Having exhausted his Jeffrey/Jonah Goldberg jokes on The Dispatch Podcast, Jonah Goldberg launches into an epic rant on the tyranny of intellectual mobs, the flaws of morally blind due process, and the emerging artificial intelligence anime art movement. Plus: long-view Signal-gate revelations and the superficial logic of the Trump administration’s tariff strategy. Show Notes: — The Maoist anime AI drawing in question — Yuval Levin’s latest Remnant appearance The Remnant is a production of The D...
Mar 29, 2025•1 hr 28 min
It’s fan-favorite week at Casa de Remnant .Jonah Goldberg is joined by Thomas Chatterton Williams, staff writer at The Atlantic and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, to discuss illiberalism on the right, dole out some sympathy for the most ardent defenders of wokeness, and dig into Thomas’ upcoming book, Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse. Show Notes: — Thomas’ piece in The Atlantic : “How the Woke Right Replaced the Woke Left” — Musa al-Gharbi ...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Not since Thomas Jefferson podcasting alone has a guest been so wise as Yuval Levin, who joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the recent trend of Lebowskian communication mishaps, the danger of obsessive abstraction in Trumpian times, and the promise of connecting with the median voter. Show Notes: — The Atlantic : "Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans" — Yuval on "The Ezra Klein Show" — Yoni Appelbaum on The Remnant — National Review: "Look on My Works, Ye Mighty, and Despair!" ...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 16 min
Join Jonah Goldberg on a journey up the Northeast Regional line as he ruminates upon the impeachment of federal judges, the enemy within, the world’s laziest Congress, and the chicken and the egg game for oligarchs and plutocrats. Plus: disturbing DOGE casualties and a greatest hits reel of Jonah’s analogies. Show Notes: — Jonah’s LA Times column from this week — The New York Times : Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy Is Done. Powerful Conservatives Are Listening — Alex Tabarrok on The Remnant — Yoni ...
Mar 22, 2025•1 hr 35 min
Yoni Appelbaum, deputy executive editor of The Atlantic, makes his Remnant debut to discuss his new book, Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity. Jonah Goldberg and Yoni discuss America's unique social and geographic mobility, the tricky history of tenements, and the dirty laundry of zoning. Show Notes: — Order Yoni’s book, Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity The Remnant is a production of The Dispat...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Clifford D. May, founder and director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, enters The Remnant multiverse with Jonah Goldberg to reevaluate the world stage and all its conflicts. Cliff and Jonah debate who’s leading the new Axis of Evil and dig into the growing trend of expansionist politics and the depressing lack of fact-based arguments in contemporary foreign policy.Show Notes: — Listen to the "Foreign Policy" podcast — Learn more about FDD — The Wall Street Journal : “The Painting Th...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 13 min
An overserved and hungover Jonah Goldberg gets into arguments with ChatGPT, picks fights with free speech “martyrs,” and offers a unified theory of Trumpism, all in a day’s Ruminant. Show Notes: — Jim Geraghty for National Review : “Why the Ukraine Cease-Fire Deal is No Cause for Celebration” — Jake Meador for The Dispatch : “The Perils of Positive Thinking” — The Wednesday G-File in question The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company covering politics, policy, and cul...
Mar 15, 2025•57 min
Jonah Goldberg has gone AWOL, and Kevin Williamson of Dispatch fame has risen to the task of Remnant hosting duties. Kevin is joined by Devin DeCiantis and Ivan Lansberg to discuss their new book, The Enduring Enterprise: How Family Businesses Thrive in Turbulent Conditions . The trio covers crony capitalism, how businesses can succeed amid political chaos, and how family enterprises can survive the breakneck speed of social change. Show Notes: — Devin and Ivan for Salon : “The Return of Crony C...
Mar 13, 2025•50 min
There’s a whole lot of red on various stock market indices this week, so Jonah Goldberg has conscripted Michael Strain, director of economic policy at the American Enterprise Institute, to talk money. Topics include: the likelihood of recession, tumultuous trade policy, and Jonah’s crusade against the cryptocurrency reserve. Show Notes: — Cato Institute: “The Problem of the Tariff in American Economic History, 1787–1934” The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company cover...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 9 min
After sufficiently kvetching over Weimar-style cigar inflation, Jonah Goldberg ruminates upon Donald Trump tripping over tariffs, the abhorrent actions of the Department of Justice regarding the Eric Adams case, and the insanity of the proposed crypto reserve. Plus: the fallout from last week's Oval Office disaster and a grim prediction for the next three years. Show Notes: —Scott Linsciome in The Dispatch: “ ‘Reciprocal Tariffs’ Are Trump’s Worst Trade Idea Yet ” — Burke's “Birds of Prey” speec...
