Day 4: The Bad Orange Man, Once Again
Plus: Understanding J.D. Vance’s ‘National Conservatism’ Convention Speech
Recently in The Bulwark:
BILL KRISTOL & ANDREW EGGER: ‘It’s Never Been Darker’
JOE PERTICONE: Reagan’s Big Tent Party Is Now Trump’s Big Tent Revival
MARC CAPUTO: White Men Can Vote: The Logic Behind J.D. Vance for VP
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🫏🎉 2024 CONVENTION COVERAGE 🎭🐘
Starting at 8:30 EDT we’re going live on YouTube🎥
The gang (JVL, Sonny Bunch, and Sam Stein) will kick off the night with a preview of the primetime lineup, Donald Trump’s acceptance speech, and all the latest. We’ll simulcast the proceedings so you all can watch and chat together. Then after the program concludes, we’ll be back online with reactions.
Find us at YouTube.com/@bulwarkmedia.
WILL SALETAN: What Happens When a Felon Throws a ‘Law-and-Order’ Convention
ONE OF THE DEFINING ELEMENTS of authoritarianism is selective application of the law. In fascist movements, “law and order” is invoked against scapegoats and political enemies, while the leader and his allies are exempt from legal accountability. This distinction has become central to Donald Trump’s Republican party. At the party’s national convention this week, speaker after speaker affirmed that the law must be rigorously applied to undocumented migrants, but not to Trump or his henchmen.
🎥 PODCASTS AND VIDEOS 🎧
Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller: Adam Kinzinger: Everything Is on the Line
Beg to Differ: The Clock is Ticking
The Michael Steele Podcast: From Memes to Extremism: How the Internet Fueled Far-Right Movements (with Elle Reeve)
Shield of The Republic: The Long Shadow of the Evil Empire
Did you know? Bulwark+ members can listen to an ad-free version of these podcasts on the player of their choice.
Learn more at Bulwark+ Podcast FAQ.
📣Bulwark+ members can now listen to ad-free podcasts on Spotify! Learn more here.
CATHY YOUNG: Understanding J.D. Vance’s ‘National Conservatism’ Convention Speech
THE MOST COMMON SLAM AT J.D. VANCE, Donald Trump’s running mate and Wednesday night’s big star at the Republican National Convention, is that the 39-year-old junior senator from Ohio is a cynical opportunist, a turncoat who refashioned himself from a “Never Trump” conservative into an ardent Trump loyalist to secure his ascent in the MAGAfied GOP. There is no question that Vance’s transformation has been drastic—and, as some have noted, he hasn’t changed his views on Trump alone: Vance’s current portrayal of America’s struggling working-class communities—such as the one he was born into—as victims of a callous and globalist “ruling class” contrasts sharply with his account in Hillbilly Elegy, which was blunt about the role dysfunctional culture and self-destructive behavior play in these communities’ woes.
SAM STEIN AND ANDREW EGGER: Former Biden Staffers Circulate Petition Calling for Him to Exit Race
FORMER JOE BIDEN STAFFERS ARE CIRCULATING a petition calling on their onetime boss to suspend his presidential campaign.
The effort, launched just yesterday as the chorus of Democrats encouraging Biden to step aside grew, has only a handful of apparent signatories so far. But its mere existence underscores how desperate some Democrats are to change the trajectory of the presidential campaign.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Thursday! In case you missed last night’s convention livestream, I joined Andrew, Bill, Sam, and Marc to break down J.D. Vance’s big night.
For #ThrowbackThursday… President George W. Bush warning about isms… and basically what this GOP currently is.
I Thought I Understood the GOP… I Was Wrong. Must-read Stuart Stevens at The Atlantic 🎁.
Introducing George Conway’s latest project… PsychoPac, with billboards (mobile and fixed) appearing today at the RNC and in Milwaukee.
J.D. Vance left his Venmo public… Here’s what Wired learned.
Middletown, Ohio is not Appalachia… My pet peeve is gaining traction at the grey lady.
My husband was slowing down... He needed protecting, writes Sally Quinn in The Washington Post. Tough piece to write.
⌚️The Naysayers Are Wrong: The Snoopy MoonSwatch is Awesome.
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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.
Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly had the lineup of tonight’s livestream.
