← The Ben Shapiro Show
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2300 - The Democrats Have BIG Problems…But Will Republicans BLOW IT?
00:53:33
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- [00:00]
Ben Shapiro
We'll get to more on that in a moment. First, folks, let's say you already like shooting terrific. But what if I told you you're only getting half the experience? Here's the reality. Shooting suppressed isn't just quieter. It makes things more enjoyable. Less recoil. Tighter groups. No more ears ringing like you just left a rock concert. Silencer Shop helps takes your shooting experience from ordinary to extraordinary because your firearms should actually be fun and functional. Now here's the good news. Silencer Shop is the easiest way to get a suppressor period. They helped more Americans get silencers than anyone else and approval times they're faster than ever. Their expert team helps with the paperwork, connects you to a local dealer and gets you shooting suppressed without any hassle at all. Silencer Shop actually puts its money where its mouth is. They're one of the loudest voices fighting for your second Amendment rights, backing real legislation and pushing for real change. Visit silencer shop.comshapiro to get started on your suppressor journey. That's silencer shop.comshapIRO to upgrade your firearms today. Silencer Shop because your rights and your ears are worth protecting. And shooting silence a lot more fun than shooting non silence. Just the reality of the situation. Go check out Silencer shop today. Silencer shop.com Shapiro Life can feel chaotic.
- [01:03]
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- [01:30]
Ben Shapiro
We'll get to more on that in a moment. First folks, let's say you already like shooting terrific. But what if I told you you're only getting half the experience? Here's the reality. Shooting suppressed isn't just quieter. It makes things more enjoyable. Less recoil. Tighter groups. No more ears ringing like you just left a rock concert. Silencer Shop helps takes your shooting experience from ordinary to extraordinary because your firearms should actually be fun and functional. Now here's the good news. Silencer Shop is the easiest way to get a suppressor period. They've helped more Americans get silencers than anyone else. And approval times they're faster than ever. Their expert team helps with the paperwork, connects you to a local dealer and gets you shooting suppressed without any hassle at all. Silencer Shop actually puts its money where its mouth is. They're one of the loudest voices fighting for your second amendment rights, backing real legislation and pushing for real change. Visit silencershop.com/shapiro to get started on your suppressor journey. That's silencershop.comshapiro to upgrade your firearms today. Silencer Shop because your rights and your ears are worth protecting. And shooting silence a lot more fun than shooting non silence. Just the reality of the situation. Go check out Silencer shop today. Silencer shop.comshapiro a lot coming up on today's show, we'll get into the latest polls on 2026. Are Democrats just flailing around? How could they possibly be win back power? Is there any shot at all? Maybe it would have to do with Republicans doing something incredibly stupid. We'll get to all of that First. Last week on the debut episode of Friendly Fire, we announced Daily Wire lifetime memberships. We mentioned only 10,000 exist. They are going fast. But here is something new. You can actually win a lifetime membership. Download that free Daily Wire plus app in the App Store, open the app, tap, explore and then follow me. That enters you for a chance to win a lifetime membership. You'll also get alerts when I release new episodes, breaking news, live chat during the show, and much more. You'll get if you've already downloaded the app and followed you're already entered. For everyone else, get to work, download that Daily Wire plus app and follow me today. Also, you can still order your signed copy of Lions and Scavengers right now only available@dailywire.com shop it's not just a book. It's a rallying cry against the lies poisoning Western civilization. We're coming up on the holiday season. These are excellent gifts for the real lions in your life. Don't wait to secure your signed copy. We've had massive demand for these, so you need to order right now. Go to dailywire.com shop today. Well, Democrats have some major, major problems. We are about one year out from the midterm elections at this point. And it is worthwhile noting that in the Real Clear Politics polling average right now for 2026, Democrats are not in great shape in the generic congressional vote. According to Real Clear Politics, they are leaning by about 1.6 points. That is about a year out, 1.6 points. Now that is not very much at all. I mean that is margin of error stuff. And in fact, every single poll over the course of the last Month has the margin between 3 points Democrat and 1 point Republican. So there are no polls showing Democrats with a significant advantage on the 2026 generic congressional ballot. To give you a little bit of history here, just so you understand how these things stack up, in 2018, when Democrats had a great election, 2018, that was the off year election and the first Trump campaign term, Democrats netted 40 seats in the House and ended up taking the House by a significant majority. The Real Clear Politics polling average has had Democrats on election day in the generic congressional average up 8.4 points. Again today, it's like 1.6 points. In 2022, when Republicans won nine seats, which was a very narrow victory for Republicans. The Real Clairpolix polling average had Republicans up 2.8 points. And there are significantly fewer competitive battleground districts this time around, thanks to both redistricting and population movement. According to Cook Political, there are effectively eight seats that are Republican toss up seats held by Republicans, but could theoretically move Democrat. There are 10 Democrat toss up seats, including seats in California, Maine, New York, Ohio and Texas. So what does that mean? Well, it means that this could be an unbelievably close election at best for Democrats. And there is the significant possibility, if redistricting does in fact occur in Texas, that Republicans retain the House. Democrat chances right now are plummeting. And part of that is because they have no narrative whatsoever. They have major problems on their hands. So they trotted out this no Kings protest over the weekend. They got some 7 million people to show up. Now, the thing about gigantic mass protests like this is if they have no crossover appeal, it makes no difference at all. Remember, 7 million people, if you, if you look at the popular vote in 2024, then what you notice is that Kamala Harris won some 75 million votes. So getting 7 million Kamala Harris voters out into the streets to be angry at President Trump, that doesn't mean anything, right? I mean, that's, that's less than a tenth of the number of people who actually voted for Kamala Harris. How many registered independents or Republicans were at the no Kings protest? The answer is close to zero. And so it's just all performative outrage for the Democrats. They are hoping in the end that they have higher voter enthusiasm in 2026 than Republicans do. And the evidence of that exists. But it is starting to wane. There is evidence that Democrats are animated to vote. In excess of 70% of Democrats are saying they're animated to vote in 2026. For Republicans, it's in the mid-50s. But those numbers are likely to close before the election. And the more performative Democrats look, the more they just seem tired and gray and old and like they got nothing in the tank. For example, Nancy Pelosi, who is now 176 years old and remembers the Battle of Antietam yesterday, she did a little bit of a social media video where she broke a crown in order to show there were no kings. This is a lady who has been in Congress longer than most kings reign on their thrones and who is worth over $100 million. And she is going to be talking about the oligarchs and the kings. Nancy Pelosi. Dentures are clacking.
