Q & A, Hosted By Jay Nordlinger

Hannah Dreier is an investigative reporter, one of the best in America. In past years, she was a correspondent in Venezuela. Jay podcasted with her as that country was spinning out of control. Now, for the New York Times, Ms. Dreier has written a blockbuster report: “Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S.” She and Jay discuss this important piece of work... Source

Félix Maradiaga is a Nicaraguan democracy leader. From June 2021 until this month—611 days; about a year and eight months—he was a political prisoner. He and his fellow prisoners suffered terrible things in El Chipote, the notorious prison in Managua. Félix is well-known to listeners of this program. Jay podcasted with him in February 2019 (here); he podcasted with Félix’s wife, Berta Valle... Source

In recent days, Kevin D. Williamson and Jay Nordlinger—among others—have been writing about our old friends, our old enemies, the federal budget deficit and the federal debt. (KDW, here; JN, here.) Something’s gotta give, right? We Americans have to act at some point, right? Jay and Kevin jaw it out. Source

Sol Stern is a veteran writer and policy analyst. He was born in Israel—actually, Mandatory Palestine—in 1935. The Sterns moved to New York when Sol was three and a half. As a young journalist, he was part of the New Left. Disillusionment set in. For more than 20 years, he worked at the Manhattan Institute, becoming best-known for education policy. These days, he says he belongs to what Robert... Source

Russell D. Moore is an evangelical thinker and leader, the editor-in-chief of Christianity Today. His world, in recent years, has been rocked by politics. With Jay, Moore discusses this, and much more—including his love of country music. Moore lives a minute from Dolly Parton. And his dog’s name is “Waylon.”... Source

“Our guest today,” says Jay Nordlinger, “is a writer, a journalist—an unusual one, a distinctive one: her own woman. She is Stephanie Slade, a senior editor at Reason…” She is a libertarian who is religious and pro-life. With Jay, she discusses a number of issues, all of them at the heart of our politics today: the political wars, liberalism, conservatism, economic policy, drugs, marriage... Source

In what has become almost a tradition, Jay does a sportscast in advance of the College Football Playoff, and he does it with his regular gurus, David French and Vivek Dave. In addition to college football, the guys talk NFL, and NBA, and World Cup—and Tiger and Charlie Woods. Source

In the 1990s, there was a documentary called “Arguing the World,” about Daniel Bell, Irving Kristol, et al. In this episode of “Q&A,” Kevin D. Williamson and Jay talk the world, or at least a bit of it: Kanye, swastikas, abortion, the media, elitism, anti-elitism, etc. At the end, they talk about books and thinkers—and stars to be struck by. Source

Across China, brave people are staging protests. Talking with Jay about this is Jianli Yang, a veteran Chinese democracy activist. He was at Tiananmen Square, in 1989. He was a political prisoner. He is a scholar, a poet—many things. Jay has admired him since they first met in 2001, and Jianli Yang has important, and informed, things to say, always. Source

Betsy DeVos has been an education reformer—and philanthropist—for some 35 years. In the Trump administration, she was education secretary. She has written a book that is part personal memoir, part policy book: “Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child.” From Jay, she fields some questions general and specific: “What is ‘education freedom’? Source

Jamie Fly is the president of RFE/RL, that combination of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. RFE/RL is especially critical these days, when the Kremlin is waging its war on Ukraine, and its usual disinformation war. Questioned by Jay, Jamie Fly goes through some of the basics. A very important arena, we’re talking about. Source

Bibi’s back, and so, on “Q&A,” is Haviv Rettig Gur. He is a favorite guest of this program. He is an Israel explainer par excellence. HRG is the senior analyst of the Times of Israel. With Jay, he talks about the return of Benjamin Netanyahu to power. About the nature of politics in Israel: tribal. About Iran, Ukraine, and other things—including Kanye and Kyrie. Source

As usual, Jay has some questions for George F. Will: What do you think about the midterms? Is Biden all there? What is the importance of Ukraine? How do you deal with the terms “liberal” and “conservative”? What about the F-word, “fascism”? What was Johnny Carson like? How about David Letterman? Have you ever been starstruck? Is Shohei Ohtani like Babe Ruth? There are more questions where those... Source

The sports world has some hot issues — and Jay calls on David French and Vivek Dave to discuss them. In the NFL, the fate of Tua Tagovailoa. And the fate of Tom Brady. In the NBA, the punch thrown by Draymond Green. Also: Is LeBron finished? In college football, the SEC vs. the Big Ten. Etc. Yes, a wide world of sports, and a cracking conversation. Source

Stephen Gutowski is one of the leading gun journalists in the country. He is the founder of The Reload, a news site. He is an analyst for CNN. If he doesn’t know it—and it concerns guns—it is probably not known. In this podcast, Gutowski teaches Jay a few terms, including “Fudd” and “tacticool.”... Source

Oleksandra Matviichuk is a Ukrainian human-rights lawyer, the head of the Center for Civil Liberties, in Ukraine. The center has just been announced as a recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Jay spoke with her when she traveled to New York, for a session of the Oslo Freedom Forum. They talk about her life and work. Her work takes a toll, but it is urgently important. Source

Berta Valle is the wife of Felix Maradiaga, a Nicaraguan political prisoner. He was a presidential candidate last year, arrested along with other candidates by the country’s dictator, Daniel Ortega. Maradiaga is one of Jay’s favorite people. Jay did a “Q&A” with him in 2019 (here). Berta Valle is an outstanding person herself, doing all she can to help her husband. This conversation with Jay is... Source

“Columny” was William Safire’s word for the craft of column-writing (he also called it “the column dodge”). Steve Chapman has been an outstanding columnist for more than 40 years—mainly with the Chicago Tribune. He has now retired. Bill Buckley published the first piece that Chapman ever got paid for. Chapman thought about leaving the check uncashed—maybe he should have it framed? Source

David Pryce-Jones met the King—George VI—when he was six or so. Later, when he was 16, he observed the King’s funeral procession. The crown fell off the coffin, right in front of him. Two years later, he placed a bet on a horse for the Queen—she had handed him a five-pound note and asked him to do it. David Pryce-Jones is a writer: a journalist, a historian, a biographer, a novelist, a memoirist. Source

Daniel Hannan is a frequent and prized guest on “Q&A.” He is a writer, a politician—a member of the House of Lords. He has just been in Odessa. He talks with Jay about Ukraine. Then they talk about the late Queen, and some British politics. A conversation with Dan Hannan is an education and a pleasure. Source