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The Bulwark

Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we provide insightful analysis, political hot-takes, an unabashed defense of liberal democracy and long-form interviews that cut through the "both-sides" BS. Plus a few laughs to help you wash down the crazy.

Bulwark+ members can get a totally ad-free version of the show delivered right to their favorite podcast player.

The Bulwark Podcast

Trump's power of persuasion is failing him on the affordability issue. He even broke MAGA creed on live TV by calling on Americans to trust the word of foreign leaders—who supposedly claim the U.S. economy is golden—over the pain they're feeling at the supermarket and at the pump. Meanwhile, NYC's mayor-elect seems to be understand the zeitgeist: We are not living in a right v. left political moment, but an insider v. outsider one. Plus, what Dems can learn from Mamdani, why the party needs to move on from its Obama and Bernie factions, and how aid programs like PEPFAR can be resurrected in a new administration.

Former Obama and Mamdani advisor Patrick Gaspard joins Tim Miller. 

show notes

 • 
AOC's and Sen. Smith's NYT piece on social housing that Patrick referenced

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Tim, Andrew, and Will Saletan on Trump's White House address

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Patrick Gaspard: A White House Screamathon

POTUS is firing or censoring the statisticians who collect data on health and climate, as well as the kind of experts who could verify his lofty claims of an A++++ economy. And while Vance says that Trump is really turning things around, job losses are rising from his destructive tariff and immigration policies. Plus, the back story on Palantir and how it's helping to facilitate the administration's authoritarian ambitions. 

Author Mike Steinberger and Catherine Rampell join Tim Miller.

show notes

Tim's 'Bulwark Take' on current China policy
Catherine's newsletter, "Receipts"
Mike's new book, "The Philosopher in the Valley"
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Catherine Rampell and Michael Steinberger: Trump Wants to Cook the Books

The people running the Republican grassroots are nativist populists, and it’s a space where opposition to Israel thrives, along with a heaping serving of antisemitism. Candace’s wild theories about the Charlie Kirk assassination has had a big impact among the young who get their news from TikTok and Instagram. And JD—who is the top-billed speaker at this year’s AmericaFest—is sending signals that he’s absorbing the nativist and anti-Zionist views among right-wing influencers like Tucker. Plus, Susie Wiles dishes on Trump and other top figures, and Stephen Miller’s wife is running a North Korea-style podcast with some of the biggest names in the administration—but with virtually no audience.

Will Sommer joins Tim Miller.

show notes

Will's "False Flag" newsletter
The recent Atlantic piece that Tim referenced
Vanity Fair's interview with Susie Wiles
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Will Sommer: Conspiracy Theorists Are Behind the Wheel in the Republican Party

From the shooting at Brown University, to the Oct. 7-style slaughter in Australia, and the shocking murder of Rob Reiner and his wife—it’s been one blow after another. But leave it to Trump to seize the moment to remind Americans what a disgusting human being he is. Meanwhile, social media algorithms keep pushing people to antisemitic content, and Kash is going to have to quit with the live-tweeting during FBI investigations. Plus, the MAGA crackup continues, Trump sounds like he’s losing his fight fight fight spirit, DOGE cuts hit red America, Dems should invest in campaigns in Iowa and Kansas, and Tim reads from the mailbag.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes

 • 
Sonny's tribute to Reiner's remarkable work as a director

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Monday's "Morning Shots," including a contribution from Hannah in Providence

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Trump defending his grotesque comment 

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Politico on the DOGE cuts in Trump country

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Axios on how Kamala may run again

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Bill Kristol: A Weekend of Tragedy

Despite death threats and harassment, Republicans in Indiana delivered the biggest political setback to Trump since officials in Georgia wouldn’t help him find 11,780 votes in 2020. Turns out, some conservatives at the state level still have enough principles to not gerrymander on demand. Meanwhile, antisemitism, white nationalism, and neo-Nazism are flourishing among the very online right, including among people who used to be showcased by Fox. And they’re chewing on and mainstreaming some of the deepest, darkest conspiracies out there. But now those voices are more influential than the cable channel—even our vice president, ever mindful of 2028, won’t distance himself from the crowd. Plus, MTG’s come to Jesus moment, and the PR instead of reporting that is happening in the press room at the Pentagon

Alyssa Farah Griffin joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes

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Tim's 'Bulwark Take' on Tucker and Candace

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Friday's "Morning Shots"

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Mother Jones on Posobiec's PR moves at the Pentagon

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ABC's "The View"

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Tim's playlist

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Alyssa Farah: Trump's Big L in Indiana

Republican disunity is being obscured by affection for Trump, but just below the surface, MAGA is being pulled apart at the seams. At the same time, the administration is busy committing war crimes while conducting an illegal, nonsensical war, and the FBI is investing progressive groups for their views. The state of free speech protections may be worse than during the Red Scare. Meanwhile, SCOTUS keeps shaping the power of the presidency, Tucker and Candace’s conspiracies and Israel fear-mongering are way past an act, and the Andrew Tates of the manosphere are giving cover to men who just want to be a**holes.

