Podcast appearances and mentions of dorothy wickenden

The past fifteen years have been among the most tumultuous in our history. The tumult is driven by a question whose answer could determine our future: What kind of country do we live in? A buffeted but resilient democracy, or a nation increasingly known among its own citizens for its divisions rather than for its shared commitment to tolerance, equality, and freedom? Evan Osnos, Susan B. Glasser, and Jane Mayer join Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the past, present, and future of the democratic ideal worldwide.

In a few weeks, primary elections for the midterm races will be fully under way. The electoral map is stacked against Democrats, and the country is as divided than ever. But a new generation of progressive organizers and activists, spurning the advice of expensive consultants and the fund-raising tactics of seasoned politicians, are developing strategies to encourage accord within the Party, and to win over Independents and work with Republicans, from the ground up. Chloe Maxmin is a state senator in Maine, and the author, with her former campaign manager, Canyon Woodward, of the forthcoming book “Dirt Road Revival.” Maxmin and Woodward join Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how the Democratic Party lost touch with rural voters, and what Democrats must do to recapture their loyalty.

This month, the C.D.C. announced plans to end Title 42, a public-health order, issued by the Trump Administration at the start of the pandemic, that gives the federal government broad authority to turn away migrants and asylum seekers at the southern border. Public-health experts and some Democrats have pressured President Biden to repeal the order, but others, including several of his own top advisers, argue that the repeal will substantially increase the number of migrants at the southern border, further straining a chaotic immigration system, and hand Republicans a campaign issue for the midterms: a “migrant surge” approved by the Administration. Jonathan Blitzer joins Dorothy Wickenden to talk about how immigration is becoming another political liability for the Biden Administration.

Last week, Russian troops withdrew from Bucha, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Ukrainians returning to the city discovered the horrific aftermath. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, more than three hundred civilians in the city were killed. Investigators have found evidence of torture, rape, beheading, dismemberment, and the intentional burning of corpses. A mass grave was dug to accommodate the bodies. Zelensky has referred to the massacre as evidence of genocide. Philip Gourevitch, a New Yorker staff writer, has written for the magazine about the genocides in Rwanda and Cambodia. He joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss his past reporting, why the “never again” discourse around genocides has failed to prevent them, and whether further war crimes in Ukraine are inevitable.

Historically, the high cost of renewables has been one of the greatest hurdles in breaking our dependency on oil and gas. But recent research indicates that advances in renewable-energy production have made it cheaper than fossil fuels. Bill McKibben, a contributing writer to The New Yorker and the founder of the environmental group 350.org, joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the new economic realities of renewable energy, and how they could affect the global battle against climate change.

Facing enormous pressure to respond to Russian aggression in Ukraine but fearing the consequences of a hot war between Russia and the West, the European Union, the United States, and several other nations have levied heavy sanctions. These have caused the ruble to lose forty per cent of its value against the U.S. dollar and forced the closure of the Moscow stock exchange. But will the sanctions have any effect on Putin's war? John Cassidy joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the Russian President's economic miscalculations, the effects of sanctions on Russia's economy, and the political and environmental opportunities for the Biden Administration.

What can Harriet Tubman, Martha Coffin Wright, and Frances Seward teach modern day Americans about social justice? Dorothy Wickenden explores their remarkable lives and work in her book, “The Agitators.”

Dorothy Wickenden's latest book, "The Agitators," explores the relationship between Harriet Tubman, Martha Coffin Wright, and Frances Seward as they advocated for the abolition of slavery and for women's rights. On this week's Marginalia, Beth Golay welcomes guest host, Hindsight's Dr. Robin Henry, as they visit with Dorothy Wickenden about this history.

