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American Fascism: From the 1920s to Trump

Jamelle Bouie
/
Creative Commons
The words used by Donald Trump and the actions of some of his supporters have led some to call the Republican frontrunner a "fascist."

During his speech in Cuba, President Barack Obama described just how different this year's presidential race is from those in previous generations. "You had two Cuban Americans in the Republican Party, running against the legacy of a black man who is President, while arguing that they’re the best person to beat the Democratic nominee who will either be a woman or a Democratic Socialist," said Obama.

But he left out any mention of Trump. Former Democratic candidate Martin O'Malley and others have called the Republican frontrunner a "fascist."

This hour, we hear from an expert on fascism in the United States who argues that fascism has been a "persistent problem in the United States." What does it take to be a fascist in American politics and how does it differ from what fascism has looked like in other countries?

GUESTS:

  • Christopher Vials - Director of American Studies, associate professor of English at UConn and author of Haunted by Hitler: Liberals, the Left and the Fight against Fascism in the United States
  • Charlie Jane Anders - Editor of io9, a site about science fiction, and author of All the Birds in the Sky

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Chion Wolf contributed to this show.

Tucker Ives is WNPR's morning news producer.

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