Podcast appearances and mentions of Bill Kristol

No, the Trump administration is not focused on the forgotten man or bringing industrial jobs back. Instead, the real estate developer is handing out threats left and right—fresh off his Middle East trip, where he scored numerous deals with Islamofascists for himself, his family, and his cronies. And no matter what he says, the 'Palace in the Sky' is for him, once taxpayers pony up all the funds for retrofitting. Meanwhile, House Republicans are attempting to ram through their reconciliation bill—which is a huge debt bomb and is a big reason why Moody's downgraded the credit rating of the United States. Plus, Biden's cancer diagnosis, Epstein's 'absolutely crystal-clear' suicide, Trump proves Springsteen's point, and the administration gladly takes some of Mexico's worst. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Jonathan Cohn on the reconciliation bill's Medicaid cuts El Chapo's ex-wife and extended family at the US Southern border Springsteen in Manchester commenting on the current administration

Trump can't abide flying around in crusty, old Air Force One. Qatar—funder of both Hamas and the leading U.S. college Gaza protest group—just happens to have a spare, pimped-out 747 lying around, which they'd like to gift to Trump so he can use that instead. Pay no attention to the complete hypocrisy of an administration that says that students protesting for Gaza are a threat to our foreign policy. Plus, Trump's fake drug price cap, the White House caves to China on tariffs, Herr Miller becomes the leading voice for disappearing people, and Bill tells Tim he's rethinking his position on "Abolish ICE."  Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Sen. Barrasso dodging NBC's questions on habeas corpus  Tim's FYPod Go to https://surfshark.com/thebulwark or use code THEBULWARK at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Eliot and Eric welcome Larry Summers, former President of Harvard University and former Secretary of Treasury in the Clinton Administration. They discuss why his prescient advice about the dangers of inflation were ignored by the Biden Administration and whether or not Democrats have learned the lesson that inflation affects all Americans with corrosive political effects. They also touch on the prospects for the US economy given Trump's misguided and haphazard policies as well as the role they have played in the decline of the stock market and dollar and increase in bond yields and touch on the role that the loss of the US reputation for being a rule of law nation might have on long run prospects for the economy. They also examine his role as President of Harvard, his determination to participate in ROTC commissioning ceremonies, the danger of identity concerns devolving into a "victimization Olympics," his concerns about the decline of universities as an ivory tower where the search for truth goes on as well as the excesses of anti-Semitism that Harvard among other universities have suffered as well as more general reflections on the role of universities on the nation's public life. Larry Summers on Conversations with Bill Kristol: https://conversationswithbillkristol.org/conversation/larry-summers-trump-tariffs-threats-us-economy/ Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Trump 2.0 is showing so little concern for his political standing that even Fox made primetime room for Karl Rove to vent about how he's failing at the fundamentals. Our aspiring Gaddafi doesn't care that tariffs aren't popular or that he sounds like Mr. Scrooge when he says kids should have fewer toys. And while belt-tightening is good enough for average Americans, he's throwing himself a giant, ostentatious military parade that will cost tens of millions of dollars. Plus, conservatives in the Anglosphere take another hit, this time down under—and thumbs-up for Maine Gov. Janet Mills, thumbs-down for Gretchen Whitmer.  Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Today's "Morning Shots" Jonathan's recent newsletter on Gretchen Whitmer The Atlantic's recent interview with Trump (gifted)

The Trump administration keeps showing it's sooo tough on immigration that it deported three U.S. citizen children, arrested the wife of a member of the Coast Guard because her visa expired, and perp-walked an allegedly immigrant-concealing Wisconsin judge in handcuffs—instead of showing her the kind of deference Trump received over the course of his four indictments. Plus, the wildly wealthy jackasses behind Trump, the missing cargo ships at the ports, and Scott Pelley at 60 Minutes shows how it's done. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Tim on Trump's bad polling numbers for his first 100 days Adrian on a focus group of Latino men in Arizona who are disappoined in Trump Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' interview with Ryan Goodman Semafor's piece, "The Group Chats that Changed America"

Republican senators could have insisted on someone who was even minimally competent to run our military, but because of their spinelessness, we've now got a SecDef who can't resist texting top secret war plans. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court shows it doesn't trust the Trump administration, and judges on lower federal courts have stopped believing what its lawyers say. Plus, Joe Perticone joins from Rome to discuss the passing of Pope Francis. And the uncanny relevance of the American revolutionaries' grievances against King George. Bill Kristol and Joe Perticone joins Tim Miller. show notes Ryan Holiday on the Naval Academy canceling his speech (gift) Prof. Manisha Sinha sharing an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence

We are here: Trump is openly defying the Supreme Court while sitting side-by-side with a Latin American strongman who openly mocked our judicial system from inside the Oval Office. Trump so badly wants his one-man rule and Republicans keep helping him, while corporate America keeps trying to get on his good side. Meanwhile, the intimidation is chilling free speech on college campuses and within immigrant communities.  Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes JVL's emergency Triad from Sunday JVL's latest Triad The latest Focus Group on the fighting mood among Dem voters 

Part of the reason for the market bloodbath is because the finance wizzes didn't factor in that Trump would actually do the truly moronic thing he kept saying he would. Their shock over his recklessness is intensifying the crash. Meanwhile, a trio of administration fools trying to defend the tariffs—Lutnick, Bessent, and Hassett—showed there is no grand design to the trade war, White House infighting is getting hot enough that even Elon is subtweeting Trump, and the folks we elected over on the Hill could actually do something to try to stop the market carnage. Plus, new reporting on our government's kidnapping of migrants, Republicans in North Carolina are trying to steal a supreme court seat, and where is JD Vance? Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes JVL on the end of the American Age  Lauren on the backlash against Dems in major law firms who are bending the knee  60 Minutes segment on migrants sent to the Salvadoran penal colony  Tim's 'Bulwark Take' responding to the 60 Minutes report  Tim talking with AEI's Stan Veuger about Trump's terrible tariff math The book, "The Captive Mind" by Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz 

If Joe Rogan is the voice in the wilderness on the disappearing of migrants to El Salvador, then the Democratic leadership really needs to rethink its cautiousness. Meanwhile, the Bluffer-in-Chief is musing about a third term and Elon seems to be skirting the law in Wisconsin over an election he claims will determine the fate of civilization. Plus, the tariffs threats are rattling the markets, Trump's gullibility with Putin is coming through loud and clear, and why does JD hate Europe so much?  Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes The Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial on Boston Common Official trailer for the film, Glory Texas Democrat Veronica Escobar on the deportations to El Salvador Elon in a cheesehead *Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Go to surfshark.com/thebulwark for 4 extra months of Surfshark.

Bill Kristol joined Tim Saturday in Arizona to rip the atrocious behavior of our government—depriving even lawful Venezuelan migrants of due process, and shipping them off to a mega-prison in San Salvador where they may be being tortured. Any Democratic politician failing to speak out on this is wrong politically, morally, and ethically. Meanwhile, the DOJ is gearing up to charge Tesla vandals with domestic terrorism and Trump sent a Putin fanboy and very useful idiot, Steve Witkoff, to negotiate over Ukraine. Plus, AOC, Bernie, and Bill 2003 vs. Bill 2025. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Time magazine piece on the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador Sam talking with Lindsay Toczylowski, who represents Andrys, the gay barber and Salvadoran prisoner Photos of Andrys as a barber/makeup artist Call your Democratic senator: 202-224-3121. Immigrant Defenders Law Center The immigrants' rights division of the ACLU

Trump is taking liberties with our country's role in the world as a land of hope and opportunity by summarily locking up and deporting law-abiding immigrants—including people with legitimate asylum claims, people here on proper visas, and people with minor errors in their paperwork. And it's all being done with intentional cruelty to convey the message: Don't even think of coming to Fortress America. Meanwhile, his tone-deaf billionaire treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, is mocking Americans for wanting cheap TVs. Plus, Schumer postpones his book tour as Democrats look elsewhere for a fighter, and Trump throws a late-night tantrum about Biden's pardons. show notes: White House sizzle reel of immigrants being sent to penal colony in El Salvador Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick

In the 6 AM Hour: Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: Trump's speech is longest joint address to Congress in recent history. 6:35 AM - INTERVIEW - CAL THOMAS - Syndicated columnist – discussed the president’s speech. Bill Kristol on X: "Stand with trans Americans. You don’t have to understand everything about the transgender experience to know that Trump’s acts of humiliation and dehumanization Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 / 6 AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump is trying to chuck the post-WWII order and firmly pivot American foreign policy away from Europe and toward Putin—the poor guy who got dragged into totally-not-a-hoax Russia Russia Russia. And Lil' Marco and Lindsey rushed to defend Trump and JD against Zelensky, who dared to question in the Oval Office whether Putin could be trusted in any ceasefire deal. At the same time, DOGE is putting the lives of malnourished children and pregnant women at risk in the name of cost-cutting while Trump is planning to use taxpayer money to prop up crypto, so he and his cronies can personally profit off it even more. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Sam joins Bill for the most recent "Bulwark on Sunday" More on the USAID memo laying out Rubio's failure to provide life-saving foreign aid

Trump keeps filling out his administration with the unqualified and the inexperienced, including the recent addition of the borderline literate hack Dan Bongino at the FBI. Meanwhile, Trump's Friday night DOD purge was another step in embedding autocracy in our government. Plus, Elon's and Vance's efforts to influence the German elections seem to have backfired. And before the Proud Boy drama and the bomb threat at the annual Principles First conference, Tim spoke with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis about the right way to cut government waste and build more houses—and how the Dems should polish their prosperity messaging. Gov. Jared Polis and Bill Kristol join Tim Miller. show notes Bill's "Bulwark on Sunday" interview with Bob Kagan Principles First's "Declaration of Principles"

Firing air traffic controllers over a busy holiday travel weekend, cutting a veterans crisis hotline, axing and then rehiring people who maintain and keep our nuclear arsenal safe: Musk and his minions aren't trying to "fix" the government. They're trying to make it more susceptible to Trump's personalized leadership. And the MIA Dems need to get out there and throw some punches since the media loves fights. Meanwhile, the US is now more of a problem than a solution on Ukraine, Elon's massive corruption isn't drawing anywhere near the same attention as Hunter/Burisma—and Bill Cassidy could just vote against Kash or delay his confirmation if he's really worried about the FBI.   Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller  show notes Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Eric Edeleman Don Moynihan's newsletter that Bill mentioned

John Rubino outlined the deep state's bipartisan framework, emphasizing the interplay between government roles and think tanks that often leads to ineffective outcomes. He highlighted USAID's covert operations as an extension of the CIA, funding mainstream media and actions that align with U.S. interests abroad. Rubino noted that the Trump administration's significant cuts to USAID's workforce and funding have raised concerns among deep state operatives. He described the administration's strategy of overwhelming the media with multiple controversies, which has resulted in a chaotic political environment that distracts from in-depth coverage of critical issues. Rubino and Kerry Lutz discussed the implications of USAID's funding, suggesting it could evolve into a pro-MAGA initiative while raising concerns about promoting censorship in recipient countries. They highlighted the agency's financial support for relief efforts for illegal immigrants and the ethical dilemmas surrounding the distribution of surplus mRNA vaccines abroad. Their analysis pointed to the complex relationship between foreign aid, political agendas, and governance, emphasizing the need for accountability in how funds are allocated and utilized. The current state of USAID was critiqued as a "gravy train" for political operatives rather than an effective aid organization. Lutz provided examples of substantial funding directed to NGOs, including $8 million to Bill Kristol's organization, and discussed financial mismanagement within government agencies, including potential losses in HUD. Both speakers called for increased scrutiny of government spending practices, particularly regarding the Pentagon's lack of audits, which could reveal significant fraud. Rubino and Lutz examined the volatile political landscape, expressing concerns about the effectiveness of the current administration and the perception of government as a "grift." They discussed the potential for significant political upheaval and the capabilities of the new press secretary in countering mainstream media narratives. The conversation also touched on the gold market, with Rubino attributing its rise to factors like soaring debt and low interest rates, while Lutz speculated on the future of cryptocurrencies and their potential impact on inflation and the financial landscape. Find John's work here: https://rubino.substack.com Find Kerry here: http://financialsurvivalnetwork.com/  and here: https://inflation.cafe

The Regime, Deep State, Shadow Government, Cathedral, whatever you want to call them, absolutely lost its collective mind this week over the exposure of 1% of its total corruption and grift, facilitated by USAID. In reality, what DOGE accomplished this week is waking up normies on a scale previously unimaginable. Now and forevermore, John Q. Public won't be able to miss or ignore the elephant in the room, that the United States government has and continues to exist for no other purpose than to fund the lavish lifestyles of elite pedophiles with money stolen from the rest of us. With this revelation, maybe, just maybe, we can build the cross-demographic popular support to slash the entire thing down to the bone and replace it with nothing. After all, what do you replace cancer with after you cut out the tumor? Is DOGE Legal? Yes: https://x.com/RenzTom/status/1887038847629877714?t=Sy5BQeK1ba6z4Rh1_Qo2NQ&s=19  The Executive Order that Established DOGE: https://bit.ly/4gEHcAC  DOGE is Putting the Federal Government Through "Zero Based Budgeting": https://x.com/AndreaSJames/status/1886968773682586003?t=JaTD20s9z9ZAyNSAgcxBIg&s=19  How USAID Funds Notorious Neocon, Bill Kristol: https://x.com/DataRepublican/status/1886647920566636637?t=aqgKduvpduMHQX-CAPs9aA&s=19  **SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE** Become a Member: https://wmdpodcast.com/support-our-work  BUY MERCH (shirts, hats, hoodies, mugs, even welcome mats!): https://ee48ce-3.myshopify.com  BITCOIN WALLET ADDRESS: bc1qsx4qh6wqkmwac25rydfn8nhg4nrwrcx93fmjz4  CHECK OUT WMD ELSEWHERE: X: https://twitter.com/WMDpod  Facebook: https://www.facebook.cm/groups/566957281384509 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@WeaponsOfMemeDestruction:7 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/WMDPodcast

