Vin Weber is a former congressman from Minnesota, a respected political strategist, and a thoughtful analyst of American politics. In this Conversation, Weber reflects on Reaganite conservatism and makes the case for continued American leadership in the world. Kristol and Weber also discuss the Trump presidency, its implications for the Republican Party, and whether Trump’s election portends a breakup of the two party system.
Mar 13, 2017•1 hr 34 min
Former Obama senior adviser David Axelrod discusses the 2016 elections, particularly at the presidential level, and reflects on Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the victory of Donald Trump. He also considers challenges and opportunities for the Democrats and Republicans during the Trump presidency and possible paths forward for both parties. Finally, Kristol and Axelrod discuss the early days of the Trump White House and consider the prospects for his presidency.
Feb 27, 2017•1 hr 22 min
On how the president, Congress, and courts might go about reforming the administrative state. Christopher DeMuth of the Hudson Institute and Adam J. White of the Hoover Institution diagnose the problems of the modern administrative state and reflect on the often harmful role it plays in our politics. Both lawyers, they offer significant insight into how administrative agencies of the federal government have become increasingly unchecked during the last few decades. DeMuth and White then consider...
Feb 11, 2017•1 hr 27 min
University of Virginia professor James Ceaser offers his account of the election of Donald Trump in his third conversation with Kristol. Ceaser considers what we might anticipate from the Trump administration—both on policies like immigration, trade, and American leadership in the world, as well as on constitutional issues like the separation of powers. Ceaser also discusses modern conservatism and how the Trump presidency might affect it. Finally, Kristol and Ceaser reflect on the Obama years a...
Jan 29, 2017•1 hr 34 min
A senior editor at The Weekly Standard, Andrew Ferguson is one of America’s leading writers and journalists. In this Conversation, Ferguson reflects on his career, including his work on American politics and culture, his time as a speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush, and his start in journalism at the American Spectator. Ferguson and Kristol also discuss higher education, the state of the conservative movement, and the changing norms of our politics and culture from the early 1990s to th...
Jan 16, 2017•1 hr 19 min
National Review senior editor Jonah Goldberg discusses President-elect Donald Trump and how conservatives might think about their task during Trump’s presidency, in this, his second Conversation with Bill Kristol. Goldberg and Kristol also reflect on the state of liberalism and conservatism today, and consider some trends in the broader culture—e.g., political correctness, the rise of social media, celebrity politicians—and how they might affect the conservative movement in 2017 and beyond....
Jan 03, 2017•1 hr 28 min
In his eleventh Conversation, Harvey Mansfield discusses Donald Trump's election and how political philosophy can inform our understanding of Trump. Mansfield and Kristol also discuss what Trump’s victory reveals about American politics and our parties.
Dec 19, 2016•43 min
Brookings Institution Senior Fellow William A. Galston shares his perspective on American politics today, including the factors that led to the election of Donald Trump, the state of our parties after his election, and the prospects for the Trump presidency. A former senior aide to President Clinton, Galston considers the significance of the 2016 elections for the Democrats and outlines potential conflicts between what he calls “pro-growth progressives” and “populist progressives” within the par...
Dec 05, 2016•1 hr 30 min
In this brief and timely conversation, Elliott Abrams and Bill Kristol reflect on the dictatorship of Fidel Castro, its record of brutality and repression, and the romanticization of the Castro regime by certain figures of the Left. Abrams then considers how the Trump administration might take advantage of this opportunity to change American policy toward Cuba, for the benefit of the U.S. and for the Cuban people.
Dec 01, 2016•23 min
Kristol, Abraham, and Cost analyze the 2016 elections and the opportunities and challenges for the Trump administration, particularly during the transition and in the early days after inauguration. The group also discusses significant changes in American politics caused or revealed by the 2016 presidential race, including the importance of social media and chances for “outsider" candidates.
Nov 20, 2016•1 hr 20 min
Currently a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley, Steven F. Hayward is a writer, political commentator, and author of a definitive biography of Ronald Reagan. In this conversation, Hayward discusses Reagan and the qualities that made him a successful president. Kristol and Hayward also explain why studying great political figures is essential for understanding politics. Finally, Hayward reflects on how he came to the study of statesmanship and on some important books and teachers that have influenced...
