Beg to Differ with Mona Charen

The Atlantic's Peter Wehner offers insights into the transformation of the GOP from the party that passed PEPFAR to the MAGA warriors of today. The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Go to Hungryroot.com/CHAREN and use code CHAREN to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. REFERENCES: Peter's recent work at The Atlantic Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez The Closing of the American Mindby Allan Bloom The Power of the Powerless and Summer Meditations by Václav Havel The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1984 by George Orwell

Greg Lukianoff of FIRE joins Mona to discuss why free speech matters (hint, it's not for the powerful) and how left and right are attempting to destroy it. The Mona Charen Show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/mona and get on your way to being your best self. REFERENCES: The Canceling of the American Mind: Cancel Culture Undermines Trust and Threatens Us All―But There Is a Solution by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott.

The Atlantic's Helen Lewis joins Mona to talk about Andrew Tate, backlash to MAGA in Europe, and how polarization suppresses reasonable doubts about treatment of trans kids. References:   When You're MAGA, They Let You Do It... Why Trumpworld is just fine with Andrew Tate's violent misogyny, by Helen Lewis The Global Populist Right Has a MAGA Problem... In Europe, Trump looks too extreme even for many right-wing insurgents, by Helen Lewis What the Left Refused to Understand About Women's Sports... Female athletes said competing against trans women was an injustice, by Helen Lewis. Get PrivacyHawk and run your FREE privacy scan here http://go.privacyhawk.com/monacharen Use code MONA20 (iOS) / mona20 (Android) for full access to the Platinum Suite: $1M ID theft recovery insurance, dark web alerts, sensitive info monitoring, and much more—all at a special price! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MONACHAREN at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

In this show before a live audience, Mona talks with Stephen Richer about standing up for reality, tangling with Kari Lake, and his political future. Head to moshlife.com/MONA to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack.

David Frum joins Mona to discuss Trump's Canada gripes, how tariffs will/are sabotaging America, NATO, defying court orders, and how best to counter all of it. Go to Hungryroot.com/CHAREN and use code CHAREN to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. REFERENCES: Why Cede the Flag to Trump? by David Frum in The Atlantic (2017)

Famed virologist Dr. Paul Offit describes his encounters with RFK, Jr., vaccine misinformation, trust in medicine, and what he fears most. REFERENCES: Dr. Paul Offit's Books: Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All The Cutter Incident(about a polio vaccine gone wrong) Historical Vaccine References: The Cutter Incident (1950s polio vaccine failure) The history of polio, iron lungs, and the development of the Salk and Sabin vaccines. The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The impact of vaccines on childhood diseases like diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, and rotavirus. Andrew Wakefield and Vaccine-Autism Misinformation: Wakefield's 1998 Lancet paper (later retracted) linking MMR vaccines to autism. The role of The Lancet and editor Richard Horton. The legal and financial conflicts of interest that led to Wakefield's discrediting. Anti-Vaccine Movement History: The Anti-Vaccination League (1800s opposition to smallpox vaccine). NBC's DPT Vaccine Roulette (1980s), which fueled fears about the whooping cough vaccine. RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine activism and misinformation campaigns. The impact of anti-vaccine movements in places like Samoa, leading to deadly measles outbreaks. Current Vaccine Issues and Policy Changes: RFK Jr.'s role in the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) and vaccine policy. The cancellation of the FDA Vaccine Advisory Committee meeting.

The Manhattan Institute's Jessica Reidl explains the fake fiscal posturing of DOGE as well as the ground truths about deficits and national debt. Predictions: More inflation, lower growth, less prosperity. Get started at FACTORMEALS.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping.

Josh Barro joins Mona to discuss where the party needs to change, refocus on practical governance, and how to broaden its appeal to win elections against a rising Republican authoritarian threat. References Josh Barro's Substack – Very Serious Democrats Need Their Own DEI Purge by Josh Barro Josh Barro's Podcast – Serious Trouble (with Ken White)

The Bulwark's Cathy Young joins Mona to discuss where DEI went wrong and also the unfathomable racism of the Trump Administration. Referenced Works and Sources Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby by Steven Carter Discusses the complexities and unintended consequences of affirmative action from a personal and academic perspective. The Bakke Case (Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 1978) A landmark Supreme Court decision that ruled against racial quotas in university admissions while allowing race to be one of several factors in admissions decisions. Fisher v. University of Texas(2013, 2016) Supreme Court cases addressing race-conscious admissions policies in higher education. Implicit Bias Tests (Implicit Association Test, IAT) Psychological tests used to measure unconscious biases, though their reliability and effectiveness in predicting behavior have been widely debated. Yasha Mounk's The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time Discusses the ideological shifts in race-conscious policies and how they impact public discourse. New York Times Investigative Report on DEI at the University of Michigan A report detailing the impact of DEI initiatives at a major university, highlighting unintended consequences such as workplace tension and polarization.

