Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

George F. Will, for many people, has long been a conservative’s conservative. The very model of a conservative. Today, however, many people don’t think of him as a conservative at all. Sean Hannity, Steve Bannon, or Donald Trump, yes. George Will, no. Jay takes up this strange question with his guest. In addition to “conservative,” Jay asks Will about some other words and phrases... Source Get ful...

As Jay says at the outset, Kevin D. Williamson is one of his favorite writers and favorite people. In this hour, they explore a range of subjects either timely or timeless (and in some cases both). They talk about Kevin’s upbringing in West Texas. And about controversies he’s been involved in. (“White genocide”?) And about Trump, and economics, and immigration. They end on such topics as writers.....

Michael Mukasey is one of the most distinguished lawyers in the country: a former federal judge, a former attorney general. With Jay, he talks about becoming a lawyer. And studying with Bork. Then he discusses some names now in the news: Jeff Sessions, Joe Arpaio, James Comey, Robert Mueller, Donald Trump … An interesting and stimulating Q&A about our law, our politics, and our fate. Source Ge...

As Jay says, Robert Costa is one of the leading political reporters and analysts in the country. He works for the Washington Post and appears on NBC and MSNBC. He is also host of “Washington Week,” the venerable public-affairs program on PBS. Jay asks him about the Trump White House: Is it still fun to cover? Still juicy, even with the arrival of the disciplined General Kelly? What about McMaster?...

The world is quaking with problems; America has a few of its own. Jay talks about some of them with Elliott Abrams, late of the Reagan State Department and the Bush (43) White House, now with the Council on Foreign Relations. The Afghan War: Should we be continuing it? What does victory look like? North Korea: Is Steve Bannon right? Do they “got us”? Russia: Was Congress right to sanction them as....

Sir Roger Scruton is the British philosopher, novelist, composer, etc. Jay likes to talk to him about pressing issues of the day and timeless ones as well. Sometimes, they are in the same group. On this podcast, Jay talks with Sir Roger about the “post-truth age.” And Donald Trump. And the nature of conservatism. And patriotism versus nationalism. And Russia. And democracy. Do you want more? Sourc...

Yefim “Fima” Bronfman is one of the greatest pianists of our time. He has been playing at the Salzburg Festival, where Jay has been working. The two of them sat down for a “Q&A,” covering a range of topics: composers, pianists, and the musical life. A fine opportunity to hear words from someone famous for notes. P.S. The podcast goes out with Bronfman in Prokofiev’s famous, fearsome “Precipita...

Back in April, Heather Mac Donald went to Claremont McKenna College to give a talk. Some 170 students blocked the entrance to the hall, preventing people from hearing Mac Donald. Now, seven students have been disciplined in the case. Mac Donald is a scholar at the Manhattan Institute and the author, most recently, of The War on Cops. She talks with Jay about her experience at Claremont and about.....

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the congresswoman from Miami. She is also one of Jay’s favorite people in public life (and in life). A congresswoman since 1989, she is retiring at the end of this session. With Scott Immergut, the producer known as Blue Yeti, Jay traveled to Capitol Hill to record this “Q&A” in person. Ros-Lehtinen’s office was the setting. There are dogs, babies, and general good cheer...

Perry Link is one of the great China scholars of today. There have been two sides to his career: He is an expert on Chinese literature and language; and he has been a boon to Chinese dissidents. With Jay, he talks about Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel laureate and political prisoner, who died last week. And about other dissidents. And about various aspects of today’s China, and its relation to the West. Sou...

Throwing rules to the wind, Jay does a music program: a half-hour of music about summer, or related to summer. We’ll hear Mendelssohn, Webern, Barber, and others. There’s a girl named Jeannie involved, too (with light brown hair). This “Q&A,” or non-“Q&A,” is a midsummer night’s gift. The playlist for this show may be viewed here. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordl...

Frank Lavin has had a busy and interesting life. He worked for Reagan, Bush 41, and Bush 43. He was ambassador to Singapore. He is a robust free-trader. He is now a businessman. And he is the author of a book about his father: “Home Front to Battlefront: An Ohio Teenager in World War II.” Jay picks his brain about an assortment of things, and Lavin’s brain is eminently pickable. Source Get full ac...

David Satter is an American authority on Russia – a man who cares so much about Russia and the Russian people that he bothers to understand them. And to tell the truth about them, as he knows it. Speaking of knowing: His latest book is “The Less You Know, the Better You Sleep.” With Jay, he talks about Putin, the diaspora, democracy, Trump, Stalin, literature, and a lot more. An experienced... Sou...

