What war did you dream about last night, Mr. Ambassador? John Bolton on foreign policy, the President's second-term instincts, and whether he’s more likely to get got by Tehran or Trump.
He reminds me of what I thought people ought to be like when talking about ideas, disagreeing, and putting your best foot forward when having a conversation as a kid.
As an adult I understand, with jaded cynicism, most people behave like screeching children, and no one who needs to hear what an adult conversation sounds like will ever listen to this.
I really wish they would though - this was good stuff!
One thing I definitely love about your shows is that you have people on that I've disagreed with for years to decades and then hearing them with a conversation with you gents let's me hear that oh jeez that guy is actually relatively reasonable and I could disagree on certain aspects respectably. It's an aphorism Michael has said multiple times; you see these people on TV that are totally acting crazy and then when you're in the green room with them you realize they are funny or thoughtful or witty; camera must be like a hypnotizing spell that brings out the worst in a lot (or the market incentivizes such behavior, which is absolutely true). Another excellent convo fif!
I also think that Bolton sounded much more unhinged 5+ years ago vs. today because the Earth below us shifted so dramatically. He's basically the same in his ideology but now sounds like more of a reasonable person (if not able to explain himself in a logical way despite maybe being wrong in premise) compared to what we're seeing play out.
I saw a speech from GW Bush recently from 2002 and he comes off like a respectable statesmen. At the time, I recall he was far more buffoonish.
Good talk. Bolton is one of those people who always sounds more reasonable than others make him out to be. I disagree with him on a few points, but I don't think he's some unhinged warmonger, far outside the Overton window of American foreign policy.
I second this! If we are federalists, we don't want nationalized voting, and we want free and fair elections, then the details of what is going on in Fulton Co are important, for better or worse.
I'd love for *my favorite journalists* (ahem!) to do a deep dive on it.
Wish they had dived deeper into Iraq. So, all he cared about was toppling Saddam, not nation building. If you don’t have a post war plan how can you be sure removing Saddam will improve things? No pushback from the fellas there. He just wanted to drop some Federalist pamphlets from helicopters on our way back home? Sure. He justified the war b/c Saddam was a threat to the US. Was it the yellow cake, John? Was it the centrifuges, John? Mohammed Atta? No pushback here either. “Oh how unfortunate it was to have forces surrounding Iran on both sides and we didn’t realize what a good idea it would have been to take them out back then.” Anyone paying attention back then knew Iran was on the menu from the beginning. WMD were your pretext to invade Iraq and use it as a staging ground for Iran. It’s only because Iraq went so poorly post invasion that you didn’t get another war. You criticize Trump’s shifting pretexts for abducting Maduro. I wish someone would keep you honest about you justifying your own pretexts.
Despite my criticisms above, I mostly enjoyed listening to the convo.
I understand why you guys like talking to Bolton. He's witty, self-deprecating, and smart -- in certain dimensions. But along other dimensions he seems kind of dumb. Or perhaps it's more fair to say hes incurious. Your questions about regime change illustrated this perfectly. Kudos to all of you.
Yes. He’s the political class. The sooner we realize they aren’t special or uniquely qualified to lead but are just people With outsized ego the sooner we can fix it.
But people hate that. If our leaders are just like ever other normal and incompetent people then their world view shatters because it requires devious and evil and brilliant people at the top pulling the puppet strings.
The ugly truth is they are just as stupid and prone to stupid as your average Walmart employee.
I thought Bolton acquitted himself quite well. Though I'm not near the interversionist he is, I never believed Powel's dictum of :you break it you own it had be accepted as gospel. We break what is a threat to "us"< and then you, people, pick up the pieces.
Tucker Carlson may be insane now but one of the best phrases I ever heard describing a politician came out of his mouth during a commentary on his Fox News show in 2019.
It was about John Bolton.
He referred to him as a “Bureaucratic tape worm”. Try with all your might, he will never go away, constantly surviving through the hardened bowels of bureaucracy.
At 19:45 - You truly get an idea of what a good guy Matt Welch must really be… That was the most sincerely, polite way of posing the question/statement to Bolton as to why does he always choose regime change, when he’s always so catastrophically wrong about it. Tip of the cap, my good sir.
if anyone was hoping that bolton would bring back some coherence on the venezuela topic on this pod, they’re going to be disappointed. a guy who supports decades-long regime change efforts declaring regime change in venezuela a failure after 2 months is so hilariously stupid. props to kmele for trying though.
This was excellent. The 2006 version of me would be shocked to learn that the 2026 version of me was nodding in agreement through an entire interview with John Bolton.
The guys funding it were on Rogan about 18 months ago.
It’s gaining traction with track and field athletes, mainly sprinters, that have been popped for doping.
As to Russian exclusion, Bolton was correct, it’s based solely on Russian state sponsored doping, mainly from Sochi Olympics - highlighted in the Icarus documentary Michael referenced. It’s really good.
World anti doping, WADA, has laid out guidelines that Russia must admit to and adhere to. They have not.
There is some ability for athletes, at least in track and field, to participate at global championships. Basically by showing that they don’t live or train in Russia.
He reminds me of what I thought people ought to be like when talking about ideas, disagreeing, and putting your best foot forward when having a conversation as a kid.
As an adult I understand, with jaded cynicism, most people behave like screeching children, and no one who needs to hear what an adult conversation sounds like will ever listen to this.
I really wish they would though - this was good stuff!
Ha. Well said.
