Wonderful convo. AB's valedictory for Biden was superb. I have loved Biden, too, since 1988 when I learned that he took Amtrak to and from DC every day so he could be home with his boyes every night. I saw then that the man just oozed decency.
Sarah and David Axelrod's pod brought me around to Josh Shapiro. Not that I didn't already like him, it's just that I was worried about his being Jewish. What their convo convinced me of was the absolute necessity of Kamala's winning Pennsylvania. It is a MUST. But it does make me sad that so many Black
folk and white men can't see the path towards Pete. As David Axerlrod said, "Pete is the most talented political athlete in the Democratic Party." Truer words have never been spoken.
Finally...the murder by the cop of the Black woman in Illinois was in the Springfield area, NOT Chicago. Just sayin. So I'm not fretting about this issue going into the DNC.
It's not "anti-Jewish" on the left that would be problematic for Shapiero - it's anti-Netenyaho. If he could be clear that he doesn't support someone many view as a war criminal who is keeping a war going in order to keep himself out of prison. We can disavow a Trump like leader in Israel and still support Israel. That is the tough needle to thread.
Tim, I liked your intro comment about the goals of The Bulwark. I think we (I) have been so stressed after the debate disaster that a lot of venting has happened. I was so relieved Biden resigned from the campaign that when you all dissed the speech in the Oval, well…families quarrel. Onward!
"If Hamas had never attacked Israel... They did, and we are where we are."
The Bulwark has been a beacon of sanity, a refuge for people tired of being told not to believe their lying eyes, tired of the gaslighting, tired of tribalism and hungry for honest, good faith news free from political ambitions.
It is not only okay, in the spirit of anti-tribal independence, to recognize all agents in a situation; it is essential to do so. In the spirit of tribe-free transparency, the agents in the Gaza slaughter are Hamas and the IDF, with Bibi at the helm and the US as its supplier. The Palestinian citizenry are the pawns caught between the two. Over 50000 have died and over 100000 have been injured, according to Euro-Med Monitor. About 1200 Israelis and others were killed on October 7. The ICJ and a US federal court have both concluded that Israel's activity in Gaza could constitute a genocide. Even UK leadership has begun to acknowledge Israel's agency in Gaza.
Terrorist groups do not obey the citizenry. The citizenry does not control terrorists. If they could, there would be much less bloodshed all over the planet. Gaza like any other place on Earth, was populated by humans doing what humans do—work, play, eat, sleep, learn, pray—albeit under the menace of mutual neighborly threat. Hamas is not the citizenry, nor has Hamas been bombing and shooting the citizenry, journalists, and aid workers, depriving them of food, water, witnesses, or medical care.
The Bulwark has as its mission not to tiptoe around powerful entities. It can and should assign agency where it exists, however uncomfortable and politically perilous it may be to do so. Israel does not get carte blanche to take revenge as it pleases because Hitler murdered a horrific number of Jewish people in the 1940s.
"If Hamas had never attacked Israel, and if Israel had not responded by killing over 50000 civilians and destroying over 70% of Gaza's buildings... They did, and we are where we are."
Tim, I think I have a better understanding of why you reacted to Biden's speech the way you did, but of course I could be wrong.
I was angry with the panel because everyone seemed so dismissive of Biden's speech, but it came across as being dismissive of the man.
Biden looked and sounded terrible, and very old; no question about that. I had hoped one of you would comment on the words, on what he said.
When you were talking with A.B. you said you were angry with Biden, furious that his pride almost got us a Trump presidency. Now I get why you didn't want to take him seriously, why you were dismissive. I wish you had said that, or maybe you didn't realize how much your anger influenced your discussion of his speech.
I was angry, too, because as a voter who wanted Biden to step aside I felt that my reps were letting me down by not respectfully asking him to drop out of the race - I called them all as I am sure others did - and if Biden had stayed in the race I would have voted for him but perhaps not my reps in Congress. I was angry at Biden, too, but I am grateful that he ultimately did the right thing and I am sure it hurt like hell. I forgave him.
You don't need to forgive him, obviously, but I hope you can move on and find a measure of peace. It's going to be an intense few months!
I was so glad to hear AB say she was obsessed about the lack of the medical report on Trump's ear injury. I feel like I'm screaming into the void when I mention the white-coated doctors in front of a mic in front of a hospital after a mass shooting or shooting of a prominent person.
Look how many times (at least, it seemed like a lot) that we heard from a doctor as described above when Trump was hospitalized for Covid. But for this, an attempted assassination of a former president plus one dead and two in critical condition.....AND WE HEAR NOTHING?
Tim, I’m glad you set out your case in the first few minutes of the podcast. If I understand what the hubbub was about, it was about complaints regarding the tone of your live stream. Certainly, you are never obligated to align with any group, and should always speak your truth. But are you saying listeners should stay silent they don’t agree with you? If so, please state that clearly. I think for the most part, your listeners are intelligent and able to absorb a variety of opinions. The pushback was about the callous tone. To suggest that it was all about the fact that you didn’t reflect their viewpoints or “pump sunshine”, is a simplification and a little condescending, frankly. Instead, when you get a lot of pushback, it seems it might behoove you to take just a moment to reflect.
