I like Ezra. The other two host are obnoxious.

Imagine the out of touch jerks on the New York Times sucking up to Sulzberger, but read aloud to you in your car! One star.

Came here from the Ezra Klein show and I can only laugh at how superficial, sloppy, and arguably even unthoughtful this other show’s hosts are in comparison. Not a great look for the New York Times. No thanks.

Delves deep but is still comprehensible to someone without loads of political education. It really is thoughtful and interesting—I find myself thinking about the discussions the day after listening. I don’t agree with some of the discussants but it’s not off-putting and I’m glad to hear multiple perspectives.

Ross Douthat channeled his inner Trump when insisting Biden’s difficult-to-watch debate performance is in fact funny. But that’s a conservative for you.

Good follow up to the debate. It captured most of my concerns. I will subscribe to keep up with the news of this campaign. My hope is that something positive changes and we get a better candidate than President Biden.

The “light-hearted” ribbing between cohosts is so obviously done for show that it comes off as obnoxious and sanctimonious. Like, oh, look at us, we disagree but we can still be friends and have a civilized conversation, we’re so much better than the plebes. It drives me up the wall, which is too bad because I crave debate between rational people on opposite ends of an issue and otherwise would probably love this podcast. I also think having three liberals against a single conservative drowns Ross Douthat out a lot, which is too bad because as the one I disagree with the most he is also the one most worth listening to. I miss the original NYTs debate podcast, The Argument, and wish this podcast could be more like that one. I could listen to Ross and Michelle Goldberg debate all day.

Couple on the team are very haughty, condescending, and elitist.

Proud liberal here who wants Ross to know that while we probably disagree about most things I really enjoy hearing your take on the issues of the day. You seem like a nice guy. Good husband and father and also a good sport.

Thank you, Carlos, for keeping the discussion honest and balanced as possible. I especially appreciated this on the Justice Samuel Alito episode. You described the situation accurately, while the others clearly had their partisan blinders on.

I thought this conversation was supposed to represent a diversity of opinions. It sounded like the House Freedom Caucus discussing BLM. The worst things about this incident was the secret recording under pretense, and the further hostility it will generate. That, and NYT writers shocked and appalled that Christians believe religion is good for the nation.

Hosts are smug, pompous, condescending, under-informed, and overly opinionated….pretty much what you’d expect from NY Times opinion.

Perhaps young Black and Hispanic men who work blue collar or service sector jobs are getting left behind economically by the knowledge economy? The traditional role of provider, male head of household has been eroded by flattened, non-union wages and was supplanted by a complicated society in which women work and now possess greater economic power, and these men are not able to be sole breadwinners. They are seeking to ape the characteristics of what they lack.

The most recent episode regarding South Africa was a breath of fresh air, although I wish we also had a different perspective in regards to where South Africa’s politics stands and where the country as a whole is going

Sometimes the topics on the podcast aren’t particularly interesting, but I generally enjoy the right/left dynamic the show provides. A little more ideological diversity would be nice. There is a lot of unnecessary Ross hate in the comments. Folks seem to think he’s rude to his co-hosts, which is not something I have noticed. Most of these complaints seem to flow from the fact he is an intelligent, right of center person who challenges their priors.

Unfortunately, many of the hosts seem to have done little preparation yet feel comfortable being very opinionated and self-congratulatory. Disappointing.

One of the women has a gurgle sound when she takes a breathe between her words and it is so gross! I can’t listen with the volume to high because if it. Petty, I know, but it’s so off-putting.

And embarrassing

Review based solely on one episode (protests): I couldn’t stomach the condescension and tone from Ross so didn’t even finish the episode. Shockingly not won over by scoffing?? Fwiw this is the first podcast review I’ve written after thousands of hours of listening.

Ross talks down to his cohosts and his arguments are reductive and trite

I am generally a fan of this podcast, but I have to say that the discussion of the student protests is shedding more heat than light. Not really a good example of reasoned, balanced debate.

I don’t usually agree with Ross, but he was right about the college protests.

I like the show but find Ross Douthat almost bearable to listen to: he’s pompous and sexist — patronizing to women in general and to the female panelists. I don’t care that he’s Catholic and a Harvard alumnus but he continually reminds the listener.

Ross douthat is unbearable, in audio and writing

V smart people who can happen to say profound things even when they’re (seemingly) just chatting.

As a fan of the original Argument, I was excited to see that it was spiritually returning in the form of this podcast. And as political podcasts go, you could do a lot worse. It’s intelligent, civil discussion among co-hosts who aren’t shouting at you or each other. It’s not overly formal and they make jokes. It’s like a conversation among friends, if your friends happen to be elite New York journalists. I just wish the co-hosts pushed back on Douthat more often. He’s quick to pounce on anything he doesn’t like and argue against it, but the other hosts are too mild-mannered to really call him out on his nonsense. On some episodes, the show feels like an echochamber when it really shouldn’t. Nobody questioned the narrative that the decline of religion is definitely a bad thing, or that we should negotiate with Russia to give them Ukraine’s land. Somebody should have stepped up as the dissenting voice and challenged these assumptions, if only for the sake of us listeners.

God doesnt exist. You need someone with that opinion too.

Ross is insufferable and his voice is so difficult to listen to. He’s condescending to other hosts. Would prefer the show with fewer, more enjoyable to listen to hosts.

