Murkowski Says She’s Scared. Tim Says QUIT the GOP and Join the Fight!

Summary

Bulwark Takes: "Murkowski Says She’s Scared. Tim Says QUIT the GOP and Join the Fight!" – April 17, 2025

In this compelling episode of Bulwark Takes, host Tim Miller delves into Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski's recent remarks expressing fear about retaliation for her political stance. Miller offers a critical analysis of Murkowski's position within the GOP, advocating for a more proactive opposition to the prevailing party dynamics. This summary captures the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps to provide a comprehensive overview for both regular listeners and newcomers.

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1. Introduction

[11:30] Tim Miller opens the episode by addressing the recent and unsettling remarks made by Senator Lisa Murkowski. He sets the stage for a deep dive into the implications of a sitting U.S. Senator expressing fear about retaliation, a sentiment he finds unprecedented in modern politics.

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2. Senator Lisa Murkowski's Remarks

[02:11] Lisa Murkowski:
"What are you going to have to say to people who are afraid or who represent people who are afraid? We are all afraid. Okay, so I'm staying. But we are. We're in a time and a place where. I don't know. I certainly have not. I've not been here before. And I'll tell you, I'm. I'm oftentimes very anxious myself about, about using my V. Because retaliation is real, and that's not right, but that's what you've asked me to do."

In a panel discussion with nonprofit leaders, Senator Murkowski candidly shares her anxieties about using her voice against a backdrop of potential retaliation. She acknowledges the fear within herself and her constituents, indicating a troubling shift in the political climate that even seasoned politicians now find daunting.

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3. Tim Miller's Initial Reaction

[04:00] Tim Miller:
"There's been no other time in my lifetime where a US Senator would have said, 'I'm afraid to speak out.'"

Miller expresses shock and disbelief at Murkowski's admission. He draws parallels to historical periods marked by genuine threats of political violence, such as the eras surrounding the Kennedys and Martin Luther King Jr., suggesting that Murkowski's fear signals a regression to more volatile times.

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4. Praising Murkowski's Courage

[05:03] Tim Miller:
"Lisa Murkowski has at times spoken out. She did not support Trump in the last election. She also didn't support Kamala. But, you know, I think that's better something than nothing."

Despite his criticism, Miller acknowledges Murkowski's efforts to maintain some independence within the GOP. He highlights her refusal to support Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, suggesting that her actions, though limited, demonstrate a modicum of courage in a party he views as increasingly extreme.

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5. Critique of Murkowski's Alignment with the GOP

[06:01] Tim Miller:
"If the political environment is so fraught that you, as a US Senator are scared to speak out and that your constituents are scared, why are you supporting the people that are creating that environment?"

Miller challenges Murkowski's continued affiliation with the Republican Party, arguing that the very figures fostering fear and retaliation are those she aligns with. He questions the logic of supporting leaders who contribute to a climate of intimidation, especially when that environment undermines the well-being of Alaskan constituents.

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6. Call to Action: Leaving the GOP

[06:47] Tim Miller:
"If they're so scary, then join a group that is not scary. Join the side that is trying to fight against the fear."

Miller fervently urges Murkowski to dissociate from the GOP and affiliate with a more principled or independent group that actively counters the fear-driven tactics he attributes to her current party. He emphasizes the opportunity before the 2028 elections to reshape the Senate's balance by breaking away from the majority GOP.

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7. Strategic Implications for the Senate

[07:24] Tim Miller:
"If Lisa Murkowski did what others before her, Arlen Specter, Ben Nite, Horse Campbell, Jim Jeffords did and said, okay, I'm going to be an independent. I'm going to caucus with the Democrats, then the Republicans would only have 52 seats."

Miller outlines the potential Senate realignment if Murkowski and similar senators shift their affiliations. By leaving the GOP, the Republican majority would slim to 52 seats, thereby reducing their control and making it more feasible for Democrats and independents to influence legislation and Senate dynamics.

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8. Addressing Constituent Fears and Legitimate Concerns

[09:03] Tim Miller:
"The people that really should be afraid, the people that have legitimate fears of the people losing their jobs, who are your constituents, the immigrants, Venezuelan refugees, people that might be sent here to Louisiana, to the private prison in Natchez or sent down to El Salvador."

Miller contrasts Murkowski's fears with the legitimate fears experienced by her constituents. He criticizes her for not fully appreciating the dire situations faced by immigrants and other vulnerable populations, suggesting that her concerns about political retaliation are misplaced compared to the real threats affecting her electorate.

