Bulwark Takes: "Sarah’s Little Secret is Out" | Bulwark on Sunday – March 8, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode of "Bulwark on Sunday," Bill Kristol sits down with Sarah Longwell, Bulwark co-founder and author, to discuss her newly announced book, How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time. They dive into the content and intention behind the book, the unique strength of the Bulwark community, the evolving landscape of political communication, the Democratic Party’s challenges, and, most urgently, the political ramifications of Trump’s ongoing war with Iran. The conversation blends personal reflection and sharp political analysis, giving listeners both insight and a roadmap for dissecting today's tumultuous political scene.
Key Themes and Discussion Points
1. Sarah’s Book Announcement and Its Meaning (01:32 – 06:30)
- Title & Pre-order Status: The book, titled How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time, is available for pre-order despite a six-month wait before release (03:37).
- Meta Moment: Sarah describes the irony of writing a communications book and the simultaneous experience of selling it—leveraging the tight-knit, responsive Bulwark community for momentum (04:02).
- Quote (Sarah, 04:59): “It's so incredible what you can do with a community. Like, they will show up for you, and you will show up for them, right? And...we show up for people and then they show up back for us. And that is a newish phenomenon in this space, right? It's the new independent media.”
- Community vs. Audience: Unlike traditional media figures, Sarah highlights the power of building a genuine community, not just a passive audience.
2. Community, Trust, and Impact of The Bulwark (06:30 – 09:44)
- Speed and Stickiness of the Bulwark Community: Bill Kristol marvels at how quickly the Bulwark’s engaged audience has grown compared to legacy media fame (06:30-08:04).
- Quote (Bill, 07:20): “It’s just striking to me...how fast it's ramped up, though, the community and how sticky, as you say, how much people, how much it seems to mean to people. I find that personally very moving, honestly.”
- Live Shows and Feedback: Sarah reflects on live events, where audience members often say, “You keep us sane” because the Bulwark expresses their same frustrations and hopes (08:05).
- Quote (Sarah, 08:05): “One of my favorite things is when people disagree with us...they know where you are coming from, they understand you. And so there's a tolerance then...I don't think she's BSing me...I can count on JBL to argue with her and vice versa.”
- Coping with Helplessness: The community’s shared sense-making helps combat feelings of helplessness in the face of political upheaval.
3. Reflections Post-2024 Election: Why Write This Book? (09:44 – 15:00)
- Purpose and Optimism after Trump’s Re-Election: Sarah describes deciding to write the book after Trump’s 2024 win, focusing on answering why Trump was re-elected despite widespread opposition (10:44).
- Voters didn’t trust Biden’s capacity, worrying about his age, and lacked familiarity with Kamala Harris.
- Misconceptions about threats to democracy: Many saw Biden as a threat because of perceived incapacity, not comparable to Trump’s actions.
- Democratic Party’s Communication Challenge: The Democrat’s core issue isn’t policy—progressive vs. moderate—but the lack of a compelling, authentic connection with voters (11:40).
- Quote (Sarah, 13:50): “They needed that parasocial relationship…they needed to know her at a 360 degree angle, and they didn’t.”
- Lessons from Focus Groups: Voters want politicians who are authentic and open about their biases, not pretending to be perfectly neutral (14:35).
4. Reinventing Political Communication: Beyond Policy Fights (16:32 – 22:40)
- Values over Policy: Bill and Sarah agree that effective politics relies not just on policy stances, but on shared values and forceful, honest communication (16:32).
- The ‘Abundance’ Parallel: Sarah hopes her book will spark as important a conversation about communication as “abundance” did for policy (18:07).
- Aggressiveness and Authenticity: Democrats need to move from discussing the need for aggressive communication to actually implementing it.
- Republicans’ success lies in narrative dominance, vibe-based communication, and a bench of aggressive communicators (18:53).
- Building Bench Strength: Democrats have lacked successors who can communicate as powerfully as Obama or Clinton; this must change.
5. Book Details, Audio Plans, and Publication Strategy (22:40 – 26:00)
- Timing: The book aims to be both timely (for 2026 and 2028) and forward-looking.
- Distribution Approach: Sarah champions supporting independent bookstores and reaching into the mainstream, not only the already-engaged Bulwark audience.
- Audiobook News: Sarah plans to narrate the audiobook herself, citing her audio experience and personal investment in the project (24:33).
- JVL’s Contributions: Jonathan V. Last wrote the foreword and contributed footnotes, some of which are humorous debates with focus group voters.
6. The War with Iran: Political Implications & Public Response (26:00 – 44:08)
- Republican Shift to Isolationism: Sarah notes the dramatic change in Republican voter attitudes towards foreign policy since the Bush era, driven partly by Trump’s anti-war rhetoric (26:46).
- Quote (Sarah, 27:47): “One of the big shifts has been how different Republican voters are today on foreign policy...The idea of boots on the ground in a Middle Eastern country ... that's just not where the voters are anymore.”
- Trump’s War and Voter Reactions: After bombing Iran, public support spiked but mostly among Trump's base, directly correlating with his approval rating; many independents remain disengaged or unaware (28:55).
