Hi, I'm Alexandra DE scientists and, along with David French Icon hosting their liberty, Podcast David break down the latest political news, with a focus on the importance of culture and religion, and american life are episodes Irving, twice a week and can be found on Itunes. Google play stature tune in or our national Review online This punk, a completely rock b, be decidedly middling c b. An abysmal failure. Welcome to the end of year. All exit question edition,

the letters Onrush Larry and I'm joined, as always are least for two weeks running now by the right. Honourable Charles see w cook than a tourist boom boom do Michael Brenda Authority and the pride of Tennessee you're listening to listening to a podcast view, Simmons Podcast on that for natural Yoda COM or delighted. Have you gotta be easier for you and better for US maids part of your feet, Google placed at union or Itunes and feel like what you hear here. Please consider reviewing us on Itunes. If you dont like what you here. Please forget, I said Anything so Charlie, already all exit questions, first, exit question to you: you're Eddie, I'm ready. You sure Name's lot of pressure- I don't know, what's coming sigh Maya, might be shocked, but I'm ready EAST and the biggest America political story of the year was a smaller probe, be the democratic take over the house,

see trumps. Consolidation of control over the Republican Party D, the passing of Barbara and George Bush a the molecule because it's always there in the background. Every story is brought back to it and, although I don't think it's live, this large in the imagination of every american ass. Perhaps the press does we are beginning to see its fruits and I think those fruits are going to have serious consequences for the future of the country. The french Mahler probe. For all the reasons that Charlie just said, and also, I would add, that one of the things it keeps it in the news in one of the things that keeps it a big story is it he keeps surprising, as he has been very tight lipped in many of his moves in court are completely unforeseen.

and then they of course cause a cascading reaction in the in the media and political world afterwards, but ya think its mother, and I don't think it's that close Michael, I think its democratic take over the house just pieces from which is gonna flow from that end, in a sense because that wave election It should be considered a kind of wave. I know people stop litigating that a month or so ago, but that we ve election showed Democrats getting very smart about messaging, very disciplined and funding of the way to be trump enemies to change the conversation, and that is good, to be so crucial going forward in the next two years. I agree with the downside take over the house. I think that's very important that the kind of unlocked

how to beat tromp, I don't that will be held and maintain the discipline they did during the campaign. But run against them as a conventional republicanism take away your healthcare and has cut taxes for the rich. It obviously forestalls any opportunity not that there is a huge one going forward four republican legislative victories, makes a locust of activity in Congress investigations of Trump and put impeachment and play and finally creates the predicate for a perhaps democratic, unified control of Washington and twenty twenty, which would be absolutely enormous. I'm prepared to say them all. A probe will be the biggest story of next year, depending on his report, but this year I think it's, the democratic. Takeover of the house today, the French to you, the best political player, the cocaine Mitch Nancy, Blowsy, Oprah,

in Mexico, or both in in Brazil to words, Cocaine Mitch, the judicial revolution legislations, but this when their judicial revolution, seen in it, which is the best story. I think, of of the Trump presidency so far wouldn't be possible without him and in its not just you know, he is still an object of hate on the left for blocking their guard but what he has dying to streamline judicial nomination process. His acknowledge mastery of the Senate, he he's the unsung hero in the best story of the trunk presidency. So I'm gonna, say cocaine, Mitch and and also. I also say that the the creation of nickname is one of the better defined

political element, Michael, I leads cooking Mitch, to public. He's just so underrated and has been turns career, but he is a bit of a mess of the Senate and his conference and he such a contrast in in a way to Paul Ryan's, somewhat abortive attempt to wrestle the GEO P House Majority, which I take to be a harder job than the Senate majority but then again there are factions edges of the Senate Majority or you cooking, which has to do and to deal Susan Collins.

And he did it very well and it it has profound effects for decades to come. Charlie, it's definitely cocaine match its a judicial restoration, not a revolution and which has been at the forefront of its been that ambition he's health throughout his career. The reason is cooking images that he is the one person who has managed to take what is a messy political system by design embodies a messy political moment and extract almost everything that could be extracted from it. No one else has done. The trump is his own worst enemy. The Democrats. It is yet to be seen what they do with their new house majority. Maybe they'll pay brilliantly. The House of Representatives has been unruly and, I think unproductive, but the Senate, the Senate, has done everything

