QAA Podcast – Episode 314: 2 Frenchmen at CPAC (Part Two) (E314)

Date: March 12, 2025
Hosts: Julian Feeld, Jake Rockatansky, Liv Agar
Guest: Anthony Monsuy
Main Theme:
An on-the-ground, darkly satirical report from the 2025 CPAC convention, focusing on the far-right’s public pageantry, reactionary activism, "cursed" media spectacles, and the disturbing mainstreaming of fascist and conspiratorial rhetoric—with special attention to the French perspective and surreal comic relief.

Episode Overview

The hosts (with guest Anthony Monsuy) recount in vivid, often grim, often absurd, detail their experiences embedded at CPAC 2025 in Washington, D.C., profiling far-right figures, their antics, and underlying politics, while also reflecting on the emotional toll and the broader, dystopian shifts in U.S. political culture. The episode combines reportage, dry humor, and moments of despair, highlighting the normalization of extremist rhetoric and exploring both the performative and dangerous sides of the political right’s new era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Proud Boys/Capitol “J6” Press Stunt & Meme Coin Grift

• Setting & Key Characters:

  • Ivan Raiklin leads a chaotic press conference outside the Capitol, representing Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other J6 figures now rallying as “victims.”
  • Counter-protesters disrupt with shouts, whistles, and bullhorns.
  • “A coalition of Proud Boys, their leader Enrique Tarrio, Oath Keepers’ Stewart Rhodes, other J6ers—all returned to the scene of the crime to make speeches.” (Julian, 02:51)

• Main Announcements:

  • Raiklin declares a lawsuit against the DOJ for the J6 convicts, funded by ProudCoin, a meme crypto token.
  • “Within a few hours, it was down 97.6%... a pump and dump if there was very little pump.” (Julian, 03:56)
  • Discussion on the transparency and likely futility: “I’m sure the J6 people… weren’t able to cash out within the first, like, 30 minutes. So their shit is worth nothing.” (Julian, 04:14)

• The Atmosphere:

  • Heavy police presence, agitated journalists, and assertive protesters.
  • “Insurrection is massive.” – Julian describing the noise and confusion (02:45)
  • “This is absolute chaos.” (Jake, 02:48)

• Background on Raiklin:

  • Invented the “Pence card” myth, wrote “deep state” raid lists, and lobbied for far-right stunts ultimately achieving nothing.
  • “Based on Raiklin’s previous track record, I doubt anything was ever going to happen. But it did manage to attract brain dead GOP congresspeople.” (Julian, 08:07)

Memorable Quotes:

• “Whoever had more supply [of ProudCoin] at the top here and just dumped into people… that’s the person who made money.” (Julian, 04:14)
• “Who is here from credentialed media? ... Those that didn’t raise their hand are part of the problem.” (Julian as Raiklin, 00:51–01:01)

2. Counter-Protesters, Law Enforcement, & The Press

• Counter-protest Tactics:

  • Noted for creativity and persistence—one woman with a whistle, another singing disco parodies about the Proud Boys (“Proud Boys, you’re the Pedophile files”).
  • “The real hero was the lady with the whistle… another level.” (Liv, 11:56)

• Police Response & First Amendment:

  • Protesters escorted out but reaffirmed rights: “Their First Amendment rights to be on the lawn… and not be disturbed.” (Liv, 10:24)
  • Journalists complain they “can’t hear” through protest noise (10:38–10:51).

• Daily Realities:

  • “This is your idea. You chose to persecute people—and now you’re going to get a taste for the next four long years.” (Philip Anderson, J6er, 17:22)
  • “They've severed themselves from the actual crime… like they just remember arriving at the Capitol.” (Jake, 17:33)

3. Extreme Rhetoric, Grift, & Dystopian Shifts at CPAC

• Shift in Narrative:

  • J6ers recast as “hostages” and “heroes” (16:17–16:26).
  • “Maybe American lives do have second acts: unimaginative, shitty reboots.” (Julian, 14:01)

• Media, Crypto, & Viral Aspirations:

  • Pride in “virality” and performative activism (“We trend harder than CPAC!”) quickly undermined by dependency on failed crypto stunts.
  • “He had to shill crypto as the fuel for the DOJ lawsuit.” (Julian, 13:11 & 13:36)

• Interface with French Press:

  • Anthony’s interactions with young French journalists exploring the American right. “Everything is insane… is the beat always this insane?” (Julian recounting, 23:02)

4. Inside CPAC: Surreal Security, Right-Wing Rhetoric & Nazi Salutes

• Security Follies:

  • Julian’s press pass is revoked; he bluffs his way in with a nearly invalid “International Summit” badge thanks to lax volunteer oversight (26:20–27:28).
  • “Thank you so much, Mr. Schlapp, for being such horrible little penny pinchers…” (Julian, 27:29)

• CPAC Stage Highlights:

  • Vice President J.D. Vance’s “absolute suck job of an interview” on immigration fearmongering (28:34).
  • Literal cheering for abolishing federal departments and expanding deportation infrastructure.
  • “People cheered for the elimination of the Department of Education… thousands of criminals... deported… ICE would double…” (Julian, 31:24–31:45)

• Performative Fascism:

  • Multiple speakers (notably Steve Bannon and Eduardo Verastegui) perform apparent Nazi salutes on stage:
    • “He did a Nazi salute. This one sent [Jake] over the edge.” (Julian, 40:03)
    • The symbol is both “plausibly deniable” trolling and open signaling.

