The Dispatch Podcast

Spinning Out of Control | Roundtable

46 snips
Sep 19, 2025
Megan McArdle, a columnist at the Washington Post, joins a lively roundtable discussion on free speech, media regulation, and TikTok. They dissect the government’s attempts to influence speech post-Charlie Kirk's assassination, questioning the implications for the First Amendment. The conversation also delves into a proposed TikTok deal that addresses privacy but leaves algorithm control with ByteDance, raising national-security concerns. To lighten things up, the group debates whether fall truly is the best season or if it’s just overrated.
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ANECDOTE

Conservatives Forced A Walk‑Back

  • Megan recalls conservatives pushing back after Bondi's comments, forcing a walk-back.
  • She recounts that legal conservatives reminded the public the First Amendment protects hateful expression.
INSIGHT

Bureaucratic Bias Drives Overreach

  • Megan explains bureaucrats often act from ideological assumptions, not malice, leading to overreach.
  • She cautions that institutional bias produces repeated free-speech conflicts across administrations.
INSIGHT

Stretching Legal Authority Weakens Norms

  • Kevin ties executive overreach in national-security actions to broader erosion of norms.
  • He warns stretching legal authorities makes future abuse easier and harder to reverse.
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