Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Seth Cotlar, professor of history at Willamette University.

He discussed the historical and contemporary dynamics of the right-wing political movement, highlighting the persistent conspiracy theories and alternative realities that have animated the right, dating back to figures like Sen. Joe McCarthy and lawyer Roy Cohn.

Cotlar talked about the intertwined threads of anti-communism, racism, hostility towards government, and corporate privilege in right-wing ideologies and how Donald Trump has affected, exploited and altered these dynamics.

Cotlar told WCPT: "I think Donald Trump has had a significant impact on the way millions of Americans view their fellow citizens and view the world. And he didn't turn people into people who they weren't already, potentially, but he kind of gave people permission to be their worst selves. It's this permission structure that the American right has created to perpetuate various forms of hatred and to tell themselves that they're not actually reproducing it and recreating it and solidifying it. They're just going along with it, they might tell themselves. . . . And it's been a very long process of reproducing these bigotries, resentments and so on. And what Donald Trump has done is he's taken all these cultural dynamics and just fed them into this institution that has tremendous power, weight in our society, our culture and our politics, which is the Republican Party." 

Catch “The Big Picture with Edwin Eisendrath” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-big-picture).   

And find “The Big Picture (Full Episodes)” podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by <a href="https://my.willamette.edu/people/scotlar" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="3">Seth Cotlar</a>, professor of history at Willamette University.
He discussed the historical and contemporary dynamics of the right-wing political movement, highlighting the persistent conspiracy theories and alternative realities that have animated the right, dating back to figures like Sen. Joe McCarthy and lawyer Roy Cohn.
Cotlar talked about the intertwined threads of anti-communism, racism, hostility towards government, and corporate privilege in right-wing ideologies and how Donald Trump has affected, exploited and altered these dynamics.
Cotlar told WCPT: "I think Donald Trump has had a significant impact on the way millions of Americans view their fellow citizens and view the world. And he didn't turn people into people who they weren't already, potentially, but he kind of gave people permission to be their worst selves. It's this permission structure that the American right has created to perpetuate various forms of hatred and to tell themselves that they're not actually reproducing it and recreating it and solidifying it. They're just going along with it, they might tell themselves. . . . And it's been a very long process of reproducing these bigotries, resentments and so on. And what Donald Trump has done is he's taken all these cultural dynamics and just fed them into this institution that has tremendous power, weight in our society, our culture and our politics, which is the Republican Party."&nbsp;
Catch &ldquo;The Big Picture with Edwin Eisendrath&rdquo; Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-big-picture).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
And find &ldquo;The Big Picture (Full Episodes)&rdquo; podcast on&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0TDBhZmN53i7kDyHRzHZZx">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-picture-full-episodes/id1772709867">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1300-the-big-picture-full-epis-224645190/">iHeartRadio</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ6EYyFLbGw&amp;list=PLquOHBYhhrLOG8meVY1bvfD7TfAPGXMK2">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/43cb535f-a2df-4c89-aee0-e716694063b0/the-big-picture-full-episodes">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/The-Big-Picture-(Full-Episodes)-p4553846/">TuneIn</a>.

Here are full episodes from "The Big Picture" with Edwin Eisendrath (Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT Chicago). Good conversations help us see the big picture. Edwin Eisendrath and his guests get specific about politics, government, campaigns, and the kind of country all this work is meant to build. Join us live every Saturday to be part of the conversation.  


Edwin served two terms in Chicago’s City Council before being appointed Midwest Region Director of HUD by President Bill Clinton. He was subsequently appointed Federal Receiver in charge of the takeover and turnaround of the Chicago Housing Authority. His last foray as a candidate came when he took on a crooked governor of his own party, but it was the U.S. attorney rather than the voters who sealed Rod Blagojevich’s fate.

Off the campaign trail, Edwin worked in higher education and as a consultant to universities here and around the world. He was working primarily in Saudi Arabia during the 2016 election cycle, but after Donald Trump’s victory, he knew he had to focus back home. He brought business and labor leaders together to rescue the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Reader. He ran the company as its CEO until both publications were saved.

Edwin continues his political, civic, and business engagement from his home in Chicago, where he and his wife, Jennifer, raised their three children. He and Jennifer can be seen walking their hound dog, Winston Churchill.

Here are full episodes from "The Big Picture" with Edwin Eisendrath (Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT Chicago</a>). Good conversations help us see the big picture. Edwin Eisendrath and his guests get specific about politics, government, campaigns, and the kind of country all this work is meant to build. Join us live every Saturday to be part of the conversation.  
 Edwin served two terms in Chicago’s City Council before being appointed Midwest Region Director of HUD by President Bill Clinton. He was subsequently appointed Federal Receiver in charge of the takeover and turnaround of the Chicago Housing Authority. His last foray as a candidate came when he took on a crooked governor of his own party, but it was the U.S. attorney rather than the voters who sealed Rod Blagojevich’s fate.
Off the campaign trail, Edwin worked in higher education and as a consultant to universities here and around the world. He was working primarily in Saudi Arabia during the 2016 election cycle, but after Donald Trump’s victory, he knew he had to focus back home. He brought business and labor leaders together to rescue the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Reader. He ran the company as its CEO until both publications were saved.
Edwin continues his political, civic, and business engagement from his home in Chicago, where he and his wife, Jennifer, raised their three children. He and Jennifer can be seen walking their hound dog, Winston Churchill.

The Big Picture (Full Episodes)

Good conversations help us see the big picture. Edwin Eisendrath and his guests get specific about politics, government, campaigns, and the kind of country all this work is meant to build. Join us live every Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT Chicago to be part of the conversation.  

Edwin Eisendrath served two terms in Chicago’s City Council before being appointed Midwest Region Director of HUD by President Bill Clinton. He was subsequently appointed Federal Receiver in charge of the takeover and turnaround of the Chicago Housing Authority. His last foray as a candidate came when he took on a crooked governor of his own party, but it was the U.S. attorney rather than the voters who sealed Rod Blagojevich’s fate.
Off the campaign trail, Edwin has worked in higher education and as a consultant to universities here and around the world. He was working primarily in Saudi Arabia during the 2016 election cycle, but after Donald Trump’s victory, he knew he had to focus back home. He brought business and labor leaders together to rescue the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Reader. He ran the company as its CEO until both publications were saved.
Edwin continues his political, civic, and business engagement from his home in Chicago, where he and his wife, Jennifer, raised their three children. He and Jennifer can be seen walking their hound dog, Winston Churchill.

Good conversations help us see the big picture. Edwin Eisendrath and his guests get specific about politics, government, campaigns, and the kind of country all this work is meant to build. Join us live every Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT Chicago</a> to be part of the conversation.  
Edwin Eisendrath served two terms in Chicago’s City Council before being appointed Midwest Region Director of HUD by President Bill Clinton. He was subsequently appointed Federal Receiver in charge of the takeover and turnaround of the Chicago Housing Authority. His last foray as a candidate came when he took on a crooked governor of his own party, but it was the U.S. attorney rather than the voters who sealed Rod Blagojevich’s fate. Off the campaign trail, Edwin has worked in higher education and as a consultant to universities here and around the world. He was working primarily in Saudi Arabia during the 2016 election cycle, but after Donald Trump’s victory, he knew he had to focus back home. He brought business and labor leaders together to rescue the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Reader. He ran the company as its CEO until both publications were saved. Edwin continues his political, civic, and business engagement from his home in Chicago, where he and his wife, Jennifer, raised their three children. He and Jennifer can be seen walking their hound dog, Winston Churchill.

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