A Charlie Rose Global Conversation

Joe Manchin came from immigrant parents and grandparents in in Farmington West Virginia to the Governor’s Mansion in Charleston, and then to the United States Senate in Washington, where he served from 2010 to 2025. Manchin left the Democratic Party in 2024 to register as an independent.During his Senate career, Manchin was known for taking centrist positions and for working with both parties. He often found himself at the center of national attention with huge power as he held the decisive vote especially when President Biden came to the Presidency in 2021. His new book, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, is part memoir of a political life, a reminder of traditional values, a reflection on how polarization has reshaped Washington, why consensus has grown more difficult, and what it might take to renew trust in American government at a moment when many Americans fear the country is coming apart.This is an important moment for the United States as it approaches its 250th birthday in July. The country is deeply divided, the political center has weakened, and citizens are asking whether our democratic institutions can still meet the challenges ahead in an increasingly competitive world with Chinas.We will talk of many things including Manchin’s roots in West Virginia, the Presidency of Joe Biden and Donald Trump the midterm elections in 2026, the Presidential election in 2028 and what it means to be independent in an age of identity politics and why he still argues for common purpose, common ground, and common sense.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation.Frank Gehry - a great and distinctive architect by any definition - died on December 5, 2025. He was 96.Gehry was perhaps most famous for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the Disney Concert Hall, the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris and his home in Santa Monica, California, connected to chain link fence. He is survived by his wife, Berta, their children and grandchildren, and by unique structures that are truly pieces of art.

Sir Tom Stoppard, the Czech-born British playwright in a nation of brilliant playwrights, made an incredible contribution to the world’s theatre. Stoppard died on November 29 at his home in England. He was 88. Stoppard was taken from then Czechoslovakia in 1939 to Singapore to be with his father a doctor who died during WWII. His mother later married a British journalist, Kenneth Stoppard, and the family moved to England in 1946 Stoppard became a journalist which led him to writing short plays for the stage. His breakthrough play about 2 minor characters from Hamlet was “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”​ It won a Tony award for Best Play and set Stoppard on a brilliant career. Stoppard took on the most complex subjects like math and philosophy and made them theatrical magic. Among his plays were “Jumpers” (1972), about acrobatics and moral philosophy; “Travesties” (1974), on Joyce, Lenin, and modernism; “The Real Thing” (1982), an inquiry into betrayal; and “Arcadia” (1993), on Romanticism, science, and loss.​ Some consider it his masterpieceHe continued into the 21st century with “The Coast of Utopia” (2002) about Russian intelligensia, and “Rock ’n’ Roll” (2006), which linked Cambridge and Prague. In “Leopoldstadt” (2020), he turned to identity with a portrait of Jewish family in Vienna facing war and hadthe author consider his own Jewish history. The writing and conceptual gifts of Stoppard were also expressed in a number of films. He received an Oscar for screenwriting for “Shakespeare in Love” (1998) and continued to make contributions in other film projects.Tom Stoppard was frequently described as the greatestIiving playwright writing in the English language. He wasKnighted in 1997. He legacy of plays is a tribute to his talent, intellect and confidence to make difficult subjects compelling to an audience, all born of the central idea that playwright and audience shared a passionate curiosity.Tom Stoppard is survived by his third wife, Sabrina Guinness and 4 sons.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:Tom Freston is very much admired for his winning personality and unconventional leadership of MTV, the culture defining cable tv channel that merged music and television. He added Comedy Central, South Park and Live Aid to his success. It all led to becoming CEO of Viacom and then being fired within a year by Sumner Redstone. Freston has spent his time since then advising a series of friends and clients including Oprah and Bono. His well-traveled life story is told in a new memoir, “Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu.”It is an interesting moment to look at these foundation blocks as we witness media and technology in transition.We will talk of many things including the ideas and people who were part of the Freston journey traveling the world. We will examine the philosophy that made many friends, and we will hear observations on the new world of streaming, podcasting and artificial intelligence as they change media, entertainment, sports, business, medicine, science and politics.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia - widely known as MBS - came to Washington this week to meet with President Trump and business leaders. It is his first visit to America in eight years and seven years after the murder of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi.The Crown Prince also attended a White House dinner and, the next day, met with business leaders at the Kennedy Center.This visit is an important moment for both the Crown Prince and President Trump, given their significance in the region.We will talk about many things, including:The murder of Jamal Khashoggi and President Trump’s comments about it at a press conferenceThe Saudi–American relationship on defense and nuclear issuesThe Abraham Accords and the pursuit of a two-state solutionThe role of China as a tech leaderAnd the broader strategic landscape across the Middle EastKaren Elliott House has been reporting on Saudi Arabia for decades - as a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, foreign editor of The Wall Street Journal, and author of the 2012 book On Saudi Arabia and her biography published earlier this year, The Man Who Would Be King. She also wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal this week titled “MBS Returns to Washington.”