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9. Blaming Donald Trump for the Current Climate

[10:05] Tim Miller:
"The reason we all have threats is Donald Trump."

Miller directly attributes the current environment of fear and threats to former President Donald Trump. He posits that Trump's leadership has cultivated a hostile and intimidating political landscape, thereby compelling even moderate Republicans like Murkowski to feel threatened and silenced.

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10. Final Recommendations and Closing Remarks

[10:18] Tim Miller:
"While I appreciate that Lisa Murkowski is picking her spots to speak out, that she is not curled into a ball like some of her colleagues, more is still required."

In his closing statements, Miller acknowledges Murkowski's selective bravery but insists that it falls short of what is necessary to combat the pervasive fear within the GOP. He reiterates his call for her to take more decisive action, whether by distancing herself from the party or by more openly opposing its current trajectory.

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11. Conclusion

Tim Miller concludes the episode by reaffirming his stance on the need for significant change within the Republican Party. He underscores the urgency of countering the fear-mongering tactics he believes are destabilizing American politics. Miller invites listeners to stay engaged and hints at future discussions monitoring Murkowski's actions, emphasizing the critical role she and other moderate Republicans must play in shaping the nation's future.

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Notable Quotes:

• Lisa Murkowski [02:11]:
  "I'm oftentimes very anxious myself about, about using my V. Because retaliation is real, and that's not right."

• Tim Miller [06:01]:
  "If the political environment is so fraught that you... why are you supporting the people that are creating that environment?"

• Tim Miller [06:47]:
  "If they're so scary, then join a group that is not scary. Join the side that is trying to fight against the fear."

• Tim Miller [10:05]:
  "The reason we all have threats is Donald Trump."

---

This episode of Bulwark Takes provides a rigorous critique of Senator Murkowski's position within the GOP, urging a reevaluation of party loyalties in light of emerging fears and political tensions. Tim Miller's passionate analysis serves as a call to action for moderate Republicans to reconsider their alliances and take a stand against what he perceives as a destabilizing influence within their ranks.

Transcript

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[Tim Miller]

Apply hey everybody, it's Tim Miller from the Bulwark. Republican Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski had some.

[Commentator]

Pretty astonishing remarks speaking to nonprofit leaders at a panel in Alaska.

[Tim Miller]

I want to play for you a.

[Commentator]

Long clip of the remarks because I have a lot of thoughts about it.

[Tim Miller]

Some very positive, some negative towards Murkowski, some alarming. But I think it's important that everybody.

[Commentator]

Watch this clip from a United States senator because it demonstrates just how insane.

[Tim Miller]

Of a time that we are in.

[Commentator]

That this could even be said. So let us watch.

[Lisa Murkowski]

What are you going to have to say to people who are afraid or who represent people who are afraid? We are all afraid. Okay, so I'm staying. But we are. We're in a time and a place where. I don't know. I certainly have not. I've not been here before. And I'll tell you, I'm. I'm oftentimes very anxious myself about, about using my V. Because retaliation is real, and that's not right, but that's what you've asked me to do. And so I'm going to use my voice to the best of my ability. And sometimes it will be viewed in a way that, well, that's pretty confrontational. And other times it's going to be using my mother's charm that I, I learned as a young girl and in direct communication with those that I made relationships with and able to affect some change that way. But I've got to figure out how I can do my best to help the many who are so anxious and are so afraid.

[Tim Miller]

There's been no other time in my.

[Commentator]

Lifetime where a US Senator would have said, I'm afraid to speak out. You know, maybe during the periods of assassinations, you know, around the Kennedys and mlk, like, maybe in that era, there.

[Tim Miller]

Might have been politicians who were. Who had real fear of political violence.

[Commentator]

But, you know, that's been a couple generations now. And that brings us to a pretty dark place where a public elected official.

[Tim Miller]

Could say something like that.

[Commentator]

So I, that's, that's my initial reaction, just how. Jaw dropping it is, that, that, that the fear has reached that level.

[Tim Miller]

The next thought, I'm going to be.

[Commentator]

Positive first about Lisa Murkowski, and then I'm gonna offer my critique for her.

[Tim Miller]

And the positive is the point that she's trying to make is that she, while she has this fear, she's finding her voice. And at times she'll be confrontational, at.

[Commentator]

Times she'll use her mother's charm.

