The Focus Group Podcast

S6 Ep39: Chuck Schumer’s Candidate Got Humiliated in Maine

The Bulwark — Wed, 06 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In this bite-sized bonus Focus Group episode, Sarah Longwell breaks down the political earthquake in Maine after Janet Mills dropped out of the Senate race. Why are Democratic voters rejecting establishment candidates, forgiving scandals that once would’ve been disqualifying, and demanding fighters over polished politicians?

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S6 Ep38: America's 'House of Cards' Mentality (with David Frum)

The Bulwark — Sat, 02 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Usually, an assassination attempt outside a dinner with the president would be a HUGE news event. Instead, the voters in our focus groups weren't talking much about it, and when we brought it up, we heard a LOT of conspiracy theories. We also talked to some Republican voters about whether '86' is really a violent threat, as this week's indictment against James Comey alleges. Atlantic staff writer David Frum joins Sarah for a wide-ranging conversation on the week's events, voters' reactions, and keeping American democracy strong for the long haul.

By David’s wife, Danielle Crittenden: Dispatches from Grief: A Mother’s Journey Through the Unthinkable

By David Frum:
The David Frum Show
MAGA’s Strange Quiet After the Shooting

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S6 Ep37: Trump Promised Lower Prices. Everything Got Worse! (w/ Rotimi Adeoye)

The Bulwark — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Enjoy a bonus episode of The Focus Group Podcast—Rachel Janfaza talks with Rotimi Adeoye about why moderate Gen Z focus group participants feel locked out of the economy. They discuss Rotimi’s “House by 30” idea, why vague promises aren’t cutting it, and how both parties—especially after Trump’s failed affordability pledges—are losing trust with young voters who feel like they did everything right and still can’t get ahead.

Read Rotimi Adeoye in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/30/opinion/democrats-homeownership-affordability.html

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S6 Ep36: America's Divisions: Getting on Our Nerves (with Jessica Tarlov)

The Bulwark — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Everyone agrees that America is too divided. But ALMOST everyone is also contributing to that division in one way or another. So, how do we rebuild a country where Americans can live with each other a little easier? Sarah and our guest both have some ideas. Professional disagreer Jessica Tarlov of the Raging Moderates podcast and Fox News’s The Five, joins Sarah to discuss America’s political divisions and how voters across the political spectrum are feeling about them.

Pre-order Jessica’s upcoming book, I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends.

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S6 Ep35: Trump Voters Say 'Nope' to the Pope (with Jonathan V. Last)

The Bulwark — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV are probably the two most prominent Americans in the world right now, and they're fighting. So we asked American Catholics (including those who voted for Trump) what they thought of their feud, and about Trump's Truth Social Post depicting himself as Jesus. JVL returns to the show with some choice words for some of his fellow Catholics, and discusses the role the Catholic Church has played in American politics more broadly.

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S6 Ep34: Why Women Don’t Need Men Anymore—In Their Own Words (w/ Sami Sage)

The Bulwark — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

On this bonus episode of The Focus Group, Rachel and guest Sami Sage of Betches Media wonder whether millennials are truly still ‘cringe.’ They also discuss the Gen Z gender gap, and how some politically moderate young women are navigating that political divide in their personal lives.

By Sami Sage:

In Paperback on April 28: Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Democracy-in-Retrograde/Sami-Sage/9781668053492)

Check out 'The Context', from the Charles F. Kettering Foundation: https://kettering.org/thecontext/

S6 Ep33: The Sad, Mad GOP Base (with Amy Walter)

The Bulwark — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

EDITOR'S NOTE: This episode has been updated to remove comments made by or about a focus group participant who we believe misrepresented his political viewpoints to gain access to the group. We are reviewing our participant screening processes accordingly.

If there's a blue wave in the 2026 elections, it'll be either because new people start voting for Democrats, or the current Republican base gets sad and stays home. So we convened a focus group of 2020 and 2024 Trump voters who are unhappy with his administration to give you a sample of the kind of despair that could keep Republicans home in November. Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, returns to the show to break down the midterm landscape.

S6 Ep32: It's "Messing With Me Mentally" (with Ashley Parker)

The Bulwark — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The Iran War has been going on for a month, and it’s deeply, DEEPLY unpopular. Plus, we get reactions from swing voters on the characters inside the Trump administration who they like (like Marco Rubio), or REALLY dislike (listen to find out). Atlantic staff writer Ashley Parker returns to the show.

By Ashley Parker:
The Wrath of Stephen Miller

Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September!

S6 Ep31: PSA: AI is NOT Your Boyfriend!! (with Megan McArdle)

The Bulwark — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence is such a big change to human civilization that our political class is struggling to keep up. The voters in our focus groups are struggling, too. The Washington Post's Megan McArdle joins the show to discuss how everyday Americans are using (and misusing!) AI, its impact on the political process and information environment, and how public policy can adapt to this brave new world.

Megan McArdle's Washington Post Podcast, Reasonably Optimistic

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S6 Ep30: ‘All of You Could Be Democrats’ (with Anderson Clayton)

The Bulwark — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

A lot of the young people we’ve been talking to recently in our focus groups are relatively apolitical, and many of them don’t vote. But what DO these young people care about? And what could mobilize them in the future? Rachel Janfaza discusses with Anderson Clayton, the youngest state party chair in the U.S. and chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.

S6 Ep29: Illinois Senate Race: Daaaa Dems (with David Axelrod)

The Bulwark — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The Democratic primary for US Senate in Illinois is a bit quiet, according to our guest. But underneath the surface, one candidate has a VERY interesting way of getting attention...and voters are starting to notice. David Axelrod, former adviser to President Obama, joins the show to discuss this Chicago-style Senate race.

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S6 Ep28: BONUS POD: Iran Fears &...Focus Groups Love The Bulwark?

The Bulwark — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Sarah was out last week, and felt she had to bring you some timely focus group reactions to the War in Iran. We also check in on their feelings about the Trump administration (especially their handling of the Epstein Files), and talk about a growing strain of conspiracy theorizing tied to Israel (Jeffrey Epstein and Charlie Kirk are BOTH involved!)

Finally, we’ve recently seen members of the Bulwark community pop up in the wild in our focus groups. Hear what drew THEM to The Bulwark. Sarah and Bill Kristol sift through it all.

Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September!

S6 Ep27: What's a "Rug Pull"? (with Ed Elson)

The Bulwark — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Rachel Janfaza sits in for Sarah on this week’s Focus Group to take a look at Gen Z’s personal finances, from their long-term outlooks to their day-to-day habits…especially their investments in crypto and how they’re engaging with sports betting and prediction markets. Ed Elson, co-host of Prof G Markets, joins Rachel.

Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September!

Show notes:
Rachel in The Up and Up: How Gen Z spends, saves, and invests
Rachel in The Up and Up: The Kalshi election
Ed’s interview with Kalshi founder Tarek Mansour

S6 Ep26: Twitter vs. Texans (with Elaine Godfrey)

The Bulwark — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The Texas Senate primary on March 3 between James Talarico and Rep. Jasmine Crockett is a toxic cesspool on Twitter. But Texas Democrats are practically giddy over how much they like both candidates. Atlantic staff writer Elaine Godfrey, who's profiled both candidates, joins the show to chat about the race and discuss why she was kicked out of a Jasmine Crockett campaign event.

By Elaine Godfrey:
Why I Got Thrown Out of a Jasmine Crockett Rally
Audio of Elaine being kicked out: ‘Elaine From Atlantic … She Needs to Leave’
Texas's Pete
A Democrat for the Trump Era

S6 Ep25: Texas-Sized Scandal (with Eric Benson)

The Bulwark — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Sen. John Cornyn has been a consistent ally of President Trump. Even Trump likes him just fine...but that may not be enough to save him in Texas, because he may have just been too mild-mannered for too long. He's running against a scandal-plagued (but combative) Attorney General, and a less scandal-plagued (but also less known) newcomer. Texas Monthly writer Eric Benson joins Sarah to break down the Republican brawl in the Lone Star State.

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Show notes:
Eric Benson's John Cornyn profile: The Last Ride of Big Bad John

S6 Ep24: Two Qual Researchers Walk Into a Bar (with Margie Omero)

The Bulwark — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

More and more Trump voters are souring on his administration. But why? Inflation, immigration, and Epstein are all in the mix, but there's a giant mosaic of disappointments. We needed a second qualitative researcher to make sense of it all. Democratic pollster Margie Omero joins the show to discuss what she's heard in her own focus groups, listen to Trump voters who are down on his job performance, and check in with the Democratic base.

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Margie's focus groups:
Trump’s Problems With Latinos Go Deeper Than the Economy
14 Wellness Voters Talk Parenting, MAHA and Social Media

S6 Ep23: Young Trump Voters Have Feelings (with Rachel Janfaza)

The Bulwark — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Why are Gen Z men drifting right while Gen Z women move left? And why do right-wing zoomers think the gender gap is so wide? Sarah Longwell talks with the newest Bulwark contributor Rachel Janfaza, founder of The Up and Up, to analyze new focus groups of Gen Z Trump voters. They also get into these voters' Trump fatigue on foreign policy, why a future JD Vance presidential run isn't appealing, and whether these voters could ever date someone across the political divide.

The Bulwark is heading to Minneapolis, and then to Texas. Get your tickets at https://TheBulwark.com/Events.

Show notes:
Rachel in Vox: The quiet reason why Trump is losing Gen Z
From November 2025: Rachel Janfaza on The Focus Group Podcast

S6 Ep22: Put Excuses on ICE (with Adrian Carrasquillo)

The Bulwark — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

We saw an ICE officer kill an American citizen for the second time in less than three weeks. This time, it was harder for some of the voters we talked to to make an excuse for it. Bulwark immigration correspondent Adrian Carrasquillo returns to the show to discuss his reporting and listen to voters' raw reactions to what they're seeing in the news.

Show notes:
The abhorrent power of the photograph of a 5-year-old held by ICE

By Adrian Carrasquillo:
Why a Scared 5-Year-Old Boy Shook Our National Conscience
Portraits of the Minneapolis Resistance

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S6 Ep21: The Heebie Jeebie GOP (with Will Sommer)

The Bulwark — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Some strange, under-the-radar things are happening on the right. Marco Rubio is experiencing a strange rehabilitation with the Republican base, and some young men are excited about taxing OnlyFans. Meanwhile, JD Vance is still on the struggle bus with swing voters, especially women. Will Sommer, The Bulwark’s right-wing fever swamp correspondent, joins Sarah to break down the growing rift between the MAGA establishment and the America First wing—and what it means for 2028.

By Will Sommer:
MAGA Influencers Cheered Trump’s Venezuela War. Their Audience Said ‘WTF?!’
Meet the First Groyper Politician

S6 Ep20: Playing Stupid Games, Winning Stupid Prizes (with Bill Kristol)

The Bulwark — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

There's a lot of bad news right now—so much that none of it is breaking through that much to the voters we talked to. From the ICE killing of Renee Good to the Epstein files to the criminal investigation into Jerome Powell, Bulwark editor-at-large Bill Kristol joins Sarah for a reflective conversation on the tough times we live in and how voters are processing them.

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Previous shows discussing the Epstein Files:
With Will Sommer (November 2025)
With Ashley Parker (September 2025)
With Will Sommer (July 2025)

S6 Ep19: What a Difference a Year Makes (with Jonathan Chait)

The Bulwark — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The United States just captured Venezuela's dictator, and we needed to get some quick voter reactions. Is this REALLY what the newest members of Trump's coalition voted for? We're also sensing growing discontent from them with the state of the country, and with the Trump administration governing more for its friends than for them. Atlantic staff writer Jonathan Chait joins the show to break down voter sentiment nearly a year into Trump's term.

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S6 Ep18: Sarah’s First Focus Groups

The Bulwark — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Sarah started doing focus groups in 2018 and 2019 hoping to save the Republican Party from Trump—by finding a primary challenger who wouldn’t embarrass themselves. Instead, she discovered voters who were fine with Trump, and she picked up a years-long addiction that turned into this show. We listen to audio from Sarah’s earliest focus groups with reluctant Ohio Trump voters, and not-so-reluctant New Hampshire Trump voters. Then, Sarah and producer Conor Kilgore take some listener questions and look ahead to 2026 races.

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S6 Ep17: America on Tape: A Brutal (and Hopeful) Year

The Bulwark — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

A year in review from The Focus Group Podcast: the revealing moments, toughest conversations, and warnings that hit a little harder with hindsight—from swing voters to Democrats to cracks inside MAGA.

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Original episodes:

Nothing is True, Everything is Possible (with Anne Applebaum):
https://audioboom.com/posts/8711563-nothing-is-true-everything-is-possible-with-anne-applebaum

Do the Next Right Thing, Change the World (with Heather Cox Richardson):
https://audioboom.com/posts/8741588-do-the-next-right-thing-change-the-world-with-heather-cox-richardson

The GOP's Life After Trump (with Robert Draper):
https://audioboom.com/posts/8806639-the-gop-s-life-after-trump-with-robert-draper

S6 Ep16: MAGA's 'Crunchy' Surprise (with Jonathan Cohn)

The Bulwark — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' movement and its adherents have done some of the most harm of anyone in Donald Trump's second term. The voters who are motivated by 'MAHA' are also some of the most interesting. The Bulwark's resident healthcare expert, Jonathan Cohn joins the show to break down the policy consequences of RFK's healthcare regime, and what motivates the everyday 'MAHA' voter.

By Jonathan Cohn:
This Is What It Looks Like When RFK Jr. Wins

S6 Ep15: The Civilian-Military Relationship (with Mark Hertling)

The Bulwark — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The American military used to be one of the more trusted institutions in America. In 2025, it's a major political football. But how much do voters know about the military and its proper use? Bulwark military expert, Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) joins the show.

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S6 Ep14: (Focus) Group Therapy (with Astead Herndon)

The Bulwark — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Swing voters are pretty fed up with politics in general. They’re often “swingy” because they can’t really stand either party. And in our most recent focus group, they all let political leaders HAVE IT. We also check in with Maine Democratic primary voters on their U.S. Senate race, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest proxy wars in the Democratic Party in 2026 and is telling us a lot about what Democrats are more willing to tolerate from candidates, as long as they fight. New York Times-turned-Vox host Astead Herndon makes his return to the show.

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By Astead Herndon:
Inside the Improbable, Audacious and (So Far) Unstoppable Rise of Zohran Mamdani
How Zohran Mamdani won over Donald Trump — for now

S6 Ep13: Just Press The Deflation Button! (with Catherine Rampell)

The Bulwark — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump got elected in 2024 because voters felt prices were too high. But, as our guest says, that's not really a great thing for a politician to promise. So, as we head into the holiday season of Trump's first year back in office, how are his voters feeling about the state of the economy? New Bulwark economics editor Catherine Rampell joins the show to discuss the state of the economy and what politicians can and cannot do to fix it. We also hear from voters about how their holiday spending habits have changed since last year.

By Catherine Rampell:
Trump Is Falling Into the Same Trap That Ensnared Biden
Trump’s One Weird Trick for Eliminating Bad News: Delete It

S6 Ep12: Epstein Files & Illegal Orders (w/ Will Sommer and Sen. Elissa Slotkin)

The Bulwark — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump had to make an about-face on the Epstein Files because some Trump voters were getting…mildly annoyed. Will Sommer joins Sarah to hear them out. Then, Sen. Elissa Slotkin joins the show to discuss her PSA with her colleagues to the military and intelligence community, reminding them they can refuse illegal orders. They also discuss the recent government shutdown fight, and what Sen. Slotkin learned from winning several tough races in Michigan.

NOTE: This episode discusses Sen. Slotkin and her colleagues’ message to the military and intelligence community that President Trump called “seditious behavior, punishable by death.” This conversation was taped before that Trump post.

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S6 Ep11: The GOP's Life After Trump (with Robert Draper)

The Bulwark — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

There's always a possibility that Donald Trump will try to run for a third term. But plenty of Republicans don't even want that...for now. We asked some of Trump's base how they're feeling about a third term for him (their answers may surprise you!) and talk about Marjorie Taylor Greene's about-face, and the rise of antisemitism on the right. Robert Draper of The New York Times Magazine joins Sarah to walk through some of the key forces bubbling up on the right.

show notes
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By Robert Draper:

S6 Ep10: Gen Z: They're Zooming Apart (with Rachel Janfaza)

The Bulwark — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

We've heard a lot about how young men have shifted to the right...but this week's election showed young women moving to the left as well. Gen Z expert Rachel Janfaza, founder of The Up and Up, joins Sarah to discuss why young women have shifted to the left, why their male peers have shifted to the right, and why their life priorities are so different. They also discuss Gen Z's relationship with technology like AI, why Gen Z is a lonely generation, and the differences between Gen Z-ers who came of age before the pandemic, and after.

show notes:

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JOB ALERT: Sarah is looking for a qualitative researcher to join her team! Apply here.

By Rachel Janfaza in The Up and Up:
More on the two gen zs
Young women are the story (And here's how to piss them off...)
Nearly half of high schoolers have had a relationship with AI or know someone who has
Twice as many young people say religion is gaining influence in American life
Trad Husbands > Trad Wives

S6 Ep9: Virginia: National Politics is Local (with Jeff Schapiro)

The Bulwark — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

No election in 2025 has been more impacted by the Trump presidency than the elections in Virginia. This state doesn't vote for MAGA candidates anymore, but their nominee for governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, isn't really campaigning like that. So one of Sarah's favorite Democrats, Abigail Spanberger, looks poised for a solid win on Election Day. Meanwhile in the Attorney General race, the Republican incumbent, Jason Miyares could pull off an unexpected comeback, so we talked to voters who are splitting their tickets between Spanberger and Miyares. Former Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist and University of Virginia Center for Politics scholar Jeff Schapiro joins the show to put this year's election in the context of Virginia's broad political evolution.

Show notes:

Jeff Schapiro in Crystal Ball: The Virginia Elections: Plenty of Late Drama, Although Not at the Top of the Ticket

S6 Ep8: New Jersey: The 'No Narc' State (with Jonathan V. Last)

The Bulwark — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The New Jersey governor's race is a little too close for comfort, after New Jersey had one of the largest swings toward Donald Trump of any state in the country, and the Democratic candidate, Mikie Sherrill is on track for a sub-optimal performance on Election Day against a sometimes-MAGA Republican, Jack Ciattarelli. Sarah doesn't let JVL on The Focus Group very often, but made an exception because he's one of The Bulwark's resident New Jerseyans. You don't want to miss this one.

S6 Ep7: New Yorkers Brace for Mamdani (with Harry Siegel)

The Bulwark — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Zohran Mamdani, the young, telegenic, democratic socialist state assemblyman, looks set to be New York City's next mayor. So how are New Yorkers feeling about turning the keys over to him? We asked some of his supporters and detractors. Harry Siegel, senior editor at The City, returns to the show to give his two cents on one of the wilder New York City races in recent memory.

show notes:

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By Harry Siegel:
FAQ NYC Podcast

S6 Ep6: They're 'Opening the Door' (with Andrew Egger)

The Bulwark — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

For the last few weeks, the Trump administration has escalated its authoritarian impulses, from pressuring ABC to cancel a late night host, to deploying the Texas National Guard to Chicago. You might call it "authoritarian," but the voters are just getting mildly queasy. The Bulwark's Andrew Egger joins the show to talk about the news, the voters, and how we're even supposed to cover it these days.

By Andrew Egger:
Morning Shots: The Insidious Effort to Rationalize Trump’s Lawfare

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S6 Ep5: I'd Do Anything To Win (But I Won't Do That) (with Dan Pfeiffer)

The Bulwark — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We haven't caught up with Democratic voters since the summer. So, who do they see in the Democratic Party who is distinguishing themselves? And, do Democratic voters really want to shut down the government? It turns out some of them are really wrestling with how to wield power. Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Pod Save America and author of the Substack newsletter The Message Box joins Sarah to download on how the base of the party is feeling.

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By Dan Pfeiffer:
Why Everyone Should Stop Freaking Out About Gavin Newsom's Social Media
The Democratic Divide That Could Decide 2026 (and 2028)
New NYT Poll Shows How Dems Can Win the Shutdown - and the Majority

S6 Ep4: The Right's 'Turning Point'? (with Will Sommer)

The Bulwark — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Charlie Kirk was one of the most important figures in conservative media for over a decade, especially for Gen Z. We asked a couple of focus groups of young conservatives what Kirk meant to them, how they're grappling with his passing, and who else they think will take up his mantle on the right. Will Sommer, author of The Bulwark's False Flag newsletter, joins Sarah to discuss the state of young conservatives and his reporting on Kirk's legacy.

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S6 Ep3: 'Secure Borders...At What Cost?' (with Adrian Carrasquillo)

The Bulwark — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump is bleeding support from Hispanic voters, including from some who voted for him. So, we found some former Trump voters who are souring on him, and asked them why. Adrian Carrasquillo, author of The Bulwark's Huddled Masses newsletter, joins the show to discuss voter sentiments on immigration, the future of the immigration debate (especially among Democrats), and his on-the-ground reporting in cities around the country.

By Adrian Carrasquillo:
Trump Hasn’t Invaded Chicago, But the City Is Still Rattled

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For our friends in Canada, we added a second live show with Sarah, Tim and Sam to the schedule. Tickets are on sale now for our bonus Bulwark Live Q&A Matinee show on Saturday, September 27, here.

S6 Ep2: You Can Ramp It Up or Ramp It Down (with Rachel Kleinfeld)

The Bulwark — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The murder of Charlie Kirk was the culmination of Americans' long-brewing fear of political violence. First, political violence expert Rachel Kleinfeld joins Sarah to discuss the ramifications of Kirk's death on the American body politic, and then Sarah discusses voters' fears of political violence that we've heard through the years.

S6 Ep1: Swing Voters Say Trump is "Meh" (with Ashley Parker)

The Bulwark — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump has run into some summer doldrums...from the uncertainty in the economy, to his Big Beautiful Bill, to his refusal to come clean about Jeffrey Epstein. We're wondering how voters are processing the last couple of months. Atlantic staff writer Ashley Parker, who's covered Trump for over a decade, joins Sarah for our season premiere.

By Ashley Parker:

'I Run the Country and the World'
Flattery, Firmness, and Flourishes
Why Is the National Guard in D.C.? Even They Don’t Know.
Inside the White House’s Epstein Strategy

S5 Ep26: What Are Focus Groups For Anyway?

The Bulwark — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Focus Group Podcast will be back for real in a couple of weeks, but by popular demand, Sarah and her producer, Conor Kilgore, take on some of our listeners' frequently asked questions about how and why they do all these focus groups.

S5 Ep25: 2024 Trump Voters on the "Epstein Files"

The Bulwark — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Focus Group Podcast is still on hiatus, but the Trump administration's walkback of the promised "Epstein Files" this week got us curious about how voters were thinking.

The Bulwark's own Will Sommer sat down with Sarah to break down a focus group we convened with 2024 Trump voters who disapprove of Trump's job performance, and discuss how Democrats can talk about this Epstein news.

S5 Ep24: Do the Next Right Thing, Change the World (with Heather Cox Richardson)

The Bulwark — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Our season finale is a bit of a pep talk. America is in a precarious place, but Americans everywhere are speaking up against the authoritarian threat. Historian extraordinaire Heather Cox Richardson joins Sarah to discuss the lessons history leaves for this moment, and Americans' role in fighting back.

By Heather Cox Richardson:
Letters from an American
Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America

S5 Ep23: Cuomo vs. Mamdani (with Harry Siegel)

The Bulwark — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The New York City mayoral primary is "dumb" and getting lots of "dumb attention," at least according to our (radically candid) guest. Democratic voters face a choice between disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and the inexperienced socialist state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. There's another candidate who was just arrested by ICE, which may shake up this race at the VERY end. The City's Harry Siegel joins Sarah for a wide-ranging conversation about New York City's politics today.

By The City:

By Harry Siegel:

S5 Ep22: 'This Country is Effed' (with Jonathan Cohn)

The Bulwark — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill is moving through Congress, and you may be surprised by some former Trump voters' reactions. Bulwark in-house policy wonk Jonathan Cohn joins Sarah to talk about the bill's negative consequences and why healthcare has been such a political albatross for the Republican Party. We also learn that plenty of voters are irritated by Congress only seeming to pass 'big' bills these days.

S5 Ep21: New Jersey's (Very) Odd Year (with Amy Walter)

The Bulwark — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Democratic primary for New Jersey governor is crowded, and Democratic voters all over the map. But as always, they're united in wanting a candidate who can fight the Trump administration effectively. So which candidate can do it? Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and the podcast The Odd Years makes her sixth appearance on the show to discuss how these off-year elections in New Jersey and Virginia can change the political environment.

S5 Ep20: Democrats on Biden's Decline

The Bulwark — Sat, 31 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Sarah had a busy travel schedule this week, so we're bringing you some raw audio. With the recent revelations about Joe Biden's mental state during his term, we asked a couple of groups of Democrats what they thought during (and after) his presidency, and how it might inform their thinking going forward. These voters liked Biden but supported his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race. The excerpts of these groups were edited for length and for participants' privacy.

S5 Ep19: Congress: Trump's Super-Staffers (with Annie Karni)

The Bulwark — Sat, 24 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump is looking to pass his Big, Not-So-Beautiful Bill through Congress. To do it, he needs to get it past congressional Republicans. So what do Republican voters think of congressional leaders, and whether this bill is as big and beautiful as it seems? New York Times congressional reporter Annie Karni joins Sarah.

By Annie Karni:

Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress

Go to https://surfshark.com/thefocusgroup or use code thefocusgroup at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

S5 Ep18: Liberal Order Elegy? (with Ian Ward)

The Bulwark — Sat, 17 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

JD Vance is one heartbeat away from the presidency, and he's a big part of the Republican Party's future. It turns out, his ideas are also part of the reason the second Trump term has been a lot more pure MAGA than the first. POLITICO's Ian Ward returns to the show to recap Vance's first few months in office, his political future, and go deep on some of the New Right's major intellectual influences.

By Ian Ward:

Go to https://surfshark.com/thefocusgroup or use code thefocusgroup at checkout to
get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

S5 Ep17: Trump Had ONE JOB (with Dave Weigel)

The Bulwark — Sat, 10 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

With Donald Trump's approval ratings falling, that means some of his voters aren't getting what they voted for. We talked to those voters, to find out what that does and doesn't mean about their relationship to this administration (spoiler: they DON'T wish they'd voted for Kamala Harris). Semafor's Dave Weigel joins the show to break down how those voters are feeling, and the battle lines for the upcoming legislative battles over Trump's agenda.

show notes
By Dave Weigel:
Democrats’ new pitch: Down with the king
Democrats are all but done with Trump impeachment talk

S5 Ep16: Can You Say 'Oligarchy'? (with Faiz Shakir)

The Bulwark — Sat, 03 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Sarah didn't think she'd be looking to Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as examples of good Democratic communicators. But all of a sudden, they're some of the only people in the Democratic Party showing how to get the Trump opposition engaged. Faiz Shakir, Sanders' adviser and 2020 presidential campaign manager, joins the show to talk about Sanders' and Ocasio-Cortez's rallies around the country, why he thinks they'll advance the Democratic Party going forward, and what even moderates can learn from their approach.

