The Dispatch Podcast

Latest Episodes:

What Remains of Conservatism | Interview: Jay Nordlinger May 19, 2025

Show notes

Jay Nordlinger, formerly of National Review and the author of the Onward and Upward Substack, joins Jamie Weinstein to discuss President Donald Trump’s MAGAfication of the GOP. They explore themes of corruption, transparency, American exceptionalism, and the evolution of the Republican Party, while reflecting on the legacy of conservatism and the future of conservative journalism.

—The first 100 days
—Andrew Jackson 2.0?
—The Middle East tour
—Stories about Bill Buckley
—The future of conservative journalism

Show Notes
—Jay’s farewell post at National Review
—Jay’s Substack

The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠⁠The Dispatch⁠⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including members-only newsletters, bonus podcast episodes, and regular livestreams—⁠⁠click here.

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Mr. Trump in the Middle East | Roundtable May 16, 2025

Show notes

Michael Warren is joined by Jonah Goldberg and Grayson Logue to discuss the ongoing trade war with China and Trump’s newest aviation toy.

The Agenda:
—Scott Bessent or Peter Navarro?
—What to make of the 90-day pause with China
—Golden calf foreign policy
—Trump meets with Qatar but skips Israel
—Leaving America because of fascism?

The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including members-only newsletters, bonus podcast episodes, and regular livestreams—⁠click here.

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Trump vs. Harvard | Interview: Harvey Mansfield May 12, 2025

Show notes

Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield joins Jamie Weinstein to discuss the Trump administration’s fight against Harvard and its protest culture on campus.

The Agenda:
—Harvard’s lefty culture
—Are Jewish students safe on campus?
—Let’s stick to the Constitution
—Elites in democracy
—Defining successful studentsShow Notes:
—Professor Mansfield's columns in the Crimson

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Vengeance Agenda | Roundtable May 09, 2025

Show notes

Jonah Goldberg and David French join Sarah Isgur to discuss the emerging concept of “abundance” among Democrats while the current administration torpedoes the economy with tariffs.

The Agenda:
—Three bodies and two dolls
—Abundance Democrats and no progress
—No one’s talking about DOGE anymore
—Big beautiful bills
—ICE raids in D.C.
—Oh no for au pairs
—Ross, Marc, and super-woke employees
—NWYT: Alcatraz?

The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dispatch⁠⁠⁠⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including members-only newsletters, bonus podcast episodes, and regular livestreams—⁠⁠⁠⁠click here.⁠

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‘Donald Trump Is FDR’ | Interview: Batya Ungar-Sargon May 05, 2025

Show notes

Jamie Weinstein is joined by self-proclaimed “MAGA lefty” Batya Ungar-Sargon to defend Donald Trump's first 100 days as president and explain how a "lefty" can be MAGA.

The Agenda:
—Batya’s MAGA journey
—MAGA Reaganites vs. MAGA lefties
—Batya on The Fifth Column
—Exporting American exceptionalism
—Trump’s first 100 days
—Trump’s meme coin
—North Korea style worship
—“Trump sees a tariff like a Swiss army knife.”
—Immigration and due process The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠⁠⁠The Dispatch⁠⁠⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including members-only newsletters, bonus podcast episodes, and regular livestreams—⁠⁠⁠click here.⁠

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David Hogg and the Bully Test | Roundtable May 02, 2025

Show notes

Host Sarah Isgur and contractually obligated Jonah Goldberg are joined by Dispatch contributor Jesse Singal and Mike Pesca, host of The Gistpodcast to discuss the Democratic Party's identity crisis. Also: Singal broke news on The Dispatch about the Trump administration's transgender policy.

The Agenda:
—The cajun rages on
—Sarah is smarter than her son
—We all know a David Hogg
—The Dems should thank Trump for the 80/20 issues
—The Trump administration and transgender health care for kids
—2026 Senate map
—Ross Douthat worries about the end of humanity

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Let's Talk About SCOTUSblog Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

On this special livestreamed conversation, Steve Hayes and Sarah Isgur discussed our recent acquisition of SCOTUSblog and chatted with the newest Dispatcher, Amy Howe, about our plans to build out an extended universe of legal coverage and all things Supreme Court.

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Surviving Trump’s Tariffs | Interview: Josh Barro Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

Jamie Weinstein is joined by Josh Barro, author of the Very Seriousnewsletter and co-host of Serious Trouble, to explain everything wrong with Donald Trump’s tariff regime.

The Agenda:
—You can’t undo uncertainty
—What does Trump really believe about tariffs?
—Reinventing trade alliances
—Political consequences for a recession
—Will America rebound?
—America’s debt crisis

Show Notes:
—Flexport CEO Ryan Peterson on The Dispatch Podcast

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They Never Believed Any Of It | Roundtable Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

Sarah Isgur, David French, Steve Hayes, and Jonah Goldberg discuss President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and his staggered attempts to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.

The Agenda:

—Trump says 'STOP!' to Russia

—Of course President Zelensky is being difficult in negotiations

—Vice President Mike Pence as an influencer and Vice President J.D. Vance as an enabler

—MAGA makes money off Russian bots

—'NASA is fake and gay'

—What is even going on anymore?

The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including members-only newsletters, bonus podcast episodes, and regular livestreams—click here.

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How Democracies Fall and Rise | Interview: Larry Diamond Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

Jamie Weinstein is joined by sociologist Larry Diamond to explain how democracies rise and fall and what history might tell us about Donald Trump’s slouch towards tyranny.

The Agenda:

—Signs of a democratic crisis

—Weaponizing the government

—Missing the forest for the trees

—Trump 1.0 vs. Trump 2.0

—‘Trump isn’t a fascist, he’s a golfer’

—All the president’s men

—When to be concerned

Show Notes:

—Diamond: The Crisis of Democracy Is Here

—Diamond’s Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency

—Judge Wilkinson’s rebuke of Trump admin