The Fifth Column

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comChris Murphy’s book, Crisis of the Common Good, is out now-Murphy opens his book by dunking on his son’s NHL prospects-Pitching the common good-Trump is not the disease. He’s the symptom-Buy more stuff, feel worse, repeat until democracy collapses-Kids, phones and the algorithmic hell machine-Congress wants to regulate tech. Congress may want to log on first-Can In…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comBe sure to check out Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps, Australia’s greatest podcaster and interviewer, which apparently counts.-90 minutes of Kmele cleaning his glasses-Josh is on drugs now-RIP Jack Karlson, hero of democracy manifest-we will be referring to limp penis throughout this show-Erect until the end-Kmele doesn’t really know the Beach Boys-Who is the best Australian to ever …

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribeCheck out Ben Rhodes new book: All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches-Ben Rhodes, wounded ’90s Knicks fan-Are we winning in Iran yet?-what should the President do with Iran right now?-Sanctions suck, mostly-Cuba and the Obama opening-Libya and the regime-change trap-Kosovo worked-ish-Responsibility to protect yourself from over-learning lessons-Rhodes wants institutions, not impulse wars-Is Ben Rhodes Tucker-adjacent?-Soft power, hard questions-Navalny didn’t want America’s money-When Reagan said “Evil Empire”-Reagan also change his mind-Moynihan accuses Rhodes of America pessimism-Ben says it’s because he loves America-Private equity killed the vibes-Nostalgia-nomics-The left-populist temptation-JD Vance talks pretty-National identity without a monoculture-Ben Franklin and the virtue of doubt-Experts are annoying but sometimes usefulRead All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches(Bookshop | Amazon)Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.After 10 years, we’ve finally found a sponsor we actually like. Ground News pulls coverage of the same story into one place so you can compare headlines across sources and see how framing changes depending on the outlet.Subscribe for 40% off our Vantage plan using our unique link https://groundnews.com/fifth

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comThe podcast is called Stay Tuned with Preet, and if you find yourself wanting more legal analysis from someone who knows the system from the inside and still has a sense of humor about it.-Trump 2.0 & the frictionless DoJ-The one thing Jeff Sessions did right-Even Bill Barr had his limits-Why do smart lawyers follow stupid instructions?-You don’t have to win to scare people…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comAfter 10 years of doing this podcast, this week we had our first ever DC show at the Miracle Theatre on Capitol Hill. We were joined onstage by Robby Soave of Reason, and Lulu Garcia-Navarro of The New York Times’ The Interview. Join us as we wax nostalgic about the city we love to hate, and so much more.•The Curse of The Fifth•Thomas Massie takes the L…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comMatthew Yglesias is a liberal policy writer and longtime blogger. He co-founded Vox, now writes the Slow Boring newsletter, and is known for wonky-but-readable takes on housing, economics, Democratic politics, foreign policy, and the abundance agenda.-Matty finally makes it through the firewall-What type of gay is Kmele?-Yglesias says Welch gave him his career-Substack’s right-wi…

We talk about broken housing markets, broken healthcare, broken Congress, Trump’s corruption, a broken Cuba, Epstein, UAPs, and the tragedy of being a drummer with no place to practice.-Making music is for rich kids now-From jazz drummer to Hillary field organizer-Sandy Hook, March for Our Lives, and the road into politics-Florida’s felon disenfranchisement fight-Guns, swamps, Confederate flags, and talking to people who don’t like you-Florida’s politics are red… its ballot issues are a lot messier.-Gaining political power is easy. Keeping it is the hard part.-The case for going big, whether Congress likes it or not-Housing abundance, rent hikes, and the great pet-fee wars-Donald Trump’s extremely lucrative career in public service-Biden’s DOJ, Brazil’s crackdown, and the problem with accountability theater-Political violence, Trump’s rhetoric, and blaming the victim-UAPs, Epstein files, and the bipartisan hunt for weird stuff-Cuba, war powers, and why Frost doesn’t want another Venezuela-style adventurePrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.Thanks for reading The Fifth Column (A Podcast)! This post is public so feel free to share it.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe- Steven Pinker on why “common knowledge” is much stranger than it sounds-The social machinery behind weddings, money, and power-How a norm starts to die once someone breaks it and gets rewarded-Trump as the great destroyer of polite restraints-The institutions that lost the authority to enforce trust-How new taboos appear without anyone admitting who created them-T…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comHis next book, China Whisperers (out in November), looks at the diplomats, journalists, scholars, and China hands who shaped America’s understanding, and misunderstanding, of its chief geopolitical rival. But we pretty much cover the entire globe in this conversation.-The experts had it coming-Federalists, anti-federalists, and America’s oldest argument…

