Years ago while in college, Dave Carter wrote renowned economist, academic, and columnist Walter Williams asking what advice he would offer to someone aspiring to become a columnist. Professor Williams wrote back advising Dave to first live a full and active life and then let the experiences of that life infuse his perspectives and writings. Better to bring interesting and informed ways of thinking to the table than ideas unrooted in reality and bereft of lived experience.
In the decades since their correspondence Dave served 20 years in the military, first as a Security Forces troop and then as a Senior Military Historian. He deployed throughout Asia and Europe, spending a year in Korea in addition to three tours of duty in the Middle East. Author of over 40 volumes of Air Force Histories comprising the official record of current operations, he also accompanied aircrews on combat missions in order to record combat events from a participant’s perspective.
A former radio show host, private detective, and 18 wheeler driver with over a million miles logged across the country, Dave was invited in 2009 to become a contributor and podcaster at Ricochet.com by the site’s Co-Founders; President Ronald Reagan Speechwriter Peter Robinson and Executive Producer of the TV show “Cheers”, Rob Long. He has interviewed celebrities, pundits, a Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs, presidential speech writers, award winning authors, numerous veterans, professional comedians and more. From dining with generals, political luminaries and authors to sharing a foxhole with fellow security forces troops or the lunch counter with other truckers on a 14 year odyssey across America, Columnist and Podcaster Dave Carter has seen a great many things. And he’s been taking notes.
Whether interviewing best selling authors, a Hollywood producer, entertainers, leading pundits, fellow veterans, a Special Forces officer, a business management consultant or a professional comedian, Dave brings out the person behind the credentials.
What begins as an interview invariably ends as an enjoyable conversation between friends, leaving the listener with a knowing smile and fresh perspectives to ponder.
"Stripped to its very essence, history is biography," Dave maintained many years ago as a military historian. That approach, which led to numerous accolades while he was in uniform, has infused his writings ever since.
From history to political philosophy, whether its today's headlines, tales from the road or accounts from a war zone, this sampling of articles will draw you in, making the difficult both understandable and compelling.
It’s impossible to write or broadcast anything of consequence without making constant research a part of one’s lifestyle. This is the place where you find some of the articles, podcasts, and videos for which Dave is constantly scanning, reading and learning.
Whether it’s an article at National Review, American Thinker, Steyn Online, American Spectator, Center for Immigration Studies, the Mises Institute, Claremont Institute, the Brownstone Institute and much more, this is where Dave shares the articles and media that especially drew his attention.
“Dave Carter is one part Walker Percy, one part Dave Barry, and one part Mark Twain, which is to say that he writes like an angel, especially about the South, that he’s side-splittingly funny, and that he’s thoroughly and proudly American.”
“Dave is a master communicator -- both with his colleagues and, more importantly to the Ricochet team, to hundreds of thousands of listeners. His particular skill is making complex ideas clear and graspable, in a humorous and very human way. But Dave is more than that: he delivers on his promises, manages himself and others in an effective and motivating way, and has become one of Ricochet's key team members through his reliable, consistent, and always dependable work.”
“Dave is a rare combination. He possesses a keen intellect while remaining completely relatable to his audience. And, to top it all off, he is a very talented writer and broadcaster. I have interviewed, and been interviewed, by Dave, and left both experiences impressed by his grasp of facts, his quickness and his storytelling ability. He is one of the most popular contributors to the Ricochet website—a site to which I also occasionally contribute—and his podcasts are extremely informative and entertaining. Whether speaking or writing, Dave is an outstanding communicator.”
"I am completely sincere when I say that my friend Dave Carter is a gifted writer; he can make any subject fascinating, any story riveting. It's not just my opinion; everyone with whom I've shared his work agrees.