This chapter discusses the political reform efforts of Robert Moses and contrasts them with the rise of politician Al Smith. It examines the idea that only college-educated individuals should hold government positions, which goes against the machine politics represented by Smith. The chapter also explores the context of American politics during this period, including labor unrest, economic crises, mass immigration, and nativism.
This is the second official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro.
New York Times political columnist Jamelle Bouie is our book club guest.
On today’s show, Elliott Kalan and Roman Mars will cover Part 3 of the book (Chapters 6 through the end of Chapter 10), discussing the major story beats and themes, with occasional asides from Jamelle Bouie guiding us through the politics of the era.
The Power Broker #2: Jamelle Bouie
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