Retired Gen. David Petraeus sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss retaliation for a fatal drone attack on U.S. troops in Jordan, as well as the latest developments in the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Petraeus, co-author of Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine , offers insight into the Biden administration’s deliberations on a response to the attack by an Iran-backed militia and why restoring deterrence against Iran is crucial. The former four-star general, who led troops in I...
Feb 03, 2024•36 min
Deborah Lipstadt, the State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, joins Margaret Hoover to talk about the surge of hatred against Jews worldwide since October 7th and why she considers it a threat to democracy. Lipstadt, who has studied antisemitism and Holocaust denialism for decades, details the double standard she sees in the muted response to the Hamas attack from organizations and corporations that have quickly spoken out against racism and other injustices in the p...
Jan 27, 2024•46 min
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu sits down with Margaret Hoover in Concord to make his case for Nikki Haley ahead of next week’s pivotal Republican presidential primary. Sununu explains why he believes the former South Carolina governor is well-positioned to take on Donald Trump despite Trump’s decisive victory in Iowa and how his state’s independent streak and history of supporting underdogs could give her an edge. The fourth-term governor contrasts Haley’s experience and electability with T...
Jan 20, 2024•52 min
Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about the record influx of migrants at the southern border and what it will take for Washington to confront the crisis. Gonzales, whose district includes nearly half the U.S.-Mexico border, explains why the surge of migration is happening now, how it is different from previous upticks, and how its economic and social impact is increasingly being felt across the country. He details his proposals to improve border security ...
Jan 13, 2024•52 min
Journalist Tim Alberta joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his reporting on the corruption of the evangelical movement by partisan politics and the role of the church in the ascendance of Donald Trump. Alberta, the son of an evangelical preacher and author of “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory,” explains why the church has aligned behind Trump, providing one of his most loyal bases of support despite his character flaws, inflammatory rhetoric, and legal troubles. He also digs into the persecuti...
Jan 06, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the explosion of antisemitism around the world and on college campuses since the October 7th Hamas attack. Greenblatt responds to recent testimony by college presidents on Capitol Hill, accusing schools of hypocrisy in their handling of antisemitic incidents, and he reflects on why campuses have become hotbeds of hatred against Jews and Israel. He also details how the ADL is re...
Dec 16, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Margaret Hoover sits down with exiled Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez to discuss his efforts to advance democracy in his home country and around the world. Lopez, who spent nearly four years in solitary confinement under Nicolas Maduro’s regime before fleeing the country in 2020, reflects on how life has changed in Venezuela under a repressive government that operates what he calls a “criminal economy” and the challenges the opposition movement faces. He assesses the “fragile” state ...
Dec 09, 2023•55 min
Margaret Hoover sits down with Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, in Atlanta to talk about his defense of the state’s 2020 election and preparations for 2024. Raffensperger, who Donald Trump asked to “find” enough votes to overturn the election, discusses the Republican Party’s embrace of voter fraud conspiracy theories, as well as Democrats stoking fears about voter suppression. He touts the state’s election reforms–including voter ID requirements and risk-limiting aud...
Nov 18, 2023•58 min
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides joins Margaret Hoover to discuss Israel’s response to the October 7th Hamas attack and why he believes the next 30 days may be the most important in the country’s history. As Israel draws international scrutiny for its tactics, Nides addresses the challenges Israel faces in Gaza as it attempts to limit civilian casualties while fighting an enemy that hides in residential areas and hospitals. Nides, who served as President Biden’s ambassador until ste...
Nov 11, 2023•53 min
Kimberly Kagan, founder and president of the Institute for the Study of War, talks to Margaret Hoover about the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, why they matter, and how they are connected. The military historian who advised U.S. commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan assesses Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza and the potential challenges of waging urban warfare against Hamas. She also addresses the prospect of the conflict spiraling into a broader regional war with Iran. Kagan reflects on Ukrain...
Nov 04, 2023•56 min
Republican Mitch Daniels, the former governor of Indiana and president of Purdue University, sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the dangers of rising federal debt, education reform, and fixing America’s broken politics. Daniels, who worked for Ronald Reagan and served as director of President George W. Bush’s Office of Management and Budget, reflects on the nation’s failure under both Democratic and Republican administrations to rein in spending and reform programs like Social Security an...
Oct 28, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Terrorism expert Jonathan Schanzer joins Margaret Hoover to discuss the latest developments in Gaza and the next phase of Israel’s war against Hamas. Schanzer, a senior vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explains why Israel has delayed its expected ground invasion of Gaza, how the more than 200 hostages held by Hamas complicate any military action, and why the notion of Hamas-supporting Qatar facilitating hostage negotiations strikes him as “Orwellian.” He assesses Pres...
Oct 21, 2023•1 hr 8 min
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens joins Margaret Hoover to talk about the recent Hamas attack in Israel, the global response, and what it means for the future of the region. Stephens, a former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, discusses how Israelis are processing the horror and why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be held accountable for pursuing policies that divided the country and hampered readiness. As Israel moves to eradicate Hamas, Stephens addresses why he believes Ira...
Oct 14, 2023•49 min
Political scientist Yascha Mounk joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his latest book, “The Identity Trap,” and rising threats to democracy on the right and left. Mounk–a professor at Johns Hopkins University and contributing writer for The Atlantic–explains how the identity-focused politics of the left have become a “trap” that he fears is likely to produce more prejudice and division, and he traces the evolution of these ideas as they increasingly take hold in mainstream institutions. He offers ex...
Oct 07, 2023•56 min
Biographer Walter Isaacson joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his new bestselling biography of Elon Musk and what he learned from two years of observing the world’s richest man. Isaacson explains how Musk’s turbulent childhood in South Africa left him with a love of science fiction and adventure that drives his innovations and aspirations, as well as a dark side that still haunts him today. He details how SpaceX’s Starlink satellites have played a pivotal role in the war in Ukraine and why Musk ul...
Sep 30, 2023•54 min
Actor Liev Schreiber joins Margaret Hoover to talk about the war in Ukraine and his efforts to provide humanitarian aid through the organization he co-founded, BlueCheck Ukraine. Schreiber discusses his Ukrainian roots and why he was inspired to help Ukraine after Russia’s invasion began. He explains how BlueCheck identifies and vets frontline relief groups to partner with and details some of the projects it has funded. He comments on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to the United Nations ...
Sep 23, 2023•40 min
Writer, activist and comedian Baratunde Thurston sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the second season of “America Outdoors” on PBS and how the show attempts to “tell a better story of us” through nature. Thurston reflects on moments in the new season that confront America’s history of racial violence, differing attitudes toward guns, and the impact of climate change, as well as how the outdoors can help bridge cultural and political divisions. Thurston, a founding partner of digital media...
Sep 16, 2023•51 min
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum joins Margaret Hoover from Iowa, where he is campaigning for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, to discuss his strategy and his agenda. Burgum, a successful CEO who entered politics in 2016, explains why he is now running for president and why he thinks he can win despite frontrunner Donald Trump’s massive lead over the field. He criticizes the Biden administration’s handling of energy, immigration, and national security and details how he would work t...
Sep 09, 2023•50 min
Roya Mahboob, who became Afghanistan’s first female tech CEO at 23, reflects on the U.S. withdrawal and how life has changed in the country since the Taliban returned to power. Mahboob discusses her childhood in Afghanistan and Iran and how she became interested in technology, as well as what it was like to be a female CEO in a country where men were used to being in charge. She explains why she formed the Afghan Dreamers, an all-girls robotics team that has competed around the world, and recall...
Sep 02, 2023•26 min
GOP presidential candidate Will Hurd sits down with Margaret Hoover in Iowa to discuss his blunt criticism of Donald Trump, his policy agenda, and what he believes it means to be a modern Republican. Hurd, a former congressman whose district included over 800 miles of the southern border, lays out his immigration reform plan, as well as his approach to gun violence and artificial intelligence. The former CIA officer also assesses the nation’s greatest national security threats, including China. ...
