A.B. Stoddard on Explosions Within the Storm

TL;DR

A.B. Stoddard describes “explosions within the storm” as major scandals and abuses being overlooked amid the constant turmoil surrounding Trump’s final weeks in office. She and Charlie Sykes discuss Republican acquiescence, election disinformation, the Manafort and Roger Stone pardons, the Senate Intelligence Committee report, alleged obstruction of justice, and Mike Pompeo’s $40,000 Madison dinners. Read on for their specific arguments.

Transcript

welcome to the bulwark podcast hope everybody had a good uh christmas holiday despite all of the craziness and of course this is a three day weekend again if you're planning on taking a four day weekend for for new year's and finally we can say goodbye to 2020 which i am guessing is not going to be lamented very widely uh joining us again um is one... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥳 Trump's last days as president are marked by desperation, destructive behavior, and a refusal to accept reality.
• 🗂️ The Republican Party is deeply divided, with many members continuing to support Trump despite his dangerous actions.
• 🥳 Trump's attacks on his own party and the election results are damaging the future prospects of the Republican Party.
• ❓ The ongoing scandals surrounding figures like Paul Manafort and Mike Pompeo highlight the corruption and dishonor within the Trump administration.
• 🛟 Trump's refusal to embrace and promote the COVID-19 vaccines is a missed opportunity to unite the country and save lives.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does A.B. Stoddard mean by “explosions within the storm”?

Stoddard means that major scandals can escape sustained attention when they occur amid an overwhelming torrent of news. She cites the Senate Intelligence Committee report and Mike Pompeo’s Madison dinners as consequential stories that many people barely noticed or quickly forgot.

Q: Why does A.B. Stoddard describe Trump’s final weeks in office as dangerous?

She describes Trump as acting with desperation and a “nothing left to lose” attitude while Republicans acquiesce. The discussion raises concerns about possible actions involving national security, defense, the Department of Justice, and additional controversial pardons.

Q: How does the podcast characterize Republican support for Trump after the election?

The speakers portray Republican acquiescence as frightening because Trump was spreading election disinformation and attempting to inflict disruption and pain. They express dread about how many Republicans might continue supporting what they call a fraud.

Q: What did the Senate Intelligence Committee report say about Trump, Roger Stone, and WikiLeaks?

According to Stoddard, the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report indicated that Trump effectively lied in his written responses to Mueller. She says the report showed that Trump knew about Roger Stone’s conversations with WikiLeaks on his behalf.

Q: What argument does Charlie Sykes make about obstruction of justice?

Sykes says the second section of the Mueller report made a very strong case that Trump engaged in obstruction of justice. He argues that the obstruction ultimately worked, particularly through pardons offered to people who could have cooperated with investigators.

Q: How do the Paul Manafort and Roger Stone pardons fit into the alleged cover-up?

Sykes presents their pardons as the conclusion of a cover-up rather than isolated acts. He argues that dangling pardons before potential cooperating witnesses, including Paul Manafort and Mike Flynn, helped prevent them from turning state’s evidence.

Q: Why does A.B. Stoddard criticize Mike Pompeo’s Madison dinners?

Stoddard says Pompeo spent $40,000 in taxpayer money on dinners intended to support his political future and ambition to become president. She also says his wife used personal email for invitations, State Department staff handled fine food and wine, and many guests had little connection to diplomacy.

Q: What milestones had The Bulwark Podcast reached by this episode?

The hosts celebrated reaching 500 podcast episodes and crossing 29 million downloads around Christmas Day. Charlie Sykes also said the show was approaching its two-year anniversary and thanked its guests, producer Jim Swift, subscribers, and listeners.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Trump's refusal to accept the election results and his attempts to overturn them have created a sense of dread and danger for the country.

• Republicans continue to support Trump despite his destructive actions, putting their own political gain above the welfare of the nation.

• The ongoing scandals surrounding figures like Paul Manafort and Mike Pompeo highlight the corruption and dishonor within the Trump administration.