The Federalist Radio Hour

From Serena Williams to Jordan Spieth, this year has had its fill of great sports moments and scandals. Christine Brennan, USA sports columnist, joined the Federalist Radio Hour today to recap some of her favorite moments and share some of her thoughts on the future of sports journalism. On Ronda Rousey’s recent loss to Holly Holmes, Brennan said that learning to lose is a tough, but valuable lesson. “As a journalist, I find it fascinating that a woman is so dominant in this and has controlled the conversation and I love seeing that.” Brennan and Domenech discussed the trend among parents to insulate their children from losing and if participations trophies are as dangerous as some pose them to be. “I think there is a delicate balance...it starts with great coaching, whether that be a mom or dad or a professional and understanding you don’t have to overcook your kid, and don’t put too much pressure on them.” Later in the hour, Brennan talked about the Twitter era of sports journalism and the conflict between accuracy and speed. “Double check the spelling. Triple check the spelling. Double check that fact. Mistakes are horrible,” she said. “There’s this old school sense about this very new school. I think you can have both, I think you have to co-exist to be successful.”

Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, attended the framework conference on climate change in Paris a few weeks ago. He joined to Federalist Radio Hour to discuss what is in the agreement, what it’s about, what it means for Global Warming, and what it doesn’t. “I don’t want to say it’s a disaster, but I think it is potentially a disaster for humankind and not necessarily any good for the planet,” Ebell said. Ebell noted that both President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have been saying for years that our biggest security threat is Global Warming. “This is an attempt to change the subject. It’s to get off real dealing with problems that have very serious dangers and consequences and moving to this kind of feel-good issue of global warming.” Later in the hour, Doug Domenech joined the conversation on how these new regulations will have an impact at the state level. Domenech is the director of the Fueling Freedom Project at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and former Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. State policies that claim to have a big environmental benefit and small economic cost, are actually creating economic stagnation at the state level. “The administration’s big climate program is the Clean Power Plan and has been finalized by the EPA and published in the federal register about two months ago and what you saw was immediately 27 states filed suits in the courts,” Domenech said. “It’s going to boil down to the state level.”

The American economy has ultimately changed the definition of middle class, according to a new Pew research poll. Economist Scott Winship joined the Federalist Radio Hour to discuss the economics of income, the meaningless inflation index, and residential economic movement. Winship is the Walter B. Wriston Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and was previously at The Brookings Institution. Winship recently wrote about how since the middle class has become wealthier over time, the actual definition of middle class is skewed. “The Middle class doesn’t have an agreed upon definition in the way that, for instance, we have an official federal poverty rate,” he said. “It’s not the case that today’s middle class, according to Pew, has the same standard of living as 1971’s middle class-- it’s much better off over time.” Later in the hour, Winship discussed how maintaining community can influence upward mobility, but alternatively, the increased job opportunities outside of one’s own neighborhood, and the bigger question of what happens when government gets in the way of residential mobility. “There is definitely tension between moving opportunity to a different part of the country, versus maintaining these strong family connections,” he said.

Peggy Noonan went through 30 years-worth of her own writing to chronicle her career as a journalist and speechwriter in the Reagan White House. The Time of Our Lives is her latest book and a culmination of stories, lessons, and advice from her experiences as a writer, which she shared on today’s episode of The Federalist Radio Hour. She said going back through her writing turned into a labor of love, but in the beginning it was a labor. “I saw that I could really say my subject is America. America is what I have been writing about for more than 30 years,” she said. “I found that there is a persistent theme in my work of thinking aloud the importance of work itself--in the meaning and making of human life.” Noonan described the day of the Challenger disaster in 1986 and the process of writing Ronald Reagan’s speech he would give on television later that night. “I picked up the President’s mood. I understood that he was upset,” she said. “I felt our work hadn’t quite hit it, but I came in the next morning and things had changed…” Later in the hour, Noonan shared what her own writing process looks like and the differences between writing speeches, columns, and books. “You can learn a lot of how people think by what they say, if they choose to be talking to you,” she said on speechwriting. “It is their document. It is Reagan’s thoughts. It’s their best thoughts, made as briefly as possible. But it’s them, it’s not you.”

Victoria Coates is a foreign policy advisor for Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign and author of David’s Sling: A History of Democracy in 10 Works of Art. She joined the Federalist Radio hour to discuss her research as an art historian, as well as the challenges that lie ahead for Ted Cruz’s relationships with foreign leaders. She described how art relates to democracy and the societies that chose to commemorate that free system. “[The Parthenon] is the embodiment of democracy and what’s so poignant about it though is of course it was destroyed in relatively modern times, so what we have is a shell of the Parthenon,” she said. Coates said of the recent conflict between Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio on foreign policy, that Cruz’s view of the world is emerging and showing how he would address these problems and opportunities as President. “If anyone can look at Ted Cruz’s history and consider him an anti-semite or an isolationist then you’re simply not looking at the actual record,” he said. Later in the hour, Coates explored the issues that would face a potential President Cruz taking office in January 2017 and how his administration would approach them. “[Cruz] believes very strongly that the best way to promote democracy is through the example of America. That America is the aspiration,” she said. “That has to be our great contribution. And that’s how you bring people along with you rather than forcing your values on them.”

Rebecca Cusey, movie critic at The Federalist, shared her thoughts and some spoilers on Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She said the much anticipated movie is a playful one that she thinks most people will enjoy. “It is nostalgic but there is enough new there that you’re not watching the same thing,” she said. “You have some of these characters that you know and you care about...and their next generation story and you’ve got new people too.” Many argue that the best Star Wars movie is also the darkest movie: The Empire Strikes Back. Cusey said that the darkest movies in a series are the best because the stakes become really high, but that The Force Awakens is not as dark. “It sets things up for the future. It doesn’t resolve things,” she said. Ben Domenech, publisher of The Federalist, explains how Star Wars is better off without George Lucas. “Lucas hates to write, hates to direct, he likes to edit but he’s not that good at it,” he said. “Over and over again, what you find out about these movies is basically people coming in and saving them from themselves.” Later in the hour Cusey reviews The Big Short and describes characters and top performances from films released this year.

Paul Bonicelli is a professor of government at Regent University, former assistant administrator at USAID, and former staff member U.S. House of Representatives. He explains the differences between Rubio and Cruz’s foreign policies, the marks that are going to be left on Obama’s legacy, and political crisis facing universities.   Ben Domenech, publisher of The Federalist, noted that neoconservative meant something different in the 1980’s and 1990’s than it does today.  “Now people use ‘neoconservative’ to describe people like Dick Cheney, who is just an old-fashioned hawk,” he said. Regarding Obama as a president, Bonicelli and Domenech discuss the ways in which he fails as a leader and his lack of alpha male qualities. “George Bush did not feel diminished if he was wrong or had to change his mind. I really believe Barack Obama is the kind of person that cannot personally do that-- it’s too painful,” Bonicelli said. Finally, as a professor himself, Bonicelli discusses what kind of leadership it will take to address the student and administrative protests on public college campuses. “That’s to me where a conservative governor comes in and says, ‘I represent the people of this state and they don’t want money wasted this way.’”

Kate Havard is both a Shakespeare and a Star Wars aficionado and she joined the Federalist Radio Hour today discuss the plays, books and movies surrounding both the playwright and the franchise. Havard is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Havard said she thought the recently released Macbeth movie directed by Justin Kurzel is a beautiful piece of cinematography. “Here they have really made it about tyranny and power, which is in the play, it’s a subtle one and here they bring it up,” she said. Additionally, Havard recently reviewed Harrying: Skills of Offense in Shakespeare’s Henriad, a new book from Harry Berger Jr. a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Havard and Domenech discuss why the classic Shakespeare character Prince Hal is compelling and more interesting than Hamlet or other more famous characters. “He is so seductive in the sense that his speeches are some of the most heart-warming and noble,” she said. Later in the hour, Havard explains why she is not pro-Jedi and how the Star Wars franchise could be seen as not just a movie and more as a higher form of art.

Garry Kasparov is a Russian chess Grandmaster and often called the greatest chess player of all time. He is also the author of Winter is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped. On the Federalist Radio Hour, Kasparov shared stories from his 78-year-old mother who grew up under Stalin and discussed what the U.S. could have done differently in their relationship with Russia after the Cold War. Kasparov said that a dictator who runs out of enemies in his own country, will eventually begin looking for enemies elsewhere. “Eventually he would be the problem for everybody,” he said. “At certain points he will have no other arguments to stay in power and to justify his eternal rule, as to create more conflicts and war.” He described Putin’s propaganda in Russia as having no positive elements. “It’s about war. It’s about finding enemies. And it’s very difficult for people who are not unreasonable not to believe this propaganda,” he said. U.S. foreign policy from 1991 to today has been a pendulum that eventually created a vacuum. “If you create a vacuum is doesn’t stay empty for too long,” Kasparov said. “In politics is works as we’ve seen in the Middle East and elsewhere.”

Senior editors at the Federalist, David Harsanyi and Mollie Hemingway, hosted today’s Federalist Radio Hour. They discussed how the Connecticut Governor plans to deny citizens their constitutional rights without due process, how Donald Trump has imploded the Republican party, and the new book edited by Jonathan Last, The Christmas Virtues.   “Will Connecticut have to change their state name from the “constitution state” since they obviously don’t care about the constitution?” Hemingway asked after explaining the breaking news of Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy’s announcement to sign an executive order prohibiting those on government watch lists from buying guns. Later in the hour Hemingway explained why she admires Trump, why she hates Trump, and why she hates how the media covers Trump. “The media flip out beyond belief over everything he says,” she said. Harsanyi said he thinks the media loves Trump because it forwards a proposition they have. “It goes like this: Trump is like Hitler. Republicans secretly agree with Trump. Republicans are like Hitler, he said. 

