Trump and Vance are pioneering a form of politics where American power means nothing, everything is bad, and politicians focus on tearing people down—and getting other Americans to do the same.
Thank you very much for this interview Tim's. I would appreciate more content on the Bulwark with people like this who have thought deeply about particular issues. I found the discussion on freedom starting at about the 35 minute mark to be particularly insightful - of course, I would hope that it would be insightful given that it's the title of the guest's book. For someone who is paying close attention to the race and listening to the Bulwark pretty much every day it's useful to get the in-depth perspective of the concept of freedom given how the Harris campaign has co-opted it from the Trump Republicans. Thanks for a very interesting interview - plan to listen to it again.
After prepping my east coast Florida home for Milton, I finally had the chance to view this episode. Thank you for such a thoughtful interview with Timothy Snyder. Both of you bring me hope. And thanks for the shout out to Florida, where the wind is howling and the palm fronds are flying and the hurricane has not yet arrived.
Thank you Tim's. This was a heavy but thoughtful topic on Freedom. I had to re listen a few times to get it (running on the treadmill at the same time probably wasn't the best activity in hindsight).
I was a little surprised though Tim that you couldn't say more at the end. I know you might consider Tim S views 'typical college leftie stuff' but this heavy and critical thinking is what is required if mindset shift and deprogramming of a good 30% of US political views needs to happen. Freedom and hows it understood and framed is critical. You correctly pointed out that Harris campaign had surface touched these concepts. But your wrap up was flat, and you've given more gushing thanks to friendly journos than to gents like Tim S who are really trying to do their bit to keep facism at bay.
Look I know your comms background means you probably hard wired revert to making the message simpler. And that's a great talent it is. And your show is the highlight of my listening week (I love your style, authenticity and points of view) but I don't think we should be lazy in not acknowledging complex points that need more stewing over. I hope you take this feedback as intended. I really admire the work bulwark does. Please don't stop!!!
all is good; i live in a lower-class neighborhood, but it's the beverly hills of hurricanes LOL... i'm very lucky.
lost power and some patio fencing. most villas (like a condo) in my complex didn't even lose a shingle. trees down blocking my main road (himes in tampa).
i'm so "high" up, we're not even assigned a flood zone: A-F and we're X.
tampa didn't get the 100% direct hit we were expecting, but others are worse off as a result.😵😖
my dad and step-mom lost everything in helene, and are staying with me till they find housing.
Wonderful discussion with Tim Snyder. His writing is full of insights and plays to the best of the human experience without sugar-coating the full spectrum of human nature. Please have him back on again as soon as possible.
I also don't understand how Trump doing better in large states is good news for anyone but him. Absent some countervailing evidence that swing states are leaning more towards Harris (and the available evidence seems to be going the other way, with Pennsylvania on knife's edge, the Wisconsin Senate race tightening and the stories about scary internal polling in Michigan) all this means is that Trump is on track to win the EC and do better than ever in the popular vote, perhaps with coattails.
Great episode. Thank you! Finally someone who lays out some uncomfortable truths about the USA and Americans linked to Ukraine, the USA´s (problematic) idea of exceptionalism and flawed perceptions of (true) freedom.
I'm so tired of hearing people like Tim's email friend equate anti-semitism on the left with that on the right. He's not center right. He's out there. How many of these college protestors are elected Democratic officials? What impact do they have on policy? The answer is none. They call Biden Genocide Joe. This is silly and a rerun of the defund the police lie that many Bulwarkers helped promote. Acting like campus protestors are comparable to the Republican presidential nominee is lunacy and people need to stop.
Statistics were never my strong point. I got totally confused by Tim's discussion of the polls. Trump up by 15 points in places but overall the polling looks good for Harris? Can someone please explain it to me because it sounded very scary and discouraging even though Tim was saying otherwise.
The way I took it was that, if Trump is gaining national popular vote numbers in polling because he's gaining ground in securely blue states, then scary national popular vote numbers are less worrisome in their Electoral College implications. Extra Trump voters in California or New York don't give Trump more Electoral College votes in those states than are already baked into the forecasts for THIS election. Sort of the inverse of why any growing support for Dems in my home state of Missouri would mean nothing for what Missouri delivers to the Electoral College.
