GoodFellows: Conversations from the Hoover Institution

As the six-month anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel approaches, what to expect next in that struggle—and is the American president and Israeli prime minister’s working relationship beyond repair? New York Times columnist Bret Stephens joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss the war’s possible expansion into southern Lebanon and Stephens’s vision of a rebuilt Gaza as a Mediterranean version of Dubai.

Elbridge Colby, former Defense Department assistant secretary and cofounder of the Marathon Initiative, which studies great-power competition, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and H.R. McMaster to discuss his contention that rearming America’s military in anticipation of an eventual Chinese move on Taiwan takes priority over conflicts in Ukraine and Israel.

Following Super Tuesday’s results, with the US presidential election still the better part of eight months away, a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is all but certain. Victor Davis Hanson, the Hoover Institution’s Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow and author of the soon-to-be-released book The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation, joins Hoover senior fellows John Cochrane and H.R. McMaster to discuss where Biden and Trump stand on “shrinkflation” and the US economy, America’s involvement in overseas conflicts, plus the likelihood of Democrats replacing a struggling Biden at their August national convention and Trump running a disciplined campaign despite his legal travails.

Dan Senor, host of the Call Me Back podcast and author of two books on Israel, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson (live from Jerusalem) and John Cochrane to discuss the moving parts and global ramifications of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

While the American reprisal against Iranian proxies across the Middle East is impressive in its harnessing of firepower, technology, and intelligence, does it advance the goals of deterrence and de-escalation?

This installment of GoodFellows is devoted to audience questions—viewers and listeners putting Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster through their intellectual paces.

The new year begins with a continuation of three topics that figured prominently in 2023: escalating hostilities in the Middle East; a possible return to more traditional higher education after shake-ups at several elite American universities; plus the uncertainty of certain economic assumptions (in 2023, a much-prophesied recession that never materialized).

Bari Weiss, founder of the Free Press and host of the Honestly podcast, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss when and why America’s universities went astray and how to separate scholarship from political agendas.

Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal political columnist and the “architect” behind George W. Bush’s presidential runs, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson. H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the odds of a Biden-Trump rematch.

Two conflicts present two challenges: a Ukrainian counteroffensive turned stalemate; and Israel’s survival as it confronts Hamas (and possibly Hezbollah and Iran). Russ Roberts, Hoover’s John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow and president of Jerusalem’s Shalem College, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson. H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss Israel’s morale and strategic choices.

Ian Rowe, an American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and cofounder of the Bronx-based Vertex Partnership Academies, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss the future of public education and charter schools’ role in the quest for better outcomes.

As Israel and Ukraine struggle for survival, a newer “axis of ill will”—formed by Russia, China and Iran—sows discord around the globe. Stephen Kotkin, the Hoover Institution’s Kleinheinz Senior Fellow and a vaunted historian, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to assess options abroad and parallels to the past (are we reliving the 1930s, the 1970s, or both?).

Recorded live at the Hoover Institution’s fall retreat: Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss unfolding events in the Middle East—Israel’s response, failures in intelligence gathering, plus America’s strategic choices vis-à-vis a complicit Iran.

Eugene Volokh, a soon-to-be Hoover Institution senior fellow and a First Amendment law professor at UCLA, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss free speech in the Information Age and what comes next for universities following the court’s rebuke of race-factored admissions.

In a special “mailbag” episode, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster answer viewers’ questions, ranging from global geopolitics to American domestic affairs.

Former president Donald Trump faces at least four criminal trials that could overshadow the Republicans’ presidential nominating process—and maybe fatally wound him in a general election—while a legal cloud hangs over President Biden due to an ongoing investigation into his son’s business affairs.

On the 78th anniversary of the only wartime use of nuclear weapons, is the human race at another moral crossroads, fearing what artificial intelligence (AI) breakthroughs might unleash?

This week, the self-moderating GoodFellows (Bill Whalen is on vacation) ponder why the much predicted recession hasn’t materialized—at least not yet.

