Jon Meacham - Trump & The Soul of America

Jon Meacham The Soul of America amzn.to/2Eg43E0
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham explored critical moments in American history and how they relate to today’s political and social landscape. He was joined in conversation by NBC News and MSNBC host Willie Geist.
May 9th, 2018

[@acballen2613]

Jon Meacham is an American treasure.

[@iloveryangreasley6172]

大龙 and Willie Geist is an American embarrassment. Out of all the people NBC could have hired, THAT is who they settled on? And he’s SO full of himself.

[@pocketvenus47]

This man needs to offer lectures to young people on history and civics. His humor will get them.

[@nanamarion5003]

Only if they are able to focus...pay attention... follow the flow. Most teens can no longer perform these basic necessities.

[@charliechaplin7959]

colette s What are your favorite history books?

[@TNDCBaby]

Colette What lies did he tell during this discussion?

[@JB-uv4hm]

colette s - where’s your Pulitzer?

[@Thadmotor1044]

koch bros did get rid of Civics in high school . beware of want and ignorance ....charles dickens

[@seriouslyreally5413]

Jon Meacham's wisdom is that "we've been here before, many many times before". And we figured out how to get through it... every single time. Like the common cold, you never develop an immunity. Democracy requires due diligence and maintenance.

[@saralenamartin5462]

"We get the Presidents we deserve." Exactly.

[@ingloriousbasterd3067]

Meacham is one of THE most credible,well educated,well spoken and intelligent people on the planet and always has a grasp of what the TRUTH really is.

[@wackoconqueso]

And freaking funny too.

[@nicolettacinci3053]

He remindes me of our Stephen Fry 👍

[@pillettadoinswartsh4974]

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

[@ingloriousbasterd3067]

Just an observation here; Meacham could easily be a quality stand up comic.

[@pocketvenus47]

Brilliant. The Last Gasps of Wallace, Thurmon and others is comforting

[@MissJami]

Thank you, Jon Meachum. Hope to see you sometime.

[@georgefowler6386]

Trump is not the only one to be concerned about. His judicial appointments will last a very, very long time.

[@exoticgirl1]

George Fowler I have thought about this and even if the Trump pick for SC justice promises him golden mountains, this justice is bound by the law, the constitution and the civil rights act. I a justice ignores any or all of the 3 he/she can and will be indicted!! These people have to uphold and apply the law but they are NOT above it. Also, this pick should recuse him/herself from anything involving Trump! A Trump pick an potentially overturn Roe v Wade and LGTBQ'S rights, though.

[@georgefowler6386]

exoticgirl1 its a new era. www.amazon.com/Gaslighting-America-Love-When-Trump/dp/0062748009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530577222&sr=8-1&keywords=gaslighting+america

[@kilgoretrout3966]

a 5-4 margin stopped the FL recount. Food for thought.

[@georgefowler6386]

But it doesn't stop there. In fact, it ends there. www.nytimes.com/2018/08/22/magazine/trump-remaking-courts-judiciary.html

[@georgefowler6386]

Depending upon how we define this era, it began when at least as far back as McCain's pick of Palin as his VP candidate.

[@thinkabout288]

THANK YOU JON if only people would listen and learn if only

[@rjschools2803]

Listening to the last 10 minutes 5 years later is STUNNING. The Portrait is a Mugshot.

[@Ina-yn4kx]

A WICKED SMART, funny wise man. An ICONIC American story teller. Someone we NEED TO LISTEN TO AÑD ABSORB. Thanks truth thru via our absurdities. We need you Jon!

[@RaufikTajuddin]

Great to listen and 'attend' Jon Meacham anytime any venue, most lively education event

[@mimimc8685]

The Best!!!

[@mimimc8685]

Sir Alfred Lawrence , Why?

[@tinal3382]

the best douche-ball, that's for sure. total ignorant and disconnected from reality, he is.

[@nennemann52]

Always looking for purpose and meaning, I've been struggling with answering the cosmic question of "Why Trump? Why Now?" Listening to several videos of Jon Meacham, I'm forming part of the answer, at least for myself. If, by electing a Trump, we have ushered in a period of time for awakening the apathetic and ill formed parts of ourselves in order to "get our collective act together"; then maybe that's why him why now. The divisions, underground conflicts, fears, and government (or collective) "corruption" have existed for a very long time. Maybe now is the time to bring all that out, air it, shine light on it all and transform it to form the future we all want. I sure hope so!

[@catherinemcginnis1538]

Sue Nennemann , well said Sue, that’s the conclusion I’ve come to as well.

[@noaheinstein2369]

Sue Nennemann, agree in great part. I differ in that I don’t think there’s a supernatural or predetermined “reason” as to why Trump and why now. Instead I think the human task is always to take every bad situation and learn all we can from it. In that sense, this cruel and deceitful POTUS is offering Americans powerful and important lessons if we’re ready to learn them. I’d include the need to reform our electoral system so that a populist, narcissistic tyrant is less likely to get himself elected again, and I’d include the desperate need to teach civics and the basic purposes of democratic government in public schools, and so many other critical safeguards. We were not prepared for Trump, but we can rebuild a better nation from what he tried to destroy in all of us.

[@elamarjordan]

what a joy!

[@charliechaplin7959]

"People would rather be here than not be here." Not so sure. I think a lot of Americans don't know about protections and benefits people in other nations receive by virrue of being born...things like healthcare, education, paid vacations and paid maternity leave. If more Americans knew about what the rest of the world had thry'd be more inclined to want to live elsewhere.

[@0649Hayes]

Demark or Sweden maybe which I would certainly want to. I've been in countries that had just gone through a revolution from a dictator and I was glad to leave after 6 months.

[@rmyrick2451]

As a southern gal, it may sound stupid, but hearing Meacham say Wenz-dee or as others would know it as Wednesday, warmed my soul. He sounded just like my Grandaddy! ❤ 17:43 or so

[@tomdegan6924]

They could be a comedy team. Excellent discussion.

[@un-coloredtruthpodcast6964]

He is Funny ASF Yet Educational..

[@jerrymander4112]

I found The Art Of Power about Jefferson to be a great read. As described, Jefferson, personality-wise, may be the polar opposite of 45.

[@dylancalewarts6306]

I’m gay and I totally object to being compared to blacks. He’s dead wrong. It’s not the same civil rights issue. We were never enslaved, shut out of political process, segregated etc. it never happened. There is no comparison.

[@liesbethdevries4986]

O yes. It's about getting rid of groups by isolation and bullying, it is called racism without race.

[@setaglm7285]

So, I’m going to get the book to be sure. My question is, if Russia determined the outcome of our election what does that say about who we are and our infrastructure?

[@charliechaplin7959]

What do we love in common? Sugar and tv. Americans hate life and have chosen to mindlessly stare at screens rather than truly live. And if that doesn't describe you you are an exception to the rule. Congrats!

[@davidtrindle6473]

I don’t think so. You are probably reflecting on your own experience. Americans have diverse interests and activities. You need to get out and meet some new people. You will get out of your rut.

[@marvinburkholder8907]

Another we're winning because we already won and by losing it proves we're winning.

[@sancellevance7864]

Oxymoron look it up. But that made me laugh

[@brandoYT]

push the myths and ignore the real problems since politicians so fail the common man, we keep bouncing between extremes (planned??)

[@kilgoretrout3966]

if planned by a reactionary, rather than forward thinking society, then, yeah, planned.

[@carlatteniese2]

Mr. Meacham forgot Apollo 8.

[@leeweisbecker6048]

Trump's 2016 appeal was more complicated than race; and, as for Hofstadter, look at the Age and Reform and learn something

[@ingloriousbasterd3067]

As an accomplished historian Meacham must know that the average life of an "Empire" (which the U.S.A. is) is only around 250 years,tick,tick,tick America 'cause yer time?,she's a runnin' out fast...have a nice final few years eh?

[@deborahhoffman7394]

Inglorious Basterd Where did you get that gem?

[@kilgoretrout3966]

In name only. i respectfully submit for consideration, the United Fruit Company: www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/books/review/Kurtz-Phelan-t.html

[@charliechaplin7959]

colette s LOL. Sure it is.

[@bassmaster1953]

Meacham has insulted half the country. Good job Jon.

[@sancellevance7864]

1/2 the country is reaching more like the top 1%

[@RonWinter335]

bassmaster1953 Please explain your statement...and be specific. Thank you.

[@bassmaster1953]

Ron, please explain why you need an explanation. And give examples and references.

[@RonWinter335]

bassmaster1953 I reference your inability to articulate your statement that Meacham has insulted half the country. You do not know that which you object to. Thank you very much.

