The Dispatch Podcast

Latest Episodes:

George W. Bush Paints E Pluribus Unum Apr 30, 2021

Show notes

Former President George W. Bush has done a number of interviews recently to promote his new book, “Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants,” but none have covered as many topics as Sarah Isgur and Steve Hayes covered with him on The Dispatch Podcast. President Bush touches on everything from his strategy going into painting a portrait, the impact immigrants have on the United States, the future of the Republican Party, and even President Biden’s massive spending spree in his first 100 days in office.

Show Notes:

-“Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants” by George W. Bush

-Transcript of our interview with former President George W. Bush

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The First 100 Days Apr 28, 2021

Show notes

Today’s episode starts off talking about every political junkie’s favorite arbitrary threshold, a presidential administration’s first 100 days. Hear what everyone thinks are the Biden administration’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. The gang debates what’s the most important aspect of the John Kerry leaking info to Iran story and how the U.S. Census will affect our politics and our country going forward. Then, stick around to hear if everything has gone to [BLEEP].

Show Notes:

-Vice President Joe “put y’all back in chains” Biden

-President Joe “worse than Jim Crow” Biden

-Biden likes the FDR comparisons

-Iran’s Foreign Minister, in Leaked Tape, Says Revolutionary Guards Set Policies - New York Times

-U.S. Census Report

-TMD on the census

-Advisory Opinions podcast page

-The Remnant podcast page

-Stirewalt’s latest from The Dispatch

-The G.O.P. Is Getting Even Worse - David Brooks

-Latest French Press

-New York Post reporter claims she was forced to write fake story, resigns

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Sentencing Derek Chauvin Apr 23, 2021

Show notes

Now that Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murder, what happens next? Sarah flies solo on today’s podcast in an interview with former United States Attorney in the Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Zach Terwilliger to talk about just that. Sarah and Zach break down all of the legal jargon you may hear about this case and explain what to watch out for next in Derek Chauvin’s sentencing. Plus, Zach offers some advice to all of the wannabe federal prosecutors out there.

Show Notes:

-Zach Terwilliger Bio Page

-Judge in Chauvin case talking about Maxine Waters

-Definitions of manslaughter and degrees of murder

-Minnesota Supreme Court/Chauvin case explainer

-Women’s hockey coach assault case

-Advisory Opinions podcast

-DOJ announcement on Minneapolis PD

-5 Minutes with Michele Roberts

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A Guilty Verdict in Minneapolis Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

People across the political spectrum had all sorts of different reactions to Officer Derek Chauvin being found guilty on all three charges in the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Jonah says most of those reactions have been far from encouraging, “While a lot of the right-wing reaction makes me ashamed and embarrassed and infuriated and disgusted … a lot of the left-wing reaction, or a lot of the MSNBC reaction, has been very bad, too.” Plus, the gang also discusses Biden’s plan to withdraw from Afghanistan and how the news of Officer Brian Sicknick’s cause of death will affect the history of January 6, and Chris Stirewalt explains the Cook Political Report’s new Partisan Voter Index.

Show Notes:

-Derek Chauvin found guilty

-The 1619 Project

-David’s French Press on racism in America, adopting a black daughter

-President Biden’s remarks on withdrawing from Afghanistan

-Latest casualty status from the Defense Department

-Cook Political Report’s Partisan Voter Index

-Latest Sweep from Sarah, Chris, and Andrew

-Officer Brian Sicknick dies of stroke

-Sohrab Ahmari’s tweet on January 6

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Jesus and Evangelical Politics Apr 16, 2021

Show notes

Sarah and David (who is stepping in for Steve this week) talk to the author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, Kristin Du Mez, about how the definition of masculinity for white Evangelical men has had a damaging impact on the whole country. “Once you have the eyes to see this, it’s hard not to see its pervasive reach,” she said. “The politics and the faith are so intertwined, and that’s what I try to pull through, those threads, and see how the influence really does go back and forth.” Plus, find out what friendly, neighborhood, sweater-wearing, former PBS television star is surprisingly not impressive to the mainstream Evangelical community.

