Great Minds Don’t Always Think Alike - Bipodisan Shows How Media Can Help Us Heal with Jean Card and Robert Schlesinger

This week onMedia Roundtable, Dan interviews two guests who personify what we’re trying to achieve on this podcast.Jean Cardworked as a top Republican communicator, including cabinet-level speechwriting in the George W. Bush administration, whileRobert Schlesingerbuilt a career as a journalist and Managing Editor for Opinion at U.S. News & World Report. On paper, their political views are miles apart, yet Jean and Robert can find common ground based on mutual respect and a 30+ year friendship since College. On their podcast,Bipodisian, Jean and Robert meet every week to engage in political conversations civilly. In a world where dehumanizing people on the other side passes for intelligent political discussion, the two show us how it should be done in this interview.  

While they know finding common ground in politics is not a recipe for massive ratings, Jean and Robert discuss sacrificing short-term gains for the long-term future they’re trying to build, as Dan says,“it’s ok that this will not be the most sensational – we’re trying to build a house of bricks.”

Toward the end of the conversation, Jean maps out how the media industry’s transformation has lowered the bar for journalism. When the news was printed and channels were limited, the quality was the expectation. Today, “everyone is a columnist” all they need to do is create their platform, present company included… 

This episode sets the bar for content creators to approach the potentially polarizing subject matter with grace and inclusion. For marketers, it’s an example of the type of content that anyone can endorse. And for humans, it’s a model we can all lean into with those around us who have a different opinion or perspective from our own.

Listen to Episode Here