RFK Jr. Is a One-Man Plague
Plus: Pieces of Advice for Pete Hegseth, From Someone Who’s Struggled With Drinking
Recently in The Bulwark:
BILL KRISTOL & ANDREW EGGER: Does Trump Even Care About Pete?
JOE PERTICONE: Pete Hegseth’s Congressional Sherpa Is a Saudi Agent
MARC CAPUTO: The Two Nominees for Whom Trump Is Prepared to Go to War
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MONA CHAREN: RFK Jr. Is a One-Man Plague
AT A NEW YORK RALLY IN OCTOBER, Donald Trump promised the crowd that if elected, he would let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “go wild” on health, food, and medicines. It delighted the crowd, who imagined they were cheering for better health and better medicine. They’re in for a bitter surprise.
Some, like former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, have correctly responded to the Kennedy selection with alarm (“beyond dangerous”), but others who should know better are offering cautious approval.
PHILLIP ALLEN LACOVARA: Kash Patel Is Unsuited to Be FBI Director
KASH PATEL FLUNKS BOTH OF THE TESTS that I set for myself when I was being considered for FBI director years ago.
If Trump plunges ahead with his threat to sack the incumbent FBI director, Christopher Wray, whose term still has three years left, and to nominate Patel in his place, the Senate should apply these tests to sink Patel.
🎥 PODCASTS AND VIDEOS 🎧
Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller: David French: We Are in the Bad Multiverse [YouTube]
The Michael Steele Podcast: The Bitter End to Joe Biden's Presidency (with Michael Smerconish) [YouTube]
Shield of the Republic: Trump's Nightmare National Security Nominations
Bulwark+ Live:
Leaving on a Jet Plane |A.B. and Bill’s Take [YouTube]
Rep. Boyle: Why Biden Must Preemptively Pardon Trump's Enemies [YouTube]
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DREW PENROSE AND BEN RADERSTORF: Tossing Out the Reform Handbook
HOW DO YOU FIX A DEMOCRACY that’s so broken it doesn’t want to be fixed?
That’s sort of what it feels like to work in election reform these days.
On the one hand, the re-election of Donald Trump feels like it must be a blaring wake-up call to the country that our politics isn’t working well at all. For those of us who criticize Trump, his return after so many scandals and crises is a sign of political dysfunction, two-party polarization, and electoral discontent. Across the aisle, many Trump supporters would themselves say they voted for him because of their own concerns about the brokenness of politics and government. Bipartisan majorities believe that our system of government isn’t working and, according to New York Times/Siena polling from a couple of years back, needs either “major reforms” or to be “completely replaced.” The status quo is unpopular for a reason.
JUSTIN GLAWE: Pieces of Advice for Pete Hegseth, From Someone Who’s Struggled With Drinking
THE HEADLINES OVER THE LAST SEVENTY-TWO HOURS about Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, the former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, have been eyebrow-raising to say the least.
“Pete Hegseth’s drinking worried his Fox News colleagues,” according to NBC News.
“Hegseth’s history with alcohol shadows Pentagon selection,” the Washington Post reported
“Defense head pick Pete Hegseth now dogged by questions over alcohol use,” writes the Guardian.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Thursday… I asked my girls where they wanted to go to dinner tonight as a special treat before we went to look at Christmas lights. They chose Frisch’s. It’s odd to explain evictions, and a pillaging of a loved local institution courtesy of our private equity betters. But with the Mainliner / original Frisch’s facing eviction? You gotta go, even if it’s not the same Big Boy of our memory.
A place to talk, a place to listen… The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Keith Pandolfi remembers the now-closed Anderson Township Frisch’s Big Boy.
The talk of the township tomorrow… for breakfast, were that Frisch’s open, would have been the results of tonight’s Div II state championship game up in Canton. It’s 20 degrees and snowy up in the home of the Hall of Fame tonight, and some nights at then-Fawcett Stadium, where they play the Hall of Fame Game, were some of my fondest in high school. Good luck to the Raptors, who are currently trailing Avon 14-7 in the 2nd quarter.
More than what you hate… At The Deleted Scenes, our colleague Addison Del Mastro has some thoughts on determining your opinions.
Gabbard aides… report that she was a frequent consumer of RT, the Kremlin propaganda channel (Daily Beast)
Tesla suspends Cybertruck production... Who could have predicted this? (Mashable)
“White House A.I. & Crypto Czar”… Is a new title going to David Sacks (Bloomberg). Not a great pick! Read our Sacks coverage here.
Tech support questions? Email members@thebulwark.com. Questions for me? Respond to this message.
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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.
