In this special episode recorded at AEI’s 2024 Annual Dinner, outgoing Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell joins Robert to talk about his almost 40 years in Congress. They discuss the past and continuing importance of the Senate and the challenges facing the next Senate Republican Leader.Leader McConnell has represented Kentucky in the Senate since 1985 and has served as Leader since 2007. Watch the full remarks from the 2024 Annual Dinner here.
As Americans head to the polls, Frederick Kagan joins Robert to talk about what the next administration can do to deliver victory in Ukraine. They discuss current conditions on the battlefield, the arrival of North Korean troops, and the global stakes of the conflict.Frederick Kagan is a senior fellow and director of the Critical Threats Project at AEI. Read his latest research on Taiwan, Ukraine, and China.
Hal Brands joins Robert to talk about the foreign policy challenges around the world facing the United States. They discuss the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the future of the war in Ukraine, and the looming threat from China. Hal is a senior fellow at AEI where he studies US foreign policy and defense strategy. Read his latest pieces on Israel and Iran, China and Taiwan, and Ukraine.
Danielle Pletka joins Robert on the first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 terrorist attack against Israel to discuss its ongoing impact on the Middle East. They discuss Iran's involvement, the state of Israeli-Arab relations, Israel's military operations against Hamas and Hezbollah, and the concerning persistence of antisemitism.Danielle is a distinguished senior fellow at AEI, where she focuses on US foreign policy generally and the Middle East specifically. Read her latest pieces on antisemitism, October 7, and Iran.
John Fortier joins Robert to talk about why voters should feel confident in the accuracy and integrity of this year's federal elections. They debunk voter fraud myths and explain how election administration has changed since 2020.John is a senior fellow at AEI, where he focuses on Congress and elections, election administration, election demographics, voting (and absentee voting), the US presidency, and the Electoral College. Listen to the latest episode of his podcast on election administration, "The Voting Booth," here.
Chris Stirewalt joins Robert to react to the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris and assess the current state of play in the presidential and congressional races. They discuss undecided voters, key Senate races, and what election night might look like.Chris is a senior fellow at AEI, where he focuses on American politics, voting trends, public opinion, and the media. He is concurrently a contributing editor and weekly columnist for The Dispatch and the host of The Hill Sunday with Chris Stirewalt on NewsNation. Read his latest pieces on the debate, the Senate race in Texas, and undecided voters.
Christine Rosen joins Robert to talk about her new book, The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World. They discuss how technology, particularly social media, is alienating us from each other in everyday life, especially in younger generations, and what we can do about it.Christine is a senior fellow at AEI, where she focuses on American history, society and culture, technology and culture, and feminism. Read more about her new book here.
Ruy Teixeira joins Robert to react to the selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’s running mate and to analyze the state of the presidential election. They discuss the strategies, policies, and voters both campaigns need to pursue to achieve victory in November. Ruy is a senior fellow at AEI. His work focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and the future of American electoral politics, and he is co-editor of The Liberal Patriot. Read his latest writing on Kamala Harris's coalition, working-class voters, and the changing demographics of the GOP.
In the second of a two-part episode, Adam White and Robert continue their discussion of landmark decisions of the Supreme Court’s 2023-24 term. After wrapping up their discussion of presidential immunity, Adam and Robert cover the court’s decisions on homelessness (Grants Pass v. Johnson) and social media censorship (Murthy v. Missouri) before ending with a big picture assessment of Chief Justice Roberts.Adam White is a senior fellow at AEI, where he focuses on American constitutionalism, the Supreme Court, and the administrative state. Read his latest work on the Loper decision and the political, legal, and social challenges presented by digital platforms.
Adam White sits down with Robert to talk about the landmark decisions of the Supreme Court's 2023-24 term. In the first of a two-part episode, they discuss two cases with vast implications for the executive branch: Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which ended Chevron deference, and Trump v. United States, which set the limits of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution. Adam White is a senior fellow at AEI, where he focuses on American constitutionalism, the Supreme Court, and the administrative state. Read his latest work on the Loper decision and the role of Congress and agencies after the end of Chevron deference.
