Best Mark Esper Podcasts (2024)

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Week 20 - God Is Fragged 50:02

2h ago50:02

50:02

I Died And Was Reincarnated As The World’s Greatest Monster! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe breeze through the Morrison-heavy and story-light issue twenty of 52, making space for Tim King’s public apology for being a CIA asset, Steel’s exposed penis, Superboy Prime as isekai, and Jaffe’s biggest …

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James Carville on Harris-Walz v. Trump-Vance 51:13

6d ago51:13

51:13

Where do things stand in the race now that the matchup is set? According to veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, the replacement of Joe Biden by Kamala Harris has improved prospects for the Democrats—though “not as much as some people think.” As he puts it: “It’s like I tell people, if you have an infected wisdom tooth and you go to the de…

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John Yoo on Biden’s Plans to Reform the Supreme Court

16d ago

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Week 19 - History Repeats 1:00:16

13d ago1:00:16

1:00:16

He knows! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe fly into issue nineteen, taking on Space Pope Lobo, which members of the DC universe are Charli girls vs. Taylor girls, and the most shocking twist of the series so far. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (09:12) Let’s Talk About 52 #19 (12:17) The Backup (38:40)…

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Subscriber Feed Preview Clip: The Flash (2023) Review 1:55

20d ago1:55

1:55

Here’s a preview for the subscriber only bonus feed episode featuring a review of The Flash (2023), the capstone film in the grand Snyderverse experiment. Hear all about the many writers and directors who passed through this film’s history, Ezra Miller’s strange crime rampage, and what the future holds for DC movies in the full episode. Check it ou…

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Doug Sosnik on Harris v. Trump: Why the Next Month Matters Most 1:04:48

24d ago1:04:48

1:04:48

The withdrawal of Joe Biden from the presidential race three weeks after his disastrous debate performance, followed by the swift decision by Democrats to select Kamala Harris as the presumptive nominee, leaves us in uncharted waters. According to veteran political strategist Doug Sosnik, the broad contours of the 2024 election remain: “It’s a narr…

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Rep Adam Smith

28d ago

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Ambassador Bolton

29d ago

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David Frum

30d ago

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Pete Wehner

30d ago

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Week 18 - Dismantled, with Questionposting 1:18:27

27d ago1:18:27

1:18:27

Emancipate the JLA! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe cross over with Questionposting to tackle issue 18, featuring BREAKING NEWS REGARDING DC CANON and the existence of Tracy Thirteen, Dr. Doom arguing with a drunk person, microdosing Fear Toxin, and the secret unpublished origins of Honest Abe, th…

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Tom Nichols

1M ago

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Mark Esper

1M ago

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John DiIulio: A Second Trump Term and the Civil Service 1:12:31

1M ago1:12:31

1:12:31

What should we make of Trump’s plans for the federal bureaucracy in a second term? In recent days, there has been extensive reporting about “Project 2025,” an agenda and road map that openly aims to politicize the civil service and render it more compliant with the executive. In this Conversation, we are joined by University of Pennsylvania politic…

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Yuval Levin: ‘American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation―and Could Again ‘

1M ago

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Week 17 - Last of the Czarnians 1:01:39

1M ago1:01:39

1:01:39

Only thirty-five more ta go! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe blast off into issue seventeen of 52, where they witness The Time Hands, weird editorial grudges that end up on the page, and Starfire as Leia Thee Stallion. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (02:25) Let’s Talk About the Cover, and Lobo (03:06…

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Subscriber Feed Preview Clip: An Interview with Mark Waid 4:35

2M ago4:35

4:35

Here’s a preview for the subscriber only bonus feed episode featuring an interview with legendary co-writer of 52 and countless other formative comic book classics, Mark Waid. While this preview focuses on a few controversial Superman questions, the full episode goes in-depth on writing for huge company-wide events, what the Speed Force actually is…

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Jason Furman: Where is the Economy Now—and Where Will it Be in November? 56:56

