Podcast Summary: The Victor Davis Hanson Show Episode: Dawn of a New Era: Inauguration, Executive Orders and Pardons
Release Date: January 24, 2025
Hosts: Victor Davis Hanson and Jack Fowler
Co-hosts: Sammy Wink (occasionally)
Description: In this episode, Victor Davis Hanson and co-host Jack Fowler delve into the recent presidential inauguration, analyzing the inaugural speech, executive orders, and the implications of preemptive pardons. The discussion also touches upon historical reflections, military strategies, and contemporary political dynamics.

1. Reflections on the Inauguration Speech

Victor Davis Hanson begins by critiquing President Donald Trump's inaugural address, highlighting its departure from typical aspirational tones to a more operational and confrontational stance.

• Operational vs. Aspirational:
  "That speech that Trump gave was unlike most presidential speeches, even his own, that are aspirational. In other words, they're idealistic, they're utopia we can do."
  [05:29]

• Direct Criticism of the Biden Administration:
  "He mentioned the Bidens by name. A lot of people got very angry at that. George Will, whom I know and I respect, said that that was the worst inauguration address he'd ever heard. And he said it was mean-spirited."
  [05:29]

Victor underscores the speech's focus on actionable items such as lowering gas prices, reducing DEI initiatives, and bolstering the military, contrasting it with previous administrations' more idealistic approaches.

2. Executive Orders and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)

The hosts discuss the significant number of executive orders signed by Trump, particularly targeting DEI initiatives entrenched within government agencies.

• Challenging DEI Mandates:
  "Getting rid of DEI is so entrenched in all of those cabinets... they're going to sue us. Just get rid of it. Let them sue us."
  [21:37]

Victor shares a personal anecdote about Proposition 209 in California, illustrating the challenges of dismantling long-standing affirmative action policies:
"When I was in California... I thought, well, this is diversity. They didn't quite use that word yet."
[21:37]

• Implications for the Bureaucratic Swamp State:
  "These people in the bureaucratic, administrative swamp state are lawless, and they feel that they've been so pampered that they are a law unto themselves, judge, jury and executioner."
  [21:37]

Victor warns of the challenges in enforcing these executive orders, anticipating legal battles and resistance from entrenched DEI advocates within federal agencies.

3. Biden’s Preemptive Pardons

Sammy Wink introduces the topic of President Joe Biden's preemptive pardons, prompting a detailed analysis from Victor.

• Historical Rarity of Preemptive Pardons:
  "It's only been done one time... Jerry Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for any crimes up to that point."
  [47:51]

• Legal Implications and Constraints:
  "When they say I don't want to take it or I want to, they don't have a choice... they are pardoned."
  [47:51]
  "They can't invoke the Fifth Amendment because they can't."
  [47:51]

Victor explains that preemptive pardons cover potential future crimes related to past actions but do not protect against subsequent offenses. He highlights the legal exposure this creates for individuals like Fauci and Liz Cheney, who are granted pardons but may still face repercussions for actions related to their previous conduct.

• Impact on Legal Proceedings:
  "If Joe Biden set the precedent and he took my. Cut my legs right out from under me."
  [54:56]

Victor argues that these pardons undermine the judicial process, making it difficult to hold individuals accountable for their actions, and suggests that this could lead to increased calls for investigations and legal challenges.

4. Reflections on Martin Luther King Jr.

The conversation shifts to historical reflections on Martin Luther King Jr.'s impact on civil rights and his enduring legacy.

• Personal Anecdote on MLK's Influence:
  "In March of 1965... I heard his whole speech and it made a profound impression on me."
  [41:41]

Victor contrasts MLK's message of unity and aspiration with contemporary movements, emphasizing MLK's emphasis on professional excellence regardless of one's station in life.
"If you're a janitor, you're a tractor. And that really... make that your job looks like a piece of art."
[41:41]

• Critique of Modern Civil Rights Movements:
  "Unlike the 1619th project and unlike this hard left BLM movement... it was an appeal to Americans to live up to the promise of these brilliant founders."
  [41:41]

Victor highlights MLK's non-violent, aspirational approach as a stark contrast to what he perceives as the more radical or divisive strategies of current movements.

5. Nuclear Weapons and Military Personnel

The discussion delves into the state of the U.S. military, nuclear deterrence, and personnel shortages.

• Nuclear Deterrence Strategy:
  "Deterrence. So I just forgot about... Maybe 1000. In China? Maybe 1000? Contrast with Japan and other nations."
  [63:50]

Victor argues that the sheer number of nuclear weapons serves as a deterrent, even as modernization and anti-missile technologies evolve. He references discussions on optimizing nuclear arsenal sizes to maintain global stability.

• Military Personnel Shortages:
  "We're 40,000 soldiers short. White males are falling off. They're not joining multi-generational families."
  [77:28]

Victor attributes the shortfall to DEI initiatives and policies that discourage recruitment among white males, despite their historical overrepresentation in the military.
"If you're a young person who's a major or and you think you are under the impression, I'm not saying it's accurate, but if you're an artillery officer and you believe that you will be promoted not on the basis that your unit hitting the target, say in a GPS artillery platform..."
[83:37]

He criticizes the implementation of DEI within military promotions and retention, suggesting it leads to frustration and reduced recruitment among key demographics.

• Impact on Military Effectiveness:
  "The Ukraine war... manpower counts. It really does."
  [71:13]

Victor emphasizes that sufficient manpower is crucial for military success, using the Ukraine conflict as a case study to demonstrate the real-world consequences of personnel shortages.

6. Concluding Thoughts: Entering a New Era

As the podcast draws to a close, Victor and Sammy reflect on the overarching theme of a transformative period in American politics and society.

• "Novus Ordo Seclorum" – A New Order of the Ages:
  "Novus ordo ordo seclorum."
  [85:59]

Victor encapsulates the episode's discourse by likening the current political climate to a "new order," drawing parallels to historical shifts and emphasizing the profound changes underway.

• Optimism for the Future:
  "I have great hopes for it. I think everybody does. Everybody's been saying the... it's palpable in the air."
  [86:10]

The hosts express cautious optimism, acknowledging the challenges yet anticipating significant and positive transformations in governance and societal structures.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• George Will on Trump's Speech:
  "It was mean spirited."
  [05:28]

• On DEI Resistance:
  "These people in the bureaucratic, administrative swamp state are lawless, and they feel that they've been so pampered that they are a law unto themselves."
  [21:37]

• On Preemptive Pardons and Legal Exposure:
  "They cannot invoke the Fifth Amendment because they can't."
  [47:51]

• MLK's Aspirational Message:
  "Do whatever you do... make that your job looks like a piece of art."
  [41:41]

• On Military Personnel Shortage:
  "We're 40,000 soldiers short. White males are falling off."
  [77:28]

• Nuclear Deterrence Numbers:
  "We have somewhere between 6,000 and 7,000 deliverable nuclear weapons."
  [63:50]

• Concluding "Novus Ordo Seclorum":
  "Novus ordo ordo seclorum."
  [85:59]

Final Remarks

In "Dawn of a New Era: Inauguration, Executive Orders and Pardons," Victor Davis Hanson and Jack Fowler provide a comprehensive analysis of the current political landscape, dissecting Trump's policies, Biden's pardons, and broader societal shifts. Through historical context and personal anecdotes, they present a narrative of transformation, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities that define this new era.