- Low-information voters remain in the dark—until gas prices rise, a universally felt consequence.
- Strategic Messaging: Both hosts discuss the Trump administration’s refusal to formally declare war: a deliberate communication tactic to avoid sustained public scrutiny and bipartisan debate (34:16).
- Quote (Sarah, 34:16): “They don’t want to admit that this is what’s happening. And they are hoping...they can declare victory and Trump’s gonna might try that.”
- Historical Parallels and Dangers: Kristol draws connections to “Mission Accomplished” moments; both discuss Trump’s aversion to protracted wars but also note his megalomania and growing insulation from reality (36:44–41:41).
7. Trump’s Psychology, the War, and Leadership Deficit (41:41 – 44:08)
- Loss of Low Cunning: Sarah and Bill reflect on Trump’s declining ability to read the electorate, a result of being surrounded by sycophants and billionaires who don’t feel the economic pain of average Americans (41:41).
- Quote (Bill, 41:41): “You lose those skills if you’re not...One thing salesman have to be to be a good salesman, you have to kind of understand your customers. Right. And maybe you're right. He’s just less in touch with them than he used to be.”
- Trump’s Indifference to Suffering: Sarah decries Trump’s lack of empathy for American lives lost, pointing to his behavior at dignified military transfers (42:48).
- Quote (Sarah, 42:48): “Trump does not mourn the deaths that come with the decision that he makes. He doesn’t take them on in a way where he thinks, like, the enormous weight of people's lives.”
- Potential for Political Blowback: If the war drags on and public sentiment turns, even Trump’s instinct to cut losses may not spare him from political damage (44:08).
8. The Book’s Deeper Purpose and Parting Notes (44:08 – End)
- Fighting Helplessness, One Voter at a Time: The book’s title is a metaphor for tackling America’s “intractable problems” by breaking them into manageable communication and community-building pieces (45:05).
- Personal Stories: Sarah notes the book includes anecdotes about the early days collaborating with Bill Kristol and the Bulwark team.
- Quote (Sarah, 45:05): “How do you solve a big intractable problem? ... You take it piece by piece. And so, like, here is the communications piece and a bunch of elements...”
- Call to Action: Bill closes with a pitch for listeners to preorder and promises the book will offer guidance not only for politicians but for everyday voters struggling with the weight of current events.
Notable Quotes by Timestamp
- Sarah Longwell, 04:59: “It's so incredible what you can do with a community. Like, they will show up for you, you, and you will show up for them..."
- Bill Kristol, 07:20: "It's just striking to me, the...how fast it's ramped up, though the community, and how sticky, as you say, how much people...how much it seems to mean to people. I find that personally very moving, honestly."
- Sarah Longwell, 08:05: "We get moved a lot, especially at live shows, by just seeing...when people say, you keep us sane, I always think, and you guys keep us sane."
- Sarah Longwell, 13:50: “They needed that parasocial relationship to her. They needed to know her at a 360 degree angle, and they didn't.”
- Sarah Longwell, 27:47: “One of the big shifts has been how different Republican voters are today on foreign policy...The idea of boots on the ground in a Middle Eastern country ... that's just not where the voters are anymore.”
- Sarah Longwell, 34:16: “They don’t want to admit that this is what’s happening. And they are hoping...they can declare victory and Trump’s gonna might try that.”
- Bill Kristol, 41:41: “You lose those skills if you’re not...One thing salesman have to be to be a good salesman, you have to kind of understand your customers. Right. And maybe you're right. He’s just less in touch with them than he used to be.”
- Sarah Longwell, 42:48: “Trump does not mourn the deaths that come with the decision that he makes.”
- Sarah Longwell, 45:05: "How do you solve a big intractable problem? ... You take it piece by piece. And so, like, here is the communications piece and a bunch of elements..."
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- 01:32 – Bill and Sarah open up about her book, publishing, and the Bulwark community.
- 04:59 – Sarah discusses the power of community and how it shapes engagement and loyalty.
- 10:44 – Sarah describes why she started writing the book—the need for a post-2024 pep talk.
- 18:07 – Discussion of the crucial shift from policy emphasis to effective communication.
- 27:47 – Sarah explains GOP’s transformation on foreign policy and Trump’s influence.
- 34:16 – The strategic avoidance of declaring war and the implications for public opinion.
- 42:48 – Sharp critique of Trump’s lack of empathy and fitness for command.
- 45:05 – Sarah explains the book’s title and overall mission: tackling big problems piece by piece.
Tone & Style Reflection
The conversation echoes the Bulwark's trademark: earnest, unvarnished analysis with a mix of gratitude, self-reflection, and comic relief. The exchange is informal, unscripted, and authentic, occasionally veering into poignant or passionate territory—especially around issues of democracy, community, and war.
Summary Takeaway
This episode is both celebration and strategy session—the launch of Sarah’s book is a jumping-off point for examining the new realities of American politics: the necessity of genuine community, the dangers of communication failure, and the critical need for authentic, values-based leadership as the nation faces ongoing conflict and uncertainty. The discussion offers practical insights for those bewildered by the headlines, delivers hope for engaged activism, and invites everyone to be part of the solution—one voter (and one honest conversation) at a time.