that a republican majority would have would have hoped it would do, and that is largely the product of cocaine, which is brilliant strategic instincts. I make a unanimous cocaine which almost any given year, cocaine niches a pretty good political player, but he's sir outdone himself, This year's, like rendering the worst political player of the year, was Teresa, may a manual Grand Vladimir Putin or Donald Trump. Its Emmanuel mccrone. Partly because I think people only realised it. In last week's of the year that he has been fantastic Lee unpopular in France, he was pretty unpopular from the moment. He was elected And right now he's basically throwing ways and in

higher agenda before the yellow Mass protests his, Ministerial colleagues are safe. Stuff I go well we're explaining our unpopularity we were to intelligent. We were too subtle. We were just too good for for our own political good. Economic crime is exposing the absolute uttered decadence What what you would call almost centrist populism or establishment populism and die he's going down harder than any one else gave a french in agreeing mccrone, I know the French like a little light, rioting every now and then, but he's he's still guy, whose country right now

seems to be in a state of disorder and chaos. I know there's political disorder in Britain and other some political chaos in the United States. I know that puttin well, Putin has seems to maintain the same iron grip, he's always maintained in his on these strategic ascendancy now in the Middle EAST, But mccrone while and then to sort of but all off with a french version of Carter's malaise, speech Jesse to speak volumes about his political competence. I think the evidence of

His failure is in the streets of France Telecom. I think its trump. I dont think its tourism may much as I dislike to resume and explain why last week, because tourism aim inherited or sought a poisoned chalice and is at the head of a party that has been divided on the central question in british politics for decades. I don't think it's mccrone, because Mccrone was never going to be a success. The whole thing was built on sand. France is not in a position to be governed at the moment. An essay noted last week he is

that wrong person to to deal with those challenges, even though he was he was elected to do said. I think its trump, because trumpets squandered an enormous opportunity. The United States, for all of the arguments that we host is in fact not in a terrible place. Economy is booming, start knocking down a little bit its wiped out his gains, but that is needed in its vote no not doing, and we are not at war or at least we're not involved in a major war. And yet this president has managed to by his own behaviour, avoid expanding his appeal and his popularity rating, and that is quite an achievement. He has managed to hurt the economy with tariffs.

managed to spend much of his time, throwing fire on the Morrow story rather than me. They saying this is not true. It's a witch hunt. I will await his exoneration. He has managed to pick fight, was fights with all sorts of people and also of groups and it hasn't learned anything, and so I dont think that the republic is falling. I don't think this is a particularly dangerous moment. I don't go

bet every night weeping. I do think that if I were, if I were Donald trumps friend, I would look at him and say: why are you squandering this remarkable opportunity through your own choices? I see outside influences largely as being responsible for what's happening in France and Britain? I don't mean Russia, I mean the political system in general. I dont see that with Donald Trump Sell, my heart says Teresa may does it breaks. It has been an absolute disaster, but I just think their limits. Unfortunately, to how much you can blame her, so I go with Micron as well. Charlie cut the worst thing tromp has done. All year was threatened. Basis, CALL Adam Shift Adam Shit on Twitter browbeat info. His own attorney general, an ally, Jeff sessions or erstwhile ally.

Similarly, lie about his affair with Stormy Daniels or Ban Gemma Costa from the White House so is banning Jim costs are not in the best things. Trump has done. Oh yeah category I, I was gonna ruin my joke, Charlie. You ruined my check out the subtle sat set out. They just stepped out. You didn't read the shone out. I think the worst thing he did was the way he treated Jeffson. and both on a human level,

Barcelona on a constitutional level. Donald Trump speaks as if he's not the president heat. He talks about his staff as if they exist independently, as if he is not that bosses, if he doesn't give them instruction and direction, and he began to portray Jeff sessions, essentially ass, a traitor inside his house and that wasn't only deeply unfair. I am no fun of sessions, but on human level, that was not only deeply unfair, but it also spoke to a misunderstanding, of american governance that I found troubling. Give French, I was gonna, say sessions, but I'm gonna save the lie. I about Stormy Daniels as an on trade to the larger story that the larger problems at and that our encompassed by those lies. I think that what we