- [07:18]
Harmeet Dhillon
Going to tear up the crown.
- [07:26]
Ben Shapiro
Those are. I mean, she's good at tearing things up as long as those things have approximately the durability of paper. Remember, she tore up the President Trump's State of the Union during his first term, and now she is tearing up crowns that are apparently tinsel she bought from Party City. Nicole Wallace over at msnbc, which is the fan network for the no Kings rallies. She says this opposition, the thing about this opposition is that it's. It's opposition led by the people. No, it's not. It's opposition led by a bunch of grassroots astroturfed organizations like labor unions and the Communist Party usa. Here's Nicole Wallace trying to make fetch happen.
- [08:02]
Nicole Wallace
The no Kings protest clearly getting deep under Donald Trump's skin over the weekend. But more importantly, the protests show the contours of a new opposition in America, one led by the people. According to the organizers, 7 million people came out to protest Donald Trump on Saturday. More than 100,000 people marched in New York City. In Chicago, the march at one point stretched 22 blocks. But the protests were hardly confined to big cities in blue states.
- [08:32]
Ben Shapiro
Well, I mean, they were mostly confined to people who voted for Kamala Harris. Again, if you can spot me 10 people, we're now doing the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah here. If you can find me 10 people who are registered Republicans who voted for Donald Trump in the last election cycle, in those crowds, I will be very, very surprised, shall we say, Jamie Raskin also trying to make all of this into some sort of gigantic popular uprising. Here's the representative from Maryland.
- [09:02]
Mika Brzezinski
This is right now the largest set of demonstrations that's ever occurred in American history. I don't know that there's ever been 7 million people who have assembled in unity against an administration that has been so determined to violate the civil rights and civil liberties of the people usurp the powers of Congress and trampled the Constitution as well as shut down the U.S. government.
- [09:30]
Ben Shapiro
Well, you know, again, this idea that this is a gigantic popular opera, it is betrayed by the polls. There is no evidence actually that President Trump is in any serious trouble here. He seems to be absolutely teflon right now. Well, coming up, Bernie Sanders has some words on the View about President Trump poop bombing a bunch of rallies, you know, in an AI video, because this is what Democrats have been relegated to talking about. First, there's a reason I'm proud to say PureTalk is my wireless company. They don't just talk the talk, they walk the walk. Especially when it comes to supporting our veterans. This month, PureTalk is choosing to support Canines for Warriors, an incredible organization that rescues and trains dogs and then pairs them with veterans struggling with ptsd. These are men and women who served with honor. When they come home, that brotherhood, that support network they had in the military, very often it disappears. And Canines for Warriors steps up to fill that gap, giving these heroes purpose, companionship and healing. That's exactly why Pure Talk, a veteran led company, supports them. Choose a wireless company who shares your values and with talk, text and plenty of 5G data for just 25 bucks a month, you could also be saving a lot of money. Again, I use peer talk all the time. I use it for all my phone calls. My phone calls are important to me and it's the best price and the company actually shares my values. Head on over to PureTalk.com/Shapiro right now and make the switch today. Again, go to PureTalk.com/Shapiro. Switch to America's wireless company, Pure Talk. That's Pure Talk.com/Shapiro. It's the best coverage. It's a company that actually shares your values and you'll be saving money at the same time. So it's a win all around. Peertalk.com so/shapiro Also, these days, everything is feeling very, very expensive. Whether it's a quick trip to the grocery store or grabbing takeout, it's easier to brace for a higher price than what you actually pay. In fact, many people do the same with life insurance. 72% of Americans overestimate how much it really costs. That's where policy genius comes in, making it fast, simple and surprisingly affordable to get covered so your loved ones have a financial safety net. See if policy Genius can help you find 20 year life insurance policy starting at just 276 bucks a year for a million dollars in coverage. Shopping for life insurance, it can feel overwhelming, but policygenius makes the whole process simple and stress free. In just a few clicks, you can compare quotes from top insurers across the country to find coverage that actually fits your needs and your budget. Their team of licensed agents is there every step of the way, answering questions, handling paperwork, even advocating for you so you don't have to worry about the fine print. Instead of leaving you guessing, Policy Genius lays out your options clearly. Coverage, amounts, prices, terms so you can make a confident choice. With thousands of five star views on Google and trustpilot, it's no wonder policygenius is trusted as the nation's leading online insurance marketplace for for people who are looking to protect their families and life insurance is just a must. It is a thing you have to do if you want to be a responsible human. Secure your family's future with Policygenius. Head on over to Policygenius.com Shapiro to compare life insurance quotes from top companies and see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com Shapiro so Bernie Sanders, who is apparently the only male who the View will invite on it, was very funny. Just last week, the View said we can't get anyone who's a Republican who wants to come on the show. Guys, I've been sitting here for literally a decade saying, have me on. When Meghan McCain was on the show, she told me she repeatedly tried to get me on the show and they kept killing it over and over and over. I'm sitting right here. I'm sitting right here. You want to do it? Let's do it. Guys. I'm ready. I'm waiting. Anyway, Bernie Sanders can get on whenever he wants. And there he was, at a loss for words over President Trump's fake AI poop bomb.
