Best Walter Meads Podcasts (2024)

1
One Year of October 7 30:22

5h ago30:22

30:22

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss White House frustration with Israeli war plans, a new Republican advantage in party identification, Democrats losing ground with Arab American voters, and how October 7 changed the world. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and …

1
Biden’s Magical Unicorn Diplomacy 31:21

16d ago31:21

31:21

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Zelensky’s visit to Washington, why Gen Z men are more religious than their female peers, how US airstrikes are helping the Houthis, and what exactly President Biden and his national security team still don’t understand about diplomacy. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help …

1
America Is Sleepwalking Into World War III 38:51

19d ago38:51

38:51

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss exploding Hezbollah pagers, the Fed’s interest rate cut, Gavin Newsom vs. AI, and how the United States is stumbling blind into World War. Click here to read the report from the Commission on the National Defense Strategy. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand…

1
How Sept. 11 Still Shapes Our Politics 45:28

27d ago45:28

45:28

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Harris-Trump debate, Iran selling ballistic missiles to Russia, Europe’s never-ending decline, and how Sept. 11 continues to shape American and world history. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy f…

1
Tucker Finds Hitler 37:19

1M ago37:19

37:19

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Joe Biden’s move to block the sale of US Steel, Chinese spies in New York State, the Hamas massacre of Israeli hostages, and the larger meaning of Tucker Carlson’s crank historical revisionism. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matter…

1
Bibi the Great 30:39

1M ago30:39

30:39

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the arrest of Pavel Durov in France, the revision of U.S. job growth statistics, RFK Jr. and Tuli Gabbard endorsing Donald Trump, and how Benjamin Netanyahu secured his place in Jewish and world history. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide w…

1
Kamala’s Economics and Alexander Hamilton 42:53

2M ago42:53

42:53

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss US military plans for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Democratic criticisms of Kamala Harris’ economic plan, the darkening political picture in East Germany, and why Hamiltonianism is the best way forward in American domestic and foreign policy. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Ster…

1
Does Soft Power Actually Matter? 32:57

2M ago32:57

32:57

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Kamala Harris’ price control plan, America’s new class of Pacific missiles, the reemergence of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and why soft power isn’t what it used to be. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy …

1
Walz, Sinwar, Biden, Stocks 33:07

2M ago33:07

33:07

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss stock market trouble, Ukraine’s incursion into Russia, the Israel-Iran escalation ladder, and what Kamala Harris’ VP pick does and doesn’t mean. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story…

1
Ding Dong Haniyeh and Shukr Are Dead 30:07

2M ago30:07

30:07

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Biden’s plan to remake the Supreme Court, why housing is the most important political issue in America, Russian paramilitaries getting hammered in Africa, and how Israel’s assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah top dogs could change the region and U.S. policy. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead …

1
The Foreign Policy of Kamala Harris 24:42

3M ago24:42

24:42

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Chinese and Russian warplanes off the coast of Alaska, Kamala Harris’s snub of Benjamin Netanyahu, whether the artificial intelligence bubble might pop, and what foreign policy would look like under a President Kamala Harris. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you underst…

1
Trump, Vance, and the Shot Heard Round the World 37:36

3M ago37:36

37:36

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the rise of J.D. Vance, America’s nervous allies in Europe and Asia, Silicon Valley’s break right, and the near-slaying of Donald Trump. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of Amer…

1
Putin, Xi, Modi, Kim 34:18

3M ago34:18

34:18

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss unemployment figures, the GOP’s new Trump-era stance on abortion, the rise of the far-left in France, and how China, Russia, India, and North Korea are making new moves on the Indo-Pacific chessboard. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what…

1
The Geopolitics of Biden’s Decline 31:39

3M ago31:39

31:39

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision, the collapse of the political center in France, the Haredi military conscription debate in Israel, and the international repercussions of Biden’s disastrous debate. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the n…

1
About Last Night 29:26

4M ago29:26

29:26

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the historic presidential debate and two new landmark Supreme Court decisions. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the world more than you do now. For more, check ou…

1
Biden’s Fearful Foreign Policy 37:49

4M ago37:49

37:49

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss post-election India, Biden’s new immigration orders, China’s wealth exodus, and why Iran has nothing to fear from Washington. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the…

1
On The Front Lines in Ukraine 33:55

4M ago33:55

33:55

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss pro-Hamas mobs in DC and New York, France’s snap elections, Thursday’s Supreme court decisions, and what Walter saw and heard on the front lines in Ukraine. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy followi…

