Last night, during the chaotic and discouraging debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the president refused to condemn white nationalism—and even appeared to send a message directly to the Proud Boys, a far-right neo-fascist group, saying “stand back and stand by.” The group heard the message—and celebrated it.
How did we get here? How could an American president be so comfortable engaging with hate groups? Journalist Jean Guerrero points to Stephen Miller, senior policy adviser to the president—and the man she says has “radicalized” Donald Trump. Her new book, Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump and the White Nationalist Agenda, details Miller’s own radicalization as a young man growing up in California—a process fueled by right-wing talk radio, and later some of the darkest corners of the far-right web. It’s not easy reading, but it is brilliantly reported and exceptionally well written. Guerrero describes Miller as “a true fanatic,” and “probably the most ideological person in the White House today.”
In the podcast, we talk about her work covering immigration stories along the U.S. border with Mexico, and how being one of the first journalists to expose the Trump Administration’s policy of separating migrant children from their parents led her to begin focusing on Miller, the architect of the child separation policy, which she reveals was designed from the very beginning to intentionally cause the most excruciating pain possible to migrant families.
Have a listen, let me know what you think, and if you enjoy the conversation please share it with your friends. It’s exceptionally difficult to get new podcasts in front of people, so sharing and recommending is vital.
And if you haven’t already listened to Episode 1, the link is right below. I had a fantastic conversation with NBC’s Keith Morrison, perhaps the most distinctive reporter in all of TV News—that voice!
Stories from the last 7 days:
PODCAST EPISODE 1: Keith Morrison, ‘Dateline NBC’
How NBC’s ‘Dateline’ Delivered a New Season Despite Covid-19
55 Million Viewers Watch Trump’s Supreme Court Announcement
Kamala Harris On Trump’s Taxes: ‘Tell Us Who Do You Owe The Money To?’
‘Hannity’ Has Highest-Rated Quarter In History As Fox News Beats Broadcast Networks, A TV First
CNN’s Jake Tapper: ‘The President Thinks He Is Going To Lose And He Wants To Bring Us Down With Him’
Episode 2: Jean Guerrero, 'Hatemonger'