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David French: Republicans Preached Character Until Donald Trump Put It to the Test | Focus Group

2026-07-18 News & Politics
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Description

American politics and politicians are decidedly lower-character than they used to be. So, how did we get here? And why have voters seemingly lowered their expectations? The New York Times’ David French joins the show to discuss Americans’ relationship with low-character politicians like Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump, and how our major political parties have handled candidates like Ken Paxton and Graham Platner in 2026. Show notes: David French: The Platner Trap (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/opinion/graham-platner-democrats-senate-maine.html) Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join

Top Comments (10)

@carneades4409 2026-07-18

ah yes the 90s, when Republicans like Newt Gingrich showed how much the party cared about character

241 4 replies
@xtremegamer5336 2026-07-18

In the age of trump, when Republicans talk about character it's pretty hard to take them seriously.

202 44 replies
@chriserickson7559 2026-07-18

I’m in my late 50s. I have never been a conservative. I always knew all of the Republicans blathering about character and family values was absolute pure bullshit. The only thing that has ever mattered is greed.

303 18 replies
@Phi1618033 2026-07-18

It was all bulls**t, guys! Lindsey Graham was literally one of Bill Clinton's impeachment managers, and Lindsey spent months talking about how Clinton sullied the office of the president. And Graham had the nerve to jump on board with a guy who was _actually_ found to be a sexual assaulter in a court of law, as if all that stuff meant nothing. It was never really about character! It was just about holding onto power.

245 9 replies
@michaelcalifra 2026-07-18

Mr. French conveniently overlooks the fact that the Reagan campaign colluded with the Iranian regime to hold the American hostages until Reagan's inauguration day.

129 7 replies
@waywornwyrm8135 2026-07-18

I have a feeling that a lot of gay men from the 80s would disagree with the idea that Reagan was a decent person if they were still alive to disagree…

24
@axoneditchelsea 2026-07-18

I am usually not one to comment on these sort of things but French's during his opening monolog seemed to forget Jimmy Carter. This also show the actual foundation of Evangelicals: They want power, not character. When presented with one of their own as President, Carter, they voted for a Republican who was viewed as being "stronger."

29 1 replies
@kevatut23 2026-07-18

Reagan was so high on the character scale, he pretty much lit the match that ignited class warfare. Deprioretizing education, opening the gates for the elite class to crush the American dream for middle and lower class citizens. I was born in 53. Obviously a Boomer. Discharged in 72, with Nixon and Vietnam forming my liberal political bent, nothing in the interim has led me to believe the republican party playbook includes anything to elevate the average citizen.

44
@csquared973 2026-07-18

When Republicans were impeaching Clinton, Gingrich was also having an affair - Republicans never cared about character, they were just hypocrites

211 12 replies
@aaronsmith1474 2026-07-18

Reagan did not have character. He played a character.

99 6 replies

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