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slash Lawfair. Also check out Lawfair's other podcast offerings, rational security, chatter, lawfare no bull, and the aftermath. I'm Tyler McBrien, managing editor of Law Fair with an episode from the Law Fair Archive for June 19th,

2024.

For today's episode, we chose a conversation from June 29th, 2020,

in which Jack Goldsmith interviewed Eric Posner, about his book,

The Demogues Playbook, The Battle for America Democracy, From the Founders to Trump. I'm Jack Goldsmith.

I'm Jack Goldsmith and this is the Law Fair Podcast June 29, 2020.

Last week I sat down with Eric Posner, the Kirkland and Ellis Distinguished Service Professor of Law at the University of Chicago, who is the author of the new book, Demagogues Playbook, The Battle for American Democracy, from the Founders to Trump.

We discussed why Demagogues are a characteristic threat in democracies,

how the founders of the U.S. Constitution tried to ensure elite control and prevent a demagogue from becoming president, how these safeguards weakened

over time, and how Donald Trump's demagoguery helped him win election as president.

We also explored how Posner's perception of Trump as a threat to American democracy fits with his writings in support of a powerful presidency.

It's the Lawfare Podcast June 29th, Eric Posner on the Demagogues Playbook.

So Eric, at the beginning of your book, you talk about receiving a phone call from a reporter the day after Trump was elected and the

reporter asked you whether Trump was going to become a dictator and you thought that was

an overreaction you say in the book and I think this book is about explaining

why the frequent discussion of Trump is authoritarian is misplaced and he should instead be seen

through the lens of a demagogue.

Is that right?

Yes, that's correct.

...