The Commentary Magazine Podcast

John Ondrasik, the superstar pop-rock singer of "Superman" and "100 Years," joins the podcast today to discuss the latest with Iran, his own journey into pro-Israel activism, and the moral framework of American foreign policy and our armed forces. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2025

Donald Trump says he doesn't start wars; he ends them. That may be the promise made to him by the Israelis in the Iran matter—that an American strike against the Fordow nuclear site will be the ultimate act of peacemaking. And will be a great blow to the noisy but apparently ineffectual anti-war crowd on the right. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2025

The war on Iran seems to be reaching a climactic moment, and the question is what is best for America and for Israel in finishing the task. Also, why are Democrats so hungry to get arrested and to side with people who are openly flouting the law? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2025

We get metaphysical and spiritual on today's podcast as I ask whether we can see the hand of providence at work in the mission against Iran and the increasingly tough tone and line taken by Donald Trump as the hours pass. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

Israel's astounding success in the first days of the war with Iran, notwithstanding the blows it has taken from Iranian missiles, raises the question of whether the United States has an interest in helping bring the entire fight to an end by using its bunker-buster bombs to finish off Iran's nuclear sites. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2025

Israel hits Iran. That's it. That's the podcast. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2025

From the complicated issues raised by illegal immigration to broad-scale policies that distort the American economy, things are in need of repair and reform—and the problem is nobody really wants to repair or reform them. But we have to. How can we? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2025

The LA situation continues to dominate, as California Gov. Newsom takes to the airwaves to say that fascism has arrived in America and he's just the guy to stop it. Meanwhile, Los Angeles was put under a curfew because the lawlessness in the streets has overwhelmed the cops there. And the left is gathering force for an anti-Trump demonstration this weekend as Trump prepares to oversee a military parade. Who's going to look better after Sunday? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2025

Noah Rothman joins the podcast as we examine the ongoing street violence and theater in Los Angeles and the fact that the Democratic Party has now committed itself, it seems, to a posture in which they are supporting lawlessness and handing Donald Trump everything he would want in terms of the arguments he is making about their irresponsibility and lack of patriotism. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

As "protestors" set cars on fire, shut down highways, vandalize buildings, and attack law enforcement in California, Democratic politicians want you to believe all of this is the fault of Donald Trump for...enforcing federal immigration law? The question of whether this is a strategy, or a reason to bring out the straitjackets for an entire political party, is the subject of today's podcast. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

Elon Musk's anti-Trump meltdown yesterday is revelatory for a number of reasons: the inevitable clash of two Alphas; the tech-bro's arrogance about government meeting the hard reality of bare-knuckle politics; the problem of having an outlet for impulsive expressions of rage that may take a lifetime to overcome; and more. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2025

Today we examine Donald Trump's busy Wednesday—a new immigration ban from countries hostile to the United States, announcing an investigation into Biden's infirmities, denying student visas to Harvard, seeking to remove the accreditation of Columbia University, and more. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2025

The aftermath of the firebombings of Boulder Jews is a moment at which we can see, in stark relief, how the issues that have motivated the left over the past 20 years are not only threatening our social fabric but also at the core of the political changes in the United States, particularly as relates to men and the Democratic party. Give a listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2025

The firebombing of Jews in Colorado, following the firebombing of the governor's mansion in Pennsylvania and the murder of two Israeli embassy officials in DC, makes it unambiguously clear that the new motive force on the radical left and among radical Islamists is direct violent attack against Jews. What are we going to do about it? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

Here's why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2025

We close out the week on Donald Trump's pardons, picks, and tantrums and RFK Jr.'s AI-based report. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2025

Today Robert Pondiscio joins the podcast to discuss the progressive sabotage of K-12 schooling and talk about his article in the June issue of COMMENTARY, "How Wokeness Destroyed an Education Miracle." Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2025

The media efforts to make Americans oppose Trump's anti-illegal efforts are running straight into the buzzsaw of common sense. So too with efforts to portray the distribution of food aid in Gaza. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2025

Well, it took him long enough, but Donald Trump has now decided Vladimir Putin doesn't want peace. Who knew? Um...a lot of people? Plus, what's this about how Israel needs to wrap it up already? Give a listen. And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

On this special holiday episode, Matt Continetti and I sing the praises of the brilliant Disney Plus series Andor and explain how it remains compelling even when it plays around with political themes that might be offensive to some of us. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2025

Jonathan Schanzer joins the podcast to talk about efforts to combat the possible wave of anti-Jewish violence in America that might be triggered by the murders at the Capital Jewish Museum and whether the Trump administration's bludgeoning of Harvard is a wise strategy. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

Noah Rothman joins the podcast this morning to talk about the horrors in DC last night and how they connect to the increasing embrace of violence on the left after 2015—which accelerated after the George Floyd killing and is now manifesting itself not only in the assassination of a health-care executive by new radical folk hero Luigi Mangione but now in the deliberate targeting of a Jewish event at a Jewish site by a berserk far leftist. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2025

Mark Halperin joins the podcast today to talk about the continuing fallout from the Biden revelations, whether the "big beautiful bill" will pass, and whether Donald Trump's announcement of a new missile-defense system passes the smell test. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