Welcome to 2021! We're kicking off our third season with a look back at the best books we read in 2020!  Click the link to purchase the book from our store, or click the "Libro.fm" link to get the Audiobook on Libro.fm. Thanks for shopping local! Books Mentioned During This Episode RECENT READS Ryan, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/ryan-elizabeth-clark A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (November 2021) (libro.fm) Devolution by Max Brooks (libro.fm) Kelso, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/kelso Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (libro.fm) Kindred by Octavia Butler (libro.fm) One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (libro.fm) Hillary, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/hillary A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders (libro.fm) Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (libro.fm) The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths (libro.fm) The Agitators by Dorothy Wickenden (libro.fm) Real Life by Brandon Taylor (libro.fm) OUR FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2020 The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (libro.fm) Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (libro.fm) The Unwilling by Kelly Braffett (libro.fm) Sword in the Stars by A.R. Capetta & Cory McCarthy (libro.fm) The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin (libro.fm) A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow (libro.fm) A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (libro.fm) You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (libro.fm) Wonderland by Zoje Stage (libro.fm) Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth (libro.fm) Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (libro.fm) The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (libro.fm) Close to the Knives by David Wojnarowicz Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier (libro.fm) These Women by Ivy Pochoda (libro.fm) Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis (libro.fm) True Grit by Charles Portis (libro.fm) Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey (libro.fm) Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke  The Bright Lands by John Fram (libro.fm) Dune by Frank Herbert (libro.fm) The Way Back by Gavriel Savit (libro.fm) Long Bright River by Liz Moore (libro.fm) True Story by Kate Reed Petty (libro.fm) The Cold Millions by Jess Walter (libro.fm) Deacon King Kong by James McBride (libro.fm) Piranesi by Susanna Clarke  The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (libro.fm) Afterland by Lauren Beukes (libro.fm) The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (libro.fm) Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony (libro.fm) You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce (libro.fm) Other Links Gibson's Bookstore Website Shop The Laydown Purchase Gift Certificates!  Browse our website by Category! Order some curated bundles! Donate to the bookstore! Check out our Events Calendar! Gibson's Instagram The Laydown Instagram Facebook Twitter Libro.fm (Our Audiobook Platform) Use the code “LAYDOWN” for 3 audiobooks for the price of 1!  Email us at thelaydownpodcast@gmail.com

In the midterm elections on Tuesday, the Democrats captured control of the House of Representatives. They now have the authority to investigate many of the potentially criminal activities that took place during the campaign and the first two years of the Trump presidency. Adam Davidson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how Democrats intend to use their investigative powers, and what the president may do to thwart them. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Last week, Jair Bolsonaro was elected President of Brazil. Bolsonaro has been called Brazil's answer to Donald Trump—an outspoken populist who promises to punish his political enemies and roll back protections on minority groups in the interest of “making Brazil great again.” Jon Lee Anderson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what the election of Bolsonaro shows about Latin American politics, and about the contagion of authoritarianism. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Senator Claire McCaskill, running for a third term in the Senate, continues to define herself as a  moderate Democrat in a state that has grown almost entirely red. Her opponent, Josh Hawley, a fierce young supporter of President Trump, describes her as a left-wing liberal allied with Washington and Hollywood elites. Nicholas Lemann, who recently profiled McCaskill for The New Yorker, joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the plight of Democrats running for Congress in Trump country. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

With growth surging, the stock market still breaking records, and unemployment lower than it's been in decades, the strength of the economy should be a strong selling point for Republicans in the midterm elections. But with a trade war looming and economists warning that the boom is unsustainable, some Republicans are distancing themselves from Trump. John Cassidy joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how voters are responding to the tax cuts and the President's threats of a trade war. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On October 2nd, the journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He has not been seen since. Turkish intelligence believes that he was abducted or assassinated on the orders of the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Bin Salman—or M.B.S., as he's popularly known—is a key figure in the Trump Administration's Middle East strategy. Dexter Filkins joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what consequences Khashoggi's disappearance could have for U.S. foreign policy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Democrats are running surprisingly competitive races across the Southeast and Southwest, in states that Republicans have long considered safe, including Texas, Tennessee, and Arizona. In Florida and Georgia, two proudly progressive African-American candidates--Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams--are running strong gubernatorial campaigns against Trump-endorsed conservatives. Ben Wallace-Wells joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how Democrats are faring in southern red states, and how the Democrats' most powerful donors are supporting candidates who appeal to younger voters. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On Thursday morning, in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Professor Christine Blasey Ford testified that she was sexually assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 1982. In the afternoon, Kavanaugh furiously described the accusations as an attack motivated by "revenge on behalf of the Clintons" and orchestrated by left-wing opposition groups. Jeannie Suk Gersen joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the hearing, and what it suggested about how Kavanaugh would approach his judicial work if confirmed to the court.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Last week, Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, publicly accused the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of drunkenly assaulting her when they were both teen-agers. Ford's allegations have imperilled Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings in the Senate, much as, in 1991, the confirmation of Clarence Thomas was nearly derailed when Anita Hill, his former employee, came forward with charges of sexual harassment. Jane Mayer joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what has and hasn't changed since Anita Hill's testimony, and how Senate Republicans are scrambling to contain the fallout. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Revelations about Facebook's role in the Russian effort to undermine the 2016 Presidential elections, along with news about its failures to safeguard users' privacy, has brought a new level of scrutiny to the company. As members of Congress consider ways to monitor Facebook's operations, they warn that the era of the “Wild West” in Silicon Valley is coming to an end. Evan Osnos joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how Facebook and its top executives are dealing with the backlash against the company. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Bob Woodward's book about life inside the Trump White House won't be published until next week, but an excerpt published in the Washington Post this week portrays Trump as erratic and ignorant, and quotes top officials describing measures they've taken to limit the President's destructive impulses. Similarly, an Op-Ed in the New York Times this week, written by an anonymous senior official in the Trump administration, describes a cabal of "unsung heroes" that acts to thwart parts of Trump's agenda and his worst impulses. In response, Trump reportedly worried to a friend that he could trust no one but members of his own family. Susan B. Glasser joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the revelations of Woodward's book and the perils facing a President who values personal loyalty above all else. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On Saturday, John McCain, the six-term senator from Arizona and former Republican Presidential candidate, died after a battle with brain cancer. Three days later, Arizona held its statewide primary elections. McCain offered some pointed final words to his party, the President, and the country, about the dangers of political tribalism and fear-mongering. Jonathan Blitzer joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how partisan rivalries, anxiety over immigration policy, and the legacy of John McCain are being felt in Arizona politics. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On Tuesday, Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's former campaign manager, was convicted on multiple counts of tax and bank fraud. Also on Tuesday, Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime lawyer and fixer, pleaded guilty to violations of campaign-finance law, which may directly implicate the President as an unindicted co-conspirator. Adam Davidson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what Manafort's and Cohen's legal troubles tell us about Trump's history of corrupt business deals, and how to anticipate the disclosures to come. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President Trump has taken to boasting about overseeing, as he said recently, "the best economy in the history of our country." But trade wars loom and the deficit continues to grow. John Cassidy joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the good news and bad news about the American economy, and how the Administration's policies may affect the 2018 midterms and the 2020 presidential election. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

House Speaker Paul Ryan and Governor Scott Walker turned Wisconsin from a progressive state into the proving ground of right-wing politics. In 2016, Donald Trump narrowly won the state, the first Republican to win there in over thirty years. Next month, Randy Bryce, a steelworker, and Cathy Myers, a former teacher, are competing in the Democratic primary for the congressional seat currently held by Ryan, who is retiring. Dan Kaufman joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how Democrats in Wisconsin are hoping to defeat the Tea Party and take back the Rust Belt. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week, at a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, President Trump again expressed doubt about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The next day, following a torrent of criticism, Trump claimed he had misspoken. Though some Congressional Republicans expressed disagreement with Trump's statement, none have meaningfully challenged his position on Russia. Evan Osnos joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how Congressional Republicans' refusal to turn on Trump contribute to America's ongoing vulnerability to Russia attacks and undermines the basic premise of governance in this country. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Next week, President Trump will travel to Finland to meet with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. Susan B. Glasser joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what Putin hopes to achieve at the summit, and how Trump is upending decades of U.S. foreign policy to pursue policies that his closest advisers oppose.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

West Virginia has grown increasingly conservative in recent decades, while Virginia has become more liberal. In Virginia, where Democrats hope gains will help them take the House, Abigail Spanberger, a former C.I.A. officer, poses a strong challenge to the Tea Party incumbent Dave Brat. Can a divided Democratic Party tip the balance against the G.O.P.? Evan Osnos joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how West Virginia and Virginia are grappling with their political identities, and how turmoil within both parties will affect this year's midterm elections. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On July 1st, Mexicans will elect a new President. The front-runner is Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a progressive populist and former mayor of Mexico City. López Obrador has promised to address the country's economic problems, rein in the drug cartels, and strongly oppose President Trump's anti-Mexico policies. Jon Lee Anderson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss López Obrador and how the Trump backlash has contributed to his political rise. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President Trump has struggled to fulfill several of his campaign pledges, but in one area his Administration has made considerable headway: his Attorney General is leading a brutal crackdown on undocumented migrants. Jonathan Blitzer joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the Administration's radical reimagining of immigration policy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Next week, President Donald Trump will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore. The summit comes after months of political provocations from both leaders. Evan Osnos joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what Kim really wants to achieve, and how he is positioning himself as a power-broker in Asia. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In February, teachers in West Virginia went on strike to protest low wages and underfunding of schools. Since then, teachers have gone on strike in Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, North Carolina and Oklahoma. New Yorker contributor and Oklahoman Rivka Galchen recently visited with the striking teachers in Oklahoma and joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how the teacher protest movement is contributing to grassroots political change across the country. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Malcolm Gladwell spoke with The New Yorker's Dorothy Wickenden in 2015 about the social dynamics of school shootings. Studying the literature of sociology, Gladwell compares shootings to a riot, in which each person's act of violence makes the next act slightly more likely. And David Remnick speaks with the Columbia professor Mark Lilla, whose book “The Once and Future Liberal” argues provocatively that identity politics and support for marginalized groups are costing the Democrats election after election. “We cannot do anything for these groups we care about if we do not hold power—it is just talk,” Lilla says. “An election is not about self-expression—it's a contest.”  

In his New Yorker story “Thresholds of Violence,” Malcolm Gladwell turned his attention to the psychology of school shooters. In a conversation with The New Yorker's Dorothy Wickenden, Gladwell explains why the social dynamics of school shootings are comparable to those of a riot, where every act of violence makes the next one slightly more likely. He also explains why the problem is far too complex to be addressed through gun control. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week, we inaugurate our new monthly series, "The Challengers," which will discuss some of the most contentious midterm races across the country, and examine how revolts against established politicians are reshaping the two parties. On this episode, Lawrence Wright, a New Yorker staff writer and the author of "God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State," joins Dorothy Wickenden to talk about the political scene in the Lone Star State, where Republicans have been in control for more than two decades, and now face insurgent candidates on many fronts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Cold War was a showdown between two nuclear powers, and many experts believe that it was nearly miraculous that the period ended without catastrophic loss of life.Today, with nine nations possessing nuclear weapons and three other which may soon develop their own, the situation is more volatile still. Eric Schlosser joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss why the world is in a nuclear arms race, what happened to the No Nukes movement, and whether significant reductions in arsenals are still possible. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week, Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for the adult film star Stormy Daniels, released a report detailing the shady business practices of Michael Cohen, President Trump's personal lawyer. Adam Davidson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss Avenatti's aggressive push to move beyond a narrow focus on campaign hush money to questions about selling access to the President. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Recent weeks have seen an F.B.I. raid on the offices of President Trump's personal lawyer, a leak of the Mueller investigation's questions for the President, and a shakeup on Trump's legal team. Jeffrey Toobin joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss Mueller's obstruction-of-justice case, the hush-money caper, Giuliani's bizarre attempts to exculpate Trump, and the continuing showdown between the President and his own Department of Justice. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week, President Trump hosted his first state dinner, in honor of Emmanuel Macron, the French President. Macron spoke with Trump about the Iran nuclear deal, and gave a speech before a joint session of Congress explaining his differences with current U.S. policies on the Middle East and on climate change. Lauren Collins joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how Macron set out to disarm Trump, and to persuade him to think more like a European. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As of this week, five hundred and twenty-nine women are running in 2018 for Congress. Another seventy-eight are pursuing governorships. Margaret Talbot joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the surge in female candidates, and how the sexual scandals surrounding Trump may affect the elections in November.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Russian-backed forces of President Bashar al-Assad have all but regained control of Syria, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and more than half of the country's population displaced. This week, President Trump threatened Russia over its backing of Assad, whom Trump referred to as a "Gas Killing Animal." Robin Wright joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the showdown between the United States and Russia in Syria, and how it will shape the politics in the region. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As Facebook faces rising scrutiny about Facebook's handling of users' private information, Mark Zuckerberg struggles to contain the damage. Next week, he'll be questioned before a congressional committee. Andrew Marantz joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how Facebook and other social media companies are responding to unprecedented political pressures from Washington and their own customers. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Last week, in a coordinated effort by many grassroots groups, a series of protests against gun violence took place in communities around the world. Jelani Cobb joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how today's activists are adapting Civil Rights-era principles to organize twenty-first-century movements. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week, new stories emerged about how the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica used data from tens of millions of Facebook profiles to shape Trump's culture war. Cambridge Analytica is almost wholly owned by the family of Robert Mercer, a billionaire donor with a far-right vision of America. Jane Mayer joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how dark money and data mining are being used to influence elections and undermine democracy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Yesterday, the White House announced that President Trump would travel to North Korea to meet with Kim Jong-Un to discuss the regime's nuclear program. Robin Wright joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how the Administration's slapdash foreign policy is aiding the autocracies of North Korea, Iran, and Syria, and undermining American influence around the world.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Teenaged survivors  of the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, already have begun to change the terms of debate over gun safety. Adam Gopnik joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how grassroots movements--from Mothers Against Drunk Driving to Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America--force social and political change. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