What the lie about Stormy Daniels is just one, but one thing that has revealed and is revealed and reaffirmed that he'd just wise all the time and look. I know that we have had president's lie. That's not news! Clinton was perhaps until now one of the most epic in prolific Presidential liars fall time, but did Jess continual drumbeat of untruths that come out of Trump, I think, is degrading. Our political culture idea that you cannot believe a word that comes out of the present in the United States. Mouth, I think, is very deeply. Troubling

and the lie about Stormily Stormy Daniels Adjust, but wine. I think it's that the worst thing that Trump has done all year can just be encompassed in that first word: witches lie like rendered already. I mean it's obvious. America is a great country because it has a sacred trust: a sacred inheritance, of cable news personalities speaking in a tiny room on the edge of the White House from has abused. This sacred trust, he's introduced the logic of entertainment and and personality where it doesn't belong on cable whose television, its Sure I now

of the worst thing trumpeted, was threatened. Jeff Bezos because he should have been threatening. Google inhabit Google was preparing to commit something much closer to trees. Then Flynn ever did by enhancing the chinese government's capability to enact hearing in China and project power abroad, so yeah, hopefully that's ended but yet from does a lot of bad things. But this year was not. I don't. I shouldn't he was his worst year, so I'm gonna say browbeaten. Jeff sessions was really bad, but is kind of within it presents have hated their train generals before booklet hated, JANET Reno, but didn't do that, but I am a squint gesture

and say it's kind of within the ambit of presence done before signing of lying about stormy, Daniels's booklet actually did it about an affair. He actually had while his present cyanide go threatening Jeff Baisers, I'm just the idea that a President United States would float the notion of retaliating against the business of someone entirely really because that per and also owns a newspaper. His cover she doesn't like is just completely appalling. Now, best thing trump has done all year, David, french sticking by Judge Cavenaugh a be judged, judge judges see forging a new NAFTA De Criminal justice reform and eat. This might have been funny and gotten a charcoal prior to Charlie stepping on it banning Jim across different weights.

in fund being on the editor protests, and I would be obliged if, as is the worst thing since you ruin that movie for me, Charlie you're, you're, spoiler one. What was a movie, the life of Pi Andrew One, every five years assumes I my national thought. When I looked at that list, resist, it was to say stick by Cavanaugh. I owe you looked at. You looked at the list before I did. I did I just I just for a class at bath. I I thought, were you stick my cabin ah, but I like, I can't think any republican president. Would it done that I'm trying to look at that list and saves or naething that that I could look at there was something cunning trump really good about it. And I get a weird wearing an essay criminal justice reform? The way this all sort of a played out with

Streamlining trompe, you know you have come card ashy and in the White House that really sort of gets the ball rolling ever release of Alice Johnson who up I've, had a privilege. getting to know here in the last few weeks and assisted just a marvellous person and in this sort of really quirky and very strangely for the Trump era very by partisan effort that is forged answer ending the year on a high note, with the site with unites the first step. Act has been moving through Congress. So I think that that was sort of eight oddly trembly good development. The sheer so to say that

Grandaddy. I'm you see the new NAFTA I've caution before when we did an absurd just when this deal was kind of being announced that can take some years to judge these trade deals as it did in the nineties. But what I appreciate about Trump was by breaking breaking the spell that these deals are sacrosanct. He was able to negotiate successfully. I thought his strategy of breaking off Mexico first in order to bring Canada back to the table was very good and

you know it's it's a relief for Washington to be doing trade policy seriously again. Try dare Michael dead. My answer is sticking my cabin offer terrorism, one because governors a good judge and belongs on the Supreme Court, and secondly, because it was imperative that the tactics that we use, the deeply illiberal civilization crumbling tactics that we used against him failed, and I would start with bright Stevens. Who said for at least one moment. He was grateful that Donald Trump were in the White House with his propensity to stay the course. Sticking by Cavanaugh was huge- I guess I'll kick their over David side on that, probably any other Republican would do it. So I'm going to go with the new NAFTA and just like Michael for different reasons, because I take one of the key question

this presidency was whether he was just fundamentally a protectionist who wanted just trash all these deals and not put anything new. place. Instead, he has given us a new NAFTA might be slightly worse, retreat, her free trade perspective than the old NAFTA, but is very important that Donald Trump, who is the foremost exemplar of scepticism about the prior free trade. Consensus in this country is on board a trade deal with Mexico and. Canada, so Charlie back to you Edward China this year has been completely awesome. Somewhat awesome, not awesome at all. It's been not awesome at all, because it is the product of an error to mental gesture and not a coherent worldview David French Lecture,

