Charles talks to Michael Auslin about his new book, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America . What is the Declaration of Independence? Who wrote it? How close we were to losing the original copy? Why did it appeal to early nineteenth-century socialists? Why did the committee remove the lines condemning the slave trade? When did women start using it to demand the vote? How did it help assimilate immigrants? What happened to it in WWII? Will it survive the next century?...
May 01, 2026•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 103
After the success of the Virginia gerrymander, Charles asks Sean Trende about the history of gerrymandering. What is it? Why is it called that? When did it start? What is a dummymander? When did our modern gerrymandering fights begin? Is mid-decade redistricting a historical anomaly? Who is playing defense here: the Democrats or the Republicans? Why have Republicans opposed federal laws banning gerrymandering? Are independent commissions actually independent? Can we outsource redistricting to a ...
Apr 22, 2026•37 min•Ep. 102
On episode 101, Charles talks to Sarah Isgur about her new book, Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today's Supreme Court . What is the role of the Court? Do Americans understand it? Why has it survived? Do the justices get along? Why does everyone hate Citizens United? Is it a paradox that to get the Court to change the law, one often has to break the law? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 Li...
Apr 14, 2026•53 min•Ep. 101
On episode 100, Charles celebrates having made it into triple figures, and then talks to Sean Beienburg, first about the interesting history of progressive federalism, and then about whether Prohibition worked. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Mar 11, 2026•54 min•Ep. 100
On episode 99, Charles talks to Tim Chapman of Advancing American Freedom about the role of a think tank in contemporary politics. Are we still in an era where ideas matter? How much will be up for grabs when Trump leaves the scene? How do advocacy organizations avoid being captured by political parties? Are young people really lost to the bad actors of the world? What's the biggest challenge facing America? Is Tim optimistic or pessimistic about the future? The dial-up tone in the introduction ...
Jan 29, 2026•37 min•Ep. 99
On episode 98, Charles offers a brief apology to Ohio, and then talks to Scott Winship about whether everything is awful. Has the middle class disappeared? Is it impossible for young people to buy a home? Why do people say that one can have a '1950s living standard if one wants one' when regulations make that tough? Is society worse than it was in the 1950s or 1970s? Is the new poverty line really $140,000? If not, where is it? Is the poverty line a useful measure? Is it likely that there will b...
Dec 17, 2025•47 min•Ep. 98
On episode 97, Charles talks to Luther Ray Abel about the Best and Worst of many things: American cars, American holidays, American fast food chains, American restaurant chains, Beatles albums, American states, Christmas songs, rollercoasters, alcoholic drinks, non-alcoholic drinks, movies, American roads, and desserts. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information ...
Dec 08, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 97
On episode 96, Charles briefly praises a tiki bar in Grand Rapids, MI, and then talks to Shawnna Morris about her fascinating new book, The Cambridge Spy Ring: The Treachery of the Five Who Got Away . Among the topics they discussed were: Who were the Cambridge Spies? Why were they susceptible to recruitment? How did they get away with it? Why were none of them prosecuted or executed? Why does Shawnna find the Cold War so interesting? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphis...
Oct 28, 2025•42 min•Ep. 96
On episode 95, Charles takes his last chance to talk to Dominic Pino as a colleague before Dominic heads to the Washington Post. Among the topics they discuss are whether free markets are superior to the alternatives; whether tariffs are a good or a bad idea—and what the exceptions should be; whether industrial policy can work; what to do about America's massive national debt; whether it's a bad move to keep cutting taxes; and whether Dominic is optimistic about our economic future. The dial-up ...
Oct 10, 2025•57 min•Ep. 95
On episode 94, Charles talks to Peter Just about his book on the post-premiership career of Margaret Thatcher: Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street . Was she happy? Did she think she could do a better job than her successors? Was she aware how ill she was? Was she "playing a role"? Why did she mostly stay away from Parliament? Would today's British public vote for someone like Thatcher now? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License...
Oct 02, 2025•54 min•Ep. 94
On episode 93, Charles talks to Luther Ray Abel about his trip to Pigeon Forge, TN, which is supposedly the "tackiest place on Earth," but which is actually a lot of fun. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Sep 03, 2025•49 min•Ep. 93
On episode 92, Charles talks to Marcus Gadson about his book, Sedition: How America's Constitutional Order Emerged from Violent Crisis . Among the topics they discuss are: What is a constitution? What is a constitutional crisis? What are some good examples of constitutional crises throughout American history? Who gets to decide when it's time for a new constitution, and by what process ought it to be adopted? Are Americans stable enough now that they don't need to worry about this—or are we alwa...
Jul 29, 2025•56 min•Ep. 92
Ahead of July 4, Charles and Luther share some of their favorite things about America. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 03, 2025•54 min•Ep. 91
Episode 90 contains the audio of the debate between Charles and Andy McCarthy, on the topic, "Does President Trump need Congress's permission to attack Iran?" If you'd rather watch the debate, click here . The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Jun 20, 2025•35 min•Ep. 90
On episode 89 of The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast , Charles talks to Christopher J. Scalia about his new book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven't Read) . Among the topics they discussed were: Why haven't conservatives read these books? Why should people read novels? Are these books 'conservative' or just books that conservatives will like? What are the best books progressives will love? Why aren't people reading novels any more? And does the lack of a shared literary canon he...
