NYT’s Bret Stephens on Israel, 4 Years of GoodFellows, and An Invite to JK Rowling | GoodFellows

As the six-month anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel approaches, what to expect next in that struggle-and is the American president and Israeli prime minister’s working relationship beyond repair? New York Times columnist Bret Stephens joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and H.R. McMaster to discuss the war’s possible expansion into southern Lebanon and Stephens’s vision of a rebuilt Gaza as a Mediterranean version of Dubai. After that, a celebration of four years since GoodFellows’ “shelter-in place” debut, including a little boasting (they saw inflation coming), a little contrition (they didn’t see Trump rebounding), and some big takeaways on geopolitics, economics, and the pandemic’s legacy.
ABOUT THE SERIES
GoodFellows, a Hoover Institution broadcast, features senior fellows John Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, and H.R. McMaster discussing the social, economic, and geostrategic ramifications of this changed world. They can’t banter over lunch these days, but they continue their spirited conversation online about what comes next, as we look forward to an end to the crisis.
For more on this series visit, www.hoover.org/goodfellows.
The opinions expressed on this channel are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.
© 2024 by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University.

[@--Dani]

Have loved the show since you started, I don't want to lose a Goodfellow, can we add Stephen Kotkin more often.

[@MrJoel9679]

Yes to J K Rowling as a guest.

[@lewissmith350]

Yes, she is a hero, extremely brave for sticking to her completely reasonable totally uncontroversial vanilla beliefs, despite appalling attempts to silence, and utterly mis represent her statements. I honestly think she deserves a Nobel prize for standing her ground, when so many looked the other way. P.s, I am also proud Scottish civil society was so capable at criticising the new laws that jk opposed, some countries publics have just accepted what their elites wanted, but in Scotland their has been real debate and criticism of the law, not fawning obedience. If it had not been for that, I think Scotland would be seeing people being arrested for saying utterly trivial vanilla beliefs, but they have made the law now quite likely a unworkable laughing shops, by their campaign against it. And jk Rowling deserves most respect. Plus all the women and men who rightly condemned the most absurd elements of this new law, which organisations like s e x matters. highlighted so well. Plus to be fair the Scottish conservatives, who have a vote winner on this issue. Although there are minor parties like alba, who oppose aspects of the law as well.

[@davidholloway1776]

Happy anniversary GoodFellows. I enjoy this weekly treat very much. I appreciate you taking the time.

[@TheVeritas2100]

ditto

[@Zero_Zero_Zero_Zero]

Gratitude for the analysis. I continue to be amazed at the generosity. Thank you all.

[@TheVeritas2100]

what analysis ! ? ... what have we learned ?

[@Erlingha]

Happy anniversary! 🎉

[@davidburke2666]

Brilliant, congratulations on your 4th anniversary. I watch every episode and have learned much. Thank you.

[@debbieallen7585]

John you are totally on the money about the lawfare against Trump.

[@tonyzaffirini7368]

What conservatives dont realize was that the intent of the law fare was to bring Trump back not make him go away. The lawfare gave the Dems the candidate they most wanted. The GOP base did exactly what the Dems expected them to do.

[@TheRealBlueValhalla]

Lulz

[@MB-or1kh]

I have a lot of respect for John, but the lawfare argument is just inaccurate. Are some of the charges weak, yes, but most aren’t and to ignore that fact and dismiss all of the cases with the right wing talking point of lawfare is just lazy thinking at best. That is at least the 2nd time he has made the comment on the show, and I hope in future episodes he can expand upon his position with more detail on a case by case basis.

[@freespirit6209]

Happy anniversary, gentlemen. Thank you for your time - much appreciated.

[@strelnikoff1632]

The best, most adult geopolitical hour in media

[@AuditorInvestor]

Very adult sweeping the deaths of US and Western aid workers under the carpet.

