Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

Danielle Crittenden, author and journalist who wrote Dispatches from Grief after her daughter’s unexpected death. She recounts the shattering shock of losing an adult child. She discusses navigating medical fallout, legal and digital hurdles, and therapy that helped. She reflects on memory, practical advice for survivors, and the strange comforts that followed.

Margaret Hoover sits down with American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Yuval Levin and National Constitution Center CEO Emeritus Jeffrey Rosen to discuss the enduring ideals of America’s founding documents.Levin and Rosen, who both contributed to the NCC’s new book “The Promise of America,” reflect on the shared principles and ideological differences between the nation’s founders and how those philosophical clashes have echoed through to the present.Levin addresses the dysfunction of Congress in the modern era, how it became so polarized, and what can be done to bring it closer to what the founders intended. Rosen comments on proposals to increase the size of Congress and the difficulty of amending the Constitution.The two constitutional scholars assess the state of executive power in the second Trump administration, and they look ahead to the challenges artificial intelligence may pose for American democracy.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, Al and Kathy Hubbard, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

Ben McKenzie joins Margaret Hoover to break down his new documentary about cryptocurrency, “Everyone Is Lying to You for Money,” and the dangers he believes crypto poses to investors and the economy itself.McKenzie–best known for his performances on “The O.C.,” “Southland,” and “Gotham”--explains why he grew skeptical of crypto while other men embraced it and reflects on what he learned from talking to fraudsters like Sam Bankman-Fried and investors who got scammed.  The six-time Teen Choice Award nominee defends his assertion that cryptocurrency is only good for crime and gambling, highlights Jeffrey Epstein’s role in crypto’s development, and comments on the challenges of regulating the industry.McKenzie also discusses President Trump’s crypto ventures and the conflicts of interest they present, and he criticizes fellow celebrities who have endorsed crypto products without understanding the risks.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, Al and Kathy Hubbard, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

Health care policy expert Lanhee Chen joins Margaret Hoover to unpack the paradox at the heart of American medicine: the best care in the world—and some of the highest costs. What’s broken, and why hasn’t Washington been able to fix it?Chen—a Hoover Institution fellow who has advised Republican leaders from George W. Bush to Mitt Romney—traces how a patchwork system evolved into one that’s both expensive and confusing. He lays out a market-based vision for reform, aimed at putting patients—not insurers or government—in control of spending.From new tax-advantaged health accounts to price transparency and expanding the supply of doctors and facilities, Chen argues that better incentives—not more regulation—are the key to lowering costs.He also offers a candid critique of his own party, acknowledging that Republicans spent years attacking the Affordable Care Act without offering a clear alternative—and reflects on whether meaningful reform is even possible in today’s polarized political climateSupport for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, Al and Kathy Hubbard, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

Oona Hathaway, Yale Law professor expert on war powers and executive limits, and Philip Wallach, AEI senior fellow and author on Congress, debate Congress’s decline and how to restore its role. They discuss war powers, presidential overreach, the Supreme Court’s shifting influence, polarization drivers, structural fixes like committee power, and ways young people can help rebalance Washington.

Jim Mattis, retired four-star Marine known for Iran and military strategy, and Ryan Holiday, author and Stoic communicator. They discuss whether the Iranian regime might collapse, the limits of airpower without clear strategy, the necessity of allies, and how Stoic practice shapes calm, duty-driven military leadership.

Over the last eight seasons, Margaret Hoover has spoken to many guests about the threat posed by Iran and what the U.S. can do about it. As the war in Iran enters a third week, we look back at how key policymakers and experts have addressed the prospect of military action against the regime.This episode includes excerpts from interviews with Sen. Tom Cotton, retired Gen. David Petraeus, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and more. They discuss the challenge of confronting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the risks of pursuing regime change, and the lessons America learned from past conflicts.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

Entrepreneur Mark Cuban talks to Margaret Hoover about what is wrong with the healthcare system in America and how he hopes to fix it.Since selling his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks and quitting ABC’s “Shark Tank,” Cuban has focused his energy on disrupting the healthcare industry. He explains how his company, Cost Plus Drugs, works and why he is taking on pharmacy benefit managers–the insurance industry middlemen he blames for rising drug costs.Cuban addresses broader questions about the industry, telling Margaret why he supports bipartisan legislation to break up big healthcare companies, why he thinks TrumpRx is a good program, and why he doubts universal healthcare is feasible in America today.Cuban, who endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024, also reflects on the Democratic Party’s communication problems and comments on whether he would consider running for president himself in 2028.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

Historian Jon Meacham sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about America’s pursuit of democracy, the dangers posed by the Trump administration, and his new book, “American Struggle.”The book collects speeches and documents by prominent figures beginning with the First Assembly of Virginia in 1619 to the present, tracking the development of America’s founding ideals and the nation’s imperfect quest to live up to them. Meacham reflects on the first year of President Trump’s second term and his expansive use of executive power. He also addresses the administration’s “might makes right” approach to foreign policy and what it means for America’s place in the world.Meacham reflects on Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy, explains why presidential character matters, and discusses how America’s history can be a source for hope in the present.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

Natalie Winters, co-host of Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, and Adam Mockler, host of “The Adam Mockler Show” on YouTube, join Margaret Hoover for a discussion at Hofstra University about how their generation views politics and media.Winters, 24, defends her approach to reporting and denounces the “anti-disinformation industry” that she believes silences alternative views. She also addresses rifts within the Republican Party revealed by a recent clash between President Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.Mockler, 23, explains why authenticity attracts audiences online and reflects on the state of the Democratic Party, which he thinks should embrace aspects of both moderation and populism to succeed.The commentators debate President Trump’s immigration policies and broader attitudes toward immigration and assimilation.Winters and Mockler also take questions from Hofstra students about accountability in journalism, algorithms that promote extreme content, and desensitization toward tragedy.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.