The Ricochet Podcast

The contemporary social planner seems to favor all sorts of peoples' movements—except for the kind that involves automobiles, driven by citizens away from dense urban cores into the suburbs that they can afford. Today, Joel Kotkin (author of The Human City and The Coming of Neo-Feudalism) joins the podcast to discuss the new class of urbanists who brim with ideas for a city that won't work for the people meant to occupy them. Plus, Steve, James and Charlie quibble over Tuesday's debate, and they reflect on another 9/11 anniversary. - Soundclip from this week's open: Donald Trump and David Muir from ABC's Trump/Harris debate.

They say Labor Day marks the ordinary American's starting point for following a particular election cycle, setting off a scramble for undecides by campaigners and a busy couple of months for pollsters. Henry Olsen returns to discuss where things stand in the presidential race as we head toward the first debate; he offers some potential outcomes that will determine the extent of the Republican majority in the Senate; and he expands on his piece about the populist parties' successes in eastern Germany, explaining "Ostalgie," and detailing the adjustments mainstream parties will have to make if they want to maintain stability in the West. Plus, James and Charlie are emphatically pro-Churchill. - This week’s opening sound: Darryl Cooper's take on Winston Churchill in an interview with Tucker Carlson.

It's a big legal stuff week for Donald Trump. Naturally, we phoned our pal Andy McCarthy. Andy brings breaking news on Judge Merchan’s sentencing schedule, his hot take on Jack Smith’s superseding indictment in the election interference case, and adds a detailed reaction to Mark Zuckerberg’s admission of acquiescing to censorship pressure from government officials. Plus: Charlie, Steve, and James weigh in on Harris's airy interview, wonder (again) who's running the country, and ramble on the many curiosities to be found in Iceland—from cute cuisine and baffling museums to monuments of the anonymous meddlers that make up the amorphous blob. - Sound this week: CNN’s Dana Bash “grills” Kamala Harris with multiple choice quiz.

The Democratic National Convention Dance Party has come to a close. Now that they’ve had time to overcome the disappointment that Beyonce didn’t show, Steve, James, and Rob are left wondering: can the left pull off the continuity/new path forward message they’ve settled on? Plus, with Rob back, we’re treated to a story about his attempt to win the ’92 election with the help of Murphy Brown and Rush Limbaugh; along with a few tips on making it out of the Amazon fully intact.

We've heard it said, "Go woke, go broke," but is it really panning out that way? This week Fox Business's Charles Gasparino joins James, Steve, and Charlie Cooke to say exactly that in his fittingly titled book Go Woke, Go Broke: The Inside Story of the Radicalization of Corporate America. Plus, the hosts break down the absurdity of Kamala Harris's economic proposals and joyful gaslighting; they enjoy basking in the warm summer sun, and challenge Ricochet members to a friendly round of Fantasy Football.

There's a lot of joy in the air. Or so we're told by the Jolly Dad VP nominee Tim Walz. To step past the vibes for a moment, we talk with John H. Hinderaker, president of the Minneapolis-based Center of the American Experiment. He takes us through the methods and policies of Governor Walz, which reveal a less-than-pleasant character. Plus, he sticks around with James, Steve, and "Lucretia" to discuss the 50th anniversary of Richard Nixon's departure from the White House.

Yuval Levin joins James, Rob and John Yoo to remind us of the Constitution's unifying purpose in the era of polarization and mutually held suspicions between the parties. His latest book, American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation―and Could Again, disputes the prevailing pessimism as well as passive optimism, settling instead on a hopeful case for American coalition building. Plus, the hosts discuss Kamala Harris's strange campaign strategy of running on "her" record, wonder why the kids are skeptical of abundance, and consider the appeal of 15-minute cities.

Back in 2002, Ruy Teixeira took note of demographic trends that spelled good news for the Democratic Party's 21st-century prospects. Just two decades after the release of The Emerging Democratic Majority, he found himself wondering something else entirely: Where Have All the Democrats Gone? With what appears to be the coronation of Kamala Harris, he and the gang consider how pessimism, disorderliness, and faculty lounge talk have thrown America's political coalitions for a loop. Plus: Steve, James, and Rob finally get a chance to respond to the news that broke shortly after they wrapped last week; they make a couple of predictions for the VP's VP pick; and James calls on all Ricochet rhythmists to send the songs! (Buck Dharma kicks things off with "End of Every Song") - Opening sounds: Bibi Goes to Washington, Biden “Becomes” Washington, Kamala cracks up

Another crazy week in American politics, another milestone. The Ricochet Podcast hits the 700-episode mark, and the chatter continues. Ann Coulter drops in — more briefly than expected, due to technical issues — to give us her hot take on the Republican National Convention. Then James, Steve, and Rob debate the Republican platform for the 21st century, find common ground on brass bands and Doric columns, and reflect on the passing of Bob Newhart. - Opening sound this week: Trump makes his acceptance speech, Fox 32 (Chicago) talks pollingNEW

