On June 1, 2020, Donald Trump declared himself a “law and order” president and marched to historic St. John’s Church for a photo-op with a Bible. Our guest in this episode, historian Aaron Griffith, helps us understand why evangelicals cheered […]
law and order
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is running for governor of Arkansas
Here we go: For about two years Sarah Huckabee Sanders stood-up and lied for Donald Trump. Now she is running for governor of Arkansas in 2022. Her opponents in the GOP primary include Lieutenant Governor and former U.S. representative Tim […]
How Trump appealed to our darker angels last night
Here is historian Peniel Joseph at CNN: President Donald Trump’s toxic performance in the first presidential debate against Democratic challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden highlights anti-Black racism’s stranglehold on American democracy. Tuesday night’s spectacle, was easily the worst presidential debate […]
Trump at 2016 GOP Convention: “Beginning on January 20, 2017, safety will be restored”
“The most basic duty of government,” Trump said at the 2016 GOP convention, “is to defend the lives of its own citizens. Any government that fails to do so is a government unworthy to lead.” How should we think about […]
Trump’s new campaign ad in historical context
Have you seen Trump’s new campaign ad? [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOOlOMLaFho&w=560&h=315] As Bruce Springsteen once said, “Fear’s a dangerous thing. It can turn your heart black, you can trust. It’ll take your God-filled soul and fill it with devils and dust.” Fear […]
Wilfred McClay on Historical Monuments
Whether you agree or disagree with him, Wilfred McClay is always thoughtful. If I see his byline at First Things or another conservative outlet, I will always read the article. As one of America’s best conservative historians (not a historian […]
Friday night court evangelical roundup
What have Trump’s evangelicals been saying since yesterday’s update? They are not technically “court” evangelicals, but they are definitely Trump evangelicals. The Harris family is back and they are now a Trump worship band: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fZOgnIYdQs&w=560&h=315] Some of you may remember them from […]
Wednesday Night Court Evangelical Roundup
Since my last update, a few things have changed in court evangelical land. Neil Gorsuch, one of two Donald Trump Supreme Court nominees, has defended LGBTQ rights and has proven he may not be the best court evangelical ally when […]
In Fox News interview, Trump suggests it is possible he has done more for African Americans than Lincoln. TRANSCRIPT
Here is Trump’s interview with Fox News journalist Harris Faulkner: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ja8QEp0SkA&w=560&h=315] This rough transcript is taken off the video above. My annotations are in purple. Faulkner: Mr. President, with all that’s happened in the last couple of weeks I […]
Politically Motivated Violence Was Wrong During the Stamp Act and It Is Wrong Today. The Christian Right “Historians” Must Reckon With This
Everyone knows that the American Revolution was born through violent protest. Yes, the colonies fought a war that secured their liberty, but they also engaged in civilian violence in major British-American cities well before the outbreak of war. Here is […]
Tonight in the Rose Garden and at St. John’s Church, Trump Announced His 2020 Re-Election Strategy
It’s hard to know where to start writing about what we all just witnessed earlier this evening. Donald Trump was scheduled to speak in the Rose Garden at 6:30pm. Shortly before his speech, Attorney General Bill Barr came out to […]
Nixon: “We Shall Have Order in the United States”
Here is a Richard Nixon 1968 campaign ad: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEdtwQ8OguY&w=560&h=315] The politics of fear is not unique to 2016.