The Bulwark: The Next Level

Everything, everywhere, all at once.

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The House GOP's key informant for their impeachment efforts against President Joe Biden has charged with lying about his the Biden family's business dealings in Ukraine. How is this not a bigger deal! 

Plus, the gang discuss Nikki Haley's vow to stay in the race as the South Carolina primary approaches, as well as the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 proposals for Donald Trump if he wins another term in the White House.

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A study in contrast.

Become a Bulwark+ member to listen to the full episode: https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/it-follows

Dems continue their special election winning streak by flipping expelled Congressman George Santos' seat. Is it reason to be optimistic for November? And did the GOP sinking the border deal contribute?

Plus, Sarah is back and responds to opinions President Joe Biden is too old and needs to step aside, and the gang debate whether Nikki Haley will ultimately endorse Donald Trump.

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Once authoritarianism enters the political realm, it distorts everything.

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It's been a mess of a week for the GOP. Senate Republicans tanked their own bipartisan border bill, while House Republicans failed to deliver the votes to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, and provide aid to Israel. The DC Court of Appeals also ruled that former President Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution, just as RNC chair Ronna McDaniel steps down to make way for a Trump loyalist. A.B. Stoddard subs in for Sarah in this week's packed episode!

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Tim is joined by attorney Tristan Snell, who helped lead the prosecution of Trump University. They discuss the case and delve into the best legal strategies to take on Donald Trump with, so that the tyrant can finally be held accountable for his crimes.

Buy Tristan's book, "Taking Down Trump: 12 Rules For Prosecuting Donald Trump By Someone Who Did It Successfully," here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/756546/taking-down-trump-by-tristan-snell/

Also: How not to live and/or die with the polls over the next 9 months.

Biden is still down in the polls, but is it still too soon to take them seriously? Sarah has thoughts on which of the swing states Biden has to win, and she disagrees with JVL's thoughts on Nikki Haley finally going after Trump. Plus, the Trump endorsements are really starting to get to Tim, and MAGA rages against Taylor Swift for being a successful, popular liberal.

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If you want more Ballot Box with Bill and Tim, check out The Bulwark's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@bulwarkmedia

Bill and Tim are live every Tuesday night at 9pm Eastern.

Tim is joined by Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jaime, perished in 2018's Parkland school shooting. He's since dedicated his life to advocating for gun control measures  and taking on the NRA. In a heart-wrenching episode, Fred describes the day of the shooting and how his daughter still motivates him to make change.

Tim Miller speaks with Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss on the status of the Ukraine/border deal negotiations, as well as the prospect of Donald Trump sinking it for political purposes.

New Hampshire's come and gone, and while Nikki Haley hasn't dropped out of the primary, the overwhelming consensus is that the general election between Donald Trump and President Joe Biden has begun.

The gang breaks down the implications of Tuesday's results, including Trump's angry reaction to Haley staying in the race. Plus, they react to Tim Scott's sad endorsement of Trump and the current state of Dean Phillips' primary challenge to Biden.

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In a special climate episode of TNL Sunday, David Wallace-Wells, author of The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, joins Tim to discuss the current state of climate change and efforts to reverse the damage that's been done.

In this third edition of “George Conway Explains it All,” George explains to Sarah Longwell how he gave legal advice to E. Jean Carroll and helped connect her with her lawyer, Trump’s many, many other trials, and Trump’s big mad TruthSocial bleats directed at George.

In a special recording of their YouTube show, "Ballot Box," Bill and Tim recap the Iowa Caucus, discuss strategies for New Hampshire and where Democrats could be doing better.

The gang breaks down Donald Trump’s big win in Iowa, as well as what comes next for the other candidates in the primary. One thing’s for sure, Republicans in the Senate had their chance to convict Trump and destroy his chances at a comeback, but here we are.

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Tim speaks with Polk Award winning author Julie K. Brown about the recent batch of documents released regarding the Epstein case as well as her book 'Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story’. Julie K Brown is an investigative reporter for the Miami Herald.

Buy Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story here: https://www.amazon.com/Perversion-Justice-Jeffrey-Epstein-Story/dp/006300058X

Want to listen without ads? 

No Labels Is Big Mad, Chris Christie is good and Nikki Haley is toast. JVL and Sarah are giving you a free sneak peek at this week's Secret Podcast.

Become a Bulwark+ member to listen to the full episode: https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/its-not-that-hard-nikki

In this second edition of "George Conway Explains it All," Sarah Longwell and George discuss the possibility of Donald Trump going to jail and the likelihood of such a glorious outcome coming to fruition.

