"Uncle Sam's Youngest Son, Citizen Know Nothing," ca. 1854 (Library of Congress)

When it comes to partisan politics, Americans are deeply conflicted. On the one hand, we complain that extreme polarization precludes the possibility for civil discourse. On the other, we”re nostalgic for a time when people really cared. We want an engaged citizenry without the deep fissures in the body politic, but can we have it both ways? Have we ever had it both ways?

On this special post-midterm election podcast, the History Guys reflect on Americans’ distaste for contemporary politics. Has Washington sunk to a new low, or is it merely American-constitutional-democracy-as-usual? Does partisanship threaten to tear our society apart at the seams, or is keeping us together?

This podcast features a special guest appearance by syndicated radio talk show host Randi Rhodes, who explains what it’s like to be a liberal in an industry dominated by conservatives.

Michael Kinsley, founding editor of Slate.com, talks about why he’s not worried about objectivity in the new media landscape.

Excerpted from: Just the Facts?: Partisanship & the Press

Matthew Goodman tells the story of an elaborate hoax involving “lunar man-bats” in the early days of the penny press.

Excerpted from: Just the Facts?: Partisanship & the Press

The History Guys discuss Thomas Jefferson’s sometimes contradictory ideas about a free press.

Excerpted from: Just the Facts?: Partisanship & the Press

Historian Marcus Daniel explains that the bitter rhetoric of editors in the 1790s played a key role in the birth of our democracy.

Excerpted from: Just the Facts?: Partisanship & the Press

From FDR to Sarah Palin, leaders on both sides of the political aisle have long claimed Thomas Jefferson as their own.  So what did Jefferson really stand for? That’s the question at the root of this special podcast, produced in conjunction with HISTORY.com.

In Part One, the History Guys take on the perennial debate over the appropriate role of central government. Did Jefferson think it should be pared-down and limited, or robust enough to confront external threats if and when they arise?

In Part Two,  the History Guys look at Jefferson’s idea of a “wall of separation” between church and state.  How did the personal beliefs of Jefferson and his contemporaries influence the framing of the Constitution itself?

PART TWO

PART ONE

From FDR to Sarah Palin, leaders on both sides of the political aisle have long claimed Thomas Jefferson as their own.  So what did Jefferson really stand for? That’s the question at the root of this special podcast, produced in conjunction with HISTORY.com.

In Part One, the History Guys take on the perennial debate over the appropriate role of central government. Did Jefferson think it should be pared-down and limited, or robust enough to confront external threats if and when they arise?

In Part Two,  the History Guys look at Jefferson’s idea of a “wall of separation” between church and state.  How did the personal beliefs of Jefferson and his contemporaries influence the framing of the Constitution itself?

PART ONE

PART TWO

Guests Include:

• Marcus Daniel, historian and author of Scandal and Civility: Journalism and the Birth of American Democracy
• Matthew Goodman, author of The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Dueling Journalists, and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth-Century New York
• Michael Kinsley, founding editor of Slate.com

Show Highlights

• Peter Porcupine — Marcus Daniel explains that the bitter rhetoric of editors in the 1790s played a key role in the birth of our democracy.
• Jefferson & the Press — The History Guys discuss Thomas Jefferson’s sometimes contradictory ideas about a free press.
• Lunar Manbats — Matthew Goodman tells the story of an elaborate hoax involving “lunar man-bats” in the early days of the penny press.
• New Media & Objectivity — Michael Kinsley talks about why he’s not worried about objectivity in the new media landscape.

Web Exclusive

The Adorable Origins of Yellow Journalism
When did news become so… jaundiced? It’s hard to say. But we do know when it got yellow. Associate producer Rachel Quimby tells the story of the Yellow Kid– an improbable character who found himself at the center of the late nineteenth-century newspaper wars.

Further Reading

Want to dig deeper into the history of partisanship and the press? Check out this list of resources compiled by the History Guys to learn more.

Check out the music in our “Partisanship and the Press” show.