David French joins to discuss upending the NATO alliance, attacks on the rule of law, and how the pardon power was one of the Founders' worst mistakes.  The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. Ad-free editions are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Add the show to your player of choice, here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Join now Referred Works The Federalist Papers – A collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, referenced in discussions about constitutional powers, particularly the presidency. Anti-Federalist Papers ("An Old Whig" – Letter No. 5, 1787) – Cited as an early critique of the presidential pardon power and excessive executive authority. Marbury v. Madison (1803) – A landmark U.S. Supreme Court case establishing judicial review, mentioned in the context of legal authority over the president. U.S. Constitution – Indirectly referenced multiple times, particularly concerning executive powers, rule of law, and the balance of power. Learned Hand's Quote on Liberty – "Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it." Quoted in reference to the fragility of democratic institutions. DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) – A concept from psychology and sociology used to describe manipulative tactics, discussed in relation to political rhetoric. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (Film, 2022) – Referenced metaphorically to describe the chaotic state of global and domestic affairs.

AEI's Michael Strain analyzes the mistakes left and right make about middle class stagnation, quality of life, and other matters. Plus, what is risked when Trump/Musk attack foundational institutions. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/mona and get on your way to being your best self. Referenced Works & Figures: Michael Strain's Book — The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It) Elizabeth Warren & Bill de Blasio – Critique of middle-class decline. Josh Hawley – Comment on wage stagnation. David Autor's "China Shock" Paper – Study on trade-induced job losses. Robert Bork's Antitrust Theories – Influence on U.S. competition policy. Smoot-Hawley Tariffs – Historical reference to the consequences of trade protectionism. Occupy Wall Street & Tea Party Movements – Examples of populist political reactions. Federal Job Training Programs – Discussion on their past inefficacy and recent improvements.

Mona welcomes Renée DiResta to discuss how social media has distorted our perceptions and how to navigates the world of influencers, online mobs, and lairs. The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. Ad-free editions are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Add the show to your player of choice, here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Not yet a member? Join The Bulwark today! Eat smart with Factor. Get started at FACTORMEALS.com/monacharen50off and use code monacharen50off to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. References: Books & Authors: "Invisible Rulers" – by Renée DiResta (Main topic of discussion) Historical References: Father Coughlin & Propaganda (1930s) – Discussion of his use of radio for anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi propaganda, and how he was eventually stopped. Institute for Propaganda Analysis (1930s) – Early efforts to combat misinformation by teaching people how propaganda works. Academic & Media References: Helen Lewis (The Atlantic) – Quoted for stating that “the internet is built to empower extremophiles.” Google's Assertive Provenance Report – Discussion of how Google suggests approaches for watermarking and authenticating AI-generated content. Key Topics Discussed: Misinformation & Social Media Dynamics Iowa Caucuses (2012 vs. 2020) – How political narratives and distrust in election results evolved. Measles Outbreak & Anti-Vaccine Misinformation – How misinformation spreads and how online movements gain traction. Algorithmic Influence & Content Curation – The role of algorithms in shaping political extremism and public perceptions. QAnon & Wayfair Conspiracy Theory – How misinformation led to real-world harassment and threats. COVID-19 & Public Trust in Institutions – How institutional silence and slow responses allowed misinformation to fill the gap. Decline of Trust in Experts – How institutions and scientists need to engage more effectively online. Influencers & Audience Capture – How social media personalities can be driven toward extremism by audience demands. Solutions & Strategies Pre-bunking – Educating people in advance about misinformation tactics. Adding Friction – Using design interventions (like Twitter's “Are you sure you want to share this?”) to slow down misinformation. Virality Circuit Breakers – Temporary restrictions on the spread of viral misinformation while it is fact-checked. Watermarking AI-generated Content – Challenges and limitations in identifying AI-created media. Institutional Preparedness – Advice for organizations on handling misinformation crises.

