The Next Level – Episode 1053: "The Georgia FBI Raid Was Just a Dry Run"

Date: February 4, 2026
Hosts: Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, Jonathan V. Last (JVL)
Podcast: The Bulwark

Overview

This episode dives into the explosive news of the week, including the FBI raid on a Georgia ballot facility, the latest tranche of Epstein files and their cultural ramifications, the dynamics of "cancel culture," Trump-era corruption and democratic resilience, and a fascinating, often humorous, discussion on how elites and ordinary people respond to profound political and moral challenges. True to form, the hosts balance sharp political insight with their signature banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Epstein Files: More Revelations, Little Accountability (03:24 – 26:45)

• Peter Attia Scandal:
  JVL kicks things off by highlighting Peter Attia’s frequent appearance (1,500 times!) in the newly released Epstein files, mocking Attia's X (Twitter) apology for regretting only that his emails became public, not their content.

  "He regrets putting himself in a position where his emails could become public. That’s what he regrets." – JVL (04:44)

  Tim relays the damning detail that Attia was dining with Epstein while his newborn was in the ER, underscoring how some elites prioritized their Epstein connections over personal responsibility.

  Sarah broadens the conversation, pointing out how the Epstein files expose a pervasive “boys’ club” culture:

  "Women want doctors that they can trust...to see a doctor engage in this way is, like, an enormous breach of trust." – Sarah (07:44)

  The hosts agree that the "cancel culture" debate is misplaced here; it’s not about silencing, but about evaluating public trust.

• Broad Patterns in the Files:
  Sarah, now deeply invested in unraveling Epstein’s networks, describes categorizing names in the files: - Active participants (e.g., Prince Andrew) - Business associates - Media figures and reporters - People who lied or obfuscated ties (e.g., Elon Musk, Lutnick) - Those given “sweetheart” deals She stresses the distinction between incidental contact and active complicity.

  Tim notes the machinery of social rehabilitation for people like Epstein—how “even the richest people in the world want to hang out with other rich people,” and how Epstein exploited this networking thirst for influence and legitimacy.

  "It’s all fucking high school... Just because Roman Polanski is going to be there doesn’t mean I can say yes to dinner." – Tim (22:13)

2. Cancel Culture, Real Accountability, and Trump-Era Contradictions (09:09 – 11:22)

• Tim shifts the conversation, highlighting the hypocrisy:

  "We spent years where somebody being critiqued harshly on the Internet, that was cancel culture... Now a political foe of [Trump], who’s a journalist, goes to prison... Going to jail does feel like a little bit more of a serious cancellation than being criticized." – Tim (09:09)

• JVL and Tim observe that the supposed "anti-woke," anti-cancel-culture crowd quickly abandon these principles when power is at stake.

  "For them, it was all about power... they just want to do the canceling." – JVL (10:44)

3. The FBI Raid in Georgia & The "Dry Run" for 2026 (28:08 – 38:29)

• The hosts address the extraordinary, deeply concerning FBI raid on a Georgia ballot facility—a move JVL dubs a "dry run" for undermining the 2026 election.

  • Trump directly contacted agents during the raid; Tulsi Gabbard (now Director of National Intelligence) was present on-site.

  • The pretext for the raid: disproven conspiracy theories about foreign interference (Italy, Venezuela).

  • Tim reacts with alarm:

    "It’s almost like you calling it politicization is like...Trump is directing rank and file FBI agents...to make it seem like his conspiracies about the last election are true in order to provide a pretext for fucking with the next election." – Tim (30:38)

  • Trump discusses "nationalizing" voting in 15 states, raising fears of federal overreach and the breakdown of federalist protections.

  • Sarah observes that federalism was previously a defense against nationwide electoral manipulation, but now could be undermined if Trump pushes nationalized election controls.

  "I have long been...unwilling to say we should be really skeptical we can have free and fair elections. The reason is federalism...now we realize federalism can save us if Donald Trump figures out a way to convince people to nationalize the elections." – Sarah (32:16)

  • The panel agrees: hair-on-fire isn't catastrophizing—serious alarm is warranted.
  • Tim and JVL discuss the limited effectiveness of these efforts in Congressional races, but the Senate and overall legitimacy could be deeply threatened.

4. Conspiracy Theories—From Venezuela to the October Surprise (38:29 – 40:40)

• JVL floats the idea of an "October Surprise": Nicholas Maduro of Venezuela "flipping" and claiming to have evidence of election fraud—giving Trump an excuse to sow chaos or invalidate votes in targeted counties/states.
  • Tim doubts the plausibility, but concedes the current chaos creates a breeding ground for such outlandish scenarios.

5. Schadenfreude & Right-Wing Scammers Get Their Due (42:10 – 48:43)

• JVL shares the Guardian article about right-wing Brazilian influencer Junior Pena, a fervent Trump supporter, being swept up by ICE due to his own questionable immigration status—a case of public schadenfreude.

