This is Gavin Newsom And, This Is How To Preserve Our Democracy With Filmmaker Ken Burns
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Apr 2, 2026 
Ken Burns, acclaimed documentary filmmaker behind landmark PBS histories, joins to unpack complex founders like George Washington. He discusses how the Revolution was a violent civil war, the long history of disinformation, and the recurring tides of nativism versus pluralism. He also reflects on patriotism as civic self-critique, Congress’s weakening role, and why public storytelling still matters.
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Storytelling Breaks Political Divides
- A compelling story dissolves political divisions by inviting shared human interest rather than arguing facts alone.
- Ken Burns says telling a good story to Joe Rogan, New York Times readers, and kids produced common engagement across divides.
Complex History Resists Simplified Myths
- Complex historical truth resists simplification and authoritarian narrative control.
- Burns argues leaving out Washington's flaws or sanitizing history is the work of authoritarianism that keeps people uninformed.
Disinformation Is Historically Persistent
- Disinformation and propaganda are longstanding tactics, not just modern problems.
- Burns cites Sam Adams as an early propagandist who kept grievances alive, likening it to today's media incentives to manufacture them.