'Cosplaying as Sean Hannity': Critic explains why podcasts by GOP 'bloviators' are so 'disposable'

Many prominent Republicans on Capitol Hill have been hosting their own podcasts, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida). The New Republic's Alex Shephard critiques their podcasts in an article published on January 2 — and slams them as "disposable, bite-size campaign books."

"The rise of political podcasting is a reflection of the ongoing blurring of right-wing media and politics," Shephard explains. "Sitting congressmen not only take cues from bloviators like Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro, they playact as them between votes."

Shephard observes that podcasts by GOP politicians typically obsess over "existing preoccupations and bugaboos of the culture war: wokeness, immigration, the 'Biden crime family'" —and aren't very good at it.

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The journalist argues that Cruz's "Verdict" podcast "has the feel of…. a high school drama geek cosplaying as Sean Hannity." And Shephard is equally critical of "ceaseless self-promotor" Gaetz's podcast "Firebrand," slamming it as a "reflection of" his "pugilistic and chaotic approach to politics."

"It is a tool in his ongoing war against Republican leaders whom (Gaetz) sees as insufficiently committed to pushing right-wing ideas," Shephard writes. "It is also, to a large extent, an audition tape for the career he seems to actually want: cable news host. If that's the case, he shouldn't quit his day job."

Shephard describes Cruz's "Verdict" and Gaetz's "Firebrand" as "flawed efforts of self-promotion" and adds that Johnson's "Truth Be Told" had "the feel of a more personal project." As a podcaster, Shephard writes, Johnson "was far, far duller" than Cruz or Gaetz.

"And so," Shephard concludes, "we have a weird subgenre: something between a podcast, a stump speech, and a cable TV hit. It almost makes you want to pick up a campaign book."

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Read The New Republic's full report at this link.