The new administration has been routinely breaking the law, including on Friday when it announced it was cutting funding for universities doing medical research, specifically in violation of legislation passed by Congress last year. And over the weekend, Trump, Musk, and Vance signaled a willingness to ignore court orders—a federal judge on Monday declared that the White House was doing just that in response to his order lifting a freeze on grant spending. Meanwhile, Trump designated himself the Supreme Leader over the Kennedy Center, and also childishly canned the national archivist because she discovered he was hoarding classified documents. Plus, at a time when we could use some decent role models, Jalen Hurts showed what it's like to win without being petty and consumed by grievance. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes JVL's Triad newsletter on how the Dems can win the USAID fight

It's a DOGE-eat-DOGE world.Before I get into my thoughts on DOGE—and I have quite a few—the reason I haven't written much about it (we did touch on USAID in Wednesday's update) is that I'm still wrapping my head around it.There's a lot of noise surrounding DOGE, and beyond the clatter, it's unclear exactly what's happening. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is in the valley. They lost a big election, have no effective power in government for at least the next two years, and have been throwing a lot of spaghetti at the wall. Chuck Schumer was parading around with a Corona and lime when it looked like we were going to hit Mexico with 25% tariffs, and now, the focus of the last 72 hours has been Elon Musk and DOGE.Because DOGE sits at the center of a political noise machine, I tend to be cautious about jumping in while everything is still in motion.That being said, DOGE is a significant development. What they're doing is something every Republican candidate in my lifetime has promised—and it may very well be illegal. We don't know if they're actually cutting the budget in the way they claim, nor do we know if anything they're doing is truly unlawful. But the fact that both of those questions exist simultaneously is reason enough to take a deeper look.Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency—DOGE—was conceived during Donald Trump's 2024 campaign and made official on January 20, 2025, the first day of Trump's second term. However, it is not a formal cabinet department. Instead, it began under the U.S. Digital Service, which was rebranded as the U.S. DOGE Service, before being placed under the Chief of Staff's office—likely to avoid transparency requirements. The stated goal of DOGE is to modernize federal technology and software to maximize government efficiency, with Musk claiming they aim to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. Musk has admitted that if they say $2 trillion, they might actually cut $1 trillion, but the ambition remains.DOGE operates out of the Eisenhower Executive Building next to the White House with a small headquarters of about 20 people. Rather than a traditional hierarchy, it functions as a task force embedded across government agencies, with small teams of DOGE operatives placed inside agencies to audit systems and pursue efficiency measures. Musk himself serves as a special government employee, a temporary advisory role that grants him broad access while allowing him to bypass disclosure requirements that apply to full-time officials. This is especially notable given Musk's extensive business interests in China—something so controversial that a bipartisan group of lawmakers banned TikTok last year.Key figures in DOGE include Steve Davis, CEO of The Boring Company and a longtime Musk confidant, who allegedly leads day-to-day operations. Then there are the so-called “DOGE Kids”—young adults, typically aged 19 to 24, from elite universities with backgrounds in Musk companies or the Peter Thiel machine. Some, like Luke Farritor, gained fame for achievements like using AI to decode ancient Roman scrolls. Others, like Marko Elez, have already faced controversy. Ellis resigned after the Wall Street Journal uncovered racist posts he made in 2024, including advocating for eugenic immigration policies and saying he would never marry outside his ethnicity.In its first 80 hours, Musk tweeted that DOGE had canceled $420 million worth of federal contracts. Get it. The issue? DOGE doesn't technically have the authority to cancel contracts. That power belongs to Congress and the departments that administer the funds. So the real question is whether DOGE is canceling these contracts or simply recommending their termination, with the speed of the Trump administration making it appear as though they're acting unilaterally.DOGE's aggressive approach has already ruffled feathers. On inauguration day, Musk's team assumed control of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) headquarters, installing sofa beds in the director's office and working around the clock. Within days, they cut off career OPM staff from internal systems, effectively giving Musk's team exclusive control over federal HR records. Two OPM employees filed a lawsuit in late January, alleging that DOGE unlawfully installed a private server on the agency's network.Things escalated further when DOGE turned its attention to the U.S. Treasury Department's payment system, which processes $5 trillion annually, handling everything from Social Security checks to federal salaries. When David Liebrich, a top Treasury official, refused to grant DOGE access, he was reportedly forced out. By January 31, Trump's new Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, approved DOGE's access. Soon after, a DOGE tech aide obtained unrestricted access to the payment system's code base and began making changes with minimal supervision—an alarming development that has raised red flags in Congress.And then there's USAID. Musk tweeted, “We're shutting it down,” referring to the