IHIP News: "Pete Hegseth Humiliated by Mark Kelly and Drowning Trump Fears Blue Wave"

Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan | Date: November 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this passionate and comedic episode, Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan dissect major political stories from a progressive perspective deep in red state territory. Key themes include the Democratic Party’s overdue shift toward economic populism, public backlash to rising costs under Republican leadership, the unraveling of Trump’s influence over the GOP, and the heated clash between Pete Hegseth and Senator Mark Kelly. The hosts stress the importance of grassroots engagement and media literacy amid America’s fraught political atmosphere.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Democratic Party's Shift Toward Populism

• Hosts highlight how grassroots movements and progressive leaders are pulling the Democratic Party away from corporate influence towards bold economic advocacy.
• Citing Zoran Mamdani’s electoral victories and the changing attitude of veteran strategist James Carville, they note the wave of support for unapologetic populist messaging.
  • [00:34]: Angie reflects, “We want a Democratic party that is not beholden to corporate interest, that does not take AIPAC money and we've proven that we can win that way. Look at Zoran Mamdani in New York… he whipped their asses twice by double digits.”
  • James Carville’s evolution is underscored with contrasting quotes:
    • Old Carville (April 2025): “Democrats need to stop letting Bernie Sanders and AOC define the party.”
    • New Carville: “It is time for Democrats to embrace a sweeping, aggressive, unvarnished, unapologetic, and altogether unmistakable platform of pure economic rage… This is our only way out of the abyss.” ([03:10])

2. Economic Struggles and Public Sentiment

• The hosts break down the tangible impacts of Republican fiscal policies, focusing on the disconnect between political rhetoric and lived experiences.
  • [04:52]: “You can't spin that all of a sudden your health care premiums quadrupled, you can't spin that. People feel that.”
• Citing statistics, they detail alarming cost increases in essentials:
  • “Versus a year ago. Groceries 85%. Utilities 78%. Health care 67%. Housing 66%. Gasoline 54%.” ([05:25])
• Public skepticism towards governmental reassurances:
  • [05:58]: “Yeah, they think he's full of it. That's exactly what they think. … When you can get a majority of Republicans to agree with majority of Democrats, you know that the pain is being felt by the American public right now.”

3. Trump’s Declining Influence and GOP Turmoil

• The episode analyzes mounting evidence of Trump’s loss of control within the GOP and his flailing responses to low polling and rising public dissatisfaction.
  • [06:31]: “Trump is flailing so much right now and no one can hide it any longer… Trump is a weak, failing president and the media is finally starting to say so because you cannot hide it.”
• The hosts predict that, true to form, Trump will blame others and create chaos within his administration, warning of looming staff shakeups.
  • “He’s going to probably fire Susie Wiles. He, maybe he'll fire Pam Bondi… But he’s going to start shaking it up. … He will bring in even more incompetent people.” ([07:45])

4. The Importance of Media Literacy

• Jennifer and Angie advocate for independent news verification and highlight tools like the Ground News app to combat misinformation and bias.
  • [09:04]: “Ground News is basically like the spot 5 news listener telling you who owns each outlet, where it leans politically, and if what you’re reading is even true or not.”

5. Mark Kelly v. Pete Hegseth – Courage vs. Cowardice

• The hosts detail the confrontation between Pete Hegseth and Senator Mark Kelly, painting Kelly as a model of integrity and service, while excoriating Trumpist attacks.
  • [11:10]: “Now they're going after Senator Mark Kelly… because he told his fellow service members, do not follow an illegal order because Trump has immunity.”
  • Readout of Mark Kelly’s powerful response, highlighting his service and steadfastness:
    • [12:10] Mark Kelly: “…I upheld that oath through flight school, multiple deployments on the USS Midway, 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, Test Pilot School, four space shuttle flights at NASA… If this is meant to intimidate me or other members of Congress from doing our jobs… it won’t work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution.”
  • Angie’s commentary on the broader implications:
    • [13:10]: “The majority of us are good. The majority of us know that the President of the United States cannot call for the hanging of U.S. Senators and congress people. This is our fight. This is the fight of our generation.”

6. Closing Motivation: Grassroots Media and Civic Engagement

• The hosts rally listeners on the necessity for community-building in the face of right-wing media dominance, highlighting pro-democracy channels as a means of effecting real change.
  • [14:10]: “MAGA has had a 10-year start on building a media ecosystem outside of cable news and the Democrats are playing catch up. So you watching here and on other pro-democracy channels is a part of building a community and fighting for our country… We have to stay motivated, we have to stay engaged and we have to hold these elected leaders accountable.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Angie Sullivan on Democratic strategy:
  “The base moved before the strategist moved." ([01:35])

• James Carville’s Dramatic Reversal:
  “It is time for Democrats to embrace a sweeping, aggressive, unvarnished, unapologetic, and altogether unmistakable platform of pure economic rage.” ([03:20])

• On the futility of Republican economic myths:
  “The biggest myth that the Republican Party has perpetrated on Americans is that they are fiscal conservatives... The Republicans always tank the economy and then they bail out corporations. They don't bail out working class people.” ([04:23])

• Jennifer, on Trump’s style under pressure:
  “Rule number one: he lies… Rule number two: he starts throwing ketchup. And by that I mean he starts fighting, firing people.” ([08:00])

• Senator Mark Kelly’s Stand:
  “I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution.” ([12:18])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Party Populism, Carville Shakeup: 00:34 – 03:40
• Economic Hardships, Public Sentiment: 04:23 – 06:00
• GOP/Trump Unraveling: 06:31 – 08:10
• Media Literacy & Ground News Shoutout: 09:04 – 10:00
• Mark Kelly vs. Hegseth Showdown: 11:10 – 13:10
• Call to Civic Engagement & Hope: 14:10 – End

Summary & Takeaway

This episode lays bare the fault lines of modern American politics: the brewing populist groundswell inside the Democratic Party, widespread economic anxiety, Trump’s personal decline and its ripple effects across the GOP, and the moral clarity of leaders like Mark Kelly in times of constitutional crisis. With trademark humor and candor, Jennifer and Angie urge listeners to both stay alert and active as the nation teeters at the edge of political transformation. Their parting message: engagement and community are vital weapons for democracy in an era of disinformation and division.