No matter how often Trump tries to change the subject, he keeps getting caught in his own attempted diversions. He blames Somali immigrants for importing bribery, corruption, and lawlessness while he sits behind the resolute desk taking a million dollar bribe to bitch about a new bridge. Or he showcases the US men's hockey team while his lying FBI director gets caught red-handed pretending he just happened to be in Italy when the team was playing. And the more Trump tries to run away from the Epstein case, the more blatant the administration's cover-up becomes. Plus, distancing from the craziest parts of the DSA is part of the anti-authoritarian project, Mamdani and AOC have avoided some of their fan base's worst impulses, Newsom put his name on a number of policies that will dog his ambitions, and the Dems need to reclaim improving public schools as one of their key issues.

The Atlantic’s Jon Chait joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Tim's 'Bulwark Take' on the Epstein records connected to Trump
  
  
• Jon on the new Michigan-Canada bridge
  
  
• Jon on the 2028 problems for Gavin
  
  
• Jon on the corrupt circumstances around Bari at CBS
  
  
• Tim on David Frum's podcast
  
  
• Tickets for our LIVE show in Austin on March 19. TheBulwark.com/Events.
  
  

For just under two hours, Trump in his State of the Union address lied about the state of the economy, the cost of living, his tariffs, and even his immigration policy—claiming that he favors legal immigration while his armed, masked goons grab and imprison people who followed the law. And if Americans didn’t hear Trump discuss any real policy proposals in speech, it might be because he’s a bit distracted with his quest to capture more media outlets, including his longtime nemesis, CNN. Trump’s attempt to silence dissent has become the signature of his presidency. Plus, the paradoxes and conflicting signals on Iran, the sellout of bipartisan support for Ukraine, Vance finally has a job as VP, and POTUS only allows robotically remixed, Fox fever dream women in his Cabinet.

Susan Glasser joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Susan's column on the SOTU
• Susan on Trump's attacks on free speech
• Josh Barro's new pod, "Central Air"
• Tickets are now on sale for our LIVE shows in Dallas on March 18 and in Austin on March 19. TheBulwark.com/Events.

Apart from all the lies MAGA is forced to say in defense of Donald Trump, the movement is actually better at political organizing than Democrats. So while the Dems can pull off the massive No Kings rallies, the protests are just one day and the energy can fizzle away. But MAGA is really focused on turning out the vote so they can win. And they got the idea from the big tent campaign tactics that Obama deployed in 2008 and 2012. Plus, some advice on how Dem candidates can turn their communications into a superpower—like stop proposing solutions when voters are mad and just want to vent.

The New Yorker’s Charles Duhigg joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Charles's piece, "What MAGA Can Teach Democrats About Organizing—and Infighting"
  
  
• Charles's book, "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection"
  
  
• Tickets are now on sale for our LIVE shows in Dallas on March 18 and in Austin on March 19. TheBulwark.com/Events.

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