About Lights, Cameras, Memes!
The technological revolution we’re in the midst of—whatever AI is, let alone what it will be—is both exhilarating and terrifying. It will upend everything, which may be just what Washington needs.
Recent human-powered, mini-tech revolutions have ushered in today’s era of pop politics. New tech killed old media, even as smart phones bred dumber lawmakers and a more self-righteous press corps.
American politics is now clicks, memes and perpetual dunking. The political press corps is consumed with retweets and likes, even as polls show we’re not liked.
People—ones we used to be able to call our readers—want solutions. How can we offer solutions when we only listen to ourselves? We can’t. Hence, millions of Americans have tuned us out.
I’m inviting you back in.
I’ve been a congressional reporter since 2006—from Wired and NPR to VICE and Rolling Stone. Since 2016, I’ve also been a political communications professor at Johns Hopkins University (MA in Government). In a sense, besides my actual reporting, I spend my days doing real-time research on new media’s impact on government.
As a freelancer, I’m constantly under pressure to churn out more and more stories. My record is filing 15 in one evening (well, guess I left the Capitol at 6am).
Regularly working 12, 14 and 16 hour days has hampered my ability to write books (though I’m some 30,000 words into a novel and I wrote a children’s book I’ve never tried to publish).
I plan to use this Substack to be the first draft of a book, which is why I’m eager to engage with subscribers. By inviting you into the process I hope to glean wisdom from your fresh eyes. No one’s ever considered me a swamp creature, but close to two decades in Washington has its effect.
Don’t let me normalize the abnormal! Truly. Washington’s weird. It can be suffocating, even as the power it promises is blinding. Please breathe new life into my weary eyes!
Please, join me at the US Capitol (and occasionally the White House). Consider this your front row seat to today’s politics as unusual. It’s rarely pretty, always telling.
Why subscribe? FREE!
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PERKS: Paid subscribers
Be part of a community of people who share your interests. Paid subscribers get to comment on posts and join our community in private discussions, like when I’ll occasionally poll folks to see what’s on their minds on any given subject.
I also plan to host occasional live streams with paid subscribers. I expect many questions from you all, and I’m eager to answer anything. Seriously. Anything.
If there’s interest, I’ll gladly give you all my ever-evolving main lecture—a history of the Washington press corps that provides historical context for today’s wayward media.*
*I’m paid to deliver a variation of the lecture regularly as part of a training seminar for federal workers, including Air Force officers, senior FAA officials, embassy personnel, etc.
I’ve also delivered it at Cornell, NYU, BU, JHU, UMD, Univ. of Oklahoma, American University, Covenant College, Eastern University, University of North Florida, George Mason, etc.