What does the Trump Organization's unorthodox business conduct reveal about the Administration's political troubles with Special Counsel Robert Mueller? Adam Davidson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how the Trump family's financial ties to Russian oligarchs led to extraordinarily risky behavior during the campaign and the current questions about obstruction of justice and collusion with Putin's Russia. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The tensions between President Trump and the intelligence agencies escalated this week. On Tuesday, the nation's top national-security officials warned the Senate Intelligence Committee that the current security-clearance program at the White House is broken, and that the country is dangerously vulnerable to ongoing cyber attacks by Russia. Evan Osnos joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how the Trump White House is undermining the nation's security. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week, Rob Porter, an aide to President Trump, resigned after his two ex-wives went public with accusations that he'd been physically abusive. At the same time, the backlash against #MeToo continues. Jia Tolentino joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how to think about the public shaming of powerful men charged with sexual misconduct. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In his first State of the Union Address, President Trump made passing reference to making America's nuclear arsenal "so strong and so powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression by any other nation or anyone else." Also this week, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists announced that the world is closer to a global nuclear war than at any time since the 1950s. Steve Coll joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the escalating risk of nuclear warfare under President Trump. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In June, President Trump ordered the firing of Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. He changed his mind when Don McGahn, the White House counsel, threatened to resign. Jeffrey Toobin joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss Trump's growing legal vulnerabilities. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nicolás Maduro was an unlikely successor to Venezuela's popular and charismatic Hugo Chavez. And, since his election, the country has been wracked with devastating food shortages, a breakdown of ordinary services and medical care, and rampant violence. But, as Maduro sees it, the real problem is his political opponents, and he has taken steps to secure control over all the branches of government, in order to establish a de-facto dictatorship. The New Yorker's Jon Lee Anderson was recently granted a rare interview with the Venezuelan President, who told him of his country's economic relationships with Russia and China. Anderson tells Dorothy Wickenden that he came away from the conversation with a renewed sense of the need for greater American engagement in Venezuela. “It is going through the sewer on our watch,” Anderson says. Plus, a visit to the library with Cristina Henriquez.