Today’s New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/nyregion/donald-trump-david-mccullough-ken-burns.html?mwrsm=Facebook) wrote about the project created by David McCullough and Ken Burns which brings together dozens of notable historians to express their concern about Donald Trump. The collection of mini-videos can be easily accessed on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/historiansondonaldtrump/
I especially appreciated the insights of Ron Chernov (“Hamilton”) who expresses his concern about the words Trump is using and, more importantly, the words Trump never uses. The power of words.
As a former history teacher, I found their observations both interesting and disheartening. McCullough has spent a career carefully projecting political neutrality. That McCullough would feel so compelled to help launch these canaries in the coal mine makes me pause with concern about where we are heading and the danger that may lie ahead should Trump win.
Hope BMGers will have the chance to check these out. Would be interested in your thoughts.
However, the videos appearing on the New York Times site seemed more like what your standard issue, intelligent pundit might say. There wasn’t a whole lot of professional historian goodness — except that these guys are rather used to speaking authoritatively.
…of people we are not used to hearing from politically, including those usually neutral to a fault speaking out against Trump. I’ve said before there is a moral imperative here that just hasn’t existed previously. After all, if Ruth Bader Ginsburg can do it…
The ghostwriter of The Art of the Deal has more than a few things to say in a current New Yorker piece.