political rhetoric

Series Two

This episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Dr Jennifer Mercieca,  author and Professor at Texas A&M University; an historian of American political rhetoric whose research combines history, political theory / philosophy / science. 

Her latest research is on how ubiquitous propaganda has ruined our public sphere and what we can do about it. As an author, she writes about American political discourse, especially as it relates to citizenship, democracy, and the presidency, and has published three books: 'Founding Fictions', 'The Rhetoric of Heroic Expectations: Establishing the Obama Presidency', and 'Demagogue for President: the Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump'. 

 Jennifer has also written for The Conversation,  USA Today, Washington Post, and other major media outlets. ​She's been interviewed by the BBC, NPR, The New York Times, CNN, The Guardian, Vice, ABC Radio, Slate, and many other outlets throughout the US and Worldwide - and has been called “probably the leading authority on Trump’s rhetoric”.  

So, as you can imagine, this interview features a fascinating discussion about her views, including the use of language as a weapon, how Trump took advantage of distrust, polarisation and frustration, and why the unifying campaign strategies he employed were anything but simple.  

In their review of her latest book, The Washington Post stated "The question of how Donald Trump ever got elected president has stumped some of the nation’s deeper thinkers. Jennifer Mercieca has a compelling answer. 

Spoiler alert: Trump is not, in fact, a genius. He’s a sophisticated con man who used the tools of rhetoric to pick the pockets of the American body politic, double-talking his way to power..."

In this episode of the Lieb Cast, we delve deep into the latest developments in the Israel-Gaza conflict. As tensions escalate both on the ground and in digital realms, the Lieb Cast teams up with psychotherapist Jennifer Bohr-Cuevas to unpack the emotional underpinnings of today's heightened vitriol and the importance of fostering constructive conversations. The episode delves into how, while outrage over violence is entirely valid, the danger lies in allowing accusatory rhetoric to overshadow the path to peace. Highlighting contentious statements from notable figures such as Nikki Haley and Donald Trump, the Lieb Cast assesses how these pointed remarks towards political adversaries may inadvertently intensify extremist sentiments.

With a commitment to objective, fact-based discourse, the Lieb Cast navigates the multifaceted landscape of this conflict, pushing past black-and-white narratives to reveal the intricate causes and profound human consequences felt by all involved. The episode underscores the perils of politicizing delicate issues and casting one-dimensional blame. Instead, the Lieb Cast and its guests advocate for a balanced approach, emphasizing the importance of collaborative policymaking and the restoration of trust, steering clear from fruitless blame games during such critical times.

On this episode of The Open Mind, we're delighted to welcome Yale University philosopher Jason Stanley, author of the edifying and essential Random House volume “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them.” Stanley told Dana Milbank of the Washington Post that the Trump rendition of these tactics “uses emotion to circumvent reason, to overwhelm reason, wanting us to get the situation in which there's such fear and suspicion that the only happiness is winning over his enemies.” 

These are Jason Stanley's words and he added in an interview with Vox, “I think of fascism as a method of politics. It's rhetoric, a way of running for power. Of course that's connected to fascist ideology because fascist ideology centers on power. But I really see fascism as a technique to gain power.” At this year's philosophy conference for high school and undergraduate students at Stony Brook University I was so pleased to interview Jason and eager to continue that exchange.

On this episode of The Open Mind, we're delighted to welcome Yale University philosopher Jason Stanley, author of the edifying and essential Random House volume “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them.” Stanley told Dana Milbank of the Washington Post that the Trump rendition of these tactics “uses emotion to circumvent reason, to overwhelm reason, wanting us to get the situation in which there's such fear and suspicion that the only happiness is winning over his enemies.” 

These are Jason Stanley's words and he added in an interview with Vox, “I think of fascism as a method of politics. It's rhetoric, a way of running for power. Of course that's connected to fascist ideology because fascist ideology centers on power. But I really see fascism as a technique to gain power.” At this year's philosophy conference for high school and undergraduate students at Stony Brook University I was so pleased to interview Jason and eager to continue that exchange.