The Dispatch Podcast

Friend of Vice President Kamala Harris and former South Carolina Representative Bakari Sellers joins Jamie to defend Harris’ unwillingness to sit down for interviews and her ideological fluctuations. The Agenda: —Harris as a “practical progressive” —Evolving policy positions —Harris’ economic agenda —Defending Israel —Jonah owes Bakari a drink? —Racial disparities in modern America —The state of b...

Let's talk about voting. Sarah, Jonah, and Megan McArdle get epistemological breaking down David French's column endorsing Kamala Harris and realize they can't even agree on the the purpose of voting. What kind of Democrat will Kamala Harris run as, anyway? The Agenda: —David French: To Save Conservatism From Itself, I Am Voting for Harris —Jonah: Voting Isn’t A Window Into the Soul —Why Megan is...

Daily Beast columnist Matt Lewis joins Jamie to discuss the shifting dynamics of the 2024 election cycle and why he believes Donald Trump’s “threat to democracy” doesn’t mean he has to vote for Kamala Harris. The Agenda: —Current presidential landscape —What happened to J.D. Vance? —Is Trump actually a threat to democracy? —Will the Never Trump movement ever be irrelevant? —Best- and worst-case sc...

Sarah, Jonah, and Megan McArdle break down the Tim Walz vice presidential pick and discuss the state of conservatism at the local level. Plus: an off-the-rails Not Worth Your Time. Steve, close your ears. The Agenda: —The Tim Walz pick —Are the Harris-Walz vibes better? —“Kamabla” —Is conservatism alive at the state level? —Markets aren’t fun anymore —Jonah’s mommy/daddy theory —“America is in a b...

Are Israel and Iran rolling towards a regional war? Can Israel still rely on the United States as an ally? Is the war in Gaza over and did Hamas already win? Adaam is joined by senior Yedioth Ahronoth reporter Nadav Eyal, political commentator and author of The War of Return Einat Wilf, and Advisory Opinions special guest (and New York Times columnist) David French to discuss the balance of power...

What a difference two weeks make. Jonah, Sarah, Chris Stirewalt, and a beach-bound Megan McArdle discuss whether Kamala Harris’ newly energized and surprisingly disciplined campaign is getting on Trump’s nerves. The agenda: —Kamala basking in the coconut glow —Trump’s onstage interview at the NABJ conference —Gov. Roy Cuppa —Trump’s messy messaging on Kamala Harris’ identity —J.D. Vance’s controve...

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, author of March to the Majority and host of Newt’s World, joins Jamie to debate foreign policy, Donald Trump, the media, and coup d’états. The Agenda: —The preservation of Israel —Going all in on Ukraine —What Never Trumpers miss about Donald Trump —Who is the “establishment” and who is not? —The assassination attempt —How will history remember January 6 —The le...

Steve, Jonah, and Michael are joined by TMD editor Mary Trimble to discuss Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress and the subsequent protests. They also analyze Kamala Harris’ response, elite wagon-circling, Donald Trump’s scary unification of the Republican Party, and Joe Biden’s withdrawal. The Agenda: —Bipartisan moments: Iran and October 7 —Israel’s place in U.S. politics and its own domesti...

This is the first half of our Dispatch Live livestream from last night. If you’d like to watch or listen to the full episode (which we highly recommend!), please become a Dispatch member on https://thedispatch.com/join/ On yet another emergency edition of Dispatch Live, Sarah is joined by Steve, Jonah, and Mike to break down President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential ele...

Eliot Cohen, professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, thinks a second Trump term won’t have a dramatic effect on American foreign policy. He joins Jamie to debate this point, the risk of pulling out of NATO and abandoning allies, and whether America is bound to retreat from global affairs. NOTE: This episode was recorded on Friday, July 19, 2024—two days before...

* This is the first half of our Dispatch Live livestream from last night. If you'd like to watch or listen to the full episode (which we highly recommend!), please become a Dispatch member on https://thedispatch.com/join/ * It's Dispatch After Hours. Our intrepid reporters stayed up till the wee hours to catch former President Trump's full speech on the last night at the Republican National Conven...

Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David French discuss the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump during a Pennsylvania rally over the weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NOTE: This episode was recorded last week July 10, before the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. French public intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy joins Jamie on today’s episode to discuss the surprise rise of the far-left in the French elections and its implications for Western foreign policy. Plus: why BHL’s glad he’s not American. Agenda: —French antisemitism —How extremism i...