Joe Biden is adamant about staying in the race. It's a fitting move for the leader of a party that has lost its long-held advantage in voter identification. Beyond the Polls host Henry Olsen joins James, Rob and Steve Hayward to dive into the Democratic Party's dilemma, the global political realignment, and the here-to-stay Populist Era. - This week’s audio: A trio of Biden gems in a week full of them

Whoever decided to place a presidential debate smack dab in the middle of the Supreme Court's decision calendar was either crazy or a genius. It not only gives us plenty to talk about but it gives a certain podcaster the rare opportunity to praise Donald Trump (Yes, really.) The Powerline men, John Yoo and Steve Hayward join Rob and Peter to review the debate and parse the thinking of the high court.

Victor Davis Hanson is back! He joins Rob and Steve Hayward to discuss his latest must-read book, The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation. Aside from the cheery discussion on civilization obliteration, the trio finds their way into digressions spanning the cameos of great men in the Old Testament to the spectacular blunders of the modern era. Is there any hope to be found in this eleventh hour? Listen in to find out. - Audio from this week's podcast: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says clips of a deteriorating Joe Biden are “cheap fake videos.”

Steve Hayward, Rob, and James enjoy gazing at political upheaval from a safe distance this week, as Europe wrangles with its own game of Elites vs Peeps. The boys swap anecdotes, a couple of historical tidbits, and toss in a few predictions for the EU's future. Then they bring it back home to parse why the corporate world seems to be toning down on Pride merch and marketing this year. - This week’s sound: Reform Party’s Nigel Farage questions Tory MP Penny Mordaunt on the government’s immigration policy (ITV News)

Business may be booming these days for the great Andy McCarthy, but the judicial corruption and cockamamie prosecutions are all a bit wearying. Nonetheless, he has time to join his Ricochet Podcast buddies to discuss the lawfare against the former president, the ever-waning confidence in an impartial justice system, and the political consequences that will result. James, Rob, and Charlie Cooke also argue about the slump of the entertainment industry.

In writing his memoir, Glenn Loury recognized the game that would go on between author and reader. To get his audience to trust him as a person, he'd confess his past misdeed and defects in character; to gain your confidence in his integrity as a thinker, he'd have to acknowledge the many times he's changed his mind on the stances he's taken. Today he joins to James, Rob and Steve Hayward to explain himself. The hosts also consider the broken pier in Gaza, compare this administration's incompetence with past calamities, plus last weekend's IDF strike in Rafah and the tent camp fire. - This week’s audio: Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh on whether or not the Gaza pier was a failure.

The Ricochet Podcast is back, and jam-packed with chatter on sex, comedy, food and fun... and the lack thereof we find among our postmodern youth. Noah Rothman, author of The Rise of the New Puritans, returns to discuss the war on fun in America along with the war on Hamas in Gaza. Plus, James, Rob and Steve Hayward show their age as they canvass the finer points of flag etiquette. - Sound from this week's open: ABC’s Terry Moran with Sen. Dick Durbin’s comments on the Justice Alito flag “controversy.”

In 2020 ordinary parents learned an important lesson: the so-called public school system felt perfectly free to ignore the public's wishes. This set in motion a backlash that's breathed new life into the school choice cause. Corey DeAngelis has paid close attention, and he joins Rob, Peter and James to explain the political whirlwind as laid out in his new book, The Parent Revolution: Rescuing Your Kids from the Radicals Ruining Our Schools. The fellas also cover the peculiar controversy of a Catholic commencement speech delivered at a Catholic university; along with the latest instances of an inept Democratic Party which seems determined to help its top opponent.

John Yoo returns to the Ricochet Podcast, joining James and Rob for a discussion on prosecutorial overreach. The gang cover the unprecedented lawfare being waged against a former president, and consider the executive statesmanship that's kept the lawyers in check over our history. Plus there's some discussion of Biden's move to withhold congressionally approved arms to an ally at war; and, naturally, John has a few things to say about porkchops, bacon and Texan barbeque. - This week’s sound: Donald Trump comments from outside the NYC courtroom and Joe Biden reads the stage directions from the teleprompter.

H.R. McMaster joins James, Peter and Steve Hayward to discuss the Biden administration's feckless policy on the war in Gaza; he explains Hamas' battalion strength and the IDF's delayed invasion of Rafah, along with the political balancing act that's keeping the president from doing what he must. Plus, the hosts enjoy the overdue campus crackdowns and consider the Trump campaign's pitch for a return to normalcy.

Just James, Peter and Rob this week to wade through the disaster that has become of American higher education. Naturally, the essential question arises: what do we do about these once-prestigious institutions? The Ricochet trio think it through.