S5 Ep15: Nothing is True, Everything is Possible (with Anne Applebaum)

The Bulwark — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump's first 100 days in office have been marked by a lot of aspiring autocratic behavior...like deporting a legal resident without due process, targeting his political enemies, to walking right up to the line of ignoring the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, it's not a given that voters will care...or even clock that what they're seeing is bad. Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum joins Sarah to discuss how voters are seeing Trump, and how he's comparing to autocratic regimes around the world.

show notes
Anne on Substack

By Anne Applebaum:
Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism
Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World
America’s Future Is Hungary

S5 Ep14: Trump's Luxury Beliefs (with Scott Lincicome)

The Bulwark — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Trump has plunged the markets into chaos over the last couple of weeks with his tariffing, and un-tariffing, and possible re-tariffing. The Biden-to-Trump voters we've talked to were a mixed bag on this. Scott Lincicome, author of The Dispatch's economics newsletter Capitolism and Vice President of general economics at the Cato Institute, joins Sarah to listen to how the trade war is trickling down to voters and where it all might go from here.

show notes
By Scott Lincicome:
Capitolism Newsletter

This show is #sponsored by OneSkin. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THEFOCUSGROUP at https://www.oneskin.co #oneskinpod

S5 Ep13: America's Moral Moment (with Lauren Egan)

The Bulwark — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We've heard from a lot of Democrats who want the party to be more moderate, and many who want the party to be more progressive. But they all agree that the party needs to fight harder in this moment. Lauren Egan, author of The Bulwark's newsletter, The Opposition, joins Sarah to listen to some Democrats talk about the threats they see from the Trump administration, and how they think elected Democrats should respond.

By Lauren Egan:
Chuck Schumer Is Facing a Biden Moment
Where Have All the Pussyhats Gone?
Some Weird Alliances Are Breaking Out Among Democrats

This show is #sponsored by OneSkin. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THEFOCUSGROUP at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

S5 Ep12: Telling MAGA It's Raining (with Will Sommer)

The Bulwark — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump is facing some headwinds. His staff accidentally leaked war plans to a reporter, and the promised price cuts are nowhere to be found. We check in with Biden-Trump voters on Signal-gate, and talk to Trump's base about whether they want him running for a third term, how they feel about the economy (which may surprise you), and the state of the MAGA media ecosystem. The Bulwark's MAGA-knower Will Sommer joins Sarah to sift through it all.

show notes

By Will Sommer:

S5 Ep11: The Kyrgyzstan PhD Problem (with Jen Psaki)

The Bulwark — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We're checking in with 2024's non-voters, and Sarah has a (friendly) fight with our guest over whether Kamala Harris should have closed the 2024 campaign with Liz Cheney. They also talk to some of 2024's non-voters, who have some thoughts on how Democrats should be fighting back right now. Jen Psaki, host of MSNBC's Inside with Jen Psaki and the podcast The Blueprint with Jen Psaki, joins the show.

S5 Ep10: It's Really Good and Really Bad (with Mark Leibovich)

The Bulwark — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We're checking in on first-time Trump voters as Trump's reign of chaos continues. Some love what they're getting and think Democrats are out over their skis. Others are wondering when Trump will get around to fixing the economy. Atlantic staff writer and legendary DC chronicler Mark Leibovich joins Sarah to discuss what to make of it all.

Show notes:
Mark Leibovich in The Atlantic:

Greenland’s Prime Minister Wants the Nightmare to End

Books by Mark Leibovich:

S5 Ep9: Unresolved COVID Trauma (with Dr. Leana Wen)

The Bulwark — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Five years ago this week, the COVID-19 pandemic came to the United States, and with it a level of suffering and distrust of authority (and each other) that we haven't fully reckoned with. Indeed, the pandemic was a major factor in what made Donald Trump's political comeback possible. Dr. Leana Wen, public health expert and author of the Washington Post newsletter The Checkup with Dr. Wen joins Sarah to discuss the lessons learned from the pandemic, how it changed Americans, and its implications for the future of public health.

Show notes:
The Checkup with Dr. Wen

This show is #sponsored by OneSkin. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THEFOCUSGROUP at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

S5 Ep8: Free World 'Family Meeting' (with Tommy Vietor)

The Bulwark — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Trump shouted down Zelensky in the Oval Office last week, and many pro-Ukraine Trump voters wished it hadn't happened like that...publicly, at least. So, we wondered, what did the remaining pro-Ukraine Republicans think of America's role in the world? Pod Save America and Pod Save the World host Tommy Vietor joins Sarah to discuss the future of foreign policy in Trump 2.0.

S5 Ep7: Raw Audio: Guys Being Dudes

The Bulwark — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

We're doing something a bit different this week: We're giving you nearly an hour of audio from a recent focus group of men aged 18-29 who voted for Donald Trump in 2024. We get into everyone's media diets, what they think of Elon and Trump, and how the culture talks to young men today. You don't want to miss it.

S5 Ep6: Will the Real POTUS Please Stand Up? (with Kara Swisher)

The Bulwark — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

It seems like Elon Musk is running America right now. SOME people in our focus groups don't like it all that much. Legendary tech reporter and Musk-whisperer Kara Swisher joins the show to discuss Musk's MAGA character arc and what his real motivations are with DOGE.

Show notes:

S5 Ep5: 'I'm All For Deportations, But...' (with Adrian Carrasquillo)

The Bulwark — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Plenty of the newest Donald Trump voters wanted him to fix the border, and to deport criminals. Some are excited by what they're seeing, and some are getting more than they bargained for. Bulwark immigration correspondent Adrian Carrasquillo joins Sarah to discuss voter reactions, and the latest developments in Trump's immigration regime.

By Adrian Carrasquillo:
The Border Debate Is Over. Dems Lost.
Inside Trump World’s Plans To Gloss Up Mass Deportations
Trump’s Deportation Dragnet Widens and Puerto Ricans Are Getting Caught in It
Trump Wants to ‘End’ Sanctuary Cities. This Mayor Has a Different Idea.
Trump Turns Schools Into an Immigration Battleground

S5 Ep4: Winners Make Policy, Losers Go Home (with Adam Jentleson)

The Bulwark — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Where do Democratic voters want the party to go next? And just as importantly, how does the party need to be thinking differently? Adam Jentleson, former chief of staff to Sen. John Fetterman and aide to Sen. Harry Reid, joins Sarah to discuss the kind of thinking hampering current Democratic elected officials and staff, and they discuss some new ways to campaign and govern as the party looks toward 2026 and 2028.

By Adam Jentleson:

S5 Ep3: At Least He's Doing Something (with Sam Stein)

The Bulwark — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

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.

S5 Ep2: Getting Out of Our Corners (with Amanda Carpenter)

The Bulwark — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

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.

S5 Ep1: The Caretaker Presidency (with Evan Osnos)

The Bulwark — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

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.

Sponsor: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THEFOCUSGROUP at https://www.oneskin.co/

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

S4 Ep62: It's Not Like a Newscast (with Tim Miller)

The Bulwark — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

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.

S4 Ep61: Hate Was Up, Prices Were Down (with Marc Caputo)

The Bulwark — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

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

S4 Ep60: An 'Unserious' Show (with Jonathan V. Last)

The Bulwark — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

We've got (Thanksgiving) leftover focus group sound we didn't get to last week. Sarah's best friend Jonathan V. Last makes his vengeful return to the show to work through his thoughts (and the voters' thoughts) on the 2024 election, and he and Sarah parry over just how serious this country is anymore. It gets spicy.

S4 Ep59: "Beyoncé Ain't Paying My Bills, B*tch." (with Astead Herndon)

The Bulwark — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The Focus Group Podcast is back for a post-election autopsy. We're starting with a deep dive on how Donald Trump's newest voters found Kamala Harris and the Democrats lacking. Astead Herndon, host of The New York Times podcast The Run-Up joins Sarah to write a first draft of how we got here.

show notes
The Run-Up: The Democrats' Plan to Get Skeptics on Their Side
The Run-Up: Kamala Harris on Kamala Harris
The Bulwark's Bleak Friday Sale

S4 Ep58: How [He/She] Wins (with Ron Brownstein)

The Bulwark — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The polls are close enough that this election could go either way. But whatever happens, the focus groups over the last year-plus have given some clues about what's motivating the swing voters voting for Trump, and those voting for Harris. Atlantic senior editor Ron Brownstein joins Sarah to listen to voters and what the Trump and Harris coalitions might look like.

show notes
By Ron Brownstein:
The Democratic Theory of Winning With Less
The Improbable Coalition That Is Harris’s Best Hope

S4 Ep57: Keystone State of the Race (with Holly Otterbein)

The Bulwark — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

There's one thing Republican and Democratic strategists all agree on right now: no state is more likely to decide this election than Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania-based POLITICO reporter Holly Otterbein joins Sarah to break down Pennsylvania's shift to the right in recent years, and why Democratic Sen. Bob Casey is finding himself in a surprisingly close race.

Show Notes:
Spotlight PA: Democrats in Pa. approach 2024 election with slimmest voter registration advantage in decades

By Holly Otterbein:
Harris ramps up her appeals to Republican voters in the Philly suburbs
‘Pennsylvania is such a mess’: Inside Team Harris’ unusual levels of finger-pointing
Dems see warning signs for Harris with Latino men in Pennsylvania

S4 Ep56: Senate GOP Vote Desert (with Jon Ralston and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez)

The Bulwark — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump may well win both Arizona and Nevada, but Republican Senate candidates there are on the struggle bus. Jon Ralston of the Nevada Independent joins to break down Sarah's recent focus groups with PBS in Nevada, and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez of the Washington Post discusses Arizona's abortion rights referendum and Kari Lake's comeback attempt in the U.S. Senate race.

Editor's note: This episode was taped before the October 17 release of Ruben and Kate Gallego's divorce records.

S4 Ep55: Great Lakes, "Meh" Candidates (with Craig Gilbert and Craig Mauger)

The Bulwark — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Michigan and Wisconsin aren't just presidential battlegrounds; their Senate races are getting more competitive down the stretch. So how are swing voters thinking about their options?

Craig Gilbert, former DC bureau chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Craig Mauger, political reporter for the Detroit News, join Sarah to break down the electoral landscape in the upper midwest.

Show notes:
By Craig Gilbert: What polling tells us about Wisconsin's undecided voters
The Bulwark's Swing State Swing

S4 Ep54: The Grandpa vs. the Slimy Lawyer (with John Heilemann)

The Bulwark — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The pundit class thought JD Vance performed better than Tim Walz in the vice presidential debate. Voters thought Vance was a good performer, but they couldn't quite shake their skepticism. Puck News's John Heilemann joins Sarah to review voters' reactions to the VP debate and the history of VP picks more broadly.

S4 Ep53: Trump Is All They Know (with Peter Hamby)

The Bulwark — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Some of today's first-time voters were 10 years old when Donald Trump launched his first presidential campaign, so he's all they've known in politics. That's certainly affected how they look at politics, across the political spectrum. Puck's Peter Hamby joins Sarah to discuss the youth vote in the home stretch of the 2024 election.

show notes
September 2024 Harvard Youth Poll

By Peter:
The Left’s Trumpnesia Problem
Kamala’s Generation Gap
The Swift-Rogan Election

S4 Ep52: Bonus Episode/Crosspost: Sarah Longwell on 'Possible'

The Bulwark — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Sarah recently sat down with Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger on their podcast Possible to talk about the future of politics, the origins of her focus group work, and how artificial intelligence might impact that work.

https://possible.fm/podcast

S4 Ep51: Splittin' Tickets? (with Jessica Taylor)

The Bulwark — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We're taking a break from the presidential race this week. The battle for control of the Senate is running through red states, with former Trump voters. Some of them are more persuadable than others. Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report joins Sarah to discuss the Senate races in Ohio, Montana, and Texas, and the role of abortion politics in this year's Senate races.

S4 Ep50: She Was Built for This (with Dana Bash)

The Bulwark — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Kamala Harris crushed Donald Trump in this week's debate...and swing voters noticed. CNN's Dana Bash joins Sarah to discuss her new book, this week's debate, her experience as the co-moderator of the June 27 debate, and the role of moderator fact-checking in both debates.

show notes
By Dana Bash and David Fisher:
America's Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History

S4 Ep49: Can Kamala Be Unburdened? (with Benjy Sarlin)

The Bulwark — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Kamala Harris's campaign has created a month of immaculate vibes, but plenty of voters are still skeptical. Semafor Washington bureau chief Benjy Sarlin joins Sarah to discuss the state of the race going into the second debate, and Harris's standing with skeptical former Biden voters.

show notes
Adam Carlson's Crosstab Aggregator

Relevant past episodes:

With black voters:
March 2024, with Ashley Allison
July 2024, with Audie Cornish

With hispanic voters:
October 2023, with Ruy Teixeira
June 2024, with Amy Walter

S4 Ep48: DNC Part 2: The Dems' Defibrillator (with John Anzalone)

The Bulwark — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Democratic National Convention was a respite from Democrats' summer of despair, and a lot of the good vibes filtered down to swing voters...but are good vibes enough? Democratic pollster John Anzalone joins Sarah to listen to how the new ticket looks to swing voters...and even some former Trump voters who are now Harris-curious.

S4 Ep47: DNC-Palooza, Part 1 (with Joe Perticone)

The Bulwark — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Bulwark is ON LOCATION at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and we've got quite a lot to talk about! National Political Reporter Joe Perticone joins Sarah to recap the sights and sounds from the convention. They also walk through swing voters' reactions to the Harris-Walz ticket, and how plugged in they were to convention coverage generally (not very much).

S4 Ep46: MAGA According to JD Vance (with Ian Ward)

The Bulwark — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

JD Vance's evolution on Trump over the years has left voters wondering what he really believes. But our guest this week can shed some light on that. POLITICO's Ian Ward joins Sarah to discuss his reporting on JD Vance and the "new right" more broadly. They also discuss Ian's reporting from inside Project 2025, and the role it may play in a future Trump administration...regardless of what Trump says.

Show notes
By Ian Ward:

It Was Supposed to Be Trump’s Administration in Waiting. But Project 2025 Was a Mirage All Along.

Is There Something More Radical than MAGA? J.D. Vance Is Dreaming It.

JD Vance on Elizabeth Warren, Steve Bannon and What’s Wrong With the GOP

Are Republican Voters Ready for the Nerdy Radicalness of JD Vance?

The Seven Thinkers and Groups That Have Shaped JD Vance’s Unusual Worldview

S4 Ep45: Quick Reaction: Tim Walz Edition

The Bulwark — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Sarah is on vacation this week, but we didn't want to leave you without some focus group reactions to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz joining the Democratic ticket. Listen to how swing voters from around the country AND Minnesota voters who know Walz best are thinking about him and the presidential race more broadly. We'll see you next week.

S4 Ep44: Does Kamala Need A Straight White Guy? (with Sam Stein)

The Bulwark — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Kamala Harris is closing in on a vice presidential pick, and her shortlist looks...a LOT different than Joe Biden's shortlist did in 2020. New Bulwark managing editor Sam Stein joins Sarah to break down Harris's options and walk through his new reporting on scammy Democratic PACs.

show notes
By Sam Stein:
Harris Camp Warns Supporters: Don’t Get Duped by ‘Scam PACs’
They Begged Dems for Money—Then Spent Lavishly on Hotels and Entertainment

S4 Ep43: Kamala Gets The Start (with David Axelrod)

The Bulwark — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

At the 11th hour, Kamala Harris is now the presumptive Democratic nominee. Longtime listeners will know that swing voters have had a negative impression of her--but luckily, it's just an impression! David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Obama, joins Sarah to walk through where Harris goes from here.

show notes
The Bulwark in Dallas on September 5
The Axe Files with David Axelrod
Hacks on Tap

S4 Ep42: The 'Jekyll and Hyde' Running Mate (with Marc Caputo)

The Bulwark — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Republican National Convention took place with the backdrop of an assassination attempt, and Donald Trump added a MAGA true believer to his ticket, in J.D. Vance. The Bulwark's Marc Caputo joins Sarah from Milwaukee to discuss the convention, the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Trump, and voters' reactions to the Trump-Vance ticket.

This episode was recorded before Donald Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.

show notes
Marc Caputo in The Bulwark: White Men Can Vote: The Logic Behind J.D. Vance for VP

S4 Ep41: Gambling Our Rights? (with Audie Cornish)

The Bulwark — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Democrats' spin holds that the calls for Joe Biden to drop out are driven by the media, while base Democratic voters beyond Washington are committed to seeing Biden as the nominee, and there will be a backlash if he isn't. In a series of focus groups with black Democratic voters this week, we found the truth to be more complicated. Audie Cornish, host of the CNN podcast The Assignment with Audie Cornish, joins Sarah to evaluate how Democratic voters (especially black voters) are grappling with whether Joe Biden should stay in the race...and how perceptions of Kamala Harris are driving the discussion.

S4 Ep40: Derangement vs. Impairment (with Tim Miller)

The Bulwark — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 21:00:00 +0000

Joe Biden's debate performance was a disaster...and voters noticed. Sarah Longwell and Tim Miller bring you the voters' reactions and a frank discussion about the risks and rewards of Biden stepping aside as the nominee...because something in this race has to change.

show notes
Puck News: Biden Plunges in Swing States in Leaked Post-Debate Poll

S4 Ep39: Former Hillary Voters for Trump (with Amy Walter)

The Bulwark — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We taped this show before Joe Biden's disastrous first debate, but its thesis still holds true: he's losing this race. To better understand why, we fielded a group of Hispanic voters who voted for Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, and are now leaning towards Trump. Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report joins Sarah to break down why these voters are giving Donald Trump a fresh look.

From Amy Walter:
Biden’s Slumping Poll Numbers Not Only Limited to Swing States
Defectors and Double-Haters: Who Are They, and Who Can Win Them?

S4 Ep38: Utah: The Least MAGA Red State (with McKay Coppins)

The Bulwark — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Utah has been something of a bulwark (pun intended) against Trumpism, but even they haven't been immune to sliding into MAGA. And now, with Sen. Mitt Romney retiring, Republican voters are poised to pick a new U.S. senator there. The Atlantic's McKay Coppins joins Sarah to break down how Utah Republicans are different, and where they might go from here. They also discuss voters' assessments of Romney as he prepares to leave office.

