Bulwark Takes Summary: "Tim Miller Dismantles Scott Jennings' Excuses"

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Host: Tim Miller (as Tim Ohr)
Date: November 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this fiery episode, Bulwark’s Tim Miller responds directly to recent public criticisms made by Scott Jennings, a former Republican operative and current CNN commentator, who blasted Miller and other Never Trump conservatives during a podcast appearance. Miller dismantles Jennings’ defenses of Donald Trump, addresses accusations of hypocrisy and betrayal, and dissects the broader changes Trumpism has wrought on the conservative movement and American political norms. The tone is sharp, confrontational, and deeply personal as Miller pushes back against Jennings’ core arguments and character attacks.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Scott Jennings' Case for Trump (01:39)

• Jennings makes a forceful case for backing Trump, arguing it comes down to patriotism and defending the West. He derides Never Trumpers and claims supporting Trump is “an easy vote every day of the week” if you care about America.

  • Quote:

    "I’m fighting a larger battle here... if Donald Trump does what I want him to do 95% of the time, and he loves America and he stands up for America... this is an easy vote for me every day of the week. And so I was more than happy to vote for him for a third time."
    — Scott Jennings, 01:39

• Jennings is unequivocal about Never Trumpers’ betrayal, using harsh language and accusing them of abandoning conservatism by backing Democrats and progressive causes.

  • Quote:

    "[People] who claim to be Republicans ... having advocated for every liberal social crusade and then have to look me in the eye and say, you know, you’re hurting conservatism by supporting Donald Trump F all the way off. That’s what I say."
    — Scott Jennings, 02:32

2. Tim Miller’s Rebuttal: What “Standing Up for the West” Really Means (02:47)

• Miller challenges Jennings’ framing, arguing support for Trump directly undermines the Western alliances, democratic institutions, and values Republicans once championed.

  • Cites tangible consequences: Canada shifting trade toward China, U.S. allies doubting American commitments, Trump appeasing autocrats, and attempts to broker deals with Russia at Ukraine’s expense.

• Miller insists Trump’s policies are eroding the very fabric of the West, creating openings for rivals, and are fundamentally opposed to traditional conservative internationalism.

  • Quote:

    "Donald Trump is a direct threat on American values at home and abroad, and Donald Trump is a direct threat to the West. If you care about the Western world order... how can you then say you’re for Donald Trump?... Trump is trying to unravel all that."
    — Tim Miller, 03:30

• Forceful argument: Defending the West is not about defending “whiteness” or “blood and soil nationalism,” but about liberal values, democracy, alliances, and prosperity.

  • Quote:

    "If all you mean by the West is that you like white people and you want to make sure our country’s whiter... okay, then, yeah, Donald Trump is doing that. That’s not how I define the West. I think of it as a values proposition."
    — Tim Miller, 06:23

3. Personal Accusations & Responding to ‘Phony’ Critiques (08:18, 09:01)

• Jennings attacks Miller personally, calling him a “Looney Tunes” and dishonestly liberal, questioning his core beliefs and integrity.

  • Quote:

    "Did you ever believe any of it? And what is it about Donald Trump that made you change every single thing that you supposedly ever believed in?... [This] is the craziest bunch of crap I have ever heard in my life."
    — Scott Jennings, 08:18

• Miller flips the script: He didn’t abandon his principles; Trump forced issues into debate (rule of law, welcoming immigrants, basic decency) that were once bipartisan givens.

  • He claims Jennings – not himself – is the one who’s changed, now supporting policies and comportment he would have once rejected.

  • Discusses the Bush/Reagan legacy, noting none of the party’s previous leaders (Bushes, McCain, Romney) supported Trump, illustrating the discontinuity.

  • Quote:

    "There are a lot of things I believed in that I didn’t think were up for debate... and once Donald Trump came to power and instituted the most illiberal regime in my lifetime ... I realized we don’t all agree on that, it turns out."
    — Tim Miller, 09:11

  • Challenging the consistency argument, Miller observes:

    • Only Jennings claims Trump is the heir to “compassionate conservatism.”
    • All living Republican nominees from 2000–2012 rejected Trumpism.

  • Quote:

    "The only person who seems to think that Donald Trump is like the heir to Bush and that any good Bushy would want to also be for Trump... is Scott Jennings. No one else thinks that."
    — Tim Miller, 13:59

4. Attacks on Miller’s Character and Style (17:24)

• Jennings, in a cutting aside, dings Miller’s professional abilities and “talent to condescension ratio.”

  • Quote:

    "I don’t know if I’ve ever been around anybody who was less good at their job but more condescending. His talent to condescension ratio is so far off, it’s ridiculous."
    — Scott Jennings, 17:24

• Miller acknowledges, sometimes with self-deprecating humor, that he can be condescending but justifies it when confronting those who "know better and go along anyway."

  • He references a previous podcast in which he asked Jennings what his former self would think of his current persona— “I could see how he would take that as a condescending question, but I mean it genuinely.”
  • Reiterates that dramatic change in the broader context demanded people reevaluate their stances; he and Jennings just went in opposite directions.
  • Quote:

    "I can be particularly condescending to one type of person, and that is a person that knows better about Donald Trump and goes along with it anyway. So I can understand why Scott would get his back up."
    — Tim Miller, 17:48

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On False Consistency:

  "If you were to try to determine who has changed, more or less, if you were to make the argument that it’s a bad thing to change ... I think the truth is the opposite."
  — Tim Miller, 12:58

• On the Moment’s Stakes:

  "Liberalism is the only thing standing between us and the abyss. And liberalism is the only thing that is standing between us and somebody deciding that they want to stay in power against the will of the people."
  — Tim Miller, 10:32

• On Personal Attacks:

  "I don't think I’m as condescending as J.D. Vance... But I'm trying, so I'll take that feedback."
  — Tim Miller, 18:15

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:39] Scott Jennings lays out his Trump defense and attacks Never Trumpers
• [02:47] Tim Miller rebuts the “defender of the West” argument and explains Trump’s damage to alliances
• [06:23] Discussion about the true meaning of Western values
• [08:18] Jennings questions Miller’s consistency and motives; accuses him of being all-in for Democrats
• [09:01] Miller responds: “What really changed?”—Trump’s radicalism, not my values
• [10:32] Miller on the necessity of defending liberal values now
• [13:59] The “heir to Bush” argument and the real break with pre-Trump conservatism
• [17:24] Jennings’ attack on Miller’s character and professional style
• [17:48] Miller reflects on condescension, fairness, and his approach to the debate

Conclusion

Tim Miller uses this episode to forcefully reclaim the Never Trump narrative in the face of highly personal attacks from Scott Jennings. With a mix of policy detail, rhetorical wit, and stinging rebuke, Miller asserts that supporting Trump marks not continuity but a radical break from the Republican tradition both he and Jennings once shared. Ultimately, Miller delivers a wide-ranging, honest account of why he—like other prominent former Republicans—chose to oppose Trump, refuting the charge that he’s the one who changed, and inviting listeners to judge the “consistency” of both men for themselves.