The Dispatch Podcast

People across the political spectrum had all sorts of different reactions to Officer Derek Chauvin being found guilty on all three charges in the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Jonah says most of those reactions have been far from encouraging, “While a lot of the right-wing reaction makes me ashamed and embarrassed and infuriated and disgusted … a lot of the left-wing reaction, or a lot of the MSNBC reaction, has been very bad, too.” Plus, the gang also discusses Biden’s plan to withdraw from Afghanistan and how the news of Officer Brian Sicknick’s cause of death will affect the history of January 6, and Chris Stirewalt explains the Cook Political Report’s new Partisan Voter Index. Show Notes: -Derek Chauvin found guilty -The 1619 Project -David’s French Press on racism in America, adopting a black daughter -President Biden’s remarks on withdrawing from Afghanistan -Latest casualty status from the Defense Department -Cook Political Report’s Partisan Voter Index -Latest Sweep from Sarah, Chris, and Andrew -Officer Brian Sicknick dies of stroke -Sohrab Ahmari’s tweet on January 6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah and David (who is stepping in for Steve this week) talk to the author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, Kristin Du Mez, about how the definition of masculinity for white Evangelical men has had a damaging impact on the whole country. “Once you have the eyes to see this, it’s hard not to see its pervasive reach,” she said. “The politics and the faith are so intertwined, and that’s what I try to pull through, those threads, and see how the influence really does go back and forth.” Plus, find out what friendly, neighborhood, sweater-wearing, former PBS television star is surprisingly not impressive to the mainstream Evangelical community. Show Notes: -Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation -Kristin’s Blog “The Anxious Bench” -Kristin’s next book on Christian femininity announcement -Kristin’s Twitter -Donald Trump riding a velociraptor -Kristin’s Faculty page at Calvin University -“A Man For All Seasons” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the FDA decided to pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine following reports that six women—of the nearly 7 million Americans who have received the J&J vaccine—developed serious blood clots after getting the jab. Is pausing the vaccine worth the tradeoffs? Will the FDA’s move fuel vaccine hesitancy? Sarah, David, Chris and Jonah give us the scoop. Today, our hosts also chat about New York Times columnist Ross Douthat’s latest piece on what Bidenism owes to Trumpism, the GOP’s First Amendment retribution against woke corporations, and what Democratic pollsters have learned from their poor electoral forecasting leading up to the 2020 election. Show Notes: -“What Bidenism Owes to Trumpism,” by Ross Douthat in the New York Times. -“Confronting 2016 and 2020 Polling Limitations” by Pew Research Center. -“How Trump Steered Supporters Into Unwitting Donations” by Shane Goldmacher in the New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a “scout” or a “soldier”? What do those terms even mean? In Julia Galef’s new book, The Scout Mindset, she argues the scout mindset is underrepresented in today’s world. “The scout’s role, unlike the soldier, is not to go out and attack or defend,” she says. “It’s to go out, and see what’s really out there as clearly as possible and to put together as accurate a map of the territory or a situation as you can.” Plus, listen closely for Steve’s John McLaughlin impression and why Julia believes bouncing between Airbnbs is way better than signing an actual lease. Show Notes: -“The Scout Mindset” by Julia Galef -Rationally Speaking Podcast -Julia Galef on Twitter -Julia’s TED Talk -The Dispatch Manifesto -Dr. Tom Gilovich -Julia’s Twitter thread about Airbnbs -Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If it’s a day that ends in “Y” in Washington, it’s probably a day during “infrastructure week.” The gang talks about President Biden’s infrastructure bill and debates whether or not it’s fair to call it an “infrastructure” bill. Plus, what should the U.S. do about the continued aggression coming from China and Russia, and the differences in voting laws in Georgia and Colorado. Finally, the controversy surrounding a 60 Minutes piece on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and whether or not “media bias” is the worst it’s ever been. Show Notes: -POLITICO’s Playbook on infrastructure -What is Starlink? -TMD on Russian aggression in Ukraine -Danielle Pletka’s latest for The Dispatch on Chinese aggression towards Australia -Oriana Skylar Mastro on The Remnant -The Washington Post Editorial on boycotting the Olympics -Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia/Colorado voting laws comparison -60 Minutes and Gov. Ron DeSantis - Poynter -Trump donors - The New York Times -“Why Being ‘Anti-Media’ Is Now Part Of The GOP Identity” - FiveThirtyEight Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a wide-ranging conversation spanning from his time working in the Trump White House, to his early days as a leader in the House Freedom Caucus (which we learned was supposed to be called the “Reasonable Nutjob Caucus), Mick Mulvaney talks with Sarah and Steve about his life in politics. During the conversation, Mulvaney opines on John Boehner’s new book, what being chief of staff is actually like, whether or not he would have voted to impeach Donald Trump after January 6 and more. Plus, stick around for some tough questions from his fellow South Carolinian Trey Gowdy. Show Notes: -Mick Mulvaney on Twitter -John Boehner’s book excerpt from Politico -If He Loses, Trump Will Concede Gracefully - WSJ -Indiana Jones character or Mick Mulvaney? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Biden introduced a massive $2 trillion infrastructure plan in Pittsburgh, and the gang is wondering what type of fight the GOP is going to put up against the bill. Steve asks, “You’d think this might be something Republicans would object to and fight pretty strongly. Are you getting the sense that Republicans will do that?” To hear everyone’s dejected response to that question, just hit the play button. Other topics discussed are whether or not vaccine passports are a good idea, the first rumblings of 2024 presidential politics, and, finally, religion in America and what the growing number of “nones” means for the country’s future. Show Notes: -The latest version of The Sweep (read the whole thing!) -Politico polling on infrastructure plan -Israel’s vaccine passport protocols -Echelon Insights 2024 presidential polling -U.S. church membership falls below majority for first time - Gallup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We heard from many of you that you are having trouble persuading people close to you to take the COVID vaccine. You wished there was something you could pass along to people with the actual facts about the vaccine, not scary myths about why a person should not get it. You asked, and we listened. Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden joined Sarah and Andrew Egger (subbing in for Steve) to discuss all things vaccine related. Not only is Frieden an expert on the COVID vaccines, but also on listening to those who are concerned about taking it and trying to give them the scientific facts that support getting the shot. As he says, “Effective communication starts with listening. … I understand your concern, but I’ll share with you some information that may be helpful to you.” Show Notes: -Dr. Frieden’s bio -Resolve to Save Lives website -Pew Research polling on who would get the vaccine -Frank Luntz focus group with Dr. Frieden -Impact COVID has had on the flu -Dr. Frieden’s guide to a bike trip with his son -VaccineFinder from CDC’s website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week (so far) we have seen a mass shooting, a crisis at the border, a major walkback from President Trump’s favorite lawyer, Sidney Powell, and more. On today’s Dispatch Podcast, Steve, Sarah, Jonah, and David talk about all of it and then some. Gun violence has been front and center in the news, and rather than yelling about it, the gang has a well-informed, meaningful discussion about how best to solve this problem in the U.S. Plus, after discussing the border and China, all four talk about just how ridiculous the motion by Sidney Powell to dismiss the case against her is and what it means for center-right media. As Jonah puts it, “If you gave her a platform on your network, on your radio show, either in person or by proxy or simply reading their stuff and then you don’t tell your audience that this woman … has treated you all like suckers … then you’re part of the problem.” Show Notes: -Study on effectiveness of state gun regulations -American Psychological Association study on gun laws -Washington Post Fact Check on 1994 assault weapons ban -Reuters article on how and why kids are “smuggled” into the U.S. -Is there a “surge” at the border? Washington Post looks at the data -Jonah’s column on the China bilateral meeting -Last week’s Dispatch Podcast with Danielle Pletka -The Morning Dispatch: ‘The Kraken is Backtrackin’ -Court filing in Sidney Powell’s case -Major Biden is BACK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danielle Pletka, senior fellow and foreign policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Sarah and Steve to discuss all things foreign policy. The conversation starts with the fiasco that was the first bilateral meeting between the Biden administration and China, and then focuses on Pletka’s expertise related to foreign policy in the Middle East. The three also discuss Danielle’s recent piece for The Dispatch, a conversation she had with a Ph.D. candidate who was imprisoned in Iran for four years. Show Notes: -Danielle’s AEI page -“What the Hell is Going On?” podcast -Biden Administration/China bilateral fiasco -Biden/Putin spat -‘They Wasted Away Four Years of My Life’ -“How Mean Tweets—And Bad Predictions—Threaten to Derail Another Biden Nominee” -Profile of Xiyue Wang by Graeme Wood -“Internal Biden memo said to back 2-state solution along 1967 lines” - Times of Israel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices