Podcast
The Bulwark Podcast
Hosted by The Bulwark · EN
Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we provide insightful analysis, political hot-takes, an unabashed defense of liberal democracy and long-form interviews that cut through the "both-sides" BS. Plus a few laughs to help you wash down the crazy.
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Bulwark+ members can get a totally ad-free version of the show delivered right to their favorite podcast player.
440episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
John Ganz: Trump’s Coalition of the Aggrieved
Yesterday01:00:48Summary readyThe era of hell that we are living through may have been ordained in the 90s by angry Republican voters who felt screwed by the corporate elite—and political leaders who didn’t represent them. Trump watched Pat Buchanan and David Duke and saw how their protectionist, anti-immigrant, culture war messaging was resonating. More recently, Trump returned to his New York wheeler-dealer vibe by getting us in a war because he needed to look strong after SCOTUS struck down his stupid tariffs. Plus, more on Vance’s insincere religious discovery, Platner’s tattoo, the Dems’ nerd problem and its incompatibility with the base’s desire for a fighter, the jock/creep administration, and the Dan Goldman coffee shop incident.John Ganz joins Tim Miller.show notes John's book, "When the Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, and How America Cracked Up in the Early 1990s" John's Substack Tim's interview with Jon Ossoff Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code THEBULWARK at mudwtr.com/THEBULWARK! #mudwtrpod
SummaryBill Kristol: Call the Pool Police
2d ago00:49:44Summary readyTrump is so embarrassed by his own personal vandalism of the Reflecting Pool that he's got the Justice Department investigating his latest conspiracy about bad guys that don't exist. Of course Fox News is happy to oblige by menacing journalists who dared to report on the damage POTUS did to the national monument. Meanwhile, Vance's Catholic conversion story is almost more fake than Trump's tough stance against the Iranian regime. Plus, Tulsi has been under the sway of a cult leader, Italy's Meloni is a pleasant surprise, Brexit was stupid and ruined the political careers of British prime ministers, and the World Cup is the perfect patriotic antidote to Trumpism.Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.show notes Monday's "Morning Shots" Tim's and JVL's live reading from Vance's new book Clip from Douthat's interview with JD George Packer's piece, "The Talented Mr. Vance" Jon Swaine's reporting on Tulsi (gift)
SummaryTa-Nehisi Coates: Obama's Legacy in a Trump World
5d ago00:56:47Summary readyObama never thought Trump could win in 2016, perhaps because he underestimated how much the opposition loathed him. At the opening of his new presidential center on Thursday, he spoke of presidents acting with duty, honor, and kindness—even though the current occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is all about destroying things, being mean, hurting people, and starting dumb wars. Indeed, Trump's foreign policy may be more in the American tradition than Obama's. Plus, a debate over whether Kamala's response to Gaza cost her the White House along with her standing in the party. Also, some Knicks love and another installment in the perils and pitfalls of wokeness—this time with some Talarico comments from 2020.Ta-Nehisi Coates joins Tim Miller for the Juneteenth holiday weekend pod.show notes Ta-Nehisi's latest piece in Vanity Fair Tim's playlist
SummaryAdam Kinzinger: Trump Is a Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkey
6d ago01:00:22Summary readyDonald Trump gave away the store in the second worst treaty signed at Versailles. The bounty POTUS delivered has already started to flow with the lifting of oil sanctions on Iran. The unfreezing of restricted assets—and a $300 billion reconstruction and investment fund—is just around the corner. Trump is even defending Iran's right to have ballistic missiles. He likes to talk tough, but he is a wuss, and the Dems can't let up on calling him out for his cowardice and his stupid war. Plus, gaming which group of Trump supporters got cucked the most, Republicans on the Hill are already rushing to protect Trump on the deal, and a Texas temperature check on Talarico v Paxton.Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller.show notes Text of the agreement between the U.S. and Iran Kinzinger's Substack "The Kinzinger Report" podcast Tim's and JVL's reading of Vance's new book
SummaryKrystal Ball: The MAGA Neocon Tears Are So Sad
1w ago01:02:37Summary readyThe pro-Israel hawks are still reeling from the terms of Trump's initial deal with Iran, which grants access to funds that had been frozen because of the regime's support of terrorism. The neocons got bamboozled by Trump, like so many before them—in this case believing that he would always have Israel's back. On the domestic front, Trump repeatedly lied when he said taxpayers weren't funding his ballroom, and in an act of revenge, he's keeping down and dirty Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Plus, the left has a shortage of candidates that can win non-blue states, and a debate over whether social and cultural issues are why Dems often don't resonate with voters.Krystal Ball joins Tim Miller.show notes Krystal's "Breaking Points" "Krystal Kyle & Friends" pod Brendan testing a water sample from the algae-covered reflecting pool Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to: https://www.wildalaskan.com/BULWARK.
