Jonathan Swan

And it's worth noting, yes, he grew up in this very liberal environment in Los Angeles, but it was also a moment of a huge influx of immigrants in California where there were many conservatives in the state who were railing against it. So it's not like his ideas were coming out of thin air. And he really plugged into this right-wing ecosystem.

He would call up Larry Elder, a very well-known right-wing commentator in California, who was an early mentor to Stephen Miller. He was obsessed with Rush Limbaugh, who obviously was a giant in right-wing broadcasting. And he was really rebelling against the cultural sensitivities of his high school. And you saw that continue through college. How so? What do you mean?

He would call up Larry Elder, a very well-known right-wing commentator in California, who was an early mentor to Stephen Miller. He was obsessed with Rush Limbaugh, who obviously was a giant in right-wing broadcasting. And he was really rebelling against the cultural sensitivities of his high school. And you saw that continue through college. How so? What do you mean?

So Stephen Miller goes to Duke University and something happens in 2006 that really defines his experience there.

So Stephen Miller goes to Duke University and something happens in 2006 that really defines his experience there.

This extraordinary incident that happens at Duke where members of lacrosse team at the school were accused of rape.

This extraordinary incident that happens at Duke where members of lacrosse team at the school were accused of rape.

And it became this huge national story. You had members of the faculty coming out, condemning them before anything was proven.

And it became this huge national story. You had members of the faculty coming out, condemning them before anything was proven.

Just had their lives ruined.

Just had their lives ruined.

and thrusts him into the national conversation.

and thrusts him into the national conversation.

Defending these players at a time when... You know, the prevailing wisdom at Duke University was that these players were guilty.

Defending these players at a time when... You know, the prevailing wisdom at Duke University was that these players were guilty.

And these lacrosse players were declared innocent. And this was a really important moment for him because here he was taking a contrarian position against the prevailing liberal orthodoxy, and he ended up being vindicated.

And these lacrosse players were declared innocent. And this was a really important moment for him because here he was taking a contrarian position against the prevailing liberal orthodoxy, and he ended up being vindicated.

He goes to Washington, he goes to Capitol Hill, and he ends up working for Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Senator Sessions, in the early 2010s, was... A pretty fringe figure in the Republican Senate conference. If you take your mind back to the 2012 election, Barack Obama beats Mitt Romney.

He goes to Washington, he goes to Capitol Hill, and he ends up working for Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Senator Sessions, in the early 2010s, was... A pretty fringe figure in the Republican Senate conference. If you take your mind back to the 2012 election, Barack Obama beats Mitt Romney.

And when the Republican Party, after that election, sat down, you know, the grand figures in the party got in a room together and said, what happened? What do we need to change, etc. ? Their famous autopsy basically said, we need to be nicer to immigrants. We need to do more to reach out to Hispanics. And that was the prevailing wisdom on Capitol Hill among Republicans.