David French joins Tim Miller.

show notes

David's recent piece on MAGA 
Ken Klippenstein on the FBI investigating progressive groups 
NYT on the Trump administration helping out Andrew Tate 
David's podcast, "Advisory Opinions" 
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"Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here," book referenced by Tim

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David French: MAGA Is Bleeding Numbers

Big Boss Trump, who claims the power to run the whole government via executive order and pushes all our allies around, is a man suddenly with no agency when it comes to the economy. He says the high cost of living is a Democratic hoax, or in true Christmas spirit, he’s back to blaming parents for spoiling their daughters with too many dolls. And while his approval rating slips into the the 30s, voters keep rewarding Democrats at the ballot box. On the healthcare front, Republicans have been promising an alternative to Obamacare for 15 years with nothing to show for it. Plus, the corruption of Trump & Co is so pervasive, it’s hard for voters to get their minds around it, and Dems have to go all-in on recapturing the Senate next year—which means winning independents and non-MAGA republicans in red states.

Neera Tanden, at the Center for American Progress, joins Tim Miller.

show notes

The "Trump's Take" tracker at the Center for American Progress
Tim and Andrew's 'Bulwark Take' after Trump's rally Tuesday night
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Neera Tanden: America's 'Daddy' Is in a Rut

Heaping scorn and disdain on Europe, Trump called its countries decaying and its leaders weak, but the U.S. likely needs Europe more than they need us. And while POTUS is whining that Zelensky won't consider his rigged deal with Putin, the corruption of Trump's negotiating team is off the charts, with Witkoff and Kushner trying to work a land deal rather than a peace treaty. Meanwhile, the boat bombings seem to be about performative politics, Hegseth is pushing out another high-ranking black officer—for voicing concerns about the strikes on alleged drug-runners in the Caribbean—and where is the video of that Sept 2 restrike that killed two survivors? 

Lt. Gen Mark Hertling joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

Hertling's piece on Trump's new National Security Strategy
Hertling on the potential misuse of Special Forces in the boat strikes
Remembering National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, by Hertling
 • Email for Tim's mailbag: 
BulwarkPodcast@thebulwark.com • 

Trump's Politico interview
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Mark Hertling: Trump (Still) Hates Europe

ICE and Border Patrol are kidnapping people in the suburbs near New Orleans based on racial profiling—it’s like the South of 70 years ago. Mini Greg Bovino cares far more about his video team capturing him menacing and harassing people going about their lives than he does about due process and the Fourth Amendment. But despite her own pinup-style social media spreads, Trump may be readying to dump Kristi Noem from DHS. Meanwhile, the administration keeps creating new excuses for why it killed the two shipwrecked men near Venezuela, while also withholding key information. Plus, Trump is handing out more welfare checks to farmers, MTG says MAGA is not America First, the Dems get another shot this week on the affordability issue, Colin Allred may have been unwisely pushed out of the Texas Senate race, and Tim and Bill share a rare ‘you gotta hand it to Ted Cruz’ moment.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes

 • 
Adrian's scoop on how Trump may be moving on from Noem

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Tim's 'Bulwark Take' on the protests and raids in greater NOLA

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Bill's "Bulwark on Sunday" with Sen. Warner on the boat strikes

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Monday's "Morning Shots"

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Cruz's good tweet 

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Bill Kristol: This Is Not Democratic Government

Trump is overseeing extrajudicial killings off the coast of Venezuela but nothing was going to stop him from getting a peace prize—even if it’s a fake one from super highly reputable FIFA. He also helped himself to a federal agency that used to work on peace initiatives, but which Elon DOGE’d. Democrats should embrace the spirit of McCain and focus on the massive corruption in the administration around crypto, the ballroom, the pardons, and more. At the same time, the Dems have a disconnect between leaders and the base over Israel, Netanyahu, and AIPAC. Plus, Candace may be less worried about the French taking her out than she plays on her podcast, and Fox doesn’t seem like it’s rooting for war in Venezuela.

Tommy Vietor joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes

 • 
Tommy's podcast, "Pod Save the World" 

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Hillary on TikTok influencing young people's opinions on Israel 

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Ben Rhodes's piece on Israel in the NYT

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Tim's playlist

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Tommy Vietor: The 'Peace' President

Republican senators don't care that Trump's nominees are lying—like Kash pretending he didn't know a Nazi-adjacent podcaster whose show he's been on eight times—because the confirmation process to them is all a game and truth is irrelevant. And nominees are also mad-flipping on their signatures issues: RFK, Jr. on vaccines, Tulsi on Edward Snowden, and Kash on the Jan 6 cop beaters. Meanwhile, RFK knows embarrassingly little about the programs he'd be administering, Democrats should try combat on for size, and the Fox hosts/reality show stars turned in quite a performance after the first plane crash in 16 years. 

Tommy Vietor joins Tim Miller.

Tommy Vietor: Deniability Is All That Matters

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