said, Michael Brent already been somewhat. I found that one one sardine Dresdner view they say a note about how you know because this trade war were now subsidizing. Soybean grew wars and other interests that have been hurt by chinese brutality where he strikes in the trade war. I mean come on before any supposed a few days of W Tee O trade with China? Our most favoured nation, says training with China There were subsidies on the other side and an hour free trade was in effect allowing their mercantilism to free right. Allowing them to upscale their workforce and their supply chains at a rate unprecedented in human history. Ah, I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm here to defend the Buckley position on trade with China, which was exe

scepticism, and so it's been so, awesome. There's a study from your report came but I cited in a recent article saying that the trade deficit will be cut by almost systems, are very substantial, meant almost one percent in just one year. Ah, that's that's a product of any suppliers slashing their prices on the goods that have been hit with tariffs in order to keep their american customers. That's that's a win. I also say somewhat awesome, I'm not as higher is Michael, but Do you think that the old consensus on China was bankrupt and we'd needed something new, even if I don't agree with every tactic that Trump has used in this context so David French, the success of an hour plus this year.

Stores, your faith in humanity, yes or no. Unquestionably, yes, no. I love in our plus I'm I'm an inner plus subscriber myself and one in my more fun memories of twenty eighteen is the up. Why did we have this in our plus Facebook group exclusive his face, but group, and so I did and ask me anything on that in our plus Facebook group, and that was a ton of fight because it was not a combination of great questions from the inner plus members on politics and law and culture but also a lot of great questions about burning issues like why d C is greater than Marvel. Why the less jeopardize an atrocity against humanity, and other burning issues so guides inner plus is great and its at least given a glimmer of hope that there's something good and people

Michael, yes or no. I have no faith in humanity, but beyond it no inner plus, has been great. I were recently on the site about how much enjoyed the party we had a New York and how national view is is not just this magazine. It's not just this institutional in York. It really has always been relationships that has been forged not only between writers and benefit and and the big benefactors, but between the small donors that right in that get our letters back and in our place has way of organizing the kind of social side in that and our has always been

damn well better for it. China. While I would say that my faith in humanity has been half restored and will be fully restored when the number of an hour plus members has doubled, which is, of course vital issues come in, I must say it: it doesn't necessarily restore my faith in humanity, because I think even a fall in humanity would realize what a good deal and our plus is actually that the growth has been fantastic were above thirteen thousand nano, maybe above fourteen thousand, as as we speak, but it's been grime by leaps and bounds and seriously. We really appreciate her one who signed up Michael Bennett Dorothy. The best sporting events of the last year dramatic university Alabama championship, win on a along a passing touch down by the true freshman. I think true freshman right back up what about came in and a second half

the Eagle Superbowl when you NBC and under sixteen beating a number one you ve the Red Sox, winning the World Series or the Washington capitals, winning the Stanley CUP all caps. Let's go caps, it's the caps, Stanley CUP of standing up is the best trophy. The financial players are the best play offs in sports. overcoming your rival in your conference. After years and years and not doing it is an epic experience and out the cap's got that with that with a with a minor foreign Entry of Ireland beating the all box in November and Rugby, which was awesome Jolliginki

I think without a shadow of a doubt it was a Alabama game. In the beginning of the year, my wife at that point was, was heavily heavily pregnant days away actually from from giving birth to her second child and she went to bed early. I said I'm just going to watch the beginning, I'm just going to watch the first school to I was there at midnight. You know a bottle of wine later it, looked right up until the last second, this, if Georgia was gonna, win the game in that they get pushed back there was. There was no chance of alibi morning that game until until that bull and up in the air, and then I tat, the screen. What the hell does happen. I think everyone in America did many of the other ones on the list of what we're good moments, but that was that was a lifetime great sporting moment. Much as it pains me to to admit TAT, French, oh it's it's Alabama! It's not even close. Second in twenty six are words that war

co in human history. This was the moment when Alabama was what's on the ropes georgia- was gonna win, but look the whole game the whole gang for somebody like me who grew up in the south born and Auburn Alabama. So I, I am not an Alabama famine. Auburn fan in that divide by is born Auburn my dad target ls you I grew up in happy and I live in Tennessee. So, like the South Eastern conference, blood is coursing in my veins and there is one thing that occurred in the eightys: the cell he's an eighty and ninety new in the south is it the SSC had not got me to do as the home of dominant college football that mainstream establishment media fond over the big ten obsessively, and we had this chip a shoulder and we knew. We just knew that if you ever had

