Kai Bird on Roy Cohn, a Founding Father of Donald Trump’s America
Summary
David Remnick interviews historian Kai Bird about his biography of Roy Cohn, exploring Cohn’s ruthless career from McCarthy’s chief counsel to Donald Trump’s mentor. Bird details Cohn’s influence on Trump’s political tactics, his mob connections, and his hidden homosexuality. The discussion reveals how Cohn’s amorality and victimhood mentality shaped Trump’s rise and the current political landscape.
Topics discussed
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Introduction: Roy Cohn's influence on Donald Trump
Why Kai Bird chose to write about Roy Cohn
Kai Bird's bizarre phone interviews with Donald Trump
Roy Cohn's upbringing and early career in New York
The Rosenberg case and rivalry with Robert F. Kennedy
McCarthyism, Eisenhower, and the Army-McCarthy hearings
Mid-roll sponsors and show intro
Cohn's work with the Mafia and meeting Donald Trump
Trump adopting Cohn's 'attack' strategy and victimhood
Cohn's sexuality, AIDS, and allegations of trafficking
The transactional relationship between Cohn and Trump
Shared politics, shamelessness, and Cohn's death
Outro and sponsors: Mint Mobile and Carvana
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