Q & A, Hosted By Jay Nordlinger

Bill Bennett is one of America’s great teachers. He taught, really, when he was secretary of education. He teaches daily on his radio show. And he teaches through his books, the latest of which is America the Strong: Conservative Ideas to Spark the Next Generation. In this “Q&A,” Jay asks him to talk about drug legalization. And Common Core. And the terms “neocon” and “establishment. Source

Jay has a ‘Hammer, in this “Q&A.” With Dr. Charles Krauthammer, he covers a good bit of terrain. They begin with baseball, and then food. Then they talk about that curse on campus, political correctness. And the “establishment.” (What is it?) And Israel. And Syria. And Obama. And Hillary. And global warming. And the future of America. (Is decline a choice? Yes. A bad one? Most definitely. Source

Charles Murray is the famous public-policy analyst whose books include “Losing Ground” (1984) and “Coming Apart” (2012). His new book is “By the People: Rebuilding Liberty without Permission.” In this “Q&A,” Jay invites him to talk about some of the biggest issues. What is libertarianism? What is conservatism? What is Barack Obama? What is Hillary Clinton? How are race relations faring? Source

Jay’s guest is Isabella Boylston, a ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre. She has been in California, dancing Clara in “The Nutcracker.” She and Jay talk about “The Nutcracker,” and its enduring popularity, and about some other issues in the ballet too. To see a bit of Isabella in another Tchaikovsky ballet, “Sleeping Beauty,” go here. And to see her in a short film called “Snow Day... Source

Jay does not do a traditional “Q&A” this time – and not a “Q&A” at all – but a Christmas show. A show of Christmas music. He plays seven of his favorite tracks, from Bach to “I Saw Three Ships” to gospel. Performers include Leontyne Price, George Shearing, and Chanticleer. A medley for the season. And a shot in the arm, or wherever it is needed. Source

For many years, David Horowitz was a shake-’em-up figure on the left. For many more years, he has been a shake-’em-up figure on the right. He is now embarked on a big publishing project: The Black Book of the American Left: The Collected Conservative Writings of David Horowitz. With Jay, he is his characteristic blunt self, giving it to Obama, Hillary, and others we could name (and do). Source

In a recent issue of National Review, Jay had a piece called “Underground at Brown: A secret forum in which people can talk.” Later, he did a larger Web version, here. At Brown, there is a secret Facebook group in which students can talk freely. They can talk about whatever they like, including controversial issues. Shouldn’t they be able to do that out in the open, above ground? Source

In recognition of Thanksgiving, Jay has gathered four worthies to discuss America, and what to be grateful for, where America is concerned. The worthies are Mona Charen, Scott Immergut (aka Blue Yeti), Kevin Williamson, and Charlie Cooke. Jay has approximately 20 categories: “Name three of your favorite American . . .” movies, foods, novels, comedians, states, accents, singers, athletes... Source

Ben Sasse was elected senator from Nebraska last year. He has just given his maiden floor speech: detailing what is wrong with the world’s “greatest deliberative body.” He and Jay talk about this. Why is the Senate broken? What is the responsibility of the people themselves? What about entitlements? And the “administrative state”? And the new reality of employment? And cyberwar? With Jay... Source

Jay’s guest today is David Pryce-Jones, the British journalist, historian, and novelist. He has just written his memoirs, “ Fault Lines” – a book that is about the extraordinary family from which he sprang, as well as about himself. With Jay, he traverses any number of subjects: the war, and his flight through France down into Morocco with his nanny; his encounter with the Arab world... Source

Alan Simpson was a senator from Wyoming from 1979 to 1997. For ten of those years, he was the Republican whip. Since leaving the Senate, he has done many things, including the co-chairmanship of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. He and Jay talk about some big issues, including immigration: Simpson was the co-author of the immigration act of 1986... Source

That was the nickname of Tom Seaver, the major-league pitcher. Before that, it was the name of a children’s cartoon. In any case, it certainly applies to Thomas Sowell, the economist, philosopher, and writer. His latest book is Wealth, Poverty and Politics: An International Perspective. With Jay, he talks about some of the key questions of that book, and of life: what makes individuals and peoples... Source

For almost 20 years, Lincoln Diaz-Balart was a member of Congress (1993 to 2011). He is a Republican from Miami. It was Ronald Reagan and Jeane Kirkpatrick, really, who convinced him to leave the Democratic party for the Republican. And he is one of Jay Nordlinger’s favorite people. They talk about Cuba, mainly. (Land of Lincoln’s birth.) The Pope’s visit. Obama’s normalization. Also... Source

Well, you don’t have to drink tea, or anything else, to enjoy this podcast with Toby Young. He is well familiar to Ricochet readers and listeners: the British journalist who was a judge on Top Chef and who is an important education reformer and whose father, a prominent sociologist and politician, coined the term “meritocracy” (which he did not mean in a positive way – far from it). Source

Carly Fiorina was in New Hampshire today, participating in a Labor Day parade. It was about 95 degrees. Afterward, from an air-conditioned vehicle, she did a “Q&A” with Jay. They talked about a range of issues, including economic growth; abortion; Iranian nukes; Donald Trump; immigration; HP; and Afghanistan. If you’re looking for a compact way of knowing “How does Carly think? How does she talk?”... Source

What could be more interesting than an hour with Bill Kristol? When it comes to political talk, not much. Jay and he talk politics, sure. That includes 2016. But they talk about a lot more, too. They talk books and history. They talk about words (within politics, true): “neocon,” “establishment,” “socialist.” They talk about growing up, and the Iranian bomb, and abortion. Listen to it once... Source

David Horovitz is one of the leading intellectuals and political analysts in all of Israel. That’s what Jay says at the top of this podcast. Later, Horovitz denies the intellectual part, but you can judge for yourself. An Anglo-Israeli, born in London, Horovitz is the founding editor of the Times of Israel. He was the editor of the Jerusalem Post. He is the author of several books. With him... Source

Jianli Yang is a Chinese democracy activist. He is also an old friend of Jay’s (and a hero of Jay’s). He is the president of Initiatives for China, in Washington, D.C. He was at Tiananmen Square. He was a prisoner of conscience in China for five years. He holds two Ph.D.s, one in math from Berkeley and the other in political economy from Harvard. In this “Q&A,” Jay talks to Yang about the decision... Source

Jay’s guest is Alan Dershowitz, the famed lawyer and Harvard Law prof. His latest book is “The Case Against the Iran Deal: How Can We Stop Iran From Getting Nukes?” Naturally, Jay talks with him about Iran – and the deal, and Obama, and Chuck Schumer, and Netanyahu, and so on. They also talk about presidential elections, past and present. Did you know that Ted Cruz was a student of Dershowitz’s? Source

For this episode, Jay has a co-host – not just any co-host, as he says, but THE co-host: Mona Charen, of “Need to Know” fame. Jay asked her to join him, because, as he says, his guest was too large – too capacious of mind and activity – to be questioned by just one person. That guest is Roger Scruton, the British philosopher, novelist, composer, etc. He has written more than 40 books... Source