The COMMENTARY MAGAZINE triumvirate of Podhoretz, Rothman, and senior editor Abe Greenwald are back to bring you the bad news—and it’s really all bad news, let’s face it—about the possibilities for stopping Donald Trump going forward (not that good), the condition of Ted Cruz’s bid for the nomination (not really all that good), what the hell John Kasich is up to (probably not any good), and how Trump has controlled the Republican Party for nine months through threats that are only getting wilder as he gets closer to his goal.

Not to worry: They end with a joke!

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There are 14 comments.

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  1. ParisParamus Inactive
    ParisParamus
    @ParisParamus

    Sorry, I can’t bear to listen to this Podcast.  Upside: negligible, downside: depression.

    • #1
  2. David Sussman Member
    David Sussman
    @DaveSussman

    Well that was painful. Not so much the content of the podcast. The mess is what it is…. But oh, that joke.

    • #2
  3. dukenaltum Inactive
    dukenaltum
    @dukenaltum

    Mr. Podhoretz,

    Do the country a favor and offer your brilliant assessment of this campaign to the Cruz people and straighten them out.  Take a sabbatical if you must.  The nation needs you.

    Thanks.

    Regards,

    p.s. I liked the joke so there is a high probability that I am insane.

    • #3
  4. Petty Boozswha Inactive
    Petty Boozswha
    @PettyBoozswha

    Oy vey, that was the most depressing podcast I’ve ever subjected myself to. I’m definitely not going to see you at Chuckles in West Nyack.

    • #4
  5. Tyler Boliver Inactive
    Tyler Boliver
    @Marlowe

    “I’m the guy who stopped things from happening.” is exactly how Coolidge won a second term in 1924. Rubio tried fighting Trump, and it didn’t work. Cruz’s I’m going to restore your freedom, and stop bad legislation from staying as law, and becoming law in the first place has worked so far. Why should he stop doing that, and suddenly start using Marco Rubio’s talking points? Rubio seems to think that the reason he lost in the first place is because he stood up to Trump.

    “Keep Cool With Cruz” is the only thing that has worked so far against Trump. Ted Cruz acting like an adult and telling Trump to count to ten, worked. Which is why Trump does not want to debate him.

    • #5
  6. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    Republicans especially conservatives think and talk too much.   This hand wringing public exercising of fear of a Trump win doesn’t help.  Asserting a Cruz win if we get out the vote actually helps.  If he does leave the convention with a win, Trump and his supporters will have heard the story and not be surprised, maybe they’ll vote.  Cruz supporter won’t lose heart and give up, and Trump supporters at fox news, the political class and donors won’t be so triumphant and confident and quick to write checks.  Cruz may get more media coverage and Trump less.   It’s like talking about Scalia replacement, it doesn’t help.  It works against Republicans who are so easily stampeded by the media.  Just say no then shut up about the court.  Just say, Cruz will win, then give reasons why he’d be a great president.  Stop the soul searching, the indecision, the pusillanimous speculation.

    • #6
  7. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    I gave up about half way through.

    Could you guys talk about something less depressing next time.  Like the state of the Mideast peace talks, or India/Pakistani relations or the Syrian war.

    Jeez.

    • #7
  8. Todd Inactive
    Todd
    @Todd

    So depressing.  But I still have hope.

    • #8
  9. Rightfromthestart Coolidge
    Rightfromthestart
    @Rightfromthestart

    Again with the sirens?  Where does John work from ?

    • #9
  10. Ario IronStar Inactive
    Ario IronStar
    @ArioIronStar

    JOHN, STOP POUNDING THE TABLE AS YOU TALK!!!!!

    I mean that literally.  Whenever, you are talking, there is a constant, -thump- -thump- -thump-.  You have no idea how annoying it is.

    On the other hand, if you were trying to annoy me, well done.  But the thumping is unnecessary, even if that’s your goal.

    As for the content of the podcast:  SMILE!  Really, how bad can it be?

    • #10
  11. John Podhoretz Podcaster
    John Podhoretz
    @JohnPodhoretz

    Hey you guys–I’m not thumping on the table or anything. We had some sound problems this week that were entirely the fault of Skype. And you hear sirens because we’re recording these at our offices two blocks south of 42nd street and Seventh Avenue.

    • #11
  12. Kim K. Inactive
    Kim K.
    @KimK

    The joke was great. Reminds me of a similar one in which a man believes God will rescue him from a terrible flood. As the water rises someone comes to his door and tells him to leave. But the man replies that, no thanks, God will save him. Several hours later the flood waters rise to the point that the man is in his second story. A firefighter rows up to a window and tells the man to get in the boat. The man again replies, no thanks, God is going to save him. Hours later the man is on his roof and a helicopter comes to him and drops a rope ladder imploring the man to climb up. Again, no thanks, God is going to save him. The man eventually drowns. He gets to heaven and says to God, why didn’t you save me? God replies, I tried three times.

    • #12
  13. viruscop Member
    viruscop
    @Viruscop

    This was one of the best podcasts that I have heard on Ricochet.

    • #13
  14. Freesmith Member
    Freesmith
    @

    A 42-minute podcast featuring 35 minutes of John Podhoretz kvetching.

    Why was Abe brought on to join Noah in constant mute agreement – does John need an audience?

    As a group the Ricochet podcasts are becoming a wee bit monochromatic, don’t you think? I mean, what is the difference among Mona and Jay’s, Kevin and Charles’s and John, Noah and Abe’s these days.

    One long whine.

    • #14
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