The Dispatch Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Origin of Coronavirus Jun 04, 2021

Show notes

The politicization of the China lab-leak theory has only gotten worse as more and more information surrounding it comes out. To talk about why that is, and the merits of the theory itself, is Josh Rogin of the Washington Post. Rogin has been doggedly reporting on this very subject and even wrote a book about it.

Show Notes:

-Chaos Under Heaven by Josh Rogin

-Josh’s Twitter page

-Josh’s Washington Post page

-Josh’s story on unsafe Wuhan lab

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Our Afghan Interpreters Need More From Us Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

Last week this podcast talked about Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko scrambling a military jet to force down a Ryanair flight carrying a dissident journalist. Now, as more reporting reveals how involved Russian President Vladimir Putin was, Steve asks whether President Biden should be holding a summit with Putin in a few weeks. Also in the foreign policy vein, Jonah laments the fact that translators who have been helping the U.S. military in the Middle East aren’t able to get the help they need to remain safe. Plus, check out the discussion on the merits of ranked-choice voting and Ezra Klein’s interview with President Barack Obama.

Show Notes:

-Putin summit announcement

-Biden floats sending Iran money after 9/11

-Interpreters may be left behind

-How does ranked-choice voting work?

-TMD on New York City mayor’s race

-Ezra Klien interviews Barack Obama

-Obama’s ‘guns, religion’ line

-Then She Asked Me About Benghazi - Ben Rhodes

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Guns in America May 28, 2021

Show notes

King of the gun beat and founder of The Reload Stephen Gutowski joins Sarah and Steve to talk about all things gun related on today’s episode. The topic of guns induces plenty of passion, and comes with plenty of stereotypes and myths. Stephen, Sarah, and Steve talk about all of that, plus gun culture in America, the politics of guns, the NRA, and more. Stick around to the end to hear what Stephen thinks action movies are getting things wrong about guns.

Show Notes:

-Subscribe to The Reload

-Gun ownership rising

-Gallup historical polling on guns

-We’re out of ammo

-Stephen’s piece for The Dispatch

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The Politics of Stank May 26, 2021

Show notes

With Biden’s legislative agenda coming up against many roadblocks in Congress, Sarah, Steve, David, and Jonah debate which one of Biden’s main objectives will actually be made into law. Then, the gang explains even though Florida’s new “anti-Big Tech” law is likely to be unconstitutional, it could be a political win for DeSantis and anyone else who hitches their wagon to taking on Big Tech. Also in an extended, well-informed discussion about the violent crime spike, The Dispatch Podcast-ers talk about how we got in this situation, how to get out of it, and the politics of crime. Finally, Putin and leaders in Belarus have taken drastic measures to muzzle a journalist critical of the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, and the group discusses whether the threat of nuclear war is warranted to get the journalist back.

Show Notes:

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GOP Turns on January 6 Commission May 21, 2021

Show notes

After being the only candidate to run against Rep. Elise Stefanik in a bid to replace Rep. Liz Cheney as the No. 3 House GOP leader, Rep. Chip Roy joins Sarah and Steve in this week’s episode. This wide-ranging interview touches on the January 6 commission, how Republican voters perceive the party, the Cheney ousting, and potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates.

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The Politics of Israel and Palestine May 19, 2021

Show notes

The Israel/Palestine conflict has yet to cool down, but the rhetoric around the ongoing skirmish is heating up in the U.S. The gang talks about the pressure on Biden to help with the situation abroad. Plus, it seems as though a commission to look at the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 might not be getting much GOP support, if any at all. Sarah, Steve, David, and Jonah try to figure out who is to blame for that. David educates everyone on the abortion case the Supreme Court will be hearing, and the gang discusses the debate over the origins of COVID-19.

Show Notes:

-DNC boos Israel language

-January 6 was just a “normal tourist day”

-Pictures of Rep. Clyde blocking the doors into the Capitol

-Advisory Opinions on SCOTUS abortion case

-Historic polling on abortion - Gallup

-How Abortion Views Are Different - David Leonhardt

-Origins of Covid - Following the Clues

-Josh Rogin’s Twitter

-Don McNeil’s Lab Leak Story

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Liz Cheney Makes Her Case May 14, 2021

Show notes

Minutes after New York Rep. Elise Stefanik was elected the House GOP’s new conference chairwoman, her predecessor, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney joined Sarah and Steve on today’s show to chat about the 2022 midterms, the future of the Republican Party, and the factors that precipitated her ousting from GOP leadership. Tune in to hear Cheney talk to our hosts about her relationships with her colleagues and why she won’t stop pushing back against the former president’s claims that the election was stolen: “Fundamentally for me, at the end of the day, if being on House leadership on the Republican side requires the embrace of that lie, that’s not something I’m willing to participate in.”

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Republicans Make Their Choice May 13, 2021

Show notes

With so much going on in the news this week, it’s hard to pick one headline. Is it Liz Cheney being ousted from her leadership role for telling the truth? Or the fact that a major oil pipeline was attacked by ransomware? Or maybe the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine heating up and heating up fast? The gang discuss all of those topics and why a rise in independent voters may not actually be a good thing.

Show Notes:

-Cheney speech on the House floor

-Cheney after her removal

-Why more independents is actually bad

-Latest version of “The Sweep”

-“Doom” by Niall Ferguson

-The Remnant with Klon Kitchen

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House GOP Set to Oust Cheney May 07, 2021

Show notes

With Rep. Liz Cheney’s days as the No. 3 ranking House GOP official numbered, Sarah and Steve are joined by The Dispatch’s own Haley Byrd Wilt and Audrey Fahlberg to talk about what that means for the party. Next Wednesday, the Republican caucus will meet and a vote to oust Cheney is expected to take place. The four lay out what they see happening on Wednesday and what they expect the aftermath may be.

Show Notes:

-Haley’s latest Uphill

-Audrey’s piece from the GOP Orlando retreat

-Elise Stefanik on Steve Bannon’s show

-Ruthless Podcast

-Steve’s piece on the GOP leadership issues

-Liz Cheney’s op-ed in the Washington Post

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All By Herself May 05, 2021

Show notes

The fight over who is in and who is out within the GOP leadership has reached a boiling point. Rep. Liz Cheney, who survived a vote in February to oust her from her leadership position, may not be there much longer. Sarah and the guys break down what’s happening and how much of a chance Cheney has to survive another attempt to replace her. Also, the special election in Texas shows a weak spot for Democrats, Jonah asks the group if competitiveness even matters in the global economy, and the gang discusses what happens next in the fight against COVID-19 now that the U.S. seems to be hitting a vaccine hesitancy wall.

Show Notes:

-Steve’s piece on GOP leadership fight

-Former President Trump’s statement on Liz Cheney

-Audrey’s piece from the GOP retreat in Orlando

-Texas 6th District special election results

-The Sweep on the Texas 6th special election

-Declan’s piece on cancel culture

-Jonah’s column on the “New New Deal”

-“The Liberals Who Can’t Quit Lockdown” - The Atlantic

-Mali woman gives birth to not seven, but nine babies

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