The Mona Charen Show

Chris Cillizza joins the panel for a thought experiment on Biden, as well as the NY special election and its implications for November, NATO, and whether today's GOP as bad as 1930s GOP? highlights / lowlights Mona: Why Americans Suddenly Stopped Hanging Out by Derek Thompson Bill: lowlight: Trump says he would encourage Russia to attack Nato allies who pay too little highlight: Putin Says He Was...

The Dispatch 's Scott Lincicome returns to discuss cheap avocados, the "China shock," and other economic matters. The panel then discusses the GOP heel turn on the border, betraying Ukraine, and whether the Crumbley verdict was a step too far. highlights / lowlights: Mona: As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do. (Pamela Paul, NYT) Linda: Isaiah Berlin and the Tragedy of Pluralism...

ABC's Jonathan Karl joins to discuss Trump's under-covered first two years as post-president. Also the immigration deal that isn't. highlights / lowlights Damon: Baumgartner by Paul Auster Linda: After a Decade of Decline, the US Undocumented Population Increased by 650,000 in 2022, Journal on Migration and Human Security Things Fall Apart: How the Middle Ground on Immigration Collapsed, New York...

Yascha Mounk joins to consider the NH results, Greg Abbott's defiance of the Supreme Court, and a dissenting view on a much-praised TV series. highlights / lowlights Mona: Jamie Dimon Joins the Trump Normalizers by Dennis Aftergun and Walter H. White, Jr. The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions by Jonathan Rosen Yascha: Emmys 2024: Succession, The Bear an...

Zack Beauchamp of Vox joins the panel (plus Will Saletan) to discuss Iowa and New Hampshire and the role of death threats in the Republican Party. Highlights / Lowlights: Mona: Peter Schickele, Composer and Gleeful Sire of P.D.Q. Bach, Dies at 88 Zack: Cape Verde becomes fourth African country to eliminate malaria Will:  Trump’s unsubtle crusade to cast foes as less American comes for Haley Bill:...

The Atlantic's Tim Alberta discusses his book on the rot within white evangelical Protestantism. The panel then considers Christie's exit, Haley's chances, and what the GOP base really wants. Highlights / Lowlights Mona Charen-   Don Scott, sworn in as first Black speaker of Virginia's House of Delegates, was once a federal prison inmate Bill Galston-   Haley’s strong bid for second place in the I...

Nick Grossman of Arc Digital joins to discuss plagiarism, double standards, DEI, Israel, Iran, and Hamas. highlights / lowlights Mona: Hydroxychloroquine could have caused 17,000 deaths during Covid, study finds and Florida surgeon general calls for halt on mRNA covid vaccines, citing debunked claim Damon: The Law and High Politics of Disqualifying President Trump by Steve Vladeck Nick: Slow Horse...

Guest host A.B. Stoddard and special guest Jim Swift join the panel to discuss Nikki Haley's Civil War / slavery stumble in New Hampshire. highlights / lowlights A.B. Stoddard: What Mitt Romney Saw in the Senate by McKay Coppins (The Atlantic) and My Father, My Faith, and Donald Trump by Tim Alberta (The Atlantic) Jim Swift: The Day After: The Night My Father Scared America, read by A.B. Stoddard...

Eric Edelman joins the group to consider whether Trump should be barred by 14th amendment, prospects for Ukraine, and whether Americans' sour views on the economy are right or wrong. highlights / lowlights  Mona:  Right-wing pundits tremble in fear of … tap-dancing, by Catherine Rampell (WaPo) Eric: The mystery of the missing binder: How a collection of raw Russian intelligence disappeared under T...

The GOP House moves toward impeaching Biden and stiff-arms Zelensky. Plus, the Supreme Court may act fast on Trump's "immunity" and poll of Palestinians gives little hope. highlights / lowlights Megan McArdle: Shutting a freeway in traffic-clogged L.A. gets attention. But is it effective activism? by Rachel Uranga and Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times Damon Linker: Congress approves bill barring any...

Democracy scholar Rachel Kleinfeld joins Beg to Differ to discuss polarization, violence, the GOP, the rule of law, Ivy League hypocrites, and more. highlights / lowlights Mona Charen: What Is Happening at the Columbia School of Social Work? by Pamela Paul Damon Linker: A Trump dictatorship is increasingly inevitable. We should stop pretending . and The Trump dictatorship: How to stop it , both by...

Noah Smith joins to talk about the border crisis and its political implications as well as Haley's surge (if it is one). highlights / lowlights Mona Charen: An Insider’s Guide to the Most Important Story on Earth by Matti Friedman (Tablet) and What the Media Gets Wrong About Israel by Matti Friedman (The Atlantic) Noah Smith: People are realizing that the Arsenal of Democracy is gone Damon Linker:...

Hamas triggered the Gaza war—and signed the death warrants of thousands of Palestinians—when it purposefully targeted civilians on 10/7. Israeli journalist Amir Tibon joins Mona Charen to discuss how his family survived the terror attack, Netanyahu’s failures, Biden’s support, and the bad options for post-war rule in Gaza.