we'll play off what the rightful rulers of college football would emerge and the DE peak version of that was last year's championship. Game react to Assisi teams. Clearly the two best teams country facing off in one of the greatest college football clashes. I've ever seen, so it was region indication. It was football vindication and it was a thrilling moment all at once, Obviously, my answer is not unbiased us personally vested in the washing Capital, Sir I've been a fan of since I was a little kid and I'm old enough, where I literally had the little transistor radio in my bed listened again: night. I remember the first time in franchise history that the capitals beat the Philadelphia flyers to that point, there's something like Owen and twenty five in their some ties. And there I want to gain three Stanley CUP in Washington. It was one of those intense experiences, swearing experiences. I've ever had, and just this was an extremely gratifying

when so Michael Brennan story to you again. First, the most epic editors event of the Euro, Podcast was the right hand, Charlie off MIKE smack down that almost broke. This podcast Luke Thompsons thick, Marco Rubio Rant or all of us. Wrongly predicting that Andrew Gingham would be the governor of Florida to podcast running or not above this tough one, I mean it, you look Thompson's go Rubio Rant, look Thompson, is a legendary communicator and what was so. I think about it was I I was known. I was branded after the twenties sixteen election as Rubio Haider and looked on

and made me like Rubia, somehow tat so far out, did All the stuff I poured on Rubio during his as adds primary energy and bushes Super Packard justice, effective yeah. I know I know I thought I had poured so much cold water on Rubio, because I didn't like is campaigning, but I hope I respected the man's. I thought that was that was epic Luke Thompson revealed. To me to me about myself a jolly good. why I'm so per They invested in our having been wrong about Andrew get him that that probably is my favorite moment of the air there There has never been a moment during which I was happy to eat cry and SAM bad at predicting elections, David French. You know, look I'm I dont know about I wasn't there only I heard about it in you know as as

the news of at the start of the rumours that about adding raced across the conservative intelligentsia, but the right on Charlie off might smack down just the em. What I imagine it was like in my head, I gotta be the most epic event. The idea David. My scars says: maybe yeah from it. This isn't even it is even close. It Obviously the right hand, Charlie off magnets, smack damage taxed like every ability. I have as an editor diplomatic abilities to credit, keep talent, honest page and in the same around forced labour, podcast came off and the editors podcast has states again It's Wilmore Kendall Genome advice was ugly and it was clearly aspects of final can t you, David friend, your favorite. Naturally, a piece of the year was a gaze

I'm gonna, totally cheat and I'm gonna say it's the continuing excellence of Jonas G file. You know like it it's fun, to be a colleague of Jonah and a fan of Jonah at the same time, and I eagerly look forward to gee file every time it lands. In my inbox. It's been sort of a it's been a gift to readers ever since it started, and so I just thought I'd be good to take a moment and paws and pay tribute to some really continued year in year out excellence, it's not easy to produce what he produces a mean. Those are long pieces, that manage to be insightful and entertaining at the same time, and they come week after week, year after year, or so. the G file long may it rain migraine dirty,

best piece of year. In my opinion, was Nicholas ever starts story on the North Korea summit. North Korea wins. I just thought this was in a we talk about the populace revolt against expertise. It's a populist revolt, and fast expertise and Nicholas Upstart is a real expert on this issue. a really sober, mind and sober voice, damn I thought he got. I thought I gotta go right and it's been confirmed this morning as the north korean government shouts from the rooftops that

No we're not to nuclear rising. Not until you leave the south korean peninsula. You get rid of all of your nuclear weapons. Nicholas overstepped, told you this before Trump Trump knew. It was true himself troika, Kevin, Williamson's peace from the summer on Turkey and markets. Title is what dictators can't dictate absolutely classic Kevin Williamson. It was a serving and true, he says capital in the twenty first century, a slippery. It is restless and it will not sit still for abuse. It is difficult to seize the iron fist of tyranny is no good against. And if a sentry capital, which slips between the tyrants grubby little fingers like also pick capitalism, peace, I loved his cover story.

earlier in the year on white privilege, Classic Kevin Williamson, fearless and unstinting, but also taking the other side seriously and making the necessary concessions. I also like the the actual physical cover of that issue, which is kind of an o to the Beatles White Cover. That's it for us, like for the whole year, even listening to an actual you pop cast a rebirth. Cash retransmission are counter this game without express written permission of national magazine is strictly prohibited, as pot case has been produced by the incomparable Sarah should he makes a sound better than we deserve Charlie. Thank you, David. Thank you, Michael thanks to everyone for listening and we'll see you here.