Lis Smith: Dems Need to Burn Down the Party Establishment

The White House readies plans for mass firings in the federal government as Democrats weigh the stakes of forcing a government shutdown. The Justice Department prepares to seek an indictment for former FBI Director James Comey as President Trump hunts for revenge against his political enemies. Ezra Klein of The New York Times joins Tim to discuss what a fight about a shutdown should really be about, how Democrats can find a message that can meet the moment and what it will take to pull our politics out of a violent moment. Show Notes: Ezra Klein: “Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics The Right Way.” Ezra Klein: “We Are Going to Have To Live With Each Other.” (An Interview with Ben Shapiro) Bulwark Live in DC (10/8) and NYC (10/11) with Sarah, Tim and JVL are on sale now at TheBulwark.com/events. NEW show added to Toronto schedule: Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27 —tickets are on sale now, here.

25 Sep 20251h 10min

A government shutdown creeps closer as President Trump cancels a meeting with Democratic leaders. Former Vice President Kamala Harris embarks on a press tour to promote a score settling book about her campaign. Plus, Trump taps one of his former personal lawyers to replace a U.S. attorney he dismissed for not targeting his political enemies after publicly calling on the Justice Department to move against people he thinks wronged him. In a two-part episode, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) joins Tim Miller to talk about her race for the Senate and how Democrats can dig themselves out of a hole nationwide. And Glenn Thrush of The New York Times joins the show to talk about his reporting on Trump’s escalating pressure on the Justice Department. Show Notes: Glenn’s piece in The New York Times about Donald Trump tapping his former defense lawyer as the new U.S. Attorney in Eastern Virginia. Bulwark Live in DC (10/8) and NYC (10/11) with Sarah, Tim and JVL are on sale now at TheBulwark.com/events. NEW show added to Toronto schedule: Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27 —tickets are on sale now, here. Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code THEBULWARK at mudwtr.com/THEBULWARK! #mudwtrpod

24 Sep 202556min

The injecting-bleach president is getting some super-strong pseudoscientific information to scare mothers and blame them for autism while conveniently ignoring the role geriatric sperm may play in neurodivergence. Meanwhile, Kimmel may be coming back, but confusion remains about why his show was pulled to begin with—given the jokes Trump, his son, and other high-profile people made about the attempted murder of Paul Pelosi. Plus, the strength of Dems out in the field vs the leadership in DC, and how overly focusing on race and identity in this majority-white country can make everybody focus on it. Bakari Sellers joins Tim Miller. show notes Tim and Sam on the Tylenol briefing Bakari's book, "The Moment" Jesse Jackson's 1984 convention speech CNN on the Clinton Lincoln Bedroom scandal Bulwark Live in DC (10/8) with special guest Rep. Sarah McBride On sale now at TheBulwark.com/events. NEW show added to Toronto schedule: Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27 —tickets are on sale now, here. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you.

23 Sep 202552min

We thought Tom Homan was just an extreme border hawk and ideologue. Now we know this powerful law enforcement official, who's depriving immigrants of their freedom, may also be a corrupt law-breaker—after he was reportedly recorded taking a $50,000 cash bribe during an FBI sting operation. And MAGA die-hards, like Megyn Kelly, have made clear they don't care. Meanwhile, Kash is having FBI agents pursue QAnon leads in the Kirk assassination. Plus, Tucker is a very sick person, Trump is demanding that Bondi file trumped-up charges against his enemies, and Democrats should absolutely not vote to fund this administration. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Leonnig's and Dilanian's reporting on Homan taking a $50,000 bribe Tim on Megyn Kelly's diatribe against him; or watch on YouTube Monday's "Morning Shots" Will Sommer's newsletter, "False Flag" Bulwark Live in DC (10/8) with special guest Rep. Sarah McBride On sale now at TheBulwark.com/events. NEW show added to Toronto schedule: Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27 —tickets are on sale now, here.

22 Sep 202540min

Cancel culture lives on, but it's taken new turns, especially among some of the loudest opponents of woke culture who simply can not abide one word of criticism about Charlie Kirk or Israel. Meanwhile, the vice president of the United States is actively encouraging his kind of Americans to rat out their neighbors. Plus, how authoritarianism and corruption go together, the challenge for academics who don't adhere to views on race they're 'supposed' to have, and Trump's talent for exploiting grievance will be studied for years. The Atlantic's Thomas Chatterton Williams joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Thomas's "Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse" Thomas's recent Atlantic piece The Harper's Letter Tim's playlist Bulwark Live in DC (10/8) and NYC (10/11) with Sarah, Tim and JVL are on sale now at TheBulwark.com/events. NEW show added to Toronto schedule: Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27 —tickets are on sale now, here. Go to https://zbiotics.com/THEBULWARK and use THEBULWARK at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.

19 Sep 20251h

The administration wants people to believe that Jimmy Kimmel was pulled off the air because he supposedly crossed a red line when it came to Charlie Kirk—yet at the same time, somehow totally ignore that this is naked government coercion of critics who embrace the time-honored tradition of skewering presidents. And because this is the Trump administration, there's also a corruption angle, namely a local TV station conglomerate trying to curry favor with Trump and FCC Chair Brendan Carr to get a $6.2 billion merger approved. Meanwhile, Vance is openly manufacturing a new, broader conspiracy behind the Kirk assassination, continuing his admitted pattern of just making things up out of whole cloth. It'd be nice if other members of the media noticed. JVL and Brian Stelter join Tim Miller. show notes Brian's "Reliable Sources" newsletter JVL's Thursday 'Triad' Bulwark Live in DC (10/8) and NYC (10/11) with Sarah, Tim and JVL are on sale now at TheBulwark.com/events. NEW show added to Toronto schedule: Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27 —tickets are on sale now, here.

18 Sep 20251h 2min

This country has been dealing with an increase in political violence for nearly a decade, and leaders from across the spectrum need to do everything they can to get us off this terrible path. Declaring 'free speech for me and not for thee,' or getting random people fired for not saying nice things about Charlie Kirk isn't helping to tamp things down. Meanwhile, it looks like Trump is sacrificing U.S. national security interests with his corrupt TikTok and UAE deals, and Russia remains one of the only countries in the world Trump hasn't tariffed. Plus, Democrats must not roll over and play dead on the spending bill like they did in the spring. Amb. Susan Rice joins Tim Miller. show notes Bulwark Live in DC (10/8) and NYC (10/11) with Sarah, Tim and JVL are on sale now at TheBulwark.com/events. NEW show added to Toronto schedule: Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27 —tickets are on sale now, here.

17 Sep 202547min

The former senator and former Dem has some not-very-nice things to say about Schumer and Obama—as well as progressives—who he blames for hounding Biden to move left and diminishing his will to fight. And while he's proud he helped protect the filibuster while he was in the Senate, Republicans just invoked the nuclear option to get Trump's nominees approved. Plus, what's with all the Confederate flags in West Virginia? And why aren't West Virginians more angry that conditions in the state have not improved since flipping red under Trump? Sen. Joe Manchin joins Tim Miller. show notes Sen. Manchin's new book, "Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense" Tim's 2021 piece, "An Ode to Saint Joe Manchin" Bulwark Live in DC and NYC at TheBulwark.com/events. Tix for a second Toronto show go on sale for members Tuesday at noon and for everyone else on Wednesday! Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to: https://www.wildalaskan.com/BULWARK.

16 Sep 202558min