Ryan Lizza’s 18-page story on how Chicago shaped Barack Obama in the New Yorker has been getting far less attention than the magazine’s cover. Tonight on GRITtv the New Yorker’s senior editor Hendrik Hertzberg faces off with Media Channel’s Danny Schechter over the magazine’s attempt to subvert the many falsehoods about the Illinois Senator. Is it just another part of our media of distraction or is it something else—a way of poking fun at Fox News et al.? Deconstruction or destruction?
Air America’s Logan Nakyanzi Pollard says that with these dangerous ideas in circulation the well-respected magazine is on shaky ground. Remnick himself in an unusual interview defending his decision says that, “it's not a satire about Obama - it's a satire about the distortions and misconceptions and prejudices about Obama.” Does it work? Find out here on our media roundtable.
We also interview Ennis Carter, founder and co-director of The Social Arts and author of the forthcoming book, Posters for the People: Art of the WPA on the social art of the New Deal. On the 75th anniversary of Roosevelt’s sweeping program, Flanders and Carter discuss the role of art in progressive politics. The left has been convinced for far too long that reason alone and a steadfast adherence to the facts will eventually rule the day. There’s nothing wrong with the facts and with reason, but progressive politics needs its own propaganda.
And a new film by Danny Schechter, In Debt We Trust, explores how credit companies and banks have helped to create an economic system that some have called modern serfdom. As Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac get bailed out by the federal government, who will pay? Finally, Day 10 of Chris Hume’s Red State Road Trip. High gas prices and foreclosures in Pennsylvania have created a perfect economic storm. And a comment from David Sirota on the homogenization of American politics. All that and more on GRITtv.