On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Atlantic writer Tyler Austin Harper about his widely discussed, gracefully written articles – including a piece addressing the recent suicide of Cambridge Professor Jason Arday and another detailing why Harper left his tenure track job at Bates College – reporting how identity politics is undermining academic freedom.

On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss Wall Street Journal and Free Press articles on the pushback against data centers and AI, a ProPublica piece on some of the problem when public money is used to support private schools and a New Yorker article on a Nobel Prize-winning researcher who sexually abused dozens of the young people from Papua New Guinea that he studied.

00:00 Curriculum and Social Justice Initiatives

03:05 The Pushback Against AI and Data Centers

06:13 The Debate on Academic Freedom and Private Schools

09:08 The Case of Jason Arday and Academic Integrity

12:03 Navigating Cultural Sensitivities in Academia

14:47 The Role of Media in Shaping Academic Discourse

33:02 The Evolution of Academic Discourse

37:04 Marxism and the Academy

41:01 The Assault on Academic Freedom

46:10 The Crisis in the Humanities

50:08 The Value of Humanities in Society

54:31 Navigating Political Discourse in Academia

Articles & Books Discussed in This Podcast:

·       Tyler Austin Harper/Atlantic: The Truths That Failed Jason Arday

·       Tyler Austin Harper/Atlantic: What Is the Mellon Foundation Doing to Higher Education?

·       “Words For the Taking: The Hunt for a Plagiarist” by Neal Bowers

·       Wall Street Journal: The 'Country Hicks' Who Refused $26M from AI Data Center

·       Free Press: A City’s War on Surveillance Cameras

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with the Substacker who writes under the pseudonym “Yuri Bezmenov” (he’ll tell us why) about his reporting on the network of awards, fellowship, teaching gigs and other lucrative and prestigious incentives that reward people who espouse progressive ideas.

On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss a National Review article that details Iran’s efforts to take the war to other countries, a ProPublica article about how General Dynamics’ failed effort to make artillery shells with robots cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and an article in the Atlantic in which an African-American professor details how his experience with dangerous excesses of wokism pushed him to leave academia.

Articles Discussed in This Podcast:|

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with true crime reporter extraordinaire Valerie Bauerlein of the Wall Street Journal about her recent coverage of the Nancy Guthrie abduction, her book on the Alex Murdaugh murder case and her podcast on another South Carolina homicide, “Camp Swamp Road.”

On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss the Washington Post’s investigation into fraud and abuse at the Veterans Administration and two articles – one from the New York Times on China, the other from the Washington Post on the U.S. – that look at the continuing rise of the surveillance state. 

Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Aaron Shuster about his Tablet article “Entryism Comes to America,” which argues that the U.S. should follow France’s lead and have a serious inquiry into and discussion of what the rise of Islamism means for the nation’s prevailing culture and politics.

On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss a trio of articles – two from the New York Times, one from Politico – reporting that President Trump appears to be rewarding states that voted for him and punishing those that did not as his administration dispenses disaster relief and other monies approved by Congress. While praising the legacy media for shining a light on the Trump administration, Zane and Varney also discuss how a New York Times article on Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent testimony before Congress and a Washington Post article about how Joe Biden’s post-presidential career has been hobbled by health issues (including Stage 4 prostate cancer) reveal the ways legacy media outlets often protect people and parties they support.

00:00 Introduction to Entryism and Political Context

11:23 The Role of Media in Political Reporting

12:20 Understanding Entryism: A Deep Dive

22:50 Cultural Integration vs. Subjugation

30:44 The Future of American Values and Politics

31:43 The Core Values of Civilization

34:57 Immigration and National Identity

36:05 The Influence of Academia on Culture

39:16 The Alliance of Radical Left and Islamic Thought

41:11 Challenges of Immigration in Europe

43:00 Cultural Resistance and the Fight for Identity

45:29 The Need for a Cultural Revival

47:48 Historical Context of Immigration and Assimilation

51:49 Shared Values and Cultural Integration

54:21 Potential Solutions for Immigration Issues

Books & Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speaks with author James Rasenberger about his new work of history, “A Perfect Coincidence: The Extraordinary Friendship and Astonishing Deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.”

On the news round-up, J. Peder Zane joins Varney to discuss a reported editorial from the Wall Street Journal and a news article from the New York Times that detail how legislation that aimed to protect patients from surprise medical bills has become a cash cow for health care providers. They also use John Murawski’s 2020 article about the Mott & Bailey switcheroo to discuss a Free Press article reporting on the differences between the warm and fuzzy descriptions of the Democratic Socialists of America advanced by the party’s adherents and many arms of the legacy media and the aggressive goals the DSA’s platform and position papers say it want to achieve.

