The Democratic Party should be on a roll, but it doesn’t seem to be benefiting from the government shutdown, some of its hot young stars are getting into trouble on anti-Semitism grounds, and the rollouts of its presidential contenders have been rocky. We talk about that and about Christine Rosen’s important February COMMENTARY article, “The Psychological War on Masculinity.” Give a listen.
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The New York Times reports that the FBI opened an investigation into Donald Trump’s personal ties to Russia under dubious circumstances. Does this demonstrate the truth in the claims made by the president’s defenders about the arrogance and recklessness of the permanent bureaucracy? And, as this becomes the longest government shutdown in history, is anyone “winning” the messaging?
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Donald Trump’s Oval Office address was a dud because he is not a persuader, and that’s all such speeches are designed to do—to persuade those who can be persuaded. So what happens now that the government shutdown is really starting to bite? And what does the number 42 tell us about the future? Give a listen.
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Will anyone benefit from the government shutdown, or is this just brinksmanship politics that makes no sense? We discuss this on today’s podcast, as well as the question of whether female politicians are being mistreated when the question is raised about their likability. Give a listen.
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Mitt Romney inaugurates 2019 by firing a shot across Donald Trump’s bow, but did he miss his mark? And with the government still shut down and with neither Democrats nor Republicans having any reason to compromise a way out of the conundrum, does it ever open again?
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The last podcast of 2018 finds us discussing the latest Facebook scandal and wondering how long it will be until the big-tech companies are broken up. And we discuss just how bad the president’s week has been (it’s been bad, I’m sorry to say). Give a listen.
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Today’s podcast features an explanation of and peroration on the demise of the Weekly Standard, how the magazine fit into the world of conservative intellectual publishing both now and when it was created in 1995, and the evolution of magazines from keeping a long-armed distance from politics and parties to the present-day demand that they serve as the cheerleaders for movements. Give a listen.
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The National Enquirer admits that it paid off Trump’s paramour to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. Between that and last week’s revelations regarding Trump’s alleged complicity in campaign finance fraud, the president’s legal exposure is increasing. How do Republicans in Congress react? Also, Theresa May narrowly survives a vote of no confidence, but her government is crippled.
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Donald Trump is personally implicated in potential criminal misconduct in the memo related to the sentencing of his former attorney, Michael Cohen. What impact will the latest revelations out of Robert Mueller’s probe and the Southern District of New York have on his presidency and his reelection campaign? Also, the tide of populism that crashed over Europe in 2015 and 2016 is rising again. Can its bloodless centrist technocrats survive?
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The COMMENTARY podcast explores the nearly universal outrage over the Wisconsin GOP’s effort to reclaim power from the incoming Democratic governor, which, while tawdry, falls short of a “coup.” The hosts diagnose the lack of recent historical perspective that led political observers into apoplexy. Also, signs the Democratic 2020 primary will descend into the intersectional Olympics.
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The COMMENTARY podcasters take up the question of President George H.W. Bush’s presidency and its salience to our time, consider the wildly expansive Democratic field in 2020, and then consider the meaning of the yellow-vest protests in France. Give a listen.
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News this week makes the argument that the Trump campaign might have engaged in at least some footsie with Russia harder to refute than ever, as we discuss on the podcast. The other matter we discuss is the startling fact that Barack Obama tried to take credit for the fracking revolution his administration tried to stop in its tracks—and how it connects to the new climate change report. Give a listen.
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The chaos at the border, the disingenuousness of Chief Justice Roberts, and the danger of Putin’s mischief are the topics of today’s podcast. Give a listen.
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The Commentary podcast welcomes Christine Rosen to the table to discuss the Democratic Party’s efforts to cast doubt on the legitimacy of elections in Georgia. Also, Trump’s bizarre interview with Fox News Channel’s Chris Wallace.
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Today’s podcast features a discussion of voter fraud, a discussion of bad articles about Facebook, a discussion of democratic governments in crisis—and the singing of “The Way We Were” to departing podcaster Sohrab Ahmari as he moves to his new job at the New York Post. Give a listen.
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The 2018 midterm elections look more like a Democratic rout than they did a week ago. The hosts discuss what the elections mean for Donald Trump’s coalition ahead of 2020. Also, French President Emmanuel Macron’s strange definition of nationalism.
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We delve into the results of last night’s election and allow Sohrab Ahmari to take a victory lap—which he kind of refuses to take because it wasn’t a wave but it wasn’t not a wave, see. You don’t see? Give a listen.
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We don’t know what’s going to happen and yet we string out a conversation for an hour on today’s podcast! If you want to hear people vamping amusingly, give a listen!
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The president’s new web advertisement featuring an illegal immigrant who is also an unrepentant murderer drives home the themes he’s been pushing as his closing argument for 2018. Along with moving troops to the border and flirting with an executive order challenging birthright citizenship in the 14th Amendment, the president seems set on whipping up nativist sentiment. Or is he?
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We reckon with the Pittsburgh massacre on today’s podcast. Give a listen.
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