[Tim Miller]

Lisa Murkowski has at times spoken out. She did not support Trump in the last election. She also didn't support Kamala. But, you know, I think that better something than nothing. Better her thank John Kennedy or Bill Cassidy, my senators from Louisiana who aren't really speaking out. She voted against Trump nominees. Right. So she's done some things and demonstrated, I'd say, a modest amount of courage. Not the amount I would have liked to see, but some.

[Commentator]

And, and that is worth acknowledging, you know, because at least Srankowski was not.

[Tim Miller]

The Republican senator from Alaska.

[Commentator]

It would be, you know, I don't know, Magavon, Eskimo or something. Like somebody who is extremely insane, almost certainly. So with that as the baseline, here's my problem with what Lisa Murkowski is saying.

[Tim Miller]

If the political environment is so fraught that you, as a US Senator are.

[Commentator]

Scared to speak out and that, you.

[Tim Miller]

Know, that your constituents are scared. Why are you supporting the people that are creating that environment? The person that's creating that environment. When it comes to the leader of your party, you're still a Republican, Donald Trump. You could be an Independent. You could be like Angus King could be an Independent, but you're a Republican. You caucus with the Republicans. You vote for John Thune for leader. So the people that are creating this environment of fear that is so unprecedented are the people you support. So you're afraid of the people you support. That makes no sense. That makes no sense.

[Commentator]

Lisa Murkowski.

[Tim Miller]

If they're so scary, then join a group that is not scary. Join the side that is trying to fight against the fear. You know, you're not up again until 2028. So you have four years, you have three and a half years. You have a long Runway. You have a lot of options. Why go along to get along and choose your spots when you know what this government is doing is wrong? You know it's harming the people of Alaska. You know that what Doge is doing is causing real damage to federal workers in your state. You know that it's not okay to whisk people away and send them to a foreign gulag because of their tattoos with no due process. You know that what the Trump cozying up to Putin is wrong. Like, you can choose your spots and speak out on that stuff, or you can be part of the effort to remove them from power. Right now, they're Republicans have 53 senators. If Lisa Murkowski did what others before her, Arlen Specter, Ben Nite, Horse Campbell, Jim Jeffords did and said, okay, I'm going to be an independent. I'm going to caucus with the Democrats, then the Republicans would only have 52 seats, okay, as she convinced her friend Susan Collins to join that little independent gang, then the Republicans would only have 51 seats. And then you would get to a midterm in 2026 where the Senate is.

[Commentator]

More gettable for Democrats or for some, you know, unity management of the Senate between this little independent caucus and the Democrats. That's an option.

[Tim Miller]

That's a real option. You know, there are ways that you as a, as a member of the Republican Senate conference could stall or slow.

[Commentator]

The agenda of the gop.

[Tim Miller]

And we've seen the, the far right guys do this. Tommy Toberville did it to some effect during the Biden administration, limiting his ability.

[Commentator]

To, you know, do military promotions.

[Tim Miller]

So, like, you have a lot of options. You are in a position of immense privilege like this fee. The people that really should be afraid, the people that have legitimate fears of the people losing their jobs, who are your constituents, the immigrants, Venezuelan refugees, people that might be sent here to Louisiana, to the private prison in Natchez or sent down to El Salvador.

[Commentator]

Those people have legitimate reasons to be afraid.

[Tim Miller]

People have been detained at airports, people that wrote op EDS about their views on the Israel, Palestine conflict have reason to be afraid. Like Elisa Murkowski doesn't have real reason to be afraid. Like, you have staff, you have resources, you have a protective bubble if you wanted to. So, you know, I don't. I don't want to minimize the threats. We all.

[Commentator]

We all have threats now in this day and age.

[Tim Miller]

And the reason we all have threats is Donald Trump. And so if you do not like that political environment, then it's incumbent upon you to oppose the person that has.

[Commentator]

Created it, who is the President of the United States.

[Tim Miller]

And so while I appreciate that Lisa Murkowski is picking her spots to speak out, that she is not curled into a ball like some of her colleagues, more is still required. More is still required in this unbelievable.

[Commentator]

Unimaginable, astonishing moment that we're in, where a US Senator would admit to fear of retaliation for just giving their opinion. That's the latest.

[Tim Miller]

Subscribe to the feed. We'll keep monitoring. Lisa Perkowski is always welcome here on the Bulwark.

[Commentator]

Hasn't taken me up on the offer yet, but one of these days, and for the rest of y'all, we'll be talking to you soon.

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