Now's the Worst Time to Abandon NATO
Plus: Trump’s COVID Response Was Worse Than We Remember
Recently in The Bulwark:
BILL KRISTOL & ANDREW EGGER: Biden Goes It Alone on the Border
Overtime is for everyone. If you’re a subscriber: thank you. If you’re not, there’s no better time to subscribe to Bulwark+ than today. If you like today’s issue, you can share this newsletter with someone you think would value it.
MATT JOHNSON: Now Is the Worst Time to Abandon NATO
FOR THE UNITED STATES, NATO has always presented a paradox. Hastings Ismay, the first secretary general of NATO, famously quipped that the alliance’s purpose was to “keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.” More specifically, the United States joined the major powers of Western Europe together in an unprecedented military and political alliance for three reasons: so they wouldn’t follow foreign policies inimical to America’s interests, so they wouldn’t go to war against each other for the third time in a century, and so they wouldn’t be overrun by the Soviet Union. Since the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949, the paradox has been that the United States wants its NATO allies to support their own defense, but without freelancing too much on their defense policy, or being so capable of defending themselves that they start to menace each other.
WILL SALETAN: From Election Denialism to Jury Denialism.
TO PROTECT DONALD TRUMP, the Republican party has turned against every institution that stood in his way: the press (“the enemy of the people”), the civil service (“the Deep State”), presidential elections (“rigged,” “stolen”), courts (for refusing to overturn the 2020 election), the House January 6th Committee (Democrats and “RINOs”), independent counsels (Robert Mueller, Robert Hur, Jack Smith), and law enforcement (for prosecuting the insurrectionists).
🎥 PODCASTS AND VIDEOS 🎧
Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller: Will Saletan and McKay Coppins: Fear and Loathing
📣Bulwark+ members can now listen to ad-free podcasts on Spotify! Learn more here.
The Next Level: Five Months Out From November
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.
MONA CHAREN: Trump’s COVID Response Was Worse Than We Remember.
I REMEMBER THE PHONE CALL VIVIDLY. It was April 23, 2020. My friend had watched Trump’s coronavirus press conference and called me to ask, “What the f—?” The president had just suggested inserting ultraviolet light into the body or injecting bleach as a way to cure COVID. I remember saying, “Well, the silver lining is that this guarantees that he will definitely not be re-elected in November.”
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Wednesday! It’s a rainy, hot day here, which means one thing: traffic! Pick your poison: high tolls or long wait times?
🎵On the Jukebox…🎵Michael Marcagi - Scared To Start
Kill it with fire… Comcast has the opportunity to be a good cable company and kill off the Bally Sports Network (Star Tribune) once and for all. Do it.
Retired NASCAR driver Tighe Scott… Is the latest to be charged in the January 6 failed insurrection.
The Most Consequential TV Show… in History? McKay Coppins makes his case in The Atlantic 🎁.
How 12 U.S. agencies are using the $113 billion provided… in the initial four Ukraine acts (GAO).
In Georgia, Fani Willis has nobody to blame… but herself.
Harry Dunn’s fight continues… The former USCP officer has set up a PAC directed at defeating insurrection sympathists (NBC).
We now know… Why a dead bear was found in a bag in D.C. (WaPo).
Lobster boat captain helps save best mate of 15 years… a seagull (WMUR).1
“Abuse” “general toxicity” and “rage”… Rep. Victoria Sparx comes under the ethics spotlight (Politico).
Travis County DA asks Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to reverse pardon… for Daniel Perry (CBS). It’s unlikely, but hoping they succeed.
House GOP goes after Hunter… And James Biden, with a criminal referral. They allege the pair lied to Congress.
Arizona judges are behaving badly…. Has faith in our justice system faltered? (AZCentral)
A Tale of Censorship… in Research (Connors Institute).
A sad video in Wisconsin… He even wore the MAGA uniform to ruin his daughter’s graduation, the Superintendent’s, and get arrested.
Tech support questions? Email members@thebulwark.com. Questions for me? Respond to this message.
—30—
Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.
I had no idea Seagulls lived for 15+ years! I thought the story was fake at first.
