Read more: I’ve covered Trump for ten years. At the White House correspondents’ dinner, the darkness felt disturbingly close. Composite: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the David Smith at the White House Press Dinner Shooting podcast written in a natural tone with clear direct answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What exactly is the David Smith at the White House Press Dinner Shooting podcast about
Its a true crime podcast that investigates the bizarre and littleknown story of David Smith a man who planned to attack the White House Correspondents Dinner The show digs into his motives the FBI investigation and how close he came to carrying out the shooting
2 Who is David Smith
David Smith was a man from Mississippi who in 2015 was arrested by the FBI for plotting to attack the White House Correspondents Dinner He was reportedly inspired by ISIS and had stockpiled weapons and ammunition The podcast explores his background and radicalization
3 Why is this story interesting
Because its a what if moment in history The dinner is a huge starstudded event The podcast reveals how close the attack came to happening and why so few people know about it today Its a mix of political intrigue FBI spycraft and a deep dive into a disturbed individual
4 Is this a new podcast or has it been out for a while
Its a relatively recent podcast that gained popularity for its deep investigative reporting Its not a daily news show its a limited series that tells one complete story
5 Do I need to know a lot about politics to understand it
Not really While it involves the White House and the press the podcast focuses on the human story of David Smith and the FBI agents who stopped him You just need a basic understanding of what the White House Correspondents Dinner is
IntermediateLevel Questions
6 How did the FBI actually catch David Smith
The FBI used an undercover informant and a confidential source who were close to Smith They monitored him for months recording his conversations where he discussed his plans and his admiration for ISIS They arrested him just before the dinner
7 Did David Smith actually have a chance of succeeding
The podcast argues that he was a serious threat He had a cache of weapons including assault rifles and was actively casing the area However the FBI was watching him so closely that they would have likely stopped him before he got
