The David Pakman Show – November 11, 2025

Episode: "Farmers in tears as Trump collapses, SCOTUS might pound him"

Episode Overview

On this episode, David Pakman explores the political chaos swirling around the early jockeying for the 2028 presidential election, the ongoing consequences of the recent government shutdown, and a litany of bizarre policy proposals and gaffes from Donald Trump and the Republican establishment. The show takes a close look at polling data, Trump’s latest Fox News meltdown, the Supreme Court case threatening Trump’s tariffs, GOP infighting, and the crisis facing American farmers. The tone is sharp, analytical, and often laced with dry humor and exasperation at the state of US politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2028 Election Speculation and Polls (00:00–10:00)

• Unprecedented Early Campaigning: David breaks his own rule of only discussing the next upcoming election, due to intense early moves toward 2028.
• Democratic Side: Gavin Newsom emerges as the surprise frontrunner, surging to 24% in Emerson polling (up from 7% a year ago), followed by Kamala Harris (10%).
• Republican Side: J.D. Vance leads with 54%, but Trump—who cannot legally run again—is still in second place (7%), tied with Marco Rubio, reflecting a “mental illness” in the base (07:00).
• Key Demographics: Young men, who shifted significantly to Trump in 2024, are now polled giving Newsom a 38–33 lead over Vance.
• Analysis: Pakman argues that robust, open primaries—especially for Democrats—are the best way forward, allowing various wings to compete: “Let everyone in who wants to do it...That is how we are going to surface, I believe, the best choice.” (09:10)

2. The GOP’s Imaginary Health Care Plan (10:00–20:00)

• MAGA Mike Johnson’s “Notebooks Full of Ideas”: Johnson claims on Fox Business that Republicans are weeks away from revealing their genius health care plan, boasting “we’ve got notebooks full of ideas on how to do that.” (10:03)
• Pakman draws a hilarious parallel to Mitt Romney’s infamous “binders full of women” (10:31).
• David’s Health Care Breakdown: He explains Reinhardt’s healthcare triangle (cost, access, quality), emphasizing that you can’t improve all three without major overhauls—contrary to MAGA promises.
• He highlights the only ways to “expand the triangle”—administrative savings, monopsony drug buying, preventative care, and price regulation—none of which the GOP actually supports.

3. Trump’s Fox News Meltdown (20:00–30:35)

• Racist Insults and Bizarre Rants: Trump calls Rep. Jasmine Crockett “very low IQ” and makes strange comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar (20:56).
• Mortgage Policy Confusion: Trump fumbles basic facts during his interview with Laura Ingraham, failing to grasp that standard mortgages are 30 years, not 50, and missing the effect extended mortgages would have on total borrowing costs and home prices (22:03–22:59).
• Economic Gaslighting: He insists, “Costs are way down. Gasoline is...at 270 now and it was at 450 under Biden,” ignoring data and reality (25:02, 25:16).
• On Polling: When challenged about economic anxiety, Trump simply calls all negative polls “fake” (26:39).

Quote:

“If you have even the most rudimentary understanding of a mortgage amortization table, you would understand that going from a 30 to a 50 year mortgage doesn’t just make your payment a little bit lower, it blows up the amount of interest you pay and it actually drives up housing prices.” — David Pakman (22:59)

4. Trumpcare Pitch and Fiscal Absurdities (27:13–30:35)

• Trumpcare: Trump floats rebranding health care policy (“Call it Trumpcare, call it whatever you want to call it, but anything but Obamacare.”) (28:33)
• David points out the ego-driven nature of the pitch and the impossibility of consumers negotiating insurance as individuals.
• Air Traffic Controller Bonuses: Trump proposes $10,000 bonuses but when asked where the money would come from, responds, “That I don’t know. I’ll get it from someplace.” (29:57)
• David highlights the double standard: “Imagine if Biden ever said...I don’t know, I’ll find it somewhere.” (30:08)

5. Trump’s Midnight Panic & Tariff Supreme Court Case (30:35–35:11)

• Trump posts to Truth Social at 1am, warning SCOTUS not to strike down his tariffs, threatening economic collapse with a made-up $3 trillion figure (32:08).
• David explains the legal stakes: if tariffs are ruled as revenue measures—not foreign policy—Trump overstepped his powers.
• Quotes:

  “Presidents can’t just snap their fingers and create giant taxes by calling them something else.” — David Pakman (33:45)

6. Republican Infighting: Trump vs. Marjorie Taylor Greene (35:11–38:00)

• Marjorie Taylor Greene criticizes Trump over grocery prices; he swiftly attacks her loyalty (“She’s lost her way, I think...Marjorie...shows she doesn’t know.”) (35:26, 36:21)
• Contrast with others like Jeanine Pirro and Marco Rubio, who lavish praise on Trump, modeling the loyalty he demands (“You have changed the course of America.” — Jeanine Pirro, 36:51).

