The John Batchelor Show

The John Batchelor Show

 

On September 12, 2001, the day after the fall of the Twin Towers, WABC-AM in New York City recruited John Batchelor to go on the air until Osama bin Laden was either killed or captured. John has been on ever since, offering insightful commentary on such issues as the war on terrorism, the presidency, the national and global economies, and defending our civilization. On March 12, 2003, one week before the attack on Iraq, ABC Radio Networks invited John to bring his expertise to syndication. Since then John has reached out nationwide, focusing his concerns on a world at war.

The John Batchelor Show is an essential tool for understanding the new order in the 21st Century. The world is now facing a dangerous and fanatical enemy determined to destroy Western civilization on both political and military fronts. In this, the first great ideological battle of the new millennium, it is imperative to know the major players and the theaters in which they operate.

The John Batchelor Show features a multitude of distinctive elements. John's themes cover every detail - from military battles, presidential campaigns, planetary exploration, and Hollywood politicos to his own international travel. John has broadcast from many corners of the world and in his program he calls out to all points, including New York, Jerusalem, Des Moines, Kazakhstan, Orlando, Manchester, Morocco, Boston, Taipei, Washington, and Baghdad.

John is a veteran novelist, author of seven political romances as well as a short history of the Republican Party. Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, in 1948, John attended Lower Merion High School and Princeton University. In 1976 he was graduated from Union Theological Seminary. John is married and has two children.

S8 Ep190: PREVIEW — Peter Berkowitz — Classical Liberal Arts Education and Roman Republic Heroes. Berkowitz argues that modern liberal arts education has systematically severed its intellectual connection to Roman Republic heroic figures including Cato and Cicero,

S8 Ep190: PREVIEW — Evan Ellis — Honduras: Poverty, Corruption, and Migration Crisis. Ellis details the severe structural poverty and endemic corruption plaguing Honduras, characterized by institutionally weak governance frameworks systematically infiltrated by dru

PREVIEW — Evan Ellis — Honduras: Poverty, Corruption, and Migration Crisis. Ellis details the severe structural poverty and endemic corruption plaguing Honduras, characterized by institutionally weak governance frameworks systematically infiltrated by drug trafficking organizations and violent gangs including Mara Salvatucha and Mara 18, which exercise de facto control over substantial territorial jurisdictions. Ellis documents that despite significant recent reductions in homicide rates reflecting improved security conditions, Honduras remains fundamentally unstable, functioning as a major source of Central American and Caribbean migration toward Northern Triangle transit routes to the United States. Ellis notes that domestic Honduran political constituencies are increasingly demanding law-and-order governance and institutional reform to address gang violence, territorial control by criminal organizations, and the dysfunctional state capacity that perpetuates irregular migration and humanitarian crises.
1930 CARACAS

S8 Ep190: PREVIEW — Anatol Lieven — Baltic States Fortifications and the Improbability of Russian Invasion. Lieven discusses Baltic state border fortification initiatives responding to legitimate security anxieties generated by Russian military operations in Ukrain

PREVIEW — Anatol Lieven — Baltic States Fortifications and the Improbability of Russian Invasion. Lieven discusses Baltic state border fortification initiatives responding to legitimate security anxieties generated by Russian military operations in Ukraine and historic patterns of Russian territorial expansion and sphere-of-influence assertions. Lievenargues, however, that an actual Russian military invasion of NATO member states remains strategically improbable because attacking alliance members would catastrophically ruin Putin's geopolitical objectives by forcibly uniting Western powers in collective defense and risking direct great-power nuclear confrontation, rather than achieving Putin'sapparent goal of dividing European cohesion and fractioning the transatlantic alliance through coercive diplomacy and limited military operations short of direct NATO engagement.
1913

S8 Ep189: PREVIEW — Clare Jackson — Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham's Secret Spanish Bride Mission. Jackson details an "extraordinary" historical episode wherein Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham, operating under the transparent disguises of "Jack

PREVIEW — Clare Jackson — Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham's Secret Spanish Bride Mission. Jacksondetails an "extraordinary" historical episode wherein Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham, operating under the transparent disguises of "Jack" and "Tom Smith," clandestinely traveled to Spain to negotiate a Catholic marriage alliance and secure a bride for the English royal succession, thereby resolving sectarian religious conflicts between Protestant England and Catholic Spain. Jackson documents that this dramatic act defied fundamental diplomatic etiquette and negotiation protocols, shocking Spanish royal authorities and effectively imprisoning the English princes in Madrid for approximately six months while political fallout ensued, representing a rare instance of direct royal intervention in diplomatic negotiations transcending conventional ambassadorial channels.

