

The Mona Charen Show
The Bulwark
After a great five year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen brings you a new show dedicated to deepening your understanding of complex issues and trends facing society. Each week she'll engage an expert for a probing discussion that goes past the day's headlines.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 16, 2022 • 53min
Bad Science; Good Science
Jesse Singal joins to discuss the fraught discourse on trans treatment. The group then turns to Ron DeSantis' possible big blunder embracing anti-vaxers and a great scientific breakthrough (and its detractors).
Highlights/lowlights:
Mona:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/helping-trans-kids-means-admitting-what-we-dont-know.html
Damon:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/us/politics/trump-nft-trading-cards-superhero.html
Bill:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3767169-mccarthy-taps-mike-gallagher-to-chair-planned-china-select-committee/
Linda:
https://www.slowboring.com/p/cryptocurrency-is-the-segway-of-finance
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Dec 9, 2022 • 58min
Bibi is Back
Amir Tibon of Haaretz joins to explain how Netanyahu won again and what his new coalition means for Israel, for US/Israel relations, and possibly, for Ukraine. Also, the shape of American politics after Georgia's runoff.
Highlights/Lowlights:
Mona's
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/03/president-emergency-power-student-loan-forgiveness/
Damon's
https://damonlinker.substack.com/p/germany-foils-a-far-right-coup-plot
Amir's:
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2022-12-07/ty-article/.premium/raphael-warnock-buoyed-by-jewish-vote-defeats-herschel-walker-in-georgia-senate-runoff/00000184-ea07-d9f1-a9e6-efc7797d0000
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/04/us/politics/trump-constitution-republicans.html
Linda's
https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-curriculum-wars-are-based-on
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63900099
Bill's
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-congress-expected-pass-bill-protecting-same-sex-marriage-2022-12-08/
https://globalaffairs.org/research/public-opinion-survey/growing-us-divide-how-long-support-ukraine
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Dec 2, 2022 • 58min
Boy Troubles
Richard Reeves discusses his book Of Boys and Men. The panel then considers China's COVID turmoil, and the poisons unleashed by Trump into our national bloodstream, including anti-Semitism.Highlights/lowlights:Mona:https://www.thebulwark.com/putins-bogus-blame-nato-excuse/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/palo-alto-recycling-asia-garbage-waste-rcna58633Linda:https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000008634824/afghan-refugees-biden.html?act[…]ies-bar®ion=header&pgtype=Article&playlistId=video/opinionDamon:https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/30/elon-musk-twitter-success-luck/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/29/mass-shootings-conservative-pundits-responsibility/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18, 2022 • 1h 2min
Righting the Ship
Bret Stephens joins the group to share reflections on Trump's prospects, lessons for both parties from the midterms, and changing your mind in public. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10, 2022 • 53min
The Biggest Loser
Sarah Longwell joins the group to evaluate the momentous midterms.
highlights/lowlights
Mona's:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/07/putin-backs-down-ukraine-turkey-china-india/
Bill's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/world/europe/ukraine-russia-kherson-retreat.html
Linda's:
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/21/texas-republican-democrat-hispanic-voters/
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Nov 4, 2022 • 1h 2min
Moral Illness
Ruy Teixeira joins the panel to evaluate the coming election, the attack on Paul Pelosi, and the argument that both Biden and Harris should stand down.highlights/lowlights:Mona's https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/sohrab-ahmari-thinks-that-the-anti?r=6jqoy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=webLinda'shttps://quillette.com/2022/10/27/fdr-and-the-holocaust/Bill's https://www.npr.org/2022/11/03/1133848992/ethiopia-tigray-war-peace-deal-truce-eritrea Damon's https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/02/world/middleeast/israel-election-netanyahu.htmlRuy:https://www.dw.com/en/bolsonaro-meets-lulas-team-to-begin-transfer-of-power/a-63645795 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28, 2022 • 59min
It's the Center That Is Strong and Principled
The Washington Post's Charles Lane joins the panel (along with Benjamin Wittes) to discuss the progressives' Ukraine letter to Biden, prospects for the midterms, and misreading Latinos.Highlights/lowlights:Mona'shttps://rollcall.com/2022/10/26/fda-delays-key-advisory-committee-meeting-on-otc-birth-control/Linda's https://www.npr.org/2022/10/23/1130712231/the-trump-tapes-reveal-much-about-bob-woodward-donald-trumpBen'shttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/27/arts/pearl-earring-vermeer-climate-activists.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2022 • 55min
The Weakness of Strongmen
Kori Schake of AEI joins the group to discuss Ukraine and some of the world's most malign actors: Russia, China, and Iran. Plus, the panelists' favorite books this year.Highlights/Lowlights: Mona:https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/19/texas-dna-kits-schools-shootings/Damon:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stephen-colbert-grateful-for-grief/id1643163707?i=1000580162304Linda:https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/john-durham-probe-failure-belongs-barr-trump-rcna52863Bill:https://twitter.com/dailystar/status/1580830837331087361?s=20&t=q1BGet_Aig7n0tkg9aRvUg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14, 2022 • 1h 1min
Is a Utah Senate Upset in the Cards? (with Evan McMullin)
Senatorial candidate Evan McMullin joins the panel to discuss his race against Mike Lee. Also, should Biden be talking about Armageddon? The panel begs to differ.Highlights & Lowlights:Evan: 'The Most Serious Threat The Iranian Regime Has Faced Since 1979' - MSNBC (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Pu1qxk498)Mona: Introducing The Prince - The Economist (https://shows.acast.com/theintelligencepodcast/episodes/introducing-the-prince)Linda: Nury Martinez resigns from L.A. City Council in wake of audio leak scandal - Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-10-12/la-me-nury-martinez-resigns)Damon: The Dishonest and Dishonorable Disagreements of Former Friends - American Greatness (https://amgreatness.com/2022/10/10/the-dishonest-and-dishonorable-disagreements-of-former-friends/)Bill: The Post endorses Anthony Brown for Maryland attorney general - The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/10/09/anthony-brown-maryland-attorney-general-endorsement-2022/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 7, 2022 • 1h 4min
Courting Trouble? (with Prof. Steve Vladeck)
Prof. Steve Vladeck joins the group (plus Bill Kristol) to consider how far the Supreme Court will go this term on matters of race and elections. Also, will GA really make Herschel Walker a US Senator?
Highlights & Lowlights:
Mona: Russia’s Nuclear Bluster Is a Sign of Panic - The Atlantic (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/putin-nuclear-weapons-threat-us-sanctions-military/671642/)
Steve: Former President Trump escalates the legal battle over classified documents, again - NPR (https://www.npr.org/2022/10/04/1126830521/former-president-trump-escalates-the-legal-battle-over-classified-documents-agai)
Bill Galston: Russian forces retreat from strategic Donetsk city a day after Moscow’s annexation of the region - CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/01/europe/ukraine-russia-lyman-donetsk-intl)
Marc Short says Trump's post on Elaine Chao was a "racial slur" that was "obviously wrong" - CBS News (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mitch-mcconnell-elaine-chao-racial-slur-marc-short/)
Bill Kristol: In Speedy Embrace of Herschel Walker, Republicans Make Familiar Political Bargain - The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/us/politics/herschel-walker-abortion-allegation-georgia-senate.html)
Linda: DACA remains intact as appeals court sends case challenging its legality back to lower court in Texas - The Texas Tribune (https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/05/texas-daca-appeals-court-ruling/)
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