A tumultuous 24 hours in Russia—ordinarily pro-Russia armed mercenaries marching on Moscow, Vladimir Putin’s whereabouts unknown—reveals the fragility of that wartime autocracy.

California weighs reparations for slavery’s descendants as America approaches the three-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd—a Black man killed by a White police officer—in Minneapolis.

Does the Shakespearean adage “uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” still apply to today’s United Kingdom?

Is artificial intelligence a global killer or an emerging technology which, if properly harnessed, can improve mankind? And what’s the significance of a low-level National Guard member being able to expose US military secrets?

In this second installment of audience questions, viewers and listeners from nearly three dozen nations spanning six continents ask Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane about the durability of America’s “empire,” Putin’s war crimes, Henry Kissinger’s worldview, and the future of Western universities.

The first of two episodes devoted solely to questions from the audience—viewers and listeners from nearly three dozen nations spanning six continents—who ask Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane whether a protracted war favors Russia or Ukraine; what is China’s geopolitical interest in the conflict; what are financial risks associated with Silicon Valley Bank’s travails.

What do long-term demographic trends suggest about the world moving forward? American Enterprise Institute fellow Nicholas Eberstadt joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a conversation about shifting populations and societal behavior.

While erratic weather and apocalyptic prophecies keep climate change in the headlines, a set of arguably more pressing global concerns goes less noticed. Bjorn Lomborg, a Hoover visiting fellow and president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, discusses what his cost-benefit analysis says about curbing HIV/AIDS, malaria, and hunger, and the role of free trade and economic development in improving living conditions in Africa and impoverished lands.

A Chinese “civilian airship” wafts across the US heartland. Vladimir Putin ramps up the saber-rattling as the one-year anniversary of his Ukraine invasion nears. And could a single platinum coin be America’s debt elixir? Victor Davis Hanson, the Hoover Institution’s Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss “eyes in the sky,” ground warfare, plus one soccer-and-rugby-loving fellow’s super disgust with the super-sized spectacle that is the Super Bowl.

GoodFellows celebrates its 100th episode with Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane reflecting on social, economic, and geopolitical lessons learned since their first conversation nearly three years ago. Also debated: the merits of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the spectacle of climate-change bloviation, plus the strategic implications of sending American heavy tanks to Ukraine (Lt. Gen. McMaster knowing a thing or two about the topic, having led armored cavalry regiments into combat).

Is the United States in a new “cold war” with China, and if so, what steps should be taken to get the attention of the government in Beijing (a military buildup? banning TikTok in the US)? Wisconsin congressman Mike Gallagher, chair of the newly created House Select Committee on China, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a look at US-Sino relations.

What did the GoodFellows learn in 2022, and what do they anticipate for 2023? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane reflect on the war in Ukraine, cryptocurrency’s fall and inflation’s rise, ChatGPT’s upending of essay writing and other academic pursuits, plus whether Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter could prove to be his undoing—much like that of a 19th-century French emperor.

A post-holiday Goodfellows features the panelists bringing their own curiosities to the table. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss China’s COVID-restriction protests and restoring academic freedom of college campuses. Plus two “Goodfellows” weigh in with differing views on American “football” vs. the more global “futbal.”

A week after America’s midterm election, Washington faces the prospect of divided government for the next two years. Kimberly Strassel, the Wall Street Journal’s “Potomac Watch” columnist, joins Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane for a reading of the midterm tea leaves and thoughts on what comes next in terms of congressional agendas, the war in Ukraine, the future oversight of cryptocurrency, and Elon Musk’s Twitter overhaul.

A world where artificial intelligence completes your work and thoughts? And what’s the wiser bet: “short Meta” or “long Twitter”? Tyler Cowen, a George Mason University economist and coauthor of the Marginal Revolution blog, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss whether technological advancements will improve the human condition.

