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The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour

The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour

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The Genius of Rodgers and Hammerstein

Guests: Wilfred McClay & John Steele Gordon Host Scot Bertram talks with Wilfred McClay, Victor Davis Hanson chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale College, about the importance of civic education in higher education and summarizes a report on the subject he wrote for the American Enterprise Institute. And John Steele Gordon, author, historian, and nephew of Oscar Hammerstein, gives a survey of how the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein influenced the golden age of the American musical.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 18, 202444 min

The Roots of America's Housing Crisis

Guests: Richard Samuelson & James S. Burling Host Scot Bertram talks with Richard Samuelson, associate professor of government at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C., campus, about the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress. And James S. Burling, vice president for Legal Affairs at Pacific Legal Foundation, explains how various government interventions created America's worsening housing crisis as laid out in his new book Nowhere to Live: The Hidden Story of America's Housing Crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 11, 202444 min

Gary Wolfram Explains Why Price Controls Don’t Work

Guests: Gary Wolfram, Hans von Spakovsky, & Patricia R. Bart Host Scot Bertram talks with Gary Wolfram, William Simon professor of economics and public policy, director of economics, and professor of political economy at Hillsdale College, about the consequences of Kamala Harris’s proposed price controls. Hans von Spakovsky, manager at the Election Law Reform Initiative and senior legal fellow at the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, discusses a report he authored accusing the Biden Administration of unlawful interference in state election administration. And Patricia R. Bart, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, begins an in-depth series on the history of the English language.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 4, 202447 min

The Network Protecting the Biden Family

Guests: Mollie Hemingway & Miranda Devine Host Scot Bertram talks with Mollie Hemingway, senior journalism fellow at Hillsdale College and editor-in-chief at The Federalist, about a recent report that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is rethinking his involvement in politics. We also discuss the media’s role thus far in the 2024 presidential campaign. And Miranda Devine, columnist at the New York Post and a contributor at Fox News, lays out the network of government organizations that help protect the reputation of the Biden family as described in her new book The Big Guy: How a President and His Son Sold Out America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 27, 202451 min

Michael Walsh Exposes the Corporate Media

Guests: Paul Moreno, Michael Walsh, & Elizabeth Edwards Spalding Host Scot Bertram talks with Paul Moreno, the William and Berniece Grewcock Chair in Constitutional History, professor of history, and dean of social sciences at Hillsdale College, about Kamala Harris’s proposed reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court. Michael Walsh, journalist and screenwriter, discusses the dangers of the evolving media landscape and his new book Against the Corporate Media: Forty-two Ways the Press Hates You. And Elizabeth Edwards Spalding, ’88, chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and founding director of the Victims of Communism Museum, tells us about her work and accepting Hillsdale College’s 2024 Elizebeth Smith Friedman Freedom Award.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 20, 202446 min

Joel Pollak’s Roadmap For Trump's First 100 Days

Guests: Gary Wolfram, Joel Pollak, & Dutton Kearney Host Scot Bertram talks with Gary Wolfram, the William Simon Professor of Economics and Public Policy, director of economics, and professor of political economy at Hillsdale College, about Kamala Harris’s proposed tax on unrealized capital gains. Joel Pollak, senior editor-at-large at Breitbart News, lays out his vision for a potential Trump presidency and discusses his new book The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days. And Dutton Kearney, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, concludes a series on James Joyce and the Modernist literary movement, finishing with a meditation on Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 13, 202449 min

Victor Davis Hanson Decodes the Harris Campaign

Guests: Victor Davis Hanson & Tevi Troy Scot Bertram talks with Victor Davis Hanson, the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale College and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, about efforts by Kamala Harris' campaign to keep her record out of public conversation and what he considers to be the keys to the presidential campaign. And presidential historian Tevi Troy discusses the historical relationship between American presidents and powerful CEOs as catalogued in his new book The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 6, 202450 min

