American political writer and pundit
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3 episodes with Jonah Goldberg
Coming at you from Baton Rouge, Jonah Goldberg is ornery and looking to settle some scores. After covering his bases on Iran, the ethics of criticizing the war, and the metrics of success, he moves on to lazy media criticism, ethnic humor, goyslop, and James Fishback. Finally, in a Pulitzer-worthy climax, Jonah definitively dismantles the legacy of Paul Ehrlich and annihilates Steve Hayes' obsession with the word “junto.” Show Notes:—Wednesday G-File: “An Anti-Manifesto on the Iran War”—The Intelligence from Economist Podcasts+—Eli Lake and Andrew Sullivan Debate the Iran War—Last week's Ruminant—Charles Hilu: “Florida's College Republicans and Their Love Affair With James Fishback”—The American Conservative: “Is James Fishback the William F. Buckley of Florida?”—Jonah: “The Lasting Damage of Paul Ehrlich's Pessimism”—Ben Wattenberg: “The Nonsense Explosion”—Kevin Williamson in The Dispatch on Paul Ehrlich—Jonah's book: Suicide of the West—The New York Times' absurd obituary of Paul Ehrlich—Jonah on The Overton Window The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and David French to discuss the growth of prediction markets and the differing goals that Israel and the U.S. may have in the war with Iran.The Agenda:—The harms of sports betting—Fantasy football podcasts and gambling—Monetizing insider trading—How does gambling affect sports?—The libertarian argument regarding addiction—Mismatched aims for the war in Iran—Tension between the U.S. and Israel—NWYT: Can a vegan candidate win in Texas? The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comMatt is an author, pollster, campaigner, and policy advisor. He recently ran for Parliament as a Reform candidate and came in second. He's also a presenter at GB News and a writer on Substack. He's the author of many books, including National Populism and Values, Voice and Virtue, and his new book is Suicide of a Nation: Immigration, Islam, Identity.For two clips of our convo — on the flood of non-white migrants to the UK, and how accusations of racism shape the migration debate — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: born in Hertfordshire to working-class parents who divorced young and worked for the NHS; addiction in the family; his terrible time at an all-boys school; the first in his family to go to college; Burke and Oakeshott; a semester abroad in downtown Detroit; the losers of globalization; being a conservative in academia; thehounding of Kathleen Stock; Douglas Murray; Charles Murray; the falling popularity of liberal democracy; David Cameron; the migration crisis; Brexit; the Red Wall swinging to the right; Nigel Farage and Euroskepticism; plunging fertility rates; Roger Scruton; Lasch and Burnham; the betrayal of Boris on migration; the rapid influx of Muslims to the UK; assimilation in the US; the disappearance of a shared national memory; the illiberalism of Islamic Brits; same-sex marriage; wokeness; anti-speech laws in the UK; the Iraq War; and the new war in Iran.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Derek Thompson on abundance, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy in a liberal democracy, Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism,” and Tom Junod on his memoir and masculinity. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
Not since the Marquis de Lafayette's triumphant 1824 tour of the United States has a return been more welcome than Yuval Levin's to The Remnant. After greeting our patriot hero with laurels and kisses, Jonah Goldberg sets Yuval up for a philosophical tour de force, covering the president's war powers, cultural and institutional change, education in republicanism, the effects of new technology on our Constitutional order, the Scottish Enlightenment, rationalism vs. reason, Hayek vs. Burke, and the new right in the post-Trump world. Show Notes:—Yuval's book, American Covenant—AEI's First Branch Society—Allen Guelzo on The Remnant—Register for LSU's 2026 John Breaux Symposium The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To outside observers, it may appear that Jonah Goldberg is living easy and keeping beach time. Be not deceived! Jonah is as full of intellectual vim as ever, jumping straight into energy markets and the strait of Hormuz, the risks of Trump bailing on the war in Iran, “Jewish” synagogues, the excesses of Epstein demagoguery, the stupidity of idealized class conflict, and—finally—an epic defense of Edmund Burke against his romantiphobic detractors. Show Notes:—Jonah's visit to an oil rig—WSJ: “Will Trump ‘Fight to Win' in Iran?”—Washington Post: “How Ro Khanna turned a sex trafficking scandal into a campaign stunt”—Wednesday's G-File—“Do Democrats Want to Be 'Normal'? Survey Analysis of Today's Democratic Coalition”—Allen Guelzo on The Remnant—Oakeshott: Rationalism in Politics and other essays—Jonah's underrated second book The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This roundtable was recorded in Dallas, Texas, on March 11, 2026, at our Dispatch Energy event.Steve Hayes sits down with Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Alex Trembath, the executive director of the Breakthrough Institute and contributor to the Dispatch Energy newsletter, to discuss the war in Iran's effect on oil markets and what Ronald Reagan got right about energy 50 years ago.The Agenda:—Military success vs. policy success—U.S. energy independence—Prolonged oil disruption—Ronald Reagan's 1974 address—The end of the climate hawks—2026 and beyondShow Notes:—Alex's latest for Dispatch Energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comEli is a journalist and an old friend. He's a former senior national security correspondent for The Daily Beast and Newsweek, and a former columnist for the Bloomberg View. He's now a reporter for The Free Press, a contributing editor at Commentary Magazine, and the host of his own podcast, Breaking History. He's one of the most dogged defenders of Israel in America. Who better to slug it out with?For two clips of our convo — on the double standard of US aid to Israel and NATO, and escalation of settlements in the West Bank — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: Eli's speech at his bar mitzvah on Jewish views of nuclear proliferation; his Zionist sleepaway camp; the Iran-Contra affair; the Oslo Accords; the Second Intifada; Saddam and WMDs; mugged by the reality of the Iraq War; the rise of Hamas in Gaza; the Obama-Netanyahu feud; the Iran nuclear deal; Schumer's commitment to Israel; the Golden Dome; Israel's contributions to the US; the horrors of October 7; the Judeo-fascists in Bibi's cabinet; US bombs sent to the IDF for Gaza; the 12-Day War that “obliterated” Iran's nuke facilities; the mass slaughter of protesters in Iran; the shifting reasons for the current war; the lack of any public debate or Congressional approval; the farce of Hegseth; Witkoff and Kushner's “negotiations” with Iran; international law; assassinating the leadership in Iran; Lindsey Graham's fanaticism; Tucker Carlson; the dead schoolgirls; oil prices; and evangelical support for Israel.