Trump’s Own Aides Are Whispering About His Declining Health (w/ Peter Hamby) | Bulwark Podcast
YouTube · xwly1RrVBFI
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Trump's verbal filter is reportedly gone, and he struggles with hearing, leading to adjustments in White House press conferences.
- ❖Trump was reportedly upset about 'cankles' coverage and asked his press secretary to address it, highlighting his obsession with appearance.
- ❖DSA-backed candidates in New York, particularly those endorsed by Zohran Mamdani, swept primaries, causing concern among mainstream Democrats.
- ❖Darlisa Shiovalier, a winning DSA candidate, has a history of controversial statements, including advocating for total police abolition and wiping hands on the American flag.
- ❖Zohran Mamdani's success is attributed to his charisma and focus on constituent services and affordability, rather than purely ideological social justice issues.
- ❖Republican candidates in North Carolina and Georgia are underperforming, with weak fundraising and controversial past statements, making these Senate races challenging for the GOP.
- ❖Trump's endorsements in governor's races in Iowa, Georgia, and South Carolina have failed to secure wins for his preferred candidates when he doesn't actively campaign.
Insights
1Trump's Visible Decline and Aides' Concerns
Excerpts from the Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan book reveal that Donald Trump's aides observed a significant decline in his verbal abilities and hearing. He reportedly uses a limited vocabulary, struggles to hear questions, and has lost his 'thin verbal filter,' saying publicly what he once reserved for private conversations. His obsession with his appearance, including 'cankles' and makeup issues, also became a point of concern for his staff.
Trump's staff moved press conferences to the Oval Office for better acoustics due to his hearing issues. He reportedly asked his press secretary to address 'cankles' coverage. The hosts also discuss reports of mismatched makeup on his hands and neck.
2DSA's Mixed Success in New York Primaries: Charisma vs. Ideology
The New York primaries saw a 'total rout' for DSA challengers, particularly those aligned with Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani's success is attributed to his 'generational talent,' charisma, and focus on tangible issues like potholes and affordability, despite his socialist branding. However, other winning DSA candidates, like Darlisa Shiovalier (DAC), are characterized by 'extremely online' social justice activism and controversial statements, which mainstream Democrats and even some progressive leaders like Bernie Sanders avoid endorsing, signaling a potential liability in broader elections.
Mamdani's slate won 'basically everything.' Shiovalier's 'greatest hits' include supporting police abolition, calling Joe Biden a rapist, and wiping her hands on the American flag. Bernie Sanders endorsed Valdez and Lander but not Shiovalier.
3Republican Primary Failures and Weakening Trump Influence in the South
Republicans are facing significant challenges in Southern Senate and gubernatorial races due to weak candidates and strategic missteps. In North Carolina, the Republican nominee is trailing significantly, and in Georgia, a Republican Senate candidate's controversial social media posts and low fundraising are creating a 'total disaster.' Trump's endorsements are proving less effective in these races when he doesn't actively campaign, indicating that his 'magic' is not a guaranteed win without full engagement.
Roy Cooper (D) is leading the North Carolina Senate race by 7-14 points. In Georgia, the Republican Senate candidate has only $1 million on hand compared to his opponent's $32 million, and posted a racially insensitive video. Trump's endorsed candidates lost governor primaries in Iowa, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Lessons
- Democratic strategists should study Zohran Mamdani's approach: combine progressive economic policies with pragmatic constituent services and charismatic communication to broaden appeal beyond ideological purity.
- Republican strategists must prioritize candidate quality and fundraising over automatic Trump endorsements, especially in battleground states, as passive endorsements are proving insufficient for victory.
- Campaigns should be prepared to address candidates' past 'online' statements, as controversial social media histories can become significant liabilities, even in heavily partisan districts.
Notable Moments
Discussion of Trump's Oval Office redecoration preferences, noting his 'maximalist' gold flourishes, and his comment that 'Cubans love gold' when asked about a successor undoing his design choices.
This anecdote offers a glimpse into Trump's personal aesthetic and his tendency to make broad, sometimes stereotypical, cultural generalizations in political contexts.
The hosts recount Peter Hamby's experience breaking the Mark Sanford 'Appalachian Trail' affair story, only to have it overshadowed by Michael Jackson's death, highlighting the unpredictable nature of news cycles.
This personal anecdote provides a historical perspective on major news events and how quickly public attention can shift, a relevant lesson for political campaigns and media strategies.
Quotes
"Trump can't really talk anymore. Like he's got like a Mad Libs bucket of like 40 words that he grabs into and he's like it could be any question. It could be a question about Ukraine and he'll reach in and be like auto pen, you know, like whatever whatever it is."
"Mom Donnie seems like a cool dude who really knows how to vibe with all kinds of folks. The second wave of DSA people don't have the same vibe. They're going to say a bunch of [__] that scares the hoes and will end up hurting progressives."
"She rejected... 'No, it means ending policing full stop. Period. No more police at all ever. Clap emoji, clap emoji, clap emoji, clap emoji.'"
"If you are interested in building political power as a leftist in this country, you have to focus on affordability, access to housing and healthcare, and try to mitigate as much as possible the social issues that are going to drag you down."
"I think that the Republicans are going to stop spending money in either Georgia or North Carolina or both by the end of the year. I think that they're going to give up on both of those races."
Q&A
Recent Questions
Related Episodes
A major shift is happening right now
"Donald Trump is losing his grip on the Republican party and movement, evidenced by internal dissent and a broader political landscape grappling with a collapse of accountability and truth."
Trump Just ENDED JD Vance’s White House Dreams
"A New York Times article and internal White House dynamics reveal Donald Trump's deep dissatisfaction with J.D. Vance, potentially ending Vance's 2028 presidential ambitions and highlighting a broader struggle for control within the Republican Party."
🚨 LEFTISTS ARE F*CKING SEETHING 😂😂😂
"The host aggressively celebrates perceived 'wins' for the right-wing, from global conflicts and domestic politics to cultural shifts, framing them as a 'humiliation' for the 'leftist world order' and a testament to Donald Trump's influence."
HOT TOPICS | Is Donald Trump Destroying MAGA?!
"Don Lemon declares the MAGA movement is collapsing, citing Donald Trump's escalating political missteps, economic failures, and alienation of his core base and former allies."