Jonah the usurper invites Kevin, Mike, and Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle on today’s episode of The Dispatch Podcast for some unfettered, wide-ranging punditry stretching from Biden’s wobbling support of Israel to the political implications of Florida’s abortion law.

The Agenda:

—World Central Kitchen deaths in Gaza

—Biden’s balancing act between addressing concerns from the pro-Palestinian crowd and supporting Israel

—The Florida Supreme Court upholds the state’s six-week abortion ban, but the pro-life victory could be short-lived

—California's housing crisis and the state's regulatory barriers

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Jamie is joined by John Spencer, an author, former colonel in the California State Guard, and urban warfare expert with 25 years of experience in the Army, to examine Israel’s tactics in Gaza and weigh in on allegations the IDF is committing genocide and/or war crimes.

The Agenda:

—Joe Rogan accuses Israel of genocide

—John’s experience in Gaza

—War is not quantitative

—How to determine proportionality

—"High threshold of civilian death"

—We are at war with ignorance

—H.R. McMaster’s “zero-dark-thirty fallacy”

—Reception of his expertise in Ukraine vs. Gaza

Show Notes:

—John: Israel Has Created a New Standard for Urban Warfare. Why Will No One Admit It?

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The hiring and firing of Ronna McDaniel at NBC News brought up mixed feelings for the staffers at The Dispatch. Sarah, Jonah, Steve, and David (French!) open up about their own complicated relationships with mainstream media, the problems with hiring partisans into newsrooms, and whether McDaniel is a good avatar for any of these questions.

The Agenda:

—Roles of ideological purity in media

—The crew’s experiences at their respective news outlets

—Steve’s behind-the-scenes insight into McDaniel’s Meet the Press interview

—The changing definition of RINO

—The lack of truthfulness in news outlets

—Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ballot-access dilemma

Show Notes:

—Meidas Touch article on Ronna McDaniel hiring

—Vox hit piece on Sarah Isgur following CNN exit

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Brian Stelter, longtime media critic and author of Network of Lies, joins Jamie on today’s episode of The Dispatch Podcast to discuss the state of newsrooms nationwide in an age of ideological division, debate the blindspots of partisan media, and offer thoughts on the future of journalism.

The Agenda:

—Overcorrecting coverage of Trump

—Trump’s influence on ratings

—COVID-19 coverage and school closures

—Reporting on race riots

—Forgetting 2020

—The New York Times' newsroom culture

—Going independent and successful alternative media platforms

—Stelter’s take on what CNN should do now

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Sarah, Jonah, Steve, and Mike dive into the latest punditry—Ohio’s primary, Trump’s trials, and the Middle East—before veering off into an Abraham Lincoln and 1619 Project cul-de-sac.

The Agenda:

—Bernie Moreno wipes the floor

—Jonah pushes back on reveries of self-congratulation

—Who are the double-haters in the 2024 election?

—An update on Trump trials

—The worst “win” you can have as a prosecutor

—Sen. Chuck Schumer’s speech on Israel

—Abraham Lincoln, worth our time

—Happy birthday Jonah!

Show Notes:

—The Collision on Fani Willis

—Original Jurisdiction on Judge Aileen Cannon's clerks quitting

—The Remnant with Allen Guelzo

—Lincoln’s second inaugural address

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Former Trump administration official Dan Negrea and national security strategist Matt Kroenig join Jamie to discuss their book We Win, They Lose. Jamie challenges their thesis that a Trump-Regan foreign policy fusion is possible.

The Agenda:

-The current international landscape

-China’s aggressive military operations and Taiwan

-Can Americans stomach backing Taiwan in war?

-Trump’s switch on a TikTok ban

-The Biden administration’s failure to deter Russia

-Is there really a Trump-Regan policy fusion?

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Mark Seitz, a Catholic bishop from the Diocese of El Paso, joins Victoria to discuss his approach to immigration and response to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against a migrant house under his diocese.

The Agenda:

—Annunciation House and Paxton’s immigration lawsuit

—Policy solutions

—Addressing crime and fear of immigrations

—Is the Church for open borders?

—Biden and Trump’s recent border visits

Show Notes:

-Watch this episode on YouTube

-Bishop Mark Seitz: Statement in Support of Annunciation House

-GOP lawmakers once praised Catholic Charities. Now they want to defund the group

-Report: The mythical tie between immigration and crime

-CNN: I asked criminologists about immigration and crime in the US. Their answers may surprise you

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Sarah, Steve, and Jonah discuss TikTok’s influence over the youth (See: Kids call Congress threatening suicide over TikTok ban).

The Agenda:

-TikTok’s Chinese ownership raises national security concerns

-Klon Kitchen being cool on 60 minutes

-Robert Hur’s testimony and partisan political narratives

-Did anyone watch the Oscars?

-Kate Middleton conspiracy theories

Show Notes:

-Jonah's Gfile: I'm With Hur

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Human rights activist and former Israeli politician Natan Sharansky joins Jamie to talk about his letters to the late Alexei Navalny, the current political mood in Israel, and the spread of anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses.

The Agenda:

-Navalny's murder

-The threat of left-wing antisemitism

-The future of Israeli-U.S. relations

-Comparing Joe Biden and Donald Trump and their administration's work with Israel

-Pressure against Israeli politicians

-The likelihood of Arab countries helping Gaza

-Reflections on democracy and freedom

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Sarah hosts a late-night State of the Union recap with Steve, Declan, David, and John to discuss the speech’s partisan nature and whether it will matter in November. This episode was aired Thursday night as part of The Dispatch Live, a members-only livestream. Join today to watch the video and gain access to more exclusive content.

The Agenda:

—A partisan speech

—Biden meeting expectations

—Katie Britt falling flat (and not mentioning Trump)

—Where is No Labels?

—Member Q&A

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