Bill Kristol: The Tough Guy Really, Really Means It This Time
The Bulwark Podcast
The Bulwark
4.6 • 11.6K Ratings
🗓️ 20 April 2026
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Just hang tight: Trump is super close to a deal with an enemy that he handed all the leverage to. Absolutely do not read his steady supply of hollow threats as him begging Iran for a face-saving off-ramp. Meanwhile, back in reality, Iran too can see how desperate Trump is, the war is helping China feel emboldened, and some of our closest post-WWII allies think Beijing is more dependable than the U.S. under Trump. Plus, Hegseth has chosen an ideal time to pick a fight with the secretary of the Army, numerous officials at the FBI are alarmed by Kash's alleged alcohol-induced absences, kudos to Ossoff for the way he talked about corruption and kleptocracy, and more Vance-splaining from the newbie Catholic Veep.
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes
- Tim’s livestream Monday at 8ET on YouTube or Substack
- JVL on the "Trump Madman Theory' of the stock market
- Lauren on the Dems preparing for a potential midterm-year SCOTUS vacancy
- Tim's 2020 piece on Joe DiGenova
- Images of the Poodle Room, Kash's alleged hangout in Vegas
- Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: TheBulwark.com/Events
- Upgrade your wallet today! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code THEBULWARK at https://www.Ridge.com/THEBULWARK #Ridgepod
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to the Bullwark podcast. |
| 0:15.1 | I'm your host Tim Miller. |
| 0:16.9 | It is Monday. |
| 0:18.1 | So we have editor at large Bill Crystal. |
| 0:20.3 | I want to wish a happy 420 to those who celebrate it for, you know, marijuana reasons. A cursed 420 to those who celebrate it because it's Hitler's birthday. |
| 0:32.4 | Yeah. Many of the rest of you don't notice it at all. Bill, what about you? Do you have a 420 tradition that you like to? |
| 0:39.4 | I'm sort of in the don't notice it at all category. Don't notice it at all. Okay. Well, something to think |
| 0:43.8 | about. All right, well, I'll be celebrating tonight on the live stream. I'm streaming again, |
| 0:48.4 | taking your questions at 8 p.m. Eastern on YouTube or Substack. And, you know, to celebrate the day, I'll be having a |
| 0:56.2 | Louis-Louis, THC beverage. And we'll have a good time. So come hang out with us 8 o'clock |
| 1:01.5 | tonight. On more responsible notes, tomorrow, the people of Virginia, which includes you, |
| 1:07.4 | Bill Crystal, need to get out and vote on the redistricting referendum. |
| 1:12.1 | I have a couple of thoughts on that, but you're a Virginia resident. |
| 1:15.1 | Have you voted yet? |
| 1:16.4 | Have you decided how to vote? |
| 1:17.8 | I voted early. |
| 1:19.0 | It was late last week. |
| 1:20.2 | They said at the polling place that, you know, given that it was a week before the election and turnout was high. |
| 1:25.2 | And I think that's generally people have the sense that it turnouts comparable to the governor election last November. |
| 1:30.8 | I voted for the referendum and I wasn't that close to call for me. |
| 1:36.0 | In 2020, we all voted for a constitutional amendment |
| 1:38.3 | and passed by two to one in the state to have nonpartisan sort of professional, |
... |
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