- [12:41]
Bernie Sanders
Trump may be crazy and he may be a liar and he may do you describe. I mean, hard to imagine a president. I mean, I don't know what world these guys are living in. President of the United States dropping feces on an American city, Right? All right, they may be all of those things, but this is what they are not. They're not stupid.
- [13:02]
Ben Shapiro
I mean, he didn't literally drop feces on American City. He put out an AI video that is legitimately hilarious. I mean, again, I'm sorry, but the performative outrage, the oh my God, this is not normal, guys. We've been living in not normal land for a very long time in this country. There are people who are adults now who are 11 years old when Donald Trump took office, who are now 21, right? Like that is where we are in life. You think they're going to get away with Donald Trump put out a video of himself dropping gigantic vats of turd on protesters in New York City, and this is somehow going to outrage the American? That certainly will stop him. Yes. This time at last, we'll have stopped Trump. Bernie Sanders. Sure, sure. And here's the thing. Democrats are trying to create havoc with this shutdown, and people are just not panicked. They're not feeling the havoc. They really are not. We are now on day 20 of the government shutdown or day 21 of the government shutdown, and frankly, it ain't having much of an impact here. For example, is Harry Enton on CNN saying, you know, weirdly, this shutdown is not hurting President Trump very much.
- [14:08]
Mika Brzezinski
Shutdowns are different the second time around when it comes to Donald Trump. Take a look here. You know, we speak about Donald Trump shutdowns, net approval rating. We're talking 20 days into it. In 2018-2019, Donald Trump's net approval rating was already falling. The shutdown was eating in, and it was popular sport. It was down three points already at this particular point and would fall considerably more. It was very much on the decline. You come over to this side of the screen. This shutdown hasn't eaten into Donald Trump's support at all. His net approval rating is actually up a point in terms of his popular support. So the bottom line is this. The first shutdown during Trump's first term, 2018, 2019, was hurting Donald Trump. This one is not hurting him at all. There's no real reason Donald Trump might say, at least when it comes to popular support, I want to get out of this shutdown.
- [14:56]
Ben Shapiro
I mean, again, the reason for that is because Americans are figuring eventually the shutdown will come to an end and people will get their back pay and that'll kind of be it. And they don't even understand why Democrats are doing this in the first place. Now, Democrats are struggling here with the government shutdown. I mean, the polls show that they are not gaining any momentum from it. And there's a reason for that, which is that until five minutes ago, Democrats always opposed government shutdowns. They wanted the government to continue functioning and running no matter what. In fact, here is Senator Tim Kaine from 2019 saying that he would only vote on policy after a government shutdown ended. Again, this is not very long ago. Democrats have completely flipped their position. And in order to try and harm President Trump here.
- [15:35]
Nicole Wallace
You know, Senator, back.
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Kristen Welker
In 2019, you made a Similar argument during that shutdown that Republicans are making now. Republicans at the time were asking for more funding for a border wall. You said, let's reopen the government first. I want to play a little bit of what you had to say.
- [15:52]
Ben Shapiro
We first should reopen government. Why punish people who are applying for food stamps? Because the President is having a temper tantrum. Open government first.
- [16:02]
Kristen Welker
So, Senator, by your own logic, should Democrats not vote to reopen the government first and negotiate later?
- [16:10]
Ben Shapiro
Kristen, here's what's different. Now. The President told the Republicans to write this budget without any Democratic involvement. Actually, there is no difference. But Democrats for some reason seem to think this is a winner. Let's be clear what's happening here. Chuck Schumer is trying to avoid a primary challenge from aoc. Now, I think that that's misbegotten. I don't think that AOC is going to challenge him in a primary. I think she's going to run for President, which is why she's gallivanting all over the country with Bernie Sanders. And Bernie Sanders is a gigantic advocate of the idea that we should never reopen the government unless Republicans suddenly, magically become Democrats. Here's Bernie Sanders.
- [16:45]
Kristen Welker
Majority Leader Thune has offered Democrats a vote to extend Obamacare subsidies if they just agree to. And the shutdown, are you on board with that? Just to get this over with?
- [16:57]
Bernie Sanders
No, because that would not get it over with. I want to see the shutdown ended tomorrow. Got a lot of good, decent, hardworking federal employees not getting their paychecks. That is not right.
- [17:07]
Ben Shapiro
Okay, well, I'm confused then. Why won't you actually vote on something that is put forward by Senator Thune to end the shutdown? Nobody understands what Democrats are doing here. And Chuck Schumer's idea that Republicans are just lazy and that's the reason the shutdown continues. Dude, you can end this anytime you want. Anytime.
- [17:29]
Senator Dave McCormick
So, Mr. President, we enter another week of Donald Trump's government shutdown. And Republicans seem happy not to work, happy not to negotiate, happy to let health care premiums Spike for over 20 million working and middle class Americans. Our country is staring down the barrel of a health care catastrophe. And Republicans will spend this week either vacationing or holding pep rallies at the White House.
- [17:59]
Ben Shapiro
Again, I'm sorry, this is not going to work in any way, shape or form. Join us online to bring us the updates on the government shutdown is Senator Dave McCormick from Pennsylvania. Senator McCormick, thanks so much for taking the time. Really appreciate it.
- [18:09]
Senator Dave McCormick
Hey, Ben, good to see you.
