Hoover Daily Report | August 6, 2025

In today’s Report:

Michael McFaul considers lessons for American democracy from recent protests against the Zelenskyy government in Ukraine. A new video from the Stanford Emerging Technology Review shows how innovations in robotics technology are poised to transform the physical economy of the future. And Bill Whalen examines Nancy Pelosi’s political future in the light of her advanced age and San Francisco’s shifting political landscape.

Hoover Daily Report | August 6, 2025

Episode Transcript

>> Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Hoover Daily Report.
Ideas Advancing Freedom It's Wednesday,August 6, 2025.

>> Speaker 2 (00:06):
In today's report, Michael McFaul considers lessons for American
democracy from recent protests againstthe Zelensky government in Ukraine.
A new video from the StanfordEmerging Technology Review shows
how innovations in robotics technology arepoised to transform the physical economy
of the future.
And Bill Whelan examines Nancy Pelosi'spolitical future in in the light of

(00:27):
her advanced age and San Francisco'sshifting political landscape.

>> Speaker 1 (00:31):
A Welcome U Turn in Ukraine Writing at Persuasion Senior fellow
Michael McFaul examines the recentprotests against the Zelensky government
in Ukraine following its attempt to quotestrip two of Ukraine's anti corruption
institutions, the National AntiCorruption Bureau of Ukraine and
the Specialized Anti CorruptionProsecutor's Office of their independence
by by placing them under the directcontrol of Ukraine's Prosecutor General.

(00:56):
As McFaul notes, massive demonstrationsagainst the government mobilized
immediately, the biggest against Zelenskysince Russia's full scale invasion of
Ukraine in February 2022.
Following the protests,Zelenskyy backed down.
McFaul reflects on how the episode haschallenged his thinking on American
promotion of democracy abroad and

(01:16):
the health of America's owndemocratic system and civil society.
The former ambassador to Russia writesin conclusion, for decades we Americans
thought we had something to teachUkrainians about democracy.
Instead, it looks like we could learn somethings from small D democrats in Ukraine.

>> Speaker 2 (01:32):
The Future of Robotics A new video from the Stanford Emerging
Technology Review provides an overviewof the future of robotics.
From autonomous machines in constructionto wearable robotics in elder care,
robotics is transformingthe physical economy.
Innovations in robotics technology promiseto reshape the future of work, defense and
human machine interaction.

(01:53):
The video shows why strategic leadershipin the field is needed to harness
robotics innovation, strengthen U.S.
competitiveness and secure supplychains critical to national resilience.
Additionally, a new Stanford EmergingTechnology Review excerpt published at
Defining Ideas examines robotics asa transformative technology which for
building an electronic workforce.

(02:15):
The article highlights the potential ofrobotics to address critical challenges
across multiple sectors, includingfood production and manufacturing.

>> Speaker 1 (02:23):
Will Pelosi choose her house or her home At California on youn Mind,
Distinguished Policy Fellow Bill Whalenexamines whether former
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will seek reelection for a 21st congressional term.
At 85, Pelosi faces potential primarychallenges from progressive candidate
Sakat Chakrabarti and and possibly StateSenator Scott Weiner, who advocate for

(02:46):
policies like universal health care,wealth taxes and green energy expansion.
Whelan notes San Francisco'srecent political shift
toward moderation evidenced byMayor Daniel Lurie's election and
73% approval rating based on pragmaticgovernance rather than Trump resistance.
While Pelosi likely remains favoredgiven her recent primary victories

(03:07):
exceeding 70%, Whelan says personalconsiderations include her age,
husband Paul's recoveryfrom a 2022 attack,
and limited prospects for policyinfluence as a minority party member.
Whelan suggests retirement might beappealing to Pelosi, especially given
uncertainty about Democraticchances of retaking the House and

(03:28):
the party's low national approval ratings.

>> Speaker 2 (03:30):
Before the fall.
Benedict Arnold, the Battle of Saratoga,and the Turning Point in
the American Revolutionary War at Hoover'sMilitary History in the news column,
Chris Gibson sheds lighton a lesser known chapter
in the military career of notoriousturncoat Benedict Arnold.
As Gibson shows, Arnold's conspicuousbravery at the pivotal Battle of Saratoga,

(03:51):
where he personally moved to a weakpoint in the American lines and
rallied his troops to repel a Britishassault, is not often told in school for
want of simplicity and moral clarity.
Comparing Arnold and George Washington,Gibson reminds readers that prior to his
infamous act of treason,at many moments in the war,
Arnold bests Washington in intelligence,worldly achievements, and bravery, but

(04:15):
these attributes proved insufficient forArnold.
Gibson writes that the one categorywhere Washington is clearly superior is
character, and that's the essential point.
After raising the intriguing possibilitythat a traumatic brain injury could have
contributed to Arnold's shift inloyalties, Gibson concludes, quote,

(04:35):
in the end, he was still responsible forhis betrayal of his comrades and.
The patriotic cause.

>> Speaker 1 (04:40):
Democracy in Britain, the Lord's Work the main argument against
the hereditary peers inBritain's House of Lords is not,
oddly enough, that they are harmful tolawmaking, writes Senior Fellow David L.
Leal in this second partof an essay examining
proposed changes toParliament's upper chamber.
Rather, he says, one of the mostfrequently cited criticisms is that

(05:02):
the chamber is too large.
But in Lisle's view, a relatively largenumber of members is appropriate for
a scrutinizing body.
With more members and expertise, thebetter attention it can pay to legislation
originating from the other chamber.
Lille then rebuts other progressivearguments against hereditary membership in
the House of Lords, focusing on the uniquequalifications, talents, and experiences

(05:25):
that hereditary peers have brought tothe Chamber throughout recent history.
Leal concludes by emphasizing thatremoving these peers will damage
Britain's soft power and
sense of connection to, quote,the nation's unique heritage and history.

>> Speaker 2 (05:38):
Featured Hoover Publication Moneyball Military An Affordable,
Achievable, and Capable Alternativeto Deter China in this 2023
Hoover Institution Press essay, visitingfellow Christian Bros argues that the US
defense enterprise must remake itselfto bolster deterrence with China.
Instead of investing in smallnumbers of large, expensive,

(05:59):
heavily manned military platforms, Brosesays the United States must rapidly field
large numbers of smaller,lower cost, autonomous systems.
To achieve this, Brose argues that wemust create a defense product development
system parallel to the Pentagon thatlooks less like Communist China and
more like capitalist America.

>> Speaker 1 (06:18):
That's your Hoover Daily report for Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
Each weekday we bring you research,analysis and commentary focused on public
policy, national security, and the ideasshaping American society and government.
The Hoover Institution atStanford University is grounded in
constitutional principleswith a commitment to

(06:39):
sustaining the safeguards ofthe American way of life.
Thank you for listening.
For links to all the articles andinterviews mentioned today,
visit Hoover.org HDR.