cover of episode What Does “Election Interference” Even Mean Anymore?

What Does “Election Interference” Even Mean Anymore?

2024/9/4
logo of podcast The Political Scene | The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Chapters

The term 'election interference' has evolved from a narrow technical definition to a broad catch-all for any political action deemed uncomfortable. This shift began gaining prominence around the 2016 presidential election, largely in the context of alleged Russian interference.
  • The term 'election interference' has broadened significantly since 2016.
  • In 2016, it primarily referred to foreign interference, particularly from Russia.
  • The current usage varies widely between Democrats and Republicans.

Shownotes Transcript

How has a phrase that just a decade ago had a narrow, technical definition come to essentially represent anything political that we don’t like? Jon Allsop, who writes Columbia Journalism Review’s daily newsletter and contributed this week to The New Yorker, joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss how “election interference” has become a ubiquitous term and what that indicates about the future of American political discourse. “It’s a project that is designed to insulate candidates against losing, whether they actually lose or not,” Allsop said.