Sorry, Republicans, Trump Doesn’t Love You Back
5/30/202628 min
This week, the YOLO Republican caucus takes center stage — YOLO, of course, standing for “you only live once.” On “The Opinions,” the Times contributor Robert Siegel argues that senators like Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy, freed from certain electoral pressures, can now vote in accordance with their principles rather than whatever President Trump dictates.
He is joined by the Times contributor E.J. Dionne Jr. and the Bulwark editor Mona Charen to discuss the caucus’s newest member, John Cornyn, who was recently defeated in Texas, and what Cornyn’s loss signals about MAGA’s grip on the Republican Party.
Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.
This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Piktin. Mixing by Isaac Jones. Video editing by Ben Wright. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSolana Pyne0:00
[gentle music] Hi, I'm Solana Pyne. I'm the director of video at The New York Times. For years, my team has made videos that bring you closer to big news moments, videos by Times journalists that have the expertise to help you understand what's going on. Now, we're bringing those videos to you in the Watch tab in The New York Times app. It's a dedicated video feed where you know you can trust what you're seeing. All the videos there are free for anyone to watch. You don't have to be a subscriber. Download The New York Times app to start watching.
Speaker 20:28
[upbeat music] This is The Opinions, a show that brings you a mix of voices from New York Times Opinion. You've heard the news. Here's what to make of it.
Robert Siegel· Host0:41
[upbeat music] Hi, I'm Robert Siegel, in conversation about politics with, as always, New York Times Opinion contributor E.J. Dionne.
E.J. Dionne Jr.· Guest0:59
Always fun to be with you.
Robert Siegel· Host0:59
Uh, and returning this week, Mona Charen, policy editor of The Bulwark and host of The Mona Charen Show. Welcome back. It's good to see you.
Mona Charen· Guest1:06
I'm delighted.
E.J. Dionne Jr.· Guest1:07
Great to have you here.
Robert Siegel· Host1:09
When it comes to politics, we are not short of material this week. Uh, the biggest news was the Texas primary, above all, John Cornyn's defeat in the Republican runoff for what would've been Cornyn's fifth term in the US Senate. Uh, he was beaten by an opponent with enough political baggage to weigh down a