Join the McCain Institute for the next installment of its book talk virtual series on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. This event will feature CBS Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett, National Election Expert David Becker, and McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. They will discuss Garrett and Becker’s latest book, “The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of ‘The Big Lie,’” which illuminates a crowning achievement in America’s quest for a robust democracy in the face of slander by sore losers and opportunists. Filled with interviews of the guardians of democracy—election workers, January 6th Committee members Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) and Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and more—it is an overpowering counterattack against the Big Lie. Garrett and Becker, who is the founder and executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, reveal why Big Lie “fraud” allegations evaporate under scrutiny. They report what actually happened in 2020 while calling out each Trumpian misdirection designed to con and beguile Americans into chasing phantom allegations of election crimes.
Two lucky attendees will receive a copy of “The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of ‘The Big Lie,’” by Major Garrett and David Becker. The winners, drawn at random, will be notified by email after the event.
In 2020, the McCain Institute launched the book talk series Authors & Insights. Through this “reverse book tour,” Institute leaders interview authors of important newly-released books on American politics, policy, and leadership with the intention to engage the American people in a dialogue that affirms the importance of character-driven leadership and America’s role in the international community.
Major Garrett, Chief White House Correspondent, CBS News
Major Garrett was named CBS News’ chief Washington correspondent in December 2018. As chief Washington correspondent, Garrett reports for all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. Garrett is also the host of “The Takeout,” a weekly multi-platform interview show on politics, policy and pop culture available on CBS News Streaming, top radio stations across the country and all podcast platforms.
From 2012 until 2018, Garrett served as the Network’s chief White House correspondent. While covering the White House for CBS News, Garrett reported extensively on presidential actions to confront ISIS, Ebola, nuclear negotiations with Iran and U.S.-European efforts to confront Russia in the standoff over Ukraine. On domestic issues, Garrett reported on the Obama administration’s handling of the health care website rollout, numerous policy failures at the Veterans Administration and the president’s ongoing efforts in 2014 to address racial strife and criminal justice reform. He has traveled with the president to Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
In 2015-2016, Garrett spent 16 months on the road covering the Republican presidential campaign, including every GOP debate, both major party conventions and every day of the general election. During the transition, Garrett broke numerous cabinet appointments, including Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Garrett has covered every major domestic and foreign policy story of the trump administration.
Before joining CBS News as chief White House correspondent, Garrett was a fixture during CBS News’ coverage of Campaign 2012 through a partnership with the National Journal, where he was chief White House correspondent. He co-hosted the network’s coverage of the 2011 South Carolina Republican Primary debate alongside “CBS Evening News” anchor and managing editor Scott Pelley and offered analysis for every 2012 general election presidential debate.
Prior to National Journal, Garrett was the chief White House correspondent for Fox News. During his eight years at Fox, Garrett also covered two presidential elections, Congress, the war in Iraq and other major stories. Before joining Fox News, Garrett was a White House correspondent for CNN during the administrations of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Previously, he was a senior editor and congressional correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, where he reported on Congress and the impeachment of President Clinton. He was a congressional reporter for The Washington Times (1990-95) and the newspaper’s deputy national editor (1995-97). Earlier in his career, Garrett was a reporter for The Houston Post, Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Amarillo Globe-News.
Garrett is the author of four books: “Common Cents,” with former Rep. Tim Penny (D-Minnesota) Little, Brown Publisher, 1995; “The 15 Biggest Lies in Politics,” St. Martin’s 1999; “The Enduring Revolution,” Crown Forum 2005 and and “Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride,” St. Martin’s, 2018.
Garrett graduated in 1984 from the University of Missouri with degrees in journalism and political science. A native of San Diego, California, he lives in Washington, D.C.
David Becker, Founder & Executive Director, Center for Election Innovation & Research
David Becker is the Executive Director and Founder of the nonpartisan, non-profit Center for Election Innovation & Research, working with election officials of both parties, all around the country, to ensure accessible, secure elections for all eligible voters. A key element of David’s work with CEIR is managing the Election Official Legal Defense Network, providing pro bono legal assistance to election officials who are threatened with frivolous criminal prosecution, harassment, or physical violence.
Prior to founding CEIR, David was Director of the elections program at The Pew Charitable Trusts. As the lead for Pew’s analysis and advocacy on elections issues, David spearheaded development of the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, which to date has helped a bipartisan group of thirty states update over 25 million out-of-date voter records, and helped those states register tens of millions of new eligible voters.
Before joining Pew, David served for seven years as a senior trial attorney in the Voting Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, overseeing voting rights enforcement in several states, including California and Georgia, and served as lead counsel on major voting rights litigation, including the case of Georgia v. Ashcroft, ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
David serves as CBS’ election law expert, and his many appearances in the media include The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, PBS NewsHour, and NPR, and is frequently published on election issues. David is the co-author, with CBS News’ Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett, of the book THE BIG TRUTH: Upholding Democracy in the Age of The Big Lie.
David received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and was a two-time champion on Jeopardy! and a winner on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.