The Rob Carson Show – Podcast Summary

Episode: Victor Davis Hanson Joins Rob to Discuss “Words of War”
Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Rob Carson
Guest: Victor Davis Hanson, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution

Episode Overview

In this substantial episode of The Rob Carson Show, host Rob Carson dives into current political, cultural, and economic topics with his signature comedic flair and “flyover country” perspective. The centerpiece is a meaty, insightful interview with historian and columnist Victor Davis Hanson, focusing on the use and impact of incendiary political rhetoric—what Hanson labels “words of war.” The conversation covers the implications for American democracy, the erosion of institutional trust, and the existential clash over the nation’s direction. Alongside, Carson lampoons political figures, highlights current events, and features lighthearted musical parody segments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Political Rhetoric as “Words of War” ([00:42]–[02:00])

• Carson rails against Congressional Democrats (Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Luzio, Chrissy Houlahan) who released a video urging soldiers to disobey superiors allegedly to resist Trump—Carson calls this “a soft insurrection.”

• He expands on how language like "fascist" and "Nazi" has stoked real violence since 2020, blurring lines between speech and incitement.

  “No, no, no, it’s not that, Hunter. That’s something completely different. If you have a soft insurrection, that’s something, you know, you got to see a doct—take some medication... But no, it’s a soft insurrection. They’ve been pushing this forever... They're fomenting a Civil war.”
  — Rob Carson ([02:00])

2. Current Political & Economic Wins ([04:07]–[09:40])

• Carson discusses recent claims of economic growth under Trump, mocking Biden's record, lauding job numbers, manufacturing resurgence, and reduced federal government hiring.

• He and guests riff on Trump’s business acumen, international investments, and U.S. trade deficit improvements.

• Lighthearted musical parodies by Jim Gossett, impersonating Trump and Musk, add levity.

  “There’s so much money coming into this country, you’ve never seen anything like it... There could be like $100 trillion in new business in America and you guys couldn’t do D-word for Richard.”
  — Rob Carson ([07:44])

3. The "Affordability" Narrative & Mainstream Media ([09:40]–[11:27])

• The hosts critique rising prices during Biden’s administration, call out media attempts to downplay inflation, and compare economic performance between administrations.

• The “affordability” crisis, in their view, is a media scam covering for failed policies.

  “This whole affordability stuff is an absolute scam. It’s a lefty media scam. It’s Biden who created the affordability problem, not Mr. Trump.”
  — Co-host/Guest ([10:06])

4. Foreign Policy Strength & Mainstream Coverage ([10:17]–[11:48])

• Trump’s foreign policy approval ratings now surpass those of past presidents, Carson notes, despite continued opposition smears.

  “Look at this. Donald Trump actually leads the pack at 43%. Donald Trump has a higher foreign policy approval rating at this point in a second term than any other president... I thought he was fascist and Nazi. He’s the worst fascist Nazi ever.”
  — Rob Carson ([10:32])

5. Deep Dives into Corruption, Epstein, and Double Standards ([13:57]–[18:39])

• Carson vents about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, the frustration of “a class of people getting away with everything,” and how Biden, Clinton, and DOJ suppression stoke public anger.

• He mercilessly lampoons Jasmine Crockett for mistakenly associating Republican donations with the infamous Jeffrey Epstein, illustrating broader media and political incompetence.

  “If you’re going to make an accusation you better have your damned facts straight… Oh, your team Googled it. Well, I mean honestly, screw journalism and screw fact finding... If you Google it, that’s the final word.”
  — Rob Carson ([16:43], [16:56])

Featured Interview: Victor Davis Hanson

Farming, American Values, & the Changing Heartland ([22:02]–[23:47])

• The interview opens with both men reminiscing about farm life, bridging their personal backgrounds with America’s agrarian roots.

• Hanson extols the virtue of independent farmers as foundational to American liberty and self-sufficiency.

  “That’s what separated us from Europe’s peasantry. We had independent, autonomous, self-sufficient farmers, and that makes good citizens in a way that didn’t exist in Europe at the time.”
  — Victor Davis Hanson ([23:34])

Political Violence, Incendiary Rhetoric, and Institutional Collapse ([23:47]–[29:38])

• Carson and Hanson dissect the climate of escalating political rhetoric—“a war of words”—and how it foments real-world violence.

• Hanson ties this to elite officials normalizing insurrectionary ideas: “when you have... Democratic elected officials basically telling soldiers to disobey any order... you’re creating a climate.”

