Can disinformation really take down a democracy from the inside? This week’s guest, Barbara McQuade, thinks so — and she’s here to show us exactly how it’s happening and what we can do about it.
Barbara is a former U.S. Attorney, a law professor, an MSNBC legal analyst and the author of Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, now out in paperback.
We begin with breaking news that could directly affect our political landscape. A big chunk of the MAGA faithful are suddenly side-eyeing Trump over his failure to drop the long-promised Epstein file (does the public have a right to see it? Barbara has thoughts). She breaks down how our American system relies on the good faith of three branches — and what happens when any one of them stops playing by the rules.
Barbara explains the Squid Strategy: imagine a squid firing ink at a predator to obfuscate and slip away: that’s Trump making wild statements to change the subject when the heat is on. We talk about the liar’s dividend, that neat trick where so much fake news is swirling that important facts get waved away.
She pulls back the curtain on how Trump built the coalition that resulted in the Big Harmful Bill. It consists of: a working-class MAGA base, the evangelical right, and billionaires. Trump does the bidding of big business while kissing up to Christian Extremists and feeding his base conspiracy theories that keep them eating their rage right out of his hand.
Barbara does find hope in history: other countries have seen strongmen rise and fall when the promises ran dry and the citizens remained vigilant. She gives us her best advice for cracking Trump’s hold on friends and family (it involves empathetic listening, not doomscrolling).
We also get into Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act — mend it, don’t end it — and why unregulated social media is the Wild West. We talk spon-con, paywalls, knowledge gaps, and how your news feed might be failing you.
A cautionary tale, a civics lesson, and a pep talk all rolled into one, strap in, there’s still time to fight the ink cloud!
In recommendations--
Weezy: The series Outrageous on Britbox
Fritz: Apple TV+ Documentary, Bono: Stories of Surrender
Path Points of Interest:
Attack From Within by Barbara McQuade
Sisters-In-Law Podcast
with Barbara McQuade, Jill Wine Banks, Joyce Vance and Kimberly Atkins Stohr
Bono: Stories of Surrender on Apple TV+
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.