Ruthless Podcast – “Democrats’ 2028 Problem”
Date: February 24, 2026
Hosts: Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook
Special Guest: Stephen Moore
Theme: A sharp, irreverent breakdown of Democrats' internal crises, their 2028 prospects, and the state of American politics, culture, and economy—with a celebratory detour into Team USA’s Olympic hockey triumph.
Episode Overview
This episode of Ruthless centers on the Democratic Party’s struggles heading into 2028, with a special focus on disunity, the rise of ideological extremes, awkward attempts at middle America outreach, and internal post-mortems after electoral defeat. The hosts dissect likely 2028 contenders, analyze a secretive Democratic autopsy blaming pro-Gaza activism for Harris’s loss, and lampoon gaffe-prone posturing by the party’s frontrunners (Newsom, Whitmer, Beshear). Alongside, the show spotlights America’s Olympic hockey gold, and features an interview with economic commentator Stephen Moore, who discusses Trump-era economic strengths and Republican messaging.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Democrats: Stuck in the Grip of the Far-Left
[00:00–02:36, 25:21–39:26]
- The hosts kick off by bluntly diagnosing the Democratic Party as captive to far-left activist groups, unable to shift policy or articulate relatable positions.
- Josh Holmes: “This is the second level of deception that Democrats have done about what it is that they're trying to sell the American people.” [00:13]
- They argue Democratic messaging is dictated by ideological silos rather than broad, centrist appeal.
2. Hockey Win: A Moment to Celebrate American Unity
[02:49–05:13; 44:45–54:55]
- The U.S. men's and women’s Olympic hockey teams clinch gold—prompting a burst of national pride and nostalgia for the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”
- Josh Holmes: “I was wearing the most obnoxious red, white, and blue all day… We were loving every single second of it. You guys caught this game?” [02:49]
- The hosts fondly contrast cheering for Team USA with left-wing media’s ambivalence, poking fun at “Huffington Post” style takes.
- Emotional highlight with iconic images (missing teeth and all), and a jab at Canadian sports heartbreak.
- John Ashbrook: “I especially love drinking their tears after this victory and all of their whiny complaints up there in Canada.” [46:34]
3. Gavin Newsom’s Cringe Outreach
[06:12–11:19]
- The show lampoons Gavin Newsom’s awkward attempt at bonding with a Black audience by highlighting his “960 SAT score” and claiming “I cannot read a speech.”
- Josh Holmes: “First of all, it's a black audience and he's trying to pretend that being dumb is relatable. I can't think of a single thing that's more offensive…” [08:05]
- Smug exposes Newsom for inconsistent performances, noting his 2022 “reading banned books” initiative—calling him a chronic panderer with “no authenticity.”
4. Gretchen Whitmer’s Foreign Policy Flub
[15:37–17:18]
- Whitmer, a supposed 2028 hopeful, stumbles badly when asked about victory in Ukraine, passing the question to a Trump-era ambassador on a European panel.
- The team riffs on how Democratic candidates are “empty suits” relying on sloganeering rather than substantive positions.
- John Ashbrook: “It's so telling, the lack of intellectual heft.” [17:33]
- Josh Holmes: “It’s not a serious party.” [18:08]
5. Andy Beshear: Faith and Policy Disconnect
[18:59–23:43]
- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is mocked for invoking religion to rationalize vetoing a bill restricting youth gender-transition surgeries and requiring parental notification.
- The hosts highlight the incongruity between faith rhetoric and progressive policy, accusing Democrats of masking unpopular ideas behind “soft” spokespersons.
- Josh Holmes: “That is why I believe you should cut the pricks off your kids and you should, you know, not tell the parents… because of my faith.” [23:10]
6. The Democratic “Autopsy”: A Gaza Problem
[29:36–39:26]
- Axios scoop: Democrats’ secret post-2024 report blames Kamala Harris’s loss on the party’s Gaza/Israel stance—specifically loss of progressive and young voters due to support for Israel.
- Josh Holmes: “We have told you for two years that this is the fundamental issue that the Democrats were grappling with…” [33:04]
- Ashbrook notes the finding is itself biased, crafted by the same coalition of far-left advocacy groups steering the party into this bind.
7. Dems’ 2028 Field: Bleak Prospects
[12:27–15:18; 36:49–39:11]
- Newsom, Whitmer, Beshear, Kamala, and even “Mayor Pete” (who now polls at 1% with Black voters!) are deemed uninspiring and gaffe-prone.
- Comfortably Smug: “Right now the fight is over who's dumber.” [10:13]
- Hosts opine it’s a “recipe for loss in 2028,” yet worry Dems are structurally stuck.
