Anthony Lewis (1927-2013), A History of the First Amendment, 2008

Anthony Lewis (1927-2013) discussing “Freedom for the Thought that We Hate: A Biography of the First Amendment,” with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded February 4, 2008 in the KPFA studios.

In his long career, Anthony Lewis spent time as the Washington Bureau chief of the New York Times, was the author of “Gideon’s Trumpet,” about a Supreme Court case that led to free legal counsel for indigent defendants, and spent several years as an op-ed writer for the Times. He won two Pulitzer Prizes for reportage, and wrote five books alone and two books with a co-author.

In the first half of the interview, he delves into how the First Amendment came into existence, and what it really means. In the second half, he discusses the Bush Administration during the early days of the 2008 campaign. It’s clear in the interview that Bush and Cheney were the precursors for today’s current constitutional crisis.