Podcast Summary: SNAFU with Ed Helms – S4E16: Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway and the Palmer Raids

Date: January 21, 2026
Host: Ed Helms
Guests: Kara Swisher, Scott Galloway
Podcast: SNAFU (iHeartPodcasts)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of SNAFU dives into the Palmer Raids, an infamous chapter in American history where fear, paranoia, and government overreach resulted in the large-scale violation of civil liberties. Through a lively, insightful, and at times humorous conversation, host Ed Helms, along with renowned commentators Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, draw sharp parallels between the post-WWI "first Red Scare" and the present moment. The discussion examines how fear-driven crackdowns repeat across history, the dangerous allure of rage-fueled media, inequality, and the destructive playbook of political demagogues.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Opening Banter & Guest Introductions

• [00:01] Scott Galloway jokes about befriending Kara for her party potential; Kara responds humorously, setting a playful yet sharp tone for the episode.
• [03:06] Ed introduces Kara and Scott as podcasting powerhouses, referencing their work (Pivot, Prof. G Pod, etc.). Kara quips, "Scott is the definition of SNAFU. That's how we got started. It was a snafu."
  • Quote: “That’s my stage name when I’m a stripper.” – Scott Galloway [03:12]

News Consumption Habits

• [05:19] Kara describes a wide-ranging and active “news diet” including everything from Blue Sky and Threads to the NYT, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. She highlights the importance of actively seeking out diverse voices and stories.
• [05:54] Scott self-deprecatingly admits, “All of that is a lie. I get all of my information from Instagram, TikTok, Threads ... my mind is being shaped by algorithms run by psychopaths.” [06:00]

Setting Up the SNAFU: Historical Context

• [06:28] Ed dives into post-WWI America: tense national mood, the Espionage Act of 1917 (used to silence dissent), the Sedition Act of 1918, and the jailing of socialists like Eugene Debs.
  • Core question: Why do societies repeatedly target free speech in times of anxiety?

Media, Dissent, and Suppressing the “Enemy Within”

• [08:07] Kara outlines a historical pattern: power structures always crack down on dissenters, from John Adams to the “Hammer of Witches” after the Gutenberg press.
  • Quote: “So I don’t think this is a new thing... After the attack on Jan 11, there were laws passed that were really, I think, dangerous in the United States out of fear.” – Kara Swisher [09:17]
• [09:43] Scott explains the cyclical nature of fearing “enemies within”—a hallmark of fascism. Clarifies that “Hitler first declared war on his own people.”
  • Quote: “Fascism is believing it’s the enemy within. And the most hopeful thing... we’ve been here before.” – Scott Galloway [10:23]

The Red Scare and Economic Inequality

1919: America’s Pressure Cooker

• [12:14] U.S. post-war landscape: social unrest, returning traumatized soldiers, economic hardship, and the Spanish flu pandemic.

The Bolshevik Revolution as Catalyst

• [13:13] Ed: The Bolshevik Revolution sparks fear among U.S. elites, hope among struggling workers.
  • Quote: “It’s rage versus fear. You have the workers raging about inequality, and then, of course, elites are afraid of losing their status and their fancy things.” – Ed Helms [14:00]
• [15:22] Scott: The “epicenter of many of our problems” is that, for the first time, 30-year-olds are less prosperous than their parents. Rage at inequality is a recurring pattern, often self-corrected by war, famine, or revolution.
  • Quote: “...the 26 wealthiest families in America pay an average tax rate of 6%... at some point, when the bottom 52% of America have the same amount of wealth as Elon Musk, they figure out the fastest way to double their wealth is to go after that person.” – Scott Galloway [16:00]

Historical SNAFU: The Palmer Raids Overview

Panic, Paranoia, and Brutality

• [22:47] Ed: The country descends into the “first red scare.” Real violence (mail bombs, coordinated attacks), but the threat is largely exaggerated by media and politicians.
• [24:35] Ed asks about modern “civil war” rhetoric; Kara says, “They want that. They would like that.” Scott contests America’s true level of division, blaming both media and political incentives for polarization.
  • Quote: “What we have is the most profitable companies in the world that have attached stakeholder value to dividing and polarizing us.” – Scott Galloway [25:33]

Media & Rage Economy

• [27:46] Kara: “Enragement equals engagement.” Social platforms and news media profit from keeping people outraged and hooked.
  • Quote: “...whatever Mark Zuckerberg or Sam Altman or any of them can do to grab onto your brain stem and hold it... they’re gonna do.” – Kara Swisher [28:40]
• [29:02] Ed: “Race to the bottom of the brainstem, the lizard brain.”

The Palmer Raids Unfold

• [31:05] Ed: Attorney General Palmer (whose house was bombed) launches raids led by a young J. Edgar Hoover who creates the Justice Department’s “Radical Division.”
  • Quote: “He already had a growing reputation as a meticulous bureaucrat with a strong anti-radical ideology. Now with Hoover at the helm, things really spiraled quickly.” – Ed Helms [31:28]
• [32:00-34:00] Raids across U.S. cities—brutality, minimal warrants, thousands detained (most innocent), torture, denial of due process.
• Discussion: Does instant visibility (modern media/phone footage) heighten accountability or just outrage? Kara and Scott both warn about numbing and inflaming effects.
  • Quote: “If you’re inundated and flooded with information, you become numb... It can become outrage porn.” – Kara Swisher [34:16]
  • Quote: “The problem is we pay a huge price for fast [information], and that is slowing it down and fact checking things...” – Scott Galloway [35:15]

The Aftermath: Public Backlash and Legacy

• [36:30] Second wave: Thousands more arrested. Public and government eventually recoil; most deportations overturned.
• [38:10] Ed: May Day 1920 “revolution” fizzles — no uprising occurs; Palmer’s credibility collapses.
  • Kara connects to modern patterns: “The Antifa uprising ... The caravans headed our way... They try to scare people and then they’re wrong. And when they’re wrong, they go, ‘well, it’s because we talked about it, that it prevented it.’” [38:10]
• [41:34] Kara: In modern times, it’s often “minions” that bear the brunt of failed political crackdowns, not the figureheads.
• [41:53] J. Edgar Hoover comes out unscathed, soon leading the FBI for decades and perfecting surveillance and intimidation strategies, with long-term impact on American civil liberties.

Deeper Reflection + Modern Parallels

• [42:38] Ed: Draws direct parallels between Palmer Raids and modern ICE detentions, targeting of immigrants, and breakdown of due process.
• [43:27] Key difference: Palmer Raids were about ideology (Communism). Today, trauma and fear are “weaponized” around grievance and resentment, not coherent ideas.
  • Quote: “There is no grand ideological struggle... it’s the weaponization of one man’s ego... Trump’s not offering an alternative worldview here. He’s just offering pure, unfiltered grievance as a political identity.” – Ed Helms [43:27]
• [44:11] Scott: “We’re a victim of our own prosperity and BLESSINGS... we don’t acknowledge or are not willing to make the sacrifices ... We have come to believe that these rights are inalienable and no, they can be taken away.” [44:11]
• [46:07] Silver lining: The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) is born from the abuses of the Palmer Raids, working to defend civil rights.
• [47:15] Ed reads a striking 1920 open letter from a group of lawyers protesting illegal abuses by the Department of Justice.
  • Kara: “Where are those guys today?” [48:36]
  • Scott: “The incentives are all fucked up... we aren’t rewarding people for being good men and good Americans and writing a letter like that.” [49:53]
  • Kara: “They’re so poor, all they have is money... This has got to come from below... they will not. You will not see a letter like that from any of them anytime soon.” [49:53]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Scott is the definition of SNAFU.” – Kara Swisher [03:06]
• “I get all of my information from Instagram, TikTok... my mind is being shaped by algorithms run by psychopaths.” – Scott Galloway [05:54]
• “Fascism is believing it’s the enemy within.” – Scott Galloway [10:23]
• “Enragement equals engagement.” – Kara Swisher [27:46]
• “Race to the bottom of the brainstem, the lizard brain.” – Ed Helms [29:02]
• “The problem is we pay a huge price for fast [information], and that is slowing it down and fact checking things.” – Scott Galloway [35:15]
• “He already had a growing reputation as a meticulous bureaucrat with a strong anti-radical ideology. Now with Hoover at the helm, things really spiraled quickly.” – Ed Helms [31:28]
• “This episode took a bit. Erotica is very good...We’re such dumb asses.” – Kara Swisher, closing banter [50:38]
• “Everybody get on your inflatable animal suit and get out there and protest.” – Kara Swisher, signing off [51:08]

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• [03:06] – Banter about SNAFU origins; guest introductions and chemistry
• [05:19] – News consumption habits; current state of news and algorithms
• [06:28] – Introduction to the Palmer Raids; Espionage and Sedition Acts explained
• [09:43] – Pattern of targeting dissent, roots in fascist movements
• [13:13] – Bolshevik Revolution’s impact on America
• [15:22] – Capitalism, inequality, and cycles of rage/revolution
• [22:47] – Real violence vs. exaggerated threat; Red Scare context
• [25:33] – The profitability of polarization in media/tech
• [27:46] – "Enragement equals engagement" and social media’s role
• [31:05] – Palmer appoints J. Edgar Hoover; onset of raids
• [34:16] – Does instant media bring more justice or numb outrage?
• [36:30] – The “second wave" of raids; further rights abuses
• [38:10] – Fear-mongering then and now; false revolution panic
• [41:53] – Hoover’s rise, long-term consequences
• [42:38] – Modern echoes: Covid, immigrants, due process
• [47:15] – Reading/sharing of the 1920 lawyers’ letter

Tone & Takeaways

• Language and banter are sharp, irreverent, and deeply informed, blending Ed’s comic touch, Kara’s biting wit, and Scott’s data-driven urgency.
• The episode oscillates skillfully between historical detail and contemporary analogy, illuminating repeating patterns of panic, suppression, and the dangers of unchecked authority.
• Strong critique of today’s media/tech environment and American political culture’s failures to reward courage or decency.
• Ultimately, the show underscores the necessity of civil vigilance, the danger of apathy, and the ever-relevant lesson: “those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.”

Closing Wisdom:

“Everybody get on your inflatable animal suit and get out there and protest.”
— Kara Swisher [51:08]

This summary offers a structured, complete guide to the episode, including key developments, memorable moments, and timestamps for quick access to critical insights—a perfect primer for those who haven’t listened.