Todd Bensman Reports on the Border Crisis

Guests: Charles N. Steele, Todd Bensman, & Michael Francisco Host Scot Bertram talks with Charles N. Steele, associate professor of economics and Herman A. and Suzanne S. Dettwiler Chair in Economics at Hillsdale College, about his work as chair of Hillsdale’s new Center for Commerce & Freedom. Todd Bensman, fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies and author of Overrun: How Joe Biden Unleashed the Greatest Border Crisis in U.S. History, gives a field report from his recent visit to the high-traffic Darién Gap. And Michael Francisco, ’04, partner at First and Fourteenth, discusses his time as a clerk on the United States Supreme Court and how Hillsdale helped him succeed in law.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 30, 202449 min

Ivan Pongracic Lived Through Communism

Guests: Ivan Pongracic & Anne R. Keane Host Scot Bertram talks with Ivan Pongracic, professor of economics and William E. Hibbs/Ludwig von Mises Chair of Economics at Hillsdale College, about growing up in communist Yugoslavia and his role in Hillsdale’s new online documentary course Marxism, Socialism, and Communism. And Anne R. Keene takes us inside her recent book, The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II, and discusses the art of biography.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 23, 202444 min

America’s Most Consequential Political Conventions

Guests: Joseph Postell, Trent England, & Kevin Gerstle Host Scot Bertram talks with Joseph Postell, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, about the history of America’s most memorable and consequential political conventions. Trent England, founder and executive director of Save Our States, discusses the flawed marriage of the movements to implement a national popular vote and ranked-choice voting. And Kevin Gerstle, associate professor of mathematics at Hillsdale College, describes the history and evolution of cryptography.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 16, 202447 min

Victor Davis Hanson Recaps Donald Trump’s Political Comeback

Guests: Victor Davis Hanson & Newt Gingrich Host Scot Bertram talks with Victor Davis Hanson, the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale College and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, about the stakes of the 2024 presidential election and the new material in the re-release of his book The Case for Trump. And we play excerpts from a recent lecture from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich titled "What to Do About the DOJ?," delivered at a Hillsdale College National Leadership Seminar in Florida.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 9, 202445 min

Megan Basham: How the Left Infiltrated America’s Churches

Guests: John W. Grant & Megan Basham Host Scot Bertram talks with John W. Grant, associate professor and chairman of Politics at Hillsdale College, about the political ramifications of the works of Karl Marx and Hillsdale’s new online documentary course Marxism, Socialism, and Communism. And Megan Basham, culture reporter at The Daily Wire, discusses how progressive powerbrokers set out to co-opt evangelicals for political purposes and her new book Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 2, 202444 min

Jennifer Strickland Reclaims Womanhood

Guests: Jonathan Gregg, Jennifer Strickland, & Jason Peters Host Scot Bertram talks with Jonathan Gregg, assistant professor of education at Hillsdale College, about the outdated nature of the teacher certification process. Jennifer Strickland, founder of U R More and host of the I AM A WOMAN Podcast, discusses the gender confusion in our world today and her new book I Am a Woman: Taking Back Our Name. And Jason Peters, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, continues a series on novelist, poet, and cultural critic Wendell Berry, this time diving into his fiction and poetry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 26, 202450 min

John J. Miller Wants More Conservatives In Journalism

Guests: John J. Miller, Jeremy Carl, & Dutton Kearney Host Scot Bertram talks with John J. Miller, Director of the Dow Journalism Program at Hillsdale College, about the history and importance of conservative journalism and his recent article on the subject. Jeremy Carl, senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, discusses the shifting racial regime in America and his new book The Unprotected Class: How Anti-White Racism Is Tearing America Apart. And Dutton Kearney, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, continues a series on James Joyce and the Modernist literary movement, this time diving into A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 19, 202446 min

Randy Barnett Chronicles the History of Originalism

Guests: Joseph Postell & Randy E. Barnett Host Scot Bertram talks with Joseph Postell, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, about the origins and development of political conventions. And Randy E. Barnett, Patrick Hotung Professor of Constitutional Law at Georgetown University, chronicles his own development as a constitutional scholar and champion of Originalism and discusses his new memoir A Life for Liberty: The Making of an American Originalist.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 12, 202444 min

