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Notes from America with Kai Wright

The American Story, in Half a Year

Notes from America with Kai Wright

WNYC Studios

News Commentary, Politics, History, News

4.41.5K Ratings

🗓️ 19 July 2021

⏱️ 48 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

2021 began with an insurrection, and it’s remained quietly intense ever since. We open the phones for a six-month check in on the political culture of the Biden era. Kai is joined by Christina Greer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, to unpack all that has — and hasn’t — happened this year. Did the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol really fail? What does the victory of Eric Adams in New York City say about the state of Black politics -- and the Democratic Party? And why the sudden uproar over “critical race theory”? Kai and Christina explore these questions while taking calls from listeners. Companion listening for this episode: The American Story, in a Single Day (January 11, 2021) January 6, 2021, offered a hyper-condensed version of our country’s entire political history--with all of its complexity, inspiration, and terror. David Dinkins vs. the NYPD (June 14, 2021) How NYC’s first Black mayor tried to balance concerns about public safety with demands for a more accountable police force -- and the violent resistance he faced from the police union. “The United States of Anxiety” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on WNYC.org/anxiety or tell your smart speakers to play WNYC. We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Twitter @WNYC using the hashtag #USofAnxiety or email us at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is the United States of Anxiety, a show about the unfinished business of our history and its

0:06.8

grip on our future.

0:07.8

I'm taking a moment now to commemorate the six months since the attack on our democracy.

0:13.0

It happened right here at the United States Capitol.

0:15.8

According to the Associated Press India Walton,

0:18.1

beat out four-term Democrat Byron Brown

0:20.8

in the Democratic primaries for Buffalo Mayor.

0:23.0

When we organize, we win!

0:27.0

New Pew Research Poll found that the majority of black Democratic voters

0:31.0

considered themselves moderate or conservative rather than liberal.

0:34.6

Okay? I am the face of the new Democratic Party.

0:37.8

The Cosby case was the first high profile trial during the Me Too movement,

0:41.9

now his accusers are worried what it could do to progress.

0:45.0

I deserve to be treated equally and have a vote on my tenure.

0:48.0

I won that battle.

0:49.0

But it's not my job to heal the University of North Carolina.

0:57.0

Welcome to the show.

0:57.8

I'm Kay Wright, and I gotta confess,

1:00.3

I'm kind of lost on understanding the current political moment. I spent my whole life

1:04.8

following politics particularly trying to suss out the political culture, the sort of

1:09.0

collective emotional reality and what might come from it.

1:13.0

And I really haven't been able to make sense of where we're at right now,

...

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