Memorable Quotes:

• “We had to lose so that the enemy could reveal itself as demonic. It’s pure Q.” (Julian, 39:50)
• “If they actually cared, if they actually had any self-awareness, you wouldn’t see a Nazi salute on a public stage…” (Jake, 63:03)

5. The Politics of Cruelty, Genocide Apologia & Zionism

• Chilling Rhetoric:

  • From the main stage: “We must arrest, incarcerate, and sometimes murder our enemies.”
  • Israeli minister: “We’re teaching the West how to win a war—which is, I guess, genocide.” (Julian, 34:24)
  • Mark Levin’s genocidal escalation: “These bastards must be eradicated. It’s that simple… they are subhumans… We're going to have to extinguish them.” (68:16–68:43)

• Coalition of Contradictions:

  • Open tensions between Zionist and explicit fascist/antisemitic wings of the coalition.
  • “I refuse to believe they’ll be able to sit happily in a room for four years… as time runs out and they haven’t really done anything… the rats will be expelled.” (Jake, 55:01)

6. Comic Relief & Despair: Meeting Vincent Fuska (JFK Jr. Guy)

• Comic Interlude:
  • Julian attempts to buy the “Trump’s Guardian Angel” T-shirt from QAnon favorite Vincent Fuska, resulting in a 30-minute ordeal of navigating his phone for PayPal.
  • “His name on PayPal is New York News York…” (Julian, 45:51)
  • “He’s always cheeky about whether he’s JFK Jr. or Trump’s guardian angel—he wants people to believe both.” (Julian & Jake, 46:05–46:24)
  • “We just need a podcast about Fuska. It would be a mind sanctuary.” (Jake, 49:04)

7. Overarching Mood: Fatigue, Absurdity, and Existential Dread

• Emotional Toll:

  • The hosts repeatedly express their exhaustion, alienation, and near-despair at the spectacle (“This episode… has like short-term wrecked my life.” – Julian, 75:05)
  • “What even was the point of being here? The only way this event should be covered was with President Xi’s tactical nukes.” (Julian, 66:51)
  • “I hate covering this so bad. I almost resent you, Julian, for doing this.” (Jake, 70:24)

• Satirical Lament:

  • The show ends with gallows humor and a plea for self-care, joking about retreating to cartoons or Fuska coverage as emotional escape.

Notable Quotes & Highlights with Timestamps

• On the ProudCoin Collapse:

  • “Within a few hours, it was down 97.6%...” (Julian, 03:39)
  • “It’s a pump and dump if there was very little pump.” (Julian, 03:56)

• On Security at CPAC:

  • “She made me turn the badge and I still got away with it. Thank you, Mr. Schlapp...” (Julian, 27:04)

• On Bannon’s Outburst:

  • “Fight, fight, fight!” (Bannon, 40:03)
  • “He did a Nazi soldier [salute]. Jake has lost it. This one sent him over the edge.” (Julian, 40:37)

• On the Dystopian Tone:

  • “This feels like a movie where the fascists have won in the United States.” (Julian, 29:22)
  • “They just deported a green card holder for just having pro-Palestinian views… We are crossing the line…” (Julian, 71:35)

• On Coping and Collapse:

  • “Attending there has…wrecked my life. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it.” (Julian, 75:05)
  • “What are we gonna do? Game over, man. Game over.” (Jake, 75:53)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction/Scene-Setting: 00:32–02:48
• Crypto Grift Announcement: 02:51–04:05
• Raiklin, Proud Boys, and J6 Lawsuit: 05:04–09:03
• Counter-protesters & Police: 10:24–12:24
• Event Atmosphere, Interviews: 13:00–18:03
• Raiklin’s Legal Fantasies: 05:05–08:20
• CPAC Access & Security Troubles: 26:20–27:29
• Bannon's Nazi Salute: 40:03–42:32, 61:44 (Verastegui's)
• Main Stage Extreme Rhetoric: 67:09–70:17
• Comic Relief (Vincent Fuska): 43:10–49:04
• Wrap-Up & Emotional Exhaustion: 75:05–79:28

Final Reflections

In a bleak, absurdist tone, the hosts conclude that the American right’s worst impulses—authoritarianism, violence, and conspiracy—are now not just tolerated, but celebrated. CPAC’s pageant of far-right activism, viral stunts, persecution complexes, crypto grifts, and open fascist signaling signals a “second act” of American reaction with fewer restraints. The hosts’ humor can barely keep up with their unease.

Useful For:
Anyone wishing to understand the contemporary far-right spectacle, the emotional and political state of the “conspiracy culture” media beat, or the blurry lines between parody, grift, and genuine extremism in American politics—especially at moments of existential dread.

Tone:
Darkly comic, satirical, world-weary, and, at times, openly despairing.

“I genuinely… attending [CPAC] has like short term wrecked my life… I need to do good things for myself and love people and be loved.” – Julian (75:05)

“What are we gonna do? Game over, man. Game over.” – Jake (75:53)