Vatican Chronicles: Art, Espionage, and Storytelling

Chuck Todd begins by addressing the “two shiny objects” in media this week: Epstein and Hunter Biden. He compares Donald Trump’s defensive, suspicious response to the Epstein files to his response to the Russia investigation in his first term, and explains why Trump’s denials won’t appease the conspiracists in his base. He comments on Hunter Biden’s recent appearances in media and explains why he wouldn’t book him for the ToddCast. He also examines the field of candidates that could succeed Trump for the Republican nomination in 2028.

Then, best-selling novelist Daniel Silva joins Chuck for a wide-ranging conversation about his acclaimed Gabriel Allon spy thriller series and the craft of writing. Silva discusses how real-world events and changing global perceptions, particularly around Israel, inform his fictional narratives, while sharing behind-the-scenes insights into his research process—from Vatican experiences to staying current with evolving spycraft and art restoration techniques. The conversation reveals how Silva has attracted high-profile fans like Presidents Clinton and Bush, and explores his concerns about populist movements and antisemitic elements within contemporary politics.

The discussion also delves into Silva's creative process, his passion for art and restoration, and his thoughts on the future of publishing in an AI-dominated world. Silva reflects on the challenges facing the next generation of writers, the evolution of independent bookstores, and whether artificial intelligence poses a threat to novelists who dream of building long-running series like his 25-book Gabriel Allon collection. The episode concludes with Silva's summer reading recommendations and a playful question about whether he ever dreams as his famous protagonist.

Finally, he reflects on the life of Ozzy Ozborne and the impact Ozborne made on him growing up, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Introduction

01:30 Resurrecting and revitalizing local news

02:30 The best journalism is done in service of local audiences

05:00 Michigan gubernatorial race has three viable candidates

08:00 The two shiny objects this week are Epstein and Hunter Biden

09:30 Mike Johnson shut down the house out of fear of Epstein vote

12:00 There are enough facts in the Epstein case to validate the conspiracists

14:30 Crazy is rewarded in Republican primaries

16:30 Trump’s behavior creates suspicion, like he did with Russia

18:00 Trump doesn’t own the conspiracist base, he borrowed it

20:00 Trump is trying all kinds of distractions

21:15 Obama allegations are pure distraction and propaganda

23:30 Hunter Biden doesn’t offer any value as a guest in media

24:30 Hunter’s media appearances don’t do Joe Biden or Dems any good

26:00 Running for president can do major damage to a candidate’s family

27:30 A president has to put the country over their family

30:15 There’s no “invisible primary” on the Republican side

31:30 The runner up usually becomes the next Republican nominee

33:30 Will the front runner be someone Trump anoints?

35:00 If Trump tanks the economy, it could open up the primary

36:00 The different archetypes of potential Trump successors

42:15 The primary will be a campaign for the affection of Trump

42:45 Daniel Silva joins the Chuck ToddCast! 

44:00 Do you know the title of a book before writing it? 

45:15 Do you get to know Daniel by reading his books? 

46:45 The real world informs the imagined world of his books 

49:45 How have changing perceptions of Israel informed his book? 

51:15 No desire to write about the Israel/Palestine conflict 

52:45 Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are both fans of the books 

55:00 The books reflect the importance of institutions 

56:45 Populists on both sides don't care about the post cold war order 

57:30 The MAGA movement is dripping with antisemetic elements 

59:00 Daniel's journey into Vatican themed fiction 

1:01:15 Daniel's personal experiences at the Vatican 

1:02:15 Where did his passion for art come from? 

1:03:45 How does he keep up with changing trends in spycraft and art? 

1:06:45 When does art go from restoration to completely remodeled? 

1:09:30 What defines a "fraudulent restoration"? 

1:10:45 How much are actual intelligence agents part of your source material? 

1:11:45 Gabriel Allon wouldn't have pulled the trigger on the Israeli "beeper" op 

1:13:15 Cell phones are the greatest surveillance tool ever created 

1:15:00 Will you pivot to China as the boogeyman in the books? 

1:15:45 How many more Gabriel Allon books are left to be written? 

1:18:15 Does Daniel's family see their own stories in his books? 

1:19:15 The evolution of the publishing/printing industry 

1:21:45 Independent bookstores need to host events to sell books 

1:25:00 The ability of AI to write in your voice 

1:26:00 More worried about societal disruptions caused by AI 

1:27:00 Skills you can pass to a child might not be relevant in 15 years 

1:28:15 Will a 30 year old novelist be able to make a 25 book series in the future? 

1:29:00 The Daniel Silva summer reading list 

1:31:15 Do you ever dream as Gabriel Allon?

1:37:00 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Daniel Silva 

1:37:30 RIP to Ozzy Osborne 

1:42:15 Ask Chuck 

1:42:30 Talking politics and current events with kids? 

1:46:15 How will the Department of Education changes affect small districts? 

1:48:30 Why don't you start a "get to know your district" show with Colbert?