Federalist Radio Hour: ‘You're Wrong’ With Mollie Hemingway And David Harsanyi, Ep. 184: Snow And ICE

Date: January 28, 2026
Hosts: Mollie Hemingway (Editor-in-Chief, The Federalist), David Harsanyi (Senior Writer, Washington Examiner)

Episode Overview

This episode of “You’re Wrong” features Mollie Hemingway and David Harsanyi navigating two primary themes:

1. The effects of winter storms and government inefficiency in DC and the South
2. A deep dive into the latest ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) controversies, the nature of protest, law enforcement, and political rhetoric

The conversation is brimming with personal anecdotes, trenchant cultural observations, and hearty debate about media, governance, and American civil society, with timely pivots into national and international politics and a dose of pop culture to close the show.

1. Ice Storms, Local Government, and Community Life

(00:15 – 09:27)

Main Discussion Points

• Extreme Ice in the Mid-Atlantic

  • Mollie describes the unusual severity of recent ice storms (“much more difficult to move than snow”) and their disruptive effect on daily life in Northern Virginia.
  • David laments his own southern move wasn’t far enough to evade the cold.

• Church Life During Chaos

  • Mollie recounts a church service attended by only 41 parishioners instead of the typical 250+, where “Pastor was wearing jeans… and the organist was unable to make it, so someone else just got up and played, sight-reading beautifully.”
  • Memorable note: “We had a baptism… her memoir should be called ‘Baptized in a Blizzard.’” (01:49)

• Snow Shoveling Mistakes

  • Mollie realizes shoveling early led to their walks and stairs freezing over: “On Monday morning we realized we'd made a horrible, horrible mistake.” (02:44)
  • David references a viral video of New York governor Kathy Hochul on shoveling, mocking its nanny-state tone.

• Danger and Infrastructure Failures

  • They discuss how unplowed streets and absence of basic services reflect on city management, particularly criticizing Alexandria and DC’s handling of snow and ice.
  • Mollie: “Alexandria has the best radical environmental and DEI programs… I would like for my taxes to go toward snow removal and proper trash removal and police work, you know.” (05:54)

• Community Support Against ‘Authoritarian’ Neighborhood Currents

  • Mollie describes a bakery boycotted for a Turning Point USA sign, leading her and others to support it in defiance—but she found the shelves cleared by other counter-boycotters.

Notable Quotes

• Mollie Hemingway:

  “If she has a life that matches that, it should be called 'Baptized in a Blizzard.' And it was just a beautiful day.” (01:37)

• David Harsanyi:

  “In the old days, a good snowstorm and a lack of…removal would bring down mayors.” (06:29)

2. On Guns, Media, and the Changing State of States

(07:55 – 10:06)

Main Discussion Points

• Virginia’s Gun Legislation:

  • David rails against new proposals to ban standard magazine sizes and laments the state’s political transformation by new arrivals from the North.

• Media Representation & Women

  • Mollie reflects on feeling out of place among the “childless or maybe like one or two children kind” of women in DC/NY media, feeling the values and lives of most American women go unrepresented.

Notable Quotes

• Mollie Hemingway:

  “All the really good women are thinking, ‘I don't want to live in New York City or D.C.’…I don't know how much longer I can continue.” (08:55)

3. ICE, Civil Disobedience, and Media Narrative

(10:06 – 28:24)

Main Discussion Points

• Two High-Profile ICE Shootings

  • David and Mollie recap recent shootings involving anti-ICE activists (Renee Goode in NY and Alex Predia in Minnesota), emphasizing nuance, facts, and cautioning both sides against overheated rhetoric.
  • Both note the deliberate difference between protest and “well-funded, well-orchestrated networks of agitators trying to thwart the enforcement of democratically passed laws.” (11:41)
  • Mollie explains to her children: “Not getting shot by police is actually a pretty easy thing to achieve…” (14:18)

• Media, Propaganda, and Public Perception

  • Critique of the media’s coverage, framing these activists’ deaths as unprovoked and righteous martyrdoms while ignoring context.
  • Both are critical of both liberal activists and overzealous Trump administration responses—arguing for fact-based, responsible commentary.

• Democracy, Civil Disobedience, and Consequences

  • David: “Civil disobedience…there are also consequences to that, especially if you're going to start bringing guns.” (18:03)
  • Mollie points out that coordinated attacks on ICE are attempts to undermine the democratic process, given that “virtually every American wants criminal illegal aliens deported.” (19:13)

• Rhetorical Escalation, Second Amendment, and Blame Games

  • Critique of administration’s gun-control rhetoric (“scaremongering language for people who don’t understand guns”—David, 15:28)
  • Mollie recounts AOC blaming criticism of Ilhan Omar for a minor assault on her, while ignoring left-wing incitement against law enforcement.

Notable Quotes

• Mollie Hemingway:

  “There just has been horrifically evil propaganda press coverage of this as opposed to actual reporting of what's going on.” (12:53)

• David Harsanyi:

  “I think protest culture is annoying and un-American because a lot of young people… confuse activism with good citizenry and patriotism.” (24:25)

4. Iran, Military Might, and Modern Foreign Policy

(32:19 – 45:08)

Main Discussion Points

• Trump Administration’s Actions Toward Iran

  • Discussion of the “massive armada” deployed to the region, the threat it conveys, and contrasts with the Obama/Biden approach.
  • Mollie: “He just goes in and strikes and then is out…Things go better when you assert your own interests and do it efficiently.” (39:14)
  • Cautiously optimistic about “helping” freedom movements but skeptical that regime change will succeed.

• Historical Perspective: Neoconservatism and American Power

  • David and Mollie compare current tactics with Bush-era “nation-building,” agreeing that assertive, clear, limited military action based on U.S. interests is preferable.

• Intellectual Honesty About America’s Place

  • Both express skepticism that long-term regime change is achievable in places like Iran and Venezuela, warning against idealistic overreach but not shying away from defending American interests.

Notable Quotes

• Mollie Hemingway:

  “If George W. Bush were moving an armada to the region, I do think you'd see people strongly concerned…But it's really completely about mindset.” (39:14)

• David Harsanyi:

  “I am skeptical that this kind of policy is going to work with Iran, frankly, because without any enforcement mechanisms that are real and long term, I just don't see how we can trust the Iranians…” (43:45)

5. Pop Culture, Domestic Life, and Personal Reflections

(46:59 – End)

Main Discussion Points

• Weekly Watches & Reads

  • David recommends Apple TV’s “Hijack” starring Idris Elba (“just a thriller…really tense the whole way” (47:19))
  • Review and ambivalence about a new Paul Thomas Anderson movie: “No real need for this story… fun to dip in and out of.”
  • Mollie has been organizing at home, watching (and critiquing) the new “West Side Story,” pausing “Definitely, Maybe” midway due to its PG-13 “immorality,” and sampling the new “Night Manager” miniseries.

• Mollie’s Musings on Note-taking, Legacy, and Journalism

  • Briefly meditates on the fleeting legacy of daily journalism:

    “All my stuff is literally getting thrown in the trash…making sense of the world day to day is vital. You have to get comfortable with [having] no legacy.” (59:21)

Notable Quotes

• Mollie Hemingway:

  “My legacy is my children and maybe real lives.” (62:14)

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• On protests vs. illegal action:

  “I'm very frustrated by people not understanding the difference between protest and illegal obstruction of law enforcement.” (26:18, Mollie Hemingway)

• On political polarization and rhetoric:

  “I just think we've convinced a lot of people that they're absolutely helpless and that there's a Nazi regime rising… It's just so reckless.” (25:19, David Harsanyi)

• On snowstorm politics:

  “In the old days, a good snowstorm and a lack of, of, you know, removal would bring down mayors…” (06:29, David Harsanyi)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Content | Timestamp | | ------- | ------- | --------- | | Ice storm stories, church anecdote | Personal recollections, commentary on storm management | 00:15 – 06:29 | | Bakery boycott, Virginia gun laws, DC/NY media culture | Community, culture war reflections | 07:00 – 10:06 | | ICE shootings, protest versus obstruction, media bias | Deep dive on law, civil disobedience, press | 10:06 – 28:24 | | AOC/Ilhan Omar rhetoric, protest culture analysis | On blame and chilling criticism | 29:04 – 32:01 | | Iran, armada, foreign policy | Trump vs. Bush/Obama in foreign affairs | 32:19 – 45:08 | | Pop culture roundup, reflections on legacy | Movies, books, philosophy of journalism | 46:59 – End |

Tone and Language Notes

• Tone: Conversational, candid, occasionally sardonic, always opinionated yet thoughtful. Both hosts mix personal narrative with political and cultural critique.
• Language: Direct, sometimes playful (especially in cultural/family vignettes), but rigorous in parsing public policy and media narratives.

For New Listeners

This episode is a quintessential “You’re Wrong” mix: storytelling from the trenches of American winter, searing critique of institutional and media failures, substantive discussion of law enforcement, protest, and the integrity of political language—anchored with culture, pop references, and reflections on personal purpose and legacy. If you’re interested in wide-ranging discussion balancing the political and the personal, this installment is a compelling snapshot of Hemingway and Harsanyi’s rapport and worldview.