The Next Level

Live from benefit supporting the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL dig into the quieter tactics behind Trump’s deportation crackdown, what Sarah’s Ohio focus groups are saying about Vivek Ramaswamy, Sherrod Brown, John Husted, and Amy Acton, and just how big the 2026 Senate map could get. Plus, as conservative media struggles to defend Trump, the trio holds a contest to see who can do a better Scott Jennings impression.
You can help, too: https://thebulwark.com/springfield

Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of the Bulwark on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube.
JVL is already in Ohio. Sarah is about to run to the airport. It’s a wheels-off kind of show. This week:
- The government seems to have lied to a court again.
- JD Vance was the leaker who threatened national security.
- Mary Peltola gets caught in context collapse.
- Trump had compromat on Susan Collins.
- JVL feels guilty about cutting a promo.
And then there’s the big one: The story of the Massachusetts lesbian bar that wasn’t woke enough. It’s a solid B-/B episode!
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Donate here to our Benefit for Springfield—funds go to the Haitian Support Center: http://thebulwark.com/springfield
Want that Woke Bill Kristol tee? Get it at The Bulwark Store: https://store.thebulwark.com/collections/insider-collection/products/short-sleeve-t-shirt
Sarah’s THANK YOU note to the Bulwark family: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/you-guys-are-the-best
How to Eat an Elephant debuted at #2 on the NYT best seller list. We knocked Ted Effing Cruz out of the top spot! Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. Let’s keep the momentum going: 
Get Sarah's book on Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-eat-an-elephant-one-voter-at-a-time-sarah-longwell/6a0996cb43d2ef5b?ean=9781250464170&bkshp-astro=t
...or get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Eat-Elephant-Voter-Time/dp/125046417X

Sarah's back from the book tour! The gang discusses Sarah's Focus Group Newsletter, George W. Bush's fundraiser for Republican Senate candidates (we thought he was staying out of politics?) Then they get into Trump's ban on CNN, MSNOW, and POLITICO from the White House press pool, and whether we still care. Sarah also has some words about Zohran Mamdani sharing a podium with Donald Trump.
Then, the gang talks about a Wall Street Journal columnist who has "TDS" (maybe not the TDS you're thinking of). Also: The FBI was investigating Susan Collins for bribery, Tim is mad at Jared Golden, and JVL wants to discuss the Department of Defense's "Gender-Affirming Care."
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Show links:
Sarah's Focus Group Newsletter about Vivek Ramaswamy
Amy Acton’s ad
Gerard Baker has TDS
Propublica's investigation into Susan Collins and her Super PAC's donors

Sarah and JVL are together again and JVL is raging.

The president of the United States accused the Democratic party plotting to assassinate him and . . . everyone just pretends it didn’t happen.

Diesel prices are going to the moon.

Trump wants to demolish the Kennedy Center.

Joe Manchin came back from the grave to endorse Susan Collins.

And there’s a 90 percent chance that AI doesn’t kill everyone alive.

It’s a short show, but a great show.
Also: Sarah talks about the book tour and what it’s like to feel the love you guys have shown her. Be careful; it gets a little dusty. 
Want that Woke Bill Kristol tee? Get it at The Bulwark Store.

JVL's on the west coast for Sarah's book event, and he, Tim, and Andrew Egger discuss Mitch McConnell's triumphant (?) return to the Senate, Donald Trump casually floating conspiracy theories over the Butler, PA assassination attempt, and Thomas Massie's articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth. Then, they turn their attention to a New York Times poll with some GREAT news for Democrats in the midterms (with the exception of one issue: AI). They discuss the developments from the world of AI in the last week and how our political leaders should respond. Then: Is Gavin Newsom really thinking about NOT running for president? There's a really, really, REALLY racist Republican running for Texas Railroad Commission, and Tim debriefs on a rather contentious interview he did on The Bulwark Daily.
Show links:

Read JVL’s Monday and Tuesday Triads on the AI race, and how our political leaders can respond.

Get your tickets for our September 25 show in Dayton, Ohio to benefit the Springfield, OH Haitian community. 

Get your copy of How to Eat an Elephant, Sarah’s first book! 

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