Jun 04, 2025•59 min•Ep. 89
On episode 88, Charles talks to Ross Benes about his new book, 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times . Among the topics they discuss are how Jerry Springer helps explain Donald Trump, how 'kayfabe' took over the world, how porn explains much of Internet, how video games became respectable, and whether it matters that the elite class watches completely different television than most voters. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx an...
May 21, 2025•40 min•Ep. 88
On episode 87, Charles asks Ross Douthat about his new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious , and, in particular, to explain to him why he, Charles Cooke, should be religious. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
May 08, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 87
On episode 86, Charles talks to Michael Jahr about his upcoming documentary movie, Liberty at Stake , which is about the escape from slavery of Joshua Glover in 1854, the abolitionist activism of the people of Wisconsin, and the subsequent founding of the Republican Party. Then Charles talks to Dan McLaughlin about the background to, and structure of, the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplec...
May 01, 2025•41 min•Ep. 86
On this special pop-up episode, Charles talks to Scott Lincicome about Donald Trump's massive unilateral tariff hike. What is a tariff? What are tariffs for? Why aren't they good? Don't we need them to fight against our rivals, who are taking advantage of us? Other countries do it—why, if they are bad? What about our "hollowed out manufacturing base"? What about China? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an Ads...
Apr 03, 2025•43 min•Ep. 85
On episode 84, Charles talks to Michael Vorenberg about his new book, Lincoln's Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War . When did the Civil War end? Why is it hard to tell? What about other wars? Does it matter that war aims can evolve over time? Can one be anti-war when slavery or the Holocaust are at stake? Are modern wars more difficult to end? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compan...
Mar 19, 2025•58 min•Ep. 84
On episode 83, Mary Katherine Ham tells Charles how Ultimate Fighting Championship explains the vibe shift toward Trump. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Mar 07, 2025•46 min•Ep. 83
On episode 82, Charles talks to Senator Tom Cotton about China—in particular, about his new book, Seven Things You Can't Say About China . Why does Senator Cotton say that the Chinese Communist Party is 'evil'? Why does he think it's preparing for war? What does he mean when he says that it's engaged in 'economic warfare'? Has it really 'infiltrated' the United States? Why should TikTok be forced to become an American company? What can we do to avoid disaster? The dial-up tone in the introductio...
Feb 19, 2025•42 min•Ep. 82
On episode 81, Charles talks to Andrew Heaton about his new book, Tribalism is Dumb: Where It Came from, How It Got So Bad, and What to Do about It . Is tribalism bad per se, or is it just bad in politics. Why has it got so much worse recently? To what extent is technology to blame? What can we do about it? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our col...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 81
On episode 80, Charles talks to Molly Nixon, a separation of powers attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, about whether the delegation of the tariff power is constitutional. Why do we accept Congress giving this away when we wouldn't accept Congress giving away the authority to set tax rates? When did this start? What are the main laws that Congress has written that achieve it? Can this be reversed? What would it take for Congress to take back control? Can the Supreme Court help? The dial-up...
Jan 30, 2025•41 min•Ep. 80
On episode 79, Charles talks to Justin Shubow , the president of the National Civic Art Society, about the importance of classical architecture. What is classical architecture? Why is it "humanistic"? What's wrong with modern art? Why do people defend it? Would it be too expensive to return to classical architecture? Why was Penn Station knocked down? Should it be rebuilt? What are the prospects of a renaissance in architecture under Donald Trump? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorde...
Jan 22, 2025•40 min•Ep. 79
On episode 78, Charles talks to Ilya Shapiro about his new book, 'Lawless: The Miseducation of America's Elites.' Why did he write it? Why does it matter if law schools are illiberal? Why is the law writ large threatened by the rejection of classical liberalism? What can do we do about it? Who is doing the right things? Is he optimistic about the future? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S...
Jan 15, 2025•43 min•Ep. 78
On episode 77, Charles reads from a book about Kamala Harris he got for Christmas, and then talks to Jonah Goldberg about whether the United States should absorb Canada and to Michael Brendan Dougherty about why he's not appalled by the idea of invading Greenland. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adverti...
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 77
On episode 76, Charles talks to Jim Meigs about the drone panic in New Jersey. What's it all about? What exactly are drones? What's the likeliest explanation for what's going on? In the future, will my pizza be delivered by a drone? What military threat do drones pose? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ad...
Dec 20, 2024•38 min•Ep. 76
On episode 75, Charles talks to Rich Lowry, Dominic Pino, and Michael Brendan Dougherty about the rules of baseball. Why is Dominic against all change? Why is Rich in favor of most change? What is the case against robot umpires? Why does the NFL innovate so freely, where baseball seems stuck in the mud? Can baseball ever be the most popular sport in America again, or is there something about it that doesn't suit the modern era? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and ...
Dec 12, 2024•51 min•Ep. 75
On episode 74 of The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast, Charles invites Luther Abel, Dan McLaughlin, and Mark Wright to discuss time travel. Among the topics discussed are how far one would have to go back in time before one's knowledge was useless; how many modern soldiers it would take to beat various historical armies; whether one would prefer to have been in the first wave on D-Day or in the infantry at Waterloo; what four items one would take into the past; and which era one would return to if fo...
Nov 26, 2024•56 min•Ep. 74
