The Commentary Magazine Podcast - podcast cover

The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Commentary Magazinericochet.com
Commentary is America's premier monthly magazine of opinion: General, yet Jewish. Highly variegated, with a unifying perspective.Listen to The Commentary Magazine Podcast, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at Ricochet.com. No paid subscription required.

Episodes

Obstruction of Trump?

Today we discuss the news that Jack Smith's office informed Donald Trump that he's the target of their classified-documents investigation. What does it mean for Trump? How do the other Republican candidates respond? And we try to figure out what Mike Pence is up to. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 08, 20231 hr 7 min

The Cable News Crash

Today's podcast considers the defenestration of CNN's new chief and the declining ratings of the Fox News Channel along with Tucker Carlson's new experiment on Twitter and asks whether this is the moment that the cable-news era ended. Also: Chris Christie! Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 07, 20231 hr 23 min

Why There's No Establishment Any Longer

Today's podcast watches the rise of RFK Jr. and asks how it is that the ultimate Establishment family—the Kennedys—has produced a trans-ideological anti-establishment candidacy and what that says about how our politics is ordered. And are things starting to shift in the Republican primary? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 06, 20231 hr 18 min

Sonic Boom and Gloom

Today we discuss the sonic boom heard over Washington D.C. yesterday and what it says about our defense preparedness. We then take up the worrisome provocations by China in the Taiwan Strait and new signs of sagging support for Ukraine. The gang also analyzes a puzzling New York Times article on Joe Biden's age. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 05, 202355 min

Biden Takes a Fall

Today's podcast considers the potential larger meaning and effect of Joe Biden's trip-and-fall in Colorado Springs yesterday—and whether Ron DeSantis is finding his sea legs as a candidate. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 02, 20231 hr 10 min

June Is Busting Out All Over

Today’s podcast features legal eagle Adam White previewing the upcoming decisions of the Supreme Court. But first, the grudging media acknowledgement of Kevin McCarthy’s political triumph—and is Trump now certain to be indicted by Jack Smith? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 01, 20231 hr 3 min

Debt, Homework, and Christie

Today's podcast continues to consider the political fallout from the debt limit deal, examines the idea that Chat GPT is the end of school homework as we know it, and wonders at the strategy of Chris Christie as he enters the presidential race. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 31, 20231 hr 11 min

McCarthy Wins—And Maybe So Does Biden?

The debt ceiling deal has been reached, and the podcast crew suggests that it's a big but modest win for Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy—but what does it do for Joe Biden? Does McCarthy's triumph mean he's lost, or is there a political upside for the president in the terms of the deal. And has the situation in Ukraine escalated over the weekend? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 30, 202358 min

A Podcast Programming Note

In commemoration of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot today and Memorial Day on Monday, we will not be releasing episodes of the Commentary Magazine podcast. We'll be back to annoy you on Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 26, 20234 min

Deeeee Santis—and Ukraine

We are fortunate to be joined on today's podcast by Fred Kagan, military historian at AEI and analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, to explain to us the incredible complexities of the present moment in the Russia-Ukraine war. But first we assess the first day of the DeeeSantis (as the governor of Florida himself pronounces it) presidential campaign. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 25, 20231 hr 16 min

Run, Ron, Run

Today's podcast looks ahead a few hours to the Ron DeSantis announcement of his presidential candidacy. Why is he doing it on Twitter Spaces? What's his strategy for victory? And then—what on earth are the Los Angeles Dodgers thinking in relation to a group that is in every particular a defamation of religious Catholics? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 24, 20231 hr 11 min

Is Scott Great?

Today's podcast examines the entry of Tim Scott into the presidential race and asks what he can do to enhance his position. Also, the debt ceiling talks and the apparent progress being made there. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 23, 20231 hr 12 min

Did Someone Say 'Debt'?

Today's podcast rolls its eyes at Joe Biden's sudden conversion to the idea that he, as president, can invoke the 14th amendment to solve the debt-ceiling crisis—something three weeks ago he said he could not do. Is this more grist for the mill of his chances in 2024? Not so fast; there are data that suggest the Republicans have more to worry about than Democrats next year. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 22, 20231 hr 13 min

Do Clothes Make the Man?

Eliana Johnson joins the podcast today to discuss the media campaign against Dianne Feinstein, the refusal of the media to examine the condition of John Fetterman, and how Fetterman's clothing choices signify something about the nature of fashion in American politics. Also, next week's Republican-presidential-candidate-Palooza. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 19, 20231 hr 17 min

Sussex Family Values

The podcast crew drops its collective jaw at the clearly questionable "near catastrophic" car chase through New York starring Harry and Meghan that clearly didn't quite happen. What do the Sussexes have in common with the movie Addams Family Values? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 18, 20231 hr 10 min

Are They Really Going to Stay in the Senate?

Today's podcast points out yesterday's daily double in the Senate, with John Fetterman delivering a garbled round of questioning for bankers hastily and foolishly cleaned up by a Washington Post reporter and Dianne Feinstein claiming to have been voting in the Senate during months when she was in California supposedly recovering from "shingles." What effect will this have on voter views of Joe Biden, himself the object of questioning about his compos mentis? Give a listen. Learn more about your ...

May 17, 20231 hr 11 min

Bulldog Durham

Eli Lake joins the podcast today to discuss the findings and fallout of the Durham report on the FBI's conduct during its investigation of the Trump campaign in 2016 and after. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 16, 20231 hr 13 min

Rockets Over Israel

Jonathan Schanzer joins us today to discuss the firing of 1,400-plus rockets at Israel from Gaza and why this time is different from, say, 2021 in the nature of the enemy, the nature of the threat, and the nature of the geopolitical efforts being made against Israel led by Iran. Also, the Turkish elections. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 15, 20231 hr 3 min

You Can't Win If You Don't Try

Today's podcast takes up, again, the baffling refusal of Republicans running against Donald Trump to...run against Donald Trump. How do they think they can beat him if they don't try to beat him? Also, the immigration crisis and the indictment of the subway chokeholder. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 202351 min

Trump 1, CNN 0

Today's podcast reviews Donald Trump's performance at the CNN Republican Town Hall in New Hampshire—and not only his, but the hysterical Twitter reaction to it and the waves of liberal hostility generated against CNN's Kaitlan Collins for somehow not preventing Trump from being effective. And what's this about the Biden family earning millions and hiding it? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 11, 20231 hr 12 min

Liabilities

Today's podcast discusses the jury verdict in the civil case against Donald Trump and how it might affect his chance—and the mien of his chief rival, Joe Biden, during a press conference yesterday about the debt ceiling. And Tucker Carlson going to Twitter. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 10, 20231 hr 16 min

The Not-So-Glittering Prizes

Today's podcast delves into the list of the Pulitzer-prize-winning journalism of 2022, announced yesterday, and notes that the list comes at a time when Americans are more disenchanted with the field than ever—and for good reason! Also, the border. And Abe Greenwald offers an out-of-left field "Commentary Recommends." Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 09, 20231 hr 12 min

The Old Men Who Run the World

The podcast descends into disagreement on the pomp and circumstance of King Charles's coronation before rising in agreement in a group analysis of the absolutely horrendous poll for Joe Biden released Sunday. And then we discuss the subway chokehold and the liberal response. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 08, 20231 hr 11 min

Was Life Better 50 Years Ago?

Today's podcast takes up a Pew Research poll showing a majority of Americans believe things were better 50 years ago than they are now. Why would people say this about a time when America was sunk in a losing war, living under wage and price controls, and dealing with Watergate and an oil embargo? And in our new "Commentary Recommends" feature, I make the case you should read Anthony Trollope's Phineas Finn. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 05, 202359 min

Putin on the Blitz

TV showrunner and our Hollywood Commentary columnist Rob Long joins today's podcast to give his view of the Hollywood writers' strike in which he is now a shockingly willing participant—but before we get to that we discuss the weird drone event over the Kremlin and the reaction to the chokehold death of a menacing subway schizophrenic in New York City. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 04, 20231 hr 21 min

Biden's Border Bungle: A History

Today's podcast looks at the Biden administration's effort to do something—anything—to address the crisis at the southern border and examines how the problems we face really began with the Obama administration's determination to do something good and noble. Beware! Also, why is the Surgeon General talking about loneliness? And Day Two of our new feature, Commentary Picks. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 03, 20231 hr 9 min

McCarthy's Moment

The podcast today discusses Joe Biden's change of tactics in inviting Republican leaders to the White House next week to talk about the debt ceiling and how this suggests the new standing as a political player of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. But will Donald Trump and his town hall next week on CNN play a role too? And we debut our new feature: Commentary's Daily Pick. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 02, 20231 hr 11 min

A Matter of Trust

Today's podcast tries to find the link between bank failures, tech failures, moral failures on the part of politicians and tech giants, and the growing lack of trust in American society. Also, why the pessimism on Ukraine may be unwarranted. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 01, 202356 min

Trump's Character, Biden's Age

Today we talk about the battery and defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump and what it could mean if he loses. Then we take up the matter of Joe Biden's age, its possible effect on his reelection prospects, and how it shapes America's current role in the world. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 28, 202353 min

Give Biden the Questions!

Today's podcast examines the larger political meaning of the Republican success in getting a debt-ceiling bill through the House of Representatives, the larger media meaning of the fact that major news organizations are supplying the president with questions in advance, and the larger social meaning of Ron DeSantis having some trouble with his anti-woke campaign. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 27, 20231 hr 23 min
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