2M ago56:56

56:56

What is the state of the economy today and where might it be at the time of the November elections? To discuss, we are joined again by the distinguished Harvard economist Jason Furman, who was deputy director of the National Economic Council during the Financial Crisis and then served as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in President Oba…

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AEI’s Michael Rubin on Hezbollah firing missiles into Israel and Iran’s nukes

2M ago

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Week 16 - Uhebbuki, with Charles Pulliam Moore 2:07:13

2M ago2:07:13

2:07:13

O zephyr winds which blow on high, lift me now so I can fly! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe team up with the Uncanny Charles Pulliam-Moore for the Two-Hour Wedding Album that is issue sixteen of DC’s 52. Hear whether Captain Marvel is an adult man or three kids in a trench coat, the wedding tradi…

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Anne Applebaum on Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and the US 48:07

2M ago48:07

48:07

Where do things stand in Ukraine? How are European democracies faring? How should we think about the challenge from autocracies around the globe? To discuss these questions, we are joined again by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum. Applebaum shares her perspective on recent developments in Ukraine, Russia, and Europe including the rec…

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Week 15 - Outshined, with Alex Sinclair 1:08:27

2M ago1:08:27

1:08:27

Your Donations Keep Lexapedia Running! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe are joined by the legendary lead colorist of 52 Alex Sinclair. The towering trio takes on #15 (the Frank Grimes issue), Jason Todd’s death poll, and an unused yet fully illustrated and colored cover for 52. Chapters: Let’s Talk…

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Nicholas Kristof: The Case for Hope

3M ago

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James Carville on Biden v. Trump 51:36

3M ago51:36

51:36

Where do things stand in the race as we head into the summer? According to veteran Democratic strategist James Carville: “It’s clearly very close. There clearly can be events that can impact the outcome. But we’re headed to an election that not many people are very excited about.” Carville argues that the Biden campaign needs a message on the econo…

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Week 14 - Sand and Rust, with Reid Vanier 1:13:07

3M ago1:13:07

1:13:07

Did you know mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature?! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe team up with Doctor DC himself Reid Vanier to wear jeans while building robots, ponder articulated cheeks, and determine which triple-A studio should be making a Vic and Renee video game. Ch…

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Robert Kagan on American Anti-liberalism, from the 1920s to the 2020s 1:19:21

3M ago1:19:21

1:19:21

Is today's anti-liberalism a new phenomenon in American politics? What might earlier eras in US history have to teach us? To discuss these questions, we are joined, again, by Robert Kagan, the historian and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Drawing on his new book, Rebellion: How Antiliberalism Is Tearing America Apart—Again, Kagan argues…

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Week 13 - Haystack, with Tim Marchman 1:24:12

3M ago1:24:12

1:24:12

This is what happens when they let me into a church! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe are joined by Substitute Legionnaire Tim Marchman to sift through Ralph Dibny’s descent into sadness, the X-Men for virgins, Gen-X leftists, and Saltburn Funko Pops. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (06:30) Let’s Talk …

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Frederick W. Kagan on Ukraine: Where Things Stand and Where Might They Be Going 1:07:48

4M ago1:07:48

1:07:48

Where do things stand in Ukraine? How will the recently-passed aid package help Ukraine on the battlefield? How does the war in Ukraine relate to rising threats from adversaries around the globe? To discuss these questions we are joined again by Fred Kagan, director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute. Kagan explain…

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Week 12 - Mighty 1:04:47

4M ago1:04:47

1:04:47

ttttttttt! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe consider issue number twelve of 52, and in the process share the best way to start reading comics, the best ideas for reintroducing Isis (the character! the character!) to comics, and the exact moment The Rock decided to change the hierarchy of power in t…

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Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Trump’s First Term—and a Second? 51:59

4M ago51:59

51:59

What was it like serving in the Trump administration—and what might a second Trump term look like? To discuss these questions, we are joined by Mark Esper, Secretary of Defense from 2019-2020. In this Conversation, Esper considers Ukraine, China, and other foreign policy challenges facing the United States, and reflects on his experience leading th…

