GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History & Geopolitics

Hot-wiring pagers and walkie-talkies to take out Hezbollah operatives: Was Israel’s tactic—like something from an Ian Fleming novel—a justifiable act of national security or a violation of international law? Victor Davis Hanson, the Hoover Institution’s Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow and a military historian and classicist, joins GoodFellows regulars John Cochrane and H.R. McMaster to discuss the latest in the Middle East, as well as whether it was wise for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to tour a munitions factory in the battleground state of Pennsylvania on the verge of America’s national election. Next, the three Baby Boomer panelists reflect on their generation’s legacy, plus which singer deserves a statue in the US Capitol alongside country music legend Johnny Cash. Recorded on September 24, 2024. RELATED RESOURCES: The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election by Molly Ball The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won by Victor Davis Hanson The Year That Broke Politics: Collusion and Chaos in the Presidential Election of 1968 by Luke A. Nichter Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell Free to Choose: A Personal Statement by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E. B. Sledge Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman by William Tecumseth Sherman

What was it like to navigate America’s national security apparatus all the while coping with a mercurial commander-in-chief? Hoover senior fellow H.R. McMaster tells all in his new best-seller At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the White House – with additional insights provided by Hoover senior fellow Niall Ferguson, whose forthcoming biography of Henry Kissinger likewise will touch on national security and White House intrigue. After that: Niall and H.R. dissect the previous night’s presidential debate, assess the impact of Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris (spoiler alert: boy-dad Niall’s not a “Swiftie”), and offer thoughts on the perils of non-historians peddling “anti-history” and where the two fellows were 23 years ago during the 9/11 attacks on America. Recorded on September 11, 2024.

In a topsy-turvy election year, does America’s 2024 presidential contest summon ghosts from 1968 — or, is a late-breaking 1980-style landslide in the cards? Historian Niall Ferguson, the Hoover Institution’s Milbank Family Senior Fellow, appears solo on this “mini” edition of GoodFellows (or is it GoodFellow?) to discuss the current political landscape, what roles an aging electorate and the “gender gap” will play in America’s election, plus a fondness for tariffs shared by two very different Republicans: Donald Trump and William McKinley (aka “the tariff king”). Niall also discusses the challenges in raising two young sons in the Information Age, and his renewed appreciation for the works of Kurt Vonnegut.

John Cochrane, the Hoover Institution’s Rose-Marie and Jack Anderson Senior Fellow and the author of The Fiscal Theory of Price Level (2023), discusses misconceptions around how the Federal Reserve goes about its business; why economic policy factors into the great-power competition with China; his fascination with Calvin Coolidge; plus why (in John’s opinion) Portuguese Water Dogs are the kings of all canines.

In a special mini version of GoodFellows (just one wise man, not the usual three), Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, the Hoover Institution’s Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow and author of the soon-to-be-released At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House, discusses a possible sea change in American foreign policy and the view from other world capitals. On the 40th anniversary of his commissioning as a US Army second lieutenant, McMaster reflects on the challenges that tested his West Point Class of 1984 (motto: “The Best of the Corps”) versus those awaiting the Class of 2024 (“Like None Before”).

Is a regional war across the Middle East about to erupt? And what to make of a Venezuelan regime that doesn’t honor election results? Matthew Kroenig, Vice President and Senior Director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and coauthor of the book We Win They Lose: Republican Foreign Policy and the New Cold War, joins Hoover senior fellows John Cochrane and H.R. McMaster to discuss lessons from deterrence (or a lack thereof) past, present, and future. Next, John explains how a market meltdown underscores a fragile world economy, followed by a discussion of two historical milestones: 50 years since Richard Nixon’s resignation (with public trust in government today significantly lower than in Watergate’s heyday); and Herbert Hoover’s 150th birthday (as to his humanitarian pursuits, where would our fellows be without Hoover’s namesake institution?).

