Commentary Magazine Podcast

Can we ever enjoy ourselves again? That's the question the podcast crew says was raised by the lame commercials at last night's Super Bowl—and by the continuing efforts of the public-health bureaucracy to tell us we will never emerge from the COVID regime. Give a listen.

The Commentary podcast on the risks in the new stimulus, Ben Sasse’s admonition of his state’s Republicans, and warmth of the spotlight on public health officials.

Here’s the good news: The House Republican conference voted overwhelmingly against punishing Rep. Liz Cheney for her vote to impeach Donald Trump in defiance of the GOP’s populist wing. Here’s the bad news: That same conference also gave Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene a standing ovation and is disinclined to anathematize her conspiratorial paranoia. So, is everything completely terrible or just really bad? The COMMENTARY podcast debates the proper level of despair.

Have liberals finally had enough? Are they going to break discipline once they get the vaccine and stop insisting everyone wear three masks? And why does the Biden administration not want to participate in legal action against racial discrimination? Give a listen.

The podcast says Joe Biden's choice of negotiating with Republicans or ramming his own COVID deal through represents a hinge moment for his presidency only 13 days in! And the impeachment trial and what Donald Trump will require of Senate Republicans may be the historical hinge moment for the GOP. Give a listen.

Today's podcast raises the specter of a negotiation between the new president and ten Republicans who offer the possibility of a bipartisan deal on COVID relief. Will he take it as an opportunity to prove he can work across the aisle or view it as a political trap? Also, more on Andrew Cuomo's perfidy and Donald Trump's GOP blackmail. Give a listen.

The podcast goes at Andrew Cuomo hammer and tong as the whistle is blown by a fellow Democrat in New York state on his handling of the coronavirus. But that's not all! What about Trump and Kevin McCarthy? What about Nancy Pelosi's enemies list? What about hedge fund guys yelling on TV about people who have no right to invest the way they invest? Give a listen.

The COMMENTARY Podcast is not the place you want to turn for stock market tips but we do have something to say about the political and cultural meaning of the extraordinary events surrounding the Gamestop stock and the runup in its value. And we wonder at the Biden administration's foot-in-mouth disease when it comes to job-destroying executive orders. Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up the executive order frenzy of the new administration and Biden's embrace of critical race theory and the teachers' unions' view of how no school should reopen (watch this jaw-dropping video from the teachers union in Chicago) until they decide it's safe. And, of course, the looming Senate trial in the Trump impeachment. Give a listen.

Today's podcast asks whether the Democrats are both overplaying their hand politically and setting themselves up to seem like extremists in 2022 or whether Republicans in places like Oregon are setting up the GOP for disaster because of their embrace of conspiracy theory and lies. And what does this mean for the politicians who like to straddle fences? Give a listen.

Today's podcast gets into the COVID confusion of the moment and the continuing refusal of elected officials and public-health people to speak the simple truth about what they know and what they don't—and the fact that tradeoffs are difficult and painful and horrible. Also, the Biden administration gets tested abroad and the GOP continues to eat its own. Give a listen.

Today's podcast features the gang playing psychiatrist as we try to analyze the claim of a New York Times columnist that she has been in an emotional prison since the election of 2016. How will they get over their addiction to Trump hatred? And how will we be able to deal with the fact that our leaders in Washington now insist everyone wear masks but take theirs off at the least opportunity? Give a listen.

Today's podcast takes up Joe Biden's early executive actions and the complaints by his COVID czar that they've been left no plan to implement, which is a falsehood but politically very much in keeping with the way incoming administrations try to lower expectations. The question is: Will Biden go woke when his entire candidacy was a feint toward the non-woke? Give a listen.

Host of ABC’s “The View,” Meghan McCain, joins the podcast today to talk about Joe Biden’s inauguration as president, the fallout from the January 6 Capitol Building riots, and what it will be like to host a daytime talk show without President Trump.

Today's podcast takes up the surreal fact that Joe Biden will be president, and Donald Trump will not be president—and yet it still feels like Trump is the only news game in town and nobody cares what Biden will say or do. Also some football talk! Give a listen.