‘You're Wrong' With Mollie Hemingway And David Harsanyi, Ep. 186: Bad Bunny

Summary

Federalist Radio Hour: ‘You’re Wrong’ With Mollie Hemingway & David Harsanyi – Ep. 186: Bad Bunny (Feb 11, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of "You’re Wrong," host David Harsanyi welcomes back Federalist editor-in-chief Mollie Hemingway for an in-depth conversation blending personal stories, cultural critiques, and sharp political analysis. The episode weaves through Mollie's recent family loss, the Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny, American identity and assimilation, Olympic controversies, and the politics of gratitude, all with the duo’s signature “debate but no name-calling” approach.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mollie Hemingway’s Return & Reflections on Loss

Timestamps: 01:42–05:08

• Mollie shares heartfelt recollections of her father, a Lutheran pastor who recently passed away.
• She reflects on grief, community support, and empathy for others' losses:
  • “If it hurts this bad when your dad dies, what happens when a spouse dies? …I’m definitely going to be much more helpful to people when loved ones die…” (Mollie Hemingway, 02:28)

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2. Super Bowl Halftime Show & Bad Bunny: Diversity or Division?

Timestamps: 05:49–18:32

The Controversy

• David notes the rapidly growing influence of Bad Bunny, highlighting his widespread streaming numbers.
• Mollie expresses skepticism about choosing Bad Bunny—a Spanish-language artist—for the Super Bowl halftime show in the US:
  • “I think it’s weird for an American Super Bowl to have an artist who sings only in Spanish...I just think it was a mistake by the NFL…” (Mollie Hemingway, 07:16)
• Discussion about the NFL’s shift toward internationalizing and reaching new audiences versus serving its traditional base.

Immigration, Assimilation, and American Identity

• Debates whether the performance was a “litmus test” about immigration and assimilation.
• Mollie criticizes performative approval of Bad Bunny among non-Spanish speakers:
  • “All of these people…were like, no, no, no, I like Bad Bunny. I’m like, no, you don’t. It’s repetitive. It’s in Spanish. You don’t speak Spanish.” (07:44)
• The analogy of earlier immigrant assimilation (e.g., Italian Americans) versus contemporary multiculturalism.

Notable Quotes

• “Everything has to become this massive, politicized event…That, to me, is the most annoying thing.” (David Harsanyi, 21:05)

American Identity Nuances

• Discourses on American identity versus “narrow” ethnic/cultural identities.
  • “America is a country of immigrants, which is something that people said without actually thinking it out…We actually are a country of Americans. And that’s different…” (Mollie Hemingway, 14:56)
• David adds context about Puerto Rican identity and language, acknowledging their American status but questioning the symbolic cultural messaging.

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3. Olympics & Patriotism: Speaking Ill of America?

Timestamps: 20:24–30:21

• Discussion on media prompting US Olympians to publicly criticize the US on “foreign soil.”

• Both hosts strongly condemn athletes publicly disparaging America while representing it internationally.

  • “As for any American who says word one against the United States of America, I hope they lose and I hope they get replaced.” (Mollie Hemingway, 24:22)
  • “Come home, go off all you want, but you don’t go to Europe and do it.” (David Harsanyi, 25:08)

• Eileen Gu, American skier competing for China, is sharply criticized.

  • “This woman is just a traitor…She has no reason to be representing a geopolitical foe of the United States…” (David Harsanyi, 26:09)
  • Both raise doubts about dual citizenship's value and loyalty.

Notable Pop Culture Reference

• Emphasis on the “Miracle on Ice” as a touchstone for American unity and patriotism.
  • “It’s the greatest scene in movie history…when he's like, ‘I play for the USA’—it's just the best moment.” (David Harsanyi, 31:10)

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4. Crime Stats, Demographics, and Society’s Shifts

Timestamps: 35:04–39:10

• Reviewing reports of massively falling homicide rates in major US cities and rejoicing—yet critiquing media framing (“despite Trump’s crackdown rhetoric”—Axios).
  • “It’s like, huh, not such a mystery to everybody else in the United States with like 25 different reasons…” (Mollie Hemingway, 36:49)
• Briefly speculate if demographic changes—such as fewer young people or less social interaction—could be influencing crime rates and even dating patterns among youth today.

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5. Culture Corner: From Funerals to Melania to the Grateful Dead

Timestamps: 40:13–49:32

Personal Family Time & Documentary Viewing

• Mollie describes family gatherings around her father’s funeral and seeing the documentary “Melania.”
  • Impressed by Melania Trump’s poise and fashion sense; critiques media’s refusal to acknowledge Melania’s glamour compared to other First Ladies.
    • “An actual supermodel becomes First Lady and the media are like, 'No, she’s not very pretty.'” (Mollie Hemingway, 42:40)
  • Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania’s media portrayals compared.

Politics of Gratitude

• Mollie contrasts expressions of gratitude (J.D. Vance) with what she sees as resentment (Michelle Obama).
  • “If you can live a life of gratitude, it is so much better than to be angry all the time.” (Mollie Hemingway, 44:46)

Quick Fire Culture Plugs

• David’s media diet:
  • “Rumble Fish” – an experimental Coppola film.
  • The Amazon documentary “Long Strange Trip” about the Grateful Dead.
  • Reflects on learning to appreciate the band’s musicality beyond their “hippie” image.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Super Bowl’s cultural litmus test:
  “It was a weird choice...I think it was just an embarrassing mistake by the NFL.” (Mollie Hemingway, 07:16)

• On assimilation vs. identity:
  “America is a country of immigrants…but we actually are a country of Americans...” (Mollie Hemingway, 14:56)

• On American Olympians criticizing the US:
  “As for any American who says word one against the United States of America, I hope they lose…” (Mollie Hemingway, 24:22)

• On dual citizenship:
  “I do have a problem with dual citizenship, period. I do not think it makes sense actually.” (Mollie Hemingway, 27:45)

• On gratitude vs. resentment:
  “If you can live a life of gratitude, it is so much better than to be angry all the time.” (Mollie Hemingway, 44:46)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:42–05:08: Mollie’s story about her father and grief
• 07:01–09:34: Bad Bunny, the Super Bowl, and questions of appeal and identity
• 13:37–15:32: David and Mollie’s analogy: assimilation then vs. now
• 19:19–21:05: English proficiency, immigration, and American unity
• 23:34–25:06: Olympians, patriotism, and public criticism of the US
• 36:04–37:20: Crime statistics and media narratives
• 40:13–43:00: Mollie on Melania documentary and media double standards
• 44:46: Mollie’s distinction between gratitude and resentment in public figures

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Episode Tone

Candid, pointed, and openly skeptical of mainstream narratives, the conversation balances personal warmth with cultural and political critique. Mollie’s and David’s rapport allows for genuine disagreement and sharp humor, while staying grounded in broader questions of national identity, patriotism, and media influence.

For those who haven’t listened, this summary provides a comprehensive map of the episode’s thought-provoking themes, sharp exchanges, and reflective moments.

Transcript

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[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Welcome back everyone to a new episode of youf Were Wrong with Molly Hemingway, Editor in chief of the David Harsanyi, senior writer at the Washington Examiner. Just as a reminder, if you'd like to email the show, please do so at radio the federalist.com we'd love to hear from you, Molly. It's nice to have you back this week.

[Molly Hemingway]

Yeah, we had planned for me not to be on last week because I was taping the recording the audiobook for my book Alito, which is coming out in April. And in the meantime also my beloved father died and I've talked about my dad a lot on the podcast. He's this larger than life figure and very dear to everyone in my family, my large extended family. We had a beautiful funeral. It was just awesome. Overflowing at my parents church. My dad's a pastor so there were like 20 clergy that came from nearby churches to honor my father and were part of the process. We had great hymns. It was just a really beautiful service and people came from all over. Like my, my parents have several God children and two of their God children came and one of them drove up from Arizona. He said he keeps up with the family on the podcast. So I was like, oh, I have to, I have to make sure I'm keeping him updated. But it was just great. And yeah, I mean, I will say that my cousin Kimberly, her dad died in late July and my brother and I were talking to her and we were like, we had no idea what you were going through. Like, we were there at the funeral, we offered condolences, but we just had no idea. And then I keep thinking like, oh my gosh, if it hurts this bad when your dad dies, what happens when a spouse dies? Like, I'm definitely going to be much more, try to be much more helpful to people when loved ones die because we've gotten so much help from people and it's just beautiful.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I, I read the obituary. I'm not sure if you had wrote it or, or someone else.

[Molly Hemingway]

I read my sister, My sister wrote it. Yeah, with, with help from a bunch of other people.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

But yeah, he lived an amazing life in the service of his community. So I think if you are listening, you should seek out and read the obituary of Molly's.

[Molly Hemingway]

Larry. Larry Ziegler.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Larry Ziegler.

[Molly Hemingway]

Oh, wait, can I tell you something really quickly? We've been going through all of his papers and so my dad knew he wanted to be a Lutheran pastor from the age of 11. And he this amazing pastor who helped so many people. And my mother is, I jokingly call her the world's worst pastor's wife. Like most pastors wives are, are they're the organist or they're the, they run the Sunday school program or they do whatever. My mom was like, I'll show up at church on Sunday. You know, that's what, that's what my contribution is. But my mother was always like a super Republican type person and my dad and his family were big time Democrats. So we were going through his scrapbook from childhood, which is amazing by the way. Childhood through college. And he really liked lbj. And my sister and I are like, well, I guess dad wasn't perfect. You know, there was a. I mean, he like has pictures of him and he has cutouts about what a great president he was. And he later became not just Republican, but kind of very Republican. Mostly during the Reagan administration.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I would say, yeah, Mark and I, your husband, your wonderful husband did the show last week and we got some letters. People were not happy that we were in agreeance so often and that we were so reasonable. And then we had this conversation without any you're wrong arguments. One guy wrote, which is my favorite email, that we sounded like two, two old men. Speaking at a hardware store, which to me sounds like a wonderful idea for a podcast. I have to be honest, because guys at hardware stores know a lot. They really do. Right.

[Molly Hemingway]

Well, we'll fight. We'll fight about something. You have to tell me what the news is, and then I'll fight about it with you.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I should lie to you. The, the next logical topic is Bad Bunny, right? The super bowl halftime show. I remember last year I didn't know who Kendrick Lamar was, and he was like the really streamed per. That's exactly what you said at the time. And he was the most streamed artist, but the most streamed artist actually is Bad Bunny. He is, he has like some massive number of streamers. He has 51.7 subscribers, I think on YouTube. 19 of his videos have over 1 billion views, which is just insane because I could not have named a song that he sang. Apparently I couldn't name it anyway because I don't speak Spanish. But anyway. The Super Bowl I think was subpar this year and the game itself didn't really enjoy it that much, but I thought the halftime show became a litmus test for what? Kind of like where you stand on immigration and, and assimilation and all this stuff. And I, I, I think it's just, I don't know. Let me just ask. Did you watch any of that? Did you get a chance to see it?

