Rephonic
Artwork for Central Air
Donald Trump
Immigration
Federal Reserve
Jeffrey Epstein
Democratic Party
Trump Administration
Jay Powell
Billionaires
Inflation
Immigration Policy
Epstein Files
Monetary Policy
Shutdown
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

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Central Air

Latest Episodes

On this week's show: Robinson Meyer, executive editor of the excellent Heatmap News, talks with us about why oil has not gotten even more expensive, if there is hope for permitting reform, why Republicans hate windmills so much, and if there ever bee... more

On this week's show: Gary Leff, author of the View From the Wing blog on the airline industry, joins us to discuss who killed Spirit Airlines — the airline made strategic errors, but it could have been profitably acquired by JetBlue years ago if not ... more

On this week's show: Sean Trende joins us to discuss the continued devolvement of the gerrymandering wars. Sean is an election analyst for Real Clear Politics and lecturer in political science at The Ohio State University. With this week’s Supreme Co... more

On this week's show: We joined in the discourse about whether dog owners have gotten too big for their britches. (Dogs are sycophants, I say — at least cats have self-respect.) We discussed the wisdom of New York’s proposed tax on fancy pied-à-terre ... 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 ArgumentJerusalem Demsas & Matthew Yglesias
Politix
PolitixPolitix

Recent Guests

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
Tyler Austin Harper
Staff writer at The Atlantic; former Bates College environmental science professor
The Atlantic
Episode: Every Centrist's Favorite Socialist (feat. Tyler Austin Harper)

Hosts

Josh Barro
Host with a long-running involvement in Central Air, known for centrist viewpoints and policy analysis.
Megan McArdle
Columnist with a focus on economics and policy, frequently contributing rigorous takes on affordability and public policy.
Ben Dreyfuss
Co-host and writer known for humorous but pointed takes; contributes to policy and culture discussions with a distinctive voice.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 693 ratings
  • Like and you know

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

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Mncxds
    United Statesa month 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 States2 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 States2 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
  • Margaret Thatcher

    Francois Mitterrand (who would know) said Dame Thatcher had the “eyes of Caligula.”

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aidan Finley
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The show is considered a reliable source for thoughtful political discourse by a dedicated audience.
Guests and topics are seen as timely but polarizing depending on the episode.
Listeners praise thoughtful, sane centrism and balanced discussion.
Some reviews criticize delivery or perceived bias or repetitiveness.
Audience enjoys nuanced policy analysis paired with humor and host camaraderie.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#175
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#139
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#197
Poland/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
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?

A politics-focused show that centers centrist to center-left perspectives on current American policy, economics, and culture. Episodes frequently cover immigration, inflation, federal policy, and political strategy, often featuring spirited debates among three regular hosts and a rotating string of guests. Notable strengths include a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom with nuanced takes, sharp humor, and a mix of policy analysis with cultural commentary. The format tends to balance rigorous discussion with accessible banter, making it appealing to listeners who want thoughtful but approachable political discourse and perspectives from established columnists and policy minds.

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 three 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. KCRW's Left, Right & Center
5. The Dispatch Podcast

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?

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

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