The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Episode: The Post-Persuasion Age?
Date: March 25, 2026
Host: Jon Podhoretz
Panelists: Abe Greenwald, Eliana Johnson, Noam Bloom

Episode Overview

This episode explores whether American politics—and political persuasion—have fundamentally changed in the modern era, especially in a time of war. The hosts begin with a witty debate on the impact of candidate “hotness” and relatability in electoral politics, then pivot to analysis of the ongoing Iran conflict, President Trump’s war communications, and whether efforts at persuasion or public messaging still matter. The show also touches on notable reporting from the Free Beacon and closes with a spirited recommendation of the film Project Hail Mary, highlighting its hopeful tone and mass appeal.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Do Good-Looking Candidates Win Elections? (00:44–06:37)

• Prompted by a Bulwark article arguing Democrats should run “hot” candidates, the panel breaks down the substance (or lack thereof) in America’s focus on appearance in politics.
• Jon Podhoretz: “I have a slightly different take… the Democratic Party’s major problem… is that it is increasingly looking like a freak show… one visual way you can counteract that problem is by having good looking people as the front.” (01:33)
• Eliana Johnson thinks attractiveness helps only “on the margins,” referencing Kamala Harris and Sarah Palin as examples where looks did not secure lasting political success.
• Abe Greenwald reframes: “Presentable looking, normal looking [candidates] as a way of tempering the kind of tendencies that are associated with their party.” (06:38)
• The hosts agree charisma and relatability (Bush, Clinton, Obama) often outweigh raw attractiveness.

2. Political Branding and the “Freak Show” Phenomenon (07:54–16:36)

• The panel reflects on Democrats' historical efforts to project normalcy (e.g., “Clean for Gene” in 1968), combating the perception of being out-of-touch with “mainstream America.”
• Jon discusses Rahm Emanuel’s 2006 strategy of “veteran candidates” and how surface-level presentation sometimes masks more radical policy views.
• The “freak show” label is acknowledged as increasingly applicable on both left and right, with a rising number of “controversial weirdos” elected.
• Example: AOC’s relatability is contrasted to Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, both visually and in perceived mainstream appeal.

3. Iran War, Trump’s Strategy, and the Role of Persuasion (18:28–44:08)

• Speculation about Trump’s war approach:
  • Is Trump negotiating in earnest, or just stalling for time?
  • Is he trying to show Iran as intransigent to justify escalation?
• Abe: "He wants to publicly show Iran being unreasonable so that he can continue... War with maximum strength, I think." (21:17)
• Discussion of Trump’s communication style and its consequences:
  • Has not made a clear case for war (“He’s not explained the purpose of the war, the goals and the aims.” —23:26).
  • Debate over whether a “victory” will sway the public more than any attempt at persuasive speech.
• Eliana: “The actions are more important than the words, and the ultimate mover of polls is going to be the outcome… in an ideal world, it would be a little bit different. He'd be a more forceful communicator… But it is what it is.” (28:14)
• Consensus: President’s ability (or inability) to persuade has changed; outcome overshadows rhetoric.

4. Have We Entered a “Post-Persuasion” Political Era? (30:21–37:29)

• Jon raises the big question: “Does this mean that we have moved definitively into a world in which persuasion is no longer a key element of political action?” (30:21)
• Abe: “Persuadability is a sign of weakness… you gotta dig in all the way.” (32:20)
• Eliana dissents, noting that many swing voters still exist and can be moved by effective messaging—she cites campaign ads and party-switching as evidence (33:21).
• The panel agrees the fragmented media landscape makes wide-reaching, persuasive communication harder, but some voters remain persuadable.
• Jon points out the confusing, often contradictory messaging (“We’ve already won this war, but we’re still fighting it”) as a hindrance to persuasion (35:13).

5. The Stakes in Iran and the Problem with “Declaring Victory” (39:03–44:08)

• If the Iran war ends inconclusively, the consequences could be “catastrophic” for the U.S., the Republican Party, and the region.
• Abe: “If we don’t see it through this time, that’s it… we will never come this close again to seeing it through.” (41:49)
• Genuine victory is understood not only in military terms, but also by dismantling the Iranian regime’s capacity to threaten regional stability.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Candidate ‘Hotness’:
  • Jon: “Kamala’s too old to be hot… we’re talking here about people in their 30s or in their 20s who are manifestly alluring...” (04:32)
  • Eliana: “The best candidates are somewhat more relatable… they’re somewhat good looking, but they’re not so good looking that they’re not unrelatable to people.” (05:20)
• On the AOC Effect:
  • Jon: “AOC looks like a hot 32-year-old woman on a Netflix show about hot 32-year-old women… Does that make her relatable? It certainly makes her more relatable…” (14:05)
  • Eliana: “I don’t find this to be like a deep insight… of course she [AOC] will be more palatable than the hijab-wearing Muslim congresswoman.” (15:15)
• On Messaging and Victory:
  • Eliana: “Actions are more important than the words… The ultimate mover of polls is going to be the outcome.” (28:14)
  • Jon: “If we win this war the way I think we will… the cost of a kind of unilateral declaration that hostilities are over and that we won something that we clearly haven’t won would be wildly unacceptable.” (39:03)
• On Presidential Persuasion in Today’s Media:
  • Abe: “Persuadability is a sign of weakness… it’s considered like you’re a dupe if you can be persuaded.” (32:20)
  • Eliana: "I do think people are open to being persuaded… if a case was made day in, day out, I think it would move people.” (35:02)
  • Jon: “He has talked more about this war… than any president in the midst of a conflict has spoken… but the message is self-contradictory.” (35:13)
• On Resolving Iran:
  • Jon: "He might as well finish it and finish it good because that’s the only way out for him here, is to have a real victory, not an illusory victory." (41:49)

Additional Highlights

Free Beacon Reporting Segment (45:12–49:10)

• Eliana recounts a Free Beacon investigation at UCLA, featuring mandatory lectures with “activist in residence” making first-year medical students pray to “Mama Earth” and chant “Free, Free Palestine.”
• The story exposed non-medical, ideological content and led to legal action against UCLA for stonewalling public records requests.
  • “Readings for the course included an essay by a fat liberationist who claims that obesity is a slur used to exact violence on fat people." (47:07)

“Commentary Recommends” — Project Hail Mary (49:51–58:36)

• Noam Bloom joins to endorse the sci-fi movie Project Hail Mary, calling it “hope core”—a film about optimism, friendship, and bravery amid bleak circumstances.
• Jon: “It’s what movies are supposed to be… It makes you feel good… a strong recommendation.” (55:54)
• Noam: “It is a movie that anybody can enjoy… a 12-year-old and an 80-year-old could equally enjoy.” (53:18)
• Special praise for Ryan Gosling’s solo performance: “This is really hard to do, what Gosling does here… it’s kind of a performance for the ages.” (56:20)

Key Timestamps

• 00:44–06:37: Debate on candidate attractiveness and political success
• 07:54–16:36: Political branding, “freak show” dynamic, and candidate presentation
• 18:28–44:08: Deep dive on Trump’s war strategy, messaging, and the limits of persuasion
• 45:12–49:10: Exposé of UCLA’s activist academic programming
• 49:51–58:36: “Commentary Recommends” — Project Hail Mary film review

Takeaway

The episode interrogates the notion that effective persuasion is dead in modern American politics, especially in the face of deep polarization, fragmented media, and a political culture increasingly focused on optics and charisma over substance. While persuasive power may have waned in presidential messaging, the panel contends that outcome, relatability, and even appearance play pivotal roles—and that there’s still a segment of Americans open to being convinced. On the cultural front, the group’s enthusiastic recommendation of Project Hail Mary offers a hopeful counterpoint to current political cynicism.

[End of Summary]