An already surreal political year becomes all the more quizzical as former president Donald Trump literally dodges an assassin’s bullet soon before making a surprise pick of Ohio senator J. D. Vance as his running mate; followed by President Biden unexpectedly ending his reelection bid and Vice President Kamala Harris swiftly becoming the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster do their best to make sense of these summertime blockbusters, including whether Harris alters her party’s course (triangulate or double down on the past four years?); the pros and cons of Trump-brand nationalism and that philosophy’s hold over a restyled Republican Party; Vance’s qualifications for national office; plus cautionary tales from Biden’s lone presidential term and the chances of more surprises to come before Election Day in America.

The Dispatch’s Jonah Goldberg joins Good Fellows to discuss his differences with Niall Ferguson’s Soviet America essay, the Biden/Trump gerontocracy, and the European elections. Also, can someone help Niall choose a dog?

How do a historian, an economist, and a geostrategist make the best use of their summers? In an abbreviated GoodFellows, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster reveal a few of their summertime preferences: favorite leisurely pursuits (land, air, and sea), their go-to foods and drinks, family gatherings (all three are grandparents), recommended books and movies, plus what research and writing lies ahead (plenty of writing and travel). Among the revelations: summer aficionados they are, streaming “vidiots” they’re not; plus, on a conflicting Fourth of July, a dual citizen’s “special relationship” with his native UK and adopted America.

A new “cold war” presents a familiar challenge for America: how to curb a rival great power’s ambitions. Matt Pottinger, a Hoover Institution visiting fellow and editor of the forthcoming book The Boiling Moat: Urgent Steps to Defend Taiwan, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss how best to discourage China from moving on its island neighbor. After that: the fellows debate the wisdom of the UK’s fast-tracked national election; plus what, if anything, has surprised them during this year’s round of episodes (spoiler alert: plenty of chickens—bad policies, poorly run universities—came home to roost).

Historians differ over the need to explore “counterfactuals”—the study of scenarios that never happened—and what they can tell us about historical causation. Stephen Kotkin, the Hoover Institution’s Kleinheinz Senior Fellow and noted historian of Russia, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss alternative historical outcomes: Stalin not surviving a two-front invasion in World War II and Churchill dying well beforehand; the American Revolution failing; the Beatles never spearheading pop music’s British Invasion; a Trump victory in 2020 and its potential effect on the current state of affairs in Ukraine and the Middle East; plus a world in which COVID never happened (spoiler alert: it might have impacted John and Niall’s book sales).

Did Israel’s failure to anticipate Hamas’s surprise attack in October 2023 stem from an overreliance on technical rather than human intelligence gathering? And is TikTok really a national security threat to America? Amy Zegart, the Hoover Institution’s Morris Arnold and Nona Jean Cox Senior Fellow and author of Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss Israel’s intel failure, whether TikTok is the menace it’s portrayed to be, plus how spy films (wrongly) shape the public’s view on espionage. Next the fellows discuss the driving forces behind campus unrest across the US and how long the movement will last, followed by a series of other discussions: rebutting anti-American sentiment; the best fast-food burger; the popularity of “Austrian school” economics in South America; and the likely winner were Niall, John, and H.R. to slug it out in a UFC octagon (spoiler alert: Niall and John don’t like their chances).

Nearly 40 years since the nation last saw comprehensive reform on the matter, the consensus is that America’s immigration system is sorely in need of updating to 21st-century realities. Reihan Salam, Manhattan Institute president and author of the book Melting Pot or Civil War?, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss a smarter approach to welcoming newcomers to America. After that: the fellows discuss the ramifications of Iran’s not-so-surprise missile assault on Israel and what the coming months portend for those warring nations. Finally, John and H.R. (and a few surprise guests) welcome Niall to his “swinging 60s”—Hoover’s “international man of history” officially a sexagenarian on the same day this show was recorded.

