This is a great source for sane and well-informed commentary on the main stories in the news.

He has an amazing ability to crystallize insights that endure.

Can we get Christine to talk more? I heard her on 2 way and she was the best guest Mark has had and I was so happy to hear she had a podcast except all I hear are a few dudes bloviate.

Initially liked this podcast but have grown to really dislike it. I think I’m going to remove it from my podcast rotation

The coughing and throat clearing are unpleasant and professional. Also the audible keyboard clacking…

*every single woman you talk about was/is derogatory. Check your inherent misogyny (the woman party, the man party. *groups that only care about violence when it attacks their group generally receive more violence * reducing every issue to republican or Democrat or so-called liberal and so-called conservative is stupid. This pod is never gonna grow beyond specialized group it adheres to.

I love Matt ! He strikes just the right tone.

JPod starts out a show about Star Wars by calling Matt Continetti a Star Trek fan?

Update 5/22 podcast Mr. Podhoretz, you are so ignorant regarding Covid, the Covid shots/jabs, and health or disease related stressors, in general. We as an American population are among the most unhealthy, the most sick, the most drug dependent groups of people in the world. You need to do some research outside of your echo chamber. Give me a break!! So much arrogance and demonstrable ignorance. ____________ This podcast, which used to be one of my favorites, has become consistently unlistenable for a multitude of reasons which many other reviewers address. What a shame.

Concerning the May 23 podcast’s discussion of the university problem: I’m a lifelong academic, now retired, and I agree with almost everything Trump is doing in regards to the universities. But I also agree with the podcast’s worry about anti-intellectualism. Seth Mandel made an excellent point that there’s a great deal of anti-intellectualism at the universities themselves. Maybe 75% of it stems from and is supported by the monstruously overgrown administrations of the universities, peopled by half-educated bureaucrats who are alternately resentful of scholars and actually unaware of the scholarly life. I would add the entire sports complex, also administratively bloated beyond belief, which should be formally separated from the university. Getting rid of these two administrative complexes would require changing a lot of laws and regulations, and some judicial edicts. But it would transform universities in ways that would revive real scholarship, re-intruduce debate, and, incidentally, please a lot of non-academics on the right. Listening to the 2/26/25 podcast. Can Matt Continetti not EVER be quiet? This is the Continetti Show now, and I don’t like him so much. It’s style, not substance, that’s gotten old. I haven’t heard anything from Abe and very little from Seth. Good moderators keep things changing. Please, John, rein him in! Just listening to the 12/4 podcast. Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” policy will, I think affect that war (and Iran’s against all and sundry) as much as does military action. I listen to this podcast regularly. It continues to be excellent, informative, and entertaining, and I appreciate it very much. But it seems that Matt Continetti is becoming the co-host, or even the lead host. He directs the conversation, his tone is that of the one who is the answerer for all questions, the teacher, and he usually talks too long, organizing the discussion and making interminable points. Is this just his style, or has John Podhoretz decided to share his position?

John your take on Jew-hatred, Israel and attack on democracy must go beyond your publication. Please write OpEds, go on media etc…Keep being a crucial clear head we need.

OMG the background noise on this podcast was horrific! Also, I really wanted to hear an in-depth discussion of Jake Tapper’s book with your guests, but I doubt Mark got 5 sequential minutes.

Current screening guidelines for prostate cancer recommend against screening after age 70. This is both from the USPSTF and the American Urological Association , not 80. Therefore, his physician may have been following these guidelines. So he could have developed an aggressive form of prostate cancer without any symptoms when he was 72, older than current screening guidelines, and very sadly just started to present with symptoms.

Just when you thought Matt Continetti could not be more insufferable, I invite you to listen to his non-stop blathering on May 19th. It is excruciating. Listen to him in all his smug glory! Be amazed as he oddly laughs at his own inane soliloquies! Hear him interrupt his fellow co-hosts! It’s all there, as he mistakenly believes himself to be the smartest guy in the room. Mr. Podhoretz- are you purposely trying to destroy your once excellent podcast? Why did you hire this blithering idiot? He’s off the charts awful.

One of the best lineups in the game. Guaranteed to go deep on issues, and think about them from multiple perspectives. And always plenty of laughs. The gold standard.

