It’s Getting Worse

Read the original at The Bulwark ↗
Cite

Last, J. V. (2026, September 12). It’s Getting Worse. The Bulwark. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/its-getting-worse-649

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

The Bulwark · collected 2026-09-12 · by Jonathan V. Last commentary

Quick Summary

Bill Kristol substituted for Sarah on a podcast, discussing JD Vance’s speech, Iran’s attacks on Saudi infrastructure, and the impacts of Trump’s presidency on the U.S. military. The hosts also explored terrorism and the liberal world order in a philosophical conversation. The article includes announcements about upcoming Bulwark events aimed at raising awareness and funds for the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, and promoting their political tour across several cities with special guests like Pete Buttigieg and General Mark Hertling.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-12, 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

Jonathan V. Last discusses deteriorating global conditions during a Republican midterm event, noting Iran's attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure as particularly concerning. The conversation includes Bill Kristol discussing JD Vance’s speech and criticizing President Trump for undermining the U.S. military. Additionally, there is discussion about terrorism and its impact on liberal democratic orders. On September 25th, Last participated in a Bulwark LIVE event in Ohio aimed at raising awareness for Haiti's community in Springfield.

Written for “Economic Downturn” on 2026-10-27, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Economic Downturn
Economy/Business · 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
18
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 18 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
Economy/Business
Same framing elsewhere
110
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-12 · 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 · 518 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

Jonathan V. Last
32 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 1. Forecasts We’re eight days out from Election Day.
2026-10-26 · assertive framing · Who’s Right? The Polls or the Vibes?
🔮 If you have questions for Tim, Sarah and JVL, send them to nextlevel@thebulwark.com and they may answer them on an upcoming episode of TNL.
2026-10-23 · assertive framing · The Worst Person in the World
🔮 1. Asymmetry Joe Manchin will be in Maine tomorrow campaigning for Susan Collins.
2026-10-20 · assertive framing · F*ck Joe Manchin
🔮 Trump could just move her over to the Shield of the Americas, because one of the fake jobs at that fake organization just opened up.
2026-10-16 · assertive framing · The Trump Administration Is Run on Kink
🔮 If you have questions for Tim, Sarah and JVL, send them to nextlevel@thebulwark.com and they may answer them on an upcoming episode of TNL.
2026-10-16 · assertive framing · So Many Bad Things
🔮 Texas might get a Democratic senator.
2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Susan Collins Is the Living Worst
🔮 Will Sommer joins Sarah and JVL for a wild, wild show.
2026-10-07 · assertive framing · MAGA’s Racism is Blowing Up Its Own Coalition
🔮 Every once in a while a “journalist” will jump from the press side into a comms role in a presidential administration.
2026-10-06 · assertive framing · The Propagandist in the Press Pool
🔮 Bulwark LIVE: Charlotte featuring Pete Buttigieg & The Gang—will be live streamed on Sunday, October 18 starting at 7pm EDT.
2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Tale of Two Interviews
🔮 All I could think about was Barry Zuckerkorn cruising the city of industry.
2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Another Way AI Will Probably, Maybe Kill Us All
Also by Jonathan V. Last
Who’s Right? The Polls or the Vibes?
2026-10-26 · The Bulwark
The Worst Person in the World
2026-10-23 · The Bulwark
F*ck Joe Manchin
2026-10-20 · The Bulwark
The Trump Administration Is Run on Kink
2026-10-16 · The Bulwark
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 32 articles by Jonathan V. Last →

Topics

Columbia Iran Republican Saudi Springfield

Subjects

JVL ORG · 6× Sarah PERSON · 5× Bill Kristol PERSON · 2× Catherine Rampell PERSON · 2× Columbia ORG · 2× Iran GPE · 2× Sam PERSON · 2× Springfield GPE · 2× Tim PERSON · 2× Republican NORP · 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 (18 extracted, 0 hedged)

It’s Getting Worse From the Republican midterm convention to Iran, things are falling apart. asserted
things → get → Iran
Bill Kristol sat in for Sarah today and JVL wore a little treat for everyone to mark the occasion. asserted
everyone → sit → occasion
In case you’re not watching the video, the surprise is here. asserted
surprise → watch → video
It’s amazing and you’re going to want one. asserted
you → ’ → one
After that unveiling, JVL and Bill talked about JD Vance’s speech, Iran’s devastating attacks on a Saudi pipeline and two oil tankers, and how Trump is both crippling and corrupting the U.S. military. asserted
Trump → talk → military
And then they have a philosophical conversation about terrorism and the liberal order. asserted
they → have → terrorism
It’s good stuff. asserted
It → ’ → ?
Just announced: Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield We’re heading to Ohio Friday, September 25 to raise awareness and funds for the Haitian community under siege in Springfield. asserted
We → announce → Springfield
How to Eat an Elephant is here. asserted
How → eat → Elephant
Sarah did her part by writing a book on how to get out of this mess, now we need all of you to help make sure this one gets on all the best sellers lists. asserted
one → do → lists
🎤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 → ?
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 → chats
Your support helps keep our work sustainable and available to those who cannot afford a membership. asserted
who → help → membership
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support