Can China’s current authoritarian model hold without destroying its economy, and what’s the near-term outlook for the war in Ukraine? Stephen Kotkin, the Hoover Institution’s Kleinheinz Senior Fellow and an authority on geopolitics and authoritarian regimes (and a Joe Pesci soundalike) joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the latest in Xi Jinping’s China and Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

With the US election approaching and apparently tilting Republicans’ way, the question is: What to do with their newfound power on Capitol Hill? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss how a 118th Congress under new management might address aid to Ukraine, the China “Cold War 2.0” dilemma, plus America’s economic, energy, and health concerns.

The British prime minister’s days seem numbered (yet again), as might those of Iran’s theocracy—and what to make of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s growing cult of personality? In a “bring your own topic” edition of GoodFellows, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss these worldly matters as well the coming clash between a wintry COVID spike and pandemic-weary populations.

Is history repeating itself, with America reliving the political rancor and upheaval of the late 19th-century Gilded Age? Karl Rove, political strategist and the “architect” of George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the impact of economics, world events, and cultural concerns on this year’s midterm vote.

Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss the latest overseas news, including how to help Iranian resistors (send in Elon Musk’s Starlink) and Ukrainian warriors (send over more tanks).

This week’s episode is devoted to audience questions – viewers and listeners from nearly thirty nations spanning six continents asking Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster and John Cochrane for their thoughts on the war in Ukraine, future Napoleons, plus where they turn to for intellectual inspiration.

GoodFellows presents an abbreviated episode, with Hoover senior fellow Niall Ferguson on the ground in Ukraine (but not sporting an olive-green tee) as he joins senior fellow John Cochrane to discuss the war’s progress, the outlook for Zelenskyy and Putin, plus what the future holds for Britain’s national identity and the House of Windsor in the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.

Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster and John Cochrane discuss the geopolitical consequences of a China in decline – if it accelerates a move against Taiwan; should America be engaging in détente or a military buildup?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi heads a congressional delegation to Taiwan, prompting an angry backlash from Beijing and an escalation of tensions. In an abbreviated version of GoodFellows, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss what, if any, impact the Speaker’s visit will have on US–Sino strategy and relations and the global balance of power moving forward.

As promised, the GoodFellows (that’s John H. Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, and H. R. McMaster) take a break from their summer hiatus to discuss what has transpired in the world since their last appearance on YouTube. Topics covered include the war in Ukraine, the economy and inflation, and the hot topic of the moment: the climate and Europe’s search for reliable energy.

As the Russia–Ukraine conflict approaches the 100-day mark, is any kind of resolution in sight? Condoleezza Rice, former US secretary of state and the Hoover Institution’s Tad and Dianne Taube Director, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a conversation encompassing the war in Eastern Europe, its impact on US-Sino policy, plus what the scourge of gun violence says about America’s social and cultural divides.

As the fighting in Ukraine continues, what’s the wisest strategy for the United States—keep sending weapons, help the Ukrainians broaden their operations, or advocate for a peaceful settlement? Victor Davis Hanson, the Hoover Institution’s Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow, joins senior fellows John Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, and H. R. McMaster for a spirited debate regarding the breadth of American involvement overseas, Donald Trump’s sway over election outcomes, plus California’s drought and its impact on Victor’s farm in the San Joaquin Valley.

As the war in Ukraine passes the 70-day mark, questions abound as to whether Russia will soon escalate the brutality, how far Ukrainian forces intend to take the fight, plus the West’s long-term appetite for supplying arms and aid. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general, US Army Europe, joins Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane to discuss what to expect next in Eastern Europe’s war zone.

A “potluck” edition of GoodFellows this time around, with Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane “bringing their own” topics for group discussion. These include an examination of an anticipated tank battle in Ukraine’s Donbas that’s yet to materialize, China’s disastrous “zero COVID” policy, what a post-Ukraine economic and military order might resemble, plus Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter and Florida governor Ron DeSantis’s takedown of Disney and university faculty in the Sunshine State.

The GoodFellows return to economics this week, coinciding with news of America’s worst inflation in over 40 years. Lawrence Summers, former US Treasury secretary and Harvard University president emeritus, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss Federal Reserve policy, government spending, and the war in Europe as contributors to America’s economic woes. They also cover the soaring national debt, a possible supply-chain crisis, economic competition with China, plus academic freedom under fire in elite universities.

