Conversations With Bill Kristol

How is the US economy performing today? How should we think about the turn against free markets by prominent figures of the Left and the Right? What economic policies might spur innovation and growth in the future? In this Conversation, Harvard economist N. Gregory Mankiw analyzes the current moment and shares his perspective on the major economic policies and ideas of the Left and the Right. According to Mankiw, the American economy remains robust and dynamic, despite only good (rather than excellent) economic growth in recent years and increased consternation about the rise of inequality. Criticizing policies that rely excessively on central planning, Mankiw calls for high-skilled immigration, innovative approaches to education, and maintaining incentives that yield investment in research and development. He also suggests some alterations in tax and welfare policies that might help ameliorate problems we face in the short and long term.

Jack Goldsmith is a professor of law at Harvard, an expert on national security, terrorism, and cybersecurity—and a regular guest on Conversations. As he reveals in a fascinating new book, In Hoffa’s Shadow, from the age of 12 in 1975 he was personally wrapped up in one of the most contentious episodes in American history—the disappearance of the powerful Teamsters Union boss Jimmy Hoffa. In this Conversation, Goldsmith recounts how his stepfather, Chuckie O’Brien, became the prime suspect in Hoffa’s disappearance, and how this affected their relationship over the next decades. Goldsmith then shares his own research into the Hoffa case and what he learned along the way about his stepfather, the life and career of Jimmy Hoffa, the history of labor unions in the United States, and the rise and fall of the mob. This is a deeply personal, moving Conversation that has much to teach us about the complexities of family, law, and politics.

As we head into the 2020 election year, veteran political strategist and commentator Mike Murphy joins Bill Kristol to discuss the state of the race for the Democratic nomination, and the general election to follow. What are plausible paths to the nomination for Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, and possible dark horse candidates? What are Donald Trump’s chances for reelection against possible democratic nominees? Murphy shares his perspective on the race with his usual blend of humor and insight.

Best known for his 24 years in the Senate, Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927 - 2003) was a major figure in the political history of the United States in the second half of the twentieth century. In this Conversation, political scientist Greg Weiner, author of a fine intellectual biography of Moynihan, reviews Moynihan’s political career and his approach to political and social problems. In his rejection of extremism, his defense of proceduralism in government, and his willingness to use good social science while also seeing its limits, Moynihan's example has much to teach us today. Kristol and Weiner also consider the extent to which Moynihan benefited from the political thought of Edmund Burke, and why Burke remains highly relevant to our times.

Is America the best place in the world to get medical care? How should we think about recent proposals for healthcare reform like “Medicare for All” or creating new incentives for controlling costs? In this Conversation, James Capretta, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a leading scholar on health policy, presents an incisive, nuanced, and accessible account of American healthcare today. According to Capretta, the American healthcare system remains open and adaptive—and continues to offer high-quality care to the vast majority of the population. For access to the most cutting-edge innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of serious illnesses, American healthcare remains unmatched. And yet, as Capretta points out, the American healthcare system has struggled to control rising costs as a percentage of GDP. To meet this challenge, Capretta suggests market-driven reforms that—without rationing care as public healthcare inevitably does—create realistic incentives for controlling costs and public

Since at least the middle of the nineteenth century, certain writers, scholars, and amateur sleuths have questioned whether William Shakespeare, the actor and son of a glovemaker from Stratford, really could have written Shakespeare's plays. Possible alternatives posited by Shakespeare skeptics have included the philosopher Francis Bacon and the courtier Edward de Vere (The Earl of Oxford). A recent article in "The Atlantic" suggested a poet Emilia Bassano as another possible candidate. In this Conversation, Paul Cantor explains the history of this controversy, reviews the evidence, and explains why the author of Shakespeare’s plays was none other than Shakespeare from Stratford, himself! Cantor argues that behind this search for an alternate author lies a disbelief that such an individual could possess an astonishing ability to imagine and portray the full variety of human types, whether aristocratic or common, male or female. And yet, this ability to transcend oneself and imagine other people, tim

What is the role of the Supreme Court in American politics today? How is the current Court dealing with hot-button social and cultural issues, as well as topics like regulation and the scope of the administrative state? What are the major ideas and debates in conservative legal thought today? In this Conversation, Adam White, Executive Director at George Mason Law School’s C. Boyden Gray Center and a Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, offers an incisive analysis of the Supreme Court and the role of the judicial branch as a whole in America today. Discussing the current conservative majority on the Supreme Court, White highlights the tension between the desire for judicial restraint and the desire to revisit previous rulings that may have been wrongly decided. White argues that Chief Justice Roberts will have to manage this tension responsibly as he seeks to shape the character of the current Court. White and Kristol also discuss how both liberals and conservatives might treat the Court as

