Barton Gellman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and senior advisor at the Brennan Center for Justice, discusses election integrity and the safeguarding of democracy. He shares insights from war games designed to test responses to authoritarianism. Topics include the balance between state and federal powers, the potential for civil unrest after elections, and the legal battles surrounding voter ID laws. Gellman also examines how political motives could undermine election results and the implications of upcoming elections, including the challenges of public trust.
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insights INSIGHT
Norms vs. Laws
American democracy relies heavily on norms, not just laws.
These norms are vulnerable to exploitation by bad actors.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Upholding Election Results
A Michigan election official upheld election results despite pressure to overturn them.
Similarly, Brad Raffensperger refused to "find" votes for Trump in Georgia.
insights INSIGHT
Legal Loopholes
Trump's actions exposed gaps in existing laws, revealing actions not explicitly prohibited.
He could hypothetically advertise Trump products on the White House without legal repercussions.
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Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency by Barton Gellman provides a comprehensive look at how Dick Cheney transformed the role of the vice president, wielding significant influence over policy decisions in the Bush administration. The book explores Cheney's impact on foreign policy, including the Iraq War, and his domestic role in shaping conservative orthodoxy and environmental policy. Gellman's narrative is based on extensive interviews with high-ranking officials, offering insights into Cheney's secretive yet powerful tenure.
Dark Mirrors
51 Schwarzspiegel
Arno Schmidt
Sam Harris speaks with Barton Gellman about election integrity and the safeguarding of American democracy. They discuss the war games he's run to test our response to an authoritarian president, using federal troops against American citizens, the difference between laws and norms, state powers to resist the federal government, voter identification and election integrity, political control over election certifications, the Bush-Gore election, the Electoral Count Reform Act, the prospect of public unrest after the November election, January 6th, George Soros, the "good people on both sides" calumny against Trump, what happens to Trump and Trumpism if Harris wins in November, the presidential debate with Harris, the authoritarian potential of a second Trump term, Project 2025, and other topics.
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