The Senators Who Suck

Read the original at The Bulwark ↗
Cite

Longwell, S. (2026, September 4). The Senators Who Suck. The Bulwark. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-senators-who-suck

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Bulwark · collected 2026-09-04 · by Sarah Longwell commentary

Quick Summary

The Bulwark's podcast hosts, including Sarah and JVL, are promoting their book "How to Eat an Elephant" by trying to beat a biography of Clarence Thomas written by Ted Cruz to the top of the NYT best seller list. The hosts also engage in a lighthearted discussion about who is worse, John Fetterman or Susan Collins. They also announce upcoming live shows as part of their "Bulwark LIVE: Good Fight Tour" and invite listeners to join them at various locations across the US. The event will feature special guests such as Pete Buttigieg and Gen. Mark Hertling.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-04, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

Sarah Longwell, a writer from The Bulwark, is making light of the current state of politics. In her commentary "The Senators Who Suck", she pokes fun at various politicians, including John Fetterman and Susan Collins, asking readers to decide who is worse. She also mentions Ted Cruz, whose biography of Clarence Thomas is currently ranking high on the NYT best seller list, and Doug Sosnik, a Democratic strategist who has offered recommendations for the party's future. Longwell promotes her own book, "How to Eat an Elephant", which is set to be released on Tuesday, and encourages readers to buy it to help it reach number one on the bestseller list.

Written for “Criticism of US Senators” on 2026-10-21, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Criticism of US Senators
Politics · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

Nothing to compare against. No article is close enough to this one for the pipeline to have linked or judged the pair.
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 20 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
expected in commentary, which argues a position · beta estimate
Publisher signals
not measured
these signals count newsroom corrections; Commentary has none to count
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
110
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-04 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Bulwark · 468 article(s) · 0 correction(s) detected
No corrections detected for this publisher. That may mean careful reporting, or simply that nothing has been checked.

Who wrote this

Sarah Longwell
22 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 How do democracies fall apart, and why do the people who could stop it so often look the other way?
🔮 But still, the voters who will decide this race are reverting to their tribal instincts.
🔮 There are a lot of red states with big elections this year where Democrats are ‘sayin’ there’s a chance,’ like Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, or Iowa, where they may have more than just a chance.
🔮 Plus, Weissmann explains why simply ordering Trump to stop breaking the rules isn’t enough, and whether DOJ lawyers pursuing politically motivated prosecutions could eventually face disbarment.
2026-10-15 · assertive framing · DHS Raids Ilhan Omar’s Home. Weissmann Smells a Rat.
🔮 The speech goes like this: With you at my side, we will demolish the deep state.
🔮 OF ALL THE STATES THAT COULD give us an indication of how big the blue wave will be this cycle, Iowa is one of the most intriguing.
🔮 Would you like to see a Bulwark show recorded live and in person?
🔮 All profits from this event will be donated to those in Springfield who are in need.
🔮 The decade spanning 2015 to 2025 will likely be recorded by historians as the era of the “Great Media Unraveling,” a period when the unified broadcasting models of the twentieth century shattered into distinct, self-sustaining, and mostly not-overlapping digital ecosystems.
2026-09-14 · assertive framing · How MAGA Bewildered Voters Into Its Alternate Reality
🔮 Veteran Texas journalist Christopher Hooks of Texas Monthly joins Sarah to talk about Ken Paxton's sordid history in Texas Republican politics, how Texas Trump voters are responding to James Talarico, whether the race for governor may turn competitive, and how data centers and Flock surveillance cameras are presenting an opportunity to recapture some disaffected Trump voters.
2026-09-12 · assertive framing · Something's Happening in Texas (with Chris Hooks)
Also by Sarah Longwell
Bulwark LIVE: Charlotte
2026-10-19 · The Bulwark
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 22 articles by Sarah Longwell →

Topics

Columbia Democratic JVL NYT Republican

Subjects

JVL ORG · 5× Sarah PERSON · 5× Bill Kristol PERSON · 2× Catherine Rampell PERSON · 2× Columbia GPE · 2× Clarence Thomas PERSON · 1× NYT ORG · 1× Republican NORP · 1× The Senators Who Suck PERSON · 1× Trump PERSON · 1×

