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Bulwark Takes

The Bulwark

The news cycle doesn’t slow down, and neither does The Bulwark. Bulwark Takes brings you bite-sized takes on the news of the day from the entire Bulwark team, including Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Bill Kristol, and more.

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252 episodes
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English

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#1092
August 18 · 39 min
Morning Shots Live: Trumpworld Erupts When Reporter Asks About Natalie Harp
Andrew Egger and Ben Parker went live to cover the Republican election deniers in 2020 now running for office, the company that put out a bogus poll on purpose, Trump’s latest threats against an American ally, and the White House response to a question about Natalie Harp. Read Morning Shots: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots The Good Fight Tour: https://www.thebulwark.com/events The day always ends well with Casper. Right now, save up to 30% on mattresses and up to 35% on everything else when you go to https://casper.com.
#1091
August 18 · 12 min
A 7-Year-Old Trapped in Hell Is Begging Senator Katie Britt for Help
Tim Miller shares the story of a Venezuelan family — a pregnant mother, father, and their 7-year-old daughter — who have spent weeks detained at the Dilley detention facility in Texas, despite doing everything the Trump administration has asked of immigrants seeking to leave the country. The family followed every legal step: they applied for asylum, never missed an ICE check-in, and when they decided to return to Venezuela, they went through the official self-deportation process. Instead of being sent home, they were arrested and detained. For more on the Texas Immigration Law Council: https://txilc.org/ Call Sen. Katie Britt: 202-224-5744 Function provides 160+ lab tests for $1/day and member pricing on advanced imaging. Join at https://functionhealth.com/BULWARKTAKES and use gift code BULWARKTAKES25.
#1090
August 17 · 24 min
Trump Explodes at CNN Reporter During Wild Press Conference
JVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump’s latest chaotic press conference, from his bizarre claims about talking with Kim Jong Un to his demand that South Korea pay up for U.S. protection. They also look at Trump’s latest comments on the Iran war, the state of the USS Abraham Lincoln, and his increasingly strange defense of his White House ballroom. Plus: Trump lashes out at a CNN reporter, calls the press “fake news,” and insists his ballroom will be bulletproof and missile-proof. Read more from JVL: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/thetriad Read more from Andrew: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots Function provides 160+ lab tests for $1/day and member pricing on advanced imaging. Join at https://functionhealth.com/BULWARKTAKES and use gift code BULWARKTAKES25. #FunctionPartner (edited) Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join
#1089
August 17 · 9 min
Debunking MAGA’s Outrageous Puppy-Killer Smear Against Abdul El-Sayed
Jonathan Cohn gives his take on the viral “puppy killer” attack against Abdul El-Sayed—and explains how a misleading story about Detroit’s animal control department became a powerful piece of political misinformation. The reality is far different from the headline. El-Sayed inherited an animal control system plagued by neglect and abuse, and the department improved significantly after he took over. Jonathan breaks down how the Daily Mail, right-wing influencers, Republican candidates and Fox News helped spread the story and why this episode is a warning about how easily misinformation can overwhelm the truth. Function provides 160+ lab tests for $1/day and member pricing on advanced imaging. Join at https://functionhealth.com/BULWARKTAKES and use gift code BULWARKTAKES25. #FunctionPartner Read more from Jonathan: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/debunking-maga-puppy-killer-smear-against-abdul-el-sayed
#1088
August 17 · 30 min
BREAKING: Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman, Praises North Korea | Command Post
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live to cover Trump threatening to bomb Oman, an ally, as a deal to end the war in Iran remains elusive. Plus, Trump praised North Korea over the weekend and cancelled our military drills with South Korea. Read more from Mark: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/canceling-military-exercises-hurts-us-south-korea-ulchi-freedom-trump-hegseth-iran Read Morning Shots: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-won-on-tariffs-lol-trade-prices-manufacturing-economy Function provides 160+ lab tests for $1/day and member pricing on advanced imaging. Join at https://functionhealth.com/BULWARKTAKES and use gift code BULWARKTAKES25. #FunctionPartner
#1087
August 16 · 13 min
Trump’s Attorney General Completely Face-Plants on Meet the Press
Will Saletan takes on Kristen Welker’s Meet the Press interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, arguing that Blanche’s evasions on Justice Department independence, Trump’s influence over prosecutions, January 6 pardons, and a proposed compensation fund expose him as a loyalist ready to do the president’s bidding.
#1086
August 16 · 45 min
Cassidy is Still Lame, MTG Lights Up Scott Jennings, GOP Wants Price Controls?!
Andrew Egger and Catherine Rampell discuss Sen. Bill Cassidy’s criticism of vaccine policy after his vote to confirm RFK Jr., questions surrounding Mitch McConnell’s prolonged absence, growing support for price controls in the GOP, the political fallout from Trump’s tariffs, and the Navy’s potential multibillion-dollar warship redesign to suit the president’s aesthetic preferences.
#1085
August 15 · 11 min
Republicans Accused of Horrible Things Have a Perfect Excuse: Donald Trump
Will Saletan gives his take on how Republicans accused of serious misconduct have learned to survive scandal. All they have do is follow Donald Trump’s example: never resign, deny everything, attack the accusers, call the investigation “political,” and invoke Trump’s own history as proof that they can stay in the fight. From Duncan Hunter and Matt Gaetz to George Santos, Cory Mills and Max Miller, Will walks through how Trump has become the model for Republican politicians facing allegations, investigations and convictions — with endorsements, pardons and political support often waiting on the other side. Read more from Will: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-to-survive-a-republican-scandal-imitate-trump
#1084
August 15 · 13 min
James Talarico Just Gave Democrats a Red-State Blueprint
Tim Miller joins Alicia Menendez to discuss widespread calls for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign, Trump’s continued support for him, Democrats’ affordability message, and efforts to recruit stronger young candidates for down-ballot races nationwide. Watch One the Line with Alicia Menendez on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/on-the-line
