The Rubin Report
Host: Dave Rubin
Episode: Watch Zohran Get Visibly Frustrated as His Fox Interview Backfires Spectacularly
Date: October 17, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Dave Rubin, broadcasting from Melbourne, Australia, dissects the ongoing leftward shift in American politics by analyzing recent political interviews and policy debates. Using the example of New York City Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s Fox News appearance, Rubin critiques progressive policies on taxation, city spending, public safety, and broader ideological trends. The episode juxtaposes this with current judicial decisions, government shutdown drama in Washington, party dynamics, and commentary on global responses to crime. The recurring theme is the cyclical nature of societal strength and weakness, encapsulated in the meme: "Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, weak men create hard times."
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Left's Policy Agenda, Framed by Zohran Mamdani's Interview
[03:35–12:00]
- Rubin highlights Mamdani’s proposal to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, arguing it is emblematic of a broader leftist agenda focused on high spending and expanded social programs without practical funding mechanisms.
- Main Critique: Rubin repeatedly claims progressive rhetoric is just "a package…what's underneath is very nasty," calling Mamdani's proposals "meaningless drivel" and "thin veneer" for greater state control.
- Rubin plays up the slippery slope that “fair share” rhetoric leads to ever-increasing taxes:
"Who decides what is fair?...There's going to be someone more radical behind you..." — Dave Rubin [05:33]
- He notes the unsustainable fiscal math: proposed free public services could comprise about 10% of NYC's already massive budget, with no credible plan for lasting funding.
2. Debating Tax Breaks & Economic Incentives
[06:33–08:00]
- Rubin explains the logic behind tax breaks for corporations (e.g., Tesla/Elon Musk deals) as a competitive tool to attract investment and employment, contrasting it with what he sees as leftist hostility to pro-business incentives.
3. The Hamas Question & International Law
[10:52–12:40]
- Mamdani evaded directly condemning Hamas, pivoting instead to platitudes about peace and justice.
- Rubin ridicules this as both a dodge and “utterly disqualifying,” particularly Mamdani’s emphasis on international law over the U.S. Constitution:
"Him saying, I will abide by international law, that literally should be disqualifying." — Dave Rubin [11:24]
4. Crime, Public Safety, and “Free Buses”
[14:46–19:19]
- Discusses Mamdani’s rationale that free buses will reduce assaults on drivers, with Rubin dismissing this as impractical:
"Free buses will stop the assault on bus drivers because there's a lot of people getting on buses that can't afford... and then they just assault bus drivers. First off, there's no evidence of that." — Dave Rubin [15:59]
- He argues such policies increase homelessness and crime while giving progressives a false sense of moral superiority.
- Notable quote, summarizing the critique of leniency:
"Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." — Jason Howerton (quoted by Dave Rubin) [16:58]
5. Democrats, Crime, & Soft on Criminals Narrative
[20:00–25:20]
- Rubin highlights a controversial verdict where teens who attacked a “Doge employee” were only given probation, linking it to a pattern of lax leftist justice.
- Features a Trump reaction:
"If that happens, they're going to grow up. They're going to be real bad. They're going to cause a lot of problems." — Donald Trump [23:57]
- Compares Florida judge’s light bond for a repeat, violent offender as evidence that progressive judicial approaches have spread even to red states.
6. Global Parallels: Melbourne’s Machete Ban
[25:20–29:10]
- Describes a spike of machete violence in Australia and the government’s response: a ban on machete possession. Rubin analogizes this to American/UK bans on guns or knives, attributing these measures to an unwillingness to confront the real roots of crime.
7. Government Shutdown Spectacle & Party Infighting
[29:14–39:25]
- AOC and Bernie Sanders town hall is highlighted as emblematic of progressive priorities — keeping the government open is less about serving people and more about defeating Trump.
- Rubin and others speculate on AOC’s political ambitions (possibly running against Chuck Schumer).
- Critiques both sides of the aisle for an aging, out-of-touch leadership:
"Why are these people still in government?" — Dave Rubin [35:40]
- John Fetterman is praised as a “sane Democrat,” under fire from Democrats for not “demonizing MAGA.”