Tim, listen to your husband! I hope it doesn't take you a month to let go of your anger at Joe. You have been in politics for your whole career, right? You have to know HOW DIFFICULT it was for a lifelong politician to give up the position he has been striving for for soooo long. You and Joe have the same goal - to keep CFT out of the oval office. Should he have stepped down earlier? Yeah, maybe, although I personally think up until a few months ago, he really didn't look or sound as bad as he does now. Aging happens gradually, and it is easy to convince yourself that tiny little changes aren't really adding up to a big difference.
Joe Biden is a damn good man. And only a man. Please give him some grace and, as my favorite coffee mug says, let that shit go. Holding onto that anger isn't helping you either, love! 💜
My prediction du jour--Trump dumps JD for Nikki. Nikki is nothing if not craven. Donald will pretend he's not racist or misogynistic (good luck), but he really want to reclaim center stage in the attention sweepstakes.
I really hope Harris campaign listens to AB on having a 60 Minutes interview to ahead of the BS attacks.
Thanks Tim for the purpose at the top. After Biden Trump debate I knew I couldn’t listen to y’all. So I took a break. Upon Kamala taking the reins I’m back and though sometimes I find the smugness annoying, it’s ok. Y’all have good takes even when I don’t want to hear it.
Harris campaign needs to stay on offense constantly. Even immigration, her chief vulnerability. This nonsense of trying to deny she was “border czar” is a sign of weakness. Go on offense! “We put together a bipartisan deal to secure the border but Trump killed it because he didn’t want a secure border for political reasons. Once again all he cares about is himself, not what’s good for America “ Why is this hard? Don’t defend, pivot to attack!
Wonderful convo. AB's valedictory for Biden was superb. I have loved Biden, too, since 1988 when I learned that he took Amtrak to and from DC every day so he could be home with his boyes every night. I saw then that the man just oozed decency.
Sarah and David Axelrod's pod brought me around to Josh Shapiro. Not that I didn't already like him, it's just that I was worried about his being Jewish. What their convo convinced me of was the absolute necessity of Kamala's winning Pennsylvania. It is a MUST. But it does make me sad that so many Black
folk and white men can't see the path towards Pete. As David Axerlrod said, "Pete is the most talented political athlete in the Democratic Party." Truer words have never been spoken.
Finally...the murder by the cop of the Black woman in Illinois was in the Springfield area, NOT Chicago. Just sayin. So I'm not fretting about this issue going into the DNC.
It's not "anti-Jewish" on the left that would be problematic for Shapiero - it's anti-Netenyaho. If he could be clear that he doesn't support someone many view as a war criminal who is keeping a war going in order to keep himself out of prison. We can disavow a Trump like leader in Israel and still support Israel. That is the tough needle to thread.
Tim, I liked your intro comment about the goals of The Bulwark. I think we (I) have been so stressed after the debate disaster that a lot of venting has happened. I was so relieved Biden resigned from the campaign that when you all dissed the speech in the Oval, well…families quarrel. Onward!
Plus like A.B. I cried so I already felt badly going in….😘
"If Hamas had never attacked Israel... They did, and we are where we are."
The Bulwark has been a beacon of sanity, a refuge for people tired of being told not to believe their lying eyes, tired of the gaslighting, tired of tribalism and hungry for honest, good faith news free from political ambitions.
It is not only okay, in the spirit of anti-tribal independence, to recognize all agents in a situation; it is essential to do so. In the spirit of tribe-free transparency, the agents in the Gaza slaughter are Hamas and the IDF, with Bibi at the helm and the US as its supplier. The Palestinian citizenry are the pawns caught between the two. Over 50000 have died and over 100000 have been injured, according to Euro-Med Monitor. About 1200 Israelis and others were killed on October 7. The ICJ and a US federal court have both concluded that Israel's activity in Gaza could constitute a genocide. Even UK leadership has begun to acknowledge Israel's agency in Gaza.
Terrorist groups do not obey the citizenry. The citizenry does not control terrorists. If they could, there would be much less bloodshed all over the planet. Gaza like any other place on Earth, was populated by humans doing what humans do—work, play, eat, sleep, learn, pray—albeit under the menace of mutual neighborly threat. Hamas is not the citizenry, nor has Hamas been bombing and shooting the citizenry, journalists, and aid workers, depriving them of food, water, witnesses, or medical care.
The Bulwark has as its mission not to tiptoe around powerful entities. It can and should assign agency where it exists, however uncomfortable and politically perilous it may be to do so. Israel does not get carte blanche to take revenge as it pleases because Hitler murdered a horrific number of Jewish people in the 1940s.
"If Hamas had never attacked Israel, and if Israel had not responded by killing over 50000 civilians and destroying over 70% of Gaza's buildings... They did, and we are where we are."
