The Michael Knowles Show

Episode 1843 - WATCH: Gavin Newsom Tries To Be A Black President
Host: Michael Knowles (The Daily Wire)
Date: October 27, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles examines the political theater surrounding Gavin Newsom’s apparent bid for president—specifically lampooning Newsom’s attempts to appropriate the “poor Black experience.” The episode also explores Zoran Mamdani’s controversial comments on post-9/11 Muslim experiences, discusses Kamala Harris’s carefully worded political ambitions, analyzes the ongoing government shutdown with insight into party strategy, and surveys major stories such as a candidate’s Nazi tattoo, a UFO sighting near a military base, and the recent Louvre museum heist. The episode concludes with a cultural moment: Joe Rogan’s musings on attending church.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Gavin Newsom’s “Third Black President” Gambit

(01:22–07:03)

• Knowles opens by mocking Newsom’s recent interview in which he speaks of his childhood as a struggle reminiscent of the stereotypical “poor Black experience.”
• Audio clip of Newsom recounting his upbringing: talking about hustling, eating Wonder Bread, and shooting basketball hoops every night (02:41–03:49).
• Knowles’s Reaction:
  • Mocks the performative “bro” tone Newsom adopts:

    “Bro. Smoking blunts was a daily routine since 13. ... I was born poor. You know, this is the Steve Martin routine at the beginning of The Jerk. ‘I was born a poor black child.’ Well, that's Gavin Newsom’s doing that completely straight faced.” (03:49)

  • Fact-check: Points out Newsom’s wealthy, privileged background—his father was a Getty family adviser and judge, Newsom attended elite schools, and he was featured as “the most stylish senior” wearing a Burberry scarf.
  • Concludes that Newsom is capitalizing on populist tropes adopted by politicians, exaggerating hardship to appeal to voters.

2. Kamala Harris’s Presidential Hedge

(07:03–08:34)

• Audio clip of Kamala Harris discussing the possibility of running for president:

  “Could it be you? Possibly. Have you made a decision yet? No, I have not.” (07:17)

• Knowles analyzes the exchange:
  • Argues the headline (“Kamala will run!”) is overstated; Harris is hedging and keeping her options open, mirroring the strategy of politicians like Sarah Palin in 2009 who leave the door open for future opportunities.
  • Skeptically points out Harris likely didn’t write her own book, as do most politicians.
  • Assesses that Harris recognizes her poor poll numbers and is unlikely to run seriously.

3. Zoran Mamdani and the “Real Victims” of 9/11

(12:32–15:26)

• Clip of Zoran Mamdani (NYC Assemblyman) speaking about Muslim experiences after 9/11:

  “I want to speak to the memory of my aunt who stopped taking the subway after September 11th because she did not feel safe in her hijab...” (12:32)

• Knowles’s Reaction:
  • Satirizes Mamdani’s reframing of who suffered most from 9/11, contrasting his claims with the 3,000 killed in the attacks:

    “The worst part of that day was that my aunt felt a little more self conscious in her hijab. Isn't that the real tragedy of 9/11?” (14:40)

  • Notes that suspicion toward young men of certain backgrounds is not unique, but adds:

    “Well, Zoran says it was outrageous. ... Oh wait, hold on. Here’s a picture of Zoran Mamdani with an unindicted co-conspirator of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.” (15:26)

4. Islam, the Left, and Western Civilization

(15:26–19:49)

• Knowles recaps historical clashes between Islam and the West (from Poitiers to 9/11), pushing back on the idea that Islam has always sat easily with western liberal democracy.
• He distinguishes between real Islamic radicalism and what he sees as more dangerous:
  “To me, when I look at Zoran Mamdani, it seems more like rote leftism, which is anti-American and takes in some of the identity politics. The potato chip is leftism and then the little sour cream and onion flavoring, that's the Islam.” (19:49)

5. Kamala Harris vs. GOP Shutdown Tactics

(25:21–26:01 and 26:01–...)

• Clip: Trump says he'd meet with Democrats to end the shutdown, but won’t grant their demands on healthcare for illegal immigrants.
• Knowles’s Analysis:
  • Explains this shutdown is unprecedented—public polling shows Republicans aren’t being blamed, which is historically unusual.
  • Democrats are “stuck on the wrong side of every 80-20 issue,” lacking incentive to reopen the government, and are playing to their (shrinking) activist base.
  • Blames Democrats for the government closure, tying it to Obamacare’s shortcomings.

