Bulwark Takes

JVL is joined by SiriusXM's The Catholic Channel host Katie McGrady to break down one of the strangest diplomatic moments of the year: Secretary of State Marco Rubio meeting Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican and gifting him a crystal football paperweight. They unpack the awkward exchange, why the Trump administration seems uneasy with the first American pope, and how previous presidents and diplomats handled papal gifts with a lot more thought.
ON SALE NOW: Bulwark Live is coming to San Diego on May 20 and Los Angeles on May 21. Just announced! We’re adding some chatty friends to the lineups for both shows. Grab your seats now to join Sarah, Tim and Sam for an evening of politics among friends and keep an eye on https://TheBulwark.com/Events for more announcements.

Sam Stein and Sarah Longwell break down the shocking Virginia Supreme Court decision overturning the state’s new redistricting maps and what it means for the battle for control of the House in 2026. Democrats believed Virginia was their biggest answer to Republican-led mid-cycle gerrymandering in states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Sam and Sarah explain why the decision is such a major setback for Democrats, how Republicans are redrawing districts across the South, and whether Democrats can still overcome a growing GOP structural advantage.
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Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Catherine Rampell and JVL went live at 12:30pm ET to discuss the week's economic and financial news.
For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.
Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sarah Longwell and Catherine Rampell react to the absurd new YouGov poll asking whether Americans think they—or even an 8-year-old boy—could beat Donald Trump in a fight.
For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Mat frame at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.
Bulwark Live: California tickets are on sale now! Sarah and gang return to sunny Southern California for two nights May 20 & 21. For details and tickets go to https://TheBulwark.com/Events.

Jonathan Cohn is joined by epidemiologist and former CDC consultant Katelyn Jetelina to unpack the emerging hantavirus outbreak linked to a small expedition cruise ship in the South Atlantic. Katelyn breaks down what hantavirus is, how it typically spreads, why this outbreak is unusual, and what health officials actually know so far. She also explains why experts are urging calm rather than panic and how different the hantavirus is from Covid.
Read more of Katelyn's work: https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/
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Bulwark Live: California tickets are on sale now! Sarah and gang return to sunny Southern California for two nights May 20 & 21. For details and tickets go to https://TheBulwark.com/Events.