Banter: An AEI Podcast

Ian Rowe is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on education and upward mobility, family formation, and adoption. In his new book  “Agency” (Templeton Press, May 2022), Ian Rowe seeks to inspire young people of all races to build strong families and become masters of their own destiny. Ian joins Phoebe and Robert for a special Banter episode at the Old...

Matt Continetti is a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where his work is focused on American political thought and history, specifically focusing on the development of the Republican party and the American conservative movement in the 20th Century. Matt joins Robert and Phoebe on the podcast this week to discuss his new book, "The Right: The Hundred-Year War for America...

Jason Blessing is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Research Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on cybersecurity, military cyber forces, military technological transformation and force structure, US cyber defense policy including civilian-military dynamics in cyberspace, and cyber defense agreements. Jason joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss cybersecurity and intelligence...

James W. Coleman is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on energy policy, including energy commodity, transport, and trade and markets regulation. He is concurrently the Robert G. Storey Distinguished Faculty Fellow and Professor of Law at Southern Methodist University. James joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the recent increase in gas...

Chris Miller is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on Russian foreign policy, politics, and economics; Russia and Ukraine; Russian-European relations; and Eurasia. He also focuses on semiconductors and the geopolitics of technology. Chris joins Robert and Phoebe this week to discuss sanctions, the Russian perception of Putin, and what co...

Brad Wilcox is a nonresident senior fellow at the AEI, where his research explores the links between family and the economy at home and abroad. Brad joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the state of the American family, marriage and birth rates, and how both the government and society at large can promote two-parent families.

Desmond Lachman is a Senior Fellow at AEI. He joined AEI after serving as a managing director and chief emerging market economic strategist at Salomon Smith Barney. He previously served as deputy director in the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Policy Development and Review Department. At AEI, Mr. Lachman is focused on the global macroeconomy, global currency issues, and the multilateral l...

Dr. Leon Aron is a Senior Fellow at AEI, where he studies Russian domestic and foreign policy, US-Russia relations, and the economic, social, and cultural aspects of Russia’s post-Soviet evolution. This week, he joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss Soviet leaders, the psychology behind Putin's brinkmanship, and today's Russia/Ukraine conflict.

Diana J. Schaub is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where her work is focused on American political thought and history, particularly Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, African American political thought, Montesquieu, and the relevance of core American ideals to contemporary challenges and debates. This week, Diana joins Robert and Phoebe to talk about...

Klon Kitchen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on the intersection of national security and defense technologies and innovation. Through his research, he works to understand and explain how emerging technologies are shaping modern statecraft, intelligence, and warfighting, while focusing on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, robotics, and qua...

Mark Jamison is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he works on how technology affects the economy, and on telecommunications and Federal Communications Commission issues. Dr. Jamison has served on the FCC transition team for President-elect Trump, as a special adviser to the chair of the governor of Florida’s internet task force, and as president of the Transpo...

Oriana Skylar Mastro is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on Chinese military and security policy in the Asia-Pacific and rising power challenges to the international order. She also serves in the United States Air Force Reserve as a strategic planner at US Indo-Pacific Command. Oriana joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss her service in the Air...

Yuval Levin is a senior fellow and the director of social, cultural, and constitutional studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where he also holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy. Yuval joins Robert and Phoebe to discuss the state of America’s institutions, the constitutional roles of Congress and the courts, and the integrity of our elections. 

Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on child welfare and foster care issues. Her work analyzes the role of faith-based, civic, and community organizations in changing the foster care and adoption services landscape. This week, Naomi joins Robert and Phoebe to discuss her new book, No Way to Treat a Child , in which she argues that the Ame...

Elisabeth Braw is a resident fellow at AEI where she focuses on defense against new and emerging threats, particularly those that do not meet the definition of conventional military force. She joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the tools and technologies that governments and criminals can use to attack America and our allies without firing a shot.

Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). She joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss US defense spending and how to maintain healthy civil-military relations after the turmoil of the Trump years. Stay tuned until the end, when Phoebe asks Kori about her thoughts on the US’ disastrous withdrawal from Afghanista...

Chris Stirewalt  is a resident fellow at AEI, where he focuses on American politics, voting trends, public opinion, and the media. Before joining AEI, he was political editor of Fox News Channel. This week, Chris joins Robert and Phoebe to delve into the current state of American journalism, media’s effect on the electorate and the Republican party after Trump.

Michael Strain is the Director of Economic Policy Studies at AEI, where he oversees the Institute’s work in economic policy, financial markets, international trade and finance, tax and budget policy, welfare economics, and health care policy. Michael joins the show to talk with Robert and Phoebe about the country’s economic recovery from COVID, the infrastructure bill, and inflation fears. &n...

Colin Dueck is a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on the interconnections between US national security, party politics, and conservative thought. Colin joins the show to talk with Robert and Phoebe about divisions on the right in foreign policy outlook, and whether Trump’s presidency has moved conservatives toward isolationism. They also discuss how Biden’s f...

Max Eden is a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on education reform, specifically K–12 and early childhood education. Max joins the show to talk with Robert and Phoebe about school choice, critical race theory, and the future of American education.

Professors Benjamin and Jenna Storey teach political philosophy at Furman University, where they also lead the Tocqueville Program. Their new book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment , explores the roots of modern unhappiness and offers guidance in the search for fulfillment. The Storeys – who are also joining AEI next year—appear on Banter to talk with Robert and Phoebe abou...

Muzzy Rosenblatt is the CEO and President of the Bowery Residents’ Committee, a nonprofit organization that serves nearly 10,000 homeless and at-risk New Yorkers every year.  In their new book, “How Ten Global Cities Take On Homelessness,” Muzzy and his co-authors draw on decades of practical experience to outline key lessons learned from the world’s most effective policy responses to ho...

Paul Wolfowitz is a visiting scholar at AEI, where he works on development and national security issues. Before joining AEI, Dr. Wolfowitz spent more than three decades in public service and higher education, working in the administrations of seven different presidents. Paul joins the show to talk with Robert and Phoebe about the greatest foreign policy challenges confronting the Biden administrat...

John Fortier is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on Congress and elections, election administration, election demographics, voting (and absentee voting), the US presidency, and the Electoral College. John joins the show to talk with Robert and Phoebe about Georgia’s new voting law, election integrity, and potential reforms.

Kevin Kosar is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies Congress, congressional oversight, the administrative state, and the US Postal Service. Kevin joins the show to talk with Robert and Phoebe about making Congress a stronger, leaner, and more effective branch of government. Note: This episode was recorded in February 2021