Podcast appearances and mentions of rick wilson

Episode 1017 puts a decade of Never Trump confessions on trial, dissecting this unusual week where Tim Miller, Stuart Stevens, Rick Wilson, and Joe Scarborough all admitted, in various roundabout ways, that they'd known the Republican base was rotten all along. Driftglass and Blue Gal ask the only question that matters — did they know, or were they delusional? — and prove with two decades of receipts that they knew, they profited from it, and now they're profiting again by pretending to be "the first ones brave enough to say so."  (Fun Fact:  Rick can't even get the timeline right.)  The episode also honors Dolly Parton, contrasts a manosphere UFC event (that may have killed the manosphere) with Zohran Mamdani's genuinely joyful "bro culture," and shows Abdul El-Sayed outmaneuvering Jesse Watters by refusing the culture-war bait entirely. It's about judgment as a moral obligation, not a sin, and why remembering things accurately is the one thing the Never Trump grift can never survive.Links for this episode: GQ Link:  https://www.gq.com/story/ufc-at-the-white-houseMamdani's Bro Culture https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/nyregion/mamdani-bro-culture-sports.html Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Trump’s Natalie Harp problem that won’t go away.Then we’ll talk to author Kurt Andersen about the book everyone is talking about, his new book The Breakup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Todd Blanche demonstrating that he’ll do whatever Trump says. Then we’ll talk to Brian Poindexter about his run for Max Miller’s congressional seat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democracy won't be saved by outrage alone—it will be saved by people who turn anger into organized, sustained action.In this August 10 BigTentUSA Substack Live, The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson and The Existentialist Republic's Christopher Armitage argued that the fight ahead requires moving from emotional reaction to practical, repeatable civic engagement.Wilson emphasized the stakes of the 2026 midterms, arguing that a decisive electoral victory could help rebuild democratic institutions and limit attempts to undermine election results. He urged Democrats to stay focused on voters' top concerns—prices, inflation, jobs, the economy, and corruption—and to make the case for change clearly and consistently.Armitage focused on the mechanics of authoritarianism, including misinformation, information overload, and efforts to make people feel powerless. Rather than dismissing or insulting people who believe misinformation, he encouraged asking questions that prompt them to examine where their beliefs come from.Both speakers stressed the importance of grassroots organizing, especially at the state and local level. They called for sustained pressure on elected officials, stronger protection of voting rights, and participation in every election—not just presidential races. The central message was simple: meaningful change comes from millions of people taking small, concrete actions consistently. The goal isn't just to resist—it's to organize, act, and win.Actionable items mentioned:* Vote in every election, including midterms and local races such as county commissions and city councils.* If you encounter a problem voting, request a provisional ballot.* Contact state officials—particularly governors, attorneys general, and secretaries of state—to urge them to prepare for potential federal intervention or unlawful actions affecting elections.* Write letters and make calls to elected officials, including officials who may not share your political affiliation.* Pressure local and state-level officials with specific, concrete demands.* Challenge misinformation through questions, such as asking where someone heard a claim, why they believe it, and what led them to that conclusion.* Take small civic actions consistently rather than waiting for a major moment—actions should be manageable enough to do regularly, even during a morning coffee.* Focus grassroots organizing on lower-level political offices and races, where sustained public pressure can have an impact.* Keep the 2026 midterms front and center, with a focus on building a large enough electoral victory to protect democratic institutions and democratic outcomes.Learn more about The Lincoln Project:https://lincolnproject.us/Check out Rick's Substack:https://substack.com/@therickwilson Explore “The Existentialist Republic” newsletter:https://cmarmitage.substack.com/ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:Christopher Armitage is a former law enforcement officer with a background in national security. He now works as a public policy analyst, anti-authoritarian activist, and journalist. His work has been cited by Mother Jones, the Brookings Institute, and Thom Hartman.Founder of The Lincoln Project, Rick Wilson is a renowned political strategist, an award-winning ad-maker and podcast host, writer, speaker, and political commentator who appears on MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NPR, Real Time with Bill Maher, and various American and international news outlets. A 30-year veteran of national Republican politics, Rick got his start in the 1988 Presidential campaign of George Herbert Walker Bush and has produced groundbreaking and award-winning political advertising, strategic counsel to winning political candidates, SuperPACs, state parties, the national campaign committees, and corporate, association, and government clients across the nation and around the world. Rick has authored two New York Times bestsellers – “Everything Trump Touches Dies” and “Running Against The Devil – A Plot To Save America from Trump And Democrats From Themselves” – and often writes for the Byline Times, The Washington Post, Politico, Rolling Stone, The Hill, The Bulwark, and The London Spectator. Rick's podcast also won the Best Political Podcast award at this year's prestigious Webby Awards. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigtentnews.substack.com

