Bulwark Takes

Tim Miller and Sam Stein give their takes on Donald Trump’s explosive White House press conference, where he lashed out at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, dismissed questions about the Epstein files, and once again showed how comfortable he is attacking female reporters. They explain why Trump’s treatment of Collins was especially revealing, how it fits his long-standing pattern of defending powerful men accused of abuse, and why the press corps’ failure to step in matters more than people realize.
They also break down Speaker Mike Johnson openly casting doubt on the legitimacy of U.S. elections while admitting he has no evidence of fraud. Tim and Sam explain why Johnson’s comments are not a slip or rhetorical excess, but a deliberate signal and why the real threat may come on the back end of the election, through stalling, lawsuits, and refusal to seat members.
In the New Year, take ownership of your health with ZocDoc, at https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES.

Sam Stein gives his take on the good news out of Congress. After years of inexplicable delays, political dysfunction, and gut-wrenching defeats, the Give Kids a Chance Act has finally passed and is set to become law. The bipartisan bill will expand pediatric cancer research by allowing the FDA to study combination drug therapies, opening new funding streams, and cutting bureaucratic red tape that has long slowed progress for kids with cancer. Sam walks through how this widely supported legislation was repeatedly sidelined, including Elon Musk’s intervention, Senate procedural roadblocks, and last-minute objections that left families and advocates devastated.
In the New Year, take ownership of your health with ZocDoc, at https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES.
Read Sam's article about the pediatric cancer bill: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/pediatric-cancer-bill-elon-rand-bernie-mikaela-naylon

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer give their takes on the latest wave of Trumpworld absurdity, as the 2020 election conspiracy crowd suddenly snaps back into focus after an FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia. They unpack Trump promoting a conspiracy about Italian satellites, the apparent sidelining of Ed Martin, the expose on Rep. Nancy Mace that includes late-night tequila runs and Reddit vanity projects, and Florida long-shot gubernatorial candidate James Fishback deciding to join Tinder to meet “young female voters.”
In the New Year, take ownership of your health with ZocDoc, at https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES.

JVL and Sonny Bunch give their takes on Trump’s sudden decision to shut down the Kennedy Center for two years after politicizing it, slapping his name on it, and driving ticket sales to historic lows. They break down how an iconic, nonpartisan arts institution ended up with pandemic-level attendance, why artists and audiences fled, and how a pathetic vanity project backfired spectacularly.
Get 30% off your entire order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com, promo code BULWARKTAKES.

Sam Stein and Jonathan Cohn give their takes on the alarming return of measles in the United States. The disease is spreading again, with major outbreaks in South Carolina and hundreds of cases appearing nationwide. They break down why falling vaccination rates are driving this preventable crisis, how government leaders are downplaying the threat, and why vaccine skepticism has become a badge of honor on the right, from RFK Jr.’s influence at HHS to Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s push to end vaccine mandates altogether.
Get 30% off your entire order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com, promo code BULWARKTAKES.