Ruthless Podcast

Episode: Why are Dems Pushing Insane Conspiracies?

Date: September 4, 2025
Hosts: Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook
Special Guest: Senator Eric Schmidt

Episode Overview

This episode of the Ruthless Podcast dives into the seemingly chaotic state of the Democratic Party post-2024 election, particularly the prevalence of conspiratorial thinking among liberals and Democrats—most notably, online rumors about Donald Trump’s health and presence. The hosts use a mix of sharp critique, humor, and cultural references to analyze the left’s increasing obsession with conspiracies, the media’s role in platforming them, and contrasts with conservative messaging. The episode also discusses crime in American cities, prescribes conservative victories, and features an extended interview with Missouri Senator Eric Schmidt about court battles, COVID-era politics, and the Republican resurgence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Left’s Conspiracies and Meltdown Post-2024

• Trump Health Rumors:
  The main jumping-off point is the viral left-wing rumor, propagated over Labor Day weekend, alleging that Trump had died or disappeared from public view ([05:00]-[12:00]).

  • Josh Holmes: "Over the Labor Day weekend... there was this omnipresent online discussion... bled deeply into the establishment of the Democratic Party... mainstream media is forced to cover it because that's their constituency." [05:50]
  • Michael Duncan: "Is there any truth to this story that Trump is— like, we're just asking questions. Yeah. Like, what is happening in this country?" [08:25]

• Addiction to Losing:
  The hosts argue that Democrats—and lefties on social media—are addicted to disappointment and doom.

  • Smug: "It's like a Freudian death drive... somewhere deep in their heart, they want to lose." [04:02]
  • Holmes: "It's like compulsory. It's not a choice. Like they just have to do this." [04:40]
  • Smug: "It's like a fucking fetish, dude." [04:47]

• Media’s Role:
  The media’s complicity in platforming left-wing online conspiracies receives heavy ridicule.

  • Holmes: "Mainstream outlets are like, people are asking questions, people are saying... then they go and they ask a question to the White House press office." [08:42]
  • Holmes: "Donald Trump... did not one, but two public press conferences last week... including the longest cabinet meeting in the history of this country." [05:05]

2. Conspiracies Go Mainstream: Colbert, Politicians, and Media

• Stephen Colbert and Audience Cheers for Trump's Death:
  A segment highlighting Colbert’s late-night reaction to the Trump rumors launches a critique of how normalized such speculation has become ([11:00]-[14:00]).

  • Holmes: "If Stephen Colbert is in a situation where he needs to correct the audience, if that guy feels it's incumbent upon him to be like, no, I need to be the statesman here..." [12:13]
  • Duncan (mocking): "Secret Service should kick down his doors, raid his house. Parody, parody." [12:32]

• Elected Democrats Parroting Online Conspiracies:
  Governor Tim Walz (MN), described as part of a “failed state,” referenced the online rumors with a barely veiled tone:

  • Walz (clip): "You woke up thinking there might be news. Just saying, just saying there will be news sometime." [15:09]
  • Ashbrook: "He tried to stop his audience and... this guy is projecting into the future straight up that it seems like he's hoping will happen, putting it on his vision board." [17:21]
  • Duncan: "That should be a Secret Service visit though. Like that saying that like there will be. That's threatening at that point." [17:24]

• MSNBC's Jen Psaki and the Ironic Double Standard:
  The hosts lampoon Psaki for questioning Trump’s invisibility, considering she worked for the often-absent Biden.

  • Duncan: "For Jen Psaki, who worked for Joe Biden who was, I mean, like, saying he was on life support is charitable." [19:43]
  • Holmes: "She literally worked for someone who, when you saw him in public, that wasn't enough for proof of life." [21:06]

3. Wider Patterns: Rudderless Democrats, Crime & Failure to Lead

• Rudderless Ship:

  • Democrats are described as having no real leadership; power vacuums filled by “TikTokers” and far-left activists.
  • Duncan: "They have no one trying to guide this ship. So who is actually calling the shots? It's all the nut jobs, the influencers in that party..." [09:09]

• Contrast on Crime:
  The Trump administration is praised for action on crime in cities compared to Democratic leaders’ rhetorical blame-shifting ([25:00]-[35:00]).

  • Holmes (on Trump): "If Americans are getting killed and he can do something about it, he feels a sense of obligation to do that." [25:49]
  • Chicago Mayor Clip (paraphrased): Crime is the fault of "red states" shipping guns in ([27:18]-[27:49]).
  • Duncan: "That's an insane take." [28:21]
  • Smug: "At some point, the people of Chicago have to do something about this." [33:12]

• Republican Debate: Save the Cities?:

  • Smug: "Why save these people from themselves?... Even if he does save them, he's not going to get any of the fucking credit." [31:59]
  • Duncan: "This... is a very interesting debate right now happening on the right is like, should we save the cities?" [32:30]

4. Question of the Day: Favorite Left-Wing Conspiracies

[36:07]
The hosts ask listeners for their favorite liberal conspiracy theory, with examples:

• Inner-city crime is a "red state" issue
• Death rumors about Trump
• Outlandish immigration conspiracies

5. Guest Interview: Senator Eric Schmidt

Introduction ([52:00]):
Holmes introduces Eric Schmidt, Senator from Missouri, as a multi-term guest and the author of a new book, Last Line of Defense: How to Beat the Left in Court.

