The fears of jack-booted thugs and the military in the streets that filled the fever dreams of numerous people on the right since the 90s have come to pass. Not to mention that these are boom times for private prisons, deportation camps, and huge data centers driving up electricity bills. (We're building things, Marc Andreessen!) Meanwhile, The Bulwark was live on the scene for the FBI raid at John Bolton's house—just the latest installment from Team Trump's pursuit of his enemies. Plus, Alex Jones is worried about Trump's cankles, and Gavin is proving to be a good fighter, but other Dems need to get in the game. Also, Gaza, Israel, and the exaggerated power of AIPAC.
Tommy Vietor joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
Bulwark LIVE for FBI raid at Bolton's home (Substack) or YouTube
Byron Donalds's Cracker Barrel tweet
Third Way's blacklisted words
Joe Rogan takedown
Peter Thiel's antichrist lecture series
Tim's playlist
THE BULWARK LIVE in Toronto, D.C. and NYC: Thebulwark.com/events
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1:11:29
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1:11:29
Garry Kasparov and Jerusalem Demsas: Democracy Can't Defend Itself
While Trump keeps working hard on his own monetization and glorification—and delivers a Watergate practically every hour—the pro-democracy coalition must stay focused on winning next year's midterm elections. Trump is at the point of no return, Congress is becoming the only institution that can stop him, and holding onto that lever of power is his top priority. Meanwhile, not only did Trump look weak in Alaska, he also looked unpresidential. Plus, a new publication focused on the threats from the post-liberal right and left.
Jerusalem Demsas and Garry Kasparov join Tim Miller.
show notes
Garry's Substack, "The Next Move"
Jerusalem's "The Argument"
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen slamming the table after losing in June
Trump comparing himself to Nixon
*** THE BULWARK LIVE in Toronto, D.C. and NYC: Thebulwark.com/events ***
Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to joindeleteme.com/BULWARK and use promo code BULWARK at checkout.
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1:12:56
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1:12:56
Adam Kinzinger: Don't Feed the Dictator
Russia is losing the war in Ukraine. More than 1 million Russian troops have been killed or injured, and it's been estimated that it would take another four years and 2 million more soldiers for Putin to conquer the Donbas region. So no, Ben Shapiro, getting Ukraine to sacrifice the region in return for some kind of security guarantee would not be a "masterstroke" for Trump. Meanwhile, red state governors sending National Guard troops to D.C. are disrupting the lives and families of those troops at back-to-school time—just to please Daddy Trump. Plus, the MAGA socialism around Intel, Dems should advise foreign countries to think twice about doing corrupt deals with Trump, and Hegseth's pull-ups don't cut it in the alpha male world he thinks he's making.
Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Tim on the Louisiana governor sending the National Guard to D.C.
Kinzinger's interview with Jason Riddle
Jonathan Martin on Trump giving Putin more time to stall
FT on Europeans comparing eastern Ukraine to Florida
*** THE BULWARK LIVE in Toronto, D.C. and NYC: Thebulwark.com/events ***
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58:48
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58:48
David Kirkpatrick: Trump's Self-Enrichment
Back in the day, Trump used to puff up his wealth to get on the Forbes list. Lately though, he doesn't talk about how much money he has, especially now that he and his family have pocketed an estimated $3.4 billion off his time in the White House. The bulk of those billions comes from various crypto-related ventures—and money from foreign nationals and some adjustments at the S.E.C. have helped grease the wheel. At the same time, the Trump Org is making development deals directly with dictators in the Middle East. Meanwhile, his supporters may think they're helping MAGA by buying hats and beer koozies, but their money is all going to Trump. Plus, the European leaders had their flattery game down in the Oval Office on Monday.
The New Yorker's David Kirkpatrick joins Tim Miller.
show notes
David's piece, "The Number: How Much Is Trump Pocketing off the Presidency?”
White House photo of the European's flattery game in action
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50:49
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50:49
Bill Kristol: Authoritarian Takeover
Militarizing the nation's capital is not a distraction, and Democrats really need to stop using that term. Trump is trying to seize power, intimidate the public, and foment violence in the streets. And it's a purposeful MAGA marketing campaign—the masked federal thugs often have a camera person with them as they tase and tackle people. This is a fight that is central to the pro-democracy coalition, and it must become a political loser for Trump. Meanwhile, European leaders are now the ones defending liberty, and Trump may be laying the groundwork for an attempted federal takeover of our elections.
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Philip Bump's mapping of crime rates in states sending Guard troops to DC
Masked agents NOT patrolling in DC neighborhoods most impacted by crime
Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Eric
Video of a Russian tank with an American flag
Bulwark Live in Toronto, DC, NYC at https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bulwark-events
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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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