Rephonic
Artwork for Central Air
Donald Trump
Immigration
Inflation
Federal Reserve
Democratic Party
Jeffrey Epstein
Trump Administration
Jay Powell
Billionaires
United States
Immigration Policy
Epstein Files
Shutdown
Monetary Policy
Nimbyism
Iran
Elon Musk
Republican Party
Venezuela
Artificial Intelligence

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes41Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Central Air

Latest Episodes

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

This week: Tyler Austin Harper returns to Central Air to discuss the ignominious end of Graham Platner’s campaign for U.S. Senate. Free subscribers hear part of ... more

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

This week: Jason Furman joins the show this week for an economy-focused discussion. We start by looking at why public views about the economy have gotten so nega... more

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

This week: the case for AI regulation and what it would look like, with Dean Ball, who helped to shape AI policy in the Trump White House and is soon to join Ope... more

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

This week: Andrew Sullivan joins us from Provincetown to assess the emergent Iran deal. Paying subscribers also get our discussion of racial unrest and immigrati... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Jason Furman
Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy at Harvard
Harvard University / former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers
Episode: Inflation Grades
Dean Ball
Former senior policy advisor on AI and emerging tech for the Trump administration; senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation; future OpenAI strategy leader
OpenAI (upcoming role) / Foundation for American Innovation
Episode: AI Probably Won't Kill Everyone
Andrew Sullivan
Writer of the Weekly Dish newsletter on Substack
The Weekly Dish (Substack)
Episode: Speaking of Getting Screwed (feat. Andrew Sullivan)
Brooke Jenkins
District Attorney, San Francisco
San Francisco District Attorney's Office
Episode: Central Air Live at WelcomeFest
Bobby Pulido
Congressional candidate and Tejano musician
Candidate, Texas 15th District
Episode: Central Air Live at WelcomeFest
Reihan Salam
President of the Manhattan Institute, urban policy expert
Manhattan Institute
Episode: Urban Centers
Nate Silver
Founder of FiveThirtyEight, statistician and political analyst
FiveThirtyEight
Episode: Central Air Live with Nate Silver
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)

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 704 ratings
  • Strangely aimed at a slender segment of Americans, namely those who are wealthy and working in/adjacent to the political machinery of NYC or DC.

    Policy and guests brought up on the show only agree with the hosts' views. There's no exploration of how Americans of different stripes think or can come together.

    Obsessed with preserving current USA at all costs from a material consumption and world power standpoint.

    Only listen if you're comfortable on your high horse and view others as stupid.

    Podcast Addict
    2
    Will B
    a month ago
  • Who is this show for?

    This show used to be great. I’m a huge fan of Josh. But now that’s they pay walled the hell out of it I don’t understand their mission anymore. Who is going to add another subscription to their lives for a show that is more medicine than entertainment. Come on guys do better.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    StarRyder89
    United Statesa month ago
  • Fanbase Demonym Suggestion!

    Q: What do you call paying subscribers to “Central Air”?

    A: Airheads!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Paul Alcott
    United States2 months ago
  • these people live in a bubble

    I was happy to hear this would be a podcast about people in the middle. Instead, they spend all of their time talking about wokeness and how much we need to be anti-woke. Guess what? In real life outside the bubble, nobody talks about wokeness or being woke. It's just not a thing. I have a hard time taking these people seriously because they clearly don't know what it's like to live like most of us do.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    RaymondVV
    United States2 months ago
  • Boo

    This podcast sucks

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dave Hotdog
    Canada2 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
#182
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#199
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#42
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#63
Taiwan/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#189
Mexico/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#222
Argentina/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Speaking of Getting Screwed (feat. Andrew Sullivan)
Q: I guess my first question is to Ben, which is, are you happy now?
Ben acknowledges a history of optimistic bets and admits the outcome is disappointing; he suggests the trajectory has been flawed, and that past bets about interventions or regime change have not paid off in the way hoped.
Urban Centers
Q: What is your view on Mandani's approach to urban policy and the balance between incumbency welfare and a left-right reform coalition?
Salam contends that Mandani represents a genuine attempt at center-left to center-right reform, emphasizing private capital, smart zoning, and selective privatization to accelerate development while maintaining public services. He cautions that the political challenge is building durable coalitions and delivering tangible results without losing base support.
Urban Centers
Q: Reihan, how would you evaluate Mom Donnie's early months in office and where does he need improvement?
Reihan Salam argues that while Momdani has shown charm and political skill, his governance lacks depth in substance, particularly on fiscal structure and aggressive reform. He notes a need for clearer growth strategies, more disciplined budget planning, and a credible plan to balance competing welfare and development goals without stifling investment.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Household Income
Social Media Reach

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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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. The Dispatch Podcast

How many episodes of Central Air are there?

Central Air launched 5 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?

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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. Jason Furman
2. Dean Ball
3. Andrew Sullivan
4. Brooke Jenkins
5. Bobby Pulido
6. Reihan Salam
7. Nate Silver
8. Sam Bowman

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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