Opinion columnist David French is voting for Kamala Harris to save conservatism. Ross  is… skeptical. On this very special episode, the two Christian conservatives debate how to chart the right’s course out of Trumpism and to the future.

(A full transcript of this episode will be available on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “To Save Conservatism From Itself, I Am Voting for Harris” by David French
• “This Is Probably Not the Deal the Pro-Life Movement Bargained for With Trump” by Ross Douthat

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

While we take a quick summer break, we wanted to recommend a new show: “The Opinions.”  Four times a week, in ten minutes or less, you’ll hear one of our columnists — Matter of Opinion hosts included — walk you through their take on an issue or idea you might not have considered. It’s like the Opinion pages come to life.

In this episode, our very own Carlos shares what he learned reading Kamala Harris’s two memoirs. He reflects on how her criminal justice message has changed over time, and considers what that may reveal about her candidacy. Listen and subscribe to "The Opinions" on Apple, Spotify  or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thoughts about Matter of Opinion? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Ezra Klein joins Ross and Michelle to dissect the first presidential debate of 2024: “At some point Democrats have to decide if they want to try to win this election, or it is simply too uncomfortable for them to do anything but be on this train as it derails.”

(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) 

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

We’re getting ready for this week’s presidential debate. In the meantime, we wanted to share an audio essay from Michelle Cottle on a make-or-break vote for the MAGA warrior Lauren Boebert. The controversial lawmaker is facing a primary in Colorado that will determine her political future. Michelle visited a biker bar in Douglas County, Colo., to understand the ways Boebert is tweaking her image in a new district in hopes of winning over more traditional conservatives. Can she do it without losing hard-core Trump fans?

This audio essay was originally made for the NYT Audio app, free for Times subscribers in the Apple App Store.

Populism, offered as a solution to economic and cultural woes, has gained ground in Europe following a slew of recent elections. Across the pond, the Ohio senator and potential Trump running mate J.D. Vance is championing an American version of populist politics that is also gaining traction. On this week’s episode, the hosts discuss Vance’s embrace of the ideology and consider why many voters find it so appealing.

Plus, Ross shares a literary deep cut that not even Carlos has heard of.

(A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “What J.D. Vance Believes” by Ross Douthat in The Times
• “Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans,” “Fire and Blood: A History of Mexico” and “Comanches: The History of a People” by T.R. Fehrenbach
• “What Will Become of American Civilization?” by George Packer in The Atlantic

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Amid politically charged flag flying, secret recordings, and eyebrow-raising financial disclosures, there’s something fishy about the behavior of the nation’s top judges. Are they ruining faith in the Supreme Court? Or is that the partisan reaction to the decisions coming from on high?

Michelle, Carlos and Lydia are joined by the Times editorial board member Jesse Wegman to discuss just how low the bar has gotten for the justices, and what could be done to restore America’s faith in the court.

Plus, Michelle weighs in on the beef of the summer.

(A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Former President Donald J. Trump’s appearance at a U.F.C. match this week seems to be part of a larger strategy to attract men — especially young men — to his cause. But what can President Biden do to change the narrative that “the left doesn’t like men”?

This week, Michelle Cottle and Carlos Lozada are joined by their (male) Opinion colleagues Jamelle Bouie and David French to debate why men are becoming more conservative and whether Trump’s masculine appeal is about policy or his “manliness.”

(A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

• “Audience of One: Trump, Television and the Fracturing of America” by James Poniewozik
• “American Sniper” directed by Clint Eastwood
• May 2024 Times/Siena poll of the presidential battlegrounds

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

In a special intercontinental episode, Lydia Polgreen reports from South Africa as the country challenges Israel for its attack on Rafah in southern Gaza.

The post-apartheid nation has emerged as a critical leader and a moral voice in some (but not all) superpower struggles. Yet back at home, South Africa’s 30 years of multiracial democracy is undergoing major political upheaval. What does the nation’s recent election offer young nations hoping for postcolonialist democracy? Lydia opens her reporter’s notebook and explores these questions with the South African journalist William Shoki and her editor, Max Strasser.

A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Many voters are hooked on their abusive rulers” by William Gumede in the Sunday Times
• “South African election turns populist as parties play anti-foreigner card” by David Pilling and Monica Mark in the Financial Times
• “Neither Settler Nor Native” by Mahmoud Mamdani

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440

With Lydia in South Africa covering their election, Ross out on parental leave and Michelle  reporting from a saloon in Colorado, Carlos  turns the mic over to his Times Opinion colleagues to respond to the news about Donald Trump’s guilty verdict in the New York hush-money trial.

The columnists Michelle Goldberg and David French — who calls himself “a recovering litigator” — join the deputy Opinion editor, Patrick Healy, to discuss Trump’s 34 guilty counts and debate what they mean for the former president, whether he’ll face jail time and how it will affect the 2024 presidential race.

We’re taking a break to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend and will be back next week. Until then, enjoy an audio essay from NYT Opinion’s other Michelle — Michelle Goldberg — on what Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign could mean for President Biden and Donald Trump. 

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voice mail at (212) 556-7440.

This week, the hosts debate what the latest Times/Siena poll reveals about Joe Biden’s weaknesses and mull over the question of whether Vice President Kamala Harris is one of them. Plus, Carlos on some advice that’s gold, Jerry, gold.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Biden’s Polling Denial: Why He Doesn’t Believe He’s Behind” by Hans Nichols and Alex Thompson in Axios
• “An Interview With Kamala Harris on What’s at Stake in 2024” from “The Run-Up”
• “Kamala Harris Should Try to Be Really Popular” by Matthew Yglesias on his blog, Slow Boring
• “What Happened” by Hillary Rodham Clinton
• “Did the President Call?” mash-up from HBO’s television series “Veep”
• “The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future” by Franklin Foer
• “Democrats Have a Better Option Than Biden” from “The Ezra Klein Show”
• “This New Book About ‘Seinfeld’ Is Worth Double-Dipping” by Carlos Lozada in The Washington Post
• Jerry Seinfeld’s 2024 Commencement Address at Duke University
• “Why Conservatives Give Better Commencement Speeches Than Liberals” by Carlos Lozada in The Washington Post

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Donald Trump is searching for a running mate, and his list of potential candidates is getting smaller and smaller. This week, the hosts discuss whether Trump is considering other qualities beyond loyalty, and they debate what his eventual choice could mean for the future of Trumpism in the Republican Party.

Plus, Michelle wants to worm her way into candidate medical records.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “How Trump Plans to Wield Power in 2025: What We Know” by Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman and Charlie Savage in The Times

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

The hosts react to Kamala Harris’s convention speech in this special late-night edition of “Matter of Opinion”. Lydia, Ross and Carlos unpack how Harris had a “deft threading of a number of tricky needles” as she accepted her party’s nomination, and look at what the entire week revealed about the Democratic Party.

(A full transcript of this episode will be available on the Times website.)

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

On this episode, the hosts get heated about the political divisions and contradictions revealed by the recent campus protests and ask why some in Washington seem so invested in perpetuating the demonstrations.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

How worried should we really be about the threat of political violence? On this week’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” columnist Jamelle Bouie joins the hosts to set the record straight on whether we’re actually living through an unusually violent era, and they discuss whether the new movie, “Civil War,” could come true.

Plus, Keanu Reeves in his most beautiful form yet.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning” by Liz Cheney
• “Johnny Mnemonic: In Black & White,” a 2022 rerelease of Robert Longo’s 1995 film

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Will Israel and Iran’s unprecedented attacks escalate into a wider mideast conflict? A “forever war”? This week, columnist Tom Friedman joins the hosts to unpack the latest developments, what it means for Gaza, and the implications for the region writ large.