Independence Day Special: The Constitution

Guests: Ronald J. Pestritto, Hadley P. Arkes, & David Azerrad Host Scot Bertram talks with Ronald J. Pestritto, dean of the Graduate School, professor of Politics, and Charles and Lucia Shipley Chair in the American Constitution at Hillsdale College, about his lectures in Hillsdale's Constitution 101 Online Course. Hadley P. Arkes, Edward N. Ney professor of Jurisprudence and American Institutions Emeritus at Amherst College, describes the natural law roots of our Constitution. And David Azerrad, assistant professor and research fellow at the Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College, shows how the Constitution's preamble serves as a "political mission statement" for the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 5, 202448 min

The Early Statesmanship of James Madison

Guests: Matthew Spalding & Joy Pullmann Host Scot Bertram talks with Matthew Spalding, vice president of Washington Operations and dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College, about the life and impact of James Madison before his presidency. And Joy Pullmann, executive editor at The Federalist, reveals the efforts by activists to replace patriotism with loyalty to queer politics and shares details from her new book False Flag: Why Queer Politics Mean the End of America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 28, 202451 min

Mary Margaret Olohan Shares the Untold Stories of Detransitioners

Guests: Courtney Meyet, Mary Margaret Olohan, & Pat Sajak Host Scot Bertram talks with Courtney Meyet, Chairwoman and Associate Professor of Chemistry, about a recent discovery of helium gas in Minnesota. Mary Margaret Olohan, senior reporter for The Daily Signal, tells the often-ignored stories of young people who reverse "gender affirming" hormone treatments and shares details about her new book Detrans: True Stories of Escaping the Gender Ideology Cult. And we hear excerpts from Hillsdale College’s 2024 Commencement by Pat Sajak, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Hillsdale College and former host of Wheel of Fortune, on the subject of civility and lifetime learning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 21, 202447 min

Wilfred McClay Chronicles How the Cold War Changed America

Guests: Wilfred McClay, Scott Walter, & Jordan Hintz Host Scot Bertram talks with Wilfred McClay, the Victor Davis Hanson chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale College, about major events during the Cold War as featured in the “All Thoughts and Things Were Split” chapter in his book Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. Scott Walter, president of Capital Research Center, describes the vast network of dark money operations influencing American politics and his new book Arabella: The Dark Money Network of Leftist Billionaires Secretly Transforming America. And Jordan Hintz, head coach of the Hillsdale College Shotgun Sports Team, updates us on the squad’s recent success at the national level. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 14, 202450 min

The Life and Imagination of Ray Bradbury

Guests: Richard Samuelson, Jonathan Eller, & D.G. Hart Host Scot Bertram talks with Richard Samuelson, Associate Professor of Government at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C., campus, about the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Jonathan Eller, chancellor's professor of English at Indiana University's School of Liberal Arts and author of a three-volume biography on Ray Bradbury, discusses Bradbury’s life and legacy in writing. And D.G. Hart, associate professor of history at Hillsdale College, completes a short series on the life and works of journalist and cultural critic H.L. Mencken. This week, Hart focuses on Menken's political views.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 7, 202454 min

Christianity and the American Republic

Guests: Miles Smith IV & Batya Ungar-Sargon Host Scot Bertram talks with Miles Smith IV, assistant professor of history at Hillsdale College, about the relationship between church and state in the early American Republic and his new book Religion & Republic: Christian America From the Founding to the Civil War. And Batya Ungar-Sargon, opinions editor at Newsweek, catalogues the betrayal of America’s working class and discusses her new book Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 31, 202444 min

Mark Moyar Exposes Our Corrupt Bureaucracy

Guests: Mark Moyar & Jason Peters Host Scot Bertram talks with Mark Moyar, the William P. Harris Chair of Military History at Hillsdale College, who provides an insider’s view of the federal bureaucracy’s corruption and its failures to protect employees from retaliation, as detailed in his new book, Masters of Corruption: How the Federal Bureaucracy Sabotaged the Trump Presidency. And Jason Peters, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, continues a series on the life and work of farmer-poet Wendell Berry. This time, Peters summarizes Berry's views on technology and gives insight on his essay titled "Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 24, 202450 min

