The Bulwark Podcast Bill Kristol: Authoritarian Takeover
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Aug 18, 2025 
Bill Kristol, Editor-at-large of The Bulwark and a prominent political commentator, joins Tim Miller to discuss the alarming turn of U.S. politics. They critique the militarization of D.C. and the troubling use of law enforcement as intimidation tactics. Kristol highlights Trump's efforts to consolidate power and undermine democracy, while European leaders step up to defend liberty. They also dive into the risks of federal influence on state elections, linking it to authoritarianism and the need for a robust pro-democracy movement.
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Federal Forces Are The Central Threat
- Deploying unidentified federal forces in DC is not a stunt but a core authoritarian tactic.
- Bill Kristol warns Democrats should stop minimizing it as a 'distraction' and directly confront it.
Treat The Takeover As The Fight
- Do not call militarizing the capital a 'distraction'; treat it as the core political fight.
- Use each incident to project Democratic values and make it a political loser for Trump.
14th Street Moped Tasing Video
- Tim Miller recounts video of a delivery driver on 14th Street being tased and piled on by masked federal agents.
- Neighbors asked the officers who they were while one agent shouted, 'liberals have ruined the country.'