John J. Pitney Jr. is a famous conservative professor of political science. He works at Claremont McKenna College, in California. Jay asks him about California – is there any gold left in it? He also asks Pitney about his upbringing and education. And about his conservatism. How did he get that way? Well, at 13, he started reading National Review and corresponding with William F. Buckley Jr. Sourc...

As Jay says, John O’Sullivan is one of the most eminent political journalists in the English-speaking world. He is British — a Liverpudlian, and an exact contemporary of the Beatles — but he has lived all over and worked all over. In this “Q&A,” he joins Jay from his home in Budapest. He talks about the British election. And Brexit. And the EU. And NATO. And immigration/assimilation. Source Ge...

Richard Brookhiser is a journalist and historian — the author of many books about the Founders. His latest book is Founders’ Son, about Abraham Lincoln and his relation to the founding generation. Brookhiser is also Jay’s fellow senior editor at National Review — and, in this podcast, they cover a lot of ground. They talk about the Founders. And Lincoln. And the Civil War. And FDR. Source Get full...

Vladimir Kara-Murza is a Russian democracy leader, and one brave hombre. Twice, he has been poisoned. Twice, he recovered. And he is still at his work. Jay wrote about him earlier this year in a three-part series: Part I, Part II, and Part III. And Kara-Murza is Jay’s guest on this “Q&A.” They talk about vital matters: Putin, the West, “fake news,” and the future. Kara-Murza has important thin...

Zimbabwe gained its independence in 1980. Since then, it has been ruled by one man: Robert Mugabe, the dictator. Like most Zimbabweans, Evan Mawarire has never known any other leader. Today, he is Mugabe’s worst nightmare: a principled, moral, talented, brave critic. Mawarire is a Christian pastor. Last year, he made a video, expressing love of country, and exasperation at the longstanding... Sour...

This week, Jay has been at the Oslo Freedom Forum, the annual human-rights gathering in the Norwegian capital. Its founder is Thor Halvorssen, who also started the Human Rights Foundation, which is based in New York. And he is Jay’s guest on this “Q&A.” They talk about dictatorship and democracy. At the end, they talk about one dictatorship in particular – that in Mr. Halvorssen’s home country...

Gao Zhisheng is one of the most heroic men in China, or anywhere. He is a human-rights lawyer who has put his neck on the line and paid for it with ten years of imprisonment and torture. His wife and two children fled to America. One of those children is Grace, a senior in college, who is presently at the Oslo Freedom Forum, where Jay is too. They sat down for this “Q&A.” What’s it like to be...

Diana Damrau is an opera star – a German soprano – and a total delight. Jay sat down with her in New York for this “Q&A.” They talk about her new album – a compilation of Meyerbeer – and many other things: her children, her favorite singers, her technique, her dancing (including Michael Jackson routines). No one can resist this soprano onstage. She is pretty irresistible in interviews, too. So...

John Negroponte is one of the leading diplomats of our age. When he was a young man, he was at Henry Kissinger’s side in Vietnam. He had a Latin American career, including the ambassadorships to Mexico and Honduras. He was also ambassador to the Philippines. In the George W. Bush years, he was ambassador to Iraq, and ambassador to the U.N. He was also director of national intelligence and deputy.....

At Claremont McKenna College, in Claremont, Calif., there is a student-hosted podcast: “ Free Food (For Thought).” Jay was on the campus recently. And he sat down for a podcast with two hosts, Zach Wong and Bryn Miller. It was obviously unusual for Jay to be in the “A” chair, the answerer’s chair. He is used to being in the “Q” chair. So, for something different, we thought we would share this......

This is Tara Ross’s moment – an extended moment. She is one of the country’s foremost experts on the Electoral College. This institution was put in the spotlight in 2000. And again in 2016. Tara Ross is the author of “Enlightened Democracy: The Case for the Electoral College”; a children’s book, “We Elect a President: The Story of Our Electoral College”; and the forthcoming “The Indispensable... S...

“ University Challenge” is a British quiz show, watched all over the world (particularly on YouTube). A major star of the recent season was Eric Monkman, of Oakville, Ontario. He was the captain of a Cambridge team. And he wowed the world with — as Jay says — “his amazingly extensive knowledge; his unaffected, individualistic style; and his obvious generosity of spirit.” A hashtag flew through the...