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe-Kmele gets glasses-The return of Soho legs-Matt’s movie-theater race science-Trump sends a letter to Congress saying the war is over, Iran says, “wtf?”-Little Marco, Fog of War correspondent-A very leaky White House-Strange new respect for the anti-war MAGA set-Little Marco puts the best face on Iran-Welch discovers gas prices-The affordability caucus …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comWe’re joined by Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital, former White House Communications Director, and one of the more memorable casualties of Trump 1.0-The Mooch reads the stars-The truth is out there, allegedly-954,000 seconds in the White House-The Ryan Lizza thing, briefly-the reason God made Steve Bannon look like this-Why Bannon scared …

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe …and how raising a black daughter changed the way he sees America.-David French returns to the Fifth Column-SCOTUS drops of a few ruling-Free speech wins 9-0 (First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Davenport)-The Voting Rights Act gets another trim (Louisiana v. Callais)-Racial gerrymanders vs. political gerrymanders-Smart racists, dumb racists, and …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comAfter the failed shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the boys sift through bad manifestos, assassination discourse, microlooting, conspiracy politics, and the strange moral permissions of America’s bored radicals.-Matt’s 15-year Werner Herzog hangover workshop-judging the newest failed killer manifesto-America’s stupidest assassination d…

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe-have we met before, or did we just share a zip code?-Iran is a disaster from basically every possible angle-you don’t go to war with this president-maybe just crawl back to a worse JCPOA and call it historic-Venezuela “worked,” which is exactly why it made the next disaster easier-take the oil, burn the soft power, call it realism-Europe gets lectured,…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comComedian Ryan Long stops by to join the guys at their very special 10th year anniversary. A few live mics, a non-stop flow of mystery drinks, and audience participation: what could go wrong? -10 years later, the grievance ledger is still very much active-Brett Weinstein cannot think his way back from the moon-Andrew Schulz proves the real mistake was le…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comThe border, the bombs, and can you guess how many Baldwins there are? -up at 2:30am, in by 4am, then 6 straight on-air hours before the fill-in shift even starts-Glenn Beck saved 5pm and accidentally birthed The Five-Fox News finally discovered the internet-2020 was insane and everyone got dumber-if the facts change every ten minutes, your monologue pro…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comHe has spent a lifetime around fame, a heroic father, football mythology, and old Hollywood… and somehow still comes off like the calmest guy in the room.-Steve McQueen and a Mini Cooper-what Carl Reiner was really like, and why Summer School still rules-growing up with Tom Harmon: Heisman winner, broadcaster, fighter pilot, legend-the war story Mark on…

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe-Where have ye gone Chris Matthews?-California’s governor race is a freak show (Fang Fang rides again)-Bring Kevin Spacey to the table?-Barney Frank, Ted Kennedy, and different standards-The anti-gambling jihad-Talks about talks about talks-The good ‘ole days of Lebanon, Libya, Valerie Plame, Bob Novak-Dr. Jesus-Trump versus the Pope-From melting pot to…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comSarah Isgur, Executive Editor of SCOTUSblog, has a book! Last Branch Standing is out today. -The Ted Lasso version of the Supreme Court-The Supreme Court is not the 6-3 cartoon people think it is-RBG thought Roe was built on weak foundations-The Court decides legal questions, not good policy vs. bad policy-Congress is now mostly bookers, comms staff, and 535 Inst…

