The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway — Raging Moderates: MAGA in Turmoil — MTG Out, Mamdani In, and Major Legal Blow

Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: Scott Galloway & Jessica Tarlov
Podcast Network: Vox Media Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This episode of "Raging Moderates" focuses on seismic shifts in the MAGA movement, the fallout from Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (MTG) resignation, Trump’s unexpected overtures to NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani, a significant legal setback for Trump’s team, and debates about economic populism and the future of both major parties. The hosts, Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov, provide their centrist take on the week’s turbulent political news, weaving in commentary on class disparity, the state of U.S. infrastructure, and the “Fight Club” emerging among Senate Democrats. The tone is energetic, combative, and rich with policy insight, personal anecdotes, and sharp humor.

Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Fashion Banter & Setting the Mood (01:47–03:51)

• Opening with playful back-and-forth about casual attire and generational confusion over "hoodies."
• Sets relaxed, candid tone.
• Quote:

  "Someone said I look like an aging skateboarder and that just kind of ruined it... I'm in a fashion no man's land right now." — Scott, 02:19

2. The MAGA Meltdown: MTG’s Fall & Trump’s Strategy (03:51–07:43)

• Topic Breakdown:
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene resigns after Trump brands her a traitor.
  • Trump cozies up to "communist lunatic" Zoran Mamdani, NYC's Mayor-elect, shocking both the left and MAGA base.
  • Legal blow: A federal judge tosses Trump-ally-launched indictments vs. Comey and Letitia James due to a lapsed prosecutor appointment.
• Both parties are depicted as scrambling to harness widespread economic frustrations, with Carville's warning of a "populist revolt."
• Key Quote:

  "All this is happening as Democrats face what James Carville called a brewing populist revolt driven by rising costs... Today's economic frustration is swamping ideology." — Scott, 04:29

3. Economic Populism & Party Realignment (07:43–15:35)

• Jessica’s Take: The electorate is single-minded about cost of living, and both parties risk losing touch.
  • Democrats’ path forward: authentic economic populism, not just identity or social issues.
• Scott’s Take:
  • America’s class divide and its consequences for opportunity and social mobility.
  • Critique of both parties' failure to present sustainable, market-competition driven economic reforms.
  • The need for "adult conversation" about structural changes, not quick cash giveaways.
• Key Quotes:
  • "If you look at America over the last 50 years, the Delta between the life that the middle class and the rich get to live is extraordinary." — Scott, 07:43
  • "The quickest route to being a political loser right now is to be the defenders of the status quo." — Jessica, 11:34

4. The Democratic 'Fight Club' & the Party’s Identity Crisis (12:42–21:02)

• A new group of liberal Democratic Senators ("Fight Club") pushes to challenge corporate interests and the party’s orthodoxy—especially against Chuck Schumer's candidate-picking.
• Discussion of the left’s branding problem: too focused on showy anti-billionaire rhetoric, not enough substantive policy.
• Scott calls for:
  • Age limits in Congress.
  • Embracing "full-body contact capitalism" with fair taxation and opportunity investments.
  • Shifting the focus from demonizing billionaires to policies that expand opportunity.
• Healthcare & AI: Jessica and Scott lament lack of bold, workable plans for healthcare and mitigating AI’s impact on the workforce.
• Key Quotes:
  • "Are you not being truthful with us and get regulatory capture behind closed doors or are you just ineffective?" — Scott, 16:15
  • "We need to have an adult conversation around what it actually means, what is required in our economy to make it competitive again and bring down prices." — Scott, 10:54

5. The MAGA Exodus & Enabling Trump (21:02–30:43)

• Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation dissected as emblematic of Republican dissatisfaction with Trump’s "trash" treatment of allies.
• Republicans depicted as "a giant blob of enablers," likened to historic enabler failures (e.g., WWII).
• Galloway’s scathing recount of MTG’s conspiracy-laden history and whitewashing attempts; "Good fucking riddance."
• Memorable Moment:

  "She is vile. And the notion somehow that she did this for character, integrity—someone told her she was gonna lose, and she's trying to figure out a way to re-emerge... This notion that she's just going to fade into the distance and spend more time with her family, and that all of a sudden she's seen the light. She's the problem, not the hero." — Scott, 28:48

6. Legal Incompetence in Trump’s Camp (34:14–38:18)

• The Halligan ruling: incompetent Trump-appointed prosecutor leads to dropped indictments against Comey and Letitia James.
• Jessica:
  • "Nice to see how incompetent they actually are... The incompetence is staggering. It will be our saving grace perhaps." — 34:14
• Scott’s Big Picture:
  • The U.S.'s global brand of competence and values is eroding, replaced by a "clown car."
  • This visible failure has broad implications for U.S. deterrence and influence.

