Commentary Magazine Podcast

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.

Today's podcast ranges unusually from the coming release of the last hours of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things—and its welcome embrace of anti-Communism—to the expansion of NATO in the wake of the war in Ukraine and why Joe Biden can't figure out how to take political advantage of the one thing he's actually done well. Give a listen.

Cassidy Hutchinson's bombshell testimony before the January 6 committee contained many new details about Donald Trump's conduct during the riots. Some of her claims have been disputed. Many others have not yet been even contested. But if the president's allies don't want her testimony to stand, someone close to him is going to have to testify.

Adam White, legal scholar extraordinaire, joins us to discuss the impact of the Dobbs abortion decision and why we should credit and take seriously the concurrences by Justices Roberts and Thomas—and what Clarence Thomas's program as the longest-serving member of the Supreme Court actually is. Give a listen.

Today's podcast features the return of Christine Rosen, who was set to be gone all summer but who has returned early due to popular demand—and helps the rest of us continue to come to grips with the Dobbs decision and how it might affect American society and our elections. Give a listen.

The Supreme Court has overturned the precedents in Roe and Casey and sent the issue of abortion back to the states to decide. What comes next? We haven't the slightest idea.

Today's podcast takes up the historic Supreme Court decision on guns today and asks what it might portend for the American political system in its wake. And we discuss Biden's latest stupidity. Give a listen.

Today's podcast explores the political ramifications of the gun legislation that seems to have had a bipartisan breakthrough in the Senate, and also considers the horrifying details laid out in yesterday's hearing on the January 6 riot. Give a listen.

We welcome Dan Senor to today's podcast to explain the collapse of Israel's government and how it represents a brilliant new political play by Bibi Netanyahu. Then we talk about our own Noah Rothman's lead essay in the July-August COMMENTARY, "You Are What You Don't Eat." Give a listen.

What the 2024 Republican presidential primary with Donald Trump in the race could look like, and what the Texas GOP tells us about the mood among party activists.

James Kirchick, author of Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington, joins the podcast today to discuss his book as well as the January 6 Committee's ongoing hearings and the revolt of the “woke” in the workplace.

CNN data guru Harry Enten joins the podcast to talk about polls, numbers, and the history of midterms and parties. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the results of last night's primaries and elections and wonders at the Democratic head-in-the-sand reaction to the way Hispanic voters are moving to the Republican party. Give a listen.

The Bahnsen Group's David Bahnsen joins the podcast today to talk about the bear market, inflation, energy geopolitics, and why we may be overly optimistic about our long-term economic fortunes.

Democrats are attempting to convince voters that inflation is A) everyone else's fault and B) something that Republicans could do something about if they had a plan. Will it work? Also, Ron DeSantis' impressive showing at the Jewish Leadership Conference and the January 6 Committee's unwise decision to set high expectations for their performance.

American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Matthew Continetti joins the program today to break down the January 6 Committee's first hearing. What did we learn? What did the Committee prove? And what does it matter? Also, what the firing of Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez says about the future of “wokeness.”

The January 6 Committee holds a primetime hearing tonight to make the case for conspiracy. What can we expect to see from the proceedings? Also, the assassination attempt targeting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the need to take the temperature down.

Eli Lake joins the podcast to talk about the staggering results in the California primary last night, in which a progressive prosecutor was recalled and an all-but-in-name Republican came in first in the Los Angeles mayoral race. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the punishment of a Washington Post reporter for the crime of retweeting a provocative joke—and what it says about journalism, the Post, and America. Plus: what Georgetown Law School hath wrought in its treatment of a conservative scholar. And we talk January 6. Give a listen.

Today's podcast examines exculpatory articles about Joe Biden's troubles and the Democratic Party's "messaging"  and asks the following question: Are you kidding me? Give a listen.

Joe Biden's speech lobbying for new gun laws was emotional and affecting, but is that enough to convince the Senate to enact his policy preferences? Plus, good jobs numbers and student loan debt relief as evidence of the White House's ideological capture. COMMENTARY tech columnist James B. Meigs joins the show today to talk about all this and more.

Matthew Continetti joins the podcast today to talk about OPEC's move to release more oil just as Joe Biden is "considering" a visit to Saudi Arabia. Gee, we thought Saudi Arabia was beyond the pale! And we talk baby formula, abortion, and guns, so you know nothing controversial will be said. Give a listen.

Eliana Johnson of the Washington Free Beacon joins the podcast today to talk about Joe Biden's walk-back of his firm statement—on Monday!—that the U.S. wouldn't supply Ukraine with certain weapons. Why does he keep doing this? What on earth is going on? Plus, what happened with the John Durham investigation? Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up an NBC News story about how Joe Biden isn't getting enough credit. Credit for what, you may ask? Give a listen.

The new timeline of events in Uvalde, Texas has upended the debate over what can be done to prevent another massacre like it. Also, New York City's surrender to the opioid/opiate crisis.

Yuval Levin joins us to discuss what larger meaning may or may not attach to the horrific mass murders afflicting the United States. Give a listen.

Today's podcast discusses how we should view the Texas school massacre and to what extent the actions of its perpetrator serve as an indictment of American society and American policy. Then, what did Tuesday's primary results say about Donald Trump's hold on the GOP? Give a listen.