Presidents and the Power of Popular Culture

Tevi Troy, a senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, talks to Chris about his books The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry (Regnery History, 2024) and What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House (Regnery History, 2013). Tevi explains how different titans of the entertainment industry—the Warner brothers, Lew Wasserman, and Oprah Winfrey—developed and used relationships with such presidents as FDR, Reagan, and Obama. He also considers the different ways Joe Biden and Donald Trump have engaged with popular culture to develop their images and connect with voters. Plus, how did Tevi go from earning a PhD in American Civilization to working in the White House to becoming a presidential historian?

Show Notes:

• Tevi’s newest book, The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry
• More from Tevi about presidents and pop culture (C-SPAN)
• Follow Tevi on TwitterX: @tevitroy
• ICYMI: Chris’s conversation with Jonah Goldberg on The Remnant
• Chris’s upcoming book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)

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Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.