99 Comments

I got to say I couldn’t disagree more with Beto with respect to immigration. No president will expend the type of political capital that is necessary to advance immigration reform. For one, like 5 presidents have and absolutely nothing got done. Why try to do something that you know will have absolutely zero chance of happening? This would be like asking a president to tackle gun control. Yes it’s the right thing to do but you have to win reelection and when you blow all your political capital on something that (1) won’t happen and (2) even if it did it would take YEARS to see the fruit of the legislation, thus killing g your reelection chances.

The only way this gets done is if a republican president does it and even then it still won’t get done (see Trump, bush 2 and bush 1). DOA

Expand full comment

I have to correct a major non-political error Tim Miller made here. Zack Bryan is indie. He's not pop or punk but then he's not country really either. He's more in line with alternative folk with a Springsteen on the prarie style. But there is a major country adjacent indie movement that's he's rode to superstar status. This movement and his style in particular is like punk in that they are pushing back on overproduced assembly line art in the same manner that the DIY punks in the 70's and 80's pushed back on bloated arena rock.

Expand full comment

A call for action in the Public school superintendent of all North Carolina public schools, please

Expand full comment

Tim Please talk about the woman In North Carolina named Michele Morrow, that is running for superintendent of all public schools in North Carolina

She is a nurse and a mother of five who homeschool

She is called for the execution of Barack Obama and Joe Biden before a firing squad

Here is one of her quotes:

“ I prefer a pay-per-view of him ( Obama ) in front of a firing squad. I do not want to waste another dime on supporting his life

We could make some money back from televising his death death “

She calls for violence against all Democrats

Please bring attention to this so focus could be on this race and election in North Carolina

Would you or anyone on the Bulwark want their children around this woman?

Expand full comment

Holy shit

Expand full comment

With this extreme narcissistic maga

Mocking ridiculing, Christian nationalism and White nationalism is emotional abuse to the citizens of this country, and those that have joined the cult

The important thing is about the families

It is child abuse to the children, and these families

The men, especially how they talk is how they talk to their children

They don’t teach decency on her character, integrity, and respect

They emotionally violate their own children

Especially the women being mothers talking like that around their children

The trauma, the emotional trauma from a malignant narcissistic environment is a real thing

They are walking wounded in this country, full of trauma from malignant, narcissistic horrible talk

Good parents do not talk like

The children associated with them and attached to them are getting emotionally, abused and not taking care of emotionally by good parents

Shame on the women abandon themselves as women, emotionally to mirror and copy These vicious, violent men

It is domestic terrorism to this country

And it is domestic violence in those families

Expand full comment
Aug 21·edited Aug 21

Beto rocks! He came sooooo close in Texas. Great to hear from him!

Expand full comment

Tim, I just joined the Bulwark (finally!) so i could comment on how much i am loving your podcast. Also, I have listened to "Love is All Around" by Husker Du about 100 times since I heard it last night...the music at the end of each episode is fire. Came here by way of PSA, glad to be part of this community. You rock.

Expand full comment
author

Welcome and thanks!

Here’s a playlist of the end of pod songs. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0dApY6YT48kTh6j9xFDQch?si=_mnMuHWESMWUaYrdYCUMPA&pi=u-__w9R6XvRImq

Expand full comment
Aug 21·edited Aug 21

There is something about this discussion that bothered me, as a female. Really, I didn't know boys were suffering now because they are no longer the alpha dudes they were in the past? I mean, how awful for them that women are demanding an equal place in our country. It must be so hard for these disaffected young men, even with all that "affirmative action" of being male. (I don't know how Tim Walz could fix them.)

Also, and this odd comment was from Tim - that it takes a really strong man to be the wingman for his female boss. Really? Sounds really sexist, but that could just be me.

Expand full comment

This is exactly why the problem is so difficult to solve (btw this is true for people of color and affirmative action). Any steps up the ladder that women or minorities take, white males feel aggrieved. It’s fucked up

Expand full comment

It’s like they have a bit of that Trump entitlement gene and the whine gene in them no matter what their politics are.

Imo it’s time for women to run things in this world so I have less than zero sympathy for the sad young men who no longer get the automatic power because of their gender.

