The Dispatch Podcast

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Kevin Williamson to discuss Vivek Ramaswamy's attack ad against Amy Acton and Williamson's reporting from Texas. The Agenda: —Ramaswamy's attack ad —Amy Acton's reponse —Why politics are so gross —Kevin's trip to Texas —Democrats try to be normal —What will happen after a GOP loss? —NWYT: Trump merch stores closing down Learn more about y...

How confident can we be that the 2026 midterms will run smoothly? When will we know which party has secured House and Senate majorities? Should we expect any meddling, foreign or domestic? Steve Hayes was joined by election experts Stephen Richer and Mark Sawyer for answers to those questions and many others. Then a panel including Jonah Goldberg and Mike Warren dove deep on the races most likely...

Steve Hayes is joined by Sarah Isgur, Jonah Goldberg, and Mike Warren to discuss the state of the midterms and whether South Carolina is truly a competitive state in 2026. The Agenda: —The first true “wave?” —The red undertow —How Trump’s ego is hurting the GOP —Redistricted districts —Is South Carolina competitive? —NWYT: What’s a lawyer? Show notes: —AP-NORC poll —Sarah’s Not Worth Your Time amb...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, and Mike Nelson to discuss President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel and the Pentagon’s planned execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan. The Agenda: —The state of Ukraine’s defense —Can Trump legally lift sanctions? —Why Trump hates Zelensky —Do voters care about Ukraine? —Livestreaming Nidal Hasan’s execution —NWYT: Br...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and Chris Stirewalt to discuss how the midterms are shaping up less than one month out and what to expect from a Democrat-controlled Congress. The Agenda: —Interpreting polling —GOP redistricting —2028 Democratic candidates —Can Democrats moderate? —A Democratic Congress —NWYT: A Taco Bell ultramarathon Show notes: —Wall Street Journal reportin...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and John McCormack to discuss the botched execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike and Angela Paxton’s “endorsement” ad for Senate candidate Ken Paxton, her estranged husband. The Agenda: —Christa Pike’s execution —Catholic arguments against the death penalty —What should the state do now? —Iowa Senate race —Candidate selection matters —NWY...

Mike Warren is joined by Jonah Goldberg and Kevin Williamson to discuss Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt’s failed attempt at setting a perjury trap and the Trump administration’s AI luncheon. The Agenda: —Schmitt vs. Smith —What happened to Capitol Hill staff? —The GOP’s victory lap —The superintelligence rebrand —Trump’s AI luncheon —“Unites States” —NWYT: Hosting dinner parties The Dispatch Podcast is...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Mike Warren to discuss the possibility of Democrats flipping a seat in Kansas and the Trump administration’s “public service announcements.” The Agenda: —The Senate race in Kansas —Roger Marshall and patient arrests —Why are Republicans still confident? —Trump’s “public service announcements” —NWYT: The New York Times' top 100 televisi...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg and Megan McArdle to discuss President Trump’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly and the administration’s decision to ban CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House. The Agenda: —Trump’s U.N. speech —Trump’s waning influence —The White House press bans —What the media got wrong —Trump’s approval rating —NWYT: A COVID-conscious lesbian bar Show notes: —...

Mike Warren is joined by Kevin Williamson and Mike Nelson to examine President Trump’s deal with Denmark on U.S. military presence in Greenland and discuss the reporting by the Washington Post that the Pentagon may be underreporting deaths from the conflict with Iran. The Agenda: —Is this the art of the deal? —NATO welcomes Greenland deal —Trump’s biggest foreign policy victory? —The Pentagon’s un...

