#1801 Counterfeit Populism: Trump, the 2026 Primaries, and the Era That's Ending (Transcript)

#1801 Counterfeit Populism: Trump, the 2026 Primaries, and the Era That's Ending (Transcript)

Author: Best of the Left: Perspectives on Politics, Culture, and Economics June 18, 2026 Duration: 3:48:17

Air Date: 6/17/2026

Today we trace a pattern that repeated across half a dozen states this primary season: working-class candidates running on the cost of living beat the opponents party leadership hand-picked and funded. It looks like ordinary election news, but it's more pieces of a larger shift already underway; away from a politics of left against right and toward a new era of the elite vs working people.

Full Show Notes

Transcript

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: Hayes: Trump Is Chasing Good Press with Bombs - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 6-11-26

KP 2: Bernie Sanders Just Won Them All - The Rational National - Air Date 6-10-26

KP 3: We Sat AOC Down With Republican Voters. Can She Win Them Over? - More Perfect Union and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - Air Date 6-9-26

KP 4: "Fetterman Vibes?" DSA Dem WON'T DEFEND Graham Platner - Breaking Points - Air Date 6-9-26

KP 5: Abdul El-Sayed Thinks the Michigan Senate Race Will Come Down to This One Factor - Slate and Abdul El-Sayed - Air Date 4-30-26


(00:49:39) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Counterfeit Populism Is Dying

My commentaries on YouTube - Share them!


DEEPER DIVES

(01:05:26) SECTION A: READING THE PRIMARY MAP

A1: Voters Reject the Establishment in This Week's Primaries - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 6-4-26

A2: Josh Turek, Democratic Senate Nominee, on Why Iowa Will Flip Blue - Brian Tyler Cohen News - Air Date 6-3-26

A3: The Graham Platner Debate Part 1 - Majority 54 - Air Date 6-4-26

A4: Kentucky Senate Seat Is 'most Flippable' Race, Says Democrat Charles Booker - Meet The Press NOW _ NBC News NOW - Air Date 5-19-26

A5: The Democratic Establishment Can Be Defeated - Current Affairs - Air Date 5-15-26


(01:45:20) SECTION B: THE PLATNER RECKONING

B1: How Maine Democrats View Platner's Scandals and Chances to Oust Sen. Collins - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 6-9-26

B2: Graham Platner's Billionaire-Bashing Message Resonates in Maine Senate Race, Despite Controversies - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-8-26

B3: Why I Left the (White) Left - Signified B Sides - Air Date 6-2-26

B4: We Need to Talk About The Graham Platner Left (ft@noahsamsen_) - The Kavernacle and Noah Samsen - Air Date 5-27-26

B5: The Graham Platner Debate Part 2 - Majority 54 - Air Date 6-4-26


(02:30:13) SECTION C: THE TEXAS SENATE FIGHT

C1: Talarico Derangement Syndrome & Calling Stephen Miller Ugly Part 1 - Head in the Office - Air Date 5-29-26

C2: Can We Win Texas? - Majority 54 - Air Date 5-28-26

C3: Talarico Derangement Syndrome & Calling Stephen Miller Ugly Part 2 - Head in the Office - Air Date 5-29-26


(02:56:11) SECTION D: DEFENDING THE VOTE & THE LONG VIEW

D1: MAGA's California Fraud Lie Falls Apart Instantly - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 6-9-26

D2: Their Votes Should Count. Yours Shouldn't. That's the Whole Argument. - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 6-9-26

D3: The Election Interference Evidence No One Is Talking About - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 6-8-26

D4: The Washington Roundtable Live: The Backlash Midterms - The Political Scene | The New Yorker - Air Date 6-5-26


 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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For over fifteen years, Best of the Left-Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy has served as a vital, human-curated digest of voices from across the progressive spectrum. Instead of presenting a single opinion, each episode is built around a specific theme-from economic inequality to climate policy to cultural shifts-and weaves together insightful commentary from a diverse array of journalists, activists, and thinkers. This approach allows you to efficiently grasp the nuances of complex issues by hearing multiple expert angles in one sitting, all while discovering new commentators and sources you might not have encountered otherwise. The result is a richly layered analysis that algorithms simply cannot replicate, offering depth and context often missing from the daily news cycle. Since 2006, this award-winning podcast has cut through the noise, drawing from hundreds of independent and established sources to provide a coherent, thoughtful examination of the forces shaping our society and governments. Tuning in means joining a long-running conversation dedicated to understanding and advancing democratic principles, social justice, and a more equitable economy, all through the focused lens of leftist thought.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
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