Bill O’Reilly sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss his latest book, the presidential race, and the sexual harassment allegations that led to his firing from Fox News.
In Confronting the Presidents, O’Reilly and co-author Martin Dugard present essays on each of the nation’s presidents. O’Reilly defends their depiction of Herbert Hoover and his approach to history.
He addresses the presidential debate and the potential impact of the assassination attempts on Donald Trump, as well as how conservative media has changed since he left cable news in 2017 and figures like Tucker Carlson gained prominence.
Hoover then questions O’Reilly about the harassment allegations against him and the cultural issues raised by the fact that he has gotten a second chance at success while some of his accusers struggle to find work in television.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Sep 21
46 min
Economist Kevin Hassett joins Margaret Hoover to talk about economic policies laid out by former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in their debate this week.
Hassett, who chaired the White House Council of Economic Advisers in the first Trump administration, defends Trump’s handling of the economy both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and blames the Biden administration for the spike in inflation since then.
He assesses Harris’ “opportunity economy” agenda and the potential impact of policies like small business tax credits, housing down payment assistance, and taxing unrealized capital gains. He also explains why he sees Harris’ policies as socialist.
Hassett outlines how Trump’s first-term tariffs worked and how Trump may approach trade policy in a second term. He also reflects on the Republican Party’s evolving position on free trade.
Hassett discusses the likelihood of an interest rate cut and the importance of an independent Federal Reserve. He also addresses whether the economy is in a recession and whether Trump returning to the White House poses a threat to democracy.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Sep 14
41 min
California Sen. Alex Padilla sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss Vice President Kamala Harris, his longtime friend and colleague.
The son of Mexican immigrants, Padilla was appointed to Harris’ seat after she won the vice presidency in 2020. An MIT graduate, he initially hoped to become an aerospace engineer. But he was instead drawn to politics when, in 1994, California voters passed a proposition banning undocumented immigrants from public services, including education and non-emergency health care.
Padilla quickly rose through the Democratic ranks in the state, forging close relationships with figures like Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom. After Newsom picked him to serve out the remainder of Harris’ term, he easily won the seat outright in 2022.
In Washington, Padilla is known as a fierce advocate for immigrants and their families. He discusses his opposition to President Biden’s border crackdown this year, and his hope that Harris handles immigration issues differently. He also defends Harris’ economic agenda, and lays out an argument for why all Americans — in particular Latino voters — should support the Democratic ticket in November.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Aug 24
36 min
Justice Neil Gorsuch sits down with Margaret Hoover at the Supreme Court to talk about his new book, Over Ruled, and his concern that America has “too much law.”
In its recent term, the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron doctrine, a precedent established in 1984 that required judges to defer to federal agencies when interpreting unclear statutes. Gorsuch explains why that longstanding approach had imposed unfair costs on many, including fishermen, immigrants, and the descendants of Ernest Hemingway’s six-toed cat.
Gorsuch discusses how bureaucrats and judges may approach regulation in a post-Chevron world and what it will take to confront the dangers of over-criminalization. He also reflects on why conservative views on Chevron evolved over time and how lawmakers in both parties have increasingly come to recognize the problem.
With public trust in the Supreme Court at a record low, Gorsuch addresses the need to restore confidence in the court, but he declines to wade into the political debate over term limits for justices or other controversies surrounding the court. He also explains why he remains optimistic about America’s future despite rising polarization and division.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Aug 17
46 min
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst sits down with Margaret Hoover in Iowa to talk about her life and her views on trade and foreign policy.
Ernst, a combat veteran, explains why she advocates for confronting threats abroad and providing strong support to Israel and Ukraine. She also reflects on how a visit to Soviet-controlled Ukraine in 1989 helped shape her position.
She details her response to antisemitic protests on college campuses after October 7th, and she assesses what Kamala Harris’ selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate over Jewish Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says about antisemitism in the Democratic Party.
Ernst discusses the impact of tariffs on Iowa farmers, why she pushes back against the notion that the military is too “woke,” and why she is optimistic that American politics can become more civil.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Aug 10
36 min
Margaret Hoover discusses what it will take to ensure a secure and accurate vote count in 2024 with three experts: Democratic Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Republican election lawyer Ben Ginsberg, and David Becker of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research.
