Podcast Summary: Deadline: White House

Host: Nicolle Wallace, MSNBC
Episode Title: "Having the Courage to Speak Up"
Date: January 26, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers on an extraordinary moment of civic action and protest in America, tracing the courageous response of ordinary citizens—and eventually public figures and institutions—to the federal killings of Renee Nicole Goode and Alex Preddy in Minneapolis by federal agents under the Trump administration. Nicolle Wallace and her guests examine the cultural shift where sports figures, celebrities, and everyday people choose to speak out, analyzing the deeper implications for democracy, civic virtue, political power, and the global image of the United States.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Contagion of Courage in Civic Protests

• Nicolle Wallace begins by framing the protests as acts of "courage that frankly we don't see outside of the American people." She underscores that the widespread silence, especially from institutional leaders, is no longer sustainable given the urgency on the streets ([01:12]).
• Anne Applebaum calls it a "watershed moment," emphasizing how "courage...is always contagious" and noting the historic pattern of bravery influencing broader sectors of society ([09:36]).

Key Quote:
“That kind of courage, that demonstration of civic virtue and civic willpower, that is always contagious... They understand that something important has happened.”
—Anne Applebaum ([09:36])

2. Athletes and Celebrities Break Their Silence

• Nicolle highlights the impact of NBA figures, recapping statements from coaches and players, and the NBA Players Association's call to action:

"NBA players can no longer remain silent. Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting..." ([03:21])

• She also shares how Hollywood shifted from previous silence to public condemnation, citing Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde, and Ed Norton at Sundance ([06:13]).

Memorable Moment:
“It doesn’t matter [because] they are following what we described Friday as an act of historic bravery—historic, it will be studied for hundreds of years..."
—Nicolle Wallace ([06:34])

3. Presidential Response: The Obamas Weigh In

• Nicolle reads from the Obamas' statement, calling the killing a "heartbreaking tragedy" and warning of core values "under assault" ([08:09]).
• The statement underscores the need for citizen engagement at every level and hails peaceful protest as a defense of democracy.

4. The Nature of Sustaining Democratic Action

• Anne Applebaum urges translating protest energy into political participation: "What matters is participating in elections, making sure you have good candidates, maybe being a candidate yourself, being involved at every level..." ([10:42])
• She argues local politics are just as critical as national, citing Minneapolis as proof.

5. Regular Americans as the Agents of Change

• Mitch Landrieu reflects on disillusionment with institutional responses, recalling his post-Katrina experience and stressing, "the people that are going to save this country are regular folks on the street... If you're waiting on the senators... evidently they have told you they're not coming."

Key Quote:
"Donald Trump will not be stopped unless you stop him and the only thing that's going to make it happen is the might and the cumulative power and courage of regular American citizens to stand up and say, hell no, not here, not in my country."
—Mitch Landrieu ([12:50])

6. Refusing Consent: More Americans Make a Choice

• Eddie Glaude notes the crucial moment as "a crossroads," insisting, "everyday ordinary people are forced to make a choice... even if you refuse, you're making a choice" ([14:44]).
• Tom Nichols adds: "What we're seeing in the Twin Cities is a refusal to consent... they are calling for rolling civic power outages" ([14:44]).

7. The Power of Irrefutable Evidence

• Nicolle and Mitch discuss the potency of phone videos that contradict official narratives, noting "this is one you can't look away from" ([16:21]), and how even steadfast supporters can’t ignore undeniable imagery.

8. International Repercussions and the 'Shining City' Fades

• Anne Applebaum details how protest visuals juxtaposed with events like Davos have shattered the U.S.’s image abroad:

"They look like democracy protests in other places we know... all of this is having a profound effect on the image, and maybe even the power, of the United States" ([23:02]).

• Mitch laments, "It's hard to even state how much confidence the world has lost in the United States' ability to be a cohesive force" ([24:44]).