  “I think we can distinguish and should distinguish between regular people who voted for Trump...versus somebody who is an influencer...That person’s in a different category.” – Sarah (44:05)

• Tim jokes about who else might be “denaturalized,” raising Nicki Minaj, Elon Musk, and Melania Trump in a satirical litany, before discussing how disgraced figures migrate to the Republican fold seeking cultural rehabilitation—as in Mark Halperin’s case.

6. Impeachment—Should Democrats Go Nuclear When/If They Regain Power? (49:09 – 56:21)

• JVL introduces the dilemma of impeaching Trump if Democrats win in 2026:

  • Tim admits a change in attitude: initially against impeachment as “pointless,” he now thinks “if he commits crimes and you don’t impeach him, it means it’s even harder [next time].” He even jokes about multiple, committee-based impeachments.

  "I refuse to let it go [Trump family’s foreign money and corruption]." – Tim (55:35)

• Sarah adds nuance: impeachment depends on public opinion and practical effect—if it simply triggers another tribal rally around Trump, it may not be worth it unless removal is plausible. Both agree aggressive Congressional oversight is non-negotiable.

7. Digital Corruption & the Challenge of Oversight (56:21 – 57:38)

• Sarah notes the challenge of modern corruption as elites move to encrypted messaging apps, making traditional oversight (like emails) effectively impossible.
  • JVL: “These things no longer exist” (57:24)
  • Tim asks if you can just seize Signal servers—answer: not technically possible; must physically seize phones.

8. Should Libs Arm Up/Organize? Or Look to Civil Rights Models? (59:17 – 69:54)

• JVL reviews responses to his Triad column, in which he pondered whether liberals should organize armed resistance versus following a civil rights model rooted in nonviolence and Christian faith.

  • Most Triad readers more open to “arming up” and militia organizing than to “What would Jesus do?” approaches.

  "The point is, when out in the street in force, history suggests that armed agents of the state are on their best behavior when they are actually threatened..." – JVL (65:10)

  • Tim and Sarah are more skeptical of arming up, urging moderation and warning against fantasy civil war thinking, but resonate with the call for integrity and moral courage.
  • Discussion turns to a recent Atlantic profile of Ammon Bundy—a rare true believer in “leave us alone” libertarianism, now an outlier in MAGA circles.

• The show closes with a brief, heartfelt shout-out to Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna for their bipartisan work to release the Epstein files, and a note about the internal conflicts arising for Republicans who stand on principle.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Cancel Culture and Public Trust:

  "I get really irked by the idea that, like, everything is cancel culture when you seek accountability for people who are in positions of, like, a very specific kind of public trust."
  – Sarah (08:56)

• On Elite Thirst and Epstein’s Social Circles:

  "There just seem to be very few people that have, like, the self-esteem and confidence in themselves to just be like, 'No.' ... Even the richest people in the world want to hang out with other rich people."
  – Tim (22:13 and 23:42)

• On the FBI Raid as a “Dry Run”:

  "The Director of National Intelligence...is instead spending her time looking at election-related activity. ... All highly irregular...it does suggest these are people who are interested in seeing what they could possibly do."
  – JVL (29:21)

• On Practicalities of Impeachment:

  "If he commits crimes and you don't impeach him, then it means it's even harder to impeach a future president who commits the same crimes."
  – JVL (52:20)

• On the Rise of Encrypted Corruption:

  "No one’s communicating on email anymore...they’re doing war plans on signal. ...this corruption...is going to make all of this a lot harder."
  – Sarah (56:21–57:38)

• On the Search for Integrity:

  "I would like to see people having integrity and not just running around doing play acting because I think play acting is dangerous."
  – JVL (68:54)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Epstein Files Breakdown: 03:24–26:45
• Cancel Culture and Don Lemon: 09:09–11:22
• FBI Georgia Raid & Election Shenanigans: 28:08–38:29
• Venezuelan Coup/Conspiracy Theory: 38:29–40:40
• Schadenfreude Segment: 42:10–48:43
• Impeachment Discussion: 49:09–56:21
• Challenges of Oversight in Digital Era: 56:21–57:38
• Should Libs Arm Up?/Triad Discussion: 59:17–69:54

Tone & Vibe

• Language: Candid, sharp, often profane, rooted in real-time reaction to breaking news.
• Tone: A blend of dark humor, exasperation, principled seriousness, and occasional optimism about democratic guardrails (mainly from Sarah).
• Banter: The hosts frequently riff on each other’s foibles and voice differing levels of outrage or resignation, keeping the mood brisk even amid dire subject matter.

For New Listeners

This episode is a definitive crash course in Bulwark-style analysis: unflinching about American democracy’s erosion, animated by frustration at elite and institutional failures, skeptical of both radicalization and naive optimism. The dynamic among Sarah, Tim, and JVL makes even the darkest material feel accessible—if sometimes gallows-humorous in the extreme.

Memorable “Bad Wolf, Good Wolf” Exchange

"Inside JVL is two wolves...People want bad JVL. They don’t want the good JVL that I know."
– Sarah (62:36)

For more, visit: www.thebulwark.com
Live in Minneapolis: Tickets on sale (details in episode)