Corey DeAngelis Wants to Fund Students, Not Systems

Guests: Kathleen O'Toole, Corey A. DeAngelis & Kelly Scott Franklin Host Scot Bertram talks with Kathleen O'Toole, Assistant Provost for K-12 Education at Hillsdale College, about the difficulties classical schools face in finding locations for their schools and her article "The Hidden Barrier to School Choice." Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at The American Federation for Children and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, explains the roots of the parent-led movement to reform our education system and discusses his new book The Parent Revolution. And Kelly Scott Franklin, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, returns for his series of Great Moments in the Great Books. This time, he dives into the etymology sections of Herman Melville's Moby Dick.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 17, 202453 min

Victor Davis Hanson Describes How Civilizations Perish

Guests: Victor Davis Hanson & Mark F. McClay Host Scot Bertram talks with Victor Davis Hanson, the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale College and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, about civilizations that were completely destroyed by war and his new book The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation. And Mark McClay, assistant professor of Classics at Hillsdale College, discusses the religious rites of the ancient cult of Bacchus and his book The Bacchic Gold Tablets and Poetic Tradition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 10, 202446 min

Rediscover the Beauty of Classical Music

Guests: Hyperion Knight & Jeffrey A. Tucker Host Scot Bertram talks with Hyperion Knight, concert pianist and Distinguished Fellow at Hillsdale College, about his upcoming Hillsdale College Online Course The History of Classical Music: Pythagoras through Beethoven. And Jeffrey A. Tucker, founder and president of the Brownstone Institute, discusses the life and legacy of Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises and tells us what advice von Mises might have for our current times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 3, 202443 min

Scott Atlas Holds the Medical Establishment Accountable

Guests: Scott Atlas & John Daniel Davidson Host Scot Bertram talks with Scott W. Atlas, MD, Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in health policy at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University and fellow at Hillsdale College’s Academy for Science and Freedom, about the long-term impact of the COVID lockdowns and his co-authored report “COVID Lessons Learned: A Retrospective After Four Years.” And John Daniel Davidson, senior editor at The Federalist, discusses the rise of anti-Christian forces in the United States and his book Pagan America: The Decline of Christianity and the Dark Age to Come.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 26, 202448 min

Wilfred McClay Surveys the 1920s

Guests: Wilfred McClay, Glenn Ellmers, & Dutton Kearney Host Scot Bertram talks with Wilfred McClay, the Victor Davis Hanson chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale College, about America’s rapid changes during the 1920s and his book Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. Glenn Ellmers, Salvatori Research Fellow at the Claremont Institute, describes the life and work of Charles R. Kesler and a collection of essays he co-edited on the subject titled Leisure With Dignity: Essays in Celebration of Charles R. Kesler. And Dutton Kearney, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, continues a series on the work of James Joyce. On this episode, Kearney discusses Joyce’s short story collection Dubliners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 19, 202448 min

John Burtka Wants to Train Statesmen

Guests: John J. Miller, John A. Burtka IV, & Andrew Russell Host Scot Bertram talks with John J. Miller, director of the Dow Journalism Program at Hillsdale College and author of Reading Around, about proposals around the country to institute taxpayer-funded "news voucher" systems to support local news reporting. John Burtka, president and chief executive officer of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, describes the lost art of training statesmen and discusses his new edited collection of historical essays on statesmanship, Gateway to Statesmanship: Selections from Xenophon to Churchill. And Andrew Russell, associate professor of biology at Hillsdale College, continues a conversation on biofilms and his work on the applications of the compound zingerone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 12, 202442 min

Previewing the Total Solar Eclipse

Guests: Timothy Dolch, Todd Starnes, & Dwight Lindley Host Scot Bertram talks with Timothy Dolch, associate professor of physics at Hillsdale College, regarding what we should know about the upcoming total solar eclipse and how to access the DLITE radio probe built by Hillsdale students. Todd Starnes, columnist and national radio host, lays out the efforts to undermine the United States and discusses his new book, Twilight's Last Gleaming: Can America Be Saved? And Dwight Lindley, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, finishes a series on the life and works of Charles Dickens with A Tale of Two Cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 5, 202445 min

