The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg - podcast cover

The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

In “The Remnant," Jonah Goldberg enlists a “Cannonball Run”-style cast of stars, has-beens, and never-weres to address the most pressing issues of the day. Is America doomed? Has liberalism failed? And will mankind ever invent something better than ‘90s-era “Simpsons?” Mixing political history, pop culture, rank punditry, and shameless book-plugging, Goldberg and guests will have the kinds of conversations we wish they featured on TV. And the nudity will (almost) always be tasteful. Brace your bingo cards.
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Episodes

Forget it, Lyman. It's China.

Through the magic of the internet, AEI's Lyman Stone joins The Remnant all the way from Hong Kong to talk all things coronavirus: how we got here, the numbers, China's role in the outbreak, and where we go from here. Show Notes: - Lyman’s work at AEI - Hong Kong’s relative laxity during the pandemic - Problems with getting an accurate coronavirus death count - Siddhartha Sanghi retracts his claim about reduced deaths from social distancing - Chinese doctors disappearing - Jim Geraghty’s reportin...

Apr 07, 20201 hr 3 minEp. 192

Little Platoons

Back by popular demand, Jonah flies solo as he expands on his thoughts from the week: the necessity of earned success, Adrian Vermeule's essay on originalism, and dogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 04, 20201 hr 2 minEp. 191

Dog-Lover, Scholar, Nudgemaster

The Remnant returns to its quarantine schedule with long-awaited guest and (possibly) the most-ever cited legal scholar, Cass Sunstein. Cass and Jonah have a longstanding camaraderie that began with a shared love of dogs - a subject they may write a book about - but they also have an uncanny ability to discuss flaws and weaknesses in one another’s political priors that’s rare in modern debate. There’s dog talk, bonobo talk, and some rank nudgery on this episode, so it’s a great pick-me-up episod...

Apr 02, 20201 hr 20 minEp. 190

Jim Geraghty, COVID Watchman

In this episode, Jonah continues the great Remnant tradition of allowing senior National Review political correspondent Jim Geraghty to dispense genuinely unique and fascinating observations about current global issues. And what better time could there be for that than right now? During a moment in which even Americans’ feelings about a global health crisis break down along partisan lines rather than facts on the ground, Geraghty’s brand of succinct investigative reporting is a breath of fresh a...

Mar 31, 20201 hr 16 minEp. 189

Return of the G-File

In the words of Gene Wilder, “There’s no earthly way of knowing … in which direction we are going.” That’s the mood on the latest Remnant, which sees Jonah flying solo in a second - and more streamlined - attempt at an audio G-File. Some of this is an expansion on the topics in this week's G-File, but most of it consists of unique, free-flowing observations from Jonah’s mind. Huzzah for keeping sanity during quarantine! Let us know what you think of this format on the @JonahRemnant Twitter, thro...

Mar 28, 202045 minEp. 188

Senator Shoshana, Twitter Primadonna

Shoshana Weissmann is a Renaissance woman, and only at age 27: she’s the head of digital media at R Street Institute, a policy fellow specializing in occupational licensing, and an institution unto herself on social media. She brings a blessed breath of brevity to this episode of The Remnant, on which there is no coronavirus talk! She and Jonah touch on some hilarious job licensing restrictions (fortune tellers?), talk a little memes, a little charismatic megafauna, a little Judaism, and even a ...

Mar 26, 20201 hr 28 minEp. 187

Jonah and Kevin's Excellent Adventure

Kevin Williamson is a man of mystery: he’s an “Eisenhower libertarian,” he’s been accused of being a D.C. insider (he lives in Texas), and (most famously) he’s a former staff writer for The Atlantic even though they only gave him one byline before firing him. Life in Kevin’s Fortress of Solitude has stayed mostly the same - even in the midst of a pandemic. Lucky for us, that means he had time to talk to Jonah about his unique political perspective, the role of government in a crisis, and how his...

Mar 24, 20201 hr 32 minEp. 186

Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey

In order to give you all a break from the talk about the end of the world, this episode has Jonah speaking with psychologist Dr. Michele Gelfand about one of his pet-obsessions: “tight” and “loose” theories of culture. Why do places like Japan and Singapore seem to be in lockstep while the U.S. is so freewheeling? How should we tighten up, culturally, as a response to COVID? And why are Mexican teachers unions so weird? We ask the hard questions here on The Remnant, so don’t miss it. Show Notes:...

Mar 20, 20201 hr 20 minEp. 185

Coronavirus vs. 2020

Fox News politics editor Chris Stirewalt joins The Remnant to discuss coronavirus and its impact on the 2020 election. Where does Bernie Sanders go from here? Should Joe Biden run a front porch campaign? How do Obama/Trump voters vote this time? Show Notes: - Chris Stirewalt - Stirewalt's politics newsletter - Stirewalt and Dana Perino's podcast - The Morning Dispatch - The Dispatch - UnTuckIt.com code DINGO - DonorsTrust.com/dingo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Mar 17, 202057 minEp. 184

Merci, Monsieur Douthat

New York Times columnist and resident French expert Ross Douthat returns once more to talk about his new book, The Decadent Society. He makes the case that decadence is more than just high-calorie desserts and rich Corinthian leather; the phenomenon is more about the space race, the birth dearth, our dumb Hollywood blockbusters, and our painful politics. Oh, and the coronavirus has turned him into a doomsday prepper. But Ross is a Bonhomme if you will, so we’re betting he survives his book tour ...

