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I call balls and strikes ⚾ — because politics needs referees, not cheerleaders.
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RESOLVED: Pro wrestling is the best lens through which to understand a) how we got Donald Trump and b) why we aren’t going to suddenly turn from Trumpism any time soon.
But no one — and I mean NO ONE — writes about pro wrestling as the key to grasping Trump/Trumpism/all of this [waves arms around wildly] than The Bulwark’s .
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In a recent piece headlined “Trump’s America Is Really Hulk Hogan’s America,” JVL breaks down how Hulk Hogan, the most famous professional wrestler EVER, reveals everything you need to know about the initial and lasting appeal of Donald Trump.
I reached out to JVL — we have known each other for a long time — and asked if we could do a Substack Live where we chatted about Trump, Hogan, Vince McMahon and the making of our current American moment.
That conversation is above. Among the topics we touched on:
🤼 How McMahon taught Trump to be a demagogue
🎯 This JVL quote: “Politics is less about achieving things than hurting people you hate.”
🏛️ Why Trump is the most consequential president since, at least, Reagan — and maybe since FDR
🔄 What if this era — 2016 to the present — is the rule and the post-civil rights movement all the way through 2016 was the exception?
🚬 The case for bringing back smoke-filled rooms (and earmarks)
🌪️ Why Trumpism isn’t going to just disappear
🕹️ JVL as pinball expert
🎓 How we are dealing with our eldest sons going to college (or preparing to go to college)
I really treasure my occasional chats with JVL because I admire the way he thinks. His is not a brain you can buy off the shelf at Target. (It’s an expression! Target is not selling human brains! Yet…)
Our goal going forward is to make this a monthly feature — CC and JVL chatting about, well, whatever, on Substack Live. Stay tuned!
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