• Hanson details how bureaucracies, under Obama and Biden, deprioritized threats against conservatives, increasing actual danger for figures like Trump.

  “[When officials] tell the armed people in the military not to obey an order, or you have Mark Milley who says he has diagnosed the president as unhinged... writing that the 101st Airborne is going to confront the Secret Service and remove Donald Trump forcibly... they have so lowered the bar that, that I don’t know what they’re trying to do.”
  — Victor Davis Hanson ([27:38])

• Both note how agencies like the FBI and CIA, as well as prominent figures (Comey, Brennan, Clapper), have actively deceived the public with impunity.

  “They lied under oath... we don’t really care if the FBI and CIA lie to the American people. They lie under oath. As long as they’re agents of the progressive agenda, that’s fine.”
  — Victor Davis Hanson ([32:40])

The Left's Fear, Demographic Change, and the Stakes for Civil Order ([29:04]–[36:32])

• Hanson describes current Democratic actions as “insurrectionary,” likening them to historical nullification crises and the Civil War era.

• He offers commentary on Obama, identity politics, and the electoral shift among minorities toward Trump.

• Carson argues the left has thrown “everything at us”—from Marxism to disinformation campaigns—and only Trump’s unique resilience could withstand it.

• Hanson suggests the turmoil of the Biden years has revealed the left as “the rot,” necessary for America’s long-term renewal.

  “They didn’t realize that anything that didn’t kill him [Trump] made him strong... The mug shot made him more popular. Everything... He’s so resilient.”
  — Victor Davis Hanson ([35:10])

  “It allowed Donald Trump in the wilderness to expose what the left was and to have a very different second term than he did first… Cosmically it was probably a good thing.”
  — Victor Davis Hanson ([36:08])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On soft insurrection and rhetoric's dangers:
  “We’ve had a civil war by proxy for about 9 years now with soldiers by hire… It’s not a war of words. It’s words of war.” — Rob Carson ([02:00])
• On economic turnaround:
  “The jobs report was sterling today... they’re actually real American jobs.” — Rob Carson ([06:34])
• On double standards in justice:
  “We are tired of people in power getting away with murder, getting away well with the Clintons, dozens of murders. But, you know, we’re tired of it.” — Rob Carson ([14:15])
• On America’s founding character:
  “We had independent, autonomous, self-sufficient farmers and that makes good citizens in a way that didn’t exist at Europe at the time.” — Victor Davis Hanson ([23:34])
• On incitement from officials:
  “When you have elected officials that are issuing videos... telling armed people in the military not to obey an order... you’re creating a climate.” — Victor Davis Hanson ([27:38])
• On the spiritual and cosmic angle:
  “I believe that to survive another 250 years, we needed a baptism by fire. And we’re in the throes of that right now. But ultimately... we’re going to end up being a better country.” — Rob Carson ([35:41])

Key Segment Timestamps

• [00:42] – Episode kickoff, Thanksgiving talk, introducing the “soft insurrection” topic
• [04:07] – Trump/Elon Musk parody & economic highlights
• [06:34] – Jobs report, critique of Biden-era jobs
• [09:40] – Tariffs, “affordability crisis,” critique of mainstream media
• [13:57] – Tucker Carlson and Jeffrey Epstein, double standards
• [16:01] – Jasmine Crockett’s Epstein gaffe
• [22:02] – Victor Davis Hanson interview begins
• [23:34] – Hanson on farming, American character
• [24:42] – Political violence and government indifference
• [27:38] – Rhetorical escalation and insurrectionary precedents
• [32:40] – Intelligence agencies, selective law enforcement
• [35:10] – Trump’s resilience, America’s coming renewal
• [36:32] – Hanson’s closing thoughts

Tone & Style

• Rob Carson brings humor, sarcasm, and “everyman” cultural references to the show, mixing sharp political critique with playful musical parodies (e.g., Trump/Elon Musk “Reunited” spoof).
• Victor Davis Hanson’s style is sober, historical, and philosophical—grounding contemporary alarm in lessons from political and military history.
• The episode blends light-hearted banter with urgent warnings about the current American political climate.

In Summary

This episode takes listeners on a spirited, sometimes comedic but always serious journey through the perils of modern American political language, the real-life consequences of radical rhetoric, the economic and social drift of the past decade, and the existential stakes for the constitutional order. The detailed, passionate conversation with Victor Davis Hanson gives historical perspective, while Rob Carson’s signature humor, parodies, and constituent stories keep the tone energetic and accessible.

Essential listening for anyone interested in the constitution, the media, or the future of American democracy.