A handful of very smart people having allegedly smart conversations, all with one overwhelming perspective. Rather than 4 different flavors of ice cream, they are 4 varieties of vanilla. Friday they discussed religion in politics without any doubt that religion is valuable and the loss of it is bad. And by “religion,” they invariably meant Christianity. There was actually a rant at one point directing listeners to “go to church.” No real debate. Complete waste of time.

They did an entire episode about n the dangers of Smartphones and did not once discuss the weaponization of algorithms. They discuss smartphones as if it was a 20th century problem like too much television, clearly demonstrating that they have no grasp for n modern day technology. Come back to this podcast if you want to hear elite New Yorkers debate the nuisances of high-end cuisine in the Upper East End, but don’t come here if you wish to listen to people with any sort of coherent grasp on the normal on-goings of society.

I loved the first iteration of this podcast, The Argument! Each episode spotlighted a point of contention in modern American society and hosted a back and forth between supporters of each side of the debate. Hosts David, Michelle and Ross, representatives of differing political poles, charitably participated. It was enlightening to witness honest and polite debates on hot issues. The show took a disappointing turn when this magnificent trio went their separate ways and I almost gave up. Then, to my relief, the Times bounced back with Matter of Opinion. Although it lacks the routine debate between guests, the show returned to giving me what I crave: honest, intelligent discussions of important issues between people of differing ideological stripes who also respect one another. That is what is sorely lacking in modern media as well as American culture. Once again, I am eagerly awaiting each new episode. Ross, Lydia, Carlos and Michelle, thank you for your dedication. Please continue your inspiring contribution to our national conversations!

I look forward every week to this entertaining, erudite bunch. Love how they agree to disagree, and add levity to grave issues (Hot and Cold — terrific!).

Some episodes are amazing and fantastic conversations covering fascinating topics. You have four true intellectuals here sharing opinions and having open and honest discussions. However, there are a few episodes where the conversation is unfocused and/or the hosts are talking past each other and not actually listening and responding to each other’s points. I get the sense that hosts may have trouble just admitting a point is valid even if they disagree with the overall argument being made, you can accept a fact or merit to an argument without having to accept the conclusion.

Sorry team, but watching other NYT podcast that is a Biden lovefest is not my bag. I I started watching this episode, because Ross kept it fairly, balanced, without him I don’t see a reason to listen.

Looking at all the one and five-star reviews reminds me how lonely it is to be moderate American these days. I came to this program hoping to hear intelligent voices who do not agree. What I heard was a simple echo chamber. Some of the voices seemed less informed than others. Three stars for the voices that have done their homework.

I understand that this a New York Times sponsored show but this is becoming a constant beat down of the one and only conservative! If you want this show to really be fair add more conservative host, it’s 3 against 1. Unfollowing!

We get it! He’s old! Anything else to discuss?? Its not unimportant but I also don’t think it’s a top ten factor in the race. Talk about abortion, racism, immigration, the economy, threats to democracy… anything that is substantive - I am begging!

Just finished “The Mental Fitness Test” episode and someone said Trump might be temperamentally incapacitated but with the right right people around him, you can have decent outcomes. Zero pushback from the other hosts. Were they all in a cryochamber from 2016-2020? Have they paid any attention to Project 2025? It’s the same old pundit normalization of an authoritarian candidate. Trump’s temperament IS the impairment that PREVENTS any decent outcomes.

I am late to the game having just started listening last week - but immediately devoured every episode retroactively because I enjoy the coterie of perspectives from this thoughtful crew so much. Everyone should listen to this podcast - it’s just what our nation needs. 🫶

Ignore the haters

I listen to this so I can hear Ross Douthat’s disarming chuckle and even, reassuring tone of voice, right before he minimizes or rationalizes some absolutely wicked, morally-bankrupt far-right position.

If you’re looking for heated, impassioned debate with combative sniping and forceful assertion, keep looking. This podcast has an air of old friends of different perspectives and backgrounds meeting up for coffee or having a conversation at dinner.

This podcast makes me look forward to Fridays a little bit harder and I generally enjoy the large scope of perspectives on the pod offers. BUT I have to say that Ross is 100% canceled after the Men Are From YouTube, Women Are From TikTok episode….

Awesome podcast, and I actually think they’re pretty funny. But I admit I’m kind’ve a nerd.

Ross is a nut who’s wrong about almost everything, but I don’t dislike him. His focus on birth rates is insane. The population is still growing and the crisis we’re facing is excess consumption and drowning in our own waste. Will lopsided age distributions be inconvenient, especially where labor movement is tightly controlled? Yes. But that is small beer compared to global warming and the sixth great wave of extinctions in the history of life.

Michelle Cottle’s rampant ageism of President Biden has become such a turn off for me that I can no longer listen to this podcast.

I have been listening to this podcast since it was The Argument, and I used to really love hearing both sides having a civil discourse. Now it has become decidedly more one-sided and not at all balanced, even with the episode titles, like “will THIS a lose Biden the presidency”. Stop the clickbait and get back to having real, necessary conversations.

I love listening to podcasts with different points of view represented but I just can’t listen anymore. Ross continues to lie and nobody offers pushback instead they giggle and treat it like it is apart of his personality. It was only recently that I find out he’s 44 years old. He honestly sounds like a tired old curmudgeon in his 60s with the get off my lawn attitude of a complete jerk. Piece of advice for you…lighten up and stop lying.

I guess I’m in the minority here, and maybe I’m just a hater, but Ross is the worst! His smugness and “I’m so above it all” affect are so repellent. Does he make some nuanced and insightful points? Yes, of course. But they’re drowned in the ocean that is his pompousness.

Always interesting, if you’re into politics.