The Dispatch Podcast

You’ve heard the rumors…then the rumors turned into headlines: Governor Larry Hogan will not seek the GOP nomination for 2024. The former Maryland Governor sits down with David Drucker to talk about the factors that led to this decision and his remedies for the GOP. Show Notes: -WATCH: David M. Drucker interview Larry Hogan on our new YouTube channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The worlds of media tycoons are often so strange and twisted, it's hard to believe the stories aren't fiction. In Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy, authors James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams chronicle the dramatic story of one of the most powerful media dynasties in history. Join Steve Hayes as he interviews Stewart and Abrams on the history of the Redstone family and their rise to power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Endorsements don’t matter, Fox News lied to its audience, and experts got COVID wrong. Jonah, Sarah, and Kevin give us all a reality check AND a grammar lesson.Plus: a Jonah rant on journalistic principles. If you enjoyed this conversation, join our Book Club for more presidential talk. Show Notes: -Sarah Isgur: The Sweep: Looking Out for No. 2 -Jonah Goldberg: Utter corruption of editorial leadership -The 10 biggest revelations from Dominion’s explosive Fox News legal filing -Ron DeSantis, Federalist? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world's abuzz with nuclear war rhetoric as Vladmir Putin rips up a treaty limiting arms control. David Drucker speaks with Peter Rough, an expert on foreign policy from the Hudson Institute, to talk about the spector of a potential world war, the state of our defense capabilities, and why defending Ukraine might be the best way to stave off Russia from attacking the U.S. Show Notes: -Peter Rough, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute -Turn up the heat on Putin — and show him he can’t defeat Ukraine -U.S. four-star general warns of war with China in 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio was should have been a moment for the Biden administration to publicly transcend politics. Sarah, David, and Declan wonder why this chance was frittered. Plus: between a new DeSantis bill and the Dominion lawsuit, what should we think about the state of defamation law? Show Notes: -Train crew had little warning before Ohio wreck, probe finds -‘Incredibly damning:’ Fox News documents stun some legal experts -Meet the Woke Activists behind the Roald Dahl Book Purge -Donald Trump visits flood-ravaged Louisiana (David's mention) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nikki Haley is officially in the race... but is she ready to take on Trump? Steve, Sarah, and Jonah are joined by David Drucker, who was on the ground for her South Carolina launch. Plus, who’s leaking all the anti-Kamala content, and why isn’t the Biden administration answering questions about spy balloons? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Economist Jason Furman joins Declan Garvey on this episode of the Dispatch Podcast to break down the confusing economic state of the U.S. The unemployment rate is great, the rapid pace of job growth is on an uphill trajectory, and inflation is low. But, is that too good to last? Furman breaks down the scenarios that could cause the economic successes to come to a screeching halt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the the State of the Union in the rearview mirror, Declan and David join Sarah to break down Biden’s re-election chances and the mood of the Democratic Party. The crew also takes a look at polling between Trump & DeSantis and their sway with voters. And yes, some balloon content drops, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Sarah, Jonah, and Kevin as they welcome David Drucker in his debut DisPod appearance. The crew looks into the Tyre Nichols tragedy and the root causes of bad policing. They give a nod to the dog and pony show of House committee assignments and conclude with a fiery debate about Nikki Haley's presidential dreams and whether Trump admin veterans deserve the mark of Cain. Finally, Sarah highlights a few mysteries overtaking the Dallas Zoo in a Worth Your Time segment. Show Notes: Will Hurd: "One thing I'd love this Black History Month..." The Dispatch: The Race to Racism The Dispatch: Nikki Haley's Campaign-In-Waiting Starts Its Engines Dallas Zoo monkeys found Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu stops by Dispatch HQ to talk with Steve about his record, from pandemic response to school choice. With eyes towards 2024, they discuss The Granite State's role in primaries, Sununu's own presidential prospects, and his unfiltered thoughts about former president Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Jonah in the driver's seat this week as he bring along Declan and Kevin to talk about the debt ceiling mess, the over-classification of documents, and whether Ron DeSantis' all-in-on-the-culture-war approach is simply what right wing politics is going to be from now on. Show Notes: -The Dispatch: Debt Ceiling Coverage -Nick Cattagio: VP MTG? -CBS News: Why A&W put pants on its cartoon bear after