You are correct Thomas Frank has a Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago. He lived in Hyde Park and I believe
he is friends of Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn. He was (is?) a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal. A few years ago he praised Ayers and Dohrn in the WSJ. After 25 years of reading the Journal cover to cover. I stopped and did not renew my subscription.
Color me unsurprised.