The Mona Charen Show

Walter Olson of CATO discusses the Manhattan Statement on Higher Education, which would license Trump to ignore law, procedure, and precious liberties. REFERENCES:  The Manhattan Statement on Higher Education A Troubling Right-Wing Manifesto on Universities, by Walter Olson at Persuasion Go to: OneSkin.co | Code: MONACHAREN

AEI's Sadanand Dhume joins the podcast to discuss Zohran Mamdani's ideological origins, why government stores are not a fresh, new idea, Indian democracy, poverty, capitalism, and how Bangladesh went its own way.

Author Sam Tanenhaus discusses his new biography of the multi-talented Buckley and the movement he did so much to create.

Mona Charen speaks with More in Common co-founders Tim Dixon and Mathieu Lefevre about rising polarization, the “exhausted majority,” and how loneliness, media incentives, and misinformation are fueling division. (Full disclosure: Mona is on More in Common’s board of directors.) They discuss global trends, practical solutions like refugee sponsorship, and the urgent need to rebuild community and trust in democratic societies. Genuine reasons for hope.  REFERENCES:  “Hidden Tribes: A Study of America's Polarized Landscape” Jo Cox's Maiden Speech Before Parliament

The Atlantic’s Helen Lewis joins Mona Charen to discuss The Genius Myth, her new book exploring whether genius is a real phenomenon or a socially constructed label. They examine how society elevates certain individuals—often more for charisma or timing than raw talent—and how the genius myth can excuse bad behavior while undervaluing empathy, humility, and collaboration. The conversation also touches on the “genius wives,” prodigies, the costs of fame, and Lewis's recent piece on the Skrmetti decision. For a limited time, you can try OneSkin with 15% off using code MONACHAREN at oneskin.co. 

CATO's David Bier explains who ICE has scooped up—93 percent are not criminals—and what's coming next. Bier describes aggressive, anonymous arrest tactics and overcrowded detention centers with inhumane conditions, and warns of efforts to undermine birthright citizenship and due process. Head to moshlife.com/MONA to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack or the NEW plant-based trial pack.  References:65% of People Taken by ICE Had No Convictions, 93% No Violent Convictions, by David Bier at CATO.

Author Marc Dunkelman discusses his new book Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back.Dunkelman contrasts past centralized efficiency with today’s slow, decentralized system full of procedural roadblocks. They close with a hopeful look at reform efforts, like Josh Shapiro’s in Pennsylvania, as one potential model. The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add the show to your player of choice, here. This episode of The Mona Charen Show is sponsored by Putting Families First.  They won’t forget that certain legislators betrayed families by cutting Medicaid and public school funding. Putting Families First is trying to put a stop cuts to Medicaid and public education, and are working to elect leaders who agree. Learn what’s at stake at PutFamilies1st.org. References:  Why Nothing Works– by Marc Dunkelman Stuck– by Yoni Appelbaum Abundance– by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson The Power Broker– by Robert Caro The Power Elite– by C. Wright Mills The House of Truth – by Brad Snyder

Linda Chavez joined Mona Charen to discuss her debut novel The Silver Candlesticks, inspired by a personal revelation during an appearance on Finding Your Roots that her ancestors were secret Jews persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition. The novel explores themes of religious identity, repression, and survival, drawing on her family's history in Spain and the New World, as well as her own experience converting to Judaism. Their conversation also delved into parallels between historical persecution and contemporary immigration policies, warning against rising authoritarianism in the U.S. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MONACHAREN at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Go to Quince.com/MONA for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns.  Head to moshlife.com/MONA to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack. 

Kevin D. Williamson of The Dispatch muses about the voters' culpability for Trump, socialism, and the "Abundance" agenda. They explore the cultural and economic decline of American civic virtue, the bipartisan slide into demagoguery, and Williamson’s disdain for both Trumpism and technocratic central planning.  Support American family farms and join the Moink Movement today at Moinkbox.com/MONA and get FREE wings FOR LIFE. This show is brought to you by BetterHelp, get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MONA

The Atlantic's Jonathan Rauch joins Mona to talk about Trump's Achilles Heel.

Jay Nordlinger returns to discuss whether conservatism remains valid in the MAGA era. Sponsors: Listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts. REFERENCES: Against All Hope – Armando Valladares Memoir of a Cuban dissident imprisoned for his anti-Castro beliefs. Children of Monsters – Jay Nordlinger Referenced indirectly by Mona as part of Jay’s dissident coverage; a book profiling the children of dictators. Peace, They Say – Jay Nordlinger JayNordlinger.com, Jay’s new Substack.

Economist Noah Smith delves into the myth of the "hollowed out" middle class, the folly of protectionism, and more. He and Mona differ on Trump's handling of Covid and . . . American chocolate. Support American family farms and join the Moink Movement today at Moinkbox.com/MONA and get FREE wings FOR LIFE. Oneskin: For a limited time, you can try OneSkin with 15% off using code MONACHAREN  The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add the show to your player of choice, here.

Columnist and music critic Jay Nordlinger joins Mona for an excursion into classical music. No coat or tie required. REFERENCES: Here’s a list of every musical piece played in the episode. Thomas Tallis – Motet from the Gospel of John Johann Sebastian Bach – Preludio from Partita in E major for solo violin J.S. Bach (arr. Rachmaninoff) – Preludio (Bach/Rachmaninoff transcription) Ludwig van Beethoven – Final movement from a String Quartet in C major Léo Delibes – “Flower Duet” from Lakmé Giuseppe Verdi – Duet from Otello Antonín Dvořák – Humoresque Antonín Dvořák – Humoresque (Jazz rendition) Maurice Ravel – Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn Sergei Prokofiev – “Dance of the Knights” from Romeo and Juliet Sergei Prokofiev – “Midnight” from Cinderella Scott Wheeler – “If I Had a Wife” (song cycle Serenata) Daniel Asia – “My Father’s Name Was” (from Breath and a Ram's Horn) Lee Hoiby – “Goodbye, Goodbye World” Philip Glass – Violin Concerto No. 2, The American Four Seasons, final movement

The New Yorker's Susan Glasser joins Mona to discuss Trump's big beautiful deals, the cowardice of the press, and more. Head to moshlife.com/MONA to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack. References:  The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 by Susan Glasser and Peter Baker "Letter from Trump’s Washington" (Glasser's New Yorker column) Donald Trump’s first 100-day interview with Time magazine Donald Trump’s interview with The Atlantic magazine Pompeo Declaration (2018) Opinion by Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson on Abrego Garcia (Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals) AP’s lawsuit regarding press access and the Gulf of Mexico naming controversy

Mona talks with Richard Kahlenberg about a proposal to make college admissions more fair in a post race preferences world. The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add the show to your player of choice, here. Listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts. Get PrivacyHawk and run your FREE privacy scan here! Use code MONA20 (iOS) / mona20 (Android) for full access to the Platinum Suite: $1M ID theft recovery insurance, dark web alerts, sensitive info monitoring, and much more—all at a special price! 📚 References  Books: Richard Kahlenberg, Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America's Colleges(2024) Derek Bok, The Shape of the River: Long-Term Consequences of Considering Race in College and University Admissions(1998) — study on affirmative action outcomes. Affirmative Action for the Rich: Legacy Preferences in College Admissions, edited by Richard Kahlenberg (2010)