Sarah, Steve, and Jonah are joined by Axios’ national political correspondent Alex Thompson to analyze Joe Biden’s performance during Thursday’s press conference and where the president stands within his own party. The Agenda: —Vindication for Robert Hur —Criticizing media coverage of Biden —Vice President Kamala Harris’ electability —Tensions between former Barack Obama aides and the Biden campai...

Steve is joined by The Bulwark's Tim Miller to briefly rehash their disagreement from March and discuss the backlash Miller has received since calling for Biden to step down. The Agenda: —Not interested in circling the wagon —The spin isn’t working —The American People Should Demand Better —Trump and Biden are “categorically” different —Biden’s “MAGA” response —Who would Tim pick instead of Biden?...

Stephen Richer, the Maricopa County recorder—a public official responsible for recording public documents—joins Jamie to discuss the harassment campaign against him and his thoughts about the 2024 election. The Agenda: —What is a county recorder? —The “lynch” threat —Looking into 2020 fraud claims —Richer’s defamation lawsuit —Did Trump know the 2020 fraud claims were false? —What happens in 2024?...

In a special Independence Day episode, Sarah, Jonah, and Steve share their Fourth of July traditions and try to figure out how Democrats can get out of this mess. The Agenda: —Calvin Coolidge’s Declaration of Independence speech —Centuries-old cherries found at Mt. Vernon —Why won’t Joe Biden leave the race? —Biden’s statement on the SCOTUS immunity ruling —What would Sarah do? —Harris has a probl...

Philippe Reines, a Democratic political consultant and former aide to Hillary Clinton, joins Jamie to discuss President Joe Biden’s performance in last week’s debate and where Democrats should go from here. The Agenda: —Comparing Biden and Donald Trump’s health —“Heaviest president since Taft” —Should Biden bow out? —Hillary Clinton 2024? —January 6 and a second Trump term —Biden’s stuttering prob...

Sarah, Kevin, Steve and Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle discuss Joe Biden’s hard-to-watch debate performance. Is anyone really surprised? The Agenda: —Will Joe still the be Democratic nominee? —Who would let Biden step on that stage? —Trump’s veepstakes —Oh yeah, Trump was awful too —Looking forward to September Show Notes: —Cole Murphy's explainer on the residency issue —Our post-debate D...

Jamie is joined by Dr. Shilo Brooks, executive director of Princeton’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, to discuss how looking to the past can save the next generation. Agenda: — Five Thinkers: Xenophon, Niccolo Machiavelli, Theodore Roosevelt, Sandra Day O’Connor, Frederick Douglass — Restoring honorable ambition — Rebuffing criticisms of Western classical tradition — Ge...

Sarah, Mike, and Jonah analyze Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s debate strategies, or lack thereof. Plus: the futility of fighting political headwinds, executive overreach, and a new Dispatch newsletter. Agenda: — Why presidential debates don’t (and do) matter — Improving Biden’s comms strategy — Veepstakes for Trump — Politics of Biden’s immigration policy — Congress, do your job! — This weekend: the...

Why does one of the world’s wealthiest men want to fund a database full of U.S. facts and figures? Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft executive and founder of USAfacts.org, joins Jamie at Dispatch HQ to discuss his philanthropic efforts. The Agenda: —Saying no to Mitt Romney (back in the day) —Figures on immigration, healthcare, and debt —Data-based decision-making —The aftermath of Hamas’ October 7...

Sarah is joined by Jonah and Steve to discuss the Hunter Biden conviction and debate how much Biden’s age matters. The Agenda: —“This is what Joe Biden wanted.” —Hunter’s tax charges —Rep. Nancy Mace’s political evolution —Have Republicans set expectations too low for Biden? —IVF and political malpractice —The secret recording of Justices Samuel Alito and John Roberts Show Notes: —Dukakis' death p...

Jamie is joined by Andy Mills—host of Reflector and a co-creator of the New York Times’ “The Daily” podcast—to discuss why he left seminary for journalism and what’s gone wrong inside American newsrooms. The Agenda: —Andy’s background —Why is everyone in New York? —Policing curiosity —The outsized power of young journalists —Take them seriously, not literally —Woke McCarthyism —The Twitterization...

Sarah, Jonah, and Mike discuss President Joe Biden’s immigration executive action and the coverage of his son Hunter Biden’s trial. The three also define “whataboutism” and “both-sidesism”, narrowly avoiding an existential crisis for Jonah. The Agenda: —Biden’s border crisis —Hunter’s gun trial begins —The debate over Biden’s age —The hostage crisis in Gaza —Returning grocery carts Show Notes: —Jo...