[@bassmaster1953]

He equates the Trump presidency with the ugliest times in history. Guess what, those that voted for Trump disagree. Life is good again. I like his style. He gets things done. Meacham is oblivious to this. Typical MSNBC skewed thinking.There, happy now?

[@heismightytosave527]

So tired of the victim mentality.......go live somewhere else if you don’t love and honor the Great Country!

[@charliechaplin7959]

12:03 we've come through this before so let's figure out how and do it again (paraphrase). This isn't how history works. You cannot just duplicate the methods of the past and expect the same results. Meacham is being ignorant or irresponsible here....probably the forner.

[@Alan.Endicott]

14:51 ....and I'm out.

[@Vgy926]

Uh ... uh ... uh

[@erichigbie2404]

men w/ white hair....

[@chobson8602]

omg such awful people

[@GregAlterton]

As arguably the foremost Presidential historian/biographer in America today, I hold Jon Meacham's perspective in respect. He's clearly a progressive in terms of the perceived march of "social justice," but his perspective here is hard medicine for both the hard left and the hard right. The one thing I disagreed with the most was Willie Geist's suggestion that the defeat of Hillary Clinton brought a *temporary* halt to the march of progressivism in US voters failing to elect a woman to the presidency. He still hasn't understood that Hillary lost because she is the most ethically challenged and corrupt person to ever run for national office in the history of our nation. It would not have been a victory of progressivism to have elected someone with such a deep personality disorder as Hillary.

[@dylancalewarts6306]

You guys would do well to meet, you know, A SINGLE TRUMP VOTER. Jesus. They’re talked about as if they’re some abstract entity.

[@TNDCBaby]

Dylan with so many not even wanting to admit that they are one it is easy to see why some come off as an abstract identity but I don't see where they spoke as if they don't know any or haven't paid attention to what some have said.

[@dylancalewarts6306]

Well, they are out here in Michigan

[@dylancalewarts6306]

I’d also like to point out the premise of this is flawed. I worked as an election inspector and also studied the exit polls. The thing everyone has missed is Trump over preformed in the strategic states ONLYonly but still, he overperformed in racial minorities compared to what the Democrats had to do to win- AND he was helped again because the (presumably) Clinton base voters aka the black people did not show up. For ex. Trump won 54% of the Cuban American vote in Florida. He also won 50% of the vote in Dearborn MI which is 50% Muslim. And the nail in Hillary’s coffin Michigan was blacks in Detroit didn’t care about stopping Trump. She also only visited MI 4 times This Washington DC conclusion that the entire basis of the Trump election is some kind of Klan/white fright sentiment is not born out in the numbers.

[@dylancalewarts6306]

And again I know African Americans and racial minorities came out for Hillary but not in the strategic states.

[@TNDCBaby]

Right. They're in a lot of places. Interviews with them are all over the net but like I said I don't see where they spoke as if they don't know any or haven't paid attention to what some have said. Wait black voters are to blame? So 11% of 12% of the voting population doesn't show up and they get the blame instead of the 12% of the majority group who flipped for a different candidate? If white voters didn't vote 3rd party, or showed up, or did't switch votes he also would have lost so... how does that work? That is actually not a Washington DC born conclusion. That is a belief held by a bunch of people across the country who have let the Richard Spencer's of the world, the Trump retweets, and the David Duke endorsement become the representation of a trump voter. I for one assume that it is something deeper than that but there are Trump voters who are very vocal about not only being cool with his policies but agreeing with statements about "them" taking our jobs, incorrect meem tweeting, KKK/white supremacist backed or originated messages coming from the White House. There is at least a passive acceptance from some voters who aren't straight up racist or bigots of the darker side of his cluster of voters. I shoudln't have been but I am actually surprised by how many real people not bots are backing some of it, all while still blaming Obama for the divisiveness.

[@lynndavid1066]

Boring!

[@SuperMan-oc7ny]

President Trump,the best thing to happen to this country in eight years.

[@margap9622]

well educated man, but not the smartest in my opinion... thinking trump could be persuaded to do better is naive. thinking that ppl will get back to trusting the media so fast and thinking that laws can be changed back so soon.

[@tinal3382]

I bet this guy thought Hillary would win and had 99% chance... totally disconnected.

[@OLAODUS-cs5sl]

In normal countries, the person with the most votes wins.I wonder why they don't do governor's elections by EC?