Podcast Summary: The Briefing with Albert Mohler

Host: R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Episode Title: Monday, September 8, 2025
Date: September 8, 2025
Theme: Cultural Commentary from a Biblical Perspective

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the Democratic Party's efforts to rebrand itself following recent electoral failures. Mohler discusses a leaked memo from the center-left think tank "Third Way," which advises Democrats to change their language in order to appeal to mainstream voters—without altering their underlying progressive ideas. The episode dives into the worldview implications of this linguistic shift, the challenges such rebranding poses, and its potential (or lack thereof) to sway voters. Mohler rounds out the analysis with commentary on specific political figures and broader implications for both Democrats and conservatives in upcoming elections.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Democrats’ Electoral Troubles and the Third Way Memo

• The Democratic Party faces declining voter registrations post-2024 defeat.
• "Third Way," a center-left think tank, released a memo titled "Was It Something I Said?" urging Democrats to modify their language, not their policies, to win back voters.
  • Main critique: The party uses language ordinary Americans "would never dream of saying," leading to perceptions of elitism, divisiveness, and wokeness.
  • Notable quote from the memo:

    "To please the few, we have alienated the many, especially on culture issues where our language sounds superior, haughty and arrogant." (02:27)

2. Linguistic Categories to Avoid

Third Way categorizes problematic Democratic language into several types:

• Therapy Speak:
  • Words like "privilege," "violence," "triggering," "microaggression," "safe space," "centering," "holding space."
  • Example: Redefining "violence" to include offense to feelings, not just physical harm.
  • Mohler’s take:

    • "...since then, this has become just the kind of language you expect on the cultural left in the United States." (12:19)

• Seminar Room (Academic) Language:
  • Terms like "critical theory," "systems of oppression," "postmodernism," "existential threat."
  • Mohler comments on the disconnect:

    • "If you hang around academic circles in elite academia...that's exactly what they think. They really don't care what goes on in kitchen tables across the country." (18:51)

• Organizer Jargon:
  • Phrases include "radical transparency," "stakeholders," "the unhoused," "food insecurity," and "person who immigrated."
  • Mohler’s critique:

    • "Just say that to someone...in a grocery store, and they will exercise their agency by tuning you out." (22:04)

• Gender Orientation Correctness:
  • Phrases like "birthing person," "inseminated person," "chest feeding," "cisgender," "dead-naming."
  • Mohler notes the absurdity and disconnect with public sentiment.
• Shifting Racial Constructs:
  • Terms like "Latinx," "allyship," "intersectionality," "minoritized community," and criminal justice euphemisms ("justice-involved," "carceration").
  • Mohler observes:

    • "The actual Hispanic and Latino community has disparaged the word [Latinx]...about the only place you're going to find it is among ideological think tanks and on university campuses." (31:41)

3. Underlying Worldview Issues

• The memo advises changing language, not ideology; Mohler argues this is superficial:

  • "You can change the language, but the ideas...are going to be recognized as being the very same." (36:12)

• Mohler underscores the impossibility of hiding radical ideas behind neutral language, especially as left-activist groups police their own side for "correct" vocabulary.

4. Media Responses and Broader Political Strategy

• Reporter Emma Withrow (Sinclair National Desk, Baltimore Sun) asks:

  "Can changing terms like birthing person help Democrats connect with voters?" (41:16)

• Mohler reflects that changes in language alone are unlikely to sway voters, as the ideas are central to the political left’s identity.

5. Case Studies: Political Figures

• James Talarico (Texas):
  • Young, Christian-identified Democratic lawmaker with far-left policy views.
  • Despite relatable Texan image, his positions mirror the party’s progressive base.
  • Mohler notes:

    • "It's an attractive package...but when the issue of issues actually comes to the fore...well, it sounds like he's pretty much just like anyone else on the left." (47:52)

• Zohran Mamdani (New York):
  • Democratic Socialist, previously advocated for decriminalizing prostitution, defunding police, abolishing billionaire class.
  • Now toning down rhetoric as a mayoral candidate but still faces skepticism from mainstream Democrats.
  • Mohler notes the risks of such rebranding:

    • "He ran on gaining attention through many of these very leftist ideas. Now he says...he doesn't want to associate with all of those ideas..." (55:41)

6. Democratic Midterm Strategies and Challenges

• Washington Post coverage: Democrats plan to regain House majority in 2026 by moderating language.
• Mohler’s conclusion:
  • The fundamental issue is not language but ideology. The party’s activist base will continue to demand radical policy and language, limiting the effect of any cosmetic rebranding.

7. Contrast with Conservative Challenges

• Democrats struggle to make radical positions palatable; conservatives struggle with authenticity — whether candidates are truly as conservative as they claim.

  • "The problem on the conservative side is exactly the opposite...It can be equally dangerous." (65:17)

Most Notable Quotes & Moments

• [02:27] Third Way Memo:

  "...to please the few, we have alienated the many..."

• [12:19] Mohler on Therapy Speak:

  "...this has become just the kind of language you expect on the cultural left..."

• [18:51] Mohler on Academic Language:

  "...they really don't care what goes on in kitchen tables across the country."

• [31:41] Mohler on 'Latinx':

  "...the actual Hispanic and Latino community has disparaged the word..."

• [36:12] On Surface Rebranding:

  "You can change the language, but the ideas...are going to be recognized as being the very same."

• [41:16] Media Coverage:

  "Democrats are being cautioned ... to reconsider their messaging strategies as certain terms might alienate voters and potentially help Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections."

• [47:52] James Talarico's Candidacy:

  "...when the issue of issues actually comes to the fore...well, it sounds like he's pretty much just like anyone else on the left."

• [55:41] Zohran Mamdani's Campaign:

  "...He ran on gaining attention through many of these very leftist ideas. Now he says...he doesn't want to associate with all of those ideas..."

• [65:17] Mohler on Conservative Authenticity:

  "The problem on the conservative side is exactly the opposite...It can be equally dangerous."

Timeline of Important Segments

• [00:00–05:00]: Introduction; Democratic Party's post-2024 struggles; Third Way memo context
• [05:00–20:00]: Detailed analysis of the Third Way memo: language categories and examples
• [20:00–32:00]: Critique of academic and organizer jargon; discussion of how alienating terms arise
• [32:00–42:00]: Gender and racial terminology on the left; disconnect with broader public
• [42:00–48:00]: Evaluation of media and think tank influence; language vs. ideology debate
• [48:00–56:00]: Texas and New York political case studies (Talarico, Mamdani)
• [56:00–65:00]: Democratic Party midterm strategy; prognosis for both parties; conclusion

Summary & Takeaways

• The Democrats’ attempt to win back voters by changing language—without changing ideology—reveals deep cultural and worldview divides.
• The distance between activist language and everyday voters’ speech illustrates how elite progressive circles remain disconnected from the public.
• Mohler contends that voters see through superficial rebranding and that meaningful appeal would require substantive ideological shifts, not just lexical ones.
• The episode highlights, through practical and political case studies, how this disconnect plays out in real campaigns, and why party bases resist even cosmetic changes in vocabulary.
• By contrast, the conservative problem is often candidates who sound more conservative than they act—raising doubts about authenticity on both sides.