S4 Ep37: Is The GOP 'Happy With Losing'? (with Isaac Arnsdorf)

The Bulwark — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

One of the Republican Party's biggest long-term problems is that their base is demanding behavior that swing voters won't tolerate, and few things have brought out this gap better than Donald Trump's recent conviction. The Washington Post's Isaac Arnsdorf joins Sarah to discuss what the MAGA base expects out of politicians these days, and how swing voters are reacting.

show notes:
Isaac Arnsdorf's Book: Finish What We Started: The MAGA Movement’s Ground War to End Democracy

S4 Ep36: Former Trump Voters Say 'Lock Him Up' (with Laura Barrón-López)

The Bulwark — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

When Donald Trump's 34 felony convictions were handed down, we had focus groups ready to talk about them. PBS Newshour's Laura Barrón-López joins Sarah to listen to swing voters' reactions to Trump's conviction, and to the start of Hunter Biden's federal trial.

show notes
PBS Newshour: How Republican voters feel about Trump and the election after his conviction

S4 Ep35: It's Just About Feelings, Man (with Jonathan V. Last)

The Bulwark — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We have five months to go until Election Day, and nobody's happy. So we're bringing you some catharsis. Jonathan V. Last joins Sarah to let out a primal scream and preview the home stretch of this presidential campaign through the lens of Trump '16/Biden '20 voters.

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Focus Group Podcast listeners can get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/thefocusgroup

S4 Ep34: The Holocaust Denier from North Carolina (with Zach Montellaro)

The Bulwark — Sat, 25 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

North Carolina Republicans have nominated a candidate for governor who might be crazier than all of the Republicans who ran in 2022. And that's saying something. POLITICO's Zach Montellaro joins Sarah to walk through Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's political rise, and how his supporters and GOP detractors feel about him.

show notes:

Zach Montellaro in POLITICO: The most important governor’s race of 2024 is about to have its own version of Trump
Jessica Piper and Zach Montellaro in POLITICO: Trump’s weaknesses with GOP voters go beyond the suburbs

S4 Ep33: Unlearning Their Hermit-ness (with Tim Miller)

The Bulwark — Sat, 18 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

2024's college graduates started their college careers with COVID, and ended them with encampments on most of their campuses. Tim Miller joins Sarah to discuss how America's youth have dealt with a turbulent few years, how they view the recent protests on their campuses, and their thoughts on November's election.

S4 Ep32: Larry Hogan: The Most Democratic Republican (with Michael Steele)

The Bulwark — Sat, 11 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

One of Sarah's favorite Republicans, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, is running for the U.S. Senate. So how are Sarah, and her fellow Maryland voters thinking about this race? Former Maryland Lt. Governor (and RNC chairman) Michael Steele joins Sarah to discuss how left-leaning Marylanders who've voted for Hogan before are thinking about his Senate bid, and his Democratic challengers.

S4 Ep31: Trump's 'F*ck You' Strategy (with Marc Caputo)

The Bulwark — Sat, 04 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump said that Nikki Haley's supporters would be "permanently barred" from the MAGA camp...and he's keeping that promise in the general election. Bulwark MAGA-world correspondent Marc Caputo joins Sarah to listen to Nikki Haley's base...those that are abandoning Trump in the general election, and those that are sticking with him.

S4 Ep30: Arizona: The "Leave Me Alone" State (with Yvonne Wingett Sanchez)

The Bulwark — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Abortion has become a defining feature of the 2024 election in Arizona, and Arizona women know it. Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Arizona-based democracy reporter for the Washington Post, joins Sarah to walk through the implications of the Arizona Supreme Court re-instituting an 1864 ban on abortion in the state.

Editor's note: This show was taped before the Arizona House voted to repeal the ban on April 24.

show notes:
The Post's Inside the GOP reckoning over Arizona’s 1864 abortion ban

S4 Ep29: Wanted: Serious, Sober People (with Bill Kristol)

The Bulwark — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Voters have gotten long looks at both Donald Trump and Joe Biden representing America on the world stage, so what did swing voters see? Bill Kristol joins Sarah to talk about the foreign policy stakes of the 2024 election, and how voters think about the War in Ukraine and America's role in it. This show was recorded before Iran's April 13-14 attack on Israel.

S4 Ep28: The "Uncommitted" Democrats (with Tommy Vietor)

The Bulwark — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Some voters in recent Democratic primaries have been upset with Joe Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Whether and how he can bring them back onside in November is an open question. Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor joins Sarah to break down a small but critical part of the Democratic coalition, why they're upset, and what it could mean in November.

S4 Ep27: RFK, Jr.: The Most Insider Outsider (with Astead Herndon)

The Bulwark — Sat, 06 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is shaking up the presidential race...and no one knows what his impact is going to be. So we talked to former Trump voters and former Biden voters who are giving Kennedy a look. Astead Herndon, host of the New York Times politics podcast The Run-Up joins Sarah to discuss his recent interview with Kennedy and how the voters are thinking about him.

Show Notes:
The Run-Up: Don't Ask RFK Jr. About Being a Spoiler

S4 Ep26: Hands Off My TikTok (with Andrew Egger)

The Bulwark — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The House recently passed a bill that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the U.S. It made for strange bedfellows (Lauren Boebert voted for it, and President Biden would sign it). It takes a lot to get them to agree…but the voters we talked to didn’t get the memo. Bulwark White House correspondent Andrew Egger joins Sarah to break down a weird and important debate in Washington.

S4 Ep25: "I voted for Donald Trump. My bad, fam." (with Tim Miller)

The Bulwark — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Sarah's trying to convince former Trump voters to abandon him in November, through a campaign called Republican Voters Against Trump. It's a tall order, but luckily she's done it before. The Bulwark's own Tim Miller, who was the political director of Republican Voters Against Trump in 2020, joins Sarah to discuss the theory behind RVAT and how anti-Trump forces can capitalize on recent good news for Biden.

show notes

S4 Ep24: Cleveland Rocks (with Henry Gomez)

The Bulwark — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Ohio is heating up...unexpectedly. Cleveland-area businessman Bernie Moreno is on the ropes despite Trump's endorsement. And despite voters being mad about the Cleveland Guardians (née Indians) name change, a member of the ownership family is still in the ballgame (pun intended). NBC News senior political reporter and Ohio native Henry Gomez joins Sarah to break down this primary and preview what will be one of November's biggest Senate races.

S4 Ep23: Taken for Granted? (with Ashley Allison)

The Bulwark — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump is polling better with Black voters than he used to, so we fielded a focus group of Black voters who are warming up to him...after not voting for him in 2016 or 2020. Ashley Allison, former Biden-Harris campaign official and CNN commentator, joins Sarah to discuss why some Black voters are souring on the Democratic Party.

S4 Ep22: California Schemin' (with Jon Favreau)

The Bulwark — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

California's U.S. Senate race is a battle royal for small-dollar Democratic donors, between Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter...but they're both boosting certain Republican candidates to gain an advantage in this race. California also has a governor who's scheming to run for president in 2028. Pod Save America's Jon Favreau joins Sarah to discuss California's present Democratic stars and their futures on the national stage.

show notes:
Pod Save America
Offline with Jon Favreau
The Wilderness

S4 Ep21: Nikki Haley's (New) Time for Choosing (with Tim Alberta)

The Bulwark — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Nikki Haley is in YOLO mode as she faces down a loss in her home state of South Carolina, but her years-long tortured Trump two-step has caught up to her. The Atlantic's Tim Alberta joins Sarah to discuss his reporting on Haley through the years and ask a simple question: is this FINALLY her last straw with Trump?

show notes

By Tim Alberta:

Nikki Haley's Time for Choosing

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism

American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump

S4 Ep20: Life's Too Short for Trump (with Jonathan V. Last)

The Bulwark — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Trump appears to be in the driver's seat to return to the White House. We could really use more two-time Trump voters who don't want to vote for him again. Fortunately, we found a group just like that! Jonathan V. Last joins Sarah to listen to two-time Trump voters who think "life's too short" for the anger of the Trump years, and to break down what else they do...and do not...think about the threat of Trump.

S4 Ep19: Congress: The Dumbest It's Ever Been (with Joe Perticone)

The Bulwark — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

We're bringing you an update on the Republicans in Congress. We taped this BEFORE Republicans failed to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, failed to pass aid to Israel, and before the Senate's compromise on the border and foreign aid was blown up. Still, this show gives you a good window into what Republican voters expect from congressional leadership these days, and who is and is not measuring up. The Bulwark's eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, Joe Perticone joins Sarah to hear from Republican voters.

S4 Ep18: Nevada: State of Confusion (with Jon Ralston)

The Bulwark — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Nevada has a GOP presidential primary AND a caucus. Donald Trump is going to win the caucus...but the primary is a race between Nikki Haley and "None of these Candidates." Jon Ralston of The Nevada Independent returns to break down the mess that is Nevada's presidential contest, and to preview the state's starring role in the general election.

S4 Ep17: No One's Looking Out for You (with Brian Stelter)

The Bulwark — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump is wrapping up the Republican nomination, despite 91 felony charges against him. One reason for that is that his voters don't seem to trust any unflattering news about him...and they're turning to sources you probably haven't heard of. Many of them feel like Fox News has gone "woke"...and we're going to ask them why.

Brian Stelter, author of Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy joins Sarah to discuss the past, present, and future of conservative media.

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode discusses several members of the Murdoch family. Kathryn Murdoch is an investor in The Bulwark.

Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy

S4 Ep16: New Hampshire Weirdos for Nikki? (with Tim Miller)

The Bulwark — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Nikki Haley is on the ropes after losing Iowa by 30 points, but there's one group of voters who could bail her out: New Hampshire's undeclared and moderate Republican voters. The problem? Even though they vote in Republican primaries sometimes, they hate Trump, they're pro-choice, and some watch MSNBC. Republican voters in all of the other states? Not so much.

S4 Ep15: It's Not That Hard to Win Iowa (with J. Ann Selzer)

The Bulwark — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Iowa's living legend of polling, J. Ann Selzer, joins Sarah to listen to Iowa Republicans ahead of the first-in-the-nation caucuses. Ann discusses her polling, how she does her own focus groups, and how Republican voters are feeling about Donald Trump (good), and the rest of the candidates (lukewarm at best). Ann also discusses how Donald Trump's efforts in Iowa are MUCH better organized in 2024 than in 2016...which will matter in the sub-zero weather Iowa is expecting on caucus night.

S4 Ep14: January 6: If They Had Just Told the Truth (with Rep. Adam Kinzinger)

The Bulwark — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

To mark the three-year anniversary of the January 6 attack, we're doing something we've never done before. We're digging deep into our archives to play focus group clips from January 2021, right after the attacks, and showing how the voters have changed three years on.

show notes:

Rep. Kinzinger's new book: Renegade: Defending Democracy and Liberty in Our Divided Country

Rep. Kinzinger's organizations:
Country First
Country First Academy

S4 Ep13: Nikki's Narrow Path (with Whit Ayres)

The Bulwark — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump has a huge lead in the Republican primaries...but Nikki Haley has managed to distinguish herself from the other afterthoughts in the field. GOP pollster Whit Ayres joins Sarah for the last episode of 2023 to recap the Republican presidential primary and chart out Nikki Haley's narrow path to the nomination.

Hat-tip to Peter Hamby of Puck for the term ‘Haley Mary.’ https://puck.news/haley-mary/

S4 Ep12: Unreliable Narrators (with Jonathan V. Last)

The Bulwark — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The economy isn't the best...but it could be a lot worse. And our guest thinks voters are catastrophizing too much about the state of things. Sarah's best friend Jonathan V. Last (JVL) joins the show to argue with voters who aren't there to argue back.

show notes:
Even Most Biden Voters Don’t See a Thriving Economy

S4 Ep11: Quarter-Life Crises (with Peter Hamby)

The Bulwark — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Democrats need young voters on-side to win in 2024...so how is Gen Z feeling about the future of the country, and their leaders? What do young progressives and conservatives think about each other? Peter Hamby of Puck News joins Sarah to check in with a cross-section of young voters.

show notes

Peter's:
https://puck.news/biden-gen-z-and-the-illiberal-left/
https://puck.news/bidens-youth-serum-shortage/

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman

S4 Ep10: Our Better Angels (with Judy Woodruff)

The Bulwark — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Americans are more divided than they've been in a long time, and Sarah and our guest have heard a lot about that when they've done focus groups together this year. PBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff joins Sarah for a special Thanksgiving episode to discuss how Americans are thinking of their political differences, and how we might move beyond them going into another contentious election year.

show notes

America at a Crossroads:

S4 Ep9: American Jews Are Nervous (with Bill Kristol)

The Bulwark — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

It's been difficult to be Jewish in America since October 7, so we're listening to how Jewish voters are processing this moment, and how all Americans are reacting. Bill Kristol joins Sarah to break it all down.

S4 Ep8: The Pro-Choice Trump Voter (with Elaine Godfrey)

The Bulwark — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Ohio passed a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights this week. And the women we talked to in Ohio who voted for Sherrod Brown in 2018 and Donald Trump in 2020 showed us why. Elaine Godfrey of The Atlantic joins Sarah to talk about where the abortion issue is headed in 2024...and why Sarah thinks voters "have Donald Trump's number" on abortion.

show notes:

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2023/06/abortion-rights-issue-2024-election/674504/

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2023/11/nikki-haley-2024-campaign-voter-support/675906/

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2023/05/dr-warren-hern-abortion-post-roe/674000/

S4 Ep7: America Needs Mushrooms (with Rep. Tim Ryan)

The Bulwark — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Kentucky gubernatorial election is coming down to the wire, and a young, charismatic Democratic incumbent might have lessons for other Democrats in tough races. As luck would have it, we have our own charismatic red state Democrat to break it all down with Sarah and offer suggestions for fixing American politics: former Ohio Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Ryan.

S4 Ep6: 'Orange Man Bad' is Not Enough (with Ruy Teixeira)

The Bulwark — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

It seemed impossible that Donald Trump could ever make inroads with Hispanic voters, but in 2020, he did. And he could again in 2024. Ruy Teixeira— co-founder of The Liberal Patriot and co-author of the new book Where Have All the Democrats Gone— joins Sarah for a frank exchange of ideas about how Democrats can win back a community that might decide the 2024 election.

show notes:
Forthcoming book by Ruy and John Judis:
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250877499/wherehaveallthedemocratsgone#:~:text=In%20Where%20Have%20All%20the,and%20partnership%20of%20the%20working

S4 Ep5: They'd Rather Eat a Bowl of Glass (with Amy Walter)

The Bulwark — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

No one wants a Trump-Biden rematch, but it looks like we're all stuck with it. Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter joins Sarah to talk about the onetime Biden voters who might vote for Trump again.

S4 Ep4: Send This Podcast to Joe Lieberman (with Matt Bennett)

The Bulwark — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

A third-party group called No Labels might put Donald Trump back in the White House (whoops), and we have a label for that: dangerous. Matt Bennett of Third Way has been one of the leading voices against the No Labels effort. He joins Sarah to give listeners a rundown on No Labels' plans and to hear which voters are picking up what they're putting down.

show notes:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/08/us/politics/biden-trump-third-parties-no-labels.html

https://www.thirdway.org/memo/how-no-labels-is-undermining-our-democracy

S4 Ep3: "He's not fighting. He needs to fight." (with Jen Psaki)

The Bulwark — Sat, 07 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We hear four consistent themes from Democrats: water is wet, Joe Biden is old, Kamala Harris is invisible, and Democrats wish their party would fight a bit harder. But we have a guest with some ideas to fix it: Jen Psaki, former White House Press Secretary, and host of Inside with Jen Psaki on MSNBC joins Sarah to hear some critiques from voters that, as Jen says, Democrats need to hear.

S4 Ep2: "I Prefer Male Presidents" (with Tim Miller)

The Bulwark — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

One of our focus group participants really prefers that the president be a man. And most of the Republican voters we talked to have only one man in mind: Donald Trump. The Bulwark's own Tim Miller joins Sarah for part two of our season premiere to break down the sorry state of the non-Trump candidates in the Republican presidential primary.

show notes:
https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/there-are-two-gop-primaries-only-one-is-real?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/super-pacs-worthless-donors-stop-torching-cash

S4 Ep1: 91 Problems, But the Base Ain't One (with Jake Tapper)

The Bulwark — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Focus Group Podcast is BACK, and we're powering all the way through the 2024 election. For part one of our two-part season premiere, we're checking in on how Donald Trump's legal troubles have put his campaign on steroids. CNN's Jake Tapper joins Sarah to hear how much the voters care about Trump's mounting indictments (spoiler: they don't). They also discuss how the media should be covering a presidential nominee on trial, and Jake discusses his new book, All the Demons Are Here.

show notes:

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jake-tapper/all-the-demons-are-here/9781668623435/?lens=little-brown

Our Sizzling Summer of Focus Groups

The Bulwark — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Focus Group Podcast is on hiatus for a few more weeks, but we've been doing focus groups this whole time. We've got a preview of what you're going to hear when we come back, and we're re-upping our conversation from March with Jane Coaston of The New York Times about our never-ending culture wars. Enjoy, and we'll see you soon!

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S3 Ep8: The "Everybody Sucks" Foreign Policy (with Tom Nichols)

The Bulwark — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

A year ago, Republican voters thought Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine were badasses. Now...Zelenskyy is just as bad as Putin. Tom Nichols, Professor Emeritus at the Naval War College and staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Sarah to listen to the voters' foreign policy takes. Tom is not impressed with the voters.

show notes:

Tom Nichols Atlantic piece: I Supported the Invasion of Iraq

Tom Nichols book: Our Own Worst Enemy: The Assault from within on Modern Democracy

Pew Research Poll: Poll on Ukraine

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How the Culture Wars Weren't Won (with Jane Coaston)

The Bulwark — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

You've heard the terms "woke" and "cancel culture" for years now. No one seems to agree on what they mean, though — which is why our guest says the culture wars will keep morphing, and they'll go on forever. New York Times opinion writer Jane Coaston joins Sarah to hear how the focus groups respond to "wokeness," "cancel culture," and...schools and drag show bans. We promise, this is NOT the episode to miss.

show notes

Jane Coaston: The Debate Hugh Hefner Won and William Buckley Lost

Survivor: Host Jeff Probst Refuses to Say "Come On In, Guys"

Teen who refuses to cite the Pledge of Allegiance

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The Voters Forgot God's Plan (with McKay Coppins)

The Bulwark — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Mike Pence seems to think that he's destined to be president. The evangelical Christians in our focus groups did NOT get the memo. McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic joins Sarah to talk about the future of social conservatism in the Republican Party and Mike Pence's 2024 prospects.

show notes:

"God's Plan for Mike Pence" by McKay Coppins

https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/mckay-coppins/the-wilderness/9780316327466/

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S3 Ep5: "They" Sent This Tornado (with David French)

The Bulwark — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Marjorie Taylor Greene wants a national divorce. We don't, but we asked our focus groups about it anyway. New York Times opinion columnist David French (literally) wrote the book on a possible national divorce. He joins Sarah to talk about whether (and how) the United States holds together; and the task of rebuilding trust in our institutions.

