The Bulwark Daily

The Army is currently operating without any Senate-confirmed civilian or military leaders at the top. For Navy secretary, Trump is nominating an election-denying veteran who thinks witches and Wiccans are taking over cities. And when Hegseth is not busy purging the DOD’s leadership, he seems to be under the spell of a Rasputin-like character who failed a polygraph and may have taken the supposedly sober defense secretary out for a bender. Meanwhile, Don Jr. got another Pentagon contract, and the administration keeps ignoring the fact that Russia is helping Iran try to kill American soldiers and sailors.
Plus: Tim today launched a new series featuring a younger generation of Democratic operatives who are working hard to win the midterms. First up is Biden White House alum Rodericka Applewhaite.
New Bulwark pod host Michael Weiss and Rodericka Applewhaite join Tim Miller. 
show notes:

Tim’s candidate recs (which will be updated soon!)

The Atlantic on Trump being surprised about all the top officers being fired

ProPublica on Don, Jr.’s Pentagon drone contract

Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Vaccine skepticism and distrust of pharmaceutical companies long predated RFK, Jr.'s 2024 presidential campaign. But the distrust of mainstream medical authority has now grown so deep that the United States can no longer contain the spread of measles. The country’s measles-vaccination rates have dropped below the threshold for herd immunity. Obviously, Trump’s misleading vax ruminations from the Oval Office have not helped the matter. The New Yorker’s Ruby Cramer discusses her reporting on one family’s frightening medical experience after one parent fell down the MAHA rabbit hole. Plus: The administration has given Big Ag a pass, Democrats should try recapturing health-conscious voters, the overlooked case of an American shot by immigration thugs, and the surprising backstory of Kari Lake becoming ambassador to Jamaica.
Ruby Cramer joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

"The Next Level" pod will be out later today

Ruby's New Yorker piece, "The MAHA Custody Battle"

Ruby's reporting on the preschool worker who was shot by Border Patrol

Ruby on the DNC's Ken Martin

Eddington, the film Ruby referenced and Sonny recommends

Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Trump’s war is far from over, top military leaders are warning Hegseth that prolonged ops in the region are unsustainable, and Americans have been financing Pentagon propagandists who’ve been secretly collecting taxpayer money to try to convince us that things are going great in Iran. This is not the time for congressional Democrats to allow Republicans to easily pass a spending resolution that keeps the government open. At the same time, Trump keeps handing gifts to Democrats—like his sell-out to tech oligarchs and his praise of data centers. Plus: The Venezuelan oil deal is a socialist PR stunt, vile Laura Loomer is trying to bring back the normalization of Islamaphobia, Massachusetts voters should recall the risks of sending an 80-year-old back to the Senate, and Marco really is the worst Cabinet member of all
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

Monday’s “Morning Shots”

Will Sommer on the taxpayer-supported Pentagon troll army

The Post on the Pentagon propagandists collecting taxpayer money

The WaPo on military leaders warning Hegseth against extended Iran operations

Sam on last week’s show with Tim

Sam and Ben on Trump’s new threats to press freedom

Military Times on the damage done to the U.S. base in Bahrain

The wars in Iran and Ukraine are increasingly entangled, CIA Director John Ratcliffe had to personally deliver a message to Moscow, and Trump is driving our Gulf allies into the arms of China. Meanwhile, the U.S.-Israel relationship keeps mucking up our domestic politics, particularly in Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign in Michigan. But it also turns out that podcast host (and senator) Ted Cruz seems to be pocketing money from the state of Israel itself. Plus: Some Democrats have finally figured out how to deliver speeches again, Vance is always trying to turn himself into something he’s not, the DSA posters sound a lot like the Resistance 1.0, and Enes Kanter is still a POS.
 Ben Rhodes joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

We’ve hit the August doldrums, so Tim is taking the daily pod on a little excursion. The Bulwark community delivered some epic mailbag questions, one of which prompted Sam to make one of the nerdiest confessions ever. Also, Tim and Sam adjust their Cabinet member rankings: Marco is an utter catastrophe, RFK Jr. is failing on all fronts, and Kelly Loeffler is proof that aliens exist. Plus, DeSantis is doing some seemingly dirty dealing down in Florida, ICE arrests are soaring—and here’s hoping that Trump’s super PAC spends millions on ads for the midterms extolling what a great job he’s doing as president.
Sam Stein joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

NYT on the surge in ICE arrests

Vanity Fair piece on Lutnick that Tim referenced

The Atlantic on Trump's midterms ad campaign

Tim's latest 'Take' on Trump's immigration policy

Sam's 'Take' from May on the DeSantis Medicaid scandal 

Alien Kelly Loeffler video

Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.