Tom Ricks was on Fresh Air this week. (The podcast may be heard below.) I’ve always enjoyed his interviews, but this portion of it, when the subject of Fox News came up, made me sit up and take notice:
GROSS: You must be wondering what’s going to happen at Fox News now, especially after the death of Roger Ailes.
RICKS: I think there’s a special place in hell for Roger Ailes, for Sean Hannity and for Bill O’Reilly. I think they introduced a feeling of thuggishness into American discourse. And ultimately, I blame that on Rupert Murdoch, who I think has done more to poison American political life than any single person since Jefferson Davis.
Not the kind of statement I’m used to hearing in the genteel environment of Fresh Air. Refreshing, though, in this case.
– Vino Knight-Trane