-The wrong Greenwald, but the actual Abe-Everyone loves our ad spots-Iran’s deranged peace menu-Ceasefire, with extra missiles-The joint Hormuz tollbooth fantasy-What Iran lost, even if nobody can sell it-Regime change, but not the fun version-Vanceworld (probably) leaks to the Times-Trump threatens apocalypse, then shrugs-Pakistan, Vance, and easier marks-Groypers and other forms of loser energy-The anti-Jewish right stops pretending-Sovereignty for me, not for thee-When the right starts sounding like the left-Israel’s image problem, and America’s deeper one-RFK Jr. enters the podcast economyPrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.After 10 years, we’ve finally found a sponsor we actually like. Ground News pulls coverage of the same story into one place so you can compare headlines across sources and see how framing changes depending on the outlet.Subscribe for 40% off our Vantage plan using our unique link https://groundnews.com/fifthThe Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader & viewer supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comBEHOLD, the Mailbag (aka male-bagging, aka you-yell-at-us-and-we-tell-you-to-fuck-off)-The Easter Bunny claps for the Iran rescue-Lie long enough and eventually your conscience taps out-about that Rahm moment-who remembers Jazz Hands?-maybe woke actually is over-Bret Weinstein, vindication for the Evergreen psychos-Helen Keller and her commie ventriloqu…

The Fifth Column marks ten years with a live, loose, alcohol-assisted celebration featuring Thor Halvorssen, Pete Meijer, Olivia Reingold, Nick Gillespie, and Nancy Rommelmann, with stops along the way for Venezuela, culture war absurdity, Jewish identity, sexual politics, old stories, new grievances, and the usual refusal to keep anything on the rails. WATCH IT on Youtube:The Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader & viewer supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comOh, and Wednesday marks the 10th anniversary of this show, yes, on April Fools’. Can you fucking believe it? Join us for the only appropriate celebration, a LIVE late-night shitfest of alcohol, probable technical mishaps, and some very special guests.-Theodore Henken, plantanified yuma-Why America still can’t quit Cuba-Cuba and the full moon were made f…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com* Maybe I wasn’t exactly a prince* Why nobody should want to stay in Washington too long* The worst job in politics* The ACA, “the three children,” and the birth of the Tea Party* The Great Recession and losing your ticket to the American dream* Trump didn’t invent the anger, he captured it* The no-drinking-until-the-mics-are-off rule* In the Oval Office, the choice is…

Kmele loves Apple products…maybe a little too much. But what a perfect guest to talk all things related to this monster company and how it’s shaped American culture and the globe as a whole.-The Newton saved Apple-What Kmele does with Apple products in the shower-The underdog with taste-Why Matt Welch hates Macs-On getting access to Apple-Project Titan and the $10 billion heartbreak-Apple as a medical device company-Still a Steve Jobs disciple of focus-Apple made China and China made Apple-Where there is no will, there’s a way-New locations for Apple manufacturing-On the fantasy of bringing it back to the US-Apple Intelligence, deepfakes, and doing AI the “right” way-All it takes is a Congressperson having sex with a sheep-Anthropic, cheating, and the possible jobs apocalypse-The long runwayRead Apple: The First 50 Years by David Pogue (Bookshop | Amazon)Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.After 10 years, we’ve finally found a sponsor we actually like. Ground News pulls coverage of the same story into one place so you can compare headlines across sources and see how framing changes depending on the outlet.Subscribe for 40% off our Vantage plan using our unique link https://groundnews.com/fifthThe Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader/viewer supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: <a target="_blank" href="ht

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com-Celine Dion, slightly less stiff-Every headline out of Hungary is insane-The Orbán character arc-The Polish miracle-Conservative 2Pac in the Borat republic-Cuba is falling apart, Hasan Piker is thriving-Cuba’s healthcare miracle, minus aspirin-Why pseudo-intellectuals love communist field trips-The pig whose vocal cords had to go-Trump’s zigzagging is …

-Joe Kent’s weird texts and the “Israel did Iraq” brainworm-The Jews are so fucking clever-Iraq 2003, back from the dead yet again-There’s always a new monster to destroy-Iran, nukes, and the problem with crazy people holding civilization hostage-A Ron Paul guy with a war boner-Don’t you realize you’re losing America?-Norman Finkelstein has no phone-Mearsheimering, Robert Pape, and the incentives to go full crank-Megyn Kelly, the anti-Israel turn, and the warm bath of total nuttiness-Mark Levin’s penis size enters the chat-Louis CK and a Michael Barbaro hit job-the origin of Tough CrowdPrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.After 10 years, we’ve finally found a sponsor we actually like. Ground News pulls coverage of the same story into one place so you can compare headlines across sources and see how framing changes depending on the outlet.Subscribe for 40% off our Vantage plan using our unique link https://groundnews.com/fifthThe Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader/viewer supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com-Gov. Chris Christie debrief-Kmele nearly dies after seeing the new hidden painting on set-K-Pop Nazi Hunters and Sinners-Joy Reid says America is basically Iran now-Straight from The Communist-Lights out in Cuba-The Gains of the Cuban Revolution-”I got my job from the New York Times”-The old broken Cuban system finally starts to crack-Hasan Piker talks…