agency responsible for international aid. But does Musk actually have the authority to do that? Or is he merely advising Marco Rubio, who, as head of the State Department, technically oversees USAID?If Musk is making these decisions, it's illegal. If Rubio is doing it, it's just an unusually fast-moving government operation. The speed and opacity of DOGE make it difficult to tell the difference.Meanwhile, DOGE has brought a renewed focus on federal spending. Social media has been ablaze with revelations about who benefits from government funds. Bill Kristol, a Never Trump figure, was found to have received money through USAID-funded organizations. More controversially, it was revealed that Politico received $8.2 million in federal funding last year. While some jumped to the conclusion that this was a Democratic subsidy for favorable coverage, the truth is more complicated. The money was for Politico Pro, a premium service used by government officials and lobbyists for networking and policy tracking. However, everyone I talked to in pulling this together told me Politico Pro sucks. Specifically compared to competitors like Bloomberg Government, raising questions about why agencies chose it over better alternatives.So how does this end? At some point, DOGE will hit a regulatory or legal wall that slows its momentum. They need enough public goodwill to sustain them when that happens, or the entire operation could grind to a halt.There's already evidence that Musk's influence is waning. A YouGov poll from November 2024 showed that 47% of Republicans wanted Musk to have significant influence in government. That number has since dropped to 26%, with 43% now preferring that he have only limited influence. Among all Americans, only 13% want Musk to have a lot of influence, while 46% want him to have none.DOGE's speed and disruption are unprecedented, but whether they represent true reform or reckless overreach remains an open question.All that… plus Jen Briney gives me her Doge thoughts and our final assessments of the confirmation hearings. Karol Markowicz joins the show to discuss Trump's musings on Gaza and the GOP infighting in Florida over immigration.Chapters00:00 Intro00:56 Let's Talk DOGE24:02 Jen Briney on DOGE and Confirmation Hearings40:18 Jen Briney on Confirmation Hearings01:10:02 UPDATE01:19:06 Karol Markowicz This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Hour 2 Segment 1 Tony starts the second hour of the show talking more about President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting and where Ireland stands on this situation. Hour 2 Segment 2 Tony talks about President Trump saying he will sign an executive order saying he will go back to plastic straws. Hour 2 Segment 3 Tony talks about the Never Trump crowd. Tony also talks about Bill Kristol. Hour 2 Segment 4 Tony wraps up the second hour of the show talking about another federal judge dealing another blow for birthright citizenship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony talks about the Never Trump crowd. Tony also talks about Bill Kristol.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 Segment 1 Tony starts the show talking about Maxine Waters getting extremely frustrated with Elon Musk. Tony also talks about 19-year-old, Edward Coristine, also known as “Big Balls” and has a concerning hacker background who works for DOGE. Hour 1 Segment 2 Tony talks about Ted Cruz saying that the key safety system was turned off on the Blackhawk helicopter that was involved in the Potomac River plane crash. Hour 1 Segment 3 Tony talks more about USAID paying Politico and other media outlets. Hour 1 Segment 4 Tony wraps up the first hour of the show talking about a Ruth Marcus opinion piece saying Trump 2.0 is the most damaging first two weeks in presidential history. Hour 2 Segment 1 Tony starts the second hour of the show talking more about President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting and where Ireland stands on this situation. Hour 2 Segment 2 Tony talks about President Trump saying he will sign an executive order saying he will go back to plastic straws. Hour 2 Segment 3 Tony talks about the Never Trump crowd. Tony also talks about Bill Kristol. Hour 2 Segment 4 Tony wraps up the second hour of the show talking about another federal judge dealing another blow for birthright citizenship. Hour 3 Segment 1 Tony starts the final hour of the show talking to Dr. Matt Will, economist from the University of Indianapolis, to talk about the latest in the job market and the tariffs. Hour 3 Segment 2 Tony talks about Carl’s Jr. bringing back the hot women campaign commercials. Tony also talks about the Bud Light commercial for the Super Bowl with Post Malone, Shane Gillis, and Peyton Manning. Hour 3 Segment 3 Tony talks about Kamala Harris checking out the wildfire damage in southern California. Hour 3 Segment 4 Tony wraps up another edition of the show talking about how he doesn’t care who wins the Super Bowl. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textTrump has built towers across the country – now he's branching out to Gaza? Gaza-Lago anyone? Nerds in T-shirts are taking over government agencies, men will be banished from women's sports, and Washington is forced to work a 40 hour week. Finally, is Politico a government sleeper org? All this and more on the LOOPcast! EMAIL US: loopcast@catholicvote.org  SUPPORT LOOPCAST: www.loopcast.org  Did you know… LOOPcast is on your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe on Apple, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen! LINKS YOU'LL LOVEList of “aid” sent abroadHeroic sports fan saves sisterPolitico funded by USAID?All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.00:00 – Welcome back to the LOOPcast!00:52 – Charity Mobile02:10 – Gaza-Lago13:20 – DOGE29:00 – Men Out of Women's Sports36:30 – On the Ground Vibes41:27 – Confirmation Hearings46:05 – Bill Kristol's comments48:10 – Twilight Zone