9. The Deepening Fault Lines in Right-Wing Politics

• Nicolle explores how the killings have sparked rifts among right-wing groups—most notably the NRA—in reaction to Trump’s shifting rhetoric on guns, exposing hypocrisy ([18:32], [31:03]).
• The administration's double standard is scrutinized: law-abiding gun owners at protests are condemned, even as similar conduct by MAGA supporters went unpunished ([32:10]).

10. Gaslighting and Propaganda

• Eddie Glaude and Tom Nichols dissect the "Orwellian" tactics of the Trump administration, noting the replacement of truth with purposeful "bullshit" (referencing philosopher Harry Frankfurt):

“Calling hypocrisy, calling lies—it doesn't matter because they want to soak us, they want to drown us in bs." —Eddie Glaude ([33:51])

11. Confronting Cognitive Dissonance

• Tom Nichols explains, "ordinary citizens need to call out that cognitive dissonance among each other"—refusing to accept revisionist history or gaslighting from political leaders ([39:21]).
• The panel agrees that calling out lies and hypocrisy remains crucial, even when supporters seem unmoved.

12. The Necessity—and Limits—of Hope

• Eddie Glaude cautions that exposing lies is necessary, but more is needed:

"We also have to understand that this is not just simply about cognitive dissonance and ignorance. There's something deeper at work in the psyche of the MAGA base..." ([42:13])

• Mitch adds, "They think it's okay if someone opposes them... to take them out. They think that's their prerogative... That should scare the crap out of everybody in America" ([43:20]).

Notable Quotes, Moments, and Timestamps

• Anne Applebaum:
  "That kind of courage... is always contagious." ([09:36])

• Michelle & Barack Obama (read by Nicolle):
  “[This is] a wake up call to every American... Every American should support and draw inspiration from the wave of peaceful protests…” ([08:09])

• Charles Barkley (quoted by Nicolle):
  "Two people have died for no reason and it's just sad." ([02:47])

• Eddie Glaude:
  "Everyday ordinary people are forced to make a choice—they're forcing Americans to make a choice: which side are you on? And it's momentous." ([14:44])

• Tom Nichols:
  "The most powerful tool against that is people's phones and the ability to document what is actually happening." ([16:21])

• Mitch Landrieu:
  "America's heart and soul is right now [with] teachers and construction workers and nurses... it's going to be necessary in order to get our country back." ([24:44])

• Eddie Glaude:
  "They think that's their prerogative... That in fact American citizens who are protesting are in fact enemies, not fellow patriots arguing over the future of democracy. That should scare the crap out of everybody." ([43:20])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Courage and Public Protest: 01:12 – 09:36
• Celebrities and Athletes Speak Out: 03:21 – 06:34
• Obama Statement on Democratic Values: 08:09 – 09:36
• Anne Applebaum on Democratic Action: 09:36 – 11:49
• Mitch Landrieu on Ordinary Americans Leading Change: 11:49 – 13:51
• Eddie Glaude on Civic Organizing and the Crossroads: 14:44 – 16:21
• Irrefutable Evidence & Division: 16:21 – 18:32
• International Reactions and Shattered Image: 23:02 – 24:41
• Future of People Power & Boycotts: 26:33 – 29:12
• Right-Wing Hypocrisy Exposed: 31:03 – 32:39
• Gaslighting and “BS”: 33:51 – 36:24
• Hope vs. Cynicism: 42:07 – 44:45
• Susan Rice: Authoritarian Intimidation & American Resistance: 45:38 – 47:23

Language, Tone, and Final Thoughts

The episode is urgent, passionate, and clear-eyed. Nicolle Wallace and her panel balance moral outrage, analytical rigor, and calls to courage. They emphasize the relentless need for truth, vigilance, and participation, while warning of the dangers of complacency and the normalization of authoritarian tactics.

Final Quote (Susan Rice):
"I believe that the vast majority of Americans are not interested in surrendering our constitutional rights... and the people of Minneapolis and Minnesota more broadly... are showing us the way.” ([44:45])

Recommended for listeners seeking clarity, context, and hope amid a watershed American crisis.