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The National Affairs Podcast

AEI Podcasts
Artificial Intelligence
Democracy
Classical Education Movement
Conservatism
Biden Administration
Illegal Immigration
Russell Kirk
Civic Education
AI Regulation
Martin Luther King, Jr.
National Affairs
American Democracy
Public Welfare Programs
Education Policy
Democratic Party
Minoritarianism
Republican Party
First Amendment
Voting
Constitution

Hosts Daniel Wiser, Jr., and Howe Whitman sit down with the authors of National Affairs essays to discuss pivotal issues — from domestic-policy debates to enduring dilemmas of society and culture — that are often overlooked by American media. Each episode promises a fresh view on contemporary and permanent questions across a wide range of topics, all with one central theme: to help you think a lit... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes73Founded7 years ago
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NewsSociety & CulturePolitics

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Latest Episodes

Americans are reading less than ever. Policymakers know this is a problem, but they rarely look to public libraries for solutions. Instead, libraries have embraced an agenda of redundancy, morphing into technology centers, daytime homeless shelters, ... more

In an era of accelerating digital technologies, the jurisprudence of free speech has been utterly transformed. Our ideas about what the right to speech amounts to, what counts as speech, and whether all forms of speech are equally protected are all i... more

American society has become radically permissive of some serious vices in the past few years. Drugs, gambling, and pornography are easier to access legally than ever before. A backlash against this permissiveness has clearly begun, but it has yet to ... more

In principle, federal agency missions are set when agencies are created, and so remain rooted in the ambitions of the president and the Congress who decided they were necessary. But in reality, political change tends to transform agencies’ missions i... more

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Recent Guests

Stephen Eide
Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute; author of the National Affairs essay on public libraries
Manhattan Institute
Episode: Public Libraries and America’s Reading Crisis
John Ehrett
Attorney and writer in Washington, DC; author of the winter 2026 National Affairs essay
Attorney, Washington, DC; National Affairs essay author
Episode: AI Chatbots and the Future of Free Speech
Charles Fain Lehman
Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and Senior Editor of City Journal
Manhattan Institute
Episode: Freeing Americans from the Tyranny of Vice
Tevi Troy
Senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute and former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services
Ronald Reagan Institute
Episode: Federal Agencies and the Future of Presidential Power
Daniel DiSalvo
Professor and Associate Dean of the School of Civic Life and Leadership
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Episode: Civic Education: A Path to Unity
Michael Rosen
An attorney and writer in Israel, non-resident senior fellow at AEI, and author.
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: The Golem, Frankenstein’s Monster, and AI: Applying Ancient Wisdom to Modern Tech
Michael Lucchese
Founder of Pipe Creek Consulting and associate editor of Law & Liberty.
Pipe Creek Consulting
Episode: Russell Kirk and the American Revolution
Jennifer Dresden
A policy strategist at Protect Democracy
Protect Democracy
Episode: The Forgotten History of the GOP: Is It Time to Bring Back Fusion Voting?
Steven Teles
Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University and Senior Fellow at the Niskanen Center
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: The Left’s Embrace of Minority Rule

Hosts

Daniel Wiser, Jr.
Host with a focus on national affairs and civic life; co-founder of the show.
Howe Whitman
Co-host covering policy discussions with authors and experts.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 54 ratings
  • AI and Free Speech - extremely pertinent

    First time listener, chose this because of the topic but have limited background so was afraid I wouldn’t be able to understand. I was wrong. Very clear discussion of IMPORTANT overarching issues related to tech and AI. Good questions by interviewer and attorney guest John was so knowledgeable and articulate - no dancing around. Learned a LOT.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jamie Lee 20
    United States2 months ago
  • Do We Want A Better Nation?

    This is Liberal Conservative Thought at its best! We could do much worse than to embrace the lessons of these discussions. Well presented and articulated history and ideas.

    One complaint: the discussions suffer from poor far-end audio quality at times, apparently due to bad connections.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Carl@RP
    United States4 years ago
  • FIX THE AUDIO

    Great guests and great insight, but the audio quality is bad. This is a big enough podcast to get these kind of issues figured out.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    statedept1515
    United States5 years ago
  • Excellent, in-depth analysis

    I learn a lot from every episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Patriot98
    United States6 years ago
  • Amateur hour

    The content of your podcast is irrelevant if the audio has been so poorly recorded that it is painful to try to listen to. It’s too quiet, but more importantly the volume changes from minute to minute and particularly from speaker to speaker. Give a microphone to each participant and put somebody competent in charge of getting the levels right.

    I enjoy your journal. If you’re going to have a podcast do it well. I will check back in six months.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Tom44720
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality, in-depth exploration of policy topics.
Deep, thoughtful analysis and a civil tone.
Clear, accessible discussion of important tech and constitutional issues.
Great questions and expert guests, but occasional audio quality issues.
Content is valuable, though production quality could improve at times.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Public Libraries and America’s Reading Crisis
Q: What should libraries do going forward to defend their mission?
They should redefine themselves as places that protect private and public space, focus on serving local reading communities, preserve local history, and resist excessive shifts toward merely tech-centered services, all while keeping books central when possible.
Public Libraries and America’s Reading Crisis
Q: How did librarians' roles change in response to technological changes?
Librarians historically served as gatekeepers guiding patrons to quality resources; with tech shifts they've adapted by curating new spaces like computer rooms and studios, but there is concern about whether this dilutes the core mission of promoting reading and open shelves.
Public Libraries and America’s Reading Crisis
Q: You visited a lot of libraries. When you visited, did you notice changes in their mission or presentation?
Yes. You see shifts from a focus on physical books and quiet study toward more visible spaces for technology, 3D printing, and community programming, which often comes at the expense of traditional book-centered browsing and access to a wide range of serious literature.
AI Chatbots and the Future of Free Speech
Q: What concrete steps do the authors suggest lawmakers and executives take to rethink speech protections for humans?
They propose focusing on congressional action to grant rights and liability where appropriate, reinforcing human-centered protections, and avoiding a total constitutional expansion into digital and corporate realms; they also recommend clear delineations between speech and conduct in policy framing.
AI Chatbots and the Future of Free Speech
Q: How do originalist views factor into this debate, and what stance do the guests take?
They discuss originalism as a lens that should be applied more consistently, not as a shield for expansive recent interpretations; they advocate reasserting a traditional understanding of the right and using originalist reasoning to argue for limits on extending speech protections to digital and corporate contexts.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The National Affairs Podcast

What is The National Affairs Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful policy-focused discussions that pair current events with long-running civic questions. Each episode features authors and policy thinkers who explore how laws, institutions, and cultural norms shape American life, with a strong emphasis on free speech, governance, and civic education. The show stands out for its civil, evidence-driven debates among guests from think tanks, academia, and public-interest groups, often bridging constitutional questions with practical policy implications. It can be particularly engaging for listeners who want nuanced, well-sourced perspectives on politics, law, and how public institutions should function in a changing society.

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How many listeners does The National Affairs Podcast get?

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Which podcasts are similar to The National Affairs Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The National Affairs Podcast:

1. The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg
2. The Editors
3. The Commentary Magazine Podcast
4. The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast
5. City Journal Audio

How many episodes of The National Affairs Podcast are there?

The National Affairs Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 73 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The National Affairs Podcast?

Recent guests on The National Affairs Podcast include:

1. Stephen Eide
2. John Ehrett
3. Charles Fain Lehman
4. Tevi Troy
5. Daniel DiSalvo
6. Michael Rosen
7. Michael Lucchese
8. Jennifer Dresden

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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