The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Channeling Admiral Ackbar? (It's a Trap!)

The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Channeling Admiral Ackbar? (It's a Trap!)

Author: Ricochet June 12, 2026 Duration: 1:01:04
This week's episode, which finds Steve over in Japan but still with a hoarse voice, ranges widely from exonerating John Yoo from being implicated in a major whiskey heist, to what the prodigious drinking habits of the Founding Fathers has to say about constitutional law today. Justice Neil Gorsuch reminds us that “John Adams took a tankard of hard cider with his breakfast every day. James Madison reportedly drank a pint of whiskey every day. Thomas Jefferson said he wasn’t much of a user of alcohol—he only had three or four glasses of wine a night.” 

Ah, the great ones.

Speaking of the Founders, we make a nod to the tragic passing of Gordon Wood, and naturally manage to get into an argument about history and historians.

But the central topic of today is considering John's foray into grand strategy in his Civitas Outlook article this week on "America Doesn't Need to Fear a 'Thucydides Trap'," , and while Admiral Ackbar needed to fear a trap, John doesn't think so. But what was Chinese premier Xi trying to do in bringing up the subject in a public session at the recent summit with Trump? One doesn't imagine Trump being a reader of Thucydides, though one can easily see him liking the outcome of the Melian debate. In fact, maybe that's what he's up to with Iran? Who can tell. 

Grab a glass and settle in for 3 Whisky Happy Hour, where the week's news and cultural shifts get a thorough-and spirited-examination. Hosts Steven Hayward, John Yoo, and the enigmatic "Lucretia" blend their expertise in law, philosophy, and political commentary, offering a perspective that’s as substantive as it is refreshingly unscripted. The conversation flows like a good pour, moving from the immediate headlines to deeper, often overlooked principles that shape current events. This isn't a dry recap; it's a lively, meandering discussion where complex ideas become accessible, and analysis is always accompanied by a sense of camaraderie. You'll find the tone is that of a sharp, informal debate among friends who aren't afraid to challenge conventional wisdom. Produced by Ricochet, this podcast stands out in the crowded fields of news and politics by prioritizing genuine dialogue over partisan soundbites. Each episode feels like you’ve pulled up a chair at a table where wit and insight are always on the menu. Whether they're unpacking a Supreme Court decision or tracing a philosophical concept through modern politics, the hosts ensure the discourse is both enlightening and thoroughly engaging. For anyone looking to understand the 'why' behind the news with a dose of character, this is your regular invitation to a different kind of happy hour.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

3 Whisky Happy Hour
Podcast Episodes
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: The Prog Mask Slips! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:22
It's the usual brawl at the bar with the three barflies of the Three Whisky Happy Hour, where we take note of Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson sayiing the quiet (progressive) part out loud, likely flattered by the New York…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: The No Pearl-Clutching Zone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:54
Lucretia hosts this week's episode with the running theme that there's too much pearl clutching going on among the hand-wringers in Washington and the media. We flop our pearls of wisdom on the Tennessee special election…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Why John Adams Would Get Sydney Sweeney [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:57
Now we know what you're thinking: if we have on as a special guest historian Richard Samuelson, one of the pre-eminent experts on John Adams, you'd think we find out what Adams thought about the Clean Air Act, but no! In…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Special Thanksgiving Day Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:44
Naturally the 3WHH bartenders can't agree on the best way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey as well as the side dishes at the outset of this special Thanksgiving Day edition, but after that we get down to discussing what to…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Bringing the Wood to Wood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:26
Another week of last minute schedule changes, flight delays, lost iPads, misplaced laptops, and other mishaps delayed the recording of this week's episode, but finally on Saturday night we were able to sit down for an es…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Getting a Grip on Groypers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:29
While it was sorely tempting to devote the entire show to celebrating the return of Sydney Sweeney to the public eye last week, we decided to turn our attention to the serious matter of antisemitism on the right, and jus…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Gonzo Happy Hour-Squared Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:52
You might want to think of this totally gonzo episode as the 3WHH-Squared, as it was taped live during happy hour Friday night in a very noisy Washington Hilton Hotel at the annual conference of the Federalist Society, w…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Here's Lookin' at 'Lookism' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:41
The 3WHH is a man down this week as John was unavailable, so Steve and Lucretia soldiered on without his ritual abuse of their superior taste in political philosophy, prudence, and natural law. And in the best fashion of…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Woman Troubles? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:46
Helen Andrews' Compact article on "The Great Feminization" is causing a stir, provoking responses from left, right, and in-between. And I just know that everyone wants to hear David French's take on it, because how can w…