I have learned so much listening to voters and why they voted the way they did. It’s so important we listen to and gain an understanding of people’s top issues, whether or not we agree with them. I look forward to every episode of this podcast.

What a surprise. The focus group always finds the same conclusion that the Bulwark wants. This is garbage.

It amazes me that there is not more deep analysis on the impact of trump, Republican, and maga media’s lies, distortions, and slanders on voter outcomes! It’s Kamala should have or shouldn’t have, democrats missed this, or democrats messaging weak ( which it is), and hence their loss…etc… But having been in Wisconsin last fall,I was shocked at the never ending onslaught and repetition of bold misinformation in this swing state. It’s brainwashing especially for voters who don’t follow politics closely, or swept in by hype… (it’s the same I learned for Mi. And Pa.) non swing states are not pummelled like this and don’t have a clue of what it’s like or its effect.

tired of listening to trump voters

The general populace can’t be this f-ing stupid. It is just not possible.

I learn so much from this podcast. It’s such a unique format - using what people are saying in focus groups - as the basis for diving deeply into specific issues that have great significance & implications for all of us.

Biden had no symptoms until after Trump had been elected. Testing for numerous reasons is not recommended for numerous reasons. I don’t understand why you’re putting this ill informed information Rather than informing people. We have enough disinformation to go around. Medical issues are fact based. Ill informed opinion is infuriating.

Sarah must have the patience of a saint. I spend much of my time listening to the Focus Group pods yelling and swearing, and sometimes can’t make it to the end. I’d rather have some fact-checking by Sarah when she interviews voters. Most of those participating in the groups are not making informed decisions, which drives me to pulling out my hair.

Only a deranged individual could make it through a whole episode

Those who are disillusioned with the Democrats in 2024, how do we get them back?

I think you should add a bonus episode each week were JVL listens to the focus groups and you just put a quarter in and let him go.

It’s difficult but necessary to understand these voters. I appreciate Sarah’s tenacity week after week. I tend to want them to ‘See the light/lie’ But as was pointed out we are in a maelstrom of propaganda.

Excellent listen, even though some of the conspiratorial-minded participants in some of the focus groups make me want to punch a hole in the wall (no, the election wasn’t rigged) or throw something out my window (no, Donald Trump isn’t a good businessman). A must-listen if you want to understand why the United States is such a mess right now.

I’m a democrat but you have become one of my fave podcast personalities. You’re smart, honest, and I love your laugh! Thank you!’

There are few things I both brace for and look forward to on a regular basis. This show is rough on sharing space - and a nation - with genuinely uninformed citizens. But Ms Longwell is deft and superb in calibrating her guests toward takeaways that genuinely improve my own listening skills make me smarter in understanding an imperative yet overlooked element of politics, both statistical and ideological

Sarah, thank you for your good work. Even so, today’s podcast makes me think Americans are too dumb and heartless for democracy to have a future. (Hi, JVL! ❤️‍🩹)

Your focus group shows how we got here. The voting populace is ignorant. Period. They are intellectually lazy and seem to have no desire to seek the truth. We are doomed.

The April 25 focus group, with Anne Applebaum is, in my opinion, the most important and alarming analysis Sarah has presented thus far. The fact that these are swing voters makes Anne's diagnosis all the more compelling.

It took me 50 years to realize and say this out loud about my own husband. It is why I know Trump is destructive above all, both to himself and all of us. I understand how used to Trump people get. And how much danger we are in. This was a GREAT conversation, thanks to both of you!!

I love the work Sarah Longwell does. It’s hard for me to listen to the focus groups at times, but I learn a lot by doing so. So Sarah, keep doing what you do, I don’t always like it, but I need to listen to what is said.

She does a great job pulling out representative pieces of audio without too much bias. She also asks good questions of her interviewees

Listening to the people talk is both enlightening and infuriating. But the progressives will continue to lose ground unless they figure out what makes the other side tick. I was disabused of many of my liberal assumptions, listening to her focus groups.

The podcast itself as a dissection of the American mind is useful and insightful, but you basically have to approach listening to it with a Carlinesque understanding that the average person is not well-educated, not well-versed in anything beyond the impact to their own life, and has no concept of what it really means to think critically about what they see and hear and the sources of information they consume. And that’s the AVERAGE person. Like Carlin said, half of the population is even dumber than that, as this podcast regularly proves to a depressing degree. Good luck, America, you’re on your own now.

I try to listen to a variety of viewpoints to understand where people are at on different topics. This pod shows just how stupid the American voter is and reinforces to our former allies that they can never trust us again. I’m not sure how she does it, but I’m glad she does.

I always learn so much from this podcast. It isn’t always easy to listen to; it’s often depressing to hear from the voters who decide these elections but SO important. I love listening to Sarah. She somehow lightens it and makes me think about the way forward which is what it’s about.

OMG. All these non voters are the reason we are in the mess we are in. I hope they are happy.

But seriously I wish the description of each episode had some kind of gauge for how depressed I will feel when I listen.