As the six-month anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel approaches, what to expect next in that struggle—and is the American president and Israeli prime minister’s working relationship beyond repair? New York Times columnist Bret Stephens joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss the war’s possible expansion into southern Lebanon and Stephens’s vision of a rebuilt Gaza as a Mediterranean version of Dubai. After that, a celebration of four years since GoodFellows’ “shelter-in place” debut, including a little boasting (they saw inflation coming), a little contrition (they didn’t see Trump rebounding), and some big takeaways on geopolitics, economics, and the pandemic’s legacy.

Facing hot wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and a prolonged cold war in East Asia, how does America adapt its military strategy and resources—and in which direction? Elbridge Colby, former Defense Department assistant secretary and cofounder of the Marathon Initiative, which studies great-power competition, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and H.R. McMaster to discuss his contention that rearming America’s military in anticipation of an eventual Chinese move on Taiwan takes priority over conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. Following that: the fellows weigh in on the merits of a forced sale of TikTok by its Chinese owners, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s calling for an early election in Israel, plus how to find one’s soulmate offline (plot spoiler: try attending an intellectual “slap up” dinner, or getting concussed in a rugby match).

Following Super Tuesday’s results, with the US presidential election still the better part of eight months away, a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is all but certain. Victor Davis Hanson, the Hoover Institution’s Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow and author of the soon-to-be-released book The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation, joins Hoover senior fellows John Cochrane and H.R. McMaster to discuss where Biden and Trump stand on “shrinkflation” and the US economy, America’s involvement in overseas conflicts, plus the likelihood of Democrats replacing a struggling Biden at their August national convention and Trump running a disciplined campaign despite his legal travails.

Why did Vladimir Putin call for an “inter-Palestinian meeting” in Moscow? And has Israel drawn a red line regarding a hostage release and an assault on the Gazan city of Rafah? Dan Senor, host of the Call Me Back podcast and author of two books on Israel, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson (live from Jerusalem) and John Cochrane to discuss the moving parts and global ramifications of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Following that: remembering the late Alexei Navalny and what the future holds for Russian political opposition amid Putin-brand fascism; America’s “trust” credit rating as it reneges on promises to friends and allies; plus George Washington’s recent demotion to third-greatest of all US presidents.

While the American reprisal against Iranian proxies across the Middle East is impressive in its harnessing of firepower, technology, and intelligence, does it advance the goals of deterrence and de-escalation? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster discuss the pros and cons of the current US strategy and their concerns over the lack of an apparent end game. Following that: a conversation about Donald Trump’s appeal to voters and his detractors’ inability to understand his populist resonance (the subject of a recent John Cochrane Wall Street Journal op-ed); how best to revitalize African nations; plus Niall’s annual abhorrence of Super Bowl Sunday (spoiler alert: he’s not a “Swiftie”).

This installment of GoodFellows is devoted to audience questions—viewers and listeners putting Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster through their intellectual paces. Among the topics broached: a possible re-embrace of Western heritage; the same pre–World War I mentality that dismissed the likelihood of a global conflict potentially enabling a third world war; India and Pakistan’s economic and geostrategic outlooks; Donald Trump’s second-term objectives, should he be reelected; and Argentinian president Javier Milei’s pro-market “shock therapy” and his World Economic Forum “special address” dressing down Davos attendees. Viewers also asked: Why not a fellows’ blues band? Might Niall consider adding a little profanity to his profundity?

The new year begins with a continuation of three topics that figured prominently in 2023: escalating hostilities in the Middle East; a possible return to more traditional higher education after shake-ups at several elite American universities; plus the uncertainty of certain economic assumptions (in 2023, a much-prophesied recession that never materialized). Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane also discuss the odds of Cold War 2 morphing into World War III; whether economic conditions will overshadow fearmongering in a grim Trump-Biden referendum (in Niall’s words: the choice of “empire or republic”); the best use of this leap year’s spare day; plus why King Charles III would choose to break with tradition by spending a “dry” January in a very wet Scotland.

Failing to unequivocally denounce students’ calls for Jewish genocide has cost one university president her job and raises questions as to whether the current levels of anti-Semitic vitriol and political activism inside America’s elite schools suggests parallels to Nazi Germany. Bari Weiss, founder of the Free Press and host of the Honestly podcast, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss when and why America’s universities went astray and how to separate scholarship from political agendas.