-Gov. Chris Christie says Kmele has no excuse-Getting drunk with Colbert-No drugs, ever-RFK Jr.’s drug use-The only things Trump believes in-something is a little off about John Kasich-Olivia Nuzzi is a Freak, Crumb Cake edition-Michael Barbaro tried to take the Gov down with food-Bon Jovi, Bruce, and New Jersey loyalty tests-The Little Marco Florsheim Fib-The ultimate Kushner lore, aka The Prostitute, the Motel, and the Alarm Clock-Profiles in cowardice, Republican edition-The biggest threat to Democracy according to Chris Christie-The case for letting Republicans lose badly-Why Democrats keep blowing it-Debate prep with Trump and being with him when the Access Hollywood tape dropped-This is what Hillary should have said -Chris Christie insists Bruce Springsteen likes him now-That Obama Sandy cold embrace-Bill Clinton will hold your hand, stroke your wife’s elbow, and you’ll fucking like it-W, Barbara, and elite family-level savageryPrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.The Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader & viewer supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comHe also weighs in on populism, inequality, private credit, and why a country can be prosperous on paper while still feeling bleak to the people living in it.-“Blankfein hates minorities”-the economy is strong, unless you don’t own anything-get a grip, it’s not 1968-semi-charmed kind of life-from Russia to China, the cycles come fast-where are the Hayeki…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comFrom the multiverse to time travel to bad studies and internet “experts,” and then all the way to metaphysics and belief, Sean Carroll explains why modern life makes everyone sound so sure about things they barely understand.-Moynihan is genuinely unnerved by space-a theoretical physicist’s favorite music is prog rock, which seems about right-what a physicist reads…

Hooman Majd comes from a family that reads like a parable about modern Iran: a grandfather who was an ayatollah, an uncle who worked for the Shah, and a folk-singing aunt. Everyone’s family has a version of this, right?-Iran is a tragedy-the sense of triumph has already faded-is Hooman happy the Supreme Leader was killed?-Trump’s motive: regime change, or only regime adjustment?-a ring of fire around Israel-hijab mandates, strict social rules, and the morality police using facial recognition-did the 1979 Islamic Revolution fail on its own terms?-MEK is a cult-is there room for a homegrown anti-regime revolution, or does war smother it?-who ends up in the IRGC?-the girls’ school bombing, and the propaganda machine-internet shutdowns, VPN life, and tweeting through a war-if you want to be an authoritarian, you cannot tolerate a free press-how to consume war info without getting played-outlets reporting on the new Ayatollah-sanctions: efficacy, blowback, and who they actually punish-Can Iran function like a normal state, and can it have workable relations with Israel?-Oct. 7 and Iran’s role-concerns about civil war-the mullah stereotype-“translating” for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad-death threats, anonymous phone calls, and “don’t ever come back”-defending against charges of being a regime apologistBuy Minister Without Portfolio: Memoir of a Reluctant Exile (Bookshop | Amazon)Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.The Fifth Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInsta

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com-Matt takes off his glasses, Kmele panics-Moynihan is furious we started a war during his aggressive vomiting window-The Great Unwrapping of Liberated Iranian Women as the most convincing reason for war-Marco Rubio sells the rationale in Möbius-strip logic-the Dee Snider Doctrine-The Death of the War Powers Resolution-Is Rep. Anna Paulina Luna serious r…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comJournalist Nadav Eyal joins Welch and Moyniahn to game out the Iran strikes, why Gaza’s endgame is still murky, and why the “no boots on the ground” promise matters more than most hot takes admit. -Zen and the Art of Strategic Surprise-Everyone who’s anyone in the region knew this was going to happen.-Why the US was convinced this was a good idea-Death to America…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comI first met Ken Layne sometime in 1991, back when Vanilla Ice ruled the pop charts, the Soviet Union was still a thing, and Canadians still had a reasonable expectation of winning the Stanley Cup.We have been collaborating and experimenting ever since -- a little newspapering here, some music there, various dot-com shenanigans, all of it in a spirit of …

