The Rubin Report | "Correcting the Liberal Myths of George Washington | Presidents Series | Andrew Klavan"

Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Dave Rubin
Guest: Andrew Klavan (Host of The Andrew Klavan Show)

Episode Overview

In this President’s Week special, Dave Rubin sits down with Andrew Klavan to challenge modern misconceptions about George Washington. They explore Washington’s character, his unique virtues, his pivotal role in founding the United States, and the recurring critique regarding his status as a slave owner. The conversation seeks to separate myth from reality, contextualize Washington’s accomplishments, and reflect on how current attitudes toward American history eclipse the magnitude of the country’s founding.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. George Washington’s Character and Its Relevance Today

• Washington’s Moral Superiority

  • Klavan opens by asserting that Washington was “a better person than you are” ([00:00], [02:01]), emphasizing that understanding greatness in historical figures requires humility toward the limitations of our presentism.
  • He believes Washington’s awareness of slavery’s immorality and his decision to free his slaves upon his death set him apart from other slaveholding founders ([00:00], [02:01]).

• The Sword Surrender: An Act of Virtue

  • Klavan highlights Washington’s “handing over a sword to the civilian authorities after the war” ([02:01]) as a rare and extraordinary relinquishment of power, comparing it to historical figures like Cincinnatus but noting Washington “gave away an empire.”

2. Misconceptions and Modern Criticism

• Slavery and Statues

  • Klavan repeatedly addresses criticism regarding Washington’s slaveholding, contextualizing it within the norms of his era and pointing out Washington’s unique steps toward emancipation ([02:01]).
  • “All the people who tear down statues, all the people who burn the flag don't understand how bad they are and what they would have been like in this situation” ([04:55])—Andrew Klavan.

• The Problem with Modern Historical Framing

  • Both Rubin and Klavan critique modern museums (like Mount Vernon and Monticello) for overemphasizing slavery at the expense of a fuller historical narrative ([07:51], [25:38]).
  • Klavan: “We want to hear...about the slaves...but I don't want to only hear about that. I want to hear about this miraculous thing that happened that made even people who are descended from slaves glad they live here.” ([22:20])

3. Washington’s Virtue, Faith, and Discipline

• Self-Made Gentleman

  • Washington “dedicated himself to becoming that man,” self-educating in etiquette and discipline ([09:36]).
  • Memorable anecdote: When Gouverneur Morris tries to treat Washington casually, he’s so intimidated by Washington’s presence he “wouldn't do it again for anything on earth” ([10:49]).

• Faith and Morality

  • Washington was a man of Anglican faith, speaking more of “Providence” than overt Christian terms, and believed the new government depended on the people's morality ([11:41]).
  • “Providence is God's will on your country, and you have to deserve it.” ([12:03])—Andrew Klavan.

4. Washington’s Relevance for America’s Present Fragility

• What Would Washington Think?

  • Klavan assesses the state of the nation entering its 250th year, believing the country’s current divisions, high taxes, and threats to free speech would deeply worry Washington ([14:51]).
  • “I think under the Biden administration, the attacks on free speech, I think would have been appalling to him. And the fact our press, which I think is corrupt, is not as bad as the press was then...But...it's so monocultural, all of the press is really on one side.” ([14:51])

• Importance of National Character and Unity

  • Most Americans, says Klavan, could agree on much, but “we're kept apart by communicators who make us look more divided” ([14:51]).
  • He invokes Reagan: “Every generation has to relearn freedom...and I think Washington would have agreed with that.” ([14:51])

5. Washington as a Unifying Figure Among Geniuses

• Not the Greatest Thinker, But the Greatest Leader
  • While not a philosophical giant like Jefferson or Adams, Washington “embodied the American man” and united the diverse, argumentative Founders ([19:51]).
  • “All of them stopped when Washington came into the room...he's the necessary man. Without him, the rest of the country’s not going to happen.” ([19:51])—Andrew Klavan

6. Washington’s Example: Presidency, Precedent, and Human Limits

• Setting Standards by Stepping Down

  • Washington’s voluntary departure after two terms set a norm for peaceful transfers of power ([21:18]).
  • “Why are we so sure of our army in this country?...Because George Washington handed his sword over to Annapolis. That's why.” ([21:52])—Andrew Klavan

• Personal Hardships and Humanity

  • The myth of “wooden teeth” is debunked; his dental pain is recounted as a marker of how much he bore personally while shaping a nation ([26:37]).
  • Klavan: “Anybody who honestly looks back on his life will wake up at three o'clock in the morning in a sweat at some of the things he's done...He just didn’t.” ([26:55])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Washington’s Unique Greatness & Moral Humility

  "George Washington was a better man than you are. By which I don't mean than Dave Rubin...he was a better man...than everyone."
  —Andrew Klavan ([02:01])

• On Modern Criticisms of Washington

  "All the people who tear down statues, all the people who burn the flag don't understand how bad they are and what they would have been like in this situation."
  —Andrew Klavan ([04:55])

• On American Political Genius

  "If you read the Federalist Papers, you think like, oh, these guys knew everything about politics there is to know. They knew all the basics about who people are, what they're like...But here's the thing. They were all different...Washington...embodied them all."
  —Andrew Klavan ([19:51])

• Virtue as the Foundation of Freedom

  "You cannot have the wild freedoms that enslave you...the most freedom comes to the people who are the most moral."
  —Andrew Klavan ([12:03])

• Washington’s Sovereign Example

  “He set that standard and it became part of our zeitgeist, part of our blood, that. That's the way we behave.”
  —Andrew Klavan ([22:20])

• The Lost Art of Virtue and Perspective

  "Nobody is naturally like a gentleman. Nobody is naturally virtuous. He made himself that. And that just left this stamp on the country."
  —Andrew Klavan ([25:38])

Important Segment Timestamps

• Washington’s Slaveholding and Moral Context – [00:00], [02:01]
• The Surrender of Power (“Gave away an Empire”) – [02:01]
• Flawed Modern Framing of Founders – [07:51], [25:38]
• Washington’s Personal Discipline and Virtue – [09:36]
• On Faith and the Necessity of Morality – [11:41]
• Speculation on Washington’s View of America in 2026 – [14:51]
• Political Diversity of the Founders – [19:51]
• Presidency Precedents and the Deep State – [21:18]
• On Debunking the Wooden Teeth Myth – [26:37]

Tone & Style

The conversation blends insightful historical analysis with humor (joking about wooden teeth), directness, and a shared reverence for the Founders’ morality. Klavan especially adopts a reflective tone, urging humility, gratitude, and a deeper recognition of the exceptional qualities embodied by Washington. Rubin keeps the conversation lively, personal, and accessible for contemporary listeners.

Summary Takeaway

Andrew Klavan and Dave Rubin urge listeners to move beyond simplistic, presentist judgments of George Washington and instead appreciate the intentional virtue, discipline, and sacrifice that defined America’s first president—and, by extension, the country’s foundational idea of liberty. They warn that current cultural and historical narratives risk erasing the miraculous and hard-fought achievements that made the United States exceptional, emphasizing that freedom and unity depend on remembering—and aspiring to—the standards set by Washington.