Politics feels louder. Angrier. More exhausting.

In this episode of Byline with Ben Dennis, I sit down with political communication expert Peter Loge to unpack why outrage motivates voters, why affordability dominates elections, and how leadership rhetoric can either calm a nation or escalate distrust.

We discuss:
• Why anger drives political incentives
• The racist AI depiction of the Obamas and leadership accountability
• Immigration messaging and voter punishment
• America’s global standing
• And one simple strategy both parties should adopt before the midterms: fix stuff.

If politics feels broken, this conversation explains why — and what could change

⚠️ This is a featured segment from Monday’s full episode of Byline with Ben Dennis. For full context and the complete conversation, watch or listen to the entire interview.

In this excerpt, we examine the impact of racist political imagery — including depictions of former President Obama — and the broader question of leadership and responsibility in American politics.

Do presidents set the tone for how Americans treat one another?

We discuss:

• ​The ethical boundaries of political communication
• ​How racist imagery shapes public discourse
• ​Whether presidential rhetoric influences everyday behavior
• ​What accountability looks like in a polarized climate
• ​How Americans can engage more constructively — online and in person

This conversation focuses on facts, responsibility, and the real-world consequences of tone and leadership.

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#PoliticalCommunication #PresidentialLeadership #CivilDiscourse #RaceInAmerica #MediaEthics #BylineWithBenDennis

Is it AI? Is it legit?
Those are questions many of us ask while scrolling TikTok and Instagram—often after a video has already been shared thousands of times.

In this episode of Byline with Ben Dennis, I talk with Tracee Stanford of the News Literacy Project, who works with educators nationwide to help students learn what information can be trusted—and how to verify it for themselves.

We recorded this conversation during News Literacy Week, at a moment when AI-generated content is spreading faster and becoming harder to spot. Tracee draws on her background in local news and media literacy work in underserved communities to break down the real challenges students face online today.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How students are encountering misinformation

• Why media ethics still matter in an algorithm-driven world

• Practical ways educators and parents can help young people think critically about what they see online

Subscribe for free (yes, free) for new posts and episodes that question tomorrow’s headlines.

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode of Byline with Ben Dennis now.