As the US prepares for a presidential vote (Iowans caucusing in fewer than 50 days) and a temporary truce halts the Israel-Hamas conflict, long-term uncertainty seems the order of the day. Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal political columnist and the “architect” behind George W. Bush’s presidential runs, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson. H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the odds of a Biden-Trump rematch. Next the three fellows analyze the latest in the Middle East, including the peril of a broader regional conflict and the potential for eradicating Hamas. Finally, a “lightning round“ explores Vladimir Putin’s peace overtures, Sam Altman’s return to OpenAI, an ascendant Right on two continents, plus the legacy of the soon-to-be-touring Rolling Stones (Niall having no sympathy for any devil who doesn’t recognize the Stones as the greatest rock band).

Two conflicts present two challenges: a Ukrainian counteroffensive turned stalemate; and Israel’s survival as it confronts Hamas (and possibly Hezbollah and Iran). Russ Roberts, Hoover’s John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow and president of Jerusalem’s Shalem College, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson. H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss Israel’s morale and strategic choices amid a month-long wartime crisis. Then Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of US Army Europe, makes the case for anticipating a positive outcome—Ukraine expelling Russian forces, winning back its land—in a war nearing its 21-month mark.

Ian Rowe, an American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and cofounder of the Bronx-based Vertex Partnership Academies, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss the future of public education and charter schools’ role in the quest for better outcomes. What lessons does a virtues-based public charter high school in New York City offer to the ideal of education as a path to life success? Ian Rowe, an American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and cofounder of the Bronx-based Vertex Partnership Academies, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss the future of public education and charter schools’ role in the quest for better outcomes. After that: Niall and John weigh in on the potential for economic turmoil in a time of global instability; a hypothetical outsider as House Speaker; plus their like and dislike of the Olympic Games.

As Israel and Ukraine struggle for survival, a newer “axis of ill will”—formed by Russia, China and Iran—sows discord around the globe. Stephen Kotkin, the Hoover Institution’s Kleinheinz Senior Fellow and a vaunted historian, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to assess options abroad and parallels to the past (are we reliving the 1930s, the 1970s, or both?). The trio then dons their speechwriters’ hats to suggest how President Biden can capture the moral high ground. The trio then discusses how President Biden can capture the moral high ground when he makes public statements about the crisis and America’s response to it.

Recorded live at the Hoover Institution’s fall retreat: Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss unfolding events in the Middle East—Israel’s response, failures in intelligence gathering, plus America’s strategic choices vis-à-vis a complicit Iran. The trio then reflects on what an anti-Israeli backlash on the campuses of America’s elite universities—students and faculty denouncing the initial victims as aggressors, university leaders offering only lackluster “word salads”—says about the current state of higher education in the United States.

The US Supreme Court seems headed for a showdown with social media platforms over content and censorship; the United Nations’ 78th General Assembly underscores that body’s inability to curb totalitarian aggression. Eugene Volokh, a soon-to-be Hoover Institution senior fellow and a First Amendment law professor at UCLA, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss free speech in the Information Age and what comes next for universities following the court’s rebuke of race-factored admissions. This is followed by Niall and John discussing whether 20th-century international agencies remain true to their charters. On a lighter note, John and Niall also weigh in on government-run groceries, dress codes, and tipping servers (waiters yes, baristas no).

In a special “mailbag” episode, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster answer viewers’ questions, ranging from global geopolitics to American domestic affairs. Among the topics: Is China headed for an economic or military tipping point? What do the commentariat make of doomsaying Cassandras? And would two of the GoodFellows follow their colleague to the White House?

Former president Donald Trump faces at least four criminal trials that could overshadow the Republicans’ presidential nominating process—and maybe fatally wound him in a general election—while a legal cloud hangs over President Biden due to an ongoing investigation into his son’s business affairs. Andrew McCarthy, a National Review contributing editor and former federal prosecutor, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss how “lawfare” became a weaponized part of American politics and the corrosive effects it’s having on national elections and institutional trust.

