The Michael Knowles Show

Episode: 1837 – Lib Supreme Court Justice Gets REALLY RACIST
Date: October 16, 2025

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In this episode, Michael Knowles dives into a whirlwind of top political stories: a controversial comment from Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, shifts in Democratic Party leadership, left-wing radicalism in New York, political infighting among Young Republicans, and a lively listener mailbag. With his signature blend of satire, sharp analysis, and cultural commentary, Knowles critiques media narratives, Democratic identity politics, and progressive ideology, all while defending prudence and forgiveness on the right.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ketanji Brown Jackson’s “Disabled” Comments

(Timestamps: 00:00–08:40)

• Context:
  Supreme Court oral arguments over Louisiana’s congressional redistricting (gerrymandering) case.

• Jackson's Key Statement:
  During discussion of civil rights remedies for minority communities, Jackson compares minority voting difficulties to disability, referencing the Americans with Disabilities Act as a legal precedent.

  “We are responding to current day manifestations of past and present decisions that disadvantage minorities and make it so that they don't have equal access to the voting system. Right, they're disabled. In fact, we use the word disabled in Milligan.”
  — Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (03:55)

• Knowles’s Reaction:

  • Compares the comment to a satirical “woke or racist” Ryan Long sketch.
  • Mocks Jackson, referencing her inability to define “woman” during confirmation hearings.

  “From the woman who couldn't define woman during her confirmation hearings, we bring you the claim that minorities are, for all intents and purposes, disabled.”
  — Michael Knowles (05:02)

• Insight:

  • Asserts that the left uses racial gerrymandering only when it’s to their political advantage.
  • Notes the arbitrary emphasis on race over other identities (e.g., religion) due to partisan utility.

2. Identity Politics & Gerrymandering

(Timestamps: 05:02–10:30)

• Analysis:

  • Critiques Democrats for shifting which identities are politically prioritized, depending on what benefits their party.
  • Quotes his own background in plural identities to highlight the inconsistency of “chief identity" politics.

  “If black people voted Republican, you just wouldn't see this case. … As a matter of our political identity, it should be that we're Americans, and … for apportioning representation, it should be the state.”
  — Michael Knowles (08:15)

3. The Left’s Leadership Crisis: Kamala Harris & AOC

(Timestamps: 12:39–17:50)

• Kamala Harris’s Self-Praise:

  • Briefly plays a clip of Vice President Kamala Harris declaring, “I was the most qualified candidate ever to run for president.”
    (12:39)
  • Mocks Harris’s self-aggrandizement and the Democratic Party’s inability to criticize her due to identity politics.

  “They can’t admit that she was a bad candidate because she’s a black woman … That’s why they couldn’t skip over her because of the race hustling, because of the sexual hustling.”
  — Michael Knowles (13:10)

• AOC’s Presidential Ambitions:

  • Discusses Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s awkwardness when asked about challenging Chuck Schumer.
  • Suggests AOC is angling for a 2028 presidential run, describing her as “the best Democrat nominee for president in 2028.”

  “I think she is very possibly the best Democrat nominee for president in 2028.”
  — Michael Knowles (16:55)

4. The Israel-Palestine Debate: Zoran Mamdani and Progressive Evasions

(Timestamps: 17:50–21:49)

• Zoran Mamdani’s Fox News Interview:

  • Mamdani is asked if Hamas should disarm and refuses to answer directly.

  “I believe that any future here in New York City is one that we have to make sure that's affordable for all. And as it pertains to Israel and Palestine, that we have to ensure that there is peace and that is the future that we have to fight for.”
  — Zoran Mamdani (20:27)

• Knowles’s Take:

  • Argues that refusing to call for Hamas to disarm is tantamount to being pro-Hamas.
  • Suggests Mamdani is more “Greta Thunberg” than “Osama bin Laden”—more symbolic of radical left intersectionality than religious fundamentalism.

  “If you can’t say that Hamas should disarm, you’re pro-Hamas. Simple as.”
  — Michael Knowles (20:50)

5. The “Leaked” Young Republicans Group Chat

(Timestamps: 21:49–32:00)

• Politico Leak of Young Republicans Chat:

  • Politico exposes a group chat with edgy, offensive jokes among NY/DC Young Republicans, reportedly leaked via personal beefs and internal power struggles.

