The podcast today takes up the alarming spectacle of the first major diplomatic meeting of the Biden administration, at which senior Chinese officials lambasted the United States and our shocked senior diplomats found themselves at a loss. Why were they at a loss? We explain. And talk about a bunch of other stuff. Give a listen.

China Sandbags the Biden People

Today's podcast discusses the decision of the RNC to pull out of the presidential-debate commission system before we rise in outrage at the disgusting pre-Passover op-ed in the disgraceful New York Times about how Judaism is supposedly a celebration of mass murder. Give a listen.

Debating Debates, and the Times's Anti-Semitic Barbarity

Today's podcast takes up the horrific story of the firing of tenured Princeton professor Joshua Katz—defenestrated for holding views considered unacceptable by the university leadership, which then went on a hunt for pretext to fire him. The question: What good are universities any longer? Give a listen.

The Evil at Princeton

Tech commentary columnist James B. Meigs is back on the show today to talk about how the scientific community’s conduct creates environments where anti-scientific conspiracy theories thrive. Also, the hosts discuss the Democrats’ climate change/inflation bill and the attack on Republicans who voted against the PACT Act.

How Conspiracy Theories Are Born

Today, we take up the matter of Joe Biden's executive order on student loans. How bad is the policy? How good is the stunt? How cynical can you get? And, anyway, will it actually happen? Give a listen.

Commentarty Magazine

The High Price of Debt Forgiveness

Joe Biden’s speech outlining the threat to democracy posed by pro-Trump Republicans was bad. How bad? Let us count the ways.

Plumbing the Depths of Cynicism

Today's podcast looks at the politics of the judge's decision to appoint a special master to deal with the documents taken from Donald Trump's home and who will be helped or hurt by that. Plus, can it really be true that Democrats are viewed more favorably on COVID response than Republicans? Give a listen.

Yes, Special Master

Today's podcast takes up the leak about a highly sensitive document found in the Mar-a-Lago search and the Washington Post's characterization of it. Then we go after Arizona Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters with a rhetorical two-by-four. Give a listen.

They're Not 'Alarmed,' They're Thrilled

Today's podcast takes up Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's efforts to expose the hypocrisy of "sanctuary city" mayors like Lori Lightfoot of Chicago by sending illegal immigrants northward to live where they are supposedly more "welcome"—which has caused Lightfoot to sputter in outrage. Also, issue polling: Does it tell us anything? Give a listen.

Exposing Liberal Hypocrisy

The passing of Queen Elizabeth provides us with an opportunity to consider the question: Is there any figure left on the world stage who is known and admired for restraint rather than oversharing? And we express amazement at the current state of play in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Give a listen.

Elizabeth's Restraint

Liel Leibovitz joins the podcast today to discuss the New York Times's hit piece on Hasidic schools in New York state and why it is so egregious. But we begin with the startling news out of Ukraine and what it portends. Give a listen.

The Great Yeshiva Slander

Today's podcast looks at the worse-than-expected inflation numbers and the determination of the media and Democrats to frame them as some kind of new normal and wonders what kind of strategy this might be for November. Best way to play a bad hand, or handing an opportunity to their Republican rivals to beat them about the face and neck? Give a listen.

Did Inflation Just Prick the Democratic Balloon?

In the first of this week's podcasts, we discuss the question of why and whether Donald Trump will, in fact, divest himself of the Trump Organization and the fact that he is now in the position of picking and choosing which policies he can attempt to put into effect since his candidacy did not rest on policy prescriptions. Also, why the liberal culture's refusal to be magnanimous in its victory has led the Democratic party to its present parlous state. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast

In this week's first podcast, we—by which I mean Noah Rothman, Abe Greenwald, and I—say many different things about the Russian hacking and the election, and about hacking in general, and try to keep it interesting even though we kept having to interrupt ourselves because of sirens going on outside our window. Also, why shouldn't prospective cabinet appointments be like Miss Americas? Give a listen.

On the second COMMENTARY podcast this week, Abe Greenwald and I wonder at the weak sourcing of the stories about the Russian effort to hijack the 2016 election, while Noah Rothman scoffs that we could question the effort. Which we don't. As we explain. We also get a little testy at Obama's UN ambassador Samantha Power giving a high-and-mighty moral speech about Syria when she stood by as the Obama administration did nothing to prevent the genocide. Give a listen.

In the first of this week's two podcasts, we talk about the ludicrousness of the effort to encourage "faithless electors" to disrupt the legitimacy of the Trump victory and the connection to fake news. We also get into the challenges the new president will face he has no clue he's going to face because presidents never know, and whether he has or will have a foreign policy "doctrine." Can an improviser be doctrinal? Who knows? Give a listen.

On the final Commentary podcast of the year, we discuss the threat posed to Germany's Angela Merkel by the mishandling of the suspect in the Berlin Christmas market massacre and what it portends about Europe's political situation. And we wonder at the record of John Kerry and the historical treatment of Barack Obama, whose drone policy has proved so unattractive to his own side that its definitive defense took place in...COMMENTARY, in this piece by Kenneth Anderson: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-case-for-drones/

Give a listen, and happy holidays and a happy new year from the podcasters.

Commentary Podcast 30

On the first podcast of 2017, we discuss the first near-scandal of 2017—the quickly reversed effort to overhaul the Congressional ethics process in a manner highly injurious to the public image of the Republicans who agreed to it and then soon after agreed to dump it. The lesson: Trump can challenge norms but other Republicans don't have his Teflon. We also discuss the waning days of the Obama administration and its singularly graceless exit. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: Trumpery Ain't Transferable

On the last of this week's podcast, we try to make sense of the weeklong battle between the incoming president and the intelligence community—and whether his view that the IC is basically working against him personally has some merit. We also talk about the vote to condemn the UN resolution on Israel and what it means for the Democratic party. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: Where's the Intelligence Design?

