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Henry Olsen

Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center. Author, The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue Collar Conservatism (Harper Collins), and The Four Faces of the Republican Party (Palgrave Macmillan).

Series

3 Whisky Happy Hour16 episodesThe Ricochet Podcast13 episodesWhat the Hell Is Going On1 episode

Recent Episodes

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Addressing the Elephant in the Room

Conservatism and the Republican Party have been at an impasse for some time. On the one hand, we're beholden to the enduring principles of our founding, on the other we're proud members of the world's most innovative state. Henry Olsen joins Steve and James this week to discuss life at the conservative crossroads. (Check out his new podcast series of the same name here!) Plus, Lileks and Hayward celebrate the EPA's move to drop the greenhouse gas "endangerment finding," and mark the departure of a friend of Ricochet. Rest in peace, John Ekdahl.
Hosts:
James LileksSteve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

May 2025

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Go Ahead, Make Our Day

Western elites have run into a recurring predicament over the past decade: In a democracy, you can't abolish the voters. Populist coalitions are on the march in Europe, and while they've yet to take over their respective governments like their American counterparts, they aren't going away. So Henry Olsen returns to the podcast to give us the scoop on everybody from the Romanians, who just had their delayed election, to the Poles and Hungarians who have some coming up, along with Reform UK and AfD. We also dig into Trump's so-far successful 'Dirty Harry' theory of justice and the limitations any politician's gotta know — even the transformational ones. Plus, Lileks and Hayward yap about the latest with Harvard, the "stochastic terrorism" that killed two young Jews in DC, and Original Sin... - Soundbite from this week's open: UK PM Kier Starmer pivots on immigration
Hosts:
James LileksSteve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

November 2024

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Return of the Working Class Republican

Who better to talk to on our post-election victory lap episode than the man who saw it coming? Henry Olsen joins after proving correct in his daring prediction in the New York Post of a Trump-led red wave. We get into how he called it and his detailed post-op report. We also give him the chance to take off his analyst cap to do a little rooting for the team. And, of course, we get into his 2017 book, The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism, where he posited that the unlikely figure of Donald Trump was returning the Republican Party to the foundations that the Gipper laid out. - Sound clip from the open: Donald Trump "firing" Kamala Harris at his rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonSteve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

September 2024

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

A Warning Against Nihilism

They say Labor Day marks the ordinary American's starting point for following a particular election cycle, setting off a scramble for undecides by campaigners and a busy couple of months for pollsters. Henry Olsen returns to discuss where things stand in the presidential race as we head toward the first debate; he offers some potential outcomes that will determine the extent of the Republican majority in the Senate; and he expands on his piece about the populist parties' successes in eastern Germany, explaining "Ostalgie," and detailing the adjustments mainstream parties will have to make if they want to maintain stability in the West. Plus, James and Charlie are emphatically pro-Churchill. - This week’s opening sound: Darryl Cooper's take on Winston Churchill in an interview with Tucker Carlson.
Hosts:
Charles C. W. CookeJames Lileks
Organization
Ricochet

July 2024

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

The Republican Edge

Joe Biden is adamant about staying in the race. It's a fitting move for the leader of a party that has lost its long-held advantage in voter identification. Beyond the Polls host Henry Olsen joins James, Rob and Steve Hayward to dive into the Democratic Party's dilemma, the global political realignment, and the here-to-stay Populist Era. - This week’s audio: A trio of Biden gems in a week full of them.
Hosts:
James LileksRob LongSteve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

January 2024

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Twirling Twirling Into The Future

One caucus down and it appears the whole GOP primary is decided. Thankfully when you get a guest like Henry Olsen (EPPC senior fellow and host of the must-listen Beyond the Polls podcast) everything stays fresh and interesting. Henry has thoughts on what's left of this Republican primary along with the mess in the D camp; he runs us through campaigns we're scratching our heads at, forgotten about—or would like to forget about; and he swats away many of the overconfident predictions about how a Trump/Biden rematch will shake out. James, Rob and Peter applaud Javier Melei and the great free market that wants to spread good news; plus they say their piece about inclement weather and wonder what time it really is in New York. Audio from this week's open: Trump speaks post-Iowa in New Hampshire; Biden reacts to Trump’s win.
Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Organization
Ricochet

August 2023

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Beyond the Polls (There Be Dragons!)

