Trump hasn't re-defamed E. Jean Carroll, so it basically takes about $83 million to get him to shut up. Plus, the big risk in the Georgia case, MAGA will be rooting for San Francisco, and Charlie talks about getting off the hamster wheel. Ben Wittes is back with Charlie Sykes for The Trump Trials.
MAGA has put Taylor at the top of its enemies list, Greg Abbott is inviting another Jan 6 at the border, and GOP governors have come out for just ignoring the Supreme Court. Plus, the potential tech disruptors in the election will set your hair on fire. Joe Klein and John Ellis join Charlie Sykes. show notes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/night-owls/id1724583637 https://josephklein.substack.com/ https://substack.com/@newsitems...
The world feels like it's falling apart, and black swan events are on the rise. Is this the result of our unquenchable thirst for optimization and efficiency—as we try to tame an untameable world? Brian Klaas joins Charlie Sykes to discuss his new book, "Fluke." show notes: Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
Haley has taken a hard turn against Trump, and is calling on him to 'man-up' and explain why he grew the debt and why he praises President Xi. Meanwhile, most Senate Republicans are doing Trump's bidding on the border bill. Will Saletan is back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.
Tax cuts and a gutted regulatory state are a big draw for Wall Street. But under a Trump 2.0, it would be the aspiring monopolists—not the publicly-traded "corporatists"—who would be the winners. Democracy isn't the only thing on the line. Ed Luce joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. show notes: https://www.ft.com/content/8fbf3a47-f622-46cc-ac06-17732cecc313
Moscow Mitch capitulated to Trump's electoral interests, Justice Scalia speaks from beyond, Lindsey may have flipped on Trump in Georgia, and reading the tea leaves on why the presidential immunity ruling is taking so long. Ben Wittes joins Charlie Sykes for The Trump Trials. show notes: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/what-justice-scalia-thought-about-whether-presidents-are-officers-of-the-united-states...
As we pivot from primary season to the general election, Biden is telling Democrats to accept that Trump will be the nominee. Meanwhile, the ex-POTUS is doing 'peak Trump'—talking about Jan 6, his legal cases, and calling E. Jean Carroll a liar. Semafor's Benjy Sarlin joins Charlie Sykes
As a longtime legal combatant, probably no one else on earth is more prepared to leverage four prosecutions than Donald Trump—he's made an art form of attacking the courts, our justice system, and the rule of law for 50-plus years. Politico's Michael Kruse joins Charlie Sykes. show notes: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/12/donald-trump-indictments-legal-system-00135151 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/22/new-hampshire-primary-voter-00136850...
Trump wants to put his knee on the neck of America with a violent, illegal presidency. Plus, the self-abasement of DeSantis and Tim Scott, Nikki waits 'til the 11th hour to punch harder, and Stefanik readies for her close-up. Will Saletan is back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.
Donald Trump has been making extreme promises on the campaign trail. And unlike in 2016, this time he has a team drawing up the plans for implementing them. Amanda Carpenter joins Charlie Sykes to explain how Trump would follow through on his most anti-democratic pledges in a second term. show notes: Report from Amanda and Protect Democracy PDF version...
No, American presidents don't need to be able to commit crimes to do their job. Plus, Trump is begging to be made a victim of a big, bad judge, and looking like someone who plays a lawyer on TV does not make you a good lawyer. Ben Wittes joins Charlie Sykes for The Trump Trials.
The young people who show up at CPAC and Turning Point events are there because of a deeply entrenched grassroots effort to draw in new soldiers of the conservative movement. The inside story from a journalist who got out. Plus, a diagnosis of Tucker Carlson. Puck's Tina Nguyen joins Charlie Sykes. show notes: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-MAGA-Diaries/Tina-Nguyen/9781982189693...
Almost half of Iowa's caucus-goers voted for someone besides Trump—evidence that a criminal defendant preaching to the choir can only go so far. Meanwhile, Haley makes up her own reality, DeSantis crawls to South Carolina, and the Trump suck-ups plot against McConnell. A.B. Stoddard joins Charlie Sykes. show notes: Chris Christie Ending His White House Bid Politico piece Charlie and A.B. referenced...
Republicans are racing to bend the knee before the Iowa caucuses even start, while also looking like they want border chaos. Plus, racial resentment right now is worse than at the time of Martin Luther King. Will Saletan joins Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.
