Federalist Radio Hour
Episode: Eddie Scarry On The Democrat Party’s Collapse Into Anti-Americanism
Host: Matt Kittle
Guest: Eddie Scarry (Federalist D.C. Columnist, author of "Traitors: The Democrat Party’s Collapse Into Anti-American Filth")
Date: September 23, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Matt Kittle sits down with Eddie Scarry, columnist at The Federalist and author of the provocative new book Traitors: The Democrat Party’s Collapse Into Anti-American Filth. Together, they navigate Scarry’s assertions that the modern Democratic party has veered into anti-American territory, eroding foundational values and fostering a culture of division, hypocrisy, and even violence. The discussion spans recent political trends, media complicity, cultural hypocrisy, immigration, and the importance of reasserting what it means to be an American.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Genesis of the Book and Its Title
- Directness of the Title: Scarry discusses his deliberate choice of the book's incendiary title, emphasizing the need to call out what he perceives as a betrayal of American values by the Democratic Party.
- Initial Alternatives: The original title used “Anti-American Squalor” until feedback pointed toward “filth” as more direct and relatable.
- [03:23] Eddie Scarry:
“For one reason or another, you kind of realize that it doesn't quite hit. ...But the whole title itself captures the theme really well of the book.”
2. The Kirk Assassination & Cultural Reaction
- Aftermath of the Tragedy: The assassination of Charlie Kirk is framed as a tragic milestone, with Scarry arguing that reactions on social media underscore a moral and political collapse among liberals.
- Dehumanization & Open Hostility: Kittle and Scarry note not only the tragedy but the subsequent “glee” from left-wing commentators online.
- [06:14] Eddie Scarry:
“I don't think we've seen Democrats and liberals behave this way, this exact way until now...they’ll go on TikTok, show their face and just with absolute glee celebrate something tragic, deadly violent happening to someone who they oppose politically.”
3. Equality vs. Equity—Roots of Division
- Shift from Equality to Equity: The hosts argue that the left’s adoption of “equity” and “anti-racism” (as Scarry calls “Marxist terms”) has led to a rejection of foundational American equality.
- Victimhood Culture: According to Scarry, left-wing politics now prioritize group grievance and entitlement rather than equal opportunity.
- DEI’s Role: Scarry points to the Obama era as accelerating these trends.
- [10:49] Eddie Scarry:
“There was this notion taking hold on the left that your grievances based on your gender identity, your race, those things are paramount... you're entitled to money, you're entitled to attention, financial gain.”
4. COVID Hypocrisy and Power
- Political Exploitation of COVID: Scarry details how Democratic officials enforced strict rules on the public while exempting themselves, highlighting figures like Pelosi and Newsom.
- Hierarchy over Hypocrisy: Not merely hypocrisy, but an assertion of class hierarchy—“it’s not hypocrisy, it’s hierarchy.”
- [19:54] Eddie Scarry & Matt Kittle
Scarry: “Remember how it felt when you saw them doing all the things they told you you couldn't do. ...It's not hypocrisy, it's hierarchy.”
5. Abandoning Democracy to ‘Save’ Democracy
- Lawfare & Election Interference: The discussion details efforts to bankrupt, prosecute, and even physically endanger Donald Trump as examples of anti-democratic behavior.
- Media Collusion: The corporate media is seen as complicit in shaping narratives and covering for Democratic party misdeeds.
- Kamala Harris & 2024 Election: Scarry ridicules media attempts to prop up Kamala Harris and manipulate polls.
- [20:54] Eddie Scarry:
“If there's one thing I want from this book, it's a full accounting because I don't think we've quite confronted exactly what we went through with the last election…they tried to remove [Trump] from the ballot to literally deny, deny Americans their choice.”
6. The Media, Comedy, and Manufactured Victimhood
- Late Night Hosts: Critique of Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel for turning late night into left-wing echo chambers, alienating broad audiences.
- The Kimmel Suspension: Kittle and Scarry decry the portrayal of Kimmel as a “victim,” contrasting his suspension with the murder of Charlie Kirk.
- [36:54] Matt Kittle:
“The only person in the conversation that we are having that is literally been silenced and martyred is Charlie Kirk.”
- Scarry on “Broadcast” TV Standard:
“The word is in the name, broadcast. It's supposed to be broadly appealing.” (34:46)
7. Immigration, Assimilation, and the Left
- Personal Story: Scarry shares his mother’s journey from Mexico, her insistence on assimilation, and her aversion to ethnic flag-waving.
- Contrast with Democratic Approach: Argues the left favors illegal immigrants over legal ones and over native Americans, for cynical political reasons.
- [41:32] Eddie Scarry:
“She wanted us to be as American as possible. She is as American as possible...she still does it to this day: if you see people with, like, a Puerto Rican flag... she gets furious. ...You cannot represent another country. Why are you here then?”
8. The Path Forward—Sanity, Courage, Identity
- Reasserting American Identity: Scarry suggests that unity among “real Americans” (as he calls them) demands standing up to left-wing radicalism in everyday life—not shying from conflict or uncomfortable conversations.
- The Need for Assertiveness: Accommodating leftist "anti-social, anti-American" behavior is seen as dangerous for the nation’s future.
- [46:26] Eddie Scarry:
“We have to win all of it. ...People who love this country and don't want to see it disappear, they have to say, I'm not dealing with that and that's enough.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Democratic Hypocrisy:
“You can't love this country and what it stands for, what men and women have died for, and at the same time hold the views of the modern liberal. The two are incompatible.”
— Matt Kittle [04:55] -
On Social Media Outrage:
“They'll go on TikTok, show their face and just with absolute glee celebrate something tragic, deadly violent happening to someone who they oppose politically. That is nothing I have seen before.”
— Eddie Scarry [06:14] -
On Lawfare:
“There’s first the attempt to zero out his finances, then the attempt to put him in prison, then there’s attempt he’s actually shot—another assassination attempt. ...They tried to remove him from the ballot to literally deny, deny Americans their choice.”
— Eddie Scarry [21:38] -
On "Hierarchy" vs. Hypocrisy:
“It’s not hypocrisy, it’s hierarchy.”
— Eddie Scarry (via common Federalist saying) [19:54] -
On Immigration and Assimilation:
“She wanted us to be as American as possible... Why are you here then? Go back.”
— Eddie Scarry about his mother [41:32] -
On Being an American:
“We have a way of living here that is distinct and unique and it should be celebrated by every real patriotic American. ...You certainly know an American when you see it and you know, American behavior and conduct and someone who really subscribes to the American way and the left just completely rejects it all.”
— Eddie Scarry [43:50] -
On Standing Up:
“You're gonna see this country disappear if you don't start standing up for what you believe and, and loudly doing it.”
— Eddie Scarry [48:15]
Segment Timestamps
- 01:30: Show and guest intro
- 03:23: Title and theme of the book
- 06:14: Reaction to Kirk assassination, liberal responses
- 10:49: Discussion of “equity”, DEI, and Obama-era shifts
- 16:05: COVID hypocrisy, lockdown behavior
- 19:54: Explanation: “It’s not hypocrisy, it’s hierarchy”
- 20:54: “To Save Democracy, They Abandoned Democracy”—on lawfare, media, Kamala Harris
- 26:46: The role of polling, media narrative, and audience trust
- 34:42: The Jimmy Kimmel controversy and media hypocrisy
- 41:32: Scarry's mother's immigration story and criticism of left’s immigration approach
- 46:26: What’s next: Standing up, the need for unity among “sane” Americans
Tone and Language
The conversation is combative, unsparing, and laden with sarcasm and frustration toward the left and the mainstream media, consistent with The Federalist’s editorial style. Scarry and Kittle use rhetorical exaggeration, dark humor, and cultural references to point up what they see as hypocrisy and decline.
Summary for the Uninitiated
If you haven't listened, this episode serves as both a polemic and a playbook. Scarry and Kittle argue that the Democratic Party and its allies in the media have lost all connection to core American values—especially equality, free speech, and respect for dissent. They urge listeners to be unafraid in asserting America's unique cultural identity and to oppose what they characterize as the left’s anti-American slide, offering pointed critiques drawn from recent events, personal experience, and political history.