Podcast Summary
Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey
Episode: Hillary Clinton Wrote a Hit Piece on Me; My Response
Date: January 30, 2026
Host: Allie Beth Stuckey, Blaze Podcast Network
Episode Overview
In this special episode, Allie Beth Stuckey responds to an op-ed in The Atlantic written by Hillary Clinton, which critiques Stuckey and her book, Toxic: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion. Allie addresses Clinton’s claims, counters perceived misrepresentations, highlights what she sees as Clinton's hypocrisy, and offers encouragement to her audience. The episode is anchored in a Christian, conservative perspective and features both substantive cultural critique and direct appeals to listeners’ faith.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Context and Initial Reactions
- [00:01] Allie opens with humor about being “in the crosshairs of the Clintons” and asserts:
“I love my life. I love living. I’m happy to be here. That is an important declaration to make anytime you get in the crosshairs of the Clintons...”
- The impetus for the episode: Clinton’s Atlantic op-ed “MAGA’s War on Empathy,” which singles out Stuckey and her book.
- Allie frames the controversy as evidence that her (and her audience’s) message is gaining traction in culture and that progressives feel threatened:
“We are over the target. We have gotten to the heart of progressive manipulation.” [03:33]
2. Media Narratives and Why the Book is Targeted Now
- The book came out in October 2024 but continues to draw headlines with recurring accusations about "war on empathy."
- Allie reads off example headlines mischaracterizing her book and highlights a persistent theme in the media that conservatives are attacking empathy itself.
“‘The Christians who Believe Empathy Is a Sin’...is not the title of my book and is not really the argument, but these misrepresentations are common.” [04:30]
3. Breakdown of Clinton's Arguments & Response
- Allie paraphrases Clinton’s claim that Trump’s presidency and conservative Christian influencers are pushing “cruelty” and rejecting empathy.
- Reads and reacts to the cited sermon by Bishop Marianne Edgar Budd, which Clinton references to critique Stuckey's “toxic empathy” label.
- Defends her use of “toxic empathy,” clarifying her meaning:
“Empathy becomes bad when it blinds you to both reality and morality. You are so deeply in one person's feelings that you no longer can think objectively.” [10:07]
- Real example: Feeling empathy for “trans kids” should not lead to support for policies she believes are unbiblical or harmful.
4. Explaining 'Toxic Empathy' vs. Christian Love
- Allie distinguishes empathy from sympathy, compassion, and love:
“Empathy means to be in someone’s feelings... Empathy actually means to feel how someone else feels...” [10:56]
- Empathy is “toxic” when it:
- Affirms sin
- Validates lies
- Supports destructive policies [12:47]
- Christian love, in contrast, is “inextricably intertwined with the truth”:
“You cannot have in Christianity love without truth.” [12:55]
5. Clinton’s Profession of Faith and Critique of Her Authority
- Allie highlights Clinton’s rare public statements about her own Christian faith and critiques the compartmentalized, private nature Clinton describes:
“Christianity is a word-based, evangelism-based, public faith. It’s not like Buddhism...” [14:40]
- Argues Clinton’s life and stances (abortion, immigration, marriage) contradict biblical principles and thus undermine her theological authority.
6. Overview of Clinton's Political Record and Scandals
- Details Clinton’s voting record and public stances on abortion (votes against parental notice laws, support for late-term abortion, 100% NARAL rating), immigration (flip-flopping stance), gay marriage, and transgender rights.
- References high-profile scandals for context (Clinton Foundation, email server, Benghazi), using these to argue a lack of moral authority:
“If we look back to 2012, Benghazi...you'll remember, speaking of empathy, her callousness when she was asked about the loss of these lives...” [17:11]
Quote (from Clinton’s testimony):
“We had four dead Americans...What difference at this point does it make?” [18:28] (Audio clip played.)
7. Direct Response to Clinton's Criticisms
- Allie reads Clinton’s description of her as “a commissar of MAGA morality,” finding humor in the label and planning to use it:
“I should have a whole playlist on my YouTube channel, lifestyle pitter patter.” [19:40]
- Clarifies her positions on IVF, immigration, and abortion, insisting her arguments are rooted in protection of human life and biblical teaching, not cruelty or indifference to suffering.
