GD POLITICS PODCAST

Episode: Clare Malone On MAHA, Charlie Kirk, And NYC's Mayoral Race

Host: Galen Druke
Guest: Clare Malone (Staff Writer, The New Yorker)
Date: September 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of GD Politics dives into a turbulent week in American politics and media. Galen Druke welcomes writer Clare Malone for an expansive conversation covering the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the rise and complexity of the MAHA movement, the dynamics of New York City’s shifting mayoral race, Kamala Harris’s post-White House memoir, and the Murdoch family succession drama. The episode is marked by the hosts' signature blend of sharp analysis, personal anecdotes, and dry humor.

Segment Summaries & Key Discussion Points

Warm-Up & Live Show Nostalgia

[00:00–05:38]

• Galen and Clare reminisce about their history as podcast collaborators, especially during the chaos of 2020 (“I haven't seen you in this little rectangle on my computer since 2020.” — Galen, 00:10), and their memorable live recordings at historic moments (Cruz’s concession in 2016, Brexit, Access Hollywood tape).
• Announcement: Upcoming live show with Nate Silver at the Comedy Cellar, NY (Sep 29).
  • “Politics can be pretty joyless, but we don’t have to be.” — Galen, 02:20

The State of Politics & Clare’s New Yorker Profile

[06:21–10:37]

• The episode is recorded immediately after Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
• Clare discusses her new profile on Jessica Reed Kraus (“House Inhabit”), an Instagram/Substack personality who transitioned from mom-blogging to chronicling major trials with contrarian takes and linking wellness/“red-pilled” culture to new right-wing populism.
  • “She kind of brought her audience of moms along with her for this sort of red-pilled ride.” — Clare, 09:39
• Context: Her previous reporting on figures like Candace Owens and RFK Jr. (including the famous “roadkill bear” anecdote).
  • “Claire, you’re the reason the public has that information.” — Galen, 09:33

The Rise and Complexity of MAHA

[10:37–14:44]

• Examination of the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement—a coalition now unofficially tied to Trump.
• Origins: Formed after RFK Jr. dropped out and endorsed Trump, merging health-conscious former liberals with vaccine-skeptical right-wingers.
• Populist appeal: Cuts across traditional left/right boundaries, rooted in both genuine health anxieties and conspiratorial thinking.
  • “Many Americans are worried about PFAS, right? ... and I think that movement has very mixed issue reception.” — Clare, 11:13
  • Hosts discuss MAHA as a “Joe Rogan effect for women.”
• Instagram, wellness influencers, and “mom” culture as critical vehicles for the movement.
• Honest acknowledgment of both legitimate health concerns and troubling anti-vaccine rhetoric.

Reaction to the Assassination of Charlie Kirk

[14:44–22:43]

• Both hosts process the shock and moral gravity of Kirk being shot while debating on campus.
• Clare’s perspective: Kirk’s lasting influence in conservative media, talent-scouting future influencers, and probable martyrdom status.
  • “He was so young, 31...but had a really outsized influence.” — Clare, 15:49
  • Quotes Trump’s response from the White House, signaling potentially broad repressive policies:
    • “My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity...” — (quoting Trump, [17:14–17:33])
• Galen’s personal reaction: “I found myself after seeing this and frankly seeing it on video... just, really just shaken...” — Galen, 18:31
• Discussion on the psychological toll of circulating violent imagery in the social media era.
• Both stress: Only absolute condemnation by leaders, across political lines, can stem cycles of political violence.

New York City’s Mayoral Race: Shifting Tides

[22:43–32:41]

• The current mayoral contest is wide open: Zoran Mamdani now leads by about 20 points in new polls; Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo trail, with Curtis Sliwa also in the mix.
• Galen’s observation: Trump may offer Adams an ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia, possibly to reshape the race.
  • “I can’t imagine anyone who would enjoy that post more than Eric Adams.” — Galen, 24:23
• Key issues:
  • Affordability: Mamdani far ahead (49% think he’d best handle affordability).
  • Public safety: Unexpectedly, Mamdani “tied” with Cuomo on this (30% vs. 29%), with Adams losing trust as crime-fighter.
  • Israel/Palestine: City is deeply split; generational and ethnic divides shape public sympathy dramatically (67% of voters aged 18-29 sympathize more with Palestinians).
    • “It’s the authenticity conversation... Does this person talk in a way that feels real?” — Clare, 32:41
• Reflection: Race is a lens on evolving Democratic Party views, intersectionality, and the gap between elite and base positions.

