Firing Line with Margaret Hoover Season 6, Episode 29: Walter Issacson

1

Al Sharpton

Reverend Al Sharpton discusses his evolution as a civil rights leader and the challenges and controversies he has faced. He weighs in on the progress of the movement and the power of Black voters.

27 min

2

Jon Meacham

Pulitzer Prize winning-author and presidential biographer Jon Meacham discusses how today’s leaders compare to their predecessors. Meacham, who has helped craft some of Biden's key speeches, weighs in on today's GOP and whether Biden will run again.

27 min

3

Nancy Mace

Nancy Mace discusses the challenges of being a Republican who rejects the GOP's extremes and supports bipartisan solutions on abortion, cannabis and other issues. She weighs in on the classified documents investigations and debt ceiling.

27 min

4

Barry Diller

Media mogul Barry Diller discusses why he thinks Hollywood and the Oscars are irrelevant, the future of streaming, why he does not believe Alec Baldwin is responsible for the "Rust" set shooting, and what's ahead in politics.

27 min

5

Glenn Loury

Brown economist Glenn Loury says affirmative action and reparations will not solve inequality and defends free speech on college campuses. Loury—who at 33 became Harvard's first Black tenured economics professor—discusses how his views have evolved.

27 min

6

Brian O’Hara

Brian O’Hara—Minneapolis’ first new police chief since George Floyd’s death—discusses policing after the death of Tyre Nichols renewed calls for reform. He weighs in on racial disparities, qualified immunity, gun violence and elevated crime rates.

27 min

7

Mike Gallagher

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI)—chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party—discusses how the US should respond to growing threats from the CCP. He discusses trade, the dangers of TikTok, and says the US should commit to defending Taiwan.

27 min

8

Larry Hogan

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, the second Republican governor to be re-elected in Maryland and a vocal Trump critic, discusses why he won't challenge Trump for the GOP nomination, economic policy proposals, and the future of the GOP.

27 min

9

Paulina Porizkova

Supermodel and 1980s cover girl Paulina Porizkova discusses aging and ageism, harassment in modeling, her journey out of Communist Czechoslovakia, struggling with mental health, and the breakdown of her marriage to the late Cars' singer Ric Ocasek.

27 min

10

Andrew Weissmann

Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann discusses the 34 felony count indictment of former President and 2024 candidate Donald Trump. He discusses the prosecution’s strengths and weaknesses and what to expect as Trump faces more criminal probes.

27 min

11

Thomas Chatterton Williams

Author and cultural critic Thomas Chatterton Williams explains why he thinks Americans need to unlearn traditional racial constructs in order to achieve equality. He also discusses the impact of culture wars and wokeness on contemporary politics.

27 min

12

Wes Moore

Rising Democratic star and political newcomer Gov. Wes Moore discusses overcoming tragedy to become a Rhodes Scholar, Army captain, bestselling author and Maryland's first Black governor. He details his plans for tackling poverty and crime.

27 min

13

David French

Conservative New York Times columnist David French, an anti-Trump voice in the GOP, weighs in on the 2024 presidential race, turmoil at Fox News, whether Trump may go to prison, and the latest cases and ethics questions before the Supreme Court.

27 min

14

Richard Dreyfuss

Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss discusses America's civics crisis and his initiative to restore civics education in public schools. He weighs in on the state of discourse in the country and speaks out against diversity inclusion standards in Hollywood.

27 min

15

Felix Salmon

Financial journalist Felix Salmon discusses how Covid created an economic paradigm shift affecting everything from labor markets to millennial investing. He advocates for ending the debt ceiling and says minting money would be better than a default.

27 min

16

Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes, a founder and the editor-in-chief of the non-partisan news site "The Bulwark," discusses why he disassociated himself from the Republican Party, the challenges of covering Trump, the 2024 race, and whether conservatism can be redeemed.

27 min

17

Chris Christie

Chris Christie discusses his newly launched 2024 presidential bid and why he’s taking direct aim at his former friend and boss Donald Trump. He says the DOJ must indict Trump if they have evidence of crimes in the classified documents investigation.

27 min

18

Elie Honig

Former federal prosecutor Elie Honig discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the federal indictment against Donald Trump and what to expect of the trials that may take place during the election season. He also weighs in on Hunter Biden’s plea deal.

27 min

19

Jill Lepore

Harvard historian and journalist Jill Lepore discusses how the past sheds light on present truth-related threats. Lepore critiques the Supreme Court's dismantling of affirmative action, which she says will erode public confidence in the Court.

