Tim Miller on ‘Why We Did It’ and the future of the Republican party

In "Why We Did It", Tim Miller gives an honest reflection his own past work for the Republican Party and the actions of his former peers in the GOP establishment.

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Tim Miller is The Bulwark’s writer-at-large. His new book, Why We Did It, is published by Harper Collins. (Sophie Berard Photography)

Tim Miller is The Bulwark’s writer-at-large. His new book, Why We Did It, is published by Harper Collins. (Sophie Berard Photography)

Tuesday’s January 6th Committee hearing is expected to focus on the rioters and mob who stormed the Capitol, looking at far-right groups like the Proud Boys and the efforts to assemble them on the day of the insurrection. Throughout the hearings and testimony from party insiders, a majority of prominent GOP legislators have remained silent or vehemently denied the legitimacy of the committee, calling it another “witch hunt” and backing former President Trump. Recent polling shows millions of Trump’s voters also support him, and many believe in the lie of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.

How did the party get to this point, appearing to pivot towards far-Right conspiracy theories which have spread further among even moderate voters since the 2016 election? In his new book, Why We Did It: A Travelogue From the Republican Road to Hellpolitical consultant and journalist Tim Miller sets out to answer this question. He traces the role of the Republican party of the 2000s to present day, reflecting on his own political ideology and what he calls the “self-deception” of the party he used to love.

Guest

Tim Miller, Political analyst and journalist at The Bulwark. His new political memoir is Why We Did It: A Travelogue From the Republican Road to Hell. (@Timodc)

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The New York Times ‘Why We Did It’ Is a Dark Ride on the ‘Republican Road to Hell’ “The second half of “Why We Did It” is a taxonomy of the kind of Republicans who went MAGA, based on Miller’s conversations with them and his firsthand knowledge of what makes the most opportunistic D.C. creatures tick.”

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