Pundit Review Radio

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce is a veteran of the Vietnam war and spent 28 years in the U.S. Army. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. This week Bruce told us the story of Sgt. Gregory S. Ruske, "Soldiering is not only about leadership and valor, but competence and mentoring. It is the job of every NCO to ensure those for which he or she are responsible are ready to take step forward and do their mentor’s job when the time comes or when they’re promoted into that position. How well they perform is a reflection of their mentor’s dedication to the well-being and competence of the soldiers put in his charge. Army reserve Sgt. Gregory S. Ruske learned the results of that lesson first-hand in combat in Afghanistan. “I don’t consider myself a hero,” said Sgt. Ruske. “I was just an ordinary guy put in an extraordinary situation. I reacted based on my upbringing, training and comp

One of the leading citizen journalists in the world, Michael Yon, returned to Pundit Review Radio once again for a live 30-minute report from the front lines. Michael just returned to Afghanistan from Iraq and he gave us updates on both fronts in the war. A former Green Beret, Michael has built his reputation by delivering the news as he sees it, the good, the bad and the ugly. Michael has been consistently pessimistic about our prospects in Afghanistan, dating back at least to this August 14, 2006 interview. Tonight, I was joined by Bruce McQuain from QandO.net. Together we asked Michael about his revcent trip to Iraq in wich he declared flatly that the war is over, and we won. We also asked about the challenges in Afghanistan, the differences between Iraq and Afghantstan, the shortcoming of our strategy, the impact of the Afghan winter on military operations and the morale of the troops. Michael is a truly indepedent journalist, fully supported by his readers. If you appreciate this kind of independent,

Chris Horner is a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the author of Red Hot Lies: How Global Warming Alarmists Use Threats, Fraud, and Deception to Keep You Misinformed. Chris is one of my favorite guests and this is one of my favorite topics. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

A couple of weeks ago we welcomes back to the show 16 year old Dylan DeSilva, the founder of Cape Cod Cares For Our Troops. Dylan has raised more than $250,000 this year in cash and goods. He has sent thousands of care packages to the troops overseas. Dylan gave us a preview of his Christmas Drive and told us his goal was to prepare 400 care packages. Tonight Dylan’s mom Michelle called to give us an update on the Christmas Drive. Not only did they meet their goal, the finished 500 care packages. Michelle was overwhelmed by the generosity of the people on the Cape. Even in these tough economic times, people step up to support the troops. Congratulations to Michelle, Dylan and everyone associated with Cod Cares For Our Troops. If you would like to support them, you can contact them at, Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops 1831 Long Pond Road Brewster, MA. 02631 (508) 896.6424 capecod4thetroops@comcast.net What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give v

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce is a veteran of the Vietnam war and spent 28 years in the U.S. Army. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. This week Bruce told us the story of Sergeant First Class Frederick Rowell of the United States Army was deployed to Iraq for two tours, both of which took place during some of the most pivotal moments of that ongoing campaign, and both times he distinguished himself with valor and heroism. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce McQuain from QandO does an incredible job with the series every week. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings

It was a pleasure to speak with author Amity Shlaes Sunday night on Pundit Review Radio. Ms. Shlaes is a syndicated columnist for Bloomberg and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. She has written a tremendous book, The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression. Given the current financial crisis and governments reaction to it, this book could not be more relevant today. I can’t recommend this one strongly enough, it is truly a must read! What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

G. Calvin Mackenzie holds an endowed chair as The Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of Government at Colby College. He is among the county’s leading experts on the presidential transition process, literally writing the book on it, Leadership in Jeopardy: The Fraying of the Presidential Appointments System, Guidebook for the Senior Executive Service, and both editions of The Presidential Appointee’s Handbook. From 2000-2003, Professor Mackenzie was Senior Advisor to the Presidential Appointee Initiative in Washington while serving as Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution. In additon to all that, Professor Mackenzie was my favorite professor from my days a mediocre student at Colby College in the late 1980s. Professor Mackenzie was an outstanding professor and it was great to reconnect with him and hear his insights into what goes on behind the scenes of the presidential transition. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice t

Before the GOP figures out where they need to go, they need to take a long look at where they stand today. The electorate is changing and the party needs to acknowledge that. They have become a regional, rural party dominated by older white voters. Some think the party needs to go right, become more conservative and focus on the core social and moral issues that have defined the party for the past quarter century. I try to make the arguement that the party needs to open up, to accept those who agree with them 75% of the time. Politics is not a debating society where the purity of your positions is the deciding factor. What matters is developing the broadest possible coalition. What the GOP needs is new leadership and new ideas. They need to connect with younger and minority voters by demonstrating how their platform enables them to realize the American dream. We got a lot of good calls, the mix was pretty even. This is going to be an interesting conversation for some time to come. What is Pundit Review

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce is a veteran of the Vietnam war and spent 28 years in the U.S. Army. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight Bruce told us the emotional story of Desmond Doss, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary courage in World War II despite being a pacifist who refused to carry a weapon. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce McQuain from QandO does an incredible job with the series every week. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s T

Sixteen year old Dylan DeSilva is the founder of Cape Cod Cares For Our Troops. Dylan has raised more than $250,000 this year in cash and goods. He has sent thousands of care packages to the troops overseas. We caught up with Dylan to talk about his Christmas Drive. With Veterans Day around the corner this is a great organization to support. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called "groundbreaking" by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston's Talk Station.

