Welcome to the Bullwork Podcast. I'm Charlie Sykes. It is August 9, 2023, and we have a lot of

catching up to do. Donald Trump has made it clear that he is not going to stop attacking the judge,

the prosecutors, and the entire criminal justice system. We are at an extraordinary moment in American

political history in the judicial system. We are also seeing a change in tone in the Republican

field several weeks before the first Republican debate in Milwaukee, which, by the way,

will not include Donald Trump. But let's start with what we're hearing from other Republicans.

I suppose it is not new that Chris Christie is bringing a hammer to Donald Trump. But his critique

doesn't, at least to me, feels like it is sharpening. Here's Chris Christie talking about Donald

Trump and his BFF, Vladimir Putin. Donald Trump said that the person perpetrating

these atrocities, torture, murder, and the kidnap of innocent children is brilliant and an

excellent leader. That's the kind of thing that Donald Trump will bring back to the presidency

is that type of attitude towards somebody like Vladimir Putin. I think the American people need

to really wonder whether Vladimir Putin is the role model we want for leadership around the world.

And here's Chris Christie with Bob Costa on CBS talking about whether or not Donald Trump is a

danger to democracy. Are you saying you believe Trump wants to be a dictator? I don't think he'd

have any objection to it if we were willing to give it to him. That's serious stuff. Do you come

to any different conclusion than that? Do you think he's a danger to democracy? Why don't

think he cares? And the proof of that are his own words. What he said, it's okay to suspend the

laws and suspend the Constitution. Preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution is what the

president takes an oath to do. And he said it's okay to suspend it. These are his own words.

Now, a little bit more interesting in some respects is the new tone from Mike Pence as of

check the date because these things tend to come and go. Here's Mike Pence on Donald Trump's

...