In this episode of The Mona Charen Podcast, Mona Charen speaks with author Jonathan Rauch about his new book, Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy. They explore the decline of Christianity in America, its impact on democracy, and whether faith can be depoliticized. Rauch, a self-described “atheistic homosexual Jew,” makes the case that Christianity has been a vital “load-bearing wall” for American democracy and argues for a return to its core principles. The conversation touches on political polarization, the role of faith in public life, and what small-l liberals and conservatives alike can learn from the evolving role of religion in society. REFERENCES: Books by Jonathan Rauch: Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy (his new book) The Constitution of Knowledge (his previous book) Articles: An article by Jonathan Rauch in The Atlantic (2003) celebrating secularization, which he later called "the dumbest thing I ever wrote." Books and Works Referenced: Tim Alberta's The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory (referred to in discussion about the church and politics) A quote attributed to G.K. Chesterton: “When people cease to believe in God, they don't believe in nothing, they believe in anything” (noted as possibly apocryphal). Russell Moore's commentary on the state of the church. The Bible (including references to Jesus' teachings such as "forgive your enemies" and "the least of these"). A quote from John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” The Book of Mormon (mentioned in the discussion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Immanuel Kant's ethical philosophy (used to support moral arguments). Rabbi Hillel's summary of the Torah: “That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your neighbor. All the rest is commentary. Now go and study.” Legislation and Policies Referenced: The 1964 Civil Rights Act (mentioning its religious exemptions). The Utah Compromise (2015) on LGBT rights and religious freedoms. The Respect for Marriage Act (2022), which protected same-sex marriage while also ensuring religious protections.

Mona interviews Georgetown law professor Stephen Vladeck on executive orders, birthright citizenship, Congress not doing its job, and whether Trump will defy the Supreme Court. Referenced Cases: Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952) – Commonly referred to as the "Steel Seizure Case," it involved President Truman's attempt to take control of steel mills during the Korean War. Korematsu v. United States (1944) – Upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II; later criticized but not formally overturned until its repudiation in Trump v. Hawaii. Ex Parte Endo (1944) – A companion case to Korematsu, ruling the detention of a loyal Japanese American citizen was unauthorized by statute. Trump v. Hawaii (2018) – Upheld the Trump administration's travel ban but included the repudiation of Korematsu as part of the decision. United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) – Affirmed the principle of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. INS v. Chadha (1983) – Declared legislative vetoes unconstitutional, affecting the National Emergencies Act. TikTok-related Executive Orders and Litigation – Mentioned in the context of national security and executive overreach. Referenced Works: The U.S. Constitution: Article II: Presidential powers. 14th Amendment: Citizenship clause.

Mona welcomes Richard Reeves to discuss the struggles of boys and men, including a debate about whether marriage promotion is good or obsolete in this day and age. Richard Reeves's bio at the American Institute for Boys and Men Sex Matters by Mona Charen Boy Mom by Ruth Whippman  How to Save Marriage in America by Richard Reeves (Originally published in The Atlantic) Pro-Family Policy Priorities for States Shaping Policy, Renewing Culture. Polling and Perspectives from the Sun Belt by Patrick T. Brown of The Ethics and Public Policy Center and Brad Wilcox of The Institute for Family Studies How family law undermines fatherhood, and how to fix it by June Carbone at AIBM.

In the inaugural episode of The Mona Charen Show, Mona welcomes New York Times columnist Pamela Paul to discuss why girls are getting negative messages about womanhood. Also: sex differences, social media, motherhood, and men's struggles.

Mona and the gang bid farewell to this format, discuss what will replace it, and offer a glimpse of future plans. Leave a comment Highlights / Lowlights:  Mona outlined the future of her new show. Bill previews his forthcoming book on political psychology. Linda: The Silver Candlesticks: A Novel of the Spanish Inquisition, Linda's forthcoming book, which you can pre-order now! Make sure you sign up for Linda's Substack. Damon: While Damon finishes his forthcoming book on Leo Strauss, go down the Straussian rabbithole at Notes from the Middleground. Referenced work: Bret Stephens's “Done With Trump” in the NYT

Noah Smith joins to discuss what Tulsi Gabbard could do to America, the other anti-qualified nominees, the Penny/Mangione cases, and what Syria should remind us of. Highlights / Lowlights  Mona: Rupert Murdoch's Succession Fiasco, Clive Irving at Vanity Fair Linda: Why Does Pete Hegseth Keep Talking About ‘Warfighters'? Elliot Ackerman at The Free Press. Bill: His WSJ column: Save a Reagan Initiative From Musk and Ramaswamy Damon: When Democracy's Defenders Turn Into Its Gravediggers, Yascha Mounck Noah makes his reasoned pitch as to why rabbits make excellent pets.