Ed Pinto joins Robert to talk about the state of the American housing market. They discuss the harmful effects of government regulation, policies that can increase affordability, and advice for homebuyers today. Ed is a senior fellow and the co-director of the AEI Housing Center. His work focuses on the role of federal, state, and local policy in housing markets and the use of light touch density to foster affordable and inclusionary communities. Read the Housing Center’s latest work on first-time homebuyers, light-touch density, and current housing market indicators.
Jonah Goldberg joins Robert to talk about the transformation of the American political and media landscape in recent years. They discuss ideological realignments on the right, media bias, and the importance of character in the presidential election.Jonah is a senior fellow and the Asness Chair in Applied Liberty at AEI. His work focuses on political and cultural issues, and he is concurrently the editor in chief of the Dispatch and host of the podcast The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg. Read his recent writing on the political implications of immigration, presidential debates, and Donald Trump's conviction.
Ken Pollack sits down with Robert to talk about the war in Gaza and the broader context of Arab-Israeli conflict. They discuss how the war has shifted public opinion about Hamas and Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, as well as what an end to the conflict would look like. Ken Pollack is a senior fellow at AEI, where he works on Middle Eastern political-military affairs, focusing in particular on Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf countries. His recent work has focused on Iran’s role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, the trajectory for the war in Israel, and threats to global commerce and American interests in the Middle East posed by Houthi shipping attacks.
Nat Malkus joins Robert to talk about the staggering number of children who regularly miss school each year. They discuss chronic absenteeism in schools, and how teachers, parents, and elected officials can address the serious problem facing the nation. Nat Malkus is a Senior Fellow at AEI where he conducts empirical research on K-12 and higher education. His recent research focuses on the lingering effects of the pandemic and the costs of federal student loan forgiveness. Read his recent pieces chronic absenteeism, the lasting effects of COVID on schooling, and the mounting costs of student debt forgiveness.
Marc Thiessen joins Robert to talk about the recent passage of Ukraine aid, why Donald Trump needs Nikki Haley voters to win in November, and the continuing fascination with Hungary among elements of the American right. Marc Thiessen is a Senior Fellow at AEI. His work focuses on US foreign and defense policy issues and American presidential leadership. Read his recent columns on Viktor Orban, Ukraine aid, and Haley voters.
Dan Cox joins Robert to talk about the growing divide between Generation Z men and women. They discuss the corrosive effects of social media, declining interest in relationships and marriage, and the potential effects on the 2024 election of increasing gender-based political polarization. Dan is the Director of the Survey Center for American Life at AEI. His work focuses on public opinion and survey research on topics such as religion, social capital, and generational divides.Read his recent research on Generation Z, declining trust in experts, and political coalitions.
Tony Mills joins Robert to talk about what policymakers and scientific experts got right and wrong throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss school closures, lockdowns, masks, and vaccines. Tony highlights the loss of trust in experts and how the relationship between science, the media, and politics needs to change.Tony Mills is the Director of the Center for Technology, Science, and Energy at AEI. His work focuses on science and technology policy and the relationship between scientific expertise and democratic politics.Read his recent pieces on why Americans are losing trust in science and what the CDC got wrong during the pandemic.
Michael Strain joins Robert for a bonus episode to discuss the recent inflation numbers. They discuss whether the US economy will experience a soft landing, the US's economic relationship with China, and Trump and Biden's policy track records.Strain is the AEI Director of Economic Policy Studies and a columnist for Project Syndicate. His work focuses on labor markets, public finance, social policy, and macroeconomics.Read his recent pieces on the economic outlook and the Trump-Biden economic policies.
Kori Schake joins Robert to discuss the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Gaza conflict,and climate change debates in foreign policy. They also discuss the changingUnited States foreign policy strategy as the Republican Party is increasinglydivided on these issues. Kori is the AEI Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies. Her work focuses onAmerican grand strategy, international relations, and defense planning.
Matthew Continetti joins Robert to analyze the upcoming election, debates on Ukraine aid, the impact of Trump on the Republican Party, and the health of American democracy.Matthew is the AEI Director of Domestic Policy Studies and the founding editor of the Washington Free Beacon. His work focuses on American political thought and history, with a focus on the Republican Party and conservativism.