Warren Embraces Socialist & Woke Teacher Litmus Test? | 8.6.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary Episode: "Warren Embraces Socialist & Woke Teacher Litmus Test?"
Release Date: August 6, 2025
Host: John Bickley
Co-Host: Georgia Howe

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1. Democratic Party's Shift to the Left and Elizabeth Warren's Endorsement

Key Discussion: The episode delves into the Democratic Party's potential shift towards more leftist policies and figures, highlighting Senator Elizabeth Warren's support for New York mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani. This endorsement signals a possible embrace of socialist ideals within the party, raising concerns about alienating moderate voters ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Notable Quotes:

• John Bickley [00:36]: "A powerful Democrat senator lends her support to New York socialist Zoran Mamdani as the future of the party."
• Zoran Mamdani [00:42]: "I've said it before and I'll say it again. Zoran Mamdani is New York's best choice for mayor."
• Megan Basham [03:16]: "She's really embracing some of his most provocative policies, things like rent control, government controlled grocery stores, massive tax hikes on high earners. Basically, she's making it clear, agrees with him, that the party needs to move further to the left."

Insights:

• High-profile Democrats like Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Kathy Hochul are maintaining a cautious distance from Mamdani.
• Warren's support could push the party's platform further left, potentially deterring swing and moderate voters.
• Megan Basham [04:26]: "Trying to campaign on hating Donald Trump was the exact same thing that the Harris campaign ran on, albeit maybe with a little bit more PG language."
• Recent polls indicate Democratic popularity at a record low, partly due to perceptions of extremism.
• The party faces a strategic dilemma in balancing the energy of younger, progressive members with the need to retain mainstream support.

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2. Texas Redistricting Battle and California Governor Gavin Newsom's Involvement

Key Discussion: The podcast explores the escalating fight over redistricting in Texas, with California Governor Gavin Newsom actively opposing Republican gains. The confrontation involves legal maneuvers by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and threats from other blue states to counteract Texas's actions.

Notable Quotes:

• John Bickley [07:10]: "The arms race to redistrict heats up as the showdown in Texas continues."
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton [07:43]: "We could arrest these people. So that's an option that the Supreme Court has validated."
• Governor Gavin Newsom [10:24]: "We'll fight fire with fire. We'll assert ourselves and we'll pun above our weight and it will have profound impacts."
• President Trump [10:33]: "Well, they'll do it anyway."

Insights:

• Texas lawmakers are resisting redistricting reforms, leading to potential legal actions and financial penalties.
• Historical precedent from 2021 shows that prolonged absences by lawmakers to block measures ultimately resulted in the passing of the desired reforms.
• The response from other states like California, Illinois, and New York includes retaliatory gerrymandering threats, escalating the conflict.
• Ken Paxton [09:07]: "We have massive population growth over the last five years... other parts have not grown as much."
• Republicans argue that redistricting is essential for fair representation due to population shifts.

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3. Oklahoma's "Pro America" Litmus Test for Incoming Teachers

Key Discussion: Oklahoma has instituted a new "Pro America" test for teachers relocating from liberal states. This initiative aims to ensure that educators align with the state's conservative curriculum standards, preventing the introduction of what officials describe as "indoctrination" of progressive ideologies.

Notable Quotes:

• Maireta Lordy [11:15]: "Teachers who move to Oklahoma from liberal states don't just get to start teaching Oklahoma's kids anymore. Starting this school year. They will have to prove that they align with Oklahoma's curriculum standards."
• Ryan Walters [11:45]: "We are absolutely not going to take Social Justice Warrior Woke up indoctrinators into our classrooms."
• Maireta Lordy [12:43]: "Oklahoma is working with PragerU on developing the test."

Insights:

• The test focuses on fundamental questions about gender differences and American foundational documents, akin to civics requirements.
• Emphasis is placed on teachers' understanding of American exceptionalism and constitutional principles.
• Oklahoma collaborates with PragerU, a partner organization, to develop the curriculum standards and test content.
• Ryan Walters [14:03]: "We are bringing the free market to the classroom... We value student outcomes."
• Critics argue that existing contracts already mandate alignment with curriculum standards, questioning the necessity of a formal test.

