This Is the Democratic Party's Biggest Fear | Lisa McClain

Summary

---

Episode Overview

Podcast: The Rubin Report
Episode Title: This Is the Democratic Party's Biggest Fear | Lisa McClain
Date: December 27, 2025
Host: Dave Rubin
Guest: Congresswoman Lisa McClain

In this episode, Dave Rubin sits down with Congresswoman Lisa McClain to dissect the state of the Democratic Party, the Republican narrative on current successes, and strategies for messaging ahead of the midterms and America’s 250th anniversary. The conversation is candid, energetic, and laced with optimism, focusing on contrasts between current Republican achievements and perceived Democratic disarray.

---

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Democratic Party’s “Biggest Fear” and Lack of Vision

• Disunity and Lack of Leadership:
  • McClain repeatedly characterizes Democrats as "rudderless," "leaderless," and "visionless."
    • “Tell me one thing that really the Democratic Party agrees on. Not. Not really much.” (00:47, 06:55)
  • She argues the party is dominated by fringe voices—a phenomenon compared to a schoolyard bully that nobody confronts until someone takes a stand.
    • “Everyone’s afraid of the bully...until somebody comes up and punches that bully right in the face. And then it’s done, it’s over.” (00:47, 06:56)
• Contrast to Republicans:
  • McClain asserts that Republicans are on the offensive, touting “wins” and policy achievements.
  • She frames President Trump as having “super thick skin” and operating with a clear agenda, playing "chess," in contrast to Democratic discord. (08:18)

2. Messaging: The Key Political Battlefield

• Disconnect Between Achievements and Perception:
  • Rubin notes a repeated theme from his interviews: despite policy wins, Republicans struggle with messaging. (02:41)
  • McClain concurs, blaming the tendency to let "the voices of the few define the many" and the distraction of D.C. “bubble” politics, urging Republicans to reconnect with constituents. (03:05)
• Advice on Framing Issues:
  • “He who frames or she who frames the issue wins.” (05:35)
  • She encourages her party to talk about successes—like closed borders, lower prices—rather than defensively responding to Democratic criticisms.
  • “…just because somebody says something doesn’t mean we have to respond. We can talk about what we want to talk about.” (05:32)

3. Short-Term Memory and the Border

• Recounting Recent Progress:
  • Rubin and McClain highlight how quickly issues fade from public discourse once solved. McClain attributes this to Americans’ short memory and craving for immediate gratification.
    • “We were in a crisis situation [at the border]...Now tell me how much we talk about the border. Zero. Why? Because we fixed it.” (04:12)
  • She pokes fun at liberals' threats to leave the country if Trump wins, noting, “Nobody ever leaves… If this country is that bad and that terrible, there are flights leaving every day, but no one gets on them.” (05:13)

4. Congressional Culture and Progress

• Deadlines as a Productivity Tool:
  • McClain enjoys the end-of-year congressional rush, comparing legislative deadlines to cramming for a college term paper. (09:46)
  • She celebrates reforms away from omnibuses (“the Christmas tree that we loaded up”) and emphasizes the importance of deadlines for getting things done. (10:08)

5. Concerns and Optimism About the Midterms

• Midterm Stakes:
  • Rubin voices concern that if Democrats win, “all the good Trump stuff is basically done.” (10:45)
  • McClain is cautiously optimistic, emphasizing the tangible impact of tax cuts and how people will “actually feel it in their pocketbooks” with their coming tax returns.
    • “When they get their tax returns, they will actually feel it. They'll open up, 'Oh, wow, I've got $1,000 more. I've got $5,000 more.'” (11:38)

6. Seizing the 250th Anniversary Narrative

• Patriotic Messaging for America’s 250th:
  • Rubin advises Republicans to “go heavy on America's 250,” using the celebration to underscore Republican patriotism and put Democrats on the defensive. (12:07)
  • McClain agrees, framing America’s longevity as a “250-year experiment called capitalism under freedom with democracy.” (12:29)
  • She presses the contrast with socialist countries:
    • “Why don’t you go to Cuba, Venezuela? They have a little bit different concerns than we do.” (12:52)