I’m about ready to quit this podcast. Nobody likes listening to Matt half as much as he likes listening to himself.

but drink more water when you aren't talking, the regular guys all smack too much - I like listening but I don't want to hear you swallow saliva the entire second half of the podcast - driving me nuts

I'm a long time listener, but after today's podcast, probably no longer John's comments on drug pricing around the world and the use of Insulin by diabetics was beyond ignorant, you sounded so uninformed and you are spreading false information. I will follow up with an email to educate you. You should be ashamed spreading such dangerous rhetoric

I am a fan of this podcast and John P and the other cast members. However, I often find Matt Continetti’s lengthy digressions about issues being discussed to be grating and a slog. As was the case on Monday, May 12 re: Trump backdown from China tariffs which Jon appropriately characterized as “stop punching ourselves in the face” only to be over interpreted by Matt in the subsequent dialogue. I find it similar to watching a basketball game where the point guard passes to another player. And play just stops while that player holds the ball. Incessantly And not moving play forward. I lose patience and as often as not, I simply stop listening and switch to a different podcast altogether. And try again the next day. Take lessons from Noah Rothman, make your points succinctly and turn it back on to John and the panel.

I listen a bit to each episode to find out how they are going to whine about Trump each and every time. Nothing he does is fully right according to them. It’s actually comical how much time they spend complaining about Trump. Then I switch to warroom for real analysis.

Please let Christine talk more. Also, while I agree that lumping together Islamophobia and antisemitism is a harmful and false narrative of the left, please get your history accurate. Al Andalus was a good place for Jews overall from roughly the 9th century until the mid 12th century, and Jews spoke and wrote in Arabic. Maimonides for example wrote all his works in Arabic or Judeo-Arabic, except his Mishnah Torah which was in Hebrew. The expulsion of the Jews from Spain was 1492–the Spanish Inquisition was started in 1478. The papal inquisition started in the 13th century. These all occurred under Christian, not Islamic, rule.

I am delighted to hear intellectual discussions that are sharp, intricate, and thoughtful. How refreshing an intellectual conversation can be! I love it.

John proved again on this ep he should let others talk more… he sounded like an emotional moron in this one. Wish John and the guys would let Christine finish her points. She also has the best one liners. Funny lady.

You need to wake up and understand the free market of the past is dead. Why is it that other countries can put tariffs on our products and we cannot recripitate with our own tariffs. Thankyou President Trump.

Just coming back to add that as of recently; the rest of group hasn’t been able to get a word in! Even guests. Lol. I don’t think Jonathan Foreman got to talk about his report. The balance of others’ contributions has been lacking. The best thing about this show is hearing from them all. A bit disappointed, but hoping it’s a phase? —- This is a well rounded group. They crack me up, but also get into the detail of heavy topics. I’m sad I haven’t discovered them sooner.

John please let your guests explain their areas of expertise and stop explaining them yourself.

Recently the quality and accuracy of the “Comentary” podcast has been declining at speed. It is matched only by the number of “you knows” with multiple offenders. The equivalent of the Face Plant. Get a grip.

We can hear you taking a drink with an open microphone. Please turn your mic off.

This podcast has gone from don’t miss to should I skip it altogether. I guess I preferred the Commentary Podcast to the John Podhoretz Show.

The episode titles (and often show synopsis) becoming a tell ? ….TDS ? Kinda tamps down my enthusiasm for the show- I know (n=1)

I never miss an episode.

John is brilliant, obviously. A riveting personality. He also is a pivotal expert intellect in contemporary domestic and geopolitical affairs. I hope he never stops talking.

Is that Seth struggling to breathe during today’s podcast? Love the podcast. One demerit for barely letting Christine get a word in.

I’ve been listening for years, just about every episode. Great variety of opinions, thoughtful analysis. One improvement suggestion: when someone is chewing/slurping/sniffing, could the extra noises be edited out? Or perhaps others on the podcast could ask the noisemaker to mute himself?

Your ‘Bungling’ podcast was the most boring one yet. I couldn’t even make it halfway through.

Hugh Hewitt kept recommending this podcast. I don't know why. Almost all discussions have a deep anti Trump negative bias. According to the Commentary guys, nothing Trump does can meet their high and pristine standards. Definite cannot relate to any of us here in fly over country. I'll invest mt time listening to Victor Davis Hanson!!

I had to unfollow podcast due to the constant complaining every episode. The show has devolved into “Here’s why I hate Trump, more than you!”