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Matt Goodwin on the political earthquake in the UK, Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Derek Thompson on abundance, Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy in a liberal democracy, and Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism.” As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
In desperate need of a Remnant guest, Jonah Goldberg puts on his trucker hat, drives out to the sleaziest rural bar you can imagine, and dunks Chris Stirewalt's head into a horse trough. Listen to Jonah and Chris blow the smoke about irony, gallows humor, Iran, Trump's fashion failures, ties in restaurants, voter ID, the Ken Paxton-John Cornyn race in Texas, Bill Clinton flirting with Nancy Mace, the stolen 2020 election, and Sen. Markwayne Mullin. Show Notes:—Introduction to Ben Sasse's podcast, Not Dead Yet—Jedediah Purdy: For Common Things: Irony, Trust, and Commitment in America Today—Revisionist History: Rat vs. Raccoon—Jonah's G-File on Johnny Bravo The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Historian and friend of The Remnant Allen Guelzo has taken a breather from battling for the soul of the West to argue with Jonah Goldberg about the American founding, Edmund Burke, and—horror of horrors—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. Join Jonah and Dr. Guelzo as they explore Western civilization, barbarism, tradition, Marxism as romanticism, the Enlightenment, Locke, Lincoln, the great-man theory of history, and the fundamental cause of the Civil War. Show Notes:—The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition Vol. 2—Previous Remnant with Allen Guelzo—John Courtney Murray: “The Return to Tribalism”—Georgios Varouxakis: The West: The History of an Idea—Secretary Marco Rubio delivers remarks to the Munich Security Conference—Jonah's book: Suicide of the West—Walter Russell Mead: “The Enduring Impact of the Abrahamic Tradition”—The Lost History of Liberalism—Kristol: “The American Revolution as Successful Revolution”—Barbara Tuchman: A Distant Mirror The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After one heck of a week, Jonah Goldberg has a lot to unpack. Jonah visits the advantages of having Congress on board for war, the case for attacking Iran sooner rather than later, Marco Rubio's Israel gaffe, Pete Hegseth's chest thumping, Kristi Noem's entrance into the dust bin of history, Trump's corrupt “industrial policy,” the Anthropic/Pentagon dustup, and primary elections in the Lone Star State. Note: If you're in the Baton Rouge area, Jonah will be speaking at LSU on March 20 as part of the John Breaux Symposium. The Symposium is free and open to the public (with food provided!), but you need to register in advance. Show Notes:—George Orwell: “Politics and the English Language”—Wednesday's G-File—Jonah's LA Times column on regime change—Eli Lake on The Remnant—Marco Rubio Explains Why The US Launched An Attack On Iran—Philip Klein at National Review: “No, Marco Rubio Didn't Claim That Israel Dragged Trump into War with Iran” The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg and Dispatch contributors Mike Nelson and David French to discuss the administration's military campaign in Iran one week in, the administration's weak public messaging, and where we can expect to be five weeks from now. The Agenda:—Why and why now?—Tactical successes so far—Implications of regime change—Trump's personal ambitions—Will China get involved?—Five weeks from now The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comPaige is a scientist and writer. She's a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, where she directs the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab and serves as Director of Clinical Training. She's the author of The Genetic Lottery: Why DNA Matters for Social Equality, and her new book is Original Sin: On the Genetics of Vice, The Problem of Blame, and The Future of Forgiveness. It's about the eternal question of what sin is; and where it comes from; and whether our guilt is justified. We had a great chat.For two clips of our convo — on the proclivity for violence in our genes, and even religion! — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up in a conservative religious household outside Memphis; not knowing any non-evangelicals until college; original sin and Augustine; Aquinas; Calvinism; genetics as predestination; how humans evolved to be more cooperative and non-violent than apes; the genes of violent criminals; the overwhelming disparity of men versus women in prison; accountability vs punishment; free will; God in the gaps; the genetic predisposition for faith; Tourette's at BAFTA; addiction; how drugs change your brain; AA as Christianity with the theology removed; mental illness; my bipolar and borderline mother; Pascal; philosopher Hanna Pickard; poet Carl Phillips; how genes affect horniness; testosterone and sex; the documentary Seven Up; how identical twins become more similar in middle age; and my initial reactions to the war in Iran.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Matt Goodwin on the political earthquake in the UK, Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Derek Thompson on abundance, Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy in a liberal democracy, and Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism.” As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
Jonah Goldberg discusses the Iran war, Trump's governing style, the rise of the populist right, and why he believes the GOP is drifting away from conservatism.
With bombs falling, missiles flying, and the Ayatollah six feet under, there's only one man Remnant listeners want on the show. Ken Pollack joins Jonah Goldberg to talk about the feasibility of regime change from the air; the precedents of Kosovo, Operation Desert Fox, and Libya; Iranian social cohesion; the risk of Balkanization; the threat Turkey poses; President Donald Trump's fear of blowback; the administration's reason for attacking now; and what happens from here. Show Notes:—Previous Remnant with Ken—Jonah's Los Angeles Times column this week—Rubio's explanation of the war—Phil Klein at National Review - “No, Marco Rubio Didn't Claim that Israel Dragged Trump into War with Iran”—Remnant with Eli Lake—George Will on restored American credibility The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rum-brained and sunburned, Jonah Goldberg posts up poolside to ruminate on the Caribbean's cruise economy, Woodrow Wilson, how we think about history, Trump's condo-salesman vanity, the ongoing war in Ukraine, J.D. Vance as the “fraud czar,” and the journalistic ethics of Polymarket. Show Notes:—Wednesday's G-File—AO pod wherein David French acknowledges his intellectual debt to Jonah—Remnant - The Great Cancellation of Woodrow Wilson—Jonah's book Liberal Fascism— Dan McLaughlin - “The Hater's Guide to Woodrow Wilson”—Washington Post - “Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency”—Last week's Remnant—Dr. Oz - “Best State of the Union ever”—Ukraine: The Latest on the four-year anniversary of the war—Friday's Dispatch Podcast—In Living Color- Hey Mon The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comMichael is quite simply one of the best nonfiction writers out the planet: a real role model. He's been a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine since 1987, and he's the bestselling author of many books, including How to Change Your Mind — which I reviewed in 2018 — and its sequel, This Is Your Mind on Plants, which we discussed on the Dishcast in 2021. This week we covered his new book, A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness.For two clips of our convo — on the magic of spontaneous thoughts, and the consciousness of kids — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: toasters and other things that don't have consciousness; Thomas Nagel's bat; panpsychism; Francis Crick trying to solve consciousness; the global neuronal workspace theory; how brains are not like computers; AI and consciousness; Proust; James Joyce; Wordsworth and the Romantics; William James and stream of consciousness; Lucy Ellmann's Ducks, Newburyport; words on the tip of your tongue; phenomenology; letting your mind wander; Addison's Walk at Oxford; how smartphones distract from thinking; Trump taking up our headspace; Oakeshott and “the deadliness of doing”; AI and UBI; Allison Gopnik's lantern vs spotlight consciousness; how a child's brain resembles an adult's on psychedelics; ego death; the default mode network; meditation; the flow state of deep reading; the benefits of boredom; habit and ritual; my 10-day silent meditation retreat; the sentience of plants; Buddhism and Matthieu Ricard; the soul; the film Into Great Silence; and the disenchantment of the Enlightenment.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Derek Thompson on abundance, Matt Goodwin on the earthquake in UK politics, Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy, Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism,” Tom Junod on his memoir and masculinity, and Kathryn Paige Harden on the genetics of vice and virtue. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
In need of some good ol' fashioned conservative inside baseball, Jonah Goldberg turns to the only man he can: Richard Reinsch. Jonah and Richard dive deep into GOP history, examining how the Nixon era serves as a prism through which we can view the MAGA moment, before debunking the recent “white-culture” phenomenon and arguing for a conservatism built on the Declaration of Independence's immortal words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”Shownotes:—Reinsch in Commentary: “Against Grievance Politics”—Richard M. Reinsch II Civitas Institute profile—Whittaker Chambers: The Spirit of a Counterrevolutionary—Ross Douthat's arguments about the future of conservatism—Jonah's G-File response to Douthat—Jonah's G-File on white culture and right-wing identitarianism—Oren Cass in the New York Times—Kevin Williamson for The Dispatch: “The Not-So-Obvious Price of Trump's Trade Incoherence”—Kesler - Crisis of the Two Constitutions: The Rise, Decline, and Recovery of American Greatness—Huntington - Who Are We? The Challenges to America's National IdentityThe Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg, about to escape the icy north for some sun-soaked R&R, is feeling boisterous. After reveling in his new favorite art form—Donald Trump's “Truths” set to music—Jonah piles on Jesse Jackson, Iran, the Justice Department, Napoleon III, and Notre Dame, crescendoing with his critique of “white culture” and right-wing identity politics. Shownotes:—Jonah on CNN's The Arena talking smack about sleazy democrats—Financial Times—“Why Iran is betting on war”—Nick Catoggio's Boiling Frogs on Trump and Iran—Jonah on the Sam Harris podcast—The Remnant with Ken Pollack—The Remnant with Eli Lake—Jonah's book Liberal Fascism—Jonah's “white culture” G-File—Bo Winegard's defense of white culture—Jonah's takedown of Jamelle Bouie in National Review The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Harris speaks with Jonah Goldberg about the state of American conservatism and the Trump presidency. They discuss the politicization of federal institutions, the erosion of legal norms, the schism between Never Trump conservatives and the nationalist right, infighting over figures like Nick Fuentes, J.D. Vance's political future, a theory of mind for Tucker Carlson, the prospects for regime change in Iran, and other topics. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, and Megan McArdle to discuss Stephen Colbert's “pulled” interview with Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico and whether the Trump administration is seriously considering bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. Plus: Are military strikes on Iran imminent? The Agenda:—The FCC and equal time rules—Should the government control airwaves?—FTC's threat to Apple News—Military escalation with Iran—Plausibility of regime change—NWYT: Going to the moon? Show Notes:—Paul Matzko's The Radio Right—Megan McArdle's podcast The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comSally is a journalist, columnist, TV commentator, author, wife to Ben Bradlee, and legendary DC hostess. Who better to talk to about the implosion of The Washington Post? She also founded the Post's religion website, “On Faith.” She's the author of six books, including the spiritual memoir Finding Magic, and We're Going to Make You a Star — about her time at “CBS Morning News.” Her latest novel is Silent Retreat, and she's now working on a memoir called Never Invite Sally Quinn. Her energy at 84 is, well, humbling. We had a blast.For two clips of our convo — on Sally's initial impression of Bezos, and the time Bill Clinton called her the b-word — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: born in Savannah, GA, and learning voodoo as a kid; moving as an Army brat; her general dad who captured Göring and helped create the CIA; at Smith College wanting to be an actress; rebelling against Vietnam and the wishes of her dad by marrying Bradlee; the Georgetown party circuit and how it's grown more partisan; throwing a pajama party for Goldwater; dating Hunter S. Thompson; Watergate and Woodstein; the Grahams; Tom Stoppard; Hitchens; Howell Raines; Newt's revolution; Bill's womanizing; Hillary defending her cheater; the Monica frenzy; Obama rising on merit; Barack the introvert; Jerry Brown; the catastrophe of Biden running in 2024; Dr. Jill's complicity and cruelty; Jon Meacham; Maureen Dowd; David Ignatius; Bradlee's dementia; declining trust in journalism; Bezos nixing the Harris endorsement; his life with Lauren Sanchez; sucking up to Trump; the Will Lewis debacle; Sally's spiritual life; silent retreats; Zen meditation; the humor in Buddhism; the denial of death; debating the the Golden Rule; children in Gaza; and the need more than ever for in-person gatherings.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Michael Pollan on consciousness, Derek Thompson on abundance, Matt Goodwin on the UK political earthquake, Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy, Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism,” and Kathryn Paige Harden on the genetics of vice. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com. A listener writes:Thanks for all these good episodes. Is Vivek still planning to be a guest soon? I have been looking forward to that episode.He got cold feet. Too bad. On the other hand, I tend to avoid active politicians. Because they're rarely as candid as I'd like a guest to be. Oh well.A fan of last week's pod who lives near Atlanta writes, “The longtime Dishheads on the Mableton cul-de-sac definitely approve of your interview with homegrown talent Zaid Jilani”:I agree with his description of Mableton as a bit like the United Nations; I see that diversity in our grocery stores and local restaurants. He mentioned how he was often the only Pakistani and thus perceived as a nonthreatening minority. It makes me wonder how much the diversity mix affects how people perceive immigration? If a large group from one country arrives, does that seem more like an invasion? If a similar number arrives but from a wide range of locations, does that seem more like the normal American melting pot?After 30 years of living in Mableton, this may partly explain why I am not bothered by immigration in the way that you are, Andrew. I expect to see and hear all sorts of people wherever I go in my neighborhood. Today the teller at the bank spoke accented English. There are regular clerks at my grocery store who are immigrants. Our new HVAC was installed by immigrants. As an Atlanta suburb, there are many people descended from African slaves. European ancestry is merely one possibility off the long colorful menu around here.I think pace and numbers matter. A slower pace and fewer — with no massive homogenous populations arriving at once. And a new emphasis on Americanization over “multiculturalism”.From a listener who wants to “Make Democrats Great Again”:Great conversation with Zaid Jilani last week. I am very concerned that hardly any Democrats are being at all introspective, trying to figure out where they went wrong and how to become a party that can actually win elections — maybe even hearts and minds. They are only defined as anti-Trump, and their only hope is for Trump to go down in flames — which he very well might, but all they aspire to is winning as the least-worst party.The policy directions for reclaiming sanity and moderate voters are obvious (to me, at least). Here are my top three issues:1. AffordabilityThe longest lever to affect affordability is housing. Democrats have been complete failures in this regard, with strongholds like California and NYC being the least affordable places. When they talk about “affordable housing,” they only mean housing that is forced below market rate for the few poor people lucky enough to get it. They offer no solutions for the middle class or young people.The solution is obvious: build more. Plough through the various restrictions that are preventing housing from being built. There is no reason housing can't be cheap, except for NIMBY politics. Scott Weiner in California has been doing great work on this.Health care is the second-longest affordability lever. Obamacare made some progress, but not nearly enough, especially in terms of keeping costs down. But I'm not sure we're ready for another push on this; I say focus on housing.2. ImmigrationObviously there should be some immigration, and obviously we have structured our economy such that many jobs are only done by immigrants. But the Democrats' policy of simply not enforcing immigration law is untenable, especially for a group asking to be put in charge of law enforcement. We need those migrant workers, so find a way for them be here legally. Not through amnesty, but through some sort of bureaucratic process: have the employers fill out a form; have the prospective worker fill out a form in some office in Mexico; have someone process the form; and give them a green card.This is simple stuff! And yes, it would be helpful to admit that open borders, sanctuary cities, and subverting the law were not good ideas.3. CultureEnd wokeness. America is not a country consumed by white supremacy, and the people who voted for Trump are not racists. There are hardly any racists! And drop the other insanities, like the trans stuff.The message needs to be, “We are the Democrats and we want to help anybody from any state who needs help.” Hard to