There's post-debate analysis, and then there's post-debate analysis with Henry Olsen. Henry talents with numbers and genius for the politcal metaphor will make you rethink Wednesday's showdown in Milwaukee. Henry takes us through the snap polls, considers the candidates' new prospects, and posits a game changer (or two) that the casual debate watcher may have overlooked. (And once you've enjoyed this eye-opening discussion enough to make you hungry for more, you can hop on over to listen to Mr. Olsen's very own podcast, Beyond the Polls. Plus, Peter's back! Hear all about his peregrinations, along with other chatter about well-charted waters. Song of the week: Soundbites from the opening audio: Trump in Atlanta; Christie in Milwaukee
Hosts:
Peter RobinsonRob LongSteve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

November 2022

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Baseball and the Midterms with Henry Olsen

With the World Series knotted at 2-2, and the mid-term election just days away, it seemed the perfect time to catch up with Henry Olsen, the premier psephologist (trying saying that word fast just once, never mind seven times) of all things data-related when it comes to politics—and also baseball. We disagree about the decision to remove a starting pitcher working on a no-hitter into the 7th inning of a World Series game, though Henry makes a strong case that the numbers totally justified the drama-killing decision. Our main subject, though, is the general scene for the mid-term, and some specific polling puzzles that have been much on my mind. Henry thinks a Republican wave is coming in general, but whether medium-sized or huge (or, as I present the choice for surf-literate Californians, a Mavericks-size wave, or a Zuma Beach-sized wave) is still uncertain to Henry, though he'll declare himself Monday afternoon when his detailed biennial pre-election predictions will go up at the Washington Post. Be sure to tune into his Twitter feed on election night, as it will be the best spot to get the most accurate and timely race-by-race analysis and early calls. Needless to say, this episode calls for topical exit music, which could only mean one thing: Little Feat "Apolitcal Blues."
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

October 2021

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Why Biden is Whiffing, and Other Baseball Analysis with Henry Olsen

What do baseball and politics have in common? I have no idea, but Henry Olsen does. Actually, the kinds of data measurements we use in baseball can be applied to politics as well, and few do it better than Henry. So in this "classic format" episode, we talk about why President Biden is just biding his time in office, having squandered his election by mis-reading the public mood, and how this may very well tip the off-year gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey to Republicans, as it did in 1993 and 2009, when, in what has become a recurring pattern, Democrats overreach. Then we talk about baseball—in particular the decline of starting pitchers and .300 hitters, and the rise of the so-called "bullpen game." Give me those old 20-game winners like Jim Palmer and .325 hitters like Rod Carew and Pete Rose, please. But you'd expect this from a reactionary like me.
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

January 2021

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

The Three Whiskey Happy Hour: The Metaphysics of the Election

Settle in with your favorite single malt for this extra-long episode that offers a deep dive into the election results with Henry Olsen, the Trump-sympathetic analyst who concludes that Democrat voter fraud did not determine the outcome of the election. He fields a lot of fastballs and curveballs from me and "Lucretia" about why so many Americans can harbor reasonable doubts that the election was run fairly—about why this election seems, as I put it, "metaphysically wrong" and challenging to basic sense perception. Henry runs through a lot of numbers that are equally challenging for the Steal narrative. He agrees that the COVID-induced voting liberalization is problematic, and that we still need to get to the bottom of a lot of problems. And if we don't, future elections will be even worse. We also unveil on this episode the first "Attack Ad" of the Three Whisky Happy Hour campaign; you'll just need to listen to hear who gets attacked first! We could have gone on for two more hours easily, and in fact after we ended the recording, we ended up talking and arguing for another 45 minutes, so we're going to have to have Henry back for another round soon.
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

October 2020

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

The Three Whisky Happy Hour, with Guest Drinker Henry Olsen

Better late than never, "Lucretia" and I team up to review what's going on in the news along with drinking to the confirmation of Justice Barrett, but are most interested in thinking a bit about what is "metaphysically" wrong with the election scene, with poll after poll showing a solid Biden lead against lots of sense perception—and several historical examples—that argues for a different outcome. And so this became a crossover episode of the podcast, since I decided to pin down Henry Olsen, who I abuse for starting a competing podcast (ahem), and for his corrupt views about European "football." We did our best to refrain from too many #MeToobin jokes, but Chelsea Handler's stunning echo of Joe Biden ("if you don't vote for me, you ain't black") that we play right at the beginning is pretty revealing of the bedrock identity assumptions of the left these days. Talk about losing your grip.
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet
The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

The Viral President

The news cycle these days is crushing -- warping time upon itself like a black hole. So how does America's Most Balanced Podcast® respond? By booking a third guest, of course. On today's lineup, we've got Casey Mattox;the Vice President for Legal and Judicial Strategy at Americans for Prosperity, a group dedicated to (among other things), getting Amy Coney Barrett through the nomination process. You can help by visiting their website UniteForBarrett.com and signing a letter that will be sent to your Senator. Do it! Then, our good friend (and fellow board member) Dr. George Savage stops by to give us an M.D.'s perspective on the President's condition and what his course of treatment might be. Finally, Henry Olsen, he of the Horse Race podcast right here on this network visits and dispenses some punditry on how the President's health may affect his re-election effort. No spoilers here, sorry. Finally, the Lileks Post of The Week is back and it's a doozy: did Harry Truman actually approve the use of the use of the A-Bomb at the end of WWII or did the military just deploy like a new submarine or aircraft? We get into it and then some. Music from this week's show: Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon
Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Organization
Ricochet

March 2020

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

My Corona

Rob Long is off this week, Law Talk's John Yoo is sitting in. We've got Henry Olsen (he of The Horse Race podcast right here on this network) to chat about Super Duper Tuesday, Joementum!, and whether we've seen the last of the Socialist. Then, our friend and advisor Dr. George Savage stops by the tell us all about the Corona Virus -- who's got it, who doesn't, what we can do about it and what we can't. Yes, we're sick of this topic too. Also, Chuck Schumer says something dumb, why are so many old white guys running for higher office, are some people are too damn sensitive, and another edition of What Are You Watching? Music from this week's show: My Sharona by The Knack
Hosts:
James LileksJohn YooPeter Robinson
Organization
Ricochet

January 2020

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

A Blast From The Past

You asked for more face time with The Founders®, and here it is: our first Question Time show of 2020 (there will be more!). We cover some Ricochet history, get into a feisty debate about abortion, take a brief break with Henry Olsen, host of our new Horse Race podcast to make some hay (see what we did there?) on impeachment and some key Senate races. Also, Lileks opines on the new Star Trek series, and the hosts pick a historical moment they'd like to visit once we achieve a critical mass of members (what are YOU waiting for? Join today!). Thanks for all the great questions, Ricochet members! Music from this week's show: Happy Feet by The Manhattan Rythm Kings
Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Organization
Ricochet

December 2019

What the Hell Is Going On
What the Hell Is Going On

WTH do the UK elections mean for us? Boris Johnson’s victory and its implications for the US presidential election

Last Thursday, Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party dominated the UK elections, earning a critical victory that will finally pave the way for Brexit. Breaking through the impermeable “Red Wall,” Johnson’s party emerged with 365 parliamentary seats—the largest Conservative win since 1987. How did Johnson and the Conservatives pull it off? Reporting from the UK, Henry Olsen joined Dany and Marc to discuss the election results and its implications for the 2020 US presidential election. Olsen remarks on the lessons that Donald Trump should take from Johnson’s success and what the Democrats could learn from Jeremy Corbyn’s defeat. Henry Olsen is a Washington Post columnist and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Olsen is the author of “The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism” and (with Dante J. Scala) “The Four Faces of the Republican Party.” He holds a BA from Claremont McKenna College and a JD from the University of Chicago Law School.
Hosts:
Danielle PletkaMarc Thiessen
Organization
American Enterprise Institute

November 2019

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Henry Olsen with the Inside Baseball on Politics and . . . Baseball

This week Steve Hayward hosts Henry Olsen going through the inside baseball of the unfolding Democratic presidential primary season, but also the inside baseball about . . . baseball! Did you know that the Houston Astros colluded with the Russians and Ukrainians to steal the 2017 World Series! So runs the allegation, with hearings no doubt to follow. In any case, Steve actually stumps Henry by recalling the slowest relief pitcher ever, Don "Full Pack" Stanhouse. (And when it comes to reforming baseball to make it great again, Henry has a simple proposal: make the fielding gloves smaller. You'll just have to listen to learn his reasons why—I'm not giving it away here.) But the main event of this episode is the Democratic field, with new entrants Deval Patrick and Michael Bloomberg. Henry says to keep an eye on Patrick. We also preview the upcoming British election, which Henry will attend and report on for the Washington Post. The election is setting up as a proxy for Brexit, and Henry expect the Conservative Party and Boris Johnson to do very well. But we're still almost a month off from the election, so stay tuned.
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

September 2019

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Debate The Debate

This week, Bolton bolts, we debate the debate with The Washington Post's Henry Olsen, kick around the culture with The Atlantic's Andrew Ferguson, we've got a new Long Poll question for you (but you have to be a Ricochet member to vote), Lileks awards the coveted Member Post of The Week, and some thoughts on the 18th anniversary of 9/11. Music from this week's show: My City of Ruins by Bruce Springsteen
Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Organization
Ricochet

