Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Peggy Noonan captivated audiences as she appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher on January 31, 2025. Columnist for The Wall Street Journal and respected political commentator, she revealed her take on America’s changing political situation and the cultural shifts in the country.
In discussion of her book, A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings, Noonan tackled Washington’s flight from traditional government. She notes that the atmosphere has changed; deliberation now is speedy, and reactive. Much of what she had to say about DEI initiatives was revealing of broader cultural changes.
Political analysis of this sharp and unfiltered kind is a hallmark of Maher. He discussed some of the most pressing issues with Noonan, such as the rise of populism, the role of traditional values in modern governance, and the deepening divide evident in recent confirmation hearings for figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard.
The discussion involved historian Dan Jones and author Max Brooks, both of whom shared further insight into America’s political direction and historical comparisons. Jones said that one should learn from history, while Brooks analyzed the Democrats’ strategies post-2024 elections.
In effect, Noonan’s comments proved so moving that many identified themselves with them. Her reputation as a leading political commentator was thereby confirmed. In this particular instance, the program Real Time did further deepen the debate in the country.
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