The Dispatch Podcast The Lamest Showman on Earth | Roundtable
25 snips
Oct 3, 2025 
Join Jonah Goldberg, a conservative commentator and author, Kevin Williamson, a sharp political writer, and Mike Warren, a Dispatch staff writer, as they dissect key political events. They explore the theatrics of Secretary of War Hegseth at a military gathering, dive into the implications of a government shutdown, and debate the ethics of performing at the Riyadh comedy festival. The trio also shares their personal comfort food favorites, blending political discourse with a touch of nostalgia.
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Theatrical Posture Undermined Policy Message
- Pete Hegseth's speech mixed substantive corrections with heavy theatrical showmanship that undercut its seriousness.
- His performative macho posture seemed aimed more at pleasing Donald Trump than guiding the military bureaucracy.
Lethality Isn't America's Primary Military Problem
- The U.S. military's core strength remains lethal effectiveness, not a lack of physical readiness.
- Many panelists viewed calls to fix "lethality" as a solution searching for a real problem.
Domestic Deployment Rhetoric Is Troubling
- Donald Trump's Quantico remarks about using the military against an "enemy within" and training in U.S. cities raised constitutional and civil‑liberties alarms.
- Panelists agreed the rhetoric was alarming even if partly improvised and poorly planned.
