Conversations with Bill Kristol

Christine Rosen is an author, the managing editor of The Weekly Standard, and a columnist at Commentary. Rosen shares her perspective on the confused and confusing state of relations between men and women in contemporary America. According to Rosen, the Me Too movement has shown how we lack the rules and even the language for understanding the new sets of challenges facing men and women today. In Rosen’s view, we can begin to address these challenges by encouraging young men and women to think not only of their rights but also of their responsibilities in a free society. Finally, Kristol and Rosen discuss why the study of history and literature can give us necessary perspective on the most important and contentious questions about men and women.

Scott Lincicome is a leading international trade attorney, adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, and senior visiting lecturer at Duke University. In this Conversation, Lincicome explains the system of free trade agreements and alliances that the U.S. has built over many decades and how the system contributes to peace and prosperity for America. Lincicome also shares his perspective on the renegotiation of NAFTA, the decision not to participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and other trade agreements. Finally, Kristol and Lincicome consider where Republicans and Democrats stand on trade today—and where the parties are likely to go in the future.

In his most recent Conversation, University of Virginia literature professor Paul Cantor considers how television has reached a critical stage in the history of a medium: canonization. According to Cantor, television, much like theater, novels, and movies before it, has now reached a point where people recognize that its greatest artistic triumphs have enduring cultural value. Shows such as Breaking Bad, Deadwood, The Simpsons, Seinfeld, and The X-Files, Cantor argues, will be appreciated for many generations to come. Cantor explains how the canonization of TV follows a pattern whereby a medium—originally designed for utilitarian purposes or simple entertainment—is then transformed by great artists into an instrument for the creation of great art. Finally, drawing on the history of TV shows and movies, Cantor argues that collaboration, improvization, and chance are often as essential to the production of great art as forethought and individual genius.

Eric Edelman reflects on increasing threats to the U.S.-led international order and considers the dangerous consequences of a continued decline in America's geopolitical position and influence. Edelman also shares his perspective on how America can strengthen its resolve and commitment to lead in the world. Eric Edelman is The Hertog Scholar at the Center for Strategic Studies and has had a distinguished career in government, having served as ambassador to Turkey and to Finland, and as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in the George W. Bush administration.

Harvey Mansfield reflects on The Federalist and why it should be read seriously as a great work on politics. Mansfield’s discussion calls our attention to the subtlety and complexity of the argument of The Federalist, as a whole, and explains why it remains an indispensable guide for thinking about American government. Mansfield and Kristol also consider how The Federalist draws on, but also differs from, works of ancient and early modern political science in its analysis of good government and republicanism.

Linda Chavez is an author, syndicated columnist, and served in the Reagan administration. A longtime analyst of immigration and immigration policy in the United States, Chavez shares her perspective on the current debates over immigration. She explains why immigration remains a net benefit to the United States—and why we should address, improve, and streamline the immigration system. Citing relevant data, Chavez notes how recent arrivals to the United States are following the pattern of earlier waves of immigration and assimilating into the American way of life. Finally, Chavez proposes reforms to the immigration system that prioritize relevant skills and also would be more flexible to market conditions.

A leading software entrepreneur and developer of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Jim Manzi shares his perspective on AI—what it is, what it can do today, and how it might develop in the coming years. Manzi also discusses how AI currently affects politics and society, and the implications of progress in AI for the future. Finally, Manzi compares today’s advances in computer science and in biology to past scientific breakthroughs in chemistry and physics.

Steven F. Hayward is a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and author of important books on Churchill, Reagan, and many other subjects. In this Conversation, Hayward analyzes Churchill’s wartime leadership and his domestic political concerns—as well as his often neglected writings, which contain both timeless and timely political insights. Highlighting Churchill’s attachment to principles as well as his understanding of circumstances, Hayward demonstrates that Churchill remains vital to understanding statesmanship. Kristol and Hayward also compare and recommend their favorite speeches and works by and about Churchill.

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 analyzes factors that fuel our increasingly polarized politics. He explains why these partisan divisions are likely to increase as we head toward elections in 2018 and 2020. Brownstein and Kristol also consider possible outcomes in the midterms, the direction of the Trump presidency, and reflect on the electoral dilemmas both parties face in an atmosphere of intense partisanship.

Diana Schaub is a professor of political science at Loyola University Maryland and a leading interpreter of political philosophy and American political thought. In this Conversation, Schaub considers the life and ideas of the statesman and political thinker Frederick Douglass (c. 1818 – 1885). Schaub reflects on Douglass’s life, including his experience of slavery, his abolitionist politics, his work on behalf of the Union in the Civil War, and his post-war efforts to secure civil rights. Schaub demonstrates Douglass’s importance as a political thinker, pointing to his reflections on the corruptions of slavery, the meaning and requirements of freedom, the significance of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the role of prudence in politics.