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Steve Hayward

Professor at Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy, and curator of "Political Questions" Substack. Previouslysenior resident scholar at the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, and a visiting lecturer at Berkeley Law School.

Series

3 Whisky Happy Hour2 episodesThe Radio Free Hillsdale Hour1 episodeThe Ricochet Podcast5 episodes

Recent Episodes

The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour
The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour

The Real Legacy of Jimmy Carter

Guests: Miles Smith IV & Steven F. Hayward Host Scot Bertram talks with Miles Smith IV, assistant professor of history at Hillsdale College, about his recent essay on the cultural crisis reducing the effectiveness of the U.S. Navy. And Steven F. Hayward, professor of public policy at Pepperdine University and senior fellow at Pacific Research Institute, discusses how Jimmy Carter shattered American confidence in the presidency as described in his book The Real Jimmy Carter: How Our Worst Ex-President Undermines American Foreign Policy, Coddles Dictators and Created the Party of Clinton and Kerry.
Host:
Scot Bertram
Organization
Hillsdale College

March 2024

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Drunken Monkey Business

This week the Three Whiskey Happy Hour gang join James for a riotous good time, even as discuss and debate their beloved nation's precarious situation. They cover Joe Biden's visit to the border, Donald Trump's appeals to the Supreme Court, the latest on the war in Gaza, and a silly journalist's constitutional illiteracy. Plus there are whiskey recommendations and a must-hear story about apish antics on the high seas. And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Three Whiskey Happy Hour podcast! - Soundbite from this week: dueling press conferences in Texas between the current and previous occupant of the Oval Office.
Host:
James Lileks
Organization
Ricochet

August 2023

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

A Sparking Powerline

We've got a crossover episode, folks! Our friends of the Three Whiskey Happy Hour podcast (Steve Hayward, "Lucretia" and John Yoo) join to talk about the wacky legal matters of our time. There are environmentalists claiming the positive right to enjoy cooperative weather; they discuss the plush and cozy Hunter Biden tier of criminal justice compared to the briar patch tier that The Donald's living in; James dishes out some, ahem, tough love to the yutes; plus our guests pick the word that annoys them most these days. Song of the Week: Sound clip Fani Willis, Donald Trump and Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) on the indictments (Kennedy courtesy Hugh Hewitt Show)
Host:
James Lileks
Organization
Ricochet

April 2023

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Peak Crazy Achieved?

You know how people who think they can top something crazy like to say, "Hold my beer"? Well, this week Budweiser decided to try to top Alvin Bragg's bogus indictment of Donald Trump by rebranding their "light" beer such that no one want to hold it even for Alvin Bragg. What explains this dumbest marketing move since the New Coke? And does the Biden Administration have a political death wish by deciding to use Title IX as a trans-cudgel? ("Trans-cudgel" is one of the 159 genders isn't it?) Yes, this week was that crazy, and we haven't even got to the elections in Chicago and Wisconsin yet. John Yoo hosts this week's episode, which is good since Steve is under the weather with yet another bug of some kind, necessitating at least three whiskies, while Lucretia adds to her "Moron of the Week" designation with yet another new feature (which will rotate amongst the three of us every week) on . . . political philosophy! Don't groan—it's going to be fun. Especially since Steve demonstrates in this episode how it is possible to sneak up on John unawares with a reference to . . . the verboten Clean Air Act!
Host:
John Yoo
Organization
Ricochet

July 2022

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Toss ’Em In The Pin

It's a free-for-all on the Ricochet Podcast this week! Rob and Peter are off enjoying the last gasp of Summer, so filling in are the effervescent John Yoo and the mysterious "Lucretia". Our official guest is Rafael Mangual, the newly minted author of Criminal (In)justice, which compiles his years of studying criminality in the U.S. and the progressive inaction of those charged with fighting it. Steve Hayward also pops in from Scotland, as seeing John and his Power Line Podcast co-host Lucretia as guest hosts is making him nervous about the security of his lucrative side gig here on the flagship. The merry gang also discuss the much-talked-about definition of "recession"; naturally, there's some talk about SCOTUS and the philosophy of law; plus, John and Lucretia have some thoughts on the possibility that Congress investigates Anthony Fauci.
Hosts:
James LileksJohn Yoo'Lucretia'
Organization
Ricochet

January 2022

3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Steve Hayward on ‘America’s Nervous Breakdown’

With today's leftist Ahab-like obsession with the "insurrection" of January 6, it seems like as good a time as any to post the lecture I gave last summer in Budapest (cue scary Dracula music here) last summer on "What's Going on in America?" My summary answer: America is having a nervous breakdown. Slightly longer summary: we've seen this before in many ways, and sometimes worse, such as in the 1960s. However, some things about the present moment are much more ominous than in the 1960s, such as how leftist postmodern dogma, which is indistinguishable from nihilism, has settled at the core of nearly all of America's institutions, including big business and the churches. Recovery from this will be more difficult than it was in the 1970s and 1980s. I still intend to turn this lecture into a longer article, but I’d love to hear from readers on this thesis and answer the question: should my next book be “America’s Nervous Breakdown”? Or would a book on reviving breakdancing be better?
Host:
Steve Hayward
Organization
Ricochet

April 2021

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

The Royals

We recorded this one on Friday evening, which is the reason most of you are receiving it on Saturday. We're sorry about that, but to make up for it, we cast around for the perfect ensemble and we think we nailed it: Steve Hayward, John Yoo, and Erick Erickson. The latter joins to give us the lowdown on all of the politics in Georgia, which he knows better than anyone. After that, it's a bit of an open mic night, we veer from the threat of a China/Taiwan conflict to the scene on college campuses, and some thoughts on the U.K. on the passing of Prince Phillip. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy one. Music from this week's episode: Royals by Lorde
Hosts:
James LileksPeter Robinson
Organization
Ricochet

January 2021

The Ricochet Podcast
The Ricochet Podcast

Aliens Among Us

Settle in folks, this is a long one (and not in the Rob sense of the word). First up, Powerline's Steve Hayward (and the host of the Powerline Podcast available on the Ricochet Audio Network) drops by to discuss the inauguration and preview the Biden administration. Then, a segment we have been looking forward to for a long time. Avi Loeb is a Professor of Science at Harvard University and the longest serving chair of Harvard Astronomy Department. His new book, Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth, posits that an alien craft visited our solar system in 2017. He makes a compelling and science based case for it, and if he's correct, it's one of the most --if not the most-- significant scientific discovery in human history. You heard it here first, folks. Finally, Antonia Okafor is the host of the Speak-Easy podcast,one of our newest shows and one of our best. We talk to her about her passion for guns and the 2nd Amendment and why Kamala Harris becoming Vice President is significant to her, even though Antonia disagrees with almost all of Harris' policy positions and politics. We urge you to listen to her 4 minute long solo edition of Speak-Easy on this topic. It's enlightening and moving. Music from this week's show: Waiting For The UFOs by Graham Parker and The Rumor
Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Organization
Ricochet