The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Episode Title: "Democrat Karens and Islamist Zohrans"
Date: October 27, 2025
Hosts & Panelists:

• John Podhoretz (Editor, Commentary)
• Abe Greenwald (Executive Editor)
• Christine Rosen (Social Commentary Columnist)
• Matthew Continetti (Washington Commentary Columnist)
• Oliver Darcy (Frequent Contributor)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into tumult and shifting dynamics within the Democratic Party as it faces upcoming state elections, internal identity crises, the influence of radical and establishment wings, and the prominent mayoral race in New York City featuring Zoran Mamdani. The hosts dissect the rise of “resume gods” (technocratic, inoffensive Democratic candidates), the left’s growing anti-Israel momentum, the power of identity and sectarianism in politics, and looming questions for the party’s future direction. The episode also offers a fierce takedown of the new Kathryn Bigelow movie "A House of Dynamite", capped with broader cultural and political tangents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Kamala Harris Factor & "Resume Gods" in the Democratic Party

[02:58–10:40]

• Kamala Harris’ endurance: The panel opens with Kamala’s BBC statement, “I am not done,” pondering her continued relevance and what this says about the Democratic bench. Harris is seen simultaneously as a comfort to conservatives (ensuring a GOP chance at victory) and a flashpoint for further Democratic division.
  • Quote: “Those four little words—‘I am not done’—have to bring a smile to every conservative’s face.” (Oliver Darcy, [03:03])
• Memoir culture & Democratic ‘stars’: John Podhoretz mocks new memoirs by Hillary Clinton and Karine Jean-Pierre, noting the latter’s self-promotion through niche celebrity endorsements as emblematic of dysfunction and superficiality within the party’s leadership [04:09–05:33].
  • Quote: “The saliency of rappers as critics and observers...elevates the Karine Jean-Pierre memoir to important levels.” (John Podhoretz, [05:06])
• Rise of “resume gods”: The hosts repeatedly return to the notion that the Democrats’ leading candidates are often colorless technocrats, selected not for drive or ideology, but for their inability to offend factions within a fractured party—hence "resume gods."
  • Quote: “It's not the really innovative thinker in an organization...it's the person who offends the least number of people on the board.” (John Podhoretz, [28:20])

2. Party Bifurcation, Identity Politics, and The 2028 Field

[07:33–12:27, 18:25–23:39]

• Democratic coalition fraying?: The party is supposedly bifurcating, much as the GOP did post-2012: "She [Harris] represents relatively popular identity politics of 2024... The fact that she didn’t win, and...wasn’t a vanguard figure did not advance more radical policies..." (John Podhoretz, [07:47])
• Radicals vs. resume candidates: Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races showcase ‘establishment’ candidates like Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, both strategically avoiding culture-war or polarizing topics to avoid alienating swing voters—dubbed an “anti-Karen” tactic by Abe Greenwald ([13:34]).
• Populism creeping into moderation: The panel is surprised by Sherrill’s anti-Pharma rhetoric in New Jersey (despite the state’s deep ties to the industry), suggesting even Democrats’ “moderates” are shifting leftward under electoral stress.

3. The Zoran Mamdani Mayoral Candidacy – Socialism, Sectarianism & Anti-Israel Rhetoric

[19:29–41:07]

• Historical context of the left’s rise: Bernie Sanders, AOC, and their progressive network are described as “not a turnout people,” but their rallies and anti-oligarchy messaging signal a growing anti-establishment bloc with roots in the 2016 and 2020 presidential primaries ([19:29–21:48]).
  • Quote: “In 2016...Sanders ended up with 43%... Four years later...26%...his [AOC’s] juice is in anti-Israel rhetoric.” (Oliver Darcy, [19:30–21:52])
• Mamdani’s campaign evolution: Initially pitched as a campaign for affordability (free buses, affordable housing), Mamdani shifts focus post-primary to sectarian, anti-Israel, and Islamophobia narratives to galvanize Muslim voters, particularly in Queens.
  • Quote: “[Mamdani] gave the game away...How is the race ending with him talking about Islamophobia...it’s a referendum on how anti-Zionist the Democratic Party really wants to be...” (John Podhoretz, [36:16])
  • Memorable anecdote: Mamdani’s recounting of his aunt’s fear to ride the subway wearing her hijab after 9/11 is challenged as an exaggerated or invented claim by the panel ([37:01–37:54]).
• Panel’s view on Mamdani: The consensus shifts—he’s now seen primarily as a sectarian Muslim candidate using leftist economics as a secondary appeal. His focus on ethnic politics, anti-Israel statements, and leveraging immigrant demographics is described as “frightening” if he wins for both NYC and as a broader party bellwether ([40:34–42:13]).

4. Anti-Israel Sentiment & Democratic Party Identity

[47:22–54:01]

• National implications: Mamdani’s race is portrayed as a bellwether or “leading indicator” of growing anti-Israel sentiment within the Democratic mainstream.
  • Example: Seth Moulton, a "responsible center-left" Massachusetts Democrat challenging Ed Markey, headlines his campaign by returning AIPAC funding and rejecting pro-Israel money ([47:22–48:53]).
• Jewish voter anxieties: The panel warns that a Mamdani victory could mark a formal shift: “anti-Zionism as a litmus test” for ambitious Democrats.
  • Quote: “It will solidify and anchor anti-Zionism as...a litmus test of 2026; Seth Moulton is the tip of the iceberg.” (John Podhoretz, [64:59])

5. Resume Gods, Ethnicity, and Party Gatekeepers

[53:33–59:58]

• Critique of candidate backgrounds: With a touch of sarcasm and personal anecdotes, the hosts lampoon the disproportionate number of Democrats whose fathers or parents were Marxist or radical professors (Obama, Buttigieg, Harris, Mamdani).
  • Quote: “My plea for the Democratic Party: I would like the Democratic stars to be persons without Marxist professors as their fathers...” (Oliver Darcy, [53:36])
• Mamdani’s familial and intellectual background: The panel dissects Mahmud Mamdani’s (Zoran’s father) new book framing Idi Amin as a product of colonialism, with conspiratorial suggestions about Jewish and Israeli influence—a window, the panel suggests, into Zoran’s upbringing and worldview ([55:17–57:04]).