Karol Markowicz on Winning the Battle For Our Children

Guests: Karol Markowicz & Richard Samuelson Host Scot Bertram talks with Karol Markowicz, columnist at the New York Post and host of The Karol Markowicz Show, about her recent visit to Israel and the what’s changed since the release of Stolen Youth: How Radicals Are Erasing Innocence and Indoctrinating a Generation, a book she co-authored. And Richard Samuelson, associate professor of Government at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C. Campus, leads us through the life and accomplishments of America's sixth President, John Quincy Adams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 29, 202442 min

Paul Tice Reveals What ESG is Really About

Guests: Miles Smith, Paul Tice, & Jason Peters Host Scot Bertram talks with Miles Smith, assistant professor of history at Hillsdale College, about America’s steady loss of confidence and his article “Decline is a Choice.” Paul Tice, Wall Street veteran and cultural commentator, explains the long-term dangers of ESG investing and his new book The Race to Zero: How ESG Investing will Crater the Global Financial System. And Jason Peters, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, introduces us to the Kentuckian poet and essayist Wendell Berry and discusses one of his most well-known works, The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 22, 202452 min

David Diener Explains How Technology Affects the Classroom

Guests: David Diener & Jeffrey E. Paul Host Scot Bertram talks with David Diener assistant professor of education at Hillsdale College, about the proper role of technology inside the classroom and what benefits might be achieved with a low-tech approach. And Jeffrey E. Paul, research professor in the Social Philosophy Center of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, dives into the history and origins of the American Progressive movement and discusses his new book, Winning America’s Second Civil War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 15, 202442 min

Victor Davis Hanson Warns of Cultural Collapse

Guests: Victor Davis Hanson, Jay W. Richards, & Jeremiah Regan Host Scot Bertram talks with Victor Davis Hanson, the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale College and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, about America’s recent decline and his article “A Culture in Collapse.” Jay W. Richards, director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family at The Heritage Foundation, discusses the unlikely coalition of believers and non-believers against gender ideology and his new book Fight the Good Fight: How an Alliance of Faith and Reason Can Win the Culture War. And Jeremiah Regan, recent graduate of the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship at Hillsdale College, summarizes his dissertation on the manly virtues of the American Founding.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 8, 202451 min

Allen Guelzo on Lincoln’s Vision of Democracy

Guests: Allen C. Guelzo, & Dutton B. Kearney Host Scot Bertram talks with Allen Guelzo, senior research scholar at the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University and one of America’s foremost experts on Abraham Lincoln, about his new book on Abraham Lincoln’s ideas and beliefs about democracy, titled Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment. And Dutton Kearney, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, begins a series on James Joyce and the Modernist literary movement, starting with a brief biography of Joyce.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 1, 202449 min

Mollie Hemingway Chronicles the Attack on Our Elections

Guests: Mollie Hemingway, Brandon J. Weichert, & Benedict Whalen Host Scot Bertram talks with Mollie Hemingway, senior journalism fellow at Hillsdale College and editor-in-chief at The Federalist, about challenges in our election system and the phenomenon of “Zuckerbucks.” Brandon J. Weichert, a geopolitical analyst and author, discusses the October 7th terror attack and his new book The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. And Benedict Whalen, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, provides an overview of the legacy of John Milton’s Paradise Lost.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 23, 202449 min

Brad Wilcox Says Get Married and Be Happy

Guests: Justin Jackson & Brad Wilcox Host Scot Bertram talks with Justin Jackson, chair and professor of English at Hillsdale College, about Hillsdale’s new online course on the Book of Exodus. And Brad Wilcox, professor of sociology and director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, discusses why marriage is an important aspect of living a healthy, successful life and his new book Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 16, 202442 min

Khalil Habib Reflects On Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America'

Guests: Khalil Habib, Tracy Lee Simmons, & Andrew Russell Host Scot Bertram talks with Khalil Habib, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, about Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and which of his observations about America ring true today. Author and journalist Tracy Lee Simmons discusses the decline of culture and his book On Being Civilized: A Few Lines Amid the Breakage. And Andrew Russell, associate professor of biology at Hillsdale College, describes his research into biofilms and beer taps. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 9, 202448 min

Amity Shlaes Asks, “What Would Coolidge Do?”

