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On the Media

Lock Him Up?

On the Media

WNYC Studios

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4.68.7K Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2022

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As the government continues its investigation into classified documents found at former President Donald Trump’s home, a tough question has emerged. On this week’s On the Media, hear how democracies around the world have grappled with whether to prosecute a former leader. Plus, why new leadership at CNN is reigniting the debate over the place of objectivity in journalism.

1. James D. Long [@prof_jameslong], associate professor of political science at the University of Washington, on the consequences of modern democracies across the globe prosecuting — or choosing not to prosecute — their former leaders. Listen.

2. Rachel Donadio [@RachelDonadio], a journalist and contributing writer for The Atlantic, discusses what we can learn from Italy’s experience with trying Silvio Berlusconi for crimes relating to his business and personal life. Listen.

3. Yael Freidson [@YaelFreidson], the Legal and Jerusalem affairs correspondent for Haaretz, on Israel's struggle around prosecuting a sitting prime minister. Listen.

4. Rick Perlstein [@rickperlstein], a journalist and author of The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan, explains the continuing impact of Gerald Ford's decision to pardon Richard Nixon for his crimes. Listen.

5. Jon Allsop [@Jon_Allsop], a freelance journalist and author of a daily newsletter for Columbia Journalism Review titled, The Media Today, on CNN's new leadership and the long-reigning debate over impartiality in political journalism. Listen.

Transcript

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0:00.0

We shouldn't desire that an ex-president be prosecuted.

0:03.2

This would result in crisis, no matter what.

0:06.0

From WNYC in New York, this is on the media.

0:09.4

On this week's show, as the legal troubles of Donald Trump

0:12.9

continue to mount, a bigger question about whether

0:16.0

presidents ever should be prosecuted permeates the media.

0:20.0

It's the too big to fail theory of the presidency.

0:23.6

But in other democracies, ex-leaders are routinely

0:26.5

brought to trial and even jailed.

0:28.6

Five former leaders that have been prosecuted.

0:30.8

So you think that that would really lead people

0:33.4

to not believe in democracy.

0:35.2

But South Korea has actually survived it very well.

0:38.2

And sometimes they even come back.

0:40.6

Italy with Barelosconi does show that you

0:42.9

can be under investigation on trial, even convicted,

0:46.1

and then still keep bouncing back politically

0:49.0

if there is not a clear opposition.

0:51.8

Plus media wags are reading the tea leaves

0:54.6

to define what's going on at CNN.

0:57.2

That's all coming up after this.

1:00.8

From WNYC in New York, this is on the media.

...

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