The Roy Cohn Playbook, from McCarthyism to Trump
Roy Cohn, the unscrupulous lawyer and mentor to Donald Trump, embodied a toxic blend of power, hypocrisy, and legal manipulation that continues to haunt American politics. His life story, as chronicled by Kai Bird in American Scoundrel, reveals how the erosion of democratic norms and th
Sign up to read the full summary
Free AI-powered recaps of every episode, delivered to your inbox.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Guest
Kai Bird
narrative on Fresh Air
Mentions
Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.
People
Books
Topics
Listen to This Episode
More from Fresh Air
The American Presidency, Redefined
The Justice Department gives Trump an unprecedented settlement
How Trump made an estimated $2.2 billion last year
Banned books, shocking art & the birth of the culture wars
Obama staffer Ben Rhodes on Iran negotiations and the battle for American identity
The spy network that took on America's Nazi groups
Related episodes
From other shows on similar topics.
Kai Bird on Roy Cohn, a Founding Father of Donald Trump’s America
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Kai Bird on Roy Cohn, a Founding Father of Donald Trump’s America
The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Trump Panicking as Epstein Bombshell Exposes Former Lawyer in Massive Lie
IHIP News
MeidasTouch Full Podcast - 8/4/26
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Trump Staffer LEAKS Secret “If I Die” Letter to JD Vance
Breaking News from Pod Save America
Trump Honors Dead Friend, Restarts War
Pod Save America
Get summaries like this every morning.
Free AI-powered recaps of Fresh Air and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.