Ruthless Podcast – Episode Summary: “The Rise and Fall of a Democrat Superstar”

Date: April 10, 2026
Hosts: Michael Duncan, Comfortably Smug, John Ashbrook (Josh Holmes absent)
Special Guest: Dr. John Fleming (Louisiana Senate candidate)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the spectacular fall from grace of the once-heralded Democratic “centrist” Governor of Virginia, Abigail Spamberger. The hosts dissect her unraveling popularity, the backlash against her policies, and the party’s pain over their failed moderate branding. They also touch on another brewing Democratic scandal around Maryland Governor Wes Moore, discuss the culture of the Masters golf tournament, and feature an interview with Dr. John Fleming, candidate for U.S. Senate in Louisiana. The panel delivers their signature ruthless, sarcastic, and unapologetically conservative commentary throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Abigail Spamberger Collapse

Opening Theme: Abigail Spamberger, once touted as a model “centrist” Democrat, has seen her approval ratings plummet just six months into her governorship.
Labeling as a Trojan Horse:
- Smug: “The consequences of Abigail Spamberger being a Trojan horse is starting to catch up with her.” [00:11]
The "Centrist" Farce:
- Duncan: “Convince voters is a moderate and we all know that there is no such thing as a moderate Democrat.” [00:15]
- Ashbrook: “They want to trick you. They want to get you in the door and then raise your taxes... this is exactly who they are. She’s showing you who they are. It’s why she’s unpopular.” [00:22]

Timestamps & Highlights:

[03:03] Issue framed as the rise and fall of a Democratic superstar, with a preview of other segments (“absolute banger of a show”).
[08:03] Euphonic recap of how Spamberger’s “moderate” campaign in a purple, closely watched state rapidly gave way to a laundry list of left-wing policy moves as soon as she took office.
- Duncan: “How does it all unravel so quickly for Abigail Spamberger? … Elected just six months ago and now in hot water under false pretenses, many say.” [03:33]
[10:59] Approval Ratings Crash:
- Smug: “She has the highest disapproval at 47%. Not even Ralph Northam [wore blackface]…”
[13:08] Her record since taking office:
- Law enforcement noncooperation with ICE
- Radical tax and environmental proposals
- Bizarre proposals like “taxing dog walkers” (Ashbrook: “Who would ever think of that? But a liberal Democrat who wants to steal your money and give it to the Somalis.”)
- Aggressive redistricting/gerrymandering, despite previous campaign opposition.
[15:19] Press pushbacks and Spamberger’s weak explanations:
- “If everybody hated me, why is everybody putting my face on their mailers for the referendum?” [15:37]
- Smug: “She can’t look anybody in the eye… This woman’s entire career is based on fiction.” [16:22]
[18:00] Republicans use Spamberger’s own prior anti-gerrymandering quotes against her in flyers.

Notable Quotes

Ashbrook on Democrats:
- “They want to get you in the door and then… make sure that every criminal, violent, illegal alien is wandering the streets free.” [00:22]
Smug on her switch:
- “Her ratings have dipped. Her favorability is sinking by the minute.” [04:10]
Duncan on the phony moderate:
- “They need someone they can trick you with.” [12:35]

2. Masters Tournament – Gatekeeping and Old School Values

[05:06] Ashbrook voices affection for tradition at the Masters vs. influencer “clout chasing.”
- “This tournament is sacrosanct… it’s a unique cultural experience, sort of a throwback to what life was like before the Internet took over.” [06:11]
Discussion on appropriate conduct at public events – “basic social cues” about phone use.

