Conversations with Bill Kristol

What is the state of the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2020? In this Conversation, veteran political consultant and commentator Joe Trippi draws on his extensive experience in Democratic campaigns to assess. Will the ideological energy of the Democratic Party grassroots determine the nominee? Or will a “safe choice” prevail? Trippi highlights party regulars’ attention to electability, as well as the desire of many voters for a candidate who presents a strong contrast to President Trump in terms of character and style. According to Trippi, such a focus on electability could play a pivotal role in the candidacy of Joe Biden, who has the big advantage of having served as vice president to a president still popular in his party.

Did James Madison invent the idea of the American founding? Why do we venerate the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the figures who wrote and defended our founding documents? In this Conversation, University of Virginia politics professor James Ceaser explains how in 1787 James Madison deliberately encouraged the drafters of the Constitution in Philadelphia and other Americans to conceive of their project as a “founding.” Madison did so, according to Ceaser, to elevate the project beyond a mere exercise in day-to-day politics or ephemeral lawmaking. He wanted to encourage future generations to venerate—as well as rationally reflect—on the founders and the documents they produced. Ceaser argues that these efforts by Madison, as well as other founders, have had a profound effect on how Americans think about the role of reason, tradition, and law in politics. Kristol and Ceaser also consider the extent to which the Constitution and founders still influence our politics.

Why is today's Congress so dysfunctional? Are today’s legislators worse? What reforms could improve Congress? Jeff Bergner has had a distinguished career in government, having served as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs (2005 – 2008), Chief of Staff to Senator Richard Lugar, and Staff Director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Drawing on his new book "The Vanishing Congress," Bergner shares his perspective on why Congress has increasingly ceded its Constitutional authority. Many have proposed fixes like campaign finance reform or term limits to solve these problems. But Bergner asserts that Congress has encumbered itself with many unhelpful practices. Bergner suggests reforms that might strengthen Congress, including trimming down Congressional staff and eliminating the Senate filibuster. Finally, Bill Kristol and Bergner discuss how the executive branch and legislative branch interact with one another, and how this relationship might be improved.

Kristen Soltis Anderson is a pollster, author, and political analyst. In her second conversation with Bill Kristol, Anderson analyzes the latest data on the political, social, and cultural attitudes of the two youngest voting generations, “Millennials” (ages 23-38 in 2019) and “Generation Z” (ages 14-22 in 2019). According to Anderson, both of these generations continue their leftward political trajectory—a trend, she asserts, has accelerated during the presidency of Donald Trump. Anderson shares her perspective on what this data means for American politics in the short and medium term. Finally, Kristol and Anderson discuss how Republicans might broader their appeal to younger voters.

Michael Strain is a scholar and director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute and a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. In this Conversation, Strain challenges the increasingly widespread notion that America is in decline economically—and reflects on the enduring importance of innovation and dynamism in the American economy. Highlighting measures like social mobility and increases in living standards, Strain argues that America remains robust economically even as globalization, technology, and other factors have presented and will continue to present serious challenges to the status quo. Finally, Strain points to several policy goals that promote innovation and growth—including high-skilled immigration, renewed focus on STEM, and investment in research and development—that could increase America’s economic performance.

Harvard government professor Stephen Rosen assesses the current geopolitical environment, and considers America’s capacity to meet its foreign policy responsibilities and deter its adversaries. Detailing threats to America from a rising China, the success of bad actors in the Middle East, and other geopolitical turmoil, Rosen explains why America must compete in economic, political, and military arenas—and reflects on the deleterious consequences of American disengagement from the world.

Harvey Mansfield, a Harvard government professor and expert on political philosophy, dives deep into Aristotle's insights on democracy. He discusses how political conflicts reveal essential truths about human nature and governance. Mansfield highlights Aristotle’s balance of democratic ideals and the reality of oligarchic influences. He emphasizes that philosophers must engage with politics, transforming them into political philosophers. This conversation intertwines ethical considerations with practical governance, urging a reexamination of modern political frameworks.

Veteran political strategist and commentator Mike Murphy assesses where the Republicans and the Democrats stand as we look toward 2020. What are President Trump’s prospects for reelection? Where are the divisions in the Democratic Party, and which Democratic candidates might prevail in the primaries? And could there be a successful primary challenge to Trump? Murphy shares his thoughts on these and other pressing questions with his usual blend of political insight and humor.

Ronald Brownstein is a Senior Editor at The Atlantic, Senior Political Analyst at CNN, and a shrewd observer of American politics. In this Conversation, Brownstein shares his perspective on how the midterms reveal further intensification of the geographic and demographic divisions in American politics. Brownstein and Bill Kristol then look ahead to 2020. They assess the strengths and weaknesses of both parties, the key cultural and economic issues that are likely to feature in the campaigns, and whether President Trump might be vulnerable to a primary challenge. This is must-see electoral and political analysis at the highest level.

Jack Goldsmith is a professor of law at Harvard University and served as Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel (2003-2004). In this Conversation, Goldsmith shares his perspective on America’s vulnerabilities to cyber attack—the complex and systemic threats to our digital and physical infrastructures, as well as to our politics via hacking and digital espionage. As Goldsmith explains, we have not done nearly enough to counter cyber threats through better defense or employment of countermeasures against adversaries. Finally, Kristol and Goldsmith consider what the government and private sector can do to improve our cybersecurity.