Uncommon Knowledge

1,644
Politics #141

For more than two decades the Hoover Institution has been producing Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson, a series hosted by Hoover fellow Peter Robinson as an outlet for political leaders, scholars, journalists, and today’s big thinkers to share their views with the world.

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Recent Reviews
  • kimon13
    Peter is fantastic
    Really enjoy the podcast. Don’t listen to all the guests but Peter is excellent. Just listened to the last one with Andy Ferguson. I think Jonah Goldberg the other day said he is one of two guests listeners always like on his show. If so his charm utterly missed me. He was so afflicted with TDS that I’m guessing he will be on the next plane out of America right after Ellen. It’s an election- get a life
  • SAARKÉSH
    A Podcast on Common Irrelevant Knowledge
    Is it really an “Unknown Knowledge” to anticipate the potential end of humanity with the designers of this race to the finish phenomena 🤔 Seems the rendezvous is near not because of the biblical narratives, rather decades of destructive foreign policies which have lined up the pockets of your billionaire guest profiting from war machines. Disappointingly simplistic topics. No time to waste no more 🧻
  • ADAlbers
    Hispanic heritage white female who voted for Trump
    You are all focusing on race. The message the Democrats push reminds us of the Socialists and Communists that ruined our countries of origin. That simple. Stop the race hustle and listen to learn.
  • RogerThat
    Let Her Speak Peter
    Peter - you are a rockstar in so many ways but you have to learn to take a breath and let your guests speak and make their point before you cut them off. You interrupted the great and graceful Condoleezza Rice at least half a dozen times and it was painful to experience as a listener. And, it’s inconsiderate — especially to someone as experienced and respected as Ms. Rice. Take a beat and trust that you’ll get your point across; once she’s made hers.
  • Ragna Jock
    Disappointed.
    Long time uncommon knowledge fan that loved the balanced approach back in the day. Today, the show is every bit a kissing cousin to Fox News- just with smarter people. The latest episode on evolution should have included both sides-- it did not. Rather, the episode was just an agenda. Both guests have been refuted long ago, but the agenda remains. Won't be listening to the show again
  • john stLouis
    Good - but non actionable.
    I like his podcast. The topics are goofy and not helpful for the average Joe on the street. Clearly high minded topics. Could do better to stop interrupting his guests so much. Many times a guest is on a roll answering a question and they get stopped mid sentence. A good interviewer let’s the person speak! But I like the show.
  • GMP4211
    Volume is too low compared to other podcasts
    When wear earbuds, the volume is far too low compared to other podcasts
  • MGThill
    Stephen Meyer
    Just love all the new Scientific discoveries! Can’t get enough of it.
  • AndyFromConnecticut
    Life in the 1960s During Civil Rights Movement
    Outstanding series of pods regarding life in the 1960s during the civil rights movement. The antidotes are thought-provoking, compelling, balanced, and, yes, some even were funny. if they gave out Nobel prizes for educational pods, this one would win hands-down every year!
  • tivenner1
    Provocative, though too many interruptions
    Peter, thank you for all your preparation and provocative sessions. Please consider sometimes permitting your guest to finish his or her sentence. Often you spoke for five or more sentences, then interrupted during your guest’s first or second sentence.
  • Silly Leslie
    Fantastic two-part series from a Birmingham church
    What vibrant, thoughtful, discerning voices from three cultural icons who are able to both recall their pasts and speak truth to the present. . . . And now I know how a man named John Wesley Rice Jr. ended up as a Presbyterian rather than a Methodist minister. Godspeed to them all.
  • Elliot F.
    Real intellectuals
    Thank You Peter Robinson and the venerable Hoover institution for being from the last bastions of intelligence.
  • Evan Stevoid
    John Yoo
    Joe Biden is not a Baby Boomer, but rather a member of the Silent Generation. Often people accuse older people in positions of power of being boomers and complain, but their examples are not actually boomers but the generation before. I agree that the older half of the boomer generation should be retired and the second half should be considering retirement. I do believe that there is an attempt to make the term boomer into a pejorative. The category called the boomer generation spans more years and named due to an increase in the birth rate. Naturally there will be more people in that category to be activity involved in positions of power. Joe Biden and Donald Trump are not bad because of their birth date and how they are categorized. They are both bad because they both have serious flaws. I have never voted for Trump, don’t believe that he should ever be president, but he is a far choice than Biden is by a very large margin.