On the 78th anniversary of the only wartime use of nuclear weapons, is the human race at another moral crossroads, fearing what artificial intelligence (AI) breakthroughs might unleash? Fei-Fei Li, co-director of Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered AI, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss AI’s promise and peril, followed by the three “GoodFellows” revisiting Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bombs in 1945. Just as crucial to mankind’s future: they debate the likely winner in an as-yet-unscheduled MMA bout pitting Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg against X’s Elon Musk.

This week, the self-moderating GoodFellows (Bill Whalen is on vacation) ponder why the much predicted recession hasn’t materialized—at least not yet. The Fellows also discuss the national security implications of a recession and why some economists may be a little too optimistic about economic conditions in the near future. Then, we check back in on the war in Ukraine and close with some thoughts about summer, featuring a cameo appearance from General Funkenstein himself.

A tumultuous 24 hours in Russia—ordinarily pro-Russia armed mercenaries marching on Moscow, Vladimir Putin’s whereabouts unknown—reveals the fragility of that wartime autocracy. Dmitri Alperovitch, founder of the Washington, DC–based think tank Silverado Policy Accelerator and host of the Geopolitics Decanted podcast, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and H.R. McMaster to discuss the reasons behind the Wagner Group mutiny, Vladimir Putin’s job security, and the impact the insurrection will have on the prosecution of the now 16-month war in Ukraine.

California weighs reparations for slavery’s descendants as America approaches the three-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd—a Black man killed by a White police officer—in Minneapolis. Coleman Hughes, a columnist and podcaster who specializes in issues related to race and public policy, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and H.R. McMaster to discuss the legacy of Floyd’s death, the historical teaching of race, and the feasibility of a “color-blind” society. Plus, Niall and H.R. handicap the odds of a second Trump presidency and what that would portend for “Cold War 2” and the war in Ukraine. Also, General Funkenstein is in ‘da house!

Does the Shakespearean adage “uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” still apply to today’s United Kingdom? British author and journalist Douglas Murray joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss King Charles III’s coronation and the monarch’s relevancy in modern times, plus the fragile state of the West given unbalanced alliances, threats to free markets, and strained social fabrics. But before that: the three “Goodfellows” remember the recently deceased John Raisian, director of the Hoover Institution from 1990 to 2015.

Is artificial intelligence a global killer or an emerging technology which, if properly harnessed, can improve mankind? And what’s the significance of a low-level National Guard member being able to expose US military secrets? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss the promise and perils of ever-improving AI and what if any damage came from the so-called “Geeky Leaks” scandal, plus their views on marijuana legalization as the world braces for the annual “420 Day” celebration.

In this second installment of audience questions, viewers and listeners from nearly three dozen nations spanning six continents ask Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane about the durability of America’s “empire,” Putin’s war crimes, Henry Kissinger’s worldview, and the future of Western universities. Preceding all of that: an on-the-ground report from Cochrane in Tokyo, who is amazed that “it’s possible to run a city that is not a zombie apocalypse.”

The first of two episodes devoted solely to questions from the audience—viewers and listeners from nearly three dozen nations spanning six continents—who ask Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane whether a protracted war favors Russia or Ukraine; what is China’s geopolitical interest in the conflict; what are financial risks associated with Silicon Valley Bank’s travails; plus each GoodFellow’s first act if they were elected president of the United States.

What do long-term demographic trends suggest about the world moving forward? American Enterprise Institute fellow Nicholas Eberstadt joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a conversation about shifting populations and societal behavior, followed by the three “GoodFellows” addressing the fallout from Silicon Valley Bank’s implosion and All Quiet on the Western Front’s strong showing at the 95th Academy Awards.