In the 5 AM Hour: Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: Panama Won't Renew Belt and Road Agreement With China, Making It First Latin American Nation To Leave Initiative Venezuela releases six U.S. detainees after Trump special envoy meets Maduro Trump officially ushers in long-awaited tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China Elon Musk says President Donald Trump has ‘agreed’ USAID should be shut down Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Monday, February 3, 2025 /5 AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gullible Republicans have really been proving what they're made of recently, including Susan Collins, who claims Trump wants to root out corruption, even though his whole life has been a fraud—the water, the university, and "The Apprentice," just for starters. Meanwhile, the presidents of Mexico and Colombia are showing that they're not going to bend over in service of Trump's vanity. Plus, JD's Johnny-come-lately Catholicism, and the tech titans's clash with DEI may be helping the US lose the lead in AI.  Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes: Colombian President Gustavo Petro's statement on Twitter (hit translate post) Timothée Chalamet on SNL

No need to mince words: it was the most damaging week for the constitution, and the Founders' carefully calibrated system of checks & balances, since at least the Civil War. Trump put into place a series of executive orders & actions that if upheld will expand his power enormously and cut out the legs from most opposition. A great roundtable of Susan Glasser, David Jolly, and Bill Kristol joins Harry to assess the damage and what it portends for degradations of American law, politics, and life.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump wants us to believe that nothing matters, so we'll brush off all his corruption and grifting as though everybody does it. That's what aspiring authoritarians always do, including the guy who didn't place his hand on a Bible when he was sworn in today. Meanwhile, Trump just launched probably the biggest scam in the history of the presidency with his memecoin—ordinary people will lose real money, nothing like the small-ball amounts he scoops up with his shoes, mugs, and digital baseball cards. Plus, Biden's pardons, Trump's Day One executive orders, and seizing the means of content production with TikTok. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes: TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY: Make The Bulwark your home for coverage of Trump 2.0. Get 2 months FREE of Bulwark+ now for exclusive content, ad-free commentary and more:  thebulwark.com Subscribe to The Bulwark

Trump's favorite judge, Aileen Cannon, has been attempting to exercise authority she doesn't have over Jack Smith's required report on his investigations of the Jan 6 case and the hoarding of classified docs—but she'll be a model of loyalty that Trump will expect for all his judicial appointments. Meanwhile, it's a big week of hearings for his nominees, Wray could do more to oppose the politicization of the FBI, and what is up with Fetterman?  Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Bob Kagan's Atlantic piece on Ukraine that Bill referenced

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Monday, Jan. 6, and reports on the first election certification since the Jan. 6 insurrection. Douglas Brinkley, Neal Katyal, Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Bill Kristol join.

Kash Patel's Jan 6 lie requires FBI officials to have been able to see into the future: to *know* that Trump would lose in 2020 and then try to get Congress to reverse the election results. And they also would have to have known they could get thousands of people to attack the Capitol—just to make MAGA look bad. Are GOP senators really going to clear this conspiracy theorist extraordinaire to run the bureau? Plus, the martyrology around Jan 6 and the mass exodus of journalists from The Washington Post. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes: Tom Jocelyn and Norm Eisen on Kash Sgt. Gonell's reflection on Jan 6 Michael Kruse on Al Gore and Mike Pence

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Thursday, January 2, and reports on the New Orleans truck attack, Congress and SCOTUS. Wendell Potter, Bill Kristol, Frank Figliuzzi and Cynthia Miller-Idriss join.

