The Secrets of Statecraft

Latest Episodes:

The Architect: Karl Rove on Politics and History | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

Karl Rove started his career as a political consultant, eventually helping George W. Bush get elected Governor of Texas and later, President of the United States. In this conversation, Rove discusses his rise through the business of politics, his days in the White House, and his current career as a historian.

David Cameron’s Relationship with History | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

David Cameron was well prepared to be the British prime minister from 2010 to 2016, after receiving a first-class education at the hands of top historians. He explores how much his schooling in history affected the decisions he took when called upon to make it.

Unwrapping the Enigma, Mystery and Riddle: Stephen Kotkin Explains Russia to Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

Understanding the psyche of Russia and the Russians has bewildered Westerners for generations; foremost expert Stephen Kotkin gives some penetrating insights into how to do it.

H. R. McMaster in Peace and War Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

Distinguished combat commander Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster speaks about his time as President Trump's National Security Adviser, American mistakes during the Vietnam War, his belief in learning from the past to help to think strategically about the present, and finally he discusses what the Biden Administration is getting wrong and right about the Russo-Ukrainian War.

How History Shaped Dr. Condoleezza Rice Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

From murderous Jim Crow–era Birmingham, Alabama, via the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, to the defeat of Soviet Communism, the past has had a powerful influence over the worldview of Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former national security advisor and secretary of state. She also comments on the life and career of the late Mikhail Gorbachev.

The Statecraft and Spycraft of MI6’s former Chief Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

Sir Richard Dearlove was Chief of Operations of MI6 from 1996 to 1999, and its Chief - known as 'C' - from 1999 to 2004. He speaks of the effect of Kim Philby's treachery on the Service, Cold War victories against the KGB, James Bond and John Le Carré, and the rosy prospects for British Intelligence post-Brexit.

The Historical Heritage of Bibi Netanyahu Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

Bibi Netanyahu grew up in a household in which historical discussion and debate was constant, as his father was a distinguished professional historian. Here he discusses what effect the past has had on his life and career.

Seventy Years on the Throne: Robert Hardman Explains Queen Elizabeth II’s Statecraft Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

On the occasion of her unprecedented platinum jubilee, Queen Elizabeth’s biographer and star Daily Mail reporter Robert Hardman discusses her use of soft power in Britain’s unwritten constitution.

Peter Robinson on the Art of Writing Ronald Reagan’s Speeches May 16, 2022

Show notes

Ronald Reagan was famously known as the Great Communicator. But who helped the Great Communicator communicate? One of them was Hoover Institution Research Fellow Peter Robinson, who wrote Reagan's “Tear Down This Wall” speech — one of the most famous speeches of the twentieth century. If you have ever been asked to deliver a speech in public (or even if you haven’t), listen to a master of the genre Peter Robinson speak of the humor, honesty, and honing involved in writing over 150 speeches for a U.S. President.

The Influence of the Past on President Iván Duque of Colombia Apr 27, 2022

Show notes

In his struggle against the FARC guerrilla movement and his efforts to transform Colombia economically, President Iván Duque has had advisors at his side who include Simon Bolivar and Winston Churchill.

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