8. The Real Cost of the Shutdown
[39:25–41:00]
- Stephen A. Smith calls out the injustice of furloughed workers not being paid while politicians do:
"[A man] has to work on DoorDash to help pay for his daughter’s tuition... everyone up here getting paid, but he ain't." — Stephen A. Smith [39:25]
- Rubin suggests politicians who trigger shutdowns should not get back pay.
9. Polling & Prospect of Democrat House Majority
[41:00–42:00]
- Notes polling data suggesting Democrats could retake the House, warning of the consequences if “Democrat lunacy” is given national scope.
10. Leadership, Strength, and Immigration
[44:00–46:30]
- Trump touts successful Middle East negotiations and possible Ukraine peace talks.
- Rubin contrasts this with Minnesota’s new “driver’s licenses for all” law, linking it to claims of illegal voting and demographic shifts.
- Returns to his cautionary theme:
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. Weak men create hard times.” — Dave Rubin (refrain throughout)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Progressivism’s “Package”:
"When you open up this beautiful communist package he’s trying to give you, what you are gonna find inside is a hot, steaming pile of bullshit." — Dave Rubin [04:18]
-
On International Law:
"There's no such thing as international law. It's a globalist concoction...designed to basically destroy the nation state." — Dave Rubin [11:24]
-
On Crime Policy:
"But when you are being raped by a homeless man who smells like urine on a bus, at least you will be able to say, well, he got on for free. I'm such a good, tolerant, progressive." — Dave Rubin [17:57]
-
On Fetterman’s Candidacy:
"All he's done is say Trump ending wars is good and that all MAGA are not fascist. Right. That's all he's done. Well, he's been pro Israel, which the Democrat Party is...against at this point." — Dave Rubin [38:19]
-
On Politicians and Shutdowns:
"How about going forward...if any politician signs on to a government shutdown, they do not get paid. But not only do they not get paid during the shutdown, they don't get back pay." — Dave Rubin [40:34]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [03:35] — Introduction of Zohran Mamdani Fox News interview: taxation & spending debate.
- [06:33] — Discussion of corporate tax breaks and economic incentives.
- [10:52] — Martha MacCallum grills Mamdani on Hamas; evasion and international law.
- [14:21] — Caroline Levitt and Rubin on visa revocations for pro-Hamas demonstrators.
- [15:51] — Mamdani claims free buses will prevent bus driver assaults; Rubin’s rebuttal.
- [18:51] — Analysis of Mamdani's “Survivor” style campaign commercial.
- [20:00] — Story of “Big Balls” and judge’s controversial ruling.
- [23:18] — Trump’s reaction to lenient sentencing for violent teens.
- [24:26] — Orange County Judge sets low bond for repeat violent offender.
- [25:20] — Melbourne’s machete ban as an analogy to American/UK policy responses.
- [29:14] — CNN government shutdown town hall coverage with AOC and Bernie.
- [35:19] — Frailty in leadership: Mitch McConnell and generational critique.
- [36:37] — Fetterman’s dissent from Democratic orthodoxy.
- [39:25] — Stephen A. Smith on government shutdown’s unfairness.
- [41:00] — Kalshi polling on the House; warning of Democrat resurgence.
- [44:00] — Trump on Ukraine/Russia and Middle East peace.
- [46:04] — Minnesota licenses, illegal voting claims, and return to the main “strong men/weak men” theme.
Tone & Style
Rubin’s tone is irreverent, sardonic, and combative. He mixes humor, personal anecdotes (e.g., eating kangaroo in Australia), sharp ideological critiques, and pop-culture references to drive home the perceived absurdity of contemporary leftist policies and political figures. The episode is structured less as traditional interview journalism and more as an opinion-driven monologue interspersed with news clips and social media commentary.
Summary
This episode serves as both a pointed critique of progressive political strategies—framing their policies as unsustainable and rooted in control rather than real problem-solving—and as a call to more traditional ("strong") values. Through the lens of Zohran Mamdani’s floundering Fox News interview, Rubin presents the left’s vision as hollow and destructive, culminating in a wider warning to listeners that they must actively choose the kind of society they want, because, as he often repeats, “weak men create hard times.”