I've Had It – "Bubba BJ-Gate"

Podcast with Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan, featuring Joy Ann Reid
Released: November 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This laugh-out-loud episode of "I've Had It" takes listeners to New York City, where hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan welcome renowned journalist, author, and commentator Joy Ann Reid. The conversation is a hard-hitting, unfiltered takedown of performative politics, hypocrisy in both parties, and the wild ride of current American political culture. From intra-Democratic tensions and media criticism to the politics of power and scandal, the trio dives deep with sharp analysis and biting humor—while never veering far from the show’s signature "had it" ethos.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcome & Setting the Tone

• Joy Ann Reid’s Debut (02:28):
  • Joy is introduced as a trailblazer in news media and shares in the podcast’s tradition by opening with an energetic, "Fuck off!"

    “Can I just please do a fuck off? I'm like, it's in my spirit.” – Joy Ann Reid [02:28]

2. Field Reporting Mishaps—Media Behind the Scenes

• Jennifer’s Rookie Reporter Tales (02:47–05:25):
  • Jennifer recounts her botched attempts at live-streaming for Joy (without earphones) and vows to do better next time.
  • Joy reflects on lessons from political event coverage: "On the journalism side, the lesson is always just do it." [04:42]

3. The State of the Democratic Party

• Joy on Democratic Weakness (05:30):

  • Expresses frustration at Democrats’ reluctance to wield power, contrasting them with Republicans' ruthlessness.

    “I've had it with the Democrats caving. I've had it with the Democrats and soft pedaling this autocracy.” – Joy Ann Reid [05:30]

  • Push for a more assertive, Mamdani-style (progressive) Democratic Party.

• Hakeem Jeffries, Primaries, and AIPAC (06:39–10:37):

  • Discussion about AOC and Zoron's position not to primary Jeffries.
  • Joy criticizes AIPAC influence:

    "You all have to divorce yourself from...AIPAC. Because as long as AIPAC money is flowing into your coffers, you're never gonna be truly free..." – Joy Ann Reid [07:22]

  • Joy is “pro primary”: “[Primaries] make you stronger, they make you sharper, they make you focus.” [09:03]

4. Republican Pundits and Cult Dynamics

• Scott Jennings Critique (10:53–14:40):

  • Collective disdain for CNN’s Scott Jennings, his Trump sycophancy, and the “patriotism” charade:

    “His MAGA act is so phony...because I am old enough to remember when on January 7, 2021, he said, Donald Trump was an outrageous sort of outrage upon the dignity of the Constitution.” – Joy Ann Reid [11:15]

  • Jennifer rails against flag-pin patriotism:

    “It doesn't make you a bigger patriot, big boy. It makes you look like a pussy, first and foremost to me.” [12:00]

• Power, Fear, and Moral Collapse in Trump’s Orbit (15:03–17:03):

  • Joy explains Trump’s magnetic corruption—his ability to make others debase themselves out of fear and transactional hope.

5. Authoritarianism, Trump’s Image, and the MAGA Succession

• The Weak King & Gossipy Meltdown (17:03–20:51):
  • Dissecting the spectacle of Trump’s physical and mental decline, and cracks in the MAGA movement.
• MAGA’s Future Fight: Who Inherits the Throne? (20:51–26:56):
  • Speculative, Game of Thrones–style breakdown of MAGA’s likely heirs:
    • Marjorie Taylor Greene and her “rebrand” [21:21]
    • J.D. Vance and race barriers [20:51–23:32]
    • Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump Jr., Nick Fuentes [24:52–25:57]
    • Nikki Haley and country-club Republicanism [25:11–25:50]
  • Country-club Republicans, “cult” vs. “polite” racists [27:00]

6. Race, Class, and Structural Power in the South

• Historical Context of White Supremacy Structures (32:51–34:49):

  • Joy draws parallels between the Klan/White Citizens’ Council dynamic and today’s elites and working-class whites.