1
The Trump Verdict 27:49

5M ago27:49

27:49

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss NATO’s air defenses, the China-led shadow global economy, South Africa’s election results, and the hush money conviction of Donald Trump. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of Ame…

1
The Sino-Russian-Iranian Alliance 22:56

5M ago22:56

22:56

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Gantz’s ultimatum to Netanyahu, the death of Ebrahim Raisi, a failed unionization push in the American South, and how China, Russia, and Iran went from an Axis of Weevils to a legitimate alliance of revisionist powers. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the…

1
Checking in on American Democracy Promotion 30:00

5M ago30:00

30:00

This week, Walter and Jeremy talk Biden’s tariffs on China, Israel’s spiraling relations with Egypt, Google’s plan to crush publishers with AI, and how America’s democracy promotion agenda is finding new ways to fail in Africa. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters a…

1
Did Biden Just Abandon Israel? 26:04

5M ago26:04

26:04

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Biden’s threat to withhold offensive weapons from Israel, why the president’s huge spending bills haven’t been spent yet, the faltering criminal cases against Donald Trump, the global fertility crisis, and how to get the most out of election coverage. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jer…

1
Where Did the Democratic Party’s Pro-Hamas Wing Come From? 29:07

5M ago29:07

29:07

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the US Southwest pumping more crude oil than Kuwait, the International Criminal Court’s threat to arrest Israeli officials, the financial industry’s exodus from New York and California, and how support for Hamas could split the Democratic coalition. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jerem…

1
America's Popular Universities for Palestine 33:14

6M ago33:14

33:14

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Ukraine aid package, banning TikTok, Lina Khan's FTC overreach, and the pro-Hamas protests sweeping America's college campuses. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America a…

1
The Rise of the Cyber City 39:55

6M ago39:55

39:55

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Israel’s options for retaliating against Iran, why the IMF scolded the United States, Zelensky’s pleas for Israel-style support for Ukraine, and why the Work From Home (WFH) revolution could change American cities and make Gen Z filthy rich. Read Walter’s new Tablet essay, ‘The Rise of the Cyber City’ Read or wa…

1
Czar Tucker and the Antisemitic Right 33:24

6M ago33:24

33:24

This week, Walter and Jeremy talk Israel-Iran war worries, European bans on youth gender care, an Indonesia-Israel normalization agreement, and why Tucker Carlson is peddling the antisemitism of the Russian Czars. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’…

1
Foreign Policy in a Second Trump Term 26:23

6M ago26:23

26:23

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Biden’s industrial policy, Israeli airstrikes in Syria and Gaza, the fentanyl crisis, and what foreign policy might look like if Trump wins in November. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following t…

1
Twilight of the Wonks 29:45

7M ago29:45

29:45

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss ethnic tensions in Russia, the race for AI talent, Chinese-Pakistani relations, and Walter’s new Tablet essay on why the golden age of the Wonk is coming to an end. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy…

1
Build Back Better Palestinian Authority 35:32

7M ago35:32

35:32

This week, Walter and Jeremy talk universal basic income, the decline of New York City, the Houthis as the greatest naval threat since Imperial Japan, and why the Palestinians need a Konrad Adenauer. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy f…

1
Biden v. Bibi 33:31

7M ago33:31

33:31

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss academics whining about AI, 200 years of U.S. failure to save Haiti, the Great Slackening in American high schools, and why Biden and Bibi both benefit from fighting each other in public. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and …

1
Where The Green Movement Went Wrong 34:53

7M ago34:53

34:53

This week, Walter and Jeremy talk Super Tuesday results, Benny Gantz’s visit to Washington, the threat of another China Shock, and why environmental movements are losing ground across the world. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy follow…

1
The Great MacGuffin and the Quest for the Holy Grail 1:39:44

8M ago1:39:44

1:39:44

This week, Walter and Jeremy are on the road. So in place of regular programming, we’re bringing you something special: an extended excerpt from Walter’s most recent book, The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People. What you’re about to hear is Chapter 16 of that book, about the history of the Israeli-Palest…

1
The Zionist Hindu Crusader Alliance 39:47

8M ago39:47

39:47

This week, Walter and Jeremy talk Biden’s age, the Trump trials, the death of Navalny, and India’s bromance with Israel. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the world more than you do now. For more, che…

1
Biden, Tucker, Putin, Trump 31:18

8M ago31:18

31:18

This week, Walter and Jeremy talk Putin endorsing Biden, Putin dissing Tucker Carlson, Trump dissing NATO, and Biden stumbling in the Middle East. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the world more than…