Matt Bennett joins to discuss the most dangerous Trump appointments and the worrying signals of fear by MSNBC and others. Highlights / Lowlights Mona: The Iron Man of America's op-ed pages (David Von Drehle, WaPo) and Mona's contribution to the George Will tribute symposium, ‘Conservatism's Vital Champion.' The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America by Jeffrey Rosen Matt: The attempted Martial Law coup in South Korea (lowlight) and the response of South Korean politicians and citizens (highlight). Bill: The DOGE versus the NED by James Piereson (The New Criterion) Linda: Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth See the Same Enemies (Carlos Lozada, NYT) Damon: The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the perverse glee of some on the very online left. (Lowlights)

Robert Tracinski joins to discuss Trump's attack on government, his execrable appointees, and what Dems should do going forward. Highlights / Lowlights Damon: Russ Vought's appointment to OMB and the Nancy Mace / Sarah McBride performative cruelty. Linda: JD Vance appearing in all of those Senate meetings with Matt Gaetz, and A Free Press Conversation with Natan Sharansky Mona: Hong Kong's jailing of 45 democracy activists sparks criticism from foreign governments, rights groups (CBS) Bill: House passes bill that would allow Treasury to target nonprofits it deems to support terrorism Robert: The RFK Jr. McDonalds Photo

David French and Larry Diamond join the group to mull the nature of Trump's victory and the stupefying appointments to DOJ and DNI. Highlights / Lowlights David French: Politics are terrible and sports are terrible, at least for David. Kentucky Wildcats, Tennessee Titans, and Ja Morant's injury. Damon Linker: A viral tweet and the disappointing Republican whataboutism. Larry Diamond: A vignette about Matt Gaetz's selection and surprising a prominent Republican with the news.  Bill Galston: The Onion has won the bid for Infowars' assets Mona Charen: Season 2 of Bad Sisters.

The Atlantic's David Frum joins the group to analyze the election and consider the implications for domestic and foreign policy. Highlights / Lowlights: Damon: The work of Ruy Texiera and Nate Cohn  Linda: My Manifesto for Despairing Democrats by Nick Kristof Bill: ‘Invisible' older women speak up at the ballot box by Karen Tumulty Mona: Trump transition team co-chair endorses Kennedy anti-vax theories and says he would be able to access health data David: Earth experiencing warmest year on record – again, scientists say

Tim Miller joins to discuss the big picture about 2024, why Harris could not run as a change agent, and America's oligarchs. Highlights / Lowlights Linda Chavez: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton and the Dodgers World Series Victory (Highlights)  Tim Miller: Trump wearing an orange vest and driving a trash truck. (Both) Mona Charen: Derrick Anderson's Fake Family (Lowlight) Bill Galston: The Dodgers (Highlight) Nikki Haley's Get Out the Vote Closing Argument (Lowlight) Damon Linker: Charlie Kirk: Harris Wants Women to Lie to Their Husbands (Lowlight)

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins the regular group to discuss his objections to Harris, the likelihood of a Trump fascistic reign, and which party has gone crazier. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code BEGTODIFFER at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/begtodiffer Highlights / Lowlights Ross: Can AI be blamed for a teen's suicide? (NYT) Damon: Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos (MAX) Linda: The Ghosts of John Tanton (ProPublica) Mona: The Envy of the World (The Economist) Bill: The Fight for a New Israel (Dahlia Scheindlin, Foreign Affairs)

The New Yorker's Susan Glasser joins the group (plus Philip Bump) to discuss Harris's Fox interview, Trump's spiraling mental state, and the oligarchy/corruption a second Trump term would usher in. Highlights / Lowlights Mona: Harris Needs a Closing Argument. Here's One. By Bret Stephens The FTC is making it easier to cancel subscriptions. Damon: Confessions of a Republican Exile by David Brooks A spate of recent content from Matthew Yglesias Susan: The Gates of Gaza by Amir Tibon Philip: A preview of this weekend's "How to Read This Chart" newsletter Linda: The General's Warning by Tom Nichols

NY Times columnist Bret Stephens joins to discuss the Iranian threat (to Israel and the US), the amazing Israeli penetrations of Hezbollah and Iran, and the fate of NATO, Ukraine, etc in a Trump 2.0 world. TV Recommendations of the panelists:  Mona: Call My Agent Damon: Game of Thrones Bill: Babylon Berlin Linda:   Slow Horses / Pachinko

The Financial Times's Ed Luce joins to discuss the VP debate, the future of MAGA, and the Israel/Iran war.

