26 episodes
The Focus Group Podcast The Bulwark
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4.9 • 1.5K Ratings
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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/
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91 Problems, But the Base Ain't One (with Jake Tapper)
The Focus Group Podcast is BACK, and we're powering all the way through the 2024 election. For part one of our two-part season premiere, we're checking in on how Donald Trump's legal troubles have put his campaign on steroids. CNN's Jake Tapper joins Sarah to hear how much the voters care about Trump's mounting indictments (spoiler: they don't). They also discuss how the media should be covering a presidential nominee on trial, and Jake discusses his new book, All the Demons Are Here.
show notes:
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jake-tapper/all-the-demons-are-here/9781668623435/?lens=little-brown -
Our Sizzling Summer of Focus Groups
The Focus Group Podcast is on hiatus for a few more weeks, but we've been doing focus groups this whole time. We've got a preview of what you're going to hear when we come back, and we're re-upping our conversation from March with Jane Coaston of The New York Times about our never-ending culture wars. Enjoy, and we'll see you soon!
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The "Everybody Sucks" Foreign Policy (with Tom Nichols)
A year ago, Republican voters thought Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine were badasses. Now...Zelenskyy is just as bad as Putin. Tom Nichols, Professor Emeritus at the Naval War College and staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Sarah to listen to the voters' foreign policy takes. Tom is not impressed with the voters.
show notes:
Tom Nichols Atlantic piece: I Supported the Invasion of Iraq
Tom Nichols book: Our Own Worst Enemy: The Assault from within on Modern Democracy
Pew Research Poll: Poll on Ukraine
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How the Culture Wars Weren't Won (with Jane Coaston)
You've heard the terms "woke" and "cancel culture" for years now. No one seems to agree on what they mean, though — which is why our guest says the culture wars will keep morphing, and they'll go on forever. New York Times opinion writer Jane Coaston joins Sarah to hear how the focus groups respond to "wokeness," "cancel culture," and...schools and drag show bans. We promise, this is NOT the episode to miss.
show notes
Jane Coaston: The Debate Hugh Hefner Won and William Buckley Lost
Survivor: Host Jeff Probst Refuses to Say "Come On In, Guys"
Teen who refuses to cite the Pledge of Allegiance
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The Voters Forgot God's Plan (with McKay Coppins)
Mike Pence seems to think that he's destined to be president. The evangelical Christians in our focus groups did NOT get the memo. McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic joins Sarah to talk about the future of social conservatism in the Republican Party and Mike Pence's 2024 prospects.
show notes:
"God's Plan for Mike Pence" by McKay Coppins
https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/mckay-coppins/the-wilderness/9780316327466/
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"They" Sent This Tornado (with David French)
Marjorie Taylor Greene wants a national divorce. We don't, but we asked our focus groups about it anyway. New York Times opinion columnist David French (literally) wrote the book on a possible national divorce. He joins Sarah to talk about whether (and how) the United States holds together; and the task of rebuilding trust in our institutions.
Show notes:
Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation (by David French)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/26/opinion/fox-news-lies-dominion.html
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Customer Reviews
Sarah knows her stuff
If you want to know what voters say and feel about 2024, this is the pod for you. It has great guests with great insights. If you are a political junkie this pod is for you!
Disappointing intro
New but former listener. For a podcast with the title The Focus Group, it was jarring that Jake Tapper was brought in, instead of diving into the voters. Tapper is living his best Tapper life, which seems to consist of being a supremely glib and workaholic infotainer, who is everywhere all the time but says very little because he's trying to maintain a facade of being a journalist. Good luck with the podcast, hope it finds its way.
No ad-free version??
Where did the ad-free version go for Bulwark subscribers?