Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at background briefing. I'm Ian Masters,

and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news. We'll begin with the desecration

of the people's house, with the East Wing gone in a stealth demolition to be replaced by a monstrous

monument to Trump's ego that will dwarf the White House in an enduring insult. The worst present

in our history has imposed upon us and our history that will torment us for the ages.

Joining us to discuss the vanity of evil as history is destroyed for the self-glorification

of an American Caesar is Sean Wilentz, the George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American

History at Princeton University, whose writing on American music has earned him two Grammy nominations.

And his books include Bob Dylan in America and No Property and Man,

Slavery and Anti-Slavery of the nation's founding.

And his forthcoming book is The Fall of American Slavery.

And he's the co-producer of the new Bob Dylan album through the open window

out this week. Then, as a criminal regime corrupts the law to punish its enemies and pardon its

friends while enriching the Trump family and his cronies, we'll speak with Sidney Blumenthal,

the former assistant and senior advisor to President Bill Clinton,

and a senior advisor to Hillary Clinton. He has been a national staff reporter for the Washington

Post, Washington editor and staff writer for The New Yorker, and his books include the bestsellers

the Clinton Wars, the rise of the counter-establishment, and the permanent campaign. His latest book

is All the Powers on Earth,

The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, 1856 to 1860, and we'll discuss his latest

article in The Guardian. Donald Trump has built a regime of retribution and reward.

Then finally we'll speak with Timothy Shank, an assistant professor of history of George Washington University,

...