Covering Politics in a "Post-Truth" America

Susan Glasser's examination of modern political journalism draws from her extensive career covering Washington politics and her role as editor of POLITICO. Through a series of essays and analyses, she documents the transformation of political media coverage during and after the 2016 presidential election. The book tracks the rise of partisan media ecosystems and the challenges journalists face in an era of social media, "fake news," and declining trust in traditional news sources. Glasser provides an insider's perspective on how newsrooms adapted their practices and standards while covering an unconventional presidential campaign and administration. As both a participant and observer in political journalism's evolution, Glasser outlines specific reforms and approaches for restoring fact-based reporting in an increasingly polarized media landscape. Her recommendations stem from direct experience managing newsroom responses to unprecedented challenges in political coverage. The work serves as both a professional memoir and a broader commentary on the state of American democracy, raising fundamental questions about the role of journalism in maintaining an informed citizenry when basic facts become subject to dispute.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Susan Glasser's overall work: Readers value Glasser's insider access and detailed reporting but debate her political perspective. Reviews focus on her two recent books, "The Man Who Ran Washington" and "The Divider." What readers liked: - Deep research and extensive sourcing - Clear, straightforward writing style - Historical context and behind-the-scenes details - Balanced portrayal of James Baker in the biography What readers disliked: - Perceived anti-Trump bias in "The Divider" - Length and density of detail in both books - Focus on palace intrigue over policy analysis Ratings across platforms: - "The Divider": 4.5/5 on Amazon (2,800+ reviews), 4.3/5 on Goodreads (3,100+ ratings) - "The Man Who Ran Washington": 4.6/5 on Amazon (1,200+ reviews), 4.4/5 on Goodreads (2,000+ ratings) Several readers noted the books work better as reference materials than cover-to-cover reads. One reviewer called "The Divider" "exhaustively reported but exhausting to read." Another praised the Baker biography as "thorough without being tedious."

Truth Decay by Jennifer Kavanagh, Michael Rich This research-based examination explores how the diminishing role of facts in American public life affects democracy and policy-making.

Network Propaganda by Yochai Benkler The book presents data-driven analysis of media dynamics that shaped the American presidential election of 2016.

Post-Truth by Lee McIntyre This work traces the origins of contemporary post-truth phenomenon through cognitive science, philosophy, and media studies.

On Truth by Harry Frankfurt The philosophical exploration builds on the author's previous work to examine truth's role in public discourse and civil society.

Facts and Fears by James R. Clapper, Trey Brown The former Director of National Intelligence provides insights into the challenges of maintaining fact-based intelligence work in an era of misinformation.

🔷 Susan Glasser served as the editor of POLITICO during the 2016 presidential campaign, giving her a front-row seat to what she describes as the transformation of political journalism 🔷 The term "post-truth" was Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year in 2016, the same year this book examines as a turning point in political journalism 🔷 The book draws from Glasser's own experience as editor of Foreign Policy magazine and co-author of Kremlin Rising, offering insights into both domestic and international political coverage 🔷 Following the book's publication, Glasser went on to become a staff writer at The New Yorker and co-author of "The Man Who Ran Washington" with her husband Peter Baker 🔷 The book addresses how social media and the 24-hour news cycle have fundamentally changed the way political stories are reported and consumed, creating what Glasser calls an "alternative reality-based press"