  • Niño the Mindboggler
    Like a rubber band …
    Peter Robinson, never fails to bring the most entertaining guests to Uncommon Knowledge. No matter what the subject is (or how fringe it becomes ), he never fails to leave me wanting more.
  • Dr g4tay
    Blumenthal & Colby
    The topic is exceptional, the delivery was frustrating w/ both guests talking over each other & occasionally all 3 talking over each other. Peter, it is sometimes the case that the moderator has to moderate & control the discussion rather than be an engaged listenee.
  • "Devoted" Fan
    Mental Floss for the Mind!
    Stimulating. Next best thing to reading a book! Don't stop putting these out! PR well prepares for interviews unlike most.
  • SamTalksTooMuch
    Delightful
    I’ve gleaned so much from this man. Great scholar and great American!
  • Sannah McDonough
    So happy to hear Thomas Sowell again
    Thank you for hosting him, what a wonderful opportunity to hear from Thomas Sowell! I wish him all the best and will be getting his latest book.
  • Chocolateotto
    Tom Sowell is beyond brilliant
    The one voice of common sense, logical trends and human dignity—I could listen to him forever exploding the harmful trends and traps we humans get caught up in. Thank you Peter Robinson for this interview.
  • bose 901
    Thomas Sowell
    Dr. Sowell is a national treasure. I’m always amazed by his ability to recall facts and trends and his uncanny nuanced understanding of their implications.
  • kylejmeyer
    Thank you.
    UK, I really appreciate hearing the perspectives of your guests. They are informative and thought provoking. Thank you.
  • 62es175
    Steven Koonin
    Now that’s science I can follow! I’m listening to the audio book now and have order a hard copy. Unsettled is spot on. Does anyone have Al Gore’s address? I’d like to send him a copy. Many thanks Peter Robinson for introducing us to so many wonderful scientific minds.
  • Mlp912
    Thankful
    I’m so thankful this pod cast exists.
  • Freddytwonotes
    More Stephen Kotkin
    World power was so well described we should be able to hear more from him. Thank you. In the 5 more questions for Stephen Kotkin, I found extremely disappointing at 14:30 in the interview that events leading up to war where totally ignored or purposely left out.
  • lrhhrl
    Too much leeway with guests
    Stephen Kotkin is an historian and a great biographer. Why is he talking about the peace deal in Ukraine? He can talk about Russian history, sure. But munitions and future defense pacts? A bit absurd and Peter didn’t challenge any points.
  • AlyMcElhaney
    The best!
    This podcast has refreshed my love and understanding of all things involving history and politics! I appreciate the truth in each episode and love that Peter and his guests are so articulate in their discussions and studies. As a conservative, it’s hard to find a good podcast with no hidden agenda!! I truly appreciate their point of view on each topic and love how easy matured the host is! Discovered this podcast today and am on my 6th episode already. 10/10
  • JMC7611
    Cold War II
    Great podcast! Everyone should listen and understand where this great country is headed. Peter is a wonderful interviewer with some of the most intriguing and knowledgeable guests available!
  • saginatio
    Great program
    The best interviewer of all time. My favorite podcast. Thanks for the great work.
  • Eazy Peazy
    The Art of Conversation
    Always enjoy Peter Robinson’s interviews.
  • Robert Henry Holtz
    Peter Robinson is the best interviewer in the game.
    Peter Robinson is the best interviewer in the game, he should be on PBS!! Every interview is such a great learning experience!!
  • Ken Stadlin
    Profound Groupthink
    I live with a conservative and am forced to try to expand my views. I have tried to listen to the shows, thinking that they might allow those with opposing views and equal intellectual accomplishment an occasional opportunity to present their views. Thus far I have never seen such an effort. I can see the logic and the arguments of the right. I want to understand them though I might not agree. The intellectual capacities of the hosts are wasted on self congratulation of conservatives and the arrogant presumption that their arguments are correct simply because they are conservative without any presentation of opposing viewpoints. Lots of intellectual horsepower is wasted here. I wish this show had more depth.
  • Bill on the go
    Amazing!
    Stephen Kotkin is just amazing, articulate, and speaks the truth. Thank God he is an American.