The Economist 's Idrees Kahloon joins to discuss whether Israel is losing the propaganda war; Biden's chances to revive his popularity, and Nikki Haley's narrow shot at the brass ring. highlights / lowlights Linda Chavez: Sweeping Raids, Giant Camps and Mass Deportations: Inside Trump’s 2025 Immigration Plans (NYT) Idrees Khaloon: The George Santos House Ethics Committee Report. Damon Linker: Some...

Chris Cillizza joins the crew (plus Will Saletan) to discuss the election outcomes, the GOP debate, the generational divide about Israel, and what to make of those polls. highlights / lowlights Chris Cillizza : Vivek Ramaswamy's performance in the third GOP debate. Mona Charen: This Florida School District Banned Cellphones. Here’s What Happened (NYT) Hawley, Mayorkas get personal at hearing: ‘Des...

The NY Times 's Bret Stephens joins the panel to analyze the Gaza war, America's declining stomach for world leadership, the House's new speaker, and sagging GOP support for Ukraine. highlights / lowlights  Mona Charen: Rick Scott: It's Time To Unite Behind Donald Trump  Bret Stephens: Italy’s Rumbling Supervolcano Has Half a Million Residents on Edge Bill Galston : Cornell University official sla...

The Atlantic 's Tom Nichols joins guest host A.B. Stoddard and the usual cast to discuss Israel's response to Hamas, Speaker Mike Johnson and the challenges he faces regarding government funding. highlights / lowlights A.B.: We Are Caught in a Mass Economic Delusion and Something Is Wrong by Jonathan V. Last. States Launch Massive Lawsuit Against Facebook and Instagram by Kim Wehle. Tom: Trump is...

Yascha Mounk is the guest this week. Topics include the press's credulity regarding the Gaza hospital story; the speakerless House; and Yascha's new book The Identity Trap. highlights / lowlights Mona: Poland Shows That Autocracy Is Not Inevitable by Anne Applebaum Yascha: The shift in media coverage about the hospital in Gaza. Linda: How America’s Largest Socialist Organization Went from Supporti...

Prof. Gil Troy of McGill University joins from Jerusalem to talk about Hamas, Israel's response, the left's excusing of terrorists, and a silver lining in a horrible week. highlights / lowlights LINDA: After Hamas onslaught, Trump criticizes Israel, calls Gallant a ‘jerk’ GIL: Lowlight: The attack on Israel Highlight: The generosity of the world in response BILL: The continuing saga of Cornel West...

Third Way's Matt Bennett joins the group to discuss the Speaker debacle, the No Labels threat, and Trump's fraud trial. highlights/lowlights Matt: The problem(s) with blaming Democrats for McCarthy’s downfall Damon: ‘Red Caesarism’ is rightwing code – and some Republicans are listening by Jason Wilson, The Guardian Linda: How Red State Politics are Shaving Years Off American Lives by Lauren Weber,...

Former GOP Congresswoman Barbara Comstock drops in to discuss the debate, the shutdown, the impeachment, and the general dysfunction. highlights/lowlights: Linda Chavez A New Cohort of Transgender Kids by Lisa Selin Davis at Persuasion. Damon Linker The re-release of Stop Making Sense . Barbara Comstock The recent testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson. Mona Charen Inside the Unfounded Claim That DeSanti...

Francis Fukuyama joins Damon Linker, Ben Wittes, and A.B. Stoddard to analyze the UAW strike, the attacks on the "Deep State," and whether Kristen Welker blew it with Trump. Plus, in our Highlights and Lowlights segment, A.B. really doesn’t like the new Senate dress code, but loves that Henry Winkler and Dolly Parton have forthcoming books.  highlights/lowlights: A.B.'s: https://www.nytimes.com/20...

David Frum joins the group for a wide ranging discussion including the impeachment investigation, Biden's trip to the G20, Hunter Biden's indictment, and Mitt Romney's lonely stand. Plus, in our Highlights and Lowlights segment, Mona calls out Mike Pence for midwifing our Trumpian politics. show notes: McKay Coppins' piece: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/11/mitt-romney-retiring-...

Kori Schake, head of defense and foreign policy studies at AEI, shares her views on China, Ukraine, and Tuberville's stunt. The panel then debates whether Biden should, even now, step aside. Plus, in our Highlights and Lowlights segment, Bill sings the praises of Antony Blinken’s performance as secretary of state, and Linda sees hopeful signs of sanity among local GOP officials in very red Wyoming...

Law professor and AEI scholar Adam White joins the show to answer legal questions about Trump's trials. The panel then discusses whether prosecuting a former (future?) president is wise or necessary. And in our Highlights and Lowlights segment, Adam celebrates the arrival of a new monograph about director Whit Stillman, whose films include ‘Metropolitan’ and ‘The Last Days of Disco.’ highlights/lo...