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Central Air: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Josh Barro, Megan McArdle & Ben Dreyfuss
Central Air, the show where the temperature is always just right. Join Josh Barro, Megan McArdle and Ben Dreyfuss every week for a well-centered conversation on American politics.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 3 days ago45 min
Cheap Meats
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.comThis week: It's another edition of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and Maxwell Tani from Semafor joins us to talk about it. Could this humiliation be enough to end the dinner for good? Then: Have you heard about the new mayor in New York City? This guy, Zohran Mamdani, has been running the city for seven months, and he’s working on opening city-owned grocery stores that will sell meat and produce 30% below the city’s normal retail prices. We discuss that, and what Mamdani can do to prevent theft, bare shelves, and other problems that could arise with public-sector grocery. Plus: Mamdani's brewing fight with the teachers' union and never mind about arresting Benjamin Netanyahu...Upgrade your subscription to hear the full episode at www.centralairpodcast.com.
- 1 weeks ago1h 20m
The 'Woke' Odyssey (feat. Sonny Bunch)
This week: Sonny Bunch joins us to talk about “The Odyssey,” what we thought of the film, whether the controversy about some casting decisions materialized, and more. Also this week: we consider the likely effects of the WBD-Paramount merger (if it is allowed to go through) and why the studios are spending so much money to produce films they dump on streaming. We discuss why Netflix’s stock is in so much trouble. During cocktail hour (free to all listeners this week) we discuss the stupid plan to adopt year-round daylight saving time, propose ideas to make soccer more interesting, and discuss how Josh has become an EV-driving lefty cuck.Sign up for updates from us at centralairpodcast.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.centralairpodcast.com/subscribe
- 2 weeks ago37 min
Seeking the Tribune of the Downwardly Mobile (feat. Tyler Austin Harper)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.comThis week: Tyler Austin Harper returns to Central Air to discuss the ignominious end of Graham Platner’s campaign for U.S. Senate. Free subscribers hear part of that conversation, and paying subscribers hear the whole thing, plus our discussion about the legacy of Lindsey Graham — even the respectful remembrances treat him as a chameleon who was whatever he needed to be in order to further his foreign policy agenda — weird lawmaker absences on the Hill, and some lessons from Josh's trip to Yellowstone National Park for July 4, and the helpful ways that nature can put us in our place (ideally not by launching us into the air).Upgrade your subscription now at www.centralairpodcast.com to hear this and every full episode of the show.
- Jun 30, 20261h 9m
Inflation Grades
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.comThis week: Jason Furman joins the show this week for an economy-focused discussion. We start by looking at why public views about the economy have gotten so negative, the persistent economic problems people are so mad about, the obvious solution (it's fiscal consolidation — that is, tax increases and spending cuts), and what it could take to get us there. We also discuss Kevin Warsh's first actions as chair of the Fed.For paying subscribers, we talk with Jason — who co-teaches Harvard’s largest undergraduate course — about the university’s efforts to unwind the rampant grade inflation that led to two-thirds of undergraduate grades being straight A’s. And we have another edition of cocktail hour, in which Megan, Ben and I reflect on our experiences of skipping grades in elementary school, we rank the best six New England states, I offer provocations about grilling, and we share our plans for celebrating America’s 250th birthday.Upgrade your subscription at www.centralairpodcast.com.
- Jun 23, 202658 min
AI Probably Won't Kill Everyone
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.comThis week: the case for AI regulation and what it would look like, with Dean Ball, who helped to shape AI policy in the Trump White House and is soon to join OpenAI. Is bank regulation a good model for AI regulation, where companies follow rules about making their own rules? We discuss that, and whether we have other choices. Then: for paying subscribers, this week’s episode ends with the very first (but not the last) Central Air cocktail hour, where Ben, Megan and I pour ourselves some drinks, unpack what we’ve heard from our guest, and try to get comfortable with what the future holds for us. To hear the whole episode, upgrade at www.centralairpodcast.com.
- Jun 16, 202633 min
Speaking of Getting Screwed (feat. Andrew Sullivan)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.comThis week: Andrew Sullivan joins us from Provincetown to assess the emergent Iran deal. Paying subscribers also get our discussion of racial unrest and immigration politics in the U.K., our debate how much Europe really needs to learn from the United States (a lot, I’d say, and not just about air conditioning), and our consideration of the joys of Europeans discovering exurban America (including Buc-ee’s!) as they attend the World Cup.Upgrade your subscription now at www.centralairpodcast.com to hear the whole episode.
- Jun 9, 202638 min
The Talent Show (feat. Matt Yglesias)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.centralairpodcast.comThis week: Matt Yglesias joins us to recap WelcomeFest and discuss “dog-whistle moderation," and why the factional forces seeking to drag the Democratic Party to the center need to advocate specific moderation on specific issues. Then: why Maine Democratic voters are attached to Graham Platner despite his manifest defects, a mistake Washington D.C. voters appear poised to make, the city's failures to stop “teen takeovers,” California’s vote-count malaise, and Matt somewhat walks back his anti-dog-park position.To hear the whole episode, upgrade your subscription.
- Jun 7, 202659 min
Central Air Live at WelcomeFest
Listen to two conversations Josh, Ben and Megan had at WelcomeFest, the center-left organizing conference: one with San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins, and the other with Tejano singing legend-turned-congressional candidate Bobby Pulido.More next week, and thanks to those of you who joined us for our happy hour in Washington last week. Sign up for updates about the show and future happy hours at www.centralairpodcast.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.centralairpodcast.com/subscribe
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About Central Air
Central Air, the show where the temperature is always just right. Join Josh Barro, Megan McArdle and Ben Dreyfuss every week for a well-centered conversation on American politics.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Central Air as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
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