Conversations with Bill Kristol

How is the US economy performing today? How should we think about the turn against free markets by prominent figures of the Left and the Right? What economic policies might spur innovation and growth in the future? In this Conversation, Harvard economist N. Gregory Mankiw analyzes the current moment and shares his perspective on the major economic policies and ideas of the Left and the Right. According to Mankiw, the American economy remains robust and dynamic, despite only good (rather than excellent) economic growth in recent years and increased consternation about the rise of inequality. Criticizing policies that rely excessively on central planning, Mankiw calls for high-skilled immigration, innovative approaches to education, and maintaining incentives that yield investment in research and development. He also suggests some alterations in tax and welfare policies that might help ameliorate problems we face in the short and long term.

Jack Goldsmith is a professor of law at Harvard, an expert on national security, terrorism, and cybersecurity—and a regular guest on Conversations. As he reveals in a fascinating new book, In Hoffa’s Shadow, from the age of 12 in 1975 he was personally wrapped up in one of the most contentious episodes in American history—the disappearance of the powerful Teamsters Union boss Jimmy Hoffa. In this Conversation, Goldsmith recounts how his stepfather, Chuckie O’Brien, became the prime suspect in Hoffa’s disappearance, and how this affected their relationship over the next decades. Goldsmith then shares his own research into the Hoffa case and what he learned along the way about his stepfather, the life and career of Jimmy Hoffa, the history of labor unions in the United States, and the rise and fall of the mob. This is a deeply personal, moving Conversation that has much to teach us about the complexities of family, law, and politics.

As we head into the 2020 election year, veteran political strategist and commentator Mike Murphy joins Bill Kristol to discuss the state of the race for the Democratic nomination, and the general election to follow. What are plausible paths to the nomination for Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, and possible dark horse candidates? What are Donald Trump’s chances for reelection against possible democratic nominees? Murphy shares his perspective on the race with his usual blend of humor and insight.

Best known for his 24 years in the Senate, Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927 - 2003) was a major figure in the political history of the United States in the second half of the twentieth century. In this Conversation, political scientist Greg Weiner, author of a fine intellectual biography of Moynihan, reviews Moynihan’s political career and his approach to political and social problems. In his rejection of extremism, his defense of proceduralism in government, and his willingness to use good social science while also seeing its limits, Moynihan's example has much to teach us today. Kristol and Weiner also consider the extent to which Moynihan benefited from the political thought of Edmund Burke, and why Burke remains highly relevant to our times.

Is America the best place in the world to get medical care? How should we think about recent proposals for healthcare reform like “Medicare for All” or creating new incentives for controlling costs? In this Conversation, James Capretta, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a leading scholar on health policy, presents an incisive, nuanced, and accessible account of American healthcare today. According to Capretta, the American healthcare system remains open and adaptive—and continues to offer high-quality care to the vast majority of the population. For access to the most cutting-edge innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of serious illnesses, American healthcare remains unmatched. And yet, as Capretta points out, the American healthcare system has struggled to control rising costs as a percentage of GDP. To meet this challenge, Capretta suggests market-driven reforms that—without rationing care as public healthcare inevitably does—create realistic incentives for controlling costs and public spending. This is not only a must-see Conversation on healthcare. Capretta’s analysis is a model of how to think seriously about the many public policy challenges we face.

Since at least the middle of the nineteenth century, certain writers, scholars, and amateur sleuths have questioned whether William Shakespeare, the actor and son of a glovemaker from Stratford, really could have written Shakespeare's plays. Possible alternatives posited by Shakespeare skeptics have included the philosopher Francis Bacon and the courtier Edward de Vere (The Earl of Oxford). A recent article in "The Atlantic" suggested a poet Emilia Bassano as another possible candidate. In this Conversation, Paul Cantor explains the history of this controversy, reviews the evidence, and explains why the author of Shakespeare’s plays was none other than Shakespeare from Stratford, himself! Cantor argues that behind this search for an alternate author lies a disbelief that such an individual could possess an astonishing ability to imagine and portray the full variety of human types, whether aristocratic or common, male or female. And yet, this ability to transcend oneself and imagine other people, times, and possibilities is a true mark of literary genius. As Cantor puts it, “There’s no way to explain [Shakespeare’s genius]. It’s just one of the great miracles.”

What is the role of the Supreme Court in American politics today? How is the current Court dealing with hot-button social and cultural issues, as well as topics like regulation and the scope of the administrative state? What are the major ideas and debates in conservative legal thought today? In this Conversation, Adam White, Executive Director at George Mason Law School’s C. Boyden Gray Center and a Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, offers an incisive analysis of the Supreme Court and the role of the judicial branch as a whole in America today. Discussing the current conservative majority on the Supreme Court, White highlights the tension between the desire for judicial restraint and the desire to revisit previous rulings that may have been wrongly decided. White argues that Chief Justice Roberts will have to manage this tension responsibly as he seeks to shape the character of the current Court. White and Kristol also discuss how both liberals and conservatives might treat the Court as a political issue in 2020.

The conservative movement has been a major force in American political life since the 1950s. But in recent years conservatism has undergone fundamental changes. In this Conversation, Steve Hayes, the author and a former editor of The Weekly Standard, reflects on the extent to which today’s conservatism has been transformed by Donald Trump's campaign and presidency. Hayes acknowledges that Trump has had certain traditionally conservative policy victories, but contends that rationalization of Trump’s conduct and political impulses has damaged the conservative cause. Hayes and Bill Kristol also discuss the prospects for conservatism and the Republican Party after Trump’s presidency.

How have the transformations in our media environment—particularly the rise of digital and social media—affected American society and politics? Is the current volatility in our politics and media likely to persist? In this Conversation, Jim VandeHei the CEO and co-founder of Axios and, before that, Politico, shares his perspective on our tumultuous media and political environment. Though he highlights some positive consequences of the proliferation of digital and social media, VandeHei argues that they have also facilitated greater polarization, extremism, new vulnerabilities to political and ideological manipulation, and, in general, more turbulent politics. According to VandeHei, as a society we have a responsibility to think more seriously about the tradeoffs of the digital age—and to do that in a sufficiently reflective way which would allow us to benefit from the opportunities afforded by new media and technology while managing the risks they pose.

In 2014, Bill Kristol sat down with General Jack Keane for a wide-ranging discussion about Keane's distinguished military career. To commemorate 9/11, we are now re-releasing General Keane's remarkable recollections of September 11, which were part of that larger Conversation. General Keane was in the Pentagon, and in this recording he speaks of the heroism and bravery he witnessed that day. (Originally released: Sept. 29, 2014).