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The Ricochet Podcast

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Weekly episodes of Ricochet’s flagship podcast feature our hosts James Lileks, Steve Hayward, Charles C. W. Cooke, and guests discussing the issues of the week.

Listen to The Ricochet Podcast, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at Ricochet.com. No paid subscription required.
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Episodes

Happy Family

Another slow news week…yawn. Uh, no. With so much to talk about, we present another super-sized Ricochet Podcast clocking in at just under 90 minutes. We’ve got our pal David French, who wants us to Stop Making Terrible Arguments for Blind Loyalty. That’s followed by two Ricochet members (that’d be Robert McReynolds and Max Ledoux) who wants us to give the President the benefit of the doubt at... Source

May 19, 20171 hr 28 minEp. 353

Shattered

It’s never a dull moment with the Trump administration and to parse everything that happened this week, we call on our good friend, former podcaster, and the newly minted host of Washington Week In Review Bob Costa. After that, we take a look back at the 2016 race with Jonathan Allen, co-author of Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign. Also, taping, vaping, and narrative shaping. Source

May 12, 20171 hr 15 minEp. 352

Sasse In Nebraska, Long In Cuba

Never let it be said that the Ricochet Podcast does not scour the world looking for the best guests and conversation to elucidate the issues of the day and make you muy contento. This week, we’ve got Senator Ben Sasse direct from the backroads of Nebraska talking about his new must-read book The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis–and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance. Source

May 04, 20171 hr 13 minEp. 351

The Francophiles

We’re a man down this week, as James Lileks is in Reno (no, he did not a shoot a man there just to watch him die), but we have lots to talk about and two great guests to discuss it all with. Our old pal David Limbaugh returns to give us insight into his new book The True Jesus: Uncovering the Divinity of Christ in The Gospels. It’s a fascinating book in which David combines the four Gospel stories... Source

Apr 28, 20171 hr 23 minEp. 350

Elegy For Billy

We’ve got Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance here to talk about investing in startups in the midwest. We’ve got The Factor on permanent hiatus. We’ve got terrorists in France trying their best to influence an election. And we’ve got some unlikely dinner guests in the White House. What have you got? Are you a podcast listener who’s not a Ricochet member? We’ve got a special offer for you — join... Source

Apr 21, 20171 hr 13 minEp. 349

The In Crowd

Another Saturday edition of the Ricochet Podcast with a super-sized running time and a legendary guest: The Podfather himself, Norman Podhoretz, whose seminal book Making It has just been re-released to mark its 50th anniversary. We talk about the book, and about the world, both past and present. Also, in-fighting at the White House, North Korea saber rattling, and what was your first concert? Source

Apr 15, 20171 hr 19 minEp. 348

International Relations

We’re all over the globe for this show: Mexico, North Korea, the Middle East, the well of the Senate, and more. That’s in part due to the news cycle but mostly due to our great guests, the WSJ’s Bret Stephens, and the EPCC’s and National Review’s Ed Whalen. We talk military action, diplomacy, nukes (both parliamentary and real), filibusters, and more. Also, what was the deal with that Pepsi ad? Source

Apr 06, 20171 hr 5 minEp. 347

Reunited

It’s a special Saturday edition of the Ricochet Podcast, and it’s special not only because of the day (April Fool’s Day!), but because we get to welcome back our regulate host, TV’s Rob Long. We cover the all the news of the past six months, Peter’s quest to buy a new TV, what it’s like to take over a network TV show in mid-season, take some questions from the chat room and from the Member Feed... Source

Apr 01, 20171 hr 25 minEp. 346

Too Much Monk-ey Business

Yep, it’s another super busy week (and day), but as tempted as we were to cover the breaking news as it happens, we decided to take a step back and invite our good friend Rod Dreher on to discuss his new book The Benedict Option. Along with regular guest host Larry Kudlow, we get into the weeds on the the future of Christianity, faith, and the authority of Scripture and the wisdom of the ancient... Source

Mar 24, 20171 hr 15 minEp. 345

The First 100 Days

Yeah, yeah, there was an election earlier this week, but we’re all past that now. What will the first 100 days of the Trump administration look like? For that we (along with guest host Mona Charen) turn to the great Larry Kudlow, who has been a Trump supporter and advisor since the beginning of the campaign. Who will be, who will be out, what policies will be advocated, we cover it all. Also... Source

Nov 11, 20161 hr 16 minEp. 328

Contagious

Another week, another show in which gab and you listen. This week, our guests are two world class gabbers: The Hoover Institution’s Bill Whalen stops by to discuss the state of the race, and some predictions for the next 55 days. Then, author and Ricochet Podcast Super Fan Tevi Troy Skypes in to chat about his new book Shall We Wake the President?: Two Centuries of Disaster Management from the... Source

Sep 16, 20161 hr 13 minEp. 320

A Little Bit O' Sowell

This week, we’re lucky to be joined by the great Dr. Thomas Sowell, (buy his newly revised classic book Wealth, Poverty and Politics: An International Perspective). The good doctor schools us on economics, school choice, and a particularly vivid metaphor for the current election cycle. Spoiler alert: those who fear flying may want to have their thumb on the 30 second skip button for that part of... Source

Sep 09, 20161 hr 15 minEp. 319

Trump to Mexico

Let it never be said that this show does not go out of its way to present all points of view on the issues. This week, not one, but two guests from the pro-Trump side of the aisle. First up, Heather Higgins, whose post My Money Is on a Trump Victory has been quoted far and wide. Will she be able to convince the non-Trump supporting podcasters on this show to support the Republican nominee for... Source

Sep 01, 20161 hr 14 minEp. 318

The Impossible Dream

This week, another fair and balanced podcast we bring you quixotic Presidential candidate Evan McMullin. His campaign is a long shot, but his qualifications and demeanor are beyond reproach. Later, the WSJ’s Bill McGurn joins the show. Among the members of the WSJ Opinion Page, Bill is the only pro-Trump columnist and he makes the case for his candidate in his typical straight down the middle of... Source

Aug 26, 20161 hr 12 minEp. 317

Law and Order

This week, author and Manhattan Institute fellow Heather Mac Donald joins the show to discuss her important new book, The War on Cops: How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe. Also, Paul Manafort exits, auto promotion and Ricochet’s editorial voice (or lack of one), and a heartfelt “bye-bye!” to John McLaughlin, who’s long running show, The McLaughlin Group is a distant... Source

Aug 19, 20161 hr 19 minEp. 316

The Doctor Is In

This week, Hillsdale President Dr. Larry Arnn stops by to make the intellectual and academic argument for Donald Trump (h/t to Ricochet member @rushbabe49 for her post This Might Change some Minds on the Election). Can the good doctor sway @roblong, the resident #NeverTrump representative on this podcast, into voting for the Republican nominee? The answer lies within. Public service announcement... Source

Aug 11, 20161 hr 19 minEp. 315

Question Time: Summer Edition

A few times a year, we banish the guests and open the floor you, our cherished members. And you didn’t let us down — dozens of great questions were submitted. Thanks for participating. We’ll do this again after the election. P.S. If you’re not a member, you’re really missing out. Do the right thing for yourself, your country, and for us and JOIN TODAY. Music from this week’s podcast: What Have I... Source

Aug 04, 20161 hr 23 minEp. 314

RIP GOP?

We open with some thoughts on the just concluded Democratic convention, and then segue into our guest, Avik Roy. His interview with Vox has been discussed extensively on Ricochet, and we give him the full court Ricochet Podcast press. Is the GOP on life support as Avik suggests and can be saved? Or, is everything just fine, and the party should stay the course? We delve into all of that with Roy... Source

Jul 29, 20161 hr 28 minEp. 313

The Republican Standard Bearer

The moment we’ve been preparing for all year finally arrived this week: Donald J. Trump is the Republican Party’s nominee for President of The United States. With the help of the Washington Post’s ace political reporter Bob Costa, we break down the whole week, from the family member speeches, Ted Cruz’s speech, Trump’s own speech ( and Peter Robinson’s brush with the Trump campaign)... Source

Jul 22, 20161 hr 20 minEp. 312

Chasing Pokémons

This week, Lileks is on vacation so we asked our good friend Larry Kudlow to sit in his chair as we welcome the Manhattan Institute’s and Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley to the show to discuss the events of the last week. Yes, we also cover the presumptive nominee, and Larry makes a valiant effort to convince one of the hosts to support his candidate. Was Larry successful? Source

