IHIP News – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Dem Slams Failed Party Leadership, Demands Chuck Schumer Resign Immediately
Date: February 13, 2026
Hosts: Jennifer Welch, Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Guest: Congressman Ro Khanna

Main Theme

This urgent and candid episode dives into the frustrations among progressives with Democratic Party leadership amid rising threats of authoritarianism, economic inequality, mistreatment of immigrants, and the influence of corporate donors. Jennifer, Angie, and Congressman Ro Khanna dissect party failures, advocate for bolder progressive action, and demand accountability—explicitly calling for Chuck Schumer’s resignation as Senate Minority Leader.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Moral Crisis and Need for Clear Progressive Leadership

• Ro Khanna frames the moment as an FDR-like turning point, demanding the Democratic Party stand firmly on moral clarity and concrete policies, not empty platitudes.
  • “We need a new moral vision in this country and for our party… We need to say what happened in Gaza was a genocide. We need to say there are no more military sales to Israel… We need to be for Medicare for all. We need to be for $10 a day childcare. We need to be for free public college and a thousand trade schools. We need to be for a Marshall Plan for America.” (03:58-04:06)
• Khanna criticizes politicians who use vague slogans instead of taking substantive stances.

2. Out-of-Touch Party Leadership: Schumer and Jeffries

• Hosts and Khanna agree that Chuck Schumer is out of his depth and compromised, especially in relation to Israel and ICE funding:
  • Angie: “I 100% agree with you that Chuckles needs to go. He’s not the man at the moment. He’s completely compromised by Israel, in my opinion.” (07:49-08:12)
  • Ro Khanna: “I agree with Schumer. I’ve called for him to step down as minority leader. And I don’t understand why we’re even talking about no new funding… They have $75 billion that was passed in the big ugly bill. We should not fund an additional dime… until they tear down this agency and start anew.” (04:06-04:53)
• While Khanna acknowledges certain progressive energies in the House (citing leaders like Pramila Jayapal and Greg Casar), he asserts that the Senate’s status quo is stagnant and risk-averse.

3. Democratic Weakness Breeds Authoritarianism

• Jennifer laments Democratic leaders “playing patty cake” while the far-right advances:
  • “We need Democratic leadership and we need ironclad resistance to the fascism. And it feels like the leadership is really corporate vested… and you’re seeing the base, like myself… I’ve really moved further to the left and that’s not happening in a vacuum. The polling is starting to bear that out.” (02:33-03:22)
• Ro Khanna argues that centrist incrementalism and risk-aversion don’t just alienate the base—they set the stage for fascists:
  • “I think it does, because I think it makes people apathetic… so then someone like a demagogue comes in and says well I’m going to tear this whole system down… Well, it can get a lot worse.” (16:48-17:18)

4. Immigration & ICE: Moral and Practical Failures

• Khanna details harrowing stories from detention centers, drawing from his own background as the child of immigrants:
  • "I went to the California City detention center…I met with these immigrants who were detained… One person talked about showing me his broken nose. No medical care. Someone talked about having blood in his urine. Can you get me a doctor's appointment?… This is happening in the United States of America.” (09:31-10:18)
• Emphasizes that true strength and leadership come from moral conviction, not performative displays.

5. Economic Inequality and the Need to Tax Billionaires

• The hosts and Khanna decry governors (e.g., Gavin Newsom) blocking wealth taxes, and expose the willingness of billionaires to spend lavishly against progressives like Zohran Mamdani, but not for the public good:
  • Angie: “It’s such a leadership failure and not reading the room right now… these governors…advocate for billionaires and they keep propagandizing us that, oh, this is going to be bad for business.” (13:02-13:24)
  • Khanna: “The younger progressives…say, 'Ro, I don’t think they realize you’re being nice. Wait till we get into power.'…You can’t have a nation half prosperous and half in decline.” (13:26-14:44)
• Ro warns that if Dems return to “business as usual,” a more dangerous right-wing populist will emerge by 2032.

