IHIP News Podcast – Episode Summary

Podcast: IHIP News
Episode Title: Trump is Panicking as Californians Vote to Shut Him Down
Date: November 1, 2025
Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Guest: California Assemblywoman Tina McKenna

Episode Overview

In this lively, sharply opinionated episode, hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan bring on California Assemblywoman Tina McKenna to delve into the urgent fight against Donald Trump’s influence, specifically through California’s Prop 50. The conversation is a mix of political analysis, personal anecdotes, and strategic action, all peppered with humor and unfiltered commentary. The main focus: what Californians (and their allies) can do to uphold democracy and counter ongoing right-wing maneuvers.

Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Stage – Fighting Trump in California

• Assemblywoman McKenna (00:38): Asserts early on that California is actively mobilizing to “bring the fight to Trump,” setting a tone of direct action.
• Hosts’ Tone: Combative, energized, and intentionally irreverent—emphasizing urgency and grassroots resistance.

2. The Double Standard & Lack of Accountability

• Angie “Pumps” Sullivan (01:07): Critiques what she sees as blatant double standards in how Trump is treated by the media and public:

  “Why does this man get away with so much shit? Assembly woman. It makes me insane that there is never any accountability with this man.”

• Assemblywoman McKenna (01:56):

  “He’s brought decorum for elected officials down ... He just does whatever he wants. He’s full of theatrics ... embarrassing.”

3. Prop 50: The Legislative Counterattack

• Purpose: Prop 50 is framed as a legislative weapon to rebalance congressional representation and introduce accountability.
• McKenna’s Riff on Tactics (03:18):

  “You go low, I go lower. ... With our help, we’re going to kick his ass from California.”

4. The Stakes for Democracy and Multiculturalism

• Jennifer Welch (04:31):

  “Multiculturalism is a worthy fight ... and it is the most patriotic and American fight in which you can engage.”

• Assemblywoman McKenna (05:58): Discusses California’s status as a donor state and how the state’s approach to redistricting is distinctively democratic, calling out the contrast with red states’ approaches.

5. Redistricting and Fairness

• Redistricting Efforts: California moving to let voters approve new map-drawing power until 2030—framed as a democratic alternative to gerrymandering (06:14–07:33).
• Strategic Goal: McKenna stresses that passage of Prop 50 will directly reduce the number of Republican seats, with hopes of even unseating figures like Kevin McCarthy (07:41):

  “We’re going to try. ... We would love to get rid of him ... And so we’re going to fucking try.”

6. The National Impact & Trumpism’s Weakness

• Welch (08:02): Connects Trump’s actions—from seeking “11,000 votes” to low inauguration turnout—to a broader pattern of ego-driven, anti-democratic behavior.
• McKenna (10:06): Outlines the potential domino effect of Prop 50, linking it to the fight for civil rights, Medicare, LGBTQ+ rights, and reproductive freedom.

  “This helps the rest of the country, because once goes California, goes the rest of the country. ... Go to stopriggedelection.com and donate and help California help you.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Manifesting Ambition (01:03–01:07):

  • Welch: “Did you see... President Trump... being escorted around by the Japanese Prime Minister on the global stage and getting lost?... Every single thing you do is going to be critiqued. ... Why does this man get away with so much shit?”

• McKenna’s Philosophy of Political Combat (03:18):

  “Michelle Obama said, if you go low, I go high. Not me. You go low, I go lower.”

• On Red City Economics (05:58):

  • Welch: “I can’t think of one big red city that pays a lot of taxes ... and I can’t think of one.”
  • McKenna: “No, I can’t either. ... Wouldn’t that be something? Because we are a donor state. We give way more money than like Texas.”

• Prop 50 Call to Action (10:06–11:55):

  “If you don’t live in California, there’s a place if you go to stoptheriggedelection.com you can donate. ... We want to make sure that we continue that trend. We have to win in California. This helps the rest of the country because once goes California, goes the rest of the country.”

Important Timestamps

• 00:20–01:18: Introductions and initial Trump discussion, setting the energetic tone.
• 01:56–03:18: Impassioned criticism of Trump and the need for aggressive response.
• 03:18–05:00: Strategy behind Prop 50 and California’s approach.
• 05:58–07:33: Redistricting and California’s potential “donor state” power; setting up the Prop 50 campaign.
• 07:41–08:02: Hope and effort to unseat figures like Kevin McCarthy.
• 08:02–10:06: Trump’s historic lack of legitimacy, the psychological tactics of his team, and the importance of combatting his influence.
• 10:06–12:24: Detailed Prop 50 pitch, explanation of national impact, and call-to-action for listeners.
• 12:24–13:12: Closing affirmations and mutual appreciation.

Conclusion / Action Steps

• For Californians: Vote YES on Prop 50, use Dropbox not mail, mobilize your community.
• For Supporters Nationwide: Donate at stoptheriggedelection.com and help with get-out-the-vote campaigns.
• Final Thoughts: The hosts and Assemblywoman McKenna see California’s political fight not just as a state issue, but a national bulwark for democracy, rights, and diverse communities.

True to the podcast’s spirit, this episode was equal parts politics, humor, and a call to arms—which the hosts and their guest deliver with gusto and a refusal to pull any punches.