Tim Miller: Elon Drags Trump Down; Cory Booker Lifts Us Up - Bulwark Takes

Summary

Bulwark Takes: Tim Miller on Elon Drags Trump Down; Cory Booker Lifts Us Up

Release Date: April 2, 2025
Host/Author: The Bulwark
Episode: Tim Miller: Elon Drags Trump Down; Cory Booker Lifts Us Up

In this episode of Bulwark Takes, host Tim Miller delves into the intricate dynamics of current American politics, focusing on two prominent figures: Elon Musk and Cory Booker. Joined by co-hosts John Heilman and Nicole Wallace, Miller provides a comprehensive analysis of recent events, including Cory Booker’s impactful speech and the controversial nomination of Pete Hegseth as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Cory Booker's Influential Speech

The episode opens with Tim Miller highlighting the significance of Cory Booker’s recent speech. He emphasizes the speech's potential impact, regardless of its immediate political repercussions. Miller asserts, “sometimes there are things that we are called to that are higher and greater than rank political gamesmanship” (00:00). This underscores the importance of principled leadership over mere political maneuvering.

Nicole Wallace expands on the grassroots response to political actions, contrasting organic movements with what she terms “grassroots, inorganic.” She reflects on the public’s reaction to economic policies and tariffs, noting a widespread feeling of deception among voters about the roles played by influential figures like Elon Musk. Wallace states, “People are showing up at town halls. It is anger about the economy... the pigheadedness about tariffs” (04:28). This sentiment reflects a broader disillusionment with political promises and their real-world implications.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Nomination: The Hegseth Controversy

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the nomination of Pete Hegseth. Miller criticizes Hegseth’s handling of sensitive information, particularly regarding a text message controversy known as “Signal Gate.” Referencing an opinion piece from The New York Times, Wallace highlights the nominee’s alleged lack of discretion: “Providing minutiae on an air attack to the most senior officials... is as unnecessary as it is reckless” (01:03).

Tim Miller and Nicole Wallace further dissect Hegseth’s suitability for the role. Miller quotes General Dan Kaine’s testimony, which underscores the inappropriateness of Hegseth’s actions: “no, this was totally inappropriate” (02:39). They express concerns that Hegseth’s behavior not only jeopardizes security but also reflects poorly on the administration’s judgment in military appointments.

Elon Musk’s Political Influence and the MAGA Base

Transitioning to the influence of Elon Musk, Tim Miller discusses how Musk’s actions are stirring opposition against the current administration, contrasting sharply with Donald Trump’s ability to galvanize his base. Miller observes, “Elon Musk is... motivating opposition to this administration, motivating people to turn out” (05:19). This marks a notable shift from Trump’s strategy, which historically mobilized conservative voters through direct appeals and media presence.

Nicole Wallace further elaborates on the grassroots movements, emphasizing the organic and inorganic elements shaping current political landscapes. She critiques the efficacy of tariffs as a negotiating tactic, arguing that the public perception has shifted from strategic negotiation to widespread frustration over increased consumer prices: “Tariffs as a negotiating... some of his own voters think... it would make... every product... more expensive” (04:28).

Tim Miller’s Strategic Insights and Democratic Approaches

Tim Miller shares his strategic perspectives on Democratic campaigning, particularly in the context of the first 71 days of Donald Trump’s administration. He encourages Democrats to “try stuff, show emotion” as a way to spark engagement and voter turnout, acknowledging the unpredictability of political outcomes: “We are very bad at predicting the future... you don't know what will resonate long term” (07:39). Miller advocates for passionate and authentic expressions of concern to counterbalance the administration’s perceived failures in governance.

Notable Quotes

Tim Miller (00:00): “Sometimes there are things that we are called to that are higher and greater than rank political gamesmanship.”
Nicole Wallace (01:03): “Providing minutiae on an air attack to the most senior officials... is as unnecessary as it is reckless.”
Tim Miller (02:39): “No, this was totally inappropriate.”
Nicole Wallace (04:28): “People are showing up at town halls. It is anger about the economy... the pigheadedness about tariffs.”
Tim Miller (05:19): “Elon Musk is... motivating opposition to this administration, motivating people to turn out.”
Tim Miller (07:39): “We are very bad at predicting the future... you don't know what will resonate long term.”