- [18:11]
Ben Shapiro
So why don't we talk about the news that's on no one's mind, actually the government shutdown by polling data. Americans don't seem extraordinarily perturbed about the government shutdown at the moment, mainly because they think that it will come to some sort of end and they don't really understand why Democrats are preventing the shutdown from ending. According to Harry Enton over at cnn, the president's poll ratings have not moved one iota. If anything, they've actually risen a point since the beginning of the government shutdown. For folks who are not familiar, why exactly is the government shut down right now?
- [18:40]
Senator Dave McCormick
Well, this is, you know, something that's usually standard fare, which is a continuing resolution, which is to just to keep the spending at the same levels while you're finalizing the appropriations process. That's what Republicans have proposed and voted for. That happened 14 times under Joe Biden. Republicans supported it. The Democrats are trying to use that continuing resolution, a clean continuing resolution, no politics to use that as leverage to blackmail Republicans to make a bunch of concessions, to undo some of the things that were in the big beautiful bill and to approve additional tax subsidies from Obamacare that were put in place during COVID So it's literally holding government blackmail so air traffic controllers, border patrol, federal workers, the military all don't get paid until the Democrats relent and essentially let us get back to business. It's the Schumer shutdown, and I think they're in a cul de sac. I think they believed that this was the right thing to do politically and it was going to help them show that they were fighting back against President Trump when in reality it's just bad policy. And I'll never support shutting down the government. We should be able to find ways through this. That's a bad policy. Senator Fetterman, my fellow Pennsylvanian, he and.
- [19:59]
Ben Shapiro
I agree on that.
- [20:00]
Senator Dave McCormick
Regardless of what party is in power, it doesn't make sense to shut down the government. I've supported legislation by James Lankford to ensure that doesn't happen again.
- [20:11]
Ben Shapiro
Well, Senator McCormick, Kevin Hassett of the National Economic Council, he has suggested that the government shutdown could end this week. Are you seeing any movement on the part of Democrats to end this? Maybe more moderate Democrats coming over to the side of ending the government shutdown?
- [20:25]
Senator Dave McCormick
You know, I don't see anything in the foreseeable future, to be honest with you. I've spoken to a number of those moderate Democrats. I think that they believe, at least for the time being, that there's some political advantage here, which is, which is a sad commentary. Perhaps in the coming weeks and days and weeks as the is the impact starts to grow. I think, I think the pressure may ultimately lead them to relent. In Pennsylvania, 100,000 federal workers, the big thing that's happening now is there's 2 million recipients of SNAP benefits. These are people that are often living paycheck to paycheck. They're no longer receiving those SNAP benefits and they won't receive them until the government is open. So if you think about the Democrats saying they're trying to help working people, this is about, you know, healthcare for working people. This is really putting an enormous amount of pain and pressure on working people because SNAP benefits and other things that people that are employed by the government aren't getting paid. So I think that pressure is going to grow, but I don't see anything in the foreseeable future.
- [21:31]
Ben Shapiro
Senator McCormick, you mentioned Senator Fetterman a moment ago, and it really is quite astonishing that Senator Fetterman appears to be one of the only semi rational Democrats who is around at this point. He has come out against the government shutdown. He is. He has praised the president for accomplishments in the Middle east. And yet Democrats apparently are now targeting Senator Fetterman for a primary challenge in a purple state that again, President Trump has now won two out of the last three election cycles. You're a Republican senator from that state. What do you make of the Democratic Party? That's basically saying to Senator Fetterman, who has very high approval ratings among Republicans and pretty good approval ratings among independents, that they are saying, you don't belong in our party anymore, despite the fact that he votes for, with President Trump a grand total of 6% of the time. Right.
- [22:12]
Senator Dave McCormick
I think it's a sad commentary on the Democratic Party, which has lurched to the left. Here in John Fetterman, you have a guy, he and I are friends, we have found a way to work together, but he and I disagree on many things. He votes, as you said, as a Democrat most of the time. What's different about him is he speaks authentically, he speaks truthfully. He doesn't buy into this radical liberal orthodoxy which, where he ultimately is attacking Israel or embracing anti Semitism. That's what his party has become. And so as a consequence, you have a guy here that speaks truth, votes as a Democrat most of the time, looks for ways to collaborate with me and others when he can to help Pennsylvania and to help the country. And the radical left has turned against him for that very reason. He's very popular in Pennsylvania. As you said, he's got a lot of support from independents and Republicans and Democrats. I think he's a pretty, pretty formidable guy. So I wouldn't write him off yet.
- [23:15]
Ben Shapiro
Senator Dave McCormick. Really appreciate the time. Thanks for stopping by for an update.
- [23:20]
Senator Dave McCormick
Yes, sir. Thanks, Ben.