[Molly Hemingway]

I watched zero of the Super Bowl. My mother did not have cable at that time, which was a saga all of its own. And so I didn't see any of it nor, nor did I feel like I missed it out. I'm, I'm not the. Well, I think it was a weird choice for a halftime show mostly because, and I do speak Spanish by the way, and grew up in Spanish speaking community. I think it's weird for an American super bowl to have an artist who sings only in English and actually are only in Spanish. And in that, on that note, actually, I think it's weird to have an artist who doesn't hit wide swath of appeal. I know the NFL has been taking its like, base, its regular base for granted. And they're always like trying to reach new audiences, foreign audiences, Latin audiences, whatever. But I think it was like just an embarrassing mistake by the NFL. And I don't say that as someone who hates Bad Bunny or anything like that. I don't like him. I think he's kind of lame. But I, I, I, I'm very Gen X about this. Like, I think it's always suspect when someone has a large number of you know, Spotify followers or something. Like a sort of code for not great. I thought it was, like, hilarious that all of these people who care so deeply about what people think about them were like, no, no, no, I like Bad Bunny. I'm like, no, you don't. I mean, it's repetitive. It's in Spanish. You don't speak Spanish. You don't like this. You're just trying to make people think you're okay by saying you like them. Yeah. So I didn't really. I don't know, I don't really care. Like, I. I know it's hard to book the super bowl halftime. I think maybe they should go back into more, like, medley type stuff where you have a variety of artists or something. Because that would also be kind of exciting if you were at a Super bowl party and, you know, you got your country artist, you got your rap artist, and you got your Bad Bunny, and you got, you know, you could, like, mix it up. But I just think it was a mistake by the NFL and that it really was a mistake because they had an alternative program that got like, a sizable number of views, given that it was only on YouTube, I think. So now you're going to start seeing, I'm sure, more alternative programming during halftime, particularly the easier it is to do that. Do you know what I mean?

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Yeah. You could stream and just create your own programming on YouTube and get a ton of people. I was. I have a few things to say. I think you're right. I don't think the NFL is like. I don't think this was a political statement as much.

[Molly Hemingway]

Oh, I do, absolutely.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I just think they're trying to internationalize the game. I mean, there was like tons of European games are trying to spread to Mexico. I think that that is. There are capitalistic reasons that probably drove this more than Goodall wanting to a statement about immigration or whatever. But I was kind of taken aback at how meh. The whole thing is. Like, I can appreciate, like, I'm old. It's not aimed at me. I get it. But I can appreciate music that I don't love. I can't believe this is like the most popular musician and it. Honestly, I sound like a cranky old man at a hardware store again. It's hard for me to even call this guy a musician because he's almost not even rapping, just speaking.

[Molly Hemingway]

I saw this Twitter thread from Democratic Socialists of America, and it was going through all the political meaning behind what Bad Bunny's performance was and a call to end the colonialism in Puerto Rico by the United States. And I just want to say I agree with that. I think Puerto Rico is not doing the best with what they have. I have been there and I love Puerto Rico. I think it's like a beautiful island. And I was so horrified by the non stop bankruptcy and loan ads that were on the television while I was there because, like, there's not a lot of financial literacy there, I guess, or something, you know, like just bad problems there. And the amount of money we give to Puerto Rico. And I agree that it has, like, strategic import and has for a very long time. I mean, some of the cool things to see in Puerto Rico are the. The forts that are guarding that area. But I think we need to do better. And they definitely, like people that can't operate their lives as well as they should be, should not be welcomed into the United States as like a state until they get back together.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

No more states. No more states. And this is a welfare state already. We don't need any more state, like super welfare state. But yeah, yeah, it is. So this whole thing became a litmus test for, like, where you stand on ice and immigration and all this stuff. I want to talk about one of my favorite tweets that I saw on this at the time. And it's from David Fromm, who. People probably know who that is. It's a Picture of Joe DiMaggio with Eisenhower and Rocky Marciano at an event. Looks like at the White House. And he says, president eisenhower posing in 1953 with Joe DiMaggio and Rocky Marciano. I ask you to imagine a 1950s Republican who didn't live in a lunatic asylum getting upset when he saw Italian American stars on his tv.

[Molly Hemingway]

Like, I feel like we all know David Brum is not as stupid as he's trying to make himself seem with a tweet like that. And it. And like, we should just acknowledge that he's a much smarter individual than that tweet would indicate. Right?

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Yeah.

[Molly Hemingway]

Okay.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

But I think it reflected a lot of the arguments people were making when they make these comparisons about immigration in the past. And hey, I know growing, you know, growing up in certain areas that there were a lot of Italian festivals, people would speak in Italian. That's not like, you know, people embrace their culture. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. But these three, these people, when they met, I think this was the. Let me put it this way. I think this was the worst example you could give because Joe DiMaggio's parents were off the boat. He spoke English without an accent. He became a legend in US in the most American sport and the most American thing you can imagine, which is baseball. He was completely assimilated. He is the perfect example of someone who embraced America. And yet also I think the equivalent.

[Molly Hemingway]

Too would be like, okay, so let's say you could imagine a world in which, you know, I know the super bowl wasn't doing halftime shows like this. You could imagine a world where Frank Sinatra would sing at the halftime show, right?

