Episodes

  • Humiliation Theater

    Humiliation Theater
    Nov 22 2024
    Robert Tracinski joins to discuss Trump's attack on government, his execrable appointees, and what Dems should do going forward.

    Highlights / Lowlights

    Damon:     Russ Vought's appointment to OMB and the Nancy Mace / Sarah McBride performative cruelty.

    Linda: JD Vance appearing in all of those Senate meetings with Matt Gaetz, and A Free Press Conversation with Natan Sharansky

    Mona: Hong Kong's jailing of 45 democracy activists sparks criticism from foreign governments, rights groups (CBS)


    Bill: House passes bill that would allow Treasury to target nonprofits it deems to support terrorism

    Robert: The RFK Jr. McDonalds Photo
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 13 mins
  • As Bad As We Thought

    As Bad As We Thought
    Nov 15 2024
    David French and Larry Diamond join the group to mull the nature of Trump's victory and the stupefying appointments to DOJ and DNI.

    Highlights / Lowlights

    David French: Politics are terrible and sports are terrible, at least for David. Kentucky Wildcats, Tennessee Titans, and Ja Morant’s injury.

    Damon Linker: A viral tweet and the disappointing Republican whataboutism.

    Larry Diamond: A vignette about Matt Gaetz’s selection and surprising a prominent Republican with the news.

    Bill Galston: The Onion has won the bid for Infowars’ assets

    Mona Charen: Season 2 of Bad Sisters.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr
  • Kleptocracy Cometh

    Kleptocracy Cometh
    Nov 8 2024
    The Atlantic's David Frum joins the group to analyze the election and consider the implications for domestic and foreign policy.

    Highlights / Lowlights:

    Damon:     The work of Ruy Texiera and Nate Cohn

    Linda: My Manifesto for Despairing Democrats by Nick Kristof

    Bill: ‘Invisible’ older women speak up at the ballot box by Karen Tumulty

    Mona: Trump transition team co-chair endorses Kennedy anti-vax theories and says he would be able to access health data

    David: Earth experiencing warmest year on record – again, scientists say
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 15 mins
  • Who Are You Calling Garbage?

    Who Are You Calling Garbage?
    Nov 1 2024
    Tim Miller joins to discuss the big picture about 2024, why Harris could not run as a change agent, and America's oligarchs.

    Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code BEGTODIFFER at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/begtodiffer

    Highlights / Lowlights

    Linda Chavez: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton and the Dodgers World Series Victory (Highlights)

    Tim Miller: Trump wearing an orange vest and driving a trash truck. (Both)

    Mona Charen: Derrick Anderson's Fake Family (Lowlight)

    Bill Galston: The Dodgers (Highlight)
    Nikki Haley's Get Out the Vote Closing Argument (Lowlight)

    Damon Linker: Charlie Kirk: Harris Wants Women to Lie to Their Husbands (Lowlight)
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Why One Never Trumper Can't Endorse Kamala Harris

    Why One Never Trumper Can't Endorse Kamala Harris
    Oct 25 2024
    New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins the regular group to discuss his objections to Harris, the likelihood of a Trump fascistic reign, and which party has gone crazier.

    Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code BEGTODIFFER at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/begtodiffer

    Highlights / Lowlights

    Ross: Can AI be blamed for a teen’s suicide? (NYT)

    Damon: Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos (MAX)

    Linda: The Ghosts of John Tanton (ProPublica)

    Mona: The Envy of the World (The Economist)

    Bill: The Fight for a New Israel (Dahlia Scheindlin, Foreign Affairs)
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 13 mins
  • An Underrated Threat: The Trump Corruption

    An Underrated Threat: The Trump Corruption
    Oct 18 2024
    The New Yorker's Susan Glasser joins the group (plus Philip Bump) to discuss Harris's Fox interview, Trump's spiraling mental state, and the oligarchy/corruption a second Trump term would usher in.

    Highlights / Lowlights

    Mona: Harris Needs a Closing Argument. Here's One. By Bret Stephens
    The FTC is making it easier to cancel subscriptions.

    Damon: Confessions of a Republican Exile by David Brooks

    A spate of recent content from Matthew Yglesias

    Susan: The Gates of Gaza by Amir Tibon

    Philip: A preview of this weekend's "How to Read This Chart" newsletter

    Linda: The General's Warning by Tom Nichols
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 6 mins
  • What Would a Second Trump Term Mean for US Leadership?

    What Would a Second Trump Term Mean for US Leadership?
    Oct 11 2024
    NY Times columnist Bret Stephens joins to discuss the Iranian threat (to Israel and the US), the amazing Israeli penetrations of Hezbollah and Iran, and the fate of NATO, Ukraine, etc in a Trump 2.0 world.

    TV Recommendations of the panelists:
    Mona: Call My Agent
    Damon: Game of Thrones
    Bill: Babylon Berlin
    Linda: Slow Horses / Pachinko
    Show more Show less
    55 mins
  • Vance Impersonates a Decent Guy

    Vance Impersonates a Decent Guy
    Oct 3 2024
    The Financial Times's Ed Luce joins to discuss the VP debate, the future of MAGA, and the Israel/Iran war.
    Show more Show less
    56 mins