The Latest

Award-winning actor, writer, comedian, and super dad David Cross -- who we all know and love from Mr. Show, Arrested Development, his brilliant observational comedy and narrative standup shows, and Tenacious D -- joins Rick Wilson to discuss everything from growing up in Georgia to the best moments of his career thus far to folding American politics into his set. David is currently traveling the globe on his "The End of the Beginning of the End" comedy tour, continuing to record his podcast and constantly creating and writing. ・・・・・・・・・・・ Follow David Cross at @davidcross on X, stream David's newest special, WORST DADDY IN THE WORLD, at http://veeps.com/davidcross, and subscribe to his latest podcast, "Senses Working Overtime with David Cross Podcast," at http://SensesWorkingOvertime.com. You can purchase tickets for "The End of the Beginning of the End" tour on David's website at https://officialdavidcross.com/. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow us on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue this critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is America’s economic power a weapon, or a ticking time bomb? In this episode Rick is joined by Edward Fishman, author of Choke Points: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare. They dive into the rise of economic warfare as the primary battleground for global powers, exploring how tariffs, sanctions, and export controls have reshaped international relations. Fishman discusses the risks of Trump's aggressive trade policies, the potential fallout of economic isolationism, and the unintended consequences of a fractured global economy. Edward's book, Choke Points: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare, available for pre-order now.

Stuart Stevens' Members-Only Weekly Column: We're Right. They're Wrong.

Another crazy week of the Trump administration is in the books. Why Joe thinks Trump's Ukraine "negotiations" are one of the most incompetent things he's ever seen... which is saying something. Why Alex thinks this is just another long-term problem the Republican Party faces post Trump. Plus - Joe's take on what Democrats can rally around, right now - and his unique idea to unite the Trump opposition sooner rather than later.

U.S. Atty. Sassoon’s resignation exposes the vulnerability of our justice system, but will institutions and the public demand accountability before democracy’s foundations erode further?

Pete Hegseth. Russell Vought. White Christian Nationalism has found its way to the halls of power, and it’s darker than we imagined. They’re coming after Obergefell. They want to repeal the 19th amendment. They want to take access to power from women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, and place it in the hands of - you guessed it - white Christian men. Don’t believe it? Tim Whitaker has seen it all firsthand. He is the founder of The New Evangelicals, a growing community dedicated to rethinking and reforming evangelical Christianity. He says that while the white Christian nationalists have a hold on our government and designs on a dystopian America, we’ve still got a shot. But it’s going to take all of us.

Can Democrats win back rural and working-class voters before it’s too late? In this episode Rick Wilson sits down with Adam Frisch, former congressional candidate from Colorado, to discuss the state of the Democratic Party and its challenges in connecting with rural and working-class voters. Frisch shares insights from his campaign against Lauren Boebert, emphasizing the importance of dignity, economic messaging, and breaking through the Democratic Party’s institutional mindset. He also critiques the party’s communication strategies and highlights the need for candidate-led campaigns. Together, they explore the impact of Trump’s policies, the role of soft power, and the looming economic consequences that could shift voter sentiment in the coming months.

Rick, Joe, and Stuart are joined by election law attorney Mario Nicolais. Mario was one of the Colorado attorneys who took the battle to keep insurrectionist Donald Trump off the ballot to their Supreme Court. Mario, Joe, Rick, and Stuart talk about the legal battles attempting to hold Trump in check - how successful they are so far and if they can constrain the authoritarian Trump.

Evelyn Quartz writes: "The ACA fight proved that Americans want progress. They took an imperfect system and fought for it because the alternative was too horrible. It only worked because ordinary Americans refused to let it be taken away."

Al From writes, "The bottom line is this: we cannot expect voters to return us to national power as long as they have no confidence that the government will improve their lives."

