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The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast

Episode 101: Last Branch Standing — with Sarah Isgur

The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast

National Review

Music, News, Arts, Music History, Books, Politics

5.01000 Ratings

🗓️ 14 April 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On episode 101, Charles talks to Sarah Isgur about her new book, 'Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today's Supreme Court.' What is the role of the Court? Do Americans understand it? Why has it survived? Do the justices get along? Why does everyone hate Citizens United? Is it a paradox that to get the Court to change the law one often has to break the law?

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to Room 101.

0:05.0

Well, all right, not quite Room 101.

0:22.3

Well, all right, not quite Room 101, but episode 101 of the Charles C.W. Cook podcast.

0:31.1

I was away last week in Tampa. I went to Bush Gardens and I got to ride a dear old friend of mine called Cumba,

0:41.4

old roller coaster from 1993, absolutely magnificent.

0:45.1

I'm a bit nervous, they're going to take it out, so I was pleased to get another ride.

0:51.8

And I got to take my 10-year on my 8 year old wasn't quite tall enough

0:57.1

which was very upset about I promised I'd take him back when he is but my 10 year old was and there

1:04.0

was no one there so we got to go on the back and then we got to go on the front without even going

1:08.8

back through the line.

1:12.0

So that was fun.

1:16.8

Went down to Bonita Springs, saw some family friends.

1:21.1

I had a grand old time on the west coast of Florida,

1:24.0

but I'm back now in northeast Florida.

1:28.3

And my guest today is... My guest today is...

1:32.3

My guest today is Sarah Isgar, who is the editor of Skotus blog, the host of the

1:43.8

advisory opinions podcast, and the author of Scotus blog, the host of the advisory opinions podcast, and the author of a new book titled Last Branch Standing.

1:52.8

Sarah, welcome to the Charles C.W. Cook podcast.

1:55.7

Wow, the title sounds so nice in British. It really does.

2:03.6

Well, I'm available to read the audiobook. Oh, yeah.

2:12.7

I mean, lost instead of last. Yeah, it's good. Well, and I speak slowly, so I sort of... It lingers. Let it run. Yeah. Last branch. Anyhow. So I want to ask you why it's the last branch standing.

2:21.0

But before we get there, the Supreme Court just had oral arguments in a case about birthright

...

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