Politics in America
The 2020 John R. Donnell Memorial Lecture
In 2001, Tucker Carlson was appointed co-host of CNN’s Crossfire, in which he represented the political right, while co-host Paul Begala represented the left. Tucker Carlson is currently the host of Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson Tonight, featuring guests from across the political and cultural spectrum, which in 2020 became the highest-rated program in the history of cable news, with over 4.3 million viewers. Bringing his signature style to tackle issues often overlooked by the media, Tucker Carlson challenges political correctness and media bias. He has written a memoir of his career in cable news, and his latest book, Ship of Fools (2018) was a New York Times best-seller.
On the other side of the political divide is Paul Begala, professor of public policy at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. Author, political strategist, and commentator for CNN, he was part of a political team that has won both an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award. He burst onto the political scene in 1992 as a senior strategist for Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, then served as Counselor to the President in the Clinton White House, helping coordinate policy, politics, and the media. His most recent book (2020) is titled You’re Fired: The Perfect Guide to Beating Donald Trump.