The David Pakman Show: BONUS – Government Shutdown Becomes Second Longest Ever, Kash Patel’s Diwali Post Met With Racism, and More

Date: October 25, 2025
Host: David Pakman
Guest/Co-host: Pat

Episode Summary:

In this members-only bonus episode, David Pakman and co-host Pat explore major events in the current political climate, including the ongoing government shutdown—now the second longest in U.S. history—the fallout from racist comments exchanged among GOP operatives, and widespread bigoted backlash to Trump aide Kash Patel's Diwali post. The conversation spans serious analysis, pointed critique, and occasional levity, focusing on accountability, public perception, and the persistence of racism and intolerance in American politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Government Shutdown: Political Blame Game and Real-World Impacts

[00:00–04:46]

• Historic Length and Stalemate:
  • The government shutdown has reached 22 days, becoming the second longest in U.S. history with no resolution in sight.

    “This is now the second longest in history at 22 days. No sign of a breakthrough. …Republicans are basically blaming Democrats. The country’s not really falling for it.” — David Pakman [00:15]

• Public Perception:
  • Polls show 50% blame Republicans, 41% blame Democrats, despite Republicans claiming Democrats can reopen the government at any time.
  • Democrats do not control the presidency, House, or Senate, but are still blamed by a segment of the public.
• Economic Pressure Points:
  • Open enrollment for healthcare begins soon. Without resolutions, subsidies may lapse and premiums could skyrocket, increasing public pressure on lawmakers.

    “If people see that their premiums are expected to skyrocket… people may get really upset with the people in Washington…” — Pat [01:37]

• Human Impact:
  • Federal workers are furloughed, SNAP benefits are cut, everyday Americans suffer. Both hosts agree the public doesn’t benefit from extended shutdowns, and fatigue grows the longer it drags on.

    “For me, …I just want government open…my friends who are furloughed …can start getting their paychecks again. This just doesn’t really benefit the country.” — David Pakman [02:37]

• Political Consequences:
  • The shutdown’s impact on midterms is likely minimal if resolved before the next election cycle due to short political memory spans.

    “I don’t think it will be a factor at all in the November of 2026 midterms.” — David Pakman [03:58]

2. GOP Operatives’ Nazi & Racist Messages: Context and Accountability

[04:46–08:39]

• New Instance of Offensive Messaging:
  • Paul Ingrassia, former Trump DHS liaison and U.S. Office of Special Counsel nominee, exposed for trading Nazi-referencing jokes and racist comments, including mocking MLK Jr. Day and using racial slurs.

    “In one Ingrassia wrote he has a Nazi streak in him from time to time. In others, he mocked Martin Luther King Day as a holiday to toss into hell.” — David Pakman [04:46]

• Context and Limits of Satire:
  • David stresses context matters—a “Nazi” joke might be misunderstood if isolated, but explicit racism and attacks on minority holidays go beyond plausibly satirical or joking context.

    “That is not the totality of these comments, right?…This goes so far beyond that, right?” — David Pakman [06:54]

• Normalization of Racist Rhetoric:
  • Pat notes that opposition to holidays like MLK Day or Juneteenth is increasingly mainstream in the GOP.

    “Honestly, like the standard Republican position at this point…that actually is in keeping with what the mainstream Republican Party is like.” — Pat [08:04]

3. Democratic Candidate Controversies: Where to Draw the Line?

[08:39–12:27]

• The Graham Platner Case:
  • Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is revealed to have a tattoo reminiscent of Nazi symbolism and a history of racially insensitive comments.
  • Platner’s explanations: Got the tattoo without knowing its connotation, comments made out of ignorance after military service.
• Al Franken Comparison:
  • David distinguishes between overblown scandals (Al Franken) and those needing serious consideration (Platner, Katie Porter).

    “I try to be like a thoughtful…Let’s look at each one of these one by one. So I’ll give you an example. I think that the Al Franken thing…was very much overblown.” — David Pakman [09:32]

• Ethical Standards in Democratic Politics:
  • Discussion: Should Democrats hold their candidates to higher standards than Republicans?

    “Are we doing ourselves a disservice by holding our candidates to a different standard than Republicans? I don’t know. We've talked about this for a long time.” — David Pakman [11:18]

  • Pat responds:

    “I think saying no Nazi tattoos and no, racist comments is a pretty easy standard for most people to live up to.” — Pat [11:31]

• The “Policy vs. Person” Quandary:
  • Some voters admit prioritizing policy alignment over candidate history, a stance both hosts consider unrealistic given other qualified options.

4. Kash Patel and Diwali: MAGA Movement’s Intolerance Surfaces

[12:27–16:03]

• Racist Backlash to Diwali Post:
  • Trump adviser Kash Patel’s simple Diwali greeting receives over 3,000 comments, most expressing outrage at his Hindu heritage.

    “If you look at the comments to Cash Patel’s post…most of them disgusted by the fact that Cash Patel is Hindu.” — David Pakman [12:29]

• Pattern of Intolerance:
  • Patel’s treatment echoes what Vivek Ramaswamy experienced: open hostility from the right toward non-Christian minorities, belying “big tent” claims.

    “This is what happens when you lose control of the monster that you create. There is no better example of it.” — David Pakman [12:52]

• Host Reactions:
  • Pat highlights the naiveté of some GOP minorities thinking they would be accepted:

    “…Republicans, like Vivek…figured that we had moved on from that sort of racism, that overt racism especially…But from time to time, we see these instances.” — Pat [13:25]

• Social Media Dynamics:
  • Both hosts note comment sections reflect the angriest or most extreme voices, but their prevalence reveals persistent intolerance among MAGA’s base.

    “…among that subsection, they’re all basically saying the same thing…Don’t support Cash Patel’s religion and they think this is a Christian country.” — Pat [15:50]

• Summary Judgment:
  • David sums up:

    “What a sad situation for Kash Patel. I think he’ll be okay. But obviously it shows the rampant xenophobia…and intolerance that exists in MAGA.” — David Pakman [16:03]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On who suffers in a shutdown:

  “…I just want government open…so that my friends who are furloughed and aren’t making any money can start getting their paychecks again.” — David Pakman [02:37]

• On context of offensive jokes:

  “If you just showed me the person’s text message with no context, I would go, ‘oh my God, they're a Nazi.’ But if you show me the whole conversation, I would go, ‘guys, it’s obviously a joke.’” — David Pakman [06:15]

• On setting standards for candidates:

  “I think saying no Nazi tattoos and no, racist comments is a pretty easy standard for most people to live up to.” — Pat [11:31]

• On MAGA’s response to diversity:

  “…this is not a movement that is welcoming of diverse beliefs. No matter how much they want to call themselves the big tent party…” — David Pakman [14:21]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – 04:46: The government shutdown: blame, impacts, and political consequences
• 04:46 – 08:39: Nazi-tinged GOP communications and where “jokes” end and bigotry begins
• 08:39 – 12:27: Scandals facing Democratic candidates & the ethics of holding higher standards
• 12:27 – 16:03: Kash Patel’s Diwali post and the MAGA movement’s openly racist backlash

Overall Tone:
Direct, analytical, and progressive—balancing policy critique, ethical debates, and strong calls for accountability in public life. David and Pat combine meticulous breakdowns of breaking news with accessible, conversational delivery.