-Matt Welch’s Caribbean identity crisis at Da Pig Beach-The State of the Union aka a two-hour hostage note-A greatest hits, lowest lights compilation for President Camacho-The futility of “speeching” your way through a math-defying approval rating-You can’t talk your way through a 38% approval rating-Let the hockey boys drink-Dan Crenshaw is allowed to be mad-The RNC’s new guard of real fucking bozos and sycophantic dick-tots-JD Vance as anti-corruption czar and populist beard for the crypto-regime-Tariffs and The Gilded Age corruption engine, now with “ballroom fund” exclusions-Drug prices are down 600%,….so do you owe me money?-Moynihan screaming drug questions at his glitching phone-Marxist Republicans and the gobbledygook of corporate housing bans-Maybe let’s just abolish the State of the Union-Dispatches from the Purple State: An interview with Senator Elissa Slotkin-Stop kicking allies in the teeth to play grab-ass with dictators-Walking out on Lindsey Graham’s Danish disdain-AI thinks Moynihan is a neo-folk neo-Nazi-Four years of war and Ukraine gets a one-sentence hand wave-Anthropic vs. Hegseth: Code is speech until the Pentagon wants a frictionless kill-switch-We tried collectivism once. Everyone starved. The end.-Gemini identifies the mystery caller as Friedrich Nietzsche, chimney sweep-About that BBC BAFTA N-Word Drama….-“You’re acting like Israel” is the ultimate Park Slope breakup trump cardPrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel NOW.The Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comKash chugs it back with the toothless championsTrump and his locker room talk with the boysState of the Union and the Six Year ItchA uniquely conspiratorial moment in an already conspiratorial nationPizzaGate nostalgia hourFact checking dies in publicA laundry list of made up shit that’s not even close to being trueBaby-eating melodrama meets Beetlejuic…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com* Damon Root’s book Overruled: The Long War for Control of the U.S. Supreme Court * Basic civics, reintroduced* Root’s mood in five words* What becomes of this useless Congress?* Why not 9–0? Root on the three dissenters * The “major questions doctrine” translated* Profiles in inconsistenty* Doesn’t matter! Trump will “destroy your country” either way!* The hangover* Gorsu…

-The dork Star Wars cantina of famous biographers-Jefferson’s hypocrisy and the impossibility of paragon standards-Lincoln was not an abolitionist-The Howard Zinnification of American history-Ambiguity as the ideological propagandist’s mortal enemy-The true (New Testament) saint of America-George H.W. Bush’s blunt admission-This president would cut your throat for a vote, then be the first to call 911-Exhaustion as a strategy, and the establishment’s failure to meet the moment-Autocratic narcissism and the turn toward political sadism-Despair is a sin-Political loss as seasonal, not existential-What will the next side do with inherited expanded executive power?-14th Amendment redemption clauses as high-level nerd porn-Amusing ourselves to death in a visual-media politics-Katie Britt’s private doubt, and the ecosystem that manufactured it-Lincoln couldn’t write a bad sentence; Reagan could land the linePrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.Buy Jon Meacham’s anthology, American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union (Bookshop | Amazon)Thanks for reading/watching The Fifth Column (A Podcast)! This post is public so feel free to share it.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com-Please say hello to our new Sunset Park neighbor-The American Chávez -The Nobel Prize Grudge-The Dictatorship That Remained-Political Pilgrims and Failed Experiments-Maria the Maid and the, “Gay Marriage Lady” slur-A Masterclass in Macro-Failure-The Media Pioneer-The Illusion of Democracy-Economic Voodoo-The “Police” StrategyGet William’s book, Things …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comFor Christmas 2024, I was gifted Robert Sullivan’s delightful My American Revolution: A Modern Expedition Through History’s Forgotten Battlegrounds. I devoured it within 24 hours. It is no exaggeration to say that the book is responsible as anything else for this little Semiquincetennial miniseries you are (hopefully!) enjoying.As you will hear in this …