1
America Isn’t Headed for Civil War 38:56

8M ago38:56

38:56

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the rise of the religious ‘nones,’ the Biden administration’s plans for a Palestinian state, the ideological gap between young men and women, and why America probably isn’t headed for civil war. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matte…

1
What Was the Iran Deal? 38:43

9M ago38:43

38:43

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss a potential constitutional crisis in Texas, trouble in North Korea, climate activists knee-capping Biden, and an ununified theory of US appeasement of Iran. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy followi…

1
The Scourge of Elite Corruption 36:49

9M ago36:49

36:49

This week, Walter and Jeremy talk improving consumer sentiment, the Biden administration’s leaked ‘Houthi strategy,’ Harvard’s latest misconduct allegations, and the brokenness of American institutions. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjo…

1
Live from Davos 26:39

9M ago26:39

26:39

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Iowa caucuses, Taiwan elections, the spread of Iranian terror, and how Davos Man is fairing in the era of global disorder. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and th…

1
Is America a Western Country? 25:22

9M ago25:22

25:22

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss gig workers, Milei in Argentina, Biden's immigration fiasco, and why the US is more like Latin America than Europe. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the world mor…

1
That Was the Year That Was 34:28

10M ago34:28

34:28

In the final episode of 2023, Walter and Jeremy take a look back at Chinese spy balloons, Silicon Valley bank failures, Russia's coup manqué, and the dominance of American popular culture. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following th…

1
Biden’s Suez Crisis 36:57

10M ago36:57

36:57

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Iran-backed attacks on global commerce, whether America is a gerontocracy, how oil is saving Biden’s hide, and why Anglo-American power is the big story of world history. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and…

1
The Politics of Jewish Support for Israel 27:46

10M ago27:46

27:46

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Ivy League presidents, Bibi’s phone call with Putin, the crisis of homeownership in America, and why many American Jews prefer "refugee Zionism" to "national Zionism." Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, an…

1
Kissinger’s Middle East Legacy 24:12

10M ago24:12

24:12

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Biden’s sanctions on Israeli settlers, why students in the developed world are getting worse at math, America’s sterling advice on how to lose a war, and what we can learn from Henry Kissinger’s achievements in the Middle East. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you under…

1
Biden Bear Hugs Israel and Ukraine 27:31

11M ago27:31

27:31

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Missouri v. Biden, Milei v. Peronists in Argentina, trouble on the Korean peninsula, and whether the Biden administration is getting ready to pull its support from Israel and Ukraine. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what…

1
When Israel Policy is Iran Policy 30:49

11M ago30:49

30:49

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss a new US-Indonesia defense agreement, robots replacing manual labor in Kentucky, Erdogan’s support for Hamas, and understanding Biden’s approach to Israel through the lens of Iran policy. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and …

1
How Israel Went From Enemy to Darling of the Right 41:06

11M ago41:06

41:06

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss why the US is pumping more oil than ever, what China and Russia get out of ditching Israel, how China’s third-world lending is panning out, and the American right’s on-again, off-again love affair with Jews. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, deci…

1
How Israel Went From Darling to Enemy of the Left 41:00

12M ago41:00

41:00

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss antisemitism in China, Hindu nationalist support for Israel, Saudi-Israeli peace, and why progressives liked Israel more when Stalin was alive. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story …

1
The Quest for the Israel-Palestine Holy Grail 31:34

12M ago31:34

31:34

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, what Israel’s Arab citizens think of the war, the Biden administration’s segregated therapy sessions for Muslim and Jewish staffers, and why the U.S. has so little to show for decades of peace process. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern …

1
Why the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Pushes People’s Buttons 28:34

12M ago28:34

28:34

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Biden’s Oval Office address, Iranian attacks on US targets in the Middle East, attacks on synagogues in Europe and North Africa, and why people who hate America and capitalism also hate Israel. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matter…

1
‘Paragliders From Hell 35:55

1y ago35:55

35:55

Walter and Jeremy discuss Israel’s wartime unity government, the specter of a second front in Southern Lebanon, why American universities are “honoring the martyrs of Hamas,” and whether President Biden has already determined to accept Israeli and American defeat. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you under…

1
Americans Are Happier Than You Think 29:03

1y ago29:03

29:03

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss why so many Americans are living at home, the Biden administration’s Iran policy, whether parts of Oregon will break off and join Idaho, and why elites are more miserable than normies. Each week on What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead and Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what matters and wha…

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Walter Meads Podcasts

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