Narrative

A subscription gets you: - Unlimited access to articles and newsletters including The Triad by JVL and Receipts by Catherine Rampell. - Ad-free editions of our shows (with transcripts) and member-only shows like The Secret Podcast. - Plus community chats and commenting features.
framing: assertive · carried by 110 article(s) · first seen 2026-08-24
🔮 🎤Friday, October 16 at The Senate in Columbia, S.C.—Will Sommer joins the gang on stage.
2026-08-24 · The Bulwark
Trump Blows Up His Own Trade Deal with Canada · assertive framing
2026-08-25 · The Bulwark
Tim Miller Loses It Over MAGA’s Sick Attack on a Victim · assertive framing
2026-08-26 · The Bulwark
Wall Street Legend Calls Out Scott Bessent · assertive framing
2026-08-26 · The Bulwark
I Worked for Trump. The Natalie Harp Saga Isn’t Surprising. · assertive framing
2026-08-27 · The Bulwark
True Confessions of a Sports Dad · assertive framing
2026-08-28 · The Bulwark
MAGA’s 2028 Civil War Is Already Here · assertive framing
2026-08-28 · The Bulwark
Why Did Trump Pick This Loser to Run a Swing State? · assertive framing
2026-08-28 · The Bulwark
The Dawn of FAFO Economics · assertive framing
2026-08-31 · The Bulwark
The 2028 Democratic Primary Is Quietly Raging · assertive framing
2026-09-04 · The Bulwark
Europe’s Gold Fled the Nazis. Now It’s Fleeing Trump. · assertive framing
2026-09-04 · The Bulwark
Trump Is BEGGING Ken Paxton to Fix His Look · assertive framing
2026-09-04 · The Bulwark
BREAKING: Trump Says 18 Deaths Are “Small Potatoes” | Command Post · assertive framing
2026-09-04 · The Bulwark
The Senators Who Suck · assertive framing
2026-09-05 · The Bulwark
Jonathan V. Last: How Much Stupid Can We Possibly Take? · assertive framing
2026-09-05 · The Bulwark
The GOP is MIA in North Carolina (with Chris Cooper) · assertive framing
2026-09-06 · The Bulwark
Fox News FIRES Maria Bartiromo After She Secretly Helped Trump · assertive framing
2026-09-06 · The Bulwark
Trump Is Wrecking His Own Agenda—and for What? · assertive framing
2026-09-06 · The Bulwark
RFK Jr.’s Sickening Measles Victory Lap · assertive framing
2026-09-07 · The Bulwark
Reporter Spends 90 Minutes With Trump. It Gets WEIRD. (w/ Ben Terris) · assertive framing
2026-09-09 · The Bulwark
Trump’s Big Midterm Convention Is Already Looking Like a Flop · assertive framing
2026-09-09 · The Bulwark
Trump’s Imaginary Presidency Is Going Just Great · assertive framing
2026-09-10 · The Bulwark
Live Coverage of Trump's Midterm Convention Speech · assertive framing
2026-09-10 · The Bulwark
Jessica Tarlov: POTUS Needs Some Moral Support · assertive framing
2026-09-11 · The Bulwark
Tim Miller and Co: Live Coverage of Vance's Midterm Convention Speech · assertive framing
2026-09-11 · The Bulwark
Trumpflation Hits MAGA Merch · assertive framing
2026-09-11 · The Bulwark
Democrats Should Embrace the Trump Dividend and All Its Bullsh*t · assertive framing
2026-09-12 · The Bulwark
Something's Happening in Texas (with Chris Hooks) · assertive framing
2026-09-12 · The Bulwark
Command Post: Saudi Arabia’s Oil Pipeline Hit With Multiple Attacks · assertive framing
2026-09-12 · The Bulwark
It’s Getting Worse · assertive framing
2026-09-12 · The Bulwark
Sometimes Terrorism Works · assertive framing
2026-09-13 · The Bulwark
The RNC Convention Was Basically a Trump Cult Meeting · assertive framing
2026-09-14 · The Bulwark
Bernie Dogs Could Teach Democrats a New Trick · assertive framing
2026-09-14 · The Bulwark
BOMBSHELL: Russian Oligarch Bankrolled Don Jr.’s Wedding · assertive framing
2026-09-16 · The Bulwark
Trump’s Lies Are Coming Faster Than Anyone Can Track · assertive framing
2026-09-16 · The Bulwark
Inside Trump’s Summer of Cruelty · assertive framing
2026-09-16 · The Bulwark
Impeach Them. All of Them. · assertive framing
2026-09-17 · The Bulwark
September Book Club: The Odyssey (w/ Sonny Bunch) · assertive framing
2026-09-17 · The Bulwark
Canada Is Making America Its B*tch · assertive framing
2026-09-18 · The Bulwark
Ben Shapiro’s Grotesque Anti-Muslim Movie · assertive framing
2026-09-19 · The Bulwark
We’re Living in an Insane Asylum · assertive framing
2026-09-19 · The Bulwark
Anne Applebaum: Globalized MAGA Kleptocracy · assertive framing
2026-09-19 · The Bulwark
George Conway Goes Live From the Kennedy Center Protest · assertive framing
2026-09-19 · The Bulwark
Focus Groups Are Revealing a HUGE Weakness for Republicans · assertive framing
2026-09-19 · The Bulwark
America Nearly Made a Catastrophic Mistake With China | Command Post · assertive framing