M&M's spokescandies gaffe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk opened up the secret Twitter vaults before a select group of journalists who went on to chain-tweet their findings. David French sits down with Kmele Foster, co-host of The Fifth Column podcast, to figure out whether the response to the findings should be a vociferous freak out, a tired shrug, or something more nuanced. They discuss political censorship, media spins, and Big Tech. Show Notes: -David French: Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson Don't Understand the First Amendment - Kmele Foster, We The Fifth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s population is getting older and older and analysts warn this could have significant global impact. Deputy Morning Editor of TMD Esther Eaton sits down with Scott Kennedy of the Center for Strategic and International Studies to dig into the root causes behind the country’s demographic decline and the impact this will have on economic and labor conditions. Show Notes: Esther Eaton's TMD Piece: China's Looming Demographic Crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah, Jonah and David wonder what's left of fiscal responsibility in the Republican Party as the debt-ceiling deadline hits Congress. Who’s serious about digging in and balancing the budget? Will taking on the "weaponized" beauracy make a dent? And, haven’t we been in this before? The crew also tallies which countries are providing tactical support to Ukraine (and how much). And of course, stay tuned for an extra salty Not Worth Your Time. Show Notes: Watch: White House Press Briefing on Debt Ceiling Brian Riedl for The Dispatch: How Republicans Can Get Serious on Spending Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Declan joins Sarah, David and Steve to break down President Biden’s classified documents scandal. The team then discusses McCarthy's backroom dealing, the proposed SANTOS act, and the riots in Brazil. Plus: An anatomically descriptive Worth Your Time(?) segment that made David deeply uncomfortable. Show Notes: The Dispatch: House GOP Moves to Messaging Bills and Investigations Proposed Bill Text: SANTOS Act The Atlantic: Prince Harry’s Book Undermines the Very Idea of Monarchy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the House enters a third day of its parade of pettiness, Sarah, Steve, and Jonah discuss Kevin McCarthy’s slow, tortuous slug of concessions towards becoming a speaker in name only. Also on the agenda: Biden’s 2024 vision, Mayor Pete’s carpetbagging, and the online right’s grotesque response to Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. Out of context: “That is a trifecta of wrongness.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse will resign from Congress and take on a new role in February as President of the University of Florida. Sasse, a junior senator from Nebraska and member of the Republican party, has been a vocal critic of Trump's influence on the right and the GOP. He joins Steve Hayes to discuss the dangers of infotainment, the increasing tribalism of American politics, the future of academic freedom, and why he believes he can affect more change by leaving Congress. Show Notes: -The Dispatch Podcast: Ben Sasse on Afghanistan and Reflections on September 11 -The Remnant: Fighting for Lost Causes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inflation has driven the cost of living to a record high and most recent reports are giving mixed signals about what to expect. Declan is joined by Desmond Lachman, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, to talk about interest-rate hikes and Lachman's critiques of the Fed in what he calls "monetary policy overkill." Show Notes: -Desmond Lachman: “The Fed is playing with fire with its continued interest-rate hikes” -CPI Index released on Dec. 13th -The CME FedWatch Tool mentioned by Declan -Desmond Lachman’s American Enterprise Institute profile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David (who heroically dragged himself from bed at the crack of the Tennessee dawn) discuss some of the best and worst stories of 2022. What will make the list? The Russian invasion? The Artemis launch? Asteroid nudging? The Ye-Fuentes summit? The resurgence of COVID in China? The unveiling of Donald Trump’s NFT? Come for the review of a wild year, stay for the wild(?) predictions for 2023. Plus: a gut-check update on the Sarah-Steve bet. Show Notes: -The Morning Dispatch on Zelensky’s speech -Asteroid: nudged! -Jonah’s rant on the crazy and insane attempt to retire bad words Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Title 42," the pandemic-era immigration restriction, was slated to expire December 21, until the Supreme Court stepped in. Now, the Biden administration and conservatives are in loggerheads on what to do next. Esther sits down with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, the Policy Director at American Immigration Council to discuss the historical context behind Title 42, its impact on border crossings, and what we might expect if it goes away. Show Notes: -Aaron Reichlin-Melnick’s American Immigration Council (AIC) profile -AIC's Guide to Expulsions at the Border -Docket filings