6. Shutdown Politics and Washington Dysfunction

[52:53–71:49]

• Blame game on the government shutdown: The hosts highlight Democratic reluctance to compromise on government funding, noting that major media and party actors are attempting to pin the blame on the GOP and Trump despite evidence to the contrary.
  • Quote: “The Democrats are the ones who are keeping the government closed, and they themselves are claiming that Donald Trump is keeping the government closed. This is not one of those times.” (John Podhoretz, [69:34])
• Juvenile legislative antics: The hosts criticize both sides for their intransigence and playground-level taunting (the “True Shutdown Fairness Act”), but place ultimate responsibility for the deadlock with Democrats refusing to give up maximalist demands.

7. Culture Disrecommendation: "A House of Dynamite"

[72:29–83:14]

• Abe’s passionate ‘disrecommendation’: The movie is slammed for being an endless, tedious Zoom meeting, retreading the same plot three times with no resolution.
  • Quote: “After all this, the big payoff is we never know who sent the missile, and we never know what the US response is. That is purgatory, and that is the movie.” (Christine Rosen, [76:37])
• Wider critique: The panel groans at recurrent “liberal Hollywood” dystopias about nuclear war, asserting that nuclear holocaust, while a serious issue, hasn’t defined global risk the way such films suggest. They muse that, with climate apocalypse movies failing to sell, nuclear scares are making a comeback.
  • Quote: “These kind of mushy liberals, Hollywood liberals, are still trying to scare us with the bomb.” (John Podhoretz, [79:48])
  • “The most terrifying thing is an endless Zoom meeting.” (Abe Greenwald, [83:09])

Notable Quotes & Moments (w/Timestamps)

• Kamala Harris, Memoirs, and Democratic Image Management
  • “I am not done. And that is our former vice President Kamala Harris...those four little words have to bring a smile to every conservative's face.” (Oliver Darcy, [02:58])
  • “Her version of explaining that she actually had the chops and not John Kirby was to cite rappers who really thought she was great...” (John Podhoretz, [05:06])
• Democratic Moderates & The “Anti-Karen” Gambit
  • “They're both kind of running as the anti-Karen...just don't engage issues where our party's on the wrong side of most of the American voter.” (Abe Greenwald, [13:34])
• Zoran Mamdani & Sectarian Politics
  • “He's going to end the campaign as the Muslim candidate who says that the victim of 9/11 was a Muslim woman who couldn't ride on the subway.” (John Podhoretz, [38:02])
  • “Mamdani is a sectarian Muslim politician who is using a socialist agenda to appeal to the barista proletariat, but whose real constituency are the Muslims of New York City.” (Oliver Darcy, [40:00])
• The Party’s Shifting Litmus Test
  • "I feel like the horror of the Mamdani victory will be that it will solidify and anchor anti-Zionism as... a litmus test of 2026; Seth Moulton is the tip of the iceberg..." (John Podhoretz, [64:59])
• On "A House of Dynamite"
  • “After all this, the big payoff is we never know who sent the missile and we never know what the US Response is. That is purgatory, and that is the movie.” (Christine Rosen, [76:37])
  • “The most terrifying thing is an endless Zoom meeting.” (Abe Greenwald, [83:09])

Timestamps: Most Important Segments

• Kamala Harris, Memoir Culture, and Democratic Elites: [02:58–07:33]
• Resume Gods, Moderates, & The Bifurcation of the Party: [10:40–18:25]
• Zoran Mamdani Mayoral Candidacy and Sectarian Shift: [19:29–42:13]
• Anti-Israel Sentiment, Mamdani’s Intellectual Roots: [47:22–59:58]
• Shutdown Debate & Washington Dysfunction: [66:23–71:49]
• Cultural Segment: "A House of Dynamite" Review: [72:29–83:14]

Tone and Language

• Cynical, sardonic, and analytical: The hosts freely mix sarcasm ("moron" as a dictionary entry, memoirs as self-parody), personal jibes, and sharp insight into party mechanics and voter psychology.
• Cultural elitism and humor: Frequent asides on the sameness of Democratic candidates, “TikTok Karens,” and the existential dread of Zoom meetings.
• Serious warning: Particularly regarding sectarian and anti-Israel shifts in New York and national politics, voiced as grave concern for the party and Jewish voters alike.

Final Thoughts

The episode serves as a sweeping post-mortem and forecast for the Democratic Party, skeptical of the suffocating proceduralism and risk-averse candidate selection that produce “resume gods,” while arguing that sectarianism, radical leftism, and in some cases overt anti-Israel attitudes are poised to become major forces—or even litmus tests—within urban Democratic politics. The ongoing New York City mayoral race is presented as a dramatic, disturbing case study.

Meanwhile, establishment Washington is ridiculed as paralyzed, and political culture is painted as drifting ever further from traditional centrism or consensus-building, with the podcast closing on a unifying 21st-century horror: the endless video call.

For listeners seeking a forecast of Democratic civil wars, sectarianism, and urban populism—with wit, bite, and allusions aplenty—this episode is a must.