- [23:22]
Ben Shapiro
We'll get to more on this in a moment. First, imagine this. You're relaxing at home and suddenly you wonder just how secure you really are. And you hear a noise you don't recognize outside. We there are a lot of stories about break ins and new security tech. While it's natural to want extra peace of mind, what if there was a smarter way to protect everything that matters most before trouble ever gets inside? That's where Simplisafe comes in. Simplisafe is different. Instead of a home security system that only reacts after a break in, Simplisafe is designed to stop crime before it starts. Unlike traditional systems, their AI powered cameras can spot potential threats while they're still outside. The moment a suspicious person appears, their agents confront the intruder, let them know they're being watched, and can even trigger a siren or spotlight if needed. That means real action before anything happens. I love Simplisafe. We use it here at the studios to ensure that you know, all of our cameras are where we left them the night before the next morning. Other systems might let you review footage after the fact, but Simplisafe's professional monitoring agents that are always on, intervening in real time, contacting emergency services if necessary. There are no long term contracts, no hidden fees and you can cancel anytime. Named Best Home security system by U.S. news and World Report for five years running, SimpliSafe even offers a 60 day money back guarantee so you can try it risk free. Right now my listeners can save 50% on a SimpliSafe home security system at simplisafe.com Shapiro that's simplisafe.com Shapiro there's no safe like Simplisafe. Also, I found that when it comes to updating your home, the details can make a huge difference. Maybe you've thought about upgrading your window treatments, but let's face it, the hassle usually just isn't worth it. Waiting around for a designer sky high quotes trying to coordinate installation. It's a pain in the neck and that's why I want to tell you about blinds.com blinds.com totally changed my outlook on home updates. Instead of waiting around for appointments, you can browse their huge selection and even talk to an expert from the comfort of your Own home. Want somebody to measure and install? They'll handle everything for you. Prefer to do it yourself while you still have expert support every step of the way. Their samples show up fast, free. And picking the perfect color or texture is simple. Whether you're looking for bamboo shades, classic shutters, even outdoor options for the patio, they've got you covered. And all for a price that beats the showroom every single time. The best part, no stress. Just a simple process with a 100% satisfaction guarantee from the folks who've been doing this for 29 years and have covered over 25 million windows. Right now, blinds.com is giving our listeners an exclusive 50 bucks off. When you spend 500 bucks or more. Just use code. The Ben Shapiro show at checkout limited time. Offer rules and restrictions apply. See blinds.com for details. Well, again, if Democrats fail with their government shutdown tactic, if that doesn't make Republicans less popular, then they will just throw BLEEP against the wall. Not the stuff that President Trump dropped on them. Different bleep, apparently. Well, some of the stuff that they are throwing against the wall is they are very, very upset now that President Trump is apparently tearing down part of the east wing of the White House in order to build this ballroom. He's doing all of that with donated money, so it does not cost the public one dime. And so the left has decided that this is a massive, massive problem. How dare they? How dare they touch the vaunted east wing of the White House. Here is Mika and Joe on MSNBC going crazy.
- [26:16]
Mika Brzezinski
And it's hard to believe that any president could destroy the White House and take a wrecking ball to an existing structure. So historic. That is what's happening. It'd be one thing if you were building on or you were doing things inside, but to take literally a wrecking ball to the White House, it's grotesque, just grotesque.
- [26:40]
Nicole Wallace
Yeah. And this after the Rose Garden and the, I guess the patio that they have put in, which you could argue.
- [26:51]
Ben Shapiro
But this far different.
- [26:52]
Nicole Wallace
Painful. I mean, this is historic structure.
- [26:56]
Mika Brzezinski
It's his. It's history. Being torn to shreds.
- [27:01]
Ben Shapiro
So painful, so terrible, so untrue. I mean, when it comes to the, the actual structure that they are talking about, the east wing of the White House was originally built as sort of an antechamber to get into the White House by Teddy Roosevelt in 1902. And then it was last renovated in 1942 by FDR. A second story was added. FDR included an indoor pool for himself. Nixon added a bowling alley. Barack Obama added a basketball court, and now they're taking out a building that was built. Okay, this doesn't go back to like the Lincoln era, guys. We're not talking about gutting the West Wing, okay? The, the West Wing is the historic part of the White House. I've been in the East Wing, I've been in the West Wing. I gotta tell you, the East Wing, ain't nothing special happening there. It's basically an office building that is an adjunct to the part of the White. There's a reason that the show, the West Wing was called the West Wing and not the East Wing. All of the historic stuff that you see, right, the Oval Office, for example, all that stuff's in the West Wing. All the stuff in the East Wing is just a bunch of small offices. That's basically what's in the East Wing. And so gutting some of it in order to create a much larger ballroom to host events, that really is not nearly as big a deal as people are making it out to be. But I guess when you're desperate, you're willing to try just about anything, apparently. And Democrats have trouble here. They do. And this is why I think they're swinging behind Zorn Momdani. It's why they keep trying to make Zorn Momdani into sort of the, the future face of the Democratic Party, because they feel like, ok, well, you know, we're trying everything here. We can't get away with any of it. And so maybe Zormandani will sort of break the mold and listen, maybe he will, but not in a way that I think will be good for the Democratic Party across the country. Zoran Mandani is not a popular figure across the country. Zormandani is barely a popular figure in New York. The guy is polling in the mid-40s in New York City as the Democrat nominee. Normally you'd imagine he'd be up in the 50s or 60s, but it turns out that he's too radical. For at least 50% of members of the New York City electorate, which is a very far left electorate. The idea that he is some sort of national bellwether is pretty crazy. And so Democrats have a problem. They have a major problem. How do they defeat Republicans? Well, there's one way they could defeat Republicans, and that is if Republicans decide to own goal. And the way that Republicans own goal is probably the same that the way Democrats own goal. Democrats scored on themselves by radicalizing. They became powerful, and then they become fat, and then they became happy, and then they Started promoting a bunch of trash like Boys can be girls and America's systemically racist, and then they started losing elections. It turns out that when you, in the thrill of your power, decide that you can go as far to the radical as you wish to go, well, it turns out that the American people don't actually believe that and they're willing to swivel back to the middle. Republicans could be in danger of doing the same thing. They could be. The latest indicator of this is a story involving Paul and