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And now, from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN, the Axviles, with your

host David Axelrod.

Lawrence O'Donnell is a familiar figure to anybody who watches MSNBC.

His show, The Last Word, has been a staple in the MSNBC lineup for the better part of

a decade.

He brings to his work on TV a really varied career that took him through politics in Hollywood,

first as the staff director of some major Senate committees when he worked for Senator

Pat Moynihan.

And then as a producer and writer and occasional actor in The West Wing, Lawrence recently

released a book called Playing with Fire, the 1968 election and the transformation of

American politics.

And 1968 truly was a transformational year for so many reasons.

Lawrence came by the Institute of Politics to talk about his book, but I sat down and

took the opportunity to speak with him about his interesting life and career and the tumultuous

politics we're living through today.

Lawrence O'Donnell, welcome here and welcome to the University of Chicago to the Institute

of Politics.

We're happy to have you.

...