Ruthie Blum joins the podcast today to discuss the lessons of October 7—about Israel, about American Jewry, about anti-Semitism, about the Biden administration, about the hunger to blame Jews for their own misfortunes, about the hunger to blame Benjamin Netanyahu for the war, and about what the future of an America uncomfortable with military victo…

The Vance-Walz showdown was civil, friendly, and a complete slaughter. Who slaughtered whom? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Why is the administration remaining churlish and full of ceasefire talk relating to Israel and Hezbollah and Hamas? Why are there no papers on the Resolute desk? Why is Kamala Harris visiting a Washington office rather than a flood site? Why should Jimmy Carter be celebrated for being 100 when his record as president was terrible and his behavior t…

Dan Senor joins today's podcast to discuss Israel's series of staggering military and intelligence triumphs over evil this weekend and their long-term ramifications. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

What does it mean that hundreds took over the streets around Grand Central Terminal celebrating Hamas and Hezbollah before others went up Park Avenue to the hotel where Benjamin Netanyahu is staying and started chanting, "We're going to get you"? What does it mean that Kamala Harris is going to the border? What does it mean that Eric Adams wanted a…

Today's podcast examines Kamala Harris's day talking about the economy, first in a speech and then in an MSNBC interview, and comes away...unimpressed. But it wasn't the greatest day for Donald Trump either. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Jonathan Schanzer joins us today to evaluate the fast-evolving conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and what Israel's aims and goals are. Also, why can't the Biden-Harris administration support its ally's efforts to end terrorist attacks against it from the north? Too hard? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

There's something happening here; what it is ain't exactly clear. Six weeks until the election and Kamala Harris remains the least-known and least-substantive presidential candidate in American history. Can it remain that way? Can she glide to November? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Today's podcast does not look favorably on chin-scratching arguments about how the beeper and walkie-talkie attacks against Hezbollah somehow violate the "laws of war." Also, what's with attacking pollsters for reporting poll results you don't like? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Aside from Oprah having a Kamala lovefest, the political story of the day involves attacks on Donald Trump's words about American Jews. These attacks seem peculiarly related to polling showing the Republican candidate making startling inroads into the Jewish vote, which could have a significant impact in the key state of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, ac…

Today a full house discusses how Israel might be preparing for a war in its north, whether we've mistakenly bought into recent polling about Kamala Harris's progress, the potential political effect of the Fed rate cut, and more. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Jonah Goldberg joins the podcast to discuss the amazing Israeli attack on Hezbollah operatives yesterday before going into rank punditry about the relative standings of Harris and Trump. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Today's podcast looks at the disgraceful media effort to equalize the Ohio migrant story with the Trump assassination story and what it says about the media and about us. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

The second Trump assassination attempt conjures up memories of the period in 1975 when Gerald Ford was targeted twice in 18 days. Are we entering a period of domestic political violence similar to the one during which Ford was nearly killed? Or is 2024 different? And what will the Jewish community do to protect its own with violent assaults now hap…

Today's podcast features Eli Lake discussing with our crew the question of why America seems determined to prevent our allies in Ukraine and Israel from actually winning the wars we are actually supporting, preferring stalemate and ceasefire to victorious conclusion. Why? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Noah Rothman makes another surprise guest appearance on the podcast he founded back in 2015! It's Day Two of a conversation about the fallout from the presidential debate, which garnered a colossal audience and therefore demands a discussion about whether Donald Trump can afford not to debate a second or even third time after his loss on Tuesday. G…

Bad moderators. Bad candidates. Who won on points. Who won overall. Why will it matter. Will it matter? Will there be more? All questions we attempt to answer in one admittedly wild, lunatic podcast. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

What's going to happen tonight, and how is it like Battlestar Galactica? The answer may surprise you! Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

The political world was strangely rocked by a New York Times/Siena poll showing Trump with a one-point national lead, 48-47—leading Democrats and the media to worry openly that her momentum is gone. We explain why that might be the case, with a stop in Pittsburgh at the most politically divisive spice store in America as the dubious location for Ha…

Donald Trump talks about the economy while Tim Walz says pro-Hamas protestors are right to protest and Israel is defending itself in the wrong way even though it supposedly has the right to defend itself. And we conclude our week-long discussion of our own Christine Rosen's very important new book, The Extinction of Experience. Give a listen.…

Today we're joined by former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman to discuss his plan for Israel's future as articulated in in his new book One Jewish State. Then we get into the state of the race: Trump sounds pretty good, Kamala's policies sound incoherent, and both Walz and Vance are just plain bad. Give a listen…

Tucker Carlson and a guest of his blame Winston Churchill for World War II. Thomas Friedman blames Bibi Netanyahu for the murder of the hostages. These are just some of the outrages we discuss on today's podcast, along with a conversation around our own Christine Rosen's new book, The Extinction of Experience. Give a listen.…

What exactly is it the protestors in Israel and the media in the United States and Joe Biden actually want out of Israel? It appears they want the country to give up the strategic high ground it holds near Gaza in pursuit of a "deal" no one really believes can be struck. We talk about that, and we talk also about our own Christine Rosen's new book,…

Dan Senor joins us to take the temperature of the Israeli body politic in the wake of the heartbreaking and disgusting news involving the slaughter of six hostages in Rafah, including the American Hersh Goldberg-Polin. What will Israelis demand of their government? What can Israel do? And will the compliant media allow Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to…