Mike Warren is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Kevin Williamson to discuss why GOP midterm candidates aren’t heeding President Donald Trump’s electoral advice, as well as Texas Railroad Commission candidate Bo French’s racist tweet about a University of Texas football game. The Agenda: —GOP candidates ignoring Trump —Making the election about Trump —Bo French’s anti-Indian racism —"Ju...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and Klon Kitchen to discuss the resignation of an Anthropic researcher over concerns that AI may “kill us all,” yet another flip-flop by the Trump administration on Ukraine, and President Trump’s $5,000 bribe to voters during the midterm convention. The Agenda: —Jacob Coxon's resignation tweet —Pacing the AI frontier —The Hugging Face incident...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Nelson, and David French to discuss former President George W. Bush’s response to the 9/11 attacks, how the tragedy shaped domestic policy today, and whether or not we won the war on terror.  The Agenda: —Remembering the events over the course of the day—How lives were changed after 9/11 —Journalism’s evolution after the attacks—Did we win the war...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Michael Reneau to discuss our latest editorial on a post-Trump reality, comments by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff to Vladimir Putin as the U.S. pursues negotiations for an end to the Ukraine war, and finally, a Labor Day edition of Not Worth Your Time.  —Previewing The Dispatch’s editorial on what’s next for the GOP —Add...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and John McCormack to discuss Trump’s role within the Republican Party in the upcoming midterms and the Democratic Party’s association with Hasan Piker. The Agenda: —Trump’s impact on Republican candidates —Democrats and Hasan Piker —The Senate race in Texas —Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District —The Senate race in Ohio —NWYT: Fantasy football Sho...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Mike Nelson to discuss the Trump administration’s oil deal with Venezuela and the state of the Iran war six months in. The Agenda: —Venezuela oil deal —Delcy Rodríguez’s presidency — “We should have the taken the oil!” —The Venezuela model in Iran — “No, Iran is not winning” —NWYT: Milos Yiannopoulos’ deportation Show notes: —Wall Stre...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and David French to discuss the political battle over data centers and Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada. The Agenda: —Data center u-turn —How data centers affect communities —National security implications —Misinformation about data centers —The U.S.-Canada trade war —Worth your time: Dolly Parton Show notes: —Megan McArdle’s podcast —Wal...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Mike Warren to discuss the U.S. crossing the $40 trillion debt threshold and the prospect of “growing our way out of it.” The Agenda: —Kevin explains how we got here —Entitlement spending —What would Paul Ryan do —The DOGE effort —Growing our way out of debt —NWYT: Adulthood disappointments Show notes: —Kevin's Wanderland —Kevin on the...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Nelson, and Kevin Williamson to discuss President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back military exercises with South Korea, his “good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” and the U.S. munitions crisis. The Agenda: —Scaling back South Korea exercises —Trump’s “relationship” with Kim Jong Un —Abandoning Japan —The U.S. munitions crisis —Southern lane of the...

Steve Hayes is joined by Mike Warren, Jonah Goldberg, and Chris Stirewalt to discuss the future of the conservative movement ahead of the 2026 midterms and 2028 GOP primaries. The Agenda: —Subscribe to The Dispatch’s new newsletter, Next Right —The war for the GOP —Trump’s successor —Ideological demography of Republicans —2028 GOP primaries —Mike’s conversation with Gov. Brian Kemp —NWYT: Aspic Sh...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Kevin Williamson to discuss the results of this month’s Democratic primaries in Wisconsin and Michigan and the left’s shift away from the radical social justice positions of 2020. The Agenda: —Francesca Hong’s loss —Abdul El-Sayed’s slim victory —The limits of the far left —The woke reckoning —AOC: “Woke 1 was crazy” —NWYT: A People magaz...

Mike Warren and John McCormack discuss the battle between moderates and populists in the Democratic Party and the abuse allegations against Republican Rep. Max Miller. The Agenda: —Michigan primary —Minnesota and Wisconsin primaries —Blue wave possibilities —Max Miller allegations —Trump’s support for Max Miller —NWYT: The cost of a burrito Show notes: —Francesca Hong’s Culver’s tweet —Francesca H...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg and Kevin Williamson to discuss Ross Douthat's departure from the New York Times to CBS News and reflect on the times in their careers where they got an issue wrong. The Agenda:—Who Will Replace Ross Douthat?—MAGA representation in media—Intellectual honesty vs. partisan loyalty—Dangers of political journalism—What Kevin's got wrong—What Jonah's got wrong—Wh...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, and Mike Nelson to discuss the possible entrance of Russia and China into the Iran war and the possibility of unintentional escalation. The Agenda: —The War That Could Swallow the World —Water system cyberattacks —Putin and Xi’s calculations —The Taiwan implication —U.S. munitions stockpiles —Trump’s madman theory —NWYT: Trump’s golf titleThe...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Megan McArdle to discuss the growing popularity of socialism on the left and Anthony Fauci’s testimony on Capitol Hill. The Agenda: —What is socialism? —Polling on American sentiment toward socialism —College dorm life as an ideology —Tea Party redux —When to start panicking —Anthony Fauci’s testimony —NWYT: Living too long Show notes:...