2026-09-20 · The Bulwark
EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Democratic Party’s Trump Oversight Plans · assertive framing
2026-09-20 · The Bulwark
RFK Jr.’s ‘Medical Freedom’ Comes With a Body Count · assertive framing
2026-09-20 · The Bulwark
Russia’s Shadow War Is Spreading Across Europe · assertive framing
2026-09-21 · The Bulwark
Trump’s New Defense Of The Arch Is INCREDIBLY Stupid · assertive framing
2026-09-21 · The Bulwark
Andrew Egger: Donald, You’re Rattled · assertive framing
2026-09-21 · The Bulwark
Trump’s Forever War Is Sucking the Life Out of Him · assertive framing
2026-09-22 · The Bulwark
SCOOP: Looksmaxxer Clavicular Charged With Criminal Rape, Drugging · assertive framing
2026-09-22 · The Bulwark
Trump’s War on the Press Just Backfired in the Funniest Possible Way · assertive framing
2026-09-22 · The Bulwark
Trump’s Fed Chair Put Him in a Very Awkward Spot (w/ Jason Furman) · assertive framing
2026-09-22 · The Bulwark
What Dems Should Do With 54 Senate Seats · assertive framing
2026-09-23 · The Bulwark
Sarah’s Focus Groups Do NOT Like Vivek Ramaswamy · assertive framing
2026-09-23 · The Bulwark
I Watched Six Straight Hours of Trump TV. Please, Help Me. · assertive framing
2026-09-24 · The Bulwark
Trump’s AI Push Could Boost His Own Investments (w/ Gov. Wes Moore) · assertive framing
2026-09-24 · The Bulwark
Republicans Are Running Out of Gas on Trump’s Iran War · assertive framing
2026-09-24 · The Bulwark
Sam Stein and Mary Peltola: Cozying Up to Commies and Corporate Elites · assertive framing
2026-09-25 · The Bulwark
Ossoff is Utterly CRUSHING His Opponent. There's Just One Catch... · assertive framing
2026-09-26 · The Bulwark
Ten Lesbians Walk Into a Bar . . . · assertive framing
2026-09-26 · The Bulwark
Alex Wagner: An Unlawful Administration · assertive framing
2026-09-26 · The Bulwark
Trump’s MAGA Replacement for the Media Is an Amateur-Hour Disaster · assertive framing
2026-09-27 · The Bulwark
Rogers Tries to Make El-Sayed’s Health Care Plan Scary · assertive framing
2026-09-28 · The Bulwark
Suddenly, Democrats Have a Path to a HUGE Senate Majority · assertive framing
2026-09-28 · The Bulwark
Could a Wave THIS Big Actually Happen? · assertive framing
2026-09-28 · The Bulwark
Trump Said It Out Loud. His Cabinet Says It Never Happened. · assertive framing
2026-09-28 · The Bulwark
MAGA Mondays: Trump Admin Party Video Sparks MAGA Backlash · assertive framing
2026-09-29 · The Bulwark
Bizarro White House Vid Has QAnon Buzzing · assertive framing
2026-09-29 · The Bulwark
Trump’s War With Canada Has Officially Lost the Plot (w/ Sam Stein) · assertive framing
2026-09-29 · The Bulwark
The Forces of Trumpism Are in Disarray · assertive framing
2026-09-29 · The Bulwark
Amy Klobuchar Exposes Eric Schmitt’s Jack Smith Blunder · assertive framing
2026-09-30 · The Bulwark
Things Are Going So Badly for Trump, Even JVL Has Hope · assertive framing
2026-09-30 · The Bulwark
More Democrats Who Can Win Red America · assertive framing
2026-09-30 · The Bulwark
Paxton’s Leaked Trump Comments Are a SPECTACULAR Own Goal · assertive framing
2026-09-30 · The Bulwark
Pete Hegseth's Speech Was a Hyper-Macho Freak Show · assertive framing
2026-10-01 · The Bulwark
Elissa Slotkin Spots a Big Warning Sign for Trump’s GOP | Command Post · assertive framing
2026-10-02 · The Bulwark
Who Cut The Cheese? Trump Did. · assertive framing
2026-10-02 · The Bulwark
Tommy Vietor: The Marionette in the White House · assertive framing
2026-10-02 · The Bulwark
Sarah Longwell AMA · assertive framing
2026-10-03 · The Bulwark
Tale of Two Interviews · assertive framing
2026-10-03 · The Bulwark
Trump Just Posted GOP Sen. Tom Cotton’s Private Phone Number · assertive framing
2026-10-04 · The Bulwark
BOMBSHELL POLL: NYT/Siena Finds a Stunning Shift in Red America · assertive framing
2026-10-04 · The Bulwark
Jack Smith Reveals the Words That Could Have Buried Trump · assertive framing
2026-10-05 · The Bulwark
Jon Ossoff Has a Blunt Message for Cynics and Whiners · assertive framing
2026-10-06 · The Bulwark
Trump’s Corporate Enablers Should Be VERY Worried About 2027 · assertive framing
2026-10-06 · The Bulwark
The Propagandist in the Press Pool · assertive framing
2026-10-07 · The Bulwark
MAGA’s Racism is Blowing Up Its Own Coalition · assertive framing
2026-10-07 · The Bulwark
Donald Trump Is Buying Votes at $500 a Pop · assertive framing
2026-10-07 · The Bulwark
Republicans Are Panicking Over the Kansas Senate Race · assertive framing

