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Columnist Eugene Robinson Talks Texas, Obamacare, and the Era of Gridlock

In the mid-1970’s, Eugene Robinson began his career in journalism. He joined The Washington Post in the '80's, covering domestic and foreign affairs before moving on to a managing editor post.

More recently, Robinson's become known nationally as a Pulitzer prize-winning columnist and contributor to MSNBC. Prior to his appearance at the University of Texas to deliver this year's Mary Alice Davis Distinguished Lecture in Journalism, Robinson stopped by the KUT studios to talk about the current political climate and how the politics of Texas – and healthcare – factor into it. 

Robinson says he never seen anything quite like the current level of political partisanship in Washington.  He blames the divide, in part, on the rise of the Tea Party, and a broadening anxiety about America's place in the world.  

Robinson carries a message for Texas Gov. Rick Perry: Obamacare is here, get used to it. "One out of four Texans has no medical insurance," Robinson notes. "Everybody in Texas would get better deals (on health insurance) if the governor would set up a health insurance exchange."  Despite the political rancor that has led to the current shutdown, Robison says he remains optimistic about the future of American idealism.  

David entered radio journalism thanks to a love of storytelling, an obsession with news, and a desire to keep his hair long and play in rock bands. An inveterate political junkie with a passion for pop culture and the romance of radio, David has reported from bases in Washington, London, Los Angeles, and Boston for Monitor Radio and for NPR, and has anchored in-depth public radio documentaries from India, Brazil, and points across the United States and Europe. He is, perhaps, known most widely for his work as host of public radio's Marketplace. Fulfilling a lifelong dream of moving to Texas full-time in 2005, Brown joined the staff of KUT, launching the award-winning cultural journalism unit "Texas Music Matters."
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