The Bulwark Podcast — Rick Wilson: The Shamelessness of MAGA
Episode Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Tim Miller
Guest: Rick Wilson

Episode Overview

In this lively Mardi Gras edition of The Bulwark Podcast, Tim Miller and Rick Wilson, co-founder of the Lincoln Project and author of the Against All Enemies Substack, drill into the current state of MAGA shamelessness, Republican hypocrisy, and the evolving fight for liberal democracy. The duo dissect recent Republican antics, the chilling crackdown on free speech, administrative cronyism, and public health consequences under Trump and RFK Jr., while providing sharp, often hilarious, commentary on Democratic responses and electoral prospects in 2026.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Marco Rubio’s Fall from Grace and Foreign Policy Hypocrisy

[01:57 – 04:04]

• Rick Wilson recounts his earlier support for Marco Rubio, saying “he has fallen the furthest and has given up everything he ever claimed to believe in.”
• Rubio’s recent tour in Europe, including a rally for Viktor Orbán (Hungary) and time spent with Slovakia’s Robert Fico, is painted as a descent into illiberal alignment.
• “There is no bottom for Marco in his ambition to become president after Trump is gone.” (Rick Wilson, [03:21])
• Trump’s enabling of Putin and antagonism toward Ukraine are likened to a recurring nightmare: “It’s kind of like it’s Groundhog Day with this.” (Tim Miller, [04:12])

2. The Colbert–FCC Controversy and Free Speech Crackdown

[05:21 – 09:14]

• CBS’s decision to spike a Colbert interview with James Talarico under the FCC “equal time” rule sparks fiery criticism.
• Wilson highlights MAGA hypocrisy: “I don’t want to hear another freaking word about free speech absolutism on the right because they are now aggressively trying to suppress free speech.” ([05:53])
• The outdated regulatory framework (“The Fairness Doctrine is a dinosaur”) is contrasted with the scale of today’s digital media ecosystem—they deride the idea that Colbert’s reach is dangerously outsized (‘It’s 2026…this is so dumb.’) ([06:59])
• Miller calls out the right’s “small government” pose as a lie: “We want some random bureaucrats telling a comedian who he can interview. Really? That’s limited government conservatism?” ([09:02])
• The meta-warning: once you cheer government overreach on your side, it can be used against you later.

3. DHS & Tech: Anti-Speech Moves and Potential for Accountability

[10:16 – 13:28]

• The Biden administration’s controversial requests of tech companies during COVID are compared to Trump’s DOJ wanting tech companies to dox critics of ICE—hypocrisy and real-world threats to the First Amendment.
• Rick predicts, “Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski are going to jail…they are engaging in a conspiracy to deprive Americans of their rights.” ([11:16])
• Miller and Wilson emphasize that state-level accountability (e.g., Minnesota’s Keith Ellison) can proceed even if federal pardons are abused: “You can’t pardon state crimes. Right.” ([14:28])

4. The Absurdity of MAGA Cronyism: Lewandowski and Grift

[17:08 – 19:11]

• Hilarious riffing on Corey Lewandowski’s current “side hustles,” including absurd Cameo videos and questionable access at DHS.
• “Corey’s just a man of a thousand talents and one of them is obviously as the gigolo in chief of DHS.” (Rick Wilson, [18:10])
• The normalization of grift and entitlement (“special government employee” status stretched to absurdity).

5. MAGA Shamelessness Personified: Steve Bannon and the FJB Coin

[19:36 – 24:38]

• Steve Bannon’s involvement in shady crypto ventures (FJB coin) and his deeply cringeworthy, sycophantic relationship with Jeffrey Epstein are dissected.
• “Bannon’s desire for revenge, or power, or whatever it was…was done fully with the knowledge that Jeffrey Epstein was a monster…with the further intent to launder Jeffrey Epstein’s reputation into something that wasn’t as horrific.” (Rick Wilson, [22:54])
• Wilson’s thesis: Shamelessness is MAGA’s superpower—“He doesn’t feel shame. He doesn’t feel guilt. He doesn’t feel remorse.” ([24:42])

6. Public Health Policy Catastrophe under RFK Jr.

[27:37 – 30:19]

• RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine crusades and the chilling effect on medical science receive scathing condemnation.
• “They are killing off, as fast as they can, the most promising drug development vector for a lot of disease research…They’re willing to stack dead children up in this country to keep that con going.” (Rick Wilson, [28:37])
• Measles outbreaks in Florida and other states are linked directly to policy inaction.
• Miller and Wilson contextualize the COVID lessons unlearned, warning, “We are going to be caught up short the next time there’s a Covid or something worse.” ([30:30])