The war continues in Ukraine while peace talks go forward in Istanbul – the outcome of both endeavors anyone’s guess. Michael McFaul, a Hoover senior fellow and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster and John Cochrane to discuss the chances of a settlement that’s mutually beneficial to the two warring parties and the West, Vladimir Putin, plus the possibility of hostilities escalating.

This week, H .R. McMaster mans the moderator chair for Bill Whalen, and our guest is Matt Pottinger, the former deputy national security advisor and current distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution. We cover President Biden’s call with Chinese president Xi Jinping; discuss what lessons China may be taking from Russia’s experience in Ukraine with regards to its own ambitions in Taiwan; and debate what the end game may look like between Russia and Ukraine and when we might expect that to play out.

This week’s episode is devoted to audience questions—viewers and listeners from over two dozen nations and five continents asking Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for their thoughts on the war in Ukraine, America’s future involvement in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, China’s plans for Taiwan, plus the impact of Russia’s acts of aggression on oil prices and global economics.

Have “false flags” given way to false hope in Ukraine? Despite the images of bold resistance, will Russian military setbacks eventually lead to a bad outcome for the citizens of that nation? Rep. Mike Gallagher, a member of the Armed Services and Intelligence committees, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the latest news in Eastern Europe, US strategic choices, the war’s economic ramifications, plus China’s short-term (peacemaker?) and long-term (absorb Taiwan) aspirations.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine produces a ripple effect across the globe militarily, diplomatically, and economically. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss a vaunted Russian war machine that’s seemingly slipped a cog, an altered geopolitical landscape, plus the effectiveness of economic sanctions in ending both Russia’s presence in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s tsarist ambitions.

Drug overdoses kill more Americans annually than vehicle crashes and gun deaths combined, with the intake of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl rampant across social and economic lines. Retired army major General Barrye Price, president and CEO of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, joins Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane to discuss how the US can kick its drug habit, plus a few thoughts on Critical Race Theory and better avenues to equality of opportunity as the nation celebrates Black History Month.

How to navigate the shoals of cancel culture when the p.c. mob comes your way? Bari Weiss, proprietor of the Common Sense newsletter and “Honestly” podcast, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss Joe Rogan’s Spotify drama and Substack’s role as journalistic haven, plus her belief that COVID restrictions constitute a “catastrophic and moral crime” upon the younger generation.

As opposed to the fictional exploits of James Bond and Jason Bourne, what are the realities of modern-day intelligence-gathering—and how does the US compete in a new age of cyber-espionage? Amy Zegart, the Hoover Institution’s Morris Arnold and Nona Jean Cox Senior Fellow and author of the newly released Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H .R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a closer look at intelligence gathering, national security, and geopolitics.

Britain’s party-throwing prime minister may soon be thrown out of office; Ukraine and Russia are seemingly on the brink of an armed conflict that could throw the entire continent into tumult; and how to deter Russian aggression (other than sanctions)? Andrew Sullivan, proprietor of Substack’s Weekly Dish and Dishcast podcast, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a closer look at UK politics and European geopolitics.

As gun sales soar in pandemic-stricken America, the GoodFellows ask, Who’s entitled to possess a firearm? What restrictions should there be? And how would an international right “to keep and bear arms” affect the world order? Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review senior writer and Second Amendment proponent, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss America’s fascination with firearms.

The new year begins by opening the viewer mailbag. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane answer questions from viewers in more than 20 countries. They range from the likelihood of hostilities in Ukraine to academic freedom and the present health of American democracy—plus which of the Beatles they see themselves as, given that one viewer thinks the show is “fab.”

Inflation arrived, COVID stuck around in its various forms and the world became a lot more complicated in terms of nations edging to the brink of hostilities. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster and John Cochrane ring out the old and ring in the new, offering their takes on what transpired in 2021 and what to expect in the new year.