The interview, everybody! It was 27 whole minutes of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz! Was it joyous? Did she become president by acclamation? We gathered in its immediate wake to provide our perspective, our grades, our sense of the vibes, and the general question of whether this was the first or the last interview she will ever sit for. Give a listen.…

National polling shows Kamala Harris in the lead but battleground-state polling shows pretty much a tie between her and Donald Trump in the places that will decide the election. How to explain this, and how to explain the controversy over Trump laying a wreath at Arlington Cemetery? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Adam White joins us today to talk about the re-indictment of Donald Trump relating to January 6 and whether the new effort by the special prosecutor answers the Supreme Court's ruling earlier this summer. But first: She's being interviewed! But not alone! Why not alone? And what will interviewer Dana Bash do? Give a listen.…

A full house on today's podcast shows how the press is attempting to cover for Kamala Harris's silence on issues through hilariously banal teen-fan-magazine coverage, and whether Donald Trump is now moving to take advantage of that silence. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Jonathan Schanzer joins us today to talk about Israel's action to prevent a massive barrage of Hezbollah missiles raining down on the Jewish state and the bizarre fact that so many are acting as though it has "escalated" a conflict that Hezbollah has been waging against Israel unilaterally since October 8—rather than staging an action that stopped …

The Democrats had themselves a convention, they're really happy, Kamala Harris spoke for a while and did fine, the media have gone absolutely bonkers for her entirely—shall we say—conventional speech, and can she keep up being this much of a cipher until Election Day? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Mark Halperin joins us to discuss Tim Walz's speech, Bill Clinton's rasp, Oprah Winfrey as childless cat lady, and whether the vibes are just getting too vibey. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

We dive deep into the visuals, music, and pageantry of the second day of the Democratic National Convention. Killer speeches by Doug Emhoff and Michelle Obama! Barack, condescending to Joe Biden and pretty much everybody else in America! And the best roll call of the states ever! Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

There was yelling, chanting, attacking, and speechifying. It was the first night of the Democratic National Convention. How do we think it went for Kamala Harris? And what do we make of Joe Biden's late-night farewell? We agree a little, disagree a little—and, yes, we complain. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Today's podcast previews the Democratic convention, with a focus on media slavishness, whether the Democrats are now high on their own supply, and why history suggests they should not be so confident that Kamala Harris will hit it out of the park when she speaks on Thursday. Also: Some questions we'd like to see answered. Give a listen.…

We're back with a normal podcast in which we discuss Donald Trump's "press conference," Kamala Harris's "economic proposals," and the negotiations over a "hostage deal," and Minouche Shafik's "resignation." Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

John and Abe talk about what goes into putting together an issue of COMMENTARY, using the July/August issue as an example. From the commissioning of articles to the editorial and production stages to the practical constraints of print and the kind of decisions that shape each issue—it's all covered. Give a listen.…

In this podcast, we talk about works of science fiction that have meant a lot to us, whether short stories or novels. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Today we talk about our favorite memoirs and the effect they've had on us. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Today we discuss speeches—historical, modern, American, or otherwise—that have had particular significance for each of us. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Today's podcast evaluates the Trump press conference yesterday and whether he met the moment, and considers whether things have taken a potentially startling turn in the Middle East. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Eli Lake joins us to take the temperature of the Tim Walz Era—are the stories about his service dangerous for him or dangerous for Republicans who want to use them? And what about Kamala Harris's engagement at a rally with pro-Hamas protestors—did that go well for her or does it suggest trouble ahead? Give a listen.…

Mark Halperin joins us today to evaluate the introduction of Veep candidate Tim Walz and the question of the role of Jewishness or his lack thereof in his selection. And what is Donald Trump doing, exactly? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Dan Senor joins us to discuss the Democratic VP pick and what it says about the party and its vanguard and what it means to be a Jewish Democrat in 2024. Also, is there a reason to think the impending Iranian response to Israel won't be as horrifying as many fear? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Two guests today, for the first time on the COMMENTARY podcast! Jonathan Schanzer joins to talk about the Middle East and David Bahnsen joins to talk about the bad day in the market and what it portends. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Our old pal Noah Rothman comes back on the podcast today to discuss whether and how to celebrate the release of American prisoners from Russian jails and how this might tie in to the question of Israel's handling of its own prisoner swaps—one of which led directly to October 7. And a fearless prediction is made about the Republican ticket. Give a l…

In his appearance before a group of black journalists, Donald Trump gave massive offense on the matter of Kamala Harris's racial and ethnic origins. Was this a fatal error—or was he trying to surface a conversation about the elite's use of identity politics that will help his campaign and hurt Harris? Give a listen.…

Today we dive into Israel's same-day operations to take out Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Lebanon and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. What will Kamala Harris say about the killing of two terrorists enemies of Israel and the U.S.? Oh, and there's the Trump campaign's operation that killed Project 2025! Give a listen.…

Today's podcast focuses on Joe Biden's shocking proposals for remaking the Supreme Court, why they're so awful, and what they suggest about whom the American people should hold accountable for the delegitimization of our institutions. Also, which party is the weird party, really? Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

Dan Senor joins the podcast to reckon with the horrible attack on the Druze town in the Golan Heights and what it means for Israel and the region—and, more specifically, what Kamala Harris's silence on the matter in the first 36 hours after it happened portends for her campaign. Give a listen.Af Commentary Magazine

In her first major statement as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris announced she would not "be silent" about supposed Israeli depredations in Gaza. Didn't take long! Also didn't take the media long to begin creating a castle in the air for their new queen to live in, and to dig a grave for the Republican vice presidential nominee. Gi…