  • old lady geologist
    Gems in the Crown, II
    The podcast with guests Tom Holland, Stephen Meyer, and Douglas Murray was excellent and provided a conversation most do not get to hear. It was one of Robinson‘s best. Then, I listened to his conversation with the inestimable John Lennox, Michael Behe , and Stephen Meyer. I had to listen to it twice. These people are so interesting and their ideas transcend the current intellectual box all of us were raised up in, Scientific materialism. As a trained geologist, I never questioned Darwinian evolution, but over time I kept running up against the wall that is described perfectly by these gentlemen. Thank you for bringing them together. I hope more people open up their minds.
  • AxelJacobsen
    Decent when non-scientific topics are discussed
    Listen to the episode with Behe et. al. on intelligent design if you haven’t hit your monthly quota of strokes.
  • Asciguy
    Hoover Institution
    The name says it all.
  • Investissuese
    Res ipsa loquitor!
    Murray, Holland, and Myers. What a coup! Brilliant and surpsrising conversation. Thank you, Peter.
  • BAMDDS
    Ethos and Economics
    Thank you for bringing clarity to the economic bounty I lived through 1980-1990 The 4 points that can bring standard of living back toUSA. Gives me hope . Gif Bless BAM
  • buck06daliard
    PLEASE increase the volume…
    Great content with thoughtful insights. Unfortunately some of the shows are recorded at such a low level that they are almost “unlistenable” if the listener has any ambient background noise. I follow several podcasts and this is the only one with this problem. The content is too good and too deserving - please increase the recording volume.
  • DocTicToc
    Uncommon Host
    Peter Robinson is truly a delight as an interviewer and host of this podcast. He is soo well informed about each subject. You can feel and see his constant efforts to gently direct the guest by asking questions so obviously thoughtful and extremely pertinent to each topic. He never interferes with the responses of the guest but rather expands the topic when needed. I am constantly in awe of his grasp of each topic.
  • EgStafford
    Francis and Air Conditioning
    This was another great program by Peter Robinson. It impressed me greatly that he had read Laudato Si and not missed Pope Francis’ denunciation of air conditioning. Bjorn Lomborg gave Francis the benefit of the doubt concerning good intentions gone awry, quite fair, but perhaps Francis’ negative view of air conditioning concerned the costly and inefficient use of A.C. in stadia and other fora, for example, at the Qatar World Cup venues. Perhaps. 4 of 5 leaves room for improvement.
  • Telltail Heart
    FCB Montgomery County Pa.
    Great place to go to be informed on conservative intellectual issues - it has helped direct my book purchases.
  • NotSoFast11
    Some of the most worthwhile interviews in the media.
    Excellent interviews with great thinkers. The interviewer somehow equates being a sycophant with showing respect, but other than that he asks great questions.
  • goodstuffalways
    Intellectually fascinating
    Peter is a remarkable interviewer. His depth of knowledge about each guest and their topic keeps me engaged and wanting to know more.
  • Tampa Fam
    Talented interviewer
    The interviewer’s skill is so key to making a good interview, Peter is a master. These author interviews and the ones John Batchelor does are head and shoulders above anything else available these days.
  • sigridfaye
    Loved Barr Interview
    Loved this; plan to read his book now! His no-nonsense, balanced judgements helped change my mind about a few things, especially about Trump running in 2024; I have supported Trump in past (while despising his pettiness at times) and will support him again if need be, but Barr makes really sound case for why that will probably not be what is in Americas best interest. He has actually restored some of my faith in at least the DOJ. Thank you Mr Barr for being loyal to our constitution verses a political party/or person. We need more like you!
  • Tom Connely
    Tom Connelly
    Peter Robinson is among the best interviewers I have ever heard. He asks probing, incisive questions, and gives the person being interviewed ample, uninterrupted time to answer the questions
  • Naperville Matt
    Bill Barr
    Just read his book and greatly enjoyed the interview. We need a lot more people like him in government. Serious people who can relate to all of us. People with integrity who know and respect the law and our federalist system. His points about Trump are correct . Trump did a good job, but he is not the only be to win big in 2024 and right the ship going forward.
  • JimInLG
    Few interviewers are better prepared than Peter Robinson
    This visits with Thomas Sowell are the best
  • Dc_Seattle
    A gem of serious thought
    So happy to have regular doses of the great Hoover Institution and supporters, one of the few remaining bastions of pro American, mostly optimistic and forward looking policy development centers in US higher education. Thank you Mr Robinson for bringing this resource to the public at large!
  • THEDAYISMINE
    Really really really really really good
    Ish he was my uncle.
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