#1083
August 14 · 31 min
BREAKING: Trump Says USS Lincoln Deployment Hasn’t Gone on “Nearly Long Enough” | Command Post
Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on the growing crisis aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where sailors have endured months at sea with poor food and living conditions, disrupted communications, and little clarity about when they will finally come home. Now, there's been several reports that sailors have considered or attempted jumping overboard. And yet, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the situation “completely misrepresented.” Go to https://thebulwark.com/events for more info on the upcoming Fall tour.
#1083
August 14 · 1 hr 1 min
Trump’s Truth Social Cash Grab Just Landed Him in Court | Receipts Live
Catherine Rampell and JVL discuss the Trump administration’s latest corruption controversies, including paid early access to Truth Social posts, the destruction of a shell-company ownership database, executive power, and the White House ballroom. Read more from Catherine: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-gift-to-the-money-launderers-database-treasury
#1082
August 14 · 35 min
Sam Is BEGGING You Not To Listen to This Trio Video
Brandon Herrera is running for Congress in Texas and we’ve discovered a very strange side of his public persona. Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Will Sommer dig into Herrera’s podcast, where he discusses “Lock & Load,” a supplement he says helps men with...something. The trio goes down the bizarre rabbit hole of male-enhancement supplements, the nine-pills-a-day regimen, and the strange world surrounding these products. Plus: Sean Duffy’s son-in-law is running for Congress, a MAGA podcast fight turns physical, and Candace Owens is preparing for a bizarre $300,000 debate. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/bulwarktakes to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. Read more from Will: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-charlie-kirk-murder-business-crass-spectacle-candace-owens-andrew-wilson-debate
#1082
August 14 · 14 min
Trump’s Kennedy Center Obsession Is Getting Embarrassing
Andrew Egger and Sonny Bunch take on Trump’s latest attempt to get his name back on the Kennedy Center, his refusal to let go of fights he’s already lost, and what his obsession with credit, legacy, and scapegoats says about a president who increasingly seems stuck doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over... Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/bulwarktakes to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
#1081
August 13 · 18 min
Republicans Found a Way to Blow Georgia Again
Tim Miller takes on Georgia Senate candidate Mike Collins, from his support for taxpayer-funded payouts to January 6 rioters to his ties to white nationalists, racist social media posts, election conspiracies, and bizarre campaign stunts. And when Collins is confronted with questions about the extremists in his orbit, he literally runs away. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/bulwarktakes to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
#1080
August 13 · 19 min
Mike Lindell Burned It All Down for Trump... and Lost Anyway
Sam Stein and Will Sommer look back at the wildest moments from Mike Lindell’s career after the Trump-backed election denier lost the Republican primary for Minnesota governor. From refusing to accept election results and offering a $5 million challenge, to arguing with a kid at the Democratic National Convention, getting served legal papers onstage, and blaming the CIA, Lindell has produced no shortage of memorable moments. Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to https://Quince.com/BULWARKTAKES. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.
#1079
August 12 · 42 min
U.S. Intel: Russia Behind Explosive at German Airport | Command Post
Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) discuss an alleged Russian explosive drone at a German airport and the potential implications for NATO, President Trump’s use of a decoy Air Force One amid an Iranian threat, and George W. Bush’s secret 2003 Thanksgiving trip to Iraq. They also answer viewer questions about drone warfare, munitions production, and rebuilding the military after the Trump administration. Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to https://Quince.com/BULWARKTAKES. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.
#1078
August 12 · 29 min
Why Trump Was Secretly Moved Off Air Force One
Donald Trump was secretly smuggled out of Turkey last month after U.S. intelligence reportedly warned of a possible Iranian assassination plot, but the journalists and White House staff traveling on Air Force One were left in the dark. Michael Weiss and former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos give their takes on the extraordinary Secret Service operation, the threat from Iran, and the explosive legal question at the center of the story: did the administration have a duty to warn the people who remained on the plane? They also examine why Trump has stayed silent about the incident, how this was kept secret for more than a month, and what this reveals about the growing threats facing the U.S. and its allies. This episode is sponsored by The New York Times.
#1077
August 11 · 54 min
Bizarre Trump Oval Office Event May Upend Childhood Vaccines | Morning Shots
Join Andrew Egger and Sam Stein (filling in for Bill) as they cover the week's biggest stories. This episode is sponsored by The New York Times.
#1076
August 11 · 12 min
Trump Is Accidentally Helping Abdul El-Sayed
Donald Trump’s attacks on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed may be doing the exact opposite of what he intends. Tim Miller gives his take on Trump repeating the same failed strategy Republicans used against him in 2015 and 2016, attacking an outsider in ways that ultimately give them more attention and support. Tim also weighs in on AOC’s comments about “Woke 1.0,” arguing that Democrats need to be more willing to acknowledge where the movement went too far and how that overreach hurt the party politically. Watch The Moment with Katy Tur on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/katy-tur-reports This episode is sponsored by The New York Times.
#1075
August 10 · 24 min
Trump Is Running Out of Options in Iran
Andrew Egger and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on Iran’s sweeping new demands, Trump’s response, and why the prospects for a diplomatic deal are fading. They discuss Trump’s shrinking military options, depleted U.S. weapons supplies, and the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that's left merchant crews trapped at sea for months. Read more from Mark: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/precision-has-a-price-mlrs-prsm-thaad-patriot-missiles-rockets-iran-war

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