This weekend we started the show by remembering our friend Dean Barnett who passed away last week after a courageous, life-long battle against Cystic Fibrosis. Rob put together a great tribute to Dean, pulling clips from his recent visits with us. In just a few minutes, Rob really captured who Dean was a person and a pundit. The one thing that comes shining through loud and clear are Dean’s passion for politics and his incredible wit and sense of humor. We were also joined by Bill Kristol, Dean’s friend, mentor and boss at the Weekly Standard. Bill was very gracious to take time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and remember Dean. We were lucky to get to know Dean a bit personally and we are really going to miss him. It’s hard to believe he is gone. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, t

I’ve admired his writing about politics for a long time and it was great to finally welcome D.R. Tucker to Pundit Review Radio. We talked about the loss of Dean Barnett, the missed opportunities of the McCain campaign as well as the final days of the presidential campaign. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called "groundbreaking" by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston's Talk Station.

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce is a veteran of the Vietnam war and spent 28 years in the U.S. Army. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight he told us the story of Army Capt. Greg Ambrosia, "Ambrosia’s actions and direction of his men repelled the enemy fighters long enough for the helicopters to arrive. The modest captain said he doesn’t know exactly how many enemies were killed, but knows that two of his men were wounded. None were killed. “I’m very thankful for that,” Ambrosia said." The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce McQuain from QandO does an incredible job with the series every week. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution.

There is some good news out there for the GOP. We've been following Kieran Michael Lalor's campaign for Congress for well over a year. Kieran is an Iraq war vet, teacher and proud husband and father. He defeated entrenched Republicans in the primaries and now is neck and neck with an incumbent, Hollywood-funded liberal named John Hall. While Hall enjoys the left coast cash, Kieran raises small amounts from lots of people in his district, a classic grass routes effort. He could use your help in the final week. You can make a donation to his campaign here or here, Kieran Michael Lalor 2008 PO Box 2215 Peekskill, NY 10566 What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called "groundbreaking" by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston's Talk Station.

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce is a veteran of the Vietnam war and spent 28 years in the U.S. Army. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight he told us about Spc. Joseph Gibson, “Rangers are proven over and over again in battle,” Navy Adm. Eric Olson, commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, said in presenting Gibson with his Silver Star Medal. “Rangers are glorified in Hollywood movies, but you aren’t actors. You are real men who make real sacrifices.” Gibson said he is honored to serve as a Ranger and have saved his fellow soldier’s life. Following the incident, Gibson re-enlisted to fight with the Ranger platoon he accompanied that night." The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce McQuain from QandO does an incredible job with the series every week. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit

Nationally syndicated talk host Todd Feinburg and I discussed the presidential race, why Obama can't close the deal, the role of race and ageism as well as the media tsunami around Joe the Plumber. In addition to his excellent work on radio, Todd is also blogging up a storm at Barack's White Lies.

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce is a veteran of the Vietnam war and spent 28 years in the U.S. Army. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Dean Barnett and I welcomed Bruce who talked about Marine Sergeant Jeff Hunter, “I honestly don’t believe I did anything all that heroic,” Sgt. Jeff Hunter told Military.com when asked about his Silver Star. That’s a common refrain among American warriors serving in combat zones, but for those who served with Hunter during two intense fights, it’s a dramatic understatement. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce McQuain from QandO does an incredible job with the series every week. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journali

Dean Barnett from The Weekly Standard was back in to the studio last night. We talked about the Wall Street crisis. Isn't it amazing how they can spend $700 billion in 48 hours on a 3-page deal. Unreal. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called "groundbreaking" by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston's Talk Station.

We spent an hour talking about the week that was in lipstick politics. As I said on the blog, I thought McCain overplayed his hand, went too far and produced a dishonest ad. He compounded his mistake by bringing out Jane Swift as part of his "Truth Squad". I also thought Palin did just ok during the Charlie Gibson interview. Let's just say the audience reaction was mixed. Some were appalled that I would criticize even McCain while others appreciated my assessment. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called "groundbreaking" by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston's Talk Station.

It was great to speak with T.J. English, author of Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution. I started by asking T.J. what went into researching a book like this. We then got right into the incredible story of the mob in Havana. "[An] excellent new book.… [English] provides a detailed account of the personalities and elements that made up Cuban life. His well-researched descriptions of how business, gambling, politics, revolution, music and religion all played off each other give Havana Nocturne a broad context and a knowledgeable edge." -- Washington Post What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called "groundbreaking" by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston's Talk Station.