The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: "Normally Podcast: Renee Good Shooting, Iran’s Silenced Protests & Why Parenting Needs Boundaries"
Date: January 13, 2026
Hosts: Mary Kassenham & Carol Markowitz
Episode Overview
In this episode, Mary Kassenham and Carol Markowitz dive into three major topics shaping current headlines:
- The controversial shooting of activist Renee Goode by an ICE agent in Minnesota and the complex intersection of activism, law enforcement, and city policy.
- The intensifying and underreported protests in Iran, and Western media’s puzzlingly muted response.
- A lively discussion on modern parenting, focusing on discipline, boundaries, and what happens when parents lose control.
With their trademark mix of intelligence, humor, and sharp opinion, Mary and Carol tackle difficult subjects with frankness and practical perspective.
1. Renee Goode Shooting: Activism Meets Law Enforcement
Key Points & Insights
- Incident Summary: Renee Goode, an activist, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minnesota after intervening in a federal law enforcement operation.
- Complex Landscape: The hosts discuss the unique dangers that arise when direct-action protest cultures in left-leaning cities clash with federal agents operating without local cooperation.
- Breakdown of Events:
- ICE was active in specific neighborhoods due to lack of local police cooperation, which Mary argues increases risks for both officers and civilians.
- The cultural norm against physically interfering in active law enforcement has eroded in some protest circles.
Quotes & Analysis
- On protest escalation:
“Putting your body and your vehicle into an active federal law enforcement operation was not a good idea. But we have not preserved that cultural norm in many, many places. And it can end really, really badly.”
— Mary (04:05) - On changing attitudes:
“There's been a shift... especially middle class to affluent white women... believe they could just get in the middle of a police investigation or an ICE operation... and everything will just stop.”
— Carol (05:00) - On demonization of law enforcement:
“Democrats are portraying ICE agents as illegitimate because they don’t want to say what their position on immigration is... so they found this demon for their audience to attack.”
— Carol (05:23)
Use of Force Discussion
- Mary argues once a car is involved, reasonable fear on the part of officers is understandable (06:41).
- Carol mocks the idea of downplaying car assaults:
“They're like, she just tapped him a little. She just grazed him. She hit him with her car.”
— Carol (07:24) - Both regret how this situation spiraled and recognize mistakes on both sides while emphasizing that responsibility ultimately lies with those escalating the incident.
Broader Problems Identified
- Sanctuary Cities & Policy Consequences:
"They have had to take on this giant operation because liberal cities are explicitly not cooperating... You have created conditions that are gonna be problematic."
— Mary (08:53, 09:43) - Masked Agents & Safety:
“They wouldn't be masked if they weren't threatened... We've gone so far, I just over the line that I think it’s a scary time to be in law enforcement.”
— Carol (09:47) - Communication & Clarity:
Mary makes clear law enforcement must always be both marked and clearly identified (10:25), even if she understands agents' security concerns about masking.
Memorable Moment — Alternate Police Encounter (Clip)
[13:49 – 15:20]
The hosts play audio from a recent, comparatively calm incident where a mother rolls up on a police scene with her child. The officers control the situation, affirm her right to record, and enforce distance—all calmly.
- Carol’s reaction:
“She’d love a ticket. She would love a ticket. She’s like, more law enforcement interaction, please.”
— Carol (15:40) - Mary notes:
“These arrests can go so wrong so fast. Even for people who are trained to be in the area.”
— Mary (16:45)
Takeaway
The hosts urge that more adults—in politics and among activists—should encourage clear boundaries around law enforcement events to keep everyone safer.
2. Iran’s Silenced Protests and Western Hypocrisy
Key Points & Insights
- Protest Overview: Large-scale, potentially transformative protests are taking place in Iran, with reports of regime violence and hundreds possibly killed or injured.
- Western Media Response: The New York Times, Washington Post, and other outlets offer sparse coverage, which the hosts see as a major missed opportunity for solidarity and global human rights advocacy.
Quotes & Analysis
- On support from the left:
“If you're reading the New York Times... this is barely a blip. And really, I just don’t see any rooting for this on the left at all, which just makes no sense.”
— Carol (22:01) “It’s such an obviously human rights focused story, free speech focused story, things that they claim passionate about.”
— Mary (22:51) - Trump’s stance and political opposites:
The hosts note confusion on the left—because Trump expresses public support for Iranian protesters, progressive outlets may reflexively avoid supporting the movement (23:01–23:12).