[@ridgegameren6921]

You’ve got to be kidding. Not one dissenting view. Every episode is untempered war advocacy. The head of Hoover is candy rice the architect of the Iraq war, lol. The only lesson they ever learn is they should have gone further, more bombs, more interference, more death. The guest speaker literally spoke about how Israel needs to preempt war with Hezbola and Iran. Explain how unconditional support for Israel is in the US interest??? If it was they wouldn’t have to pour billions through aipac, adl, ect

[@nealljones]

Love these guys. Thanks for continuing the podcast!

[@MrJoel9679]

Happy Fourth Anniversary. Quick shout out to your honorary Goodfellow Stephen Kotkin.

[@stephendyer5879]

When is the perception of weakness just a reality that the US isn't that strong.

[@bobbinsthethird]

Was the US Weak when Japan attacked Pearl harbor, or was it a perception of the US being not that strong that was shared by Japan and by Americans themselves?

[@Richard19551]

@@bobbinsthethird It was both. The U.S. was weak when Japan attacked - but it had the potential to grow strong - and I think Japan and the U.S. both knew that. The major impediments to growing strong now are: i) a willful ignorance by many of the danger, ii) the enormity of social spending (entitlements) that didn't exist in 1941 and crowds out the potential to swell defense expenditures, iii) the low birth rate endangering Social Security and (since 1941) the new Medicare spending. Close down federal spending for education, health care and pensions - if states want to pick up those obligations, fine - and spend that money on defense (payment for the bases and a military draft, conversion from peacetime to defense manufacturing and purchase of weapons) and the U.S. is strong again. As in 1941, it has the potential.

[@terrracottta]

Had we had to re-elect you, we'd have done it in a heartbeat. You are the best!

[@advocate1563]

Love this podcast. Voice of sanity in a desert.

[@recitalspringfmc]

Congrats!!!

[@gayleham]

4 yrs? Sure hope you continue. I don’t think I have missed a single episode. Appreciate you all !

[@sandipmistry5218]

Happy anniversary ! 4 very insightful and enjoyable years watching and listening! You were always ahead of the curve providing great insight ! Please do keep it up 👍 love the format!

[@ellentuchler7103]

Congratulations and thank you for the 4 years of great discussion and learning! A true ray of brightness in 4 years of quite a bit of bleakness.

[@alexanders88]

All 4 of you guy are awesome. Its nice & enjoyable to listen to a discussion and not shouting back & forth. Only wish you were a weekly podcast. Thank you again.

[@hostashevsky]

Congratulations on your anniversary, Good Fellows! You give such an unstoppable intellectual satisfaction to your audience ! Thank you !

[@TheVeritas2100]

individually , as amazingly smart and intelligent they are , together they came up with nohing, nada, bupkis !

[@gmilton4227]

Happy Anniversary!

[@mitchgibbs2432]

Thank you. We don't have any reliable source for this information other than GoodFellows!

[@Martin-qm2lg]

Happy 4th anniversary and many thanks for your commentary and discussions. Always learn a great deal. Also for the author and book references.

[@edmundcomet]

Keep going fellas!!

[@AshleyCichocki]

The more I listen to John Cochrane, the more I like him. Great show!

[@ashleywebb2736]

Agree. When the show started he was very much the unknown quantity but he he has often left me with the most to think about.

[@TC-cd5fh]

Love this show. High quality debate (unlike some legacy media).

[@VincentFulco]

One of the best of the best gatherings of academics and practitioners on the web. Thanks gentlemen!

[@dz-vs6jc]

Love the Goodfellows. Please keep the shows coming

[@DanteAlighieri78]

Brilliant as always. I follow your show from Transylvania.

[@karlstriepe8050]

John's speech on COVID was amazing and heartbreaking.

[@geoffreywilds4173]

You all have been a wellspring of wisdom and knowledge to me since the pandemic. Thank you for everything you all have done.

[@Drunkwithsuccess]

I’ve been a fan from the beginning. It’s like must see TV. Congratulations gents.

[@henrymroth9455]

You guys are great, but could you please bring Steve Kotkin back, please?

