Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar

Episode: December 10, 2025 – "Josh Shapiro War On Kamala, Newsom Dodges AIPAC Questions, Corporate Lobbyist Vs The Rich"
Hosts: Krystal Ball, Ryan Grim (sitting in for Saagar)
Guest: Sam Godaldig (Republican lobbyist)
Date: December 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into three key topics dominating U.S. political discourse as 2025 closes:

1. Kamala Harris’s 2028 ambitions and the backlash from establishment voices like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
2. Gavin Newsom’s careful sidestepping of AIPAC lobbying questions—and the broader shifting politics around Israel
3. “Class Dismissed” and the political realignment’s impact on how wealth, class, and race are perceived on Capitol Hill, with insights from Republican corporate lobbyist Sam Godaldig

The hosts offer unfiltered perspectives from both the left and right, mixing snappy banter, fact-checking, and a willingness to scrutinize the new power realignments in D.C.

Segment 1: Kamala Harris—A 2028 “Historic Figure” & The Shapiro Backlash

(Start: 02:17)

Key Discussion Points

• Kamala Harris’s Media Profiles: Recent prominent coverage in The New York Times and The Atlantic signals her ongoing presidential ambitions and campaign repositioning.
• Book Sales and Public Interest: The hosts admit they underestimated Harris’ memoir, which reportedly sold 600,000 copies—a top seller for the year. Krystal speculates much of this could be from corporate bulk buys, but concedes public interest appears substantial.
• Shapiro’s Candid Critique: The Atlantic profile of Josh Shapiro includes blunt comments he made about Harris' narratives, sparking debate.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Kamala’s self-assessment:

  • "There will be a marble bust of me in Congress. I am a historic figure like any vice president of the United States ever was."
    (Krystal Ball quoting Harris, 02:27)

• Josh Shapiro on Harris (04:34):

  • "I mean, she's trying to sell books and cover her ass. Sorry."
  • "She's trying to sell books, period. What were you trying to signal in that moment, sir?" – Response to Simone Sanders’ question.

• Ownership of words (04:58, Sam Godaldig reading Shapiro quote):

  • "There's no parsing. Look, I stand by what I said... The words are mine and I stand by them."

• Hosts’ Take:

  • Ryan Grim (05:32): "It’s pretty funny. So, yeah, I mean, he's like, look, I said what I said."
  • Krystal: "Josh Shapiro, love him or hate him, feels a lot more like the future of the Democratic Party than Kamala Harris does." (08:55)

Humorous Aside

• The hosts riff on obscure vice presidents, discussing how Harris will join their ranks in Capitol statuary:
  • “These are the esteemed ranks of men Kamala Harris will join with her bust in the Capitol.” (Krystal, 08:14)

Segment 2: Gavin Newsom, AIPAC, and the New Litmus Test

(Start: 09:12)

Key Discussion Points

• Gavin Newsom Questioned on AIPAC: Newsom claims never to have accepted AIPAC money, grouping it with tobacco and oil.
• Parsing Newsom’s Language: The hosts dissect whether Newsom has actually committed to refusing AIPAC money in the future or left himself an out.
• Context: Democratic candidates are facing increased grassroots pressure to reject support from pro-Israel lobbies, reflecting shifting party dynamics.

Notable Quotes & Analysis

• Newsom’s ambiguity (11:39, paraphrased):

  • Ryan: "Notice the change in tense... He said, 'I don't take tobacco money or oil money, and I've never taken AIPAC money.' Not that he won't take it in the future."
  • Krystal: “It's slick in the like—did he get you?—a legalistic sense... sometimes you have to see the transcript.”

• Potential for Change (13:00):

  • Ryan: "If the leading establishment candidate for the Democratic nomination just straight up said 'I'm not taking AIPAC money', that would actually be a seismic shift."

• Relevance for Democratic primaries: Upcoming Texas primary between Jasmine Crockett and Tallarico will test the salience of these litmus-test questions.

Segment 3: “Class Dismissed”—The Corporate Lobbyist’s View on Class Realignment

(Start: 17:25)

Key Discussion Points

• Introducing Sam Godaldig: Decades-long lobbyist who’s authored “Class Dismissed”, documenting elite bias toward wealthy districts and representatives in Congress.
• Class & Representation in D.C.:
  • Lobbyists and D.C. elites unconsciously valorize members from wealthier (often whiter) districts as “reasonable” and dismiss those from poorer (often nonwhite) districts as “problems.”
  • Structural inequalities: Poorer districts see worse health, shorter life spans, higher military service, and less access to influence.
• Quantitative Shifts:
  • Of the 30 wealthiest congressional districts: 23 are Democratic, 7 Republican.
    (Krystal Ball, 22:14)
  • The 30 poorest: 18 Democratic (almost all Black or Hispanic Caucus), 12 Republican (mainly white).

Notable Quotes & Analysis

• On K Street/classism (18:25):

  • Sam: "You realize that members that represent wealthier congressional districts have the best reputations in DC... there’s this unconscious bias... and after 20 years you start, like, holy shit, everyone here is a classist."

• On populism and realignment (23:12):

  • Sam: "The Republican rank and file... represents constituencies that have had a really tough go of it. Those voters... are not as reflexively, ideologically pro-business as the party was... Politics has evolved."

• On internal bias (34:59):

  • Krystal: "...there’s populism, whether it’s Democratic populism or Republican populism. There's a class-based populism that's emerged as a pattern, as a trend."
  • Sam: "Some of this stuff makes sense, but it has to break a frame of how you were raised, how you were... what situation you grew up in."

• On lessons for corporate clients (37:21):

  • Sam: "If you show them the path to success, whatever it might be, they’ll get there... But again... most people don't have that luxury where they can pop into a congressional office and get a real taste of America…"

Memorable Exchanges

• On shifting nostalgia (oligarchs vs. corporate dominance):
  • Ryan: "Compared to the oligarchs that are now kind of the dominant power structure in the U.S., I'm almost, like, wistful for the time of the corporate capture of America." (37:41)
  • Krystal: "Wistful for the Chamber of Commerce." (37:43)
  • Sam: "Yeah, it's careful what you wish for. That happens in Washington a lot." (37:46)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Kamala Harris’s Media Moment & Shapiro Clash: 02:17 – 09:12
• Gavin Newsom & AIPAC: 09:12 – 15:07
• "Class Dismissed" & the New Political Geography: 17:25 – 38:26

Final Thoughts

This episode of Breaking Points exposes the ongoing realignment of American partisan politics around class and wealth, highlighting the simultaneous divides and overlaps between race, party, and elite perception. The debate over AIPAC money and scrutiny of establishment figures like Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom show both a generational and ideological shift, with growing demand for authenticity and clarity. The lobbyist’s perspective on class divides suggests that the most significant battle in U.S. politics might now be within, not between, America's parties.

The hosts maintain their signature mix of skepticism, humor, and candor, taking aim at both sides of the aisle and the D.C. establishment.

Listen to the episode on BreakingPoints.com
For the full “Class Dismissed” report, visit CGCN’s website.