Q&A1400x1400At the beginning of this podcast, Jay says roughly the following: “Norman Podhoretz and Bill Buckley had the greatest influence on me, politically. But I absolve both of them of responsibility for my errors.”

podhoretznIn the course of this ’cast, Jay talks with N. Pod. about matters literary, political, and personal. They start with Shakespeare – and go on to Yeats, Dickens, and some other fellows (including a non-fellow with the name of a fellow: George Eliot).

They then talk about Vietnam, and its terrible meaning. Which leads to Iraq, Iran, etc.

Among the personalities discussed are Barack Obama, Bill Buckley, and Bill de Blasio. The third of those characters is mayor of New York (Norman Podhoretz’s town). The middle one ran for the office and did not quite make it. But he got a tremendous book out of it.

Incidentally, what’s a “neocon”? N. Pod. is in a position to know, and he discusses the question.

At the end, Jay asks him, “Why the hell don’t you blog and tweet?” Norman P. is great at essays and books, but he would be great at blogging and tweeting, too, if he applied himself.

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  1. tbeck Inactive
    tbeck
    @Dorothea

    Thank you for the interview with this fine gentleman. I enjoyed hearing about W and Mr. P’s exchange over the medal ceremony. And yes, that avatar is a drawing of George Eliot. Fun hearing about Middlemarch, one of my favorites.

    • #1
  2. Ricochet Coolidge
    Ricochet
    @ToryWarWriter

    The older I get the more I want to write a history of the Viet Nam war proving it was won, and then thrown away.

    • #2
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