Original Thinkers Presents:

A special Inauguration Day edition with Ron Suskind

Episode 12

Ron Suskind

A note from OT Founder & Ringleader David Holbrooke:

Dear Original Thinkers -

I remember so well how painfully far away this day seemed four years ago. And it was a damn long and deeply challenging period to watch this country lurch in such a dark and dangerous direction led by the wretched occupants of the White House.  

I also remember the palpable relief I felt on that glorious Saturday in early November when the election was called for Joe Biden. Over the years, I have met Joe Biden a few times and he has always been gracious, personable and present. The attached photo was actually from backstage at the memorial for my father Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and Biden’s kindness and decency certainly resonated with my family and me that day.  

To be clear, I am not without my reservations about our incoming President. My father grappled with him on a variety of levels and some of his policy decisions - the Crime Bill, Anita Hill and others - remain troubling to me. I was also influenced by the unflattering portrait painted of Biden in the biography about my father by writer George Packer, which shows a cynical, egotistical side of the man we rarely see.

That all being said, here we are and I deeply hope that Biden/Harris can help us find our way again as Americans. To try and understand this better, we reached out to the inimitable Ron Suskind whose journalistic skills have helped us understand our Presidents in ways we never imagined. 

Ron wrote an essential and remarkably prescient piece for the New York Times in late October called “What Happens on November 4th?”. That was the basis for our conversation then and shapes some of what we talk about in this episode of OT Presents. Of course, we also took into account the shocking events of January 6th and also look forward to what a Biden Administration can accomplish. 

Thanks for watching and have a great Inauguration Day.

David

January 20, 2021