Show Notes:

-Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation

-Kristin’s Blog “The Anxious Bench”

-Kristin’s next book on Christian femininity announcement

-Kristin’s Twitter

-Donald Trump riding a velociraptor

-Kristin’s Faculty page at Calvin University

-“A Man For All Seasons”

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Johnson & Johnson Vaccine on Hold Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

This week, the FDA decided to pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine following reports that six women—of the nearly 7 million Americans who have received the J&J vaccine—developed serious blood clots after getting the jab. Is pausing the vaccine worth the tradeoffs? Will the FDA’s move fuel vaccine hesitancy? Sarah, David, Chris and Jonah give us the scoop. Today, our hosts also chat about New York Times columnist Ross Douthat’s latest piece on what Bidenism owes to Trumpism, the GOP’s First Amendment retribution against woke corporations, and what Democratic pollsters have learned from their poor electoral forecasting leading up to the 2020 election.

Show Notes:

-“What Bidenism Owes to Trumpism,” by Ross Douthat in the New York Times.

-“Confronting 2016 and 2020 Polling Limitations” by Pew Research Center.

-“How Trump Steered Supporters Into Unwitting Donations” by Shane Goldmacher in the New York Times.

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The Treasure of the Scout Mindset Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

Are you a “scout” or a “soldier”? What do those terms even mean? In Julia Galef’s new book, The Scout Mindset, she argues the scout mindset is underrepresented in today’s world. “The scout’s role, unlike the soldier, is not to go out and attack or defend,” she says. “It’s to go out, and see what’s really out there as clearly as possible and to put together as accurate a map of the territory or a situation as you can.” Plus, listen closely for Steve’s John McLaughlin impression and why Julia believes bouncing between Airbnbs is way better than signing an actual lease.

Show Notes:

-“The Scout Mindset” by Julia Galef

-Rationally Speaking Podcast

-Julia Galef on Twitter

-Julia’s TED Talk

-The Dispatch Manifesto

-Dr. Tom Gilovich

-Julia’s Twitter thread about Airbnbs

-Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality

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Defining Infrastructure Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

If it’s a day that ends in “Y” in Washington, it’s probably a day during “infrastructure week.” The gang talks about President Biden’s infrastructure bill and debates whether or not it’s fair to call it an “infrastructure” bill. Plus, what should the U.S. do about the continued aggression coming from China and Russia, and the differences in voting laws in Georgia and Colorado. Finally, the controversy surrounding a 60 Minutes piece on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and whether or not “media bias” is the worst it’s ever been.

Show Notes:

-POLITICO’s Playbook on infrastructure

-What is Starlink?

-TMD on Russian aggression in Ukraine

-Danielle Pletka’s latest for The Dispatch on Chinese aggression towards Australia

-Oriana Skylar Mastro on The Remnant

-The Washington Post Editorial on boycotting the Olympics

-Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia/Colorado voting laws comparison

-60 Minutes and Gov. Ron DeSantis - Poynter

-Trump donors - The New York Times

-“Why Being ‘Anti-Media’ Is Now Part Of The GOP Identity” - FiveThirtyEight

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Mick Mulvaney and the Reasonable Nutjobs Apr 02, 2021

Show notes

In a wide-ranging conversation spanning from his time working in the Trump White House, to his early days as a leader in the House Freedom Caucus (which we learned was supposed to be called the “Reasonable Nutjob Caucus), Mick Mulvaney talks with Sarah and Steve about his life in politics. During the conversation, Mulvaney opines on John Boehner’s new book, what being chief of staff is actually like, whether or not he would have voted to impeach Donald Trump after January 6 and more. Plus, stick around for some tough questions from his fellow South Carolinian Trey Gowdy.

Show Notes:

-Mick Mulvaney on Twitter

-John Boehner’s book excerpt from Politico

-If He Loses, Trump Will Concede Gracefully - WSJ

-Indiana Jones character or Mick Mulvaney?

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Infrastructure Push and Bumpy Roads Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

President Biden introduced a massive $2 trillion infrastructure plan in Pittsburgh, and the gang is wondering what type of fight the GOP is going to put up against the bill. Steve asks, “You’d think this might be something Republicans would object to and fight pretty strongly. Are you getting the sense that Republicans will do that?” To hear everyone’s dejected response to that question, just hit the play button. Other topics discussed are whether or not vaccine passports are a good idea, the first rumblings of 2024 presidential politics, and, finally, religion in America and what the growing number of “nones” means for the country’s future.

Show Notes:

-The latest version of The Sweep (read the whole thing!)

-Politico polling on infrastructure plan

-Israel’s vaccine passport protocols

-Echelon Insights 2024 presidential polling

-U.S. church membership falls below majority for first time - Gallup

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