The chapter delves into the intricate political strategies and personal dynamics between key figures like Roosevelt, LaGuardia, Ickes, and Moses during the opening of the Triboro Bridge in 1936, showcasing tactics of power play, pettiness, and veiled insults. It explores how Moses, despite facing criticism, manages to maintain his influential position through strategic maneuvers and displays a mix of triumph and childish behavior in his interactions with political counterparts. The confrontations escalate as one figure manipulates situations to maintain control and shift blame, leading to protests and conflicts involving law enforcement.
This is the fifth official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro.
This week, Roman and Elliott also sit down with Brandy Zadrozny, a senior reporter for NBC News who covers misinformation, conspiracy theories, and the internet. Brandy recently finished The Power Broker, and she’s got a great perspective on what the book says about the press and its relationship to power, what has changed in journalism, and what has remained the same.
On today’s show, Elliott Kalan and Roman Mars will cover the last section of Part 4 of the book (Chapter 21 through Chapter 24), discussing the major story beats and themes.
The Power Broker #5: Brandy Zadrozny
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