7. Ukraine–Russia: The Peace Deal That Isn’t (42:26–49:09)

• Negotiations in Abu Dhabi reportedly near a deal, but Moscow’s ongoing aggression and uncompromising stance cast doubt.
• Jessica notes "merry-go-round" nature of peace talks—every sign of hope dashed by more violence and bad faith.
• Driscoll’s quiet role as Army Sec. in negotiations prompted speculation about government subplots and factions.
• Scott’s Hawkish View:

  "The best way to end a war is to win it... Any time you appease a murderous autocrat in Europe, it does not end well... This is a huge defeat for the West." — Scott, 46:06, 48:11

8. Travel Woes & Government "Civility" Campaign (52:42–59:17)

• DoT’s new campaign urging air travelers to “dress nicer” and be civil receives ridicule as air travel is more miserable than ever.
• Both hosts long for efficiency, fairness, and real passenger protections, not window-dressing or nostalgia.
• Scott and Jessica contrast U.S. travel woes with Europe’s superior train systems and customer service, especially for families.
• Quote:

  "You can only make that ad when air travel is working. But if the entire sundae is actually just shit sludge, you cannot be leaning into civility." — Jessica, 54:00

9. Closing & Personal Anecdotes (60:47–66:16)

• Scott offers a gripping story about missing a flight that later crashed, using it as a metaphor for unexpected life turns.
• The closing thoughts focus on gratitude, friendship, and being open to life’s detours.

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• On economic rage:

  "You see it out on the campaign trail, like Jon Ossoff is doing it well in Georgia, talking about corporate greed and how you have to push back... getting spicy moderates to talk about economic rage is a very good potion."
  — Jessica, 05:35

• On U.S. class divide:

  "If the bottom 99 knew, not how the 1%, but the top 0.1% live... They have their own healthcare, their own planes, their own schools... What do they care if air traffic control is down?"
  — Scott, 07:43

• On Democratic branding:

  "I think Mrs. The boat on how much the average American actually doesn't begrudge people their wealth. They just want to have access and opportunity themselves, and they're willing to work really hard for it."
  — Jessica, 11:34

• On the Democratic Party’s failings:

  "My biggest criticism of the Democratic Party in general—they're much more concerned with rhetorical flourish and posing for the virtue cameras..."
  — Scott, 17:03

• On enabling Trump:

  "The Republicans right now, in my view, are just a giant blob of enablers."
  — Scott, 24:39

• On Marjorie Taylor Greene:

  "We’re so desperate for anything resembling integrity or pushback that we laud Marjorie Taylor Greene. She is vile... Good fucking riddance."
  — Scott, 28:48

• On Ukraine "peace":

  "This is a huge defeat for the West... Any time you appease a murderous autocrat in Europe, it just does not end well."
  — Scott, 48:11

• On airline "civility":

  "You can only make that ad when air travel is working. But if the entire sundae is actually just shit sludge, you cannot be leaning into civility. You should be leaning into efficiency and fairness."
  — Jessica, 54:00

Timestamps to Key Segments

• [03:51] The MAGA Meltdown: MTG resigns, Trump flips, legal chaos
• [07:43] Class divide, economic populism, and Carville’s warning
• [12:42] The "Fight Club": Senate Democrats challenge Schumer
• [21:02] The MAGA exodus; Republican enablers under Trump
• [28:48] MTG’s record, why her resignation isn’t heroic
• [34:14] Halligan’s legal blow & Team Trump’s incompetence
• [42:26] Ukraine–Russia “peace” talks & skepticism
• [52:42] Air travel’s decline & failed civility campaign
• [60:47] Scott’s near-miss airline disaster story

Final Thoughts

This episode is a potent blend of sharp policy critique, centrist political insight, and irreverent humor, shining a light on shifting alliances, elite hypocrisy, and the opportunities and pitfalls facing both parties during a moment of public discontent. The hosts advocate for honesty, big ideas, and real reform—whether on kitchen table issues like health care and jobs or the infrastructure crumbling beneath American feet. Through memorable stories and unfiltered analysis, Scott and Jessica create a compelling roadmap for Americans frustrated by the binary, performative politics of 2025.