Commentary Magazine Podcast

Today's podcast looks at the breakthrough that will apparently prevent a nationwide rail strike and what it means for the upcoming elections. And we discuss the transport of illegal immigrants from red Texas to blue Martha's Vineyard. Give a listen.

Today's podcast wonders at Joe Biden's decision to celebrate the "Inflation Reduction Act," complete with James Taylor warbling a 50-year-old ditty about drug abuse and suicide, on the day a terrible inflation number is released. The question: Will the media succeed in turning attention away from that and toward Republican extremism and abortion rights? Give a listen.

Today's podcast looks at the worse-than-expected inflation numbers and the determination of the media and Democrats to frame them as some kind of new normal and wonders what kind of strategy this might be for November. Best way to play a bad hand, or handing an opportunity to their Republican rivals to beat them about the face and neck? Give a listen.

Liel Leibovitz joins the podcast today to discuss the New York Times's hit piece on Hasidic schools in New York state and why it is so egregious. But we begin with the startling news out of Ukraine and what it portends. Give a listen.

The passing of Queen Elizabeth provides us with an opportunity to consider the question: Is there any figure left on the world stage who is known and admired for restraint rather than oversharing? And we express amazement at the current state of play in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's efforts to expose the hypocrisy of "sanctuary city" mayors like Lori Lightfoot of Chicago by sending illegal immigrants northward to live where they are supposedly more "welcome"—which has caused Lightfoot to sputter in outrage. Also, issue polling: Does it tell us anything? Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the leak about a highly sensitive document found in the Mar-a-Lago search and the Washington Post's characterization of it. Then we go after Arizona Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters with a rhetorical two-by-four. Give a listen.

Today's podcast looks at the politics of the judge's decision to appoint a special master to deal with the documents taken from Donald Trump's home and who will be helped or hurt by that. Plus, can it really be true that Democrats are viewed more favorably on COVID response than Republicans? Give a listen.

Today's podcast looks at the politics of the judge's decision to appoint a special master to deal with the documents taken from Donald Trump's home and who will be helped or hurt by that. Plus, can it really be true that Democrats are viewed more favorably on COVID response than Republicans? Give a listen.

Joe Biden's speech outlining the threat to democracy posed by pro-Trump Republicans was bad. How bad? Let us count the ways.

Noah Rothman returns from vacation as we consider every piece of bad political news for Republicans and the indictment trap Donald Trump seems to be laying down for himself. Give a listen.

The Hudson Institute's Tod Lindberg joins us to discuss the question of what kind of world-historical figure Mikhail Gorbachev actually was—a purposeful change agent or fortune's fool? Also, will Joe Biden suffer or gain from his harsh attacks on Republicans? Give a listen.

Today, we're joined by the great Chris Stirewalt to discuss the media frenzy over the redacted Mar-a-Lago affidavit, the transformation of the news business, the birth of the news cycle, and how it all relates to Chris's new book, "Broken News: Why the Media Rage Machine Divides America and How to Fight Back." Take a listen.

Today's podcast features political-data sage Steve Kornacki as we try to make sense of the very clear change in the direction of the 2022 elections and why it might be happening. Give a listen

Today, we take up the matter of Joe Biden's executive order on student loans. How bad is the policy? How good is the stunt? How cynical can you get? And, anyway, will it actually happen? Give a listen.

Eliana Johnson joins the podcast today to talk about the verrrry interesting results in last night's primaries and special elections and what they portend for November. Give a listen.

Matt Continetti joins us today to talk about the $1.6 billion donation to a new conservative entity to push conservative ideas and how it still doesn't come near the money liberals spend. We also go into today's primaries...and the new Game of Thrones show. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the question of what people mean when they refer to "threats to democracy," Anthony Fauci's resignation, and what the whole "I don't want to work no more" movement is all about. Give a listen.

Eli Lake joins us to talk Trump, FBI searches, attorneys general, stupid ideas about classification, and how the media aren't dealing well with good news from Ukraine. Give a listen.

Eli Lake joins us to talk Trump, FBI searches, attorneys general, stupid ideas about classification, and how the media aren't dealing well with good news from Ukraine. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the stunning news that the Centers for Disease Control is going to undergo a complete overhaul. The question is: Is this the right overhaul, or are senior officials just covering themselves because they don't want to be held accountable? Give a listen.

Today's podcast was recorded last night—which led to ruminations on friendship, obnoxiousness, principle, conflict, and how these things might help explain the result in Wyoming that saw Liz Cheney lose her primary. Give a listen.

There are early indications that Republican candidates and campaign committees are languishing in the fundraising department, which could put a damper on their prospects in November. But Donald Trump isn't. Will he make up the difference and support the candidates he's endorsed? Also, will we get a reckoning with what we did during the pandemic in 2023?

Today's podcast takes up the highly volatile political situation of the past week following the warrant search of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago and the monstrous attack on Salman Rushdie. Give a listen.

What we know (and what we don't know) about the warrant that justified the search of Mar-a-Lago. Is Donald Trump being targeted unjustly, or is there something there? Also, Mr. Science himself resurfaces to praise himself, the personification of empiricism and logic.

Today's podcast asks whether the people who really decide elections—the ones in the middle—look at partisans and ideologues on both sides and ask whether their visions and descriptions of American life as it is lived day to day are accurate or bonkers. Give a listen.

