Commentary Magazine Podcast

What is the principle at stake if Republicans pursue a raw exercise of power over Democratic objections to confirm a new justice to the Supreme Court? We’re not sure. But it’s also possible that the equilibrium some fear might be overturned by such a course of action doesn’t exist because there is no normal anymore.

The podcast reflects on the life of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and discusses the nervous breakdown to which Democrats have succumbed following her death.

Today's Noah-less podcast features the Commentary crew's horrified disbelief at Alex Ross's astounding claim in the New Yorker that American classical music originates from white supremacy, moves on to the justice or lack thereof in the coming ban on Chinese social media platforms in the United States, and then judges Joe Biden's town hall performance on CNN. Give a listen.

With Noah Rothman out today, we podcasters are joined by Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, polymath and creator of colorful metaphors, to discuss this important question: Does anything matter? Is the election still up in the air or is the result baked in the cake? To find out, give a listen.

The COMMENTARY crew is having none of the efforts on the part of some in the press to downplay historic developments in the Middle East. Also, the hosts debate whether Donald Trump’s performance during Tuesday night’s ABC News town hall was up to par.

The realignment of geopolitics in the Middle East has many fathers, and Donald Trump was only one of them. What the thaw in Sunni states’ relations with Israel means for America moving forward. Also, for all the talk of the president’s “white grievance” politics, he’s performing better among minority voters in polls than he did in 2016 while white voters are fleeing his coalition.

The media can't bear to report it, but the polling over the weekend shows movement toward Donald Trump and rising concern over urban unrest—and they're going hand in hand. Can the Biden people see what's happening or are they blinded by their press coverage? And we discuss Christine Rosen's important article, "You Will Be Re-Educated." Give a listen.

The 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has been met with a campaign to compare the deaths from that day to those attributable to the pandemic, which is rather gross. Also, is Donald Trump’s campaign showing signs of life? And, finally, film and television recommendations from the COMMENTARY crew.

President Donald Trump stares into the storm as revelations he himself gave to Bob Woodward about how he deliberately downplayed the threat posed by COVID-19 dominate the news. He is, as ever, his own worst enemy. Also, the absurd and highly politicized reports around how gatherings of Trump supporters (and seemingly only Trump supporters) represent a public health emergency.

From entertainment to the academy, the COMMENTARY podcast takes note of the many cultural institutions that are hoisting themselves on their own petards.

The violence in American cities has done nothing for Donald Trump’s polling. But if voters have determined that Biden is a remedy for urban unrest, among other things, and that remedy proves ineffectual, the counterreaction may be profound.

The madness continues, with the Antifa suspect in a point-blank assassination of a Trump supporter shot dead by federal marshals as police officers find themselves in the crosshairs in various cities—and Donald Trump is accused of calling dead Americans who served and died for their country "losers." We talk about what it all means—and why you should watch "Cobra Kai" on Netflix—on today's podcast. Give a listen.

Does anything we talk about on a daily basis really matter? The COMMENTARY podcast confronts the existential question: Maybe this election is already decided, and neither events nor campaign strategy can alter the trajectory of this race.

Is Donald Trump’s effort to brand Joe Biden both an agent of the chaos we’re seeing in American city streets and a champion of harmful and unnecessary pandemic-related restrictions working? The polls don’t seem to suggest as much.

Did Joe Biden help himself with his statement against violence and looting? Will Donald Trump help himself by traveling to Kenosha? Are the polls tightening? Is the violence going to get worse? It's our podcast. Give a listen.