A brighter future of better education and scientific breakthroughs? Or a dystopian future of technology-driven chaos? Eric Schmidt, former Google chairman and CEO and coauthor of the newly released The Age Of AI: And Our Human Future, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss where artificial intelligence is leading mankind and the AI competition between the US and China, plus the feasibility of the “metaverse” and the nexus between work and longevity.

This week, distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and professor of economics at Brown University Glenn Loury joins the GoodFellows to discuss the Rittenhouse verdict and the controversies about race, the media, and guns that arose from the trial and the coverage of the verdict.

Cryptocurrency’s future, fossil fuels and alternate energy sources, the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, a new university devoted to academic freedom emerging deep in the heart of Texas, plus ethnic food as the gateway to a better understanding of economics and immigration: all are part of a multicourse intellectual feast featuring Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane, with their guest, George Mason University economist/blogger/podcaster/foodie Tyler Cowen.

The latest on the pandemic front: kids ages 5–12 receiving vaccines and a federal deadline for private employers to comply with new vaccine rules set for January. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University School of Medicine professor, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a wide-ranging conversation on COVID-19, encompassing mask sensibility, vaccine efficacy, and where Anthony Fauci and public health officials went astray.

Live from the Hoover Institution’s Fall Retreat: Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discussing think tanks’ role in today’s world, Washington’s absurdist tax proposals, Facebook’s rebrand, and China’s hypersonic missile test as a Sputnik-like wake-up call—plus one GoodFellow’s affinity for the B-52’s (the band, not the bomber).

The late Colin Powell’s story is one of an immigrant’s son who rose to prominence based on a quality public-school education and enrollment in college ROTC. Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster, John Cochrane, and guest Caroline Hoxby discuss whether today’s generation stands to benefit the same as Powell’s, what role teachers play, how elite universities can better connect to lower-income students, plus COVID’s effect on the workplace in terms of remote work and concentrated workforces.

The 60th episode of the series includes a first: the three “Good Fellows” mixing it up in person, in the same room, on the grounds of the Hoover Institution. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss Congress’s handling of the Afghanistan debacle, pushback against COVID vaccine mandates, the present supply-chain “crisis,” and Facebook’s uncertain future—plus one fellow’s deep disdain for the music of Pink Floyd.

As Washington mulls trillions in “human infrastructure” spending and remains at an impasse over raising the federal debt ceiling, what are the economic consequences? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane are joined by economic historian Tyler Goodspeed, Hoover’s Kleinheinz Fellow and a former acting chair of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, to discuss the latest DC drama, the present supply-chain crisis and cryptocurrency’s future.

In this week’s episode, we dove into our mailbag of viewers’ letters. The end result: Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane answering questions ranging from the future of US-Sino relations, sovereign debt, vaccine stockpiling, and bitcoin to advice for young students, the fellows’ favorite scholars, and movies related to their respective fields.

Europe’s future includes a post-Merkel Germany, the fallout over the AUSUK technology deal, a shaky NATO alliance post-Afghanistan, Ukraine’s uncertain outlook, plus Russian control of natural gas supplies. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane discuss the mood on the other side of the Atlantic, as well as President Biden’s UN address and China’s financial reckoning.

Pre-COVID, California governor Gavin Newsom touted his state’s policies as “America’s coming attractions.” Does that apply to the Golden State’s recall election—its overtones of vaccine mandates, abortion rights, and championing progressive ideals setting the stage for upcoming elections? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss California’s outlook and whether the pendulum currently swings left or right in America and around the globe.

The approaching twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the American homeland is a time to remember the fallen and reflect on lessons learned from that terrible day, including America’s readiness for a similar event. Condoleezza Rice, the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution and President George W. Bush’s national security advisor at the time of the attacks, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to relive the White House’s response that day and shares her concerns about US national security moving forward.

America’s inability to adequately game-plan and execute a clean withdrawal from Afghanistan brings into question the foresight and competency of the nation’s political and foreign policy establishment. Hoover Institution senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss what went wrong in Kabul, the harm done to US prestige, and whether the image of a weakened America at odds with its NATO allies opens the door to Chinese and Russian aggression.

