Podcast Summary: The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Episode: In the Midterms, White Supremacy Is Running for Office
Date: October 22, 2018
Host: David Remnick
Guest: Andrew Marantz
Episode Overview
This episode, hosted by David Remnick, features journalist Andrew Marantz discussing the alarming rise of openly white supremacist and extremist right-wing candidates in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections. The conversation examines how alt-right and white nationalist rhetoric has shifted from the internet's fringes into mainstream political races, the history and evolution of coded (and now explicit) racist messaging, and the impact of national figures like Donald Trump in empowering such movements. The episode also explores the response of established political parties to these candidates and the dangers posed to American democracy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Mainstreaming of White Supremacy in Politics
-
Origins and Resurgence:
- Marantz explains that far-right and white supremacist ideas have always existed in American politics, but their resurgence is closely linked to Trump's rise and a breakdown of the old "dog whistle" strategies:
"There's always been dog whistle politics ... but it's not even really a dog whistle anymore. It's kind of just a whistle."
— Andrew Marantz (02:38) - Both Democratic and Republican parties have historically used coded language, but current rhetoric is more open and unapologetic.
- Marantz explains that far-right and white supremacist ideas have always existed in American politics, but their resurgence is closely linked to Trump's rise and a breakdown of the old "dog whistle" strategies:
-
Historical Context:
- Remnick draws parallels to Reagan’s 1980 campaign and Nixon’s use of phrases like "silent majority," noting the difference is in plausible deniability, now largely abandoned.
"They're not really denying it anymore."
— Andrew Marantz (03:19)
- Remnick draws parallels to Reagan’s 1980 campaign and Nixon’s use of phrases like "silent majority," noting the difference is in plausible deniability, now largely abandoned.
2. Case Study: Steve King (Iowa Congressman)
- Explicit White Nationalism:
- King’s rhetoric has escalated, moving from references to "Western civilization" to openly stating "demographics are our destiny" and, "we can't restore our civilization with someone else's babies.”
"There's no way to read that that doesn't take 'our civilization' to mean white people."
— Andrew Marantz (04:11) - King does not backtrack or delete controversial statements; instead, he claims to be targeted by "PC culture."
- King’s rhetoric has escalated, moving from references to "Western civilization" to openly stating "demographics are our destiny" and, "we can't restore our civilization with someone else's babies.”
- Mainstream GOP Response:
- Party leaders, like Speaker Paul Ryan, issue vague condemnations without naming King or pulling support, indicating the party's unwillingness or inability to alienate this segment of their base.
"It's not like he's such an outlier that the rest of the GOP can very comfortably wash their hands of him. ... He is their guy."
— Andrew Marantz (05:19–06:00)
- Party leaders, like Speaker Paul Ryan, issue vague condemnations without naming King or pulling support, indicating the party's unwillingness or inability to alienate this segment of their base.
3. Admission of Racial Motives and Party Dynamics
- Marantz observes that the Republican Party seems unwilling to reject figures like King due to the electoral risk:
"It means that they've read the tea leaves and they know that this is too big a part of their support base to give up on."
— Andrew Marantz (06:11) - Remnick highlights how these movements are emboldened by a lack of forceful repudiation.
4. The Rise of "Proto-Fascism" and Online Extremism
- Marantz describes his reporting on alt-right figures:
“What is the brink? … I think we’re now all starting to see that there’s no law of nature that walls off the United States.”
— Andrew Marantz (06:41–07:09) - He discusses how American democracy, given its deep racial divides, is more fragile than often assumed.
5. Politics as a Team Sport
- The danger lies in voters prioritizing party loyalty over confronting racism within their ranks:
"Because politics has turned into a team sport, they don't want to think, ‘Can I really belong to this coalition that includes this guy that I actually find odious?’"
— Andrew Marantz (13:44)
6. Other Examples of the Far-Right Gaining Traction
- Corey Stewart (Virginia Senate candidate):
- Stewart’s identity is built around defending Confederate monuments, despite being from Minnesota.
"His whole national image is based on standing up for these Confederate monuments. ... He was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota."
— Andrew Marantz (08:44)
- Stewart’s identity is built around defending Confederate monuments, despite being from Minnesota.
- Arthur Jones (Illinois):
- A literal Nazi who won a GOP primary unopposed in a heavily Democratic district, highlighting how extremists can slip through the system if unopposed.
- Seth Grossman (New Jersey):
- Dropped by GOP after saying “diversity is crap”; Marantz calls this an outlier, but notes candidates now feel emboldened to be explicit.
7. The Proud Boys and Social Club Fascism
- Marantz draws a parallel between 1920s KKK’s mainstreaming and modern groups like the Proud Boys, which brand themselves as social clubs but engage in street violence.
"The Proud Boys just this past weekend were in the streets of Manhattan beating people up. And they brand themselves as a social club, but they're also a violent street gang."
— Andrew Marantz (12:19)
8. Midterm Elections as a Referendum on Racism and Democracy
- The 2018 midterms are framed as a critical test for whether such ideas will gain official footing in American political institutions:
"He blows the door off the hinges and allows other things to creep in."
— Andrew Marantz (12:33) "I fear that there will be one or two people in every state who start winning congressional races who say, yeah, why can't we just go back to being a white country? Why is that so wrong?"
— Andrew Marantz (13:21)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the End of Dog Whistles:
"It's not even really a dog whistle anymore. It's kind of just a whistle." — Marantz (02:38) -
On Rationalizing Party Loyalty:
"I'm seeing the racism right in front of me and yet I'm not registering it because it's my team, right?" — Marantz (13:37) -
On Democratic Fragility:
"Democracy is a very delicate, tricky thing. Right. If Steve King is now... essentially saying to the people of Iowa, ‘hello, I'm a white nationalist, do you want to vote for me, or do you want to vote for the other guy?’ There's no guarantee that they want to vote for the other guy." — Marantz (07:09–07:36) -
On the Social Club Facade:
"The Proud Boys are this group of, you know, they call themselves Western chauvinists. ... But they're a quote unquote, Western pride organization ... they're also a violent street gang." — Marantz (11:32–12:19)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [02:38–03:19] — Evolution from dog whistles to overt racism
- [03:41–05:01] — Steve King's history and rhetoric
- [06:00–06:11] — GOP reluctance to disown Steve King
- [07:09–07:36] — Democracy’s fragility in the US context
- [08:37–09:08] — Corey Stewart and Confederate iconography
- [09:36–10:27] — Extremism in New Jersey and Illinois congressional races
- [11:20–12:19] — Potential for mass acceptance of white supremacy and Proud Boys’ activity
- [13:21–13:44] — Fears about normalization of white nationalist congressional candidates
Conclusion
The episode offers a sobering and timely exploration of how extremist, openly racist viewpoints have moved from online subcultures to the political mainstream, with the 2018 midterms serving as both a mirror and an inflection point for American political values. Through detailed cases and shrewd analysis, Marantz and Remnick paint a picture of a democracy at risk—a result of both active extremism and widespread party loyalty overriding moral judgment.