The David Pakman Show – October 16, 2025

Episode: "Protests incoming, MAGA terrified, Bernie and AOC tell it like it is"

Episode Overview

In this episode, David Pakman dives deep into the political tremors shaking the United States ahead of the "no Kings 2" protests, examining the Trump administration’s visible anxiety, MAGA efforts to downplay mobilization, and the contrastingly clear-eyed critique from progressive icons Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Pakman also features a compelling interview with Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, touching on her delayed swearing-in and the battle over the Epstein files. The episode closes with biting coverage of Trump’s recent public remarks, Republican scandals, Pelosi’s takedown of a right-wing conspiracy, and more. The tone is energetic, incisive, and unambiguously progressive.

Key Segments & Insights

1. The "no Kings" Protests and MAGA Panic

(00:00–07:45)

• Theme: Upcoming mass protests ("no Kings 2") against authoritarianism and the Trump administration’s frantic attempts to suppress turnout.
• David Pakman highlights the administration’s contradictory messaging: while Trump and allies declare protests will be “small,” allies like Sean Hannity urge viewers to “stay home,” clearly reflecting fear of mass mobilization.
• Pakman debunks the administration’s effort to paint protests as dangerous, referencing the peaceful nature of “no Kings 1.”

Notable Quotes:

• David Pakman [00:40]:
  “Authoritarians don’t like public displays of displeasure... They are terrified that these are going to be huge.”

• Sean Hannity (via Pakman quoting) [03:08]:
  “Find out if there's a rally near where you are and stay away. I would hate to see innocent people hurt.”

• Insight: Pakman explains the historical power of peaceful protest, referencing the “3.5% concept,” suggesting that mass, visible dissent can catalyze real change (about 12 million people in the U.S.).

  • "[They] know that massive peaceful protests destroy their narrative and show the country that we aren't as defeated as Trump wants us to be. They are scared for good reason." [04:05]

2. Escalating Rhetoric: Trump’s Cabinet & Media Allies

(07:46–08:25)

• Pakman features Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant’s “meltdown,” painting the protests as “far left, unhinged,” even though prior events were peaceful.
• He critiques the administration for inventing threats and misleading the public:
  "They want to act like this is going to be... whacked anarchy, violence...and it was massive and entirely peaceful.” [08:25]

3. The Health Care Crisis — Bernie Sanders and AOC’s Town Hall

(11:52–16:13)

• Highlights Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez’s CNN appearance, where they excoriate Republican health policy as unaffordable and cynical.
• Bernie details the real consequences for millions losing insurance, citing skyrocketing premiums and tying potential deaths to GOP actions.

Notable Quotes:

• Bernie Sanders [12:54]:
  “Throw 15 million Americans off of the health care they have… some 50,000 Americans a year will die unnecessarily.”

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [14:59]:
  “You want to know why [the GOP push] is laughable? What’s happening next year — midterm elections. They want to extend these subsidies just a year extra so that people don’t realize the dupe.”

• Insight: Pakman argues this is “health care as political blackmail,” analyzing AOC’s refusal to settle for a one-year extension as a necessary stance against MAGA political gamesmanship.

4. The Authoritarian Theater: Trump’s Public Statements

(20:45–33:41)

• Pakman dissects a series of Trump’s rambling, sometimes bizarre comments touching on:
  • Accusing Democrats of “losing IQ points” (with a chuckle at his own cognitive issues) [20:45].
  • Boasting about being “hard, not soft” [22:31].
  • Implying illegal military strikes on Venezuela are justified by fuzzy math (“save 25,000 American lives”) [24:31].
  • Asserting tariffs prevented “nuclear war” between Iran and Pakistan [26:45].
  • Loyalty tests with Newt Gingrich, mixing cronyism and dark humor ("Otherwise I'd have him dismissed immediately... his wife... is becoming an ambassador to a great country.") [28:38].

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump, on Newt Gingrich [28:38]:
  “Newt, you agree with us. Good. Otherwise I’d have him dismissed immediately… and we're going to take a picture. And the only reason I'm doing... he speaks so well of me.”

• Pakman elaborates on Trump’s showboating with models of monuments (“Arc de Trump”), suggesting he cares more for building legacy than governing [33:05–33:41].

  • “Trump doesn’t really want to be president. He wants to be real estate guy... he’s barely doing it.”

5. Interview: Rep.-Elect Adelita Grijalva & The Epstein Files

(36:17–48:17)

• Situation: Grijalva won her congressional seat in Arizona’s 7th district but has been blocked from swearing-in by MAGA Speaker Mike Johnson.
• Key Issues:
  • No legitimate reason for the delay—other recent wins were swiftly certified and sworn in.
  • Speculation the delay is to prevent Grijalva becoming the 218th vote to release the Epstein files.
  • Grijalva confirms she would vote to release: “Oh, I absolutely would. And I would be the 218th signer…” [39:02]
  • Johnson is allegedly “trying to convince one of the four Republicans to withdraw their names” to block a majority [41:20].

Notable Quotes:

• Grijalva [42:50]:
  “Whatever they call the Epstein files [may be] so highly redacted or incomplete as to be effectively useless… or Republicans will say they’re not legitimate.”

• On Congress dysfunction:
  “I can't get past security unless AOC walks by and I was like, hey, can I hitch a ride with you? Because I can't get past.” [47:10]

• Insight: Grijalva’s optimism about restoring democracy is paired with blunt frustration about stonewalling and the reality that even lawful wins can be obstructed in today’s Congress.

6. Pelosi vs. Right-Wing Reporter: January 6th Myths

(50:29–51:00)

• An ambush interview of Nancy Pelosi accusing her of blocking the National Guard on Jan. 6 is instantly reversed by a sharp retort:
  • Pelosi: “Shut up. I did not refuse the National Guard. The President didn't send it.” [50:46]
• Pakman contextualizes the clip, calling out the hypocrisy of MAGA figures suddenly decrying “mean” behavior, and emphasizes that the right’s claim is “one of the most debunked myths of the entire January 6 narrative.”

7. JD Vance Defends "I Love Hitler" Republican Chat Scandal

(55:18–59:21)

• Senator JD Vance responds to reports that Republican officials in private chats expressed Nazi sympathies by brushing it off as “kids in a group chat” being “edgy.”
• Pakman points out the participants were not teens, but state and local party leaders, including consultants and staffers in their 30s.
• Vance repeats the right-wing myth that “most political violence” comes from the left, which Pakman thoroughly debunks with FBI, DHS, and ADL statistics showing it’s overwhelmingly right-wing.
• “They are lying about reality because reality makes them look really bad.” [59:21]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |---|---|---| | 00:40 | David Pakman | “Authoritarians don’t like public displays of displeasure… They are terrified that these are going to be huge.” | | 03:08 | Sean Hannity | “Find out if there's a rally near where you are and stay away. I would hate to see innocent people hurt.” | | 12:54 | Bernie Sanders | “Throw 15 million Americans off of the health care they have… some 50,000 Americans a year will die unnecessarily.” | | 14:59 | AOC | “What’s happening next year — midterm elections. They want to extend these subsidies just a year extra so that people don’t realize the dupe.” | | 28:38 | Donald Trump | “Newt, you agree with us. Good. Otherwise I’d have him dismissed immediately… he speaks so well of me.” | | 39:02 | Adelita Grijalva | “Oh, I absolutely would. And I would be the 218th signer…” | | 50:46 | Nancy Pelosi | “Shut up. I did not refuse the National Guard. The President didn't send it.” | | 59:21 | David Pakman | “They are lying about reality because reality makes them look really bad.” |

Section Timestamps

• 00:00 – 07:45: The "no Kings" protest and MAGA response
• 07:46 – 08:25: Cabinet/messaging escalation
• 11:52 – 16:13: Bernie & AOC on health care
• 20:45 – 33:41: Trump’s public statements
• 36:17 – 48:17: Adelita Grijalva interview
• 50:29 – 51:00: Pelosi vs. right-wing conspiracy
• 55:18 – 59:21: JD Vance and Nazi chat scandal

Tone and Takeaways

• David Pakman’s approach is direct, factual, and laced with dark humor and exasperation at the MAGA movement’s manipulation of facts and norms.
• The show excels at contrasting right-wing narratives and misinformation with data, progressive critique, and real-world implications for democracy.
• The episode is also a reminder of how much “theater” and cronyism still shape the Republican approach — with a special focus on Trump’s personal priorities and insecurities.
• Interview segments give voice to those being directly affected by MAGA tactics (like Rep.-elect Grijalva), blending optimism with a sobering assessment of present dangers.

Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• This episode is an unflinching look at the ways authoritarian tactics, right-wing misinformation, and Democratic resistance are colliding in late 2025.
• Listeners will walk away informed about the stakes of the coming protests, the real-world impact of health care policy, and the persistent rot inside Trump-era party machinery.
• Key takeaways: protest matters, the establishment is scared, and progressives are clarifying the issues in plain language. The fight for democracy and transparency is anything but over.