Conclusions and Insights

The episode concludes with a reflection on the evolving political landscape, highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing both Democratic strategists and the broader electorate. Tim Miller’s emphasis on emotional engagement and authentic leadership contrasts with concerns over military appointments and grassroots movements influenced by figures like Elon Musk. The discussions underscore a pivotal moment in politics, where strategic communication and genuine concern may be key to galvanizing voter support and addressing the nation’s pressing issues.

Subscribe to Bulwark Takes to stay informed with bite-sized analyses from Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, Bill Kristol, and the entire Bulwark team.

Transcript

Tim Miller (0:00)

Hey guys, I popped on with my friends John Heilman and Nicole Wallace today to talk about a bunch of issues, but I think we really were focused on the Cory Booker speech and what kind of impact it could have and why these things might matter and why it is worthwhile to do it, even if we don't know what the political impact will be. Because sometimes there are things that we are called to that are higher and greater than rank political gamesmanship. So good on Cory Booker. Stick around for my analysis with Heilman on that. We also talked about the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or soon to be the nominated chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Something I haven't got to on my pod. His confirmation hearings happened and his interesting answers, shall we say, with regards to Signalgate and get into a bunch of other stuff. So enjoy it. Stick around for that. Subscribe to our feed. We'll see you soon.

Nicole Wallace (1:03)

I want to come back to Hegseth with you and what is perhaps being set up today. Titmiller Someone who isn't the person Donald Trump thought that he was. Donald Trump thought that the person, person who was entering confirmation hearings today was the person who walked up to him and in Trump's telling, it sounded like he slurred something about being willing to die for him and then put on a red hat. The nominee says that never happened, or at least it never happened with him. So this is not who Trump thought he was selecting. But more importantly, he's going to go to work for a secretary of defense in an hour of crisis. This is from the New York Times opinion page today. Quote, why did Hegseth or his fellow officials fail to notice a stranger on the text chain? Even if we make allowances for that mistake, he committed a more novice error. Providing minutiae on an air attack to the most senior officials in the federal government via text message is as unnecessary as it is reckless. To some current and former military officers who read through the conversation, Hegseth appeared to be acting more like a junior officer boasting to superiors than the secretary in charge of overseeing the mission's execution. It's difficult to imagine that two of his recent predecessors, Jim Mattis or Lord Austin, who retired six ranks above Hegseth as four star generals, would have copy and pasted such details onto a publicly available.

Tim Miller (2:39)

Yeah, it's interesting those extras put it like that. I had Susan Rice, who was Obama's national security adviser so the Mike Waltz job on the podcast today, and asked her like essentially that question, right? Which is like you, Nicole, I'm not somebody who's been on high level military planning chats. But that just his tone jumped out to me as well. And I asked her about that. I was like, is this the type of thing that Leon Panetta or Bob Gates would have been sharing? And, you know, know, Susan Rice was just like, appalled. I mean, absolutely not. The tone was off, the platform was off. Obviously, you know, something that strikes me, listening to that testimony there from Dan Kaine, you know, he said that was there wasn't anybody from the military on that chat because it was a partisan political chat. And so to me, if that's true, it's like, okay, well, so the secretary of Defense was sharing the exact time we are going to drop certain bombs on a partisan political chat, you know, with other folks. And obviously now we know Jeffrey Goldberg on there. And it's just unbelievable recklessness. I think it reflects somebody who knows that he's a weekend TV host who's trying to impress the other people in the chat and putting people in danger by doing so. And, you know, look, during that testimony, General Kaine was obviously, you know, not going out of his way to criticize the administration. But it was very, I mean, you didn't have to read very hard between the lines to see that he was essentially saying, no, this was totally inappropriate. And I think it is, I guess on balance, it's better that someone like that will be in the room. But it is alarming that he's going to have to be reporting to somebody like Pete Hegseth, who was obviously unqualified on its face and who's demonstrated so in like, the only conversation we've seen who knows all the other ways he's been reckless in conversations that he hasn't accidentally put Jeffrey Goldberg on.