The Iowa caucus, and potentially the end to the entire 2024 primary season, is almost here. What are the campaigns doing in the final days? Plus, Donald Trump says he wants the economy to crash while Joe Biden is president. He also claims a president has complete immunity from all crimes.

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George Conway joins Sarah Longwell in this special edition of The Next Level to give his legal expertise on how SCOTUS will approach states kicking Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot.

NYT bestselling author Josh Green joins Tim to discuss his new book, The Rebels: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Struggle for a New American Politics. 

They go over Josh's hypothesis as to why a progressive didn't get the Democratic nomination in 2020, how the movement pushed Biden's agenda to the left, what the future holds for the party after Trump and Biden are gone, and why populism on the right has taken over the GOP in a way it hasn't for Democrats. 

Pre-order Josh's book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586025/the-rebels-by-joshua-green/

The media is killing it right now.

Become a Bulwark+ member to listen to the full episode: https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/its-not-that-hard-nikki

The gang is back to kick off 2024 by delving into the Iowa primary, where GOP primary voters seem poised to give aspiring dictator Donald Trump a landslide victory. Plus, the gang has differing thoughts on the president of Harvard University stepping down, as well as whether Nikki Haley has any shot of becoming Trump's VP.

Buy tickets to our live show, AN EVENING WITH THE BULWARK, in San Francisco on January 18th here: https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2024-01-18/election-2024-evening-bulwark

On the last Secret Podcast of 2023, Sarah and Tim talk Nikki Haley failing to mention slavery when asked about the cause of the Civil War.

Become a Bulwark+ member to listen to the full episode: https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/its-not-that-hard-nikki

The gang break down their predictions for 2024, including how the GOP primary will end, who will be Trump's VP pick, and the craziest development that could happen between now and election day.

On this special Saturday edition of TNL Sunday, Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band joins Tim and JVL to cover everything from politics and apartheid to the '80s, the politics of the 2020s, and his ever evolving career. 

Get the scoop on his music journey, genre-blending tricks, and thoughts on race in the industry. Plus, he spills the beans on acting, 'The Sopranos,' and how TV shows mix with his tunes. Don't miss the stories and laughs in this killer interview!"

Least bad options are the only options we've got.

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Colorado's state Supreme Court has ruled Donald Trump cannot appear on the ballot in 2024. The gang discusses whether the ruling does more harm than good as America enters it's next presidential year. 

Plus, the gang talks Trump's recent comments on immigration, the Senate sex scandal, and the new poll from The New York Times that bodes better for President Biden than other recent indicators. Tim also breaks down his experience as Turning Point USA's annual conference, so it's a jam-packed show today!

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Terrell Starr joins Tim to discuss being a Black reporter in Ukraine, and how that impacts the way he views the Russian invasion of the country. He also delves into the current mentality of Ukrainian citizens towards the defense effort, as well as how they view the stalemate in the United States over additional funds its ally.

Terrell's YouTube channel, Black Diplomats official, can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@BlackDiplomatsOfficial/videos

Subscribe to Terrell's newsletter here: https://substack.com/@terrellstarr (First article publishes next week.

If you'd like to donate to some Ukrainian organizations Terrell recommends, click on the links below:

Nareshti Help Fund: https://nareshti.com. PAYPAL info: nareshti.help@gmail.com (In the note say, "Terrell Starr sent me your way.")

Yahidne Mission, which helps to rebuild homes in formerly occupied cities:  https://heylink.me/Yahidne_mission/

Tatyana Kagitina, who supports Ukrainian soldiers who need winter gear, can be reached by email at tkagitina@gmail.com. (In the note say, "Terrell Starr sent me your way.")

Follow Terrell on social media with links below.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/terrelljstarr
IG: https://www.instagram.com/terrelljstarr?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Threads: terrelljstarr@threads.net

An else-worlds episode.

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The future of the GOP disgustingly hurtles towards Sen. J.D. Vance's isolationist vision, abandoning allies like Ukraine in the process. 

Plus, the Texas Supreme Court refuses to let a woman get an abortion, despite risks to her health. And the GOP's impeachment inquiry into President Biden can't even state the impeachable crime their investigating.

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The New York Times bestselling author David Grann ("The Lost City of Z") joins Tim and JVL to discuss his time covering Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, and how the choice of Gov. Sarah Palin paved the way for the GOP's embrace of Donald Trump.

Plus, David discusses his latest book, "The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder," as well as "Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI," adapted to film this year by director Martin Scorsese.

Buy David's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Grann/author/B001YDEZJO?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Plus: Sarah has to save America. Again.

