The Tribalization of Politics

The Tribalization of Politics explores how conservative media personality Rush Limbaugh sought to "tribalize" American politics through his racially divisive, falsehood-ridden portrayal of President Obama. Limbaugh's objective was to define the president in a way that would scare his older, overwhelmingly white audience. By playing and preying on white anxiety, Limbaugh laid the groundwork for the election of Donald Trump, a president who essentially adopted Limbaugh's view of the Obama presidency. Analyzing how Limbaugh ginned up white racial anxiety about a black president helps us understand the rise of Trump. As Jamelle Bouie wrote: "You can draw a direct line to the rise of Trump from the racial hysteria of talk radio--where Rush Limbaugh, a Trump booster, warned that Obama would turn the world upside down."