3. Gerrymandering and Racial Politics

[18:35] The hosts examine the inner-Democratic conflict over gerrymandering and Black Caucus resistance to losing minority-majority districts.
- Ashbrook: “There are two districts… represented by predominantly like African American areas that are going to be consolidated into one… Historically, [the Black Caucus] have been very happy with the way these districts are drawn because it maximizes black representation…”
[20:54] On media silence:
- “In the mainstream media, you won’t read about the statements and press releases from the Black Caucus... They just run right over.” – Ashbrook

4. The West Moore Scandal Tease

[28:14] Breaking: Baltimore Sun investigation into Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s military service.
- Wes Moore (on air): “It’s a very sad day because the Baltimore Sun used to be our paper of record. It’s now become the paper of the right wing.” [29:20]
The panel ridicules Moore for attacking the credibility of a legacy liberal newspaper and for “pre-butting” a negative story—often a sign that the story is damning.
Sinclair journalist Candy Woodall (quoted):
- “Democrats sure are putting a lot of work to discredit a series before it even started running. That alone should raise questions why?” [31:10]
Hosts note Moore is backed by influential Obama alumni—his candidacy is a 2028 talking point.

5. Cultural Commentary: Expanding LGBTQ “Alphabet”

[34:25] The team mocks a Canadian MP’s usage of “MMIWG2SLGBTQIA+” to illustrate the ever-expanding list of marginalized identities.
- Comfortably Smug: “Bro, this is like a password you set for your bank account so no one can hack into that shit.” [35:45]
[37:27] Comedy bit: Listeners challenged to invent new letters/symbols to add to the LGBTQ+ acronym.

6. Hack Madness Champion

[43:07] Don Lemon crowned as 2026’s “Hack Madness” champion (beating Stephen Colbert by a large margin).
- Comfortably Smug: “Don Lemon… it was like, 66–33, crushed Colbert.” [43:12]
Clips highlight Lemon’s self-important and controversial behavior, including storming a church and lecturing attendees.

7. Midterm Interview Series: Dr. John Fleming

[48:56–72:55]

Background: Physician, entrepreneur, former Congressman, ex-Trump Deputy Chief of Staff, now running for U.S. Senate (Louisiana).
Key Louisiana Race Issues:
- Sen. Bill Cassidy – attacked over impeachment vote against Trump and for being too liberal for the state.
- Carbon Capture and Sequestration – Fleming is the sole major GOP candidate opposed to it (labels rivals as insufficiently conservative).
- Immigration & Stock Trades – Disputes misleading attack ads and comments on Letlow’s delayed stock trade disclosures and DEI advocacy.

Notable Quotes

Dr. Fleming: “If you’re not failing at something, you’re not ambitious enough, you’re not posing your goals high enough.” [70:34]
On favorite last meal: “That’s easy. A ribeye steak… with baked or smashed potatoes and salad with Thousand Island dressing.” [67:12]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Highlight | |-----------|---------|-----------------| | [00:15] | Duncan | “Convince voters is a moderate and we all know that there is no such thing as a moderate Democrat.” | | [06:11] | Ashbrook| “This tournament is sacrosanct. You get to turn on the television and the grass is perfect… It’s a unique cultural experience, a throwback to before the Internet.” | | [12:18] | Smug | “When you come in as a moderate and then openly Trojan horse, you don’t even wait to get inside the gate.” | | [16:22] | Smug | “She can’t look anybody in the eye. This woman’s entire career is based on fiction.” | | [20:02] | Smug | “They have stopped trying to address anything voters actually want. They’ll say anything. At this point, they just want to get elected and just do that shit.” | | [35:45] | Smug | “Bro, this is like a password you set for your bank account so no one can hack into that shit.” | | [43:12] | Smug | “Don Lemon… it was like, 66–33, crushed Colbert.” | | [70:34] | Fleming | “If you’re not failing at something, you’re not ambitious enough, you’re not posing your goals high enough.” |

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:00–03:33: Abigail Spamberger’s “moderate” façade and rapid fall
05:06–07:54: Masters tournament as a metaphor for tradition, gatekeeping, and influencer culture
08:03–18:00: Deep dive: Spamberger’s campaign-vs-governing, taxes, ICE, redistricting, and the Republican response
18:35–21:07: Gerrymandering tensions and the Black Caucus
28:14–33:56: Breaking down the burgeoning Wes Moore scandal
34:25–37:56: Comedy bit – expanding LGBT-plus acronym, listener challenge
43:07–47:47: Hack Madness results, Don Lemon crowned
48:56–72:55: Dr. John Fleming: Interview covering policy, campaign attacks, and fun personal questions

