The Real Math on Moderation
Plus, Shay Khatiri says goodbye to his Father from Half a World Away. 💔
Recently at The Bulwark:
CHARLIE SYKES: On ECA: Don't Make the Perfect the Enemy of the Good
ATMA: Are We a Yes on ‘Nope’? Plus: Did Zack Snyder go too far?
You can support The Bulwark by subscribing to Bulwark+ or just by sharing this newsletter with someone you think would value it.
LAUREN HARPER: The Real Math on Moderation.
To keep control of Congress this fall, Democrats must answer the question of how to reach and persuade swing voters, particularly in rural America. To do this, they must meet these voters where they stand—not just geographically, but ideologically.
Research demonstrates that moderates do better and are more popular than extreme and ideological candidates. The record of the past few years drives that point home: Justice Democrats and Our Revolution, organizations that have been stalwarts of the progressive left’s post-2016 insurgency, have supported more than 100 candidates since 2018 but have yet to flip a single swing district. In fact, the four Justice Democrats-backed candidates who won in 2018 (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar) did so in such dark-blue strongholds that Joe Biden carried their districts two years later with more than 73 percent of the vote. When it comes to which kinds of candidates win the critical races that decide who controls the government and protects democracy, the progressive left lacks any electoral evidence to point to.
Trump lied when he said on Jan 5 that Pence was on board with his plan, and he lied when he said he immediately sent in the National Guard. The committee has given the DOJ political cover, but the time to bring charges against him is limited. Andrew Weissmann joins Charlie Sykes.
Bulwark+ members can listen to an ad-free version of these podcasts on the player of their choice. Learn more at Bulwark+ Podcast FAQ.
H. DAVID BAER: What Viktor Orbán Revealed This Weekend.
“Don’t pay attention to what I say, but to what I do,” Viktor Orbán once told Western diplomats concerned with his illiberal rhetoric. Had they only heeded his advice, they might have dealt with him more quickly, before he became a general European headache. And yet even today, having been played by him for years, people continue to focus more on Orbán’s words than his actions.
Over the weekend, Orbán gave another one of his provocative speeches, making headlines around the world for his remarks about “race-mixing” and endorsement of replacement theory. The comments were certainly unworthy of a serious statesman, but the speech should be viewed more broadly in terms of what it says about both Orbán’s political ambitions and what he’s done to Hungary.
SHAY KHATIRI: Saying Goodbye to My Father from Half a World Away.
When my father passed away last week in Gorgan, Iran, I had not seen him for eight years. If I had known during our last visit that I would not see him again, I would not have said goodbye. But he didn’t regret our long separation at the end of his life. In fact, my father died happy that I was not by his side. He kept telling my mother that he was dying feeling content that I was not just another lost soul in Iran, and he was glad that he didn’t have to worry about my future on his deathbed.
This anecdote speaks to his character: He was a man who faced hardships that I can only imagine, but he concluded his life without bitterness and with a heart full of love for his family and for the small community he had formed.
🚨OVERTIME 🚨
Happy Tuesday! The storms wrecked part of D.C. but not where I live, so our umbrellas live to fight another day.
Here’s the teaser…
I know what you’re thinking… This guy should have been a Justice! But we’ll see how things play out.
Also…. There’s this question:
Trump 2024? Here’s a pitch.
The poor Red Sox fans. This is brutal. Of course, the Guardians promptly lost to them yesterday.
When a YAF college student has better judgment than a U.S. Senator…. Ted Cruz responds: "Language matters, tone matters. I look at this country and we are so divided." But he also says, at TPUSA: “My pronouns are ‘Kiss my ass.’” Ted Cruz is a hypocrite who has given up and thrown in the towel on being a Senator. For such a well educated guy, a sad truth. He should resign and focus on his podcast.
Sounding the alarm… Are Senate Republicans in trouble?
Rob Manfred is a monster. Stop messing with the game, dude.
That’s it for me. 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.