Expand full comment

Oh I don’t disagree but unfortunately their are a lot of them and they tend to be angry,

Dumb and violent

Expand full comment

Beto is genuine, plain and simple.

Tim, Here’s my favorite Bob Mould tune:

https://open.spotify.com/track/5CJ6YOanLUEhhiz2n3DdD4?si=1Ih980uCRQCNJT4FtIQIeQ

Expand full comment

beto, just impressive and a good spokesman for these issues.

Expand full comment

Jesus! Listened to first five minutes and it’s the drab-Republican Tim back in full no fun mode. Bruh, one second you are coconut pilled and excited about the vibes next second Tim shits on the DNC. We know you dislike Biden but if you wanna make friends with our side you gotta accept the full meal deal.

The first night was awesome and should be celebrated but glad you could find the disgruntled Dem who wasn’t invited to speak so he could shit on it with you.

Expand full comment

So true man, I watched the whole DNC, 2 nights so far, and I'm just loving it. It's normal people having a normal political party, not all that backstabbing and lying the Republicans do . . . now their convention was one awful party. Imagine how hard it was for the Republicans to even have fun at their party with all this American carnage and the invasion and the illegals killing everyone and people getting shot just for buying bread. What a dismal affair that was.

Expand full comment
author

I don’t have to accept the full meal deal actually! Accepting the full meal

Deal was the folly that was gonna lead us to Trump 2.0. This is not going to be a podcast where I pretend to think bad or ineffective things are good. I thought Beto was thoughtful and interesting and candid and frankly too progressive for my taste in some answers. If people don’t like hearing that all good lots of podcasts in the sea. But on this one I will be expressing my honest views 🍻

Expand full comment

Agree with you Tim! I listen to your pods for the variety of viewpoints and insights that you deliver every day. I don't always agree with you or your guests, but I always learn something or have the opportunity to look at issues from different perspectives. We don't need to be gaslit like the maga crowd who freak out over the tiniest of critiques of their orange leader. We're stronger and smarter than that. Keep bringing it Tim!!

Expand full comment
founding

I first discovered Beto when he did the road trip with the Republican rep. He is a different kind of politician and I wish he was still an office holder. We need more like Beto.

Expand full comment

Does O'Rourke throw F bombs around at home as often as his podcast appearances?

Expand full comment

F’n right he does!😉

Expand full comment
founding

I miss Charlie

Expand full comment

Tim!!!!! What a jaded point of view. Watching the first night of the convention was a wonderful treat for this 72 year old recovering Republican. Rev Warnock preached it, AOC rocked, Hillary gave the best speech of her life. The young women’s abortion stories were potent.There was a spirit of joy and fun. I love the Bulwark and your somewhat cynical comments are great….but not on this convention mealy mouthing. We Democrats needed to celebrate our tribe-we needed the energy, we needed to see our deep bench of stars. We needed to laugh at the goofiness. We are primed- come on-get with it. You don’t need to find an excuse to criticize. Just let it roll.

Expand full comment

It was a huge treat for me too! All these people who think like me in one place talking about it! It was fun and interesting. I also felt everyone was being authentic. I don't care that people read their speeches. So what?

Tim is still a Republican, that's why he didn't like it. But why didn't Beto like it? I detected a little leftover bitterness from him at all those lost elections? Now he's relegated to signing people up to vote. (I wonder if he's still making his wife do all the child care and housecleaning, like when he took off to write his On the Road thoughts.) Sorry these super-masculine "guy's guys" didn't like people having hope and fun for a change.

Expand full comment

Yes! My thoughts exactly. Some of those speeches made me what to stand up and cheer and others had me crying

Expand full comment

Omg. Yes. Exactly this. EXACTLY THIS. thank you.

Expand full comment

Tim, I thought the unity message was important. Inviting everyone into this tent. I dont know what else you would have had the Dems do. Harris and Walz are at a Milwaukee rally tonight which is amazing and I thought Senator Warnok’s speech was inspiring. If Dems get into a policy wonky convention, they’ll be criticized for that. Conventions are what they are and I look forward to tonight’s inspiring, joyful speeches after the RNC’s doom and gloom.

Expand full comment