Carl Cannon, RealClearPolitics || "We Weren't Objective. So We Got Trump."

Carl Cannon, RealClearPolitics || "We Weren't Objective. So We Got Trump."

Author: Scan Media, LLC July 21, 2026 Duration: 54:20
Carl Cannon came up in newsrooms where editors challenged you word by word, and nearly fifty years on he's still keeping score on who gets the quote right. His one rule, for reporting and for arguing in general: describe the other side so faithfully they'd claim it as their own. The Washington bureau chief of RealClearPolitics learned the trade from his father, Reagan biographer Lou Cannon, and came up the old way: small papers, police and courts, editors who challenged every word. This conversation runs from fake quotes and the reporters who hunt them, to the Yellowstone wolves as a lesson in fairness, to why doing your own thinking tends to leave you independent of both parties.  Calls to Action ✅ Follow the show wherever you listen ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways The Carl Cannon Rule. Describe someone's position so faithfully they'd claim it as their own, or you're just knocking down straw men. Fair and accurate, not objective. The honest standard was never neutrality. It's doing the work, getting the quote right, and giving the other side its say. Why the wolves matter. He dropped the ranchers' case into a pro-wolf story, and both sides came away sure he was secretly with them. That's the job. Never needlessly make your own behavior the issue. His rule of life, and a fair test for anyone trying to argue in good faith. About Our Guest Carl Cannon is the Washington bureau chief of RealClearPolitics and executive editor of RealClear Media Group. The son of Reagan biographer Lou Cannon, he has covered national politics for nearly five decades at the Baltimore Sun, National Journal, and Knight Ridder, and is the author of several books. Links and Resources RealClearPolitics: realclearpolitics.com Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Give the other side its say, and get the quote right. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a world where discussions about faith and government often devolve into shouting matches, Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other offers a different space. This podcast from Scan Media, LLC operates on a radical idea: that we can deeply disagree on fundamental beliefs while still respecting each other as people. It’s a show built for those who feel exhausted by the performative outrage and tribal warfare that dominate news and social media, who suspect there’s more nuance to every story than the extreme voices allow. Each episode models the kind of dialogue that seems in short supply-conversations where curiosity replaces condemnation and listening is the first step, not a lost art. You’ll hear explorations of how spiritual values intersect with civic life, examinations of current events without the predictable partisan spin, and genuine attempts to understand perspectives that challenge the hosts' own. The goal isn’t to reach a bland consensus, but to prove that thoughtful, even passionate, debate doesn’t require personal animosity. If you’re looking for a podcast that tackles the subjects we’re told to avoid, but does so with humility and a commitment to civil discourse, this is that rare find. It’s for anyone who believes these conversations are too critical to be left solely to the screamers and who wants to engage with the messy, important intersections of news, religion, and spirituality without leaving their humanity at the door.
Author: Episodes: 50

Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other
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