Hey, look: Republicans and Democrats are working together! Meanwhile, Trump is still trying to destroy our institutions, Bill Barr is comfortable playing Russian roulette, and Mark Esper speaks the truth. Plus, more from the mailbag. Amanda Carpenter joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
Hey Tim--the comment on the Venn diagram overlap on authoritarianism made me think of anouther Douthat-like interview I think would be great: George Will. He has been a consistent critic over the years about the expansion of the executive, and I would think that the current period would be a sweet spot for him, yet he continues to spend much more of his ink on various culture-war type stuff not enough on the danger of Trump and the large Maga wing of the Republican party. Plus, I think it would also troll JVL if you got him on
Spoiler alert for the Bill Kristol conversation with Mark Esper: Esper expresses a lot of concern about a second Trump administration. But in the last 5 minutes, he says he understands why more traditional Republicans look back fondly on the first Trump administration compared to what we have at present, which is a DISASTER! I mean, Joe Biden has done HORRIBLE things! Pretty much like Pence. Please stop dreaming that any of these people has anything constructive to offer a campaign against Trump. Esper is selling books. To judge by the interview, he has a serious case of main-character syndrome; what he says about Trump is actually pretty tepid.
It is beyond predictable by this point that The Bulwark will bend over backwards to makes excuses for Trump hacks. We've come a long way from the days when the Never Trumpers promised the people involved in propping trump up would NEVER be rehabilitated.
So keep telling me how great Esper and Pence are. become a Mike Johnson fan boy. Keep gushing about Nikki.
These people showed you who they were, who they are. They will NEVER love you.
In that amicus curie letter to SCOTUS,I was disappointed that Esper,Kelly,McMaster,Milley and other higher profile officials who witnessed Trump up close (and have come out against him)weren't signatories.
This is more of a statement than a question regarding Amanda's view that pardons aren't absolute.Why were pardons so absolute when Trump used them at the end of his term? It is so much like the conflict of interest that was so violated and ignored when Tump was president.The issue of pardons and conflict of interests rests so much on norms.And there is the shame element.But when one such as Trump has not one iota of shame and/or embarrassment they simply are trampled over and disregarded.
What I find the most frustrating about bill barr’s crazy comments is the following: he is screaming the truth to everyone. He is not hiding it. The truth is the following: there is nothing that republicans could do to lose his vote. There is nothing a democrat could do to win his vote.
What a sad sad state our democracy is in. I get some low information voter who is pissed about culture wants Trump. But bill KNOWS. He lives with TONS of liberals. There are tons of liberals at his law firm. What does it say about what he thinks about THOSE people.
Billy Barr hates Dems because they don't share his religious need for an absolute executive authority. Billy can go on and on about Trump only because Trump is not the person Billy wants to see as his presidential autocrat, but the GOP is the party that will give him his wish.
I hear you but if dems actually took his views and executed it with a democratic president he would think they were worse than hitler.
Republicans love the power of the executive when they are in power but not when democrats are. It’s kind of like the budget. We need to balance it when it’s a democratic president not when it’s a republican
Billy is an absolutist about executive power, GOP only, preferably a Catholic authoritarian. He's pretty much a moral relativist on everything else as long as it leads to his first goal.
I was reviewing the various amendments put forth during the House's floor vote on Ukraine aid. As expected, the vast majority were ridiculous amendments offered by Republicans and quickly voted down. The only Democrat to offer any amendments on the bill was your buddy Moskowitz, who proposed two amendments, solely in an effort to troll MTG. One was an amendment to officially rename MTG's office "The Neville Chamberlain Room", the other an amendment to officially name MTG as Putin's official envoy to the US Congress.
Since I have just listened to this podcast,(Sat night) all three aid bills past overwhelmingly.Now that is Tim's coalition government. Mike Johnson has learned a lesson that McCarthy,Ryan and Boehner failed to.
A Trump "library" would definitely be more akin to a casino with shops selling tchotchkes and various displays one would have to pay to access. Maybe there can be an exhibit of his adult diapers (that might be a bridge too far, though).
Tim, if you haven’t been to Pascal’s Manale and had the Original Pascal's Barbeque Shrimp, you need to stop what you’re doing Ang go now! Can’t believe that wasn’t in your list of recommendations!!!
You’re doing a killer job with the daily podcast. Thank you for everything you do!
This is only regarding the early banter about the jazz fest and Tim’s challenge in keeping up the daily AM podcast recording requirement. I paused the show to leave the comment but I am looking forward to the remainder!
Idea for the show, post-Charlie, with Tim in the chair and doing an excellent job making the pod his own but maybe having some difficulty with the pace: is JVL available? To do one day a week? This would give Tim a little break, which I’ll bet would be good for the show and for Tim. And we would finally get to hear JVL as an interviewer on a somewhat regular basis. He is a master - almost as good as Tim!
Just my two cents as a long time listener/reader, first time commenter. Love you guys, please keep up what you are at and take the notion suggested above with as many grains of salt as it deserves!
Tim is a great interviewer. Podcast is good.