On the first of this week's podcasts, we dilate upon Meryl Streep attacking Donald Trump and Donald Trump attacking Meryl Streep and how Trump represents a different kind of combative conservative—one who has his own form of pop-culture reach that is beyond the capacity of the Streeps to silence or control. We also talk about why it is that the declassified Russia report is not the document it could have or should have been. And some other stuff. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: The Culture War, For Real

On the last podcast of the week, we argue over the meaning of the shock announcement about the investigation at the Justice Department into the propriety of FBI Director James Comey's behavior this year, and whether Donald Trump solved anything for himself by his semi-divestment of his business. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: Last Minute Scandal

In the new COMMENTARY podcast, John Podhoretz, Abe Greenwald, and Noah Rothman examine how President-elect Donald Trump has managed to drive his allies—both Republican and European—over a cliff with anxiety. Will having an American president who is skeptical toward institutions like the European Union and NATO shatter the Atlanticist consensus? Finally, the shuttering of the Barnum and Bailey Circus and what that says about American culture.

Commentary Podcast: A Hard Friend to Have

Our final podcast of the week features our tear-bathed tribute to the departing Barack Obama and his commutation of the sentences of traitors and the pardon of terrorists. Also, a look ahead to liberal hypocrisy in the Trump era and a near-total meltdown by me on the subject of the supposedly "anti-intellectual" David Gelernter, the most intellectual person I've basically ever known. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: Obama Goes, Trump Arrives

On the first podcast of the week, we discuss the opening days of the Trump administration and why they were, um, not so good really—and argue over the meaning of the Women's March and its possible ramifications for 2018. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: How Did These First Three Days Go?

Many of Donald Trump’s opponents have given up reason and circumspection and are indulging in hysteria, assured that standard operating procedure for a new administration is creeping fascism. Also, the hosts dig into Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration and refugees and wonder if Team Trump is recognizing the unfeasibility of the president’s campaign trail pledges.

commentary podcast: Voluntary Madness

Our latest podcast features me and Abe Greenwald and Noah Rothman wondering at the trifecta of Trump's second weekend—an executive order that created a mass protest at airports for pity's sake, the horrifying deletion of the Jewish people from a Holocaust remembrance, and Steve Bannon's power grab at the National Security Council. Give a listen. If you dare.

Commentary Podcast: The Weekend From Hell

On this podcast, Noah Rothman, Abe Greenwald and I discuss the tumultuous three days since (remember this?) Neil Gorsuch was nominated to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court. We're fighting with Australia, we're putting Iran on notice, Russia is poisoning critics and fooling around in Ukraine, and people are throwing firebombs at a flamethrower in Berkeley. Give a listen. Really.

Ricochet.com

Commentary Podcast:

On this week's final podcast, we (meaning Noah Rothman, Abe Greenwald, and I) discuss how the positive reception of the president's big speech was not undermined by him (for once) but rather by a series of leak-riddled articles trashing the Yemen raid, trashing Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and suggesting Obamans scattered bits of intelligence trouble through the executive branch to leave a breadcrumb trail like Hansel and Gretel. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: A Good Speech, Then a Bad News Cycle

On this week's podcast, the COMMENTARY crew addresses the elephant in the room. That's all I'm going to say. It's an elephant. It's in a room. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: The Podcast That Goes There

The matter of the Donald Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia have dogged this administration since its very first days. For the first time in public hearings, Congress is digging into the matter. Today, FBI Director Comey revealed that the Trump campaign is under investigation for its Russia ties. Will Democrats “overplay their hand?” Further, President Trump’s chilly meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and some awful job approval polls for the president suggest the White House is having a bad week. John Podhoretz is out today, so Abe Greenwald and Noah Rothman dissect the day’s developments. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: The Russia House (Investigation)

John Podhoretz rejoins the COMMENTARY Podcast after a brief absence, albeit from on location in California. Please excuse the audio disruptions resulting from everyone recording from a different state. In this podcast, the gang takes the temperature of the GOP’s ObamaCare replacement bill ahead of Thursday’s vote, the ongoing confirmation hearings for Supreme Court justice-designate Neil Gorsuch, and Representative Devin Nunes’ somewhat confusing bombshell revelation. It’s a packed podcast. Give a listen!

Commentary podcast: Gorsuch a Mensch

On a special week-ending podcast, the COMMENTARY crew considers the collapse of the American Health Care Act and the fallout therefrom. Our conclusion: A lot of fallout. A lot of it on Donald Trump's head. And some on Paul Ryan. And some on House Republicans. And oy. Give a listen.

Commentary Podcast: So Many Ways to Say 'Debacle'

On this first podcast of the week, Noah Rothman and Abe Greenwald and I try to make sense of who is to blame and basically decide that... but why would I tell you here? You need to download or stream the podcast to find out! This is a cliffhanger! Give a listen.

Commentary podcast: Obamacare Repeal Fail: So Much Blame

On the first COMMENTARY podcast of the week, the gang (minus Noah Rothman) covers the accusations of sexual misconduct against the Roy Moore, his strange defense, and his even stranger defenders. We also talk about President Trump's press conference with Rodrigo Duterte and the explosive news of a massive cyberattack on the NSA. Give a listen.

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Commentary Podcast: How Much Moore Can We Take?

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