David Pakman: "The stage was really set."

About this episode

Today on The Gist, guest host Isabella introduces an interview with progressive commentator and author David Pakman about his book, The Echo Machine: How Right-Wing Extremism Created a Post-Truth America. Pakman outlines the historical trajectory from the civil rights backlash to modern right-wing media tactics, arguing that systematic opposition to critical thinking curricula has fostered an environment fertile for political disinformation. Mike Pesca challenges Pakman on partisan asymmetry, probing whether media bubbles, deficit narratives, and mischaracterizations also distort left-leaning political discourse. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Produced by Corey Wara Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.