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One of the two people on the pro side of the debate mentioned offhand how Walter Cronkite was once polled as the most trusted person in America, and Gladwell latched on to that single comment with a series of bizarre non-sequiturs and innuendo throughout the remainder of the debate. Even in his closing statement, Gladwell just couldn't let the Cronkite remark go ("...with Matt the answer is obvious; he would like if the world resembled 1955 again. That would fill him with joy...."). It was just a bizarre performance for Gladwell.
What a great way to unwittingly prove the point of those arguing in the affirmative: that people like Gladwell are so ensconced in their bubble, that they have no idea how petty and silly these unfounded accusations of racism sound to most people. He kept hammering and harping on that point because it plays well in his circle of NYC elites.