Episode
Ep 244: The Authenticity Affect (Part II) - The Dopey, Power-Flattering, Media-Created "Maverick" Politician
Citations Needed · Sep 30, 2026 · 1 h 08 min
In Part 2 of our 3-part series on the uses and misuses of "authenticity," we examine the media obsession with "political mavericks" who "buck party orthodoxy"—almost aways with either trivial interventions or, as is most often the case, throwing vulnerable populations and causes under the bus. With guest Jack Mirkinson, senior editor at The Nation magazine.