Guests: Paul Moreno, Amity Shlaes, & D.G. Hart Host Scot Bertram talks with Paul Moreno, the William and Berniece Grewcock Chair in Constitutional History and professor of history at Hillsdale College, about the life and legacy of groundbreaking baseball player Jackie Robinson on the anniversary of his birth. Amity Shlaes, chair of the Coolidge Foundation and author of Coolidge, explains president Calvin Coolidge's legacy and how he navigated challenges like ours today. And D.G. Hart, associate professor of history at Hillsdale College, continues a series on the work of H. L. Mencken. This time, he focuses on Mencken’s dedication to the principle of free speech.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 2, 202450 min

Kevin Portteus on the History of the Presidential Nomination Process

Guests: Kevin Portteus, J. Michael Waller, & Haley Strack Host Scot Bertram talks with Kevin Portteus, professor of politics and director of American Studies at Hillsdale College, about how and why the presidential nomination process was developed. J. Michael Waller, senior analyst for strategy at the Center for Security Policy, details how DEI initiatives have taken over the CIA and FBI before discussing his new book, “Big Intel: How the CIA and FBI Went from Cold War Heroes to Deep State Villains.” And Haley Strack, the William F. Buckley Fellow in Political Journalism at National Review and a 2023 Hillsdale graduate, updates us on the mining and energy beat and recalls her strange experience of visiting an active uranium mine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 26, 202445 min

Roger L. Simon Reports on His New Red-State Life

Guests: David Azerrad & Roger L. Simon Host Scot Bertram talks with David Azerrad, assistant professor and research fellow at Hillsdale’s Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C., about keeping faith in the future of the American republic and his article “Against the Black Pill.” And Roger L. Simon, award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and columnist for The Epoch Times, explains why so many Americans are moving to red states and discusses his new book American Refugees: The Untold Story of the Mass Migration from Blue to Red States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 19, 202444 min

Joel Pollak on the Link Between Anti-Americanism and Antisemitism

Guests: David Diener, Joel Pollak, & Parker Thayer Host Scot Bertram talks with David Diener, assistant professor of education at Hillsdale College, about the philosophy of education and Hillsdale’s unique approach. Joel Pollak, senior editor-at-large at Breitbart News, explains the link between Anti-Americanism and antisemitism. And Parker Thayer, investigative reporter at Capital Research Center and Hillsdale College alumnus, reveals how charities secretly help win elections.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 12, 202450 min

Scott Atlas Has a Way Forward for Public Health Reform

Guests: Scott Atlas, Christopher S. Busch, & Joseph Cella Host Scot Bertram talks with Scott Atlas, Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in health care policy at the Hoover Institution and fellow at Hillsdale College's Academy for Science and Freedom, about common-sense reforms to America's Health bureaucracy and his article “Today’s Public Health Emergency: Restoring Trust With Seven Steps." Christopher S. Busch, English Professor at Hillsdale College, finishes a series on the life and work of poet Robert Frost. And Joseph Cella, former United States Ambassador and founder and principal at The Pontifex Group, explains what an ambassador really does and how a transition team helps a new President adjust to his new role.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 5, 202454 min

The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour End-of-Year Extravaganza

Host Scot Bertram recaps 2023 behind-the-scenes at The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour, unveils the most-listened-to shows of the year, and previews some of what is to come in 2024. Later, we talk with Bill Gray, chief marketing officer and vice president for marketing, about why the Hillsdale College Podcast Network exists, what the plans are for the future, and how you can help support podcasts and audio at Hillsdale College in 2024. To learn more about Hillsdale's commitment to defend and uphold the principles and practices of liberty and to preserve free government for future generations, and to find out how you can get a Hillsdale College Christ Chapel Ornament, please visit hillsdale.edu/newyear.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 29, 202327 min