convince struggling white people in the South that you're going to help them when you seem to despise them. Love your brother, for crying out loud. And naturally, today's woke Democrats would be much more accepting of this message if it came from a racial minority candidate.Another wanted to hear more:I wish you had asked Zaid about Josh Shapiro. Also, when Zaid talked about affordability, he never mentioned housing — which is why there are so many ex-Californians in his home state of Georgia and elsewhere. “Build Baby Build” should be the slogan of the Democratic Party, rather than gaslighting Americans into believing housing prices will come down because we are getting rid of immigrants (Vance).Here's a dissent:About 20:30 into your interview with Zaid Jilani, he said that the root of all the Abrahamic faiths is that the meek have rights. You replied that this applied more to Christianity and Islam than to Judaism. I say this neither rhetorically nor to admonish you, but how much do you know about Judaism? Your comment is completely mistaken. Just what do you think Judaism says about the meek?Another has examples:In Genesis, you find that all humans were created b'tzelem Elohim (in the image of God). Moreover, Jewish texts consistently frame care for the poor as a legal obligation and moral imperative, not mere charity. Every Jewish child learns that promoting economic justice is mandated. It is called tzedakah.This religious mandate has manifested itself in the real world. Jews have been disproportionately represented in social justice movements aimed at promoting human equality. It wasn't an accident that two of three civil rights movement activists murdered in Neshoba County, Mississippi by the Ku Klux Klan were Jewish.Points taken. Big generalizations in a chat can be dumb. My quarrel may be semantic: the meek is not merely the weak. It's about the quiet people, those easily trampled upon. Like many of Jesus' innovations, it takes a Jewish idea further.Another listener on the Zaid pod:I wonder if you ever play the game of “which time would you like to go back to”? I do! And only half-jokingly, I often say 1994 in DC. Something about, for example, Christopher Hitchens on CSPAN in a dreary suit jacket discussing such *trivial* aspects of politics in a serious way. How perfect! When I listened to your episode with Zaid Jilani about how the left can win, it seemed dated to about this period in the early ‘90s.Ah yes, the Nineties. They were heady times and I think we all kinda realized it at the time. The economy was booming, crime was plummeting, Annie Leibovitz took my picture, and we had the luxury of an impeachment over a b*****b. Good times.On another episode, a listener says I have a “rose-colored view of President Obama”:In your conversation with Jason Willick, you said that Obama was a stickler for proper procedure and doing things the right way. I might instance, on the other side:* Evading the constitutional requirements on treaties in pursuit of the Iran deal (an evasion that the Republicans were stupid enough to go along with)* Encouraging the regulatory gambit of “sue and settle”* The “Dear Colleague” letter* “I've got a pen and a phone”Points taken. Especially the DACA move. But compared to Biden and Trump? Much better. One more listener email:I've been following you for years, but more recently I became a subscriber, and it's a decision I don't regret! I usually listen to the Dishcast over the weekend, and I always find it extremely stimulating, but there is also something relaxing about the length and scope of your conversations.I want to respond to something you said in your Claire Berlinski episode on the subject of Ukraine. Although I appreciate your position in defence of international law, you implied that Russia's claim to Ukrainian land is somehow “historically legitimate.” This is not only problematic from a logical standpoint (does Sweden have a historically legitimate claim to Finland and Norway, or does the UK have a claim to the Republic of Ireland, the US, and all its former colonies?), but also not based on historical reality.Unfortunately, this is not the first time your comments on Ukraine seem come through the prism of a Russian lens. I am sure it's not intentional; perhaps that's not a subject you have invested much time in, which is legitimate. However, I find it a bit surprising that, as we approach the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion, you still don't seem to have had the curiosity to explore this and invite any specialist on Ukraine. If Timothy Snyder is too political these days, I would recommend Serhii Plokhy — possibly the most eminent historian of Ukraine — or Yaroslav Hrytsak. They would each be a very interesting conversation.The Dishcast has featured many guests with expertise on the Ukraine war, including Anne Applebaum (twice), John Mearsheimer, Samuel Ramani (twice), Edward Luttwak, Fiona Hill (twice), Robert Wright, Robert Kaplan, Fareed Zakaria, Douglas Murray, Edward Luce, and Niall Ferguson.A reader responds to last week's column, “The President Of The 0.00001 Percent”:Like you, I'm not against people getting rich. A lot of good is done by a few people who have enough money to seed research and the arts, and pursue things that ordinary worker bees would never have the margin of time or resources to pursue. Good so far.But all strong forces need regulation and/or protective barriers, whether it's the weather, sex, patriotism, or capitalism. What's going on now is obscene. Progressive taxation is a social good: it doesn't stop anyone from getting richer and richer; it doesn't remove the positive motivators for success; it just means that the farther they get, the higher their proportionate contribution to the system that lets them get there. There are various ways to tweak the dials, but there is nothing philosophically wrong with tweaking them in a way the sets some outer limit. Let it be very high, but let it not be infinite.Here's a familiar dissent:You were right to torch the nihilism of the .00001 class. You were right to call out moral evasions. But when you referred to “the IDF's massacre of children in Gaza,” you collapsed a morally and legally distinct reality into a slogan. Words matter. “Massacre” implies intent. It suggests that the deliberate killing of children is policy rather than tragic consequence. That is a serious charge, and it deserves serious evidence.The governing reality in Gaza is not that Israel woke up one morning and decided to target children.