June 2019

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Taking Trips

This week, we reunite the cast and they tell us a bit about their summer trips (or swanky conferences). Then, the EPCC's Henry Olsen joins us for some rank punditry® on 2020 and Trump's re-election chances, as well as keeping the Senate and winning back the House. Also, Iran, China, Italy, and yes, Costa Rica. Music from this week's show: Volare (Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu) by Dean Martin
Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Organization
Ricochet

May 2019

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

‘Populism’ Marches on Overseas: Henry Olsen on Elections in the EU and Australia

I've decided that "populism" is when the wrong person or party wins a democratic election. Certainly the way the media and liberal elites have reacted to the Liberal Party's upset win in Australia bears this out (keep in mind that the Liberal Party in Australia is the conservative party, but what do you expect from a country in the southern hemisphere). The media horror over Australia has been short-lived however, because the populists look set for major gains in the European Parliament elections currently under way. The wipe out of the Brexit-fumbling Tory Party in Britain has at last cost Theresa May her job, and the prospect of Boris Johnson becoming the next prime minister is Freddy Kruger territory for the media, who are also upset that India's voters decided to return the retrograde pro-American Prime Minister Modi to office by a landslide. What's a liberal elitist to do? Well, one thing a liberal elitist ought to do (but probably won't) is listen in to Henry Olson as he explains what's going on. No one knows the data better than Henry, and I got him to give us his expectations and predictions for what's next, including why Jeremy Corbyn will never make it, but why Joe Biden just might. Plus there's a little baseball and soccer banter at the end, to send us off into our Memorial Day weekend. Exit music this week is "Apolitical Blues" by Little Feat, with Lowell George fronting with his incomparable blues voice.
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

March 2019

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Where Joe Biden Meets Bryce Harper: A Henry Olsen Omnibus

Have you had enough of the Mueller Report? Done smoldering over Smollett? Jazzed at opening day for MLB? Then have we got the show for you! This episode features a conversation with Henry Olsen about the lessons of the 2018 midterm, how the Democratic presidential field for 2020 is shaping up (with lots of mockery of course), a genteel argument about Henry's views about why conservatives should rethink their reflexive support for the electoral college (an admission scandal of a different kind, you might say), and finally a tour of the new season of major league baseball, with Henry's handicap of the teams that made the best moves. Plus a psychological diagnosis of Clayton Kershaw's post-season troubles, and whether the Nationals will prosper without Bryce Harper. Something for everyone!
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

November 2018

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Henry Olsen’s Midterm Outlook

We're up early with this week's edition of the Power Line Show, because Steve Hayward (his voice finally back to about 90 percent) cornered Henry Olsen to get Henry's Jedi-like outlook on the mid-term election next week. Henry's not ready yet to make many specific calls—his detailed race-by-race forecast will go up at National Review Online this Sunday night or next Monday morning—but right how he thinks it looks good for the GOP in the Senate, close in the House, and bad for governorships. As a special bonus, we end with a few of his sensible thoughts on how to improve major league baseball. (Bumper music this week: "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" [something we ask ourselves just about every time we call Henry Olsen] by the Arctic Monkeys, and "Rosalee" by the Chris Robinson Brotherhood.)
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

September 2018

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

The Power Line Show Ep 86: November’s Coming!

With two more weeks of primary election results to pick over, Steve Hayward checks in with Henry Olsen to see how things look. Florida increasingly appears to be the most interesting battleground state, with very competitive races for both governor and U.S. Senator. Henry also puts down his political polling data and puts on his Bill James hat to look ahead to the baseball playoff season starting a month from now. Also soccer, but we don't really care about soccer. It's a weenie Eurosport.
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

July 2018

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Here Comes Da Judge!

With the ascent of "democratic socialism" in the Democratic party and a Supreme Court confirmation fight commencing this week, Steve Hayward checks in for the latest on how this may play out in the midterm election with Henry Olsen, and also introduces us to a new special, anonymous (and soon to be regular) mystery guest, "Professor X." She teaches at a major public university, and argues that we aren't arguing broadly enough about what is wrong with the Supreme Court these days. (Bonus: we also talk guns and shooting!)
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

June 2018

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

The IG Report, and the Latest Big Wave Surf Forecast

Steve Hayward is joined this week by Power Line's own John Hinderaker and Power Line's eminence grise behind the curtain, Joe Malchow, to dissect the key takeaways of the Inspector General's findings about the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton. The second half of this episode features Henry Olsen with his latest "surf report" about where the Democrats' "blue wave" stands at the moment. Hint: Democrats shouldn't be waxing up their longboards just yet.
Hosts:
John HinderakerSteve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet
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