- Argues that Clinton and the media misrepresent her views to manipulate or “weaponize” Christian compassion:
“It is manipulation. It’s moral extortion. It is weaponizing your good, soft heart, your Christian compassion against you for nefarious and chaotic means.” [23:36]
8. Critical Engagement with Clinton’s Defense of Empathy
- Clinton: “Empathy won’t destroy civilization. Indeed, it might just save it. We can debate policies...but if we give up on empathy, we give up on any real chance of coming together...Empathy does not overwhelm our critical thinking or blind us to moral clarity. It opens our eyes to moral complexity...It is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength.”
- Allie references Paul Bloom’s Against Empathy to argue that empathy does, in fact, cloud moral reasoning:
“Yale psychologist Paul Bloom...argues that psychologically empathy does arrest our thinking and that when we use it to make moral decisions, we end up making bad decisions.” [22:23]
- Warns that empathy for one “victim group” leads to demonization and potential cruelty against others.
9. Appeal and Encouragement to Listeners
- Allie quotes scriptures to encourage listeners to stand firm amid accusations and mischaracterizations:
- Luke 6:22: “Blessed are you when people hate you...”
- Luke 6:26: “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you...”
- Encourages listeners not to be swayed by cultural pressure; if opposed by Clinton, that’s an indication they’re on the “right track”:
“If Hillary Clinton is against you on those things, it is a pretty good, not perfect, but a pretty good indication that you’re probably on the right track.” [26:10]
- Closes with a sincere appeal:
“I hope to see Hillary Clinton in heaven and I hope that Jesus reveals himself to her...No one is too far gone. The gospel is that God sent his son Jesus to die a death that you deserve to die, on behalf of your sin, so that you could be forgiven forever...” [27:10]
- Encourages listeners to read the Bible for themselves and seek truth directly.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On unexpected attention:
“If I had made a list of predictions for 2026, this would not have been on the list.” [01:00]
-
On progressive rhetoric and feeling targeted:
“When you have a woman, a Christian, a wife, a regular suburban mom talking to other Christian wives and moms...they know they're in trouble.” [05:57]
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Defining 'toxic empathy':
“Empathy becomes toxic when it leads you to do three things: one, to affirm sin, two, to validate lies, and three, to support destructive policies.” [12:47]
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Re: Clinton's authority on theology:
“For her to position herself as someone who is an authority on faith when she admits here that she's never been public about her faith, that's a problem. That's actually not something that's an option within Christianity.” [14:40]
-
On being called a commissar of MAGA morality:
“I'm definitely going to continue to use that. I might have to put that, like, behind me...lifestyle pitter patter.” [19:40]
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On empathy’s dangers:
“When you feel so deeply for one particular person, everyone that you perceive as the enemy of that person becomes your enemy. And therefore you justify cruelty against them.” [23:03]
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Final encouragement/appeal:
“No one is too far off, no one is too far gone. The gospel is that God sent his son Jesus to die a death that you deserve to die, on behalf of your sin, so that you could be forgiven forever...” [27:10]
Key Timestamps
- 00:01 – Allie’s introduction, announcement of the episode purpose
- 03:33 – The deeper reason for Clinton’s article: “We are over the target...”
- 08:11 – Bishop’s sermon as cited by Clinton (audio clip)
- 10:07 – Defining “toxic empathy”
- 12:55 – How Christian love differs from empathy; biblical references
- 14:40 – Critique of Clinton’s private/compartmentalized faith
- 17:11 – Clinton’s record on abortion, marriage & other issues
- 18:28 – Clinton's “What difference at this point does it make?” Benghazi quote (audio)
- 19:40 – Allie’s reaction to "commissar of MAGA morality"
- 22:23 – Reference to Paul Bloom’s Against Empathy
- 23:36 – On “moral extortion” and manipulation of Christian compassion
- 26:10 – Encouragement from Luke 6:26
- 27:10 – Closing gospel appeal
Structure & Tone
- The episode matches Allie’s usual tone: direct, humorous, and biblically grounded, with a mix of assertive defense and pastoral encouragement.
- Heavy on factual rebuttal and scripture, interspersed with personal asides and cultural critique.
For Listeners
- If you’re interested in the clash of Christian worldview and progressive ideology, especially how “empathy” is debated in politics and faith, this episode lays out the conservative case for prioritizing “truth in love” over emotion-driven ethics.
- The episode also serves as a rallying message to Christian women, urging critical thinking and resilience in the face of elite/media criticism.