The Bulwark Podcast
Charlie Sykes and guests discuss the latest news from inside Washington and around the world. No shouting, grandstanding, or sloganeering. Conservative, conscientious, and civil.
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26
David Frum: The GOP’s Obnoxiousness Problem
The text messages in the Dominion case show that Fox was intentionally pushing lies about 2020 — lies that led to violence.
49 min
27
Ben Wittes: Jack Smith at Ramming Speed
Mike Pence is erasing his own profile in courage by trying to resist special counsel Jack Smith's subpoena, a Mar-a-Lago document prosecution is still viable, and Ben Wittes — who once challenged Putin to a fistfight — is still irritating the Russians.
48 min
28
Michael Kranish: The Trump/Kushner/Saudi Vortex
In early 2021, both Kushner and Trump needed a game plan for making money. MBS — who both men had helped to consolidate power and literally get away with murder — came to the rescue with billions of dollars.
34 min
29
Damon Linker: How Not to Fight Wokeness
Even people who aren't racist and aren't anti-trans can get rubbed the wrong way by the heavy-handed puritanical approach of the woke movement.
46 min
30
Will Saletan: The Weekend of the UFOs
What is flying above us? Is it more than sky garbage? Meanwhile, the House GOP radar is against whatever Joe Biden does.
48 min
31
Tim Miller: It Was Dumber than You Might Have I...
The weaponization committee hearing was an embarrassing bust. Plus, James O'Keefe's love of musicals, the karma of calling DeSantis a groomer — and Charlie has Covid and he still showed up for your Super Bowl weekend pod with Tim.
52 min
32
Tom Nichols: The Kook Bench
The drunken heckling caucus around Marjorie Taylor Greene is not out of control — it did exactly what its voters sent them to do.
44 min
33
A.B. Stoddard: Dark Brandon Rising
Biden's shrewd State of the Union address played rope-a-dope with Republicans, and he relished the scrum.
41 min
34
Mark Hertling: What My Oath Means
The balloon set off a performance theater among members of Congress that was unbecoming of their rank and office, Lt. Gen Mark Hertling tells Charlie Sykes on today's podcast.
38 min
35
Will Saletan: Popping the Red Balloon
It wouldn't have mattered how Biden had handled the balloon — Republicans would have said he was weak.
50 min
36
Tim Miller: Never Should Mean Never
Too many normies STILL won't say "Never Trump," but Paul Ryan may be coming around.
53 min
37
Elie Honig: Is Trump Untouchable?
Merrick Garland likes to say that no one is above the law, but the DOJ's own guidelines make it clear that some people are more equal than others.
50 min
38
Charlie Savage: The Real Witch Hunt?
Trump has longed complained about a deep state plot to smear him with the Russia investigation, but the Durham probe of that investigation comes off as highly partisan, unethical, and loony.
42 min
39
Julian Zelizer and Kevin Kruse: History Is Unde...
History became more politicized in the Trump era and the conservative media ecosystem has helped amplify untruths.
46 min
40
Will Saletan: Policing the Police
Training and diversity are not enough — cops who break the law must be prosecuted. Plus, the normalization of political violence around Jan 6 and the attack on Paul Pelosi, and Steve Bannon goes deeper on election denialism.
47 min
41
Tim Miller: Deep Inside Tucker Carlson's Navel
Republicans are so out of touch, their public brand is in trouble. Plus, MTG is Queen of the GOP, Schlapp is too sleazy for Gaetz, and party types are praying for a Trump heart attack.
50 min
42
Michael Weiss: A Watershed Moment for Ukraine
It took a lot of arm-twisting, but the West has finally committed to arming Ukraine with battle tanks — not only to boost its defenses, but also to take the fight to the Russians. And
46 min
43
Jonathan Alter: How the Documents Hurt Biden
Biden has been seen as scandal-free, but his classified docs case may cost him a big political asset: the benefit of the doubt.
48 min
44
David Weigel: MAGA v MAGA
Republicans may have underperformed in the midterms, but the RNC chair fight is not about changing the party's direction.
39 min
45
Will Saletan: It's In Your Nature to Destroy Yo...
The pro-life movement, undaunted by the midterms, is pushing for more restrictions— and the political backlash will be severe.
51 min
46
Catherine Rampell: Psychotic Feral Cats with Ma...
Republicans are back to extortion and holding the debt ceiling hostage after adding $4.7 trillion to the deficit during the Trump years — and that was before the pandemic.
40 min
47
Michael Schmidt: "I Didn't Know They Made Peopl...
Before John Kelly became chief of staff, he thought the chaos at the White House was due to the people around Trump. Instead, each day was about getting through the day without Trump doing something illegal, immoral, or damaging to himself or the country.
45 min
48
Bill Kristol: Glimmers of Hope
The shift in attitudes about defense and foreign policy in Germany has been dramatic since the war in Ukraine began. Plus, will ripping off a dying dog be the tipping point for George Santos?
34 min
49
David French: Our Religious Freedoms Are Not Ha...
New York Times-bound David French tells Charlie Sykes how he re-thought same-sex marriage, how he felt he was living in a bubble, and how religious liberty is more strongly protected than it's ever been.
45 min
50
Will Saletan: Performative Garbage
RonAnon Johnson wanted to get beat up on "Meet the Press" — so he could weaponize it. Plus, the active moving backward from MLK's dream, Trump gets the ultimate whataboutism, debt ceiling dangers, and a football confession.
42 min