The Commentary Magazine Podcast

Episode: No Kings—Now What?
Date: October 21, 2025
Host: John Podhoretz
Co-Hosts: Seth Mandel, Christine Rosen

Overview

This episode opens with reflections on Commentary Magazine’s recent 15th annual roast event—a rare night of comedy and Jewish community celebration after hard years. The panel quickly pivots to unpacking the current political moment: Israeli military action in Gaza, the U.S. political response (especially Trump’s and the right’s), and the weekend’s massive “No Kings” rally by Democrats/progressives nationwide. The conversation puts these headline events in broader context regarding Jewish self-esteem, U.S. political polarization, the rise of emergency politics, protest movements, the challenges of insurgent candidates, and the longer-term ramifications of “permanent emergency” governance on democracy.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Reflections on the Commentary Roast and Jewish Community Mood

• [02:56–05:09] The hosts discuss the energy and significance of the previous night’s Commentary roast in New York:
  • John describes the event as “one of the great evenings of my life” with 450 in attendance and a jubilant mood, in large part celebrating partial resolution in Gaza.
  • Seth references Daniel Elazar’s view: “Commentary magazine is the barometer of Jewish self esteem in America.” (04:15)
  • Noted: The Jewish community has come through very hard years, and this revival in pride and optimism was palpable.

2. Latest on Israel–Gaza and US Political Response

• [05:09–14:22]
  • Israel's resumption of strikes in Gaza is analyzed as a direct reaction to Hamas’s violation of ceasefire agreements, particularly failed hostage returns and attacks on Israeli soldiers.
  • Christine points out the media distortion of events: “It took me some digging in different news stories to get the actual chain of events... Hamas attacked first and Israel responded. The headlines are still IDF firing again in Gaza or aid cut off.” (09:08)
  • The American role: U.S. pressure reportedly caused Israel to pause further strikes after initial retaliation.
  • John brings up coverage of Trump, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner suggesting Netanyahu’s Doha strike “went too far” and how that news is being spun (“most successful, unsuccessful attack in military history”).
  • Consensus: Hosts doubt that Trump or Kushner are really upset at Israel’s actions and are skeptical about media narratives of U.S.-Israel tension.

3. Public Opinion and Polling on Gaza

• [12:04–14:22]
  • John shares new Emerson polling: 47% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict (a significant improvement), with Republican approval at 80% and a striking flip among independents, now favoring Trump’s approach (12:04).
  • "Nothing breeds success like success,” John notes, pointing to how visuals of free hostages and Palestinian-on-Palestinian violence help Israel and Trump.
  • Christine observes that Democratic “No Kings” protests were partly overshadowed by the cease-fire and the positive closure moment in Gaza.

4. The “No Kings” Nationwide Rally

• [14:22–20:41 & 34:41–36:21]
  • Massive rallies billed as the “No Kings” protests take place nationwide (allegedly 7 million strong; estimates compared to the Women’s March numbers in 2017).
  • Christine finds irony and reversal in progressives dressing as the Founders—“when the Tea Party folks did that... they were considered fascist.” (16:56)
  • The rallies are characterized as largely peaceful, older in demographic, more like a PBS pledge drive or “James Taylor concert,” lacking the disruptive energy of past years.
  • John quotes Rep. Sarah Elfreth—“an excellent reminder of what our community is capable of”—and then wryly questions whether standing in a crowd is really impressive political achievement. (18:20)
  • Seth and John debate if the “No Kings” rally has practical impact or is more of a generic protest offering emotional reassurance but little concrete political change: “The rally, to me, was essentially the rally or March version of polling generic Democrat on the ballot,” Seth (34:41).

5. Party Discipline, Scandals, and Insurgent Candidates

• [20:41–30:56]
  • Christine highlights a difference in how Republicans and Democrats discipline bad actors: NY Republicans shut down their Young Republicans group after a scandal; Democrats have not distanced from problematic VA AG candidate Jay Jones.
  • The conversation turns to the handling of problematic insurgent candidates like NY’s Mamdani and Maine’s Graham Platner:
    • Democrats in Maine move to pre-emptively replace Platner due to extreme rhetoric to avoid electoral disaster—a move praised as good party “hygiene.”
    • In NY, lack of establishment alternatives let the leftist/insurgent “squad” rise in part due to their “looking the part” and narrative media support rather than voter demand.
    • “On the left, there are more and more of those candidates that just have to look the part, whether it’s the Fetterman, AOC hybrid…” —Christine (29:20)

6. Money, Movement, and The Power of Resistance

• [30:56–33:03]
  • John underscores fundraising as a proxy for organizing capacity: “The amount of money pouring into resistance coffers is very, very significant…if Democrats can raise $100 million and get 7 million people out…you would be foolish not to reckon with them.”
  • Real question: Is this just demonstration, not organization? Did they register new voters at rallies? Gather emails? Build infrastructure, or just perform?