Highlighted Social Media Perspective
Carol reads a pointed critique by Tamina Debazorgi about media self-censorship:
“The Western liberal media is ignoring the Iranian uprising because explaining it would force an admission it is desperate to avoid. The Iranian people are rebelling against Islam itself, and that fact shatters the moral framework through which these institutions understand the world...”
— Tamina Debazorgi, via Carol (24:10)
- Mary and Carol discuss how many on the left have conflated criticism of Islamic regimes with racism, missing the historical and cultural realities of modern, pre-mullah Iran and ignoring the protests’ feminist significance (25:49–26:21).
Broader Connections
- Comparison to U.S. policing, and how perspective is often lost when equating American law enforcement issues with theocracies or totalitarian regimes (26:21–26:34).
- Note that Iranian- and Venezuelan-Americans are vocally frustrated by the West’s blind spots (26:27, 26:34).
Democrat Messaging and Hamas
-
Sudden shift among Democrats publicly distancing from Hamas-supporting protestors (such as AOC) is scrutinized (26:34–30:46).
"All of a sudden... the chants made explicit that they were pro Hamas... The AOCs of the world are like, could you be just a bit less clear? Because I need to have plausible deniability."
— Mary (27:31) -
Carol speculates that a larger, perhaps coordinated messaging push is at play—one they find almost comically transparent (30:26–31:02).
Antisemitic Attack in the U.S.
- Brief coverage of the arson at Mississippi’s oldest synagogue highlights the ongoing rise in antisemitism and insufficient media attention (31:02–32:27).
3. Parenting: Boundaries, Authority, and “My Food, My Food, My Food”
Key Points & Insights
- Viral Parenting Debate: The hosts address a viral story where rationalist blogger Scott Alexander admits difficulty getting his toddler to bed, leading to wider criticism of “Gray Tribe” rationalist parenting.
- Their Perspective: Both Mary and Carol advocate for parents to take clear authority and set boundaries, not leave life decisions to three-year-olds.
Quotes & Analysis
- On parental authority:
“You’re in charge. Be the parent.”
— Carol (37:26) "Your 3-year-old doesn't know when he needs to eat food. You know when he needs to eat food."
— Mary (39:09) - On negotiation fatigue:
“The kid’s in charge. Constant thing where they can’t get their kid to bed. And I’m not gonna hate on you, dude, but here’s the deal—you’re in charge.”
— Mary (36:51) - On discipline and love:
"Parents... are like, will my kids still love me if I yell at them? Like, oh, I assure you they will still love you. I yell. I yell quite a bit, actually."
— Carol (38:19)
Practical Tips
- Choose Your Battles: Decide which issues are worth enforcing—for both sanity and parenting efficacy (38:25).
- Sleep is the Crucial Battle: "Sleep, it makes everything else good or bad... The sleep one is always worth fighting."
— Carol (40:28) - On consistency:
Mary describes evolving her own parenting:"I used to be less scheduled, but now I got two kids who are on their schedule and they sleep well and I'm like, hold on, not mess with it."
— Mary (41:04)
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On activist-police risk:
"I wish that we had observed the cultural norm that putting your body and your vehicle into an active federal law enforcement operation was not a good idea..."
— Mary (04:22) -
On left's silence on Iran:
"Why can’t we all be united to want Iran to not free itself? ...to have some normalcy, it was a normal country..."
— Carol (22:19) -
On parenting boundaries:
"It is not cruel to not give the reins to a three-year-old."
— Mary (39:59)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:06 – Start of discussion on Renee Goode shooting and ICE operations in Minneapolis.
- 10:25 – Conversation about agents being masked and importance of clear law enforcement identification.
- 13:49 – 15:20 – Play and analysis of alternate police-civilian interaction goes smoothly (minivan incident).
- 21:08 – Iran protests topic introduced.
- 24:10 – Carol reads the Tamina Debazorgi tweet.
- 26:34 – Democrats’ sudden about-face on Hamas support/protest messaging.
- 31:02 – Attack on Mississippi synagogue discussed.
- 35:56 – Parenting segment begins.
- 37:26 – Carol's clear message on authority: "Be the parent."
- 39:08 – Mary on parents' responsibility for structure.
Conclusion
With humor and forthright analysis, Mary and Carol urge listeners and policymakers alike to reinforce sensible boundaries—whether confronting chaotic activism, choosing where to apply international moral pressure, or putting toddlers to bed. They warn against confusing outrage for activism, highlight media blind spots, and encourage parents to remember: sometimes, being in charge is the most caring thing you can do.
For full episodes and show details, visit: normallythepodmail.com