Bulwark Takes

Sam Stein is joined by Chris Whipple, who wrote for Vanity Fair about the remarkable political transformation of J.D. Vance, from a young Trump critic at Yale Law School to Trump’s vice president and a potential MAGA successor. They dig into Vance’s behind-the-scenes efforts in 2016 to help Hillary Clinton defeat Trump and examine what drove his dramatic reversal. Was Vance always destined for MAGA, or did something change along the way?
Plus, Chris shares what Susie Wiles told him about Vance’s evolution and why she viewed his transformation differently from other Republican politicians.
Read more: https://www.vanityfair.com/story/jd-vance-yale-law
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Trump is raging at the Supreme Court after his own appointees helped block his administration’s mail-ballot rules, and George Conway joins Sam Stein to discuss the ruling, Trump’s extraordinary attack on the justices he picked, and what could come next as the midterms approach. Then things take a sharp turn as they watch Kash Patel try to explain one of the strangest—and grossest—FBI controversies you’re ever likely to hear discussed in a Senate hearing.
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Republicans spent their midterm convention warning that communists are coming for America. Will Saletan runs their own definition of “communism” against Donald Trump’s promises of $5,000 checks, government stakes in private companies, admiration for China, and even his jokes about being “the greatest communist in history”—and finds the GOP’s argument collapsing under its own weight.
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Bill Kristol and guest host Ben Parker break down the latest New York Times/Siena polling showing Democrats with a significant advantage on the generic congressional ballot heading into the midterms. They discuss why Democrats are now leading Republicans on the economy, cost of living, immigration, and foreign wars. They also examine the growing political problem Republicans face on artificial intelligence, with voters overwhelmingly opposed to new AI data centers in their communities. Bill explains why Democrats could use Trump’s aggressive stance on AI to put Republicans on the defensive.
Plus, the conversation turns to Kash Patel’s bizarre Senate hearing, including questions about the FBI’s hiring rules involving bestiality, and why the absurd exchange distracts from much more serious questions about the FBI. Ben and Bill also discuss Patel’s handling of the Epstein files and why the administration’s refusal to provide meaningful transparency could become a bigger issue in the midterm elections.
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Tim Miller gives his take on Trump’s latest manic posting spree, from AI and China to oil prices, Iran, Ukraine, and Trump’s repeated promises of tariff-funded “dividend” checks. Tim also takes on Trump’s claim that AI safety concerns are a “hoax” and his push to accelerate AI development with minimal guardrails.
Plus, a new federal watchdog report details disturbing conditions at Florida’s now-shuttered “Alligator Alcatraz,” where detainees were confined in small outdoor metal cages that officials described as “calming areas.”
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