Political strategist and K-Street veteran Bruce Mehlman joins Chuck Todd to unpack how politics, media, and business have collided in the Trump era and beyond. From the days when three television networks shaped a shared national narrative to today’s fractured landscape of Substack newsletters, podcasts, and hyper-partisan social feeds, Mehlman and Chuck explore how the internet broke traditional politics. They dive into how Washington has become a magnet for American business titans, the sky-high costs of lobbying access to President Trump, and whether bipartisan firms can even survive in the current climate.
The conversation then widens to the global stage, connecting the 2008 financial crisis to the populist revolts of Brexit and Trump, and questioning whether the public underestimates just how much globalization has improved daily life. From Trump’s reliance on tariffs to the reality-versus-perception debate over crime, immigration, and the economy, Mehlman outlines the policy flashpoints that will shape 2024 and beyond. Plus: what the redistricting wars could mean for democracy, and why some argue the House of Representatives needs to grow in size to reflect America’s population.
Timeline:
00:00 Bruce Mehlman joins the Chuck ToddCast
02:30 Traditional media is forced to “sand the edges”due to political climate
03:15 The internet broke politics and media
04:15 When there were 3 networks, news catered to the entire country
05:45 The energy in media is in the podcast/substack space
06:45 The importance of a varied media diet
08:00 Twitter/X has become incredibly right-wing
09:00 Washington D.C. has become a tent-pole for business titans
10:15 Can bipartisan firms succeed in DC these days?
13:30 How is the “Trump purge” affecting K-Street?
15:15 Lobbying firms with access are charging astronomical rates
16:15 Congress isn’t passing legislation, it’s all executive orders
17:30 Does Mike Johnson have a go-to shop on K-Street?
19:00 Was Brexit the event that caused this era of global instability?
19:45 Brexit and Trump were downstream of the 2008 financial crisis
21:15 The populist revolt was inevitable after the financial crisis
23:30 The public takes for granted the benefits of globalization
26:15 Successful western countries haven’t compensated for globalization
28:15 The public suffers from recency bias, things are better now
30:00 The perception of the economy is the economic reality
32:15 People who predict doom are perceived as right and smarter
33:45 If SCOTUS takes away Trump’s tariff power, will congress restore it?
34:45 Trump views tariffs as the solution to every problem
37:00 If Trump loses in court on tariffs, he’ll just use another law
38:15 There’s no incentive for Dems to cut a deal due to recissions
40:00 If Republicans agree to no recissions, they could find a deal
41:15 If legislation passes one chamber, it should force a vote in the other
42:15 Fallout from the raid on South Korean workers at the Hyundai plant?
44:30 There’s support for the “why” of Trump’s immigration policy, not the “how”
48:15 What pushback to Trump’s deployment of troops to cities is most effective?
50:30 The perception of crime in cities vs the reality
51:45 Downplaying crime is a political loser
52:30 Democrats’ support for capitalism is falling and socialism is rising
54:15 The most important electoral states will be GA, NC and AZ
57:15 Socialism is least popular in the states Democrats need in the south
59:00 Higher embrace of socialism in cities and amongst younger voters
1:00:45 Thoughts on the redistricting wars?
1:03:00 The size of the house needs to grow with the population
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