Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

New York Times columnist Frank Bruni sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about college protests, grievance politics, and how to restore humility in a fractured country. Bruni, author of “The Age of Grievance” and a professor at Duke University, discusses the roots of anti-Israel sentiment on campuses and the double standards behind progressive speech codes. He also addresses the rise of a culture of victimhood on the right and explains how grievances manifest differently across the political spectrum. Bruni touches on activists’ response to the arrest of NBA player Brittney Griner in Russia, the “revenge tour” of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and what Gen Z social justice warriors should learn from the success of the campaign for marriage equality.  He also looks ahead to a pivotal presidential election and assesses how the dueling grievances of the left and right could impact the campaign. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Marc Haas Foundation, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Margaret Hoover sits down with Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer – a Republican election official in Arizona’s most populous county – to discuss the new indictment of allies of Donald Trump for their fake elector scheme in 2020 and how he’s preparing for the 2024 election. Richer recalls the “unrelenting” pressure that Arizona officials faced to overturn the 2020 election results and praises figures like former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bower for resisting the president’s demands. He addresses how Republicans have responded to the indictment and whether Trump should also be held accountable for his actions in Arizona. Richer, who is suing Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake for defamation, talks about the harassment, threats, and conspiracy theories he has confronted and how defending the integrity of Arizona’s elections has alienated him from many in his party. He also explains why he will blame Lake and Trump if anyone in his office is harmed by election deniers. Richer tells Hoover how he is working to bolster confidence in this November’s election as he faces a far-right primary challenge himself, and he reflects on his place in the Republican Party and his future in public service. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

As Donald Trump’s first criminal trial begins, Margaret Hoover sits down with NYU law professor Melissa Murray to discuss the historic proceedings and what prosecuting a former president means for America. Murray, co-host of the Strict Scrutiny podcast, breaks down the charges filed by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, addresses the challenges of selecting an impartial jury, and responds to Trump’s complaints that he has been mistreated by the justice system. Murray, who co-wrote a book about the Trump indictments with former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, comments on the latest developments in the former presidents’ three other criminal cases and explains why they might not go to trial before the election. She also previews Supreme Court oral arguments related to January 6th and Trump’s claim of absolute immunity, and she reacts to calls from the left for the retirement of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, for whom she once clerked. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Coleman Hughes, author of “The End of Race Politics,” joins Margaret Hoover to lay out his argument against race-based policies and in favor of a colorblind approach. Hughes, host of the Conversations with Coleman podcast, traces the roots of his colorblind philosophy from the Civil War through the civil rights era, making the case that leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Bayard Rustin would have opposed the views of today’s anti-racist activists. The descendant of a slave, Hughes tells Hoover why he rejects the notion of inherited trauma and why he believes class-based policies are better suited to combating inequality than race-based ones like affirmative action. He explains why he calls scholars like Robin DiAngelo and Ibram X. Kendi “neoracists” and why he welcomes the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, but he distances himself from prominent figures on the right like Donald Trump. Hughes also defends his recent Free Press column arguing that Derek Chauvin should have been acquitted of killing George Floyd. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Futurist Ari Wallach joins Margaret Hoover to discuss “A Brief History of the Future,” his new PBS series exploring the ideas and technologies that could help humanity build better tomorrows. Wallach reflects on the “intertidal” moment society currently faces and explains why he believes decisions made in the years ahead will have ramifications for generations to come. He assesses the implications of emerging tools like artificial intelligence and the challenge posed by humanity’s innate negativity bias. He calls for “cathedral thinking” to develop long-term solutions to the world’s most pressing problems, and he weighs in on Elon Musk’s vision for Mars exploration. Wallach explains why “protopias” are preferable to utopias, details what it takes to become great ancestors to our descendants, and reveals what ultimately gives him hope for the future. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Margaret Hoover sits down with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt to discuss how social media and smartphones have rewired childhood and put the mental health of a generation of kids at risk. Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation,” argues a surge in anxiety and depression among Gen Z is a consequence of constant smartphone use that has crowded out traditional forms of play since 2010, and he explains how mental illness has manifested differently in girls and boys.  The NYU professor and father details his proposals for changing norms of parenting and eliminating smartphones in elementary and middle schools, and he addresses the role of Congress in creating this problem–and potentially helping to solve it. Haidt tells Hoover about his “Free the Anxious Generation” movement, rebuts critics who say he overstates the evidence of a link between phone use and mental health, and explains why he considers TikTok “possibly the worst consumer product ever invented.” Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Margaret Hoover hosts a forum at Hofstra University on whether America should abolish the Electoral College with writers Jesse Wegman and Trent England. Wegman, author of “Let the People Pick the President” and a member of The New York Times editorial board, makes the case that the current system is unfair and undemocratic, empowering a handful of swing states to decide who leads the whole country. England, who founded Save Our States and wrote “Why We Must Defend the Electoral College,” argues the Electoral College makes presidential campaigns both more national and more granular at the same time, forcing candidates to appeal to diverse factions of voters across the country who otherwise would have little influence. Wegman and England discuss the history of the Electoral College, the intent of the nation’s founders, and how it all relates to slavery. They also debate the merits of a national popular vote and whether other reforms are possible, and they take questions from the student audience. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