7. Trump’s Surreal Oval Office Behavior (38:01–39:25)

• Trump publicly calls over and kisses Erica Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, in a strange White House display.
• Insists surreal claims about $2 gasoline being both imminent and already present: “We’re already in the twos. But...very soon two dollar gasoline.” (39:14)

8. Lack of Empathy, Loyalty Tests, and Expanding Executive Power (39:26–41:46)

• Pakman summarizes Trump’s approach: those who disagree are attacked (Marjorie Taylor Greene); those who praise are rewarded; his administration is stacking power and rewarding loyalty above all.
• Warns of the media glossing over or reframing these authoritarian dynamics.

9. Shutdown Fallout and Democratic Infighting (With Joe Carducci) (41:46–69:14)

• Conversation with podcaster Joe Carducci on the government shutdown; both decry the outcome as “futile,” with Dems losing the narrative and moral high ground by caving (44:23).
• Carducci: “It feels feckless and it feels cowardly and it feels like a betrayal...So all those people suffered to what end? To reward the Republicans.” (44:23)
• Discussion of the optics: luxury White House construction during mass deprivation, and the how physical, visual symbols influence voters’ perceptions.
• Pessimism about leadership (“chorus of people out there saying that Chuck Schumer should not be in leadership anymore, and I would agree.”) (58:06)

10. Dissecting the 50 Year Mortgage Plan (64:02–68:55)

• Both Pakman and Carducci agree that a 50-year mortgage would only raise home prices, increase total interest, and do nothing for supply.
• Carducci: “It’s almost as if the guy who bankrupted casinos...is not the right person to handle the United States economy.” (65:42)
• Critique of GOP “solutions” as benefiting the wealthy and pitting working people against each other.

11. Crisis Among Farmers and Rural America (78:42–81:43)

• Farmers who overwhelmingly supported Trump now face ruin under his tariffs, some moved to tears in public forums (79:14).
• Trump’s solution? Another round of bailouts, which farmers decry as “Band aid when we need stitches.” (80:07)
• David wrestles with empathy vs. consequences, noting the class dynamic: “The billionaire tax dodger from Manhattan...is wiping out a group that still believed he cared about them.” (80:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On 2028 polling — “The guy who is ineligible to run again is basically polling the same as Marco Rubio. That really tells you something and it is not something good.” – David Pakman (07:00)
• On GOP health care talk — “They have notebooks full of ideas. But MAGA Mike Johnson can't tell us what the plan is, and Donald Trump can't tell us what the plan is, and nobody can tell us what the plan is.” – David Pakman (10:05)
• On Trump’s mortgage flub — “He has no idea what’s going on because he’s never needed a consumer mortgage.” – David Pakman (22:48)
• On economic rhetoric — “Trump is again saying, don’t believe the price tags, don’t believe your checkbook, don’t believe your credit card statement. Believe me.” – David Pakman (25:16)
• On bailouts for farmers — “Band aid when we need stitches.” – Farmer on 60 Minutes (80:07)
• On Democratic collapse in shutdown — “It feels feckless and it feels cowardly and it feels like a betrayal.” – Guest 1 (44:23)
• On 50-year mortgages — “It’s hard to think of a worse idea for affordability than saying 50 year mortgages.” – Guest 2 (65:35)
• On Trump’s economic legacy — “It's almost as if the guy who bankrupted casinos...is not the right person to handle the United States economy.” – Guest 1 (65:42)

Important Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Opening: 2028 Election Speculation | | 07:00 | Republican Polling Breakdown | | 10:03 | MAGA Mike Johnson: Health Care Plan Claims | | 20:56 | Trump’s Fox News Interview Gaffes | | 25:16 | Trump Gaslights on Prices | | 29:57 | Trump on $10,000 Bonuses for Air Controllers | | 32:08 | Trump’s Supreme Court Tariff Panic | | 35:26 | Trump’s Turn on Marjorie Taylor Greene | | 38:54 | Surreal Oval Office Behavior | | 41:46 | Shutdown Analysis with Joe Carducci | | 64:02 | 50-Year Mortgage Plan Breakdown | | 78:42 | Farmers’ Plight Under Trump’s Tariffs |

Summary Takeaways

• 2028 is shaping up as an extraordinarily volatile election with unusual early movement, fractured parties, and the possibility of Trumpism living on via new figureheads.
• GOP continues to promise fantasy health care plans without specifics; Pakman offers a grounded education on why their promises don’t add up.
• Trump’s erratic interviews and economic proposals betray ignorance on basic policy, while his administration undermines even loyal GOP allies.
• Democrats, reeling from a “futile“ shutdown deal, now also appear fractured, risking further demobilization of their base.
• Key rural supporters—like farmers—are facing ruin, with Trump’s policies objectively harming the very people who voted for him.
• Longer-term economic policies (50-year mortgages, tariffs) are dissected for their real consequences, which starkly contradict their populist pitches.
• Recurring theme: Empathy for average Americans’ suffering, matched by frustration at the endless cycles of self-defeating policy and performative politics.

For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

Pakman provides a bracing reality check amidst political smoke and mirrors. If you’re trying to understand the stakes of the next several election cycles, the real-world impact of headline policies, or why farmers and everyday Americans feel abandoned, this episode distills the critical, discouraging, and sometimes darkly comic truths behind the news. This is essential listening for anyone seeking clarity on the most urgent issues in American politics at the dawn of the 2028 race.