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Week 11 - Batwoman Begins, with Jadzia Axelrod 1:28:38

4M ago1:28:38

1:28:38

Man down in Wife City! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe are joined by The Prettiest Star Jadzia Axelrod as they dive into the romantic history of Kate Kane and Renee Montoya, make unintentional Andrew Hussie references, and figure out what to do with Donna Troy. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (11:24) …

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David Axelrod on Biden v. Trump 2024 1:05:22

5M ago1:05:22

1:05:22

Where do things stand in the 2024 race? What campaign strategies might increase Joe Biden’s chances? How might the economy, the border, wars in Europe and the Middle East, Trump's trials, and third-party campaigns affect the race? To discuss these questions, we are joined by David Axelrod, chief strategist for Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns …

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Week 10 - Stop The Press 1:15:38

5M ago1:15:38

1:15:38

Live, laugh, love! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe jump out of a window into 52’s tenth issue, where they find out what the Middle East is even like in the DC universe, spend Tuesdays with Morrow, and take a quick quiz on super-vegetarians. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (02:29) Let’s Talk About the …

1
Joe Klein: Can the Democrats Get their Act Together? 1:07:40

5M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

What do Joe Biden's successes, failures, and poll numbers reveal about the state of the Democratic Party today? In an era of polarization, can a spirit of moderation and bipartisanship be rediscovered? To discuss these questions, we are joined by Joe Klein, the veteran reporter, author, and analyst of American politics. Klein reflects on the change…

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Week 9 - Dream of America 1:16:04

5M ago1:16:04

1:16:04

All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe head off in pursuit of 52 issue #9, dealing with psychosexual eugenics factories, the LGBTQ+ nightlife scene in Gotham, and Big Mad Meltzer. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (03:32) Let’s Talk About the Cover (07:14) Let’s Talk About 52 #9 (11:24) The Backup (41:22) What…

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Timothy Snyder on Ukraine, Russia, America—and What’s at Stake 55:28

5M ago55:28

55:28

Two years into the war, where do things stand in Ukraine? What are Vladimir Putin’s war aims and how is attempting to undermine American commitment and resolve? To discuss these questions, we are joined by Timothy Snyder, a Yale historian and leading expert on Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe. Noting impressive successes in recent weeks despite …

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Week 8 - Thief, with Dalton Deschain and Dylan Roth 1:54:02

6M ago1:54:02

1:54:02

All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe are joined by Dalton Deschain and Dylan Roth of Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe, covering issue eight of 52. Infectious serums are distributed, welding is performed in anger, Haunted Tankie is conceptualized, and Dumb Bitch Juice is drank in copious amounts. Cha…

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Doug Sosnik on the State of the Race: Trump, Biden, and 2024 1:13:04

6M ago1:13:04

1:13:04

Where does the 2024 presidential race stand? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates, and how might such an unpopular rematch play out? What could happen if it's not Biden and Trump? To discuss these questions, we are joined again by veteran political strategist Doug Sosnik, former political director in the Clinton White House and a…

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Week 7 - Going Down 1:13:24

6M ago1:13:24

1:13:24

Betrayal! Public shaming! Pop-punk and toxic lesbians! All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe infiltrate issue seven of 52, the most important comic book of the century and the best series you’ve never heard of. Use offer code SCOOTS for 20% off! Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (03:51) Let’s Talk About the C…

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Whit Ayres on 2024: How Weak is Trump? What about Biden? 59:10

7M ago59:10

59:10

Summing up the state of the 2024 race as we head toward the South Carolina primaries, veteran Republican pollster Whit Ayres says if the election were held today “Trump would win … in the Electoral College.” Yet despite Trump’s quasi-incumbency, 40-45% of the Republican primary electorate have voted for other candidates to date. According to Ayres,…

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Week 6 - China Syndrome, with Brian Cronin 1:52:19

