Rephonic
Artwork for Central Air
Donald Trump
Immigration
Democratic Party
Inflation
Federal Reserve
Jeffrey Epstein
Trump Administration
Jay Powell
Billionaires
New York City
Republican Party
United States
Immigration Policy
Epstein Files
Shutdown
Monetary Policy
Nimbyism
Iran
White House Correspondents' Dinner
Elon Musk

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes44Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Central Air

Latest Episodes

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

This week: Cranks make society work. We challenge the popular consensus, and we aren’t afraid to speak up even when we know what we have to say will be poorly re... more

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

This week: David Ellison is displeased about the California-led lawsuit to stop the Paramount-Warner merger, and he’s threatening to move both studios out of the... more

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

This week: UCLA sociology professor Gabriel Rossman joins us this week to talk about rough times in elite higher education. We start with a problem at the UC sys... more

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

This week: pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson tells us all about the state of polling, what American voters are thinking about heading into the midterms, how AI an... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Serious Trouble
Serious TroubleJosh Barro and Ken White
The Argument
The ArgumentThe Argument
Politix
PolitixPolitix

Recent Guests

Gabriel Rossman
Sociologist, Professor of Sociology at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
Episode: Lower Education
Kristen Soltis Anderson
Founding partner of the polling firm Echelon Insights; NYT contributing opinion writer; author
Echelon Insights; New York Times
Episode: The Gen Z Takeover (feat. Kristen Soltis Anderson)
Max Tani
Media journalist, media editor at Semafor
Semafor
Episode: Cheap Meats
Sonny Bunch
Film critic for The Bullwork, host of Across the Movie Isle podcast
The Bullwork
Episode: The 'Woke' Odyssey (feat. Sonny Bunch)
Tyler Austin Harper
Staff writer for The Atlantic
The Atlantic
Episode: Seeking the Tribune of the Downwardly Mobile (feat. Tyler Austin Harper)
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

Hosts

Josh Barro
Host of Central Air; prominent centrist political commentator and journalist.
Megan McArdle
Co-host and columnist with a focus on economics and public policy.
Ben Dreyfuss
Co-host and writer, known for skeptical, policy-forward dialogue; contributes to cultural and political discussions.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 766 ratings
  • Meh but also 👍

    Tall bottoms are not undignified.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    BACNE SPEARS
    United States2 months ago
  • 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
    3 months 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 States3 months ago
  • Fanbase Demonym Suggestion!

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

    A: Airheads!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Paul Alcott
    United States3 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 States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the thoughtful, sane tone and data-driven takes, calling it a breath of fresh air in political talk.
Audience appreciates approachable yet rigorous policy analysis.
Some listeners enjoy the humor and banter but wish for faster pacing or more diverse guest perspectives.
Critiques include perceived ideological bias and heavy emphasis on host banter.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#235
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#94
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#230
South Korea/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Gen Z Takeover (feat. Kristen Soltis Anderson)
Q: What does the 'Democrats Tea Party moment' look like in practice?
Kristen outlines how far-left primary winners could challenge the party's ability to win general elections, potentially forcing a shift toward more electable, centrist positions or risk of backlash from the base if those candidates struggle in the general.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Central Air

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

Centrists in politics and policy analysis with a sharp, witty edge, hosted by a trio of prominent centers-leaning commentators. Episodes often mix data-driven takes on economics, politics, and media with candid banter, guest experts, and real-world case studies—from inflation and fiscal policy to urban policy and high-profile political campaigns. The show tends to attract listeners who value balanced perspective, clear reasoning, and lively debate over partisan talking points, while occasionally courting provocative takes that push guests to defend or rethink their positions. A few episodes stand out for bringing on experts from academia, journalism, and think tanks to translate complex policy debates into practical implications for voters ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Central Air?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Central Air. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Central Air and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Central Air get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Central Air, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Central Air?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Central Air, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Central Air have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Central Air has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Central Air?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Central Air:

1. Serious Trouble
2. The Argument
3. Politix
4. The Dispatch Podcast
5. The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

How many episodes of Central Air are there?

Central Air launched 5 years ago and published 44 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?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Central Air from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Central Air?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Central Air. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Central Air?

Recent guests on Central Air include:

1. Gabriel Rossman
2. Kristen Soltis Anderson
3. Max Tani
4. Sonny Bunch
5. Tyler Austin Harper
6. Jason Furman
7. Dean Ball
8. Andrew Sullivan

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days