7. State of the 2026 Elections – Vibe Shift and Democratic Prospects

[31:44 – 36:13]

• “Be careful, we’re winning”: Wilson notes a significant “vibe shift” among pro-democracy forces—people are starting to believe Trump’s political hold is weakening.
• The risk: “Please do not conflate Donald Trump putting himself in political peril with the Democratic Party brand being something everybody’s like, they’re the best ever.” ([35:05])
• Messaging advice is boiled down: “They need to be telling people, this is crazy. Trump is hurting you. We will fix it. That’s…my mantra for Democrats right now.” ([35:01])

8. Democrats: Is the Party Adapting Fast Enough?

[37:59 – 44:42]

• Miller argues Democrats are getting better at fighting back—less “my honorable friend” deference, more direct attacks against GOP extremism in states like Virginia and California.
• Wilson agrees that younger, state-level Dems are showing new backbone, but calls out senior figures (like Schumer) for dwelling in the “old normal.”
• They discuss the need for fresh, appealing Senate recruits in red-leaning states; Wilson fears the party is not taking these races as seriously as they must.

9. Political Tone, Social Media, and Shaping a Winning Message

[47:03 – 49:37]

• Both blast the phony, academic tone of some Democratic operatives’ social media—“No one says safe space or triggered unironically. No one talks like 20 staffers.” (Rick Wilson, [48:20])
• “Just be normal. Maybe only have people do tweets that did not go to private university.” (Tim Miller, [49:30])

10. The Dangerous Incentive Structure of MAGA Politics and Humanity’s Loss

[49:42 – 51:43]

• In Florida, Rick describes how GOP lawmaker Randy Fine epitomizes MAGA's reward system for cruelty and bigotry.
• “He’s like fat Laura Loomer. All the conspiracy, all the craziness, all the ugliness about other people…that the MAGA incentive system rewards over and over again, that system is always like, how can you be the worst iteration of yourself?” (Rick Wilson, [50:34])

11. Jesse Jackson’s Legacy

[52:24 – 53:15]

• In the wake of Jesse Jackson’s passing, both men reflect soberly on how conservative media caricatured his legacy and how time may bring a broader perspective on Jackson’s civil rights contributions.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Marco Rubio’s fall:
  “He has fallen the furthest and has given up everything he ever claimed to believe in.”
  — Rick Wilson, [02:33]

• On MAGA’s selective principles:
  “I don’t want to hear another freaking word about free speech absolutism on the right—they are now aggressively trying to suppress free speech.”
  — Rick Wilson, [05:53]

• On Bannon’s shamelessness:
  “Shamelessness is a superpower for them…He doesn’t feel shame. He doesn’t feel guilt. He doesn’t feel remorse.”
  — Rick Wilson, [24:42]

• On the Democratic message for 2026:
  “This is crazy. Trump is hurting you. We will fix it.”
  — Rick Wilson, [35:01]

• On MAGA’s incentive structure:
  “How can you be the worst iteration of yourself? How can you be the worst person in the room?”
  — Rick Wilson, [50:34]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:57] — Rick Wilson on Marco Rubio’s ideological collapse
• [05:21] — CBS, Colbert, FCC, and free speech shenanigans
• [10:16] — DHS and tech: new anti-speech threats
• [17:08] — Corey Lewandowski’s grifts and chaos at DHS
• [19:36] — Steve Bannon’s FJB coin and Epstein tape
• [27:37] — RFK Jr., the anti-vaccine crusade, and resurgence of measles
• [31:44] — Democratic mood shift and electoral prospects in 2026
• [37:59] — Critique of Democratic messaging changes
• [47:03] — Tone-deaf Democratic social media
• [49:42] — Randy Fine and MAGA’s reward system for cruelty
• [52:24] — Jesse Jackson legacy reflection

Closing Thoughts

The episode alternates between gallows humor and genuine alarm, combining hope for a pro-democracy turnaround with relentless reminders of MAGA’s “shamelessness.” Wilson and Miller implore listeners not to get complacent, urge Democrats to stay tough and adapt culturally, and punctuate the podcast with inside-baseball campaign wisdom straight from the trenches—always brimming with their signature irreverence.

For listeners looking for an unvarnished, incisive, and sardonic summary of 2026’s political landscape—and what it takes to defend liberal democracy—this episode delivers.