Gracia. So Paul and Gracia was a Trump nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel. He was a bad nominee. He is a bad nominee. He's. He's 30 years old, but he has a long social media history of nuttiness, to say the least. Andrew Kaczynski, who writes about this sort of stuff over at CNN, he reported back in July about in Grazia, pointing out that on the anniversary of September 11, for example, he shared a video of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones claiming the US Government planned the attacks or let them happen. He had also defended Alex Jones several months earlier, writing, we all stand with Alex Jones. In June of 2024, he had shared comments from Nick Fuentes. He had argued that straight white men are the most intelligent demographic group and should be prioritized in education. He hosted a podcast calling for martial law and secession after President Trump's 2020 defeat. He had suggested that Trump was in fact, the Constitution. Well, now it turns out that Paul and Gracia, according to Politico, was involved in another one of these infamous group chat in which he said a bunch of, shall we say, not particularly intelligent things. He said, quote, MLK Jr. Was the 1960s. George Floyd and his holiday should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs. Now, whatever you think about MLK Day and whether it's deserved or not, and that's been a hot topic in America really since its inception. The idea that MLK Jr was somehow equivalent to George Floyd, a lifelong drug addict who died of excited delirium under the knee of a police officer, as opposed to a civil rights leader who is quite famous actually, for having taken a much more moderate position toward racial conciliation in the country. That's ridiculous. He used an Italian slur for black people writing, quote, no Moulin holidays. From Kwanzaa to MLK Jr Day to Black History Month to Juneteenth, every single one needs to be eviscerated. Now, again, you make the argument about any of those holidays, but using racial Slurs, not exactly wonderful. In Gracia had also made comments. Quote, I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time. I will admit it. Quote, never trust a Chinaman or Indian. Never again. This is not long ago, by the way. That was in January of 2024. So he was not a kid. He was not Anon. He was not somebody who's just, you know, a college student who was being an edgelord. This is a person who is going to be appointed to a high position in the Trump administration. Discussing why some Republicans feel Democrats make black people into victims. The texts show in Gracia remark, quote, blacks behave that way because that's their natural state. You can't change them. Okay, so here is the question. Why was this person ever nominated for this position? Why? Why was. Why? And the answer is, because, of course, there is an edgelord side to the right that has been made light of and ignored. And you can do that when you're winning. But it turns out that if you allow that to infect your movement, it is quite bad for your movement. If you ignore that stuff and it metastasizes and it creates brain worms within the party, that is a big, big problem because eventually the brain worms destroy you. Senate Majority Leader John Thune declared on Monday night that Engracia was not going to pass. Rick Scott of Florida, Senator, he said, I do not support him. Thune said to reporters that he hoped in Gracia's nomination would be pulled. And this is the problem with the idea of appointing people, quote, based on loyalty, without any regard to the things that they say and the things that they do. And the Republican Party should be aware because again, this is not a recipe for victory. This is a recipe for going crazy and then losing. You want to make Democrats powerful again? Be crazy. Be crazy. Promote as figures in your movement people who spend their days hosting guests to claim that the Jews created Covid. Spend your days promoting theories about how Charlie Kirk was not killed by a radicalized gay, furry trans lover, but instead was killed by insiders at tpusa or the Israeli government or the American government or Jews. These things, by the way, do have some real world consequences. Again, people are only responsible for the actions they call to be taken, but they're certainly responsible for raising the temperature based on the sorts of arguments that they make and the lies that they tell. That's just a reality of the world. And to pretend otherwise is really stupid. And this is where it is worth noting that my friend Seth Dillon, among others, including Laura Loomer, and Josh Hammer were targeted by Nicholas Ray, a 28 year old Texas resident who was arrested in Texas and restaurant was issued in Texas. Attorney General James Uthmeyer of Florida will be joining us momentarily. Issued in a statement explaining that he'll be extradited to Florida for trial. That is because he posted just about a week and a half ago quote to this to Seth Dillon, quote, you're in on it too. Don't think we forgot conspired with foreign government about killing Charlie. We effing know you did it. We're gonna get you, I promise. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but you're living on borrowed time and you know it. Well, this person did not get his ideas from nowhere. He followed precisely five accounts on Twitter. Humoring bad ideas leads to bad things. It does. And refusing to call that out is not a sign of virtue. Pretending it away is not a sign of virtue. And on a pragmatic level, put aside the moral. I understand everyone has moved into the post moral universe where you don't say things just because they're true or good. You have to first determine whether it is helpful or harmful. We've moved into a sort of political utilitarianism which I find distasteful, but at least I understand it. I get the logic. But let's be clear. Brainworms are bad for parties. Brainworms are bad. If you are seeking to expand your power to do the kinds of good things, the kinds of positive change that need to happen in the country, allowing your movement to be taken over by the brainworms is not a smart idea. And, and beyond that, again, I actually do think that there is something moral to be said when friends of mine are being threatened with death by people who are too into the Internet and buying into conspiracy theories promoted by prominent people. That is a bad thing. Joining us online to give us the latest on the death threats to Josh Hammer and Seth Dillon and Laura Loomer is the Attorney General of the state of Florida, James Uthmeyer. James, thanks so much for taking the time. Really appreciate it. Good morning. So why don't we start with this news that was breaking last night about the arrest of a man who is threatening a bunch of Floridians, Jewish prominent people as well as a Christian is very prominent. Seth Dillon, Josh Hammer was threatened by this person. What do we know about the arrest warrant that was issued for this citizen of Texas? Sure.
- [37:06]
James Uthmeyer
Well, in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination, we repurposed a lot of staff and resources working with investigators and law enforcement to go after evidence of political extremism and violence targeted calls for death and destruction. This is one of those cases. This individual, clearly demented, was calling for the death of several in conservative media, using anti Semitic verbiage in his threats. So we found him in Texas. He's been arrested. We're going through the extradition process. We're going to throw the book at him and send a clear message. If you call for violence, you will be punished. You will do as much time as possible. Here in the state of Florida, we have zero tolerance for it.
- [37:48]
Ben Shapiro
The attorney General, based on his sort of tweets and his public statements and the original threat that was sent to Seth Dillon, among others, it appears that he was accusing these people of being complicit or involved in the murder of Charlie Kirk. Do you have any idea where these ideas came from or what his ideology was?
- [38:03]
James Uthmeyer
Sure. Well, he's already admitted to many of the allegations. He claims to have been indoctrinated on YouTube, clearly has strong anti Semitic feelings. The investigation revealed that there's certainly credibility to these threats. He was talking in, you know, finite, scheduled terms. So he will do plenty of time behind bars. And again, we're out there, we're watching, we're, we're surfing the web. Our investigators are working around the clock to make sure that we are keeping people here in Florida very safe.
- [38:33]
Ben Shapiro
Meanwhile, you've been going after Roblox, which, of course, very popular app with young kids. It's a. It's a video gaming platform, but it has become what you call a breeding ground for predators. There are tons of parents in our audience, and I'm sure Roblox users themselves who may be uninformed about this, may not know what their kids are doing on Roblox. Why don't you explain to the audience what's happening with Roblox? Sure.
- [38:54]
James Uthmeyer
Well over half of kids under 16 are using this platform. It's got sensational graphics and features as kids play these games online. And what's happened is adults have been able to infiltrate this platform pretending to be kids themselves and ultimately have begun grooming children through this platform. We've arrested over a thousand child predators in Florida since I took office back in February. And we've connected a lot of these cases to Roblox. We launched a civil consumer protection investigation back in the spring, and that inquiry revealed evidence that the company has knowingly acted very carelessly. They've known that groomers are using this platform, and nevertheless, they've allowed it to happen. They have not done enough to stop this dangerous behavior. So we launched the criminal subpoenas yesterday and we're going to hold wrongdoers accountable that have engaged in exploitation and failure to report, aiding and abetting very dangerous behavior that ultimately abuses and hurts our children.
- [39:57]
Ben Shapiro
And I think people are unaware of the scale of this. I mean, as you say, an enormous number of kids are using these platforms. And for, for parents, they may not even know what, what's going on on these platforms. But from what I've been told by people who are sort of experts in this area, people are asking kids to take pictures of themselves and send them via Roblox. They're telling them to, to walk around their homes with cameras demonstrating what their home looks like for, for predators on roadblocks. What are the sorts of things that you're seeing that are, that are concerning to you?
- [40:26]
James Uthmeyer
Yeah, parents at home need to wake up. They're the first line of defense. These online predators. They will pretend to be children and they are patient. They will wait weeks or months. They will talk in a dialect where they sound like kids themselves. They'll tap into the insecurities of other children online. Slowly over time, they'll start to solicit personal information, location information, imagery, and in the worst of cases, schedule times to meet up in person. And we have indeed seen cases of physical sexual abuse that all initiated through a Roblox connection. We believe Roblox is failing to put proper age verification softwares in place. They're not doing enough to moderate the content, to observe and shut down communications that clearly reveal predatory practices. And ultimately we hope they're going to work with the state and cooperate to put proper security protocols in place. Government should not get in the way of business activities unless it's an emergency. This is one of those things. We will stop at nothing to protect our kids.
- [41:30]
Ben Shapiro
And what sort of activity specifically would you like to see from Roblox that would at least make the state of Florida more comfortable with how Roblox is operating?
- [41:39]
James Uthmeyer
Well, we're looking at many things. I certainly would like to see them shut down the exchange of imagery altogether. I don't think that's necessary in a social communication platform to play these games. Get back to the business of playing games. That's what it's supposed to be about. Let kids be kids. Shut down the social interactions that allow an 8 year old to be on the other side of a screen as some adult that's also pretending to be a kid. So we're gonna work with them to the extent we can and to the extent they're unwilling, we will see them in court or worse.
- [42:11]
Ben Shapiro
Well, that is Florida Attorney General James Uthmeyer, who's doing a spectacular job in that role. Attorney General, really appreciate the time. Thanks for what you're doing.
- [42:19]
James Uthmeyer
Thank you.
- [42:20]
Ben Shapiro
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- [44:10]
Ben Shapiro
Meanwhile, again, speaking of parties that have gone off the rails, the Democratic Party has been off the rails, which is why they have made excuses for violence is why the right should not do the same. They've made excuses for violence. Well, the D.C. u.S. Attorney General, Jeanine Pirro has now announced two additional arrests in an August attack on that Doge staffer. You remember, the man popularly known as Big Balls was attacked on the streets and beaten up and she's announced two additional arrests.
- [44:39]
Janine Pirro
This case underscores the escalating challenges that we face in confronting crime in Washington, D.C. on August 3rd of 2025 at about 2:53am Sunday morning at the U Street corridor and 14th street, which is a very popular hangout nightlife area, essentially. Ethan Levine, a 22 year old, and several of his friends were standing outside a Sunoco gas station. They were approached by a large group of teens, individuals who confronted them and began to assault them. Today we are announcing that Lawrence Cotton Powell, who is 19 years of age, along with Anthony Taylor, who is 18 years old years of age, are now charged with assaulting Levine.
- [45:34]
Ben Shapiro
Now cracking down on crime is the job of the doj. Good for Janine Pirro and the rest of the administration. Meanwhile, a big court ruling from a federal appellate court in the 9th Circuit, two to one vote, has now allowed President Trump to deploy the National Guard to Portland, according to the Wall Street Journal, despite objections from state and local officials who say no emergency exists to justify the federal show of force. By a 2:1 vote, they reversed the judge, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. It was an unsigned order. It said the sporadic violence of protests before an ICE facility in Portland was sufficient to trigger the president's power to federalize the Guard. The Insurrection act allows the president to do that. Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said that President Trump is exercising his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel following violent riots that local leaders have refused to address. And this is just another judicial win in a recent string of judicial wins for the Trump administration. Joining us online to discuss is the assistant attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmony Dhillon. She's here to talk about a wide variety of issues, legal and otherwise. Harmony, thanks so much for the time. Really appreciate it.
