During today’s conversation with Chris Cillizza on our (tentatively named “So Where Are We Now?!?” podcast), we discuss the following:
The debt is out of control. Why doesn’t anybody care???
Sen. Jon Ossoff’s comment about Trump and Natalie Harp (the “human printer”), the viral speculation, her unusual rise, the fawning notes, and why her role as gatekeeper of information is more consequential than pure personal gossip.
The Florida primary results, including Alex Vindman’s surprise loss and what it says about the limits of NeverTrump celebrity candidates, the rise of DSA energy in Dem primaries, and the need for more than just anti-Trump messaging.
Darlene Graham’s South China Sea / national-security gaffe in the South Carolina Senate runoff and how timing plus pre-existing doubts can turn a moment into a real problem.
Bill Clinton turning 80, his complicated legacy, how his scandals and the political response helped shape later norms around character, and MUCH more!
We also discuss my latest column for NOTUS, titled: Reagan Worship Is So Yesterday. Republicans Need a New Hero — And It Should Be Teddy Roosevelt.
Here’s an excerpt:
To everything there is a season. During his first inaugural address, Ronald Reagan declared, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Almost nobody remembers the first part of that clause — “in this present crisis” — but it’s an important caveat.
Reagan came along at a time when the economy was stagnant and tax rates were high. His solution was to scale back government, stimulate free markets and restore individual liberty. And it worked. As a result, Reagan served as the beau ideal for the Republican Party for a generation after he left office.
Then Donald Trump came along and tried to set himself up as the GOP’s new hero. For those of us who are Never Trump Republicans, it has always been tempting to respond by simply re-elevating the ghost of Reagan. The problem is that the world has changed. While there are some similarities between the challenges Reagan faced and the ones we face today (inflation, Iran, acid-washed jeans), the “present crisis” in 2026 is fundamentally different — and calls for a new historical model for the GOP.
Great presidents — Washington, Lincoln, FDR, et al. — have almost always been elected to solve some central problem. And so, to discern the right hero for contemporary Republicans requires answering this question: What is today’s central problem?
That’s just a teaser. Read the whole thing here.
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Thank you Herman Jacobs—RandoOnBarstool, Peggy Anderson, Biba, Kim Taylor, Susan Ferry, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Cillizza.
Tune in next week at 10am ET for another discussion!
Best,
Matt
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