Ezra Klein

He wanted to, you know, push the press on certain things, but he actually does not want to destroy the free press. He's always said he will abide by court orders. And as you say, largely, though not, I think, entirely, is that one reason it's not going the way you fear is that the model in your head, Viktor Orban in Hungary, Modi in India, is actually not the right model.

He wanted to, you know, push the press on certain things, but he actually does not want to destroy the free press. He's always said he will abide by court orders. And as you say, largely, though not, I think, entirely, is that one reason it's not going the way you fear is that the model in your head, Viktor Orban in Hungary, Modi in India, is actually not the right model.

It is a hysterical resistance lib, fear casting onto Donald Trump.

It is a hysterical resistance lib, fear casting onto Donald Trump.

And it's unfair to Donald Trump.

And it's unfair to Donald Trump.

Is the New Yorker being chilled? Are they?

Is the New Yorker being chilled? Are they?

I think it's always important to actually be clear on what is the operative metaphor happening in analysts' minds. And the operative metaphor, I think, in this era has been Hungary. You wrote this piece that I think exists in an interesting tension with Zacks where you went to Hungary. And you spent a lot of time with the opposition, opposition media, opposition figures.

I think it's always important to actually be clear on what is the operative metaphor happening in analysts' minds. And the operative metaphor, I think, in this era has been Hungary. You wrote this piece that I think exists in an interesting tension with Zacks where you went to Hungary. And you spent a lot of time with the opposition, opposition media, opposition figures.

You went to these universities that have been shut down, but they exist in this strange liminal space. And what emerged out of that piece for me was a felt sense that losing may not feel or look like what you think it feels or looks like.

You went to these universities that have been shut down, but they exist in this strange liminal space. And what emerged out of that piece for me was a felt sense that losing may not feel or look like what you think it feels or looks like.

And this is something you also say in the piece, but that some of what is happening here is worse than what is happening there. There are places where you can say, well, they've not, figured out how to consolidate control in the way Viktor Orban has. There are also places where they're going much further with the power of the state than Viktor Orban seems to have dared.

And this is something you also say in the piece, but that some of what is happening here is worse than what is happening there. There are places where you can say, well, they've not, figured out how to consolidate control in the way Viktor Orban has. There are also places where they're going much further with the power of the state than Viktor Orban seems to have dared.

Let me talk to you about that felt sense because I think it's really important. And let me lay out my own position, which I don't think we know what timeline we're in because it is not coherent into a timeline yet. It's too early. We're in quantum superposition. A lot of things might happen. We'll see who opens the box.

Let me talk to you about that felt sense because I think it's really important. And let me lay out my own position, which I don't think we know what timeline we're in because it is not coherent into a timeline yet. It's too early. We're in quantum superposition. A lot of things might happen. We'll see who opens the box.

One reason I take Zach's argument on this seriously, though, is that the felt sense of it has changed a little bit for me for where we were three months ago. One of the things that I've been watching for myself is does it feel like opposition is weakening or strengthening? Are people losing backbone or are they gaining it?

One reason I take Zach's argument on this seriously, though, is that the felt sense of it has changed a little bit for me for where we were three months ago. One of the things that I've been watching for myself is does it feel like opposition is weakening or strengthening? Are people losing backbone or are they gaining it?

My impression, and I'm not saying my impression is right, is that they're gaining it, not losing it. That the view is that the law firms that folded are embarrassments, that they'll go down in history with a black mark, that the ones who stood up are looking better. It was just a story the other day. We don't really know what's behind it, but it is notable Microsoft moving

My impression, and I'm not saying my impression is right, is that they're gaining it, not losing it. That the view is that the law firms that folded are embarrassments, that they'll go down in history with a black mark, that the ones who stood up are looking better. It was just a story the other day. We don't really know what's behind it, but it is notable Microsoft moving