A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “How to Be Pro-Palestinian, Pro-Israeli and Pro-Iranian” by Thomas L. Friedman
• “Iran Just Made a Big Mistake. Israel Shouldn’t Follow.” by Thomas L. Friedman
• “A Biden Doctrine for the Middle East Is Forming. And It’s Big.” by Thomas L. Friedman
• “Netanyahu Must Go” by Bret Stephens

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

This week, the hosts debate how religious voters will react to Donald Trump’s betrayal of anti-abortion positions, the evolution of Christianity as the domain of the right and whether religion is actually as powerful as it seems in modern U.S. politics.

Plus, Ross finds aliens, again.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode: 

• “This Is Probably Not the Deal the Pro-Life Movement Bargained for With Trump” by Ross Douthat
• “Can the Left Be Happy?” by Ross Douthat

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

It’s not just bad vibes — America’s kids are not OK. As study after study shows worsening youth mental health, a popular theory has emerged: The rise of smartphones and the addictive nature of social media is making young people miserable. But can it really be that simple?

This week, the hosts debate the myriad possible factors contributing to teenagers’ unhappiness, and discuss how parents, schools and the government can protect kids without doing further harm. Plus, a sui generis Lozada family vacation.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “The Anxious Generation,” by Jonathan Haidt
• “Reclaiming Conversation,” by Sherry Turkle
• “A Canticle for Leibowitz,” by Walter M. Miller Jr.

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

The sociologist and New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom joins the hosts this week to discuss the role of celebrity in politics. Could Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, with their tens of millions of fans, sway the presidential election? And beyond brand-name pop stars, what role does celebrity play within the political system?

Plus, Tressie goes a little “Dr. Oz” on us.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication in the audio player above.)

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

It can often feel as if politicians use a lot of words without saying much of anything. So how do journalists and citizens make sense of what’s said (and unsaid) in the many congressional reports, court decisions and campaign memoirs that pour out of Washington?

This week, Carlos makes the case for reading the Capitol, and uses insights from his new book, “The Washington Book,” to help his co-hosts decode everyone from Donald Trump to Mike Pence to Barack Obama.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 48 hours of publication in the audio player above.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “The Washington Book” by Carlos Lozada
• “What Were We Thinking” by Carlos Lozada
• “The Woman at the Washington Zoo” by Marjorie Williams
• “Postwar” by Tony Judt
• “The Emerging Republican Majority” by Kevin Phillips
• “The Emerging Democratic Majority” by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira
• “Chain Reaction” by Thomas B. Edsall and Mary D. Edsall
• “Dead Right” by David Frum
• “The Grand New Party” by Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam
• “The Speechwriter” by Barton Swaim

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

We’re working on this week's episode. While you wait, listen to this audio essay from one of our hosts, Lydia Polgreen, on the situation unfolding in Haiti. 

This audio essay was originally made for the NYT Audio App, free for Times subscribers in the Apple App Store.

Many voters from both parties are less than enthusiastic about their likely options this November.

This week the Opinion writer and editor Katherine Miller joins Michelle, Lydia and Carlos to talk about uncommitted voters, double haters and how they could affect the election, whether they turn out or not.

Plus, Lydia makes a plea against the tyranny of clean lines and interior design monoculture.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Black Pastors Pressure Biden to Call for a Cease-Fire in Gaza,” by Maya King for The Times
• “Joe Biden’s Last Campaign,” by Evan Osnos in The New Yorker

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Could Donald Trump’s promise to be a dictator on day one come true?

On this episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts debate which policies could be most consequential in a potential second Trump term and whether a proposal set out by conservative allies could provide the tools to execute his vision.

