John Dickerson

John Dickerson is a CBS senior national correspondent and Chief Political Analyst. He is also a Contributing Writer to The Atlantic and is co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest.

  • 03/24/2023: Chat GPT on the difference between how to think about important issues.

    There is a gap in American public conversation between what gets covered and what is objectively important. Presidential campaigns exacerbate this gap. I asked Chat GPT to list the important stories and then I asked Chat GPT to list the stories about issues that impact the greatest number of Americans, which is a rough proxy for perhaps what we should talk about. Look at how the lists differ.
    What are the most important stories in American life today?
    As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions or emotions. However, here are some important stories that have been widely reported and discussed in American life today:
    1. COVID-19 pandemic: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on American life, with rising cases and hospitalizations, vaccine distribution, and debates around mask mandates and other public health measures.
    2. Climate change and environmental issues: Climate change continues to be a major issue in American life, with extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and other environmental concerns.
    3. Racial justice and police reform: The killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans by police sparked nationwide protests and calls for racial justice and police reform, leading to ongoing discussions and policy changes.
    4. Immigration: The ongoing debate over immigration policies, including border security, refugee resettlement, and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), continues to be a major topic in American life.
    5. Political polarization: Political polarization and division continue to be major issues in American life, with ongoing debates around election integrity, voting rights, and the role of government.

    These are just a few of the important stories in American life today, and there are many others as well.

    What are the most important issues in America ranked by the number of people they directly affect?

    As an AI language model, I do not have access to real-time data on the number of people affected by different issues. However, here are some issues that affect a significant portion of the American population:

    1. Healthcare: The healthcare system affects nearly everyone in the United States, whether through access to medical care, health insurance, or the high cost of prescription drugs.
    2. Economic inequality: Economic inequality affects a large portion of the population, with disparities in income, wealth, and access to education and job opportunities.
    3. Education: Education is important for nearly everyone in the United States, with access to quality education and student debt being major concerns.
    4. Climate change and environmental issues: Climate change and environmental issues affect everyone in the United States, from extreme weather events to air and water pollution.
    5. Gun violence: Gun violence affects a significant portion of the population, with ongoing debates around gun control, mass shootings, and community safety.

    These are just a few examples of issues that affect a significant portion of the American population, and there are many others as well. The impact of different issues can vary depending on factors such as location, socioeconomic status, and other individual factors.

    • More Notions

  • 07/13/2024: Asking ChatGPT for ways to engage in conversation.

    Is this the right way to write this query? Q: Someone is making a point to me with which I disagree, but I might be wrong and miss a chance to learn something. They are members of the human race, so I owe them grace and no motive-questioning at the start, but I don’t want […]

  • 06/29/2024: When Reagan had a bad first debate

    Look at these headlines: “Reagan Falters in Debate With Mondale” – The New York Times “Reagan Shows Signs of Weariness in First Debate” – The Washington Post “President’s Debate Stumbles Raise Questions on Age” – The Los Angeles Times “Reagan’s Sluggish Debate Performance Worries Supporters” – Chicago Tribune “Debate Performance Fuels Age Concerns” – The […]

  • 06/04/2024: When a person has been convicted by a jury, what do you refer to them as?

    I asked Claude AI: After a person has been convicted by a jury in a criminal trial, they are referred to as a “convicted criminal” or simply a “convict.” More specific terms may include: Convicted felon – if the crime they were convicted of was a felony offense. Convicted misdemeanant – if the crime they […]

  • 01/08/2024: How he drinks his coffee

    A small pleasure: one of my children and I are working together at the dining room table. We’re both writing. It’s hard for both of us, but we’re typing, so we’re both on the right road. I realize after a bit that I am witness to his writing tics. I have them. Lots of them. […]

  • 01/04/2024: A piece on the personal quality of restraint from 2015 that never ran

    I wrote it for Slate and was just reminded of it. This is a very rough draft. I wish it had run: On a recent Saturday, I listened to the audiobook of The Marshmallow Test while doing chores. In the famous experiment, children were given a choice between candy they could eat immediately, and a larger reward […]

  • 12/07/2023: Is enforced loyalty a good recipe for achievement?

    You: What is the historical record of operations founded on loyalty where the person to whom everyone must show loyalty has a record of almost no reciprocal loyalty? ChatGPT: The historical record of operations or regimes founded on loyalty to a central figure who does not reciprocate that loyalty is marked by instability and often, […]

  • 12/05/2023: I asked Chat GPT to offer guidance to lawmakers offering their endorsement

    You: Pretend I am a lawmaker and I have taken an oath to defend the constitution, how should I decide whether to endorse a candidate for president who will take an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. ChatGPT: In your role as a lawmaker who has taken an oath to defend the Constitution, […]

  • 12/05/2023: Hello! I see you sent me a text message!

    Hello! I see you’ve sent me a text! Is it urgent? If so, please call me. If not, please send me an email, that way I won’t think that in this world of constant interruption where we must have our guard double ready against mindless incursions, that you value my time so cheaply and yours […]

  • 12/02/2023: Discovering the photography of Saul Leiter

    Social media is a scourge, obviously. But I have been trying to respond to the negative effects of social media (cortisol-driving, attention-shredding, ego poking) with long-looking. Long-looking is the practice of spending a lot longer on an idea, piece of art, song, etc. than you normally would so that it give up additional meanings. If […]

  • 11/13/2023: What good is criticism

    I like this idea of criticism. (Colors are from my note taking).  It’s from an essay by Morgan Meis that can be found here. “Criticism does not stand outside the work of art, but stands alongside, maybe even inside, the work of art, participating in the work in order to further express and tease out […]