In a special Firing Line forum recorded before a student audience at Hofstra University, Margaret Hoover talks to conservatives Amanda Carpenter and Mike Gonzalez about the potential ramifications of another Donald Trump presidency. Carpenter, a writer and editor for Protect Democracy, believes a second Trump term would be far more damaging than the first, citing the former president’s threats to punish his enemies and promises to reward his allies. She warns the institutional guardrails that constrained him in the past would be weakened or eliminated in a new administration. Gonzalez, who contributed to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 guidebook for the next conservative president, downplays concerns Trump would abuse power if he returned to office. He maintains the U.S. and the world were better off during Trump’s first three years in office than in President Biden’s first three years. Carpenter and Gonzalez discuss Trump’s plans for immigration, foreign policy, and rooting out the “deep state” in the federal bureaucracy. Responding to questions from students, they also address the future of the Republican Party and what to expect in an eventual post-Trump America.  Mike Gonzalez serves as a Senior Fellow at The Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation is listed for identification purposes only; no endorsement of a candidate by the organization is implied. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Margaret Hoover sits down with Jared Cohen, author of “Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House,” to discuss the unique role of the post-presidency in American democracy. Cohen’s book explores how different ex-presidents have handled being out of power from Thomas Jefferson to George W. Bush. He explains why examining the lives of former presidents interested him and what can be learned from their experiences. He reflects on John Quincy Adams’ “second act” as an abolitionist congressman, contrasts Herbert Hoover’s reputation as president with the notable accomplishments of his post-presidency, and details how Jimmy Carter redefined the position of ex-president for modern times. Cohen explains how Grover Cleveland’s return to the White House could offer a cautionary tale for a second Donald Trump term, and he reflects on what it will mean to have more ex-presidents alive at the same time in the decades to come. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Stephens Inc., Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Pfizer Inc., Charles R. Schwab, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

Entrepreneur Sheila Johnson–who co-founded BET and went on to become America’s first Black female billionaire–sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss her memoir and the personal and professional obstacles she has overcome to achieve success. Johnson, who recently released “Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph,” reflects on her childhood and what she describes as an abusive first marriage to Bob Johnson, with whom she launched Black Entertainment Television in the early days of cable. She explains the original vision behind BET and the role she believes it could still play in society today. Johnson used her profits from the 2001 sale of BET to open Salamander Resort in Middleburg, Virginia, the first in a chain of luxury hotels. She also purchased a stake in the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, as well as the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards. She reflects on the massive pay gap between the WNBA and the NBA and what can be done about it. Johnson, a supporter of President Joe Biden, assesses the stakes of the 2024 election and details her fears for a second Trump term. The prominent philanthropist also comments on the fallout from the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision and the need to create new opportunities for students of color. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Stephens Inc., Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Pfizer Inc., Charles R. Schwab, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.