-John Bolton, Olympic Curling Hawk-Arguing with the 60s Since 1970-I’m kind of a Libertarian (Minus the Defense Part)-Iraq was actually kind of perfect-Federalist Papers as Foreign Aid (or maybe porn would suffice)-The Arab Spring Brain-Break-Afghanistan is Not Exactly a Nation-Regime Change, Case-by-Case-The Forward Defense of New Jersey-Ukraine and the Gray Zone Trap-The Nuclear Press Release-Tucker Carlson wants you to be scared of this man-Trump’s Real Estate Foreign Policy-The Face of the Regime in Venezuela-The President’s Retribution…. and how worried should the Ambassador be right now?-Who Will Take Him Down First?-Tulsi Gabbard’s Intelligence Clown ShowPrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.The Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com-The Invertebrate Caucus-The New Tax Party-Ruby Ridge and Waco Redux-The Last Man Standing-The Crypto Appearance Problem-Government as a Mob Vig-The Fairness Trap-The Colombia Save, or how Rand prevented a military escalation by sending a quick text message to the President.-Epstein Transparency Collateral-Is Trump still “the best president of his lifet…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comA deeply serious and important conversation over some listener-provided Scotch about the Super Bowl halftime show(s), the death of ad copywriting, dunking in the WNBA, pond skating, and the other Moynihan Report.•Oh good, Kmele started drinking early•About that game…•The horrible stereotypes in that halftime show•He bangs•The Canadian caravan•Malfunctio…

John Avlon stops by only to learn he’s also in the Epstein files, why the Daily Beast should’ve sold dick pills, and why we need to rebuild guardrails on what some call “stolen land”* Where John is surprised to learn he’s in the Epstein files and suddenly remembers he has plans not to be here* The Ceaușescu of Long Beach * Moynihan actually voted for this guy!* Georgia, the FBI, and the Trump 2.0 purity test industrial complex* Asking for a friend who keeps wondering, “are US elections legit?”* This is not a libertarian podcast * The original sin is hyperpolarization * Tucker at CPAC, the heretic hunters, and the sound of the crowd turning* Give the left/right base what it wants and watch your incentives rot* We should have sold dick pills at The Daily Beast and funded a small country* The hell with the guardrails, we want our conspiracies god dammit!* Oral culture wins, written culture loses, and the Washington Post dims the lights* How can we do this podcast “on stolen land?”* What happened to Rudy Giuliani?* The Traveling Wilburys of Government* Asymmetric polarization and why the crazies are not equally distributedGet John’s latest book, Lincoln and the Fight For Peace (Bookshop | Amazon) Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.The Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with oth

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com• Moynihan and Welch are in the Epstein files• A very indiscriminate and humiliating dump• Bannon & Epstein• Black boxes over kids, and the express train to Satanic Panic• Embarrassment is no reason• Moynihan’s Melania Review• Billie Jean is not my brother, but Jimmy Carter is my mother• That’s an awfully small ring to kiss for such a wealthy man• Move …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comWhat if you’re just … born wrong? (No, I don’t mean the darling little girl to the right.)You may know Bill Schulz through his years toiling as Greg Gutfeld’s “repulsive sidekick” on ye olde Fox News late-nite WTF show Red Eye (on which all of your co-hosts, and several of our guests, got some valuable reps back in the day). You may know Bill through hi…

-The NYC Rolling Hobo Express-An Enthusiastic Armada Full of Speed and Violence-Iranian Death Toll Discourse and Roger Waters Still Sucks-The Donroe Doctrine and the Near Abroad Dodge-Everyone’s Favorite Powder Keg-A Norwegian, A Rat Bag, and a Lunatic-A disgusting thing to say-Noem’s Bellebolent Hypotheticals-Stephen Miller’s Basement Lotions and the Little Rogaine Carpet-Fingerers, Reach-Arounds, and Reaganite as a Slur-Anne Cool-ter-Fuck You Jonathan-Mehmet Oz, P.I.-Ye’s apology ad and the uncanny valley of writing-One from the MailbagPrefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifthdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.The Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com-A huge TACO Tuesday-Survival of the Spineless-Low-level insurgency infrastructure-Astroturf panic and the suspicious run to Walgreens-The problem with punching Nazis-Walz and Trump finally talk-Fuck you, Ted-The Great American Slur Revival-Short king Bovino and the self-inflicted smoke bomb-Democracy Dies in Payroll-World’s Biggest Russophobe Longs for…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.comOne topic in the news. One quick podcast on that single topic (rather than just texting each other about how certain media figures are vulgar, stupid, and morally depraved). Welcome back to the Fifth Column One Hitter! In the hours after ICE shot and killed Alex Pretti, we gathered at the studio to sit down with Peter Moskos: former police officer, current John Jay…