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4. Implications for the 2026 Midterms and Beyond

Key Discussion: The episode connects the discussed political shifts and policy implementations to their broader implications for upcoming elections, particularly the 2026 midterms. The Democratic Party's potential alienation of moderate voters and Republican strategies to counteract Democratic maneuvers are highlighted as pivotal factors shaping the electoral landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• Megan Basham [05:23]: "This could really push away older moderate voters in places like Pennsylvania and Arizona."
• John Bickley [06:55]: "It's going to be really interesting to see how the party's longtime leaders try to thread this needle of capturing the sort of energy of younger stars without alienating mainstream America."
• John Bickley [10:48]: "Some Republicans are confident that no matter what Democrats do, the numbers just aren't on their side here."

Insights:

• The Democratic Party must navigate internal divisions between progressive and moderate factions to secure broader electoral support.
• Republican confidence in their strategies suggests a potentially challenging environment for Democrats in key battleground states.
• Ongoing policy battles, such as redistricting and educational reforms, are not only shaping state-level politics but also setting the stage for national electoral outcomes.

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Conclusion

The "Morning Wire" episode provides a critical examination of the evolving dynamics within the Democratic Party, the strategic redistricting battles in Texas, and Oklahoma's bold move to enforce conservative standards in education. These discussions underscore the broader tensions between progressive and moderate factions in American politics, with significant implications for future elections and policy directions.

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For more insights and updates, stay tuned to Morning Wire by The Daily Wire.

Transcript

[Host or Advisor]

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[Caller or Participant]

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[Host or Advisor]

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[John Bickley]

A powerful Democrat senator lends her support to New York socialist Zoran Mamdani as the future of the party.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Zoran Mamdani is New York's best choice for mayor.

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley. Georgia Howe is off today. It's Wednesday, August 6th, and this is Morning Wire. California Governor Gavin Newsom has jumped into the Texas redistricting fight, promising to wipe out any gains the GOP makes in the Lone Star State.

[Host or Advisor]

Whatever they are doing will be neutered here in the state of California and they will pay that price.

[John Bickley]

And Oklahoma implements a non woke Pro America test for teachers moving in from progressive states.

[Host or Advisor]

We now have over 1,000 teachers on track to make $100,000 in the ClassRO for getting exceptional results.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

[Producer Brandon]

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[John Bickley]

While other high profile Democrats have been keeping New York mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani at arm's length, Senator Elizabeth Warren is backing the self described Democratic socialist. Some analysts warn the party's embrace of far left figures and policies could cost them the 2026 midterms. Here with more is Daily Wire Culture reporter Megan Basham. Hey, Megan. So so far a lot of the big names in the Democratic Party, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Kathy Hochul in New York, they're staying pretty quiet about Mamdani. But what is Warren saying?

[Megan Basham]

Well, you know, she's really embracing some of his most provocative policies, things like rent control, government controlled grocery stores, massive tax hikes on high earners. Basically, she's making it clear, agrees with him, that the party needs to move further to the left. In fact, this was what she said on the campaign trail over the weekend.

[Zoran Mamdani]

When someone stands up and says, I will lead this city by making it more affordable and here are my plans, real plans. Plans to deliver on child care, plans to deliver on housing, plans to deliver an experiment. We're going to try things on groceries. That is the Democratic message.

[Megan Basham]

But as you pointed out, John, the party's senior leadership seems to be trying to put the brakes on this. When CNN asked Cory Booker about Mamdani, he avoided answering the question and said, let New York politics be New York politics. And I think the silence does suggest that Democrats are worried that Mamdani's platform is going to alienate swing voters, as you said, as they approach those midterms. And this was highlighted by a contentious interview that Elizabeth Warren had with C CNBC on Monday.

[Zoran Mamdani]

The issue is affordability. Do you know how many working families are chased out of New York City every day because they can't afford housing, they can't afford groceries, they can't afford child care. What Zara is saying is I want people to be able to afford to live in New York City. That's what keeps it a vibrant city. That's what makes people want to live.

[Host or Advisor]

Nobody disagrees with that, Senator. But raising taxes in order to do it, why is that the answer?

[Zoran Mamdani]

Oh, dear. Are you worried that billionaires are going to go hungry?

[Host or Advisor]

No, I'm worried that they're going to leave and spend their money elsewhere.

[Megan Basham]

To his point, you're hearing the party's establishment, like Obama's former Treasury secretary Jack Lew Warning, that these kinds of Tax hikes could drive businesses out of New York.

[John Bickley]

Right. Lots of warnings to that effect. Now, Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett is also out criticizing her party for not being far enough to the left. How does that play into this division?