Mona's highlight: The impartiality of the DOJ, indicting members of the sitting party in power when they commit crimes. Tim's lowlight: The failure to have more than one debate. Tim's highlight: The young, hungry, improbable turnaround of the Detroit Tigers. Sonny's highlight / lowlight: Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis. Sam's highlight: Ohtani's historic 50-50 season. Sam's lowlight: The indictment of Eric Adams. Bill's highlight: VP Harris's economic speech on building and permitting overhaul.

AEI's Kori Schake joins the group to discuss Trump's "crazy guy" strategy, the 111 GOP leaders endorsing Harris, and Hezbollah's exploding pagers. Show Notes: Referenced: U.S. Shrugs as World War III Approaches, by Walter Russell Mead (WSJ) Highlights / Lowlights Kori: Gov. Mike DeWine defending Ohio against MAGA's lies about Springfield (ABC) Damon: The tired dance of the demagogue by Matthew Yglesias (Slow Boring) Mona: How an AI ‘debunkbot' can change a conspiracy theorist's mind (Popular Science) Linda: The Exotic Cat-Eaters of Springfield, Ohio by Kevin Williamson (The Dispatch) Bill: The Future of Free Speech by Lee C. Bollinger and Geoffrey Richard Stone (Dædalus)

Third Way's Matt Bennett joins to discuss the debate, Harris's centrism, and which candidate would be better on inflation. Highlights / Lowlights Mona: Why Mike Lee Folded by Tim Alberta, The Atlantic. Matt: The lies being pushed about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, and the political opportunism of a young boy's death. Damon: Behind the Catholic Right's celebrity-conversion industrial complex (Vanity Fair) Linda: What led to rumors Trump shared about Venezuelan gangs taking over a Colorado building? (NBC) Bill: Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild

Lawyer Kim Wehle discusses her book on the pardon power. The group then delves into Israel/Gaza, campus protests redux, and Tucker Carlson "Just asking questions" about Holocaust denialism. Highlights / Lowlights Mona: Andrew Egger's "Pennsylvania Man Speaks" reporting. Bill: The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America Linda: Republicans Seize on False Theories About Immigrant Voting (NYT) Damon: DOJ alleges Russia funded US media company linked to right-wing social media stars (CNN)

The Atlantic's Peter Wehner joins the group to discuss the DNC and Harris's new tone, Trump's pivot on abortion, and the misfit toys (RFK Jr., Gabbard) of the Trump campaign.  Highlights / Lowlights:  Mona: Can We Be a Little Less Selective With Our Moral Outrage? by Bret Stephens in The New York Times. Peter: Lowlight: Trump Insists He Won California in Wild, Jesus-Filled Rant With Dr. Phil (Daily Beast) Damon: Highlight: Conservatism: The Fight for a Tradition by Edmund Fawcett Bill: Highlights: The Return of Hamiltonian Statecraft by Walter Russell Mead and Stopping the Next China Shock by Aaron L. Friedberg Linda: Highlight: Making Race Skin Deep by Quico Toro in Persuasion

Andrew Egger subs for the vacationing Mona, and A.B. occupies Damon's seat, as The Deseret News's Samuel Benson joins regulars Bill and Linda to discuss the unity and vibes at the Democratic Convention, while the panel weighs how RFK's exit from the race is likely to affect the November election. Highlights / Lowlights Andrew: Highlight: Gov. Tim Walz's Speech, and his family's reaction. A.B.: Highlight: Doug Emhoff's remarks on anti-semitism, and that protests did not disrupt the convention. Linda: Lowlight: Systemic Test Racism in Chicago (WSJ) Bill: The slow counting of ballots in Pennsylvania, and the failure to fix this glaringly obvious problem. Samuel: Lowlight: The slowness with which anti-semitism was addressed at the Democratic Convention. Highlight: A moment of prayer he witnessed by Jewish men at night outside of the convention hall.

