January 26, 2001

Two Nations, One President

In the wake of the 2001 election debacle in Florida, the two political halves of this country seemed angrier at each other than they had in decades. This week we bring you tales of that widening rift. Democrats explain why they're having trouble getting over it, and Republicans explain why this is so infuriating.

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Transcript

Prologue

We got a new President, but after the recount mess in Florida in the fall of 2001 and the Supreme Court decision that ended the election, some people were having a hard time moving on. Why? Why couldn't they just let it go? Host Ira Glass talks with people at the inauguration. Republican Chris Robling talks with a Democratic friend. (5 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

Act One

You're Not The President Of Me

Jonathan Chait of The New Republic and David Horowitz of Slate magazine each tell the story of the Florida recount. There is astonishingly little overlap in their accounts. It's not just that they interpret the facts differently; they don't agree on the facts either. (8 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

Song:

“Boss of Me” by They Might Be Giants

Act Two

A Brief History Of Republican Time

Writer David Brock gives us the inside story of how we got to this point of bitterness. It is not a pretty story. (11 minutes)

By

David Brock

Song:

“Florida” by Modest Mouse

Act Three

Bedroom Politics

When it comes to political fighting, there's no more intimate a space than a marriage, where you have to get along. Where you have to figure out how to move on and get over disagreement. Living in Nashville, Tennessee, Scott and Carrie Rayson agreed about politics until this year—when it became the one subject in their marriage that they cannot discuss. (11 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

Act Four

Let Us Reason Together

We return to the Supreme Court case of Bush vs. Gore to try to better understand why the majority ruled the way it did...and whether the decision was in fact as outrageous as many critics said it was. Four legal scholars explain: Jeffry Rosen, Mike McConnell, Pam Karlan and Greg Sisk. (14 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

Act Five

What Would You-know-who Do?

A chat with Reverend Richard Harris, an African-American minister in Florida who's trying not to be angry about the election...because it's against his religion. (6 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

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