Philip Taubman
Senior fellow at Stanford's International Security Cooperation Center and co-author of McNamara at War, bringing expertise on McNamara's Washington years and primary-source research.
Best podcasts with Philip Taubman
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Nov 3, 2025 • 1h 8min
Philip Taubman and William Taubman: McNamara at War
Philip Taubman, a senior fellow at Stanford, and William Taubman, a Pulitzer-winning biographer, delve into the life of Robert McNamara, a key player in U.S. military history. They discuss newly uncovered letters from Jacqueline Kennedy that reveal McNamara's personal struggles. Their exploration covers McNamara's evolution from a war advocate to someone questioning the Vietnam War, alongside insights from a private diary. The brothers also reflect on McNamara's duality: his loyalty, ambition, and the haunting guilt from his decisions, painting a portrait of a man deeply at odds with himself.
Sep 5, 2025 • 58min
The Double Life of Robert McNamara: How America's 'Best and Brightest' Led the Nation into Vietnam While Knowing the War Was Unwinnable
In this engaging discussion, Philip Taubman, co-author of "McNamara At War," delves into the complex life of Robert McNamara, the controversial Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War. Taubman reveals how McNamara, while privately lamenting the war's futility, remained loyally bound to LBJ, illustrating the moral quandaries of leadership. He uncovers new documents that expose this tragic double life, emphasizing that McNamara's legacy embodies the failure of America's postwar meritocracy and the profound moral dilemmas faced by those in power.
