Naughtie On America [A Point Of View]

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Call Me Ishmael

20241011

20241013 (R4)

James Naughtie presents the first of four personal essays exploring America's 'wild search for meaning' in the run-up to November's presidential election.

From the freezing waters of Nantucket Sound in Moby Dick, via sunken levees of the Mississippi and the railroad blues of New Orleans, to the ‘raucous expeditions into an underworld of - richly wounded humanity' in contemporary crime novels, James contemplates this moment in the United States through its fiction.

Producer: Adele Armstrong

Sound: Peter Bosher

Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman

Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

James Naughtie with the first of four programmes on America's restless search for meaning.

A weekly reflection on a topical issue.

James Naughtie ponders the American spirit through its fiction, from the great American novels like Moby Dick to 'the dark narrators of the street'.

[LISTEN NOW]

Words, Words, Words

20241018

20241020 (R4)

From the description of Alexander Hamilton as 'the bastard brat of a Scotch pedlar', to Lyndon Johnson's depiction of Gerald Ford as a man who 'couldn't fart and chew gum at the same time', James Naughtie argues that American political language has long been teeming with insult.

He recalls as a student in 1974, queuing at the back door of the White House one evening and coming away with transcripts of the Watergate tapes, full of 'expletive deleted' notes 'that blacked out various Nixon explosions.

But in our own time, James says, something quite different is at play. The language of politics today, he says, 'instead of being punctuated by insults, it's become enslaved to them. And the more exaggerated political language becomes, the more it is devalued - because it has lost its true purpose.

Producer: Adele Armstrong

Sound: Peter Bosher

Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman

Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

The second of James Naughtie's four programmes on America's restless search for meaning.

A weekly reflection on a topical issue.

James Naughtie on the passion and gusto of American political language, from the Founding Fathers to today - and why he believes that that language has now lost its true purpose.

[LISTEN NOW]

The Old Identity

20241025

20241027 (R4)

James Naughtie argues that a common American identity will be achieved - one day - despite the heightened political rhetoric around immigration, that is making it one of the most contentious issues in this year's presidential election.

He recalls Ronald Reagan's 'homely evocation of an American character'. For Reagan, James says, the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, 'give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses', had real contemporary power.

For many Republicans today, he says, it's a very different story.

But he sees signs of change. On a recent visit to the US border in Arizona, he met a 'cattleman of resolute conservative views in his 80s', who tells James that although he's fed up with armed drug runners using his land, he believes most people cutting through the fence are 'good people, in search of new lives'.

'The huddled masses will be absorbed... eventually', James writes. 'But the question right now is how much damage will be done in getting there - to the principles of their democracy, and perhaps to their precious belief in themselves.'

Producer: Adele Armstrong

Sound: Peter Bosher

Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman

Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

James Naughtie continues his series exploring America's restless search for meaning.

A weekly reflection on a topical issue.

James Naughtie reflects on the conundrum of immigration in the US - from a rain-soaked visit by Ronald Reagan to County Tipperary to today's battle cries of 'identity politics'.

James Naughtie on America's restless search for meaning.

[LISTEN NOW]

The Brink

20241101

20241103 (R4)

In the last of his essays reflecting on America's search for meaning, James Naughtie recalls a meeting a year ago with General Michael Hayden - the former head of the CIA - who, without fanfare, expressed concern for the future of US Democracy.

'I don't know that we'll come through this,' he said. ‘Right now I think it's about 50-50.'

James reflects on past presidents, such as Jimmy Carter, and his dedication to the promotion and protection of democracy around the world, and compares it to the present, as we enter the final days of the 2024 campaign.

What might a tight result might mean in the coming months? 'The system will be on trial,' he writes, recalling the legal battles over the 'hanging chads' of 2000 in which the fate of the nation was decided on just 537 votes.

Producer: Sheila Cook

Sound: Peter Bosher

Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman

Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

James Naughtie recalls a meeting with an ex-CIA chief worried about the future of America

A weekly reflection on a topical issue.