- Josh Holmes: “This is their leading candidates. How are they going to get out of that?” [39:15]
8. FCC “Equal Time” Ruling: Texas Primary Drama
[25:21–29:13]
- Holmes breaks news: Texas ABC affiliates offering “equal time” to Jasmine Crockett to counter The View’s extended, lopsided feature on her opponent Talrico. Revelatory, as it’s unreported and could upend the primary coverage.
- Josh Holmes: “No one has reported this. I heard about this three days ago... I just feel like I need to talk about it here.” [28:00]
9. Classic Trump: Audience Comments on Stand-up Moments
[39:26–44:45]
- Listeners’ favorite Trump zingers recalled, with audio clips:
- “As I was saying…” return after rally interruption [41:01]
- “You’d be in jail.” (to Hillary, 2016 debate) [42:04]
- “The wall just got 10 feet higher.” [43:19]
Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)
- Josh Holmes: "This is the second level of deception that Democrats have done about what it is that they're trying to sell the American people.” [00:13]
- Comfortably Smug: “And if you want to start the show with your life, then go ahead.” [05:07]
- Josh Holmes: “If it's not a slogan... Democrats don't know what they believe.” [04:23] (echoed, 17:33)
- Michael Duncan: “They will do absolutely anything but change their policy.” [11:19]
- Josh Holmes: “If you just put everybody in the basement, never said a word, you would probably come out on top in an election.” [38:25]
- Josh Holmes: “This is like a cautionary tale on how to ruin a country in less than 10 years.” [13:23]
- John Ashbrook: “Kamala Harris lost because the message of the party is entirely dictated by far left activist groups.” [34:56]
Important Segments & Timestamps
- 00:13–02:36 — Opening rants: Dems’ ideological capture, intro to the day’s themes
- 02:49–05:13 / 44:45–54:55 — Team USA’s hockey gold: uniting the right & wrongs of US sport
- 06:12–11:19 — Gavin Newsom's failed outreach: reading skills and authenticity crisis
- 15:37–18:03 — Whitmer’s Ukraine panel gaffe
- 18:59–23:43 — Andy Beshear, religion, and gender-affirming care
- 29:36–39:26 — Axios scoop: Dem autopsy, “Gaza cost Harris voters”
- 25:21–29:13 — FCC “equal time” drama in Texas (breaking news)
- 39:26–44:45 — Trump stand-up best-of reel (listener picks)
Interview: Stephen Moore on the State of the Economy
[56:34–78:48]
Key Points:
- Moore is bullish on the Trump economy: jobs/wages up, tax cuts, strong GDP. Notes housing/grocery costs remain concerns.
- Historical context: Tax reform under Reagan & Trump fueled multi-decade growth.
- “The Dow [in 1983] was at 1,000. Now, we’re at 50,000. That’s the greatest period of wealth creation in history.” [60:21]
- Democrats once bipartisan on economics, now radically left: “It’s not your grandpa’s Democratic Party any longer. These people are radical leftists.” [66:28]
- Credit card interest cap populism: Moore warns that capping interest rates could shut out lower-income households from credit entirely; urges caution.
- Policy messaging: Republicans should highlight blue-state cost-of-living, persistent inflation under Biden, and “re-center” on patriotism.
Notable Quotes:
- Moore: “If you keep your dollar stable in value, reduce the size of government and get rid of confiscatory taxes—good things are going to happen.” [60:21]
- Moore: “Trump was elected for two reasons: immigration and inflation.” [75:32]
- Moore: “Trump loves America… this is the 250th anniversary of the country, and I just—it bothers me when you listen to Democrats talk. All they do is criticize America.” [76:29]
Memorable and Lighthearted Moments
- The “Mayor Pete Momentum" Joke: “He's gone from 0% to 1% among Black voters. Let's go!” [37:09]
- “Grocery Store Pig” Story: A massive pig enters a North Carolina house, hosts riff on BBQ (“It's not every day a grocery store walks into your house...” – Michael Duncan [55:05]).
- Throwing Shade at Canada: Hosts pile on after Team USA’s hockey win and recall Canada’s multi-sport drought.
Listener Participation
- “What is the Democrats’ biggest liability?” is the listener question of the week—answers encouraged via YouTube/online engagement.
Tone & Style
- High energy, acerbic, biting, and sardonic.
- Heavy on inside-baseball and political sarcasm, mocking both the Democratic field and the media.
- Frequent in-jokes and banter between the hosts, play-acting as both debate opponents and drinking buddies.
- Occasional serious notes—especially in the Stephen Moore interview and discussions of classic American unity.
In Summary
Ruthless delivers a blistering, laugh-out-loud conservative critique of Democratic woes, using current events, candidate gaffes, media blunders, and anonymous party autopsies as set pieces. With Team USA’s hockey gold as a backdrop, they crown Trump’s economic record, ridicule the 2028 Democratic hopefuls, and encourage listeners to “keep the faith, hold the line, and own the libs.”