Trump’s Running As a Fascist
Plus: Trump Is Trying Hard to Lose
Recently in The Bulwark:
BILL KRISTOL & ANDREW EGGER: At the End, Never Trump
JVL: The Valkyries of Democracy 🔐
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.
WILL SALETAN: Let’s Be Honest, Trump’s Running As a Fascist
DONALD TRUMP IS RUNNING THE MOST openly fascist campaign ever undertaken by a major-party nominee for president of the United States.
That’s not hype; it’s a textbook application of the term. In 2021, Trump used violence to try to overturn an election; in 2022, he called for terminating the Constitution. Now, on the brink of returning to power, Trump is reaffirming his intent to take America deeper into autocracy.
Here are some of the threats and declarations he has issued in the past three months.
Sarah Longwell Moderates a Panel with VP Harris and Liz Cheney
🎥 PODCASTS AND VIDEOS 🎧
Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller: Mallory McMorrow and Bill Kristol: Imagining a World Where Trump Is Irrelevant [YouTube]
The Next Level: LIVE from Pittsburgh! [YouTube]
The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood: A Second Look at 'Caligula'
The Focus Group: Senate GOP Vote Desert (with Jon Ralston and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez)
George Conway Explains it All (to Sarah Longwell): Conway Explains LIVE: Kamala Wins = Trump in Jail
Shield of the Republic: Is Trump Actually a Fascist?
How to Fix It (with John Avlon): Getting Back to the People’s Business
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.
✍️Also: Did you know that every podcast has a transcript for B+ members? Yes! If you’re more a reader than a listener/viewer, open any podcast and the transcript button is beneath the player.
A.B. STODDARD: Trump Is Trying Hard to Lose
CANCELING EVENTS, LESS CAREFULLY BLENDING his BBQ-sauce-tinted bronzer, admiring Arnold Palmer’s pecker, empathizing with Harvey Weinstein, cursing before Catholic priests, lamenting a fictional loss of cows, and going full fascist. This is Donald Trump’s final sales pitch to voters.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Monday! We’re back from a whirlwind tour of the blue wall, and I enjoyed meeting so many of you. Especially the Cleveland fans who came to Detroit and Pittsburgh to commiserate as the Guardians put up their best effort. There’s always next year, right? The World Series contest still endures, even though my dreams of a Guardians/Mets, Swift/Kristol match were dashed.
I also enjoyed chatting with the folks I email with. It was like catching up with old friends, even though before this tour, we had never met. A lot of you have a similar refrain: thank you for keeping us sane, and it is a two way street! You guys keep us sane, too! While these trips can wear on you, I find them fun and invigorating. Thank you guys for that gift to us.
As promised, here’s a look behind the scenes.
My Cleveland Browns… seem pretty intent at moving forward with a new dome, which nobody seems willing to pay for. I predict it will end like the Wizards / Capitals going to Alexandria. They’ll even do a ribbon cutting, but it won’t likely happen. If they do get a dome, antithetical to Ohio football, Ohio has not one but two bright orange teams that disappoint.
I don’t celebrate injuries, but like Mark Twain and obituaries, I read some injury reports different than others, and look forward to the Dorian Thompson-Robinson era. I can cheer for the Browns again now that we don’t have a serial sexual abuser as our QB.
Also in Ohio… Former Gov. Bob Taft has endorsed Sherrod Brown in the #OHSen race.
How a Man Imprisoned in New York… Could Sway a Key House Race in Alaska (NYT)
Russian Propaganda Unit… Appears to Be Behind Spread of False Tim Walz Sexual Abuse Claims (WIRED)
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.