S8 Ep189: PREVIEW — Chris Riegel — "The Great Heist": China's Intellectual Property Theft Strategy. Riegel argues that China has systematically employed intellectual property theft as a strategic mechanism to advance from technological desperation toward status as

PREVIEW — Chris Riegel — "The Great Heist": China's Intellectual Property Theft Strategy. Riegel argues that Chinahas systematically employed intellectual property theft as a strategic mechanism to advance from technological desperation toward status as a near-peer American rival, systematically acquiring technologies while circumventing legitimate licensing and development pathways. Riegel documents that American corporations frequently ignored or tolerated Chinese IP theft in exchange for access to the lucrative Chinese domestic market, including the Cisco-Huaweicase illustrating corporate preference for market access over intellectual property protection. Riegel acknowledges that China now conducts original research and technological innovation, yet systematically rejects international intellectual property law regimes and refuses to recognize or enforce IP rights, maintaining institutional resistance to the legal frameworks protecting legitimate innovation and development within Western economies.
1922

S8 Ep189: PREVIEW — Andrea Stricker — Nuclear Safeguards Framework for Saudi Arabia's Reactor Acquisition. Stricker outlines essential precautions and international safeguard mechanisms necessary to prevent nuclear proliferation resulting from Saudi Arabia's acquis

PREVIEW — Andrea Stricker — Nuclear Safeguards Framework for Saudi Arabia's Reactor Acquisition. Strickeroutlines essential precautions and international safeguard mechanisms necessary to prevent nuclear proliferation resulting from Saudi Arabia's acquisition of advanced nuclear power plant technology and fuel cycle capabilities. Strickerrecommends permanent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguard protocols and comprehensive additional verification arrangements covering all present and future Saudi nuclear facilities, ensuring Riyadh cannot unilaterally eject IAEA inspectors or rescind international safeguard commitments if the Kingdom subsequently pursues uranium enrichment or nuclear fuel reprocessing activities for weapons development. Stricker emphasizes that binding safeguard protocols are essential to preventing Saudi acquisition of weapons-grade nuclear material and maintaining nonproliferation regime integrity in the Middle East.

S8 Ep188: SHOW 12-9-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE HUBBLE CONSTANT. FIRST HOUR 9-915 Baltic Defenses and NATO's Uncertain Resolve: Colleague Blaine Holt discusses the Baltics preparing defensive "Mino line


SHOW
12-9-25
CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR
1916 MONTENEGRO
THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE HUBBLE CONSTANT.



FIRST HOUR

9-915

  • Baltic Defenses and NATO's Uncertain Resolve: Colleague Blaine Holt discusses the Baltics preparing defensive "Mino lines" and bunkers fearing a potential Russian attack, noting Baltic citizens feel trapped between NATO bureaucracy and Russian hybrid warfare while doubting NATO's resolve to intervene, arguing diplomatic solutions are necessary as Europe lacks resources for a cohesive defense.


915-930

  • NATO's Viability and Europe's Demographic Shifts: Colleague Blaine Holt questions NATO's viability through 2050, citing rising US sentiment to withdraw and Europe's demographic shifts due to mass migration, warning that diverging values and economic instability could lead to civil unrest or new geopolitical alignments between Russia, China, and the US.




930-945

  • European Leaders Meet Zelenskyy Amid Strategic Dilemmas: Colleague Judy Dempsey discusses the "Big Three" European leaders meeting Zelenskyy, questioning their ability to resolve the war without wider coalitions, noting the EU is bypassing unanimity rules to seize Russian assets but struggles with the dilemma of offering Ukraine EU membership while demanding territorial concessions.



945-1000
  • Europe's Lack of Self-Confidence Facing Global Challenges: Colleague Judy Dempsey criticizes Europe's lack of self-confidence and ambition when facing Trump's transactional administration and Chinese aggression, arguing European leaders complain about US criticism rather than leveraging their own economic power, noting they are "sleepwalking" regarding the auto industry and dependencies on China.







