The Fight for Truth

"Before I talk to Jonathan, I want to open with some preliminary remarks about a shadowy future ahead for the United States. I am recording this talk on the 1st of September of 2025, Labor Day Monday. Now, rumor is rife this day that President [Donald] Trump suffered some kind of medical event over the weekend. I have, of course, no idea whether there is any basis for this rumor, and I'm not speculating about its truth or falsehood."

"On this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic 's David Frum discusses recent questions about President Donald Trump's health and explores what a potential J. D. Vance presidency might mean for the country. He contrasts Trump's impulsive, ego-driven style with Vance's methodical, ideologically driven approach, examining how each wields power, pursues personal and political goals, and shapes domestic and foreign policy. Frum explains why understanding these differences is crucial for anticipating the challenges ahead."

"Then Frum is joined by Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth. They discuss how societies decide what's real, why disinformation has become a central political strategy, and living in a "reality-based community." Rauch explains the dangers of the "fire hose of falsehood," why authoritarian regimes weaponize confusion, and why, even amid today's "machinery of lies," reality still has the final word."

Rumors about President Donald Trump's health raise urgent questions about succession, governance stability, and the operational capacity of the presidency. A potential J.D. Vance presidency would likely translate into methodical, ideologically driven policymaking that contrasts with impulsive, ego-driven leadership, altering how power is wielded domestically and abroad. Contemporary political life faces amplified assaults on shared reality through organized disinformation campaigns, described as a "fire hose of falsehood" and a broader "machinery of lies," often weaponized by authoritarian tactics of confusion. Despite these pressures, empirical reality and truth-preserving institutions continue to exert decisive corrective force, though vulnerabilities persist.

Read at The Atlantic