[Megan Basham]

Well, I think it just further highlights the difficult position that the Democrats are in. You have some of these, you know, younger candidates really promoting more extreme language, more extreme policies, and it's winning them a lot of coverage and a lot of popularity with maybe younger voters, but it isn't necessarily drawing the moderates. For example, this was Crockett on Sunday.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Listen, Donald Trump is a piece of. Okay, we know that. Yes, yes, he is. He is. He is. But in a functioning democracy, he still would not be able to get away with this. But he's been able to get away with this because the House Republicans are complicit. He's been able to get away with this because Senate Republicans are complicit. But most importantly, the courts, especially the Supreme Court, is complicit.

[Megan Basham]

Now, trying to campaign on hating Donald Trump was the exact same thing that the Harris campaign ran on, albeit maybe with a little bit more PG language. And it didn't necessarily pan out for them. And it's also worth remembering that a recent poll in the Wall Street Journal found that the Democrats popularity is now at a record low, and that's largely because many voters are viewing them as too extreme. So when it comes to those midterms, having Mamdani and Crockett and people like that as the party's poster children, well, that could really push away older moderate voters in places like Pennsylvania and Arizona, where the Democrats are really going to need to hang on to or pick up some Senate seats.

[John Bickley]

It's going to be really interesting to see how the party's longtime leaders try to thread this needle of capturing the sort of energy of younger stars without alienating mainstream America. Megan, thanks so much for reporting.

[Megan Basham]

My pleasure.

[John Bickley]

The arms race to redistrict heats up as the showdown in Texas continues. Now California Governor Gavin Newsom is promising to reshape California to wipe out more Republic Republican seats. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce is here to talk about the ongoing fight over redistricting in Texas. A. Tim, so what's the latest here?

[Caller or Participant]

Well, the action seems to be at a standstill. Democrats haven't relented despite threats and fines. And Republicans have to find out what legal means, if any, they have to force these lawmakers back to Texas. Here's Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton talking about a few options.

[Ken Paxton]

Yeah, so one we Got a Supreme Court ruling saying we could arrest these people. So that's an option that the Supreme Court has validated, and that was a pretty important decision. Second, we threw out an opinion talking about this quo warranto, where we could potentially take some of these people that are out and take them out of office, remove them from office. It's never been tried, but we think it's a possibility.

[Caller or Participant]

As we reported yesterday, arrests likely won't work because Texas warrants can't be enforced in other states and extradition isn't likely because Democrats fled to blue states.

[John Bickley]

Right now. How long can we expect this to actually continue? We've seen this happened before. How did it play out in the past? Yeah.

[Caller or Participant]

Last time in 2021, Democrats stayed out of the state for six weeks to protest election reforms. Of course, their protests didn't stop anything. Democrats eventually broke and the measure was passed after they returned. But this time around is a bit different. After the last walkout, Texas approved a $500 a day fine for lawmakers who break quorum in case it ever happened again. Well, it's happened. So in addition to the cost of staying out of state, each one of the nearly 60 rogue lawmakers will accrue huge fines as well. Even so, Repub Are pretty irritated at this and they don't want it to become a common occurrence. So even with the fine, they still want to find a way to force these Democrats back to the legislature. Texas Senator John Cornyn has even written to the FBI for help. And Republicans insist this redistricting is necessary as well. Here's Paxton again.

[Ken Paxton]

We have massive population growth over the last five years. I think we've gained several million people. We're at 31.3 or 4 million people now. Our population centers have grown. Other parts have not grown as much. And so we don't have fair representation right now because our population legislation has.

[Host or Advisor]

Changed and it's increased.

[Ken Paxton]

And so in states like ours, where things have changed so, so dramatically, it does make sense to redistribute.

[John Bickley]

All right, so the argument there is that so much has changed in the state, this really is merited. What about on the other side?

[Caller or Participant]

What are Democrats saying? They're in a tough spot. This protest is highly unlikely to be anything more than symbolic. On top of that, the Democrats are also holding up legislation to help flood victims from earlier this year. But Democrats are pushing back, in some cases, pretty radically. Here's state Congresswoman Jeland Jones comparing Texas redistricting to the Holocaust.

[Host or Advisor]

I will liken this to the Holocaust. People are like, well, how did the Holocaust happen? How is somebody in a position to kill all their people? Well, good people remain silent or, or good people didn't realize that what happens to them can very soon happen to me as somebody I love.

[Caller or Participant]

And Texas Democrats are getting some help from the outside as well. Other states such as California, Illinois and New York are threatening to gerrymander their maps as well if Texas moves forward. Here's California Governor Gavin Newsom.

[Host or Advisor]

We'll fight fire with fire. We'll assert ourselves and we'll pun above our weight and it will have profound impacts.