Show notes:

Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation (by David French)

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/26/opinion/fox-news-lies-dominion.html

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It's Why They Play the Game (with Robert Gibbs)

The Bulwark — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Voters that we talk to are iffy about Biden running for re-election given his age, but Republicans may have even larger challenges. Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs joins Sarah to talk Joe Biden, the Democratic base, and the bright future of the Democratic bench.

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S3: DeSanctimonious Deep Dive (with Tara Palmeri)

The Bulwark — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

The Republican establishment — and many Republican voters in our focus groups — think Ron DeSantis is the answer to their prayers that they can win in 2024. But Donald Trump has a say in this matter, and he's already offering up an early taste of the kind of attacks he's planning on DeSantis. Heads-up: Those attacks are likely to go lower. What are DeSantis' vulnerabilities as a candidate? Tara Palmeri of Puck News joins Sarah to listen to the focus groups and share some of her reporting from the Trump and DeSantis camps.

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S3: Biden's B12 Shot? (with Peter Baker)

The Bulwark — Sat, 11 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Ready or not, it looks like Joe Biden is running for re-election. Our swing voters liked his State of the Union speech this week, but they've got concerns under the surface. Peter Baker, Chief White Correspondent for The New York Times, joins Sarah to listen to Trump-to-Biden voters and make a broader assessment of the Biden administration's political standing.

show notes:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/06/us/politics/kamala-harris-vice-presidenct-legacy.html

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Sleepwalking Toward Catastrophe? (with Whit Ayres)

The Bulwark — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 14:00:12 +0000

The Focus Group podcast is BACK, with a twist: We're releasing The Bulwark's first-ever poll of Republican primary voters where we're trying to figure out just how big the "Always Trump," "Maybe Trump," and "Never Trump" buckets are among Republican primary voters. For that, we brought in Republican pollster Whit Ayres, who joins Sarah to stack our poll results up against the focus groups we've done since the election.

Links:

Poll by The Bulwark and North Star Opinion Research of Republican Primary Voters Poll Toplines from Whit Ayres

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Midnight Train (Back) to Georgia (with Greg Bluestein)

The Bulwark — Sat, 03 Dec 2022 11:00:48 +0000

We're wrapping up this election cycle in Georgia with voters who voted for Herschel Walker in November — but aren't so sure about him going into the December 6 runoff. Atlanta Journal-Constitution political reporter Greg Bluestein joins Sarah for one last focus group in 2022.

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Thankful for Swing Voters (with Amy Walter)

The Bulwark — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 11:00:59 +0000

The midterms have come and gone, and it turns out many of our focus groups were signs of things to come. Amy Walter, Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report, joins Sarah for a look back at this year's groups.

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Can There Be Another Star in Trump's Cinematic Universe? (with David Drucker)

The Bulwark — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 11:00:15 +0000

Donald Trump announced his 2024 campaign this week. Republican elites would love to move on from him, but will Republican voters? David Drucker, the author of In Trump's Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP, joins Sarah to listen to Trump voters from the past year and discuss whether they provide clues for how the 2024 Republican primary may unfold.

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What a Week!

The Bulwark — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 11:02:41 +0000

Sarah has a special message for Focus Group fans as we wait for the remaining election results.

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Election Eve Weekend Nerd Spectacular

The Bulwark — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 10:02:50 +0000

Instead of a focus group this week, Sarah sits down with four political super-nerds to get their read on Tuesday's election and beyond. She's joined by Jon Ralston to talk Nevada, Brahm Resnik — political reporter for Phoenix’s local NBC affiliate — to talk Arizona, along with Bill Kristol, and Gunner Ramer, the political director of the Republican Accountability PAC.

A Little Thuggishness Is Called For (with James Carville)

The Bulwark — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:00:04 +0000

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John Fetterman had a bad night in the Pennsylvania Senate debate, and an even worse night in our focus group — though this group wasn't inclined to like him anyway. Legendary Democratic operative James Carville joins Sarah to break down the Pennsylvania Senate race, and James shares his thoughts on how the Democratic Party needs to shape up.

The Focus Group podcast is now exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

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Arizona: Psychologically Unfun (with Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer)

The Bulwark — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 10:00:12 +0000

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Arizona is ground-zero for the Big Lie about the 2020 election. The Republican nominees for Governor and Secretary of State, Kari Lake and Mark Finchem, are avowed election deniers, and Democrats may or may not rise to the occasion to beat them. But our guest HAS risen to the occasion: Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer joins Sarah to listen to Arizona swing voters and talk about his job running elections for 60% of Arizona voters.

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Georgia: Ticket-Splitting On Our Mind (with Molly Ball)

The Bulwark — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 10:00:55 +0000

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Georgia is a closely divided state, but we're likely to see a lot of ticket splitters there this year - specifically a lot of people voting for arch-conservative Gov. Brian Kemp and Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. Partly because they think Kemp is doing a good job, and partly because Warnock's opponent, Herschel Walker, is a total mess. TIME Magazine national political correspondent Molly Ball joins Sarah to discuss her reporting out of Georgia and listen to a group of Georgia swing voters.

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He Scares the Crap Out of Me (with Holly Otterbein)

The Bulwark — Sat, 08 Oct 2022 10:00:48 +0000

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The Pennsylvania governor's race is a bit of a political science experiment: what happens if one candidate barely runs any ads? Turns out, swing voters still really don't like that guy. POLITICO's in-house Pennsylvania expert Holly Otterbein once again joins Sarah on the pod. They discuss how swing voters are feeling about the Pennsylvania governor's race, as well as how these same voters may be starting to sour on John Fetterman in the Senate race.

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George Washington Wouldn't Tolerate Furries(with Charlie Sykes)

The Bulwark — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 10:01:06 +0000

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America's Dairyland is becoming America's Election Land. Wisconsin has major races for governor and for U.S. Senate...and how are the Trump-to-Biden voters that delivered Wisconsin for Joe Biden feeling about them? The Bulwark's own Charlie Sykes joins Sarah to talk about what the voters (and Charlie) are thinking. Listen to the end for the most laugh-out-loud funny moment Sarah's ever heard in a focus group.

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"Lesser of Two Evils" Drinking Game (with Natalie Allison)

The Bulwark — Sat, 24 Sep 2022 10:00:42 +0000

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Republicans may be losing one of their best pickup opportunities in the Senate after they nominated a MAGA weirdo to run against an astronaut in Arizona. POLITICO Senate campaigns reporter Natalie Allison joins Sarah to listen to a group of Arizona swing voters and what they think of their choices.

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What Happens in Vegas Won't Stay in Vegas (with Jon Ralston)

The Bulwark — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 10:00:48 +0000

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Nevada's economy was hit especially hard by COVID. Now, the Democratic governor and senator are paying the price in their re-election campaigns...or are they? The dean of the Nevada press corps, Jon Ralston, joins Sarah to talk about a Nevada focus group...and whether voters in the Secretary of State race are playing Russian roulette with American democracy.

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The Head vs the Heart in Big Ten Country (with Tim Alberta)

The Bulwark — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:02:49 +0000

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The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta joins Sarah to discuss whether Ohio is really more Trump+8 than R+8 — and to debate Tim Ryan's chances against J.D. Vance. Meanwhile, in Michigan's governor's race, Gretchen Whitmer hits Tudor Dixon on her biggest vulnerability — abortion — while facing lingering resentment over her Covid response.

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Make Politics Boring Again, Please

The Bulwark — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 10:00:58 +0000

On this week's episode, we're sharing a director's cut of a recent focus group, featuring swing state suburban women. These voters from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Georgia backed Trump in 2016, but flipped in 2020. Hear what they have to say about the big races in their states, their desire for things to be "normal" again, and how the end of Roe is influencing their vote this November.

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Vibe Check (with Tim Miller)

The Bulwark — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 10:00:32 +0000

As primary season winds down, Democrats are gaining ground in what was supposed to be a wave year for Republicans. Tim Miller joins Sarah to discuss the anti-abortion extremists endorsed by Trump, how Democrats are making Dobbs a game-changer, and the weirdo theory of politics.

The Focus Group Podcast is exclusively available to Bulwark+ members.

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The Florida Man Thunderdome (with Marc Caputo)

The Bulwark — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 10:01:08 +0000

Florida is the center of Republican politics these days — and it's getting redder all the time. Trump lives there, and his political understudy is the governor. Marc Caputo of NBC News — the best Florida Man in the political press corps — joins Sarah to listen to a group of Florida reverse flipper voters (not Trump 2016/ yes Trump 2020). They also discuss Trump, DeSantis, 2024, and how the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago could impact it all.

The Focus Group Podcast is exclusively available to Bulwark+ members.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefocusgroup.thebulwark.com/subscribe

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