The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Today’s Ruminant raises a predictably peculiar question within its opening moments: How can rodentology help us understand the first Republican debate? Jonah’s answer may surprise you, but what’s more surprising is that it connects quite naturally to another of the week’s hot topics: the debate over what America’s role should be in the war in Ukraine. With plenty of vim and slightly less vigor, he...

If the Remnant has a failing, it’s that, in almost 700 episodes of relentlessly nerdy conversation, Robert P. George hasn’t once appeared on the program. Today, Jonah rectifies that mistake, inviting the beloved Princeton professor and director of the James Madison Program onto the show to discuss America’s fraying civic bonds, and what we can do to stem the tide of illiberalism. They also provide...

It’s another round of intense national security wonkery on today’s Remnant, but this time, Jonah’s joined by an overdue first-timer rather than a returning favorite. His guest is Robert D. Kaplan, a prolific writer on foreign policy and author of the new book, The Loom of Time, which explores the state of politics in the Greater Middle East and makes the case for a realist approach to the region....

Jonah’s in an uncharacteristically effulgent and ebullient mood on today’s Ruminant, but don’t let his high spirits trick you into expecting a less ranty and discombobulated episode than usual. Jonah kicks things off with some extended thoughts on the problems with small dollar donors, before shifting, somehow, into a discussion of the coalition instinct among human beings. If that sounds a little...

In keeping with the Remnant’s long tradition of providing edifying counter-programming, Jonah’s joined today by Ken Pollack—AEI senior fellow and expert on the Middle East—to discuss the latest on Iran and American policy toward the region. “Since the 1979 revolution,” Dr. Pollack writes in his latest piece for Foreign Policy, “Iran’s leadership has single-mindedly attempted to dominate the Middle...

Sleep-deprived and disoriented in his shrinking ghetto of the egghead-osphere, Jonah’s in desperate need of a euphonious English accent to help him collect his thoughts. Fortunately, prolific author Daniel Hannan is on hand to provide exactly that, and to offer some erudite insights into a wide range of political and philosophical topics. How should we define republican virtue, and what does that...

Jonah’s world is often defined by the things he hates, but just can’t resist talking about. Today’s Ruminant kicks off with an unrelenting rant against many of such subjects, including Trump; populism; and petty, meaningless Twitter feuds. After that, things drift in a more eggheady direction, as Jonah examines Israel’s governmental framework and provides a few musings on public morality. But even...

On today’s Remnant—which happens to be more than a year in the making—Jonah’s joined for the first time by Ian Rowe, a senior fellow at AEI and the author of Agency (2022), which explores how young people can build strong families and take control of their destiny. Much of their conversation focuses on one of Ian’s primary interests, the success sequence, and whether it’s still valid in modern Ame...

If you were hopelessly confused by Jonah’s recent conversation with Sarah Isgur on the Trump indictment, prepare to be even more bewildered by today’s follow-up, which features the overdue Remnant return of Andy McCarthy, National Review’s chief legal poobah. It’s an episode of relentless legal nerdery as they dig deep into the weeds on Trump’s latest legal woes, and whether the claims against him...

From a mysterious fortress in the depths of the Adirondacks comes today’s Ruminant, which may be the most pointless in quite some time. Addled from weeks of often traumatic travel, Jonah can’t quite keep his thoughts in order, and the result is an episode that glides across the surface of a whole range of topics. Among these are English theater, the Trump indictment, and the evolving Hunter Biden...

Back in the USA—but sadly not back at chez dingo—Jonah’s in a particularly exhausted state on today’s Remnant. It doesn’t help that his original plan for this episode—a fun, substance-free conversation with Sarah Isgur—was thwarted by the latest Trump indictment news, which forces the duo to engage in some actual serious discussion on the subject. They explore whether the indictment holds up to sc...

There’s been no shortage of disgruntled commentary in conservative media about the state of New York City recently, but it’s important to remember how bad things used to be in comparison. Today, Jonah is joined by old friends Tevi Troy and Vincent Cannato to reflect on what the Big Apple was like in the ‘70s. They dig into urban politics, criminology, and what it takes to reverse social decay, whi...