But for future elections? If the number of Trumpist voters in California and New York continue to rise and Trump and/or his acolytes are still at it in 2028, Never Trumping begins to look like a forever war (unless of course Trump wins this time out and begins purging people like all of us).
Thank you for this expanded conversation on the nature of freedom. I did student teaching in Sydney 25 years ago, and my landlady’s partner was a lawyer who taught me for the first time a similar concept of how unfettered freedom can inhibit personal liberty. One of the main takeaways I never forgot was “yes, in America everyone is more free to do whatever they want, but do most people have the resources, security and opportunity to do what they want”.
In this time of intense daily poll watching and day to day news that will be irrelevant by midnight, I appreciate a conversation that will be interesting and meaningful any time in the future. Thank you Tims!
This was a fantastic episode. It’s a clear-eyed take on Trump and MAGA.
Related to this, I’d like to recommend another important book on this situation: Brian Gruber's most recent book - link below. It is good to remember it can and could happen in the US, just like across Europe.
Hope you put out something on this:
Town hall: Latinos Ask… Donald Trump Responds
Question is roughly: "What mistakes have you done and what have you learned from it?"
https://www.youtube.com/live/F3tvZi5fTZw?t=3160s
Answer is just what you might predict
Thank you very much for this interview Tim's. I would appreciate more content on the Bulwark with people like this who have thought deeply about particular issues. I found the discussion on freedom starting at about the 35 minute mark to be particularly insightful - of course, I would hope that it would be insightful given that it's the title of the guest's book. For someone who is paying close attention to the race and listening to the Bulwark pretty much every day it's useful to get the in-depth perspective of the concept of freedom given how the Harris campaign has co-opted it from the Trump Republicans. Thanks for a very interesting interview - plan to listen to it again.
After prepping my east coast Florida home for Milton, I finally had the chance to view this episode. Thank you for such a thoughtful interview with Timothy Snyder. Both of you bring me hope. And thanks for the shout out to Florida, where the wind is howling and the palm fronds are flying and the hurricane has not yet arrived.
Sherry, I wish you the best. Please take care. Let us know you're ok. I'll be sending positive energy.
Thank you Tim's. This was a heavy but thoughtful topic on Freedom. I had to re listen a few times to get it (running on the treadmill at the same time probably wasn't the best activity in hindsight).
I was a little surprised though Tim that you couldn't say more at the end. I know you might consider Tim S views 'typical college leftie stuff' but this heavy and critical thinking is what is required if mindset shift and deprogramming of a good 30% of US political views needs to happen. Freedom and hows it understood and framed is critical. You correctly pointed out that Harris campaign had surface touched these concepts. But your wrap up was flat, and you've given more gushing thanks to friendly journos than to gents like Tim S who are really trying to do their bit to keep facism at bay.
Look I know your comms background means you probably hard wired revert to making the message simpler. And that's a great talent it is. And your show is the highlight of my listening week (I love your style, authenticity and points of view) but I don't think we should be lazy in not acknowledging complex points that need more stewing over. I hope you take this feedback as intended. I really admire the work bulwark does. Please don't stop!!!
tim!
i'm in tampa, so i'll play the milton victim card to get you to answer this question:
according to prevailing political wisdom, why does shapiro have to BE ON THE TICKET to best secure PA's electoral votes?
*why isn't working "off the ticket" just as
effective? snugs to toulouse!💚💚🤞🏽🤞🏽
thank you!
all is good; i live in a lower-class neighborhood, but it's the beverly hills of hurricanes LOL... i'm very lucky.
lost power and some patio fencing. most villas (like a condo) in my complex didn't even lose a shingle. trees down blocking my main road (himes in tampa).
i'm so "high" up, we're not even assigned a flood zone: A-F and we're X.
tampa didn't get the 100% direct hit we were expecting, but others are worse off as a result.😵😖
my dad and step-mom lost everything in helene, and are staying with me till they find housing.
mr. rogers says, "look for the helpers."
all i ask is be a helper. 😘
Steph, good luck and best wishes! I hope you get through with no damage. Please let us know. I'm sure we will all be thinking about you.
