Political Beats

National Review•www.nationalreview.com

Music

Music History

Scot Bertram and Jeff Blehar discuss ask guests from the world of politics about their musical passions.

Last refreshed: May 31st, 2026 at 1:22 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

Episode 9: Mark Hemingway / The Replacements

Scot and Jeff talk to Mark Hemingway about The Replacements. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram ( @ScotBertram ) and Jeff Blehar ( @EsotericCD ) with guest Mark Hemingway, senior writer at The Weekly Standard . Follow Mark on Twitter @Heminator and read his work here . Mark’s Musical Pick: The Replacements . Grab a bottle cheap whiskey, a case of Grain Belt beer, and an electric guitar, because it’s time to talk about the Great Lost Cause of the American indie-rock scene, The Replaceme...

Oct 16, 2017•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 9

Episode 8: Dan McLaughlin / Tom Petty

Scot and Jeff talk to Dan McLaughlin about Tom Petty. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram ( @ScotBertram ) and Jeff Blehar ( @EsotericCD ) with guest Dan McLaughlin, contributing columnist at National Review, attorney, and baseball fanatic. Follow Dan on Twitter at @baseballcrank and read his work here . Dan’s Musical Pick: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Yes, it’s a sad day for us at Political Beats as we mark the sudden passing of rock legend Tom Petty, taken too soon by a heart att...

Oct 05, 2017•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 8

Episode 7: Jay Cost / The Kinks

Scot and Jeff talk to Jay Cost about The Kinks. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram ( @ScotBertram ) and Jeff Blehar ( @EsotericCD ) with guest Jay Cost, author of A Republic No More: Big Government and the Rise of American Corruption, contributing editor at The Weekly Standard, and yinzer. Follow Jay on Twitter at @JayCostTWS , read his work here , and buy his book on Amazon here . Jay’s Musical Pick: The Kinks How did Jay get into them? Jay talks about discovering the Kinks in college...

Oct 01, 2017•2 hr 9 min•Ep. 7

Episode 6: James Poulos / The Eagles

Scot and Jeff talk to James Poulos about The Eagles. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram ( @ScotBertram ) and Jeff Blehar ( @EsotericCD ) with guest James Poulos, author of The Art Of Being Free: How Tocqueville Can Save Us From Ourselves, contributor at American Affairs , and lead singer/songwriter for Vast Asteroid . Follow James on Twitter at @jamespoulos and buy his book on Amazon here . James’s Musical Pick: The Eagles How did James get into them? James discusses the Eagles’ consum...

Sep 25, 2017•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 6

Episode 5: Chris Hayes / Beck

Scot and Jeff talk to MSNBC’s Chris Hayes about Beck. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram ( @ScotBertram ) and Jeff Blehar ( @EsotericCD ) with guest Chris Hayes, host of MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes and Editor-at-Large of The Nation. Follow Chris on Twitter at @chrislhayes and watch All In on MSNBC every weeknight at 8:00pm Eastern. Chris’s Musical Pick: Beck How did Chris get into them? Chris talks about finding Beck at the special moment in his adolescent years where music can tru...

Sep 17, 2017•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 5

Episode 4: Matt Welch / R.E.M.

Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram ( @ScotBertram ) and Jeff Blehar ( @EsotericCD ), with guest Matt Welch, former Editor-in-Chief and current Editor-at-Large of Reason and co-host of The Fifth Column podcast. Follow Matt on Twitter at @MattWelch and read his work here . Matt’s musical pick : R.E.M. How did Matt get into them? Matt tells his story of being a kid in 1983 and having a friend hand a copy of Murmur to him. He explains how he learned to play guitar by spinning early R.E.M. ...

Sep 11, 2017•1 hr 56 min•Ep. 4

Episode 3: Tim Miller / Arcade Fire

Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD), with guest Tim Miller, former Jeb! Bush 2016 communications director, co-founder of @AmericaRising, Partner at Definers Public Affairs, cheerful practitioner of the political dark arts. Follow him on Twitter at @Timodc. Tim’s Musical Pick: Arcade Fire How did he get into them? Tim and Jeff relive their musical young adulthoods. Tim talks about finding Arcade Fire after his Widespread Panic phase, plunging ...

Sep 03, 2017•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 3

Episode 2: Bob Costa / Dave Matthews Band

Introducing the Band Your hosts @ScotBertram and @EsotericCD, with guest Robert Costa, national political reporter for the Washington Post and moderator of Washington Week on PBS: follow him on Twitter at @CostaReports and read his reporting here . Bob’s Musical Pick Dave Matthews Band. How did he get into them? Jeff recounts his conversion from snobbish dismissal to admiration. The Band’s Early Years Bob & company discuss DMB’s scrappy early years, how they grew from a local southern Virgin...

Aug 28, 2017•56 min•Ep. 2

Episode 1: Sean Trende / Van Halen

Scot and Jeff welcome Sean Trende from RealClearPolitics to talk about his love of Van Halen. Introducing the Band Your hosts @ScotBertram and @EsotericCD, with guest Sean Trende, Senior Elections Analyst at RealClearPolitics: follow him on Twitter at @SeanTrende and read his work here S ean Trende’s Musical Pick: Van Halen How did Sean get into Van Halen? His first introduction: “Spanish Fly” ( Van Halen II , 1979) The David Lee Roth Era : From Van Halen (1978) to 1984 (1984). KEY SONGS: “ Ain’...

Aug 18, 2017•59 min•Ep. 1

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