The Remnant is proud to bestow its newly formed, not-really-endowed chair of lexicography upon Scrabble legend and word nerd Stefan Fatsis. For his first act as chair, Stefan joins Jonah Goldberg to talk about the role of professional lexicographers, whether dictionaries should be normative or descriptive, how dictionaries handle controversial words, and the threat that the digital age poses not only to the dictionary, but to knowledge itself. Show Notes:—Unabridged The Thrill of and Threat to the Modern Dictionary—Stefan in Slate: “What Does 'Unabridged' Even Mean Anymore?”—John McWhorter's most recent Remnant appearance—Fatsis' book on competitive Scrabble—Mencken - The American Language: An Inquiry Into the Development of English in the United States The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The sun comes up, a new day dawns, and Cass Sunstein publishes another book. Today he joins Jonah Goldberg on The Remnant to discuss the six separations of power that undergird our republic, along with unitary executive theory, democracy, and electoral mandates.Shownotes:—Separation of Powers: How to Preserve Liberty in Troubled Times—Yuval Levin's book: The Great Debate: Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine, and the Birth of Right and Left—Jonah in National Review: “The Bluto-Burke Connection Revealed!”—Suicide of the WestThe Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fresh off of arguing with Steve Hayes about the different places one can keep a ferret, Jonah Goldberg ruminates on cameras in Congress, choosing between party and principle, Apple News' First Amendment rights, Kristi Noem's blanket, the Hayekianism of Burke, Yoram Hazony's foolishness, and RFK Jr.'s crackpottery. Plus, you should preorder Sarah Isgur's book. Shownotes:—Friday's Dispatch Podcast—WSJ piece on Kristi Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and DHS—Cass Sunstein's book on separation of powers—Wednesday's G-File—The Great Debate: Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine, and the Birth of Right and Left—Suicide of the West—Burke: “Birds of Prey” speech—Ruminant touching on Yoram Hazony—James Kirchick in Commentary - “The Chutzpah of Yoram Hazony”—Michael A. Woronoff in Commentary: “Trump the Corporatist” The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Megan McArdle to discuss the Trump administration's failed attempt to indict six Democrats and assess the state of the economy one year into the president's second term. The Agenda:—Democrats' 'Don't Give Up the Ship' video—Pam Bondi's testimony before Congress—Loyalty under Trump 2.0—Republican opposition to tariffs—January 2026 jobs report—CBO debt forecast—NWYT: Valentine's Day The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comZaid is a young center-left journalist (after the young center-right journo we had on last week, Jason Willick). Zaid worked as a reporter for The Intercept and as a reporter-blogger for ThinkProgress, United Republic, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Alternet. He's now on Substack at “The American Saga” — subscribe!For two clips of our convo — on what the Dems should do on immigration, and whether Ossoff and Buttigieg could be strong contenders for the presidency — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: his parents immigrating from Pakistan; born and raised outside Atlanta in Newt Gingrich country; growing up Muslim in the South; tithing and agape; starting a student magazine at UGA; Mamdani and affordability; higher taxes on the rich; universal childcare; Ossoff and “the Epstein class”; the Dems' denialism over Kamala; identity politics killing the party; how Dems should respond to AI; data centers hiking energy bills; Waymo; Trump's success at closing the border; asylum reform; the left crying wolf over racism; Stephen Miller the wolf; Eric Kaufmann's Whiteshift; pushing left-racism on a racially tolerant public; Jasmine Crockett; Dem leaders cowed by activists; transqueer ideology; Bad Bunny; Israel and the Dems; foreign aid; Tom Massie; Ro Khanna; gerontocracy; Obama's success in red states; rumors of Stacey Abrams being closeted; AOC; Warnock; Newsom's left-wing baggage; the silo of Bluesky; Renee Good; and the indoctrination of kids on gender.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Sally Quinn on the WaPo and silent retreats, Michael Pollan on consciousness, Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Derek Thompson on abundance, Matt Goodwin on the UK political earthquake, Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism,” Tiffany Jenkins on privacy, and Kathryn Paige Harden on the genetics of vice. An abundance of riches! And a lot of reading for yours truly! As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
Joe Nocera of The Free Press and Jonah Goldberg of The Dispatch parse the Epstein files fallout on both sides of the Atlantic, from Keir Starmer's London personnel shakeup to America's seemingly bottomless tolerance for shamelessness. Then they pivot to Mark Leibovich's Atlantic provocation, "The Democrats Aren't Built for This," with Nocera arguing the party's job is simple, win elections, and Goldberg blaming weak parties and primary incentives that elevate activist frippery over median-voter politics. The back half turns into a partial necropsy of The Washington Post, with "Wordle" as an explanation to why the Times scaled and the Post stalled. Plus, Goat Grinders: AI narrated pro-Trump government ads, mandatory adoration in TV recaps, and the great tennis ball fuzz conspiracy. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ad-sales@libsyn.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist
Hyped up on cold medicine and battling delirium, Jonah Goldberg sets off with Elliott Abrams on a globe-trotting adventure in foreign policy covering Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, India, and more. Along the way they discuss the nature of President Donald Trump's foreign policy, the consequences of American unpredictability, Americans' conceptions of human rights abroad, the utility of the term “neoconservative,” and the lies the U.N. was founded on.Show Notes: —Elliott Abrams profile—"Further Back to the Future: Neo-Royalism, the Trump Administration, and the Emerging International System”—Eli Lake on The Remnant—Honor Among Nations: Intangible Interests and Foreign PolicyThe Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back by popular demand, the great jurist-philosopher and godfather of American conservatism Robby George has returned to The Remnant to set Jonah Goldberg straight about truth, natural law, and the common good. Jonah and Robby talk about the Western tradition, the age of feelings, different kinds of rights, the death penalty, new paganism, and Robby's desire to fight for the soul of conservatism. Shownotes:—Seeking Truth and Speaking Truth: Law and Morality in Our Cultural Moment—George Varouxakis' The West: The History of an Idea—Martin