

The Ricochet Podcast
Ricochet
Weekly episodes of Ricochet’s flagship podcast feature our hosts James Lileks, Steve Hayward, Charles C. W. Cooke, and guests discussing the issues of the week.Listen to The Ricochet Podcast, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at Ricochet.com. No paid subscription required.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 18, 2024 • 1h
A Bad Time to be at War with Ourselves
We can debate all we want about the Doomsday Clock's latest setting, but one needn't be a foreign policy expert to know our proximity to midnight is too close for comfort. As it happens, though, we have a foreign policy expert (and soldier) with us today. H.R. McMaster returns to discuss the dangerous moment we're in, what needs to be done with the precious time available, and why American officials need to stop fighting each other and concentrate on the enemies gathering at the gates. (Be sure to order his excellent new book: At War With Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House.)Plus, Peter, Steve and Charlie marvel at the multifaceted Musk; pick apart Harris's performance in her interview with Brett Baier; and rejoice at another small sign that DEI is falling out of favor even among the sophists. - Soundbite from this week's open: Baier presses Harris on her administration's unpopularity. And please visit Ricochet's newest sponsors:Incogni: http://incogni.com/ricochetCozy Earth: cozyearth.com/RICOCHET

Oct 11, 2024 • 1h 2min
The Forces & the Fracas
This week we cover a handful of great tug-of-war games, past, present, and future. Charles McElwee, founding editor of RealClearPennsylvania, returns to the podcast to give an election season tour of the swingy Keystone State. Next, Tevi Troy joins for a discussion about the epic clashes between America's masters of the universe and their presidents. (Be sure to get a copy of his new book, The Power and the Money.)Steve, Charlie and James also chatter about Florida's latest roaringly windy Wednesday, and end on the neutral note of AI symphonies. - Sound bites from this week's open: DeSantis remarks about climate change after Hurricane Milton; Biden's response about FEMA failures after Hurricane Helene

Oct 4, 2024 • 1h 1min
Screed Adjacent
With Israel's stunning string of victories over its enemies and the approaching anniversary of October 7th, Eli Lake returns to the Ricochet Podcast. He gives his take on the reasons for the administration's dithering support and rallies for the West to give its ally a greenlight!Plus, Charlie, Peter and James discuss the Veep debate, the averted longshoremen's strike and an ineffective Federal Emergency Management Agency... We count three rants out of Charlie Cooke. - Sound clips from this week's podcast: Churchill's "We shall fight on the beaches" speech and Tim Walz's "Knucklehead" remark

Sep 27, 2024 • 1h 3min
Virtual Extinction
The mediating technologies of the new century were welcomed as wonderous life enhancers. A few decades later, we often talk about how the devices we can't put down poison our culture, politics, and relationships. Christine Rosen joins to discuss her latest book, The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World. (Don't let the title scare you off! Christine brings good cheer and a few ideas for a "human things initiative" that can save our skin.)Plus, Peter, Charlie and James chat about the distinct experiences one has walking the streets of New York, riding out a hurricane, or road-tripping across the nation in search of America's best rollercoaster.- Sound clip from the open: Eric Adams addressing New York's citizens.

Sep 20, 2024 • 1h 4min
The Return of Robinson
Peter's back! After a whole summer away, he, James and Steve have quite a bit to catch up on. What more is there to say? - Opening soundbite this week: FNC’s Peter Doocy spars with KJP at the White House

Sep 13, 2024 • 54min
Citizens on the Move
The contemporary social planner seems to favor all sorts of peoples' movements—except for the kind that involves automobiles, driven by citizens away from dense urban cores into the suburbs that they can afford. Today, Joel Kotkin (author of The Human City and The Coming of Neo-Feudalism) joins the podcast to discuss the new class of urbanists who brim with ideas for a city that won't work for the people meant to occupy them.Plus, Steve, James and Charlie quibble over Tuesday's debate, and they reflect on another 9/11 anniversary. - Soundclip from this week's open: Donald Trump and David Muir from ABC's Trump/Harris debate.

Sep 6, 2024 • 51min
A Warning Against Nihilism
They say Labor Day marks the ordinary American's starting point for following a particular election cycle, setting off a scramble for undecides by campaigners and a busy couple of months for pollsters. Henry Olsen returns to discuss where things stand in the presidential race as we head toward the first debate; he offers some potential outcomes that will determine the extent of the Republican majority in the Senate; and he expands on his piece about the populist parties' successes in eastern Germany, explaining "Ostalgie," and detailing the adjustments mainstream parties will have to make if they want to maintain stability in the West.Plus, James and Charlie are emphatically pro-Churchill.- This week’s opening sound: Darryl Cooper's take on Winston Churchill in an interview with Tucker Carlson.

Aug 30, 2024 • 58min
That IS so B'crat
It's a big legal stuff week for Donald Trump. Naturally, we phoned our pal Andy McCarthy. Andy brings breaking news on Judge Merchan’s sentencing schedule, his hot take on Jack Smith’s superseding indictment in the election interference case, and adds a detailed reaction to Mark Zuckerberg’s admission of acquiescing to censorship pressure from government officials. Plus: Charlie, Steve, and James weigh in on Harris's airy interview, wonder (again) who's running the country, and ramble on the many curiosities to be found in Iceland—from cute cuisine and baffling museums to monuments of the anonymous meddlers that make up the amorphous blob. - Sound this week: CNN’s Dana Bash “grills” Kamala Harris with multiple choice quiz.

Aug 23, 2024 • 58min
An Enema Election
The discussion kicks off with reflections on the recent Democratic National Convention and the impact of celebrity culture on politics. The hosts share amusing tales from Rob's 1992 campaign, featuring anecdotes involving Murphy Brown and Rush Limbaugh. They also tackle perceptions of crime in relation to illegal immigration, along with strategies for maintaining political power. Venturing into the Amazon, they unveil humorously harrowing stories of wildlife dangers, blending adventure with political commentary and personal narratives.

Aug 16, 2024 • 55min
Coming Up Empty
Charles Gasparino, a Fox Business correspondent known for his sharp insights on corporate America, dives into his book "Go Woke, Go Broke." He discusses how corporate radicalization is unfolding and the backlash faced by brands like Budweiser and Target over their progressive marketing. The conversation also tackles Kamala Harris's economic proposals and the absurdity behind them, alongside a critique of housing subsidies and government policy failures. The hosts balance this serious talk with lighthearted banter about their fantasy football league.


