The Commentary Magazine Podcast – "The Minnesota Car Horror"
January 8, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers around a recent tragic and controversial incident in Minneapolis, where a protester, Renee Good, was shot and killed by ICE agents during a standoff involving her use of a vehicle to block federal law enforcement activity. The hosts—Jon Podhoretz, Abe Greenwald, Christine Rosen, and Eliana Johnson—analyze the facts of the case, the broader culture of protest and law enforcement, media narratives, and political rhetoric, while reflecting on the implications for public discourse and policy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Incident and Immediate Reactions

• [01:46] Jon Podhoretz frames Minneapolis as transformed, now an "epicenter of American instability" and "leftist madness," highlighting this ICE shooting as a flashpoint.
• The panel details what is known: Renee Good was protesting ICE, positioned her car to block ICE agents, and was shot when her vehicle appeared to threaten an agent.
• [03:41, 04:53] Podhoretz and Rosen critique the immediate public and political rush to judge (“presumed... excessive force”), noting how social media and ideological echo chambers escalate such events.

“I myself have problems with ICE, have presumed that this was an illicit, illegal, indictable, convictable use of excessive force, which is not what I see at all.”
– Jon Podhoretz [02:52]

2. Law Enforcement Perspective & Training

• [07:24, 14:33] Christine Rosen injects the law enforcement viewpoint, gained via contacts in federal agencies, emphasizing the constraints and dangers officers face, as well as strict protocols post-shooting.
• Both Rosen and Podhoretz explain why officers are trained to shoot at the torso/head for self-defense and bystander safety—debunking media or activist claims that officers should "shoot at the leg".

“An officer who is in reasonable fear that violence is going to be inflicted upon him has a right to use lethal force to prevent injury against himself... They are told to shoot at the largest part of the body in order to prevent innocent bystanders from getting hit by stray bullets.”
– Jon Podhoretz [10:38]

• [15:54] Eliana Johnson reiterates: It’s difficult to ascertain intent/posture from videos alone and underlines the criminal act of obstructing ICE.

3. The Culture of Broad Protests & Political Rhetoric

• [25:25, 28:27] Christine Rosen points to a shift in protest culture: blocking intersections and federal activity is championed, normalized since George Floyd and further inflamed post-2016.
• Podhoretz draws historical parallels to the civil rights conflicts of the 1950s–60s and criticizes Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s inflammatory suggestion to use the National Guard against ICE.

“What did he say yesterday that is beyond imagining? He said that he was... considering deploying the Minnesota National Guard to protect Minnesotans against ice, a federal law enforcement agency.”
– Jon Podhoretz [26:28]

• [28:43, 29:25] Abe Greenwald and Podhoretz trace the escalation in protest tactics, noting the transition from peaceful displays to physical obstruction of federal officers and direct defiance, with Trump’s presidency a pivot point for this approach.

4. Escalation, Martyrdom, and Social Media Dynamics

• [32:00, 33:00] The group discusses the radicalization seen especially among liberal white women, fueled by social media and activist networks—contrasting earlier, peaceful protest movements with today’s confrontational approach.
• They note how both sides create martyrs—Renee Good on the left, Ashley Babbitt on the right—heightening the stakes and deepening division.

“She's going to be a martyr to the left in the same way that Ashley Babbitt has become a martyr to the right... that escalatory rhetoric is actually encouraging some people to behave in a way that 20, 30 years ago was behavior of extreme radical sects.”
– Christine Rosen [31:18]

5. Hyperbolic Labels: ‘Domestic Terrorism’ and ‘Gestapo’

• [33:00, 39:32] Johnson and Rosen take issue with politicians and Trump officials labeling protesters as “domestic terrorists” and ICE as the “Gestapo”—arguing such hyperbole is inaccurate and corrosive.
• The panel agrees: Misusing “terrorism” cheapens the term and misguides policy.

