Scott interviews journalist Matt Taibbi about two articles he published at TK News. The first examines the role the New York Times plays in defining the boundaries of acceptable discourse in our country. Taibbi draws a comparison to the role of newspapers in the Soviet Union and points to multiple examples from the last few years of U.S. outlets doing the same thing. They then focus in on foreign policy, where they reflect on how the military and interventionists in both media and government went through a transformation after the Bush Presidency. By rebranding themselves as humanitarian interventionists and framing Obama as their leader, they were able to dismantle the antiwar left of the Bush years. Now we find ourselves in a moment where many on the right are taking a more anti-interventionist stance. Scott and Taibbi mull over whether this will, or can, change American foreign policy going forward.
Discussed on the show:
- “The New Kremlinology: Reading the New York Times” (TK News)
- Scott’s Debate with Cathy Young
- “Putin Misunderstands History. So, Unfortunately, Does the U.S.” (Bloomberg)
- “The Great American Military Rebrand” (TK News)
- The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama
- Bring Our Troops Home
- Defend the Guard
Matt Taibbi is a journalist, author and political commentator. Subscribe to his Substack publication: TK News and follow him on Twitter @mtaibbi.
This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Free Range Feeder; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt and Listen and Think Audio.
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Scott Horton is director of the Libertarian Institute, editorial director of Antiwar.com, host of Antiwar Radio on Pacifica, 90.7 FM KPFK in Los Angeles, California and podcasts the Scott Horton Show from this website. He’s the author of the 2017 book, Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan. Visit https://scotthorton.org