How the 2016 Election Challenges Journalistic Fundamentals  Guests: David Mindich, PhD, Professor of Media Studies, Journalism & Digital Arts at Saint Michael’s College; Thomas Patterson, PhD, Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and Author of “Informing the News: The Need for Knowledge-Based Journalism” When you tally all of the press coverage of candidates during this presidential cycle, it’s clear that Donald Trump has had an advantage. Thomas Patterson at Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center says, “Trump is arguably the first bona fide media-created presidential nominee.” The breathless way reporters fixated on Trump’s unlikely candidacy and surprising momentum in polls helped him clinch the Republican nomination and continues to propel him toward the White House. But since the presidential race narrowed to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as the major party candidates, something unusual has begun to take place. We’re seeing political journalists – and I’m not talking about pundits or columnists or commentators, I’m talking about journalists who typically maintain a detachment, objective stance in reporting on politics - we’re seeing those journalists abandon calling out Donald Trump as a liar, a racist, an incompetent, even. And sometimes they do it right to his face.  Are "Haters" and Doubters the Reason Trump Ran for President Guest: McKay Coppins, Senior Political Writer for BuzzFeed and Author of “The Wilderness” Let’s talk to one political reporter now who, back in 2014 made the worst prediction of his career. Buzzfeed senior writer and BYU alum McKay Coppins wrote a lengthy piece called “36 Hours on the Fake Campaign Trail with Donald Trump” in which he declared the whole thing a publicity stunt. No way would Trump actually run for president. Well, the latest polling averages show Donald Trump nearly tied with Democrat Hillary Clinton. McKay Coppins has done a lot of reflecting and reporting since then, trying to understand how and why Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for president. His conclusions suggest he, and the many others who laughed at or dismissed Trump, may be to blame. Understanding Trump's Appeal with Working-Class Whites Guest: J.D. Vance, Author of “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” There’s another quirk in this election – and that is Donald Trump’s appeal with white working class voters. He gets strong support from the Rust Belt and Appalachia. These are people inclined toward a dim view of the wealthy and privileged – people like Donald Trump. To understand why Trump resonates in Appalachia, it helps to understand a little about the culture of the place. J.D. Vance’s new book offers one take. His best-selling “Hillbilly Elegy” is “A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.” Vance was raised by a single, drug-addicted mother in an Ohio steel town that – as he writes – “has been hemorrhaging jobs and hope for as long as” he can remember.