There is no other holiday tradition as essential as food and wine. Jack Bishop, Chief Creative Officer of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated, joins the Federalist Radio Hour to share cooking advice and the dishes being served at his own Christmas dinner. A professional sommelier and veteran of the fine dining industry, Ellie Bufkin, and her foodie father, David Bufkin join the show to share some of their favorite holiday wines and the best foods to serve them with. Bishop said he loves food-friendly wines. “Generally I look to cook with the wines that I’m drinking,” he said. “In [America’s Test Kitchen] we have a philosophy about what wines we think work really well in recipes and those are the ones that I think work really well on the table with the food.” From cranberry-walnut bread to Beef Wellington, Bishop and Bufkin explore some traditional and non-traditional Christmas foods and kitchen secrets that they enjoy.

What lessons has Ted Cruz learned from Rand Paul? What makes Marco Rubio feel insecure? And who is really behind Donald Trump’s tweets? McKay Coppins, senior political writer at Buzzfeed News, used his unparalleled access to Republican presidential candidates and Tea Party leaders into write his new book, The Wilderness. He shared many of those behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes about the Republican Party on today’s Federalist Radio Hour. Coppins said that Trump is taping into an anxiety and feeling of abandonment that is coursing through a lot of Americans. We may forget or not realize, that Trumps brand...was always built on the idea that he wad the billionaire for the blue collar masses, he said. He lives an outlandish, cartoonish lifestyle, that he believes represents what a lot of ordinary people would do if they had a millions dollars. The reporter and author also shared his view of the Rubio-Cruz feud and the differences, or lack thereof, between their current foreign policies. Generally they have very similar positions, he said. Im not sure that this is going to be a wedge that makes a big difference in the Republican primary.

Alexandra Petri joined the Federalist Radio Hour today to discuss comedy, pun competitions, Star Wars, and the best Christmas presents for people you don’t like. Petri is a Washington Post opinions writer where she also writes the ComPost blog, offering a lighter take on the news and opinions of the day.  She is the author of A Field Guide to Awkward Silences. Petri said humor seems to come out best when you find things that make you feel indignant. “It’s easier to find the joke in something when you think, ‘This this is ridiculous.’” She also touched on 2016 and her theory as to why Donald Trump is still successful. “I think one of the weird misconceptions that happens every four years is there is this switch in the White House that just fixes everything and the President is like, ‘No I won’t under any circumstances flip the fix-everything-switch’ and you run the campaign on, ‘Well when I am in office I will definitely flip the switch! Things will be fixed and better!’” she said. “And Donald Trump is the simplified version of that.”

Olivier Knox, chief Washington correspondent at Yahoo News, was born to a French mother and an American father and has been a reporter in both America and France, giving him a unique perspective when it comes to reporting on the Paris attacks. He joined the Federalist Radio Hour to talk about Paris, his years covering the White House, the gifts Saudi kings have given Obama this year, and why Americans don’t trust the Elites. Knox said he was been surprised by the unusual outpouring of public patriotism by Parisians as a response to the recent terrorist attacks. “A lot of my Parisian friends went out and got a French flag from their balcony. For a lot of them it’s the only thing they feel they can do.” Being a reporter in the White House during both Bush and Obama administrators, Knox explained the differences between the two and their relationships with the press. “I think [the White House] thinks that they actually being lampooned. They don’t feel like they are giving as rosy as a picture as comes across with statements like, ‘ISIS is contained.’” Later in the hour, Knox and Domenech discuss the most recent release of Hillary Clinton’s emails and the proportion of them that are solely flattery. “I was just struck by how little work was going on in this email chain,” he said. “Obviously work is going on but I mean, you look at these emails and you get this completely warped sense of what the Secretary of State does all day.”

How can evangelical churches engage American culture in the 21st Century? How are presidential candidates addressing religious liberty issues different than in past elections? Dr. Russell Moore joins the Federalist Radio Hour to discuss these changes in religion. Moore is the president of the Ethics andamp; Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and author of Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel. Moore and Domenech explore the latest news circulating the Planned Parenthood attacks and how the pro-life movement will have to respond. “I think that’s further complicated by the fact that when we do have such a large percentage of people in American culture who have had abortions, or who have facilitated abortions without having resolved the guilt that comes with this,” he said. As America sees a rise in those who are spiritually wayward or what many studies have called the “rise of the nones” and people who are neither atheist or belong to any belief, Moore said he thinks this makes being a Christian even more distinct. “There was a time in American history where one really had to be affiliated with a church to be considered a good person,” he said. “Now, one doesn’t have to pretend to be a Christian to find a spouse, get a job or even elected to office.”