related to the Application for Emergency Stay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With new polls showing Donald Trump losing his grip on the Republican base, Sarah, David, and Steve debate the do's and don'ts of gauging Trump's political altitude. They also discuss Ron DeSantis' attempt to court the vax-skeptic voter, the recent COVID outbreaks in China, and what the implosion of Sam Bankman-Fried tells us about America's cult of the CEO. Plus: Should we be talking about MTG? Show Notes: -Josh Kraushaar on Trump's declining position Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will the aftermath of Herschel Walker's defeat in Georgia create a rare window for Republican introspection? And can the infotainment right be part of the solution? Sarah, David, Jonah and Steve also discuss what we know (and don’t know) about the Hunter Biden scandal, wonder what ever happened to the Electoral Count Reform Act, and catch up on what’s going on in the rest of the world. Show Notes: -The Twitter thread that caught Steve's eye Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah, David, Jonah and –– believe it or not! –– Steve discuss whether and how the United States should support dissidents in China and Iran, ponder the poetic timing of the Fuentes dinner, and lament the intractability of America’s gun debate. Also: why is it so difficult to enjoy America beating Iran in the World Cup (besides it being soccer)? Also also: will David’s scotch-taped computer survive the whole hour? Listen and find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the war not going as smoothly as he might have hoped, Putin turns to Iran for help replenishing Russia's arsenal. Frederick W. Kagan, director of the Critical Threats Project at AEI, joins David to explain the nature of this alliance-of-convenience and where things could go from here.Show Notes: -Critical Threats: Ukraine Stream - Critical Threats: Iran Crisis Updates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Donald Trump officially running for president, Ron DeSantis faces a twisted decision tree. Sarah, David, and Kevin are here to make sense of it. Plus: how should the U.S. respond to the deadly missile incident in Poland? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah, Jonah, and David come together to give the midterms a post-mortem to end all postmortems. They discuss the vibe theory of political trends, the presidential prospects of Republicans Not Named Donald Trump, and the lessons both parties took away from the elections. Oh, and of course: do all roads lead to Georgia..? Again?? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s explainer, Declan is joined by RAND Corporation senior researcher David Luckey. A retired Marine Corps officer, David is now devoted to getting congressional attention to the thing that killed tens of thousands of Americans last year: fentanyl. David explains the scope of the overdose epidemic, its force multipliers, and the ways to fight it. Show Notes: -The Morning Dispatch on the Fentanyl Crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With religion, political corruption, nationalism, and court reform on the ballot, Israel concluded this week its fifth election in three years. Tomer Persico, research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, joins Adaam to offer a quick explainer about Benjamin Netanyahu's comeback, the rise of religious nationalism in Israel, and the universal language of populism. Show Notes: -The Morning Dispatch on the Israeli election Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With less than a week before the midterms, Sarah, David, and Jonah come together to answer your questions: Can voters push their parties to be better? What’s the best way to engage with your representatives? When is Nick Cattogio joining the pod? Plus: the panel reacts to Biden’s Democracy in Peril, Pt. 2 speech. Show Notes: -Sarah’s piece for POLITICO about the GOP’s election laws -Sarah, David, and Jonah’s report for the National Constitution Center Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does the Fetterman-Oz debate reveal about the media? Will the isolationist horseshoe in Congress have an effect on Putin? And are we ready for Kevin’s theory of political cooties? Join Sarah, David, Steve, and Kevin as they embark on the penultimate round of midterms punditry. Show Notes: -The New York Times on the new campaign press aides -The Dispatch is coming to Chicago Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Allan Fung was the mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island for over a decade. Now, he’s hoping to be the first Republican to represent the state in Congress in nearly 20 years. He joined Declan to talk about his “check in those party labels at the door” approach to politics, about the possible agenda of a Republican House, and whether Trump still sets the tone for the party. Show Notes: -Axios on Allan Fung Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a compressed panel of election punditry, Sarah is joined by Kevin and Andrew to discuss Democrats’ preemptive blame game. They also try to wrestle with what it might mean for the country if abortion doesn’t play the big role in