The Mona Charen Show

4.5 (1.3K)
POLITICS
UPDATED WEEKLY

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After a great five year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen brings you a new show dedicated to deepening your understanding of complex issues and trends facing society. Each week she'll engage an expert for a probing discussion that goes past the day's headlines.

JUN 9

Stop Making Excuses for Americans

Kevin D. Williamson of The Dispatch muses about the voters' culpability for Trump, socialism, and the "Abundance" agenda. They explore the cultural and economic decline of American civic virtue, the bipartisan slide into demagoguery, and Williamson’s disdain for both Trumpism and technocratic central planning. Support American family farms and join the Moink Movement today at Moinkbox.com/MONA and get FREE wings FOR LIFE. This show is brought to you by BetterHelp, get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MONA

1h 2m
JUN 2

Most Corrupt Ever

The Atlantic's Jonathan Rauch joins Mona to talk about Trump's Achilles Heel.

45 min
MAY 26

Conservatism RIP?

Jay Nordlinger returns to discuss whether conservatism remains valid in the MAGA era. Sponsors: Listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts. REFERENCES: Against All Hope – Armando Valladares Memoir of a Cuban dissident imprisoned for his anti-Castro beliefs. Children of Monsters – Jay Nordlinger Referenced indirectly by Mona as part of Jay’s dissident coverage; a book profiling the children of dictators. Peace, They Say – Jay Nordlinger JayNordlinger.com, Jay’s new Substack.

51 min
MAY 19

How Americans Can Cease Being Rich

Economist Noah Smith delves into the myth of the "hollowed out" middle class, the folly of protectionism, and more. He and Mona differ on Trump's handling of Covid and . . . American chocolate. Support American family farms and join the Moink Movement today at Moinkbox.com/MONA and get FREE wings FOR LIFE. Oneskin: For a limited time, you can try OneSkin with 15% off using code MONACHAREN The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add the show to your player of choice, here.

1h 1m
MAY 12

Nobody Dresses Anymore

Columnist and music critic Jay Nordlinger joins Mona for an excursion into classical music. No coat or tie required. REFERENCES: Here’s a list of every musical piece played in the episode. Thomas Tallis – Motet from the Gospel of John Johann Sebastian Bach – Preludio from Partita in E major for solo violin J.S. Bach (arr. Rachmaninoff) – Preludio (Bach/Rachmaninoff transcription) Ludwig van Beethoven – Final movement from a String Quartet in C major Léo Delibes – “Flower Duet” from Lakmé Giuseppe Verdi – Duet from Otello Antonín Dvořák – Humoresque Antonín Dvořák – Humoresque (Jazz rendition) Maurice Ravel – Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn Sergei Prokofiev – “Dance of the Knights” from Romeo and Juliet Sergei Prokofiev – “Midnight” from Cinderella Scott Wheeler – “If I Had a Wife” (song cycle Serenata) Daniel Asia – “My Father’s Name Was” (from Breath and a Ram's Horn) Lee Hoiby – “Goodbye, Goodbye World” Philip Glass – Violin Concerto No. 2, The American Four Seasons, final movement

1h 27m
MAY 5

Dealmaker: The Greatest Trump Myth

The New Yorker's Susan Glasser joins Mona to discuss Trump's big beautiful deals, the cowardice of the press, and more. Head to moshlife.com/MONA to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack. References: The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 by Susan Glasser and Peter Baker "Letter from Trump’s Washington" (Glasser's New Yorker column) Donald Trump’s first 100-day interview with Time magazine Donald Trump’s interview with The Atlantic magazine Pompeo Declaration (2018) Opinion by Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson on Abrego Garcia (Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals) AP’s lawsuit regarding press access and the Gulf of Mexico naming controversy

1h 6m
APR 28

The Case for Class-Based Affirmative Action

Mona talks with Richard Kahlenberg about a proposal to make college admissions more fair in a post race preferences world. The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add the show to your player of choice, here. Listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts. Get PrivacyHawk and run your FREE privacy scan here! Use code MONA20 (iOS) / mona20 (Android) for full access to the Platinum Suite: $1M ID theft recovery insurance, dark web alerts, sensitive info monitoring, and much more—all at a special price! 📚 References Books: Richard Kahlenberg, Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America's Colleges(2024) Derek Bok, The Shape of the River: Long-Term Consequences of Considering Race in College and University Admissions(1998) — study on affirmative action outcomes. Affirmative Action for the Rich: Legacy Preferences in College Admissions, edited by Richard Kahlenberg (2010)

47 min
APR 21

MAGA Grievance: A Short History

The Atlantic's Peter Wehner offers insights into the transformation of the GOP from the party that passed PEPFAR to the MAGA warriors of today. The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Go to Hungryroot.com/CHAREN and use code CHAREN to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. REFERENCES: Peter’s recent work at The Atlantic Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez The Closing of the American Mindby Allan Bloom The Power of the Powerless and Summer Meditations by Václav Havel The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1984 by George Orwell

1h 7m

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Coming soon—a new show hosted by Mona Charen

The Mona Charen Show

Jan 8

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Mona Charen

Host

4.5

out of 5

1,286 Ratings

Loved the Jay Episode

May 12

Btrivett07

It was so lovely having you and Jay back together. I really miss the podcast you guys did together. It was also a lovely break from politics.
Love the new format

Apr 21

Scottish Weed

I was disappointed when “Beg to Differ” came to an end, but I really enjoy Mona’s one on one conversations with her guests. But I do hope maybe she’ll have some “Beg to Differ” reunion episodes.
Great Podcast

Apr 21

C. R. Imes

As a former Republican (now Independent) it is refreshing to hear conservatives & moderate democrats discuss intelligent views & insights. Respect you all so much & enjoy listening to all views expressed in a courteous manner. Thanks & keep up the good work!
Truly “civil conversation.”

Apr 8

mandojm

I was very apprehensive when Ms. Charen announced that her previous panel podcast would be replaced with a one-on-one interview format. We already have way too many of those, I thought. Now, a half dozen episodes in, this is the podcast I most look forward to every week. The discussion about trans kids (a topic I thought I could not have cared less about) illustrated how to hold a nuanced, gentle — can I say “honorable” in the 21st-century? — conversation. This is not the first episode of Ms. Charen’s new series that I have saved to listen to once again. Full disclosure: I am an “Eisenhower Republican.” This means I usually vote for moderate Democrats. But I find Ms. Charen’s conservative leanings uncomfortably appealing. I guess that’s due to her mixture of smarts and decency, especially precious in this often toxic climate.

After a great five year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen brings you a new show dedicated to deepening your understanding of complex issues and trends facing society. Each week she'll engage an expert for a probing discussion that goes past the day's headlines.