WSJ Opinion: Free Expression

Donald Trump found himself the target of a second attempt on his life, this time from a gunman who was lying in wait for hours, only to be thwarted by the Secret Service. What’s happening with the former president’s security? And with less than 50 days to go to the 2024 election, has the intensity of campaign rhetoric become dangerous? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) tells Gerry Baker about the mistakes made by Secret Service leadership in both assassination attempts on Donald Trump. They also discuss the election itself and what will determine the outcome as well as the changing nature of the GOP and whether it can be the party of working people.

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The verdict is in - Donald Trump came a distant second this week in his first - and perhaps only - presidential debate with Kamala Harris. The former president was repeatedly on the defensive and easily baited by the vice president, despite the fact that she is the candidate of the incumbent and largely unpopular administration. What went wrong? Will there be another chance for Trump to link Harris to the Biden record and to remind voters of the far left policies she supposedly no longer espouses? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Trump presidential transition co-chair and former independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tells Gerry Baker what he told Trump before the debate and how it went unused, why he thinks Trump should agree to another debate and Harris should not, if he will take a role in a possible second Trump term administration and what priorities that administration should pursue. 

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While most voters are focused on the contest between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, there are key Senate races across the nation that will decide who will be in control of the chamber in January. One of the most important is in Pennsylvania, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey is being challenged by Dave McCormick, a businessman and combat veteran who previously ran for the Republican nomination for Senate in 2022. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, McCormick speaks with Gerry Baker about how the national debate on abortion is playing the Keystone State, whether the Democratic ticket change to Kamala Harris and Tim Walz could change the Senate race, and about that day in Butler, PA when Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt and what role the former president may play in determining the outcome of this and other Senate races.

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Kamala Harris told the Democratic National Convention that she has plans for what she called an “opportunity economy.” But with little detail about what such a platform entails, except for promises to end so-called price gouging and raise taxes on companies and the better off, voters don’t seem to have a clear picture of what they will get if the Vice President wins in November. Meanwhile Donald Trump is pledging to extend and widen his tax cuts from 2017 that are due to expire next year, raise tariffs across the board and roll back regulation. So what might all this mean for a U.S. economy where inflation seems finally to be under control but growth may be slowing? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, former World Bank President and Trump administration Treasury official David Malpass explains why a Harris administration would mean more government takeover of the private sector, why the world looks to China instead of the U.S. for economic leadership and what needs to be done to lift long term growth in the U.S.

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A month after abandoning their death march to the polls with President Joe Biden and switching to a campaign of joy with Kamala Harris, Democrats are in Chicago to formally nominate Vice President Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. But beyond spreading the happiness, what are the Democrats offering? On the strength of her few policy announcements, so far it looks likely that Harris is trying to put distance between distance herself and Biden. But can she really escape the record of the last four years? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) joins Gerry Baker from the site of the Democratic National Convention to discuss the changed nature of the race, how Kamala Harris plans to tackle the border and price controls, and addresses controversies surrounding her running mate.      

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With days to go before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the spotlight is shining brightly on Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, as they continue to enjoy a largely substance-free campaign honeymoon, with the sizable help of the media. Meanwhile, cracks in the once-confident campaign of Donald Trump are beginning to show. The former president has spent much of the last few weeks in the fever swamps of conspiracy theory and grievance and Harris seems to have edged ahead in the polls. But with her history of espousing left wing causes and the Biden administration’s uninspiring record, there is no shortage of targets for the GOP to take aim at. Can Trump exercise the self-discipline to take advantage? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, RNC co-chair Lara Trump tells Gerry Baker about how the former president can seize back the initiative from the Democrats, how he can sometimes be “authentic to a fault” with voters and why JD Vance represents the future of the movement Donald Trump started. 

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During Tim Walz’s first rally as the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Americans got to see a quick-witted and effective speaker who knows how to go on the offensive when he needs to. But beyond the theatre, what’s his actual record as Minnesota governor? Two political insiders who’ve been following Walz for decades sit down with Gerry Baker to size up his tenure. John Hinderaker, president of the Center of the American Experiment, and Scott W. Johnson, a retired Minneapolis attorney and contributor to the site Power Line, paint a bleak picture of rising crime, economic decline and tumbling school performance. They also see Harris’s selection of Walz as confirmation that she's willing to keep up with the demands of the far-left flank of her party.  

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On this encore episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Gerry Baker speaks with Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness." Haidt discusses the dangers that are present on social media platforms and how easily accessible they are to kids with very little obstacles to get in the way of them being harmed psychologically. 

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The Republican Party gathered this week for its presidential nominating convention and the message coming from the gathering is clear: Donald Trump, after the failed assassination attempt on his life, has rallied the party successfully heading into the final stretch of the election. The selection of Sen. J.D. Vance as vice presidential nominee has doubled down on the party’s populist message, to the concern of some cons. Meanwhile, the chorus of Democrats calling for Joe Biden to step aside has reached a fever pitch, and it seems a new candidate will be taking over any day. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Republican Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise tells Gerry Baker what he was able to tell Donald Trump regarding the attempt on his own life, what J.D. Vance brings to the Trump campaign, and why he wants Joe Biden to keep running for President. 

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In what is the most important week of Joe Biden's presidency, Democrats are in disarray about the man at the top of the ticket for November's election. Despite strong pushback from the White House to calls for him to step down, the drumbeat demanding change is growing louder. Several members of Congress have called for him to go and many more are privately expressing despair about the party's prospects - in congressional elections as well as at the presidential level - if he remains the candidate.

On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), the president's most vocal supporter in the Senate, explains why he thinks Biden is the only plausible candidate, excoriates those in his party refusing to unite behind him, and talks about his passionate support for Israel and why so many in his party no longer seem to share it.

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The Labour Party secured a major landslide in Britain's elections, resulting in a parliamentary majority not seen since the early days of Tony Blair. The reign of the Conservative Party, who have governed for 14 years, ended in an ignominious rout. But Labour’s victory, led by Keir Starmer, the new prime minister, was achieved with the lowest share of the vote for a winning party in British history. A strong performance by the populist Reform UK party seems to have split the right wing vote. So what does the downfall of the Tories mean for the conservative movement in the U.K. and elsewhere? And what does Britain’s future under Labour look like? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, political commentator Tim Montgomerie tells Gerry Baker why the United Kingdom may have seen the end of the two-party system, how Keir Starmer will perform on the world stage, and how the Conservative Party can stage a comeback.

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By the time Thursday night’s debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump ended, one question was on everyone’s lips: will the president be persuaded to step down ahead of the Democratic convention? His weak and stumbling performance dramatically increased concerns about Biden’s age and stamina, as Donald Trump showed a discipline and focus that has not always been on display  

On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Karl Rove tells Gerry Baker Biden’s was the worst presidential debate performance he has ever seen, and he says there is no way back for him to win if he remains the party’s candidate. Rove says he therefore expects the president now to step aside and he assesses the likely field of Democratic presidential contenders.  

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Free speech is under threat in unprecedented ways in the U.S.. University campuses deny platforms to those who dissent from progressive orthodoxies. Tech firms block heterodox news and opinion on grounds of "disinformation." Companies discipline employees for challenging nostrums about race, sexuality and gender. How did it get this way? What can be done to reverse the tide? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, law professor and legal analyst Jonathan Turley talks with Gerry Baker about his new book, "The Indispensable Right," on the centrality of free speech to human life, and also about other threats to American rights and values including the ‘lawfare’ that is increasingly waged in American politics. 

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Are we losing the new Cold War? In a rare moment of bipartisan unity, all sides in America seem to agree that we are in a long new Cold War struggle with Communist China. But if that's the case, why are we just managing the contest rather than actually trying to win it? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, former Republican congressman Mike Gallagher, who led congressional efforts to confront China, including most recently with legislation banning TikTok, tells Gerry Baker how Beijing is aggressively advancing around the world - including here at home in the U.S., and how we can rise to meet the challenge. The once rising star in GOP ranks also talks about why he left Congress and how he sees the future of the Republican party.

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After Donald Trump’s conviction being on 34 felony counts of falsification of business records and as his sentence looms just ahead of the Republican National Convention, U.S. politics are deeper into uncharted territory. What might happen next? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, former federal prosecutor and Trump lawyer James Trusty takes Gerry Baker through all the legal steps the former president will go through, including the appeals process. He explains why Mr. Trump has good reason to expect success but also expressed concern about the larger prospects for equal and independent justice in an age of partisan politics and ‘lawfare.’

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With the current polls looking better each day for a return to the White House for Donald Trump, what could the next 4 years look like at the southern border? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Gerry Baker speaks with former acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf who says a second Trump administration will make radical changes to border enforcement and immigration policy, ensure the deportation of migrants in the US illegally and seek agreements with foreign governments to take asylum seekers and deter migrants from coming to the US.

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It’s a rare subject of bipartisan agreement that China is the greatest strategic challenge facing the U.S., perhaps the greatest it has ever faced. And yet, despite a decade of admirations of both parties acknowledging the threat, we are woefully under-prepared for it. What can the next President learn from the mistakes of the recent past and how might he remedy them? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Richard Fontaine and Robert Blackwill, foreign policy commentators and co-authors of a new book, “Lost Decade: The US Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power” talk with Gerry Baker about what went wrong and how the next ad ministration must fix it. 

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As global instability increases and threats to our national security grow, what can we learn from the history of warfare? In a new book, noted military historian Victor Davis Hanson examines how some wars have resulted not just in defeat for the vanquished but in the annihilation of their civilization and people. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Prof. Hanson tells Gerry Baker about the parallels between these wars and the threats we now face from our increasingly bold adversaries. How can we avoid the mistakes of those previous civilizations and ensure our survival? He also talks about America’s internal fractures and how they are weakening our national security and what our political leaders can do to reverse the damage in a pivotal election year.

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Adult film actress Stormy Daniels took to the stand this week in the criminal hush-money trial of Donald Trump, surprising the media, legal experts and even the former President himself. But the more we heard the salacious details in the testimony, the more it seemed the move might backfire on the prosecution. In what already looks to many like a thin case against Mr. Trump, the admission of lurid stories about a sexual encounter that even the judge seemed to think might not be relevant only reinforced the perception that the prosecution is a politically-motivated attempt to discredit the former president and current Republican candidate. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, former prosecutor Andy McCarthy talks to Gerry Baker about the case, why it would be a mistake for Donald Trump to testify in his own defense, and the many other legal threats Donald Trump is facing. 

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With the explosion of protests on university campuses and as Donald Trump sits in a courtroom facing felony charges, the 2024 presidential race is at a new level of volatility. Polls show Joe BIden trailing Trump in the key swing states, leaving the current President with only the slimmest of margins as a path to reelection. Six months out, what might change? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report Amy Walter and Gerry Baker discuss which states may decide the future of the presidency and the issues which mean the most when going to the polls. 

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Have our elite universities become seedbeds of hatred? Since Hamas’ murderous attacks on Israel on October 7th, and the war in Gaza that followed, demonstrations have exploded on the campus of American universities. In the last two weeks, the mayhem has escalated. Columbia University especially has been overrun by angry protesters, many of them pushing nakedly antisemitic messages and harassing Jewish students - who have been advised to steer clear of campus for their own safety. One Columbia professor who has challenged the encampments, Shai Davidai, has even found himself barred from the campus. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Davidai tells Gerry Baker about the growth of Hamas and Hezbollah-supporting organizations at Columbia and other universities and describes the threat they pose not just to Jews but to the wider population. 

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As the Biden administration and international public opinion up the pressure on Israel to suspend its campaign against an enemy sworn to destroy it, the right of the Jewish state to defend itself seems to be challenged. Can Israel finish the job against Hamas? Will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain in office despite fierce domestic criticism? What are the wider geopolitical issues at stake? On this episode of the Potomac Watch podcast, policy analyst Reuel Marc Gerecht tells Gerry Baker why an occupation of Gaza by Israel is likely necessary, how pro-Palestinian voters in the United States have influence over Joe Biden’s policy decisions, and why Iran and questions about its nuclear program continue to linger over the entire war.

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With more and more parents giving their children access to smartphones earlier in their lives a common troubling thread seems to be arising that is affecting the way children are growing up.

On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Gerry Baker speaks with Jonathan Haidt, Author of “The Anxious Generation” How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.

Haidt discusses the dangers that are present on social media platforms and how easily accessible they are to kids with very little obstacles to get in the way of them being harmed psychologically. 

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After over 140 people were killed at a concert venue in Moscow, Islamic State in Khorasan Province, or ISKP, an Afghanistan-based offshoot of ISIS, quickly claimed responsibility. Who are ISKP and what wider threat do they pose to the West and the U.S. in particular? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Afghan Armed Forces Lieutenant General Sami Sadat tells Gerry Baker why he thinks ISKP will strike again and soon - - perhaps even in the U.S. He also explains how the chaotic and hurried U.S. departure from Afghanistan in 2021 and the Doha Accord of 2020 helped set the conditions for the resurgence of the terrorist menace. According to Sadat, the Biden administration's plans to fight the enemy from "over the horizon" are doomed to fail. 

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With the Federal Reserve signaling it still plans to cut interest rates this year, has the inflation threat really abated? Heightened optimism about a soft landing has cooled somewhat as inflation at the start of the year has shown signs of persisting. What happens next will have big political implications too. In an election year, more voters seemingly have a negative opinion of how Joe Biden is handling the economy. If interest rates don’t fall appreciably, it won’t help his re-election prospects. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, former Obama White House chief economist Jason Furman tells Gerry Baker why he’s concerned about continuing inflation risks, how rising mortgage rates are causing so much pessimism in households nationwide, and what he thinks the Fed will do next. 

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Four years ago this week, the U.S. shut down in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. While officials were adamant that lockdowns, masks, and later vaccines were essential for all Americans to limit the damage from the spread, it's become increasingly clear that the science behind so many of the mandates was decidedly shaky. Yet those who warned at the time of the risks of draconian actions were widely denounced and even silenced. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Professor Martin Kulldorff, one of the most prominent skeptics tells Gerry Baker why he says he was fired as professor of medicine at Harvard University for his views, why the research on vaccines is not so 'black and white,' and why the media and society were so hostile to alternative views on masks, school closures and natural immunity.

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Super Tuesday put the seal on the 2024 primary season and the rematch of Joe Biden and Donald Trump is set for November. Biden starts out in a weaker position than any incumbent in decades. But, while polling suggests Trump currently has the edge, many voters seem reluctant to endorse either candidate. On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Gerry Baker speaks with former Trump pollster and co-executor of the WSJ’s own regular polling Tony Fabrizio to talk about what we can expect in November and whether Biden can turn the race around? Will Trump overcome the Scott’s about his character? With Robert F. Kennedy running as an Independent and pulling votes from both sides, how sure can either party be about winning the 2024 election?

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This week Hungary finally agreed to the accession of Sweden to NATO. With characteristic defiance of allies and the U.S., Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who alone in the alliance mainstains strong relations with Vladimir Putin after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, had held out for almost two years against the NATO expansion. It's not the only issue on which Hungary has been an outlier. With his opposition to open borders and a strong believer in traditional Christian values, Orbán's government has been despised by establishment elites and progressives and lauded by many on the right in Europe and the U.S. as a model of conservative populism. What's the reality - Are Orbán's "strong man" government and its admirers here a threat to democracy or its salvation? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast Balázs Orbán, political director to the Hungarian prime minister, discusses the future of the west with Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker. 

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The last few months have been a tumultuous time on the campuses of American universities. Shocking instances of anti-Semitic rhetoric on top of a culture of repression of views that challenge the progressive orthodoxies - as well as evidence of plagiarism - led to the departure of the presidents of two high profile institutions. The University of Chicago has long prided itself as a defender of free speech in academia. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, UChicago President Paul Alivisatos tells Gerry Baker what makes his school special and offers highlights of some of the groundbreaking research his institution is pursuing in science, medicine, and artificial intelligence. 

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After special counsel Robert Hur's report described Joe Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” many fears Democrats may have had in private were now out in the open. But with the party’s primary already almost over, is it too late to consider an alternative? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Democratic commentator and scholar Marie Harf tells Gerry Baker why Joe Biden and Donald Trump together will make age a non-issue, which Democrats could be potential successors to Joe Biden and if Kamala Harris is among them, and how both candidates can win voters over on Israel, the border, and the economy. 

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The U.S. is enjoying one of its best stretches of economic performance in years. Growth is strong, unemployment is low, and, though it remains elevated, inflation has fallen sharply. As the rest of the world stagnates, America seems to be booming. 

But how good are things really and can they last? And will the Fed’s continuing struggle to get inflation down eventually push the economy under? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, economist and former presidential adviser Glenn Hubbard tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker how the Fed is facing a tough challenge to get inflation under 3%, and why he thinks policy will remain tight for some time. But he also says the U.S. is undergoing structural changes such as the rise of generative artificial intelligence that could be improving productivity performance in the long run. 

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From deepfakes to advances in medicine and science, artificial intelligence is becoming one of the most feared and misunderstood innovations of the 21st century. So why are so many people afraid of the future of AI? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Scale AI co-founder Alexandr Wang tells Gerry Baker how he went from MIT dropout to powering the AI industry, the effect the technology can have on the military, economics and education, and how AI can be used to distort information during crucial elections across the globe.

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After solid victories in Iowa and New Hampshire by Donald Trump, we look set already for a rematch between the former president and Joe Biden. So where does that leave the Republican party? And what should Nikki Haley do next? Should she stay on and fight or accede to the inevitable? What have we learned from this short and apparently moribund primary season about Trump's and Biden's strengths and weaknesses for the general election? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, veteran pollster and consultant Doug Shoen tells Gerry Baker why now is the time for Haley to drop out of the race, why it might be too late for a third-party candidate to come in as an alternative, and who could be on the list to be Trump's running mate and in his potential administration.