Mar 08, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Jonah Goldberg came to the Remnant studio exhausted by his nightshift at the cable news factory, so he enlisted one Brother Chris Stirewalt to save the show once again. Jonah and Chris analyze Trump’s Tuesday night address to Congress from all angles, including but not limited to the Democrat’s shenanigans and the reviled Wilsonian origins of the State of the Union address. Show Notes: — Brother Stirewalt for The Hill: “Separating Show and Substance as Trump Addresses Congress” The Remnant is a ...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Jonah Goldberg is joined by author and research analyst Ross Benes to discuss his new book, 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times. Jonah and Ross discuss beanie babies as a precursor to crypto, the political triumph of the WWE, and the age of media deregulation. Plus: the phenomenology of moral panics and the bourgeois-ification of transgressive culture. Show Notes: — 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times The Remna...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 4 min
From the civilizational lynchpin of gratitude to the misplaced obsession with diplomacy to MAGA’s mafia style of governance, today’s Ruminant will be a one deep cut after another for Suicide of the West readers . There will also be one or two I-told-you-so’s. Show Notes: — Return to the source material and order Suicide of the West — G-File : “The Democrats Dilemma” — Vintage Goldberg in National Review : “The European Miracle” — Infinite Scroll: “MAGA as Master Morality” The Remnant is a produc...
Mar 01, 2025•1 hr 30 min
A Ruminant of Homeric length about the distress of the liberal world order will be released tomorrow, but the fallout from the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump today necessitated a rapid emergency rant. Enjoy your bonus episode and the sunsetting of American honor. The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dis...
Feb 28, 2025•27 min
Christopher Scalia, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, stops by the show to drop some culture on one Jonah Goldberg. The two discuss all things literature and what great books could give the conservative movement. Plus: George Eliot’s conception of nationalism and Jonah’s thoughts on the new season of Severance. Show Notes: —Pre-order: 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven't Read) — Listen to “The Back of the Book” podcast The Remnant is a production of The Dispa...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Jonah Goldberg is joined by American Enterprise Institute fellow and author Michael Rosen to discuss his new book, Silicon and Clay: What Ancient Jewish Wisdom Can Teach Us About AI. Jonah and Michael cover the difference between lunch bucket AI degrowthers vs. Butlerian jihadist doomers before diving into the lore of the mystical figures of the golem and the dybbuk and what they can teach us about our approach to artificial intelligence. Show Notes: — Pre-order Like Silicon from Clay: What Anci...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 24 min
Jonah Goldberg has words for the Trump administration signaling its willingness to betray Ukraine and turn allies into vassals all in the name of a faux-realist approach to geopolitics that feels more Corleone than Kissinger. Plus: an apology to Anthony Scaramucci, ruminations on the Eric Adams case, and the MAGA-induced pressure campaign within the conservative movement. Show Notes: — Order Honor Among Nations — Wednesday G-File: “Realism for a Condo Salesman” — Friday G-File: “Faded Glory, Gro...
Feb 22, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Pippa and Zoë have chastised Jonah Goldberg for the recent lack of female voices on The Remnant , so Sarah Isgur has staged a Steinem-style takeover of the show alongside Caroline Criado-Perez to discuss one of Sarah’s favorite books, Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. Sarah and Caroline dig into the glaring gender bias in data science, econometrics, clinical research, and healthcare. Plus: a debate over the potential for a misandrist pendulum swing in the progressive era. S...
Feb 20, 2025•48 min
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens makes his Remnant debut, joining Jonah Goldberg for a discussion of the first month of the second Trump administration, the Chamberlain-esque negotiations for peace in Ukraine, and the infuriating instances of moral ignominy on college campuses. Show Notes: — Bret’s ‘Never Trump” piece in the New York Times — Jonah’s ‘Never Trump’ piece in National Review — “The Power of the Powerless,” Vaclav Havel The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital me...
Feb 19, 2025•55 min
While Jonah Goldberg is usually riding solo on Ruminant episodes, today he is joined by his newly adopted island chicken, Rex. Jonah educates Rex about the relationship between the judicial and the executive branch, what constitutes autocracy, and the grounding of Critical Trump Theory. Plus: further ruminations on American sovereigntists and Pete Hegseth’s early actions as secretary of Defense. Show Notes: — Wednesday’s G-File — On the sovereigntists — John McCormack on Darren Beattie — Subscri...
Feb 15, 2025•1 hr 10 min
Chris Stirewalt remains in control of The Remnant throne whilst Jonah vision quests, and has brought another excellent guest to enlighten ye loyal listeners: William Galston, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and Wall Street Journal columnist. The two discuss the health of the constitutional order, the hardheadedness of the Democratic Party, and how progressives can actually sway public opinion. Show Notes: — Galston for the Wall Street Journal : “Trump, USAID, and the Rule of Law” —Joh...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Jonah Goldberg has abandoned SS Remnant for greener pastures. Luckily, the inimitable Chris Stirewalt has taken the helm once again. Chris is joined by Kori Schake, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and foreign policy egghead extraordinaire to cover the artificial intelligence arms race, the China question, and Trump’s proposal for peace (?) in Ukraine.Plus: effective deterrence against Iran, an evaluation of Israel’s successes and struggles in Gaza, and potential military refor...
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 7 min
With the help of a Yuval Levin and a Silly Putty support system, Jonah Goldberg opens this Ruminant with a recommendation not to panic about the Trump administration quite yet. He does, however, bemoan the president’s fantasy about a U.S. sovereign wealth fund before wondering about what the next generation of Democratic leaders might look like. Show Notes: — Yuval Levin and Ezra Klein — Nick Catoggio on the DOGE hoax — Jonah and Katie Herzog on Mike Pesca's The Gist The Remnant is a production ...
Feb 08, 2025•1 hr 1 min
Francis Fukuyama makes a triumphant return to The Remnant to discuss the current state of liberalism, the flaws with emerging sects of postliberalism, and the rapidly deteriorating expectations of normalcy for the second Trump administration. Plus: reactionary horseshoe theory, the new American oligarchy, and the risks of Trumpian expansionism. Show Notes: — Francis’ work on Substack — The Patrick Deneen article in question — Yascha Mounk and Francis Fukuyama talk Trump 2.0 The Remnant is a prod...
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Alex Tabarrok, professor of economics at George Mason University, joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the exceptional nature of American democratic capitalism and debate the merits of all sorts of borders. Later in the episode, Jonah gets a crash course in crypto and asks Alex about the future and ethics of AI and large language models. Show Notes: — Alex’s piece on Liberal Fascism and CurtisYarvin The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company covering politics, policy, and c...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 20 min
Jonah Goldberg has gone to drastic lengths to cure his latest illness, absconding to Belize to drink fresh coconut water and ponder his life choices in the rainforest. Ruminations from his hammock include Donald Trump’s irresponsible comments on the tragic DCA plane crash, the ongoing tariff debate, and the discourse surrounding the hierarchy of love. Show Notes: — Ross Douthat on The Remnant — Michael Moynihan on The Remnant The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company ...
Feb 01, 2025•42 min
New York Times columnist and best-selling author Ross Douthat joins The Remnant today to discuss his new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, and dive into some rank punditry. Ross and Jonah Goldberg talk tech execs in Washington, spiritual metaphysics, and what Emilia Perez says about the relationship between culture and politics.Later in the episode, Ross explains why religion—no matter what flavor—is necessary for a healthy individual and a thriving nation. Show Notes: — Pre-order...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 13 min
Francis Dearnley, executive editor at The Telegraph and Remnant fan-favorite, stops by the show to discuss the struggles of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the British perspective on Donald Trump’s second term and the rise of populism, and the desperate need for functional governance. Plus: targeted solicitor slander, the lunacy of London living, and an update on Ukraine. Show Notes: — Francis Dearnley on X — Ukraine: The Latest podcast The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital m...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 16 min
Buckle up, there are tiny, crazy monkeys on tricycles riding around inside Jonah Goldberg’s brain, and the only way to let them out is an epic, mega Ruminant . You’re welcome, America. Jonah begins with a defense of his free spirit and recent snarkiness before he launches into a critique of Curtis Yarvin’s recent antics in the New York Times . He covers FDR’s stint in Silicon Valley, neo-reactionary historical revisionism, and other lines of sophomoric nonsense. In the realm of politics: the hyp...
Jan 25, 2025•1 hr 40 min
Michael C. Moynihan, fellow podcaster extraordinaire and Lisan al-Gaib of the House Un-American Activities Committee, pays a visit to the Court of TheRemnant to defend Bill Buckley, discuss horseshoe theory as it relates to immigration, and critique cheap radicalism. Plus: the problems with post-liberalism, the slippery slope of foreign policy obsession, and a neocon apologia session. Show Notes: — The Fifth Column Podcast — Michael’s work for The Free Press — Brother Stirewalt on Henry Wallace ...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 37 min