SECOND HOUR

10-1015

  • The National Security Strategy and the First Island Chain: Colleague Steve Yates analyzes the National Security Strategy's focus on the "first island chain" and deterrence against China's bullying of Japan and the Philippines, noting the CCP's obsession with WWII-era Japan for propaganda fails to resonate regionally as neighbors face modern Chinese aggression and grey zone tactics.



1015-1030
  • Nvidia Chip Sales to China Raise National Security Concerns: Colleague Brandon Weichert reports on the Trump administration approving Nvidia H200 chip sales to China while taking a 25% cut, warning this transactional approach compromises national security by aiding China's military AI, signaling a shift from hawkish policies to favoring business interests like soybeans.




1030-1045
  • SpaceX Dominance and the Golden Dome Defense Project: Colleague Bob Zimmerman highlights SpaceX's dominance with record-breaking booster reuse and launch frequency compared to rivals, discussing the secretive "Golden Dome" defense project, defects on the Orion capsule's hatch threatening the Artemis mission, and Airbus surprisingly choosing a Chinese satellite constellation for in-flight internet.




1045-1100

  • Cosmological Crises and Mars Rover Progress: Colleague Bob Zimmerman details cosmological crises including the "Hubble tension" where expansion rates conflict and a baffling 7-hour gamma-ray burst, reporting on Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS images confirming it is a comet rather than a spacecraft, and the Perseverance rover moving toward promising mining terrain on Mars.

         

THIRD HOUR

1100-1115
  • The 1605 Gunpowder Plot and Catholic Desperation: Colleague Claire Jackson explains the 1605 Gunpowder Plot as a desperate attempt by Catholics, frustrated by James I's retention of penal laws and peace with Spain, to destroy the Protestant establishment, with the plotters aiming to kill the king and install a puppet Catholic monarch amidst the ensuing chaos.





1115-1130

  • The Mirror of Great Britain and James I's Violent Childhood: Colleague Claire Jackson explains the "Mirror of Great Britain" jewel symbolizing James I's union plans, though it was destroyed during the Civil Wars, detailing his violent childhood in Scotland, his father Darnley's murder, and his separation from his mother Mary Queen of Scots, which shaped his intellectual upbringing.


1130-1145
  • The Hampton Court Conference and the King James Bible: Colleague Clair

S8 Ep187: Penang's Boom Contrasts with China's Decline: Colleague Charles Ortel contrasts Penang's economic boom and diverse hardworking culture with China's decline, discussing China's suppressed financial data and property crisis with Gordon Chang, arguing Wester

  1. Penang's Boom Contrasts with China's Decline: Colleague Charles Ortel contrasts Penang's economic boom and diverse hardworking culture with China's decline, discussing China's suppressed financial data and property crisis with Gordon Chang, arguing Western elites were "bought off" by Beijing while investors should demand transparency regarding assets trapped in ChiNA.
  2. 1916



S8 Ep186: The National Security Strategy as Transatlantic "Divorce Papers": Colleague Blaine Holt argues the National Security Strategy resembles "divorce papers" for a perilous transatlantic relationship, contending Europe, having de-industrialized, refuses Trump'

The National Security Strategy as Transatlantic "Divorce Papers": Colleague Blaine Holt argues the National Security Strategy resembles "divorce papers" for a perilous transatlantic relationship, contending Europe, having de-industrialized, refuses Trump's diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine war, fearing the aftermath of a conflict they cannot sustain against a re-industrialized Russia.
1906

S8 Ep186: UK Labour's Struggles and the Workers' Rights Bill: Colleague Simon Constable analyzes the UK Labour Party's struggles despite a large majority, citing Keir Starmer's low approval, warning that the return of "Red Rayner" and a new workers' rights bill pre

UK Labour's Struggles and the Workers' Rights Bill: Colleague Simon Constable analyzes the UK Labour Party's struggles despite a large majority, citing Keir Starmer's low approval, warning that the return of "Red Rayner" and a new workers' rights bill preventing easy firing could stifle economic growth and deter foreign investment, worsening Britain's debt.
1904