Unfiltered, uncompromising, unexpected—The Focus Group is a look into what the average voter thinks about politics, policy, and current events. Sarah Longwell, ...
S5 Ep3: At Least He's Doing Something (with Sam Stein)
Donald Trump's approval rating is sitting around 50 percent, which is as high as he's ever been, even though he started his term by pardoning January 6 rioters, causing mass confusion across the government, and claiming that DEI caused a plane crash. The voters we talked to in our focus groups are just glad to see someone "taking action." Bulwark managing editor Sam Stein joins Sarah to talk about voters' reactions to Trump's flurry of executive orders (including the January 6 pardons), and how long Trump's "honeymoon" may last.
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53:42
S5 Ep2: Getting Out of Our Corners (with Amanda Carpenter)
Anyone who opposes Donald Trump isn't feeling great this week. And where there was "resistance" when Trump took office in 2017, there was more resignation among the voters we talked to this week as he began his second term. Bulwark alum Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy joins Sarah to talk about what we should (and should not) be focused on over the next four years.
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52:20
S5 Ep1: The Caretaker Presidency (with Evan Osnos)
As Joe Biden leaves office, we're taking one last look at his presidency, and what we've heard said about him since 2020. The New Yorker's Evan Osnos joins Sarah to recap his interviews with Biden over the years and discusses his legacy.
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Show notes:
By Evan Osnos:
Joe Biden's Last Campaign
Joe Biden: The Life, the Presidency, and What Matters Now
Wildland: The Making of America's Fury
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1:03:04
S4 Ep62: It's Not Like a Newscast (with Tim Miller)
The podcast-sphere was one of the most covered stories of the 2024 election, with Joe Rogan standing above all. Podcaster extraordinaires Sarah and Tim turn over why this medium is appealing to the newest Trump voters (specifically the Rogan fans), and what our new long-form world means for the future of politics.
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S4 Ep61: Hate Was Up, Prices Were Down (with Marc Caputo)
We've spent plenty of time on this show discussing what Donald Trump's newest voters found wanting about Democrats in the 2024 election. This week, we're turning our attention to their affirmative case for Trump. The Bulwark's MAGA-world correspondent, Marc Caputo joins Sarah to hear them out.
show notes
The NYT's DealBook summit Sarah referenced
Harvard Kennedy School's recent election forum that Marc referenced
Unfiltered, uncompromising, unexpected—The Focus Group is a look into what the average voter thinks about politics, policy, and current events. Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark, has conducted hundreds of hours of focus groups all across the country. She and a series of special guests will take you behind the glass to hear what real focus group participants have to say.
https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/focus-group/
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