As Trump prepares to clean up in the Iowa caucuses, his campaign narrative has gone full 'Trump: The Victim.' Expect more court appearances and more temper tantrums. Meanwhile, Haley and DeSantis are acting like there's a contest. Karen Tumulty joins Charlie Sykes from frigid Iowa for the weekend pod.
Chris Christie dropping out shows that one party is at war with the idea of democratic self-government. Meanwhile, Trump's Fifth Avenue comment makes a comeback as a legal argument, and shades of the Russia investigation reappear. Award-winning* Ben Wittes joins Charlie Sykes for The Trump Trials. show notes : Ben's award from Zelensky
While North Korea has jumped in to arm Russia, Republicans in Congress are dallying over supporting Ukraine. Plus, presidential hit squads, Lloyd Austin's hospitalization, and the tinderbox in the Mideast. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling joins Charlie Sykes today.
Trump is hoping for a market crash on Biden's watch, vowing revenge prosecutions, and plotting on how much he can grift off of foreign countries if he gets back in the Oval Office. He'll certainly be on the take for more than the millions he made the first time. Tim O'Brien joins Charlie Sykes today.
Jan 6 insurrectionists are innocent, and the Art of the Deal guy could've taught Lincoln how to negotiate an end to the Civil War—the Republican Party is dedicated to erasing history. Plus, Biden's baiting of Trump, the loser. Will Saletan joins Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday.
Harvard was justified in protecting its academic standards and the institution itself. But people are taking the DEI bait over Gay, instead of seeing that Project Trump is about discrediting institutions that stand for integrity and standards. Tom Nichols joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod.
SCOTUS will have to take up up the insurrectionist clause, after Colorado and Maine took steps to remove Trump from their ballots. Plus, Trump's absurd and audacious immunity claim. Ben Wittes is back with Charlie Sykes for The Trump Trials.
The Trump experience can't just be undone—we are a different country now, and we're not going back to the status quo before his presidency. Plus, watch Trump try to steal the idea of defending democracy from Biden, just like he stole 'fake news' from Hillary. Susan Glasser joins Charlie Sykes today.
Chris Christie makes clear he's not dropping out, because Nikki Haley is not the one we've been waiting for. Plus, with House Republicans signaling they may pull the plug on Ukraine aid, the war there is escalating. Will Saletan is back with Charlie Sykes for a new year of Charlie and Will Monday.
ABC's The Day After, the 1983 drama about a nuclear strike on America, was the most-watched movie in television history. It had a profound impact on Ronald Reagan, and led to shifts in our nuclear policy. A.B. Stoddard tells the story of her father's role in changing the course of history. The Bulwark Podcast presents: The Day After: The Night My Father Scared America. show notes: A.B.'s article from November...
Coppola is like a Method actor behind the camera—living the movie to make the movie. For The Godfather, he became like a godfather. And most famously, the method behind the making of Apocalypse Now was a descent into madness. Author Sam Wasson joins guest host Sonny Bunch today. show notes: Wasson's new book: "The Path to Paradise"
The left is lazily applying American ideas about racial identity and intersectionality to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Atlantic's Yair Rosenberg joins guest host Ben Parker today.
Anne Applebaum discusses a ray of hope in Europe with the defeat of Poland's authoritarian government, while also contemplating the consequences for NATO and America's place in the world if Trump were to be reelected. Mona Charen sits in for Charlie Sykes. show notes: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/12/ukraine-russia-frozen-assets/676390/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/01/trump-2024-reelection-pull-out-of-nato-membership/676120/...
On the stump in New Hampshire, Trump parroted Putin condemning the American political system. Plus, the tension among Democrats over Israel, Christie v Haley, and it's either Biden or the end of democracy in 2024. Will Saletan joins guest host A.B. Stoddard for a special A.B. and Will Monday.
It was a year of heroes and zeros, highs and lows, and shocks and fizzles. Mona Charen, A.B. Stoddard, and Will Saletan join Charlie Sykes for a special send-off to 2023.
The special counsel is short-circuiting Trump's foot-dragging strategy and mining his phone data to uncover a mountain of new evidence against the ex-POTUS. Plus, the beginning of the end of Giuliani, and getting busted in Brussels. Ben Wittes joins Charlie Sykes for The Trump Trials.