Nov 07, 2016•1 hr 7 min
Appointed by President George H.W. Bush, Justice Clarence Thomas has served on the Supreme Court since October 1991. In this conversation, Justice Thomas shares personal reflections on the Court, his jurisprudence, and the people, ideas, institutions, and experiences that have influenced him. Justice Thomas also reflects on his late colleague and friend Justice Antonin Scalia.
Oct 22, 2016•1 hr 10 min
In his second appearance on Conversations, former Deputy National Security Advisor (under George W. Bush) and Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Elliott Abrams explains the challenges to a new president of quickly putting together a foreign policy team and the urgency the new president will face in restoring America’s global standing. Kristol and Abrams discuss particular hot spots around the world including the Middle East. Finally, Abrams offers advice about how the new president shoul...
Oct 10, 2016•1 hr 14 min
In his tenth conversation with Bill Kristol, Harvey Mansfield recommends some important and diverting books from different genres. Mansfield discusses crime fiction, comedic novels, biographies, and political science and considers what we can learn from the best writers in these genres. Mansfield also interprets Jonathan Swift’s "Gulliver’s Travels" as a critique of modern science. Other authors discussed include: Bill James, Agatha Christie, Donald Westlake, P.G. Wodehouse, James Q. Wilson, and...
Sep 26, 2016•1 hr 18 min
In his second conversation with Bill Kristol, American Enterprise Institute scholar Charles Murray discusses the state of American civic life and how this can help us understand the current political moment. Murray explains how the decline of communities, the effects of immigration, and the growth of anti-trade sentiment have fueled populist impulses in 2016. Kristol and Murray also revisit Murray's prescient The Bell Curve (1994) and discuss how cognitive ability might affect American life in t...
Sep 12, 2016•1 hr 11 min
In his second conversation with Bill Kristol, Claremont McKenna professor of political philosophy Mark Blitz discusses American liberal democracy. Blitz explains the meaning of individual natural rights and why they form the basis of American government. Blitz and Kristol then consider critiques of American liberal democracy—most prominently, that the American regime promotes inequality or leads to a lowering of standards. Blitz addresses these criticisms and explains why the American regime rem...
Aug 29, 2016•1 hr 3 min
In his third conversation with Bill Kristol, Paul Cantor focuses on works of literature—plays, short stories, and novels—that deepen our understanding of the characteristics and challenges of political and economic liberty. Cantor considers a variety of authors from across the centuries—Ben Jonson, Daniel Defoe, Georg Büchner, Elizabeth Gaskell, Joseph Conrad, Franz Kafka, and Tom Stoppard—who thought deeply and wrote powerfully about the politics of freedom.
Aug 15, 2016•1 hr 26 min
In their third "state of the 2016 race" conversation, Kristol, Abraham, Cost discuss how to think about the 2016 presidential race and consider whether the frequently underestimated Trump could win. The group also reflects on how various possible outcomes could affect the political parties and our politics. The group discusses these and many other questions in this timely conversation on the 2016 elections.
Aug 03, 2016•1 hr 24 min
The ninth in our ongoing series with Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield focuses on the Constitution and what Mansfield calls “America’s Constitutional Soul.” In this conversation, Mansfield discusses the jurisprudence of the late Justice Antonin Scalia and his focus on the wisdom of the Constitution. Mansfield reflects on why America has a “Constitutional Soul” and how our political parties treat the Constitution. Finally, Kristol and Mansfield consider the relationship of the Constitution to th...
Aug 01, 2016•56 min
Jonah Goldberg is a senior editor at National Review and a best-selling author and political commentator. In this conversation, Goldberg and Kristol reflect on Trump's candidacy and its meaning for conservatism and the Republican Party. Goldberg also discusses his best-selling book 'Liberal Fascism' (2008) and how subsequent events, including Trump's campaign, have affected his thinking. Finally, Goldberg recommends a few books and essays that played an important role in his political education....
