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

The Focus Group Podcast

The Bulwark

Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.8 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 1 February 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Focus Group podcast. I'm Sarah Longwell, publisher of the
0:12.2	bulwark. And this week, we're going to break down the newest Trump voters' first impressions
0:18.2	of his second term. And we are going to do it right here in our studio, which is crazy with Sam Stein,
0:24.7	who is sitting next to me, who is, what's your title?
0:27.9	Managing editor.
0:28.8	You gave me the title.
0:30.1	I just wanted to be clear.
0:31.4	I didn't take it.
0:33.7	Okay.
0:34.0	Earned.
0:34.7	Well, it's a great title.
0:35.5	I love that title.
0:36.5	Whoever gave it to you was very smart. Smart person, wise, great. Well, it's a great title. I love that title. Whoever gave it to you was very smart.
0:38.6	Smart person, wise, and side phone.
0:40.5	You judge a character.
0:41.7	Okay, so there was a lot that went on on this first week.
0:45.9	There was the January 6th pardons and the freeze on federal assistance, hundreds of
0:49.8	executive orders, and a bunch of bizarre and threatening moves by Trump's new political appointees.
0:55.4	But if you're waiting for Trump's first week actions to put a dent in his poll numbers,
1:01.9	you are probably going to have to keep waiting.
1:04.1	Because Trump is getting a muted version of the traditional presidential honeymoon period.
1:09.9	So guest Sam Stein, managing editor of the bulwark.
	...

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