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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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208 episodes
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#1109
August 25 · 35 min
BREAKING: SCOTUS Lets Trump Move Ahead With Mail Voting Crackdown (w/ Richard Hasen & Steve Vladek)
Sam Stein is joined by UCLA School of Law's Richard Hasen and Georgetown University Law Center's Steve Vladek to break down the Supreme Court's decision to allow Trump to restrict mail-in voting. This episode is sponsored by The New York Times.
#1107
August 24 · 24 min
Canada’s Blunt Message to Trump: Kiss My Ass
Andrew Egger and Catherine Rampell give their takes on the latest escalation in Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada. As Trump attacks Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney is looking to deepen economic ties with the European Union, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford fires back with a blunt message of his own to Trump: “Kiss my ass.” Catherine explains why Trump’s claims about the U.S.-Canada trade deficit don’t add up, how deeply intertwined the American and Canadian auto industries are, and why the trade war could end up hurting American workers and consumers. This episode is sponsored by The New York Times.
#1105
August 24 · 56 min
MAGA Mondays: Trump Can’t Wave a Flag, MAGA Goes to War With the WNBA
Will Sommer and Sam Stein went live to cover the IndyCar race in DC, the Republican operative who thought you was being entrapped by the "deep state," Enes Kanter Freedom being ejected from a WNBA game, and Sean Duffy's war against Harvard in his reality tv show. This episode is sponsored by The New York Times.
#1104
August 24 · 25 min
Trump Blows Up His Own Trade Deal with Canada
Trump’s trade war with Canada is back and this time, the negotiations have completely fallen apart. Andrew Egger and Catherine Rampell give their takes on Canada’s decision to walk away from trade talks, Trump’s latest tariffs, and why the administration’s escalating fight with one of America’s closest allies could hit U.S. businesses and consumers hard. They also look at the political risks for Republicans in states like Maine and Michigan, Susan Collins’ attempt to distance herself from Trump’s trade policies, and why Republicans keep blaming Joe Biden for economic problems happening on Trump’s watch.
#1103
August 23 · 37 min
Trump’s War Has Left America Weaker (w/ Michael Wood) | Bulwark on Sunday
Bill Kristol talks with veteran Michael Wood about six months of the Iran war: strained military readiness, munitions and base vulnerabilities, growing politicization of the officer corps, Hegseth's leadership failures, and what a post-Trump president must do to rebuild U.S. alliances and credibility.
#1102
August 22 · 15 min
Tim Miller Digs Into Andy Biggs’ Record—and Finds Something Disturbing
Tim Miller runs through the disturbing record of Arizona gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs, from his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 election to his extreme positions on abortion, healthcare, the FBI, and more. Watch Tim's video on Zach Lahn, Republican candidate for Iowa governor: https://youtu.be/0NFPrcBWHSw
#1101
August 22 · 15 min
MAGA’s Plan to Screw Democrats in Swing Seats
The Green Party is supposed to be a left-wing alternative to Democrats. So why are Republican-connected candidates showing up on Green Party ballots in competitive races? Andrew Egger and Brendan Hartnett walk through Brendan’s reporting on a series of suspicious Green Party candidates in Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania—including one Michigan candidate who showed up to the party’s nominating convention on Zoom, never turned on his camera, spoke for 33 minutes, and walked away with the nomination. In some of these races, a third-party candidate could siphon off just enough votes to help a Republican win. This video is sponsored by The New York Times. Read more from Brendan: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/did-maga-infiltrate-the-green-party-in-michigan
#1100
August 21 · 1 hr 8 min
Receipts Live: Markets Turn on Trump, Bessent Flails, and Stephen Moore Drools on Live TV
Catherine Rampell and JVL went live to cover Scott Bessent flailing as he intervenes in the bond market and Catherine's reporting on how Trump's political appointees hijacked the U.S. Census Bureau, numbers that we're supposed to trust. Plus, for more than a decade, Trump promised to pay down the national debt. This week, it grew to $40 trillion. This video is sponsored by The New York Times. Read more from Catherine's newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/donald-trump-maga-war-on-reality-comes-for-the-census-bureau-voting-citizens-fraud-bogus-report
#1099
August 21 · 12 min
Tim Miller: Republicans Know What’s Coming. That’s Why They’re Hiding.
