On The Media’s Bob Garfield on Election Results, Media Bias, and the Culpability of Brands

Less than 24 hours from the polls closing, legendary NPR host and decorated journalist Bob Garfield joins us in a state he describes as “filterless and at my wits’ end”. Beyond being an award-winning Radio Host, Podcaster, six-time book Author, Bob is also the founder of the Purple Project for Democracy – a non-partisan coalition, campaign, and movement to rediscover and recommit to our democratic values and institutions.

During our conversation, Bob shared his exhaustion and disenchantment with seeking to understand and find common ground with those who support, “Trumpism”. His descriptions of those on the Trump side of the polarization spectrum ranged between “having much to answer for” and “blood on their hands”. He had similarly harsh words for sponsors of Fox News. Not unlike last week’s interview with Newt Gingrich, Bob is someone who spent part of the discussion talking about past efforts to find common ground but who generally sees both sides of the spectrum reaching a place of incompatibility (my words, not his). Like Newt, Bob is in what he sees as a fight to save democracy.

He also believes in the impact that Brands can make through their stewardship of ad dollars. The other area where they both seem to agree is in the idea that I’m living in a fantasy world. My belief is that reconciliation is possible, but only if one side will have the humility to lay down their weapons and take responsibility for the problem. Then it will be safe for the other side to follow suit. As we move through our next series of decisions about what programs we will sponsor and how we will respond as citizens to already disputed election results, you will have to choose which reality you believe. 

-Dan

Highlights:

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• 6:48 – Bob predicts Biden will be the next president. “Even with the highly conservative judiciary, even with a decided six to three advantage of the Supreme Court, it is extremely unlikely that the Trump campaign will prevail.”
• 16:01 – We learn about the Purple Project for Democracy – Bob’s non-partisan coalition, campaign, and movement to rediscover and recommit to our democratic values and institutions  
• 28:42 – Instead of looking for common ground, this is an ongoing war. It’s the culture war with some exponent after it 
• 29:41 – As a journalist, Bob confesses that regarding people who support Trumpism, he has lost interest in trying to find out the cause of their particular grievance
• 31:20 – People on both sides feel betrayed by their country 
• 34:35 – “The left, as a rule, stands on a bedrock of data, facts, evidence. And the right, under this regime, have existed in a sort of political vaporware, where there is no there there, just accusations and lies.”  
• 35:21 – Bob does not like Newt Gingrich. “He is a bad guy… There’s one guy I would not sit down with at a table for two” 
• 45:15 – Bob bottom-lines it: “One of the early things we discovered in the process of trying to find the common ground that you’re talking about, it isn’t easy, dude…. it is very treacherous terrain.” 
• 48:51– Bob deconstructs his perception of causes for the financial success of Fox News and slaps himself in the face eight times
• 50:25 – Bob shares what he believes the Left has to answer for
• 56:43 – Bob sets precedent in agreeing with Newt Gingrich that Dan is living in a fantasy land
• 58:03 – Dan disagrees with Bob and they have a spirited debate about the impact of boycotts vs. a relational approach by sponsors to improve discourse
• 1:10:24 – Bob makes a compelling case against the notion of media bias with a baseball analogy
• 1:16:25 – Bob calls out the media for bias toward ratings and giving Trump “Half a trillion dollars worth of free publicity”
• 1:17:43 – Bob gives advice on how we can solve the problem of polarization and save democracy