[@TheVeritas2100]

these FOIUR unfortunaley were MISMATCHED bunch to come up with anything meaningful ! ! !

[@charlesmackey8179]

Always a breath of sanity!!

[@johnl5316]

Sweden did well with the virus as did Florida

[@dispatchteam729]

Happy anniversary. Hopefully there will be many more years to come

[@lawrencefrost9063]

I have no idea how but I stumbled upon your show around 3-4 years ago and I have been watching every episode since. Thank you!

[@lawrencemartin24]

Have not missed a single episode!!!

[@royjacobs1204]

Hahaha, JK Rowling? She is the new Queen of Terf Island and the Empress of our free speech in our green and pleasant land. I am sure she will consider your request

[@Ladybearclaw28806]

Thank you Guys! Happy Anniversary! Love your show and watch every time you have a new podcast!🙂

[@michaelbeall4904]

Congrats on an amazing 4 year run. Always a deeply satisfying show. Please please continue- your efforts are widely appreciated!

[@benbellelogan]

Please, please don’t stop. You have been a constant source of wonderful things to ponder.

[@user-tk1jj1cp9x]

Love the show. Best wishes from Taiwan.

[@YellowLab1]

Gen McMaster. Thank you. Your insights into what Israel needs to do regarding the destabilization and threat of Hezbollah was an eye opener for me. After listening to you I believe you're completely correct sir. Regretfully.

[@lolotus4borderless]

By far the greatest podcast from Stanford, timeless and borderless

[@guydaines6916]

Brilliant show South Africa 🇿🇦

[@michaelchesterman7992]

Happy anniversary guys! Many, many, many happy returns. Pleeeeeease keep up this great project. INVITE MICHAEL PORTILLO🙏🙂

[@StephLin6897]

What an interesting left-of-field suggestion. I’d love to see my favourite British politician and train enthusiast on the Good Fellows. We ‘met’ Michael on our trans-Canadian train trip a few years ago. A true gentleman and a good thinker. Bring him on please!

[@twoLippy4u]

Great episode gentlemen

[@emmyojebode1666]

Happy Anniversary 🎉

[@BarbaraCorrias-mh7en]

Happy anniversary!! Thank you for your services

[@sydsacks9097]

Well done guys your programme is unmissable!

[@pmsheridan1492]

Happy Anniversary Guys! A great show. I learn a lot, sometimes disagree but appreciate the format, guests and tone of the discussion. Thank god for the Hoover Institute! Keep doing what you're doing. All the best.

[@Video2Webb]

Goodness me, how much I enjoy this show. It's fabulous. Much respect for all involved. And thank you. To 4 more years, at least!

[@michaelhammang3240]

Thank you GREATLY, guys!!!! Look forward to many more.

[@mrclutch444]

Happy Anniversary! Hope the show goes on forever

[@ynwadpaggy8157]

I wish the US government would adapt GoodFellows advice

[@tomcullen8367]

Another great show! Awesome discussion! The Navy announced yesterday that the Constellation Frigate Program delivery will be delayed 3 years, from 2026 to 2029 (along with some other shipbuilding programs that will be delayed). Can Good Fellows provide a bullhorn on this issue? Who can be held accountable? Should the Vendor be fired? How can we fix this? China is crushing us on the shipbuilding competition.

[@laurentiujiglau9810]

Thank you, gentlemen!

[@mysneekers5862]

What makes this program so successful is that the four people really enjoy each other. Happy Forth Anniversary GoodFellows!

[@oliverjamito9902]

Thank you Pops! Attending unto our OWN and unto one another! Thank you

[@TRFan26]

Please, fellas. Keep the podcasts coming!

[@mbos322]

My country of Australia has become very weak. Our Covid response was a joke. We have elected a paternalistic government that bows down to China. As an aside, I am having my third Covid infection right now and it is milder than a cold.

