

The Mona Charen Show
The Bulwark
After a great five year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen brings you a new show dedicated to deepening your understanding of complex issues and trends facing society. Each week she'll engage an expert for a probing discussion that goes past the day's headlines.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 31, 2023 • 56min
Are There Any Grown-Ups in Government?
Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget discusses our broken budget and the fiscal gridlock that is undermining America’s economic strength. Plus, why people are taking to the streets in Israel.
highlights/lowlights
Damon's:
https://www.liberalpatriot.com/
Bill's:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/29/investigating-low-fertility-rates/
Mona's:
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-secret-joke-at-the-heart-of-the-harvard-affirmative-action-case
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Mar 24, 2023 • 1h 3min
Is Accountability Dead?
Philip K. Howard joins the group to discuss his book on public sector unions. The panel — with special guest Cathy Young — also addresses Trump's possible indictment and looks back at the 20th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.
highlights/lowlights
Philip's:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-23/lausd-strike-ends-with-no-settlement-but-classes-to-resume
Bill's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/us/politics/desantis-putin-ukraine-russia.html
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a43402697/jack-daniels-parody-dog-toy/
Cathy's:
https://apnews.com/article/icc-putin-war-crimes-ukraine-9857eb68d827340394960eccf0589253
Damon's:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/22/surprising-post-trump-consensus/
Mona's:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65057249
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/11/pandemic-baby-bump-fertility/671964/
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Mar 17, 2023 • 1h 10min
Bragging Rights
Ken White (Popehat) joins the panel to consider the wisdom of the Manhattan DA's Trump indictment, as well as DeSantis joining the surrender caucus, SVB, and a low moment at Stanford Law.
highlights/lowlights
Linda's:
https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2023/03/law-school-mismatch-is-worse-than-we-thought/
Damon's:
https://jabberwocking.com/silicon-valley-bank-was-fine-its-silicon-valley-thats-broken/
Ken's:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/who-killed-silicon-valley-bank-interest-rates-treasury-federal-reserve-ipo-loan-long-term-bond-capital-securities-startup-jpmorgan-bear-stearns-lehman-brothers-b9ca2347
Mona's:
https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/what-the-iraq-war-wrought
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/03/iraq-war-us-invasion-anniversary-2023/673343/
clip from Stanford Law School protest:
https://vimeo.com/806801455
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Mar 10, 2023 • 57min
The Pro-Storming-the-Capitol Party
A.B. Stoddard joins the group to discuss the Fox News retcon of January 6, whether Biden should/will run again, and "messaging bills."
highlights/lowlights
A.B.'s:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/08/norfolk-southern-train-derailment-ohio-senators/
Linda's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/09/opinion/english-literature-study-decline.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/opinion/humanities-internet-novels.html
Damon's:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/03/13/agnes-callard-profile-marriage-philosophy
Mona's:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-podcast/id1447684472?i=1000603030581
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Mar 3, 2023 • 55min
Chicago's Message
Axios's Josh Kraushaar helps analyze the lab leak story, the Chicago election results, and Trump v. DeSantis.
highlights/lowlights
Josh's:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-nikki-haley-is-running-for-president/id1570872415?i=1000602459553
Linda's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/25/us/unaccompanied-migrant-child-workers-exploitation.html
Bill's:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/voter-guide/ct-paul-vallas-chicago-mayor-bio-20230131-c5s6joirovh7zgeq55ig2ag6ea-story.html
Damon's:
https://quillette.com/2023/02/22/heideggers-downfall/
https://harpers.org/archive/2023/03/historys-fool-ernst-junger/
Mona's:
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/02/27/places-with-high-religious-participation-have-fewer-deaths-of-despair
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Feb 24, 2023 • 1h 5min
The North Koreans Do a More Nuanced Show
Jill Lawrence joins B2D to discuss the revelations about Fox, Biden v. De Santis on Ukraine, and Marjorie Taylor Greene's national divorce talk.
highlights/lowlights
Jill's:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/21/tucker-carlson-kevin-mccarthy-jan-6-insurrection/
Linda's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/17/opinion/desantis-florida-african-american-studies-black-history.html
Damon's:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/21/vivek-ramaswamy-president-2024-00083903
Mona's:
https://www.npr.org/sections/politicaljunkie/2009/07/on_this_day_in_1980_senate_vot.html
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Feb 17, 2023 • 55min
Is Everyone Underestimating Nikki Haley?
Bill Kristol joins the group to consider Haley's possible hidden strengths. Also, Biden, the GOP, and the war in Ukraine.
highlights/lowlights
Bill Kristol's:
https://thetriad.thebulwark.com/p/lets-talk-about-aliens
Damon's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/technology/bing-chatbot-microsoft-chatgpt.html
Bill Galston's:
https://apnews.com/article/politics-2023-turkey-syria-earthquake-government-istanbul-fbd6af578a6056569879b5ef6c55d322
Linda's:
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/teen-girls-experiencing-record-high-levels-sadness-violence/story?id=97079978
Mona's:
https://brinklindsey.substack.com/p/fighting-in-a-burning-house
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Feb 10, 2023 • 59min
State of Biden Is . . . Strong? But Kamala Harris, Not So Much
New York Magazine's Jonathan Chait helps evaluate the SOTU: politics, visuals, and substance. The group then considers Kamala Harris's unprecedentedly terrible press.
highlights/lowlights:
Jonathan's:
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/3849811-greenes-viral-outfit-was-meant-to-echo-chinese-spy-balloon-her-office-says/
Linda's:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/09/supreme-court-ethics-code/
Damon's
https://www.vulture.com/2023/02/the-movie-industrys-confused-eat-the-rich-fantasy.html
Bill's:
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/08/1155375633/romney-santos-state-of-the-union
Mona's:
https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2023/02/czech-voters-populism-pavel/672936/
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Feb 3, 2023 • 52min
What if DeSantis Can't Hack It?
The Atlantic's David Frum joins the panel to discuss the coming GOP nomination fight, the Democrats' white liberal problem, and problems with policing.
highlights/lowlights:
Linda's:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/02/canada-uyghur-refugees-resettle-china/
David's:
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/02/mortgage-rates-five-percent-range-first-time-september.html
Damon's:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/12/19/cormac-mccarthy-peers-into-the-abyss-the-passenger-stella-maris
Mona's:
https://www.ktvu.com/news/depape-in-bizarre-phone-call-to-ktvu-says-he-should-have-been-more-prepared
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/05/us/politics/pelosi-attack-misinfo-republican-politicians.html
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Jan 27, 2023 • 49min
Does NATO Want Ukraine to Win the War?
The George W. Bush Institute's David Kramer joins B2D to consider the decision (at last) to send tanks to Ukraine. What does the dithering say about the Western alliance? Also, the regulars discuss Florida's rejection of an AP African American studies curriculum.
highlights/lowlights:
Damon's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/25/opinion/rural-voters-republican-realignment.html
Bill's:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/scientists-welcome-george-santos-science-committee_n_63cacb34e4b01a436386951e
Linda's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/us/politics/durham-trump-russia-barr.html
Mona's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/world/europe/finland-misinformation-classes.html
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