The King of Bedford (Peter McCormack) The King of Bedford In a political milieu dominated by extreme polarization, with creative output scrutinized by a cabal of self-appointed torchbearers, each in thrall to their own specious orthodoxy, Peter McCormack stands alone as a beacon: He remains proudly unpretentious. When I spoke to McCormack earlier this month, the host of the “What Bitcoin Did” podcast had just emerged from his regular brutal dog-piling on Twitter, where he lives. As usual, it was over some minor slight. McCormack has a childlike curiosity about him, which is often mistaken for ignorance or stupidity. And so it was on Tuesday, Dec. 9.