27 min

20

Jewel Kilcher

Singer-songwriter Jewel Kilcher discusses her journey from a troubled upbringing in Alaska to music megastardom, how she saved her own soul by prioritizing her mental health, and her virtual reality platform providing access to mindfulness tools.

27 min

21

Lisa Murkowski

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican who defeated a Trump-backed candidate in the midterms, says Alaska’s new voting reforms could help democracy elsewhere. She discusses the 2024 race and indicates how she would vote in a Trump-Biden rematch.

27 min

22

Amul Thapar

Sixth Circuit Judge Amul Thapar discusses his new book defending Clarence Thomas’s originalism, his own presence on the conservative short-list for the Supreme Court, the affirmative action ruling, and ethics questions involving justices.

27 min

23

Vivek Ramaswamy

Entrepreneur and GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy discusses his critique of woke capitalism, his plan to eliminate federal agencies, his opposition to U.S. military support for Ukraine and why he believes America needs a political outsider.

27 min

24

Will Hurd

Moderate Republican presidential candidate Will Hurd challenges prevailing GOP sentiment by taking on Donald Trump. Hurd, a former Texas congressman and undercover CIA agent, discusses immigration, national security, and artificial intelligence.

27 min

25

Roya Mahboob

Afghanistan’s first female tech CEO, Roya Mahboob, discusses the fall of Kabul and decimation of women's rights after two years of Taliban rule. She gives an update on the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, which she launched prior to the Taliban takeover.

27 min

26

Doug Burgum

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican presidential candidate and former tech CEO, outlines his policy vision for energy, climate, immigration, and education reform. He says the GOP needs to move past the 2020 election and look to the future.

27 min

27

Baratunde Thurston

Writer, activist, comedian and “America Outdoors” host Baratunde Thurston discusses how nature can bridge divides and help heal the nation. He explains why he uses humor to tackle tough topics like race and politics, and weighs in on A.I. and 2024.

27 min

28

Liev Schreiber

Actor Liev Schreiber, co-founder of BlueCheck Ukraine, discusses the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Ukraine as President Zelensky asks for international support at the UN. He explains why he thinks Russia will lose and why Americans should care.

27 min

29

Walter Issacson

Bestselling author Walter Isaacson discusses his biography of Elon Musk, who leads SpaceX, Tesla, and endeavors in AI and brain-machine interfaces. Isaacson comments on Musk's Twitter takeover, geopolitical influence, controversies, and aspirations.

27 min

30

Yascha Mounk

Left-leaning author and professor Yascha Mounk discusses his new book “The Identity Trap” examining the rise of identity politics within the progressive left. Mounk addresses the risks this trend may present to schools, corporations, and democracy.

27 min

31

Bret Stephens

Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Bret Stephens discusses how Israel should respond to Hamas’s horrific terrorist attack. Stephens, the former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief, assesses the role of Iran and the geopolitical ramifications of the war.

27 min

32

Jonathan Schanzer

Terrorism expert Jonathan Schanzer examines efforts to contain a wider war in the Middle East and deter Iran and its proxies. He discusses the Qatari-led hostage negotiations and the complexities of an Israeli ground fight against Hamas in Gaza.

27 min

33

Mitch Daniels

Republican Mitch Daniels, the former governor of Indiana and Purdue University president, discusses America's political disarray, the national debt, campus speech debates, strategies for reducing tuition, and whether he would ever return to politics.

27 min

34

Kimberly Kagan

Military historian Kimberly Kagan discusses Israel’s obstacles on the ground in Gaza, Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia, and the role Iran plays in both conflicts. She also explains her concerns over U.S. readiness for wider war.

27 min

35

Thomas Nides

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides explains why the next 30 days will be the most important in Israel’s history. He discusses hostage rescue negotiations, Israel’s combat calculations, and diplomatic and humanitarian challenges.

27 min

36

Brad Raffensperger

Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's Republican Secretary of State, discusses standing up to pressure from Trump to overturn the 2020 election in his state and how to restore public trust in elections. He explains why he believes Georgia is ready for 2024.

27 min

37

Leopoldo López

Exiled Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez discusses threats to democracy around the world and combatting autocracy. He comments on challenging conditions in Venezuela under Maduro and the impact of Biden's policies in the region.

27 min

38

Jonathan Greenblatt

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt discusses the spike in antisemitism since Oct. 7, the double standard on speech he sees on university campuses, and his concerns about anti-Zionism and a lack of moral clarity among progressives.

27 min