The Victor Davis Hanson Show
Episode: “Barack and Hillary, Singing the Same Old Song”
Air Date: October 2, 2025
Hosts: Victor Davis Hanson & Jack Fowler
Episode Overview
This episode centers on recent public comments by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, exploring the rhetoric of generational and racial critique in American political discourse. Hanson and Fowler discuss the implications of these comments, the left’s approach to identity politics, and what they see as a growing hypocrisy in American elite circles. They also analyze Peggy Noonan’s take on the religious turn in the GOP following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and cover an array of current political and policy stories, such as Trump’s challenge to birthright citizenship, a high-profile ICE arrest, and the impact of unregulated commercial driver’s licenses. The tone is spirited, unapologetically critical, and often sardonic.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Barack Obama’s Critique of “Old Men” and Generational Shifts
[05:07–14:04]
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Obama’s Comments: On a London trip, Barack Obama made a veiled dig at “old men who put their name on everything,” which Hanson interprets as an indirect jab at Donald Trump’s branding—while ignoring his own presidential library.
- Victor’s Take: Calls out Obama for “hypocrisy," referencing Obama’s purchase of beachfront property after warning about climate change and the large presidential library bearing his name.
- Quote: “He is becoming an old man...[who] wants his name on a building.” (C, 08:10)
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Identity Politics & White Male Critique: Hanson reacts to the frequency of negative references to white men by progressives.
- Highlights double standards: “You can use language you would use for no other people.” (C, 10:49)
- Suggests not engaging with “self-identifiers,” whether racial, gendered, or otherwise: “Just say, I’m done. Tune out. Because they’re tribalist.” (C, 12:24)
- Warns that this tribalism risks ‘a war of everybody against everybody.’
2. Hillary Clinton’s Critique of Christian White Men
[14:04–23:04]
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Clinton’s MSNBC Remarks: Criticizes nostalgia for a “world ... dominated by white men of a certain persuasion, a certain religion...”
- Hanson revisits Clinton’s political opportunism, accusing her of inconsistency; playing the “race card” in her 2008 primary versus Obama while later condemning white male dominance.
- Quote: “She never had any skills to make. She wasn’t a great lawyer, she wasn’t an engaging person. She was a grifter.” (C, 16:21)
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Societal Progress & Race: Hanson argues that America’s “western civilization, European tradition, Judeo-Christian tradition ... gave people freedom, economic prosperity, personal security. And that’s why they came and that’s why it became what it is.” (C, 20:55)
- Says critics exploit white gulit while enjoying American opportunity: “Ilhan Omar doesn’t say this was a horrible place ... So I’m leaving. No, she says it’s a horrible place of white men and ... I guilt them all the time and play victim.” (C, 21:42)
3. Peggy Noonan on Christianity and the GOP
[25:25–30:07]
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Noonan’s Column: Observes a “takeover of the previously patronized” Evangelical/Christian core in the GOP, citing the explicitly Christian tone at Charlie Kirk’s memorial.
- Hanson affirms a shift away from cultural Christianity toward open, explicit faith in GOP leadership.
- Discusses America’s founding deism and the civilizing, law-abiding aspects of religious societies.
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Quote: “The people that run the party are going to be much more explicit and candid and proud of their religious fealty and belief.” (C, 26:36)
4. Immigration-Related Issues
[32:39–53:10]
A. Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Challenge
[32:39–40:07]
- Background: Trump asks SCOTUS to review whether the 14th Amendment confers citizenship to all born on US soil.
- Legal Context: VDH argues the Amendment “was designed to give freed slaves the right to vote” and includes a qualifier about jurisdiction.
- Personal Anecdote: Hanson recounts an encounter with a pregnant illegal immigrant seeking delivery in the US as an example of current birthright practices.
B. ICE Arrest of Des Moines Superintendent
[40:07–43:35]
- Arrest of Ian Roberts, illegal immigrant with a weapons charge, earning $300k as Des Moines Public Schools head.
- Hanson notes Roberts fled and was lauded as a “folk hero by the left.”
- Memorable moment: Sarcastic commentary on the left's embrace of controversial figures: “He is already a hero...because there’s nobody else.” (C, 41:50)
C. CDL Fraud and Dangerous Trucking
[43:35–57:25]
- Sean Duffy (DoT Secretary) exposes audit showing lax oversight, illegals obtaining commercial licenses, and spike in truck accidents.
- Hanson details personal observations of declining road safety and holds failed state policy responsible—noting the complexity of the issue given the prominence of immigrant communities, especially Punjabi Sikhs, in trucking.
- Quote: “I’ve never seen anything like it. Almost every single trip there is a slowdown because a truck is involved in an accident.” (C, 53:51)
5. California Policy and Political Maneuvers
[65:24–74:01]
- CalProp 50: State ballot measure to undo redistricting protections and let California Democrats gerrymander.
- Hanson highlights the misleading “temporary” nature of such measures and the partisan abuse of process.
- Notes the “exodus” of 300,000 upper-middle-class residents annually, fueling concern about policy and representation.
6. Listener Feedback & UN Stories
[74:01–78:54]
- Fowler shares listener comments—military members critiquing anti-Trump sentiment in the officer corps and tour guides noting anti-American rhetoric at the UN.
- Hanson gives a “pentifecta” of affronts to Trump at the UN—ranging from malfunctioning escalators and teleprompters to translation gaffes and security breaches.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “He is becoming an old man ... who wants his name on a building.” — Victor Davis Hanson on Obama (08:10)
- “If you see somebody that self-identifies, just say, I’m done ... because they’re tribalist.” — VDH (12:24)
- “She was a grifter. She grifted off ... she stayed with that philandering, misogynistic husband of hers…” — VDH on Hillary Clinton (16:21)
- “None of this is going to be sustainable ... the biggest indicator of equality is economic viability.” — VDH (17:50)
- On America’s founding: “The word white and European is not in the constitution...the natural expression of the founders’ vision was a society of anybody who wanted to be free, who was human.” — VDH (19:20)
- “Just because you say I’m a racist or a homophobic doesn’t mean it is. Calm down. Problem’s in your mind, not mine.” — VDH (22:35)
- “The people that run the party are going to be much more explicit and candid and proud of their religious fealty and belief.” — VDH (26:36)
- “Any ballot measure that says it’s temporary is always put up by the left and it’s never temporary.” — VDH (67:10)
- “Almost every single trip there is a slowdown because a truck is involved in an accident.” — VDH (53:51)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Intro/main theme begins: 02:52
- Obama comments on old men/power: 05:07
- Discussion on identity politics & ‘white men’: 08:10
- Hillary’s remarks and critique: 14:04
- Peggy Noonan/Christianity & GOP: 25:25
- Trump/Birthright Citizenship: 32:39
- ICE arrest/Des Moines superintendent: 40:07
- Commercial trucking/CDL fraud: 43:35
- California Prop 50: 65:24
- Listener feedback, UN stories: 74:01
Tone & Style
- Tone is critical and unfiltered, sometimes sardonic, with VDH prone to historical comparisons and broad social analysis.
- Fowler plays the straight man and moves the conversation, providing headlines and inviting Victor’s long-form commentary.
- Both hosts share frustration at what they perceive as double standards, loss of civil discourse, and the destabilization of American civic order.
Conclusion
Listeners are offered VDH’s historically grounded, often combative perspectives on identity politics, elite hypocrisy, and policy failures. The episode is a sweeping commentary on current and perennial political trends—especially the intersection of race, religion, and partisan maneuvering in American life.
End of Summary