the midterms Democrats had hoped it would. Also: 2024… should we start talking about it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new study shows the stark lack of ideological diversity in elite universities. Lawmakers call to rethink relations with the Saudis after OPEC’s decision to cut oil production. John Fetterman’s NBC interview raises difficult questions. Sarah, David, Jonah, and Declan wrestle with these topics before providing an urgent manatee update. Out of context: “If you stare at 2 + 2 = a duck and you say ‘oh I get it,’ that’s a problem for you.” -American elite students study -Fetterman’s NBC interview -Manatees update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With OPEC+ committed to gutting production, Americans are bracing for a gas price hike. This leads Sen. Bill Cassidy to wonder, how should the U.S. maintain a relationship with the Saudis when “what they do can make or break a family budget”? On the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Cassidy calls for more market-based solutions to both bolster energy independence and get carbon emissions under control. He joins Sarah to wrestle with all these problems –– and their political implications –– before turning to the main event: the ultimate Louisiana VS Texas BBQ showdown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sparing an hour between driving his “friends” to and from the airport, Declan joins Sarah, David, and Jonah to debate the Herschel Walker saga, whether moral character matters in politics, and whether Democrats enjoy a double standard on hypocrisy. A broader midterms update is then followed by a quick glimpse into the new Supreme Court term. Plus: Elon Musk gets another NWYT mention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Axios Senior Political Correspondent Josh Kraushaar joins Sarah to explain what happens when the Democrats’ sugar rush drops. Are the fundamentals still favoring Republicans in the midterms? What's going on in Georgia? Can candidate quality block a red wave? And how’s 2024 shaping up? Join for a healthy fix of pre-midterms political punditry and prognostication. Show Notes: -Josh's Axios piece on the state of play for November Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the editors of The Morning Dispatch eloquently put it, Nord Stream went boom. But who’s responsible? Sarah, David, and Jonah leave no conspiracy theory unexamined. Turning to the midterms, they discuss the power of low expectations, ask when spending money stops being useful, and wonder what it takes to be a good leader (or at least a good politician) during natural disasters. Also: the trio displays heroic restraint in today’s Not Worth Your Time, as they refrain entirely from making any kind of double entendre. Show Notes: -Tucker Carlson, literally wall-to-wall on Russian TV -Lizzo playing James Madison’s flute Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Understanding The Electoral Count Act, as it’s currently worded, requires a team of legal experts. So we got one! Sarah is joined by John Fortier, senior fellow at AEI, and Matthew Seligman, fellow at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School. Together they try to make sense of the law’s history, explain the difference between the two reform bills coming up through the House and the Senate, and debate whether either one goes far enough to prevent a constitutional crisis in 2024. Show Notes: -Matthew in support of the Senate bill -What the Vice President can’t do -John’s guide to the electoral college -Matthew’s 2024 risk assessment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when Vladimir Putin starts feeling cornered? Sarah, David, Steve, and Jonah react to Russia announcing military mobilization and think through the implications of Putin’s nuclear chest-thumping. They then turn to the politics of immigration (still very bad), and conclude with some rank punditry: is the Democrats’ momentary surge in the polls already bust? Out of context: “To me, it’s a little like the fight: Hiter-Stalin – who is worse?” Show Notes: -NBC poll showing decline in GOP loyalty to Trump -Politico: using cartoons as political ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At long last in the same room, Sarah, Steve, David, and Jonah debate whether the conversation around abortion is changing, why it doesn't feel like Republicans are out of power, and whether lawmakers will ever do the right thing on border security. Plus: Sarah offers a troubling glimpse of the gents' problematic footwear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rapid developments in the Justice Department’s investigation of classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago may be hard to follow, but not to worry, Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and Declan are here to clarify and discuss. Plus: a look at the long-term impact of COVID-19, and the internal battles as both parties look to the midterms. Show Notes: -TMD: How Sarah Palin Lost Alaska’s House Special Election -The Dispatch: Trump Is Hurting the GOP’s Midterm Prospects Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week saw the Justice Department disclose new evidence that the former president and his legal team likely sought to conceal classified documents from investigators. Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and Declan are here to discuss. Plus: Alaska says no to Sarah Palin, and how should we view Mikhail Gorbachev’s legacy? Show Notes: -TMD: Trump Team Likely Sought to Conceal Classified Documents From Investigators, DOJ Says -The Sweep: How Will Abortion Play in the Midterms? -G-File: Grading Gorby on a Curve Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve is joined by Mark Leibovich to discuss his new book Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission. How did the Republican Party get to its present predicament? Leibovich gives us his eyewitness account of how the former president transformed Washington, and a major American political party. Show Notes: -Thank You for Your Servitude by Mark Leibovich -Leibovich’s page at The Atlantic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden announced a plan to provide tens of millions of Americans with student loan debt relief. The fallout was swift. Our hosts are here with their reactions. Plus: Jonah, David, and Declan discuss the results of this week’s primary elections. Show Notes: -TMD: Biden’s Base Gets a Student Loan Gift -The Dispatch: The GOP Is Shrink-Wrapping Itself Around Trump -The Dispatch: Tim Ryan Keeping the Pressure on J.D. Vance in Ohio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's Dispatch Live, which is a weekly live stream for Dispatch members only, ran into some issues because Substack was completely down on Tuesday. So, because most members did not get to hear it we are offering it in its entirety as The Dispatch Podcast. If you're not a member of The Dispatch and liked what you heard here, click the link below to join so you can tune into Dispatch Live weekly on Tuesdays at 8pm ET. In this episode, David, Declan, Andrew, and Audrey discuss the Senate GOP candidates for the midterm elections, the latest in the Mar-a-Lago search, and the chances of DeSantis 2024. Show Notes: - Join The Dispatch Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Liz Cheney lost her re-election bid to her Trump-backed primary challenger in the Wyoming Republican primary on Tuesday. Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David discuss the result, and share their thoughts as the primary season wraps up. Plus: What’s the latest from Ukraine? Our hosts discuss the state of the conflict. Show Notes: -The Dispatch: Liz Cheney: ‘There Is Actually Precedent for ... Vice Presidents to Testify’ -The Dispatch: Choosing to Lose -The Sweep: Warning Signs for the GOP’s Senate Hopes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. Scott Lincicome, director of general economics at the Cato Institute, joins Declan to help us better understand the legislation. What’s actually in the law? How questionable is the budget math? Show Notes: -Uphill: Breaking Down the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 -Read Declan in The Morning Dispatch -Read Scott in Capitolism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a busy week for the former president, the FBI searched his home at Mar-a-Lago, he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in a New York deposition, and Attorney General Merrick Garland moved to make public the legal authorization for the FBI’s search. Sarah, Jonah, and David are here to discuss the fallout. Plus: Our hosts have new inflation numbers, and primary results to chew on. Show Notes: -TMD: The FBI Raids Trump’s Home -French Press: Thinking Through the Trump Search -G-File: Yearning for a Banana Republic -Stirewaltisms: Of Presidents and Precedents -The Dispatch: A Tale of Two GOP Responses to the Trump Search -TMD: A Hint of Inflation Relief -The Dispatch: Trump-Endorsed Tim Michels Prevails in Wisconsin Gubernatorial Primary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah and David get together for this special Advisory Opinions crossover episode to discuss the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago on Monday. What does it all mean? How does a federal investigation of a senior official work, and what happens next? Plus: some possible theories and explanations that might shed some light on the events of yesterday. Show Notes: -TMD: The FBI Raids Trump’s Home -Andy McCarthy in National Review: ​​The FBI’s Mar-a-Lago ‘Raid’: It’s about the Capitol Riot, Not the Mishandling of Classified Information -Marc Elias Twitter thread Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah, David, Steve and Jonah are back for an action-packed show today including the primary elections, Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, and the demise of al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri on Sunday. Will tensions over abortion issues cause bigger voter turnouts in the future? Plus: The Senate overwhelmingly voted to approve Sweden and Finland for acceptance into NATO on Wednesday with a lone dissent from Sen. Josh Hawley. Show Notes: -The Sweep: What We Learned -TMD: Another Blockbuster Primaries Tuesday -The Current: Killing Zawahiri: How the CIA Hunts Monsters -TMD: Tensions Flare in the Taiwan Strait Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices