Part of the Problem – "The Disgraced Dan Bongino"

Podcast: Part of The Problem
Host: Dave Smith (joined by co-host Robbie "The Fire" Bernstein)
Episode: The Disgraced Dan Bongino
Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dave Smith unpacks the latest political and media absurdities, focusing on public figures and government incompetence through a libertarian lens. The main discussion centers around Dan Bongino’s emotional defense of the Trump-era FBI, the ongoing spectacle of anti-Semitism accusations, and recent bombshells about COVID-19 vaccine testing coverups. Dave and Robbie deliver biting commentary, using humor, palpable frustration, and a commitment to exposing government malfeasance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Media Debates and the Israel Discourse

Dave’s Experience on Piers Morgan:
Dave opens the episode recounting his participation in a Piers Morgan debate against a former Israeli IDF spokesman. He remarks on the relentless pace of Israel-related news and the sick feeling of being handed more tragic ammunition for debate after each new revelation.
- On the UN’s Torture Report & US Support for Israel:
  “[The UN’s Committee on Torture] released this scathing report about the Israeli torture sites... torturing Palestinians to death... And... the news is always just handing me more... for my arsenal, and I already have the debate won. Like, none of these guys have anything to say. And then there’s just more. But there’s almost like this weird, sick dynamic... you get handed, like, another great example to go win your debate, but it’s at this awful human cost.” — Dave Smith (03:06)
Debate Dynamics and Public Engagement:
Dave notes a frustrating debate tactic: opponents acting as self-appointed judges rather than equal participants, which he dismisses as “no one cares what you respect, you’re a spokesman for a terrorist organization.” (04:30)

2. "Antisemite of the Year" List Ridicule (06:00–09:00)

The hosts mock the annual “Stop Antisemitism” group’s “Antisemite of the Year” nominations, which included mainstream figures like Tucker Carlson, Jank Uygur, and Anna Kasparian, as well as Ms. Rachel, a children’s content creator.
Dave’s take: “The idea that any of them are Jew haters is just ridiculous. You could only... by the wokest definition of bigotry could you accuse any of those three.” (07:02)
By highlighting Ms. Rachel’s so-called offense—expressing sympathy for Palestinian children—Dave criticizes the PR failures of such accusations:
“Like the lady who sings songs for three-year-olds... she’s a Jew hater, Rob, for committing the crime of going, I sure do feel bad for these Palestinian three-year-olds.” (07:54)

3. Trump Era Incompetence, the New York Post Expose, and Dan Bongino’s Defense (13:00–26:00)

Cash Patel FBI "Jacket Incident":
Rob and Dave laugh at the cartoonish behavior described in the New York Post: Patel refusing to exit a plane until presented with the right size FBI jacket—with side sleeves—after the Charlie Kirk event.
“I was cracking up over the jacket incident... he knows he’s going to be in front of television cameras and has to make sure he has his look right.” — Robbie (14:28)
Trump-era Leadership as Pure Theater:
Dave delivers a stinging critique: “...what you just get is the incompetence without any of the good part... you just get the inexperience... It’s a microcosm of the entire Trump administration.” (17:29)
Dan Bongino’s Emotional Fox & Friends Clip:
(20:11–20:59)
Dan Bongino gives an emotional (and widely mocked) defense, detailing personal sacrifices—exhausting work hours and separation from his wife—that Dave finds pathetic in context:
- “‘I gave up everything for this. I mean, my wife is struggling... I'm not Jim Comey. It's fine. I did this and I'm proud I did it...’” — Dan Bongino (20:11)
- Dave’s roast: “You already know you’re in trouble when you’re defending the Trump Justice Department on Fox and Friends... And you start by the personal sacrifice that you’ve had to make. And that sacrifice includes getting to work at a reasonable hour.” (21:04)
- “Dude, there’s people all over this country by the tens of millions who do much tougher work than you. And you’re... playing the victim role.” (29:02)
Reputation vs. Career in Government/Media:
The hosts discuss how fallen figures like Bongino and Douglas Murray will always have career opportunities, though their reputations suffer. Dave asserts, “He [Bongino] made a calculation... Through his own action, destroy his reputation. Whatever he does next after this, it’s not going to be going back to having a huge relevant podcast.” (28:18)

4. COVID Vaccine Revelations: Trial Deaths and Censorship (31:38–55:36)

Alex Berenson’s Report on a Child’s Death in Moderna Trials:
Dave credits Berenson (despite personal beef) for exposing a covered-up trial death of a child during Moderna’s vaccine testing, distinct from the newly acknowledged 10 FDA-admitted vaccine deaths:
- “If that is true... this means that... when they were saying this thing is safe and effective, they knew they were full of shit and knew that it was a risk for kids way past the point where we knew that COVID was not a risk for kids at all.” (36:26)
Media Censorship and the Shattered Trust in Institutions:
Robbie reminisces about how such stories—deaths during trials—would have gotten their channels banned in the moment:
“I definitely got a strike for reading the Pfizer preprint... which included there were 14 deaths in the vaccinated group versus just 13 deaths in the unvaccinated...” (38:08)
Risk-Shifting and Parental Altruism:
Dave questions parents’ rationale for enrolling children in early vaccine trials, suggesting it’s a warped interpretation of altruism bordering on negligence:
“Who would... especially when there was no real risk to them with COVID. I just can’t imagine ever increasing any risk... to my kid’s health in service of some greater abstract... idea of the common good...” (42:28)
COVID’s Lasting Impact on the American Psyche:
Both hosts argue that the COVID era irreversibly shattered public trust in “experts” and exposed the regime’s capacity for coordinated propaganda:
- “Covid did more to shatter the propaganda apparatus than... Anything else... It made such clear, declarative statements... All of them turned out to be wrong.” (47:15)
- “How impossible it would be for them to get the whole country to buy into propaganda like that again right now. Covid did more to shatter the propaganda apparatus than anything else.” (46:42)

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the IDF Debate:
“No one cares what you respect. You’re a spokesman for a terrorist organization.” — Dave (04:11)
On the “Antisemite of the Year” List:
“Like, imagine thinking the move is to viciously attack that lady... who sings songs for three-year-olds.” — Dave (07:54)
On Trump-Era Management:
“You just get the incompetence without any of the good part.” — Dave (17:29)
On Bongino’s Sacrifices:
“He’s got to be at, Rob. Let me remind you... 7:30 in the morning. Yeah. This guy wakes up in the morning, Rob, and goes to a room where he’s got to work all day... Like, that just sounds like being an adult.” — Dave (21:04)
On Parent Vaccine Trial Participation:
“Who the hell voluntarily experiments on their preschooler like this?” — Dave (41:06)
On the COVID Information War:
“It is amazing to have people buy into something so big, have the whole thing collapse in such a relatively short amount of time.” — Dave (48:21)

Timestamps for Important Segments

[03:06] — Dave’s account of debating the Israeli IDF spokesman, the UN torture report, and debating tactics
[06:00-09:00] — Breakdown and ridicule of the “Antisemite of the Year” list
[13:00] — The New York Post exposé on Cash Patel and the “FBI Jacket” story
[20:11-20:59] — Dan Bongino’s emotional Fox & Friends defense
[26:10] — Media/government reputation, government career incentives
[31:38] — Discussion begins on the COVID vaccine trial death and Alex Berenson’s reporting
[38:08] — Robbie on censorship and vaccine trial data
[42:28] — Philosophical riff on altruism and parental decisions in vaccine trials
[46:42] — Lasting impact of COVID on trust in institutions and propaganda
[47:15-48:21] — Reflections on the speed and completeness of the COVID narrative collapse
[55:28] — Closing thoughts on institutional trust and COVID’s personal impacts

Tone and Style

Language: Direct, irreverent, often laced with biting sarcasm and dark humor
Tone: Frustrated, incredulous, but underpinned by a commitment to truth and skepticism of government and media narratives
Dynamic: Both hosts riff, joke, and double down on each other's criticisms for comedic effect while also making serious points about institutional accountability

Conclusion

This episode serves as a substantial critique of government, media, and public discourse, using recent events to highlight absurdities and failures at the highest levels. Through sharp humor and libertarian analysis, Dave Smith and Robbie Bernstein aim to expose how public figures like Dan Bongino become the punchline for deeper systemic failures, and how COVID-19 legacy scandals are critical to ongoing public skepticism toward authority.

Part of the Problem – "The Disgraced Dan Bongino"

Podcast: Part of The Problem
Host: Dave Smith (joined by co-host Robbie "The Fire" Bernstein)
Episode: The Disgraced Dan Bongino
Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Media Debates and the Israel Discourse

Dave’s Experience on Piers Morgan:
Dave opens the episode recounting his participation in a Piers Morgan debate against a former Israeli IDF spokesman. He remarks on the relentless pace of Israel-related news and the sick feeling of being handed more tragic ammunition for debate after each new revelation.
- On the UN’s Torture Report & US Support for Israel:
  “[The UN’s Committee on Torture] released this scathing report about the Israeli torture sites... torturing Palestinians to death... And... the news is always just handing me more... for my arsenal, and I already have the debate won. Like, none of these guys have anything to say. And then there’s just more. But there’s almost like this weird, sick dynamic... you get handed, like, another great example to go win your debate, but it’s at this awful human cost.” — Dave Smith (03:06)
Debate Dynamics and Public Engagement:
Dave notes a frustrating debate tactic: opponents acting as self-appointed judges rather than equal participants, which he dismisses as “no one cares what you respect, you’re a spokesman for a terrorist organization.” (04:30)

2. "Antisemite of the Year" List Ridicule (06:00–09:00)

The hosts mock the annual “Stop Antisemitism” group’s “Antisemite of the Year” nominations, which included mainstream figures like Tucker Carlson, Jank Uygur, and Anna Kasparian, as well as Ms. Rachel, a children’s content creator.
Dave’s take: “The idea that any of them are Jew haters is just ridiculous. You could only... by the wokest definition of bigotry could you accuse any of those three.” (07:02)
By highlighting Ms. Rachel’s so-called offense—expressing sympathy for Palestinian children—Dave criticizes the PR failures of such accusations:
“Like the lady who sings songs for three-year-olds... she’s a Jew hater, Rob, for committing the crime of going, I sure do feel bad for these Palestinian three-year-olds.” (07:54)

3. Trump Era Incompetence, the New York Post Expose, and Dan Bongino’s Defense (13:00–26:00)

Cash Patel FBI "Jacket Incident":
Rob and Dave laugh at the cartoonish behavior described in the New York Post: Patel refusing to exit a plane until presented with the right size FBI jacket—with side sleeves—after the Charlie Kirk event.
“I was cracking up over the jacket incident... he knows he’s going to be in front of television cameras and has to make sure he has his look right.” — Robbie (14:28)
Trump-era Leadership as Pure Theater:
Dave delivers a stinging critique: “...what you just get is the incompetence without any of the good part... you just get the inexperience... It’s a microcosm of the entire Trump administration.” (17:29)
Dan Bongino’s Emotional Fox & Friends Clip:
(20:11–20:59)
Dan Bongino gives an emotional (and widely mocked) defense, detailing personal sacrifices—exhausting work hours and separation from his wife—that Dave finds pathetic in context:
- “‘I gave up everything for this. I mean, my wife is struggling... I'm not Jim Comey. It's fine. I did this and I'm proud I did it...’” — Dan Bongino (20:11)
- Dave’s roast: “You already know you’re in trouble when you’re defending the Trump Justice Department on Fox and Friends... And you start by the personal sacrifice that you’ve had to make. And that sacrifice includes getting to work at a reasonable hour.” (21:04)
- “Dude, there’s people all over this country by the tens of millions who do much tougher work than you. And you’re... playing the victim role.” (29:02)
Reputation vs. Career in Government/Media:
The hosts discuss how fallen figures like Bongino and Douglas Murray will always have career opportunities, though their reputations suffer. Dave asserts, “He [Bongino] made a calculation... Through his own action, destroy his reputation. Whatever he does next after this, it’s not going to be going back to having a huge relevant podcast.” (28:18)

4. COVID Vaccine Revelations: Trial Deaths and Censorship (31:38–55:36)

Alex Berenson’s Report on a Child’s Death in Moderna Trials:
Dave credits Berenson (despite personal beef) for exposing a covered-up trial death of a child during Moderna’s vaccine testing, distinct from the newly acknowledged 10 FDA-admitted vaccine deaths:
- “If that is true... this means that... when they were saying this thing is safe and effective, they knew they were full of shit and knew that it was a risk for kids way past the point where we knew that COVID was not a risk for kids at all.” (36:26)
Media Censorship and the Shattered Trust in Institutions:
Robbie reminisces about how such stories—deaths during trials—would have gotten their channels banned in the moment:
“I definitely got a strike for reading the Pfizer preprint... which included there were 14 deaths in the vaccinated group versus just 13 deaths in the unvaccinated...” (38:08)
Risk-Shifting and Parental Altruism:
Dave questions parents’ rationale for enrolling children in early vaccine trials, suggesting it’s a warped interpretation of altruism bordering on negligence:
“Who would... especially when there was no real risk to them with COVID. I just can’t imagine ever increasing any risk... to my kid’s health in service of some greater abstract... idea of the common good...” (42:28)
COVID’s Lasting Impact on the American Psyche:
Both hosts argue that the COVID era irreversibly shattered public trust in “experts” and exposed the regime’s capacity for coordinated propaganda:
- “Covid did more to shatter the propaganda apparatus than... Anything else... It made such clear, declarative statements... All of them turned out to be wrong.” (47:15)
- “How impossible it would be for them to get the whole country to buy into propaganda like that again right now. Covid did more to shatter the propaganda apparatus than anything else.” (46:42)

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the IDF Debate:
“No one cares what you respect. You’re a spokesman for a terrorist organization.” — Dave (04:11)
On the “Antisemite of the Year” List:
“Like, imagine thinking the move is to viciously attack that lady... who sings songs for three-year-olds.” — Dave (07:54)
On Trump-Era Management:
“You just get the incompetence without any of the good part.” — Dave (17:29)
On Bongino’s Sacrifices:
“He’s got to be at, Rob. Let me remind you... 7:30 in the morning. Yeah. This guy wakes up in the morning, Rob, and goes to a room where he’s got to work all day... Like, that just sounds like being an adult.” — Dave (21:04)
On Parent Vaccine Trial Participation:
“Who the hell voluntarily experiments on their preschooler like this?” — Dave (41:06)
On the COVID Information War:
“It is amazing to have people buy into something so big, have the whole thing collapse in such a relatively short amount of time.” — Dave (48:21)

Timestamps for Important Segments

[03:06] — Dave’s account of debating the Israeli IDF spokesman, the UN torture report, and debating tactics
[06:00-09:00] — Breakdown and ridicule of the “Antisemite of the Year” list
[13:00] — The New York Post exposé on Cash Patel and the “FBI Jacket” story
[20:11-20:59] — Dan Bongino’s emotional Fox & Friends defense
[26:10] — Media/government reputation, government career incentives
[31:38] — Discussion begins on the COVID vaccine trial death and Alex Berenson’s reporting
[38:08] — Robbie on censorship and vaccine trial data
[42:28] — Philosophical riff on altruism and parental decisions in vaccine trials
[46:42] — Lasting impact of COVID on trust in institutions and propaganda
[47:15-48:21] — Reflections on the speed and completeness of the COVID narrative collapse
[55:28] — Closing thoughts on institutional trust and COVID’s personal impacts

Tone and Style

Language: Direct, irreverent, often laced with biting sarcasm and dark humor
Tone: Frustrated, incredulous, but underpinned by a commitment to truth and skepticism of government and media narratives
Dynamic: Both hosts riff, joke, and double down on each other's criticisms for comedic effect while also making serious points about institutional accountability

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The Disgraced Dan Bongino

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Summary

Part of the Problem – "The Disgraced Dan Bongino"

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Media Debates and the Israel Discourse

2. "Antisemite of the Year" List Ridicule (06:00–09:00)

3. Trump Era Incompetence, the New York Post Expose, and Dan Bongino’s Defense (13:00–26:00)

4. COVID Vaccine Revelations: Trial Deaths and Censorship (31:38–55:36)

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Tone and Style

Conclusion

Summary

Part of the Problem – "The Disgraced Dan Bongino"

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Media Debates and the Israel Discourse

2. "Antisemite of the Year" List Ridicule (06:00–09:00)

3. Trump Era Incompetence, the New York Post Expose, and Dan Bongino’s Defense (13:00–26:00)

4. COVID Vaccine Revelations: Trial Deaths and Censorship (31:38–55:36)

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Tone and Style

Conclusion