Callbacks & Recurring Ruthless Themes

“There is no such thing as a moderate Democrat.”
Use of “Trojan Horse” imagery for moderate-posing Dems
Ridicule of legacy media and influencer culture
Celebrating political conflict and anti-establishment swipes
Challenging listeners to participate and interact

Conclusion

The episode offers a fast-paced, sardonic, and deeply skeptical look at Democratic politics, using Spamberger’s woes as a national object lesson. The panel skewers media narratives, Democratic internal fractures, and satirizes cultural trends, all while giving listeners practical “red meat” takeaways for election messaging. The Fleming interview provides a bridge from current scandals to hands-on campaign trench warfare.

Key Lesson: For the Ruthless crew, never take a Democrat’s “centrist” branding at face value—watch actions over words, and always prepare for the rug pull.

Ruthless Podcast – Episode Summary: “The Rise and Fall of a Democrat Superstar”

Date: April 10, 2026
Hosts: Michael Duncan, Comfortably Smug, John Ashbrook (Josh Holmes absent)
Special Guest: Dr. John Fleming (Louisiana Senate candidate)

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Abigail Spamberger Collapse

Opening Theme: Abigail Spamberger, once touted as a model “centrist” Democrat, has seen her approval ratings plummet just six months into her governorship.
Labeling as a Trojan Horse:
- Smug: “The consequences of Abigail Spamberger being a Trojan horse is starting to catch up with her.” [00:11]
The "Centrist" Farce:
- Duncan: “Convince voters is a moderate and we all know that there is no such thing as a moderate Democrat.” [00:15]
- Ashbrook: “They want to trick you. They want to get you in the door and then raise your taxes... this is exactly who they are. She’s showing you who they are. It’s why she’s unpopular.” [00:22]

Timestamps & Highlights:

[03:03] Issue framed as the rise and fall of a Democratic superstar, with a preview of other segments (“absolute banger of a show”).
[08:03] Euphonic recap of how Spamberger’s “moderate” campaign in a purple, closely watched state rapidly gave way to a laundry list of left-wing policy moves as soon as she took office.
- Duncan: “How does it all unravel so quickly for Abigail Spamberger? … Elected just six months ago and now in hot water under false pretenses, many say.” [03:33]
[10:59] Approval Ratings Crash:
- Smug: “She has the highest disapproval at 47%. Not even Ralph Northam [wore blackface]…”
[13:08] Her record since taking office:
- Law enforcement noncooperation with ICE
- Radical tax and environmental proposals
- Bizarre proposals like “taxing dog walkers” (Ashbrook: “Who would ever think of that? But a liberal Democrat who wants to steal your money and give it to the Somalis.”)
- Aggressive redistricting/gerrymandering, despite previous campaign opposition.
[15:19] Press pushbacks and Spamberger’s weak explanations:
- “If everybody hated me, why is everybody putting my face on their mailers for the referendum?” [15:37]
- Smug: “She can’t look anybody in the eye… This woman’s entire career is based on fiction.” [16:22]
[18:00] Republicans use Spamberger’s own prior anti-gerrymandering quotes against her in flyers.

Notable Quotes

Ashbrook on Democrats:
- “They want to get you in the door and then… make sure that every criminal, violent, illegal alien is wandering the streets free.” [00:22]
Smug on her switch:
- “Her ratings have dipped. Her favorability is sinking by the minute.” [04:10]
Duncan on the phony moderate:
- “They need someone they can trick you with.” [12:35]

2. Masters Tournament – Gatekeeping and Old School Values

[05:06] Ashbrook voices affection for tradition at the Masters vs. influencer “clout chasing.”
- “This tournament is sacrosanct… it’s a unique cultural experience, sort of a throwback to what life was like before the Internet took over.” [06:11]
Discussion on appropriate conduct at public events – “basic social cues” about phone use.