SummaryMichael Weiss: The Vice President Is Looking Pretty Stupid
1w ago01:11:58Summary readyVance is trying to sell the administration’s initial deal with Iran as a signal that the regime is ready to end its reign of terror and join the community of nations. Never mind that the CIA is outwardly saying that the Iranians can’t be trusted and that the developing agreement looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Also looking pretty naive are the pro-Israel American foreign policy hawks, who thought Trump would be a good war partner with the Israelis. Trump is now on day three of trash-talking Bibi and Israel—this time at the G7. Plus, Sam Forstag, Democratic congressional candidate in Montana, joins Tim to explain how he’s managed to unite the lefties and the centrists behind his campaign, why Dems need to cool it on language that alienates the working class, and how voters are so damn tired of being told to hate each other.Sam Forstag and Michael Weiss join Tim Miller.show notes Sam's campaign website Michael's Substack Watch for Tim's and JVL's live reading of Vance's new book Wednesday on YouTube or Substack Tim's 'Take' with Caolan Robertston in Kyiv re the Russian strike on the Dormition Cathedral "The Pulp" interview with Sam
SummaryBill Kristol: Trump’s Weak, Sad, and Embarrassing Weekend
1w ago00:49:54Summary readyPOTUS humiliated himself and our country with a peace “deal” that strengthens Iran’s hand and apparently pays billions to the regime—which it can use to build more weapons and fund its proxy terror groups. We don’t even know if the Strait of Hormuz is open, despite the credulous reporting by numerous media outlets. Meanwhile, Trump’s cage fight at the White House was beyond parody and truly despicable on so many levels, including: taxpayer money being spent to glorify him, the corruption and kickbacks surrounding the fight, and the Saudis underwriting a White House event, even though they share none of our traditions or values. Plus, the Knicks win and the World Cup are serving up real joy and hope, and the Kennedy Center seems to be under orders to hide that Trump’s name has been removed from the building.Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.Show notes Monday's "Morning Shots" Hertling on the use and abuse of the military at the UFC fight Brendan's interview with Rep. Joyce Beatty, who sued to get Trump's name off the Kennedy Center The Bulwark's live coverage from the Kennedy Center Friday eve
SummaryJon Favreau: Why Aren't More People Talking about Nipple-Gate?
2w ago01:18:49Summary readyThe vice president of the United States called a meeting in the Situation Room last year to discuss the administration's cover-up of the Epstein files. Never mind that there were allegations in the files that Trump had had sex with an underage girl in Epstein's child trafficking ring—and which somehow involved Trump's alleged nipple fetish. The Epstein victims and the underlying crimes were not a priority in the meeting; getting Ghislaine or Vance on a friendly podcast was. Plus, the perception of a deal with Iran seems to be more important than an agreement itself, cuck John Cornyn is not worthy of sympathy, Dems have got to stop walking on eggshells, advice for making the most effective campaign contributions for the midterms, POTUS thinks he is the culmination of what America 250 is celebrating, Tim likes the UFC Claw, and the worst Spencer Pratt takes of all.Jon Favreau joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.show notes Jon's 'Offline' podcast Tim's 'Triad' on the most effective campaign contributions Peter Hamby on America 250 Tim's playlist
SummaryAnne Applebaum: Trump's Firehose of Lies
2w ago00:49:43Summary readyTrump shifts his position on the Iran war so often that it sure looks like he is using the same propaganda technique that Putin uses with abandon: Flood people with contradictory stories to confuse and exhaust them so they'll just tune out. That could be helpful for a commander–in-chief running a failed military campaign. At the same time, the only engagement the administration seems to want is from the online world—which they use to create an alternate reality. Plus, Russia is not winning the war in Ukraine and does not know how to, much of Trump's immigration policy is about performative cruelty, political oppression still continues in Venezuela, Kari Lake has a new gig, and new selections for the Anne Applebaum book club. Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller.show notes: Anne's latest reporting from Ukraine Phillips O'Brien piece on Iran, "War Crimes Seem To Be Official US Policy Now" A Venezuela opposition leader on the continuing political oppression there Anne's reporting on Kari Lake running Voice of America Anne on Lake being nominated as ambassador to Jamaica Summer novel rec from Anne, "The Time of Cherries" Tim's summer novel rec, "My Tender Matador"
SummaryRaphael Warnock: Fight for Your Democracy
2w ago01:02:11Summary readyDonald Trump knows he is on target to lose the midterms, so he's busy laying the groundwork now for challenging the outcome in the fall. That's why he seized the 2020 ballots in Fulton County, why he's determined to get hatchet man Bill Pulte in place as director of national intelligence, and why he’s pushing the South to gerrymander back to the dark days of Jim Crow. This is not the time to despair or to outsource the fight for democracy to others. Sen. Warnock also talks about centering ordinary people in politics, the Supreme Court's deeply dishonest Callais ruling, the performative piety of JD Vance and Mike Johnson, the high likelihood that Trump mocks God—and doesn't believe in anything except his own self-enrichment. Plus, Tim on the deliciousness of Nancy Mace's fifth-place showing in the South Carolina governor's race.Sen. Raphael Warnock joins Tim Miller. show notes Sen. Warnock's new book, "The Crooked Places Made Straight," out next week
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