MSNBC's Charlie Sykes joins the panel to discuss the rise of Harris, the decline of Trump (in more ways than one?), and the Iranian hack of Trump's campaign. Highlights / Lowlights  Charlie: Highlight: 2 outspoken election deniers lose GOP primaries for state Legislature Lowlight: The ongoing stolen valor attacks on Gov. Walz Mona: Lowlight: How Trump's infatuation with a racist conspiracy theorist is impacting the campaign (Judd Legum and Noel Sims) Damon: Highlight: Ukraine's Push Into Russia Met Early Success. Where Does It Go From Here? Bill:  Lowlights: The Swiftboating of Tim Walz Netanyahu accuses defense minister of ‘anti-Israel narrative,' exposing rift over war in Gaza Linda: Lowlight: Kamala Harris and the Election of Laughter and Forgetting (Eli Lake, The FP)

The regulars discuss Walz pick and shape of the race. David French joins to talk about Trump v. United States.  highlights / lowlights   Mona: The life of Penny Parker (1927-2024). David: Highlight: The USA's Medal Count Lowlight: China's Gold medal count Linda: What's better than calling Trump weird? (David Broockman and Josh Kalla, Slow Boring) Damon: The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster. Bill: Highlight: He's still on Cape Cod Lowlight: Hamas names Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks, as its new leader in show of defiance (AP)

A.B. Stoddard guest hosts for today's discussion on Donald Trump's NABJ interview. It was shocking and set the internet abuzz, but was that his intention all along? Plus, do VP picks actually matter? Highlights / Lowlights Bill's highlight: Inside the Secret Negotiations to Free Evan Gershkovich (WSJ) Damon's highlights: Pro-Wrestling Explains Why Trump Is Scared of Kamala, Donald Trump's Cheap Heat (The Triad) Linda's highlight: The America of Yesterday (Yascah Mounk) A.B.'s highlight: America's New Political War Pits Young Men Against Young Women (WSJ)

Nick Grossman joins the group to discuss Biden's exit and Harris's rise, her strengths and weaknesses, VP possibilities, GOP blues, and Bibi's speech and protests. Highlights / Lowlights Nicholas's highlight: Biden's address to the nation. Nicholas's lowlight: Netanyahu's address to Congress. Mona's highlight: The Olympics You Remember Are Back Damon's highlight: The collective meltdown of right wing influencers who invented the "is Biden Dead?" conspiracy. Bill's highlight: Harris steps out on Israel as she navigates Biden and Netanyahu (Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN) Linda's highlight: Fireside Chat with Condoleezza Rice and Robert M. Gates

The New Yorker's Susan Glasser joins the group (with Andrew Egger) to discuss the aftermath of the assassination attempt, JD Vance, and Biden digging in his heels. Highlights / Lowlights Mona: The Gunman and the Would-Be Dictator by David Frum in The Atlantic. Damon: Sohrab Ahmari's reaction to Trump's reaction to getting shot at. Ross Douthat's NYT column on Trump and Destiny. Andrew: President Biden messed up a key policy detail in Las Vegas speech. Linda: Are We Living in ‘Late Soviet America'? Niall Ferguson and Jonah Goldberg Debate.

A.B. Stoddard joins to discuss Biden's intransigence, the Democratic party's next moves, the pros and cons of anointing Harris, and more. Highlights / Lowlights A.B.: Trump is Planning for a Landslide Win by Tim Alberta in The Atlantic and her 2022 item: Why (and How) Biden Should Decline to Run Again Mona: What Lessons Do the Stunning Results of the French Election Offer? (New Yorker) Bill: Amid Doubts About Biden's Mental Sharpness, Trump Leads Presidential Race (Pew) Damon: Time to Go, Joe, by Marc Leibovich in The Atlantic Linda: A Better Approach to Race in Medicine by Amy F.S. Lutz in Persuasion For What It's Worth by Linda Chavez

Former Rep Adam Kinzinger joins the group (plus Chris Cillizza) to discuss the Court's worst ruling since Korematsu, opening the door to God know what if Trump wins. Also, what would an open convention look like? Highlights / Lowlights: Mona: Are We in ‘Soviet America'? Not Even Close. By Cathy Young, The Bulwark Linda: Her trip to Israel, where she was recording. Adam: Cara Mund, a sincere Never Trump candidate who ran (and lost, but got 19%!) in North Dakota. Adam joined her on her radio show to discuss the state of the Republican Party Chris: Gabe Fleisher's Wake up to Politics. Gabe has been writing about politics since he was a child and is a politics prodigy. (Substack here) Go to TryMiracle.com/BEGTODIFFER and use the code BEGTODIFFER to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF Visit BetterHelp.com/begtodiffer today to get 10% off your first month.

