Bulwark Takes: Tim & Sam Round Up the Week’s Weirdest Stories
Podcast Date: November 1, 2025
Hosts: Tim Miller & Sam Stein
Episode Overview
In this breezy, off-the-cuff Halloween afternoon episode, Tim Miller and Sam Stein riff on the week’s quirkiest political and pop culture stories, from the controversial White House “Lincoln Bathroom” renovation to debates over Daylight Saving Time, social media obsessions over politicians’ spouses, and some darker notes about criminal justice and political violence. The conversation blends light-hearted banter with signature Bulwark wit, swerving naturally from the trivial and weird to genuinely serious concerns— before closing out with family Halloween plans.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Lincoln Bathroom Renovation
[02:10–05:56]
- Tim kicks things off by introducing the recent White House Lincoln bathroom "update," shared by President Trump on social media. The lavishly marbled renovation was meant to replace the art deco green tile, allegedly more in tune with "Lincoln era” style.
- Sam critiques the redo:
- “Well, it’s just a lot of marble... It feels like a funhouse mirror of marbles. Also, I was surprised. I thought he would put a bidet in... no bidet, and he seems like a bidet guy.” [02:55]
- Tim claims neutrality, saying he’s “calling balls and strikes,” but essentially the bathroom is “fine... like what a new Kimpton Hotel’s bathroom would look like.” [03:27]
- Both agree: The new bathroom is generic and corporate, not in the historical spirit of the White House.
- “I feel like I could be at whatever the new hipster hotel is in Greenpoint.” – Tim [04:22]
- “It’s not a good bathroom to poop in.” – Sam [04:44]
- Broader point: The government is in shutdown, people aren’t getting benefits or paid, and the president publicly touts a luxury bathroom.
- “Who’s paying for it? Why does Donald Trump get a fancy— not that fancy—of a toilet, really, while other people are going hungry?” – Tim [05:17]
- Both poke fun at Trump’s social media compulsion to share minutiae for engagement:
- “He feels the need to post about things that we don’t even need to know. Like, there’s no... I don’t need to know what it looks like.” – Sam [05:56]
2. Daylight Saving Time Rant
[07:02–09:32]
- Tim launches a rant against “falling back,” calling the annual clock change “the stupidest policy any government has ever had. It is insane that we are going to add darkness to our lives.” [07:02]
- Demands permanent daylight saving time: “I've read Nate Silver’s data analysis and he’s for opt-in daylight saving time. I’m for mandatory.”
- Sam counters with the safety argument—more kids are hit by cars in the dark mornings— and notes the golf lobby’s role in pushing longer daylight.
- “More children die from getting hit by cars going to school... this is your creation of the golf states.”
- Tim is unmoved:
- “I don’t golf as a homosexual, but... I want to play with my daughter after school and have sunlight.”
- Sam notes the energetic/trolling effect of sunlight on Tim’s mood:
- “You are the type of guy who lets like the sunlight affect how you feel.”
- Tim confirms: “My moods are very variable and I’m going to be depressed over it.” [09:04]
- Sharp quip:
- “I prefer to keep children alive, but that’s just me.” – Sam [09:12]
3. Social Media Speculation about Political Spouses
[10:12–14:40]
- Tim’s next vent: Criticizes internet culture for infantilizing or overdramatizing the spouses/family members of controversial politicians (Usha and Melania analogies, JD Vance/Erica Kirk hug speculations).
- “Usha is a grown woman. She knows what she’s doing. She is very capable and she’s made this choice that she’s all in for the soft fascism. So I don’t want any babying...” [11:50]
- Explicitly calls out “Free Melania” and similar tropes:
- “I hated Free Melania. Melania is the worst. Melania knows exactly what she’s doing.” [12:39]
- Sam agrees:
- “She’s a professional, accomplished person who has agency and she made her choice... you don’t need to come up with some weird conspiracy theories that she’s being held captive or something.” [12:17]
- Boundaries on jokes:
- “I support you. You can shit on J.D. Vance all you want... I’m the only one that gets to call him a homo. Okay.” – Tim [13:04]
- Sam: “That’s fine. But other gay men can call them that.”
- Tim: “Yeah, that’s true... if gays can do it, this is the thing we get.” [13:37]
4. Political Violence and Judicial Outcomes
[14:44–16:27]
- Sam pivots to a darker political story: The release of Taylor Taranto, a Jan. 6 defendant arrested near Obama’s home with threats of violence.