One thing I definitely love about your shows is that you have people on that I've disagreed with for years to decades and then hearing them with a conversation with you gents let's me hear that oh jeez that guy is actually relatively reasonable and I could disagree on certain aspects respectably. It's an aphorism Michael has said multiple times; you see these people on TV that are totally acting crazy and then when you're in the green room with them you realize they are funny or thoughtful or witty; camera must be like a hypnotizing spell that brings out the worst in a lot (or the market incentivizes such behavior, which is absolutely true). Another excellent convo fif!
Well said!
I also think that Bolton sounded much more unhinged 5+ years ago vs. today because the Earth below us shifted so dramatically. He's basically the same in his ideology but now sounds like more of a reasonable person (if not able to explain himself in a logical way despite maybe being wrong in premise) compared to what we're seeing play out.
I saw a speech from GW Bush recently from 2002 and he comes off like a respectable statesmen. At the time, I recall he was far more buffoonish.
True. Cultural shifts definitely change perception.
Absolutely. Once people are allowed to open up and feel comfortable you get a really nuanced, interesting conversation.
Good talk. Bolton is one of those people who always sounds more reasonable than others make him out to be. I disagree with him on a few points, but I don't think he's some unhinged warmonger, far outside the Overton window of American foreign policy.
Really enjoying the discussion so far about halfway through. Made me go look up the Chagos Islands on my wall map.
Nice episode. Can we please get someone from Georgia to talk about Georgia please?
I second this! If we are federalists, we don't want nationalized voting, and we want free and fair elections, then the details of what is going on in Fulton Co are important, for better or worse.
I'd love for *my favorite journalists* (ahem!) to do a deep dive on it.
Seconded
They’ve probably booked Stacey Abrams.
I literally would not be surprised
Are you trying to get double-secret probation?
I will call FIRE.
The First Amendment does allow you to call FIRE in a comments section.
3YL said so, and he’s a notary public. He MAKES the law
Fresh off her appearance on the James Patterson podcast (yaaaaaay!)
Now that episode would be fun. LOL
INSPIRED choice for a guest. you don't have to agree with him, but he will talk/debate and tackle the issues as he sees them.
Great episode, better episode title
Wish they had dived deeper into Iraq. So, all he cared about was toppling Saddam, not nation building. If you don’t have a post war plan how can you be sure removing Saddam will improve things? No pushback from the fellas there. He just wanted to drop some Federalist pamphlets from helicopters on our way back home? Sure. He justified the war b/c Saddam was a threat to the US. Was it the yellow cake, John? Was it the centrifuges, John? Mohammed Atta? No pushback here either. “Oh how unfortunate it was to have forces surrounding Iran on both sides and we didn’t realize what a good idea it would have been to take them out back then.” Anyone paying attention back then knew Iran was on the menu from the beginning. WMD were your pretext to invade Iraq and use it as a staging ground for Iran. It’s only because Iraq went so poorly post invasion that you didn’t get another war. You criticize Trump’s shifting pretexts for abducting Maduro. I wish someone would keep you honest about you justifying your own pretexts.
Despite my criticisms above, I mostly enjoyed listening to the convo.
To be fair he did say he'd keep the military around them while they formed their own government.
I understand why you guys like talking to Bolton. He's witty, self-deprecating, and smart -- in certain dimensions. But along other dimensions he seems kind of dumb. Or perhaps it's more fair to say hes incurious. Your questions about regime change illustrated this perfectly. Kudos to all of you.
Yes. He’s the political class. The sooner we realize they aren’t special or uniquely qualified to lead but are just people With outsized ego the sooner we can fix it.
But people hate that. If our leaders are just like ever other normal and incompetent people then their world view shatters because it requires devious and evil and brilliant people at the top pulling the puppet strings.
The ugly truth is they are just as stupid and prone to stupid as your average Walmart employee.
I thought Bolton acquitted himself quite well. Though I'm not near the interversionist he is, I never believed Powel's dictum of :you break it you own it had be accepted as gospel. We break what is a threat to "us"< and then you, people, pick up the pieces.
"Here are The Federalist Papers. Good luck!" made me LOL. If only.
Tucker Carlson may be insane now but one of the best phrases I ever heard describing a politician came out of his mouth during a commentary on his Fox News show in 2019.
It was about John Bolton.
He referred to him as a “Bureaucratic tape worm”. Try with all your might, he will never go away, constantly surviving through the hardened bowels of bureaucracy.
At 19:45 - You truly get an idea of what a good guy Matt Welch must really be… That was the most sincerely, polite way of posing the question/statement to Bolton as to why does he always choose regime change, when he’s always so catastrophically wrong about it. Tip of the cap, my good sir.
Great pod, this conversation reminded me why us EuroMAXXER are hoping for a European Century Revival. 🫰🫰🫰
if anyone was hoping that bolton would bring back some coherence on the venezuela topic on this pod, they’re going to be disappointed. a guy who supports decades-long regime change efforts declaring regime change in venezuela a failure after 2 months is so hilariously stupid. props to kmele for trying though.
This was excellent. The 2006 version of me would be shocked to learn that the 2026 version of me was nodding in agreement through an entire interview with John Bolton.
From the movie supertrooper
https://youtu.be/EU4iDWnybgE
Resident professional track and field coach here.
Yes, there is a drug “free for all” games coming. It’s called the Enhanced Games.
https://www.enhanced.com
The guys funding it were on Rogan about 18 months ago.
It’s gaining traction with track and field athletes, mainly sprinters, that have been popped for doping.
As to Russian exclusion, Bolton was correct, it’s based solely on Russian state sponsored doping, mainly from Sochi Olympics - highlighted in the Icarus documentary Michael referenced. It’s really good.
World anti doping, WADA, has laid out guidelines that Russia must admit to and adhere to. They have not.
There is some ability for athletes, at least in track and field, to participate at global championships. Basically by showing that they don’t live or train in Russia.