The Bulwark Daily

The cozy White House Correspondents' Dinner, where Trump joked around with reporters, was only in July. But now he's ripping away press credentials and setting up state-run media. Sarah scolds the WHCA for bending the knee to Trump to begin with. And recent Italian history even foreshadowed the Trump era. Jason, in his new book, explains how Silvio Berlusconi learned how to become the central character in the media. The more he was talked about, the more powerful he became—and the more his opposition became trapped. Plus: a case study of Giorgia Meloni, her love of the hobbits, her opposition to Trump, and the rise of far-right populism in Italy. Also, a little hopium for Texas turning blue. And today's Republicans will always choose power over the interests of women.
Sarah Matthews and The New York Times' Jason Horowitz join Tim Miller.
show notes:

Brendan on watching six straight hours of Trump TV

Sarah on MAGA world trying to save Max Miller

Jason's new book, "The Italian Job"

Catch Tim's TNL rant on George W. Bush

Nicole Bassett's Oregeon state senate campaign site

BJ's Lounge in NOLA

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The party has been busy playing defense in Trump states, and now comes the news that Susan Collins is corrupt on top of being a loyal MAGA supplicant. More Democrats should walk with Ossoff's swagger and keep their message simple: attack Trump on his corruption and the war. (And in colder climes, the price of heating oil.) Meanwhile, subpoenas over Trump Jr.'s Russian mobster-funded wedding are coming, and even some Republicans are likely to get on board. Plus: Ukraine is showing how to fight wars now and how the U.S. under Trump and Hegseth is not ready. And Tim keeps his promise and puts on a hair shirt after LSU's loss to Ole Miss. 
Stuart Stevens joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

ProPublica’s reporting on Susan Collins

Lauren on how Dems are dealing with the Republicans’ huge war chest

Tim’s interview with Wright Thompson last week

Stuart’s books, including “The Conspiracy to End America” and “The Last Season”

Stuart on performance-enhancing drugs

The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

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As Trump’s war of choice continues to expand in the Middle East, it’s clear that the president is desperate not to show how weak he really is. The administration is out of time and out of both strategic and rhetorical options in Iran. Another sign that he is flailing: Trump is trying to ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House press pool. But other TV outlets are pushing back in solidarity, forcing Trump to choose between two of his favorite things: punishing his critics and dominating the airwaves. Plus why the triumphal arch would be the silliest possible place for a military installation, Trump’s American Idol-style vote on what to call AI, and the unaddressed, ongoing education crisis.
Sitting in for Bill Kristol, Andrew Egger joins Tim Miller on the Monday pod.
show notes:

Tim’s conversation about the latest AI news with Stephen Witt

Tim and JVL’s 2023 conversation with Reid Hoffman

Andrew in today’s “Morning Shots” on AI

Dan Selsam’s statement

Nikole Hannah-Jones on her daughter’s public school education

The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

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Song of the Day: MJ Lenderman - “She’s Leaving You”

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In Greenland, the Trump administration has got tech bros and hedge fund guys running an influence operation there. The aim may be to fulfill Trump's territorial ambitions—or to create a sovereign state run by CEOs. In Venezuela, the administration is imperialistically seizing its gold, oil and other assets with no oversight. And in Brazil, the White House is trying to bring the Bolsonaro family back to power—which may or may not have something to do with Elon being angry about the country's tech regulation laws. In Trump 2.0, informal envoys, private companies, and hardened ideologues are turning American diplomacy upside down. Plus: Putin has played Kushner like a fiddle, don't let the story of Don Jr.'s Russian gangster-funded wedding die, new additions to the Applebaum book club, and we're going to have to bulldoze the ballroom.
Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes:

Anne’s Atlantic cover story, “Empire of Grift”

“Whistler: A Novel,” Anne's latest book recommendation

Tim’s book recommendation, “The Disappearers: A Novel”

The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

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Tim’s playlist

Closing song - War on Drugs - “Suffering”

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Republicans are reeling, the vibes are shifting, and the wave is building. Jesse serves up a particularly optimistic view of the Democrats' chances in the midterms, with even stretch districts now in play. And ahead of Saturday's Ole Miss-LSU game, Wright shares how Mississippians are responding to the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and says that conservative farmers in the state are turning on MAGA. Plus, the love of a father and Ole Miss football, some Magnolia Bowl lore, why 1956 is the linchpin year in college sports history, and predicting the hate ratio on Saturday in Oxford.
Wright Thompson and Jesse Lehrich join Tim Miller.
show notes:

Wright's books, including "The Barn" and "The Cost of These Dreams"

Wright's ESPN piece on Friday will post here

Jesse's "Nobody Knows Anything" podcast

"Nobody's Listening," Jesse's newsletter

Campaign site for Eliott Rodriguez, Maria Elvira Salazar's opponent

Erick Erickson piece Tim mentioned

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield

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