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Sure.

[Molly Hemingway]

And David Frum's tweet is like saying, imagine someone getting upset that pop star and Italian actress and singer Mina was singing at the super bowl because Mina sang in Italian and Frank Sinatra sang in English. You know what I mean? Like, it's. To your point. There is a thing about pride from the culture that you fled to come to the United States that is different from demanding that other people speak the language of the place that you came from or adopt as your own exclusively. Like a fairly narrow cultural idea or neuro cultural expression. And I think what we had is decades of people. And there's a lot to this. Right. America is a country of immigrants, which is something that people said without actually thinking it out or thinking about that we actually are a country of Americans. And that that's different than being a country of immigrants. And people kind of accepted it for so long that they have just completely grown to either not know or to forsake and hate American identity. And there is an American identity and it is fed by a lot of different things, but it's not the same thing as like a narrow German identity or a narrow Russian identity or a narrow Irish identity or a narrow Puerto Rican identity. Like, do you know what I'm saying? Like, there's. It's just. It's. It's not expressive of a global event that is based in America.

[Podcast Announcer]

Yeah.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I mean, to be fair, Puerto Ricans are Americans. Right. So we should say that.

[Molly Hemingway]

So are. So are like, you know, Argentinians. But I mean, what I mean is.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Puerto Rico, in the Puerto Rico, it's.

[Molly Hemingway]

Part of the United States of America. I get it. I get it.

[Sarah Spain]

Yeah.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

But it would be like.

[Molly Hemingway]

Yeah, yeah, sorry, go on.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

No, no, no, go. It'd be like Rosemary Clooney singing Mambo Italiano. Right. Like, that is a celebration of being Italian, but it doesn't feel like an imposition or a demand. Right. On the American people to speak Italian all the time. And that's what this kind of feels like when he is marching at that. You didn't watch it, but, like, he's marching there with everyone. He's got all the flags of all the Latin American countries. Like, that is. Those countries are not America. And when you come here.

[Molly Hemingway]

Oh, he did.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I, I, unless I, you know, I was in and out. I got to be honest with you. I found it, I found it really boring. But.

[Molly Hemingway]

Yeah, but also, I don't like when people, I mean, there is a difference between being a territory of the United States and being a state of the United States.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

No, there is, but I don't. I, I think the Puerto Ricans can, can consider themselves American. And unless we want to give them their, you know, walking papers or may, you know, or make them a stay, it's not their fault that they're neither. Right. They didn't make that choice. So I, I have no problem calling a Puerto Rican an American. And the Puerto Rican language was Spanish.

[Podcast Announcer]

Be.

[Molly Hemingway]

I look forward to the biggest artist out of the Northern Mariana Islands being the halftime.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Did you look that up? Did you just look that up?

[Molly Hemingway]

Well, I was, I was like, should I go with American Samoa or Guam?

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Listen, I've been on, on here many times arguing, and I think it's super important that people learn English like it is. You're, you're holding yourself back when you don't know English. You're not in, you know, you're not assimilating. If you don't learn English, it's a problem. Also, Italians, like New York was, is like, or still is, and was like a clearinghouse for immigrants. You came here, you were in that little community with people, and then you moved out and went away. You went somewhere in America. Like, there are large areas in this country that are Spanish speaking. That's problematic. The number one radio stations and the number one cable station, I believe, are Italian. I mean, are Spanish speaking.

[Molly Hemingway]

I don't have a problem with that at all. I love, Well, I love Spanish, first of all. I think it's a great language. I just think that for cultural events that unite the country, it should not be in Spanish. But I think, like, I like listening to Spanish radio and Spanish language.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I don't, I'm not against it. I'm just saying that if you want to be successful in this country, if we want to have, like, a common outlook on the world and all that. I mean, common language, everyone knows this and from history is super important for people to have if they want to have a coordination.

[Podcast Announcer]

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[Future Narrator]

Listen, today I am from the future. And all of this goes horribly wrong.

[Movie Critic]

Critics are calling. Good luck. Have fun. Don't die. Absolute chaotic. Perfection.

[Molly Hemingway]

AI, Isn't that a thing already? It gets a lot worse, honey.

[Movie Critic]

Sam Rockwell is electric.

[Future Narrator]

Who's joining me? Who's ready to save the future?

[Movie Critic]

Five stars.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

This is real.

[Future Narrator]

Pretty much, yeah. It's gonna be okay. Or it's not.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I don't know.

[Movie Critic]

We did our only theaters February 13th. Tickets on sale.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Now.

[Molly Hemingway]

This is a tangent, but at the funeral, my favorite high school teacher, Seor Ot was there. He was friends with my dad and actually like an elder at my dad's church before he retired. Senor Ot would always visit various Spanish speaking countries with his super hot wife. She's still very hot. And he would do slideshows where we saw, you know, where they went, oh, this Mayan pyramid or whatever. And it was always funny because his super hot wife would be in some of the pictures and he'd just be like, look at that, look at that. And I loved it. Sorry.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Yeah, I mean, I, I, yeah, I, I, you were just talking about immigration. Like, I like that there are all like, it's the flavor of America that people come from all different places originally they're still American, but they haven't left back their tradition, you know, some of their traditions and stuff. I love that stuff. I like that my parents spoke Hungarian. Like, I like that I know that language, you know, it is not something I want to get rid of, though. I don't consider myself Hungarian. I consider myself an American for very good reasons. But anyway, okay. I didn't think it was that big a deal either way. I just think it's one of the, like, everything has to become this massive political politicized event. And it is. That, to me, is like the most annoying thing that I can't watch a Super bowl without having to get into a. Having to write a column about it. Like, I liked if there were things in the world that I didn't have to write columns about, like the Olympics, we shouldn't have to write a column about the Olympics. I am not a huge. I am a huge. I should say I'm a huge fan of team sports. I'm not a big fan of individual sports. Not that I don't think they should happen. Not that I'm not impressed. I just don't like watching it. So the Olympics gives me something more like, I can root for the American now when the American's not there. I can make geopolitical decisions on who I root for. Like, do I root for the Swiss or do I root for the French? You know what I mean? The Swiss. So. But there's a new thing at the Olympics since Donald Trump's president, and this thing is, we're going to ask. Journalists are going to ask every American athlete if they feel bad representing a country that's so awful, that has ice raids, that shoots people in the street. And I hate when they politicize the Olympics. And it is infuriating to me, a champion of free speech, when one of these idiots takes the bait and starts ripping Americans on foreign soil. I cannot stand it. And that's what the skier Hunter Hess did when he said he had mixed emotions about representing the country. It's a little hard. He said. There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren't. Just because, you know, I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent every. Everything that's going on in the US who is happy with everything that goes on in their country? Do you think the Chinese are. Do you think the French are like, it's a stupid question, and that's a stupid answer to give, and it's unpatriotic to do it.

[Molly Hemingway]

Yeah, I. I hate when people do this. Well, okay, first off, our corporate media are evil. And they, you know this in part because they say, how do you feel about representing a country that is the most free in the entire world, in which you are free to answer this question in a way however you see fit? They don't go, hey, Eileen Gu, product of the United States of America, who's a traitor to her country and is skiing for China or whatever she does how do you feel about all of the horrors that your country, that you betrayed your real, you know, your United States for. To ski for? How do you feel about what they're doing? How do you feel about the imprisoning of Christians? They don't ask her because they know she can't answer. And also because they're just Democrat radical extremists. Right. So like, it would be one thing if you were really asking the question of everybody, but it's only based on what, like midwit New York City reporters think about the world, Right? Like it's not, it's not anything substantive. And then as for any American who says word one against the United States of America, I hope they lose and I hope they get replaced. I mean, they should never, ever be able to be part of the team America. And I don't care if Biden is president or Trump is president or a kangaroo is president. You don't talk ill of the United States of America. End of story.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

On foreign soil. Yeah. When you're representing the flag, which is.

[Molly Hemingway]

The, like, I mean, as, as an.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

As an American, as an ambassador of the country. Yeah. Like it come home, go off, go off all you want, but you don't go to Europe and do it. And, and that's what they want. They want you to bash it. Now, of course, implicit in every question here to, to US Athletes is like something terrible is happening here. And you, you know, you, you have to say something because it is like nefarious beyond belief, worse than anything that's happening anywhere else. But here's the thing on Eileen Goo. This is. So I looked her up and you know how Google AI just comes up. I don't know if you know this, but it'll maybe turned it off somehow. But everywhere I go, they're shoving AI down my throat. I open an email, there's AI. I open a Word document, there's a. Anyway, this is how Google's AI, I think it's called Gemini. This is what they told me she, she is doing. She is competing in the 20, 20, 26 Winter Olympics in Milan, aiming to inspire a new generation of Chinese skiers, specifically girls, while balancing her Chinese heritage and American upbringing. Like, this is Chicom propaganda. Like you. It's probably word for word, chicom propaganda. Now, the only notable heritage of the communist state there, which does not represent the Chinese people or Chinese heritage. Communism is a European idea, unfortunately, is that it is maybe the most evil regime that has ever existed on Earth. I mean, it's definitely in the run Maybe Stalin, maybe Hitler. I think the Chinese are probably worse. She, this woman is worth $23 million. Like, couldn't she inspire Chinese from here? Couldn't she represent Taiwan? You should, I don't know if you've looked it up, but you should read and you should watch the coverage of her, the glowing, unctuous, like sickening coverage of this woman who I think also is just a traitor. There are Americans who have dual citizenship who can't make the US Team, who will like play for Italy or something like that. It happens. I get it. This woman could make the American team. She has no reason to be representing a geopolitical foe of the United States and the, and, and, and a person who criticized Trump the other day, but has never criticized the concentration camps and the young Chinese women who are systematically raped in them and used as forced labor. Like, anyway, so I just, I just, I mean, can you imagine a US Athlete playing for the Soviet Union and like them celebrating her here in 19, you know, 76 or 80 or whenever the winter Olympics were just.

[Molly Hemingway]

No, but also, okay, I do have a problem with dual citizenship, period. I do not think it makes sense actually. And I have a sister in law who's got dual citizenship with the US And Canada. And I'm always like, I think I've mentioned this before, I'm always asking her like if we went to war, who would you fight for? And she goes hahaha. And I'm like, I'm not asking, like a joke, which one would you fight for? And that goes quadruple billion for US and China. I don't even think China allows dual citizenship. Right. Does not recognize.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I don't think it has any rules, meaning. I think it's whatever the state decides. Like there was no real, there was no real. I, I'm not an expert, but when I tried to figure out how she got her dual citizenship or whatever it's called there, I'm not even sure it's full citizenship. They just broke every rule. Like they hadn't did whatever they wanted. And she's not the only one. I think there's another athlete like this. I think dual citizenship makes sense for some people who work in two countries who have family in two countries who leave a country where they have children. Like there are reasons people have them. It's not a big, it's not like a hill I want to die on. I don't really care that much, but it's just, I don't know, I wish it could be sanctioned in some way by the Us, like, I don't know. Otherwise, I'm enjoying the Olympics. I like watching curling. If you're a fan of that sport, like, every.