7. Closing Optimism

• Spirit and Outlook:
  • McClain advocates optimism and a positive framing of the Republican agenda:
    • “If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you can’t. So to me, I’m an optimist. There’s nowhere that I’d rather be.” (13:22)
  • She concludes by emphasizing the uniqueness of America: it's a country people “risk their lives to get to,” not leave. (13:52)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Democratic Disarray:
  • Lisa McClain: “They’re rudderless, they’re leaderless, they’re visionless. Tell me one thing that really the Democratic Party agrees on. Not. Not really much.” (00:47, 06:56)
• On Messaging:
  • Lisa McClain: “He who frames or she who frames the issue wins.” (05:35)
  • Lisa McClain: “Just because somebody says something doesn’t mean we have to respond. We can talk about what we want to talk about. And that’s what the Democrats do so well… They throw out this lie and we feel the need to defend it. We don’t need to defend it, ‘cause it’s a frickin’ lie.” (05:35)
• On the Border:
  • Lisa McClain: “We fixed it. There’s not tens of millions of people pouring through our border. Trump fixed it. Okay, we’re done with that.” (04:12)
• On American Uniqueness:
  • Lisa McClain: “This is the country that people risk their lives to get to. How many people are leaving? They’re not.” (13:22)
  • Lisa McClain: “If we failed [as a nation], where else are you going?” (12:34)

---

Timestamps and Key Segments

• Democrats as leaderless, voice of the few dominates – 00:47, 06:56
• Republican optimism and accomplishments – 02:02, 03:05
• Border solved and short public memory – 04:12
• Debate on messaging/focusing on wins – 05:32, 05:35
• On Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Michigan politics – 06:22
• Comparing congressional deadlines to term papers – 09:46
• Midterms outlook and tax cut impact – 11:03, 11:38
• America’s 250th as messaging opportunity – 12:07, 12:29
• Optimism and American exceptionalism – 13:22, 13:52

---

This episode offers a high-energy, perspective-driven analysis of the political landscape, focusing on the Republican party's need for better messaging and celebration of real achievements, contrasted with a Democratic party seen as lacking direction. It ends on an optimistic note encouraging Republicans to seize the narrative as the country approaches a historic milestone.

Transcript

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Announcer]

Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores.

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Legal Disclaimer]

Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the cost of optional benefits. Plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Shopify helps you sell at every stage of your business.

[Shopify Narrator / Tax Network USA Announcer]

Like that.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Let's put it online and see what happens.

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Announcer]

Stage and the site is live.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

That reopened a store and need a fast checkout. Stage thanks. You're all set. That count it up and ship it.

[Shopify Narrator / Tax Network USA Announcer]

Around the globe Stage this one's going to Thailand.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

And that. Wait, did we just hit a million orders? Stage Whatever your stage, businesses that grow, grow with Shopify. So sign up for your $1 a month [e-mail]. listen. Well, I think the problem is, like I said earlier, the voices of the few speak for the many, right? And I think it's like a bully. Nobody wants to stand up to the bully. Everyone's afraid of the bully, that the bully's gonna steal my lunch money right up until somebody comes up and punches that bully right in the face. And then it's done, it's over. But you gotta have some courage to do that. And right now, that's what the Democratic Party is afraid of. They're rudderless, they're leaderless, they're visionless. Tell me one thing that really the Democratic Party agrees on. Not. Not really much.

[Interviewer / Host]

Congresswoman Lisa McClain. How are you?

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

I'm great.

[Shopify Narrator / Tax Network USA Announcer]

I said, how are you?

[Interviewer / Host]

When you walked in and you said something that I probably shouldn't repeat on air. So I just mentioned to you, this is. This is like my eighth interview in the last two. So I'm gonna just go like this. What do you wanna talk about? What do you wanna talk? What's going on in this crazy town?

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Oh, golly, no. It's amazing to me. I come from the business world. Very, very, very different. Is we're winning. We as Republicans are actually winning. Could we be on offense? Can we talk about it? I mean, my goodness gracious, look at what we've accomplished and in just one year, close the border. No one's talking about that anymore, Right? We're bringing prices down, mortgages down, interest rates are down. We have a massive hole that we're trying to dig out of and we're digging out of it. Could we act a little happy like we are? Think I'd rather be us than them right now? Dave, come on.

[Interviewer / Host]

So, interestingly, you just hit on something that I think has come up in almost every interview so far, which is, it seems to me there's a disconnect between what actually is happening and the messaging part. What? What is that? I mean, Trump is the master at messaging, so you can't blame Trump. So what is going on here? Because I'm with you, I get all the wins. I talk about the wins every day on my show. And yet there seems to be a certain set of people on our side that don't believe it or something like.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

That, because we let the voices of the few define the many. And we live in this little bubble up here in D.C. and we gotta get back home. We gotta reconnect with the people and the constituents in our districts. Right. Is there's always gonna be problems. There's always gonna be things that we need to fix. Right. That's just the nature of the beast. But let's play offense. Let's be positive. Would you rather be in the majority under the Trump administration where people focus on progress, growth, bringing manufacturing and jobs back to America, where you have capitalism again, where you have law and order again, or would you rather be under the Biden administration where big government's gonna tell you what to do, when to do, how to do it? It's like, come on, we are winning, people.