The Atlantic's David Frum joins to discuss the debate debacle and what comes next? Can Biden be persuaded to drop out? Also, a look at two Supreme Court cases. Highlights / Lowlights  David: Slain Gazan named as Doctors Without Borders staffer was Islamic Jihad rocket maker (Times of Israel) Mona: Gaza Chief's Brutal Calculation: Civilian Bloodshed Will Help Hamas (WSJ) Linda: 4.1 million migrants: Where they're from, where they live in the U.S. (WaPo) Bill: France is facing an election like no other. Here's how it works and what comes next. (AP) Damon: Same-Sex Relations, Marriage Still Supported by Most in U.S. (Gallup)

Will Saletan guest hosts as Tom Edsall joins the panel to discuss rising political polarization, Biden's latest moves on immigration, and the crackdown on social media and kids using smartphones. Highlights / Lowlights Tom: The book 'Wolves of K Street' by Brody and Luke Mullins and a story from  his weekly poker game. Linda: Experts Handicap the Trump-Biden Debate (Karl Rove, WSJ) Damon: No, I Don't Want to Protest (Pamela Paul, NYT) Why Activists Keep Failing the Causes That Fire Them Up (Sarah Isgur, NYT) Bill: The Return of Peace Through Strength by Robert C. O'Brien (Foreign Affairs) Biden and Trump tied in the Emerson Poll in... Minnesota. Will: Louisiana Requires All Public Classrooms to Display Ten Commandments (NYT) Bibi's shameful Biden attack video

Tom Nichols joins the panel to discuss the rise of the right in Europe (and here), the Hunter Biden verdict, and the Israel hostage rescue. Mona: The Big Lie's Bad, Very Bad Week by Charlie Sykes. Linda: No, You Don't Have the Power to Stop Climate Change by Quico Toro (Persuasion) Bill: American journalist Evan Gershkovich to stand trial on espionage charges in Russia (NPR) Damon: John Ganz's new book "When the Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, and How America Cracked Up in the Early 1990s" Tom: John Bolton going through exhaustive detail about Trump's manifest unfitness and then saying he won't vote for Biden on MSNBC. Tom's referenced item "The Jimmy Clean Hands Election" at The Atlantic.

Sasha Havlicek and Philip Bump join the panel to discuss online disinformation, the GOP reaction to Trump guilty verdict, and the Fauci follies in Congress. highlights / lowlights Sasha- The 80th Anniversary of D-Day at Normandy American Cemetery. Damon- The Tower and the Sewer by Mark Lilla (NYR) Linda- This Catholic leader shelters migrants. Texas says he runs ‘stash houses.' (WaPo) Philip- Two years later, Dinesh D'Souza's obvious misinformation is finally taken down Mona- World War II Veterans meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky at Normandy and "The Biggest War on the Small Screen" by Benjamin Parker (Bulwark)

Famed presidential photographer David Hume Kennerly joins Bill Kristol and regulars to discuss the Ford Library's cowardly refusal to honor Liz Cheney, how Democrats should handle the Trump verdict, and Biden's standing with the young and old. highlights / lowlights David: In closing, Trump's team takes the jurors for idiots (Dana Milbank, WaPo) Mona: Why Trump is hobnobbing with rappers facing gang-related charges (MSNBC) Bill Kristol: The impressiveness of the Manhattan Trump Trial (NYT). Linda Chavez: Mexican Democracy Hangs In The Balance (Enrique Krauze, Persuasion) Bill Galston: Highlight: NATO's boss wants to free Ukraine to strike hard inside Russia (The Economist) Lowlight: Almost 6,000 Dead in 6 Years: How Baltimore Became the U.S. Overdose Capital (NYT) show notes: The Danger of a Small Act of Cowardice by David Hume Kennerly. (Includes the Cheney / Ford photo referenced in the show.) David's Resignation Letter from the Ford Presidential Foundation