- [46:36]
Harmeet Dhillon
Yep, thanks for having me.
- [46:39]
Ben Shapiro
So why don't we begin with the Supreme Court's take on gerrymandering. I see there's a court there's a case that was recently heard at the Supreme Court about the Voting Rights Act. The Court has sort of an interesting history with the Voting Rights act over the course of the last decade and a half. What is this case about and what does it mean for the future of gerrymandering?
- [46:56]
Harmeet Dhillon
Well, this is a fascinating case involving the line drawing in Louisiana and specifically the history of the Supreme Court's jurisprudence compelling states to draw racially gerrymandered districts to comply with the Voting Rights Act. And one interpretation of that now Voting Rights act was passed many decades ago to remedy racial discrimination in the line drawing in mainly in the South. And, and so over the years, the Court has successfully loosened a number of the restrictions that it had put into place in the Voting Rights Act. And remaining, however, is this concept that states are required to draw districts to elect minority congressional candidates, assuming that they're all going to vote the same way. And I think that is the assumption that Justice Thomas and others are backing away from, because today in 2025, the vast majority of black representatives in Congress are not elected from gerrymandered Voting Rights act districts. In fact, it's only 15 out of, I think, 60 who are. And so that begs the question whether we need these types of mandates and secondly, whether they're constitutional, the more important question. And I was honored as the Assistant Attorney General in charge of administering the Voting Rights act to author, co author with my colleagues here at the doj, the Supreme Court's amicus brief. And it was argued by Principal Deputy Solicitor General Hosh Moopin very ably at the Court last Wednesday. So based on my take there in the audience, I think there is likely to be a majority of support on the Court to cut back these mandates to draw racially gerrymandered lines. And that is going to create a sea change in competition in a number of districts and probably some scrambling in some states to try to redraw the lines before the midterms, depending on the timing of the Court's ruling.
- [48:52]
Ben Shapiro
And I think, really to understand the importance of the case, I think we should. We should recognize that for many decades there was a process that the DOJ used to use called preclearance, in which they basically dictated to states how those lines would be drawn, particularly in the South. That was done away with in 2013. And the court has been kind of moving toward the idea that actually states should just be allowed to draw districts so long as they are not actively attempting to disenfranchise voters, they should be allowed to draw districts, because gerrymandering is part of our history. And frankly, there is not an alternative way to draw districts that is significantly better.
- [49:26]
Harmeet Dhillon
Yeah, I think that's exactly right. And so what would happen in Louisiana is instructive. And South Carolina's got a similar situation. The NAACP sued in Louisiana because the recent line drawing only created one majority minority district. And, you know, to even get that one district, it kind of sort of cut across a river, down a river, across half of the state, and combined people from rural and urban and suburban districts, people who you would think, according to other voting analysis, don't have common interests. And so they forced the state to draw two minority districts. And then white voters in the newly created district area sued to reverse that, saying that the racial aspect of the gerrymandering was a violation of equal protection. And this is actually fascinating because for all the decades that the Civil Rights Division here has been in effect until this term, actually with the Trump administration, equal protection has meant that the DOJ comes in to enforce rights for minorities. Well, the Supreme Court has, with a succession of rulings in other areas, including Students for Fair Admissions in College admissions. And Ames v. Ohio in Employment said that majority Americans have rights as well under equal protection. And so we may see that come into play in this third important area here with the voting rights. And I think you've seen Justice Thomas really take this on as one of his seminal causes. He was very active in the questioning in the argument last week, and I wouldn't be surprised if this is one of the capstones of his career to write on this issue, which he's been very passionate about.
- [51:12]
Ben Shapiro
We're speaking the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the doj, Harmeet. Dylan Harmeet. I also wanted to ask you about this ruling from the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that says that President Trump does in fact, have the authority to send federal law enforcement into the city of Portland. Obviously, there have been a lot of advocates on the left who have claimed that the federal government, the executive branch, does not have the authority to deploy federal forces in cities, order to enforce federal law or to defend federal property. The ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which used to be relatively famous for being a highly reversed left wing court, ruled in favor of the Trump administration. What do you make of the decision?
- [51:45]
Harmeet Dhillon
Well, I agree with the decision, of course. I mean, we did the analysis legally in the administration before we, you know, before we take actions, typically, and this is the correct ruling. And it complies with historical precedent. Of course, the president has this right. And of course, everyone can see with their own eyes and that these cities are rife with unrest, and specifically unrest targeting federal law enforcement officials. And so I think the president has the duty to keep our law enforcement safe. And there's a collateral effect of keeping those communities safe. And so it's become a political football here. But localities and cities can avoid that problem, states and cities, by simply enforcing the law themselves, which they have been unwilling to do in recent years. And so here we are.
- [52:27]
Ben Shapiro
Well, that is Herme Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the DOJ Harmony. Thanks so much for your time and for your hard work.
- [52:33]
Harmeet Dhillon
Thanks for having me.
- [52:35]
Ben Shapiro
Alrighty, folks, the show continues for our members. Right now. We'll get into President Trump visiting with the prime minister of Australia. It's, you know, a mixed bag. Plus, we'll get to the latest in the Gaza Strip as well as some positive changes in Japan and Bolivia. First, remember, in order to watch, you have to be a member. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us. Sam.