Books & Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

·       Jim Rasenberger Book Excerpt: A Perfect Coincidence

·       Wall Street Journal: The ‘Surprise Billing’ Racket

·       New York Times: Trump Administration Says Surprise Billing Law Is Being ‘Gamed’ by Doctors

·       New York Times: $22,000 Per Hour: Assistants Use a Legislative Loophole to Outearn Surgeons 

·       Free Press: I Was in the DSA. Here’s What They Really Believe. 

·       RCI: The 'Motte & Bailey': Political Jousting's Deceptive New Medieval Weapon | 

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Tablet writer and RCI contributor Lee Smith about conservative media in the Trump era with a special focus on X. 

On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss how a ProPublica investigation reporting on the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration efforts, which includes a remake of the courts, is targeting a once protected class for deportation: unaccompanied minors who crossed the border. They also looks at a new report from the White House that assails the leadership of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History for “explicitly adopt[ing] an ideological framework that no longer treats the American story as a shared national inheritance to be taught or celebrated, but as a political instrument to divide, dispirit, and discourage our citizens.” 

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Current Events

02:01 Immigration and Deportation Policies

07:01 American History and Political Narratives

13:03 The State of Conservative Media

20:13 Challenges in Modern Journalism

30:03 The Role of Social Media in News Consumption

32:44 Navigating Information Overload

36:27 Censorship and Free Speech Dynamics

40:03 The Role of Propaganda in Media

44:21 The Responsibility of Media Platforms

48:31 Distinguishing Free Speech from Press Freedom

50:10 Acknowledging the Current Media Landscape

55:24 The Importance of Accountability in Media

Books & Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane speaks with Noah Rothman of the National Review about his insightful new book “Blood & Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence in America.”

On the news round-up, Zane and RCI contributor Ben Weingarten discuss the vast wealth President Trump and his family have accumulated since he began his second term, with a special focus on a New York Times article detail how the president’s sons stand to benefit from a lucrative mining deal his administration struck with Kazakhstan. They also look at articles in the left-leaning Atlantic and right-leaning City Journal detailing the Democratic Socialists of America’s takeover of the Democratic party. 

Books & Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane speaks with Duke Professor Adrian Bejan about his new book, “Diversity through Freedom” about the physics of politics.

On the news round-up, Zane and RCI Reporter & Editor Vince Bielski discuss an Associated Press investigation detailing how and why the DEA allowed hundreds of thousands of potentially lethal fentanyl pills to enter the US from Mexico; a powerfully reported and illustrated piece by the New York Times explaining why the popularity of S.U.V.s and other large vehicles has led to an increase in pedestrian deaths; and a Washington Post analysis that found left-leaning bias in the information provided by all the major AI chatbots.  

00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Podcast

Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Dr. Kendall Conger who lost his job after challenging a 2021 statement issued by his employer – Duke Health – declaring racism a “public health crisis.”

On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss the challenges of reporting on the Iran war – and peace deal – when the government seems loath to share details; the Reform Party’s withering report on the Rape Gang controversy in the UK; and the popular support for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in 2024. 

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Current Events

05:04 The Grooming Gangs Report and Its Implications

10:02 Media Bias and the Impact on Society

15:11 Dr. Kendall Conger's Experience with DEI at Duke Health

24:12 The Impact of George Floyd's Death on Institutional Policies

30:04 The Debate Over Racism as a Public Health Crisis

36:02 Personal Experiences and Consequences of Speaking Out

39:58 The Shift in Institutional Values at Duke University

Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

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On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, about the national civics education he has spearheaded and how to have conversations across the political divide.

On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss a range of articles responding to the violence that erupted in England and Belfast following racially charged incidents. 

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote

01:30 Current Events and Political Climate

03:52 Racial Inequality and Public Response

06:16 Media Framing and Public Perception

09:44 Civics Education and Its Importance

13:01 Interview with Robert George on Civics Education

20:32 The Shift in Academic Focus

24:25 Conservative Perspectives in Academia

31:17 The Pursuit of Truth and Intellectual Humility

32:04 The Role of Academic Freedom in Education

33:25 Bridging the Gap: Intellectual Honesty in Discourse

37:34 Navigating the Age of Feeling and Humility

48:44 The Machinery of Dispute Resolution in Democracy

56:35 Hope vs. Optimism: The Future of American Democracy

Articles Discussed in This Podcast:

Robert P. George Official Website
https://robertpgeorge.com/

Robert P. George X Account
https://x.com/McCormickProf

Video: Robert P. George in Conversation with Cornel West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBxVjkOeV0

New York Times: In the U.K., a Violent Cycle: Hateful Attacks, Right-Wing Agitation and Riots 
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/world/europe/northern-ireland-stabbing-immigration.html

Telegraph: Erect Sea Barrier Off Belgium To Halt Migrant ‘Taxi Boats,’
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/belgians-propose-sea-barrier-halt-151307951.html

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