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Trump’s grip on elected officials while losing influence in the primaries.Soon-to-be Congressman Daniel Biss joins us to talk about being an anti-AIPAC Jewish candidate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 6, 2026; 6pm; With less than three months before the midterms, Trump is facing a massive polling crash, rising gas prices, an unpopular war of choice, and a MAGA revolt by some of his closest MAGA allies. Molly Jong-Fast, Rick Wilson, Tim O'Brien, Will Sommer and Rick Reilly join The Beat to discuss. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Donald Trump having his bank accounts closed for money laundering. Then we’ll talk to Status News Oliver Darcy about Bari Weiss’s running CBS News into the ground. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Trump’s new hate-election strategy to win the midterms.Former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler joins us to talk about his new book, This Is the Plan: How to End America’s Meltdown and Save Democracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CannCon and Ashe count down to tonight's much hyped presidential speech, teasing what might come out about weaponized government agencies and dropping a genuinely wild claim about a prominent Lincoln Project figure admitting intelligence community ties. They dust off a decades old Dan Rather segment on voting machine rollouts that is so copyright locked it could not even air on YouTube last night, and connect it straight to today's Save America Act debate. There is also a detour into a viral moment from a Michigan Democrat candidate that has the internet in stitches. On the geopolitics side, President Trump sits down for a pointed interview about where the Iran conflict goes next, including talk of energy targets, power plants, and a mysterious nuclear site called Pickaxe. Sponsor breaks, dog stories, and the usual chaos included.

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Trump’s bad math for getting the SAVE Act passed after Lindsey Graham’s death.Author Michael Blanding joins us to talk about his new book, The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family’s Quest to Craft a Christian Nation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New developments are unfolding in the Nolan Wells case, and we're breaking down everything we know so far. Then, we'll turn to the political fallout following the death of Lindsey Graham and the growing speculation surrounding Mitch McConnell's health and future. Joining Don to break it all down is Rick Wilson. Tune in live. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Stop waiting for permission to build something. Your next revenue stream starts free at shopify.com/lemon This episode is sponsored by American Financing. Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 888-675-4090 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Lemon. Average savings based on borrowers who save over $199.99. This episode is brought to you by Upwork. Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free This episode is sponsored by FFRF. Visit https://ffrf.us/don or text DON 511511 to join or learn more. Because freedom belongs to all of us. Text Fees May Apply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New developments are unfolding in the Nolan Wells case, and we're breaking down everything we know so far. Then, we'll turn to the political fallout following the death of Lindsey Graham and the growing speculation surrounding Mitch McConnell's health and future. Joining Don to break it all down is Rick Wilson. Tune in live. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Stop waiting for permission to build something. Your next revenue stream starts free at shopify.com/lemon This episode is sponsored by American Financing. Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 888-675-4090 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Lemon. Average savings based on borrowers who save over $199.99. This episode is brought to you by Upwork. Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free This episode is sponsored by FFRF. Visit https://ffrf.us/don or text DON 511511 to join or learn more. Because freedom belongs to all of us. Text Fees May Apply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tomorrow's inauguration may spell the end for Donald Trump's disastrous presidency, but the monster he unleashed upon us January 6th will be with us for a generation. Michael discusses how the rioters were not some extraordinary group of hardened extremists, but rather, they come from our own communities; representing, as writer Hannah Arendt noted in her landmark 1963 New Yorker essay about the trial of Adolf Eichmann, "the banality of evil." The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson joins Michael to discuss how we go about dismantling Trump's ugly legacy and hold the rioters and those who supported them accountable. For cool Mea Culpa gear, check out www.meaculpapodcast.com/merchTo learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Mea Culpa welcomes back one of our favorite people from the Lincoln Project, Tara Setmayer. She's a former CNN political commentator, a contributor to ABC News, and a former GOP Communications Director on Capitol Hill. Setmayer has appeared on ABC's The View, ABC's Good Morning America, and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. She was named a Harvard Institute of Politics Spring 2020 Resident Fellow. Also in 2020, she joined The Lincoln Project as a senior advisor. Setmayer hosts the live show "The Breakdown" alongside co-founder Rick Wilson, on the organization's streaming channel, LPTV. She's also a fierce critic of the ongoing MAGA agenda and what she views as the GOP's shameful inability to move beyond its toxic politics. She joins me today as we celebrate the ruling against Donald Trump by Judge Engoron. 