Listen to the full episode by becoming a Bulwark+ subscriber here: https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/giving-permission

The gang discuss Speaker Mike Johnson blurring the faces of Jan. 6 insurrectionists to protect them from the DOJ, while Rep. James Comer makes the GOP impeachment inquiry about a truck President Joe Biden bought his son.

Plus, there's a GOP debate tonight! Is there a reason to watch? And young voters are still enthused about voting, but what about Muslim Americans?

This episode is sponsored by Zbiotics. Go to zbiotics.com/nextlevel to get 15% off your first order when you use NEXTLEVEL at checkout.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/thenextlevel today to get 10% off your first month.

The New York Times best selling author Clint Smith joins Tim to discuss race and its history in the United States, including the false narratives many Americans have about it. They also discuss his book, "How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America," and what he hopes its readers take from it.

Also: DeSantis vs. Newsom.

The gang reacts to the first reveals from Liz Cheney's new book, including some embarrassing Kevin McCarthy quotes. Meanwhile, New Hampshire governor and Republican moderate, Chris Sununu, says he'll vote for Donald Trump over Joe Biden if it comes down to it. But will his endorsement of Nikki Haley mean anything? And is Mark Cuban running for president?

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The gang discusses former Rep. Peter Meijer, who voted to impeach Donald Trump over January 6, and his insane justification as to why he will vote for Trump over Joe Biden. Plus, DeSantis' campaign is starting to play the blame game, while Nikki Haley's shows (a little) signs of life.

Professor Scott Galloway, host of the "Pivot" podcast, joins Tim to discuss the future of artificial intelligence, ungrateful tech leaders like Elon Musk, education inequality, and his transition into a media personality.

Tim debriefs his interview with Kari Lake, who's running to be the Senate of Arizona while attempting to put some of her craziest positions behind her. 

Plus, a new column gives Biden advice on how to turn his campaign around, so the gang give their own unsolicited opinions. And Donald Trump's plans for his second term are chilling, but they may be key to his defeat. 

Sonny Bunch joins Tim and Sarah to discuss all this and more! 

Politico column: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/13/biden-2024-reelection-challenges-strategy-00126776

Watch the gang record this episode here: https://youtu.be/eJ4hmFKgbbM

For a special Veteran's Day weekend TNL Sunday, Tim interviews CNN's Brianna Keilar, whose husband is a Green Beret. They discuss what it's like to be in a military family, the current partisan political divides within the institution, and much more.

Plus, Brianna talks about what it's like to cover Donald Trump post-presidency and how she decides what stories about the aspiring authoritarian to cover.

Check out Brianna's column, Home Front, here: https://www.cnn.com/politics/homefront

And the Republican debate.

The gang reacts to Democratic wins in last night's elections, like the pro-choice issue in Ohio and Dems taking over Virginia's state legislature; the latter effectively kills Republican donors' 2024 presidential hopes for Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

Plus, Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSantis to little coverage, Rep. Peter Meijer, who voted to impeach Donald Trump, says he'll vote for whoever the GOP nominee is after launching a Senate campaign, and the NYT releases a downright terrifying general election poll. 

And oh yeah, there's a debate tonight!

Watch the gang record this episode here: https://youtu.be/Utc33WA6IIg

Tim interviews Walter Isaacson at The Bulwark's live event in New Orleans. Listen to the two discuss Walter's latest book, Elon Musk, and what it was like for the author to interact with the business magnate as he was writing the biography.

This event took place on October 25, 2023.

The no-shot and the long-shot.

A new poll shows newly Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema trailing both Republican Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona's 2024 Senate race. She also thinks adults celebrating Halloween is creepy?

Plus, the Washington Examiner's cover art depicts a radical Democratic Party that couldn't be farther from the truth, Rep. Dean Phillips' campaign against Biden is run by a grifter, and Kentucky's Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is a model for how to win over Trump voters.

Get tickets to The Bulwark's DC show on NOVEMBER 16 at https://www.thebulwark.com/events.

This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/50thenextlevel and use code 50thenextlevel for 50% off plus free shipping!

Watch the gang record this episode on The Bulwark's official YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/CYKLzwERU-4

Actor and comedian Tom Arnold joins Tim to discuss his journey from comedy into anti-Trump politics.

He also delves into his background growing up in a white working class family, as well his split from Roseanne Barr and her embrace of right-wing conspiracies. Plus some good old fashioned GOP-bashing for fun!

And at the top of the show, Tim gives his reaction to Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips launching a presidential primary campaign against President Joe Biden.

Note: This episode was taped on October 16, 2023, prior to Rep. Mike Johnson becoming Speaker of the House.

Watch Tim interview Tom on The Bulwark's official YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/POmADsZYOYY

The new speaker and the new presidential candidate.