And Michelle Cottle shares her passion for a trend that can only be achieved with lots of volume.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• February 2024 Times/Siena Poll of Registered Voters Nationwide
• “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise,” edited by Paul Dans and Steven Groves
• “What I Learned When I Read 887 Pages of Plans for Trump’s Second Term,” by Carlos Lozada in The Times
• “Border Wars: Inside Trump’s Assault on Immigration,” by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Michael D. Shear
• “The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021,” by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser
• “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America,” by Maggie Haberman
• “Trump Can’t Be Dictator on ‘Day One’ — Or in a Second Term. Here’s Why,” by Asli Aydintasbas in Politico

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

If you believe JD Vance, the American family is in crisis. But are attacks on “childless cat ladies” and pitches for enfranchising kids actual policy platforms or merely culture war cudgels?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” Jessica Grose joins Michelle, Ross and Carlos to debate the weird ways gender and family are showing up in the election and share their own roads to parenthood.

Plus, Jessica suggests a deep dive into a culture of “tin pot dictators wearing LoveShackFancy.”

(A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “Red Families vs. Blue Families: Legal Polarization and the Creation of the Culture” by Naomi Cahn and June Carbone
• “The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind” by Melissa S. Kearney
• “The Party of Julia” by Ross Douthat
• “Welcome to Bama Confidential,” Anne Helen Peterson’s essay series on her Culture Study newsletter

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the Republican Party declared victory.

But the Alabama Supreme Court’s decision last month that frozen embryos are considered “extrauterine children,” which prompted hospitals to suspend I.V.F. procedures, has complicated that victory. Given Americans’ overwhelming support for in vitro fertilization, conservative politicians have tried to distance themselves from the ruling.

The hosts discuss that political scramble and ask whether the Republicans have made up their minds over what it means to be “pro-life.” The hosts also consider how much public opinion should influence the decisions of lawmakers and judges, and where the debate over reproductive rights is headed.

Plus, listeners weigh in on how much the economy is going to affect their vote.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos should be considered children

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com. And tell us your thoughts on where you think the abortion debate is headed by leaving a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Why does the economy look so good to economists but feel so bad to voters? The Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman joins the hosts to discuss why inflation, interest rates and wages aren’t in line with voters’ perception of the economy. Then, they debate with Paul how big of an influence the economy will be on the 2024 presidential election, and which of the two presumed candidates, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it could benefit. Plus, Ross's lessons on aging, through Michael Caine impressions.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Believing Is Seeing,” from Paul Krugman’s newsletter
• “The Age of Diminished Expectations,” by Paul Krugman
• “The Trip” scene: “This Is How Michael Caine Speaks”

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com. And tell us how the state of the economy will – or won’t – affect your 2024 vote and why in a voice mail message by calling (212) 556-7440.

Who’s your ideal American president? A strategic thinker who is calm in a crisis? A charmer with boundless aplomb? Perhaps a principled leader with an unwavering moral compass?

This week, the hosts discuss what voters expect from “America’s daddy” and whether concerns about President Biden’s and Donald Trump’s fitness are overblown, given the history of the office they each hope to keep or retake.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Unmaking the Presidency: Donald Trump’s War on the World’s Most Powerful Office,” by Susan Hennessey and Benjamin Wittes
• “Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now,” by Evan Osnos

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

What do Princess Diana’s wedding, the “Survivor” first season finale and Prince’s 2007 Super Bowl halftime show all have in common? They were huge cultural moments that brought millions of Americans together. In an era of streaming, social media bubbles and sharp political divides, are unifying events like these becoming relics of the past?

On today’s episode, the hosts make a case for the secular ritual of the Super Bowl and ask whether we need more mass cultural events to bring Americans together.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Bowling Alone,” the 1995 essay in the Journal of Democracy and 2000 book by Robert D. Putnam
• “The Wiz,” the 1978 American musical featuring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson
• Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs perform “Fast Car” at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

Around the world, the youngest cohort of voters are dividing themselves politically along gendered lines. What’s behind this “great gender divergence”?

This week, the hosts debate the causes and consequences of a gender-divided world. Plus, Ross has some timing advice should you choose to improve the national birthrate.

(A full transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “A New Global Gender Divide Is Emerging,” by John Burn-Murdoch in The Financial Times
• “Taylor Swift, Donald Trump and the Right’s Abnormality Problem,” by Ross Douthat in The Times

If you're a Gen Z listener, let us know your thoughts about the episode by leaving us a voicemail at 212-556-7440 or email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com. We welcome messages from other generations, too!

