author and historian
Historian and cultural critic; author of Nixonland: The Rise of a President and Fracturing of America and Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus
PROFILE
Rick Perlstein
Guest
FROM Rick Perlstein
To the Point
George McGovern Dies at 90 Robert F. Kennedy said that, of all his colleagues in the US Senate, "The person who has the most feeling and does things in the most genuine way is George McGovern ." One of the first Senators to oppose the Vietnam War and advocate US relations with China, McGovern is best known for his lopsided defeat by Richard Nixon in 1972. He died this weekend at the age of 90. Journalist and historian Rich Perlstein is author of several books including, Nixonland : the Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. His obituary of McGovern appears in the current New Republic magazine.
Which Way, L.A.?
Chicago Teachers' Strike The Chicago school strike is a struggle between education reformers and unionized teachers. Now in its third day, the issues will look familiar in other cities, including Los Angeles. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has taken the side of school reformers against a teachers' union he accuses of being resistant to change. We look at the national implications and the possible consequences for the November election.
To the Point
Chicago School Strike The Chicago school strike is into its third day, a struggle between education reformers and unionized teachers. The issues will look familiar in other cities around the country. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has taken the side of schools reformers against a teachers' union he accuses of being resistant to change. We look at the national implications and the possible consequences for the November election.
Which Way, L.A.?
Incivility and the Race Card in US Politics At town halls and tea parties, on cable TV and on the Internet — even in Congress --America's political discourse is increasingly angry and vitriolic. With the first black president in the White House, Republicans and the media are accused of inflaming racial anxieties. At the same time, massive new government programs in times of economic distress are legitimate subjects for heated debate. We talk about the roots of the outrage and the consequences for the Republican and Democratic parties. America's political discourse is increasingly angry and vitriolic, across the country and in the halls of Congress.
To the Point
Incivility, Racial Hostility and Dissent in America At town halls and tea parties, on cable TV and on the Internet — even in Congress --America's political discourse is increasingly angry and vitriolic. With the first black president in the White House, Republicans and the media are accused of inflaming racial anxieties. At the same time, massive new government programs in times of economic distress are legitimate subjects for heated debate. We talk about the roots of the outrage and the consequences for the Republican and Democratic parties. America's political discourse is increasingly angry and vitriolic, across the country and in the halls of Congress.
To the Point
Woodstock: The Myths and the Realities It's been 40 years since a half-million young people turned up at a muddy farm in New York State for an event that's still celebrated as a major cultural moment. The concert, lost money, but a year later, a documentary film more than recouped the promoters' losses. "Sex, drugs and rock 'n roll" didn't begin at Woodstock, but the film brought the counter-culture into America's mainstream. It was “3 days of peace and music” that dramatized opposition to the Vietnam War and raised questions about politics and commercial values. At the same time, it popularized illegal drugs, helped create a conservative backlash and showed promoters new ways to make piles of money. We look at the Woodstock paradox 40 years later.
Recommended
To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
To the Point
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?
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?
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.