Why Isn’t Trump Trying to Win the Center?

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

New York Times Opinion

New York Times, Journalism, News, Society & Culture, Ross Douthat

4.0 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 July 2019

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Presidents running for re-election often appeal to the political center. So why isn’t Trump? Op-Ed columnist Jamelle Bouie joins Ross Douthat and David Leonhardt to discuss Trump’s refusal to moderate and his possible pathways to win a second term. Then the columnists debate whether Democrats should be fighting about busing and desegregation in 2019. Finally, Jamelle recommends a collection of recipes sure to curry favor with adventurous eaters young and old. For background reading on this episode, visit nytimes.com/theargument.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Ross Douthit.
0:01.1	I'm Jumal Buie.
0:02.2	I'm David Lee and Hart, and this is the argument.
0:05.8	This week, why isn't President Trump trying to win the political center?
0:09.8	Trump is, for various reasons, not even trying to claim the central space that's left behind.
0:15.8	Then, school bussing.
0:17.4	Did it work?
0:18.2	And should Democrats be arguing about it?
0:20.4	I think integration would help create a healthier political culture in the United States.
0:25.6	And finally, a recommendation.
0:27.6	I feel like there's like a hugely successful and controversial think piece waiting to be
0:32.3	written.
0:33.3	It's just like the case against baby food.
0:40.1	President's running for re-election usually tried to win over the political center.
0:44.1	Bill Clinton signed welfare reform.
0:46.0	George W. Bush tried to improve K through 12 education.
0:49.6	Barack Obama talked about reducing the deficit.
0:52.8	President Trump doesn't seem to be doing any of this.
0:55.4	He's instead continuing his same strategy of polarization, a strategy that is base
1:00.1	loves, but that is kept as approval rating below 50%.
1:05.0	Michelle Goldberg is off this week, so our colleague, Jumal Buie, is joining us.
1:09.1	Jumal, you got Ross and me, and many other people thinking about this question with a recent
	...

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