The Commentary Magazine Podcast – December 11, 2025

Episode: "The Hate Boat"

Episode Overview

This episode of The Commentary Magazine Podcast, hosted by John Podhoretz with panelists Abe Greenwald, Seth Mandel, Christine Rosen, and Eliana Johnson, dives deep into the U.S.'s aggressive Venezuela policy under the Trump administration, the revitalization of the Monroe Doctrine, and the strategic and political implications of recent military actions. The conversation then pivots to the evolving state of U.S. electoral politics ahead of 2026, with a focus on schisms within the Democratic Party, campaign aesthetics, candidate quality, and the challenges of vetting in the media landscape. The episode closes on the cultural significance of "It's a Wonderful Life" and reflections on American political personalities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Actions Against Venezuela and the Monroe Doctrine Revival

Policy in Motion:

• The U.S. seized a Venezuelan oil tanker for skirting Iranian oil sanctions, involving possible Russian operatives ([03:16–05:39]).
• The administration is overtly activating a "Trump corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, aiming to assert U.S. primacy in the Western Hemisphere.

Panel Insights:

• Seth Mandel (D): “[This is] not a narco-terrorism claim. This is a claim of the Venezuelans helping Iran skirt oil sanctions… the boat itself has been a vehicle for helping Iran.” [03:16]
• Abe Greenwald (C): “To my mind, this is really still all about Venezuela… the larger truth is about squeezing the regime out, and they’re just going with whatever they can to tell an individual story in each case.” [05:39]
• Eliana Johnson (E): “One of the challenges here is that… this administration is sowing doubt in the American public’s agreement with these policies because they haven’t laid out a strategy beyond saying this is a corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.” [09:49]

Memorable Moment:

• John Podhoretz (B): “It is like speaking softly and carrying a big stick. [Trump’s] going around… targeting for removal a regime… that he has said repeatedly since 2015 he doesn’t think we should be doing.” [08:11]

Timestamps:

• Seizure context and Monroe Doctrine: [02:09–07:38]
• Internal contradiction and public support: [07:45–13:32]

2. Trump’s Foreign Policy Contradictions

• Trump is acting with force, diverging from his past bluster/no-action style and his professed non-interventionism.
• The panel notes political risks: If Maduro “outlasts” U.S. pressure, it could be a humiliating failure ([17:17]–[18:01]).

Notable Quote:

• Christine Rosen (C): “If Trump were to make that speech, then he owns it… Trump basically has to get Maduro out. Now if he doesn’t, this was all… Maduro will have outwitted or outlasted the U.S.” [17:17]

3. Democratic Party Dynamics & Electoral Politics

Texas and New York Races:

• Jasmine Crockett enters the Texas Senate race, pushing out moderate Colin Allred ([28:00–31:26]).
• Brad Lander announces a primary challenge to Dan Goldman in NY, sporting radical anti-Zionist messaging and a whimsical campaign ad ([29:32–30:50]).

Panel Analysis:

• Abe (A): “Which, what does the Democratic Party want to be?… Something that would appeal to normal people or something that probably won’t…” [33:27]
• Christine (C): “Trump blew the doors off political aesthetics years ago… it’s all gotten very weird fantasy land. Throwing anything out there, seeing what people respond to…” [34:02]
• Eliana (E): Notes how the nationalization of politics and media have empowered spectacle-based fundraising for “extremist” candidates ([39:40–40:25]).

Memorable Quotes:

• John (B): “A Mr. Rogers with a keffiyeh, a Jewish Mr. Rogers wearing a keffiyeh, would not strike me as being the forward looking message…” [31:34]
• Seth (D): “The party apparatus was still a real thing in 2010, and there is no party apparatus anymore.” [43:15]

4. Candidate Quality & The State of Political Vetting

• Discussion of resume inflation scandals: Governor Wes Moore (MD), Tim Walz (MN), historic failures of candidate vetting ([47:43–55:18]).
• Media’s increasingly partisan coverage leads to less scrutiny of Democratic candidate résumés, filled by outlets like the Free Beacon ([48:53–50:39]).

Quotes:

• Eliana (E): "Anyone who runs for public office should expect a level of vetting where everything is—their resume is the first thing to get peeled back. But that's not happening anymore." [47:43]
• John (B): “There is a form of antisepsis created by transparency.” [61:30]

On Cultural Responses:

• Influence of social media, AI, and “auteur campaigning” leads to instant cultural coding and polarization ([35:43–37:02]).
• Lying has become bold, even strategic: “That bluster with certain people, certainly with Trump, maybe we’ll see with Crockett, that goes a long way.” –Eliana [61:48]

5. Cultural Recommendations & Reflections

"It's a Wonderful Life" as Political and Cultural Metaphor:

• John passionately recommends the film, tying its themes of disappointment, community, and integrity to broader American anxieties ([65:31–69:40]).
• Quote: “James Stewart’s performance is the greatest American film performance. Without question it is… He is you, you are him. He is tearing your hair out, he is making you… understand… the depth of his anger and self pity are problematic.” –John [68:13–69:18]

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |-----------------------------------------------|------------------| | Seizure of Venezuelan tanker & Monroe Doctrine| 02:09–09:49 | | Contradictions in Trump’s foreign policy | 09:49–18:44 | | Domestic politics: Texas & NY Dem infighting | 28:00–43:15 | | Party structures and the candidate pipeline | 43:15–47:43 | | Vetting candidates & media failures | 47:43–55:18 | | Resume inflation & digital transparency | 59:46–61:48 | | The lasting cultural resonance of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ | 65:31–69:40 |

Notable Quotes (with Attribution & Timestamps)

• "It is like speaking softly and carrying a big stick. He is targeting for removal a regime."
  — John Podhoretz [08:11]

• "If Trump were to make that speech, then he owns it… Trump basically has to get Maduro out. Now if he doesn’t… Maduro will have outwitted or outlasted the U.S."
  — Christine Rosen [17:17]

• “A Mr. Rogers with a keffiyeh, a Jewish Mr. Rogers wearing a keffiyeh, would not strike me as being the forward looking message…”
  — John Podhoretz [31:34]

• "That bluster with certain people, certainly with Trump, maybe we’ll see with Crockett, that goes a long way… trying to persuade people… that it doesn’t matter if that was a lie, it was done on your behalf."
  — Eliana Johnson [61:48]

• "James Stewart’s performance is the greatest American film performance… He is you, you are him."
  — John Podhoretz [68:13–69:18]

Tone & Style

The panel maintains its signature candid, irreverent, and intellectual tone, blending rigorous policy analysis with sharp humor and personal asides. The language is conversational, often self-deprecating, but consistently analytical—reflecting genuine concern and skepticism about both international and domestic developments.

Final Thoughts

This episode provides a vivid snapshot of U.S. foreign and domestic politics heading into 2026: assertive U.S. action in Venezuela amid rhetorical contradictions, discordant realignments within the Democratic Party, and the increasingly performative, unvetted, and culture-coded nature of American political life—all capped with a poignant nod to American cultural memory. The panel’s mix of expertise and wit makes it a compelling must-listen for anyone tracking the forces shaping the next phase of national and international policy debates.