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Hi there! It's been a while. I’m at a TV studio in lower Manhattan, watching New Hampshire primary results in preparation for some live segments on the CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster. One of the joys of free-agent life is appearing on networks like the CBC and the BBC and attempting to explain U.S. politics to global audiences.
I usually write these emails to share what I’ve been working on. I was laying low for a little while because, in November, the same week my book Network of Lies came out, my mother died. I wrote about her life on Instagram here, here and here. As you might imagine, I treasured the holidays with my family even more than usual. Here are some of my January bylines and appearances:
– “The Great Tune-Out:” My latest article for Vanity Fair is about the depth of America’s political burnout and what it could mean for campaigns, media outlets, and the greater political-industrial complex.
– I also wrote for VF about Fox News falling back in line with Donald Trump just like most of the rest of the GOP.
– For The Atlantic, I penned a column about the final punchline of the Ron DeSantis 2024 campaign – claiming to cite Winston Churchill while actually citing a Budweiser ad. It was a perfect distillation of the Fox-powered right's post-truth culture.
— Before DeSantis imploded, I talked with CNN's Abby Phillip about the candidate’s rightful criticism of the right-wing media, plus a few other topics.
— Last week I joined MSNBC's Alex Wagner to discuss the sale of the Baltimore Sun to an owner who is openly contemptuous of the paper. The sale shows why it is crucial to support local, grassroots, subscription startups.
– And if you haven’t subscribed to the Inside the Hive podcast yet, check it out here. My guest last week: CNN’s Kasie Hunt. This week’s guests: Andrea Bernstein and Molly Jong Fast. New episodes drop on Thursdays. Email me anytime with guest ideas.
For more fun stuff, like sledding photos, follow me on Instagram.
All the best,
–Brian