The Dispatch Podcast

Steve Hayes invites Megan McArdle, Mike Warren, and Jonah Goldberg to review the biggest stories of the year, people we don’t want to hear from in 2026, and the best writing not from The Dispatch. The Agenda:—Most important news story—Most undercovered story—Who is the most exposed?—Best piece of non-Dispatch journalism—Best good news of the year Show Notes:—Is the AfD Too Extreme for Democracy?—The Anti-Social Century—The Sierra Club Embraced Social Justice. Then It Tore Itself Apart—Donald Trump's Tariff Dealmaker-in-Chief—Revolutionary gene therapy brings hope of leukaemia cure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson, Jonah Goldberg, and Grayson Logue to discuss recent reporting on the Biden administration’s handling of the asylum crisis and the Vanity Fair interview with top Trump administration staff. The Agenda:—Reporting on Biden’s immigration failure—Indecision in the Biden admin—Fixing the asylum crisis—When Democrats gave up—Susie Wiles’ interview with Vanity Fair—Distracting from Trump’s obscenities—Loyalty in Trump’s second term—The strange affordability address—NWYT: Holiday roadtrip tips The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠⁠The Dispatch⁠⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—⁠⁠click here⁠⁠. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠⁠by clicking here⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megan McArdle joins Steve Hayes, Jonah Goldberg, and Mike Warren to tell the story of her mother’s deathbed confession and how it informed her opinions on abortion. Then, a brief discussion on the failed redistricting attempt in Indiana and a reflection on Rob Reiner's filmography. The Agenda:—Megan’s Monday Essay: The Brother I Lost—Megan’s thought experiment on abortion—Childhood and regrets—Do the dead have rights?—Emotional toll of adoption—Redistricting in Indiana—Favorite Rob Reiner movies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and Sarah Isgur to discuss the Minnesota welfare fraud scandal, the $160 million AI chip smuggling operation, and pull-up bars in the airport. The Agenda:—Immigrant welfare fraud—1990s throwback—Woke intimidation—China and AI chip smuggling—Clientelism in Trump's administration—Airport gyms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Hayes invites David Drucker, Michael Warren, and The Hill Sunday host Chris Stirewalt to perform an autopsy on the remains of the two major parties. The Agenda:–Big picture of American politics–Not a good time to be a Congressman–Midterm elections and future projections–The Texas Senate race–The parliament of pundits–J.D. Vance’s 2028 election chances–Renaming the NFL The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—⁠click here⁠. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices