Obama Explains How America Went From ‘Yes We Can’ to ‘MAGA’
About this episode
Barack Obama discusses his philosophy of persuasion: to move people, you must first understand — and be able to articulate — the other side's worldview. He reflects on the tension between telling hard truths about racism and holding together a broad coalition, and on how his presidency interacted with a period of political backlash and hardening Republican opposition. They discuss the structural disadvantages Democrats face in the Electoral College and the Senate, the rise of educational polarization, the collapse of local media, and information silos shaped by Fox News, Sinclair, and Facebook. The conversation also covers public programs like the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, the role of the presidency in shaping debate, and lighter subjects including climate change and even aliens.