The Biden administration tries to convince you that inflation came in at “0%,” and Donald Trump's persecution narrative sets the stage for his political comeback.

A fiery podcast today in which we take up the FBI search at Mar-A-Lago and the very real questions it raises about overreach and public distrust in our institutions. Give a listen.

Mark Halperin joins the podcast to talk about the Democratic triumph with its big spending and climate change bill and how it looks like Republican candidates for the Senate (and for gubernatorial mansions) may not be able to capitalize on big liberal spending initiatives and other aspects of the supposed progressive surge this month. Give a listen.

Matt Continetti joins the podcast today to discuss his piece, "The GOP Summer Swoon." Republican nominees for Senate are running behind, Kansas delivered a stunning blow to pro-lifers, and the Democrats are getting legislation through. Has everything changed? Give a listen.

This is one for the ages. Meghan McCain joins us to talk about her home state of Arizona and its Republican primary results and then gives us the backstage skinny on why she left "The View," and it's a stunning story. Give a listen.

In John and Christine's absence, Washington Free Beacon editor-in-chief Eliana Johnson and COMMENTARY contributing editor and “The Reeducation” podcast host Eli Lake join the show to talk about Tuesday's Republican primary elections and Kansas's decisive rejection of a ballot initiative that would ban abortion. Also, we discuss the strangely apoplectic response to Nancy Pelosi's stop in Taiwan, al-Qaeda's new state, and taxpayer-funded crack pipes.

The podcast celebrates the neutralization of al-Qaeda operative Ayman al-Zawahiri, and wonders where the right is on the global war on terrorism these days. Also, the MAGA movement on the march in today's primaries.

Tech commentary columnist James B. Meigs is back on the show today to talk about how the scientific community's conduct creates environments where anti-scientific conspiracy theories thrive. Also, the hosts discuss the Democrats' climate change/inflation bill and the attack on Republicans who voted against the PACT Act.

Matthew Continetti joins the podcast today to discuss the strange surge of stories about how Joe Biden is on the verge of triumph just as inflation is getting worse and we're in a recession (probably). Is any of this rational? Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the mainstream media carry water for the Biden White House after the sobering news of a second straight quarter of negative economic growth. And what's this? Two gargantuan spending bills just at a time when the Fed is laboring to deal with inflation? Are we taking crazy pills? Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the absolutely horrible polling for the president this week, showing him at an all-time low for post-war presidents at this stage of their tenures and Democrats openly saying nationally and in New Hampshire that they do not want him to run again. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the startling new media tour undertaken by Anthony Fauci and a gobsmacking article in the New York Times that essentially tells everybody to go back to living as though it were Summer 2020. Give a listen.

Eli Lake joins the show today to discuss a crisis of legitimacy among elite institutions that don't believe you can handle the truth. From the economy, to Covid, to climate change, you must be gently guided to their preferred conclusions.

Today's podcast takes up Joe Biden's COVID diagnosis and some of the most appalling moments from the January 6 hearings. Give a listen.

The various manias that have overtaken popular political culture, which we itemize, are beginning to incur backlashes the likes of which we would not have seen two years ago. Is that a response to commercial incentives, or are Americans fed up?

Partisans on both sides of the spectrum are increasingly disinclined to recognize the legitimacy of political outcomes they don't like. How did this happen? And can it be reversed before it's too late?

After a three-show break, the COMMENTARY crew is back to talk about the crisis engulfing the world of progressives, which is to say, the crisis that crises are not causing ordinary people to become crisis-mongers. Call it "crisis fatigue." Give a listen.

Dan Senor joins the podcast today to talk about the horrible inflation numbers and the meaning of Biden's Mideast trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Then the podcast crew talks about the January 6 hearings. Give a listen. NOTE: We are off Thursday, July 14, Friday, July 15, and Monday, July 18. We'll be back on Tuesday the 19th with more fun blather.

Today's podcast features Matt Continetti and Jim Meigs talking about Jill Biden's jaw-dropping gaffe in addressing a "LatinX IncluXion Luncheon" in Texas, Elon Musk's strange Twitter behavior, and the astounding images of the universe being generated by the Webb Telescope. Give a listen.

The podcast takes up a shocking New York Times poll that finds the president's approval rating at a catastrophic 33 percent, with nearly two-thirds of Democrats wanting another candidate in 2024. And what's this about the January 6 committee not bothering to ask Trump's White House counsel what he might have said on that day? Give a listen.

Today's podcast concerns the killing of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe—and takes particular note of a shocking Associated Press piece about him and his death. Is there no decency left anywhere? Also, why the good jobs number is also bad. Give a listen.

Peerless historian and political analyst Andrew Roberts joins the podcast today to give us the skinny on Boris Johnson's resignation as prime minister of Great Britain—what occasioned it, what Johnson might do now, and who will succeed him. Give a listen.

For the first time, we have two guests on the podcast—Eli Lake and Eliana Johnson—to talk about the strange emergence all at once of anti-Biden stories in the mainstream media and what they portend. Give a listen.

On the publication day of Noah Rothman's The Rise of the New Puritans, Matthew Continetti joins the podcast to discuss Noah's book, the horrible massacre in Highland Park at the July 4th parade, and the troubling news out of Ukraine. Give a listen.

The Supreme Court's final day of a consequential term ended no less consequentially. Legal scholar Adam White joins the podcast once again to break down the Court's ruling in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency and its sweeping implications for the administrative state.