The Seahawk

Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: Nic True

As part of the 2009/2010 Leadership Lecture Series, Matt Bai spoke at Kenan Auditorium Monday, Oct. 26. His lecture was titled "The Generational Change in American Politics and Society: Obama and Beyond." It was co-sponsored by UNCW Student Media.

The lecture focused on what Bai calls a "generational disconnect" in politics and how the new president has been able to cope with the challenges facing present day American politicians. Bai spoke on changes in technology, generational tendencies and the ever-present media/political relationship.

Bai, a political journalist who currently works for The New York Times Magazine, has covered stories throughout the political spectrum but gained popularity with his book, "The Argument: Billionaires, Bloggers, and the Battle to Remake Democratic Politics." In the book Bai looks at how the Internet and technology has played a pivotal role in reshaping present day politics. He states in a New York Times article, "The Web was the new frontier of American politics, and the candidates intended to exploit it."

According to the Oct. 21 press release, "Bai is one of the most respected and widely read political journalists in America. At The New York Times Magazine, he writes non-partisan stories-many of them cover stories-that illuminate the entire political spectrum. He has interviewed the presidential candidates, talked with the political heavyweights, and has profiled the surprising-and surprisingly powerful-new activists and powerbrokers who are reshaping American politics in the age of Obama."

In Bai's article, "Is Obama the End of Black Politics?" which was featured on the cover of The New York Times Magazine, Bai discusses how the generation gap between President Obama and the older voters may have played a more pivotal role in the election than his race did.

The "generational disconnect" Bai discussed during the lecture is easily seen here on campus, from students using laptops, Blackberries, iPhones, and other new devices all connecting to the Internet and the news at the touch of a button. This new trend in technology has slowly yet surely penetrated the highest realms of the political world and has managed to reshape the way politicians conducts themselves on a daily basis.

"If Twitter doesn't turn out to be just the latest political fad (like, say, psychographic polling, or Ron Paul), then it just may be the worst thing to happen to politics and its attending media since a couple of geniuses at CNN dreamed up "Crossfire" back in the 1980s," said Bai in an article titled "The Chatty Classes."

Bai mentioned during the lecture his separation from mass media, rarely watching televised news coverage or reading online news.

Bai's work has been featured in the 2005 and 2006 issues of The Best Political Writing.

Bai has gained much national attention through his unorthodox approach to politics and continues to spark much debate with his articles that can be discussed on his Web site, www.mattbai.com/non-blog.

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