Tim Miller joins Alicia Menendez on MS NOW to take on the growing questions around Natalie Harp’s access to Trump, why Republicans are hiding from their own voters, and the Trump administration’s increasingly shaky economic message. This video is sponsored by The New York Times. Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house
#1098
August 21 · 38 min
Ex-CIA Officer: Natalie Harp Is a Counterintelligence Nightmare
Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/BULWARKTAKES #sponsored Michael Weiss and Marc Polymeropoulos discuss Trump’s “economic D-Day” against Iran, the risks of secondary sanctions and a prolonged blockade, and why Tehran may retaliate rather than simply give in. They also examine the bizarre influence and security concerns surrounding Natalie Harp and the dysfunction inside the White House. Plus, Michael and Marc discuss Ukraine’s evolving role as a military technology powerhouse, America’s intelligence support for Kyiv, and Russia’s growing threat to Europe.
#1097
August 20 · 1 hr 2 min
The Man Who Taught Donald Trump How to Be a Demagogue (w/ Chris Cillizza)
Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/BULWARKTAKES #sponsored Chris Cillizza and JVL use Hulk Hogan and the strange world of professional wrestling to explain Donald Trump’s political dominance, why conventional political skills don’t seem to matter anymore, and why Trumpism may survive long after Trump himself is gone. Check out Chris Cillizza on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chriscillizza ...and subscribe to his Substack, "So What": https://chriscillizza.substack.com/
#1095
August 20 · 13 min
Mike Johnson Is Humiliating Himself Trying to Defend Trump’s War
Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/BULWARKTAKES #sponsored Will Saletan tracks House Republicans—Mike Johnson, Gabe Evans, Jason Smith—flailing to defend Trump's Iran war and rising gas prices, catching them in contradictions, dubious legal justifications, and outright lies about the economy ahead of the midterms.
#1096
August 20 · 13 min
Republican Candidate: Please Stop Calling My Sex Toy a Sex Toy
Zach Lahn is the Republican candidate for governor of Iowa with a very unusual résumé and some very unconventional positions. Tim Miller and Brendan Hartnett dig into Lahn’s ties to Kansas and the Koch network, his investment in FirmTech and its award-winning “sex tech” device that Lahn insists is not a sex toy, and questions about whether he’s really an Iowan. They also examine Lahn’s opposition to mRNA vaccines, support for a total abortion ban, MAHA politics, his defense of Trump’s tariffs, and the other positions putting him on the far edge of the Republican field. Read Brendan's article: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/zach-lahn-please-stop-calling-the-award-winning-sex-toy-a-sex-toy-firmtech-iowa-governor-campaign Watch Tim’s take on Mike Collins: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/republicans-found-a-way-to-blow-georgia
#1095
August 19 · 18 min
MAGA Scumbag Cory Mills Just Learned What Trump’s Loyalty Is Worth
Andrew Egger and Lauren Egan break down Florida’s Democratic primaries—and what Angie Nixon’s surprise Senate win means for Democrats in a state they’ve struggled to compete in. They discuss Nixon’s uphill battle against Republican Ashley Moody, David Jolly’s path for governor, and the awkward dynamic of having a self-described democratic socialist and a centrist Democrat at the top of the ticket. Plus, Cory Mills loses his primary despite Donald Trump’s endorsement.
#1094
August 19 · 41 min
BREAKING: Trump Wants To Meet Kim Jong Un
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live to cover Trump's newest push to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and Trump contradicting Jared Kushner on Iran. Plus they walk through what a typical Deputies Committee would look like in the NSC. The Good Fight Tour: https://www.thebulwark.com/events
#1093
August 18 · 15 min
Tim and Will Infiltrate the Seedy Side of MAGA’s DC
Tim Miller is back in DC and it's somehow crazier than he left it. With National Guard troops patrolling Dupont Circle, Tim recruits Will Sommer for a scavenger hunt through Trump's Washington: a $500K-to-join MAGA club co-founded by Don Jr., the bar where Rand Paul's son got into it with Rep. Mike Lawler, the strip mall club where Bessent allegedly threatened to punch out Bill Pulte, and a visit to Mitch McConnell's house, where nobody's quite sure who's home. Read more from Will: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/false-flag
#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

Showing 141–160 of 208 episodes