The Bulwark Daily - The Bulwark

Latest Episodes:

Bill Kristol: We Were Right To Be Alarmed Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

The danger of Trump's nominees is that the main condition of employment—aside from being on Fox—is their fealty to him, and a willingness to go along with the ideological fervor of Stephen Miller, Russ Vought and JD Vance. Meanwhile, the math may not add up for Tulsi, Sarah McBride shows grace and dignity in response to Nancy Mace, and Trump goes weirdly quiet.
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Clip of Sarah McBride on MSNBC

Sarah Longwell and Jonathan V. Last: The Lonely Boy Club Nov 22, 2024

Show notes

The country is now paying for the pathologies of the oligarchs and baddies who were stuffed into lockers when they were kids. And let's be honest: A chunk of MAGA doesn't mind the sexual assaults at all—they "put women in their place." Meanwhile, Gaetz's replacement, Pam Bondi, was an active member of the attempted coup, Elon's plan to slash the federal workforce would cut a minuscule part of the budget, the oil men don't want to produce more oil, and Democrats have to go back to their 90s-style economic messaging.
Sarah and JVL join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
The Secret Podcast
JVL's Triad newsletter from Thursday
Tim's playlist

Sam Harris: Our Democracy Is Already Unraveling Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

Because Trump wasn't penalized for trying to steal the 2020 election, our democracy has already been damaged. And he was laying the groundwork to do it again in '24, with the assistance of MAGA's opportunistic election fraud lies. Meanwhile, David Sacks & co would never let Trump run any of their businesses, but they're all in on his Alex Jones-grade lies. Plus, was Kamala done in by not responding to the anti-trans ad? And 90% of what's wrong with Elon is his Twitter addiction.
Sam Harris joins Tim Miller.

Marc Caputo and Dan Goldman: Trump v. the United States Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

The incompetent and compromised nominees Trump has assembled at record pace show how little regard he has for the essential functions our government provides. He wants to harness its power for his own ends, in a way that could put Americans and our national security at risk—but he can only do this if Congress is complicit. Meanwhile, the roundly-hated Matt Gaetz is providing cover for the sex abuse allegations against the other nominees, and the House majority margin may be razor thin.
Rep. Dan Goldman and Marc Caputo join Tim Miller.

Jen Psaki: Don't Speak to Me Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

The Democrats focus too much on reaching white college-educated voters, and the threat to democracy was not the right closing message. Plus, Nancy Mace needs to get a life beyond getting MAGA street cred, no one wants to be in the same bathroom with MTG, and Jared Polis may be on to something with the hippie-ish libertarians.
Jen Psaki joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Gov. Polis tweet about RFK, Jr.
The governor's follow-up tweet

Bill Kristol: A Power Play for Autocracy Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

Trump is flooding the zone with unqualified nominees who would destroy government norms and standards and create the kind of chaos that would let him do what he wants—and Senate Republicans may be too afraid of him to put up much resistance. Meanwhile, allies are already seeing the third world-style political decay, beyond the orgies and sexual assaults. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes
"Art of the Surge" doc on Apple TV; Ep 5 has debate reaction backstage

Amanda Carpenter: Lessons from the Tea Party Era Nov 15, 2024

Show notes

Ted Cruz and Jim DeMint ground things to a halt in the Senate quite effectively during the Obama era, and Democrats should take a cue from them for Trump's appointments: Demand hearings or hold their own. More broadly, the opposition has to be loud and make a scene, while also staying unified and focused. We are a big country with big ideas, and there are more of us than there are of them.
Amanda Carpenter joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
Part 1 of the "Behind the Bastards" podcast on RFK, Jr.
Tim's playlist

Rick Wilson and David Brooks: MAGA to the Max Nov 14, 2024

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Trump's appointments—like degenerate Matt Gaetz and Putin stooge Tulsi Gabbard—are about his raw power and his stupid show, but are also a risk to our nation's security and institutions. Plus, America's diploma divide has trapped us in a caste society, where future leaders are being chosen based on how they performed on standardized tests at age 18.
David Brooks and Rick Wilson join Tim Miller.
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Ed Whelan on Trump's recess appointment scheme (gifted)
David's cover story on the Ivy League (gifted)

Osita Nwanevu: Democrats Need A Better Story Nov 13, 2024

Show notes

Republicans have been good at telling a story about the economy and how people should feel about it, and Democrats haven't responded in a sufficiently compelling way. Meanwhile, plucking Pete Hegseth off the Fox & Friends couch to run one of the biggest organizations in the world is a sign of how dumb the next administration will be.
Osita Nwanevu joins Tim Miller.
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Osita's forthcoming book

Jon Lovett: The Worst People Are Happy Nov 12, 2024

Show notes

The worst people believe their worldview has been validated, while the best people are uncertain, scared, and angry. But we have to stay focused on the menace, including the threat to officials Trump may target for revenge—and the immigrants whose cheap and willing labor helped build our economy.
Jon Lovett joins Tim Miller for a special crosspost with the "Lovett or Leave It" pod.
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Speech by Otto Wels in March 1933
The 'Lovett or Leave It' podcast