What happens when two of the Republican Party's top former strategists start spilling the tea? Rick Wilson and Stuart Stevens pull back the curtain on the GOP like never before, exposing decades of hypocrisy, the party's obsession with LGBTQ+ issues, and the shocking stories they witnessed from the inside. From the so-called "Pink Mafia" to MAGA's culture wars, nothing is off limits. It's funny, jaw-dropping, and guaranteed to have Republicans clutching their pearls. And after years of hearing Donald Trump gush about men's physiques, Arnold Palmer's anatomy, and a seemingly endless parade of very gay-adjacent comments, one question inevitably comes up: Could Trump be gay? (We're kidding... mostly.) This episode is sponsored by Incogni. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can't harm you if they can't find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet This episode is brought to you by Shopify. See less carts go abandoned and more sales go with Shopify and their Shop Pay button.Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by FFRF. Visit https://ffrf.us/don or text DON 511511 to join or learn more. Because freedom belongs to all of us. Text Fees May Apply This episode is brought to you by Helix. Go to https://helixsleep.com/don for 20% off Sitewide and 25% off Luxe Mattresses and 30% off Elite Mattresses For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial 212-931-0855 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to https://askchapter.org/don DISCLAIMER: Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Average potential savings are based on realized premium, co-pay, and out of pocket savings estimates self-reported by consumers that worked with Chapter Advisory LLC to enroll in a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and/or Part D Prescription Drug Plan. The average is limited to consumers that chose to self-report. Savings information is subject to periodic updates and corrections. There is no guarantee of savings and any savings may vary by policy type, state, or other factors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when two of the Republican Party's top former strategists start spilling the tea? Rick Wilson and Stuart Stevens pull back the curtain on the GOP like never before, exposing decades of hypocrisy, the party's obsession with LGBTQ+ issues, and the shocking stories they witnessed from the inside. From the so-called "Pink Mafia" to MAGA's culture wars, nothing is off limits. It's funny, jaw-dropping, and guaranteed to have Republicans clutching their pearls. And after years of hearing Donald Trump gush about men's physiques, Arnold Palmer's anatomy, and a seemingly endless parade of very gay-adjacent comments, one question inevitably comes up: Could Trump be gay? (We're kidding... mostly.) This episode is sponsored by Incogni. Go to https://incogni.com/donlemon and use code donlemon for 60% off. Incogni HELPS wipe yourself from the Internet — they can't harm you if they can't find you. Click the link below to claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market! Erase yourself from the internet This episode is brought to you by Shopify. See less carts go abandoned and more sales go with Shopify and their Shop Pay button.Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://SHOPIFY.COM/lemon This episode is sponsored by FFRF. Visit https://ffrf.us/don or text DON 511511 to join or learn more. Because freedom belongs to all of us. Text Fees May Apply This episode is brought to you by Helix. Go to https://helixsleep.com/don for 20% off Sitewide and 25% off Luxe Mattresses and 30% off Elite Mattresses For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial 212-931-0855 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to https://askchapter.org/don DISCLAIMER: Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Average potential savings are based on realized premium, co-pay, and out of pocket savings estimates self-reported by consumers that worked with Chapter Advisory LLC to enroll in a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and/or Part D Prescription Drug Plan. The average is limited to consumers that chose to self-report. Savings information is subject to periodic updates and corrections. There is no guarantee of savings and any savings may vary by policy type, state, or other factors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss why Trump is in hiding.The New Republic’s Michael Tomasky joins us to talk about his new book, Killing Baby Hitler. You can find it here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss the White House melting down over leaked tapes of their meetings on the Epstein files.New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham joins us to talk about the diverse challenges of governing the state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Trump melting down on Meet the Press.ProPublica’s Robert Faturechi joins us to talk about Trump’s doomed choice for DNI, Bill Pulte.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mea Culpa welcomes back one of our favorite people from the Lincoln Project, Tara Setmayer. She's a former CNN political commentator, a contributor to ABC News, and a former GOP Communications Director on Capitol Hill. Setmayer has appeared on ABC's The View, ABC's Good Morning America, and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. She was named a Harvard Institute of Politics Spring 2020 Resident Fellow. Also in 2020, she joined The Lincoln Project as a senior advisor. Setmayer hosts the live show "The Breakdown" alongside co-founder Rick Wilson, on the organization's streaming channel, LPTV. She's also a fierce critic of the ongoing MAGA agenda as well as the damaged GOP that has grown like a cancer from the hard right. 

The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Trump kneecapping JD Vance presidential aspirations. Then we'll talk to The Center For American Progress Tom Moore about his plan to overturn Citizens United that one state has already passed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mea Culpa welcomes one of our favorite people from the Lincoln Project, Tara Setmayer. Setmayer is a former CNN political commentator, a contributor to ABC News, and a former GOP Communications Director on Capitol Hill. She's appeared on ABC's The View, ABC's Good Morning America, and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. Setmayer was named a Harvard Institute of Politics Spring 2020 Resident Fellow. Also in 2020, she joined The Lincoln Project as a senior advisor. Setmayer hosts the live show "The Breakdown" alongside co-founder Rick Wilson, on the organization's streaming channel, LPTV. Michael and Tara dig deep into the media and its effect on the elections, Trump's denials, and George Santos. 

Mea Culpawelcomes back Rick Wilson, longtime Republican political strategist, infamous negative ad-maker, and commentator. Since 2015, he's been a leading conservative critic of Donald Trump. His regular column with The Daily Beast is a hilarious and spot-on must-read in the political community. He is also a founding member of the Lincoln Project. Rick's been published in The Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, The London Spectator, Rolling Stone, The New York Daily News, USA Today, The Bulwark and beyond and he's constantly called upon for sharp political insights on the national news networks, including CNN and MSNBC. He's also a fan favorite on Real Time with Bill Maher. A 30-year veteran of politics, Rick got his start in the 1988 Presidential campaign of George Herbert Walker Bush. Rick is also a best-selling author, his latest book is “Running Against the Devil” and his #1 New York Times, best-seller, “Everything Trump Touches Dies” which quintessentially defined the Trump and Michael and Rick dig deep into Clarence Thomas, Fox News, and all of Trump's pending cases and DeSantis.