Chino Y Chicano Ep 117 Historian Rick Shenkman

As a college student at Vassar, Rick Shenkman was a fervent supporter of Richard Nixon. As the Watergate scandal unfolded, Shenkman was unwavering in his defense of Nixon. He was a poster boy for cognitive dissonance, unwilling to admit he was wrong about Nixon. But the firing of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox in the infamous Saturday Night Massacre was a turning point for the then young conservative. Shenkman is a former journalist, turned historian and the author of seven books on politics. He talks about his days as a Nixon supporter, his cognitive dissonance and how this behavior is playing a role in today's unfaltering support of Donald Trump.