A Hillsdale College Christmas

Guests: Dwight Lindley, Jordan Joseph Wales, & Timothy McDonnell Host Scot Bertram continues a conversation with Dwight Lindley, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, about Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Jordan Joseph Wales, John and Helen Kuczmarski Chair and associate professor of Theology at Hillsdale College, discusses the Christian doctrine of The Trinity and the concept of personhood. And Timothy McDonnell, associate professor of Music at Hillsdale College, describes the history and ideas behind the Christmas Eve service of Lessons and Carols.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 15, 202341 min

The Meaning of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"

Guests: Dwight Lindley, Joy Pullmann, & Richard Samuelson Host Scot Bertram talks with Dwight Lindley, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, about Hillsdale’s new online course on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Joy Pullmann, executive editor at The Federalist, discusses the benefits of a classical education and her essay "Schools That Teach The Classics Instead Of Marxism See Exponential Growth." And Richard Samuelson, associate professor of government at Hillsdale in D.C., tells us the story of American statesman Henry Clay.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 8, 202347 min

Matthew Spalding Has a Plan to Educate Citizens

Guests: Matthew Spalding, Timothy P. Carney, & D.G. Hart Host Scot Bertram talks with Matthew Spalding, vice president of Washington operations and dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale in D.C., about a recent article he wrote on how the United States should educate its citizens. Timothy P. Carney, senior political columnist at the Washington Examiner, discusses the demographic dangers of America’s dropping birthrates and his upcoming book Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be. And D.G. Hart, associate professor of history at Hillsdale College, begins a short series on the life and works of journalist and cultural critic H.L. Mencken.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 1, 202348 min

Thanksgiving at Hillsdale College

Host Scot Bertram talks with Bill Gray, chief marketing officer and vice president for marketing, about the culture of thanks at Hillsdale College, the impact Hillsdale has had on his own life, and how to include Hillsdale in your Giving Tuesday plans. To learn more about Hillsdale's commitment to our country's founding principles, read George Washington and Thomas Jefferson's Thanksgiving proclamations, and watch a special address from Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn, visit our Thanksgiving landing page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 24, 202318 min

Miranda Devine Follows Up on "The Laptop from Hell"

Guests: Matthew Mehan & Miranda Devine Host Scot Bertram talks with Matthew Mehan, associate dean and assistant professor of government at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C. campus, about the battle over parental rights and his article “More Schools Playing the Parental Role, But Not for the Good of Students.” Miranda Devine, columnist at the New York Post and Fox News contributor, dives into recent developments in the now-infamous “laptop from hell” and her book Laptop from Hell: Hunter Biden, Big Tech, and the Dirty Secrets the President Tried to Hide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 17, 202343 min

The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour Veterans Day Special

Guests: Patrick Whalen, Thomas Conner & Peter Jennings Host Scot Bertram talks with Patrick Whalen, operations assistant to the president at Hillsdale College, about the unique qualifications that veterans bring to teaching and his article "Veterans Make Good Teachers." Thomas Conner, History professor emeritus at Hillsdale College, walks through the history of the American Battle Monuments Commission and his book War and Remembrance: The Story of the American Battle Monuments Commission. And Peter Jennings, associate professor of Leadership studies and Brouwer D. and Jane E. McIntyre chair in Business Administration at Hillsdale College, discusses leadership, service and Anton Myer's novel Once an Eagle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 10, 202346 min

Jon Fennell: A Rationale for Classical Education

Guests: Jon Fennell, Joe Kennedy, & Christopher Busch Host Scot Bertram talks with Jon Fennell, professor emeritus of education at Hillsdale College, about the reasoning for classical education and his article for Principia titled “An Epistemological Rationale for Classical Education.” Joe Kennedy, author of Average Joe: The Joe Kennedy Story, describes the years of difficult litigation behind his victory for religious liberty in front of the Supreme Court. And Christopher Busch, professor of English at Hillsdale College, continues his series on the poet Robert Frost, this time discussing the themes and images in his work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 3, 202349 min