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"Campaign Trail" Podcasts Continue to Rock
Filed under: The Squib Report Tagged: Dorothy Wickenden, Election 2008, George Packer, Hendrik Hertzberg, John McCain, podcasts, politics, Ryan Lizza
For months now, Dorothy Wickenden has done a masterful job on the “Campaign Trail” podcasts engaging with the magazine’s talented political staff. They have been an undiluted source of pleasure in this exhilarating, maddening primary.
The latest installment, dated May 15, is one of the best yet. All three correspondents (George Packer, Ryan Lizza, and Hendrik Hertzberg) took part—I’d like to make known my desire that this happen as often as possible, as it worked so well this week. The three fellows grapple with McCain’s “2013” speech, with fascinating results. They don’t agree—indeed, they have wildly divergent reactions to McCain and his bid to recast himself as a moderate conservative. That may not sound very exciting, but I really liked how thoroughly undoctrinaire everyone’s contributions were, it made for a very lively discussion.
Plus Packer gave away the big surprise ending to the summer (spoiler alert—we attack Iran!). Wickenden seemed startled by that one, as was I!
About us
Hello! We're a small band of media enthusiasts, culture addicts, and journalists based in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Emdashes, formerly a New Yorker fan site, is our collection of conversations—mostly civilized—about magazines, movies, politics, design, punctuation, and other things that stir us.
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Tell me more
Dashes, some say, “are particularly useful in a sentence that is long and complex.” Emdashes—like an em dash itself—provides a thoughtful pause amid the hubbub.
Emdashes, founded in 2004, is written and drawn by Emily Gordon, Martin Schneider, Pollux, Jonathan Taylor, and Benjamin Chambers, as well as occasional guest contributors. All posts before October 2008 are by Emily Gordon.
The site was designed by House of Pretty with illustrations by Jesse R. Ewing.
Additional drawings are by Carolita Johnson and Pollux (author of our web comic, "The Wavy Rule"). The Emdashes pencil logo is by Jennifer Hadley, based on a 1943 Dorothy Gray ad.
Other writing by Emily Gordon
- Writing on theater: reviews (for Time Out Chicago; imperfect but workable search results)
- Profile: Valerie Casey, Designers Accord founder, is spearheading the design of sustainability (for SXSW World)
- Feature: Rea Irvin: visionary art director, bon vivant, New Yorker founding father (for Print)
- Slide show: the Coney Island Mermaid Parade (for NYCgo.com)
- Feature: Muslim immigration iconography in the Netherlands, and an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali (for Print)
- Review: King's Gambit: A Son, a Father, and the World's Most Dangerous Game by Paul Hoffman (for Newsday)
- Homage: Celebrating lindy-hop legend Frankie Manning (for NYCgo.com)
- Inquiry: Does a New Republic redesign mean a change of tune? (for Print)
- Interview: James Surowiecki on what's next for the wisdom of crowds (for Assignment Zero)
- Interviews: four up-and-coming designers under 30 (for Print)
- Profile: novelist and dance critic Laura Jacobs (for Newsday)
Blogroll highlights
- Box Office Boffo
- World of Pollux
- Jonathan Taylor
- Carolita Johnson
- Songs for blogroll lovers (more links)
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- Get a t-shirt at the Emdashes store
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Comments
Packer was on Brian Lehrer’s show this morning, talking about his piece this week on wacky/nefarious conservative strategy. He was also home alone with his eight-month-old baby, so he had to put the phone down to deal with the little one during the interview. Lehrer was happy to let him pause between discussing the evils of Agnew and the agonies of McCain strategists to attend to his offspring. Now that is endearing, kick-ass, 21st-century-masculinity-redefining, pledge-worthy public radio!