Trump, the Epstein Files, and “Culture of Corruption” Messaging

[35:02–48:24]

• Trump’s handling of the Epstein files is now his worst polling issue (net -35 with general public), becoming a bipartisan vulnerability.
  • “If you had said to me a year ago that the issue...would be the Epstein files, I would have been shocked.” — Clare, 37:16
• Extensive discussion of the Democratic “culture of corruption” memo—a potential 2026 midterms strategy, tying Trump to enrichment schemes, DOJ interference, and institutional decay.
• Hosts debate: Is it effective to keep focusing attacks on Trump, or should Democrats target systemic beneficiaries (e.g., Elon Musk, oil/natural gas interests, corporate donors) instead?
  • “Is it more powerful to bring up the names of, like, Elon Musk or other wealthy people who have benefited from this system?” — Clare, 42:58
  • “Calling someone corrupt is a simple message, but I think you have to be careful about the way you elaborate on it.” — Galen, 45:46

Kamala Harris, Regret, and Her (Carefully Timed) Memoir

[49:09–56:13]

• The first excerpt from Kamala Harris’s book (on Biden’s refusal to step down) drops in The Atlantic.
  • Highlighted quote (from Harris, 50:50):
    • “If I advised him not to run, he would see it as naked ambition, perhaps as poisonous disloyalty... In retrospect I think it was recklessness.”
• Clare’s take: It’s both a candid record and a self-promotional move, showing Harris setting up for a potential shot at the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
  • “You don’t make the mistake that Beto did... you take a deep breath and say, hmm, let’s see how it plays out.” — Clare, 53:51
• Discussion of Harris’s political positioning, reputation for organizational chaos, debate over the “right message” on immigration and border policy.
  • “I think Democrats have a perception problem...too often they care about people outside our borders.” — Galen, 57:25

The Murdoch Family Succession Drama

[57:30–62:01]

• The Murdoch family agrees on a $3B settlement: Lachlan Murdoch inherits the Fox and News Corp empires, other siblings take payouts, positioning the empire’s right-wing stance for the foreseeable future.
  • “It’s basically like: viva la Fox News. That’s sort of the gist of it.” — Clare, 60:39
• Reflection: Despite media fragmentation, legacies like Fox News and the New York Post remain pivotal to shaping conservative messaging.
  • “I would read the shit out of a Murdoch Substack.” — Clare, 60:39

Notable Quotes

• “I have measured my life in live shows with you. Watch out September 29th. What’s gonna happen?” — Clare, 03:36
• “A lot of people are a little bit MAHA.” — Clare, 11:13
• “You, I think it’s a powerful movement because as I like to say, a lot of people are a little bit Maha...” — Clare, 11:13
• “He was so young, 31... but had a really outsized influence.” — Clare, 15:49
• “To echo what you said, very unnerving... I found myself after seeing this, frankly seeing it on video... I was sitting in the park processing all of this, really, just, really just shaken and sort of upset, worried about the country.” — Galen, 18:30
• “New Yorkers are too damn expensive” as the campaign-defining line. — (Paraphrased multiple times in polling analysis)
• “Calling someone corrupt is a simple message, but I think you have to be careful about the way you elaborate on it.” — Galen, 45:46
• “You don’t make the mistake that Beto did... you take a deep breath and say, hmm, let’s see how it plays out.” — Clare, 53:51
• “I would read the shit out of a Murdoch Substack.” — Clare, 60:39

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–05:38 — Banter/podcast reunion & live show previews
• 06:21–10:37 — Clare’s House Inhabit profile, media and politics crossover
• 10:37–14:44 — The MAHA movement: origins, reach, and controversy
• 14:44–22:43 — Processing Charlie Kirk’s assassination: Influence, aftermath, political violence
• 22:43–32:41 — NYC mayor’s race: polling, issues, shifting coalitions
• 35:02–48:24 — Trump, Epstein files, and “culture of corruption” messaging debate
• 49:09–56:13 — Kamala Harris’s memoir, Biden reflections, and 2028 speculation
• 57:30–62:01 — Murdoch succession and future of conservative media

Tone

The episode is conversational, analytical, and reflective, blending detailed breakdowns with personal and darkly humorous asides. Both host and guest display the curiosity and skepticism that typifies their political commentary, openly questioning mainstream narratives and polling orthodoxies.

Takeaways for Listeners

• The episode unfolds as a snapshot of a hyper-charged moment: the Kirk assassination underlines rising political violence; the MAHA movement shows how wellness, influencer culture, and anti-establishment politics now intertwine.
• New York’s mayoral race emerges as both barometer and battleground for shifting Democratic values, especially around affordability and Israel/Palestine.
• Strategic uncertainty reigns for opposition to Trump: Is “corruption” the message that resonates? Or is the electorate now largely numb?
• The succession at Fox and Murdoch’s media empire ensures legacy conservative messaging—despite a changing media landscape.