Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, discusses the explosive growth of big tech and her concerns about mega-mergers and the monopoly power of tech titans like Facebook, Apple and Google.  Klobuchar, who ran for president in 2020, tells host Margaret Hoover, “I'm not against big companies. I'm against no competition.” She explains why every American should be paying attention, outlines her proposal for antitrust reforms and says a bipartisan solution is possible.  Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-MI, the only Democrat in Congress from a district that voted Republican in the last three presidential elections, discusses division in America, which she says is the country's greatest national security threat.  A former CIA analyst who served in Iraq, Slotkin describes how her training kicked in during the January 6 Capitol riots and shares her concerns about how prepared the U.S. is to handle future terrorist threats in Afghanistan.  Slotkin says don’t “let the perfect be the enemy of the good” when it comes to passing legislation, a pragmatic approach that sometimes puts her at odds with the progressives in her caucus. She supports the bipartisan infrastructure deal and is urging a more tailored approach with voting rights to speed up the legislative process.  Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

As America faces a resurgence of COVID-19, epidemiologist Dr. Céline Gounder and Dean of Brown University School of Public Health Dr. Ashish Jha join Margaret Hoover for an extended conversation on the “most contagious, most transmissible” variant yet.  They explain why Delta is so dangerous, answer questions about vaccines, breakthrough cases and booster shots and offer a frank look at what must be done to bring America — and the world — out of this pandemic.  Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-FL—whose family fled Fidel Castro’s “illegitimate, murderous regime” in Cuba—joins Margaret Hoover to discuss the country’s current crisis. The congressman describes the fight for freedom amid government crackdowns on the island, what’s driving the historic protests, why he says the U.S. embargo should remain in place and how international allies can support the Cuban people. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

Columbia University linguist, author of over 20 books and race commentator John McWhorter joins Margaret Hoover for a conversation on the origins of critical race theory and what the decades-old legal concept has become in today’s national “ding-dong debate.” McWhorter shares his concerns about antiracism and how teaching it in schools has led to some “antiracist bootcamps” and a situation that he says is “dangerous” and “verges on evil.” Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson sits down with Margaret Hoover for a discussion on America’s missions to return to the Moon and reach Mars, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) sightings, and NASA's hunt for intelligent life in the universe. Administrator Nelson says “more power to the space billionaires” in their push to explore space, but warns of an “aggressive” new “space race with the Chinese government.”  Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

In a special edition celebrating Independence Day, four-star Admiral William H. McRaven returns to Firing Line to share stories of heroism from his 37 years of service to America. Adm. McRaven takes Margaret Hoover through the capture and imprisonment of Saddam Hussein, who nicknamed him “El Jefe,” and inside the high-stakes Pakistan raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

Four-star Admiral William H. McRaven, who rose to become commander of U.S. Special Operations, discusses America’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and whether he believes U.S.-trained Afghan forces can handle an “onslaught by the Taliban.” McRaven also addresses the current threat level from Iran, his decision to speak out against President Trump, whom he calls “a leader that belittled people,” before the 2020 election and 10 everyday virtues laid out in his new book, "The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived."  Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

Primetime CNN anchor Don Lemon joins Margaret Hoover to discuss bringing his point of view to cable news, how he responds to criticism that he is both a “race baiter” and hasn't always been “Black enough,” why it's so critical to teach a fuller version of American history and his new book "This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism."  Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.

Former Treasury Secretary and Harvard economist Lawrence H. Summers joins Margaret Hoover for an in-depth discussion on his concerns about an overheated post-pandemic economy leading to inflation and what he believes the White House and Federal Reserve should do about it. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The David Tepper Charitable Foundation Inc., The Fairweather Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Rosalind P. Walter. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Morgan Stanley.