Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

“Our guest today,” says Jay Nordlinger, “is a writer, a journalist—an unusual one, a distinctive one: her own woman. She is Stephanie Slade, a senior editor at Reason…” She is a libertarian who is religious and pro-life. With Jay, she discusses a number of issues, all of them at the heart of our politics today: the political wars, liberalism, conservatism, economic policy, drugs, marriage... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

In what has become almost a tradition, Jay does a sportscast in advance of the College Football Playoff, and he does it with his regular gurus, David French and Vivek Dave. In addition to college football, the guys talk NFL, and NBA, and World Cup—and Tiger and Charlie Woods. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

In the 1990s, there was a documentary called “Arguing the World,” about Daniel Bell, Irving Kristol, et al. In this episode of “Q&A,” Kevin D. Williamson and Jay talk the world, or at least a bit of it: Kanye, swastikas, abortion, the media, elitism, anti-elitism, etc. At the end, they talk about books and thinkers—and stars to be struck by. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Across China, brave people are staging protests. Talking with Jay about this is Jianli Yang, a veteran Chinese democracy activist. He was at Tiananmen Square, in 1989. He was a political prisoner. He is a scholar, a poet—many things. Jay has admired him since they first met in 2001, and Jianli Yang has important, and informed, things to say, always. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

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