I left a five star review a while back calling Commentary the White Rino of political podcasts, but I’m amending that and dropping it to one star. I’d leave no stars if possible. Matthew Continetti has RUINED this show. Yes, John has a habit of droning on, but at least his ~commentary~ is generally interesting and of some intellectual or cultural value. Continetti is just another run-of-the-mill, insufferable, bloviating know-it-all in the think tank business. His endless Trump apologias are also gag inducing. Can the show please just become John, Abe, and Christine, with Abe and Christine perhaps being allowed to speak from time to time each episode?

I love the podcast. John barely lets the others speak, though.

I normally enjoy this podcast but if Matt Continetti is on it, I won’t listen. He is always interrupting and pontificating and I would prefer to hear others’ opinions instead of always his.

this podcast would be great if jon didn't love to hear himself speak SO MUCH

He rambles on far too much. Please collect your thoughts , learn to get to the point, and then speak. Let your co-hosts talk for once, and try being more measured in your delivery.We don't need a thousand examples when you're trying to make a point, we get it, move on tothe issue and yield the floor.Here's another tip: let your guests speak. We already know what you think, we want to hear from them. You're tiresome to listen to and just because daddy left you in charge doesn't mean you're cut out for podcasting.

Do you like coughing, clearing of throats, chewing, slurping, heavy breathing, and other sounds no one wants to hear? This is the podcast for you!

Abe’s comment on Trump today was the sharpest and most revealing fact that a Commentary member ever uttered! To paraphrase Abe: “His actions on tariffs reveal that he actually believed that he won the 2020 election, and shows how impervious he is to facts and evidence.” Well, all I can say is that with all of trump’s character defects, this is his greatest one. In addition, it was entirely predictable. Commentary editors & writers — can you honestly say that Harris could have done this much damage and chaos?? Shame on you all.

UPDATE - All you need to know about this podcast is that the day before Trump’s tariffs crashed our economy, they devoted a whole show to looking back on Kamala Harris 5 months after her defeat. Heckuva job, Commentary!!!! I used to love this podcast, but I guess the economics of podcasting necessitate chasing the MAGA audience at the expense of what I understood the hosts to actually believe. They now bend over backwards to find a shred of sense in whatever Trump says no matter how nonsensical, and if they can’t do that they pivot back to “remember when Joe Biden did..” I agree Continetti is the worst offender but Christine and Abe do it too. Seth is the exception and his commentary is always fair. John is more nuanced still but it sometimes seems the trauma of October 7 has led him and perhaps some of the other hosts to bet on a MAGA alliance for Israel’s survival. I understand, but it has left a podcast that was once fearlessly truth telling and principled sounding as fearful of speaking freely as the voices on the left they criticize for being silent on anti-Semitism and Wokeism. I still listen but more in sorrow than anger because these are intelligent people who know better.

Smart, independent, and intersting people with reasoned perspectives on the events of the day delivered with a sense of humor.

I enjoy this podcast because of the content. But the production should be better: please fix what sounds like heavy breathing.

Did Eli get even 5 uninterrupted minutes? Today was disappointing because he was constantly interrupted.

Great Friday Episode on March 14th. So glad you all stayed daily through Covid.

updating my review from 2023. I’m happy to see improvements on the issues I mentioned back then about John’s talking time. I really want to like this show, and think it would benefit from First Principles Thinking and demonstrate more re-underwriting of your thinking. It’s perfectly fine to say, “Now that X,Y and Z new facts have come to light…” It would be better for everyone. This is not to diminish the intellect or intent, but in my honest opinion, the show has been sagging since Noah departed. While Matt brings a powerful résumé, he misspeaks often and his reference points are from 20-years ago. Whereas John and Abe bring a stronger historical continuity that I enjoy. Christine shines and I would like to hear her, as well as Abe, have more uninterrupted speaking time. I think John needs to lay back and stop talking over people, or avoid the habit of allowing someone to speak and then ignore it by replacing his opinion with a qualifier such as “What I’m interested in is…” or “Here’s the point…”. Overall it’s a good show, but it gets tiresome because John won’t shut up or just meanders verbally. He also lacks the ability to listen to his cohosts and respond to what they are bringing to the show 50-75% of the time. At the same time, it always feels like Abe and Christine don’t get their airspace, so they sound rushed by the bland Matt and overbearing John.