Much like the fragile parchment on which a new republic’s principles and grievances were outlined, America’s Declaration of Independence endures to this day – quite the accomplishment given a Continental Congress struggling to help George Washington wage war and a few Founding Fathers who’d rather not have been in Philadelphia that summer (beginning with Thomas Jefferson). Michael Auslin, a Hoover Institution distinguished research fellow and author of National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America, discusses whether the “spirit of ‘76” is alive and well in 2026.

After that: the fellows address the possibility of a disruptive “October Surprise” in advance of America’s November election – if such a shock comes in the form of a terrorist event (would it make political sense for Iran to try to embarrass an already-struggling President Trump?) or a financial crisis (October historically a time of market panics and crashes)? Finally, in the “Lightning Round”: the Chicago-born Pope employs a little divine intervention to boost the White Sox’s playoff chances; are a few comforting words by industry leaders the beginning of a more optimist AI “vibe shift”?; U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s criteria for joining America’s fighting forces (“beardos” and “weirdos” need not apply); Tucker Carlson’s curious take on Germany’s invasion of Poland; on the 57th anniversary of the first televised episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the question of what happened to the longstanding tradition of British satire and comedy (our resident Boomers recalling a few of their favorite Python skits that most Gen-Zers probably won’t understand or appreciate).

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