When Race Trumps Merit

When Race Trumps Merit

From The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour by Hillsdale College

May 22, 2026 · 55 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of DEI programs on merit and features insights from Heather Mac Donald and Richard Samuelson.

Guests: Heather Mac Donald and Richard Samuelson Host Scot Bertram talks with Heather Mac Donald, the Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor at  City Journal , about efforts by the Trump administration to curb DEI programs and her book  When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives . And Richard Samuelson, associate professor of government at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C. campus, continues a series celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. This week, Thomas Paine’s  Common Sense  and Abigail Adams’ admonition to “remember the ladies.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Scot Bertram

Guests: Heather Mac Donald, Richard Samuelson

Topics covered

  • race and merit
  • DEI programs
  • equity vs excellence
  • American history
  • Thomas Paine
  • Abigail Adams

Keywords

  • race
  • merit
  • DEI
  • equity
  • excellence
  • Thomas Paine
  • Abigail Adams
  • American history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Manhattan Institute, City Journal, Hillsdale College

Books & works: When Race Trumps Merit, Common Sense

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