[@gnukkignukk7536]

One thing is how much of a relief it is to see the GoodFellows-video every now and then compared to the average content on KZbin, but one could also say the same about the comment-section here. Congratulations with the anniversary.

[@mrjvc]

Amazing as usual - always enlightening

[@johnbell4328]

I'm happy to be able to say that I discovered Good Fellows only a few weeks after launch and an pretty sure that I haven't missed an episode.

[@StephLin6897]

Happy Anniversary Good Fellows 🎉. I’ve been a loyal listener for at least 3 of your 4 years and never miss an episode. Please keep this oasis of thoughtful common sense analysis going. We need you!

[@billweberx]

My politics are slightly left of center, but I thoroughly enjoy this conversation and appreciate the wisdom these gentlemen possess. I don't agree with all points made, do with a surprising number. The far right went off the deep end long ago and now the far left has gone berserk. These guys are closer to the center where mainstream politics should be. Thanks for taking the time for us.

[@vectoraerialimaging774]

HR For President!!

[@davidcooke8059]

I thought the comments re an Arab mandate in Palestine were interesting.

[@egverlander]

Another fine episode. Thank you.

[@peterforsythe3643]

Middle East/Gaza: Brett’s comments and suggested solutions from ~16:30 on, strike me as sensible, practicable and useful. I support!

[@YellowLab1]

Good grief. Just finished listening to your review of the destructive, incompetent top-down Covid response John Cochrane. As a now retired MD IMHO I believe you've completely nailed it ! And agree esteemed fellow Stanford medical scholar Dr. Jay Bhattacharya had the correct analysis from early on but was maliciously attacked and suppressed by the entrenched central planners. Sadly. Enormously costly mistakes were made. Hopefully we've learned.

[@dasglasperlenspiel10]

As he is about two thirds of the time, Niall was completely correct and inspiring in his final comment. Bring on J. K. Rowling. As a person who had no success in appreciating the Harry Potter books, I have been, many times, so pleased when I have heard Ms Rowling speak on public issues. She would make a wonderful contribution to your program, which is my favorite on the internet!

[@lizgichora6472]

Lessons learned: Thank you all for a great panel discussion, " On Perception. " Fruit, Flower or Appliances.

[@FinnGriffin]

I eagerly await every Goodfellow's arrival! Well done gentleman, as always!

[@GentlemanJack705]

Bret: "The audience that Israel needs to win over is not at Brown, Stanford, or Harvard." This is a pretty shortsighted statement. As the polling from 2022 shows, older Americans have more favorable attitudes towards Israel than younger ones, so much so that there is a sincere generational gap with respect to positive views towards Israel and that gap widens with each passing day. If Israel wants to have continued US support in the future, it should probably take into consideration the views of the next generation's leaders for they will be in the driver's seat when it comes to future engagements with Israel.

[@Sphere723]

Really Israel needs to influence the young boys in the Palestinian territories. They are the biggest future threat to Israeli security. It's easy to dismiss those being killed in Gaza as Hamas militants, but they are also the martyred fathers/brothers/uncles of the next Palestinian generation.

[@kevinjenner9502]

AIPAC owns Congress.

[@kevinjenner9502]

AIPAC should be required to register under FARA…End foreign election interference.

[@tb8865]

They are betting on continued control of BOTH political parties, public opinion be damned. As long as the American leadership is bought off they feel like they can do whatever.

[@obfuscati]

Isreal will never recover its standing with Western Europe and the US. There are weathly Jewish donors and the older Americans with disproportionate influence. They killed the humanitarian workers on purpose.

[@vijay-1]

Well explained

[@stevendepuy4377]

39:00 I totally agree. I wanted no part of DJT again, but when they started the DOJ attacks, I decided I will vote for him again, not like there is any serious other choice.

[@DillyDolittle]

Love you GoodFellows & your guests. Just hope Niall is wrong about Biden winning in November 🤞🙏

[@bt3205]

A good discussion

[@karlernstbuddenbrock371]

Excellent commentary, as always.

