How to Save America with Peggy Noonan

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Nov 26, 2024

Peggy Noonan, an acclaimed author and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, shares her insights into American identity and the decline of political civility. She reflects on the emotional toll of losing grace in political discourse, particularly since Trump's presidency. Noonan discusses the stark divide between societal classes and the dangers of 'luxury beliefs.' Through personal anecdotes, she highlights the importance of unity and resilience in a polarized world, emphasizing how gratitude and shared cultural values can bridge gaps.

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INSIGHT

Decline of Political Standards

American political life has become rougher and less elevated since around 2015.
People's frustrations rose, leading them to shed standards and expectations previously seen as essential.

ANECDOTE

Two Different Revolutions

Peggy Noonan contrasts the Reagan revolution with the Trump era.
The Reagan revolution was within a party, while Trump's feels more cultural, changing how America sees itself.

ANECDOTE

Trump's Appointments

Noonan questions Trump's appointments, citing Pete Hegseth for Defense and Matt Gaetz for Attorney General as inappropriate choices.
She believes Trump should focus on impressing the public with strong appointees, rather than controversial figures.

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Peggy Noonan does what we try to do every day at The Free Press: tell the truth, make sense of things plainly and without pretension, frame the news in a way that helps the reader make sense of things, and put things in a historical context that gives the day-to-day depth and meaning.

The very annoying thing about Peggy Noonan is that she makes the thing that we know is so very hard look so very easy. And she does it week after week after week in The Wall Street Journal—which adds up to more than 400 columns over the last 25 years.

In her newest—and ninth—book, A Certain Idea of America, she collects 80 of her best columns published over the last eight years. Now, the idea that old newspaper columns might be good fodder for a book sort of seems like a weird idea, given that newspapers are most famous for being the next day’s fish wrapper. But somehow this book feels urgent and timeless. Which means that Peggy Noonan’s old columns are better than most people’s brand-new ones.

That’s probably because she knows a thing or two about rhetoric and American politics. She was a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan. She helped President George H.W. Bush get elected. She consulted for the TV show The West Wing.

In today’s conversation, we talk about how Peggy understands Trump’s win and the political revolution that we’re living through, what it feels like to lose in a values war, and what it feels like to defend things like civility and decency in 2024. We also talk about Trump’s appointments so far, Peggy’s first meeting with Trump, and how, despite our troubles, America remains a good and great country—and why it’s so important for young people to know that.

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