While erratic weather and apocalyptic prophecies keep climate change in the headlines, a set of arguably more pressing global concerns goes less noticed. Bjorn Lomborg, a Hoover visiting fellow and president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, discusses what his cost-benefit analysis says about curbing HIV/AIDS, malaria, and hunger, and the role of free trade and economic development in improving living conditions in Africa and impoverished lands.

A Chinese “civilian airship” wafts across the US heartland. Vladimir Putin ramps up the saber-rattling as the one-year anniversary of his Ukraine invasion nears. And could a single platinum coin be America’s debt elixir? Victor Davis Hanson, the Hoover Institution’s Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss “eyes in the sky,” ground warfare, plus one soccer-and-rugby-loving fellow’s super disgust with the super-sized spectacle that is the Super Bowl.

GoodFellows celebrates its 100th episode with Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane reflecting on social, economic, and geopolitical lessons learned since their first conversation nearly three years ago. Also debated: the merits of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the spectacle of climate-change bloviation, plus the strategic implications of sending American heavy tanks to Ukraine (Lt. Gen. McMaster knowing a thing or two about the topic, having led armored cavalry regiments into combat).

Is the United States in a new “cold war” with China, and if so, what steps should be taken to get the attention of the government in Beijing (a military buildup? banning TikTok in the US)? Wisconsin congressman Mike Gallagher, chair of the newly created House Select Committee on China, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a look at US-Sino relations.

What did the GoodFellows learn in 2022, and what do they anticipate for 2023? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane reflect on the war in Ukraine, cryptocurrency’s fall and inflation’s rise, ChatGPT’s upending of essay writing and other academic pursuits, plus whether Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter could prove to be his undoing—much like that of a 19th-century French emperor.

A post-holiday Goodfellows features the panelists bringing their own curiosities to the table. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss China’s COVID-restriction protests and restoring academic freedom of college campuses. Plus two “Goodfellows” weigh in with differing views on American “football” vs. the more global “futbal.”

A week after America’s midterm election, Washington faces the prospect of divided government for the next two years. Kimberly Strassel, the Wall Street Journal’s “Potomac Watch” columnist, joins Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane for a reading of the midterm tea leaves and thoughts on what comes next in terms of congressional agendas, the war in Ukraine, the future oversight of cryptocurrency, and Elon Musk’s Twitter overhaul.

A world where artificial intelligence completes your work and thoughts? And what’s the wiser bet: “short Meta” or “long Twitter”? Tyler Cowen, a George Mason University economist and coauthor of the Marginal Revolution blog, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss whether technological advancements will improve the human condition.

Can China’s current authoritarian model hold without destroying its economy, and what’s the near-term outlook for the war in Ukraine? Stephen Kotkin, the Hoover Institution’s Kleinheinz Senior Fellow and an authority on geopolitics and authoritarian regimes (and a Joe Pesci soundalike) joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the latest in Xi Jinping’s China and Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

With the US election approaching and apparently tilting Republicans’ way, the question is: What to do with their newfound power on Capitol Hill? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss how a 118th Congress under new management might address aid to Ukraine, the China “Cold War 2.0” dilemma, plus America’s economic, energy, and health concerns.

Recorded on October 18, 2022 The British prime minister’s days seem numbered (yet again), as might those of Iran’s theocracy—and what to make of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s growing cult of personality? In a “bring your own topic” edition of GoodFellows, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss these worldly matters as well the coming clash between a wintry COVID spike and pandemic-weary populations. ABOUT THE SERIES GoodFellows, a weekly Hoover Institution broadcast, features senior fellows John Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, and H.R. McMaster discussing the social, economic, and geostrategic ramifications of this changed world. They can’t banter over lunch these days, but they continue their spirited conversation online about what comes next, as we look forward to an end to the crisis. For more in this series visit, https://www.hoover.org/goodfellows

Is history repeating itself, with America reliving the political rancor and upheaval of the late 19th-century Gilded Age? Karl Rove, political strategist and the “architect” of George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the impact of economics, world events, and cultural concerns on this year’s midterm vote.