[@monicahart3071]

🎉Congrats Gentlemen on your 4 year anniversary 🎉

[@scepisle4970]

Wow.. lots of talk about the harrowing civilian casualties happening on a daily basis........... not.

[@judge4all]

Happy Anniversary

[@--Dani]

JK 👍👍

[@lonecandle5786]

We don't know if it was a lab leak, yet Cochrane states that it was like that is a known fact.

[@gabrielderman974]

I am a fan ❤

[@elrevesyelderecho]

Congratulations!

[@woodrow60]

JK Rowling is responsible for many children reading books. In those books she sets out the values underpinning a free society, including that each of us must stand up when needed. Now she is living that value. She would be a great guest.

[@lonecandle5786]

McMaster says he got right the consequences of withdrawing from Afghanistan, but the consequences that he often repeats are reasonable speculation. Where's the evidence that Putin further invaded Ukraine because of a U.S. Afghanistan withdrawal? Putin may have invaded anyways; he certainly already wanted influence or control of that country and had already invaded Crimea and supported separatists in the east.

[@ashleywebb2736]

Happy Anniversary. Listened to every episode. I love Neil, but I wish he would hold his hand up about the Covid debate . His holding up of Taiwan and its test, test, test and then isolate policy as a great model was proven to be ineffective. I have rewatched some older episodes, and John Cochrane undoubtedly expressed the most concern about the overreach and loss of liberties as a bigger concern. Also, could he not have a word with his old mucker Cameron. Give him a call to stiffen his backbone.

[@dustyfairview9062]

Does cochrane have his own show? Cause ugh those other guys

[@nancychace8619]

Thanks for sharing, guys. One little thing about wearing masks during the pandemic... N-95s do work if worn properly. The little surgical ones aren't nearly as good b/c they inevitably allow air, possibly infected, access to the wearer's nose and mouth. I know this first hand from personal experience with the infection and long covid, which I still suffer from. I can tell right away when I've been exposed, and know once or twice have managed to dodge the Covid bullet. How? By wearing an N-95 with a snug fit. At the very least, they help. I get what you're saying about the relatively 'small' death rates. Even so, bodies stacked up in reefer trucks b/c mortuaries were swamped was nothing to take for granted. God help us if the death rate is 10% the next time. Agree with much else of what you said. I'll never figure out how so many people could be so dismissive of the virus. I'm vaccinated up one side and down the other. Enjoyed listening. Congratulations on your successful 4 years. Take care -

[@singaporesingapore9729]

The measurement of success of dealing with a Medical emergency is judged by how many more or less Death results from it..NOT measuring the economic recovery that comes after it .Economic recovery comes from many non medical factors.

[@farinati]

JK ROWLING ON GOODFELLOWS

[@joshuachapman247]

I hope for another 4 years.

[@bobsnow1996]

Thank you for another great show and for four fantastic years, I know you touched on the Scotland Hate Speech law, but I believe you need to come back to this topic again and probably again. These Hate speech laws in liberal democracies are very worrisome and worse threat to democracy than Putin could ever be because these laws are being concocted from within Western Liberal Democracies across the West. This is very dangerous and needs too be pointed out to the general public and nipped in the bud, otherwise authoritarian regimes will spring up within the West... I see this as a real danger to Free Speech. Reading about the Scottish law sounds like it was written by someone who was a member of the East German Stasi and misses good old Communism.

[@Gorbyrev]

Many thanks gentlemen and good luck getting J.K. Rowling on Goodfellows. I am appalled by the SNP administration in Holyrood. They are illiberal, centralising, dismissive, arrogant and incompetent. If I could go back in time I would like to show Donald Dewar a video montage of what his devolution plans unleashed on us.

[@michaelcarter5049]

Congratulations Guys - not one stacked bookshelf in the background. At last, a group of free thinkers! :-)

[@Ladybearclaw28806]

Come on that would be great! Get JK Rawling on the Goodfellows!