The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Episode: Marco Solo
Date: February 17, 2026
Host: John Podhoretz
Panel: Abe Greenwald, Christine Rosen, Seth Mandel

Overview

This episode opens with reflections on several notable figures who recently passed away—Robert Duvall, Frederick Wiseman, and Jesse Jackson—exploring their impact on American culture and politics. The discussion transitions to analysis of the Munich Security Conference, contrasting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (AOC) international debut with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s landmark foreign policy speech. The panel closes with commentary on American civilizational identity and a light-hearted recommendation for the classic film "You've Got Mail."

Remembrances of Influential Figures

Robert Duvall (01:16–08:46)

• Extraordinary Career: The panel honors Duvall’s legacy, noting his roles in cinematic masterpieces from The Godfather and To Kill a Mockingbird to Apocalypse Now, his Oscar-winning turn in Tender Mercies, celebrated TV work (Lonesome Dove), and understated performances across genres.

  • John Podhoretz (01:16):

    "It is really mind boggling the degree to which Robert Duvall, maybe more than any other film staple from the 1960s onward, was in great movie after great movie…he made 140 movies that you could watch today and think are, you know, either masterpieces or real portraits of America."

• Chameleon Talent:

  • Christine Rosen (04:37):

    "He was actually quite shape shifting without showing it off...You didn't slot him in because you needed a Robert Duvall type. He played different types."

• Professional Integrity:

  • Seth Mandel (05:14–08:17): Cites Duvall's refusal to be underpaid for Godfather Part III, sacrificing the role due to pay inequity with Al Pacino (“Don't play games with me. I'll sit this out. See how you do without me.”)

• Personal Notes:

  • Abe Greenwald (08:46): Reminisces about Duvall’s impact in Newsies, emphasizing his ability to be memorable even in supporting, “far from” lead roles.

Frederick Wiseman & Jesse Jackson (09:46–16:33)

• Frederick Wiseman:
  • Seth Mandel (09:46):

    "He was easily the greatest American documentary filmmaker of the last half century...unbelievably realistic accounts of institutions..."

• Jesse Jackson:
  • John Podhoretz (10:32): Details Jackson's duality—empowering black pride while also fostering grievance politics and a legacy of open antisemitism, particularly referencing his “Jaime Town” comment and role in shifting acceptable discourse (“Jackson was a malign figure in American life in many ways, certainly in the...fact that he made the black community safe for open antisemitism.”)

Jesse Jackson’s Legacy in American Racial and Political Life (16:33–32:20)

• Antisemitism & Influence:

  • Panel discusses how Jackson shifted the Overton window on antisemitic rhetoric, paving the way for figures like Louis Farrakhan and Spike Lee to become prominent despite openly problematic stances.
    • Christine Rosen (20:17):

      "...to go on and be the trailblazer for a new era of black antisemitism, anti-Zionism is extraordinary and disgusting."

• Rainbow PUSH Coalition & Grift:

  • Examination of how social justice organizations risk devolving into self-serving or corrupt enterprises.
    • John Podhoretz (22:16):

      "Whenever you form an organization that's fighting for social justice, what kind of people are attracted to that...they often follow that path."

• Minority Set-Asides:

  • Seth Mandel (23:50):

    "You would get just basically like a business run by white people or the mob...and they would take a black person along and say he's the CEO...it did absolutely nothing to empower the community it was supposed to empower."

• Contentious Relationship with Martin Luther King Jr.:

  • Podhoretz recounts Jackson’s disputed claims about being present for King’s death, viewed by peers as self-aggrandizing (26:40).

• Eclipsed by Obama and Sharpton:

  • Abe Greenwald (27:20): Notes the “generational transition” as Obama’s success made Jackson’s intermediary role obsolete and their tense relationship:

    "Obama could become president on his own. And yet the guy that really hated him was Jesse Jackson."

  • Seth Mandel (29:45): Mentions the added complication of Jesse Jackson Jr.’s corruption conviction and how it influenced Obama’s distance from the Jackson legacy.

Munich Security Conference: Contrasts in U.S. Political Leadership

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Maiden Appearance (34:45–43:19)

• Bungled Debut:

  • John Podhoretz (34:42):

    "That is what happened to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at Munich."
    References the literary counterpoint of an underprepared young politician (Phineas Finn).

  • Christine Rosen (35:37):

    "She came very, very close to Kamala-esque verbiage at times...there were long, weird, empty pauses that wound up in nowhere land."