Aug 12, 2023•53 min
Entrepreneur and GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his vision for America as he rises in the Republican primary polls, earning a spot on the August 23 debate stage. Ramaswamy said he thought Trump was “actually a very good president” but explained why he thinks Trump “fell short” and how he plans to go even further with an agenda that would radically reshape the U.S. government. Joining “Firing Line” in Des Moines, Iowa just days before Trump was indicted for alleged...
Aug 05, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 6Ep. 706
Sixth Circuit Judge Amul Thapar sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss his new book, “The People’s Justice,” and why he believes Justice Clarence Thomas is misunderstood. Thapar explains the judicial philosophy of originalism and how he applies it in his own rulings, as well as addressing some common criticisms of the approach. The federal judge also reflects on the Supreme Court’s recent decision to dismantle affirmative action, Justice Thomas’ support for ending affirmative action, and deba...
Jul 29, 2023•46 min
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joins Margaret Hoover to discuss her state’s election reforms, how nonpartisan open primaries and ranked choice voting helped her stave off a Trump-backed challenge in 2022, and why she hopes the system can be a model for other states. Murkowski, who voted to convict Trump at his second impeachment trial, says it would be “unfortunate” if the party renominates the former president in 2024 and weighs in on the alternatives–including a possible independent ...
Jul 22, 2023•37 min
Singer Jewel Kilcher sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss her musical career, her mental health journey, and how she hopes to help others find happiness. The Grammy-nominated performer reflects on her escape from an abusive childhood in Alaska, confronting her pain through her music, and why her honesty has resonated with audiences for nearly three decades. As a co-founder of the virtual mental health community Innerworld, Jewel explains how the immersive platform works and why she believes...
Jul 15, 2023•35 min
Historian Jill Lepore talks to Margaret Hoover about her new audiobook, Who Killed Truth?: A History of Evidence , and why she set out to uncover the truth about truth by examining times of uncertainty from the 19th century to the present. Lepore, a professor at Harvard University and staff writer for The New Yorker, explains how advances in technology over the last century have led to instability–and why the latest period of uncertainty brought on by the internet and social media has persisted....
Jul 08, 2023•49 min
Former federal and state prosecutor Elie Honig joins Margaret Hoover to break down Donald Trump’s federal indictment over his handling of classified documents and lay out how the prosecution of a former president and current presidential candidate may proceed into 2024. The CNN senior legal analyst discusses Trump’s potential defenses, explains why the Espionage Act was the appropriate statute to charge him under, and responds to the former president’s latest public comments on the case. Honig, ...
Jun 24, 2023•53 min
Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about his strategy for taking on Donald Trump and why he believes he will succeed where he failed in 2016. Hours before Trump’s federal indictment was announced, Christie, a former federal prosecutor, explains why the special counsel has no choice but to charge Trump if there is evidence he committed a crime, and he assesses the potential political fallout. The former two-term New Jersey governor–who launched...
Jun 10, 2023•53 min
Former conservative radio host Charlie Sykes sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about the state of the Republican Party, the 2024 election, and the future of American democracy. Sykes, who co-founded The Bulwark in 2018 after retiring from radio, assesses the Republicans who may challenge Trump for the 2024 nomination–including Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence–and he explains why he is likely to support President Joe Biden over whoever the GOP picks. The author of “How the Right Lost Its Mind” di...
May 20, 2023•54 min
Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon joins Margaret Hoover to talk about the lasting changes the COVID-19 pandemic has caused for the economy. Salmon, author of “The Phoenix Economy: Work, Life and Money in the New Not Normal,” discusses cooling inflation, the continued strength of the labor market, and why millennials have shifted their perspective on investing. As the U.S. faces the threat of a debt default, Salmon explains why he believes the debt ceiling should be abolished, and ...
May 13, 2023•52 min
Actor Richard Dreyfuss sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss his initiative to improve civics education in America and why he fears the future of the nation is at stake. Dreyfuss reflects on how the study of civics has changed since he was in school, explains how he believes curriculums should be reformed, and criticizes efforts to limit students’ exposure to opposing viewpoints. The Academy Award winner addresses the decline of civility in public discourse on both sides, including his own h...
May 06, 2023•40 min
