Each week J. Peder Zane, Editor of RealClearInvestigations, and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney discuss the week’s best investigative reporting and speak with journalists about cracking challenging stories. Whether it’s culture, politics, or the markets, RealClearIInvestigations should be your source for in-depth reporting from a wide range of perspectives. From the publishers of RealClearPolitics.com
RealClear Defense presents Hot Wash
Claim This Podcastby RCI
4.9(15 reviews)
90 episodes
Updated Inactive
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Podcast Overview
Each week J. Peder Zane, Editor of RealClearInvestigations, and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney discuss the week’s best investigative reporting and speak with journalists about cracking challenging stories. Whether it’s culture, politics, or the markets, RealClearIInvestigations should be your source for in-depth reporting from a wide range of perspectives. From the publishers of RealClearPolitics.com
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Publishing Since
4/14/2021
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Recent Episodes
June 22, 2026
He Fought DEI and DEI Won: Dr. Kendall Conger and Duke Health | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #123
On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Dr. Kendall Conger who lost his job after challenging a 2021 statement issued by his employer – Duke Health – declaring racism a “public health crisis.” On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss the challenges of reporting on the Iran war – and peace deal – when the government seems loath to share details; the Reform Party’s withering report on the Rape Gang controversy in the UK; and the popular support for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in 2024. 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Current Events 05:04 The Grooming Gangs Report and Its Implications 10:02 Media Bias and the Impact on Society 15:11 Dr. Kendall Conger's Experience with DEI at Duke Health 24:12 The Impact of George Floyd's Death on Institutional Policies 30:04 The Debate Over Racism as a Public Health Crisis 36:02 Personal Experiences and Consequences of Speaking Out 39:58 The Shift in Institutional Values at Duke University
June 15, 2026
Crossing the Political Divide with Robert P. George | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #122
On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, about the national civics education he has spearheaded and how to have conversations across the political divide. On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss a range of articles responding to the violence that erupted in England and Belfast following racially charged incidents. 00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote 01:30 Current Events and Political Climate 03:52 Racial Inequality and Public Response 06:16 Media Framing and Public Perception 09:44 Civics Education and Its Importance 13:01 Interview with Robert George on Civics Education 20:32 The Shift in Academic Focus 24:25 Conservative Perspectives in Academia 31:17 The Pursuit of Truth and Intellectual Humility 32:04 The Role of Academic Freedom in Education 33:25 Bridging the Gap: Intellectual Honesty in Discourse 37:34 Navigating the Age of Feeling and Humility 48:44 The Machinery of Dispute Resolution in Democracy 56:35 Hope vs. Optimism: The Future of American Democracy
June 8, 2026
Fascism On the March? with Joel Kotkin | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #121
On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Joel Kotkin about his recent article for RCI exploring how and why fascism has become a buzzword of American politics. On the news round-up, Zane and Varney use a City Journal piece suggesting why fraud in Medicaid and Medicare seems an unsolvable problem to discuss a Wall Street Journal article detailing how autism therapy has become a hotbed of billing abuse and a Daily Caller story on rampant fraud in Obamacare. They also discuss John R. Lott Jr.’s recent RCI article on data showing that violent crime is declining even as more Americans – especially women, blacks and Hispanics – are carrying firearms and an article in the Free Press reporting on policies that have helped significantly lower the murder rate in Baltimore. 00:00 Introduction and News Roundup 07:04 Fraud in Government Spending 12:07 Rising Gun Ownership and Crime Rates 18:27 Understanding Fascism: A Historical Perspective with Joel Kotkin 25:53 The Role of Religion in Fascism 26:22 The Fascism Debate: Trump and Historical Context 30:04 Nationalism and Patriotism: A Shift in Perception 32:44 Weaponization of Language in Political Discourse 36:24 Democratic Socialism: Ideals vs. Reality 41:19 The Ascendancy of the Left in the Democratic Party 48:53 Anti-Semitism and Political Extremism: A Dual Concern
90 total episodes available
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