Jonathan Karl is a reporter’s reporter. He is the Chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of This Week, the ABC News Sunday morning program.His new book on the 2024 campaign is Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America. It is his fourth book on President Trump, the previous three were:Front Row at the Trump Show, Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show, and Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party.This is a significant moment as the country experiences a prolonged shutdown, the Supreme Court hears arguments on tariffs, both political parties prepare for the midterm elections, and the nation prepares for the presidential election of 2028.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

James Watson, an American scientist and Nobel laureate who was involved in two of the most important scientific achievements of the 20th century, died on Thursday. He was 97.James Watson and Francis Crick received the Nobel prize in 1962 for the discovery of the structure of DNA, the genetic blueprint for life. It is considered one of the most momentous breakthroughs in the history of science. He wrote one of the most noted memoirs in science called the Double Helix published in 1968. He built on that fame by leading the human genome project.Watson was associated with two famous universities. Cambridge and Harvard and led the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.To appreciate his historic achievements as a scientist you have also take note of his controversial life. He was severely criticized for what he said about the intelligence of black people and his failure to give appropriate credit to women in science, especially Rosalyn Franklin who was part of the team that discovered the double helix. When he repeated assertions on racial differences about intelligence on the PBS show American Masters the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory revoked its relationship with Watson.James Watson made five solo appearances with me. Here are those conversations.

The voters have spoken, and we have the first indication of what they think since the election of 2024 which put Donald Trump back in the White House for a second term.Our focus is what these results say and what are their implications for the future.Joining me is Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who has advised candidates including John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeb Bush and now co-hosts the popular political podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and John Heilemann.It’s an important moment; it’s the first time we’ve heard from voters since Donald Trump returned to the White House.We’ll talk about many things: what mattered most to voters, what these results tell us about Donald Trump and the Democrats, one year since the presidential election - and one year before the midterms.We’ll also look at the candidates, including the governor-elect of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, the governor-elect of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, and the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.We’ll ask whether there are common themes and narratives and what impact these results may have on the midterms and the shaping of future presidential candidates.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

The voters have spoken, and we have the first indication of what they think since the election of 2024 which put Donald Trump back in the White House for a second term.Our focus is what these results say and what are their implications for the future.Joining me in separate conversations Molly Ball, a political reporter who has written for Politico, The Atlantic, TIME, and most recently The Wall Street Journal.She’s the also author of the 2020 book Pelosi: The Path to Power and is now at work on a new book about the political realignment reshaping the country.The other, Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who has advised candidates including John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeb Bush and now co-hosts the popular political podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and John Heilemann.It’s an important moment; it’s the first time we’ve heard from voters since Donald Trump returned to the White House.We’ll talk about many things:what mattered most to voters,what these results tell us about Donald Trump and the Democrats,one year since the presidential election - and one year before the midterms.We’ll also look at the candidates, including the governor-elect of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger,the governor-elect of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill,and the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.We’ll ask whether there are common themes and narratives and what impact these results may have on the midterms and the shaping of future presidential candidates.We begin with Molly Ball, who joins me from Virginia, followed by Mike Murphy from California.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Remembering the life of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84. We honor his decades-long struggle with heart disease, and reflect on his significant influence on U.S. foreign policy and national security.