The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

Episode: Raging Moderates: Why Progressives Won’t WIN in the 2026 Midterms (ft. David Frum)
Date: October 22, 2025
Guests: Jessica Tarlov (Host), David Frum (The Atlantic)

Overview

This episode of “Raging Moderates” explores why Democrats may struggle to win the 2026 midterm elections, the pitfalls of current messaging strategies, the political repercussions of Trump’s foreign policy in the Caribbean, and the challenges of candidate authenticity and party branding. Jessica Tarlov sits in for Scott Galloway and is joined by political journalist David Frum for a nuanced, centrist analysis grounded in realpolitik and a sharp sense of humor.

Key Discussion Points

1. Democrats’ “Always Running Against Trump” Strategy

Time: 03:23–11:58

• Current Approach: Democrats continue to campaign against Trump even a year after losing the White House, focusing messaging on his unpopularity and autocratic tendencies.
• Effectiveness:
  • Frum argues that in midterms, running against the sitting president is logical, especially when the president is unpopular, citing, “Of course, you run against the President. Who would say otherwise?” (06:00)
  • He critiques Democrats’ fixation on needing a unified "affirmative message," suggesting it's often used by progressives to justify controversial candidates: “What is going to happen in 2016 if Americans are allowed to vote? … You’ve got a coalition here that spans Bernie Sanders to Ann Romney … the affirmative message is for the presidential election.” (09:14)

2. The Electorate and Winning Candidate Profiles

Time: 10:27–13:39

• Who Wins?: Moderate candidates—especially economically moderate, socially moderate/liberal—tend to succeed in swing districts. The narrative that only progressive candidates have energy is overstated.
• Shifts in Voter Appetite:
  • Jessica observes: “Candidates that are economically progressive and socially moderate, or even conservative, are doing well.”
  • Frum notes Democratic flexibility in midterms, allowing races to be tailored to local dynamics: “There is no formula … The analysis is: different things work in different places.” (12:33)

3. Messaging, Class Warfare, and the Role of Government

Time: 13:39–18:20

• Democratic Challenges:
  • Frum points out progressives’ penchant for class war rhetoric, cautioning, “It’s not gonna work through class war and antagonism. It’s gonna work through mechanics of bureaucracy in government.” (16:23)
  • Jessica underscores bumper-sticker simplicity: “You ask a Democrat, up to party leadership, what are the slogans—he’ll speak for 20 minutes. It has to go on a bumper sticker.” (16:59)

4. Trump’s Secretive Caribbean Campaign and Executive Overreach

Time: 21:25–32:49

• New Military Operations: Trump orders US naval strikes against suspected drug boats, mostly targeting those carrying cocaine or marijuana bound for Europe, yet not fentanyl heading to the US.
• Diplomatic Fallout:
  • Officials in Colombia and Venezuela decry civilian casualties, and Trump faces accusations of murder from Colombia's president.
  • Frum contextualizes: This is a “less dangerous” proxy for hawkish ideas floated by Trump allies about military actions in Mexico. It still undermines US credibility: “If you’re actually killing fishermen and it looks like the United States is, that’s a moral reckoning.” (25:18)
• Executive Power: The strikes exemplify Trump’s disregard for congressional authorization and balance of powers, with Tarlov calling it “basically a unitary state.” Rand Paul emerges as one of the few Republicans publicly pushing back.
• Policy Ineffectiveness: Frum relates historical anecdotes (re: Daniel Patrick Moynihan and George Shultz) to stress the futility of supply-side drug policy: “Blow up the boats. It’s going to accomplish nothing.” (30:46)

5. Candidate Authenticity: The Graham Platner Scandal

Time: 35:14–41:17

• Controversy: Graham Platner, a Bernie-backed Senate candidate in Maine, apologizes for offensive historic Reddit posts. The party is divided between “authentic” progressives and establishment-backed Governor Janet Mills.
• Authenticity vs. Accountability:
  • Frum doubts the sincerity of post-hoc contrition: “If you take responsibility after someone else finds you out, I don’t think you took responsibility. Accountability begins with you being the first to say…” (36:09)
  • Tarlov notes Gen Z and Millennials may face more “online baggage,” and that voters’ appetite for forgiveness is highly selective.

6. Gerontocracy: The Problem of Aging Leaders

Time: 41:17–46:19

• Aging Leadership: Democrats face a “gerontocracy” challenge—with both Platner’s and Mills's candidacies highlighting generational divides.
• Consequences: Frum ties aging in leadership to unintended shifts in governance, using Biden as an example: “Biden ran in 2020 as the last candidate of the Democratic center … When he became president, his age caught up with him and he was too feeble to resist the Democratic left.” (43:39)

7. School Closures and Repercussions from Covid Policy

Time: 44:54–48:00

• The School Debate: The episode highlights how school closures during COVID-19 became a pivotal political liability for Democrats, especially in suburban and swing areas.
• Long-Term Cultural Issues: Frum: “We think about little kids [missing class], but there are lots of people on the cusp of dropping out … And many of them got into trouble with the law. The spate of carjackings here in Washington …” (46:19)
• Tarlov: “Learning loss is astounding … smart Democrats are working on programs, like tutoring, to make up for that.” (46:33)

8. The Value of Public Service

Time: 49:22–49:52

• Frum’s Parting Encouragement: “State assembly, state senate, school board, city government—these are all intensely important callings. … Every job matters.” (49:22)

Memorable Quotes

• David Frum

  • “Of course, you run against the President. Who would say otherwise?” (06:00)
  • “There is no formula … The analysis is: different things work in different places.” (12:33)
  • “It’s not gonna work through class war and antagonism. It’s gonna work through mechanics of bureaucracy in government.” (16:23)
  • “If you take responsibility after someone else finds you out, I don’t think you took responsibility.” (36:09)
  • “Blow up the boats. It’s going to accomplish nothing.” (30:46)

• Jessica Tarlov

  • “Are you a baseball fan? Because your Blue Jays won the pennant last night.” (02:11)
  • “You ask a Democrat … what are the slogans? … He’ll speak for 20 minutes. It has to go on a bumper sticker.” (16:59)
  • “Learning loss is astounding … We need real accountability and transparency.” (46:33)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening Banter, Introduction: 01:23–03:23
• Democratic Messaging & Trump Focus: 03:23–11:58
• Moderate vs. Progressive Candidates: 10:27–13:39
• Party of Government vs. Class Warfare: 13:39–18:20
• Trump’s Caribbean Operations: 21:25–32:49
• Candidate Authenticity & Platner Scandal: 35:14–41:17
• Gerontocracy & Its Consequences: 41:17–46:19
• Covid, Schools, & Political Fallout: 44:54–48:00
• Final Thoughts on Public Service: 49:22–49:52

Notable Moments

• Baseball Banter: Light opening between Tarlov and Frum about the Blue Jays’ win, highlighting the episode’s casual yet incisive tone. (02:11–03:23)
• Historical Anecdote: Frum’s story about Moynihan and Shultz illustrates the futility of drug interdiction efforts—but with wit. (29:21–30:46)
• Frum’s “Dark Joke” on Political Aging: “If Ruth Bader Ginsburg had smoked, the whole history of this country would be different.” (42:09)
• Candidacy in the Digital Age: Tarlov’s musings on how candidate opposition research will change now that an entire generation has grown up online.

Conclusion

Jessica Tarlov and David Frum engage in a sharp, lively conversation, challenging simplistic narratives about party strategy, progressive enthusiasm, and the realities of governance. By dissecting campaign tactics, the dangers of executive power, and the nature of authenticity in modern politics, they paint a complex—but ultimately hopeful—picture of the American political center.