The weaponization committee hearing was an embarrassing bust. Plus, James O'Keefe's love of musicals, the karma of calling DeSantis a groomer — and Charlie has Covid and he still showed up for your Super Bowl weekend pod with Tim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The drunken heckling caucus around Marjorie Taylor Greene is not out of control — it did exactly what its voters sent them to do. And Tucker Carlson is playing to that base, which has contempt for people with an education. Tom Nichols joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biden's shrewd State of the Union address played rope-a-dope with Republicans, and he relished the scrum. Plus, Trump goes classic and pulls the groomer card on DeSantis. A.B. Stoddard joins Charlie Sykes on today's podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The balloon set off a performance theater among members of Congress that was unbecoming of their rank and office, Lt. Gen Mark Hertling tells Charlie Sykes on today's podcast. Plus, how Jan 6 has impacted education at military colleges, and an update on the war in Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It wouldn't have mattered how Biden had handled the balloon — Republicans would have said he was weak. Plus, the art of donning an AR-15 pin to trigger the libs, and Elon Musk is amplifying Russian propaganda. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Too many normies STILL won't say "Never Trump," but Paul Ryan may be coming around. Plus, Kari keeps pretending to be governor, Hugh Hewitt is leg-humpy, and Charlie wants Dark Brandon to go out in a flak jacket and pop the balloon. Your weekend pod with Charlie Sykes and Tim Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merrick Garland likes to say that no one is above the law, but the DOJ's own guidelines make it clear that some people are more equal than others. And no one exemplifies the disparities in our criminal justice system better than Donald Trump. Elie Honig joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump has longed complained about a deep state plot to smear him with the Russia investigation, but the Durham probe of that investigation comes off as highly partisan, unethical, and loony. Charlie Savage joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

History became more politicized in the Trump era and the conservative media ecosystem has helped amplify untruths. Princeton's Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer join Charlie Sykes to explain the value of learning both our good and bad history. We can handle the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Training and diversity are not enough — cops who break the law must be prosecuted. Plus, the normalization of political violence around Jan 6 and the attack on Paul Pelosi, and Steve Bannon goes deeper on election denialism. Will Saletan joins Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republicans are so out of touch, their public brand is in trouble. Plus, MTG is Queen of the GOP, Schlapp is too sleazy for Gaetz, and party types are praying for a Trump heart attack. Oh, and Tim Miller tells Charlie Sykes he wants to hang with Kari Lake. Your weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It took a lot of arm-twisting, but the West has finally committed to arming Ukraine with battle tanks — not only to boost its defenses, but also to take the fight to the Russians. And Crimea is now in play. Michael Weiss joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biden has been seen as scandal-free, but his classified docs case may cost him a big political asset: the benefit of the doubt. Plus, Trump's map in the '24 primaries looks smaller. And the fallout from the arrest of a former FBI agent with ties to Russia. Jonathan Alter joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republicans may have underperformed in the midterms, but the RNC chair fight is not about changing the party's direction. For the base, it's about out-suing the "cheating" Democrats. Plus, the free-for-all in Chicago's mayoral race, and the Oscar noms. Dave Weigel joins Charlie Sykes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The pro-life movement, undaunted by the midterms, is pushing for more restrictions— and the political backlash will be severe. Plus, give Ukraine the tanks, and don't invite Donald Trump to your funeral. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republicans are back to extortion and holding the debt ceiling hostage after adding $4.7 trillion to the deficit during the Trump years — and that was before the pandemic. Why risk financial market chaos? Catherine Rampell joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before John Kelly became chief of staff, he thought the chaos at the White House was due to the people around Trump. Instead, each day was about getting through the day without Trump doing something illegal, immoral, or damaging to himself or the country. Mike Schmidt joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The shift in attitudes about defense and foreign policy in Germany has been dramatic since the war in Ukraine began. Plus, will ripping off a dying dog be the tipping point for George Santos? Bill Kristol — fresh off a series of meetings in Berlin — joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New York Times-bound David French tells Charlie Sykes how he re-thought same-sex marriage, how he felt he was living in a bubble, and how religious liberty is more strongly protected than it's ever been. Plus, the inevitability of George Santos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RonAnon Johnson wanted to get beat up on "Meet the Press" — so he could weaponize it. Plus, the active moving backward from MLK's dream, Trump gets the ultimate whataboutism, debt ceiling dangers, and a football confession. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former RNC Chair Michael Steele had a front-row seat for the start of the ugly transformation at CPAC. Racist rhetoric has now been normalized, and they're not even pretending anymore. Steele joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watching from a distance, former Rep. Kinzinger tells Charlie Sykes that House moderates have a lot of power they're not willing to use, while the Freedom Caucus —AKA "The Terror Club" — is willing to shoot hostages. Plus, McCarthy will say whatever he needs to say to stay in power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Without his secret pact, Kevin McCarthy likely would not be Speaker. Now, the American public — and members of Congress — are in the dark about the terms of McCarthy's agreement. Plus, will Joe Biden's classified documents sink a prosecution of Trump? Aaron Blake joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump rarely leaves his 'weird' smelling, moldy mansion, he seems bored and tired, and D-List MAGA are his main loyalists now. Plus, Olivia and Charlie go all in on the parallels to the film, Sunset Boulevard. Olivia Nuzzi joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McCarthy paid the ransom, Bannon is openly supporting violence in Brazil, and even normie Republicans are prepared to put the US economy at risk. Plus, Charlie and Will disagree on Hakeem Jeffries' speech. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hijackers have the energy in the House, Biden is quietly succeeding, no-mentum Trump's biggest fear is being ignored, DeSantis is a closet wimp, and George Santos doesn't respond to his name — is his name fake too? A.B. Stoddard joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rep. Elise Stefanik was a star pupil and the future of the GOP — now she's joined the kids in the back of the class, whose only role in Congress is to generate outrage. Plus, Trump turned the party into a roadshow and McCarthy is paying the price. Nick Confessore joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McCarthy thought he could appease the kamikaze caucus with cash and playing along with Stop the Steal — surprise, they'd rather ruin everything if they can't rule. CNN's John Avlon joins Charlie Sykes on today's pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House Republican caucus is a jackal pack, with George Santos — the poster boy for our era of grift — along for the ride. Plus, 2023 is starting with green shoots of optimism, including a battered, bruised, and tired Donald Trump. Tom Nichols joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The clock is ticking down on whether to bring charges against Trump for what was essentially a "simple" scheme — a president wanted to stay in power even though he lost the election. Former DOJ prosecutor Andrew Weissmann joined Charlie Sykes for this encore episode from July. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During his four years in office, Trump kept testing the weaknesses in our Constitutional system — and January 6 was the culmination of his war on the institutions of American government. Susan Glasser and Peter Baker's book, "The Divider" captures the threat Trump posed. But as they told Charlie Sykes, their book is not just history: It's also a prologue if he returns to power. This encore episode was originally released in September. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump is the product of an exacting and brutal father who undermined him in private, and his damaged childhood has impacted him ever since. In this encore episode from October, Maggie Haberman, author of "Confidence Man," told Charlie Sykes that Trump doesn't really trust anyone — and that the era of distrust we live in now is one of his biggest legacies.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Bannon is a card-carrying member of the coastal elite, but he's trying to light a bonfire under American democracy. An intelligent, well-read man in the same category as Tucker Carlson, Bannon's genius is in polarizing people. The Atlantic's Jennifer Senior joined Charlie Sykes in this encore episode from June.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tucker Carlson regularly borrows conspiracy theories from the racist right, and counsels his viewers that immigrants, nonwhites, and non-Christians are trying to destroy them and everything they love. Meanwhile, his show brings in more advertising revenue than any other Fox News program. The New York Times' Nick Confessore joined Charlie Sykes for this encore episode, originally released in May. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former DC police officer Michael Fanone joined Charlie Sykes for our first live show, and recalled the events of Jan 6 — when he was seriously injured defending the Capitol. A one-time Trump voter and Fox News fan, Fanone is now waging "a one-man war" against Trump and his reality-denying apologists. He also shared his thoughts about Kevin McCarthy, Lindsey Graham, Mike Pence, and the battle for the American soul. This encore episode was originally released in October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this Christmas weekend, we revisit our conversation with Tim Alberta about the morphing of evangelicalism from a spiritual disposition to a political identity, a development Alberta calls "heartbreaking." He tells Charlie Sykes that Evangelicals are turning against each other over conspiracy politics and Donald Trump. This encore episode was originally released in May. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Across the Movie Aisle pod returns to Pandora for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. Is the sequel — 13 years in the making — worth the wait? Plus, the streaming programming crunch. Sonny Bunch, Alyssa Rosenberg, and Peter Suderman take over the Bulwark pod for this special bonus episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zelensky didn't hit a wrong note, and he embodied the Ukrainian people's will to freedom on the floor of the US Congress. Plus, from a realpolitik perspective, the degradation of Russian military power via US aid to Ukraine is a bargain. Amb. Eric Edelman joins guest host Bill Kristol today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The fight against Putin and the fight against Trump are cousins, so how poetic is it that Zelensky and the January 6 report both show up on nearly the same day? Plus, is Trump getting too tired to fight? Bill Kristol joins guest host JVL for a special bonus episode today.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Putin likes to say the West is weak, but he isn't even fighting NATO, and he's losing. But the war in Ukraine is at a transition point — and Russia, with a new commander, will emerge from the winter still dangerous. Gen. Mick Ryan joins guest host Ben Parker today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The January 6 committee never wavered from its main goal: to make sure Trump never holds power again. Plus, the Lauren Boebert-MTG feud, and overestimating the power of the internet age to stop political candidates from telling very big lies. Will Saletan joins guest host Mona Charen today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Miller checks in from Turning Point's event in Phoenix on the role of "Gays Against Groomers" in the culture war. Plus, George Santos as Tom Ripley, and the Musk crowd's "Free Speech for Me and Not for Thee." JVL, Sarah, and Tim bring it for today's Bulwark pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The case for Biden to run again, the hate-mongering GOP, and the expectations around Kamala vs the realities of the vice presidency. Symone Sanders-Townsend joins guest host Tim Miller for the weekend pod — and also chats about why she switched from Bernie, and the Trump fans in her own family. __________________________ Join the gang from The Next Level in Seattle this January 21 for an evening of politics and savage love with our special guest Dan Savage. Learn more at TheBulwark.com/NoBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The success of Operation Warp Speed has been orphaned by both sides — the left won't credit Trump for any policy success, and too many on the right won't get vaxxed. Plus, crypto had a magical pull in an era of declining trust in institutions, and the unifying theory that explains all the crazy disruption in 2022. Derek Thompson joins guest host Tim Miller. Join the gang from The Next Level in Seattle this January 21 for an evening of politics and savage love with our special guest Dan Savage. Learn more here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Americans are less divided than they think about how schools should teach about our nation's history. Conflict entrepreneurs are stoking polarization and cherry picking extreme opinions as majority views. More in Common's Dan Vallone joins guest host Mona Charen today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marjorie Taylor Greene tried on Jesus and CrossFit before she got to MAGA. Now, the party leadership needs her more than she needs them because the base thinks she's Elvis. The Atlantic's Elaina Plott Calabro joins guest host JVL for a deep look at the how and why of MTG. Show notes: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/01/marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-georgia-election-background/672229/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even with some key figures refusing to testify, the Jan 6 committee still was able to tell the story of crimes that were committed that day. Plus, Kevin McCarthy — after all his necessary butt-kissing is complete — will be the head of a nonfunctional majority in the House. Rep. Adam Kinzinger joins Charlie Sykes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittney Griner is home, Sinema does the Angus King thing, Republicans pass on a "Get Out of Jail" card, and a huge win for same-sex marriage. Plus, every Democrat should get schooled by the Warnock and Shapiro campaigns. Tim Miller's back with Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices