The DMZ welcomes a new junior member: Becket Wilberforce Lewis! What does it mean for the Republican Party to “modernize not moderate“? Matt makes a full-throated case for the GOP to become the pro-immigration party. Is Marco Rubio the Great Latino Hope? Matt tells Rubio what he should have said when asked about the age of the Earth. Plus: Is Susan Rice damaged goods, or has she been unfairly smeared?
On Foreign Entanglements, Rob talks to Bryan, who worked for the Romney campaign, about the unexpected role that the Navy played in the election. Rob asks Bryan about the impact of Obama’s “horses and bayonets” comment, and Bryan explains the apparently excessive optimism in the Romney camp on election night. They talk about “navalists” in the Obama administration, before moving on to a more general discussion of the defense budget. They conclude with a short conversation about the Israeli missile defense system, known as “Iron Dome.”
On The Posner Show, Sarah and Denny discuss the election and the future of the evangelical alliance with the GOP. Denny predicts that by 2016 marriage will be off the table in presidential politics, but that it will continue to resonate as a “religious liberty” issue. How far will private companies push for religious exemptions from laws and regulations? Denny explains why, unlike many evangelicals, he wasn’t surprised that Romney lost. He also argues that the religious right will continue to support the GOP, but may find its role changing due to demographic shifts.
On Adamize, Robert explains the hasty fall of Mitt Romney (“who?”), while Adam argues that there’s nothing unusual about political parties giving their constituencies “gifts.” Robert uses Asian-American voters to debunk the “demographic” theory of Obama’s victory. Robert observes that the 2016 Republican field may actually be more diverse than the Democratic one, while Adam argues that Marco Rubio can’t save the GOP from its problems with Latino voters. Adam warns Democrats against overconfidence about the power of changing demographics. Plus: Robert revels in the rise of the black nerd in American pop culture.
On Critic Proof, Alyssa and Kevin Fallon talk about TV and movies. They begin by reviewing Skyfall, the new James Bond movie, and noting how the villain Silva (played by Javier Bardem) uses his sexuality against Bond. Alyssa and Kevin disagree on whether The Avengers is art, but agree that action movies are getting better. Looking ahead to the Oscars, they predict that many of their favorite movies, like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Red Hook Summer, will go unmentioned. They close by anticipating the death of drama on network television, and urging everyone to watch Nashville on ABC. (Contains spoilers)