USAID being dismantled before our eyes is just the beginning. In this episode Rick is joined by Josh Rogin, Lead Global Security Analyst for Washington Post Intelligence, to discuss the shocking dismantlement of USAID by Elon Musk and Donald Trump. They explore the broader implications of this decision, including the erosion of America’s global influence, the potential humanitarian crisis, and how adversaries like China and Russia stand to benefit. The conversation also delves into Trump’s complicated relationship with Xi Jinping, the future of Taiwan, and the geopolitical risks of a second Trump presidency—particularly regarding Ukraine, where Vladimir Putin is poised to take advantage.

The question isn't just how we got here - it's what we do next. Joe and Alex are re-joined by Katherine Stewart for a special guest episode. Katherine has been researching the far right- from Christian nationalists to MAGA - for over 15 years, and her new book, "Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy" is a powerful look at how we got here - and what we have to do to defeat MAGA and restore American democracy long-term. What single lesson do pro-democracy advocates need to learn from the past decade? And what are the six reasons Katherine is hopeful for the future? Order "Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy" now: https://www.amazon.com/Money-Lies-God-Movement-Democracy/dp/163557854X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re all happy the Democrats seem to be waking up, but if we’re being honest, they’re two years behind the curve. Now is the time to fight back with everything we’ve got, but to also prepare ourselves for life under this regime while we fight. Because…it’s here, and it’s not going to be easy to make ground. Dems are going to use the law to try to stop a man who is lawless. We are going to protest against people without any shame or the ability to reflect on their behavior. Do we still need to do those things? Absolutely. Spoke with the amazing Elizabeth Booker Houston - lawyer, comedian, and public health advocate. She’s in the fight for social justice, reproductive rights, and all the stuff we need but are quickly losing.

Senate Republicans are moving aggressively to confirm Trump’s unqualified nominees. We need to be just as aggressive showing them what a mistake that would be...NOW!

The folks at Fox were quick to repeat and amplify the deranged tirades of our malignant narcissist president who blamed diversity, equity and inclusion programs for the recent catastrophic fatal crash of a military helicopter and commercial airline over the Potomac. When grieving families and shocked Americans needed words of sympathy and reassurance Trump was more than happy to terrify and provoke. At the time of President Trump’s hateful statements authorities didn’t know the identities of anyone involved in the disaster. Trump assumed with no evidence that the crash was the result of a degradation of hiring standards.

Today we tackle a new age of politics and propaganda as Rick is joined by philosopher and author Jason Stanley. The two discuss the manipulation of language, propaganda, and the rise of authoritarianism in modern politics. They examine how global far-right movements are using nationalism, immigration fears, and media control to consolidate power, drawing parallels to historical fascist strategies. The conversation delves into the role of education, corporate-state alliances, and the erosion of democratic norms, highlighting the dangerous shift toward kleptocratic authoritarianism. Stanley also discusses his latest book, Erasing History, and the ongoing battle for truth in an age of disinformation. Jason's book, Erasing History, available now.

Trump and his minions have a strategy to dismantle democracy. Strategist and attorney David Pepper joins the Strategy Session to break down what Trump and Musk are doing and why it's essential we fight back NOW! Join the fierce opposition on Strategy Session with Rick Wilson, Stuart Stevens, and Joe Trippi.

Rick and extremism expert Dr. Peter Simi break down the news of this past week -- highlighting Trump's/GOP's surging white nationalist pandemic. ・・・・・・・・・・・ Dr. Peter Simi is understandably NOT on Twitter/X, but you can reach out to him at his Chapman University email on his page: https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/pete-simi. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow us on X at @ProjectLincoln. And please like, rate, and subscribe to this podcast. If you believe in this mission, help us expand our reach and continue this critical work. Visit action.lincolnproject.us/fuelinglpcomms to make a difference.

Last week the folks at Fox News treated Donald J. Trump as if he were a supernatural being who came down from heaven on the wings of a bald eagle to vanquish the woke, transgender, cultural Marxist enemies of the United States and lift the nation up to a mythical state of its former glory when robber barons swam through the Panama Canal. There was one topic no one wanted to talk about - Trump’s pardon of January 6th rioters.