Katherine Gehl — the originator of Alaska's Ranked Choice Voting system — discusses progress on reforming our primary elections. The group then weighs in on Zelensky's historic visit, Elon's fate, Trump's taxes, and the immigration stalemate.

Highlights/Lowlights
Bill's:
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker-carlson-zelenskyys-visit-represented-bipartisan-masochism
Damon's:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/23/nyregion/george-santos-republican-resume.html
Mona's:
https://russroberts.medium.com/the-economist-as-scapegoat-91b317a6823e
Linda's:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/veterans-congress-abandoning-afghan-allies-spending-bill-rcna62686
Katherine's:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2022/12/22/omnibus-bill-senate/
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How to Disempower the Extremists

Beg to Differ is a weekly roundtable podcast brought to you by http://TheBulwark.com. Host Mona Charen is joined by Linda Chavez of the Niskanen Center, Bill Galston of the Brookings Institution, and Damon Linker, who writes "Notes from the Middleground," to discuss the news of the week in a respectful, rational forum.

News

Politics

News Commentary

Famed presidential photographer David Hume Kennerly joins Bill Kristol and regulars to discuss the Ford Library's cowardly refusal to honor Liz Cheney, how Democrats should handle the Trump verdict, and Biden's standing with the young and old.



highlights / lowlights

David: In closing, Trump’s team takes the jurors for idiots (Dana Milbank, WaPo)



Mona: Why Trump is hobnobbing with rappers facing gang-related charges (MSNBC)



Bill Kristol: The impressiveness of the Manhattan Trump Trial (NYT).



Linda Chavez: Mexican Democracy Hangs In The Balance (Enrique Krauze, Persuasion)



Bill Galston: Highlight: NATO’s boss wants to free Ukraine to strike hard inside Russia (The Economist)



Lowlight: Almost 6,000 Dead in 6 Years: How Baltimore Became the U.S. Overdose Capital (NYT) 



show notes: 

The Danger of a Small Act of Cowardice by David Hume Kennerly. (Includes the Cheney / Ford photo referenced in the show.) 



David's Resignation Letter from the Ford Presidential Foundation


Wanted: A Biden Campaign

Joe Klein joins the panel to discuss Haley's Trump support, Alito's freak flags, and polls showing Americans are deeply misinformed about the state of the economy.



highlights / lowlights



Damon: Is the Biden Campaign Running on False Hope? (Isaac Chotiner, NYer)



Linda: Three Books to Help You Understand Nations in Transit 2024 (Freedom House)



Joseph: The U.S. assembles the pieces of a possible Gaza war endgame (David Ignatius, WaPo)



Mona: The Birth of a MAGA Conspiracy Theory (Andrew Egger, The Bulwark)



Bill: If Trump wins, what would hold him back? (Andrew Prokop, Vox)






What if What the Electorate Knows is Flat Wrong?

Sarah Longwell, Chris Cillizza, Will Saletan join Mona and Bill to discuss the upcoming debates, the polls (and Biden's response to them) and how to spend a record $61 million on a Senate primary and still get trounced.



highlights / lowlights



Mona: Thousands sign petition urging canceled concerts by Israeli ensemble to go ahead in Amsterdam (Times of Israel)



Sarah: GOP Sen. Mitt Romney says Biden should have pardoned Trump (NBC)

Biden killing the presidential debate commission. 



Chris: The beauty of no audience at the Presidential debate.



Bill: Can the Declaration of Independence’s Ideals Hold America Together? (Colin Woodard, Washington Monthly)  



Lowlight: The reports from the battlefield in Ukraine, after the GOP delayed aid for so long.



Will: RFK Jr.’s Rich Running Mate Just Added $8 Million to His Effort. 

The hypocrisy of Congressional Republicans who voted against aid to Ukraine and Israel but lectured Biden over withholding 2,000 pound bombs for Rafah.

Will Debates Reset the Race?

Gregg Nunziata joins to discuss the NY and other cases against Trump; Biden's pivot on weapons to Israel, and RFK, Jr's brain worm.

Does This Make Me Look Weak?


FT's Ed Luce joins the group to discuss campus protests and whether Biden is losing.



highlights / lowlights:



Mona: Country Music, a film by Ken Burns



Ed: The Colombia student asking that the protestors be brought food in their encampment.



Linda: MTG's bizarre defense of her anti-Semitism vote.



Bill: Netanyahu: Israel will invade Rafah — regardless of hostage deal



Damon: The new Steve Martin documentary.


How to Disempower the Extremists

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