The chapter explores the historical context of the 1940s, focusing on the forgotten Great Sedition Trial of 1944 and a German propaganda campaign in the US. It discusses the origins of American Holocaust denial in the post-WWII era, examining its strategic use in politics and the failure of the Justice Department to respond to Nazi collaboration. The chapter highlights how foreign influence operations and political pressure have shaped public opinion and accountability in historical contexts.
As unlikely as it may seem, until this episode was recorded, Kara Swisher and Rachel Maddow had never met. The two sat down for a riveting conversation that connects America’s unsavory and under-told authoritarian history with the unprecedented political peril we find ourselves in today.
After addressing the increasingly desperate calls for President Biden to step down from members of the media and his own party, Kara and Maddow turn to her latest project: the podcast Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra. It focuses on far-right extremism and Nazi propagandists in American politics during the 1930s to 1950s. It’s a story that she connects to the country’s present existential crisis — and one she looks to for guidance, as well. We ask her to explain.
Please note — this interview was recorded prior the the assassination attempt on former President Trump on July 13th.
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Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher
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