Claims (20 extracted, 0 hedged)

The Senators Who Suck asserted
Who → suck → ?
Sarah’s book drops, Trump’s arch starts, and JVL has a theory about Republican voters. asserted
JVL → drop → voters
It’s almost Book Week! asserted
It → ’ → ?
How to Eat an Elephant drops on Tuesday and the Best Friends really want to get it to #1 on the NYT best seller list. asserted
Friends → eat → list
To do that, we have to unseat . . . a biography of Clarence Thomas by Ted Effing Cruz. asserted
we → do → Cruz
Don’t let Teddy Cancun and High Life Clarence win. asserted
Cancun → let → ?
(If you haven’t already, I mean.) asserted
I → mean → ?
Today Sarah and JVL try to figure out who’s worse: John Fetterman or Susan Collins. asserted
who → try → Fetterman
Also, the Big Orange Arch is coming. asserted
Arch → come → ?
And we chew over Doug Sosnik’s recommendations for the Democratic party. asserted
we → chew → party
It’s a big show. asserted
It → ’ → ?
🎤Friday, October 16 at The Senate in Columbia, S.C.—Will Sommer joins the gang on stage. asserted
Sommer → join → stage
🎤Sunday, October 18 at the Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, N.C.—special guest Pete Buttigieg joins the gang with Catherine Rampell and Lauren Eagan. asserted
Buttigieg → join → Rampell
🎤Tuesday, October 20 at The Eastern in Atlanta, Ga.—Gen. Mark Hertling and the Morning Shots duo—Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol—join the gang for this final stop. asserted
Hertling → join → stop
At Bulwark LIVE we can promise you a night of fellowship and politics with lots of laughs—and maybe a few tears too. asserted
we → promise → laughs
We’ll keep you sane. asserted
We → keep → you
New shows drop each Friday. asserted
shows → drop → ?
Join Bulwark+ to unlock the rest Become a paying member of The Bulwark to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content. asserted
Join → join → post
A subscription gets you: - Unlimited access to articles and newsletters including The Triad by JVL and Receipts by Catherine Rampell. - Ad-free editions of our shows (with transcripts) and member-only shows like The Secret Podcast. - Plus community chats and commenting features. asserted
subscription → get → Podcast
Your support helps keep our work sustainable and available to those who cannot afford a membership. asserted
who → help → membership
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support