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This Day (An America 250 History Show)

Trump the Moderator (2011) w/ James Poniewozik

This Day (An America 250 History Show)

Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia

History

4.51K Ratings

🗓️ 13 December 2020

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It’s December 13th. On this day in 2011, Donald Trump wrote a letter announcing that he was bowing out of moderating (!) a Newsmax presidential debate.

Jody and Niki are joined by James Poniewozik of the New York Times to discuss Trump’s flirtation with both moderating a debate and running for president, and how the conservative media ecosystem has evolved over the last 10 years.

James’s latest book is “Audience of One.” Nikki’s book i “Messengers of the Right.”

Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory

This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello and welcome to this day in esoteric political history from Radiotopia.

0:07.0

My name is Jody Abergan.

0:10.0

This day, December 13th, 2011, it technically happened on the 12th.

0:15.9

Donald Trump bows out of moderating a news max debate of Republican presidential

0:20.7

candidates in Iowa, announcing his decision in a statement

0:24.0

saying he would not be participating because he did not want to give up the option of

0:28.7

running for president in the 2012 election. Yes, heard that right Donald Trump moderating a

0:33.9

GOP debate it almost happened folks and it is a good reminder of where Trump was

0:38.7

in his career at that time his relationship with the GOP less than a decade ago not to mention the state of

0:44.8

conservative media at that time so here to discuss as always is Nicole Hemmer of

0:49.7

Colombia hello Nicki hello jody And our special guest for this episode, perfect guest for this episode, New York Times

0:56.8

television critic James Panoazic, author of the book, Audience of One, which is all about

1:01.6

Donald Trump's relationship with television.

1:04.0

It is out in paperback now. James, thank you for joining us on the show.

1:08.0

Thank you, Jody, thank you, Nicole.

1:10.0

Before we get to Trump and this debate, James, did I read that you're from Michigan?

1:13.8

I am from Michigan, yes.

1:15.8

So I'm springing this on you, but our last episode was about the Great Toledo War of 1836.

1:21.6

Are you aware of the Michigan-Ohio border dispute?

1:25.8

It got us the upper peninsula.

1:27.8

There we go, see?

1:28.8

And I can still argue about whether that was a good deal or not. I have a sister who lives in Toledo so you know I should probably bow out of that but yes I am I am quite familiar with it.

...

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