Robert Costa is well familiar to readers of National Review, as an alumnus of ours. He is now a national political reporter for the Washington Post. The moderator of Washington Week, on PBS. And a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. He is altogether one of my favorite journalists and people.

He is also my guest on my latest Q&A podcast, here. I wanted to talk over some things with him: What’s it like to be a national political reporter in this time of pandemic? How has the pandemic changed reporting, if at all? What do you think of the Trump press conferences? How about the Trump/Fox event inside the Lincoln Memorial? How about the new press secretary?

Incidentally, Bob Costa has reported on Trump-as-politician longer than anybody. He was traveling with him before it was cool — when Trump was the longest of shots. He has unusual insights into Trump’s political nature. Bob has kind of a Ph.D. in Trumpology.

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Other questions: Will Biden, for sure, be the Dem nominee? How about his veep pick? Will Pence, for sure, be the R nominee? Vice-presidential nominee, I mean? Can you imagine a presidential-election year without conventions, without state fairs, without handshaking? Without baby-kissing? Weird, huh? How about the candidacy of Justin Amash? Any significance?

We also talk lockdown politics — a critical question — and a lot more. A conversation with Robert Costa is refreshing, as well as informative. (Or refreshing because informative.) He has a level head and a boatload of knowledge. He has a motto on his desk: Assume Nothing. Political life, as well as life at large, can be unpredictable, sometimes wildly so. In good ways and bad.

You remember an old line, usually attributed to Oscar Wilde: When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me.

Anyway, that Q&A, again, is here.