Jonah Goldberg

Jonah Goldberg is an American conservative political commentator, columnist, and author. A prominent voice in modern American conservatism, he is a co-founder of the media company The Dispatch and was a long-time senior editor at the magazine National Review. His commentary, which often critiques both the Democratic Party and factions within the Republican Party, is syndicated nationally and he is a frequent guest on television news programs.

Early life and education

He was born in New York City and raised in Washington, D.C., where his mother, Lucianne Goldberg, worked as a literary agent and was a figure in the Monica Lewinsky scandal. He attended Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1991. During his college years, he was influenced by classical liberal thought and writers associated with the conservative movement.

Career

His professional career began in the early 1990s with writing and research positions in Washington, D.C., including work for the investigative magazine Insight on the News. He joined the staff of National Review in 1998, rising to become a senior editor and writing the magazine's "The Goldberg File" newsletter. For many years, his syndicated column appeared in newspapers nationwide through the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. He was a founding editor of the online magazine National Review Online and has been a contributing editor to The Atlantic since 2020. In 2019, he co-founded the subscription-based media outlet The Dispatch with Steve Hayes and Toby Stock, serving as its editor-in-chief. He has been a regular panelist on shows like Special Report with Bret Baier and was a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Political views and commentary

He is known for his brand of libertarian conservatism and fusionism, often emphasizing classical liberal principles. A vocal critic of Donald Trump and Trumpism, he has argued these movements represent a departure from traditional conservatism toward populism and nationalism. His 2008 book, Liberal Fascism, argued that certain modern American liberal tendencies have historical roots in progressivism and early 20th-century movements. He frequently critiques identity politics from both the political left and political right, and has expressed admiration for thinkers like Friedrich Hayek and Winston Churchill. His commentary often focuses on the perceived illiberalism within both major American political parties.

Published works

He is the author of several books on politics and culture. His first major work, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning (2008), became a New York Times Best Seller. This was followed by The Tyranny of Clichés: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas (2012). His 2018 book, Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics is Destroying American Democracy, expands on his critiques of modern political trends. He also co-edited the 2005 anthology Proud to Be Right: Voices of the Next Conservative Generation.

Personal life

He is married to author and policy writer Jessica Gavora, who served as chief speechwriter for the Attorney General John Ashcroft and as a senior advisor in the United States Department of Justice. They have one daughter and reside in Washington, D.C.. An avid fan, he has written extensively about the films of the Star Wars franchise and their cultural implications.