How many times have you heard pundits say “I can’t understand why…”, “How is it possible that they…” Sarah goes right to real people to ANSWER those questions. I love all the Bulwark team, but Sarah adds the most insight and value

As interesting and informative as this podcast is, I'm quite disturbed that Sarah only focuses on what Democrats should be doing. Democrats are not destroying our democracy, Republicans are. Why isn't she asking what Republicans should be doing to save our democracy? Is she trying to transform the Democratic Party into what the Republican Party used to be?

I’m giving 5 stars because Sarah is doing an excellent job and deserves a medal for listening to these uninformed and seemingly lazy Trump voters. It’s depressing that people can’t take the time to research policy and issues. It’s even more depressing that they voted for a rapist and a convicted felon. I am also so tired on the blame placed on democrats. The mess we are in is entirely the fault of the people that voted for Trump. I applaud you Sarah for being seemingly patient with them during your focus groups. I also wonder - do these voters listen to your podcast after they have been recorded? If they do hopefully they will learn something.

Please put ads in more appropriate places in your podcast, why do you put them in the middle of your sentences and conversations? Makes it completely unlistenable.

Sarah please. Enough Trumpers! Good to know how they think. But I want to know how non Trumper thinks!

Same as above

This latest episode made me remember how Americans need recent history lessons. Why aren’t we remembering the ‘94 deal to provide security protections for handing over nuclear arsenal?? Ukraine has every right to push america to hold up our end of the deal.

I have no idea how Sarah can sit through these Trump voter focus groups. Geez-o-Pete’s I’m losing brain cells listening 😳

When Sarah doesn’t know the reason something is happening in politics she goes out and finds real voters to talk to and learns from them. She never sugarcoats reality. Her insights into how people around our country are thinking are often better than any polls because it’s their own words. The guests on this show can be really interesting with the insights they bring from their own research. I look forward to hearing Sarah’s takes every week even if some of what I learn about my fellow Americans is a real bummer.

Made it to 19:40. Had to stop. Appreciate that these young guys were willing to be part of the focus group but man alive are they products of misinformation. I thought maybe I could be wrong (typical liberal) so I fact checked while they were talking and nope— they were wrong.

I admire your work very much. I also admire the work you. This particular episode speaking to the age group you were speaking to points out to me several things they apparently have never been taught civics or how to be a citizen of the United States. They do not have the capacity to expand their thinking to the future and what kind of damage the MAGA Movement can create. They don’t understand that their future livelihood will be picking crops in the field unless they’re very very rich.

… this podcast demonstrates how profoundly ignorant most Americans are. We already know the average American reads at a sixth grade level, and these are their voices.

I never miss a podcast that has Sarah in it. “The Focus Group” & “George Conway Explains It All to Sarah” are absolute favorites along with those by Kara Swisher so when this episode had both Sarah & Kara I was beyond excited and it did not disappoint. I learned a bunch & hope you’ll do that again soon!

You’re one of my rocks right now, Sarah! Watch /listen to all your stuff! Thank you for highlighting the data behind nuance in human behavior/voting! I’m a working class left coast Tesla driving Democrat, Strange times. Thank you for your work.

Sarah, it’s possible that Trump wants to keep Elon around to throw him under the bus when it all goes down, and voters start understanding what is really going on. This is right out of his playbook. NC

The Focus Group Podcast is one of my top five pods! I am always enlightened by the responses and Sarah’s insightful explanations — great job! Thank you!

This podcast is so insightful! Hear directly from Biden to Trump Voters to learn how to connect with and speak to the concerns of this decisive slice of the electorate. Dems need to take a page out of the Republican playbook and go to ALL media, including non-political media, and make their case to voters after having listened to what voters have to say. Progressive activists need to spend more time convincing voters and less time pressuring politicians to take stands that are less and less effective as Democratic politicians have less and less power. As long as we have a democracy, the power is with voters, especially low information voters, and reaching those voters needs to be prioritized way more highly that pressuring politicians to take unpopular stands that will make no difference in policy.

I love the podcast and Sarah. But Sam Stein is very condescending talking about DEI and generally not listening to the actual people in the focus groups. And this is consistent with why he goes to facile, trite arguments. He sounds arrogant and doesn’t do the work. He needs to work on his tone and do the work on complexity.

Interesting and needed information into the minds of REAL Americans with fair context of current events.

Good Stuff.

Really enjoying Sarah’s podcast. I think it’s actually one of the most educational but sometimes frightening listens when you hear real Americans speak. But I think it is critical, especially in understanding our last election. Sarah and her guests really nail the discussions around various opinions and statements. I think everyone would benefit from listening to her show. On the outside, I often hear many simplistic conclusions about things. But when you hear actual voters express themselves you learn there is way more in play as to why people think what they do. Highly recommend

This show & these conversations are invaluable! She does the work. Please keep doing what you are doing. We need your wisdom & insights more than ever.

Enough. Let him go.