The Dispatch Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Boris Johnson on U.K. Grooming Gangs and 'Performative Buffoonery' Jan 14, 2025

Show notes

Jamie Weinstein is joined by former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss his relationship with Donald Trump, the U.K. "grooming gangs," and his new book, Unleashed.

The Agenda:

—Jeremy Vine: My Boris Johnson Story

—Comparing Reagan and Trump

—Johnson’s relationship with Trump

—Elon Musk and the U.K.

—The U.K. grooming gangs

—“Superpower of soft power”

—Johnson’s alleged deal with Ukraine and Russia

—Putin and Zelensky

—Johnson on Queen Elizabeth II

—Leaders Johnson admires

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 weekly livestreams—click here.

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Groundhog Year | Roundtable Jan 10, 2025

Show notes

Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle joins Sarah Isgur, Mike Warren, and Steve Hayes to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s interesting (?) press conference and the media's rapid (yet possibly irresponsible) response.

The Agenda:

—Trump is back

—Sarah's Greenland-curious

—Zuck ends fact-checking program

—Our partner program with Meta

—All the lonely people

—The one influencer Steve tried remembering

—LA County fires: is it a policy issue?

—Blame the Republican In Closest Proximity

—Release the fact-checkers

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Trump’s Retribution | Interview: Matt Lewis Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

Unapologetic NeverTrumper Matt Lewis joins Jamie Weinstein to discuss the various “America on Fire” scenarios of the next four years and how history will judge President Donald Trump’s two terms.

The Agenda:

—Bret Stephens in NYT: Done with Never Trump

—Anger toward elites

—Best-case scenarios and worst-case scenarios

—How Kamala Harris’ campaign went wrong

—Trump’s criminal history

—“He’s got rizz,” as the kids say

—Trump’s minions

—Internal contradictions

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Syria, Taiwan, and the New Jersey Drones | Interview: Gen. David Petraeus Dec 23, 2024

Show notes

Jamie Weinstein is joined by David Petraeus—retired Army general, former CIA director, and author of Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine—to break down the latest out of Syria and weigh in on the unexplained drone situation in New Jersey.

The Agenda:

—Syria and Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham

—Striking Iranian nuclear sites

—Israel and Gaza

—Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

—The Taiwan strait

—Threat of nuclear escalation

—U.S. military involvement in Mexico

—The New Jersey drones

—The JFK files

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Can Elon Musk Deliver for Conservatives? | Roundtable Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

Sarah Isgur, Jonah Goldberg, and Steve Hayes discuss the latest potential government shutdown and whether we are about to enter an Elon Musk co-presidency.

The Agenda:

—Co-president Musk's fight against a debt deal

—Trump's presidential honeymoon

—Who gets blamed for a shutdown?

—Should conservatives be excited about DOGE?

—TikTok's divestment

—Is this a moral panic?

—Bret Stephens: "Done With Never Trump"

—NWYT: Modern Christmas music and Grinch remakes

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A New Syria? | Interview: Josh Rogin Dec 16, 2024

Show notes

Jamie Weinstein is joined by author and Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin to give context to the Assad regime’s fall and explain what’s next for the Syrian people.

The Agenda:

—Fall of Assad’s regime

—The refugee crisis

—Syria’s new government

—Christians in Syria

—Israeli relations

—Is there a famine in Gaza?

—Taiwan and China

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Private School Che Guevara Dec 13, 2024

Show notes

Does the praise of Luigi Mangione—the alleged assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson—say anything profound about Americans? Sarah Isgur, Jonah Goldberg, Steve Hayes, and Megan McArdle discuss.

The Agenda:

—Against 'But …'

—The acquittal of Daniel Penny

—Did Mangione get what he wanted?

—The lamest duck

—Age limits?

—The Great De-Wokening

—Syria and Iran

—NWYT: How journalism works

—Flagship debate redux

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Assad's Reckoning | Interview: Jonathan Spyer Dec 07, 2024

Show notes

Jamie is joined by Jonathan Spyer—director of research at the Middle East Forum and writer for the Jerusalem Post—to explain the insurgency in Syria.

The Agenda:

—Syria post-ISIS

—The fall of Assad’s regime?

—Lessons from Israel and Gaza

—Syrian Kurds

—Turkey’s interests in Syria

—Proxy War or Local Uprising?

—What should happen next?

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Populists of the World, Unite | Roundtable Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

Sarah is joined by Steve and Jonah to discuss the developments in Syria and South Korea, President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, and what the “Deep State” really is.

The Agenda:

—Syrian Civil War

—South Korea

—The populism moment

—The Hunter pardon

—Preemptive pardons

—Sarah and Steve’s Air Force Two stories

—What is the “Deep State”?

—NWYT: Real or fake Christmas trees?

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Defending Taiwan | Interview: Michael Mazza Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Michael Mazza, a senior fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute, joins Jamie to discuss the United States’ relationship with Taiwan relationship and what to do if China invades.

The Agenda:

—Responding to Lyle Goldstein's argument

—China’s military capabilities

—Consequences of Taiwan falling

—Taiwan’s chipmaking capabilities

—Nuclear war

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