Elizabeth Mitchell on How Lincoln Manipulated the Media

   

In 1864, two newspapers published a call, allegedly from President Lincoln, for the conscription of 400,000 more Union soldiers to the Civil War.

But it was a hoax. The fake news and what happened next is the subject of guest Elizabeth “Biz” Mitchell’s suspenseful new book Lincoln’s Lie.

On this episode, we talk about the state of journalism and journalists during this time, the complicated relationship between the President and the press, and Mitchell’s’origin story: from the executive editor at John F. Kennedy Jr’s George magazine to the author of fascinating historical books and articles.