The Fifth Column Let's Rally Together and Unfuck America (w/ John Avlon) - #543
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Feb 5, 2026 
John Avlon, journalist, historian, and author of Lincoln and the Fight For Peace, drops by to riff on Epstein documents, media economics, and the rise of conspiracy culture. He talks about how polarized incentives warped journalism, why oral partisan media outcompetes newspapers, and what rebuilding civic guardrails might look like. Short, sharp, and provocative.
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9/11 Work Sparked Beat On Conspiracies
- John Avlon recounts his role as Rudy Giuliani's chief speechwriter during 9/11 and writing eulogies for firefighters.
- That proximity drove his interest in combating 9/11 truther conspiracies and documenting radicalization.
Polarization Shifts Power To Extremes
- Hyperpolarization plus media fragmentation moved more elections into closed primaries and empowered extreme activists.
- Avlon links that dynamic to the rise of figures like Donald Trump and the radical fringe.
Rebuild Guardrails For Healthy Democracy
- Rebuild democratic guardrails: fund journalism, strengthen civic education, and insist on fact-based public debate.
- Avlon urges crafting unifying national narratives while protecting free speech.
