Political Beats
138 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 500 ratingsScot Bertram and Jeff Blehar discuss ask guests from the world of politics about their musical passions.
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Episodes
Episode 38: Charles C. W. Cooke / The Beatles [Part 2]
July 16, 2018 10:00 - 3 hours - 178 MBScot and Jeff discuss The Beatles with Charles C. W. Cooke, editor of NationalReview.com and the author of The Conservatarian Manifesto. Part 2 of 2. Introducing the Band: Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Charles C. W. Cooke. He is the editor of NationalReview.com and the author of The Conservatarian Manifesto. Follow him on Twitter at @charlescwcooke Charles’s Music Pick: The Beatles: Charles returns to finish our lengthy conversation about...
Episode 37: Charles C. W. Cooke / The Beatles [Part 1]
July 09, 2018 10:00 - 2 hours - 159 MBScot and Jeff discuss The Beatles with Charles C. W. Cooke. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Charles C. W. Cooke. He is the editor of NationalReview.com and the author of The Conservatarian Manifesto. Charles’s Music Pick: The Beatles There’s this band you might have heard of called The Beatles. It’s Paul McCartney’s old group. Anyway, if you’re not aware of them, or their music, Scot, Jeff, and Charles turn the spotligh...
Episode 36: Christopher J. Scalia / Cheap Trick
June 18, 2018 10:00 - 2 hours - 91.4 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Christopher Scalia. He is co-editor of Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law, Faith, and Life Well Lived, the New York Times best-selling collection of his late father’s speeches. He works at a public relations firm in Alexandria, VA, and has written reviews and political commentary for the Washington Post, NRO, Weekly Standard, Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere. Follow him on Twitter at @cjsca...
Episode 35: Jon Gabriel / New Order
May 28, 2018 12:21 - 2 hours - 80.5 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Jon Gabriel, co-host of the Conservatarians podcast and editor-in-chief of Ricochet. Follow Jon Twitter at @exjon. Jon’s Music Pick: New Order This week the gang gets pumped full of drugs as they discuss New Order, the rock legends who emerged from the ashes of Joy Division to spend an entire decade shaping the sound of modern dance music.
Episode 34: Mark Joseph Stern / The Velvet Underground
May 14, 2018 06:37 - 1 hour - 63.3 MBScot and Jeff discuss The Velvet Underground with Mark Joseph Stern of Slate. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Mark Joseph Stern covers courts and the law for Slate. Follow him on Twitter at @mjs_DC, and find more here. Mark’s Music Pick: The Velvet Underground Scot, Jeff, and Mark find their respective mainlines and nearly overdose on a large helping of The Velvet Underground. Widely respected as one of the most influen...
Episode 33: Kevin Madden / Wilco
May 07, 2018 14:00 - 2 hours - 79.4 MBScot and Jeff talk to Kevin Madden about Wilco. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Kevin Madden, Republican strategist, CNN Commentator and former advisor to President George W. Bush, Gov. Mitt Romney, Republican House Leaders John Boehner and Tom DeLay.” Follow Kevin on Twitter at @KevinMaddenDC. Kevin’s Music Pick: Wilco This week the gang gets a shot in the arm as they celebrate Wilco, one of the great genre-transcendin...
Episode 32: Ellen Carmichael / Dire Straits
April 23, 2018 12:00 - 1 hour - 64.9 MBScot and Jeff talk to Ellen Carmichael about Dire Straits. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Ellen Carmichael, president of The Lafayette Company and contributor to National Review and Forbes . Follow her on Twitter at @ellencarmichael, and find more here. Ellen’s Music Pick: Dire Straits Creators of one of the most iconic guitar solos (“Sultans of Swing”) and music videos (“Money For Nothing”) of all time, Dire Straits ...
Episode 31: Christian Schneider / Pixies
April 16, 2018 11:39 - 2 hours - 70.3 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Christian Schneider, columnist for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and USA Today. Follow him on Twitter at @Schneider_CM, and read his work here. Christian’s music pick: Pixies It’s time to gouge away as the gang attacks the Pixies, a band that was around for only a few short years (minus a 21st-century profit-taking reunion tour or two) but managed to influence an entire generation of musi...
Episode 30: Matt Murray / Talking Heads
April 09, 2018 12:08 - 2 hours - 90.1 MBScot and Jeff talk to the WSJ‘s Matt Murray about Talking Heads. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Matt Murray, executive editor of the Wall Street Journaland author of The Father and the Son: My Father’s Journey into the Monastic Life. Follow Matt on Twitter at @murraymatt. Matt’s Music Pick: Talking Heads This week the gang stops making sense as they tackle Talking Heads, a band that resolutely defies easy classificatio...
Episode 29: Terry Teachout / The Band
April 02, 2018 13:02 - 2 hours - 145 MBScot and Jeff talk to Terry Teachout about The Band. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Terry Teachout, drama critic for the Wall Street Journal, author of the plays “Satchmo At The Waldorf” and “Billy And Me,” and author of, among others, The Skeptic: A Life of H.L. Mencken and Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington. Follow Terry on Twitter at @TerryTeachout, check out his excellent books of cultural and musical criticism here, and...
Episode 28: Mark Davis / Paul McCartney and Wings
March 25, 2018 13:54 - 2 hours - 91.5 MBScot and Jeff talk to Mark Davis about Paul McCartney and Wings.
Episode 27: The Cover Version Special
March 19, 2018 12:07 - 2 hours - 79 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with . . . no guest at all! Yes, this is a Very Special Episode of Political Beats, where the gang learns the true meaning of Christmas as well as a valuable lesson about the importance of friendship. In other words, this is PB’s first format-bucking episode where, instead of having a guest on to discuss their favorite artist, the subject is Scot and Jeff’s favorite cover songs of all time. And they’ve...
Episode 26: Jay Caruso / Foo Fighters
March 12, 2018 10:42 - 2 hours - 75.5 MBJeff and Scot talk to Jay Caruso about Foo Fighters. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Jay Caruso, editorial writer & board member at the Dallas Morning News and co-host of the Fifth Estate podcast. Follow Jay on Twitter at @JayCaruso, check out the Fifth Estate here, and read his most recent work here. Jay’s Musical Pick: Foo Fighters This week the gang dusts up the ashes from Nirvana’s auto-combustion as they cover Foo ...
Episode 25: Ezekiel Kweku / Talk Talk
March 05, 2018 12:30 - 2 hours - 79.1 MBScot and Jeff talk to Ezekiel Kweku about Talk Talk. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Ezekiel Kweku, politics editor at New York magazine. Follow Ezekiel on Twitter at @TheShrillest, and read his work here. Ezekiel’s Music Pick: Talk Talk What if one of the most important, most rewarding bands of the 1980s was a band you had most likely never heard of, or knew only as a one-hit wonder? The gang argues this week for the g...
Episode 24: Eric Garcia / AC/DC
February 19, 2018 11:59 - 2 hours - 74.9 MBJeff and Scot talk to Eric Garcia about AC/DC. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Eric Michael Garcia, reporter for Roll Call. Follow Eric on Twitter at @EricMGarcia, and read his work here. Eric’s Musical Pick: AC/DC The gang breaks out their schoolboy uniforms and disconcertingly tiny shorts as they get dosed with ten thousand volts of AC/DC, one of the quintessential hard-rock groups of all time. After an opening debate...
Episode 23: John J. Miller / The Police
February 12, 2018 13:00 - 1 hour - 66.9 MBScot and Jeff talk to John J. Miller about The Police. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest John J. Miller, director of the Dow Journalism Program at Hillsdale College and national correspondent for National Review. His latest book is “Reading Around: Journalism on Authors, Artists, and Ideas.” Follow John on Twitter at @heymiller, buy his book here, and read his work here. John’s Musical Pick: The Police The gang shows up w...
Episode 22: Eli Lake / Steely Dan
February 05, 2018 09:22 - 1 hour - 67 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Eli Lake, columnist for Bloomberg View. Follow Eli on Twitter at @EliLake and read his work here. Eli‘s Musical pick: Steely Dan From Brill to Can’t Buy A Thrill: the formative years Steely Dan tries to be an actual band, then thinks better of it: Countdown To Ecstasy and Pretzel Logic The transition into studio obsessionalism: Katy Lied and The Royal Scam Aja and Gaucho: from the perfe...
Episode 21: Bruce Walker / The Monkees
January 29, 2018 10:00 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBScot and Jeff talk to Bruce Walker about The Monkees. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Bruce Walker, policy advisor for the Heartland Institute, contributor to The Federalist and host of the Acton Institute’s “Upstream” pop-culture podcast. Follow Bruce on Twitter at @BruceEdWalker. Bruce’s Musical Pick: The Monkees Here the gang comes, walking down the street, getting the funniest looks from everyone they meet as this ...
Episode 20: Guy Benson / Billy Joel
January 22, 2018 11:07 - 2 hours - 75.7 MBScot and Jeff talk to Guy Benson about Billy Joel.
Episode 19: Karol Markowicz / Pulp
January 15, 2018 15:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBScot and Jeff talk to Karol Markowicz about Pulp. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Karol Markowicz, opinion columnist for the New York Post and elsewhere. Follow Karol on Twitter at @karol and read her work here. Karol’s musical pick: Pulp The gang has decided to meet up in the year 2018 and marvel at how strange it is now that they’re all fully grown and discussing Pulp, a fixture of both Karol’s and Jeff’s younger days...
Episode 18: Julie Roginsky / Led Zeppelin
December 25, 2017 09:05 - 1 hour - 90.2 MBScot and Jeff talk to Fox News’s Julie Roginsky about Led Zeppelin.
Episode 17: Stephen Miller / Oasis
December 18, 2017 12:59 - 2 hours - 73.8 MBScot and Jeff talk to Fox News’s Stephen Miller about Oasis. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Stephen Miller, co-host of The Conservatarians podcast, opinion contributor to FoxNews.com, formerly of National Review and IJR. Follow Stephen on Twitter at @redsteeze and read his work here and here. Stephen’s Musical Pick: Oasis It’s time to break out the cigarettes and alcohol as the gang talks about one of the definitive Br...
Episode 16: Josh Jordan / Pearl Jam
December 11, 2017 07:28 - 2 hours - 82.1 MBScot and Jeff talk to Josh Jordan about Pearl Jam. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Josh Jordan, writer for various outlets. Follow Josh on Twitter at @NumbersMuncher. Josh’s Musical Pick: Pearl Jam Break out the flannels — it’s time for the gang to tackle a long overdue episode on Pearl Jam, the most durable (and arguably best — sorry, Nirvana fans) band of the famed Seattle grunge era of the ’90s. But Pearl Jam were so...
Episode 15: Philip Wegmann / Creedence Clearwater Revival
December 03, 2017 23:37 - 1 hour - 47 MBScot and Jeff talk to Philip Wegmann about Creedence Clearwater Revival. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Philip Wegmann, writer for the Washington Examiner. Follow Phil on Twitter at @PhilipWegmann, and read his past work here. Philip’s Musical Pick: Creedence Clearwater Revival It’s high times on the bayou as the gang discusses Creedence Clearwater Revival, a band that sounded like it crawled out of the swamps of Louis...
Episode 14: Nicholas Confessore / Ryan Adams
November 20, 2017 07:08 - 1 hour - 67.1 MBJeff and Scot talk to Nicholas Confessore about Ryan Adams. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Nicholas Confessore, investigative reporter for the New York Times, writer at large for the NYT Magazine, and MSNBC contributor. Follow Nick on Twitter at @nickconfessore, read his past work here, and also please do set aside some time for this remarkable long-form piece here. Nick’s Musical Pick: Ryan Adams The gang is extremely...
Episode 13: Michael C. Moynihan / The Smiths
November 13, 2017 12:00 - 2 hours - 72.8 MBScot and Jeff talk to Michael C. Moynihan about The Smiths Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Michael Moynihan, correspondent for Vice News Tonight on HBO and member of the Fifth Column podcast, Follow him on Twitter at @mcmoynihan and read his past work both here and here. Michael’s Musical Pick: The Smiths “Is it wrong not to always be glad?” This is the question Jeff poses as the gang launches into Lucky #13: the long-a...
Episode 12: Anthony Fisher / Pink Floyd
November 06, 2017 00:44 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBScot and Jeff talk to Anthony Fisher about Pink Floyd. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Anthony Fisher, writer/reporter for The Week, Daily Beast and others, producer of The Fifth Column podcast, and Writer/Director of the award-winning indie feature film “Sidewalk Traffic” — a comedy drama about new fatherhood, depression, and holding on to your dreams and letting go of your baggage. Available on iTunes, Amazon, Youtube, ...
Episode 11: Robert Dean Lurie / Hall and Oates
October 30, 2017 16:36 - 2 hours - 71.9 MBScot and Jeff talk to Robert Dean Lurie about Hall and Oates. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Robert Dean Lurie, author of No Certainty Attached: Steve Kilbey and The Church and We Can Be Heroes: The Radical Individualism of David Bowie. Producer and performer on the tribute album The Dark Side of Hall and Oates. Read Robert’s work in the pages of NRO, the Federalist, and on his own website. Robert’s Musical Pick: Hall &...
Episode 10: Jane Coaston / Nine Inch Nails
October 23, 2017 13:00 - 1 hour - 53.2 MBScot and Jeff talk to Jane Coaston about Nine Inch Nails. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Jane Coaston, formerly political writer for MTV news, now featured in the New York Times and ESPN News, among others. Follow Jane on Twitter at @cjane87 and read her (older) work here. Jane’s Musical Pick: Nine Inch Nails Perch those toasters precariously close to edge of the bathtub and prepare to slide into a downward spiral, as ...
Episode 9: Mark Hemingway / The Replacements
October 16, 2017 07:38 - 1 hour - 53.9 MBScot and Jeff talk to Mark Hemingway about The Replacements. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Mark Hemingway, senior writer at The Weekly Standard. Follow Mark on Twitter @Heminator and read his work here. Mark’s Musical Pick: The Replacements. Grab a bottle cheap whiskey, a case of Grain Belt beer, and an electric guitar, because it’s time to talk about the Great Lost Cause of the American indie-rock scene, The Replacem...
Episode 8: Dan McLaughlin / Tom Petty
October 05, 2017 08:26 - 1 hour - 61.2 MBScot and Jeff talk to Dan McLaughlin about Tom Petty. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Dan McLaughlin, contributing columnist at National Review, attorney, and baseball fanatic. Follow Dan on Twitter at @baseballcrank and read his work here. Dan’s Musical Pick: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Yes, it’s a sad day for us at Political Beats as we mark the sudden passing of rock legend Tom Petty, taken too soon by a heart atta...
Episode 7: Jay Cost / The Kinks
October 01, 2017 23:00 - 2 hours - 73.9 MBScot and Jeff talk to Jay Cost about The Kinks. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Jay Cost, author of A Republic No More: Big Government and the Rise of American Corruption, contributing editor at The Weekly Standard, and yinzer. Follow Jay on Twitter at @JayCostTWS, read his work here, and buy his book on Amazon here. Jay’s Musical Pick: The Kinks How did Jay get into them? Jay talks about discovering the Kinks in colleg...
Episode 6: James Poulos / The Eagles
September 25, 2017 01:00 - 1 hour - 44.3 MBScot and Jeff talk to James Poulos about The Eagles. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest James Poulos, author of The Art Of Being Free: How Tocqueville Can Save Us From Ourselves, contributor at American Affairs, and lead singer/songwriter for Vast Asteroid. Follow James on Twitter at @jamespoulos and buy his book on Amazon here. James’s Musical Pick: The Eagles How did James get into them? James discusses the Eagles’ consu...
Episode 5: Chris Hayes / Beck
September 17, 2017 22:27 - 1 hour - 37.4 MBScot and Jeff talk to MSNBC’s Chris Hayes about Beck. Introducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Chris Hayes, host of MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes and Editor-at-Large of The Nation. Follow Chris on Twitter at @chrislhayes and watch All In on MSNBC every weeknight at 8:00pm Eastern. Chris’s Musical Pick: Beck How did Chris get into them? Chris talks about finding Beck at the special moment in his adolescent years where music can...
Episode 4: Matt Welch / R.E.M.
September 11, 2017 00:30 - 1 hour - 66.3 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD), with guest Matt Welch, former Editor-in-Chief and current Editor-at-Large of Reason and co-host of The Fifth Column podcast. Follow Matt on Twitter at @MattWelch and read his work here. Matt’s musical pick: R.E.M. How did Matt get into them? Matt tells his story of being a kid in 1983 and having a friend hand a copy of Murmur to him. He explains how he learned to play guitar by spinning early R.E.M....
Episode 3: Tim Miller / Arcade Fire
September 03, 2017 22:00 - 1 hour - 52.7 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD), with guest Tim Miller, former Jeb! Bush 2016 communications director, co-founder of @AmericaRising, Partner at Definers Public Affairs, cheerful practitioner of the political dark arts. Follow him on Twitter at @Timodc.Tim’s Musical Pick: Arcade Fire How did he get into them? Tim and Jeff relive their musical young adulthoods. Tim talks about finding Arcade Fire after his Widespread Panic phase, plun...
Episode 2: Bob Costa / Dave Matthews Band
August 28, 2017 03:00 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MBIntroducing the Band Your hosts @ScotBertram and @EsotericCD, with guest Robert Costa, national political reporter for the Washington Post and moderator of Washington Week on PBS: follow him on Twitter at @CostaReports and read his reporting here. Bob’s Musical Pick Dave Matthews Band. How did he get into them? Jeff recounts his conversion from snobbish dismissal to admiration.The Band’s Early Years Bob & company discuss DMB’s scrappy early years, how they grew from a local southern Virg...
Episode 1: Sean Trende / Van Halen
August 18, 2017 16:27 - 59 minutes - 34.1 MBScot and Jeff welcome Sean Trende from RealClearPolitics to talk about his love of Van Halen. Introducing the Band Your hosts @ScotBertram and @EsotericCD, with guest Sean Trende, Senior Elections Analyst at RealClearPolitics: follow him on Twitter at @SeanTrende and read his work here Sean Trende’s Musical Pick: Van Halen How did Sean get into Van Halen? His first introduction: “Spanish Fly” (Van Halen II, 1979) The David Lee Roth Era: From Van Halen (1978) to 1984 (1984). KEY SONGS: “...