The Bulwark Daily

Biden's departure from the race has put Trump in a real funk. He's in denial about Kamala's crowds, he's publicly pining the loss of his preferred rival, and he's doubling down on his helicopter story—and conflating two different black CA politicians in the process. Plus, filling in the gaps in Kamala's inner circle. Bill Kristol and Chris Cadelago join Tim Miller.

show notes:

Cadelago's story on the other black politician who was in a helicopter with Trump that almost crashed

Cadelago's story on Kamala's 2020 staffing

Cadalago's story on tensions withing Kamala's campaign staff

Kamala is now the star of a story involving a woman called into duty at a moment of crisis with a sitcom dad as a running mate—and Trump can see the danger. Nate Silver joins Tim Miller to explain what his polling model is showing. Plus, the survivorship bias of Elon-world risk takers, and good, old gambling tips. Your weekend pod.
show notes:

Nate's new book, "On the Edge The Art of Risking Everything," out Tuesday
Tim making the "conservative case" for Kamala
Tim's playlist 

Trump and his supporters don't like America as it currently exists, and their veep pick JD Vance is like the U.S.-hating Code Pink, but in a suit. 

Meanwhile, the Democrats have seized the patriotism mantle, à la the Republicans of the 80s. Plus, the sick, unhinged, and inaccurate attack on Tim Walz after his 24 years of service in the National Guard. 

Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

Kinzinger on the swiftboating of Walz
Kamala clapping back against some Gaza protesters on Wednesday 

Tim talks to a local Minnesota reporter to get the low-down on Tim Walz's recent political history, including where he falls on the progressive-to-moderate spectrum—as well as his weak spots from his tenure as governor, like the 2020 riots in Minneapolis. 

Plus, JD Vance, as a senator, has been texting with a Holocaust-denying far-right fringe character, but won't take calls from high-ranking Ukrainian officials. 

MinnPost's Peter Callaghan and the Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker join Tim Miller.

show notes:

Peter's story on how Walz beat the odds to become the VP pick
Isaac's story on Vance's texts with Charles Johnson
Tim's book, "Why We Did It" 

Tim Walz is a great foil for Kamala's West Coast vibe: He looks like he'll fix your car, then grab an Arby's sandwich before he goes duck hunting. And he's a perfect contrast to JD Vance, the callus-free faux hillbilly who went to Yale. Michael Steele weighs in on the veep pick. Then Rep. Adam Schiff joins Tim Miller to discuss decision to call on Biden to step aside, and "The Biggest Loser: Donald Trump." 

Recent polls are showing some pretty significant movement to Harris, and she hasn't even had to play defense yet—though at some point she's going to. Meanwhile, Trump and Vance have had a strategically disastrous three weeks. Plus, RFK, Jr and the poor dead bear cub, the stock market sell-off, and Peter Thiel's lack of appreciation for how he has benefited from liberalism. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

Joe Weisenthal on the stock market sell-off
The bear cub and RFK, Jr. 

Donald Trump checks all the boxes of a person with narcissistic personality disorder, but the mainstream press goes out of its way not to cover his apparent pathologies—and ends up normalizing them. 

George Conway wants to change the media narrative to stop the guy who only cares about himself from getting back in the Oval Office. Conway joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes:

George's Anti-Psychopath PAC
Rolling Stone piece by Alex Morris that George references
Post story on whether Trump took a $10 million payout from Egypt
Tim's playlist

We are witnessing a man who thought he was cruising to a landslide who's now afraid he doesn't know how to talk about Kamala—or how to beat her. Plus, he's also worried about that prison issue. 

At the same time, the election has quickly shifted from a referendum on Joe Biden to one about the future vs. the past. Dan Pfeiffer joins Tim Miller today.

show notes:

Dan's Message Box newsletter

Sure sounds like kind words and affection were in short supply in the Trump household in Queens. Perhaps if Donald had been hugged a little more, America would have been spared a lot of trouble—and Trump wouldn't have told his nephew that he wanted his disabled son to die. Meanwhile, Kamala and her team feel like they're in to win it: She's tacking to the center on the border, needling Trump, and projecting strength. Fred Trump and Will Saletan join Tim Miller.

show notes:

Fred's book, “All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way"
Will's recent piece on Trump's threats
Will's video take on Trump's threats
Tim's playlist 

Republican men used to be stoic and quiet technocrats, but now they're screechy and freaky. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris has a whole crop of strong, silent types to choose from as a running mate. 

Plus, a shout-out to Charlie Sykes, movies Tim hasn't seen, and can we quit the identity-oriented Zooms for Kamala? Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

Tom's piece on the manliness flip-flop
Tom's piece on Biden stepping aside
Charlie on how Never Trumpers really mean never
Trump's 400 kids remark