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The Politics of Disaster
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The Politics of Disaster

How CBS News shielded the left from journalism.

Sarah, Kevin, and Steve discuss the devastation of recent hurricanes and the politics of the disaster response. Also, with several interviewers fawning over Kamala Harris, journalists coming under fire for committing journalism, and newsrooms collapsing into emotional struggle sessions, they ask: Is CBS News worth their time?

The Agenda
—Political polarization
—Reliability in voting trends
—Hurricane politics
FEMA conspiracies
Blame in crisis management (Bush v. Biden)
—CBS producers shield Ta-Nehisi Coates and Kamala Harris from journalism
—The ethics of editing journalism

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Sarah Isgur is a senior editor at The Dispatch and is based in northern Virginia. Prior to joining the company in 2019, she had worked in every branch of the federal government and on three presidential campaigns. When Sarah is not hosting podcasts or writing newsletters, she’s probably sending uplifting stories about spiders to Jonah, who only pretends to love all animals.

Steve Hayes is CEO and editor of The Dispatch, based in Annapolis, Maryland. Prior to co-founding the company in 2019, he worked at The Weekly Standard for 18 years, covering Washington, politics, and national security. Steve is the author of two New York Times bestsellers. He also worked as a contributor at CNN and Fox News, and currently serves as a political analyst at NBC News. When Steve is not focused on The Dispatch, he’s probably traveling with his family, grilling, or riding his mountain bike.

Kevin D. Williamson is national correspondent at The Dispatch and is based in Virginia. Prior to joining the company in 2022, he spent 15 years as a writer and editor at National Review, worked as the theater critic at the New Criterion, and had a long career in local newspapers. He is also a writer in residence at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. When Kevin is not reporting on the world outside Washington for his Wanderland newsletter, you can find him at the rifle range or reading a book about literally almost anything other than politics.

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