Francis Barry – What Holds America Together

The Nick Halaris Show

Hi Everyone and Welcome Back!

This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Francis Barry, the author of “Back Roads and Better Angels,” an important and inspiring new book examining the heart and soul of the American democracy. Francis, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and member of the editorial board there, is a sought-after voice for those seeking more rational and civil discourse and has an impressive track record working to make America a better place as a journalist, speechwriter, and advisor to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

I read “Back Roads and Better Angels” recently and walked away feeling both inspired and invigorated. Francis does a masterful job weaving together important, often untold, stories from our history with interesting stories, perspectives, and ideas from real Americans he met on his journey across the country and examinations of the critical cultural and political questions of the day. For anyone interested in understanding what’s really going on in America, the book is a must read.

I wanted to have Francis on the show to highlight this important new book and unpack some of his key findings. Tune in to learn:

• Why Francis decided to drive across America in a Winnebago in search of the keys to our national identity and our democracy
• The true cause of our feelings of disunity and the secret forces holding us together
• Why there is so much about American history that we are still reckoning with and why it is our willingness to do so that makes us so special
• How our shared commitment to the ideals of freedom, democracy, and equality provides a cultural glue powerful enough to hold us together even in our darkest hours
• What President Lincoln can teach us about how to keep a democracy together in times of great strife
• & Much, much more

Stay tuned to the end to learn why Francis thinks it’s a shared belief in our resiliency that ultimately holds us together and to hear his passionate plea for a return to civility in our political discourse.

As always, I hope you all enjoy this episode. Thanks for tuning in!

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