[Molly Hemingway]

I do like curling.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Yeah. Every four years I watch it, I'm, like, so into it, and then I forget that it exists for another four years until they come back. And, you know.

[Molly Hemingway]

I haven't watched any of the Olympics just because I've been so busy with everything with dad, but I normally sort of enjoy watching the Olympics. Yes, I. Watching is great.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Yeah, curling is great. Americans are quite good, from what I've seen.

[Molly Hemingway]

I played for the United States of America. That's what I'm talking about. That's the proper response to any question. Also, you could go with, I have no idea what you're talking about. This is the best country in the whole world. We're celebrating our 250th anniversary of being better than everyone else in the world. You can do anything when you're an Olympic athlete. And I know. I know that when you're focused a lot on skiing or speed skating or whatever, like, maybe you're not reading a lot of books, but you should be smart enough to know how to handle a gotcha question from a reporter, like, would you care to alienate two thirds of the country that you're skiing for? You should be able to answer that better.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

This is not a place for politics. This is a place for, you know, like, yeah, I played for the usa. I love my country. I don't know why it's so difficult. And if you don't. And that's perfectly acceptable in this country to do, don't join, don't be on the Olympic team. Why are you there? Do whatever you want to do. I get that this is a financial opportunity for a lot of these people as well, because it makes them famous, but. And there are endorsement deals that come with that, and there aren't big crowds to watch skiing, so you need those endorsement deals. But you know what I mean. Just shut up and wait till you get home. My column on this was called Shut up and Ski. Yeah. You just mentioned Miracle on Ice, the movie where. Where it's the greatest scene in movie history where he keeps at her. Brooks keeps asking them, what would they play for? And they're like, the University of Minnesota, blah, blah, blah. Until one guy's like, I play for the usa. And it's just the best moment I'll mention again, I think I mentioned it last week on Netflix has a Miracle on Ice documentary that I think that. I think you Know, very formative event in my life. And this documentary I think was the best. And I've watched them all. It has. A lot of the guys came back to talk about it and they saw a lot of footage of their family and stuff that they hadn't ever seen. So it's like really emotional and great.

[Molly Hemingway]

So when. When we wrote the book on Justice Kavanaugh, Carrie Severino and I, we had a part in there about how Justice Kavanaugh's hype game was to replay that part of Miracle on Ice about playing for the United States of America. It's such a good movie. It's great.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Yeah. I make my family reluctantly sometimes watch that once a year.

[Molly Hemingway]

So good.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Kurt Russell is so good in that. Did you watch any of the commercials or anything?

[Molly Hemingway]

Not a one, but I remember that after. After the. I think it was like after Biden was elected, Jeep had an ad where they were like, okay, every corporation has been crazy and has been financing to the tune of $100 billion, all of the left wings, most left wing causes. But we would like things to calm down now that we got Biden elected. So they had no time. Notorious unifier Bruce Springsteen narrate a Jeep ad and all the like media were like, this was so unifying and great. And it was. To your point about a litmus test, it was kind of like that. A lot of the rest of America was like, what is this? Get this off my television. Get Bruce Springsteen out of here.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

There's this weird perception of Born in the usa, that album of being this patriotic album about the United States, but it's actually not that at all. It's. It's you. It's. It's this. He's incredibly critical of the United States in very dishonest ways in a lot of the lyrics in that album. I mean, I just. Which is fine. That's your. Your choice. But why are we pretending Born in the USA some patriotic song I loved?

[Molly Hemingway]

Well, in part because Ronald Reagan used it in his campaigning. And then Bruce Springsteen was like, no, you don't understand. I'm trying to say I hate the USA And Reagan and the Republicans were like, we. We just love the USA so we'll just keep on singing Born in the USA as if it's a good thing.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

When I think A Miracle on Ice, I assume that that just was the event that got Ronald Reagan elected, basically. And that's how I think about it. You know, I think like everyone hated America. And then that happened and everyone loved America. And also I thought I watched it live, which my parent, my dad, later told me was not the case. I had watched it later on tape.

[Molly Hemingway]

Okay.

[Chris Markowski]

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[Future Narrator]

I am from the future. And all of this goes horribly wrong.

[Movie Critic]

Critics are calling, good luck. Have fun, don't die. Absolute chaotic. Perfection.

[Molly Hemingway]

AI. Isn't that a thing already? It gets a lot worse, honey.

[Movie Critic]

Sam Rockwell is electric.

[Future Narrator]

Who's joining me? Who's ready to save the future?

[Movie Critic]

Five stars.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

This is real.

[Future Narrator]

Pretty much, yeah. It's gonna be okay. Or it's not.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I don't know.

[Movie Critic]

Only in theaters February 13th. Tickets on sale now.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

So apparently across the United States and cities, the crime rate has plunged to, like, centuries. Low numbers, which to me is. Is. Is actually fascinating for a reason. We'll talk about it after. But this is how Axios decided to cover that story. Crime plunges in major cities despite Trump's crackdown rhetoric, which makes zero sense because Trump said sent the National Guard to a couple of cities because to. To help alleviate crime. Not despite is not the word that belongs there. But also, it's not just rhetoric. He actually did some stuff. Now, you could like it or not, but it's clear that, for instance, in D.C. the National Guard just being around helped lower crime rates, specifically murder. Am I wrong about this?