  • Rosen/Podhoretz (39:54–41:07): Discuss her over-reliance on domestic talking points, lack of foreign policy depth, and surprise/wounded reaction even from the friendly New York Times.

• Preparation Gaps:

  • Podhoretz (38:21):

    "If she'd been properly prepped for this appearance, she should have expected that question [on Taiwan]...she does not like criticism. "

• Larger Issue for Democrats:

  • Seth Mandel (43:19):

    "...the dawning understanding among liberals in the United States that they have a problem because the standard bearers for the future of the Democratic Party are a bunch of illiterate idiots."

Marco Rubio’s Landmark Foreign Policy Speech (43:19–59:55)

• Evoking Statesmanship:

  • John Podhoretz (43:19):

    "...the most important foreign policy speech given by an American in several decades."

  • Christine Rosen (46:58): Compares Rubio’s statesmanship favorably to Trump’s “explosive and provocative” style:

    "This was the actual thing that we always want..."

  • Podhoretz (47:52):

    "There are examples...where tone is almost all of it because he's not...talking about annexing Greenland or Canada as the 51st state."

• Message and Reception in Europe:

  • Christine Rosen (48:58):

    "He got a standing ovation after telling the Europeans that they desperately need to shape up to stop apologizing and to get their act together and not be ashamed of who they are and our shared history."

  • Abe Greenwald (49:15):

    "They thanked him...this was a really great speech, act like it."

  • Seth Mandel (49:40):

    "What you heard in this room was relief...about the importance of Europe and our alliances and our shared purpose."

• Civilizational Confidence Versus Trump’s Negative Framing:

  • Seth Mandel (53:42):

    "We are better and the West is better and the world is better when the West is strong, and the West is better when the West is strong."

  • Mandel, Podhoretz, Greenwald (59:55): Contrast Rubio’s uplifting, positive vision with Trump and J.D. Vance’s more negative or isolationist perspectives.
    • Mandel:

      "Trump comes at this in a negative frame...we are blessed to have grown up as inheritors of this civilizational tradition."

• Notable Quote – On Rubio’s American Story:

  • Abe Greenwald (54:30):

    "He mentioned this thing about his great, great, great, great grandparents coming from Spain. And imagine, imagine 250 years later...their descendant...speaking from this stage in Germany about the future of the West. That is the story of the West. It is a story that no other civilization tells."

Key Timestamps & Segments

• [01:16–08:46]: Robert Duvall’s legacy and highlights
• [09:46–16:33]: Remembrance of Frederick Wiseman and Jesse Jackson; impact on American life
• [16:33–32:20]: Jesse Jackson’s embrace of grievance politics, corruption, and legacy of antisemitism
• [34:45–43:19]: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s foreign policy stumble at Munich Security Conference
• [43:19–59:55]: Marco Rubio’s Munich speech, contrast with Trumpism and European reaction, civilizational themes

Notable Quotes

• On Robert Duvall:
  • John Podhoretz (01:16):

    "...maybe more than any other film staple from the 1960s onward, was in great movie after great movie after great movie..."

• On Jesse Jackson's dual legacy:
  • Christine Rosen (20:17):

    "...to go on and be the trailblazer for a new era of black antisemitism, anti-Zionism is extraordinary and disgusting."

• On AOC’s performance:
  • Christine Rosen (35:37):

    "She came very, very close to Kamala-esque verbiage at times."

• On Rubio’s message:
  • Seth Mandel (53:42):

    "We are better and the west is better and the world is better when the west is strong."

  • Abe Greenwald (54:30):

    "[The West] is a story that no other civilization tells."

• On the difference between Rubio and Trump:
  • Seth Mandel (59:55):

    "Trump comes at this in a negative frame...The other way...is we are blessed to have grown up as inheritors of this civilizational tradition."

Closing Pop Culture Note

• Film Recommendation – “You’ve Got Mail” (65:04–End)
  • John Podhoretz praises the film as an "almost perfect movie," highlighting its nuanced depiction of big business, nostalgia, and the evolution of New York City neighborhoods.

Tone and Takeaways

The episode features Commentary’s signature blend of sharp cultural criticism, political analysis, and historical perspective, delivered in an erudite yet accessible style. The hosts display nostalgia for American cultural figures and a deep wariness of trends in social justice politics, while expressing cautious optimism about reinvigorating American foreign policy with civilizational confidence—captured most clearly in Marco Rubio’s Munich speech.