7M ago1:52:19

1:52:19

All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe are joined by Star-Spangled CBR Senior Writer Brian Cronin in discussing issue 6 of DC’s 52, covering the rich legacy of Manthrax, villainous improv groups, the secret sauce that made 52, and how God works in the DC universe. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (07:31) Let’…

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Aaron Friedberg on the China Challenge—and a World in Disarray 1:20:58

7M ago1:20:58

1:20:58

What are the latest developments in the US-China relationship? What can we learn from recent elections in Taiwan? How does the CCP view the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East? To discuss these questions, we are joined again by Princeton professor Aaron Friedberg. Considering the situation in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, …

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Week 5 - Stars In Their Courses 1:24:55

7M ago1:24:55

1:24:55

All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe analyze the fifth issue of 52, and discover a multiversal Scotland where everyone is like Grant Morrison, the Dark Souls of comics, and giant penny stolen valor. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (02:12) Let’s Talk About The Cover (18:14) Let’s Talk About 52 #5 (19:31) Th…

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Peter Berkowitz on Israel at War: A Nation United and Divided 1:01:50

7M ago1:01:50

1:01:50

Three months after October 7 and amidst the ongoing war in Gaza, what is the national mood in Israel? How are the partisan divisions which gripped Israel in recent years playing out in wartime? How will this war change Israel? To discuss these questions, we are joined by Peter Berkowitz, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and longtime analys…

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Week 4 - Dances With Monsters 1:18:59

7M ago1:18:59

1:18:59

All-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe investigate the fourth issue of 52, and cover neoliberal black capitalism, Superboy’s greaser rival, and the prevalence of cults in comics. Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (02:40) Let’s Talk About The Cover (03:49) Let’s Talk About 52 #4 The Backup (45:10) The Blackboar…

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Week 3 - New World Order 1:36:07

8M ago1:36:07

1:36:07

All-Star Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe dissect issue #3 of 52, covering Jaffe’s favorite villain, the Creeper-Freakazoid connection, and why characters have to die. Chapters: Let’s Talk About The Cover (09:14) Let’s Talk Talent (11:47) Let’s Talk 52 #3 (13:43) The Backup (52:10) Favorite Scenes (58:26) The Blac…

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Ruth Wisse on Anti-Semitism—and Why it Matters 1:48:30

8M ago1:48:30

1:48:30

What is anti-Semitism? Why is Israel under attack on college campuses? In this Conversation, released originally in 2014, Bill Kristol spoke with Ruth Wisse, a distinguished professor of Yiddish Literature who taught at Harvard for many years and is one of the world’s leading experts on anti-Semitism. Wisse explains anti-Semitism as a political phe…

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Picking Up with Geoff Johns 26:15

8M ago26:15

26:15

Intrepid reporter Alex Jaffe comes to you straight from New York Comic Con 2023, interviewing comics legend and member of the 52 writers room Geoff Johns. Get answers on how multiverse storytelling has evolved since 52 brought it to public consciousness, the unexpected arcs of Black Adam and Booster Gold, as well as info on the next great comic boo…

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Week 2 - Looking Back At Tomorrow 1:25:02

8M ago1:25:02

1:25:02

All-Star Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe dive into the second issue of 52, covering Grant Morrison’s thoughts on Alan Moore, the super for Symbolman, and the origins of the phrase “curses, foiled again!” Chapters: Let’s Talk Talent (02:32) Let’s Talk About 52 #2 (05:27) The Blackboard (48:17) Let’s Talk About The…

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Jonathan Karl: What Would a Second Trump Term Look Like? 1:10:49

9M ago1:10:49

1:10:49

Has Donald Trump changed since he first ran for president in 2015? How is he conducting his campaign now? What might a second Trump term look like? To discuss these questions, we are joined by Jonathan Karl, Chief Washington Correspondent for ABC News and author of Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party. Trump’s 2024 camp…

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Mark Esper Podcasts

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