MAGA v DOGE, the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, is an early sign of the coming infighting that could diminish Trump's power—we're definitely not seeing signs of an iron fist amid all that golfing and DJ-ing at Mar-a-Lago. Meanwhile, the world he'll be dealing with is far less stable than it was in 2017. Plus, a Carter appreciation, love for Chalamet's Dylan portrayal, and anticipation of a wild January. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Tim's Bannon interview Tim's dispatch from AmericaFest & Kari Lake Part Deux Bill's conversation with Eric Edelman The Post on retribution advocate Ivan Raiklin (gifted) Sonny's review of Chalamet's "A Complete Unknown"

ABC News and George Stephanopoulos have joined the preemptive capitulation parade by settling Trump's defamation suit—and by conspicuously paying out protection money ahead of the inauguration. The potential chilling effect on a key First Amendment issue is breathtaking. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney backs off of his criticism of Trump and Vance. Plus, the anti-oligarchic, semi-populist grounds for challenging the incoming administration. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes: NYT piece Bill mentioned Bulwark debate on potentially ending Daylight Saving Time Bill's conversation with Jack Goldsmith

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Monday, December 9 and reports on President-elect Trump's plan to likely pardon people convicted of violence on January 6th. Plus, the latest on Syria as rebels drove Bashar al-Assad out of the country. Bill Kristol, Joyce Vance, Raf Sanchez and Amb. Marc Ginsberg join.

Trump is threatening members of Congress with jail, Republican senators may be circling the wagons around his nominees, but we still need to protect ourselves from a nihilistic mindset. Plus, the cautious optimism and uncertainty after the fall of Syria's brutal dictatorship, and No, Tulsi: You were wrong. Assad was our enemy.  Bill Kristol and Michael Weiss join Tim Miller. Show notes: Tim's Triad piece on fighting a nihilistic mindset

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comDavid is a historian, a journalist, and an old friend. He was managing editor and acting editor of The New Republic, a history columnist in the early days of Slate, and a contributing editor to Politico Magazine. He's currently a professor of History and of Journalism & Media Studies at Rutgers. The author of many books, including Republic of Spin and Nixon's Shadow, his new one is John Lewis: A Life.For two clips of our convo — on Lewis defending MLK from a sucker-punch by a white thug, and Lewis getting into an ugly political race against a friend — pop over to our YouTube page.Other topics: David and me in the old TNR days; Rick Hertzberg; Freud's theories on homosexuality; conversion therapy and Bill Kristol's conference on it; how David's new book isn't a hagiography; Lewis' poor upbringing in rural Alabama; his boyhood obsession with books and religion; preaching to chickens; inspired by a radio sermon by MLK; experiencing Jim Crow up-close; respectability politics; the CRA of 1964; Lewis as head of SNCC; getting to know JFK, RFK, and LBJ at a young age; non-violence as a core value; the voting rights campaign in Selma; the violent clash with cops at the bridge; the Voting Rights Act of 1965; the Black Power movement; BLM and George Floyd; Lewis' wife giving him the confidence to run for office; Marion Barry; Julian Bond and his cocaine habit; colorism; how Lewis was “shockingly early” to support gay rights; his bond with Bayard Rustin; staying vigilant on voting rights in the 1990s; their evolving nature in the 21st Century; his campaign for the African-American History Museum; skepticism toward the Congressional Black Caucus; the flawed documentary Good Trouble; AOC and Ayanna Pressley; Lewis the Big Tent Democrat; switching his ‘08 support from Hillary to Barack; his viral moments of dancing and crowd-surfing; and keeping his integrity over a long career in politics.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Christine Rosen on humanness in a digital world, Brianna Wu on trans lives and politics, Mary Matalin on anything but politics, Nick Denton, Adam Kirsch on his book On Settler Colonialism, and John Gray on the state of liberal democracy. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

Kash Patel, who could potentially run the FBI, is a compulsive liar who can't keep his facts straight about his work experience or even where he was born. Aside from being a player in the attempted coup, even Trump loyalists are alarmed by his devotion to the president-elect. Meanwhile, by pardoning Hunter, Biden is not only putting his family ahead of the public interest, he's also giving a giant gift to Trump. Plus, more details on Pete Hegseth's disqualifying behavior, and Trump's avenue for getting around the Senate confirmation process. Elaina Plott Calabro and Bill Kristol join Tim Miller. show notes: Elaina's profile of Kash Patel Patel's target list Jack Goldsmith on Trump getting around the Senate confirmation process Tim and Sam on Biden's pardon of Hunter Tim and Sam on Pete Hegseth's mom 

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Monday, November 25, and reports on Donald Trump's administration and the Democrats' success in flipping a House seat blue. Bill Kristol, Jelani Cobb and Laura Gillen join. Plus, listen to Melber's interview with Lin Manuel Miranda.