Wonderful discussion with Tim Snyder. His writing is full of insights and plays to the best of the human experience without sugar-coating the full spectrum of human nature. Please have him back on again as soon as possible.
I also don't understand how Trump doing better in large states is good news for anyone but him. Absent some countervailing evidence that swing states are leaning more towards Harris (and the available evidence seems to be going the other way, with Pennsylvania on knife's edge, the Wisconsin Senate race tightening and the stories about scary internal polling in Michigan) all this means is that Trump is on track to win the EC and do better than ever in the popular vote, perhaps with coattails.
Another (fascist) opportunity to use this oh so applicable exit tune:
https://youtu.be/Q49BjlSOCGE?si=QLXbEGyzp_sd0H0b
Great episode. Thank you! Finally someone who lays out some uncomfortable truths about the USA and Americans linked to Ukraine, the USA´s (problematic) idea of exceptionalism and flawed perceptions of (true) freedom.
I'm so tired of hearing people like Tim's email friend equate anti-semitism on the left with that on the right. He's not center right. He's out there. How many of these college protestors are elected Democratic officials? What impact do they have on policy? The answer is none. They call Biden Genocide Joe. This is silly and a rerun of the defund the police lie that many Bulwarkers helped promote. Acting like campus protestors are comparable to the Republican presidential nominee is lunacy and people need to stop.
Great pod! Love the Tims!
Attorney Andrew Seidel also came out with another book in 2022 called the “American crusade: How the Supreme Court is weaponizing religious freedom”
Please again have him as a guest on your podcast. I am sure he would be happy to do it .
Tim there is a book
“The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is In- American” written by Andrew L. Seidel written in 2019
He is a constitutional attorney at the Freedom from Religion Foundation
He has been trying to ring this alarm, bell for many years
Please please have him as a guest on your podcast
He should be out there talking more
I saw him years ago on MSNBC
I think he was on Fox once
Statistics were never my strong point. I got totally confused by Tim's discussion of the polls. Trump up by 15 points in places but overall the polling looks good for Harris? Can someone please explain it to me because it sounded very scary and discouraging even though Tim was saying otherwise.
The way I took it was that, if Trump is gaining national popular vote numbers in polling because he's gaining ground in securely blue states, then scary national popular vote numbers are less worrisome in their Electoral College implications. Extra Trump voters in California or New York don't give Trump more Electoral College votes in those states than are already baked into the forecasts for THIS election. Sort of the inverse of why any growing support for Dems in my home state of Missouri would mean nothing for what Missouri delivers to the Electoral College.
But for future elections? If the number of Trumpist voters in California and New York continue to rise and Trump and/or his acolytes are still at it in 2028, Never Trumping begins to look like a forever war (unless of course Trump wins this time out and begins purging people like all of us).
Hoping for the best here.
Thank you! Now I get it!
Of course, ANY increasing numbers of Trump voters anywhere gives me hives.
Thank you for this expanded conversation on the nature of freedom. I did student teaching in Sydney 25 years ago, and my landlady’s partner was a lawyer who taught me for the first time a similar concept of how unfettered freedom can inhibit personal liberty. One of the main takeaways I never forgot was “yes, in America everyone is more free to do whatever they want, but do most people have the resources, security and opportunity to do what they want”.
In this time of intense daily poll watching and day to day news that will be irrelevant by midnight, I appreciate a conversation that will be interesting and meaningful any time in the future. Thank you Tims!
This was a fantastic episode. It’s a clear-eyed take on Trump and MAGA.
Related to this, I’d like to recommend another important book on this situation: Brian Gruber's most recent book - link below. It is good to remember it can and could happen in the US, just like across Europe.
https://www.amazon.com/My-Fabulous-Fascist-Summer-Vacation/dp/B0DJBQH9MQ/ref=sr_1_1