An “uncomfortable” conversation with Cory Booker - a podcast by Vox

from 2020-01-13T09:00

:: ::

There is a moral radicalism to the way Cory Booker lives out his politics. He lived for years in a housing project. He leads hunger strikes. He challenges political machines. He’s a vegan. He has a more ambitious policy vision than is often discussed. But beneath that is a far more radical ethical vision than he gets credit for.I think there’s a reason for that. When Booker turns his politics turn outward, they lose clarity. He shies away from drawing bright lines, his answers double back to blur out potential offense. As a result, his arguments for a politics of radical love end up emphasizing his love in ways that obscure his radicalism. As admiring as I am of what Booker demands of himself, I often can’t tell what he’s asking of me.
In this conversation, I wanted Booker to risk my discomfort, not just his own. And in his answers, I think you can hear both the remarkable promise and power of Booker’s politics, and some of the challenges that ultimately led him to suspend his campaign.References/Book recommendations:
Tightrope by Nicholas Kristof “Who Killed the Knapp Family” by Nicholas Kristof 
The Violence Inside Us by Chris Murphy My book is available for pre-order! You can find it at www.EzraKlein.com.
Want to contact the show? Reach out at ezrakleinshow@vox.comYou can subscribe to Ezra's new podcast Impeachment, explained on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, or your favorite podcast app.
Credits:Producer and Editor - Jeff Geld
Engineer- Cynthia GilResearcher - Roge Karma
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Further episodes of The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Further podcasts by Vox

Website of Vox