3. Gerrymandering and Racial Politics

[18:35] The hosts examine the inner-Democratic conflict over gerrymandering and Black Caucus resistance to losing minority-majority districts.
- Ashbrook: “There are two districts… represented by predominantly like African American areas that are going to be consolidated into one… Historically, [the Black Caucus] have been very happy with the way these districts are drawn because it maximizes black representation…”
[20:54] On media silence:
- “In the mainstream media, you won’t read about the statements and press releases from the Black Caucus... They just run right over.” – Ashbrook

4. The West Moore Scandal Tease

[28:14] Breaking: Baltimore Sun investigation into Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s military service.
- Wes Moore (on air): “It’s a very sad day because the Baltimore Sun used to be our paper of record. It’s now become the paper of the right wing.” [29:20]
The panel ridicules Moore for attacking the credibility of a legacy liberal newspaper and for “pre-butting” a negative story—often a sign that the story is damning.
Sinclair journalist Candy Woodall (quoted):
- “Democrats sure are putting a lot of work to discredit a series before it even started running. That alone should raise questions why?” [31:10]
Hosts note Moore is backed by influential Obama alumni—his candidacy is a 2028 talking point.

5. Cultural Commentary: Expanding LGBTQ “Alphabet”

[34:25] The team mocks a Canadian MP’s usage of “MMIWG2SLGBTQIA+” to illustrate the ever-expanding list of marginalized identities.
- Comfortably Smug: “Bro, this is like a password you set for your bank account so no one can hack into that shit.” [35:45]
[37:27] Comedy bit: Listeners challenged to invent new letters/symbols to add to the LGBTQ+ acronym.

6. Hack Madness Champion

[43:07] Don Lemon crowned as 2026’s “Hack Madness” champion (beating Stephen Colbert by a large margin).
- Comfortably Smug: “Don Lemon… it was like, 66–33, crushed Colbert.” [43:12]
Clips highlight Lemon’s self-important and controversial behavior, including storming a church and lecturing attendees.

7. Midterm Interview Series: Dr. John Fleming

[48:56–72:55]

Background: Physician, entrepreneur, former Congressman, ex-Trump Deputy Chief of Staff, now running for U.S. Senate (Louisiana).
Key Louisiana Race Issues:
- Sen. Bill Cassidy – attacked over impeachment vote against Trump and for being too liberal for the state.
- Carbon Capture and Sequestration – Fleming is the sole major GOP candidate opposed to it (labels rivals as insufficiently conservative).
- Immigration & Stock Trades – Disputes misleading attack ads and comments on Letlow’s delayed stock trade disclosures and DEI advocacy.

Notable Quotes

Dr. Fleming: “If you’re not failing at something, you’re not ambitious enough, you’re not posing your goals high enough.” [70:34]
On favorite last meal: “That’s easy. A ribeye steak… with baked or smashed potatoes and salad with Thousand Island dressing.” [67:12]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:00–03:33: Abigail Spamberger’s “moderate” façade and rapid fall
05:06–07:54: Masters tournament as a metaphor for tradition, gatekeeping, and influencer culture
08:03–18:00: Deep dive: Spamberger’s campaign-vs-governing, taxes, ICE, redistricting, and the Republican response
18:35–21:07: Gerrymandering tensions and the Black Caucus
28:14–33:56: Breaking down the burgeoning Wes Moore scandal
34:25–37:56: Comedy bit – expanding LGBT-plus acronym, listener challenge
43:07–47:47: Hack Madness results, Don Lemon crowned
48:56–72:55: Dr. John Fleming: Interview covering policy, campaign attacks, and fun personal questions

Callbacks & Recurring Ruthless Themes

“There is no such thing as a moderate Democrat.”
Use of “Trojan Horse” imagery for moderate-posing Dems
Ridicule of legacy media and influencer culture
Celebrating political conflict and anti-establishment swipes
Challenging listeners to participate and interact

Conclusion

Key Lesson: For the Ruthless crew, never take a Democrat’s “centrist” branding at face value—watch actions over words, and always prepare for the rug pull.