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U.S. elections now seem routinely dogged by allegations of fraud and outside interference. Not just in 2020, but in several of the most recent presidential contests the losing candidates had cried foul. And so the security of this year’s contest may be more controversial than ever. Are our electoral systems safe - and what about the threat of “misinformation”? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince explains how his company is trying to "build a better internet," how tech companies are trying to fight both hackers and widespread organized attacks and responds to criticism of the company’s internal management processes after a video of an employee being fired went viral. 

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The Iowa Caucuses are just a few days away and the New Hampshire primary follows a week after. Donald Trump maintains a big lead in the Hawkeye State and a smaller one in the Granite State. But does Nikki Haley have the momentum? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, WSJ columnist Kimberly Strassel joins Gerry Baker to discuss what’s behind Haley’s apparent advance, what chance Ron DeSantis has of finishing strong and what margin of victory Trump needs in Iowa to declare a decisive victory heading into New Hampshire.  

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The first two contests of the 2024 presidential election, the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, are just days away. So do any of Donald Trump's rivals have a chance to overtake him, and is Joe Biden a strong enough candidate to win reelection? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, veteran pollster Frank Luntz tells Gerry Baker why Iowa and New Hampshire residents are two completely different voter blocs, why Donald Trump should not refuse to debate Joe Biden, and why a third-party candidate has the potential to win electoral votes in 2024, and who that candidate might be. 

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The Free Expression podcast revisits Gerry Baker's conversation with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Catholic archbishop of New York. The two discuss how Pope Francis is leading the church worldwide, the importance of the separation of church and state, and how a lack of religion and moral conviction is to blame for our toxic cultural environment. 

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As 2023 draws to a close, the war between Ukraine and Russia is approaching the two-year mark in what appears to be a stalemate, while the war between Israel and Hamas rages on. What have we learned? What can we expect in 2024? And how is the U.S. dealing with these challenges? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, former CIA director General David Petraeus tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker why the Israel/Hamas battlefield is the most “fiendishly difficult” in recent memory, why the U.S. needs to take more robust action against the Red Sea attacks by Houthi forces backed by Iran, how the withdrawal from Afghanistan contributed to Vladimir Putin’s invasion, and how modern warfare has changed since World War II.

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Is a long overdue change finally coming to America's universities? With the resignation of Penn president Elizabeth Magill, and the controversial decision to keep Claudine Gay as the president of Harvard, the concerns over liberal indoctrination on campus have reached a fresh peak. On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, University of California, Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus of German Literature John M. Ellis tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker why the testimony of the three Ivy League presidents on Capitol Hill exposed the intellectual inadequacy, hypocrisy and extremism of the academic leadership of the universities, highlighted the danger caused by the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and how conservatives have been harassed to the point of leaving the university system, leading to a new search for reforms as the backlash continues.

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From Israel to Ukraine, 2023 has been a year of spreading violent conflict, increasing instability and posing stiff challenges to U.S. global strategy, all within the context of the developing new Cold War with China and its allies, Russia and Iran. It seems likely that our adversaries will probe further in 2024, and with a presidential election in the U.S., geopolitical uncertainty will only intensify. On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, historian Niall Ferguson tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker about the dangers that could come with a Russian victory in Ukraine, why Israel would benefit from a second Donald Trump administration, although it could lead to the end of NATO, and how the election in Taiwan next month will be a time of great danger as China plans its next move. The two also discuss how pro-Hamas protests on campuses have left American universities in a parlous state. 

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Can a little-known congressman from Minnesota really unseat a sitting Democratic president for his party's nomination? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Rep. Dean Phillips tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker why Biden's weaknesses as a candidate, and not the policies of the Democrats, could lead to a Donald Trump victory in 2024. They also discuss why Phillips is suing the Democratic Party of Florida, why he's troubled by the "misdeeds" committed by Hunter Biden and other members of the Biden family, and why Joe Biden's deal with Iran to pay for hostages led to Hamas taking their own in the conflict with Israel. 

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Before celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, listen to some of Gerry Baker's most intriguing interviews from this year, including BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink, economist and China expert George Magnus, former national security adviser to President Donald Trump John Bolton, Middle East scholar Reuel Marc Gerecht, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and political science professor Patrick Deneen. 

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Off year elections in Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio went the Democratic Party's way this week but does that presage a second term for Joe Biden in 2024? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, political scientist Ruy Teixeira and co-author of a new book, "Where Have All the Democrats Gone?" tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker that the Democrats have lost touch with their core voters over economic and cultural issues, how some Democratic activists’ support for Palestinian terrorists underscores their extremism and how the party risks forfeiting the votes of many of its former supporters to the Republicans. 

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One year from the next presidential election, where does the race stand in both parties? Will a clear challenger from the ever-shrinking field emerge to Donald Trump's frontrunner status for the GOP nomination? And what difficulties could Joe Biden face in his reelection campaign? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, veteran pollster Mark Penn tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker that Nikki Haley has all the momentum in the race to be the main challenger to Trump and says her rise in the polls spells certain doom for Ron DeSantis. He also argues Joe Biden's handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas could be critical to his re-election chances and thinks neither Rep. Dean Phillips nor anyone else is likely to displace Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. But, he adds, watch out for a strong third party candidate if it is Trump v. Biden.

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Is Joe Biden prepared to back up his rhetorical support for Israel? On the latest episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Middle East scholar Reuel Marc Gerecht tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker why Israel's promise of the destruction of Hamas may not be possible without the reoccupation of Gaza, why the Biden Administration needs to to draw a red line on Iran's involvement in the conflict, how the escalation of attacks by Hezbollah is inevitable, and why a two-state solution was never viable, and seems even less so now. 

