S8 Ep1189: Isaac Stone Fish, author of America Second: How America's Elites Are Making China Stronger, investigates how American political,

Isaac Stone Fish, author of America Second: How America's Elites Are Making China Stronger, investigates how American political, corporate, and cultural elites have become deeply entangled with the Chinese Communist Party(CCP) since the 1970s. He identifies Henry Kissinger as the most influential figure in this relationship, alleging that Kissinger's consulting model prioritized personal profit and CCP interests over American national security. The book also critiques the Bush and Clinton families for their roles in romancing Beijing and facilitating China's entry into the WTO. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the self-censorship of Hollywood, where studios now reflexively avoid critical portrayals of China to maintain market access. Stone Fish details how the CCP uses "psychological manipulation" to force apologies from executives like Michael Eisner and to silence stars like Richard Gere. This influence extends to sports, highlighted by LeBron James' criticism of Daryl Morey for supporting democracy in Hong Kong. Stone Fish argues that while trade was initially sold as a means to democratize China, it has instead empowered a more authoritarian regime under Xi Jinping. He warns that the CCP's success in using American "interlocutors" and "friends" has allowed it to pursue genocide in Xinjiang and aggressive "wolf warrior" diplomacy with minimal resistance from the West's most powerful institutions. He urges a new consensus to address the national security and ethical risks posed by these ties. (4)1935 Beijing