Today’s Ruminant finds Jonah across the pond, indulging in greasy fish wrapped in newspaper while trying to forget about some of the less pleasant aspects of his recent trek through the Italian mountains. After recounting a few tales of that arduous expedition, he switches his brain into pundit mode, addressing some of the biggest political questions that have arisen during his absence. What’s goi...

Thanks to David French’s treachery, Jonah is forced to step into the world of evangelicalism on today’s episode, which features the Remnant debut of Russell Moore, a theologian, pastor, and writer at Christianity Today. Dr. Moore’s new book, Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America, calls for an evangelical revival in the face of America’s contemporary challenges. Together, he an...

If you’re fearful of the future, you may not want to tune in to today’s terrifying Remnant. Jonah’s guest is Nita Farahany, a professor at Duke Law School and the author of The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology. The book explores the rise of neurotechnology—devices designed to track our brain signals to figure out exactly what we’re thinking a...

Jonah performs a rare act of magnanimity on today’s Remnant, freeing Abe Greenwald, Commentary’s executive editor, from the verbal oppression of John Podhoretz. Abe’s first appearance on this program is long overdue, and he’s quick to dispense some dark secrets of the Commentary podcast that he’s clearly been bottling up. But when the political analysis begins, it’s as pure and wide-ranging as you...

Any malefactors of great wealth who also happen to be devoted Remnant listeners may wish to avoid today’s episode. Jonah’s guest is Matt Lewis, a senior columnist at The Daily Beast, who’s on the program to discuss his new book, Filthy Rich Politicians: The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals, and Ruling-Class Elites Cashing in on America. Together, they explore “how the rich get elected and the elect...

If you thought the Ruminant was incoherent at the best of times, you may be completely unprepared for today’s unpredictable onslaught of twists and turns. Grappling with a serious hangover, Jonah begins with a reflection on the war in Ukraine and somehow ends by discussing his newfound love for The Bear, all the while emitting a distracting array of grunts and groans. Along the way, he also finds...

If you’re obsessed with pop culture but can’t stand Rob Long and John Podhoretz, today’s Remnant may be the weird, wonderful, and interruption-free GLoP alternative you’ve been waiting for. Jonah’s joined for the first time by Christopher Scalia, former academic suit turned scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Their paths recently crossed during an AEI panel on the legacy of cultural crit...

There’s been quite the media furore about rising crime rates in recent years. But now that COVID is behind us and cities are alive again, are the numbers on crime moving in a more positive direction? RAND Corporation criminologist Shawn Bushway is back on the Remnant today to answer this question, and to address a few other points of concern and uncertainty surrounding policing and criminal justic...

Today’s Ruminant finds Jonah on an uncharacteristic high, and no, his good mood can’t be attributed to a certain substance that was recently discovered in the White House. He’s actually in elevated spirits because a recent AEI event prompted him to rediscover the work of Paul Cantor, a late scholar at the University of Virginia who analyzed pop culture through a conservative lens. He begins today’...

Trapped on the island of Nantucket, a guestless Jonah uses today’s Remnant to provide an impromptu meditation on the Fourth of July. His musings explore the meaning of the Declaration of Independence, whether America is a nation or an idea, and why it’s vital to teach American history. Listen with a hot dog in one hand and a miniature flag in the other to feel like a true patriot. Show Notes: - He...

Rather than dedicating today’s Ruminant to another interminable rant about the state of the GOP (although if you’re interested in one of those, you might want to read Wednesday's members-only G-File, hint-hint), Jonah focuses his attention on topics less likely to drive him utterly insane. These include some major recent Supreme Court decisions, his shrinking skepticism of horseshoe theory, and ou...

Unable to find a guest who’s willing to tolerate his ramblings, an anesthetized Jonah is forced to return to the AMA format on today’s distinctly messy Remnant. Temporarily freed from his pit, Guy, Jonah’s immigrant manservant, offers a fresh batch of listener questions that cover everything from the latest in Supreme Court controversies, to the prospect of a Dispatch blogging section, to the cons...

Jonah’s unwashed historical nerdery is usually unparalleled, but on today’s Remnant, he may finally have met his match. His guest? Ancient historian Bret Devereaux, who joins to discuss all things Roman. With topics including war and peace, political philosophy, and the cruelty of Spartan society, their conversation is sure to eliminate any misguided nostalgia you may have for the past. Show Notes...