Podcast Summary: The Tara Palmeri Show, April 7, 2026
Guest: George Conway
Episode Title: "George Conway: Why impeaching Trump hasn’t worked"

Episode Overview

In this candid and in-depth conversation, Tara Palmeri sits down with George Conway—a former Republican power player turned Democratic congressional candidate—for a wide-ranging discussion about the prospects and pitfalls of impeaching Donald Trump for a third time. Conway, running in New York’s 12th Congressional District, shares his prosecutorial mindset, his transformation from “Never Trump” conservative to Democrat, and his vision for Congress’s role in an era of unprecedented executive corruption. Alongside hard-hitting political analysis, Palmeri and Conway dig into topics ranging from the Epstein investigation to the effect of dynastic politics, the trials of campaign branding, and what it means to be a fiscal conservative today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Limits and Necessity of Impeachment

• Why Impeachment Failed—And Why Try Again?

  • Conway argues previous impeachments failed because they were curtailed by partisan rule-bending and lacked real trial elements (15:38).
  • With a likely larger Democratic Senate majority, he envisions rewriting the rules for a “real trial” with cross-examination, live witnesses, and “an education for the American people” about presidential misconduct (15:38–17:10).
  • On political will: "We don't have a choice... If we can't exercise the duty and power that Congress has... we don't have a constitution." (George Conway, 13:36)
  • Growing cracks in Republican loyalty; believes exhaustion with Trump’s scandals could tip the Senate and the public.

• On Impacting Trump’s Base

  • Palmeri questions whether new impeachment energy might simply galvanize Trump’s supporters (18:18).
  • Conway counters that moral and constitutional duty override political calculations (18:55).
  • He cites shrinking support for Trump among independents and Hispanics, emphasizing that the general public has “had enough” (20:48).

2. The Epstein Case and Oversight

• Conway’s Pledge for Deeper Investigation

  • Strong commitment to continuing the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, Trump’s alleged involvement, DOJ mishandling, and institutional coverups if elected (08:05).
  • “This was able to happen for so long and that it was covered up for so long... The Justice Department was part of the cover-up.” (George Conway, 08:05–09:45)

• On Congressional Hearings and the Law

  • Frustrations with performative hearings—calls for precise questioning and forensic legal methods to pin down truth (04:43).
  • Recommends following “the paper trail” for settlements and enforcing real accountability on the Hill (06:47).

3. Political Identity & Party Realignment

• From Federalist Society to Democrat

  • Conway addresses skepticism about his late switch from Republican/Independent to Democrat (31:15).
  • Explains philosophical journey: “Seeing that debacle... made me think about, well, why am I a Republican? I'm a Republican because that's what I was in 1980 and what's happened since then and where are we now?” (31:15)
  • Sees the current Democratic Party as the true party of “rule of law, limited government,” and “fiscal responsibility” (35:41).
  • Flatly states he’s “done switching” parties: “The next time a Norman Republican is... by the time that happens, I’ll... be long out of public life.” (39:58–40:17)

• Reproductive Rights

  • Clarifies he has never supported overturning Roe v. Wade as a matter of outcome—wanted a legislative solution, and now backs codifying Roe in law (37:55–39:29).

4. The Race Against Jack Schlossberg & Political Branding

• Substance vs. Celebrity

  • Palmeri probes the challenge of running against a Kennedy amidst a media-fueled dynastic buzz (25:20).
  • Conway: “At the end of the day, people are gonna take a good, hard look at both of us... and make a judgment as to who has the experience at this point.” (25:20–26:53)
  • Emphasizes focusing on “substance” rather than trading on brand or family legacy (29:27).

• Polling Snapshot

  • Current poll: Schlossberg at 25%, Conway at 16%, with 33% undecided (30:15).
  • Only one in seven voters in the district is a Republican, so outreach to Democratic skeptics is key (30:30).

5. On Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, and Realignment

• “The Fiscal Conservatives Now Are the Democrats”

  • Argues that Democrats, not Republicans, are bearing the mantle of fiscal responsibility, seeking ways to pay for needed programs (36:26).
  • Critiques Republican penchant for tax cuts without offsets, drawing analogies to Trump’s personal business bankruptcies (36:26–37:55).
  • “My fiscal conservatism... after watching decades of Republicans cutting taxes and... just creating more deficits, it doesn't appeal to me anymore.” (36:26)

• Navigating Bipartisan Voting

  • Conway is wary of voting with Republicans, noting: “I couldn’t vote for a Republican. I would not vote for Republicans... maybe Adam Kinziger.” (35:47)

6. Trump’s “Military Operation” and Legal Evasions

• On Trump Downsizing “War” Language
  • Trump’s recent refusal to call his foreign intervention a “war” because of lack of Congressional authorization is, in Conway’s words, “basically pleading guilty” to illegality (42:37).
  • “He sometimes tells the truth in a revealing way, right? ...he often confesses to things without even realizing because he's not very bright.” (43:40)

7. Personal Motivation for Running

• Reluctant Candidate
  • Conway admits he wouldn’t be running for office if Trump wasn’t president, emphasizing his sense of moral urgency: “If Kamala had won, I would never have even thought of running for Congress.” (40:51)
  • Credits Molly Jong-Fast with nudging him into the race (41:43).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If Congress can't do it, nobody can. And it means the American people will not have the government that they are entitled to under the Constitution...” (17:19, George Conway)

• On the impact of repeated impeachment: “We can't be that rat or that person. We need, we need to look and say we're in a totally new environment, a totally new ballgame and we cannot give up.” (21:56, George Conway)

• On new party alignment: “In a lot of ways, the conservative party today is the Democratic Party... gradual managing change. The only sensible people about this now are Democrats who want to make things better and work on improving things at least incrementally and not basically just trashing everything like the Republicans are.” (35:41, George Conway)

• On Trump’s legal evasions: “He sometimes tells the truth in a revealing way, right? ...he often confesses to things without even realizing because he's not very bright.” (43:40, George Conway)

• On personal evolution: “It appears he's a conservative looking for a label that fits what he believes in his ethics. Being able to shift is when one's reality changes. It's indicative of a person with insight.” (44:57, Tess Traylor, audience member)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:49] – Opening on the campaign and need for effective cross-examination in Congress
• [08:05] – Conway pledges to further Epstein investigation if elected
• [13:34] – Analysis: Why impeachment hasn’t “worked” and why it’s still essential
• [15:38] – Vision for a “real trial” in the Senate, shifting public opinion
• [18:18] – Risks of energizing Trump’s base v. need for constitutional action
• [25:20] – Competing with a Kennedy: substance versus social media branding
• [31:15] – Conway’s political transformation and Democratic embrace
• [36:26] – The new “fiscal conservatives” and party realignment
• [42:37] – Trump redefining the war for legal cover; Conway’s legal breakdown
• [46:47] – Audience reflection on Conway’s ideological migration and summary

Concluding Remarks

George Conway presents himself as a relentless legalist with a moral compass, determined to pursue both oversight and reform, and to help lead a bruised Congress through another constitutional crisis. For skeptical Democrats, he lays out a journey of principle and painful reckoning with his Republican past. Throughout, the tone is urgent, unvarnished, and focused on “getting to the bottom of things”—true to Tara Palmeri’s calling card in American political journalism.