Luther King Jr.'s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”—What Is Marriage?: Man and Woman: A Defense—Jonah's first book—Patrick Deneen's Why Liberalism Failed—“The Flight 93 Election”—Populism and Elitism: Politics in the Age of Equality The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and David French to discuss Donald Trump's second term and when a cycle of norm violations turns into authoritarianism. The Agenda:—DHS targeting of Americans—Administrative subpoenas, explained—Abuses in immigration detention centers—Megan McArdle on fascism—Why language matters—Totalitarianism vs. fascism—NWYT: The Superbowl Show Notes:—A listener's injury story—David French: "This Is Not a Drill" The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Every once and a while, The Remnant rewards a faithful listener by bringing him on the show. Well, assuming he's a national security expert. One such lucky listener is Eli Lake, who joins Jonah Goldberg to talk about the Shah of Iran, the Ayatollah, the current state of play in Islamic Republic, President Trump, and B.S. levels in our politics. Shownotes:—Eli's piece: “Reza Pahlavi: Iran's Reluctant Prince”—Eli's Breaking History podcast—Remnant with Ken Pollack—Iranian Commander's Daughter SECRETLY Calls Radio: 'My Father Is A Monster!'—Part 1 of The Rest Is History podcast on Iran—Kermit Roosevelt's memoir—Ross Douthat's article on conservatism—Jonah's response to Ross' article The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today on The Remnant, university-reform eggheads Ben and Jenna Storey join Neanderthal-in-remediation Jonah Goldberg to talk about civic education and recent efforts to rejuvenate American higher ed. Jonah and the Storeys cover university governance, the relationship between civics and the liberal arts, the significance of postliberalism, and the reasons for thinking seriously. Show Notes:—Center for the Future of the American University—Ben and Jenna Storey's book - Why We Are Restless—Robert Michels - Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchial Tendencies of Modern Democracy—AAUP's 1915 Declaration of Principles—Why Liberalism Failed—Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future—Remnant episode with Will Inboden on higher ed reform The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg, haggard and weary, returns from his cross-country blizzard travels grateful to sit once again in his misanthrope's podcasting den and record a Ruminant. Jonah unpacks his recent conversation with Pete Buttigieg, exposes the number of unfortunate careers launched by John Podhoretz, takes down Yoram Hazony and the NatCons, and analyzes the fallout from the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis. Shownotes:—Remnant on Tucker Carlson—Remnant with Matt Franck—Steve Hayes in The Dispatch on Jason Zengerle's Tucker book—Dr. Yoram Hazony's speech at 2nd International Conference on Combating Antisemitism—Tablet: “Yoram Hazony's 15 Minutes”—Last Friday's G-File—The Editor's Podcast: The Greenland Stand Down—Michael Arthur Ledeen: Universal Fascism—Jonah for The Dispatch: “Trump, Vance, and the Greenland Effect” The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes sits down with Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Kevin Williamson to discuss the events in Minnesota, sanctuary cities and immigration policies, and international tensions. The Agenda:–Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, and the Leak Wars–The killing of Alex Pretti–Jedi mind tricks aren't working–Time for the purge?–Trump's political instincts–Overseas tensions–NWYT: Weird injuries Show Notes:–Dispatch Editorial: The Cost of Silence–Trump says 'violent day' of policing will end crime–The Immigration Frontlines–There's a way to stop Trump. First, drop the fascism debate. The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg was proudly perusing his long list of previous Remnant guests when he discovered a crucial omission! Where is Matt Franck??? In today's episode, Jonah and Matt have a long overdue sit-down to chew over some important problems, including people's motivations for going MAGA, unitary executive theory, the pardon power, the Senate's role in preserving federalism, and what constitutional amendments they would support. Shownotes:—Matt Franck's Public Discourse page—Remnant with Laura Field on her book, Furious Minds—Morrison v. Olson—Jonah: “What is the most Burkean line from Animal House?”—New York Post on Denmark and the Virgin Islands—G-File: “Impeach Joe Biden … Seriously”—Yuval Levin: American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation—and Could Again—Last week's Dispatch Podcast The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, Sarah Isgur, and Mike Warren to reflect on President Donald Trump's first year of his second term and look ahead to his final three. The Agenda:—Trump's use of executive orders—Trump's legislative "agenda"—The retribution tour—What will last beyond Trump?—Are we the (global) baddies?—Sarah's Not Worth Your Time ambush Pre-order Sarah Isgur's new book Last Branch Standing here. Skipped lightning round question: Who was the most influential or effective adviser to Donald Trump in the first year of his second term?David French: Stephen MillerMike Warren: Stephen MillerJonah Goldberg: Stephen MillerSarah Isgur: Stephen MillerSteve Hayes: Stephen Miller The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elliot Williams returns to The Remnant in triumph to discuss his new book, Five Bullets. Jonah Goldberg and Elliot brave technical difficulties to discuss the Bernie Goetz case, the blackout of ‘77, Rupert Murdoch, Trump's political origins, and the echoes of ‘80s New York today. Shownotes:—Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York's Explosive '80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial That Divided the Nation—Most recent appearance of Elliot Williams on The Remnant The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes returns and invites Declan Garvey, Jonah Goldberg, and Michael Warren on to discuss President Donald Trump's letter to the prime minister of Norway about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, the future of NATO, and the end of the conservative movement.Plus: Are NFL teams firing coaches too quickly? The Agenda:–What is Trump thinking?–International reactions–Economic ramifications–Foreign policy plays–Douthat vs. Goldberg–The future of nationalism and conservatism–Stability over upside in the NFL Show Notes:–Douthat's NYT column: Trump's Second Term Has Ended the Conservative Era–Jonah's G-File: Beware the New Americanism–Douthat in 2020: There Will Be No Trump Coup The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ken Pollack, vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute, joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the reality of regime change in Iran, what's next for the Iranian nuclear program, and the politics around taking Greenland.The Agenda:–Historical patterns of uprisings in Iran–Is this different?