On this episode, Ross is joined by his good friend Reihan Salam, a former housemate and co-author and the president of the Manhattan Institute. As young conservatives, the two teamed up in the waning days of the George W. Bush era to write “Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream.”
After Donald Trump’s second election victory, the two look back at their prescriptions and debate what they got right and wrong about building a durable Republican majority.
04:31 George W. Bush era
13:46 Rise and fall of the Tea Party
19:31 Trump’s 2016 “blood and guts” message
28:48 Trump’s effect on the right and left
36:06 Trump’s first term economic agenda
39:45 Elon Musk vs J.D. Vance
47:24 Imagining an activist, conservative government
Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.
“Matter of Opinion” is produced by Phoebe Lett, Andrea Betanzos and Sophia Alvarez Boyd. It is edited by Jordana Hochman. Audio engineering by Carole Sabouraud. Cinematography by Emily Holzknecht. Video editing by Jan Kobal. Original music by Isaac Jones, Carole Sabouraud, Sonia Herrero and Pat McCusker. Our fact-checking team is Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. Our executive producer is Annie-Rose Strasser.
