354: The Gracious Loser
The Lincoln Project
The Lincoln Project
4.6 • 9.1K Ratings
🗓️ 27 June 2024
⏱️ 27 minutes
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Summary
Francis Barry discusses his book "Backroads and Better Angels: A Journey into the Heart of American Democracy" and his cross-country road trip to explore the values that hold America together. He shares stories of meeting people from different backgrounds and political beliefs, highlighting the frustration and division that exists in the country. Despite the challenges, Barry finds hope in the resilience and faith in the country's values that he encounters along the way. He emphasizes the importance of listening, open-mindedness, and prioritizing relationships over politics in order to bridge the divides in America.
Follow Francis Barry at @FSBarry on X, read more of his writing at Bloomberg.com, and purchase his new book, "Back Roads and Better Angels: A Journey Into the Heart of American Democracy" at fine bookstores everywhere.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Your task will not be an easy one. |
| 0:02.4 | Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battlehardt. |
| 0:06.1 | There is not a liberal America and a conservative America. |
| 0:09.8 | There is the United States of America. |
| 0:14.8 | Good night. |
| 0:15.7 | And good luck. |
| 0:16.9 | Hey, everybody. |
| 0:17.5 | It's Rick Wilson. |
| 0:18.2 | I'm your host today on the Lincoln Project podcast. |
| 0:34.8 | Welcome back. And once again, I want to say to everybody who has been, who's had such kind words about the last few broadcasts, just a big thank you to everybody. First, let me welcome Francis Barry. |
| 0:42.0 | Francis has written a tremendous new book that I think is inspirational and optimistic. |
| 0:45.9 | And you know, we lack a little bit of optimism right now in our culture, I think, |
| 0:47.9 | because our politics seems so dark. |
| 0:50.8 | But the book is called Backroads and Better Angels. |
| 0:53.6 | Francis, welcome to the Lincoln Project podcast. And I want to say, this is the kind of idea where you, you decided one day you were |
| 1:00.4 | going to get on the road and get out into the country and see everything in an unvarnished |
| 1:06.4 | way. |
| 1:07.1 | Talk to us a little bit about your inspiration for writing the book, your background, and what led you to get in that RV and get on the road? |
| 1:17.4 | Sure. |
| 1:18.0 | So I'm a pinion writer at Bloomberg. |
| 1:21.1 | And in 2016, when the world seemed to, or the country seemed to be being torn apart at the seams by Donald Trump and what he was doing |
| 1:30.4 | to that race, I was looking for a different way into the story and stumbled upon the Lincoln Highway, |
... |
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