Brian Mann

The NYTimes published two articles in the last week suggesting Trump's Iran War echoes military blunders by past U.S. presidents. In fact no Democratic president has started a war since Vietnam. For 60 years this has been a GOP pattern. There's a good story here. It needs full context to be factual.

We live in a journalism culture where the most serious investigative work is increasingly defined by one outlet: the NY Times. Others get big stories, but the Times stands well apart. Question: Is this healthy? What would happen if the Times ownership began behaving more like WaPo, LATimes and CBS?

The population of American kids and teenagers fell between 3 and 6 percent in just 5 years (2020 to 2025) in every region of the US except the South. The South eked out 1 percent growth. Elderly population surging everywhere. www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...

Under Trump the US has hyper low birthrates AND hyper low immigration at the same time. This hasn't happened since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Also happening at a time when the population of young Americans was already plunging. My latest for NPR: www.npr.org/2026/06/27/n...

I'm super comfortable with lots of reporting about the Mamdani wave of leftist politicians winning. But the stories should include some mention of policies actually being implemented that average Americans would consider edgy. Higher taxes for rich people and preK programs aren't communism...

Luigi Mangione's legal team is back in court in New York City this week for a key pretrial hearing. He's accused of stalking and killing an insurance CEO. Donors have given $1.5 million to support his defense. n.pr/4vhNtKW

My latest for NPR www.npr.org/2026/06/15/n...

NEWS: US Justice Dept OKs $111B Paramount/Warner Bros Discovery deal: "the transaction is not likely to to result in harm to competition or American consumer" would unite Paramount+, HBO, Paramount Pix, Warner Bros, CBS & CNN State AGs may sue My chat w Ailsa Chang Coming up on NPR 7.20p/4.20p

Zohran Mamdani has sometimes made an issue of political opponents mispronouncing his name. What's weird is how many of his allies (Gov Hochul, NYAG James...) do it. It's not that hard. MOM-donny is pretty close. So...what gives?

Joy post. Home in the #Adirondacks

How often in my career as a journalist have I watched Democratic politicians claim they were fighting an existential campaign to save democracy and protect average Americans...only for it to turn out a significant amount of their energy was spent sexting or chasing women who were not their wives.

Wow. This is a big swing. www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

Just in: State officials in New York say the Salmon River district's special education program confined young children with disabilities in wooden boxes. Parents weren't notified.

State officials in New York say the Salmon River district's special education program confined young children with disabilities in wooden boxes. Parents weren't notified. n.pr/4nrDVto

My latest for NPR www.npr.org/2026/05/14/n...

The core inadequacy of the American journalistic narrative about Trump: News media produce separate, strong treatments of incompetence, ethical malfeasance, lies, attacks on democratic norms and policy blunders, while almost never giving audiences a factual account of how these stories fit together.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says a farm community in Italy for people with addiction is a model for wellness camps designed to ease the U.S. overdose crisis. Critics say the idea is dangerous.

;)

Important reporting about NY's deeply troubled prison system. Will be interesting to see if this becomes an issue in Hochul’s bid for another term as governor. From @ncprnews.bsky.social www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/5...

My latest for NPR www.npr.org/2026/04/29/n...

Join us on May 12 to hear @brianmannadk.bsky.social, @annezinkmd.bsky.social and @nabarund.bsky.social share insights on using data and telling stories to forefront the real people and lives affected by the opioid crisis. More symposium info here: oida-resources.jhu.edu/oida-nationa...

This is mostly for people who live in northern NY. Coming during my local public radio @ncprnews.bsky.social station's member drive, I want to point to this as the human storytelling that should earn your donation. Check it out and support. www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/5...

Will be interesting now to see if Stefanik weighs in. NY Republicans are backing Assemblyman Smullen, a retired Marine. Smullen says he'll stay on the ballot as a Conservative in November if he loses the GOP primary - which could make #ny21 even more viable for a Democratic run.

From @ncprnews.bsky.social - Trump weighs in on #ny21 Republican primary: www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/5...

Stefanik's appearance on Tapper's CNN show State of the Union is worth a watch. She makes a strong case for her pivotal role pushing for changes in the university/higher education system. The most fascinating part is their exchange over Trump, Iran and Israel. www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK82...

Found this place today #winterspring

Politico reporting about #ny21 being viewed as in play by Democrats... www.politico.com/news/2026/04...

National Democrats' first true test during Trump 2.0 isn't the midterms in November. It's the primary in California in June. If in 2026 Democratic leaders can be outmaneuvered by Trump and the GOP...IN CALIFORNIA...

Went to a celebration of young people last night who've created something new and cool. They reminded me how powerful it is right now to be *doing* good things. Creating, partnering, collaborating. Voicing opinions is...fine. But if you're feeling heavy go find and help people doing positive things.

Spring. Weekend.

I'm heading to Spain so my Tree House in the Adirondacks is open for AirBnB stays (gorgeous pre-mosquito spring season) from 4/24 - 5/3. Hiking, biking, paddling, 7 acres of woods to explore, an EV charger. 😊 www.airbnb.com/rooms/812331...

New cultural manifesto. I will no longer consume *any* cultural products (movies, books, whatever) predicated on the end of the world. If you can't tell a cool powerful meaningful story without first destroying civilization and committing imaginary genocide, I'm not interested. It's gross and lazy.

Vance attempting to advise the Pope on Catholic theology just seven years after Vance became a Roman Catholic is so 2026.

My latest for NPR www.npr.org/2026/04/15/n...

My latest for NPR www.npr.org/2026/04/14/n...

Good night beautiful world

Quote from a conservative Catholic writer points to how troubled some Christians on the right are by Trump. “Not saying Trump is the Antichrist,” Dreher told The Wall Street Journal. “But he’s radiating the spirit of Antichrist, no question.” www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Feels like NY state prisons could grow into a major issue for Kathy Hochul as she seeks re-election. @ncprnews.bsky.social doing great on-going reporting on soaring costs, role of Nat Guard, and big safety concerns. www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/5...

Meanwhile in Canada www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/w...

A quick break from work today. Man I love living here.

Trump says he posted this image of him as Jesus because he thought it portrayed him as a doctor. Factually he's neither Jesus nor a doctor.

Complex times... www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/u...

Incredibly cool from @ncprnews.bsky.social and @davidncpr.bsky.social www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/5...

I grew up in Evangelical and later Episcopalian churches. Factually, in the Bible centered churches of my childhood this image Trump posted of himself as a supernatural figure with divine powers would have been disqualifying.

Admiration www.nytimes.com/2026/04/11/o...