6. Democrats, Symbols, & Embarrassment: The Nazi Tattoo Story

(34:31–...)

• Knowles ridicules a Maine Democratic Senate candidate for having covered up a real Nazi tattoo (“not even disputed”) and contrasts this with media attacks on Pete Hegseth for having “Nazi” tattoos that are, in reality, Christian crusader symbols.
• Quote:

  “In some ways, it would be better if this guy were a Nazi than just a dope who doesn’t even have the judgment to figure out what kind of symbols he's putting on his body.” (~39:29)

7. UFOs and Technological Secrecy

(41:30–44:55)

• A flying saucer was filmed near Lockheed Martin’s Helendale radar facility.
• Knowles advances his longstanding thesis:
  “The ET aliens explanation of UFOs is now and always has been complete nonsense. ... The most likely explanation is it is technology that we are making.” (44:09)
• Entertains that in some rare cases, supernatural explanations may play a role:

  “And I am open to one further explanation, which is that in some cases it’s demons. ... There is a spiritual aspect of the world.” (44:38)

8. The Louvre Heist: Modern Incompetence vs. History

(45:13–46:37)

• Details the $102 million Louvre jewel robbery: Modern cases were uglier and less secure than old Rococo ones; new “inclusive” security failed miserably.
• Observes:

  “Instead of trying to impose DEI and modernism... why didn’t the security at the Louvre have weapons? Why did they flee? ... Maybe we just try to preserve them.” (46:10)

9. Cultural Moment: Joe Rogan Goes to Church

(46:37–47:43)

• Joe Rogan explains why he’s started attending church:

  “It's a bunch of people... they're trying to be a better person... I'm really interested in what these people were trying to say because I don't think it's nothing.” (46:42–47:43)

• Knowles’s Analysis:
  • Praises Rogan as “the avatar of the median voter,” suggesting this turn is significant for American cultural trends:

    “When he says something, that should be taken as a very important sign, because... I think it's a sign of where most people are at.” (47:43)

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• Michael Knowles (on Newsom’s performance):

  “This is the Steve Martin routine at the beginning of The Jerk. ‘I was born a poor black child.’ Well, that's Gavin Newsom's doing that completely straight faced.” (03:49)

• On Mamdani’s 9/11 narrative:

  “The worst part of that day was that my aunt felt a little more self conscious in her hijab. Isn't that the real tragedy of 9/11?” (14:40)

• On the government shutdown:

  “This is unprecedented as a government shutdown. ... Trump is winning the government shutdown. Even CNN had to admit it.” (28:19)

• On the cultural meaning of Rogan going to church:

  “Most people right now are saying there’s something to this Christianity. New atheism is kind of dumb, and maybe we should go to church.” (47:43)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:22 – Gavin Newsom’s “poor black child” routine and origins fact check.
• 07:17 – Kamala Harris hedges on 2028 presidential run.
• 12:32 – Zoran Mamdani speech re-centering 9/11 victimhood.
• 15:26 – Knowles contextualizes Muslim-Western history, critiques “rote leftism.”
• 25:26 – Trump on the shutdown and Democrats’ demands.
• 34:31 – Democrat candidate’s Nazi tattoo saga and media double standard.
• 41:30 – UFO near military base; Knowles’ skepticism and spiritual caveats.
• 45:13 – How “progress” made the Louvre vulnerable; critique of DEI/security failures.
• 46:37 – Joe Rogan’s remarks on church; Knowles’ cultural reflections.

Tone & Language

• Knowles employs a sarcastic, skeptical, and combative tone throughout. He mixes pop culture references (The Jerk, meme jokes) with historical context and polemical asides, particularly when mocking political opponents or media narratives.
• His commentary is conversational, satirical, and laced with humor, while pushing a socially conservative, anti-leftist viewpoint.

Summary use: This summary gives listeners a comprehensive view of the episode’s content, from the political criticism of Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, to the intersection of identity politics and historical events, and Knowles’s ongoing commentary on American culture, “wokeness,” and public discourse. It features the episode’s signature blend of analysis, historical perspective, and biting satire.