It’s an old truism that Americans don’t care about foreign policy when it’s time to cast their ballots. But with the crisis in Gaza, a prolonged conflict in Ukraine and a trade war brewing with China, could 2024 be the year that American voters finally care about what’s going on beyond the water’s edge?

The hosts take a look at the importance (or lack thereof) of foreign affairs in American elections. Plus, Lydia  recommends a film Oscar nominations were wrong to skip.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “A Titanic Geopolitical Struggle Is Underway” by Thomas L. Friedman
• “We Aren’t Just Watching the Decline of the Oscars. We’re Watching the End of the Movies.” by Ross Douthat

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

The hosts take apart why Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis can’t seem to form competitive coalitions against Donald Trump, and whether Haley, DeSantis, the Supreme Court “or God himself” can keep the former president from becoming the Republican nominee.

Plus, Michelle Cottle reveals her Plan B if her political reporting career doesn’t work out.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• Suffolk University-Boston Globe poll of likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters
• Hot dog car sketch on “I Think You Should Leave”

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

This week, the hosts do the dirty work of strategizing the best vice-presidential candidate for Donald Trump to campaign with, and break down what goes into consequential (and not so consequential) V.P. picks.

Plus, Carlos’s team has a Fightin’ chance next year.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Picking the Vice President,” by Elaine Kamarck
• “Which Trump Toady Would the MAGA King Pick as His No. 2?” by Michelle Cottle in The Times
• “The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021,” by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser
• “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President,” by Jimmy Carter

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

Is Donald Trump an insurrectionist who should be barred from the ballot? On this episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss who should get to decide if the former president can try to return to the White House. Plus, the hosts lay out what other stories are on their 2024 political bingo cards.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “The Antidemocratic Quest to Save Democracy From Trump,” by Ross Douthat in The New York Times
• December 2023 Times/Siena poll
• “The 2023 High School Yearbook of American Politics,” by Michelle Cottle in The Times
• “Trump’s 2024 Playbook,” episode of “The Daily” from The Times
• “The World Should Fear 2024,” by Aris Roussinos in UnHerd

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

“Matter of Opinion” is off for the week, but we’re leaving you with an audio essay from our very own Carlos Lozada on what we can learn from how our leaders speak.

Politicians’ language can tell you a lot about the way they think, sometimes unintentionally. If the 2024 election is indeed a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Carlos makes the case that their dueling visions for America come down to their favorite words.

This audio essay was originally made for the NYT Audio App, free for Times subscribers in the Apple App Store.

This week on the show, Michelle Goldberg joins Michelle  and Ross to debate the gambles or gains Kamala Harris has made by picking  Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota as her running mate. They also discuss the ways the Trump-Vance ticket could recalibrate to regain their lead. Plus, Goldberg is sunny on a new show you probably haven’t heard of.

(A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Recommended in this episode:

• Don’t Listen to the Right. The Kamalanomenon Is Real. by Michelle Goldberg
• The Focus Group Podcast episode “Kamala Needs a DEI Pick (Straight White Dude)” with Sarah Longwell
• Sunny from Apple TV+

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Does the world need your bagel shop’s position on Israel-Hamas? Should Ross start drinking on mic? On the year’s final episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts take your questions and reflect on the best of 2023.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “The Presidential Fantasy Draft America Needs,” episode of “Matter of Opinion” from New York Times Opinion
• “Covering the Election: The One-Year Countdown Begins,” by James Fallows in his “Breaking the News” Substack
• “Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World,” by John Vaillant
• “The 10 Best Books of 2023,” By The New York Times Books staff in The New York Times

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

Scandal, it seems, no longer stops politicians in their tracks.