I love maniacal Tim. 💙💙💙
Great conversation with A.B., thanks!
Tim, I think I have a better understanding of why you reacted to Biden's speech the way you did, but of course I could be wrong.
I was angry with the panel because everyone seemed so dismissive of Biden's speech, but it came across as being dismissive of the man.
Biden looked and sounded terrible, and very old; no question about that. I had hoped one of you would comment on the words, on what he said.
When you were talking with A.B. you said you were angry with Biden, furious that his pride almost got us a Trump presidency. Now I get why you didn't want to take him seriously, why you were dismissive. I wish you had said that, or maybe you didn't realize how much your anger influenced your discussion of his speech.
I was angry, too, because as a voter who wanted Biden to step aside I felt that my reps were letting me down by not respectfully asking him to drop out of the race - I called them all as I am sure others did - and if Biden had stayed in the race I would have voted for him but perhaps not my reps in Congress. I was angry at Biden, too, but I am grateful that he ultimately did the right thing and I am sure it hurt like hell. I forgave him.
You don't need to forgive him, obviously, but I hope you can move on and find a measure of peace. It's going to be an intense few months!
I was so glad to hear AB say she was obsessed about the lack of the medical report on Trump's ear injury. I feel like I'm screaming into the void when I mention the white-coated doctors in front of a mic in front of a hospital after a mass shooting or shooting of a prominent person.
Look how many times (at least, it seemed like a lot) that we heard from a doctor as described above when Trump was hospitalized for Covid. But for this, an attempted assassination of a former president plus one dead and two in critical condition.....AND WE HEAR NOTHING?
It's insane.
Tim,
Great self-revealing intro. Thanks for your explanation/commentary/introduction!
You're like my loveable nephew (I actually have one --- an expat in Scotland).
As the San Francisco cultural movers of the 1960s offered: "Keep on keeping on!"
Tim, I’m glad you set out your case in the first few minutes of the podcast. If I understand what the hubbub was about, it was about complaints regarding the tone of your live stream. Certainly, you are never obligated to align with any group, and should always speak your truth. But are you saying listeners should stay silent they don’t agree with you? If so, please state that clearly. I think for the most part, your listeners are intelligent and able to absorb a variety of opinions. The pushback was about the callous tone. To suggest that it was all about the fact that you didn’t reflect their viewpoints or “pump sunshine”, is a simplification and a little condescending, frankly. Instead, when you get a lot of pushback, it seems it might behoove you to take just a moment to reflect.
Thank you, DH.
"Suburban white ladies love gays." 100% not wrong!! 😂😂😂
Tim, listen to your husband! I hope it doesn't take you a month to let go of your anger at Joe. You have been in politics for your whole career, right? You have to know HOW DIFFICULT it was for a lifelong politician to give up the position he has been striving for for soooo long. You and Joe have the same goal - to keep CFT out of the oval office. Should he have stepped down earlier? Yeah, maybe, although I personally think up until a few months ago, he really didn't look or sound as bad as he does now. Aging happens gradually, and it is easy to convince yourself that tiny little changes aren't really adding up to a big difference.
Joe Biden is a damn good man. And only a man. Please give him some grace and, as my favorite coffee mug says, let that shit go. Holding onto that anger isn't helping you either, love! 💜
Totally onboard Tim. You’re doing a great job even when the message is uncomfortable. Thanks
Has anyone coined the phrase Kamallapalooz for the convention? (If not I’m trademarking it).
Go for it, John. Earn some $$$.
Nothing better than making some ching for the good.
My prediction du jour--Trump dumps JD for Nikki. Nikki is nothing if not craven. Donald will pretend he's not racist or misogynistic (good luck), but he really want to reclaim center stage in the attention sweepstakes.
I really hope Harris campaign listens to AB on having a 60 Minutes interview to ahead of the BS attacks.
And AB is beautiful with or without wet hair!
I agree that the Criminal-In-Chief might want to do dump 'J'ust 'D'ull Vance, but that is not as easy as just saying he'd do it.
The Republican Party blessed the Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies. Not really easy to do and could be an internal atomic-bomb.
The ads coming from the Lincoln Project would be --- "Do you want the Three Stooges running the country???"
Thanks Tim for the purpose at the top. After Biden Trump debate I knew I couldn’t listen to y’all. So I took a break. Upon Kamala taking the reins I’m back and though sometimes I find the smugness annoying, it’s ok. Y’all have good takes even when I don’t want to hear it.
Harris campaign needs to stay on offense constantly. Even immigration, her chief vulnerability. This nonsense of trying to deny she was “border czar” is a sign of weakness. Go on offense! “We put together a bipartisan deal to secure the border but Trump killed it because he didn’t want a secure border for political reasons. Once again all he cares about is himself, not what’s good for America “ Why is this hard? Don’t defend, pivot to attack!
CONSTANT OFFENSE!!!
Be like Trump and dismiss any negative --- just go forward.