Putin Propagandists Befuddled by Assad Defeat
Plus: What It Took to Fix the Democratic Brand Last Time Around
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BILL KRISTOL & ANDREW EGGER: Stay on the Road to Damascus
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CATHY YOUNG: Putin Propagandists Befuddled by Assad Defeat
ON SUNDAY NIGHT, BOTH THE HOST AND THE GUESTS on Evening with Vladimir Solovyov, the top show on Kremlin propaganda TV, wore such glum and downcast expressions that you’d think Vladimir Putin had canceled Christmas. But the subject was “the Syrian question”—the downfall of Bashar al-Assad, who had just arrived in Moscow after his regime had rapidly crumbled before a rebel onslaught. “For Russia, the Syria question is a painfully sensitive one,” Solovyov, whose subdued demeanor was a striking contrast to his usual shouty bravado, said in his opening monologue. “For one thing, our guys have shed blood for that country.”
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Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller: Bill Kristol and Michael Weiss: Catastrophic Success [YouTube Kristol, Weiss ]
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The Focus Group: An 'Unserious' Show (with Jonathan V. Last) [YouTube]
The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood: The Copyrighted Material Being Used to Train AI
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AL FROM: What It Took to Fix the Democratic Brand Last Time Around
DEMOCRATS PONDERING WHAT TO DO NEXT after November’s defeat would do well to remember how the party came back the last time it was in the political wilderness.
After the 1988 election, respected political analysts believed Republicans had a lock on the presidency. Democrats had lost five of the previous six presidential elections. In 1972 and again in 1984, the Democratic candidate lost 49 states. In the three elections in the 1980s, the Republican candidate won landslide victories, averaging 54 percent of the popular vote and nearly 90 percent of Electoral College votes.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Monday! Hope you had a good weekend. The Bulwark’s Cincinnati Bureau is in full holiday cheer mode. While I am not a big Christmas person (you know what I mean), one thing I’ve taken an interest in, at least relative to years prior, is Christmas decoration. In part because Cincinnati neighborhoods take this seriously with their Luminarias. Can’t be the bah-humbug new neighbor!
Save the date… On December 19th at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., Tim and Sarah will have a friendly debate with Nick Gillespie and Matt Walsh of Reason Magazine to debate whether “you have to pick a side” in politics. Get tickets here.
Tariffs Are Trump's Tool… to Consolidate His Hold on Power, writes Steve Chapman at The Unpopulist.
Enron is back… A few years ago, the company’s trademark was purchased for $275. Now, one of the guys involved in “Birds Aren’t Real” is the CEO of Enron.
Hegseth appears to have Ernst… The Iowa Senator’s most recent remark seemingly suggests that her previously tepid support is now, in fact, quite warm.
Your new $3,000 couch… Might be in the garbage before the next presidential election. WSJ on why.
Iowa moderates… should run independent campaigns, puncture polarized politics, argues Bulwark+ member and founder Mike Michener in The Des Moines Register.
Asking Tulsi Gabbard About Bashar al-Assad… Jake Lahut writes:
“Back when I was at a local newspaper in New Hampshire, I had an interesting exchange with Gabbard on what would become the top issue facing her nomination for Director of National Intelligence.”
Gridiron Eavesdropping? The folks at SpyTalk noticed a pic of former CIA acting director Mike Morell was operating a parabolic mic during Monday Night Football. An Ohioan and Browns fan, here’s an interview he did where he talks about the experience with KOA’s Ross Kaminsky.
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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.
