Miscellaneous
If you’ve found yourself wondering WTF is going on in the USA – which we’re pretty sure the whole world has – this episode is for you. With over 53 years of political reporting behind him John gives us his unique take on American politics from the 60s until today and the explains the reasons behind the success of Trump. Along with producer Lisa Francesca Nand, John talks about presidents past and present, news reporting, perceived BBC bias, Brexit, immigrants, guns, the electoral college system, Facebook fiddling and above all why we should sod Make America Great Again and instead Make America Cool Again. You heard it here first. On this episode we cover: One man giving some people a voice The weird US constitution and electoral college system A strange vengeance about the Trump administration John being covering US politics since the Kennedy days The US was run by a section of society – more open than British society then People who thought differently were silenced Covering the 1964 election with President Johnson and Barry Goldwater The Republican party allowing Goldwater to go forward because they knew they couldn’t win Ronald Regan allowing the rich to get richer with fewer taxes The divisions between rich and poor being far higher now than the 1980s A side effect of this being a bitterness in American society It is THIS that has lead to Trump’s success Trump’s ‘ineffable’ tweets from his lonely bedroom A multi millionaire how has screwed plenty of little people over the decades pretending he’s standing up to the little man The excitement of seeing a president say the sort of thing some people who are thinking How do Trump and Farage convince people they’re on their side? People want to be convinced Grabbing women by the pussy The religious right being among Trump’s strongest supporters The confusing contrasts of the US Britain having nothing to pat itself on the back for at present President Regan scrapping the law that broadcasting had to be balanced The subsequent rise of the shock jock The chances of Trump winning the elections of November 2020 Whether the electoral college system will change Most political scientist in the US feeling it doesn’t change the popular will Social media and Facebook being used by nefarious organisations John being a product of the ‘intellectual elite’ Being the BBC’s longest serving journalist, probably Does the BBC really strive to make things balanced? Do the BBC have an internal bias? How the BBC balancing the argument in the referendum had the opposite effect People allowed to broadcast outright lies The BBC’s strict fact checking process Listen up Daily Mail – there is no official editorial line to toe at the BBC John feeling the BBC has to fight against an institutional timidity The importance of diversity in recruiting How casting the same white, middle aged, privately educated men ain’t helpful Lisa getting John sacked The other things going on in the US How a controversial figure like Trump generates alternative views on the other side People who have never had a voice before on both sides The sons and daughters of immigrants and even immigrants now speaking out The US being a great society How Lisa wants to ‘Make America Cool Again’ Who would want to share a bed with Trump? John’s liberating first visit to the US in the 60s Returning to England ‘like catching a sailing ship back to the middle ages’ Nowadays Britain and Europe being far ahead of the US in many ways How can you buy automatic weapons over the counter? Seen the US move from the most advanced society in the West to an old-fashioned regressive society Britain isn’t perfect, but you cant buy sub machine guns over the counter Our message to the USA Let’s Make America Cool Again