The danger of Trump's nominees is that the main condition of employment—aside from being on Fox—is their fealty to him, and a willingness to go along with the ideological fervor of Stephen Miller, Russ Vought and JD Vance. Meanwhile, the math may not add up for Tulsi, Sarah McBride shows grace and dignity in response to Nancy Mace, and Trump goes weirdly quiet.   Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Clip of Sarah McBride on MSNBC

Trump is flooding the zone with unqualified nominees who would destroy government norms and standards and create the kind of chaos that would let him do what he wants—and Senate Republicans may be too afraid of him to put up much resistance. Meanwhile, allies are already seeing the third world-style political decay, beyond the orgies and sexual assaults. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes "Art of the Surge" doc on Apple TV; Ep 5 has debate reaction backstage

An excellent roundtable of commentators—Heather Cox Richardson, Bill Kristol, and Mara Liasson—explains why based on the early evidence, Trump 2.0 poses grave risks to the rule of law & the national security. He has advanced a series of gonzo nominations for key administration positions that as much as dare the Senate to cross him. And he is making noises about using recess appointments to install those nominees, a maneuver that would warp the constitutional design of Senate advice and consent.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Friday, November 15, and reports on Donald Trump's cabinet picks. Plus, Melber is joined by Grammy award-winning artist and producer Finneas for the latest installment of "Mavericks with Ari Melber." Bill Kristol, Maya Wiley and Zeke Emanuel also join.

The Trump team is moving quickly to sell out Ukraine, but it's not clear yet whether Putin would settle for taking a quarter of the country—or if he intends to crush it, so he can plant the Russian flag in Kiev. Meanwhile, Elon has been at Mar-a-Lago every day, expanding his oligarch resume to include helping choose the incoming president's Cabinet and advisors. Plus, key Senate Republicans are already prepping to sacrifice their constitutional duties to advise and consent, and the election denialists on the left have to accept reality. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Charles Gaba's thread on the new 'Stop the Steal' conspiracy Tim's appearance on the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast

Harry sits down in a live conversation with Bill Kristol, one of the most influential voices in America political life for the last 35 years and a veteran of high official service in two Republican administrations. Kristol was an early and ardent opponent of Donald Trump and a founder of Republicans for the Rule of Law. Harry and he talk about his New York childhood in a conservative hothouse, his early academic success as a political philosophy professor, his transition to the practical hurly-burly world of politics, and his long stint editing the most influential magazine of conservative political thought, the Weekly Standard. They then go at length into why Trump is such a pernicious and divisive figure in America, the concrete threats he presents if elected again, and the role of the Republican Party in maintaining his influence, notwithstanding widespread contempt for him. Along the way, they explore the social and political explanations for Trump's rise and what needs to happen to restore America to a healthy two-party democracy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Republicans are crowing about a big turnout of early rural voters and a decrease in African American voters in the cities. But the early vote also features a big gender gap, likely tied to abortion—an issue that was not on the ballot in 2020. And the Trump team has done a terrible job of not taking the air out of the issue. Plus, the Epstein tapes, Trump's lousy last two weeks, and The Bulwark's good and worthy fight. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Monday's Morning Shots newsletter HuffPost story on Puerto Rican voters in Pennsylvania

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Friday, November 1, and reports on Trump's violent rhetoric and the election homestretch. Plus, icon documentary director Michael Moore joins the show. Connie Chung, Bill Kristol, and Rick Hasen also join.

John is joined by George Conway, Bill Kristol, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller from The Bulwark—the #NeverTrump startup that emerged as one of the 2024 election cycle's breakout media success stories—to discuss the presidential campaign's final sprint to the finish line. The Bulwark Fab Four discuss Donald Trump's and Kamala Harris's closing arguments; the tightness of the race in the battleground states and what might sway the tiny cadre of remaining undecided voters; Michelle Obama's return to the hustings and Steve Bannon's release from prison; and the political fallout from the profusion of provocations, out-front racism, and full-boil rage on display at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By de-prioritizing The Washington Post in his business empire, Jeff Bezos is showing exactly how a free press gets dismantled. Other corporate titans are also falling in line so they're not on the wrong side of Trump. Meanwhile, with the Klan-like rhetoric at Sunday's rally, MAGA is baring its teeth and showing us that its true essence is about white Christian supremacy. Plus, the Senate races, and Tim's reporting from outside MSG.  Bob Kagan—who resigned from WAPO on Friday—and Bill Kristol join Tim Miller. show notes: Bill and Bob's conversation on authoritarianism in 2019 Bob's book, "Rebellion," published in April Bob's 2016 piece warning how fascism could come to America Tim's message to Haley voters

Remember those few weeks when Trump ceded the stage to Kamala and didn't do any campaigning? How glorious it was not to have to talk about him. Meanwhile, Kamala, Liz, and Sarah work to seal the deal with undecided voters, Moldova rejects the vote-buying oligarchs, and Lindsey, you're wrong: It's Trump, not Kamala, who's the most radical candidate in modern American history. Mallory McMorrow was recorded live at our Bulwark event in Detroit, and Bill Kristol joined Tim Miller for a recap of the weekend's political news. show notes: Gifted link to John Heilemann's interview with David Plouffe