Ahead of Firing Line’s “Counting the Vote” documentary–premiering on PBS on Aug. 27–the experts address how election administration has changed since the contested election of 2020 and the challenges that could arise this fall.
Becker, Benson, and Ginsberg break down the proven best practices for election systems, assess an unprecedented wave of pre-election litigation, and explain why they are so confident Americans’ votes will be counted accurately.
The experts also rebut Republican claims about noncitizens voting and push back against conspiracy theories amplified by Elon Musk accusing Democrats of “voter importation.”
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Aug 3
50 min
Legendary Democratic strategist James Carville talks to Margaret Hoover about the state of the 2024 presidential race after the withdrawal of President Joe Biden and the ascension of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Carville explains why he had long urged Democrats to replace the aging Biden and why he is satisfied with supporting Harris without a competitive primary process. He also pushes back against Republican claims that the candidate swap undermines democracy.
With just over 100 days until the election, he assesses the challenges ahead for Harris and offers advice on how she can confront them. He discusses how she has evolved and improved as a candidate since her “god awful” run for the 2020 nomination.
Carville, who led Bill Clinton and Al Gore’s 1992 campaign, reflects on the vice presidential selection process and details what Harris needs in a running mate. Also, in the wake of an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, he defends his dire rhetoric about the dangers of a second Trump presidency.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Jul 27
37 min
Veteran Republican strategist Mike Murphy, an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, assesses the state of the presidential race in the wake of Trump’s attempted assassination and the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Murphy tells Margaret Hoover why he believes Joe Biden needs to withdraw from the race and how he thinks Democrats should approach replacing him as their nominee. He also lays out the potential advantages and risks of running Vice President Kamala Harris against Trump.
Murphy, who has worked on dozens of Republican campaigns, discusses Trump’s selection of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate and what the pick means for the future of the GOP. He also reflects on how Trump has changed the party.
Amid mounting concerns about extreme political rhetoric, Murphy comments on the excesses of both sides, argues substantive criticism of Trump should not be silenced, and addresses the path forward from this difficult and divisive moment for America.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Jul 20
33 min
Matt Pottinger, who served as deputy national security advisor under former President Trump, talks to Margaret Hoover about the geopolitical and economic stakes of defending Taiwan and the challenge of deterring China.
Pottinger, editor and co-author of “The Boiling Moat: Urgent Steps to Defend Taiwan,” assesses Xi Jinping’s ambitions and timeline for a potential invasion, and he details what the U.S. and Taiwan need to do to prevent it.
He explains how the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are connected to Taiwan and rebuts arguments that an aggressive policy toward Beijing could accidentally provoke a war. He also defends his view that COVID-19 was the result of a lab leak in Wuhan and criticizes those in the scientific community who refused to consider the theory.
Pottinger, who resigned from the Trump White House after January 6th, comments on Trump’s ambiguous Taiwan policy, his flattery of dictators, and whether Xi Jinping would prefer to see Trump or Biden in office in 2025.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Henry & Vanessa Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Al & Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.
Jul 13
1 hr 2 min
Edward O’Keefe, author of “The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt,” joins Margaret Hoover to discuss the “extraordinary and unsung” women who shaped the life and legend of the 26th president–and why his legacy still resonates today.
O’Keefe, a former journalist and North Dakota native who is now CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, details Roosevelt’s relationships with his mother, his sisters, and his wives and how they contributed to his successes.
He comments on Roosevelt’s appeal to politicians in both parties today, his expansive use of executive power, and his support for gender equality. He also discusses the role of First Lady Edith Roosevelt in creating the modern White House.
O’Keefe reflects on what Roosevelt’s experience as a vice president who rose to the Oval Office after an assassination reveals about the importance of presidential running mates and whether North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum would be a good choice for Donald Trump.
He also addresses Roosevelt’s record on race and how the library intends to handle a controversial statue depicting the president on horseback flanked by a Native American and a Black man that was removed from outside the American Museum of Natural History in 2022.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Emmet Family Charitable Foundation, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Asness Family Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Marc Haas Foundation, Roger and Susan Hertog, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. and Pfizer Inc.
Jun 29
51 min
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