Anne Applebaum

The world in which it's very bad that Hunter Biden was on a board of a Ukrainian or any other company because of who his surname was, and the world in which the president himself is openly taking hundreds of millions of dollars in de facto bribes from all over the world, these aren't really the same planet. And yet you can find people who will say, what about Hunter Biden?

The world in which it's very bad that Hunter Biden was on a board of a Ukrainian or any other company because of who his surname was, and the world in which the president himself is openly taking hundreds of millions of dollars in de facto bribes from all over the world, these aren't really the same planet. And yet you can find people who will say, what about Hunter Biden?

The world in which it's very bad that Hunter Biden was on a board of a Ukrainian or any other company because of who his surname was, and the world in which the president himself is openly taking hundreds of millions of dollars in de facto bribes from all over the world, these aren't really the same planet. And yet you can find people who will say, what about Hunter Biden?

Or Joe Biden was very corrupt too. And that's a fallback position that people continue to find very useful. And if you live in the media bubble where you watch Fox News and your information comes from the right, then you probably haven't heard very much about The scale of corruption in the Trump administration. And you've probably heard endlessly about Hunter Biden.

Or Joe Biden was very corrupt too. And that's a fallback position that people continue to find very useful. And if you live in the media bubble where you watch Fox News and your information comes from the right, then you probably haven't heard very much about The scale of corruption in the Trump administration. And you've probably heard endlessly about Hunter Biden.

Or Joe Biden was very corrupt too. And that's a fallback position that people continue to find very useful. And if you live in the media bubble where you watch Fox News and your information comes from the right, then you probably haven't heard very much about The scale of corruption in the Trump administration. And you've probably heard endlessly about Hunter Biden.

And so that's the that's the other piece of the story that I think might be even different from the 1970s. I don't think we were that divided. I don't think we were that partisan. Of course, in the 1970s, the other thing that happened was that we had, you know, it was the Republicans ultimately who held Nixon to account.

And so that's the that's the other piece of the story that I think might be even different from the 1970s. I don't think we were that divided. I don't think we were that partisan. Of course, in the 1970s, the other thing that happened was that we had, you know, it was the Republicans ultimately who held Nixon to account.

And so that's the that's the other piece of the story that I think might be even different from the 1970s. I don't think we were that divided. I don't think we were that partisan. Of course, in the 1970s, the other thing that happened was that we had, you know, it was the Republicans ultimately who held Nixon to account.

and the Republican Senate and the Republican Congress who put pressure on him to resign. And we don't have that anymore either. We're missing this really vital piece of the U.S. Constitution. We're missing, as you said a minute ago, we're missing Congress.

and the Republican Senate and the Republican Congress who put pressure on him to resign. And we don't have that anymore either. We're missing this really vital piece of the U.S. Constitution. We're missing, as you said a minute ago, we're missing Congress.

and the Republican Senate and the Republican Congress who put pressure on him to resign. And we don't have that anymore either. We're missing this really vital piece of the U.S. Constitution. We're missing, as you said a minute ago, we're missing Congress.

And if there are no leaders on the right, if there are no Republican leaders who are willing to stand up to this, then maybe it's not surprising that ordinary Americans who take their steer on from their political leaders don't see it either. They're not hearing anyone talk about it. They're not hearing anyone investigate it or say anything about it at all.

And if there are no leaders on the right, if there are no Republican leaders who are willing to stand up to this, then maybe it's not surprising that ordinary Americans who take their steer on from their political leaders don't see it either. They're not hearing anyone talk about it. They're not hearing anyone investigate it or say anything about it at all.

And if there are no leaders on the right, if there are no Republican leaders who are willing to stand up to this, then maybe it's not surprising that ordinary Americans who take their steer on from their political leaders don't see it either. They're not hearing anyone talk about it. They're not hearing anyone investigate it or say anything about it at all.

Yeah, no, but it's effective. I mean, I have heard people use this logic and make these arguments. And it seems to be useful in convincing people who might otherwise have some doubts about Trump and the Trump administration, who might otherwise feel a little uncomfortable about supporting something that's this obviously corrupt. I mean, there's another... mechanism that I'm also worried about.

Yeah, no, but it's effective. I mean, I have heard people use this logic and make these arguments. And it seems to be useful in convincing people who might otherwise have some doubts about Trump and the Trump administration, who might otherwise feel a little uncomfortable about supporting something that's this obviously corrupt. I mean, there's another... mechanism that I'm also worried about.

Yeah, no, but it's effective. I mean, I have heard people use this logic and make these arguments. And it seems to be useful in convincing people who might otherwise have some doubts about Trump and the Trump administration, who might otherwise feel a little uncomfortable about supporting something that's this obviously corrupt. I mean, there's another... mechanism that I'm also worried about.

And this is something you get in authoritarian regimes, which is when you have a political leader who so constantly and repeatedly lies himself. I mean, Trump was lying just the other day about gas prices, for example. He says they're lower than they are. And he will lie about the effect of tariffs as they come in. He lies about things that people can see and feel.

And this is something you get in authoritarian regimes, which is when you have a political leader who so constantly and repeatedly lies himself. I mean, Trump was lying just the other day about gas prices, for example. He says they're lower than they are. And he will lie about the effect of tariffs as they come in. He lies about things that people can see and feel.