In the last of his essays reflecting on America's search for meaning, James Naughtie recalls meeting an ex-head of the CIA, who expressed concern about the future of US democracy.

James Naughtie with the last of four programmes on America's restless search for meaning.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Call Me Ishmael	20241011	20241013 (R4)	James Naughtie presents the first of four personal essays exploring America's 'wild search for meaning' in the run-up to November's presidential election. From the freezing waters of Nantucket Sound in Moby Dick, via sunken levees of the Mississippi and the railroad blues of New Orleans, to the ‘raucous expeditions into an underworld of - richly wounded humanity' in contemporary crime novels, James contemplates this moment in the United States through its fiction. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith James Naughtie with the first of four programmes on America's restless search for meaning. A weekly reflection on a topical issue. James Naughtie ponders the American spirit through its fiction, from the great American novels like Moby Dick to 'the dark narrators of the street'. [LISTEN NOW]
02	Words, Words, Words	20241018	20241020 (R4)	From the description of Alexander Hamilton as 'the bastard brat of a Scotch pedlar', to Lyndon Johnson's depiction of Gerald Ford as a man who 'couldn't fart and chew gum at the same time', James Naughtie argues that American political language has long been teeming with insult. He recalls as a student in 1974, queuing at the back door of the White House one evening and coming away with transcripts of the Watergate tapes, full of 'expletive deleted' notes 'that blacked out various Nixon explosions. But in our own time, James says, something quite different is at play. The language of politics today, he says, 'instead of being punctuated by insults, it's become enslaved to them. And the more exaggerated political language becomes, the more it is devalued - because it has lost its true purpose. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith The second of James Naughtie's four programmes on America's restless search for meaning. A weekly reflection on a topical issue. James Naughtie on the passion and gusto of American political language, from the Founding Fathers to today - and why he believes that that language has now lost its true purpose. [LISTEN NOW]
03	The Old Identity	20241025	20241027 (R4)	James Naughtie argues that a common American identity will be achieved - one day - despite the heightened political rhetoric around immigration, that is making it one of the most contentious issues in this year's presidential election. He recalls Ronald Reagan's 'homely evocation of an American character'. For Reagan, James says, the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, 'give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses', had real contemporary power. For many Republicans today, he says, it's a very different story. But he sees signs of change. On a recent visit to the US border in Arizona, he met a 'cattleman of resolute conservative views in his 80s', who tells James that although he's fed up with armed drug runners using his land, he believes most people cutting through the fence are 'good people, in search of new lives'. 'The huddled masses will be absorbed... eventually', James writes. 'But the question right now is how much damage will be done in getting there - to the principles of their democracy, and perhaps to their precious belief in themselves.' Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith James Naughtie continues his series exploring America's restless search for meaning. A weekly reflection on a topical issue. James Naughtie reflects on the conundrum of immigration in the US - from a rain-soaked visit by Ronald Reagan to County Tipperary to today's battle cries of 'identity politics'. James Naughtie on America's restless search for meaning. [LISTEN NOW]
04	The Brink	20241101	20241103 (R4)	In the last of his essays reflecting on America's search for meaning, James Naughtie recalls a meeting a year ago with General Michael Hayden - the former head of the CIA - who, without fanfare, expressed concern for the future of US Democracy. 'I don't know that we'll come through this,' he said. ‘Right now I think it's about 50-50.' James reflects on past presidents, such as Jimmy Carter, and his dedication to the promotion and protection of democracy around the world, and compares it to the present, as we enter the final days of the 2024 campaign. What might a tight result might mean in the coming months? 'The system will be on trial,' he writes, recalling the legal battles over the 'hanging chads' of 2000 in which the fate of the nation was decided on just 537 votes. Producer: Sheila Cook Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith James Naughtie recalls a meeting with an ex-CIA chief worried about the future of America A weekly reflection on a topical issue. In the last of his essays reflecting on America's search for meaning, James Naughtie recalls meeting an ex-head of the CIA, who expressed concern about the future of US democracy. James Naughtie with the last of four programmes on America's restless search for meaning. [LISTEN NOW]