The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Today's podcast rolls its eyes at Joe Biden's sudden conversion to the idea that he, as president, can invoke the 14th amendment to solve the debt-ceiling crisis—something three weeks ago he said he could not do. Is this more grist for the mill of his chances in 2024? Not so fast; there are data that suggest the Republicans have more to worry about than Democrats next year. Give a listen. Learn mo...

Eliana Johnson joins the podcast today to discuss the media campaign against Dianne Feinstein, the refusal of the media to examine the condition of John Fetterman, and how Fetterman's clothing choices signify something about the nature of fashion in American politics. Also, next week's Republican-presidential-candidate-Palooza. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

The podcast crew drops its collective jaw at the clearly questionable "near catastrophic" car chase through New York starring Harry and Meghan that clearly didn't quite happen. What do the Sussexes have in common with the movie Addams Family Values? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast points out yesterday's daily double in the Senate, with John Fetterman delivering a garbled round of questioning for bankers hastily and foolishly cleaned up by a Washington Post reporter and Dianne Feinstein claiming to have been voting in the Senate during months when she was in California supposedly recovering from "shingles." What effect will this have on voter views of Joe Bid...

Eli Lake joins the podcast today to discuss the findings and fallout of the Durham report on the FBI's conduct during its investigation of the Trump campaign in 2016 and after. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Schanzer joins us today to discuss the firing of 1,400-plus rockets at Israel from Gaza and why this time is different from, say, 2021 in the nature of the enemy, the nature of the threat, and the nature of the geopolitical efforts being made against Israel led by Iran. Also, the Turkish elections. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up, again, the baffling refusal of Republicans running against Donald Trump to...run against Donald Trump. How do they think they can beat him if they don't try to beat him? Also, the immigration crisis and the indictment of the subway chokeholder. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast reviews Donald Trump's performance at the CNN Republican Town Hall in New Hampshire—and not only his, but the hysterical Twitter reaction to it and the waves of liberal hostility generated against CNN's Kaitlan Collins for somehow not preventing Trump from being effective. And what's this about the Biden family earning millions and hiding it? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad...

Today's podcast discusses the jury verdict in the civil case against Donald Trump and how it might affect his chance—and the mien of his chief rival, Joe Biden, during a press conference yesterday about the debt ceiling. And Tucker Carlson going to Twitter. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast delves into the list of the Pulitzer-prize-winning journalism of 2022, announced yesterday, and notes that the list comes at a time when Americans are more disenchanted with the field than ever—and for good reason! Also, the border. And Abe Greenwald offers an out-of-left field "Commentary Recommends." Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The podcast descends into disagreement on the pomp and circumstance of King Charles's coronation before rising in agreement in a group analysis of the absolutely horrendous poll for Joe Biden released Sunday. And then we discuss the subway chokehold and the liberal response. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes up a Pew Research poll showing a majority of Americans believe things were better 50 years ago than they are now. Why would people say this about a time when America was sunk in a losing war, living under wage and price controls, and dealing with Watergate and an oil embargo? And in our new "Commentary Recommends" feature, I make the case you should read Anthony Trollope's Ph...

TV showrunner and our Hollywood Commentary columnist Rob Long joins today's podcast to give his view of the Hollywood writers' strike in which he is now a shockingly willing participant—but before we get to that we discuss the weird drone event over the Kremlin and the reaction to the chokehold death of a menacing subway schizophrenic in New York City. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choic...

Today's podcast looks at the Biden administration's effort to do something—anything—to address the crisis at the southern border and examines how the problems we face really began with the Obama administration's determination to do something good and noble. Beware! Also, why is the Surgeon General talking about loneliness? And Day Two of our new feature, Commentary Picks. Give a listen. Learn more...

The podcast today discusses Joe Biden's change of tactics in inviting Republican leaders to the White House next week to talk about the debt ceiling and how this suggests the new standing as a political player of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. But will Donald Trump and his town hall next week on CNN play a role too? And we debut our new feature: Commentary's Daily Pick. Give a listen. Learn more ab...

Today's podcast tries to find the link between bank failures, tech failures, moral failures on the part of politicians and tech giants, and the growing lack of trust in American society. Also, why the pessimism on Ukraine may be unwarranted. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk about the battery and defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump and what it could mean if he loses. Then we take up the matter of Joe Biden's age, its possible effect on his reelection prospects, and how it shapes America's current role in the world. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast examines the larger political meaning of the Republican success in getting a debt-ceiling bill through the House of Representatives, the larger media meaning of the fact that major news organizations are supplying the president with questions in advance, and the larger social meaning of Ron DeSantis having some trouble with his anti-woke campaign. Give a listen. Learn more about yo...

On the occasion of Israel's 75th anniversary, the podcast takes a look at why Israel has become a financial powerhouse while India (which gained independence in the same year) remains so economically problematic. And then, speaking of being economically problematic, we talk about the debt ceiling. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eli Lake joins the podcast today to talk about what on earth is going on with the Georgia investigation into Donald Trump, the meaning of Joe Biden's reelection video announcement, and the defenestration of Tucker Carlson. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast discusses the upcoming Biden reelection announcement and the fact that it is happening just as the hijinks surrounding the media and intelligence efforts to suppress the news from Hunter Biden's laptop become ever more scandalous. Also, why is Biden's press secretary criticizing Americans trapped in the middle of a Sudanese civil war? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices...

On today's podcast we reflect on the kinds of coercive policies advocated by Americans on the Left that harden our resolve as conservatives, taking off from the news that people with good credit are about to be charged extra money to support people with bad credit. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Schanzer, Middle East expert, joins us to discuss a four-pronged threat to Israel led by Iran. But before we get to that we talk about the spate of false stranger-danger shootings across the country and what it might mean. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eliana Johnson joins the podcast today to assess the damage to Fox News Channel from its colossal settlement with Dominion, after which we look at the damage done to Ron DeSantis over the past couple of weeks. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liel Leibovitz joins the podcast today to discuss his lead article in the May COMMENTARY, "The Return of Paganism." But before that, he gives us his impressions of the political situation in his native country, Israel. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices