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The Bulwark

The Bulwark

The Bulwark is home to Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, Bill Kristol, JVL, Sam Stein, Catherine Rampell and more. We are the largest pro-democracy bundle on Substack for news and analysis on politics and culture—supported by a community built on good faith.

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Episodes 161

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  • August 23 · 14 min

    Trump’s Iran War Blew Up His “America First” Promise (w/ Will Saletan)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Mona Charen and Will Saletan discuss the fallout from Trump’s Iran war, his attacks on America’s allies, growing trouble for Republicans ahead of the midterms, and the Democratic message that could capitalize on MAGA’s failures. Bulwark Book Club pick for September: The Odyssey! Join Mona Charen and Sonny Bunch to discuss Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation and Emily Wilson’s translation of the epic poem LIVE with Bulwark+ members on Wednesday, September 16 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. Can’t join in live? A replay will be available as part of the Mona Charen Show. See the film, read the translation or do both! Then drop your questions, comments and thoughts for Mona and Sonny on The Odyssey here. The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Saturdays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add the show to your player of choice, here. Ad-free editions of The Mona Charen Show are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Access this member edition in the Bulwark App—now available on Apple and Google. Or set up the ad-free edition of this Bulwark show on your player of choice using your private RSS feed here.

  • August 22 · 9 min

    Tim Miller Digs Into Andy Biggs’ Record—and Finds Something Disturbing

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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 Tims’ video on Zach Lahn, Republican candidate for Iowa governor:

  • August 22 · 20 min

    Jon Ossoff is Winning the Voters Democrats Need Most (with Amy Walter)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Amy Walter returns to the pod for a pundit therapy session. She and Sarah discuss: * A recent focus group of Georgia swing voters, and what they think of Sen. Jon Ossoff and his opponent. * The massive polling misses in the Wisconsin and Michigan primaries, and listen to a focus group of Wisconsin voters that tell us (in retrospect) how David Crowley was able to pull of a last minute surge. * In light of AOC's 'Woke 1 was crazy' comments, they discuss swing voters' biggest complaints about each of our political parties, and whether the parties' brand problems are driven by politicians, or by other people in voters' lives. Show links:Subscribe to the Cook Political Report! (https://www.cookpolitical.com/subscribe)CPR’s PollTracker (Trump Approval Rating Aggregator) (https://www.cookpolitical.com/survey-research/cpr-polltracker/trump-trendlines)CPR’s “Find a Race” sorter (https://www.cookpolitical.com/races)CPR’s Battleground District Project (https://www.cookpolitical.com/survey-research/battleground-district-project) Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark LIVE: The GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam, and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Ticket are on sale NOW! Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets. How to Eat an Elephant book tour is coming in September. Join Sarah and friends at one of these stops: Washington, D.C. | New York City | Boston | Los Angeles | San Francisco | Chicago | Kenyon College Chicago and Kenyon College stops are on sale now and NYC is selling fast!Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for all the details. Full ad-supported episodes of The Focus Group are available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Hit that like 🤍 button and share this episode with a friend. Click here to add the show to your player of choice. Ad-free editions like this one are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members on the site, the Bulwark App, via your member-only RSS feeds, and the Substack mobile and TV Apps. Upgrade now to listen without ads and to join the community in the comments. Click here to set up your private member-only RSS feed on your podcast player of choice or learn more here.

  • August 21 · 6 min

    The Green Party Nominated a Guy Who Never Turned On His Camera

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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.Read more from Brendan: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/did-maga-infiltrate-the-green-party-in-michigan

  • August 21 · 12 min

    George Conway: For Trump, Harp Strikes a Chord

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Melania had to come out of hiding and practice her English after days of embarrassing coverage of Trump aide Natalie Harp. And now Harp’s newly released gushing notes to POTUS show unparalleled devotion to him. But they also hint at an abusive relationship built around trying to manage his easily-wounded ego with fantasy-grade good news stories. Meanwhile, Michael Cohen reminded everyone that he is a pathetic little lapdog. Plus: Trump is running the country like a socialist, he’s driving up the debt to dangerous levels, he seems determined to muck with the midterms—and the ‘orange man bad' resistance has been right all along. George Conway joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes: * Two of Natalie's love notes to Trump * JVL on the 'human printer' * Tim's interview with Julia Curlee * Tim's interview with David Wallace-Wells * Katie Britt's contact page for Venezuelan detainees Freddys Revilla and Edgarianny Gervis * Tim's playlist Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

  • August 21 · 23 min

    Is Jon Ossoff the One We’ve Been Waiting For?

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL did a BIG show today. Sample awesome: * Sen. Darlene Graham says that voters in South Carolina don’t care about Taiwan—they care about boys playing girls sports. * Spoiler: There are exactly zero (0) boys in South Carolina playing girls sports. * Top CIA analyst Julia Curlee served Trump, Biden, and then Trump again honorably. Then she was fired because some MAGA influencers discovered she was trans. * What duty do civil servants owe the country which elected Trump for the second time? * Is Jon Ossoff the one we’ve been waiting for? Sarah has him in her Big Four. And you’ll never guess who the other three are. * People hate Data Centers. So where is the juice for Democrats? * JVL can’t stop/won’t stop beating on tankies and greens. * And the birth of a new feature: Pickleball talk! We want to hear from you about any/all of this. Let’s ride. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. Sarah, Tim, Sam and JVL are coming to South Carolina, North Carolina, and Atlanta in October for Bulwark LIVE. We’re bringing lots of friends. Tickets are on sale now! Our shows have a habit of selling out. Don’t wait to grab your seats.Head to TheBulwark.com/Events

  • August 21 · 7 min

    Receipts Live: Markets Turn on Trump, Bessent Flails, and Stephen Moore Drools on Live TV

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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.

  • August 21 · 38 min

    Life Is a Highway: The Terror of ‘It Ends’

    This week’s episode is a real treat: I’m joined by Alex Ullom, the 28-year-old writer/director of It Ends, and he provided a real window into the process of getting a low-budget indie movie made. His story has everything: fundraising from professional magicians; a first cut that didn’t work at all; acceptance into SXSW followed by no offers to buy the movie; a grassroots groundswell that got it the attention of Letterboxd; and, finally, a pickup by leading indie distributor Neon for release this week. It’s playing in Los Angeles and New York City this week before expanding wide next week, and I cannot stress this enough: if you liked Backrooms or enjoyed the existential dread of Exit 8, you have GOT to go see It Ends. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

  • August 21 · 3 min

    Tim Miller: Republicans Know What’s Coming. That’s Why They’re Hiding.

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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

  • August 21 · 17 min

    Ex-CIA Officer: Natalie Harp Is an Intelligence Nightmare (w/ Michael Weiss & Marc Polymeropoulos)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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.

  • August 20 · 20 min

    Trump Just Ordered the Government to Delete the Receipts (w/ Andrew Weissmann)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to discuss the Trump administration’s move to erase corporate ownership records, the latest developments in the Fauci investigation, how a bizarre election controversy in Alaska led to a DOJ investigation, and what Democrats still need to learn about persuasion in the Trump era. Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21 at 10am in the East. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets. How to Eat An Elephant is coming! Sarah’s debut book is out September 8 and she is hitting the road in September with stops in New York City, Boston, LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Kenyon College. She’ll be in DC with Kara Swisher September 3. All the event details and links to secure tickets are here. Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Full ad-supported episodes of The Focus Group are available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Hit that like 🤍 button and share this episode with a friend. Ad-free editions like this one are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members on the site, the Bulwark App, via your member-only RSS feeds, and the Substack mobile and TV Apps. Upgrade now to listen without ads and to join the community in the comments.

  • August 20 · 14 min

    David Wallace-Wells: The Politics of AI Are Shifting in Real Time

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Mark the summer of 2026 as the moment when an unlikely supermajority of Americans came together on one issue: their opposition to data centers. This new, big, messy coalition spans the political spectrum and is rooted in a fear that the sociopaths of Silicon Valley will determine the future of our lives, our communities, and our economic prospects. And (most) politicians have noticed which way the wind is blowing. Plus: Carbon emissions are getting better but the planet is still getting warmer, the coming El Niño may be the strongest ever, and ICE arrests are dramatically up because Stephen Miller is siccing agents on immigrants who are following the rules. The New York Times' David Wallace-Wells joins Tim Miller. show notes: * David's recent newsletter on keeping the world safe from AI * David on Trump's deportation machine ramping up * Derek Thompson's recent "Plain English" pod on AI that Tim referenced Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

  • August 20 · 16 min

    The Man Who Taught Donald Trump How to Be a Demagogue (w/ Chris Cillizza)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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/

  • August 19 · 4 min

    Mike Johnson Is Humiliating Himself Trying to Defend Trump’s War

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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.

  • August 19 · 5 min

    Tim Unboxes a Republican Candidate’s “Medical Device”

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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-campaignWatch Tim’s take on Mike Collins: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/republicans-found-a-way-to-blow-georgia

  • August 19 · 9 min

    MAGA Scumbag Cory Mills Just Learned What Trump’s Loyalty Is Worth

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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. Read Lauren’s newsletter, The Opposition: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/the-opposition The Good Fight Tour: https://www.thebulwark.com/events

  • August 19 · 9 min

    Julia Curlee and Errin Haines: Cowards Are Running This Country

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com When Trump came back into power, his administration leaned heavily on former CIA analyst Julia Curlee to help safeguard our national security. The first CIA officer to transition openly, Curlee had worked at the highest levels in the White House for years. But once her gender identity became public through a witch hunt, she was hounded out. Curlee talks with Tim about the chaos of Trump’s slash-and-burn firings, the administration’s demonizing of trans people, and how Mike Pence treated her with dignity and respect when she was his personal briefer. Plus: The 19th’s Errin Haines joins to discuss the Florida primaries, the Dems’ prospects in the South, the real backlash against the Callais decision, and AOC’s Woke 1 comments. And Tim asks The Bulwark community to help Venezuelan detainees Freddys Revilla and Edgarianny Gervis. Julia Curlee and Errin Haines join Tim Miller. show notes: * Katie Britt’s office: 202-224-5744 Britt’s chief of staff: Sean_Ross@britt.senate.gov and her subcommittee clerk Dave Roth at 202-224-4319 * Britt’s Twitter: @SenKatieBritt * Where Tim shared the letter and drawing that were sent to Britt * Curlee's Atlantic piece, "The Wrong Kind of American" * Mona's podcast, where Curlee will also be a guest later this week * Errin's newsletter, "The Amendment" * Tim's 'Take' on the detained Venezuelan family Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

  • August 19 · 20 min

    BREAKING: Trump Wants To Meet Kim Jong Un

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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

  • August 18 · 19 min

    Melania May Be Behind MAGA’s Natalie Harp Freakout

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim, JVL, and Andrew Egger discuss:-(Yet another) story of a former Trump voter seeing a loved one run into the immigration policies he voted for.-The faux outrage from MAGA-world at Sen. Jon Ossoff pointing out that Donald Trump and Natalie Harp travel together a lot.-Karoline Leavitt leaving the White House, and who might come next.-The Florida primary, and how Florida could become competitive in the fall.-Pete Hegseth traveling to Iowa. Is HE running?Plus:-Andrew breaks down the latest weird trend on right wing twitter: Postpartum Depression truthers.-Tim welcomes Nancy Mace to the YouTube content game. Bulwark LIVE: The Good Fight Tour is heading to the Southeast in October. Join Sarah, Tim, JVL and more for a night of politics among friends Oct 16-20. Presale links by location: * Get tickets for Columbia, South Carolina stop on October 16 * Get tickets for Charlotte, North Carolina stop on October 18 * Get tickets for Atlanta, Georgia stop on October 20 To snag your seats today—upgrade now and then head to TheBulwark.com/Events to access the presale. Get your tickets to Sarah's How to Eat an Elephant book tour in September! Her Chicago stop with Axe is on sale now. Watch, listen, and leave a comment. This ad-free video version of The Next Level is exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

  • August 18 · 13 min

    Tom Nichols: Impotence at the White House

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Trump is flailing so badly on Iran. He dispatched Jared Kushner to negotiate with the regime but then denies that any talks are happening at all. He also threatened to bomb one ally and hammered another for not helping him fight his war. And somehow, in all of this, Kushner—a private businessman and a consultant for the Saudis—is meeting with Hamas officials and Netanyahu while also looking out for his own financial interests. Plus: a primer on why we keep troops in South Korea, Hegseth may be mulling a presidential run, and Gen Alpha may save us all. Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller. show notes: * "The Next Level" podcast—out later on Tuesday * Tim on another family being held at the Dilley detention facility * The Gen Alpha TikTok video Tim mentioned Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

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