GoodFellows: Conversations from the Hoover Institution

SNAFU . . . or FUBAR?

Supporters of President Trump storm the US Capitol; Congress mulls how to punish the president for the rioting; Big Tech cracks down on Trump and conservative social media—and we still have a full-blown pandemic. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss whether the confluence of events qualifies as a snafu (“situation normal, all fouled up”) or a more ominous fubar (“fouled up beyond all recognition”).

Recorded January 12, 2021 1 PM PT

One Nation Under A Groove

In the final episode of the series for 2020, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane reflect on lessons learned from the pandemic, Donald Trump’s future, the ruinous state of the Golden State, how society will differ in 2021, plus what gets them through their daily routines—a mixtape of UK punk, Philly-brand funk, and the soothing sounds of “Sweet Baby James” Taylor.

Recorded December 8, 2020 4 PM PT

A Tale Of Three Waves

As America enters a period of deeper COVID restrictions on the eve of the holiday season, what will be the effects on families, livelihoods, and civil liberties? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane discuss what the future holds for curbing the pandemic, implementing vaccines, and returning to normalcy.

Recorded November 17, 2020 1 PM PT

Two-Year-Olds With Hammers

The likelihood of a change of power in Washington raises the question of how a nascent Biden administration would approach the pandemic, economics, and foreign policy. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane share their thoughts on what policy detours or reversals our 46th president would undertake.

Recorded November 10, 2020 1 PM PT

The Best Of All Possible Outcomes?

With votes still being counted, this much is apparent: the 2020 election didn’t produce a forecasted “blue wave”; radical “woke” ideas are likely dead on arrival in Washington. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H.R. McMaster and John Cochrane discuss the message voters sent and the current health of American democracy. Also, Niall Ferguson remembers a fellow Scotsman, Sean Connery, who died last week at the age of 90.

Recorded November 5, 2020 10 AM PT

Ready For Anything

A Trump victory, a Biden victory, or a protracted cliffhanger? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss Election Day scenarios, issues that went unaddressed in 2020’s presidential contest, plus what lies ahead for both parties in dealing with their restless bases.

Recorded October 30, 2020 5 PM PT

Breaking Up (Big Tech) Is Hard To Do

This week’s antitrust lawsuit against Google poses a pertinent question at the intersection of Big Tech and free speech: from rewriting statutes to dismantling market giants such as Amazon and Facebook, what actions is the federal government willing to take to ensure the interests of Americans? Hoover Senior Fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane weigh the latest salvo in the ongoing hostilities between Washington and Silicon Valley.

Recorded October 21, 2020 2 PM PT

Slightly Hawkish?

With polls suggesting a Biden victory in November, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane assess the impact of a change in power on US foreign policy. Their conclusion: not necessarily the same course as the previous Democratic administration—a new president perhaps more willing to use force.

Madison: The Musical

Is the 2020 American election destined for a decisive result or a series of legal challenges that will delay the outcome and throw the nation into tumult, possibly sparking a constitutional crisis? With Election Day now less than five weeks away, Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane and Hoover visiting fellow John Yoo—a constitutional law expert—discuss the various strains on America’s voting system.

Recorded September 29, 2020 2 PM PT

SPECIAL GUEST:

John Yoo is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California–Berkeley School of Law, and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. His most recent book is Defender in Chief: Donald Trump’s Fight for Presidential Power (St. Martin’s 2020).

Defending The Free World

In his three-plus decades of service to his country, Hoover senior fellow and former national security advisor H. R. McMaster fought for freedom’s cause and defended America’s national security interests abroad. The author of  the newly released book Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World shares his world vision—rival powers’ mindsets and warnings of crises to come—with Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane.