PUBLIC FORUM: Tony Kushner & Rachel Maddow

On December 2, two of America's leading progressives met at Joe's Pub at The Public for the latest installment of Public Forum Duets, the series of conversations pairing an artist who has been vital to The Public with a leading voice from outside the theater.
Their fast-moving conversation swung from the political right - with Maddow noting that "progressive" had become the epithet that people fling at her in all-caps over Twitter, and Kushner wondering if the conservatives who wrote in praise of Lincoln might be joking - to the political left, with Maddow acknowledging that she felt embarrassed by the way she criticized President Obama's handling of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and Kushner voicing his frustration with the powerlessness of his fellow lefties.
(And, late in the program, he briefly dropped into character as Senator Lindsey Graham.)
Follow the Public Forum on Twitter: / publicforumny

[@erpthompsonqueen9130]

Thank you. Watching from Alaska.

[@Alvin4NY]

Watched all of this....worth the time. Both Tony and Rachel keep their eyes on the real prize: Sharing factual information to help inform others.

[@megberg7992]

I wish I could have seen that play. It sounds amazing. I don’t know how I didn’t see this before. Also, I love you Rachel. Watching your show makes the horrible truth of the things happening in this world a little more palatable!!!💗

[@98284104]

That. was. awesome!!!

[@jeffwatkins352]

Two of America's greatest minds chatting together about matters of crucial importance to our world, both political and artistic...this is what the Internet was made for.

[@MsGeekomatic]

I love Dr. Maddow & now I have had the pleasure of hearing from a lauded screenwriter I had never heard before. It was a very interesting talk. It was entertaining & I enjoyed their banter & mix of serious with silliness. Those here to nitpick & naysay-- good grief. Just find something else to watch that you know you'll enjoy- why spend time here unless your goal is nastiness?

[@ShieAyla]

This is sooooo interesting to watch in hindsight! It's honestly Twilight zone ish....... I've been watching everything I can find Rachel Maddow, and all these talks are so amazing. But this one is simply surreal.

[@Mikathedog100]

Been doing the same thing. So many were warning about a Trump, before we got the Trump..

[@ShieAyla]

@@Mikathedog100 I grew up in CT/NY and it is old news that he is racist and a phony. He was an indulged elite with no substance and everyone used to know it back home! And the electoral college has got to go.

[@gb4375]

The advantage of education in politics.

[@gb4375]

I’ve encountered the question of music when writing as well, funny, I thought it was just me.

[@BottleConcreteBlond]

Most of the people I know from the UK say socialized medicine works. The ones who are saying it doesn't are the really wealthy people who come here and avoid paying taxes with offshore accounts.

[@feliciastreet11]

My favorite news person - explains things like none other

[@ddupree79]

Watching this after the 2020 election. Spooky.

[@janedexter2869]

Good stuff

[@neilrobau1]

1:06:30 - 1:09 Kushner sets out the strange dynamic between Abraham Lincoln and his wife, and the wife's semi-madness and attachment to the occult as a way of dealing with Lincoln's telling her his dreams. Maddow gives a beautiful explanation of how partner of the most powerful man in the world would see how little power he had to shape events and, like other people buffeted by forces they do not understand, take comfort in magical thinking.

[@queenmaoasada8447]

Such sweet, innocent times back then... Imagine if they -- especially Kushner, given his character study of Roy Cohn -- could've foreseen

[@thomasalbert6687]

Most suprising to me is that this combo does not work. Two fascinating people when placed together largely fizzle.

[@BottleConcreteBlond]

Oh my God. This is why I hate audience participation. Some of thsoe questions--Jesus!

[@nayashams6845]

Before you start a war on other any country, you have to consider that lots of innocent soldiers are coming home either in coffin or injured badly or emotionally unable to work. So veteran department must consider the hospital, therapy or housing for these people. So many people either sides suffer . That is why I am against any war. No matter what. The only war is accepted in my opinion is defensive war. To protect one,s country. May God guide us to straight path, path of peace on earth ,good will to mankind.

[@juliapeterson978]

I dunno--"which one is more gay" is just not a question that comes to mind when I watch an interview. Interviews get me thinking about what the people are talking about, not their sexuality. I remember thinking about questions of sexuality when I was 14 and watching the Real World though....maybe you should watch reality TV or read trashy magazines if those are the big questions you're most interested in.

[@FanTastic-ks3wu]

Great idea 2M...except that's simply not how human behavior works! If human's were robots and could make every decision based on a list of pros and cons - we would 1) have to have super computers as brains and 2) have to have no emotions, desires, dreams, or socialization. Indeed, if that were true everyone in the world would have perfect health, no stress, no pain, no disease, no loss. I work w/veterans, and I witness this grit and complexity that is human life daily -don't be so reductionist.

[@normanandsallytagged464]

The news hour p bs

[@SP-ky6lx]

Tony needed to shut up.

[@FanTastic-ks3wu]

I guess non-elitism must mean you don't respond to arguments...you just yell about people being elitist... there's things called facts...use them (if they have been replicated and multiply-sourced), support your views, and make a real challenge to the beliefs elucidated here...don't run around like a toddler and yell "you elitist!" - that's throwing a tantrum.

[@joshatkins94]

nothing whatsoever to do with the video, but why let reality get in your way, right?