Jul 15, 201657 minEp. 311

Pride and Prejudice

This week, we take a little break from politics to bring you one of our favorite people — writer/director Whit Stillman, who’s new movie Love & Friendship is in theaters now. We talk Jane Austen (the movie is based on Austen’s novella Lady Susan), his writing process, and some of Stillman’s favorite films. Then, Charles C.W. Cooke, newly minted National Review Online Editor (and co-host of the... Source

Jun 30, 20161 hr 24 minEp. 310

Throwback Thursday

There’s a sit-in in the House, and the Emperor has no money. Seems like old times, except for the fact that we invited Twitter-famous Sonny Bunch to sit in for the traveling Peter Robinson. In addition to the fore-mentioned topics, in this completely Member Feed inspired show, the guys cover Gaius’ post A Thought Experiment: Inspired by Sen. Rubio, Robert Zubrin’s Campaign Launched to Free the... Source

Jun 23, 201659 minEp. 309

Guns and Brexit

This week, a debate about guns, some inside dope about Trump, courtesy of the great Byron York, one final conversation about Brexit compliments of the ever brash James Delingpole, and the complexities of giving up the thing you know. Music from this week’s episode: Happiness Is A Warm Gun by The Beatles The brand new opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James... Source

Jun 17, 20161 hr 14 minEp. 308

The Greatest

Another momentous week calls for a momentous podcast with Ricochet Editor-In-Chief Jon Gabriel sitting in for Rob Long. We’ve got Washington Post political correspondent Bob Costa on Trump and Bezos, and almost independent Presidential candidate David French, who clues us in on what might have been. Finally, some thoughts about The Greatest, Muhammad Ali. RIP. Music from this week’s episode: The... Source

Jun 10, 20161 hr 10 minEp. 307

Bitcoins, Brexit, and The Plight of The Disappearing Pundit

It’s another Super-Sized edition of the Ricochet Podcast (1 hour and 20 minutes!) and we’re all over the map and all over the news to bring you very best in podcast punditry. First up, the great George Gilder (his new book The Scandal of Money: Why Wall Street Recovers but the Economy Never Does is a must read) stops by to talk about why conservatives have such a hard time winning the economic... Source...

Jun 02, 20161 hr 22 minEp. 306

Summer

We recorded this one yesterday in New York City, and due to travel and other issues, we’re posting it now. We talk Trump, the now official Republican nominee, get the inside scoop on that Facebook meeting from our guest Brent Bozell, and a theory about Joe Biden. Yes, Joe Biden. Finally, what’s Peter Robinson’s favorite Bob Dylan lyric? The answer may surprise you (it surprised us). Happy summer... Source

May 28, 20161 hr 5 minEp. 305

Build That Wall

This week, we present a super-sized edition of the Ricochet Podcast (75 minutes plus of thoughtful jabbering!) where within, we attempt to answer a few burning questions: First, is Peter Robinson in the tank for Trump? Rob Long and James Lileks investigate. Then, Tevi Troy stops by to opine on his recent Politico piece, How GOP Intellectuals’ Feud With the Base Is Remaking U.S. Politics. Then... Source

May 20, 20161 hr 19 minEp. 304

Bigger In Texas

As we adapt to a world where Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for President, we figured we ought book some very grounded guests for this week’s show. So listen in as we welcome Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The Governor has a new book, Broken But Unbowed: The Fight to Fix a Broken America. We also discuss bathrooms and his good friend Ted Cruz’s plans for the future. Then, The Weekly Standard’... Source

May 13, 20161 hr 13 minEp. 303

Sweet Sowell Music

One of the nice things about being the Top Conservative Podcast is that we get to have the coolest and smartest people on the right stop by to chat. Case in point this week as we welcome two of the biggest brains on the right, Yuval Levin and Dr. Thomas Sowell. Yuval’s WSJ essay The Next Conservative Movement is a must read, and while you’re at it, order his forthcoming book The Fractured... Source

Apr 29, 20161 hr 4 minEp. 302

The Purple Reign

It’s not often that a news story breaks while we’re recording the podcast, but that’s exactly what happened today. We started off talking politics with Bill Kristol and Michael Barone (the former on #NeverTrump and the possibility of a third party and the latter on the now very important California primary and Michael’s WSJ piece “Trump Can’t Break the Republican Party”) and wound up discussing... Source

Apr 21, 20161 hr 17 minEp. 301
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