisoned and just released in advance of the Sochi Winter Olympics. Her latest book is Words Will Break Cement : The Passion of Pussy Riot. We talk with her about what's happening now and what might happen after the Games
Beyond Stoli and Snowden: The Rift between Russia and the US Asylum for Edward Snowden, anti-gay laws and support for Syria's dictator are just some of the reasons the US is frustrated with Russia. This week, President Obama cancelled a summit with Vladimir Putin. Angry gay-rights supporters here and in Europe are pushing for a boycott of the Russian Winter Olympics. Today, Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting with his Russian counterpart in Washington. He said the two countries sometimes disagree but that's no reason not to negotiate. They'll discuss missile defense, Afghanistan, North Korea and Syria. We look at the frosty relations between the US and Russia.
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?
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.