Unfiltered, uncompromising, unexpected—The Focus Group is a look into what the average voter thinks about politics, policy, and current events. Sarah Longwell, ...
S5 Ep5: 'I'm All For Deportations, But...' (with Adrian Carrasquillo)
Plenty of the newest Donald Trump voters wanted him to fix the border, and to deport criminals. Some are excited by what they're seeing, and some are getting more than they bargained for. Bulwark immigration correspondent Adrian Carrasquillo joins Sarah to discuss voter reactions, and the latest developments in Trump's immigration regime.
By Adrian Carrasquillo:
The Border Debate Is Over. Dems Lost.
Inside Trump World’s Plans To Gloss Up Mass Deportations
Trump’s Deportation Dragnet Widens and Puerto Ricans Are Getting Caught in It
Trump Wants to ‘End’ Sanctuary Cities. This Mayor Has a Different Idea.
Trump Turns Schools Into an Immigration Battleground
--------
57:48
S5 Ep4: Winners Make Policy, Losers Go Home (with Adam Jentleson)
Where do Democratic voters want the party to go next? And just as importantly, how does the party need to be thinking differently? Adam Jentleson, former chief of staff to Sen. John Fetterman and aide to Sen. Harry Reid, joins Sarah to discuss the kind of thinking hampering current Democratic elected officials and staff, and they discuss some new ways to campaign and govern as the party looks toward 2026 and 2028.
By Adam Jentleson:
New York Times Guest Essay: When Will Democrats Learn to Say No?
Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy
--------
1:01:31
S5 Ep3: At Least He's Doing Something (with Sam Stein)
Donald Trump's approval rating is sitting around 50 percent, which is as high as he's ever been, even though he started his term by pardoning January 6 rioters, causing mass confusion across the government, and claiming that DEI caused a plane crash. The voters we talked to in our focus groups are just glad to see someone "taking action." Bulwark managing editor Sam Stein joins Sarah to talk about voters' reactions to Trump's flurry of executive orders (including the January 6 pardons), and how long Trump's "honeymoon" may last.
--------
53:42
S5 Ep2: Getting Out of Our Corners (with Amanda Carpenter)
Anyone who opposes Donald Trump isn't feeling great this week. And where there was "resistance" when Trump took office in 2017, there was more resignation among the voters we talked to this week as he began his second term. Bulwark alum Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy joins Sarah to talk about what we should (and should not) be focused on over the next four years.
--------
52:20
S5 Ep1: The Caretaker Presidency (with Evan Osnos)
As Joe Biden leaves office, we're taking one last look at his presidency, and what we've heard said about him since 2020. The New Yorker's Evan Osnos joins Sarah to recap his interviews with Biden over the years and discusses his legacy.
Sponsor: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THEFOCUSGROUP at https://www.oneskin.co/
Show notes:
By Evan Osnos:
Joe Biden's Last Campaign
Joe Biden: The Life, the Presidency, and What Matters Now
Wildland: The Making of America's Fury
Unfiltered, uncompromising, unexpected—The Focus Group is a look into what the average voter thinks about politics, policy, and current events. Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark, has conducted hundreds of hours of focus groups all across the country. She and a series of special guests will take you behind the glass to hear what real focus group participants have to say.
https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/focus-group/
USA