–It's the economy, stupid!–Potential military strategies–Understanding the Iranian threat–Iran's nuclear program–The shah's complex legacy–Greenland, now what?Show Notes:–Monday's TMD on Iran–The political theory that explains Trump's global power playsThe Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg starts this Ruminant off with a bang by defending his take on the ICE shooting, then jumping headfirst into his thoughts on Labor Department posts and Woodrow Wilson's fascistic America. He also muses on his father's defense of the Shah, takes on right- and left-wing antisemitism, and tries out a new metaphor for Donald Trump.Plus, listeners will be treated to ... a confession. Shownotes:—Jonah's take on the Minneapolis ICE shooting on The Dispatch Podcast—Advisory Opinions on the ICE shooting—Goldberg slams ‘grotesque and idiotic' response by some in GOP to deadly ICE shooting—Most recent Dispatch Podcast—Mike Allen at Axios on new White House concern over immigration—“There Will Be More Renee Goods” - Jeremiah Johnson at The Dispatch—Jonah's G-File on the Department of Labor—Jonah's book, Liberal Fascism—Three New Deals: Reflections on Roosevelt's America, Mussolini's Italy, and Hitler's Germany, 1933-1939—The Remnant: John Adams Was Not an Originalist | Interview: Lindsay Chervinsky—The Remnant: Patriots and Loyalists | Interview: Ken Burns—Foer in The Atlantic: ‘MAGA's Jewish Intellectuals Helped Create Their Own Predicament'—Yoni Appelbaum on The Remnant—Foer: ‘The Golden Age of American Jews Is Ending'—Eli Lake on The Commentary Podcast—Mike Nelson in The Dispatch on America's red lines The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Michael Warren takes the host chair from Steve Hayes to lead a panel discussion with Jonah Goldberg, Sarah Isgur, and Grayson Logue on the recent fatal shooting involving an ICE agent in Minneapolis, its effect on public opinion around immigration enforcement, and the broader ramifications of aggressive immigration enforcement. The Agenda:–Polling on public reaction to the ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis–Trump's “Reverse Midas Touch” and its influence on the political narrative–The feds are coming for Jerome Powell–Are we really taking Greenland?–Is NWYT worth your time? Show Notes:–Save the Federal Reserve's independence–ICE's Deadly Professionalism Deficit The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In her debut appearance at Le Bistro Remnant, Rebecca Newberger-Goldstein serves up a philosophical Smörgåsbord for Jonah Goldberg, including the four forms of mattering, the distinction between humans and other animals, the brilliance and depression of William James, and the principle of entropy, all with a little bit of Spinoza sprinkled in. Shownotes:—The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us—Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity—36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction—Steven Pinker's essay on entropy—Jonah's most recent book—Dominion by Tom Holland—Steven Pinker's appearance on The Remnant—Megan McArdle—“The Brother I Lost” The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg is joined by Ken Burns, the prolific American filmmaker behind documentaries on the Civil War and American Revolution. The two discuss the importance of historical narratives, why George Washington is so pivotal, and whether Jonah would have been a Loyalist or Patriot. Show Notes:—Washington Monthly's review of The American Revolution (2025)—Jonah's Next 250 essay: "The American Revolution Was a Really Big Deal" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg ruminates on the Trump administration's response to the ICE shooting in Minneapolis, the use of the word "regime," and where nationalism goes wrong. Show Notes:—Wednesday's G-File—Friday's Dispatch Podcast The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson, Jonah Goldberg, and David French to revisit the Trump administration's operation in Venezuela nearly one week later and discuss the shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. The Agenda:—U.S. intervention in Venezuela—Oil, drugs, or immigrants?—Legality of Maduro's arrest—Does international law matter?—The future of U.S. interventionism—ICE shooting in Minneapolis—NWYT: Best cities to live in Show Notes:—Dispatch Debate on the capture of Maduro The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg is joined by returning guest Matt Ridley, author of Birds, Sex and Beauty: The Extraordinary Implications of Charles Darwin's Strangest Idea. The two discuss the beauty of birds and the distinction between natural selection and sexual selection, how species evolve to adapt to city life, and the origins of the COVID-19 virus.Show Notes:—Matt's previous appearance on The Remnant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the second installment of The Remnant's unofficial presidential-biographers series, Jonah Goldberg powwows with Lindsay Chervinsky about John Adams, the Alien and Sedition Acts, unwritten laws, the pardon power, and the centrality of the Continental Army to the development of American identity. Plus, Jonah asks Lindsay about his favorite libertarian urban myth. Shownotes:—Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic—List of vice presidents of the United States—Remnant on Martin Van Buren—George Washington's cover letter—Jeffrey Rosen - The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America—General Orders, 4 July 1775 The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Dispatch contributor Gil Guerra, and retired Army Special Forces officer Mike Nelson to discuss the Trump administration's capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and what happens next. The Agenda:—Gil for The Dispatch: Why We Toppled Maduro—The administration's rationale—Mike for The Dispatch: Causes for Concern and Celebration—The White House's muddled messaging—The "Donroe Doctrine"—Permanent occupation?—No new wars—NWYT: How to pronounce Maduro The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg ruminates on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inauguration speech and the mayor's strange appeal to the "warmth of collectivism." He then reviews Paul Thomas Anderson's film One Battle After Another and explains how the Minnesota fraud story is discrediting some mainstream journalists. Show Notes:—The Remnant with Chris Stirewalt The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonah Goldberg invites Nuke LaLoosh LARPer Chris Stirewalt to discuss the biggest political gaffes of 2025, debate whether House Speaker Mike Johnson is a human in a lizard suit or a lizard in a human suit, and name the most punchable faces from the past year. Show Notes:—Jonah's interview with Rahm Emmanuel The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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