From The Atlantic.
On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” David opens with his reaction to the racist AI video of Barack and Michelle Obama that was posted and quickly deleted by President Trump’s Truth Social account. He argues that when the president engages in this behavior, it undermines his administration’s other actions that resemble those of a normal presidency.
David is then joined by Stephen Richer, a former Republican county recorder of Maricopa County. They discuss Stephen’s experience navigating Trump’s 2020 election denial, standing up to pressure from the president, and confronting election denialism within his own party. They also examine the Trump administration’s current activities in Georgia and how they could set the stage for more election denialism in 2026.
Finally, David reflects on Edward Gibbon’s “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” as the series marks its 250th anniversary. Though the monumental work remains essential to understanding the fall of Rome, David explores how Gibbon’s moralizing of history can lead modern readers to dangerous conclusions.
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00:00 Introduction
01:12 The President Posted a Racist Video
03:25 Supreme Court and Affirmative Action
05:04 Trump Administration’s Approach to Racial Issues
08:20 Stephen Richer
10:11 Maricopa County at the Center of 2020 Election Denial
13:38 Election Integrity and Conspiracy Theories
15:38 What is Trump up to in Georgia?
21:22 2026 Concerns
29:27 Faith in the Courts
33:31 SAVE Act
37:20 Mail-in Ballots and Republican Concerns
40:33 Election Day Process
44:19 Post-Election Audits and Securit
49:49 "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” 250 Years Later