Background & Motivation

• Schmidt details his origins: growing up “defending others”, and his son Stephen’s struggles with a severe disability, which inspired his political engagement.
  • Schmidt: "My origin story of getting into politics really started with Stephen. My Stephen was born with a rare genetic condition... he has seizures every day..." [59:59–61:54]

Leading the Legal Fight Against the Left

• As Missouri AG, Schmidt led several court actions:
  • COVID mandates & restrictions
  • Student loan forgiveness case
  • Uncovering federal government/private sector censorship
  • Unpacked the importance of the Missouri v. Biden lawsuit, which revealed the federal government’s pressure on tech companies to censor content:
    • Schmidt: "Thousands of pages of documents, emails, and texts from high ranking government officials—this changed everything..." [71:45]
    • Holmes: "You were literally the first... we didn't know until you started this case in the discovery process..." [72:37]
• Emphasizes that courage and willingness to publicly fight are necessary on the right.
  • Schmidt: "A lot of this is just having courage, right, to be willing to stand in the arena and fight back..." [57:08]

COVID Policy, Power Missuses, and Mask Mandate Litigation

• Schmidt discusses pandemic overreach by local and federal government; describes personal anecdotes of families and schools during mask mandates.
  • Schmidt: "Public health officials were telling who could live your life or not and forcing kids, 5-year-olds, to wear masks all day long..." [62:44]

Democrats' Senate Maneuvering & Rule Obstruction

• Discusses Senate obstruction, particularly concerning nominees and the likelihood of rule changes.
  • Schmidt: "There's never been a time in the history of our republic we've seen this kind of obstruction..." [79:24]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Democratic Narratives:
  • "The inmates are running the asylum."
    — Smug [00:23], [08:22]
• On compulsion and political psychology:
  • "It's like a Freudian death drive."
    — Smug [04:03]
  • "It's like a fucking fetish, dude."
    — Smug [04:47]
• On Trump’s Obliviousness to Conspiracies:
  • "He had no idea... which to me was the most satisfying codification..."
    — Holmes [10:08]
• On Media Enabling Conspiracies:
  • "Mainstream media as accurate as Arch Manning."
    — Ashbrook [10:45]
• On Chicago Crime Rationalizations:
  • "If they were making Smith and Wesson in Cook county, you might not have the cut."
    — Holmes [28:55]
• On Saving Blue Cities:
  • "Should we save the cities? Or do the cities deserve it?"
    — Duncan [32:32]
• On Deep Fried Oreos at the Missouri State Fair:
  • Schmidt: "I've discovered on a 95 degree day in Missouri, you don't want to have those at the beginning of the fair... I'm leaving. This is like, I'm gonna get it, but..." [53:11]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–02:30: Introductions and theme: media/Democratic conspiracies surge after 2024
• 03:15–06:00: Trump “owns the libs,” institutionalizing left-wing craziness
• 06:19–07:31: Weekend Trump death rumor explodes, media chases it
• 10:45–13:30: MSM picks up rumors; Colbert audience cheers possible Trump death; hosts discuss past decorum
• 15:08–17:24: Tim Walz and Dem politicians pander to online conspiracies
• 18:47–22:43: MSNBC’s Jen Psaki and the ironies of Biden/Trump health narratives
• 25:10–29:21: Trump and crime: D.C. vs. Chicago; blue city leaders’ blame game
• 31:59–32:54: Should conservatives ‘save the cities’ or let them hit bottom?
• 34:54–36:16: Fentanyl trafficker crackdown—Trump admin seen as effective, contrast with liberal handwringing
• 52:25–80:56: Interview with Sen. Eric Schmidt: motivation, lawfare, COVID, Senate rules, Missouri v. Biden case, and defending rights in the courts

Conclusion

In this episode, the Ruthless crew gleefully dissects the left’s post-2024 malaise, pointing out the feedback loop between online lefty influencers, establishment Democrats, and mainstream media. The Trump “death” rumor becomes a symbol for broader patterns: conspiracy addiction, leadership vacuums, and clownish contrasts in policy and rhetoric between the parties. The extended interview with Senator Eric Schmidt provides a playbook for fighting leftist lawfare, exposing government overreach during COVID, and the central importance of courage in the conservative movement’s recent victories.

Listeners are prompted to comment their favorite left-wing conspiracy theory, and the show wraps on a light note before plugging new merchandise and reminding fans to “keep the faith, hold the line, and own the libs.”

Listen/Watch Further

For full flavor—including relentless banter, vivid stories, and the interplay between hosts—catch the episode in video on YouTube or audio on your favorite podcast app.