Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential run is inspiring new fears among Democrats that he will help Donald Trump win the White House again. Meanwhile, Kennedy’s campaign is now expressing confidence that he’ll appear on the ballot in all the key swing states and beyond. So it’s notable that the Kennedy clan is taking urgent new steps to mobilize in response—against their own family member’s candidacy. We chatted with Jill Lawrence, a veteran journalist and author of a new piece for The Bulwark on this dynamic, who explains the remarkable role the Kennedys are poised to play in stopping RFK Jr. from serving as pro-Trump spoiler.
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The Daily Blast: Why the Kennedys Suddenly Fear RFK Jr. Is a Secret Spoiler for Trump

Twice a week, this podcast will take you on a smart, direct, sometimes scary, sometimes profane, sometimes hilarious tour of the inner workings of American power and of the impact of our leaders and their policies on our standing in the world. Hosted by noted author and commentator David Rothkopf and featuring regulars Rosa Brooks of Georgetown Law School, Kori Schake of Stanford University and David Sanger of the New York Times, the program will be the lively, smart dinner table conversation on the big issues of the day that you wish you were having...without the calories. Sometimes special guests will join the conversation and always the emphasis will be on providing the unvarnished perspectives others shy away from. Deep State Radio is the insider perspective on American national security and foreign policy that you can't find anywhere else.

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Government

In his much-discussed Time interview, Donald Trump threatened to use the military to carry out mass deportations in a second term. The proposals he offered are appalling on their face. But beyond that, by regularly using vicious tropes about undocumented immigrants and other domestic enemies within, Trump is trying to acclimate voters to the ugliest forms of authoritarian, dehumanizing language. We talked to Maria Teresa Kumar, the president of Voto Latino, about a new effort she’s launching with other Hispanic leaders to alert voters to the grave threat Trump poses—before it’s too late.
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The Daily Blast: Trump’s Vile New Threat to Unleash “Military” Has a Hidden, Darker Aim

Original Air Date: May 18, 2023
In a special two part series of pods, we turn to some of our favorite observers and analysts of America today to ask why we have ended up where we are, divided, with corrupted institutions, half the country seemingly committed to a path of ignorance and hate. On the first part, we discuss these issues with two of the most distinguished columnists in America, EJ Dionne and Jennifer Rubin, both of the Washington Post. It's a great, incisive, and vitally important discussion. Don't miss it.
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FTA: Why? Part One

Original Air Date: May 19, 2023
In a special two part series of pods, we turn to some of our favorite observers and analysts of America today to ask why we have ended up where we are, divided, with corrupted institutions, half the country seemingly committed to a path of ignorance and hate. On this, the second in the series, we discuss these issues with one of the country's wisest and often wryest commentators, author and host of the Democracy-ish podcast, Wajahat Ali. It's a great, incisive, and vitally important discussion. Don't miss it.
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FTS: Why? Part Two

On the Friday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss Turkey halting trade with Israel, UK Conservatives suffering a big defeat in local elections, China’s new lunar probe, and more.
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The DSR Daily for May 3: Turkey Halts Trade with Israel, UK Conservatives Suffer Big Defeat

Unexpectedly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been making a huge number of appearances all over right wing media of late. Trump advisers are loudly warning that this threatens to take voters from him, helping President Biden. But we’re skeptical: It’s still more likely that in the end RFK hurts Biden more than Trump. And there are cynical reasons why right wing media sources might be boosting RFK Jr. right now. We chatted with Matt Bennett, a co-founder of the Democratic group Third Way and a shrewd observer of U.S. party politics, about the true RFK effect, how RFK is functioning as a stalking horse for Trump, and what MAGA media might be doing to help along the scam.
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The Daily Blast: Why the Kennedys Suddenly Fear RFK Jr. Is a Secret Spoiler for Trump

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