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If It Pleads, It Leads

Episode length: 1h 6m

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It's a milestone episode! Number Eight Hundred. That calls for a celebration. Not only does Ricochet co-founder Peter Robinson join to host, but our dear pal Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is able to take a moment away from running both the NIH and CDC to talk about the downfall of Anthony Fauci and his team's work to restore public trust in America's leading public health and scientific institutions. With his characteristic disarming humility, the good doctor Jay explains what he found most striking about Dr. Fauci's journal entries and evastions before Congress. The gang then pivots to what must be done to prevent a bureaucrat from acquiring such dictatorial powers and taxpayers from having to fund their own pandemic.

Plus, Robinson, Hayward and Lileks wish the DNC luck in staving off the DSA; they find in our techno-innovators things to be hopeful for despite a generation that knew not the Soviets; they have a friendly debate over the triviality of pop-culture; and they say farewell to a departed Ricochet member.

Sound from this week's open: Anthony Fauci pleads the Fifth rather than answer Senator Rand Paul's questions before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Closing Music: "Center of the Universe" by Markus Little, via MotionArray

Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonSteve Hayward
Guest:
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya

Discussion (10)

  • WilliamWarford@WilliamWarford

    Congratulations on No. 800! Very enjoyable episode. Peter: "Lloyd George? The Prime Minister?" Steve: "Lowell George, the lead man for Little Feat."

    I know far more about '70s shows that 2020s shows. Don't know 2020s music at all. I am sure I have heard Taylor Swift songs, in the gym or in waiting rooms or stores -- but didn't know they were Taylor Swift songs.

  • Eustace C. Scrubb@EustaceCScrubb

    Speaking of "The Day After", I watched it in the TV room in seminary with a large group gathered. Such a glum feeling in the room at its conclusion. Then playing over the credits was Virgil Thompson's "The River". It used as a theme the hymn How Firm a Foundation which includes the lyrics (not sung, but going through my head at the time), "That soul though all hell shall endeavor to shake, I will never, no never, no never forsake."

  • Richard Easton@RichardEaston

    In November 1983 NATO ran Operation Able Archer. The Soviets were afraid that it was cover for a first strike. Their operatives in the West watched government buildings at night to see if the lights were on. They didn’t realize that cleaning people worked overnight. We could have had nuclear holocaust because cleaning people were mistaken for officials preparing for an attack on the Soviet Union…

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