After Party with Emily Jashinsky

Episode: Fani Willis Meltdown, Rumors of War, and the DEI-Caused Lost Generation of Men
Guest: Tom Bevin (Co-Founder & President, RealClearPolitics)
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the week’s biggest political stories with wit and big-picture perspective. Host Emily Jashinsky is joined by Tom Bevin for a rapid-fire, insightful discussion on Donald Trump’s surprise primetime address, the spectacle of Fani Willis’s Senate meltdown, potential regime change in Venezuela, and a viral article about the adverse effects of DEI hiring, especially on men. The pair also react to the culture clash moments, including a heated TV debate and Senate hearing misfires.

Main Discussion Themes & Segments

1. Donald Trump’s Primetime Address: Bait and Switch?

[03:32 – 16:00]

• Expectations & Media Setup:

  • Anticipation of a war declaration on Venezuela due to rumors (sparked by Tucker Carlson, via congressional sources).

  • Media and networks prepared for a major foreign policy announcement; instead, Trump focused on the economy and his administration’s accomplishments.

  • Michael Knowles’ tweet: “Simply the best media manipulator ever to hold the office.”

    Emily: “Trump really intentionally pulled a brilliant bait and switch to get the networks to cover this.” [04:57]

• Speech Analysis:

  • Trump delivers a tight 20-minute address (unusual brevity), listing administration accomplishments and ticking off promises for the next year.

  • His tone is described as “angry,” “elevated,” and “rally voice.”

  • Trump attempts to shift focus to affordability, high prices, and next year’s tax refund season, as well as ties wage growth to policy wins.

    Tom: “He seemed like he was using his outside voice, his rally voice, you know… He wanted to probably not be sleepy and seem vigorous... that’s basically what the speech was, a list of not only what he accomplished but what his plan is moving forward.” [06:14]

• Political Calculus:

  • Trump’s approval numbers on the economy are weak (especially with independents and even Republicans), which likely fuels his sense of urgency and frustration.

  • Discussion of the limits of blaming predecessors as year two approaches.

    Tom: “At some point, and it’s already happened, this becomes Trump’s economy… he can still blame Biden, but it’s not going to have the same traction.” [13:15]

• J.D. Vance’s Influence:

  • Acknowledgment that Vance has offered Trump a better “empathetic” tone on the economy—a model Trump could benefit from.

2. 2028 Election Buzz: AOC vs. J.D. Vance

[22:18 – 24:42]

• AOC Responds to Polls Suggesting She Could Beat J.D. Vance:

  • Dismisses early polling but says, “I would stomp him.” [22:35]
  • Tom warns against underestimating her:

    “She has a great social media presence, big following… She has the ‘it factor.’ Underestimating her is foolish.”

• Emily’s Take:

  • Notes AOC’s body language reveals genuine interest in running.

3. Fani Willis Senate Meltdown: Deflection & Spectacle

[28:35 – 35:21]

• Background:

  • Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis testifies before a Georgia Senate committee after being removed from a Trump election case due to a romantic entanglement (accused of financial impropriety involving Nathan Wade, whom she hired at public expense).

• Performance Highlights:

  • Willis arrives in designer clothes, projects confidence.

  • Avoids direct answers about financial impropriety, deflecting to claims of being the victim of racism and threats:

    Willis: “If you want something to investigate as a legislature, investigate how many times they’ve called me the N word… You attacked Fani Willis. What have you done, sir?” [30:03]

• Tom’s Reaction:

  • “She’s almost like a cartoon character... the last refuge of scoundrels is to play the race card and use it as a heat shield from answering legitimate questions.” [31:39, 32:16]

• Emily’s Analysis:

  • Speculates Willis believes she can parlay notoriety into higher office due to media coverage but doubts her prospects.

4. Senatorial Gaffes: FCC Hearing with Brendan Carr & Jackie Rosen

[37:57 – 41:10]

• Incident Recap:

  • Senator Jackie Rosen (D-NV) confronts FCC’s Brendan Carr over news “fairness” and demands investigation into Fox News for alleged editing—but misapplies legal standards (confusing cable and broadcast regulation).

    Carr: “The Fox News interview was on cable… There’s no public interest standard. There’s no broadcast hoax rule. There’s no news distortion. There’s no role for the FCC there.” [38:54]

• Emily’s Take:

  • “The ratio of arrogance to ignorance in that clip...”

• Tom’s Comment:

  • “It is always shocking when senators say things that are so… dumb.” [39:22]

• Broader FCC/Media Regulation Issues:

  • Brendan Carr’s approach sparks debate on government oversight and free press, especially as media and government pipelines become intertwined.

5. Culture War Flashpoints

a) Jillian Michaels Called a White Nationalist on TV

[43:35 – 47:27]

• Piers Morgan Uncensored Clip:

  • Wajahat Ali labels Michaels a “white nationalist,” only for her to clarify she’s Arab (Syrian, Lebanese):

    Michaels: “You know I’m Arab, right?” [44:08]

    • Emily: “That was delicious. I love moments like that.”

• Tom’s Reflection:

  • Names and labels as debate-stoppers are losing their power as the right pushes back more confidently.

b) Viral Compact Magazine Article: “The Lost Generation”

[48:05 – 55:51]

• J.D. Vance Tweets Dissatisfaction with DEI:

  • Brings attention to a viral article arguing that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs have fostered discrimination against white men, particularly in hiring for media and creative industries.

    Vance (via Emily): “In reality, [DEI] was a deliberate program of discrimination primarily against white men.” Tom: “[DEI] put their thumb on the scales… it was the opposite of merit-based.”

• Statistical Highlights:

  • Examples from the article:
    • 2021 Conde Nast new hires: only 25% male, 49% white.
    • NPR: 78% of new hires were people of color.
    • Atlantic staff: From 89% to 66% white in a decade.

• Tom’s View:

  • Argues this structural shift has changed not just newsroom demographics but the nature of journalism itself—toward advocacy and narrative over objectivity.

  • Asserts that bias is inevitable when hiring becomes so demographically targeted.

    Tom: “They’re creating narrative journalism… they’ve already decided in their heads the story they’re going to write before they actually go write it.” [55:05]

6. Venezuela: Rumors of War & Regime Change

[61:30 – 66:57+]

• Emily’s Monologue:

  • Dissects the administration’s legal and political justifications for escalating conflict with Venezuela.

  • Criticizes the use of narco-terrorism as pretext and lack of forthrightness regarding goals (notably regime change, rather than direct U.S. security threats).

  • Connects the playbook to Cold War interventions and questions whether risking American lives is justified for old resource disputes and geopolitical muscle-flexing.

    Emily: “If that’s what this is about, [Trump] should say, ‘I think it’s worth it for American service members to risk their lives in order to get Maduro to cry uncle.’ Say that… Do it the right way. Be honest with the American public.” [66:57]

• Key Questions Raised:

  • Has Trump or the administration been honest about true motivations?
  • Is it truly about American security, or old oil expropriation and anti-China/Russia geopolitics?
  • Cautions about history repeating regarding false or exaggerated WMD claims (citing Iraq).

Memorable Quotes

• On Trump’s Media Maneuvering:

  Emily (on Trump’s “fake out”): “Trump really intentionally pulled a brilliant bait and switch to get the networks to cover this.” [04:57]

• On Willis’s Senate Performance:

  Tom: “She’s almost like a cartoon character… the last refuge of scoundrels is to play the race card.” [31:39, 32:16]

• On DEI and Journalism:

  Tom: “DEI put their thumb on the scales… it was not merit-based. The institutional structures that DEI built up inside these companies across all industries—this has happened throughout… every nook and cranny of our society.” [52:51]
  “Narrative journalism—they’ve already decided in their heads the story they're going to write before they actually go write it.” [55:05]

• On FCC & Senatorial Ignorance:

  Emily: “The ratio of arrogance to ignorance in that clip…” [39:10]
  Tom: “It is always shocking when senators say things that are so... dumb.” [39:22]

• On Using Labels to Shut Down Debate:

  Tom: “Calling someone a white nationalist is an attempt to shut down debate... that’s not how debate is supposed to go in this country.” [46:24]

• On War Rumors & Venezuela:

  Emily: “We have not seen—so far—the Trump administration say this is about regime change… If that’s what this is about, [he] should say that. Be honest with the American public.” [66:57]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:32 – Trump’s address: expectations & bait-and-switch analysis
• 07:17 – Example of Trump’s speech: list of accomplishments
• 12:00 – Trump’s ongoing messaging challenges on the economy
• 16:26 – Harry Enton/CNN clip: Trump’s support softening among base
• 22:18 – AOC v. J.D. Vance poll & reaction
• 28:35 – Fani Willis’s Georgia Senate testimony
• 37:57 – FCC/Jackie Rosen hearing missteps
• 43:35 – Jillian Michaels accused of being a white nationalist on TV
• 48:05 – J.D. Vance, DEI, and the “Lost Generation”
• 61:30 – Venezuela monologue: foreign policy, war powers, oil, regime change

Tone & Style

• Fast-paced, conversational, sharp-witted
• Mix of policy analysis, personal anecdotes, and pop culture flavor
• Candid, often irreverent, but grounded in current political events

Summary

This episode offers a full-throttle rundown of U.S. political drama, from the spectacle of primetime politics to the intricacies of DEI workplace battles. Trump’s surprise address, Fani Willis’s defensive Senate performance, and cultural skirmishes in media are all dissected with humor and a sharp eye for media manipulation and narrative control. The Venezuela war discourse is taken seriously, with Emily challenging the administration’s honesty in selling its foreign policy. All the while, Tom Bevin provides data-rich commentary on polling, political calculations, and the shifting sands of both the electorate and the news business.