
Power Line
Steven Hayward, John Yoo, and "Lucretia" bring you a whisky-sodden perspective on the week's big headlines, and occasional deep dives into law and philosophy.Listen to the Three-Whisky Happy hour, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at Ricochet.com. No paid subscription required.
Latest episodes

May 22, 2018 • 54min
A Hard Look at Hard Power
Steve Hayward sits down with Rebecca Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute to survey the scene with regard to defense spending, middle defense, what Russia and China are up to, how the North Korea talks may go, and why Trump, like Mark Twain’s comment on Wagner’s music, is better than he looks when it comes to foreign and defense policy. Special shout out to Peter Schramm, our mutual teacher and... Source

May 14, 2018 • 45min
The "Flight 93 Election" Comes in for a Landing
Steve Hayward and John Hinderaker interviewed Michael Anton, former senior staffer at Trump’s National Security Council and author of the controversial “ Flight 93 Election” article from September 2016, at the Ricochet Podcast Summit in Washington. Anton revisited the infamous article, shared his insights about Trump’s political character, and also regaled the live audience with a great tale of... Source

May 7, 2018 • 45min
The Suicide of the University
This week Steve Hayward talks with . . . Steve Hayward! Well, not exactly. This special edition of the Power Line show features a keynote lecture Steve delivered at Arizona State University back in February on “The Suicide of the University.” Maybe coming next as a book and feature film. Source

May 1, 2018 • 33min
Helping Henry
Who can make the connection between an obscure and bizarre British kids TV show and contemporary U.S. political analysis? The Power Line Show, that’s who! “Henry, were helping Henry and were telling Henry everything we know, Henry, were helping Henry, but we’ve still got a long long way too go!”—is the refrain of “Helping Henry,” but in this episode, Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy... Source

Apr 26, 2018 • 45min
Speak Freely, and Other Heresies
The controversies surrounding free speech and academic freedom opened a new front last week with the execrable comments about the late First Lady Barbara Bush from Fresno State University professor Randa Jarrar. Steve Hayward talks here with Keith Whittington of Princeton University, author of a new book, “Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free Speech.” But as Whittington is also a... Source

Apr 16, 2018 • 56min
The Telos of Teles
Steven Teles of Johns Hopkins University is a rare liberal who writes with great perception and fairness about conservatism and conservative ideas. In this episode, Steve Hayward talks with Teles about his fine new book (co-authored with Brink Lindsay) “The Captured Economy,” and also about liberalism, intellectual history, and especially about the need for more conservatives in higher education. Source

Apr 10, 2018 • 43min
The Lives of the Constitution
Claremont Institute fellow Joseph Tartakovsky is out this week with a fascinating new book that illuminates the Constitution with a unique approach: “The Lives of the Constitution” explores the meaning of our central political document through the stories of ten important figures in the story—some familiar, like Alexander Hamilton, but some less well known, like James Wilson and Stephen Field. Source

Apr 3, 2018 • 39min
Finding Nino: A Celebration of Justice Scalia
Steve Hayward talks with Ed Whelan, president of of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, author of “Bench Memos” on National Review Online, and co-editor of “Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law, Faith, and a Live Well Lived.” In addition to recalling the rich legacy of Justice Scalia, Steve and Ed talk about the problems of jurisprudence today, and in this season of new controversy over the 2nd... Source

Mar 27, 2018 • 1h 13min
How Charles Murray Became Charles Murray
In this very special episode, Steve Hayward gets an origin story out of Charles Murray, surveying the sweep of his life from childhood in Iowa through Harvard, the Peace Corps in Asia, and evaluating social programs in the 1970s where his growing doubts and misgivings started him on the road to his many pathbreaking books. Along the way, Steve and Charles also talk about NASA and the Apollo... Source

Mar 19, 2018 • 18min
Help Us Obi-Wan Henry—You're Our Only Hope
In our regular bi-weekly checkup with Henry Olsen, the Obi-Wan Kenobi of election analysts, Steve Hayward and Henry cover the fallout from the special election in House district 18 in Pennsylvania, how the tariff issue might play out, what to expect in the aftermath of the recent chaotic Italian election, plus a look ahead to November, including some of the key governor’s races like Bruce Rauner... Source