Show overview
The Focus Group Podcast has been publishing since 2022, and across the 4 years since has built a catalogue of 160 episodes, alongside 1 trailer or bonus episode. That works out to roughly 130 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence, with the show now in its 6th season.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 45 min and 57 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. Roughly 21% of episodes carry an explicit flag from the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language News show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 4 days ago, with 30 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2024, with 49 episodes published. Published by The Bulwark.
From the publisher
Unfiltered, uncompromising, unexpected—The Focus Group is a look into what the average voter thinks about politics, policy, and current events. Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark, has conducted hundreds of hours of focus groups all across the country. She and a series of special guests will take you behind the glass to hear what real focus group participants have to say. https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/focus-group/
Latest Episodes
View all 160 episodesS6 Ep47: Kyle Clark: Colorado's Mad Libs
S6 Ep46: Patrick Svitek: Texas & Maine Swing Voters Sound Off
S6 Ep45: Rachel Janfaza: You Kids, Get Off My Lawn!
S6 Ep44: Amy Walter: Everyone is on the Take
S6 Ep43: Peter Hamby: California Is The Progressive Id
S6 Ep42: Adam Jentleson: More Heterodoxy, Please
S6 Ep41: Greg Bluestein: Georgia's Root Canal Primary
S6 Ep40: Tim Miller: Good Riddance, Bill Cassidy?
S6 Ep39: Chuck Schumer’s Candidate Got Humiliated in Maine
S6 Ep38: America's 'House of Cards' Mentality (with David Frum)
S6 Ep37: Trump Promised Lower Prices. Everything Got Worse! (w/ Rotimi Adeoye)
S6 Ep36: America's Divisions: Getting on Our Nerves (with Jessica Tarlov)
S6 Ep35: Trump Voters Say 'Nope' to the Pope (with Jonathan V. Last)
S6 Ep34: Why Women Don’t Need Men Anymore—In Their Own Words (w/ Sami Sage)
S6 Ep33: The Sad, Mad GOP Base (with Amy Walter)
S6 Ep 32S6 Ep32: It's "Messing With Me Mentally" (with Ashley Parker)
The Iran War has been going on for a month, and it’s deeply, DEEPLY unpopular. Plus, we get reactions from swing voters on the characters inside the Trump administration who they like (like Marco Rubio), or REALLY dislike (listen to find out). Atlantic staff writer Ashley Parker returns to the show. By Ashley Parker:The Wrath of Stephen MillerPre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September!
S6 Ep 31S6 Ep31: PSA: AI is NOT Your Boyfriend!! (with Megan McArdle)
Artificial intelligence is such a big change to human civilization that our political class is struggling to keep up. The voters in our focus groups are struggling, too. The Washington Post's Megan McArdle joins the show to discuss how everyday Americans are using (and misusing!) AI, its impact on the political process and information environment, and how public policy can adapt to this brave new world.Megan McArdle's Washington Post Podcast, Reasonably OptimisticMake laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code THEFOCUSGROUP at https://laundrysauce.com/THEFOCUSGROUP #laundrysaucepodGet 60% off your first box with Tempo Meals at https://TempoMeals.com/THEFOCUSGROUP.
S6 Ep 30S6 Ep30: ‘All of You Could Be Democrats’ (with Anderson Clayton)
A lot of the young people we’ve been talking to recently in our focus groups are relatively apolitical, and many of them don’t vote. But what DO these young people care about? And what could mobilize them in the future? Rachel Janfaza discusses with Anderson Clayton, the youngest state party chair in the U.S. and chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.
S6 Ep 29S6 Ep29: Illinois Senate Race: Daaaa Dems (with David Axelrod)
EThe Democratic primary for US Senate in Illinois is a bit quiet, according to our guest. But underneath the surface, one candidate has a VERY interesting way of getting attention...and voters are starting to notice. David Axelrod, former adviser to President Obama, joins the show to discuss this Chicago-style Senate race. Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September!
S6 Ep 28S6 Ep28: BONUS POD: Iran Fears &...Focus Groups Love The Bulwark?
Sarah was out last week, and felt she had to bring you some timely focus group reactions to the War in Iran. We also check in on their feelings about the Trump administration (especially their handling of the Epstein Files), and talk about a growing strain of conspiracy theorizing tied to Israel (Jeffrey Epstein and Charlie Kirk are BOTH involved!)Finally, we’ve recently seen members of the Bulwark community pop up in the wild in our focus groups. Hear what drew THEM to The Bulwark. Sarah and Bill Kristol sift through it all.Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September!