POTUS vs. The Press: Who Decides What the Public Needs to Know?
How exactly do competing narratives from politicians and the press shape the public's understanding of politics and policy? Hearts and minds are front and center.
Note: Politicians attack the press these days with regularity. In this discussion on PBS, we explored the history of this phenomenon and its effects on our democracy. The discussion includes some cool documentary clips. Please watch. -JS.
In this conversation, I examine how politicians and the press compete for public attention, exploring how the battle for hearts and minds shapes the image of politicians and the coverage they receive. Often, we hear the phrase “winning hearts and minds” concerning American strategy and programs in the Vietnam War. But today, citizens in democracies are bombarded with multiple narratives to ultimately win their hearts and minds. How are democratic societies affected by this? Our political and institutional media goals choose what information to disseminate and how it is shared. So, who decides what the public knows and why? Dr. Yu Ouyang and I explore these questions in our recent panel discussion. Take a look at the session that aired yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/live/YP9XXFcu2Ns?app=desktop&si=ssnq-_Pd1EiqKllz
Jeremi Suri holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a professor in the University's Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Professor Suri is the author and editor of eleven books on politics and foreign policy, most recently: Civil War By Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy. His other books include: The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America’s Highest Office; Liberty’s Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama; Henry Kissinger and the American Century; and Power and Protest: Global Revolution and the Rise of Détente. His writings appear in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, Atlantic, Newsweek, Time, Wired, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and other media. Professor Suri is a popular public lecturer and comments frequently on radio and television news. His writing and teaching have received numerous prizes, including the President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Texas and the Pro Bene Meritis Award for Contributions to the Liberal Arts. Professor Suri hosts a weekly podcast, “This is Democracy.”