“You can't call every problem a terrorism problem. Not all illegal immigration represents terrorism... And we need to be very clear and specific about what is and is not terrorism.”
– Abe Greenwald [39:32]

6. Jurisdictional Complexity & Legal Standards

• [18:36, 21:32, 51:22] Podhoretz and Johnson discuss ICE’s ambiguous status—federal but not local law enforcement—and stress that, legally, the agents had the same right to self-defense.
• The reasonable fear standard, backed by Supreme Court decisions, likely justifies the agent’s actions, with local officials lacking jurisdiction over ICE.

“The reasonable person standard for thinking that she was going to try to run him over with her car. ...He had a reasonable expectation of injury being done to [him], you are allowed to defend yourself.”
– Jon Podhoretz [19:58]

7. Twin Cities Context: An Escalating Trend

• [49:28, 53:49] Johnson contextualizes the incident as part of a rising trend of physical confrontations with ICE in Minneapolis, specifically referencing a similar ramming incident days prior involving an illegal immigrant.

“There was an arrest of a Cuban illegal immigrant that ICE agents were pursuing... tried to flee them, rammed ICE agents with his car, and I believe bit them.”
– Eliana Johnson [49:30]

• Podhoretz notes ICE agents are psychologically primed for such threats, given repeated attacks—contradicting the view of ICE as casual aggressors.

8. Media, Footage, and the Limits of Video Evidence

• [44:50] Podhoretz laments the tendency to overanalyze video evidence, reminding listeners that split-second decisions cannot be fairly assessed in slow motion after the fact.

“They want to slow everything down... at this second, at this millisecond, to jump out of the way, but he didn’t, and therefore, he is culpable… Count seven seconds, and imagine you're standing on a cold street... and there's a car coming at you.”
– Jon Podhoretz [45:18]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Tragedy and Martyr Creation
  Christine Rosen: “This is a tragedy. This woman clearly believed she was doing something virtuous... and now the mother of three children is dead and ICE is now once again... the villain.” [07:46]

• On Political Escalation
  Jon Podhoretz: “He wants a confrontation between the National Guard under his command and the federal government’s law enforcement officers. ...This is the guy who was going to be Vice President of the United States.” [27:10]

• On Misusing 'Terrorism'
  Abe Greenwald: “We need to be very clear and specific about what is and is not terrorism. And the administration is not doing a good job there.” [39:32]

• On Training and Weapon Use
  Jon Podhoretz: “They are told to shoot at the largest part of the body in order to prevent innocent bystanders from getting hit by stray bullets.” [11:21]

• Split-second Decisions
  Jon Podhoretz: “These videos are unclear except in this... Everybody always wants to do this with a crime... slow everything down... imagine you’re standing on a cold street... and there’s a car coming at you.” [45:00]

Timestamps for Crucial Segments

• [01:46] – Opening context; Minneapolis as a hotspot.
• [07:24–08:28] – Rosen on law enforcement’s reality and training.
• [14:33] – Podhoretz describes officer decision-making and force.
• [18:36] – Legal complexities around ICE jurisdiction.
• [25:25] – Shift in protest culture and normalization of obstruction.
• [26:28] – Critique of Governor Walz’s National Guard rhetoric.
• [31:18] – Rosen on radicalization and social media.
• [39:32] – Discussion on terrorism terminology.
• [44:50] – Pitfalls of slow-mo video scrutiny.
• [49:28] – Recounting recent local ICE confrontations.
• [51:22] – Legal standards (Andy McCarthy’s synthesis).
• [53:49] – DOJ press release on prior similar ramming incident.
• [57:42] – Impact of training, psychological toll and restriction on law enforcement.

Conclusion

The hosts present a nuanced, at times heated, but always detail-rich discussion of this fatal incident. They dissect the context, the policy, the training involved, and the way political leaders and the public talk about law enforcement in crises. The podcast urges listeners to resist snap judgments, avoid hyperbole, and understand the genuine risks and restrictions law enforcement officers face—while also being wary of mission creep and misuse of federal authority. Both the tragic human loss and the troubling societal currents it reflects are treated with seriousness, skepticism, and no small dose of concern for America’s polarized state.