[Interviewer / Host]

How much of this is just a short term memory problem? Like, people even on our side maybe forget about how bad the border was literally less than a year ago, Right.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Now you are 100% spot on. We were in a crisis situation. And now tell me how much we talk about the border. Zero. Why? Because we fixed it. Yeah, take a victory lap on that. We fixed it. There's not tens of millions of people pouring through our border. Trump fixed it. Okay, we're done with that. Right. We have such as a society at times, we have such a short term memory, and we are so much on the immediate gratification that we, we need to stop and take a look at the totality of really what we, what we've accomplished. And I will say this, how many people are looking to leave this country? I mean, we have liberals all day long saying, if Trump gets elected, I'm moving out of the United States. You promise? Like, could you keep your commitment and go.

[Interviewer / Host]

I have a list of Democrat congresswomen I'd like to have leave the Country. Do you want to do what you can? Probably. I don't have. You'd have to show you the list. Do I probably got the same list.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

But nobody ever leaves?

[Shopify Narrator / Tax Network USA Announcer]

Yeah.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

I mean if this country is that bad and that terrible, there are flights leaving every day, but no one gets on them.

[Interviewer / Host]

So is it a messaging issue like something on the economy you just mentioned? Inflation's down, cost of goods is down, gas is certainly down, interest rates are down, interest rates are down a little.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Bit, you know, so.

[Interviewer / Host]

Okay, so then it's, then it's just.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Purely messaging, you know, I think part of it is he who frames or she who frames the issue wins. And right now just because somebody says something doesn't mean we have to respond. We can talk about what we wanna talk about. And that's what the Democrats do. So well, they throw out this lie and we feel the need to defend it. We don't need to defend it, cuz it's a frickin lie. I mean, come on, right? Let's talk about what I want to talk about, which is would you rather live in America? Would you rather have jobs coming back? Would you have. Rather have the border closed? Would you rather have law? And I can control the debate. Right, but you got to have your facts and you got to really believe it.

[Interviewer / Host]

I won't go into the list that I have on the pocket here, but I. All right, well let's try it this way. One of the people on the list is a Michigan congresswoman named Rashida Tlaib. She I think represents everything that is sort of wrong with the Democrat Party and sort of the never, always complains, never leaves and all this stuff. I mean, what is going on in Michigan that someone like her, who's so radically anti American and I have no problem saying that, has gained so much power in the Democrat party.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Yeah, well, I think the problem is, like I said earlier, the voices of the few speak for the many. Right? And I think it's like a bully. Nobody wants to stand up to the bully. Everyone's afraid of the bully, that the bully's gonna steal my lunch money. Right up until somebody comes up and punches that bully right in the face and then it's done, it's over. But you gotta have some courage to do that. And right now that's what the Democratic Party is afraid of. They're rudderless, they're leaderless, they're visionless. Tell me one thing that really the Democratic Party agrees on. Not, not really much. Right.

[Interviewer / Host]

Don't seem to like Chuck very much.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

No, Chuck is kind of on the outs, right? But they do agree on that. So maybe, maybe I'll give you that one. But, but sincerely, what's the Democrat party for?

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Announcer]

Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20 versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores.

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Legal Disclaimer]

Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the cost of optional benefits. Plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required.

[Interviewer / Host]

Right.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

They have no plan, no vision, no leader. Right, but what are they for? What do they stand for? Used to be global warming.

[Interviewer / Host]

Oh no, no.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

I mean climate change. Oh no, no, no. They're finding their way. And the problem, when you have this void or you have this vacuum of leadership, craziness comes into play. And that's exactly what you see right now. And compare and contrast that to President Trump, right? He's got super thick skin and he's playing chess. He has an agenda that he wants to accomplish and everything that he does is calculated towards that agenda.

[Shopify Narrator / Tax Network USA Announcer]

If you owe the IRS back taxes, they can garnish your wages, levy your bank accounts, even seize your retirement or take your home. Don't let the IRS target you. Call the professionals at Tax Network usa. Their tax lawyers and enrolled agents are experts in powerful programs that may even help you reduce or eliminate your tax debt. Tax Network USA is A plus rated and has saved clients over $1 billion. Whether you owe a few thousand or a few million, they can help. In just one phone call, you can start the process of stopping those threatening demand letters, ending the aggressive collections and resolving your tax problems once and for all. But you act now while you still have options. For a free consultation, call Tax Network USA today at 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com Dave don't let the IRS be the first to act.

