Oct 7, 2026 · 2h 10m
Midterm economics sharpen a Republican fight over populism
The Key Midterm Issue, and Vance vs. Cruz, with Rich Lowry and Charles C.W. Cooke, Plus James Woods on His New Album and Our Culture | Ep. 1413
The episode connects voter frustration over prices and Senate races to a broader Republican argument about leadership, speech, and political judgment.
- 1Gas prices, inflation, tariffs, and Senate contests expose Republican vulnerabilities heading into the 2026 midterms.
- 2Ted Cruz’s criticism of J.D. Vance signals a larger Republican debate over populism, markets, foreign policy, and leadership.
- 3The Cornell case becomes a test of whether legal facts and due process can withstand emotional narratives and political pressure.
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The brief
Megyn Kelly, Rich Lowry, and Charles C.W. Cooke assess the 2026 midterms through gas prices, inflation, tariffs, Senate races, and Republican anxiety about the economy.
The panel treats Ted Cruz’s criticism of J.D. Vance as an early signal of a Republican succession fight over populism, free markets, foreign policy, and American leadership.
The Cornell sexual-assault case drives a sharper dispute: the speakers argue that empathy matters, but emotional narratives cannot replace evidence, consent law, or due process.
James Woods joins the conversation on the Cornell case before explaining how The Killer’s Wife uses biblical imagery, personal experience, and cinematic storytelling to explore good and evil.
The closing reflection on Harry Connick Jr.’s response to the Sandy Hook shooting returns the episode to grief, restraint, compassion, and the limits of art after tragedy.