New Kids on the Blockade

The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Commentary Magazine

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 5.1K Ratings

🗓️ 13 April 2026

⏱️ 73 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Contributing editor Eli Lake is back to discuss the collapse of the Islamabad talks and the announced American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump picking a fight with the pope, the collapse of Eric Swalwell's gubernatorial campaign, and the emerging troubles for Republicans in the midterm elections. Plus, John recommends The Audacity on AMC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the best.
0:07.0	Expect the words.
0:10.0	Some drink and may.
0:12.0	Some die of birds.
0:14.0	The way of knowing which way it's going.
0:17.0	Hope for the best.
0:19.0	Expect the worst. Welcome to the best and spend the worst.
0:21.1	Welcome to the Commentary Magazine Daily podcast.
0:26.0	Today is Monday, April 13th, 2026.
0:29.1	I am John Potth Hortz, the editor of Commentary Magazine.
0:32.5	We have a full house today with executive editor,
0:35.6	A. Greenwald. Hi, Abe.
0:37.2	Hi, Jim. Social commentary column Hi, Abe. Hi, Jim. Social commentary columnist
0:39.6	Christine. Rosen. Hi, Christine. Hi, John. Washington Free Beacon editor, Eleana Johnson. Hi,
0:45.3	Eliana. Hi, Eleana. Hi, John. Senior editor, Seth Vandelle. Hi, Seth. Hi, John. And joining us today,
0:52.2	contributing editor, host of the Breaking History podcast, columns at the free press, Eli Lake. Hi, Eli.
0:59.3	Hi, John. Okay. Ceasefire, negotiations, Pakistan, 21 hours. J.D. Vance comes out, says the Iranians have nothing to say to us. We'll concede on
1:16.0	nothing. We'll move on nothing. Donald Trump announces a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz,
1:23.0	which sounds counterintuitive, but we're going to get to why it is exactly not counterintuitive.
1:28.5	And here we are Monday morning.
1:31.3	Trump always unexpected gets into a fight with the Pope last night.
1:42.4	Eric Swalwell is out of the governor's race in California after 48 hours of bad publicity.
	...

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