Today Eliana Johnson joins us as we try to figure out what the real story is behind Joe Biden's tragic cancer diagnosis. And we discuss the media's group effort to look away, yet again. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

The horrible news about Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis—coming as it did amid the release of a new book about his infirmity as president—raises even more questions about who knew what and when. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2025

Democrats complain about oligarchs but are the party of the rich. Democrats talk about Trump as a pathological liar but are exposed having lied about Biden's infirmities. How are they going to compete with the energy of the GOP when they seem not to understand themselves? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

Dan Senor joins the podcast to discuss his remarkable June COMMENTARY cover story, "The Future of American Jewry After October 7." But first we talk about Trump's Middle East trip, Iran, Israel, and other stuff. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2025

The president gave a major speech in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that had uncomfortable echoes of Barack Obama's "apology" address in 2009—and with the same target: The idea that America should represent Western civilization and fight for it in the world. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

Tevi Troy joins us today to talk about his article, "In Praise of Big Pharma," but first we talk about Trump's trip to the Middle East and whether Israel will ever make its final push into Gaza. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

Today we talk about the U.S.-China tariff rollback, Trump's plan to reduce drug prices, the ongoing negotiations with Russia, Iran, and Hamas, and the appearance of daylight between the U.S. and Israel. And finally we get into Trump's desire for a Qatari  airplane and the multiple emoluments-related disasters that may lie ahead for the administration. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

Today's podcast welcomes the American pope, questions the value of deep-dish pizza, reminisces about old baseball days, and then gets serious about campus misbehavior. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025

Jonathan Schanzer joins us to talk about the Houthis, Israel, Iran, Qatar, dangerous negotiations, the universities, and side business deals. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

If you had a war between India and Pakistan on your 2025 bingo card, congratulations—because nobody else did, including the Trump administration. What are the possible consequences, and how will they interfere with Trump's trip to the Middle East in the coming days? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2025

Why is the president talking about putting tariffs on foreign films instead of attacking California's liberals and the way their management of the state is destroying the entertainment industry there? We talk about this and about just how crazy the month of May is going to be in the Middle East. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

John is out for the day, but the rest of us take up Donald Trump's wide-ranging appearance on Meet the Press, New York's hit piece on John Fetterman, and what to do about the undeterred Houthis. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2025

We promised and we delivered: Your questions, answered! Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

The signing of a mineral deal with Ukraine represents a new turn in the Trump administration's handling of the war there and Russia's recalcitrance—is it a good turn or a bad turn? And we examine the media misreporting of the circumstances around the attempted deportation of an anti-Israel and anti-Semitic green-card holder. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

How are we to evaluate Trump's first 100 days—border, foreign policy, war on liberalism, etc? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2025

Congratulations to Donald Trump on the results in Canada, which seem to have turned entirely on him and turned against him at the same time. He says he runs the world, and sometimes when you do, you run aground. Thus begins our conversation on his first hundred days. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

The fights that have erupted during the first hundred days of the Trump administration have not only set the agenda for the White House going forward. They will literally be the fights Trump will be fighting until his tenure is over, as every action is met with a response in court. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

COMMENTARY's tech columnist, James B. Meigs, joins the podcast today to talk about the important lawsuit lost by  Greenpeace and what it means for leftist activism going forward, and about new developments and needed developments when it comes to the exploration of space. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

COMMENTARY contributing editor Bret Stephens joins us to discuss his New York Times column, "The Face-Plant President," as we consider Donald Trump's decline in the polls and the significant fact that it all seems to come from his own actions on matters no one seemed to have been looking for—like the tariffs. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

Journalist Jonathan Foreman joins the podcast today for a deep look at his seminal May 2025 COMMENTARY lead article, "The Untold Story of How Israel Failed on October 7." We also begin by discussing the belly-up nature of the Trump "I'll end the Russia-Ukraine war in a day" fantasy. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025

The larger goals of the Trump administration are threatened by incompetent execution. The problem is that for many, making policy stick isn't as important as making a stink. What to do? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

Messes at the Pentagon, at the State Department, at Treasury, at the Department of Justice, and with tariff policy—can this administration survive itself, let alone survive the liberal media and the counterstrikes against Trump? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

Eli Lake joins today's podcast as we discuss two major articles in the May issue of COMMENTARY: Christine Rosen on "consumer eugenics" and Seth Mandel on the anti-Semites in the conservative podcasting world. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025

A two-hander today as Abe Greenwald and I delve Talmudically into the New York Times story on how Donald Trump decided not to participate in an Israeli strike on Iran and why. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

Eliana Johnson joins us today from the Washington Free Beacon to discuss the Trump-Harvard fight, Steve Witkoff's walk-back on Iran, and the firebombing of Gov. Josh Shapiro's house on the first night of Passover. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

On several fronts—the tariffs, Ukraine, and Iran in particular—we strain to see the supposed negotiating genius of Donald Trump and his team. And what of the legal messes all over the place? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

When the Trump administration isn't doing unpopular things, it's doing popular things the wrong way. From bad actors abroad to the courts, we discuss the challenges the president is facing and the position he's put himself in. Give a listen.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025