The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Eliana Johnson joins us today to talk about the bombshell "interview" behind closed doors of Hunter Biden's partner Devon Archer and his revelation that Hunter's vice-president father got on the phone 20 times with clients. And, um, what exactly is Ron DeSantis doing with his campaign? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we recall the mother of all sweetheart deals—Ted Kennedy's Chappaquiddick wrist slap—and what it says about our unsavory political moment. We get into the new poll showing Donald Trump's dominance of the GOP and discuss Ron DeSantis's standing among voters and Hunter Biden's effect on his father's prospects. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we discuss the new charges leveled against Donald Trump in the classified-documents case and what his legal misfortunes mean to voters. We also consider Mitch McConnell's alarming health episode at the Capitol, American gerontocracy, and the long reign of the Boomers. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew C. McCarthy joins today's podcast to try and make sense out of the astonishing events in a Delaware courtroom where the Hunter Biden plea deal with the Justice Department fell apart before the judge's eyes and the eyes of the world. And see if you can spot my blunder at the very end of the podcast. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up the rebooting of the DeSantis campaign and tries to find analogies to such a reset in both successful and unsuccessful election bids in the past. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eli Lake joins the podcast to talk about Hunter and Joe Biden. We have questions: Who is Devon Archer and what does he know? Why has it taken so long for details to emerge? Who are the friends and Democratic donors buying Hunter's paintings? And what's up with Joe Biden's dogs? We also catch up on the latest Covid-origin science. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...

Liel Leibovitz joins the podcast today to talk about the unprecedented showdown between the duly elected democratic government of Israel and mass protestors claiming to speak for the true spirit of democracy. Also, the Hunter Biden story gets closer and closer to Joe. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast examines the newly released uncorroborated account to the FBI of a supposed payoff to Joe Biden himself in 2015 from the Ukranian energy company Burisma. The company wanted Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin fired, and Biden did later convince the Ukrainian president at the time to fire Shokin. How seriously should we take this? How damaging is it for Biden? Give a listen. Learn mo...

Today's podcast examines the spectacle of angry Democratic representatives yelling at IRS whistleblowers in order to defend Joe Biden on the Hunter matter. Hmmm. Remember when they loved whistleblowers? And how strong does the "target letter" suggesting a Trump indictment on January 6 sound? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tevi Troy joins the podcast to talk about what it's like to work in a White House when the president seems infirm or out of touch or in a lot of trouble. And he discusses his important article, "How to Combat Anti-Semitism." Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast discusses the surprising Democratic snapback against the anti-Israel words of the Squad, which includes Joe Biden inviting Bibi Netanyahu to Washington. Dems do not only seem scared about that radicalism; they're scared of No Labels, protest candidacies, and Trump the supposed totalitarian. Should they be? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

Today's podcast takes up the Secret Service's baffling announcement that it was closing its investigation into the cocaine at the White House—or is it baffling? And the naked anti-Semitism expressed by RFK Jr. and the squad: Will there be any consequences for it? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk about the WHO's declaring aspartame a possible carcinogen. Is it overreach or prudence? Then we consider Tucker Carlson's new media venture and his current standing on the right. We also discuss the culture warring over the defense bill and the fate of DEI in the private sector. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up the heartening news about declining information and advises caution when assuming it will help Joe Biden. And can anything help Ron DeSantis and Christopher Wray? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eli Lake joins us again today to discuss the gathering storm over Hunter Biden that was not stilled by his guilty plea two weeks ago. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eli Lake joins today's podcast to talk about the anniversary of the ten-dollar Founding Father's death in a duel, the NATO meeting and how much credit is due Joe Biden for its apparent successes, and a historical matter: Were the investigations into intelligence-community malfeasance back in the 1970s necessary or harmful—or both? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...

Today Yuval Levin joins the podcast to discuss why no one seems interested in avoiding the fiscal cliff, why Joe Biden may or may not resemble King Lear, and how sweeping social change makes the case for the liberal society. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meghan McCain (not Markle) joins us to talk about cocaine in the White House, the 500th day of the war in Ukraine, and why Ron DeSantis's commercials are, um, bad. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Senor joins our podcast today to give us insight into the Israeli military actions on the West Bank, the current political standing of Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition, and what the apparently collapsing prosecutions of Israel's prime minister might have to teach us about the indictments of Donald Trump. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up the question: Why are progressives so sour on the idea of American progress? Aren't they believers in progress? Well, not really any longer, and we try to explain why. Also, why do we know that cocaine was found in the White House? And why did a judge block the Biden administration from consulting with social-media companies? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices...

On this Independence Day, we (joined by our friend Adam White) talk about how the Supreme Court rejected the Biden Administration's attempt to arrogate powers of Congress in the student loan case, and supported free speech rights in a case involving a website designer and gay marriage. The Constitution may not have been signed on July 4, but we celebrate nonetheless! Give a listen. Learn more abou...

Adam White joins us today to discuss the landmark Supreme Court decision ending the use of race as a factor in higher-education admissions. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last listener-questions podcast of the week features our friend Eliana Johnson, who helps us answer a very heartening query: What are some of the best articles and essays in COMMENTARY's own archives? Also, did we make Russia invade Ukraine somehow? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's listener questions include one from the husband of a young teacher who informs us she's leaving her profession. Also: What's the best ride at Disney World? And what about online gambling? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's entry in listener-questions week features James B. Meigs, who helps us consider the case of Sam Bankman-Fried, charged with all sorts of crimes in relation to the cryptocurrency exchange he started and claimed was only running in order to be an "effective altruist." And is The Dark Knight the most neoconservative movie ever made? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...