[Interviewer / Host]

What do you make of this time of year here in this town, as things are about to close down, the deadlines are coming, things have to get signed basically one way or another. I mean, not exactly, but basically. I mean, how, how does that feel? You like this period?

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

I actually do. Because I think when you have a deadline, it's funny how things get done. It's no different than when we were in college.

[Interviewer / Host]

You mean when they have to go to vacation? Everybody's Ready to do exactly.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Or when you have a term paper, term paper due on Monday, you usually do get it done Sunday night, right? Maybe nobody was like me. Everybody got it done on Tuesday.

[Interviewer / Host]

I was definitely like you Monday morning, most likely.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

But, but the one thing I will say about this Congress and the really the past two as well, we don't have the end of the year omnibus anymore. Remember the Christmas tree that we loaded up? We've seemed to have broken that cycle, which is good. But if we don't put deadlines on something, it's not gonna get done. Cause there's always gonna be something better. Or we should do this. Or at some point in time, we have to have these family discussions, we have to have these disagreements, we have to have these debates, so to speak, and then put the most conservative bill on the floor and vote on it. And that's what we're doing. But you gotta have a deadline or nothing's ever gonna get done.

[Interviewer / Host]

So beyond messaging and getting some of the policies right and that kind of thing, I mean, the conventional wisdom here and half the people that have sat in that chair today have said it's not looking good for the midterms. I mean, what do you have to do to stem that? Because if the Democrats take power, all the good Trump stuff is basically done. I mean, the term is pretty much over.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Then it'll halt. And everybody knows that. Here's what I know. A year before the midterms, that's like an eternity in politics. I mean, everything can switch on a dime. So different than a lot of my counterparts, I'm actually optimistic, cautiously optimistic, but I am optimistic. The whole reason why we signed the one big beautiful bill or the working families tax cuts by July 4th was so it could take effect this year. Right. Remember all of the tax savings, the no tax on tips, the no tax on overtime.

[Interviewer / Host]

Right.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

That is retroactive. And people will actually feel it in their pocketbooks. No one's feeling it now. And I think that's a big difference. Because Biden gaslit the American people, right? When they get their tax returns, they will actually feel it. They'll open up. Oh, wow, I've got $1,000 more. I've got $5,000 more. Business will begin to invest, et cetera, et cetera. And that's where I think the first end of the first quarter, beginning of second quarter of 26 will be massive.

[Interviewer / Host]

Can I give you a little advice as one of the primetime people in the Republican Party? I think you guys really need to go heavy on America's 250. Like, I think that it will be a good way to garner, to kind of, well, garner support for the Republicans, but also kind of expose the anti Americanism of the Democrats. People want to celebrate the birthday.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

They do.

[Interviewer / Host]

But I think you guys are gonna have to really grab that and run with that would be my one piece of unsettling.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

I would agree with you wholeheartedly. I mean, 250 years of this experiment called capitalism under freedom with democracy. If we fail. Think of what you just said. If we failed, where else are you going?

[Interviewer / Host]

No, that's it. No, no, literally, we're all. We're done.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

I mean the stuff we complain about here. Why don't you go to Cuba, Venezuela? They have a little bit different concerns than we do.

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah, I live in Miami. I've got all the good Cubans with me right now, so it's okay. Anything else on your mind before we wrap this up?

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

No, just again, you're feeling.

[Interviewer / Host]

I'm glad to see this. I am glad. I said to Jim Jordan earlier, because he always comes with, in with a smile too, that it's like, it's good to see some people that can have the positive part of this because I know that it gets grading and all that.

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't. So to me, I'm an optimist. There's nowhere that I'd rather be. Under the leadership of President Trump and the Republicans, we have the right message. We just need to go out there and sell it. Right. Remind people, just like you said, where else would you rather be? I'll tell you. This is the country that people risk their lives to get to. How many people are leaving? They're not. Because this is, I mean, these are.

[Interviewer / Host]

Great times when the cameras go off. Can we compare lists?

[Congresswoman Lisa McClain]

Yeah. Deal.

[Interviewer / Host]

Thanks.

[Libsyn Ads Announcer]

Marketing is hard, but I'll tell you a little secret. It doesn't have to be. Let me point something out. You're listening to a podcast right now and it's great. You love the host. You seek it out and download it. You listen to it while driving, working out, cooking, even going to the bathroom. Podcasts are a pretty close companion. And this is a podcast ad. Did I get your attention? You can reach great listeners like yourself with podcast advertising from Libsyn ads. Choose from hundreds of top podcasts offering host endorsements or run a pre produced ad like this one across thousands of shows to reach your target audience in their favorite podcasts with Libsyn ads, go to Libsynads.com that's L I B S Y N ads.com today.