Conversations with Bill Kristol

Former world chess champion and human rights activist Garry Kasparov shares his perspective on threats to Western democracies from dictators abroad and illiberal movements at home. Analyzing the geopolitical situation, Kasparov argues that the challenge to the West posed by dictators like Putin remains significant and even growing. Turning to Western societies themselves, Kasparov diagnoses a dangerous complacency about the effort required to sustain political liberty. Finally, Kristol and Kasparov discuss how America can recapture the will necessary to defend itself and its principles.

Jonah Goldberg is a senior editor of National Review and Asness Chair in Applied Liberty at the American Enterprise Institute. Drawing on his new book Suicide of the West, Goldberg argues that strong tendencies in contemporary American culture—including tribalism, populism, nationalism, and identity politics—are increasingly undermining the moral and political foundations of America. In discussing these phenomena, Kristol and Goldberg also consider why it is important for young people to study the American political tradition and appreciate what is best in Western civilization.

Peter Berkowitz is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a leading scholar of political philosophy and American politics. He serves as dean of students for the Hertog Political Studies Program and The Public Interest Fellowship, and teaches for the Tikvah Fund. In recent years, criticism of liberal democracy for its alleged hostility to tradition, family, and community has been gaining strength. In this Conversation, Berkowitz addresses such critiques, reflects on classical liberalism, and considers why liberal democracy deserves to be defended. Kristol and Berkowitz discuss thinkers within the liberal tradition including John Locke, Edmund Burke, John Stuart Mill, and Alexis de Tocqueville. As Berkowitz makes clear, these thinkers understood that liberalism—like all regimes—has drawbacks. Yet these great thinkers also provide the intellectual resources for defending liberalism. This is a must-see Conversation at a time of growing uncertainty about the core principles of the modern West.

James Warren is a veteran reporter, columnist, and editor, having served as Washington Bureau chief for the New York Daily News and managing editor for the Chicago Tribune, among other posts. In this Conversation, Warren shares his perspective on the major changes in American media during the last few decades—from the decline of print and emergence of online news outlets to the dramatic impact of social media. Kristol and Warren discuss the benefits of the current media landscape, notably the availability of diverse news sources of high quality, data-driven reporting, and audiovisual content. They also consider the drawbacks, including the proliferation of disreputable sources online and how budget constraints and other factors have led to the lowering of editorial standards in traditional media. The executive editor of NewsGuard, a new consumer reporting platform, Warren also addresses the future of the media business and the challenge readers and viewers face in distinguishing between serious reporting and fake news.

Nicholas Eberstadt, a distinguished scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, is one of the world’s preeminent experts on North Korea. In this "Conversation," Eberstadt shares his perspective on the distinctive character of the North Korean regime and the threats it poses to its neighbors and the United States. Drawing on his recent essay “The Method in North Korea’s Madness,” Eberstadt explains the strategy behind North Korea’s actions, including nuclear escalation—and how it fits with the regime's self-understanding and ambitions. Finally, Eberstadt considers how America might craft a sustained policy to address the North Korean threat.

Charles Murray, one of America’s preeminent thinkers, is an emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In this Conversation, Murray reflects on the major themes of his work and shares his perspective on the state of American society in 2018. Engaging the arguments of his seminal books including "Losing Ground," "The Bell Curve," "In Pursuit," and "Coming Apart," Murray considers how his views have changed in the years since they were published. Finally, Murray reveals the working title of his next book, “Human Differences: Race, Gender, Class, and Genes,” and explains how new discoveries in the natural sciences are likely to affect the social sciences in the coming years.

Veteran Republican political strategist and commentator Mike Murphy shares his perspective on possible scenarios as we head toward the midterm elections and 2020. Will Republicans hold Congress? What are Trump's prospects for reelection (and renomination)? What kind of presidential candidate might Democrats choose? Could there be a viable independent candidacy in 2020? Murphy and Kristol discuss these and many other questions in this incisive (and often humorous!) Conversation.

John Podhoretz is the editor of "Commentary" and film critic of "The Weekly Standard." Podhoretz shares his perspective on movies as an American art form, pivotal eras in filmmaking (the 1930s and the 1970s), Hollywood today, and the broader cultural significance of movies and TV. Kristol and Podhoretz also consider innovations in television during the last decades and whether TV has surpassed film in cultural importance. Finally, Podhoretz argues that we have to much to learn and enjoy from watching the greatest movies of earlier decades.

In his fourth appearance on Conversations, former world chess champion and human rights activist Garry Kasparov discusses artificial intelligence and the political and social implications of it. Drawing on his recent book "Deep Thinking," Kasparov outlines what he considers the potential of new technologies built on “machine learning.” Kasparov explains why free societies must prioritize technological progress and embrace the challenges associated with innovation. Finally, Kasparov considers the new artificial intelligence chess program, AlphaZero—what we can learn from it about chess, as well as the relationship between humans and machines.

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 how American institutions, and political and cultural norms, have fared during the Trump presidency. While arguing that judicial independence and other constitutional checks and balances remain robust, Goldsmith also reflects on various stresses to the system during this volatile period in American politics.