George Santos — who was expelled from Congress last Friday — will reportedly make six figures after just one week as a Cameo star. Donald Trump has been mired in countless trials and controversies — and yet he is still the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts reminisce over famous political scandals of yore. From tan suits to yacht affairs, what actually makes a scandal scandalous? And in the Trump era, are there real consequences to messing up anymore? Plus, Michelle Cottle tears down the house with her holiday gift guide.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Checkers speech,” Richard Nixon Foundation
• “Watergate: A New History,” by Garrett M. Graff
• “White House Plumbers,” a five-part miniseries on Max
• “Healthy Holly” book series, by Catherine Pugh
• “All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid,” by Matt Bai
• “Bush Encounters the Supermarket, Amazed,” by Andrew Rosenthal in The New York Times
• “A Very Thin Line: The Iran-Contra Affairs,” by Theodore Draper
• “The Final Days,” by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
• “George Santos Is Earning Six Figures From Cameo Videos,” by Ben Smith and Kadia Goba on Semafor

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

Strongmen are making a comeback. The hyperlibertarian Javier Milei in Argentina and the anti-immigration Geert Wilders in the Netherlands are among a growing group of recently elected leaders who promise to break a few rules, shake up democratic institutions and spread a populist message.

Is it a reaction against the failures of liberal democracies? Or is there something else behind the appeal of these misbehaving men with wild hair?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts debate where the urge to turn to strongmen is coming from and whether it’s such a bad thing after all. Plus, young listeners share their formative political moments, even in the middle of class.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

If you've been inspired to call in, we're still taking your thoughts for our end-of-the-year episode. We're looking for two things, either a question you've been dying to ask us, or a topic you'd like to hear if we're hot or cold on. You can email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-556-7440. We may play some of it in a future episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra,” a podcast from MSNBC
• “This Country Seemed Immune to Far-Right Politics. Then Came a Corruption Scandal.” by Alexander C. Kaufman on HuffPost
• “The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium,” by Martin Gurri

Though the “Matter of Opinion” crew is off this week, Michelle Cottle is eagerly awaiting the season finale of the first-ever “Golden Bachelor.” This older spin on the “Bachelor” franchise has proved to be a surprisingly apt funhouse mirror depiction of how America avoids the realities of its aging baby boomer population. And Michelle is here for it — in all its “weird glory.”

This audio essay was originally made for the NYT Audio App, free for Times subscribers in the Apple App Store.

We’ll be back with a regular episode next week, but in the meantime, send us a question or a topic you’d like to hear if we’re hot or cold on by emailing matterofopinion@nytimes.com. Or leave us a voice mail at 212-556-7440. We may use it in a future episode.

What’s your earliest political memory? That’s the question Professor Carlos Lozada puts to his co-hosts this week on “Matter of Opinion.” The hosts discuss the coups and presidential pinings of their youths before debating what political events may be shaping the attitudes of younger voters today.

Plus, the documentary Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce need to see.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

If you’re under 30 and want to share your formative political experience with us, leave a voicemail by calling 212-556-7440 and we may play some of it in a future episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Running From Office: Why Young Americans Are Turned Off to Politics,” by Jennifer L. Lawless and Richard L. Fox
• “Facing Financial Ruin as Costs Soar for Elder Care,” by Reed Abelson and Jordan Rau in The New York Times

The election results on Tuesday made it clear that voters support Democratic policies and state politicians — but new polling shows they don’t love the president.

On this week’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts share their takeaways from the voting, and what it all means for 2024. Also, your calls about your presidential fantasy matchups.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “October 2023 Times/Siena Poll of the 2024 Battlegrounds”
• “The Woke Burnout is Real — and Politics is Catching Up”

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

The polls are clear: Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump has the full confidence of American voters. But is Biden’s latest competition, Democratic Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, the answer to voters’ malaise? Or perhaps an independent candidate like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?

On this week’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts imagine their own alternative candidates for 2024 and debate what good — if any — could come from long-shot contenders.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Dean Phillips Has a Warning for Democrats,” by Tim Alberta in The Atlantic

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

If you want to share your dream matchups for the 2024 presidential election, leave us a voice mail message at (212) 556-7440. We may use excerpts from your message in a future episode.