    "They had the exact same ideology...but they had on a suit and tie and they owned the shops where white people shopped." – Joy Ann Reid [33:20]

• The Political Utility of Racism (34:49–36:42):

  • Racism as a tool for economic elite profit and working-class white buy-in.

    "They keep the racism going, they keep the hate going. It's very useful." – Joy Ann Reid [36:27]

7. Democratic Messaging Meltdown & Rural America

• Abandonment and Missed Opportunities (36:42–41:12):

  • Democrats' absence in red states, failure at storytelling and branding.
  • The importance of reframing government programs (e.g., “Connect” in Kentucky vs “Obamacare”) [43:41]

• Voters’ Disconnect & the Branding Problem (41:12–44:24):

  • Despite progressive views on issues, Red State voters stick Republican due to branding and cultural issues.

8. Health Care and Economic Policy Failures

• Joy’s Policy Breakdown & Tax Cuts (46:14–48:31):
  • Dissecting Trump-era tax bills stripping Medicaid for the rich.

    “They [Republicans] took almost a trillion out of your Medicaid. Hospitals were already going to close because of that bill that they then diabolically called Big and Beautiful..." – Joy Ann Reid [47:40]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “We're not in a cult. And the fact that he [Jennings] sits there night after night knowing I don't believe he believes half of what he says...it's disgusting.” – Joy Ann Reid [13:05]
• “The only reason we have an AOC is a primary.” – Joy Ann Reid [09:48]
• “You offer them nothing. But what you offer them is whiteness." – Joy Ann Reid [35:05]
• “America, in some ways is kind of...like a ghetto in a Gucci belt or something like that.” – Joy Ann Reid [58:25]

'Had It or Hit It' Segment Highlights

• Following Guest (52:10):

  “Had it. It makes me want to—it makes me cringe in my spirit. I get so angry...Just say, next.” – Joy Ann Reid

• Tech Bros (53:01):

  “Had it. They're surveilling us and they're weird. Have you ever heard Peter Thiel talk?” – Joy Ann Reid

• Ted Cruz 2028 (54:25):

  “Only if he changes his name to Rafael the Canadian. That's who he is.” – Joy Ann Reid

• Bubba BJ-Gate (55:17–56:25):

  • Pure comedic gold as they riff on Trump/Clinton/Epstein conspiracy rumors and the “Bubba” oral sex story:

    “I want to know who Bubba is. I want to know—what’s Trump on his knees? I want to know everything. Was he a spitter?” – Joy Ann Reid

• The U.S.A. (58:25):

  “We’re like a ghetto in a Gucci belt...America has the most possibility...but it isn't functioning. So I'm still America. I'm still gonna say hit it. But it needs a reboot. It needs an HGTV makeover.” – Joy Ann Reid

Notable Timestamps

• [02:28] – Joy’s “Fuck off” and introduction
• [05:30] – Joy’s frustrations with the Democratic Party
• [11:15] – Scott Jennings “phony MAGA act” call-out
• [17:03] – Authoritarian masculinity and Trump’s decline
• [20:51] – Succession speculation: who inherits MAGA
• [32:51] – Southern white power dynamics; history lesson
• [43:41] – How rebranding government assistance works
• [46:14] – Dissection of health care and tax cuts
• [52:10] – "Had it or hit it" game begins
• [55:19] – "Bubba BJ-Gate" segment
• [58:25] – Where America stands: final thoughts

Tone and Language

• Unapologetically direct, irreverent, and playful.
• Swearing, sarcasm, and sharp wit abound.
• Political analysis delivered through personal anecdotes, Southern drawls, and "girl talk" energy.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is a riotous, deeply engaged political conversation that skewers hypocrisy, calls for real change, and laughs so you don't cry. With Joy Ann Reid as a powerhouse guest, Jennifer and Pumps combine hard truths about race, power, and policy with a uniquely sassy, Southern-fried candor. Unmissable for those who’ve had it—with the nonsense, the lies, and the laughable but dangerous state of American politics.