America’s military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the onset of the Delta variant raise questions as to the success of the war on terror and the war on COVID-19. Hoover Institution senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss what all has gone wrong of late on those respective battlefields, plus a few thoughts on the rise and fall of New York governor Andrew Cuomo.

To the adage of repeating the past, does a stretch of inflation at home, the end of prolonged military involvement in a faraway land, and a president lamenting a nation in crisis suggest a return to the America of the 1970s? Hoover Institution senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss the differences between then and now—after sharing photos showcasing their ’70s finery.

Does elite thinking about the Black experience in America, as expressed via the teaching of critical race theory and the 1619 Project, benefit the descendants of slavery? Glenn Loury, a Hoover Institution distinguished visiting fellow and Brown University economist who writes frequently on racial inequality, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the historical and economic arcs of race in America.

It’s a complicated world—one in which an ascendant China threatens American concerns, fighting has recommenced in the Middle East, and the US government may not be suitably prepared for future cyberattacks. Robert Gates, secretary of defense in both the Obama and Bush 43 presidential administrations, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the state of world affairs, US cybersecurity, and America’s global vision (or lack thereof).

While many an American university has struggled with the pandemic and cancel culture, Indiana’s Purdue University seems the exception to the norm: a reopened campus with an ongoing commitment to civics literacy and intellectual diversity. Purdue’s president, former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the state of higher education.

As it turns out, COVID-19 isn’t the first catastrophic event to plague mankind. Or so Niall Ferguson, the Hoover Institution’s Milbank Family Senior Fellow, reminds us in his new book Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe, a historical look at past disasters and their aftermaths. The author joins Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane to discuss why it is that we still struggle with disaster response and how to better prepare for future calamities.

For decades, America has struggled to make sense of whom to allow legally into the nation, whether to create pathways to citizenship for those who have slipped across the border illegally, and how to maintain the ideal of a welcoming society. Reihan Salam, president of the Manhattan Institute and author of 2018’s Melting Pot or Civil War? A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane to discuss the present crisis at the southern border and what a 21st-century version of immigration reform should resemble.

What to make of elite universities with scant conservative representation in their faculty ranks; mankind’s tendency to dwell on the negative; plus the question of whether this is indeed the best time to be alive? Harvard cognitive psychologist and best-selling author Steven Pinker joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane to make the case for optimism in this time of the “Great Awokening.”

In this week’s episode, we dove into our mailbag of viewers’ letters. The end result: Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane answering 15 questions on a variety of subjects: the threat of hostilities between China and Taiwan; the potential effect of Scottish independence on the future of corporate woke politics; alternate versions of higher learning; how to re-instill youthful optimism in America; plus what books the three “GoodFellows” recommend.

Climate change no longer is a conversation confined to saving the planet; for the woke left, it’s a segue to “environmental justice and equitable economic opportunity,” in the words of Joe Biden’s campaign platform. Hoover visiting fellow Bjorn Lomborg, author of False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet joins Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane for a conversation about sensible climate policy moving forward.

What does the future hold for the workplace and institutions of learning when diversity of thought prompts cancel-culture condemnation, ridicule, and ouster? Journalist, author, and Substack Common Sense writer Bari Weiss joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane for a conversation about a changed world in which, she warns, “curiosity is a lability.”

On the eve of President Biden’s first press conference, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane weigh in on what questions they’d ask the president—on economics, woke culture, Afghanistan withdrawal, and Taiwan tensions—if given the chance to be White House correspondents for one day.

Prolific author and Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist George Will joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss America’s drift away from the Founding Fathers’ intentions, the failure of its two-party system, the future of taxation and the US economy, challenges presented by a rising China—and his thoughts as he closes in on a landmark birthday (an early May celebration that will coincide with the release of Ferguson’s new book, Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe).

This fall marks the 20th anniversary of US forces entering Afghanistan and, this month, the 18th anniversary of the Iraq invasion. With the last 2,500 American troops scheduled to soon leave Afghanistan, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss lessons from that engagement, the future of US military intervention abroad, and whether “endless wars” can be avoided.

How will Europe deal with a wave of violence against women perpetrated by male refugees from Islamic nations? How will America counter a “cancel culture” movement that seeks to stifle intellectual debate? Hoover research fellow Ayaan Hirsi Ali joins Hoover senior fellows H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane to discuss her new book, Prey: Immigration, Islam, and the Erosion of Women’s Rights, the parallels between Islamists and “Wokeists,” and her life as a target of both career- and life-threatening “cancel” efforts.

California is home to the world’s fifth-largest economy—and a world of problems: businesses exiting, chronic homelessness, a dearth of affordable housing, devastating wildfires, maddening political correctness. Lee Ohanian, a Hoover Institution senior fellow and columnist for Hoover’s California on Your Mind series, joins Hoover senior fellow Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss what is to become of the tarnished Golden State.

Will the Abraham Accords endure, the nations of the Middle East continue to evolve their economies, and rival factions avoid conflict? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss the future of the region, including America’s involvement—or diminished presence, as the Biden administration’s foreign policy takes root—in that troubled part of the world.

As the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins, what’s the path forward for the Republican Party—distance itself from Trump and risk losing his fan base, or embrace Trump and further alienate suburbanites and college-educated voters? Peter Robinson, the Hoover Institution’s Murdoch Distinguished Policy Fellow and host of Uncommon Knowledge (and a former Reagan White House speechwriter), joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane to discuss the GOP’s brand, their shared memories of the late George Shultz, and one fellow’s disdain for the Super Bowl and the American version of “football.”

Are America’s and the world’s great cities forever changed by COVID-19’s side effects of distanced economies, population exoduses, and accelerated urban decay? Edward Glaeser, a Harvard University urban economist, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss whether recent metropolitan decline is unique to the current health crisis or indicative of more permanent demographic shifts.

As California struggles to administer COVID vaccines in a timely manner, questions arise as to what demographic should go first and how the nation can better prepare for similar crises. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor of medicine whose recent research focuses on the epidemiology of COVID-19 as well as an evaluation of policy responses to the epidemic, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss COVID lessons learned over the past year and a sensible approach moving forward.

The Biden administration begins and, with it, questions as to how America’s 46th president will pull off the balancing act of uniting the nation, helping to curtail the pandemic, and finding the proper formula of executive authority versus the legislative process. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane offer thoughts on the Biden inaugural, the shift in federal COVID policy, and a possible return to Obama-brand foreign policy.

Supporters of President Trump storm the US Capitol; Congress mulls how to punish the president for the rioting; Big Tech cracks down on Trump and conservative social media—and we still have a full-blown pandemic. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss whether the confluence of events qualifies as a snafu (“situation normal, all fouled up”) or a more ominous fubar (“fouled up beyond all recognition”).

In the final episode of the series for 2020, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane reflect on lessons learned from the pandemic, Donald Trump’s future, the ruinous state of the Golden State, how society will differ in 2021, plus what gets them through their daily routines—a mixtape of UK punk, Philly-brand funk, and the soothing sounds of “Sweet Baby James” Taylor.

As America enters a period of deeper COVID restrictions on the eve of the holiday season, what will be the effects on families, livelihoods, and civil liberties? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane discuss what the future holds for curbing the pandemic, implementing vaccines, and returning to normalcy.

The likelihood of a change of power in Washington raises the question of how a nascent Biden administration would approach the pandemic, economics, and foreign policy. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane share their thoughts on what policy detours or reversals our 46th president would undertake.

With votes still being counted, this much is apparent: the 2020 election didn’t produce a forecasted “blue wave”; radical “woke” ideas are likely dead on arrival in Washington. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster and John Cochrane discuss the message voters sent and the current health of American democracy. Also, Niall Ferguson remembers a fellow Scotsman, Sean Connery, who died last week at the age of 90.