Bulwark+ Takes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Bill Kristol and Ron Brownstein as they cover Trump's awful polling, Democrats' chances in the Senate, and whether we could see a blue Tsunami in November.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sonny Bunch and Bill Kristol take on the dismissed felony vandalism case against Olympic canoeist David Hearn—who was accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool—after government officials acknowledged problems with the work itself. They consider what the case reveals about political pressure, government misconduct, the c...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah Matthews joins MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace to break down Trump’s Cabinet meeting, his continued defense of January 6th rioters, and why his obsession with 2020 could hurt Republicans in the midterms. BBC They also discuss Trump’s falling poll numbers, the chaos inside his administration, and how the Texas Senate ra...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com The Washington Post is in turmoil once again. Opinion editor Adam O’Neal is stepping down after just over a year, raising fresh questions about Jeff Bezos’s controversial overhaul of the newspaper’s opinion section to focus more on “personal liberties and free markets.” Will Sommer sits down with Semafor media editor...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Catherine Rampell and JVL as they cover the week's biggest economics and finance stories.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Jasmine poses Triad readers’ questions to JVL: What do you think about the DSA? What can be done to protect the 2030 census from Republican meddling? Why does the right crave authoritarianism? Why did The Bulwark change its website? All that and more (like JVL’s hidden backstory as an opera singer) in this week's mail...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com President Trump’s approval rating is collapsing, and new polling shows voters are increasingly unhappy with his handling of the issues that matter most: the Iran war and the economy. Sarah Matthews gives her take on the three new polls showing Trump stuck in the low 30s, with voters questioning his decision to launch...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL and Andrew Egger discuss Todd Blanche’s stalled attorney general confirmation, as Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis seek assurances that the Trump administration will not revive a proposed “anti-weaponization” fund for allies and January 6 defendants. They also consider Trump’s response, Blanche’s political str...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Savanna Cannon has become one of the fastest-rising viral personalities in right-wing media, but is politics really what she's selling? Will Sommer joins Brendan Hartnett to break down how Cannon's provocative MAGA videos have ignited a civil war on the right, with conservative influencers arguing over sex appeal, aut...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com The Democratic National Committee is facing growing criticism from within its own ranks—and now one of the party's most prominent fundraisers is speaking out. Sam Stein sits down with veteran Democratic fundraiser Rufus Gifford to discuss why he believes DNC Chair Ken Martin is failing at the two most important parts...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Jonathan Cohn takes on the Fauci hearing spectacle, where Rand Paul grilled the former NIH chief over newly obtained diaries—and Fauci pled the Fifth. Cohn joins MS Now to separate legitimate oversight from what he calls a political show trial aimed at Trump-era vengeance.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.), Ben Parker and special guest Ret. Rear Adm. John Kirby went live to discuss the U.S. intercepting an attack by Iran, Trump’s response to the attacks, and the concern on U.S. missile stockpiles as the war drags on. Drawing on his own experience in the Navy, John breaks down what it’s real...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com The Justice Department's case against Olympic canoeist David Hearn may have a major problem and it comes from the government's own witness. Sam Stein is joined by NBC News justice reporter Ryan Reilly to take on new court filings showing the prosecution's key witness reportedly acknowledged the reflecting pool was alr...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol went live to cover Trump’s claim that the late Lindsey Graham wanted him to make a deal with Iran, the Republican holdouts who could derail Todd Blanche’s confirmation to be AG, and why Trump is now pushing RFK Jr. to find a connection between autism and vaccines.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Mitch McConnell says he's "still working hard" to get back to the Senate, but the only proof of life we've gotten is two photos and a statement from his physician. JVL and Andrew Egger break down why the timeline doesn't add up, why a five-minute call with a reporter could end all the speculation, and why the new phot...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Will Sommer and Sam Stein went live to cover Laura Loomer's recent trip to Ukraine, the giant conspiracy theory on Joe Rogan, Kash Patel using the FBI to hype himself up, Liz Truss partnering up with Matt Schlapp, and Trump posting gross and disgusting slop all weekend long.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Will Saletan and Ben Parker take on Mike Waltz's Sunday show gauntlet defending Trump's Iran war—confused goals, dwindling munitions, Russia and China's help, civilian infrastructure targeting, and fantasy pipelines meant to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Bill Kristol welcomes Epstein survivor Dani Bensky to discuss her private meeting with Todd Blanche, her communications with Senators Tillis and Cornyn, and whether any GOP Senators will do the right thing.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Trump took the stage at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and delivered one of the most uncomfortable speeches of his political career. Sam Stein and Will Saletan break down the jokes that bombed, the attacks on Kaitlan Collins and other targets that crossed the line from comedy into cruelty, the surreal Wall Str...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL joins Destiny for his first-ever political stream to talk about how MAGA media manufactures reality, why mainstream outlets keep playing by obsolete rules, and how Democrats kill their own messages before voters ever hear them. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker as they cover the Pentagon lowering the count of US service members killed in the Iran War.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join JVL and special guest Paul Krugman (filling in for Catherine) as they cover the week's biggest stories from the world of economics and finance. For more on Catherine's original reporting, check out her latest Receipts newsletter on how the Trump administration is conspiring to exclude millions of immigrants from...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Ben Parker give their takes on why the DOJ abruptly withdrew its subpoenas against three New York Times reporters and their family members over reporting on security flaws in Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One. But the losses in court don't stop there, the administration also quietly dropped its demand...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down the double standard at the heart of the GOP right now: Democrats forced Graham Platner off the ballot over disturbing allegations, while Republicans stand by candidates and members with far more documented records. Texas gun-YouTuber Brandon Herrera made disgusting comments about w...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Andrew Egger give their takes on Trump's new threats of war crimes to Iran, the new polling showing MAGA support for the war cratering, and the new U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement. Plus, they dig into the White House's ever-expanding gold decor of oversized frames, mystery bells, and speculation ab...