• Knowles’s Analysis:

  • Labels the scandal “a theatrical production playing out in the national media as a cover for … brutal power politics."

  “I guarantee you this is some personal beef among young Republicans. … It’s just people jockeying for power.”
  — Michael Knowles (27:20)

• JD Vance’s Response (Quote):

  “Kids do stupid things, especially young boys. They tell edgy, offensive jokes. … I really don’t want us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke ... is cause to ruin their lives.”
  — JD Vance (29:39)

• Guardrails in Conservatism:

  • Knowles backs Vance’s view, emphasizing prudence, context, and the difference between youthful mistakes and actual malice.
  • Compares with the Jay Jones incident—Democrat AG candidate in Virginia who made actual threats, framing media double-standards.

6. Cultural Commentary: “Beautiful Black Women in Chicago”

(Timestamps: 37:55–39:00)

• Trump’s Comments:

  • Mocks media pearl-clutching over Trump’s commentary about “beautiful black women” wearing MAGA hats in Chicago.

  “I don’t know that I’ve ever met a black woman who would not like being called beautiful. … Black people, pache Ketanji Jackson, are not like practically disabled in any way.”
  — Michael Knowles (38:10)

• Insight:

  • Notes that Black and Hispanic men are shifting rightward in recent elections, challenging Democratic demographic assumptions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jackson’s “Disabled" Analogy:

  “Did anyone catch that little slip of the tongue? … That’s amazing. Ketanji Jackson, man, the gift that keeps on giving.”
  — Michael Knowles (05:02, 08:35)

• On Left’s Identity Capriciousness:

  “If it’s advantageous to say it’s race, they say it’s race. … Then when they were pushing LGBTism … it was the opposite of sex. And then it just keeps changing. But it’s totally capricious on their side.”
  — Michael Knowles (07:45)

• On Guardrails in Political Coalitions:

  “Every coalition needs guardrails … but you decide who gets in and who stays out of the coalition very carefully. That’s how.”
  — Michael Knowles referencing Justice Scalia (32:10)

• On AOC’s Ambitions:

  “She’s not content to remain on Capitol Hill. I think she wants to run for president.”
  — Michael Knowles (17:20)

• On Young Republican Scandal:

  “You do it very carefully. … In politics, the paramount virtue is prudence.”
  — Michael Knowles quoting Scalia (32:25)

Listener Mailbag Highlights

(Timestamps: 39:05–45:54)

• On Gambling as a Christian/Conservative:

  • Skeptical but nuanced position: ok in moderation, should be regulated, warns about addiction and exploitation.
  • “I’m pretty skeptical of gambling. … It obviously should be heavily, heavily regulated.” (40:07)

• On Dealing with Anger as a Christian:

  • Quotes Scripture: “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord … his foot shall slide in due time.”
  • St. Thomas: Not all anger is wrong; righteous anger is not sinful, but “sublimate” anger providentially.

• On Moral Problems of IVF:

  • Outlines deep theological objections: commodifies human life, creates "baby industry," cannot be truly regulated away.

• On Papal Names (Humorous):

  • A listener asks if Cardinal Pizzaballa should assume the papal name “Papa John” if elected Pope.
  • “Yes … Papa John, that’s it. … The wisdom of a Hindu to pick a papal name.” (45:19)**

Conclusion

Michael Knowles’s episode is an acerbic, satirical tour of the week’s culture-war minefields: a Supreme Court “gotcha,” the Democrats’ leadership vacuum, leftist electoral strategies, scandal-mongering in right-wing circles, and the ethical complexity of mailbag queries. Knowles’s through-line: maintaining prudence, fair standards, and a commonsense focus on reality—even amid media-driven controversies and radical ideological shifts.

For listeners:
This summary captures the episode’s sharp wit, recurring skepticism of media narratives, and the ideological critique that forms Knowles’s hallmark style. No ad reads or non-content sections included.