Politics with Amy Walter

How American Democracy Became Vulnerable to the Threat of Populism


Listen Later

Individual reactions to the coronavirus pandemic and the public health restrictions that have accompanied it have underscored how powerful negative partisanship can be in the formation of political opinions. In past crises, national shocks have urged partisans to put aside their personal grievances in pursuit of the greater good, but today, that doesn't seem to be the case. Jonathan Haidt, psychologist and professor of ethical leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business, shares how the perception of risk influences our political behavior and the impact it has on public opinion.

President Donald Trump spent his first term undermining the credibility of the media. His tweets, campaign events, and press conferences were tools he used to cast doubt on the legitimacy of reputable news organizations while promoting unfounded lies and conspiracy theories that served his personal agenda. As President Trump prepares to leave office, members of the White House press pool have turned their gaze to President-elect Joe Biden.

Due to the virtual nature of campaigning in 2020, Biden was able to avoid much of the traditional back and forth with members of the media. There are some who argue that members of the press didn’t push hard enough to get Biden in front of reporters. But because Biden has spent a considerable amount of time in Washington, he has a track record that he can be measured against.

A core part of Biden’s campaign promise was a return to normalcy that would include a more traditional communications team and relationship with the press. Rick Klein, political director at ABC News, Caitlin Conant, political director at CBS News, and Ben Smith, media columnist at The New York Times, discuss what the Biden administration’s relationship with the press could look like. 

President Trump distinguished himself in a crowded 2016 primary field by running as a populist. He spoke to the problems that many Americans felt the government had failed to adequately address, like their inability to earn a decent wage or pay for healthcare and higher education. A man who was born rich tapped into the anxieties of working-class Americans whose pleas for help were ignored by leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

William G. Howell, professor in American Politics at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and Terry M. Moe, professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution are the co-authors of Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy. They spoke with Amy Walter about the last impact of populism and President Trump’s lasting impact on our politics. 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Politics with Amy WalterBy WNYC and PRX

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

577 ratings


More shows like Politics with Amy Walter

View all
Living on Earth by World Media Foundation

Living on Earth

465 Listeners

Latino USA by My Cultura, Futuro and iHeartPodcasts

Latino USA

3,744 Listeners

PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show by Washington Week

PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show

1,342 Listeners

PBS News Hour - Brooks and Capehart by PBS NewsHour

PBS News Hour - Brooks and Capehart

1,221 Listeners

Afropop Worldwide by Afropop Worldwide

Afropop Worldwide

306 Listeners

Live Wire with Luke Burbank by PRX

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

319 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,189 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

3,951 Listeners

The World by PRX

The World

915 Listeners

Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

Snap Judgment

11,537 Listeners

PBS News Hour - Full Show by PBS NewsHour

PBS News Hour - Full Show

2,414 Listeners

Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

Reveal

8,246 Listeners

The Axe Files with David Axelrod by The Institute of Politics & CNN

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

7,602 Listeners

The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

The NPR Politics Podcast

25,864 Listeners

Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

86,708 Listeners

Things That Go Boom by PRX

Things That Go Boom

320 Listeners

The Science of Happiness by PRX and Greater Good Science Center

The Science of Happiness

1,882 Listeners

The Bulwark Podcast by The Bulwark

The Bulwark Podcast

11,772 Listeners

Hacks On Tap by Hacks On Tap

Hacks On Tap

8,024 Listeners

Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt by Politicon

Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt

4,046 Listeners

Impolitic with John Heilemann by Audacy | Puck

Impolitic with John Heilemann

4,651 Listeners

Suave by Futuro Media

Suave

1,517 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

15,237 Listeners

The Focus Group Podcast by The Bulwark

The Focus Group Podcast

2,504 Listeners

The Odd Years by The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter

The Odd Years

93 Listeners