Rephonic
Artwork for Central Air
Donald Trump
Immigration
Federal Reserve
Jeffrey Epstein
Democratic Party
Trump Administration
Jay Powell
Billionaires
Inflation
Immigration Policy
Epstein Files
Shutdown
Monetary Policy
Nimbyism
Elon Musk
Republican Party
Venezuela
Zohran Mamdani
ICE
Identity Theft

Central Air, the show where the temperature is always just right. Join Josh Barro, Megan McArdle and Ben Dreyfuss every week for a well-centered conversation on American politics. www.centralairpodcast.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes41Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPoliticsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Central Air

Latest Episodes

Listen to two conversations Josh, Ben and Megan had at WelcomeFest, the center-left organizing conference: one with San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins, and the other with Tejano singing legend-turned-congressional candidate Bobby Pulido.

More next week... more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.com

This week: Reihan Salam of the conservative Manhattan Institute on the state of the center and the right in cities. Why have we been asked to support politicians... more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.com

As noted last week, we don’t have a regular episode this week, due to the Memorial Day holiday. We’ll be back with two episodes next week — one with Reihan Salam... more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.com

On this week's show: Why is Europe poor? Megan wrote about the issue this week, and Sam Bowman of Works in Progress magazine joins us from London to discuss our ... more

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Recent Guests

Sam Bowman
Founding editor at Works in Progress magazine
Works in Progress magazine
Episode: Europe Needs Central Air
Robinson Meyer
Executive editor of the Climate and Energy News site, Heatmap News
Heatmap News
Episode: Central Heat (w/ Robinson Meyer)
Gary Leff
Airline industry analyst, writes The Indispensable View From the Wing blog
The Indispensable View From the Wing
Episode: Major Podcast Incoming
Sean Trende
Senior elections analyst for Real Clear Politics; lecturer in political science at The Ohio State University
Real Clear Politics; Ohio State University
Episode: No Rules, Just Fight (w/ Sean Trende)
Alex Thompson
National Political Correspondent for Axios, co-author of Original Sin
Axios
Episode: This Podcast Is Going to the Dogs
Patrick Ruffini
Co-founder of Echelon Insights; author of Party of the People Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP
Echelon Insights
Episode: Party of the People?
Daniel Biss
Mayor of Evanston; Democratic nominee for Congress in Illinois' 9th District
Mayor of Evanston / Democratic nominee for Congress
Episode: AIPAC Throwdown
Jamie Kirchick
Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: AIPAC Throwdown
Marc Caputo
White House correspondent for Axios
Axios
Episode: We All Live in Florida Now

Hosts

Joshua Barro
Host of Central Air; commentator on politics and policy; long-running presence contributing centrist perspectives.
Megan McArdle
Co-host and columnist with a focus on policy analysis, economics, and media literacy.
Benjamin Dreyfuss
Co-host and commentator with an emphasis on political satire, media critique, and policy discussion.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 693 ratings
  • Boo

    This podcast sucks

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dave Hotdog
    Canadaa month ago
  • Like and you know

    Pretty rough listen. Show with Alex Thompson — over 150 “likes” and about 60 “you knows.”

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Mncxds
    United States2 months ago
  • Central Air or Fresh Air? BOTH!

    It’s a genuine delight each week when a new episode drops. I laugh, I learned something new, and I feel like they engage with ideas in a way I don’t get from other podcasts all while having fun. I also enjoy that they discuss serious things without being too precious about anything, but I acknowledge that style isn’t for everyone.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jlee8806
    United States3 months ago
  • Pot Complains about Kettle

    I like Josh Barro, but this podcast is turning out to be pretty insufferable. It’s three people complaining about how the left and the right don’t listen to opposing views, while simultaneously never engaging with opposing opinions themselves. Even their guests agree with them on everything. Josh Barro was really good in his previous roles because he pointed out holes in people’s arguments and pushed them to explain their positions. But on this podcast, it’s mostly them laughing at each other’s ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Hotsexypants
    United States3 months ago
  • CHH was a great guest

    I don’t know what people were talking about. Her Trump impression was the highlight of the Central Air Cinematic Universe thus far.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    piesnotcakes
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests bring sharp, data-driven perspectives on politics and policy.
Audience appreciates balanced discourse and nuanced takes, with room for humor.
Some critics seek more strong disagreements or deeper debates on policy.
Overall, listeners describe the show as a refreshing antidote to partisan talking points.
The show combines sane, thoughtful analysis with engaging hosts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#93
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#51
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#126
Finland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#158
South Korea/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#196
Israel/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#205
Ireland/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Central Heat (w/ Robinson Meyer)
Q: How do data centers influence electricity markets, and what policy responses could address potential rate pressures for consumers?
Experts explain that data centers create demand spikes and can push capacity prices higher; potential policy responses include targeted rate structures, better siting rules, and improving grid reliability, while noting the lack of a cohesive national plan to manage this growth.
Central Heat (w/ Robinson Meyer)
Q: What are the prospects for permitting reform to unlock energy and infrastructure projects, given the political and legal obstacles?
The guests describe the Freedom Act as a mechanism to impose deadlines and penalties on agencies blocking routine authorizations, potentially enabling faster permitting while balancing environmental and national security concerns; Democrats see value in reform, but there are internal disagreements about the scope and tools used.
Central Heat (w/ Robinson Meyer)
Q: Robinson, what do you make of the current oil market dynamics given the surprise volatility and high prices elsewhere?
Robinson emphasizes the unusual lag between supply disruptions and price movements, noting strategic inventories, floating storage, and China's reserve activity as key buffers that keep prices from spiking as expected, while acknowledging the global nature of the shock and regional price disparities.
Major Podcast Incoming
Q: What were the core factors that led to Spirit's downfall beyond fuel prices?
Gary explains that Spirit's downfall was driven by higher post-pandemic costs, a weakened market position, and strategic missteps, especially the failed JetBlue merger and rising competition that eroded Spirit's ultra-low-cost niche.
Party of the People?
Q: Is there a viable road map for Republicans to avoid a disastrous midterm?
The discussion outlines a strategy where Republicans should mobilize marginal voters and leverage events or political moments that improve turnout, while avoiding internal missteps by Trump that could erode broader support; the emphasis is on turnout, messaging contrast against Democrats, and selective amplification of positive economic or symbolic wins.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Central Air

What is Central Air about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A centrist-leaning roundtable that blends political analysis with candid banter across current events, policy debates, and media dynamics. Regular discussions cover elections, polling, redistricting, energy policy, and technology regulation, often warmed by personal anecdotes and pop-culture tangents. Guests range from data-driven political analysts to policymakers and journalists, providing a mix of market-aware perspectives and practical implications for law, governance, and public opinion. The show stands out for its thoughtful, sometimes provocative takes from three well-known hosts who aim to balance skepticism with accessible insight, plus guests who bring specialized expertise across politics, economics, and media. Potential listener... more

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How many subscribers and views does Central Air have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Central Air?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Central Air:

1. Serious Trouble
2. The Argument
3. The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg
4. Politix
5. Advisory Opinions

How many episodes of Central Air are there?

Central Air launched 4 years ago and published 41 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Central Air?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Central Air?

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What guests have appeared on Central Air?

Recent guests on Central Air include:

1. Sam Bowman
2. Robinson Meyer
3. Gary Leff
4. Sean Trende
5. Alex Thompson
6. Patrick Ruffini
7. Daniel Biss
8. Jamie Kirchick

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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