Mar 12, 20201 hr 27 minEp. 183

Bad Boy Bahnsen

Elizabeth Warren might be out of the running for the Democratic nomination, but that doesn’t mean that the most harmful parts of her agenda haven’t been assimilated into other Democrats’ platforms. David Bahnsen literally wrote the book on that bad agenda and asserts that the worst parts of it (i.e. an outright unconstitutional wealth tax) might still be coming down through a different nominee. David and Jonah also engage in some rank punditry, and they even ask the question that all the cool ki...

Mar 10, 20201 hr 34 minEp. 182

Schadenfreude-tastic

Does our culture need to become more nationalistic? What about reorienting our society towards “the highest Good,” as defined by your religion of choice? Stephanie Slade, managing editor at Reason, doesn’t think so, but she brings a unique perspective that many other libertarians don’t: she’s also a practicing Catholic. In this episode, Stephanie explains how she balances these two commitments that, on the surface, seem at odds with one another. Jonah also picks a fight with her about drug ads o...

Mar 05, 20201 hr 4 minEp. 181

American Dreams, Populist Screams

Is the American Dream dead? How are most Americans actually doing? Will the coronavirus kill us all? And most importantly, is Star Trek: Picard actually good? Repeat guest Michael Strain, author of The American Dream Is Not Dead , has all of these answers and more. Show Notes: - Michael’s book, The American Dream Is Not Dead - Gunga Galunga - Marco Rubio’s father as an American success story - Ezekiel 25:17 - Irving Kristol on the power of ideas - The New York Times on the power of lawns - Josh ...

Mar 03, 20201 hr 39 minEp. 180

Whittington’s Wisdom

Princeton Professor Keith Whittington is so sharp that he gives you paper cuts when you shake his hand. That’s why we had him on - to walk all of us mere mortals through the complex history of judicial review as outlined in his book, Repugnant Laws. Keith brought a mix of history, current events, rank punditry and more to this podcast! Show Notes: - Keith’s book, Repugnant Laws - The history of the “8 glasses of water a day” myth - Keith’s last book, Speak Freely - Oliver Wendell Holmes’ opinion...

Feb 27, 20201 hr 5 minEp. 179

Swamp Thing 2: Washington Boogaloo

Delicate ears beware - Lachlan Markay and Asawin Suebsaeng got explicit with us to talk about the inner workings of the Trump administration staff, which is the topic of their new book called Sinking in the Swamp . How much favor do Trump-positive talking heads really get from the White House? Are Trump’s numerous ex-staffers now effectively lobbyists? And can we pronounce Asawin’s name correctly? Show Notes: - Buy Sinking in the Swamp ! - Tito Puente - Bannon’s use of the “Island of Misfit Toys...

Feb 27, 20201 hr 21 minEp. 178

Egger-headery

In a return to normal Remnant-y quirkiness, we have on “the oldest young person” that Jonah knows, Andrew Egger. There’s rank punditry, far-afield movie references, and an unnerving amount of Midwest-bashing; it has everything! Show Notes: - Andrew Egger - Huey Long: “Enough money to burn a wet mule” - Andrew’s piece on Bloomberg - “Blue Million” - NYT accent identifier - Wag the Dog - Suicide of the West, now in paperback - Minnesota Nice - Midnight Run - Bernie supporting Castro, Sandinistas i...

Feb 27, 20201 hr 14 minEp. 177

Fight House

Tevi Troy stops by The Remnant to break the first rule of Fight House and talk about Fight House his new book about rivalries in the White House. Jonah and Tevi then take a trip down memory lane at their time together at AEI in the early 1990s. Show Notes: - Fight House: Rivalries in the White House from Truman to Trump - Tevi Troy - Camelot created the modern presidency - Devaluing the Think Tank - DrinkHydrant.com promo code dingo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 25, 20201 hr 24 minEp. 176

2020: A Love Story

National Journal politics editor Josh Kraushaar stops by for a special Valentine's Day edition of The Remnant full of rank punditry on all things 2020. Show Notes: - Josh’s podcast, Against the Grain - Josh’s column, also called Against the Grain - The history of The Hotline - The unwokeness of most Democrats - precisely in point #6 - Steve Inskeep asking Warren what states she thinks she can win - Biden yelling in town halls - Jonah explaining Seth Masket’s argument at length - The Party Decide...

Feb 25, 20201 hr 12 minEp. 175

Running with Scissors

AEI resident scholar Derek Scissors joins The Remnant to discuss all things China including the trade agreement with the U.S., Huawei, and coronavirus. Show Notes: - Derek Scissors - China’s global investment - U.S.-China trade agreement - China's 2019 economic summary - The Dispatch -DoorDash code: Remnant - Earnest.com/dingo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 12, 20201 hr 13 minEp. 1

Sometimes a Phetasy

For part one of their crossover podcast event Jonah talks with Bridget Phetasy about meeting on Twitter, culture wars, drug legalization, writing for Playboy, and #MeToo. Show Notes: - Bridget Phetasy - Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy - Dumpster Fire with Bridget Phetasy - The Dispatch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 06, 20201 hr 5 minEp. 2

State of The Dispatch

Steve Hayes, editor of The Dispatch, walks over from his desk to talk with Jonah about the best steak in Iowa, the end of the impeachment trial, and an update on their new media company The Dispatch. Show Notes: - The Dispatch in Iowa - Jonah on Hugh Hewitt - Joe Biden fact check - The Atlantic profile of The Dispatch - The Dispatch - GetBlueVine.com/dingo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 03, 202054 minEp. 3

Gender and Race and Class, Oh My!

AEI's Charles Murray is back on the podcast to discuss his new book, "Human Diversity: The Biology of Gender, Race, and Class." Show Notes: - Human Diversity - The Dispatch - Earnest.com/dingo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jan 30, 20201 hr 15 minEp. 4

JoGo and Butts No More

For podcast sidekick Jack Butler's last appearance on the Remnant as such, he turns the tables by asking Jonah the questions that he's been meaning to ask for a long time: about drugs and alcohol, punching homeless people, getting punched by Irishmen, and more. Shownotes - The (second) Mike Gallagher episode - Nick Gillespie episode - Buy Suicide of the West (now out in paperback!) - The Dispatch - Are dogs good? - The first Megan McArdle episode - The Jake Tapper episode - Jack's podcast, Young...

Jan 28, 20201 hr 20 minEp. 5

The Ties that Bind Us

AEI's Yuval Levin drops by The Remnant to discuss his new book "A Time to Build" and lays out his argument for why America's real problems stem from the failure of our institutions and why they need to be rebuilt or built anew. Show Notes: -Yuval Levin ( AEI , National Affairs ) - A Time To Build - Inside Trump's stunning tirade against generals - The Dispatch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jan 23, 202058 minEp. 6

I Buy, You Wear

Jonah visits with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier to discuss how Special Report comes together, Twitter and the news cycle, the Democratic primary, and going to college with Steve Hayes. Show Notes: - Bret Baier - Three Days at the Brink - Three Days in Moscow - Three Days in January - The Dispatch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jan 21, 202036 minEp. 7

The Ballad of the Kosher Killer

New York Times Op-Ed columnist David Brooks stops by The Remnant to discuss tribalism v. community, nationalism, whether the word conservative is salvageable, and the story of the "Kosher Killer." Show Notes: - The Second Mountain - Michael Lind essay - Goldberg: Americans are more partisan than ever - Brooks: The Two Moons - George Will v. Josh Hawley part one - George Will v. Josh Hawley part two - Capitalism v. socialism debate with Arthur Brooks - Marco Rubio's common-good capitalism - Micha...

Jan 17, 20201 hr 2 minEp. 8

Episode 165: Ross, Do That

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins the Remnant to discuss religion: new religions, religions fighting among themselves, hokey religions that are no match for a good blaster at your side, etc. Shownotes –The Dispatch -Ross Douthat: NYT (The Argument), NRO, AEI –The Gary Schmitt episode –The Ross Douthat religion panel –Social Creature – Tara Isabella … Continue reading Episode 165: Ross, Do That → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jan 15, 20201 hr 10 minEp. 9

Episode 164: Tapper on Tap

Jonah visits fellow Gen Xer Jake Tapper’s shrine to political losers to talk about the 1990s, The Six Million Dollar Man, Joe McCarthy, and Donald Trump. Show Notes: –Jake Tapper –Rep. Dick Swett –Jake Tapper’s office of presidential losers –The Hellfire Club Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 13, 20201 hr 6 minEp. 10

Special: ‘The Dispatch Podcast’

Jonah lets the team at The Dispatch hijack The Remnant to debut their new podcast “The Dispatch Podcast.” Today Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David take a look at the situation between the U.S. and Iran, the latest with impeachment, and the president’s proposed tariffs on European wine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 08, 20201 hrEp. 11

Episode 163: Iberian Pork Overdose

Through the magic of Skype, Jonah talks from Spain with Jack about life in Spain (and Iberian pork), the killing of Soleimani, Star Wars, and more. Shownotes –The Dispatch –The most recent Morning Dispatch –Graeme Wood on Soleimani –Randolph Bourne –The EU’s fatal flaw –The most recent GLoP –The Nick Gillespie Remnant –Reason’s Star Wars … Continue reading Episode 163: Iberian Pork Overdose → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jan 03, 20201 hr 7 minEp. 12
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