The Five – "Socialist Takeover"

FOX News Podcasts | October 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Five focuses on the rising influence of progressive and socialist voices within the Democratic Party, spotlighting leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Bernie Sanders. The panel debates recent events, such as CNN’s town hall with AOC and Sanders, the mayoral campaign of Zoran Mamdani in New York City, and the future of centrist Democrats. The discussion expands to cover the Biden administration’s military actions in Venezuela, Kamala Harris’s self-promoted qualifications for president, conspiracy theories about Trump’s health, cultural trends among youth, and more. The tone is punchy, humorous, and sometimes combative, with sharp partisan contrasts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Rise of Socialism in the Democratic Party (00:05-07:55)

• AOC & Bernie Fill Arenas: The panel discusses the popularity of AOC and Bernie Sanders’ “Fight Oligarchy” tour, as covered by CNN, mocking the notion of them as the new "leaders" of the party.
• AOC’s Claims about Masculinity: AOC is quoted critiquing Republicans for "radicalizing" young men—"They are able to radicalize and target...away from healthy masculinity and into insecure masculinity..." (01:20)
• Zoran Mamdani’s Mayoral Bid: Mamdani, a democratic socialist, advocates for universal childcare and free public transit by taxing the wealthy and corporations more heavily (02:07-02:23), refusing to articulate what he’d cut to pay for it.
• Media & Political Framing: Discussion that the Democratic left’s framing of issues—around identity and class—both energizes their base and alienates moderates and men.
• Critique of ‘Identity Politics’: Greg Gutfeld argues that identity-group promises fail to attract men—"There’s nothing that they can promise. So do you think maybe the very strategy of their identitarian politics is what is turning off men?" (02:45)
• Concerns for Democrats’ Electoral Reach: Dana Perino points out that while far-left figures draw crowds in solidly blue areas, their ideology risks shrinking the party’s national competitiveness—“If you actually want to have Democrats who are winning in Trump-won districts, then you cannot have them have Bernie Sanders, AOC and Mamdani as their north stars...” (05:41-07:32)

2. Crime, Social Policy, & Free Transit (07:32-09:51)

• Public Safety Concerns: Jesse Watters warns that Mamdani’s free bus proposal will lead to “a crime wave on wheels” due to easier access for criminals and lack of police presence on buses (07:55).
• AOC’s Media Performance: The panel mocks what they see as AOC’s overprotection by Bernie during the CNN town hall, and question her readiness for broader office.
• Trans Issues & Masculinity: Watters criticizes assertions that the political right “exploited” young men, tying it to debates over gender, trans identification, and mental health.

3. Responses from the Left & Right (09:51-14:02)

• Jessica Tarlov Responds: She defends AOC and Bernie’s stance on health care for all Americans (including Trump voters) and criticizes the right’s focus on one-off examples of racism among Republican operatives, highlighting a notorious “GOP group chat” scandal (10:12-12:21).
• Debate on Blame & Responsibility: Panelists spar over whether radical elements and racism are more prevalent or dangerous in one party versus the other (12:21-14:02).

4. US Military Action in Venezuela (14:25-21:09)

• Trump Authorizes Operations: President Trump is reportedly escalating attacks on Venezuelan narco-terrorists, raising legal and strategic questions (15:16-17:33).
• International Implications: Jesse Watters suggests that military actions in Venezuela are also a play for regional dominance and a message to China and Russia—“if Maduro is deposed, we're basically...Monroe Doctrining...China and Russia out of Latin America…” (17:40-19:09).
• Concerns Over Due Process & Oversight: Jessica Tarlov and Emily Campagno debate the legality and precedent of treating narco-terrorists as military targets without congressional oversight, while Campagno explains the covert operation authorization process (19:53-23:44).

5. Kamala Harris’s Qualifications (23:44-28:55)

• Kamala’s Book Tour Claims: The Vice President touts herself as possibly “the most qualified candidate ever to run for president.” The panel ridicules this, citing her resume and comparing her to figures like Thomas Jefferson and George H.W. Bush (24:19-26:03).
• Identity vs. Achievement: Gutfeld and Campagno argue Harris relies too much on identity-based accomplishments: “You can’t count that stuff. It’s not an achievement being born with a womb, especially in your party where men can do it.” (28:55)

6. Trump’s Health and "No Kings" Protests (30:28-36:32)

• Democratic Conspiracy Theories: The left’s speculation about Trump’s health becomes fodder for ridicule—“I do think he's got mental health issues…and dare I say, in decline cognitively…” (30:54)
• Arguments on Fitness & Stamina: Panelists cite Trump’s intensive travel and meeting schedule as proof of his vigor, juxtaposed with Democratic speculation (33:11-34:11).
• Jessica Tarlov’s Counter: Focus should be on "kitchen table issues," not the 25th Amendment or health rumors (34:16-34:58).
• Obsession with Scandal: Campagno criticizes Democratic politicians for “calling like Kathy Griffin fascist” and focusing on medical conspiracies during a shutdown (35:12-36:28).

7. Cultural Trends: High School Dances (36:44-39:02)

• Declining Dance Attendance: A New Jersey high school cancels its homecoming due to low interest. The panel reminisces about classic dances, blames lack of ‘slow dance’ songs, and jokes about adolescent rites of passage (36:52-38:46).
• Panel Banter: Light-hearted, nostalgic, with some self-deprecating humor about chaperoning and high school memories.

8. "One More Thing" & Show Wrap-up (39:13–End)

• Patriot Awards Promo (briefly): Tickets for Fox Nation’s events.
• Panel Humor: Greg Gutfeld impersonation of Brit Hume, inside jokes.
• Guest Line-ups, Show Plugs, Final Banter.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You have a country that is falling apart. We are in a house, housing crisis. A health care crisis, an education crisis, massive income and wealth inequality, a corrupt campaign finance system." – AOC, as quoted by the panel (01:00)
• "There’s nothing that they can promise [men]. So do you think maybe the very strategy of their identitarian politics is what is turning off men?" – Greg Gutfeld (02:45)
• "If you're going to make buses free, it's going to be like a crime wave on wheels." – Jesse Watters (07:55)
• "The reality is that President Trump is amazing and his stamina rivals anyone you can name. He certainly has way more energy than I do, and I feel like that's saying a lot." – Emily Campagno (35:12)
• "You can't count [being] the first woman vice president as an achievement...She confuses this entire time having the title with actually doing the work that either earned it because she didn't, or doing it and fulfilling it." – Emily Campagno (27:24)
• "When even the host was returning Friendly Fire, she [Kamala] was like, you got to be out of your mind... Everything you hear after 'some would say' you could bet has never ever been said on the planet." – Greg Gutfeld (28:55)
• "The problem with this is the reason why the dances are in decline is because there are fewer classic slow dance songs...no one can dance to Maroon 5." – Gutfeld (37:52)

Additional Insights

• The episode highlights internal Democratic Party strife and the potential perils of embracing far-left positions in the national arena.
• The panel is dismissive and mocking toward progressive policy ideas and leaders, drawing sharp distinctions between “performance” and “accomplishment.”
• Recurrent themes include skepticism about identity politics, defense of strong border and security policies, and a focus on “real world” kitchen table concerns over what they see as left-leaning distractions.

Important Timestamps

• 00:05–02:23: Opening discussion on AOC, Bernie, and Mamdani.
• 02:45–05:26: Gutfeld on male voters, identity politics, Fetterman, and party strategy.
• 07:55–09:51: Watters on public transit and AOC’s performance.
• 10:12–12:21: Tarlov counters, addresses group chat scandal, and healthcare debate.
• 14:25–19:09: Venezuela military actions, regional implications (Watters, Perino, Tarlov).
• 23:44–28:55: Panel on Kamala Harris's qualifications and identity discourse.
• 30:28–36:32: Trump health rumors, stamina, critique of focus on conspiracies.
• 36:52–38:46: Discussion on high school dance decline, cultural shifts.

This summary distills the substance, arguments, and signature style of Fox’s The Five, highlighting partisan divides, media criticism, and recurring themes of identity versus merit throughout the episode.