6. The Politicization of AIPAC, Media, and Voter Apathy

• The audience is savvier and less beholden to mainstream or corporate media; awareness about groups like AIPAC is rising:
  • Angie: “The electorate is getting savvier. They’re off the corporate media tit. They’re on to the independent media getting facts.” (19:22)
  • Ro: “I don't think they fully get it yet… A lot of resist liberals have also understood that to really defeat Trumpism, we have to change our society… If that system stays broken, you’re going to continue to have uglier and uglier populism.” (19:37-21:31)

7. 50-State Strategy and Populist Messaging

• The hosts urge Democrats to venture out of blue bastions and engage directly with voters in deep-red states, where right-wing narratives dominate unchecked:
  • Jennifer: “Democrats are going to have to invest in all 50 states and they might lose an election or cycle or two locally in Oklahoma…” (22:03-23:09)
  • Ro: “My belief is if we’re out there and we don’t lie about what we believe... even if they don’t vote for you, will say, ‘Yeah, okay, I see where he’s coming from.’” (24:22-25:24)

8. The Need for Courage and Risk-Taking

• Ro Khanna: “The only thing I think Massey and I had was a willingness to lose, a willingness to take risk. And I think anyone who wants to lead this party... needs to say, what are the things I’m willing to lose for? What are the things I’m willing to believe?” (26:17-26:51)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ro Khanna, on Democratic Messaging:

  “Courage is the new charisma. What people really want is action.” (06:09)

• Angie Sullivan, on Party Leadership:

  “Chuckles needs to go. He’s not the man at the moment. He’s completely compromised...” (07:49)

• Ro Khanna, on Party Conviction:

  “Strength comes from conviction. That’s how Gandhi led. That’s how Mandela led. That’s why Bernie leads.” (10:26)

• Angie Sullivan, on Economic Injustice:

  “It’s easy to villainize Jeff Bezos... or Peter Thiel. But it’s the system, right?... This is not sustainable.” (12:52)

• Ro Khanna, on Risk-Taking:

  “Anyone who wants to lead this party…needs to say, what are the things I’m willing to lose for, what are the things I’m willing to believe?” (26:38)

• Jennifer Welch, on Engaging Red States:

  “You have only one-party rule… You have no mediating voice anywhere… The electorate gets so confused and involved in this kind of propaganda psychosis.” (22:17)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Highlight | |------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:26 | Introduction of Ro Khanna and context for episode | | 00:58 | Ro Khanna calls for a 'new moral vision' and outlines concrete policies | | 02:33 | Critique of Democratic leadership—naming Schumer and Jeffries | | 04:06 | Khanna explains his call for Schumer’s resignation & ICE budget opposition | | 07:49 | Angie: Schumer compromised by Israel; need for bold leadership | | 09:31 | Khanna shares personal immigrant/family history and stories from detention centers | | 13:02 | Discussion of governors blocking billionaire taxes & system’s failure | | 16:48 | Khanna on how Democratic incrementalism breeds apathy and demagoguery | | 19:08 | Angie and Khanna discuss electorate’s media shift and awareness of AIPAC | | 22:03 | Call for a 50-state strategy and direct engagement with red-state voters | | 24:22 | Khanna: the importance of faith, messaging, and moral courage in ‘enemy’ territory | | 26:17 | Khanna on risk-taking and what it takes to change the party | | 27:14 | Closing thanks and mutual appreciation |

Takeaways for Listeners

• The Democratic Party is at a crossroads, with increasing grassroots frustration aimed at risk-averse, corporate-aligned leadership.
• Congressman Ro Khanna bluntly calls for the ouster of Chuck Schumer, a more combative and principle-driven policy agenda, and a willingness to take real risks for meaningful change.
• Wealth inequality, immigration injustice, and the centrist resistance to bold policy are core grievances shared between the hosts and guest.
• There’s a growing recognition, even in historically less-political communities, of the role of donor groups, corporate media, and the inadequacy of traditional incrementalism.
• The future, according to the panel, belongs to those willing to risk, speak plain truths, act boldly, take the political fight to every state, and inspire a new “economic patriotism.”

For anyone who hasn’t listened, this episode is a forthright, often fiery, and deeply personal examination of Democratic Party woes—and a roadmap for a more daring, people-first progressive movement.