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker about why he thinks ESG investing has become so controversial but also misunderstood. He outlines his concerns about embedded inflation in the economy and how it will change investing and says he thinks cryptocurrency could represent a viable hedge against inflation and other risks. He expresses his concern about the state of free speech on university campuses and the wider decline in the quality of American public discourse.

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As Israel prepares an all-out assault on Hamas following the bloody massacre on its soil last weekend, how does this new war in the Middle East unfold? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, former Israeli ambassador to the US and Middle East historian Michael Oren joins Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker from southern Israel, where military barrages and calls to seek shelter interrupt the conversation even as they discuss the likely Israeli military strategy and objectives, how the war could escalate and spread beyond Gaza, the part Iran played in fostering the conflict and what role, in Oren's view, a potential second Donald Trump presidency may have played in the terrorists' planning. 

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What led eight Republicans to vote against Kevin McCarthy and end his time as Speaker of the House? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker speaks with one of the eight, Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), about how this historic vote was months in the making. Good and Baker also discuss whether the upheaval was done in part with working with Democrats, the future of the continuing resolution in the House on spending, and some of the names being mentioned to be the next Speaker, including Donald Trump. 

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After another Trump-less presidential debate seemed to make few waves in the Republican primary race , what can we now expect from the contest? Is the field about to consolidate to just a handful of candidates vying to be the alternative to Trump?  How could the frontrunner be defeated?

On this week's episode  of the Free Expression, conservative author and commentator Matthew Continetti talks with Gerry Baker about the state of the GOP, the future of conservatism and why he thinks the populist wing of the party is firmly in the ascendant for the foreseeable future. 

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Tim Scott entered the 2024 GOP presidential primary with a message of positivity that was in stark contrast to Donald Trump's dark critique of contemporary America. But is it a winning strategy? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, the South Carolina Senator tells Wall Street Journal editor Gerry Baker of his faith in the goodness of America, but also why he fears a government shutdown is imminent, why the patience of some Americans with the funding of Ukraine is running out, and why he advocates the adoption by states of a 15 week - or less - limit on abortion.

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From government to business to the media, millions of citizens have experienced a steep fall in public trust and confidence in its key institutions. So how did it happen? On this episode of the Free Expression podcast, editor at large Gerry Baker talks about his new book, "American Breakdown: Why We No Longer Trust Our Leaders and Institutions and How We Can Rebuild Confidence," with Wall Street Journal editorial page editor Paul Gigot about how faith can be returned to these pillars of society. 

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Faced with a real estate crisis, record high youth unemployment, and massive debts at the local government level, how much economic trouble is the People's Republic of China in? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, economist and China expert George Magnus tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker about whether China under Xi Jinping’s hardline approach is headed down the same road to collapse as the Soviet Union and what are the long-term consequences for the world economy.  

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Chris Christie has fashioned himself as the anti-Trump candidate in the 2024 GOP presidential field, but can his strategy really bring down the former president and propel Christie to the Oval Office? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, the former New Jersey Governor tells Gerry Baker about how he is tackling the task of unifying the Republican Party despite Donald Trump's influence, whether the Hunter Biden investigation should lead to the impeachment of Joe Biden, and why his run for president is not the "kamikaze mission" it's being perceived as to upend the Trump campaign. 

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For the first time, voters got to see the major candidates for the Republican nomination for President on the same stage, with one glaring exception. On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, GOP strategist and columnist Karl Rove tells WSJ editor at large Gerry Baker why he thinks Vivek Ramaswamy had the worst moment of the night in Milwaukee, how Nikki Haley and Mike Pence advanced their cause and says Ron DeSantis just managed to survive, albeit with a couple of difficult moments. And he argues that Donald Trump's absence exposed his vulnerabilities as the frontrunner and insists the former president can still be beaten. 

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Does the 2024 Presidential election rest on the legal troubles of Donald Trump and the Biden family? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, former Attorney General William Barr tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker why he thinks the latest indictment by Atlanta district attorney of the former president is excessive even as the federal charges he faces are stronger, but why neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump will be the respective nominees for their parties, and why Hunter Biden "would already be in an orange jumpsuit" if he was a member of the Trump family.  

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On this week’s Free Expression podcast John Bolton, who served as national security adviser to President Donald Trump tells Wall Street Journal editor at Large Gerry Baker there’s a good chance Trump will be convicted of criminal offenses ahead of the 2024 presidential election and if he is nominated by the Republican Party it will lead to unenviable defeat. He also argues the US needs to be doing much more to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine and to deter potential Chinese aggression in Taiwan. 

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Has liberalism really failed and if so, what’s next for America and other democracies? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, political science professor Patrick Deneen tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker that the promotion of individual liberty as the organizing principle of society has resulted in the destruction of social cohesion and why it's time for a new political paradigm and the creation of a new elite in tune with true American values.

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Have Democrats taken African-American votes for granted? Could ethnic minorities find a home in the GOP? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker speaks with Georgia State Rep. Mesha Mainor about her decision last week to join the Republican Party and become the first African-American woman elected representative in the state legislature. She explains what Democrats get wrong about issues like school choice and affirmative action and how they continue to look to the past instead of the future. 

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Is religious faith on the decline in the U.S.? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Catholic archbishop of New York, tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker that a lack of religion and moral conviction is to blame for our toxic cultural environment. He also discusses how Pope Francis is leading the church worldwide, the importance of the separation of church and state, and where the pro-life movement stands a year after the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.    

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As Americans celebrate Independence Day this week, the Free Expression Podcast features some of Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker's best interviews, including conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, 2024 Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., commentator Heather Mac Donald, political scientist Ruy Teixeira and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers. 

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After an abortive mutiny by Wagner Group leader and mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin, is Vladimir Putin "damaged goods" as the leader of Russia? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, former Ambassador to both Russia and China Jon Huntsman tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker why Prigozhin was exiled to Belarus while other Putin rivals have met a far worse fate, what the U.S. response should be, its effect on the Ukraine counteroffensive and why China may already be preparing for a new leadership in Russia. 

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In this week’s Free Expression podcast Gerry Baker, WSJ editor at large, talks with Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy about double standards of justice in politics, the corruption of the federal government and his plans to overhaul the administrative state. He also discusses his ideas for a radical reform of the Federal Reserve and the elimination of the FBI, how he plans to facilitate a peace deal in Ukraine to prise apart the Russia-China alliance. and whether he would consider being a candidate for Vice President for Donald Trump - or anyone else. 

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, former Vice President Mike Pence tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker he can’t defend Donald Trump in his indictment over handling classified documents. Speaking just after Trump pled not guilty to criminal charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith, Pence also says he will “clean house” at the Department of Justice. Pence also talks about Jan. 6 and Trump's criticism of him, says why he thinks now is not the time to "flinch" on pro-life abortion laws, and if he would support the eventual Republican nominee for President in 2024 if he does not succeed.   

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With the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, has Russia's invasion of Ukraine reached a critical turning point? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker speaks with House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) about the United States' commitment to aiding Ukraine financially and with armaments, whether Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO, and the concerns that European nations are overpromising and under delivering when it comes to providing support in the conflict. Plus, Rep. Waltz gives his takes on Donald Trump and the person he replaced in Congress, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.  

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Robert F Kennedy Jr, scion of the first family of Democratic politics, has launched an insurgent challenge to incumbent Joe Biden for the party’s presidential nomination for 2024. Early polls have suggested he has the backing of up to one fifth of Democratic voters. On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Kennedy Jr. sits down with Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker and talks about his campaign’s populist message: blasting big business and an overreaching government and a political and cultural environment he claims is characterized by official and corporate censorship and control. They discuss Covid lockdown mandates, energy policy and why he opposes US military support for Ukraine against Russia. He is also challenged about his long-standing, controversial - and widely discredited - campaign against vaccines for children and other controversial causes he has promoted. 

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As Ron DeSantis launches his campaign for president, the race for the 2024 Republican nomination finally gets under way in earnest. What does he need to do to overhaul Donald Trump’s big lead in the opinion polls? And with Senator Tim Scott also joining the fray this week and other candidates expected to join soon, is there any chance this is more than just a two-horse race? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson joins Gerry Baker, Wall Street Journal editor at large, to handicap the intensifying GOP primary race.  

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Has Reaganomics run its course as the dominant economic model for the right? On the episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker continues his look at the evolution of modern conservative thought with public policy commentator Oren Cass. The two discuss whether there is room in conservative thought for a fundamental rethinking of free-market policies that assuages some of their apparent social and economic costs while preserving the benefits.

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How can U.S. foreign policy succeed in a new age of great power confrontation? Does the challenge of an ascendant China mean U.S. support for a European war against Russia is a dangerous distraction? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, conservative foreign policy analyst Elbridge Colby tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker what's at stake for the United States if China invades Taiwan, why it's time for Europe to step up in support for Ukraine and how Donald Trump transformed Republican foreign policy thinking. 

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker speaks with All-American swimmer Riley Gaines, who has become an outspoken advocate for the exclusivity of biologically female-born athletes in women's sports. Gaines talks about how her message has been received by the LGBT community, why she no longer has sympathy for her critics, and why she says the mainstream media has unfairly labeled her opinions "hate speech."

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Joe Biden has officially announced he is running for reelection in 2024. But with his approval ratings in the doldrums, his campaign launch suggests his argument will be focused more on raising fears about the Republican alternative than on promoting his own record. Can he pull it off? On this episode of Free Expression Podcast, political scientist Ruy Teixeira talks to Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker about the Biden strategy, Republican strengths and weaknesses and why embracing identity politics is a losing approach for Democrats. 

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The dominant ideology in America today elevates identity over individuality, victimhood over excellence and race over everything. On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, commentator Heather Mac Donald tells Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker why there needs to be a choice between meritocracy and equity, and why the racialization of all aspects academia and culture has caused major damage and a need for a counter-revolution. 

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Should artificial intelligence be embraced or feared? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, computer scientist Yoshua Bengio tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker why he joined others in the technology field in signing an open letter calling for a pause in AI development. They also discuss the potential risks that could come from a lack of a pause, and how artificial intelligence compares to the computer that is the human brain. 

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After widespread protests against Benjamin Netanyahu's proposed judicial reforms, the Israeli Prime Minister has put the controversial plan on hold. But what led to the eruption? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, journalist and commentator Ben-Dror Yemini speaks to Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerry Baker about the challenges of balancing the ambitions of a democratically elected government with the need for constitutional checks and balances, and what the standoff tells us about the rising tensions around the world between populism and liberal democracy.  

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Is Donald Trump in legal peril, or is he the target of a political prosecution? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, legal scholar Jonathan Turley tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker why Alvin Bragg's pursuit of an indictment is a true abuse of the justice system, how the case can be used to Donald Trump's advantage, and why the Mar-a-Lago investigation is the legal jeopardy the former President should be concerned about the most.  

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At the end of a tumultuous week for U.S. banks, former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker on this episode of Free Expression why the feds were wrong to rescue Silicon Valley Bank’s depositors and how the bailout may make things worse for the U.S. financial system. She also warns that the Federal Reserve should pause its interest rate increases next week or risk tipping the economy into a deeper crisis. 

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Is the ESG craze over? On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with veteran investment manager Terrence Keeley about why environmental, social and governance-based investing is in retreat under pressure from investors, conservative critics and Republicans on Capitol Hill. They also discuss whether restoring investing for shareholder returns rather than in pursuit of political ideology should again be the proper objective of asset managers.  

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker and geopolitical analyst Ian Bremmer survey escalating crises around the world, including China’s deepening partnership with Russia, Ukraine's need for more military and financial assistance, how Joe Biden would defend Taiwan, the growing threat from Iran, and the U.S. Energy Department's conclusion that Covid started in a Chinese lab. 

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker and historian Robert Kagan take stock of the war between Russia and Ukraine on the first anniversary of the conflict. After Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv this week they discuss America's large and continuing commitment to Ukraine, Vladimir Putin's options as his military is depleted, China's role and why it should be wary of military action against Taiwan, and how, after a century as the world’s dominant power, the US can maintain its global status. 

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, president of the University of Chicago Paul Alivisatos talks with The Wall Street Journal's Editor at Large, Gerry Baker about improving the climate for free speech at American universities and colleges, creating more ideological and intellectual diversity in the faculty, and how American higher education can continue to be a force for socially and economically valuable research and discovery. 

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, economist Ken Rogoff talks to The Wall Street Journal's Editor at Large, Gerry Baker about why the U.S. faces a significant chance of recession, the risks of a new financial crisis, and how China is struggling to deal with the realities of its modern economy. 

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On this episode of the Free Expression Podcast, international relations expert and commentator John Chipman tells The Wall Street Journal's Editor-at-Large, Gerry Baker why Ukraine is in a must-win stage in its war with Russia as the one-year anniversary of the conflict nears, how seriously to take fears of escalation, and what the world makes of the Biden administration’s handling of challenges in the Middle East and China. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker how much further the Federal Reserve will need to go to contain inflation, whether it will cause a recession and weighs in on the threat to expression and intellectual diversity in universities. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan sits down with Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The two discuss how the tumultuous vote to make Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House could yield positive results for the Republican Party, the debate over raising the debt ceiling, and how the GOP needs to get past Donald Trump to secure a victory in 2024.    

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On this episode of Free Expression, leading economist Jason Furman shares his outlook for the economy for the coming year with Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker. He explains why it’s unlikely the Federal Reserve can engineer a soft landing of low inflation without a recession, why so many experts got it wrong about the temporary nature of inflation in 2022, and how the labor market, China, and policy will determine the path of the economy. 

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As Congress ends another day without electing a Speaker of the House, outgoing Senator Ben Sasse talks to Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker about why the nation’s politics is overrun by zealots, how to heal the divisions in the GOP and restore the virtues of persuasion and pluralism to government, and why he is leaving Washington to become president of the University of Florida.

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Free Expression's final episode of 2022 features some of Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker's best interviews of the year, including conversations with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, author Douglas Murray, economist Nicholas Eberstadt, author and activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, historian Niall Ferguson, and analyst Michael Shellenberger. 

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With Congress calling for a ban on TikTok, the release of Elon Musk's 'Twitter Files' and the collapse of FTX, the technology sector faces the possibility of regulation now more than ever. On this episode of Free Expression, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) speaks to Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker about why tech companies need to be more transparent about their policies, and the dangers of big political donations coming from the tech sector. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, incoming Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker of his hopes for a deal to establish normal relationships with Saudi Arabia and a wider peace with the Arab world, how he plans to prevent Iran from going nuclear and what his relationships with Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden might mean for the conflict in Ukraine. 

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With the defeat of GOP candidate Herschel Walker by incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock in the Georgia Senate runoff election, the Democrats won a 51-49 majority despite Joe Biden's low approval ratings. So what happened and how can Republicans win the Senate back? On the latest episode of Free Expression, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker about why candidate quality and Donald Trump were not to blame for the various losses, and why Republicans need to get even more aggressive about getting their message across to voters.  

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With the U.S. economy facing a highly uncertain 2023, what’s the bigger threat - inflation or recession? Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is signaling slowing in the pace of interest rate increases after its fierce tightening this year, but has the Fed already gone too far? On the latest episode of the Free Expression podcast, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerard Baker speaks to former Fed vice chairman Alan Blinder about what’s next for the economy and monetary and fiscal policy. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, Ways and Means Republican Leader Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker the Republican Party needs to look forward not backward as it considers its future, has admiring words for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and explains how a Republican-controlled House of Representatives can block Joe Biden's agenda and build some legislative achievements in a divided Congress. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker talks with conservative author and commentator Matthew Continetti about why an expected dominant victory for the GOP on Election Day never came to fruition, what the results mean for a potential 2024 matchup between Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump, and how Republicans can formulate a message on issues like abortion and crime to increase their popular vote numbers. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, policy analyst Reuel Marc Gerecht tell Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker why Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his regime see the most recent protests in Iran as a dangerous threat to their power, why sanctions won't stop Iran's significant nuclear program, and why Iran is aligning with Russia and China in a new Cold War with the West. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker about why he thinks the Russia/Ukraine conflict is an "unnecessary war," why the United States should send a strong message on defending Taiwan in the face of China, and how the left has sabotaged U.S. global power and made America look weak on the world stage.

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Whose turn is it to run Britain? On the latest episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker explores the turmoil in what used to be called the world’s most successful political party - the U.K.’s Conservatives. Tim Montgomerie, a leading conservative thinker in Britain, explains how after 12 years of the Tories in office, the aftermath of Brexit and the challenge that populism poses to conservatives, British politics has become so chaotic. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker why there is a growing backlash to woke capitalism, why both sides of the cultural divide have embraced victimhood, and why there will be major hurdles on the road back to excellence. 

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On a new episode of Free Expression, energy expert Daniel Yergin explains to Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker the turbulence in global energy markets, how the Biden administration’s confused policies on energy are undermining America’s energy security and says a rational mix of natural gas, oil, nuclear and renewables offers solutions to our long-term energy needs. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, professor Steven Pinker tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker whether humans are becoming more rational, why reason should be taught in schools like math and reading, and if society is seemingly becoming more susceptible to conspiracy theories and confirmation bias.     

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, epidemiology expert Jay Bhattacharya tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker about what the world learned from the mistakes made during the pandemic, and the economic damage done by lockdowns and how to avoid resorting to them again. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, pollster Mark Penn talks to Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker about the messages both Democrats and Republicans need to convey to voters in November, why Joe Biden's anti-MAGA speech in Philadelphia may backfire on the President, and why the GOP is still in search of a national leader to unify the party. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, military historian Fred Kagan tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker why the recent counter offensive by Ukraine is the most significant event of the war, why the will of the Russian military is at a breaking point, and how the world would react to Vladimir Putin using tactical nuclear weapons when faced with no other choice. 

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, former senior adviser to President Trump Jared Kushner tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker about how the disruptive Trump presidency led to foreign policy successes, why he thinks the Biden administration provoked the war between Russia and Ukraine, and why the FBI's document search of Mar-a-Lago and the failures of Washington could lead Donald Trump to another White House run to correct "unfinished business."

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On the latest episode of Free Expression, constitutional lawyer Alan Dershowitz tells Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker the chances of an indictment for the former President are rising. But he says the aggressive approach by the Department of Justice and the FBI are undermining trust in American justice and explains why the hard left is the true danger to the future of democracy.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with economist Nicholas Eberstadt about why men are leaving the workforce in greater numbers, what these men are doing with their time while not employed, and if the policies and economics of Covid-19 have forever changed the culture of the office.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with China expert Michael Pillsbury about the fallout from Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan, what more the U.S. can do to protect Taiwan from aggression from China, and if there is an internal power struggle within Chinese politics.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with analyst Michael Shellenberger about why extremists on the left only speak about climate change in the most unnecessarily apocalyptic terms, why the world needs an energy abundance and not energy scarcity, and how progressive policies on crime and drugs have ruined many American cities.    

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with talk show host and columnist Dennis Prager about why there is so much censorship of conservative speech by the left, why leftists see organized religion as a hostile force, and why he thinks people would rather be taken care of than be free. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with economist Mohamed El-Erian about when the U.S. economy will see any relief from the high rate of inflation, the mistakes made by the Federal Reserve to try to fix the problem, and the probability of a recession under Joe Biden's fiscal policies. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with conservative commentator Noah Rothman about what he calls the "new Puritanism," the left's modern secular religion that attempts to extinguish pleasure from our lives in pursuit of social justice, green extremism and ordered Utopianism, and why they won't succeed. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker talks to historian Andrew Roberts about the left’s campaign to defame and discredit the West’s history and the pushback against the woke cultural revolution. And as the British Conservative Party elects a new leader, they consider the condition of modern conservatism on both sides of the Atlantic.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with Kellyanne Conway, former counselor to President Donald Trump, about the Jan. 6 Committee, Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony, Donald Trump's possible candidacy in 2024, and why the Republican Party should be recognized for championing women and the issues they value most.    

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with professor and bioethics expert O. Carter Snead about what Americans have gotten wrong about the original Roe. v. Wade decision, why the debate over what is considered a "person" still continues, and why the electorate will ultimately decide how lawmakers act on abortion in a post-Dobbs world.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with law professor and former Supreme Court clerk John Yoo about the historically significant conservative direction of the Court, the damage done by the leak of Justice Samuel Alito's draft decision in the Dobbs case, and why the Founding Fathers would have been suspicious of the January 6th Committee hearings. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with essayist Wesley Yang about how the ascent of progressive ideas in the last few years represents a 'successor ideology”. Seeking to supplant traditional liberalism, it is an authoritarian dogma that has captured most of our cultural, political institutions and even business leadership, compelling compliance with its beliefs on social justice, anti-racism, identity politics and other left-wing nostrums. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with author and activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali about how ideologues and a lack of leadership created a lack of confidence in Western civilization, how the youth of today misinterpret concepts like free speech, and why it's not too late to stop the West from imploding from within.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with Lionel Shriver, author of We Need to Talk About Kevin, about what tragedies like the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre say about guns, mental health and young men, and if the tide will turn against cancel culture and the war on language. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with biophysicist Michael Levitt about the economic and social damage caused by lockdowns, why there should have been more disagreement among the experts studying Covid-19, and why he thinks the politicization of science will get worse before it gets better. 

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Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with geopolitical analyst Ian Bremmer about how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revitalized the west and harmed Moscow, why cyberattacks are more of a threat than nuclear proliferation, and how the world now faces three major crises that will require a revival of American unity and purpose to overcome. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with legal scholar Jonathan Turley about the ramifications of the leak of the Supreme Court's draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, how legal and constitutional norms are being trampled and what the possible final ruling may mean for abortion, the law and politics.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with political theorist Yoram Hazony about how conservatism has gone astray from its roots and how it can be rescued by a new generation that embraces religion and traditional values at its heart.  

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On this episode of Free Expression, author and commentator Douglas Murray speaks with WSJ Editor at Large Gerry Baker about how a culture war has been declared on the traditions and history of the West, the problem with looking at America through a racial lens, and how the United States has become "an exporter of bad ideas." 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about why Vladimir Putin did not attempt an invasion of Ukraine during the Trump administration, why Americans are worse off now than during Donald Trump's years in office, and whether Pompeo is considering a run for president in 2024. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with Russian-born chess grand master and outspoken Vladimir Putin critic Garry Kasparov about how the U.S. and its allies are still not taking the Russian menace seriously enough and why the future of the free world may depend on the collapse of the Putin regime. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates about the need for a new US global strategy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, why Putin’s war is faltering and how the west should deal with the emerging challenges from the China-Russia alliance. 

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Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerry Baker speaks this week with author and scholar Orville Schell about whether China can put pressure on Russia to end the invasion of Ukraine and what effect it may have on Xi Jinping's own ambitions to forcibly reclaim Taiwan. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor-at-Large Gerry Baker speaks with Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla about how his company was able to develop a Covid-19 vaccine in under a year, the risks of new variants, and why some people distrust scientific institutions.

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor-at-Large Gerry Baker speaks with one of the world’s pre-eminent historians of Russia, Stephen Kotkin, about the autocratic ambitions behind Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, how the west can do more to resist his aggression and how he has placed China at an inflection point in its rise to global superpower status. 

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On this episode of Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Editor-at-Large Gerry Baker speaks with William Barr about his tumultuous time as Attorney General in the Trump administration. Barr forcefully refutes Donald Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen, states why Donald Trump should not run again in 2024, and explains how the Trump presidency began to turn the tide against the progressive march through U.S. culture and institutions.   

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