Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes

Episode: Sarah Longwell: They Support Gun Rights—But Only for Republicans
Date: January 26, 2026
Host: The Bulwark Team
Guests: Sarah Longwell (Publisher, The Bulwark; Host, The Focus Group Podcast), Baratunde Thurston (Writer, Host, The Speakeasy Substack), Kathryn Rampel

Overview

This timely episode of Bulwark Takes explores the surge of hypocrisy on the right surrounding gun rights, government overreach, and the selective application of constitutional principles—specifically in response to a recent controversial shooting in Minneapolis involving Alex Preddy, a lawful gun owner and protester. Sarah Longwell and panelists dissect how right-wing rhetoric around the Second, First, and Fourth Amendments shifts when political interests and tribal allegiances are at stake. The discussion offers insight into evolving attitudes among Republican voters and implications for public opinion, advocacy, and American democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Selective Defense of Constitutional Rights

(01:20 – 04:02)

• The episode opens with Sarah Longwell and Baratunde Thurston pointing out that Republican officials and media figures, once staunch defenders of Second Amendment rights, have shifted positions when these rights are asserted by perceived political opponents.
• Baratunde Thurston: “The Second Amendment is really there… to protect Americans from the tyranny of their government, which is exactly what we’re experiencing right now.” (01:30)
• Longwell criticizes the abandonment of conservative constitutional principles in the Trump era, noting an emerging attitude of “Second Amendment for me, but not for thee.”
• Sarah Longwell: “Doesn’t matter whether it’s the Second Amendment, whether it’s the First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, whether it’s the Amendment that says Trump can’t run for president again for a third term. There is a total disregard for the constitutional principles that undergird this country from the very people who claim that they are the ones who, who take it seriously.” (03:02)
• The hosts recall the constant emphasis on constitutional rights (receiving pocket Constitutions from right-wing groups), now undermined by partisan inconsistency.

2. The Alex Preddy Case & Government Narratives

(04:02 – 05:16)

• The conversation centers on the shooting of Alex Preddy, a lawful gun owner and protester, whose confrontation with law enforcement led to a controversial shooting and official misrepresentations.
• Panelists express shock at how quickly officials resorted to disinformation, contrasting the clear video evidence against the administration's narrative.
• Quote: “The administration is telling us a story that directly contradicts what we can see with our own eyes. It’s Orwellian in a sense.” — (04:40)
• Reference is made to a similar recent case (Renee Good), where confusion over video evidence allowed conservative voters to rationalize away police conduct; but the Preddy case, panelists argue, is “clear as day.”

3. Voter Reactions & The Shifting Ground

(05:16 – 07:00)

• Sarah Longwell draws on focus group research, emphasizing how information ambiguity allowed right-leaning voters to excuse police violence in the previous Renee Good case.
• This time, she argues, the clarity of the Preddy incident and the administration’s flagrant misinformation may force a reckoning.
• Sarah Longwell: “Their stories are not holding up the same way. The government did the same thing. They came out and they lied about it immediately… For voters this time around… it’s going to be harder for people to just feel confused… This one is clear cut, clear as day, no excuses. And I think you’re going to see a different kind of backlash this time around.” (06:11)

4. Impact on the Right and the Potential for Political Change

(07:00 – 08:57)

• Discussion shifts to whether the Preddy case will fracture support among Trump’s base, given the overt disregard for gun rights when inconvenient to the party line.
• Longwell is optimistic about this being a turning point, citing burgeoning Democratic resolve and calls for action like Senator Jackie Rosen’s impeachment motion against Kristi Noem.
• She urges the business community, Republicans, and everyday Americans to “find their voice in this moment.”
• Sarah Longwell: "Democrats have got to start going on offense on these things. The American people will be with you if you show leadership in this moment. … Americans do not want to see law enforcement ... shooting Americans in the streets for exercising their First Amendment rights ... That's what time it is." (08:25–08:50)
• Longwell makes a direct appeal for accountability and principled defense of rights, not special pleading for one’s own side.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Baratunde Thurston (01:30): “The Second Amendment is really there… to protect Americans from the tyranny of their government, which is exactly what we’re experiencing right now.”
• Sarah Longwell (03:02): “There is a total disregard for the constitutional principles that undergird this country from the very people who claim that they are the ones who, who take it seriously.”
• Panel (04:40): “The administration is telling us a story that directly contradicts what we can see with our own eyes. It’s Orwellian in a sense.”
• Sarah Longwell (06:11): “This one is clear cut, clear as day, no excuses. And I think you’re going to see a different kind of backlash this time around.”
• Sarah Longwell (08:25–08:50): "Democrats have got to start going on offense on these things… Americans do not want to see law enforcement ... shooting Americans in the streets for exercising their First Amendment rights... That's what time it is."

Key Timestamps

• 01:20: Opening critique of constitutional hypocrisy
• 02:21: Abandonment of constitutional rights under partisan logic
• 04:02: Introduction and analysis of the Alex Preddy shooting narrative
• 05:16: Focus on voter confusion and misinformation in recent cases
• 07:00: Discussion of the backlash and political implications for the right
• 08:25: Call to action for Democrats and civic engagement

Tone & Language

The episode maintains a candid, urgent, and somewhat exasperated tone, with panelists using plain language and passionate appeals to constitutional principles. The mood is one of concern for the erosion of rule-of-law norms, but also includes optimism for accountability and renewed activism.

Conclusion

This episode of Bulwark Takes offers a sharp, timely critique of the partisan application of constitutional rights in American politics, particularly concerning gun rights and police violence. The panel highlights how clear cases of government overreach—and brazen misrepresentation—may finally force reconsideration among conservative voters and create space for principled leadership and activism.