Will technology — and the people who make it — lead us into a better future? Or a worse one? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss Elon Musk, techno-optimism and the manifesto taking Silicon Valley by storm. Plus, we learn that Ross wears dad drag.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto,” by Marc Andreessen
• “Elon Musk,” by Walter Isaacson
• “Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future,” by Elizabeth Kolbert

This week, the Opinion columnist and former New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Thomas L. Friedman joins the “Matter of Opinion” hosts to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East and the mistakes that led to this moment (he’s looking at you, Benjamin Netanyahu).

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)
 

Mentioned in this episode:

• "Why Israel is Acting This Way," by Thomas L. Friedman in The New York Times

On today’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the global response to the war between Israel and Hamas. What domestic and international strings are attached to U.S. support in the region? And what will that support signal to rival hostile powers?

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China’s Superpower Future,” by Chun Han Wong
• President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Administration’s National Security Strategy — October 2022
• “There Is Not Yet an ‘Axis of Evil,’ but a New Reality for America in the Holy Land,” by Ross Douthat in The New York Times

The 2024 presidential race is officially in its identity politics stage. From “White Dudes for Harris,” to “D.E.I. candidate” accusations, the hosts debate how race and racism are being deployed in the second week of the Harris v. Trump election.

(A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance” by Barack Obama
• “Rising Stare: The Making of Obama” by David J. Garrow
• “Barack Obama: The Story” by David Maraniss
• “The Olympic Flame Isn’t a Flame at All” by Andrew Keh

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.

Now that Kevin McCarthy is no longer speaker, who’s in charge of the Republicans, and is this overthrow what voters actually want?

Today on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the future of a deeply divided G.O.P. and debate what it means to be a Republican now. Plus, an argument for revisiting an elementary-school classic.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “What Explains Educational Polarization Among White Voters?” by William Marble
• “Neither Party Well-Liked, but G.O.P. Holds Advantage on Issues” Gallup polling

In 2020, Joe Biden handily beat Donald Trump in a race that was never particularly close. But now that the twice-impeached and four-times-indicted former president may once again be the Republican nominee, polls suggest they might be even, at best. Why isn’t Biden doing better? Has his presidency really gone so poorly?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the uphill battle Biden is facing heading into 2024 and debate what kind of leader Americans really want.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Reagan Should Not Seek Second Term, Majority Believes,” by Barry Sussman in The Washington Post

Americans are sick of business as usual. This year alone, more than 275 strikes have broken out across the country, and last week, nearly 13,000 members of the United Auto Workers joined the picket line to demand a better deal with their employers.

So what’s going on with work in America?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts break down how a changing economy and technological innovations are complicating the worker-employer relationship. Lydia offers some insight from her experience as the big boss on the other side of the bargaining table. Ross asks how little work The Times should pay him to do. And ultimately, the hosts debate the question: In today’s world, what role should work play in our lives?

(A full transcript of the episode will be available midday on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Is College Worth It?,” an episode of “The Daily”
• “Biden E.V. Agenda Threatens U.S. Auto Industry,” by Senator J.D. Vance in the Toledo Blade
• “Why Americans Care About Work So Much,” by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic

Hundreds of thousands of migrants, many seeking asylum, have arrived in the United States over the last year, overwhelming already-strained resources in cities and states across the country. Last week, in arguably one of the most immigration-friendly cities in the country, Mayor Eric Adams said that migrants would “destroy New York City.”

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss how the “border crisis” has come to frustrate Democratic politicians further north, and why the conversation about immigration is always actually about who we are as Americans.

(A  transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Michael Bloomberg: How Biden and Congress Should Fix the Immigration Crisis in Our Cities,” by Michael R. Bloomberg in The New York Times
• “Americans Still Value Immigration, but Have Concerns,” by Lydia Saad in Gallup