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Michael
The Democrats most prominent congressman and leading presidential candidate Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has just raised eyebrows after an appearance on Ilana Glaser's podcast in which she claimed that black people created democracy.
Ilana Glaser
There are very few, like, real archetypes of what America is all about. I think about the civil rights and voting rights movement and how black Americans really created democracy in this country. That's right.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
That's exactly right.
Michael
Now, both of these women are known for. For their incisive, nuanced political analysis.
Ilana Glaser
I vow to tweet once a week, vote for Hillary. Yas Yass. Yass.
Michael
So the objections to AOC's claim must stem from historical ignorance, which is why I am here to clear up the confusion and explain how black people created democracy. Most scholars credit the earliest attempts at democracy to ancient Greece, specifically to Athenian leader Cleisthenes Jackson iii. It wasn't until the founding of America, however, that democracy really came into its own. The founding brothers, led by Jamal Madison, wrote the U.S. constitution, a document that would. Hold on one second.
Unknown SPLC Representative
Huh?
Michael
I'm being told that everything I'm saying is both factually incorrect and at least mildly racist. The good news, though, is that this message comes from the Southern Poverty Law center, which was kind enough to include this check for $100,000. Okay, I've looked into it some more, and it turns out that AOC was really talking about how black people created democracy in America because of the civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Before that, black people apparently were not even allowed to vote. Black Americans only gained the vote with the passage of the 15th Amendment in 1870, which was 100 years before the Civil rights movement. So, in any case, the point is, at the very least, black people could not hold public office before the Civil rights movement. Not a single black person was elected to Congress except for these guys, so. Oh, that's still going
Unknown SPLC Representative
well.
Michael
Okay, maybe black people didn't exactly create democracy, but AOC's point is that in Tennessee at least, Republicans are removing the only black representative, Steve Cohen, who is actually not black. And the Republican that he beat is black, so.
Unknown SPLC Representative
Hey, Michael.
Michael
Yeah.
Unknown SPLC Representative
We just got another letter from the SPLC. They said they'll send you another 10 grand if you say the N word.
Michael
The more, you know.
Episode: How Black People Created Democracy In 3 Mins
Date: May 15, 2026
Host: Michael Knowles (The Daily Wire)
In this brief, satirical episode, Michael Knowles responds to a statement made by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) on Ilana Glaser’s podcast, where the claim was made that Black Americans “created democracy” in the United States. Knowles uses his trademark dry humor and sarcasm to examine and critique the historical accuracy of the claim, while lampooning progressive talking points and the rhetoric often seen on the political left.
Context Introduction (00:00–00:13):
Direct Quote from Ilana Glaser (00:13–00:28):
“I think about the civil rights and voting rights movement and how black Americans really created democracy in this country. That’s right.” – Ilana Glaser
Agreement from AOC (00:28–00:29):
“That’s exactly right.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Michael’s Sarcastic Response (00:29–01:21):
“Most scholars credit the earliest attempts at democracy to ancient Greece, specifically to Athenian leader Cleisthenes Jackson iii. It wasn’t until the founding of America, however, that democracy really came into its own. The founding brothers, led by Jamal Madison, wrote the U.S. constitution…” – Michael Knowles [Approx. 00:40–01:15]
Interruption and Fact-Checking Gag (01:21):
Michael’s Revision (01:23–02:28):
“Black Americans only gained the vote with the passage of the 15th Amendment in 1870, which was 100 years before the Civil Rights movement… Not a single black person was elected to Congress except for these guys, so… oh, that’s still going.” – Michael Knowles [Approx. 01:50–02:28]
Tennessee Example (02:28–02:46):
SPLC Running Gag and Escalation (02:46–02:58):
“They said they’ll send you another 10 grand if you say the N word.” – Unknown SPLC Representative [02:47–02:58]
“The more, you know.” – Michael Knowles [02:58]
“Black Americans really created democracy in this country.”
“That’s exactly right.”
“The founding brothers, led by Jamal Madison, wrote the U.S. constitution…” [~01:10]
“They said they’ll send you another 10 grand if you say the N word.” [02:47]
“The more, you know.” [02:58]
For those who haven’t listened: This episode is a quick, cutting parody of political rhetoric around democracy and race in the U.S., heavily satirizing both historical oversimplifications and the culture of virtue signaling. It’s a pointed, tongue-in-cheek critique of contemporary progressive discourse, with Knowles using humor to underscore his ideological disagreements.