Hey Tim--the comment on the Venn diagram overlap on authoritarianism made me think of anouther Douthat-like interview I think would be great: George Will. He has been a consistent critic over the years about the expansion of the executive, and I would think that the current period would be a sweet spot for him, yet he continues to spend much more of his ink on various culture-war type stuff not enough on the danger of Trump and the large Maga wing of the Republican party. Plus, I think it would also troll JVL if you got him on
Tim, I came across a Salon interview with David Austin Walsh, author of a book about the history of the conservative movement. He might make an interesting guest. https://www.salon.com/2024/04/20/a-prehistory-of-maga-mainstream-conservatives-never-really-purged-the-fascists/
Spoiler alert for the Bill Kristol conversation with Mark Esper: Esper expresses a lot of concern about a second Trump administration. But in the last 5 minutes, he says he understands why more traditional Republicans look back fondly on the first Trump administration compared to what we have at present, which is a DISASTER! I mean, Joe Biden has done HORRIBLE things! Pretty much like Pence. Please stop dreaming that any of these people has anything constructive to offer a campaign against Trump. Esper is selling books. To judge by the interview, he has a serious case of main-character syndrome; what he says about Trump is actually pretty tepid.
It is beyond predictable by this point that The Bulwark will bend over backwards to makes excuses for Trump hacks. We've come a long way from the days when the Never Trumpers promised the people involved in propping trump up would NEVER be rehabilitated.
So keep telling me how great Esper and Pence are. become a Mike Johnson fan boy. Keep gushing about Nikki.
These people showed you who they were, who they are. They will NEVER love you.
The Bulwark is going off the rails.
In that amicus curie letter to SCOTUS,I was disappointed that Esper,Kelly,McMaster,Milley and other higher profile officials who witnessed Trump up close (and have come out against him)weren't signatories.
This is more of a statement than a question regarding Amanda's view that pardons aren't absolute.Why were pardons so absolute when Trump used them at the end of his term? It is so much like the conflict of interest that was so violated and ignored when Tump was president.The issue of pardons and conflict of interests rests so much on norms.And there is the shame element.But when one such as Trump has not one iota of shame and/or embarrassment they simply are trampled over and disregarded.
Can’t wait to hear “Castles made of Sand” especially. Please say I’m not too late
So funny when Tim suggested that a potential Trump library would feel more like a haunted house.
Trump:Just what is a library anyway?
Miss you Amanda. Love when you are back.
What I find the most frustrating about bill barr’s crazy comments is the following: he is screaming the truth to everyone. He is not hiding it. The truth is the following: there is nothing that republicans could do to lose his vote. There is nothing a democrat could do to win his vote.
What a sad sad state our democracy is in. I get some low information voter who is pissed about culture wants Trump. But bill KNOWS. He lives with TONS of liberals. There are tons of liberals at his law firm. What does it say about what he thinks about THOSE people.
Billy Barr hates Dems because they don't share his religious need for an absolute executive authority. Billy can go on and on about Trump only because Trump is not the person Billy wants to see as his presidential autocrat, but the GOP is the party that will give him his wish.
I hear you but if dems actually took his views and executed it with a democratic president he would think they were worse than hitler.
Republicans love the power of the executive when they are in power but not when democrats are. It’s kind of like the budget. We need to balance it when it’s a democratic president not when it’s a republican
Billy is an absolutist about executive power, GOP only, preferably a Catholic authoritarian. He's pretty much a moral relativist on everything else as long as it leads to his first goal.
It all comes down to the headline of one of the Morning Shots last week: Dems Fir it, then I'm agin it.
Tim,
FYI, In case you didn't already know...
I was reviewing the various amendments put forth during the House's floor vote on Ukraine aid. As expected, the vast majority were ridiculous amendments offered by Republicans and quickly voted down. The only Democrat to offer any amendments on the bill was your buddy Moskowitz, who proposed two amendments, solely in an effort to troll MTG. One was an amendment to officially rename MTG's office "The Neville Chamberlain Room", the other an amendment to officially name MTG as Putin's official envoy to the US Congress.
https://rules.house.gov/bill/118/hr-8035
It made me think about your comments about and conversation with him. Nice to see that the trolling is at least going both ways.
Since I have just listened to this podcast,(Sat night) all three aid bills past overwhelmingly.Now that is Tim's coalition government. Mike Johnson has learned a lesson that McCarthy,Ryan and Boehner failed to.
That will never wash the blood off of Mike Johnsons hands.
Tim and Amanda are a dynamic duo! Yes, more Amanda please
YES!
I love the show notes every day. So helpful!
A Trump "library" would definitely be more akin to a casino with shops selling tchotchkes and various displays one would have to pay to access. Maybe there can be an exhibit of his adult diapers (that might be a bridge too far, though).
Trumpster's library would gift or grift store where all proceeds go to Trumpster.
entertaining! more Amanda!!
Tim, if you haven’t been to Pascal’s Manale and had the Original Pascal's Barbeque Shrimp, you need to stop what you’re doing Ang go now! Can’t believe that wasn’t in your list of recommendations!!!
You’re doing a killer job with the daily podcast. Thank you for everything you do!
Paul from Orlando (RVAT)
This is only regarding the early banter about the jazz fest and Tim’s challenge in keeping up the daily AM podcast recording requirement. I paused the show to leave the comment but I am looking forward to the remainder!
Idea for the show, post-Charlie, with Tim in the chair and doing an excellent job making the pod his own but maybe having some difficulty with the pace: is JVL available? To do one day a week? This would give Tim a little break, which I’ll bet would be good for the show and for Tim. And we would finally get to hear JVL as an interviewer on a somewhat regular basis. He is a master - almost as good as Tim!
Just my two cents as a long time listener/reader, first time commenter. Love you guys, please keep up what you are at and take the notion suggested above with as many grains of salt as it deserves!
Good point.