Rick Perlstein's new book Nixonland tries to chart the beginning of the majoritarian backlash that crushed the reformist spirit of the 60s and ushered in a period of sharp conservatism. The blame largely accords, in his vision, to the excesses of the left and Nixon's brilliance in exploiting and politicizing them. Today, he's got an excerpt from one of the more arresting and intense sections of the book, and it's almost his whole story in microcosm. Give it a read. Also, buy the book.
