Greetings KOS Friends!!
It is my pleasure to inform you all that our very own IAN REIFOWITZ will be hosting the launch of his new book, The Tribalization of Politics: How Rush Limbaugh's Race-Baiting Rhetoric on the Obama Presidency Paved the Way for Trump, at Barnes and Noble Union Square on Wed, June 5, beginning at 7 pm.
The event will consist of a conversation about the book between Ian and WBAI Radio Host and Political Journalist Celeste Katz, most recently senior political reporter at Glamour and senior political writer at Newsweek; book signing by the author; and a Q and A session with questions from attendees. Details here:
Date: Wed, June 5th, 2019 Time: 7 pm Place: Barnes and Noble Union Square
33 E 17th St, New York, NY 10003. (Between Broadway and Park Ave. South)
Here is the link to their website for more info and location: stores.barnesandnoble.com/...
Directions here:
By subway: Take the L, N, Q, R, 4, 5 or 6 train to Union Square, walk north to 17th St. B&N sits on 17th St across from Union Square, middle of the block.
If you're coming in from outside the city: To Barnes and Noble Union Square — From Grand Central: Take the 4, 5 or 6 train downtown to Union Square Station. Exit at either 14th or 16th St, walk north to 17th St. B&N sits on 17th St across from Union Square, middle of the block. From Port Authority Bus Terminal: Take the A, C or E train downtown to 14th St., then transfer to the Brooklyn bound L train to Union Square (2 stops). Exit the train and walk north to 17th St. B&N sits on 17th St across from Union Square, middle of the block. From Penn Station: Take the N, Q or R train downtown to Union Square Station. Exit at either 14th or 16th St, walk north to 17th St. B&N sits on 17th St. across from Union Square, middle of the block. If you are driving, the three closest parking garages are - Champion Parking 101 E. 16th St, SP+ Parking 20 E. 16th St, Icon Parking 110 E. 16th St. On-street parking is sketchy in that neighborhood, but you can probably find a metered spot on 2nd or 3rd Aves, or else try your luck at free side street parking east of Park Ave South where possible. Tickets are expensive in the city - always read parking signs carefully!!
*** Subway schedules are being seriously messed around with these days, but you can get more or less up-to-date info here: www.mta.info
ALL ARE WELCOME!!!
Afterwards — Anyone who fancies a wee bite or drinkie afterwards can join us at The Village Taverna Greek Grill, 81 University Place (between 11th and 12th Sts). Info here: www.villagetaverna.com
No need to RSVP but if you wish to do so in order for Ian to have an idea of how many of us to expect, please do so in the comments, or send me a kosmail. Please include your email in the kosmail if you wish to be added to the DKOS mailing list.
I look forward to seeing you and supporting Ian and his new work!!!
: ) kathny
RSVPs: Ian Reifowitz, kathny, belinda ridgewood
About the book:
The book is being published by Ig Publishing and comes out officially on May 21. In it Ian explores how Limbaugh sought to tribalize our politics through his racially divisive, falsehood-ridden portrayal of President Obama. By playing to and preying on white anxiety, Limbaugh laid the groundwork for the election of a president who essentially adopted this view of the Obama presidency.
He asks the question, How did we get here? How did we go from a society that elected Barack Obama - TWICE - to one that, popular vote loss aside, elected Donald Trump?
He explores how, although there are no simple answers, we do know that white anxiety, fear, and anger aimed at non-whites and about demographic change became far more strongly correlated with support for the Republican Party between 2008 and 2016, and during those years the individual media figure who played the largest role was Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh aimed to convince his audience that Obama was some kind of anti-white, anti-American, radical, Marxist black nationalist, and possibly a secret Muslim to boot.
A detailed, nuanced exploration of Limbaugh’s racialized rhetoric about Obama offers valuable insight into how the conservative media machine operates, and Ian examines that rhetoric as a case study whereby the most influential part of that right-wing media during those years represents the whole.
Examining how Limbaugh ginned up white racial anxiety about a black president sheds light on why our country chose as his successor a man who began his campaign for the White House by serving as the nation’s birther-in-chief and who, in his reaction to the white nationalist terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, among many other examples, has shown his continued fealty to white identity politics. As Jamelle Bouie wrote: “You can draw a direct line to the rise of Trump from the racial hysteria of talk radio—where Rush Limbaugh, a Trump booster, warned that Obama would turn the world upside down.”