The conservative movement has been a major force in American political life since the 1950s. But in recent years conservatism has undergone fundamental changes. In this Conversation, Steve Hayes, the author and a former editor of The Weekly Standard, reflects on the extent to which today’s conservatism has been transformed by Donald Trump's campaign and presidency. Hayes acknowledges that Trump has had certain traditionally conservative policy victories, but contends that rationalization of Trump’s conduct and political impulses has damaged the conservative cause. Hayes and Bill Kristol also discuss the prospects for conservatism and the Republican Party after Trump’s presidency.

How have the transformations in our media environment—particularly the rise of digital and social media—affected American society and politics? Is the current volatility in our politics and media likely to persist? In this Conversation, Jim VandeHei the CEO and co-founder of Axios and, before that, Politico, shares his perspective on our tumultuous media and political environment. Though he highlights some positive consequences of the proliferation of digital and social media, VandeHei argues that they have also facilitated greater polarization, extremism, new vulnerabilities to political and ideological manipulation, and, in general, more turbulent politics. According to VandeHei, as a society we have a responsibility to think more seriously about the tradeoffs of the digital age—and to do that in a sufficiently reflective way which would allow us to benefit from the opportunities afforded by new media and technology while managing the risks they pose.

In 2014, Bill Kristol sat down with General Jack Keane for a wide-ranging discussion about Keane's distinguished military career. To commemorate 9/11, we are now re-releasing General Keane's remarkable recollections of September 11, which were part of that larger Conversation. General Keane was in the Pentagon, and in this recording he speaks of the heroism and bravery he witnessed that day. (Originally released: Sept. 29, 2014).

What role can America play in an increasingly complex and dangerous world—one in which America no longer maintains the overwhelmingly decisive advantage it enjoyed after the end of the Cold War? What steps must the United States take in order to improve its security and standing in a “Post-Post-Cold War" era? Why does American engagement abroad remain important for American safety and prosperity? In this Conversation, Eric Edelman of Johns Hopkins SAIS considers America’s strategic position today. Edelman highlights a clear decline in America’s military and diplomatic capacities as well as the growing strength of foreign competitors and rivals. To confront the challenge, Edelman calls for reforms in key institutions and practices—and a renewed commitment on the part of the American people to defend the liberal international order. This is a must-see Conversation for anyone interested in America’s role in the world.

What is the status of freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and liberal education on university campuses today? How has modern feminism shaped the modern university? In this Conversation, Harvey Mansfield considers some of the central issues and tensions in higher education today. Describing his own recent “disinvitation” from giving a commencement address at Concordia University in Montreal, Mansfield argues that the incident has much to teach us about current attitudes toward freedom of speech—and the importance of modern feminism in shaping these attitudes. Kristol and Mansfield also discuss the state of liberal education and free speech on campus and in America as a whole.

What are the roots of our idea of “meritocracy”? Why has meritocracy become a subject of intense scrutiny in our politics? Can there be a legitimate meritocracy? In this Conversation, James Hankins, a professor of history at Harvard University, presents a historically learned and deeply relevant account of the idea of meritocracy. According to Hankins, our current idea of meritocracy is closely tied to the post-French Revolution effort to replace the old hereditary elite with a new elite based on talent or merit. Over time, however, our idea of merit has become more narrowly focused on scientific capability—and has avoided questions about the humanities. Hankins points both to the Renaissance in the West and Confucianism in China as important sources for revitalizing the notion that moral virtue is important to teach, and for prospective rulers to understand. In sum, Hankins presents a fascinating account of meritocracy in China, America, and the West as a whole.

The speeches of Abraham Lincoln are well known for their enduring importance in the history of the United States. But they also remain incredibly significant as texts—works of political rhetoric that have much to teach us about the nature of politics and the American regime. In this Conversation with Bill Kristol, Diana Schaub, a professor of political science at Loyola University Maryland and a preeminent scholar of American political thought, demonstrates the depth of Lincoln’s speeches through an interpretation of two of his greatest orations: “The Lyceum Address” (1838) and “The Gettysburg Address” (1863). Schaub considers “The Lyceum Address” as a profound reflection on the dangers of democracy and why “rational reverence” for the law will be indispensable for the perpetuation of America’s political institutions. In a magnificent interpretation of the “The Gettysburg Address,” she explains how, for Lincoln, the Civil War was a trial not only about the future of the United States, but about the very possi

Is China already a serious strategic threat to the United States? If so, how should the United States respond to its rise as a regional and global power? In this Conversation with Bill Kristol, Aaron Friedberg, professor of political science and international affairs at Princeton University, argues that a rising China is now the most significant foreign policy challenge facing the United States. Reviewing recent history, Friedberg notes that America since the end of the Cold War has pursued a policy of greater engagement with China, believing that the country would ultimately liberalize politically. As Friedberg explains, this has not happened. Rather, the Chinese Communist Party has increasingly attempted to shape the world system in ways favorable to China and detrimental both to the security and economic well-being of the United States. Friedberg calls for economic, technological, and diplomatic efforts by the U.S. to meet the challenge from China.

Surveys tell us that Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with government institutions—from Congress and federal agencies to state and local governments. Given our aversion to taxes and bureaucracy, why do we demand the government do so much? And what can be done to improve the quality of our government's performance? In this provocative Conversation, University of Pennsylvania political scientist John J. Dilulio, Jr. argues that America does not have enough government workers to accomplish the tasks we demand of our government. Dilulio points to the paradox that we have not witnessed any increase in the federal workforce since the mid-1960s, while government spending has exploded since that time. Instead, the federal government has increasingly outsourced work to for-profit contractors, state and local employees who are de-facto federal workers, as well as non-profit workers. Making matters worse, we do not give the federal workers the discretion and oversight necessary to achieve good results. This “gove

Born in 1950 in New York City and raised in Montreal, Charles Krauthammer, who died on June 21, 2018, was an indispensable voice in American public life for nearly four decades. His writing and speaking—covering politics, religion, technology, sports, and many other subjects—enriched American public life in a profound way. A staunch defender of American exceptionalism, he was one of the most eloquent writers of his generation. As Bill Kristol put it, he was that “rare combination of extraordinary courage and intellect.” Originally released in April 2015, this Conversation covers his education, his political reflections from the 1980s through to the present day, his upbringing in Quebec, his work in medicine, and his attachment to Israel and Zionism. In it, some of Krauthammer's extraordinary wisdom, wit, and character come through.

Why is Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America the best book “ever written on democracy and the best ever written on America?” Why is it indispensable both for understanding the country as well as defending it? In this Podcast, Harvey Mansfield, co-translator of Democracy in America (with Delba Winthrop), presents a detailed exposition of Tocqueville’s masterwork. Mansfield considers the major themes of Tocqueville’s work, including Tocqueville’s treatment of the idea of rights, the role of religion, men and women, self-government, and the relationship of liberty and equality. As Mansfield explains, Democracy in America advocates a more “political” version of the liberalism propagated by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and other modern political philosophers. Americans, in Tocqueville’s account, learn the practice of self-government through the institutions they inherit and build upon. American practice therefore elevates the country and citizens above the individualism and narrow materialism that can follow

How should we think about global warming and climate change? How can we develop a sensible strategy to confront a problem for which the risks are inherently difficult to predict with accuracy? And how might the risks from climate change compare with other threats we'll face in the years ahead? In this Podcast, Jim Manzi, a leading technology entrepreneur, shares his perspective. In contrast to the maximalism we often hear in debates about climate change—“is the world going to end?” or “is this a hoax?”—Manzi urges us to think quantitatively about climate change and to pursue a strategy that would allow us to deal with a range of possible outcomes. Manzi explains why the predictions about climate are inherently uncertain—and warns against taxation that would not meaningfully affect climate change but would empower rivals to the United States like China. Instead, Manzi recommends “technology rather than taxation,” a strategy that emphasizes public and private investment in ambitious research toward technologies

On how we can sustain economic growth, spur innovation, improve productivity, and ensure greater prosperity for the middle class. In this Conversation, businessman and best-selling author Edward Conard shares his perspective on how America can achieve these objectives. Conard counters the commonplace view, today, that the American middle class has been hollowed out and that economic mobility has stagnated. While recognizing a slowdown in productivity and growth in recent years, Conard considers the overall strength and diversity of the American economy, and the relative growth in middle-class incomes in America compared to peer groups in Europe as well as Japan. According to Conard, we must prioritize innovation and growth in order to meet today’s challenges—and he cites America’s opportunity to increase high-skilled immigration as the single best way to jumpstart innovation and productivity now and in the years to come.