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The Focus Group Podcast

The Focus Group Podcast

By: The Bulwark
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About this listen

 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/Bulwark Media Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • S5 Ep23: NYC's Very Dumb Primary (with Harry Siegel)

    S5 Ep23: NYC's Very Dumb Primary (with Harry Siegel)
    Jun 21 2025
    The New York City mayoral primary is "dumb" and getting lots of "dumb attention," at least according to our (radically candid) guest. Democratic voters face a choice between disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and the inexperienced socialist state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. There's another candidate who was just arrested by ICE, which may shake up this race at the VERY end. The City's Harry Siegel joins Sarah for a wide-ranging conversation about New York City's politics today.

    By The City:

    • The City's Meet Your Mayor Quiz
    • FAQ NYC Podcast
    By Harry Siegel:

    • NYC’s lousy election rules create lousy choices
    • Mamdani’s moment for momentum: The surging socialist in the Democratic mayoral primary
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • S5 Ep22: 'This Country is Effed' (with Jonathan Cohn)

    S5 Ep22: 'This Country is Effed' (with Jonathan Cohn)
    Jun 14 2025
    Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill is moving through Congress, and you may be surprised by some former Trump voters' reactions. Bulwark in-house policy wonk Jonathan Cohn joins Sarah to talk about the bill's negative consequences and why healthcare has been such a political albatross for the Republican Party. We also learn that plenty of voters are irritated by Congress only seeming to pass 'big' bills these days.
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    53 mins
  • S5 Ep21: New Jersey's (Very) Odd Year (with Amy Walter)

    S5 Ep21: New Jersey's (Very) Odd Year (with Amy Walter)
    Jun 7 2025
    The Democratic primary for New Jersey governor is crowded, and Democratic voters all over the map. But as always, they're united in wanting a candidate who can fight the Trump administration effectively. So which candidate can do it? Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and the podcast The Odd Years makes her sixth appearance on the show to discuss how these off-year elections in New Jersey and Virginia can change the political environment.
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    1 hr and 2 mins
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