Local Limelight with The Atlantic's David A. Graham

Every day, journalist and Durham resident David A. Graham gets up and tries to make sense of the world of politics as a staff writer at The Atlantic and writer of the magazine's daily newsletter.

Driving the news: His new book, "The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America," out on April 22, attempts to unpack how President Trump's second term in office could reshape the U.S.

• The book takes a deep dive into Project 2025, a nearly 1,000-page document published by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, and its influence on the White House.

What they're saying: Graham said he doesn't believe most voters knew much about Project 2025 when they voted.

• "Democrats basically treated it as a talking point (and in some notable cases misrepresented it)," Graham told Axios. "Donald Trump tried to hide from it. But the full scope of what Project 2025 wanted to achieve and the methods it laid out to do so never really broke through."

You can read an excerpt from the book over at The Atlantic.

• You can also catch Graham chatting about the book with New York Times columnist Frank Bruni at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill on April 29.

We talked with Graham for our latest Local Limelight conversation. The Q&A has been edited for Smart Brevity.

🎓 How did you end up in the Triangle? I went to Duke and left after graduation but returned for my wife's job.

🐝 What's your first read in the morning? Axios Raleigh! (Well, really The New York Times Spelling Bee, but after that…)

🍽️ Favorite place to eat in the Triangle? Ideal's for lunch and Littler for dinner. (RIP Honey's.)

🍻 How do you unplug at the end of the day? A good beer and hanging out with my kids

✈️ What do you think the Triangle is missing? Direct public transit from RDU to Durham, and some really good pho.

📖 What is the last great book you read? "Birnam Wood" by Eleanor Catton

🎸 What is your favorite local musical act? Fust, Hiss Golden Messenger and Phil Cook

⛰️ Favorite long weekend spot? Anywhere in striking distance of Pisgah National Forest

✍️ What's your writing routine like? I wake up every day, look at the news, and frantically try to make sense of it for that afternoon's Atlantic Daily.

🎤 What's something you're looking forward to? Waxahatchee at DPAC in May