The Bulwark Daily

The Republicans elevated fringe players who have no interest in governing, and now they don't have enough members to get the House functioning again. Meanwhile, the international bad guys are trying to break the system. Tom Nichols joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/left-jewish-suffering-israel-hamas/675621/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/opinion/columnists/israel-gaza-massacre-left.html

Jack Smith signaled he will be able to prove why Trump held onto the classified documents. Plus, Trump’s claim of presidential immunity, chaos in the House, and the pro-Hamas left’s justification of murder. Ben Wittes joins Charles Sykes for The Trump trials.

https://www.dogshirtdaily.com/p/how-not-to-respond-to-a-terrorist

The U.S. is knee-deep in the war in Ukraine, and now another potentially enormous war in the Mideast may draw us in. At the same time, military and ambassadorial appointments have been blocked, and we don’t have a speaker of the House. Our own political crisis is undermining America's role in the world. Susan Glasser joins Charlie Sykes.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/10/16/trial-by-combat 

Lincoln's political skills were a key part of his legacy, but the politics he practiced were not like today's base-oriented version. He didn't demonize people—and built a majority with people he disagreed with. The House GOP currently has lost sight of that. Steve Inskeep joins Charlie Sykes to discuss his new book on Lincoln, "Differ We Must."

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/670070/differ-we-must-by-steve-inskeep/

The attack by Hamas on Israel was barbaric, but the incursion—by land, sea, and air—was also sophisticated. And it was an Israeli intel failure. Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to score political points at home by blaming the Biden administration—and trying to figure out how to end the paralysis in the House. Will Saletan is back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.

The Republicans have been on a trajectory to get a Jim Jordan-style speaker for 11 years, and the Democrats couldn’t have stopped it. Plus, Liz Cheney speaks truth, Greg Gutfeld has a Napoleon complex, and Trump spills nuclear secrets. Tim MIller’s back with Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod.

The Crazed Slavering Jackal Caucus is running the GOP. Plus, Giuliani's drinking may undermine Trump's defense in the Jan 6 case, Fani Willis gets her first flip, and Trump may say he's just embellishing, but claiming the Trump Tower apartment is 3x its actual size is just plain lying. Ben Wittes joins Charlie Sykes for The Trump Trials.

https://www.dogshirtdaily.com/p/the-game-theory-of-a-vacant-speakership

https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/what-the-heck-happened-in-coffee-county-georgia

Kevin McCarthy aspired to the speakership for his resume, not because of legislative talents. In the end, he was a victim of hubris. And in NYC, Trump is acting like Yosemite Sam, shooting himself in the foot, and fearing the loss of Trump Tower. Tim O'Brien joins Charlie Sykes.

show notes:

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-10-02/new-york-says-trump-committed-fraud-now-comes-the-price-tag?srnd=undefined

Kevin McCarthy hasn't been doing much of anything all year as speaker, except lurching from crisis to crisis and leading from behind. Meanwhile, Trump is much more angry about being seen as less rich than potentially going to prison. Dana Milbank joins Charlie Sykes.

The bipartisan loathing of Gaetz is almost a kumbaya moment. Meanwhile, Trump likes to say the US is turning into a third world country, and he's working on that with his calls to shoot shoplifters and execute drug dealers. Will Saletan joins Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.