7. Rhetoric, Emergencies, and Executive Power—Bipartisan Critique

• [36:21–54:24]
  • Democrats and some conservatives genuinely fear “extra constitutional” overreach by Trump and the “permanent emergency” presidency.
    • “Trump is not conforming to our norms…he’s conducting himself almost as though he did [win a landslide].” —John (36:40)
    • The Women’s March in 2017 is cited as successful, literal “counter-programming” to Trump’s inauguration, sparking a wave of Democratic victories.
  • Christine warns that both parties are now using emergency rhetoric, making ever greater claims on executive power (tariffs, public health, policing, environment, etc.), creating a cycle where “we’ll just be going back and forth every four years between different forms of supposed tyranny” (53:33).
  • Seth points to Oklahoma’s GOP governor, Kevin Stitt, pushing back on Texas sending National Guard troops to Illinois: “Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.” (46:56)
  • The hosts reject overheated “Hate America rally” rhetoric from the right as excessive and silly (33:03).

8. Long-Term Thinking (or Lack Thereof) in U.S. Policy

• [62:18–63:14]
  • Christine laments the American failure to think in the long term compared to regimes like China or Hamas: “They’re playing like 100 year epic civilizational game and we’re like playing Trivial Pursuit sometimes.”

9. Closing: Listener Appreciation and Pop Culture

• [63:18–64:08]
  • Christine warmly thanks roast attendees and podcast listeners, and highlights the positive feedback on Abe Greenwald’s newsletter.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Commentary magazine is the barometer of Jewish self-esteem in America.” – Daniel Elazar, paraphrased by Seth Mandel [04:15]

• “Hamas is testing. It’s like a toddler testing a parent to see if the limit is really going to remain in place. And it must.” – Christine Rosen [09:15]

• “Nothing breeds success like success. The ceasefire appears to be, or the deal appears to be a success…as the images of the released hostages indicate, and as the fact that the images out of Gaza are of Palestinians killing Palestinians and murdering Hamas murdering other Palestinians. So Israel celebrates, Hamas kills.” – John Podhoretz [12:38]

• "It should have been called No Kings, Almost All Boomers, because the crowd was kind of older, it wasn't young..." – Christine Rosen [16:35]

• “When the Tea Party folks did that not that long ago, they were considered fascist for doing so. And so it’s a funny reversal that folks on the left are rediscovering some of the principles of the founding in their No Kings rally.” – Christine Rosen [16:56]

• "The rally, to me, was essentially the rally or March version of polling generic Democrat on the ballot... The more definition it had, the less likely it was to get 7 million people." – Seth Mandel [34:41]

• “The danger of the permanent emergency President, because all of the powers that are opened up in a state of emergency to the executive can be made permanent.” – Christine Rosen [50:38]

• “They’re playing like 100 year epic civilizational game and we’re like playing Trivial Pursuit sometimes.” – Christine Rosen [62:18]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:56–05:09] — Commentary Roast & Jewish American mood
• [05:09–14:22] — Israel–Gaza military updates, media framing, Trump/Kushner role
• [12:04–14:22] — Emerson polling on Trump’s foreign/Gaza policy
• [14:22–20:41; 34:41–36:21] — “No Kings” rally assessment, protest impact
• [20:41–30:56] — Scandals, party discipline, insurgent candidates
• [30:56–33:03] — Fundraising and political organizing
• [36:21–54:24] — Emergency politics, executive power, Women’s March precedent, bipartisan misuse of emergency rhetoric
• [46:56] — Gov. Kevin Stitt’s remarks on interstate troop deployments
• [62:18–63:14] — America’s lack of long-game strategic thinking
• [63:18–64:08] — Listener appreciation and roast wrap-up

Takeaway Summary

This episode deftly weaves the specific (Gaza ceasefire, U.S. rallies, candidate scandals) into the universal: the risks of permanent “emergency” government, the cyclical nature of populist protest, and the challenge of sustaining rule-of-law democracy in a climate of mutual fear and maximalist rhetoric. The hosts maintain a tone of irony, intellectual skepticism, and rueful experience—offering not just analysis but also a kind of meta-commentary on how Americans of every stripe respond to crisis, celebrity, and the performance of politics.