The Commentary Magazine Podcast

The first in a series of special shows this holiday week features the movies we thought the most about in 2023, some from 2023, some from earlier, and one from 2024! How does that work? Well, you gotta give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we discuss how the Washington Post, New York Times, and other outlets are revising their coverage of established facts from the war in Gaza to be even more credulous toward Hamas than they've already been. And what do we make of Trump's Michigan phone call and Nikki Haley's rising poll numbers in New Hampshire? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up the meaning of Harvard's president being a plagiarist and nonetheless holding on to her job—what does this mean, what are the ramifications, and how deeply does it seem to represent a rot that goes down to the root of America's foremost private institution? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up the headshaking decision of the Colorado Supreme Court to try and keep Donald Trump off the presidential ballot, basically asking the deep and profound question: What the hell???? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast examines polling on Joe Biden, polling on American youth and Gaza, polling on Nikki Haley, polling on Donald Trump, polling on abortion, and reckons that everything is very, very confusing. We try to clear up that confusion. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk about a new poll that found a majority of Americans under 25 view Israel as an oppressor and believe that the October 7 massacre could be justified. We get into the history of these poisonous ideas, their rise in American universities and American culture, and what needs to be done about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk about the twists and turns at the Biden White House as it articulates its position on Israel. What does it mean that Israel has until the end of the year to get more precise with its targeting? And what is Kamala Harris up to in pushing for more vocal consideration of the Palestinians? Finally, we take up James Bennet's massive new essay on the New York Times' turn toward illiberalis...

Today's podcast asks whether Joe Biden has turned on Benjamin Netanyahu and what role Bibi's own electoral hopes and fears are playing in this seeming new confrontation. And: Will there be a big border/Ukraine/Israel funding deal, given that it's in everybody's interest to get the deal? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk about House Republican plans to hold a vote on the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden. How does the latest impeachment saga stack-up against the impeachments of Donald Trump? Will it hurt Biden or embarrass the Republicans? And what does it—along with Trump's ongoing legal woes—say about Americans' faith in the system? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....

Today's podcast goes into detail about an inadvertently hilarious tweet from the Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, about the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and what it reveals about him, Jewish people like him, and the problem Kamala Harris poses for Joe Biden. And, again, why are Trumpy politicians going all in on opposing Ukraine aid—and why is Biden not acceding to stricter border control ideas in exc...

Eliana Johnson joins the podcast today to discuss the startling NBC News poll of Iowa that finds Trump with an absolute majority of Republican voters and Ron DeSantis going exactly nowhere fast. Why did DeSantis run if he was never going to challenge Trump in the first place? What about the poll numbers from CNN today that show Trump beating Biden by ten points in Michigan? And maybe the college p...

Today we discuss the indictment of Hunter Biden. Does this, along with the inquiry into Joe Biden's connections to Hunter's business, effectively neutralize the president's chief argument against Donald Trump? What will Joe Biden do now? What's in the best interest of the country? Also—mailbag! Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's podcast, I am filled with nihilistic despair about the state of the Republican race after last night's probably final presidential primary debate, while Matt Continetti and Seth Mandel try to convince me not to curl up in a ball. Plus: College presidents and their hostage videos! Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we take up the prevarication and plain dishonesty of university presidents during the House committee hearing on campus anti-Semitism. One claims not to know about foreign funding and another doesn't think incitement to anti-Semitic violence is a conduct violation. For Harvard, UPenn, MIT, and others, this was a watershed moment. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

Why can't Joe Biden face down the protestors on his left? Why is he hedging in his support of Israel? Why hasn't he responded to Iranian attacks on the U.S.? Why doesn't he give Ukraine what it needs to win? And why is he losing to Donald Trump? He's afraid. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast notes that the end of the fighting "pause" in Israel almost denotes the end of the idea of "ceasefire." And now the disingenuous efforts to oppose Israel's self-defense are going by the wayside. This is now leading to outright calls for "intifada" here in the United States—which is the term used over the past 35 years to describe Palestinian efforts to attack Jews for being Jews wi...

Today's podcast is a hybrid. The first part, about the appalling rhetoric used by Antony Blinken about Israel and its conduct of the war that has now restarted, was recorded Friday morning, December 1. The second half, about the passing of Henry Kissinger and my trip to the massacre site in Israel, was recorded Thursday afternoon, November 30. Please be understanding as you give a listen. Learn mo...

Today we talk about Chuck Schumer's bold Senate-floor speech warning about anti-Semitism from the left. He said the right words at the right time, but how will it impact the calls from his own party to condition aid to Israel? And what's up with Joe Biden's tweet seeming to nod toward the ceasefire crowd? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we dig into the stories about U.S. hopes for a grand deal leading to a ceasefire. What are negotiators up to? Does Biden think this is going to help him politically? And we talk about the disconnect between Israeli security imperatives and American war weariness. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's podcast, I provide the first of my impressions on a weeklong trip to Israel and what it feels like to be in a country at war—even during this strange period when the rocket fire has stopped and the hostages are being dribbled out by Hamas. The podcast crew joins me in wondering how stiff the spines of Joe Biden and the Israelis can and will remain as Hamas continues to play the hostage...

Today we ask whether the daily release of Israeli hostages threatens to obscure the main point: Israel must defeat Hamas. And with fighting paused, how much pressure will the world put on Israel to abandon this aim? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Senor joins the pre-Thanksgiving podcast to discuss the contours of the deal to release hostages from Gaza, along with some of the horrifying details of how the soldiers in Israel who will take custody of the children are being instructed to deal with them and the questions they ask, like "Where are Mommy and Daddy?" Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up the purported deal to free hostages from Gaza—why it's happening, what has impelled a deal that doesn't look rational on paper, and what might come of it. Also, why did the White House release a birthday-cake picture with Joe Biden in it that looked like the White House was going to be set on fire? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

Today we get into new polling that shows Joe Biden losing to Donald Trump in about 50 different ways. What are Democrats to make of this? Is it too late? The poll also reveals broad American support for Israel and Ukraine. And what's up with talk of a hostage deal with Hamas? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The full podcast crew is back today to discuss the weird moment when people started to crow about how the Israelis weren't finding the Hamas tunnels at the hospital—only to fall silent when they were found. And the anti-Semitism explosion just gets worse, with Elon Musk, Candace Owens, Charlie Kirk, and Tucker Carlson playing along. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....