Morning Wire — “Mobs, Messaging, and Midterms: What 2025 Revealed About The Left”

Date: December 27, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley, Georgia Howe
Guest: Paul Kengor, Editor of The American Spectator

Overview

This special edition of Morning Wire examines the seismic shifts in American politics during the first year of President Trump’s second term (2025) and looks ahead to the midterm elections in 2026. Hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe are joined by Paul Kengor — author, editor of The American Spectator, and political science professor — to discuss the effectiveness of recent left-wing protest movements, the depth of political messaging, the ideological divides in both parties, and the continued influence of Ronald Reagan on the Republican Party.

Key Discussion Points

1. The "No Kings" Movement and Left-Wing Activism

Timestamp: 02:19–06:15

• Effectiveness of Anti-Trump Demonstrations

  • Kengor finds the "No Kings" slogan and movement largely ineffective and “silly,” questioning the logic behind equating Trump with monarchy:

    “Obviously Donald Trump isn’t a king... Your response to that is, 'huh?' I mean who are they talking about?” (Paul Kengor, 03:27)

  • He points out that leftist protest slogans typically have broad, irrefutable appeal, unlike “No Kings,” which is obscure and arguably counterproductive.
  • Georgia Howe humorously suggests that, historically, some kings have been viewed positively, and that “No Hitlers would have been much better.” (04:24)

• Marketing and Messaging

  • Kengor analyzes slogans in social movements:

    “The first kind of thing you do in sloganeering and marketing, you come up with a clever kind of tested slogan, right? 'Black Lives Matter'—brilliant. 'Marriage Equality' from the LGBTQ people... but 'No Kings'? I mean, obviously the guy isn't a king." (Paul Kengor, 03:04)

  • The group agrees that fascination with royalty can actually have positive connotations in American culture, and question the strategic wisdom of the slogan.

2. The State of Political Organizing

Timestamp: 05:55–07:47

• Activist Culture on the Left

  • Kengor argues that leftists are “natural ideologues” and “natural agitators,” drawing on historical context and conversations with Ben Shapiro:

    “For the American left, they’re just doing what they always do... [they] are going to go out and act like leftists, which means they're going to go out and protest, often act like a mob.” (Paul Kengor, 06:26)

  • Quotes a monarchist thinker:

    “The mob is always a Nero. It’s never a Marcus Aurelius. Right. And that's what the left is good at. It's good at organizing mobs.” (Paul Kengor, 07:19)

• Democrats’ Organization for 2026

  • John Bickley asks if the left is better organized for the midterms; Kengor says their activism is part of their political DNA but questions if it translates into electoral advantage.

3. Ideology vs. Practicality in the Trump Era

Timestamp: 07:47–10:01

• Trump as a Non-Ideologue
  • Bickley and Kengor note that, unlike movement conservatives, Trump is not driven by ideology but by pragmatism and effectiveness:

    "Trump most definitely is not an ideologue... If there was any 'ism' for Trump, it might be nationalism, it might be patriotism, but it wouldn't be so much conservatism." (Paul Kengor, 08:16)

  • Kengor contrasts Trump’s improvisational approach to the Reagan-era ideological conservatism.

4. Midterms Outlook — Division and Headwinds

Timestamp: 09:38–11:30

• Republican Prospects for 2026

  • Kengor predicts that the Republican Party will lose seats in the midterms, as is typical for the party in presidential power:

    “You have to predict that they will lose seats. Right. I mean, they typically do... It's only a question of how much.” (Paul Kengor, 10:01)

  • He notes a wave of primary challenges from Democratic Socialists (DSA), suggesting the left wing is reshaping the Democratic Party internally.

• Democratic Socialists’ Influence

  • Kengor identifies prominent far-left victories—like in New York and Seattle—where DSA candidates are “fundamentally transforming” the Democratic Party from within.

5. Governing in a Divided Government

Timestamp: 11:31–12:56

• If Trump Loses the Majority

  • Howe asks what Trump could achieve legislatively if Republicans lose the House/Senate.
  • Kengor predicts a shift to executive orders and messaging since significant legislative progress would be blocked:

    “If Trump was a king, he’d be able to do all the things he wants to do... But a lot of this is really just, kind of, hot air by liberals and Democrats... for Trump, a lot of it might be messaging. Pushing ideas, but legislatively, probably not getting all that much done. Frankly, foreign policy could be a difference, as it always is.” (Paul Kengor, 11:41)

• Checks and Balances

  • Trump’s critics calling him a monarch are missing that the President’s power is circumscribed by Congress and the courts—an argument Kengor makes repeatedly.

6. Ronald Reagan’s Continued Influence

Timestamp: 12:56–15:07

• Reagan: The Enduring Standard-Bearer

  • Kengor notes the direct lineage between Reagan’s 1980 campaign slogan and the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) slogan now identified with Trump:

    “What does MAGA stand for? Make America Great Again. That was actually Ronald Reagan’s slogan in 1980... I have a button in my office, someone gave me, with Reagan’s face: ‘Make America Great Again.’” (Paul Kengor, 13:21)

  • Reagan is still the model for Republican presidents; party events once called “Lincoln Day Dinners” are now typically known as “Reagan Day Dinners.”
  • Kengor is skeptical that Trump will someday eclipse Reagan in the GOP’s internal mythology.

• Cultural Relevance and Conservative Media

  • The importance and financial difficulty of telling conservative stories in film is discussed:

    “If I would just tell people here right now, support conservative filmmakers. Because it took us 20 years to make a movie about the icon of the conservative movement... When Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, there were already three scripts ready in Hollywood, all fully funded.” (Paul Kengor, 15:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Paul Kengor on 'No Kings’:

  “No Kings? I mean, obviously the guy isn’t a king. So I thought the whole premise was really just kind of fatuous nonsense, right?” (03:18)

• Georgia Howe on Populist Sloganeering:

  “There’s positive connotations with a king. We want the return of the king. There’s fascination with the royal family in England for a reason.” (04:24)

• Kengor on Trump’s Ideology:

  “Trump is really kind of a common sense practitioner, businessman... If there was any ‘ism’ for Trump, it might be nationalism, it might be patriotism.” (08:16)

• On Left-Wing Protest Culture:

  “The one thing you can count on, as sure as the sun coming up tomorrow, is that American leftists are going to go out and act like leftists.” (06:24)

• Reagan’s Enduring Slogan:

  “Make America Great Again. That was actually Ronald Reagan’s slogan in 1980... That shows that it’s still Reagan’s impact, and Reagan is the standard bearer of the party.” (13:21)

Critical Timestamps for Reference

• 02:19 — Paul Kengor critiques the effectiveness and logic of the “No Kings” movement.
• 06:15 — Discussion on organizational strengths and protest culture of the left.
• 08:16 — Contrast between Trump’s practical style and conservative ideology.
• 10:01 — Predictions for Republican losses in the 2026 midterms and left-wing influence inside the Democratic Party.
• 11:41 — Limits on executive power and the role of messaging should Trump lose legislative majorities.
• 13:21 — Analysis of Reagan’s influence on today’s GOP, especially through shared slogans.
• 15:07 — Challenges and importance of building conservative presence in media and culture.

Final Thoughts

The episode offers a sharp, witty critique of left-wing protest strategies and deep analysis of ideological identities within U.S. parties. Kengor’s historical breadth and humor, paired with Howe and Bickley’s pointed questions, illuminate how protest, messaging, and myth-making shape the current American political landscape as Republicans head into a challenging midterm season. The show ultimately underscores the continued cultural and political relevance of Ronald Reagan in the GOP and the enduring tug-of-war between symbolism, messaging, and real-world governance.