Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

Betsy DeVos has been an education reformer—and philanthropist—for some 35 years. In the Trump administration, she was education secretary. She has written a book that is part personal memoir, part policy book: “Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child.” From Jay, she fields some questions general and specific: “What is ‘education freedom’? Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Jamie Fly is the president of RFE/RL, that combination of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. RFE/RL is especially critical these days, when the Kremlin is waging its war on Ukraine, and its usual disinformation war. Questioned by Jay, Jamie Fly goes through some of the basics. A very important arena, we’re talking about. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Bibi’s back, and so, on “Q&A,” is Haviv Rettig Gur. He is a favorite guest of this program. He is an Israel explainer par excellence. HRG is the senior analyst of the Times of Israel. With Jay, he talks about the return of Benjamin Netanyahu to power. About the nature of politics in Israel: tribal. About Iran, Ukraine, and other things—including Kanye and Kyrie. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

As usual, Jay has some questions for George F. Will: What do you think about the midterms? Is Biden all there? What is the importance of Ukraine? How do you deal with the terms “liberal” and “conservative”? What about the F-word, “fascism”? What was Johnny Carson like? How about David Letterman? Have you ever been starstruck? Is Shohei Ohtani like Babe Ruth? There are more questions where those... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

The sports world has some hot issues — and Jay calls on David French and Vivek Dave to discuss them. In the NFL, the fate of Tua Tagovailoa. And the fate of Tom Brady. In the NBA, the punch thrown by Draymond Green. Also: Is LeBron finished? In college football, the SEC vs. the Big Ten. Etc. Yes, a wide world of sports, and a cracking conversation. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Stephen Gutowski is one of the leading gun journalists in the country. He is the founder of The Reload, a news site. He is an analyst for CNN. If he doesn’t know it—and it concerns guns—it is probably not known. In this podcast, Gutowski teaches Jay a few terms, including “Fudd” and “tacticool.”... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Oleksandra Matviichuk is a Ukrainian human-rights lawyer, the head of the Center for Civil Liberties, in Ukraine. The center has just been announced as a recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Jay spoke with her when she traveled to New York, for a session of the Oslo Freedom Forum. They talk about her life and work. Her work takes a toll, but it is urgently important. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Berta Valle is the wife of Felix Maradiaga, a Nicaraguan political prisoner. He was a presidential candidate last year, arrested along with other candidates by the country’s dictator, Daniel Ortega. Maradiaga is one of Jay’s favorite people. Jay did a “Q&A” with him in 2019 (here). Berta Valle is an outstanding person herself, doing all she can to help her husband. This conversation with Jay is... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

“Columny” was William Safire’s word for the craft of column-writing (he also called it “the column dodge”). Steve Chapman has been an outstanding columnist for more than 40 years—mainly with the Chicago Tribune. He has now retired. Bill Buckley published the first piece that Chapman ever got paid for. Chapman thought about leaving the check uncashed—maybe he should have it framed? Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

David Pryce-Jones met the King—George VI—when he was six or so. Later, when he was 16, he observed the King’s funeral procession. The crown fell off the coffin, right in front of him. Two years later, he placed a bet on a horse for the Queen—she had handed him a five-pound note and asked him to do it. David Pryce-Jones is a writer: a journalist, a historian, a biographer, a novelist, a memoirist. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe