The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Tucker Carlson went to a conference in a Mideast oil city and announced that America was the dad of the world and was perpetuating evil the way a dad would if he took sides in a fight between his children. We ask some questions about this bizarre notion of proper parenting before raising more questions about what it says in relation to the rising New Right and its attitudes about this country. Give a listen.

Was the RFK Jr. Super Bowl ad good or bad? Was the game good or bad? Was Biden's effort to get himself into the news on Super Bowl Sunday without being interviewed good or bad? Is the polling for the Squad good or bad? Was what Trump said about NATO and Nikki Haley's husband good or bad? Give a listen.

Today's podcast examines the consuming disaster that was Biden's day yesterday and what on earth will happen going forward. Can he stay on the ticket? Will someone in his ambit bring up the 25th amendment? Will Democratic enthusiasm begin to resemble a flatline? And why did he throw Israel under the bus? Give a listen.

James B. Meigs joins the podcast today to discuss new revelations about the possible cover-up of the origins of COVID and the role of leading figures in politics and science who participated in it. And we lament the Secretary of State's words in Israel. Give a listen.

Well, that was quite a day for House Republicans, losing two votes in 15 minutes the chamber's leaders didn't seem to know they were going to lose. What does this portend? Will this help Biden—or will the image of a dysfunctional Washington help Trump? And how about that trip to the Middle East with Secretary of State Blinken getting his hat handed to him by Saudi Arabia? Give a listen.

The collapse of the border deal that Republicans negotiated and then killed themselves; the trouble now with aid to Ukraine and Israel; and a general sense that things simply don't work in American politics any longer—these are what we discuss today. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the NBC News poll that shows Biden not only losing to Trump, but with only 23 percent of Americans saying he has the mental and/or physical stamina to be president. Yikes. How will this affect the discussions over the Senate's version of a new bill dealing with the border crisis? Give a listen.

Today's podcast looks at some very good economic statistics on job and wage growth and wonders whether fortune is favoring the president and his chances in November. Then again, what about the fact he said he was going to strike in response to the deaths of Americans in Jordan and hasn't done so? Also, the Commentary Podcast Mailbag! Give a listen.

Today's podcast looks at the relationship between superstars Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and expresses both annoyance at their omnipresence and disgust at the effort by MAGA to turn their relationship into something pernicious and evil. And speaking of pernicious, what about the latest American "peace plan" as laid out by Thomas "I Talked to a Cab Driver" Friedman? Give a listen.

Today's podcast discusses the beating of a Chabad rabbi by a ride-share driver in DC and what it suggests about the spate of violent acts against Jews after 10/7, how this might tie into the border issue, and Congressional races in which this kind of thing will play a role. Give a listen.

Today we get into the growing UNRWA scandal and how it exposes the deep, structural absurdities of the agency's very existence. We also talk about the American elite's twisted view of U.S.-Israeli relations and whether Joe Biden should pay attention to younger Americans who oppose his support for Israel. Give a listen.

Today's podcast worries over Joe Biden's next steps relating to Iran and its proxies attacking Americans in the Middle East and the temptation to do just a little bit and not a lot to respond, which will only make things worse. It's even more puzzling given how vulnerable Biden is in an election year against Donald Trump on this issue because Trump can favorably contrast his record on Iran with Biden's in a way Biden will be hard-pressed to counter. Give a listen.

Today's podcast discusses all the efforts to end things in DC—negotiations over border legislation, the Nikki Haley campaign, the process by which the Republican Party functions—and why everybody who's working to stop things might be acting in a short-sighted and self-destructive manner. Give a listen.

Today's podcast looks at the peril to Ukraine and Israel aid now that the Republicans in the Senate are turning away from any kind of deal with Joe Biden on the border. Does this give Biden a talking point on the border against Trump? And where exactly is there an argument against Ukraine aid that isn't disingenuous? Give a listen.

Eliana Johnson joins the podcast to discuss the strange triumphalism of Nikki Haley's loser speech last night in New Hampshire and the strange negativity of Donald Trump's winner speech a few hours later. Does this portend a season in which Haley exposes Trump's flaws as she continues her run? Give a listen.

With the Republican contest all but over and almost ten months to go to the election, there are so many variable possibilities for 2024 it's impossible to game them out. Could this be the most interesting year ever? Give a listen.

Chris Stirewalt joins the podcast to talk about the DeSantis departure from the race, whether Ron is angling for veep, and the composition of the two parties over the past 20 years. Also, Harvard goes pernicious yet again. Give a listen.

Today's podcast looks at a stunning new poll of the attitudes of Americans who earn more than $150,000 a year, have a graduate degree, and live in in densely populated areas. Those attitudes are so profoundly in opposition to those of Americans who make less and have less education that they explain a great deal about the continuing strength of Donald Trump. Give a listen.

Today we take up the news that Nikki Haley's most prominent endorser has announced that he expects her to come in second in New Hampshire. Is it over? It kinda feels like it. But this opens up a slim path for Ron DeSantis. We also discuss the Biden administration's wrongheaded foreign policy and wonder whether Joe Biden and Antony Blinken even mean what they say about a Palestinian state. Give a listen.

Political savant nonpareil Steve Kornacki joins the podcast today to break down the Iowa results, look ahead to New Hampshire, and make recommendations about what to look for on Tuesday if you want to get a real sense of where this race (if it is a race) might be going. Give a listen.