[Caller or Participant]

President Trump weighed in on those threats from Newsom and other governors on Tuesday.

[John Bickley]

Well, they'll do it anyway.

[Host or Advisor]

Is it worth it?

[John Bickley]

Yeah, they'll do it anyway.

[Host or Advisor]

Why? If we stop over there, they would.

[John Bickley]

Have done it anyway.

[Caller or Participant]

So we'll see if the Democrat pressure campaign will work. But some Republicans are confident that no matter what Democrats do, the numbers just aren't on their side here.

[John Bickley]

Right. They don't have much leverage to work with at this point. Tim, thanks so much for reporting.

[Caller or Participant]

Thanks for having me on.

[John Bickley]

Oklahoma will make teachers from blue states take an America first test before they can step foot in the state's classrooms. The new test aims to make sure teachers who move from blue states don't get the chance to indoctrinate Oklahoma kids with liberal ideologies. Daily Wire reporter Maireta Lordy is here with more. Hey, Marad. So tell us about this new test for vetting teachers.

[Maireta Lordy]

Hi, John. Yes. So teachers who move to Oklahoma from liberal states don't just get to start teaching Oklahoma's kids anymore. Starting this school year. They will have to prove that they align with Oklahoma's curriculum standards, which don't allow indoctrination on things like transgender ideology or bashing America. We spoke to Ryan Walters, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, about the new test. He said they took action when they saw California's radical curriculum standards, which require instruction about gender identity.

[Host or Advisor]

We want good teachers, but we are absolutely not going to take Social Justice Warrior Woke up indoctrinators into our classrooms. So we started looking at some other states that are doing this as well. These blue states are using schools to indoctrinate our kids and we will not tolerate those teachers coming into Oklahoma. We need to test to make sure. First of all, what's a woman? This isn't a tough question. It's not a trick question. It's a very easy question. My 4 year old can answer the question. So we've got to make sure that the teachers Coming into the state. Understand that, understand that there is a difference between the genders. There is a difference between. It's biology, it's simple, it's basic. And the second part is, are you coming in to teach a hatred for America? We will not tolerate the anti Semitism, the anti Americanism that we've seen being pushed by blue states. Our parents have been crystal clear. They want their kids to get a patriotic education. They want their kids to be to understand how America became the greatest country in the history of the world.

[Maireta Lordy]

Besides California, Maine and New York also have left leaning curriculum standards that Oklahoma opposes. Walters said. And by the way, Oklahoma is working with Prageru on developing the test. The two have worked together in the past to develop patriotic history curriculum content.

[John Bickley]

Right. And I should note that Prageru is an organization that Daily Wire partners with. So give us some more details about the test itself. What have you learned?

[Maireta Lordy]

Yes, well, Walters actually went into some detail about that as well.

[Host or Advisor]

It's a written test, it's passed or fail. What you're going to have to be able to identify is the biological differences between men and women. It's not overly complicated. And then an understanding of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, very similar to the civics test that we require of all teachers. And so we need reading, writing, math, history, science. Absolutely. But you know what else we have to have an understanding of? What is America? How does America, how does the form of government work? Why did the founders set it up that way? What is American exceptionalism? What are those core fundamental principles and values? Every teacher has to know those to teach in the state of Oklahoma. And we're going to hold the line against left wing indoctrinators.

[Maireta Lordy]

Walters also said that not only is Oklahoma working to recruit the top 10% of teachers in the country, they're putting teachers on track for merit pay. And they now have over 1,000 teachers on track to make $100,000 for getting exceptional results.

[Host or Advisor]

We are bringing the free market to the classroom. The free market principles work in every sector. It's ever been instituted in the teachers and the class, the teachers union, the classrooms, the education system have been socialists for decades. Now we're saying no, it will be a free market environment. We value student outcomes. When kids are inspired, when they understand the American dream, when they see it through American history, what it's done, not only what we've done for our citizens, but look at the impact we've had on the world around us. It is inspiring students, it lifts their spirits, it gives them hope. It gives them that bright future. So absolutely we are focused on outcomes and we're focused on creating patriotic Americans.

[Maireta Lordy]

One member of Oklahoma's Board of Education criticized the test, arguing that teachers contracts already require them to align with Oklahoma's curriculum standards. But Walters thinks the precaution of a test is still necessary.

[John Bickley]

Yeah, understandable given how far left some of these blue state standards are are now. Marie, thanks so much for reporting.

[Maireta Lordy]

Thanks John.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you're watching on YouTube, don't forget to like and subscribe. We'll be back this evening with more news you need to know.

[Producer Brandon]

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