[Molly Hemingway]

So, James Toronto, when he was running the best. What was it called?

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I don't forget, Best of the Web, I think.

[Molly Hemingway]

Yeah. At the Wall Street Journal would love examples like this one, which he called the Butterfield Fallacy, named after a New York Times reporter. Fox Butterfield. For when a reporter encounters facts that are contrary to his political narrative, and usually you find it with the word despite followed by a clause that actually explains the thing that is confusing to the reporter. So I loved this example from Axios that despite Trump's crackdown on crime and talking about it, crime has been cracked down on. It's like, huh, not such a mystery to everybody else. In the United states with like 20, for 25 different reasons, including the National Guard, including deportation of criminals, including greater scrutiny of illegal immigrants. Like all these things that contribute to a decrease in crime. I mean, I always, always want to highlight that record keeping can be a disaster for crime statistics. But yes, that's kind of a consistent thing over time. So God bless the, the new world that Axios is learning about today.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I, I, I am still find it surprising. I, I understand there. I think there's downward pressure from the federal government that kind of convinces localities and cities to do a better job with crime. I think you're right about, probably about the deportations and all that, but these numbers are massive. Like Orlando, 58% drop. Tampa, 52. Denver 47. Like, this is, these are huge drops in homicide rates for a city. And people had some theories. I wonder what you think that there, and this is a theory I heard years ago when there was the initial crime drop in the 90s, that there are just fewer kids around and, or young people and that there are, they are the leading criminals basically, especially young men, obviously, and that it's lower crime rates are great, but sometimes they also represent that, that there just aren't that many young people around anymore. Do you think that has, I mean, I, I know we're not criminal.

[Molly Hemingway]

I, I have no idea. So I was, I was wondering if, what if kids are just not interacting with other kids anymore?

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

But I don't know if you saw this study about dating and how young people basically don't date anymore. They just, is this weird. They're not, I'm sorry to say. I mean, they're just, it's weird to say this because it feels like the opposite of what I should be saying, but they're just not dating and having sexual interactions anymore. They're just not like growing up in the way that I, you know, people grew up in, in our, you know, in our day. But when you met someone spontaneously, things would happen. I think it's unnatural, even though, no, you should not have sexual relations before you're married. But it's unnatural that people don't seem to have even interest in such things. Is that weird to say so?

[Molly Hemingway]

I kind of feel this way when I encounter adults who are not getting married. I'm like, don't you just want to have sex more? You know, like, like, do you ever meet those people who are like, of a certain age? They even have a, like a significant other, but they're just not getting married. And I'm like, what is going on because sex is a powerful motivator in a good way. It's why you get married. It's why. I don't know. I know they're saying, like, they're having it anyway or whatever, but.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

No, they're not actually.

[Molly Hemingway]

But they're. Yeah, that's what I feel like.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

But there's this weird thing where some people are and they're just in hookup culture. You know, they have apps, they just meet, they just hook up with people randomly, which I think anyone in the world sooner or most people in the world sooner or later probably realize is a very empty way to live your life. But it is just weird. And obviously it has a lot to do with technology and how we use it. Okay, Molly, let's do culture. Was there a lot of culture in your life the last couple of weeks, Molly?

[Molly Hemingway]

There's been a ton of culture in terms of time with family. I love my family so much. And my mom's side of the family held like two gatherings for, in conjunction with my dad's funeral, which is just amazing. And then the Thursday before the funeral, my sister had already made plans to go see Melania with a group of girlfriends. So I went along with them and it. And yeah, that's the only culture I've seen the documentary Melania. So I had, I will just say I had extremely low expectations going into it. Like, I thought it was just like a seventy million dollar money transfer to the Trump family from Netflix or something. So I was, I was pleasantly surprised. Like, it was just the 20 days around the, the second inauguration and what her life is like. So it was interesting to see how focused she is on fashion and how knowledgeable she is. Also, you know, the design of the events, the people who were working on that. Also funny to see her interactions with her husband.

[Ratio Protein Yogurt Advertiser]

And.

[Molly Hemingway]

It was, yeah, it was good. I liked it. And I saw some people I knew in it, which was exciting. Like, one of my friends from church works at the Blair House, and so she was like, all over it. I got very excited by seeing that. But Melania is just a beautiful woman. And it's one of the things that really annoyed me about the first Trump administration. I tend to be less critical of first ladies than a lot of people. I mean, I'll go after Hillary Clinton like anybody else, but I mean, it's not a, an enjoyable job. And so if you tell me that you think what was, what was George W. Bush's white Laura? If you tell me Laura Bush is beautiful, I'm like, yes, she is. Oh, Michelle Obama has a great fashion sense. Yes, she does. But when Melania Trump, who was objectively a gorgeous woman with amazing fashion sense, came on the scene and everybody was like, I don't see it. I don't like her. She's ugly. Her fashion is ugly. You're just like, that's insane. Not a single cover of a magazine when you're forced to like see again, Laura Bush or Michelle Obama on the COVID of everything and pretend, or like Dr. Jill Biden on the COVID of every magazine and you're like supposed to believe that these people are beautiful. But then an actual supermodel becomes first lady and the media are like, no, she's not very pretty. So I enjoyed just being able to see her and stuff too.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Well, not every first lady is the same. Like Hillary acted like co president, basically involved. She was literally involved in policy making. So I think she's fair game.

[Molly Hemingway]

Is that what we're calling the string of murders? Just kidding.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

She was involved in all kinds of nefarious actions, including the health care plan that she released. But Laura was just this nice woman. I mean, she didn't get involved in policies. Michelle Obama, however, always had things to say about the United States. I think they were very off putting. And if you're going to get involved in that way, I think it's very fair for people to point that out as well. I don't think a lot of the abuse she gets got for her looks or whatever is fair game. But certainly, okay, certainly stuff she said.

[Molly Hemingway]

That does remind me of something. I was, I saw this video that was comparing two recent interviews. One was by J.D. vance talking about living with his family in the Naval Observatory. And one was Michelle Obama talking about living with her family in the White House. And J.D. vance, he was being very, he wasn't being like Pollyanna ish or anything, but he was just saying, yeah, you know, it can be difficult, but it's amazing. Most of your meals are taken care of. You don't have to go through TSA with your children. The American people are so generous with the gift of this home and its upkeep and blah, blah. And then Michelle Obama was like, it's awful. It's horrible. People don't know what we had to go through. You know, you have to buy your own meals and you're, you know, everything is horrible about this. And I just want to say if you can live a life of gratitude, it is so much better than to be angry all the time. And it makes me sad that Michelle Obama, who's had one of the most privileged lives of any human in history. Would be so angry about it. And I compare it again with my father, who grew up extremely poor. His mom was 16 when she got married, did not have a ton. He worked very hard his whole life and is so, so grateful for everything that God gave him. And it just. I don't know, it is inspiring to me, but it also makes me sad when I see other people not being full of gratitude.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

She just oozes resentment. I mean, she's resentful of the nation. She seems resentful of voters that put them in the White House. And for me, I don't understand it. Now, if that's not the life you want, and I get that. I never understand why anyone would ever want to be involved with politics. Then don't be. It's not our fault. Right? It's not our fault that the light's shining on you. It's something you did. And I have some mild curiosity about this movie because I just like documentaries and I like. I'm really interested in seeing what goes on behind the scenes. Now, obviously it's not probably not going to show us, like, the uglier moments or stuff like that. I guess so. But still. But I wouldn't go to a theater to see it.

[Molly Hemingway]

Yeah. And it wasn't it. She's a. I have had the benefit of interviewing her and she's a pretty much a closed book, so you don't really get much in there. I do get a lot about her love of her parents.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I will say that I have never, out of all the first ladies I've lived through, seen someone who's. Who seems less excited about being there. Like, she does not seem like someone. She does not seem like she wants to be first lady at all. And that. I'm fine with that. I mean, she's just. I never think about her or see her around, and that's fine by me.

[Molly Hemingway]

I do think there's a difference between the first Trump term Melania and the second Trump term Melania. So first Trump term, she was really closed off and she was very focused on Barron, who was still living with them at that time. I have found this second term interesting just to see how affectionate she and her husband are. And, oh, there was this great part that they showed her editing his inauguration speech. And he kind of doesn't want to change it, but then he does in the real speech, turns to her and like winks at her and she smiles like this very slight smile. And it was Just cute to see that. That connection that they have.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

Yeah, sure. I don't have much. I. I've been watching the Olympics a lot, and I did watch it. Did you ever see the movie Rumble Fish?

[Molly Hemingway]

No.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

So Rumble Fish is like. After Francis Ford Coppola made the Outsiders, he retained the crew and some of the people in the movie. So in this movie you have Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Nicholas Cage. Dennis Hopper's in it as well. Tom Waits is in it. But a lot of those people appear in the Outsiders. It's a very kind of experimental film, I'd say.

[Molly Hemingway]

I think maybe I did see it in college, but I can't quite remember.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I like the score. It's by Stuart Copeland, who was the drummer for the Police. It's kind of like a lot of rhythm, rhythmic stuff, and. And it's just. It's not great, but it's an oddity and just, I think, interesting people who are into that. And then for some reason, I have no clue why. As I told you, I like documentaries. I started that. That Amazon had this Grateful Dead documentary called Long Strange Trip. I think I don't even like that band, really, and. But I do, you know, I watched it. It's really well done if you're, you know, into that band or you're a Deadhead, a culture I do not appreciate. When I was growing up, they would play near my house, Nassau Coliseum, and the whole place would be taken over by these dirty hippies. So I did not like it. But it does give you a nice glimpse into the. The late 60s, early 70s era and how. How a lot of Americans lived, especially in the Bay Area, thought it was interesting, thought I should.

[Molly Hemingway]

Grateful Dead is one of those bands that I had to get past my general disdain of hippie culture to realize that they're a good band.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I. I am a fan, you know what I mean?

[Molly Hemingway]

Like, I'd hear him and I'd just kind of like, turn off. And then I was like, oh, actually, this is really good music.

[Host (likely David Harsanyi)]

I was just talking to my wife about this. You know, her older siblings had Grateful Dead albums, and then one day she put it on and she thought it was going to be like this heavy music. But, you know, it' the opposite of that. Yeah. I think that the aesthetics they use, of course, are not indicative of what they do. I. I'm a Working Man's Dead In American Beauty, I think are two just fantastic albums. But I could never really get over Deadhead culture. If you'd like to reach the show, please do [e-mail] we'd love to hear from you and we'll be back next week. Until then, be lovers of freedom and anxious for the frame.

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[Molly Hemingway]

A Cox Dre quiere Codes Mobile Gigan limited.