Speaking Truth to Power (and to the Pews): Peter Wehner on the Evangelical Vote and America's Future

Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other

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In this conversation, host Corey Nathan welcomes back Peter Wehner, contributing writer at The Atlantic and The New York Times, senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, and author of multiple books including The Death of Politics and City of Man. A former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, Pete brings a unique perspective shaped by his deep political experience, Christian faith, and unwavering moral compass. Together, Corey and Pete engage in a wide-ranging conversation on the 2024 election, the moral health of our nation, the role of the church, and the constitutional implications of a second Trump presidency.

What We Discuss:

How Pete Wehner processed the pivotal moments of the 2024 election, including Biden’s withdrawal and Kamala Harris’s campaign
Why Donald Trump’s reelection reveals unsettling truths about American society and the church
How constitutional crises might unfold under Trump’s second term
Why thinkers like Vaclav Havel, Solzhenitsyn, and Tocqueville are essential guides in this political moment
How to have more effective and empathetic conversations across political and religious divides

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:00] – Introduction to Pete Wehner’s background and career
[00:02:00] – Pete reflects on Biden’s debate performance and why he felt Biden should have withdrawn sooner
[00:05:00] – Analysis of Kamala Harris’s campaign, debate performance, and what ultimately cost her the election
[00:09:00] – The moral reckoning: what Trump’s reelection says about American voters and the church
[00:14:00] – Pete dissects why evangelicals have remained loyal to Trump and how rationalizations took hold
[00:27:00] – A 30-page email exchange: Pete’s attempt to reason with a high-profile Trump supporter and what it revealed
[00:34:00] – Trump’s “appetite for revenge”: Pete outlines troubling actions already taken in just 60 days of Trump’s second term
[00:41:00] – Defining a constitutional crisis and what happens when a president defies court rulings
[00:46:00] – Finding hope and moral clarity through leaders like Havel, Solzhenitsyn, and Tocqueville
[00:50:00] – The TP&R question: Pete's insights on how to build better conversations across our differences

Featured Quotes:

“Donald Trump is president because of the white evangelical vote. He touched something deep in the hearts of many Christians—and that should trouble us.” – Peter Wehner

“Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well; it’s the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.” – Vaclav Havel (quoted by Pete)

“We're moving toward a constitutional crisis... If Trump defies a court order, we may find out how many divisions Chief Justice John Roberts really has.” – Peter Wehner

“We have to prioritize human relationships. The ripple effects for the country can be healthy.” – Peter Wehner

Resources Mentioned:

Peter Wehner’s articles in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/peter-wehner/
Peter Wehner’s columns in The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/column/peter-wehner
“The Power of the Powerless” by Vaclav Havel: https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/resource/the-power-of-the-powerless/
The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: https://www.amazon.com/Gulag-Archipelago-1918-1956-Experiment-Investigation/dp/0061253804
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/815/815-h/815-h.htm

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