- “He was just released on time served... boggles my mind that they’re doing this.” [14:50]
- Tim connects the story to frightening realities about criminal justice leniency for political offenders:
- “A criminal. We’ve let a criminal back out onto the streets.” [15:12]
- Sam references the Justice Department's apparent inconsistency:
- “Meanwhile, the guy who threatened Brett Kavanaugh and turned himself in got eight years... But this dude’s a repeat offender... and he’s just going to walk the street.” [15:46]
5. Fox News and SNAP/Welfare Coverage
[16:27–18:08]
- Tim points out Fox News's weekend filler content:
- Fox ran a story featuring TikToks of Black women “complaining about not getting their SNAP benefits,” playing into welfare queen stereotypes.
- “If it’s even real. It’s like that is sad. And it’s like those children deserve food, rather, not scorn and mockery. But, you know, that’s how they’re filling the space over there. So the welfare queens are alive as well.” [17:16]
- Sam nails the trope:
- “Classic Fox News segment... Black people taking advantage of welfare. Aren’t you mad?” [17:38]
- Callback to infamous Obama-era culture war:
- “Barack Obama’s hip hop barbecue won’t bring back jobs.” – Tim [17:46]
- Repartee on past political media cycles and Tim’s Republican past.
6. Halloween Family Plans & Costumes
[18:22–20:38]
- With the serious talk done: The hosts get back to Halloween with updates on their kids’ costumes.
- Sam:
- Little one is a skeleton; the other is Marty McFly from Back to the Future (“He’s got the bomber vest, looking for some plutonium. Approximately 1.21 gigawatts.”) [18:42]
- Sam himself is going as Where’s Waldo (“I have a go-to outfit.”) [19:08]
- Tim:
- “I’m gonna have a white tutu, and I’m gonna put the geese on me, and then I have a goose head. One of them is a head... It’s a play on words. There’s a hot band, it’s called Geese. And so I’m just Geese. I’m many geese.” [19:15]
- Previous family idea was “the K-pop Demon Hunters” but “you just can’t win over a seven-year-old anymore.” [19:53]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the new Lincoln Bathroom:
- “If I walked into a hotel room and this was the bathroom, I’d be like, this is pleasant for me.” – Tim [04:07]
- “It's just straight marble... I want some art on the walls. There’s no reading material around there. I just don’t think it’s a good bathroom to poop in.” – Sam [04:53]
-
On Daylight Saving Time:
- “It is insane that we are going to add darkness to our lives.” – Tim [07:05]
- “I prefer to keep children alive, but that’s just me.” – Sam [09:12]
-
On political spouse speculation:
- “Usha is a grown woman... She is all in for the soft fascism. So I don’t want any babying.” – Tim [11:50]
- “Mostly because I think... she's a professional, accomplished person who has agency and she made her choice.” – Sam [12:17]
-
On criminal justice & J6:
- “He was just released on time served... boggles my mind that they’re doing this.” – Sam [14:50]
-
On Fox News welfare coverage:
- “So the welfare queens are alive as well.” – Tim [17:16]
- “Classic Fox News segment... Aren’t you mad?” – Sam [17:38]
Important Segment Timestamps
- 02:10 – White House Lincoln Bathroom discussion begins
- 07:02 – Daylight Saving Time argument
- 10:12 – Social media speculation about Usha & JD Vance
- 14:44 – January 6th defendant release; DOJ/rule of law
- 16:27 – Fox News “welfare” stereotypes
- 18:22 – Halloween costumes and parenting wrap-up
Overall Tone
Light, irreverent, occasionally exasperated but always energetic—mixing sharp political observation with personal anecdotes and lots of sly humor.
A typical quote that sums it up:
“I had a good idea for the whole family... but you just can't win over a seven-year-old anymore.” – Tim [19:53]
For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters
This Bulwark Takes episode is a lively sampler of the week’s oddities—pop culture, policy rants, media criticism—filtered through the Bulwark’s blend of skepticism, candor, and self-aware snark. While often lighthearted, Tim and Sam’s observations on political media rituals, misplaced internet sympathies, and criminal justice questions give weight to the laughter in a news cycle that’s anything but boring.