Jul 18, 2016•1 hr 32 min
In his second conversation with Bill, General Petraeus makes the case for continued American leadership in the world. Drawing on his experiences in command in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gen. Petraeus explains how the American military can best harness its strategic and technological assets to achieve goals in difficult environments. Finally, Gen. Petraeus and Kristol discuss the general’s academic and battlefield education and how it prepared him for military command.
Jul 05, 2016•1 hr 9 min
Garry Kasparov’s third conversation with Bill Kristol focuses on American politics and the 2016 Presidential race. Kasparov argues that the Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders candidacies offer interesting and worrisome lessons about the current state of our politics. Kristol and Kasparov also discuss whether America can change course and consider some distinctive features of the American political character.
Jun 20, 2016•1 hr
University of Virginia politics professor James Ceaser discusses the intellectual roots of contemporary progressivism and the role of progressivism in our politics today. Ceaser compares the new progressivism with the ideas of the early twentieth-century progressives, and highlights the influence of “postmodernism” on the contemporary left. Kristol and Ceaser also discuss the effects of progressivism and its relationship to political correctness on and off campus.
Jun 06, 2016•1 hr 21 min
In this wide-ranging conversation, his second on "Conversations with Bill Kristol," business founder and investor Peter Thiel discusses the global economy, the state of technology, and the future of computing and artificial intelligence. Thiel argues that we have had less technological innovation over the last few decades and explains one reason is an increasing aversion to risk. Finally, Kristol and Thiel discuss artificial intelligence and the extent to which it might transform our lives....
May 22, 2016•1 hr 23 min
The eighth in our ongoing series with Harvard government professor Harvey Mansfield, this conversation marks the tenth anniversary of his important and provocative book "Manliness." Mansfield offers his account of manliness and its importance as a permanent, though problematic, feature of human nature. He explains how liberal political philosophers and liberal society have often been suspicious of manliness, and details the consequences of this for our politics. Mansfield and Kristol also discus...
May 09, 2016•1 hr 14 min
In his second conversation with Bill, Garry Kasparov discusses Russian and American politics since the end of the Cold War, and offers his account of the rise of Vladimir Putin and how we should understand Putin and his rule over Russia. In his discussion of post-Cold War history, Kasparov highlights many missed opportunities both in Russia and the U.S., which have enabled anti-Western leaders to strengthen their positions. Now living in the U.S., Kasparov also shares his impressions of America—...
Apr 25, 2016•1 hr 20 min
Princeton University professor, Robert George is one of the nation’s most distinguished students of legal and moral thought. In this conversation, George discusses the state of American conservatism as well as the condition of freedom of speech and thought on university campuses. He also details the development of his own political and moral views, including his interest in the natural law tradition in moral philosophy. Finally, Kristol and George discuss the importance of social conservatism in...
Apr 11, 2016•1 hr 24 min
Harvard University professor Stephen Rosen details the current geopolitical environment and challenges to the United States from the chaos in the Middle East, European retrenchment, Russian aggression, and the rise of China. Rosen explains how and why the United States must play a leadership role in the world, and outlines the potential consequences of American disengagement. Kristol and Rosen also discuss classic and recent books that can help us think about foreign policy.
Mar 28, 2016•1 hr 28 min
A best-selling author ("Bowling Alone," and "Our Kids"), and professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Robert Putnam is one of America's leading political scientists. In recent years, he has written widely on the decline in America's civic life, and, with it, our capacity for self-government. In this conversation, Putnam discusses his research on declining levels of civic participation in America and presents his interpretation of the reasons for it. Putnam also recalls how actual pol...
Mar 14, 2016•1 hr 10 min
In this conversation, Garry Kasparov reflects on his upbringing in Soviet Russia and his journey from questioning whether communism could be reformed toward the conviction that the Soviet Union had to go. Kasparov also recalls his epic series of chess matches against Anatoly Karpov and why chess was important to the politics of the Soviet Union. Finally, Kasparov and Kristol discuss the decline and fall of the U.S.S.R. and the roles of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Bori...
Feb 29, 2016•1 hr 20 min
