Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 208

November 15, 2025

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  • The primary focus of this compilation episode of "Behind the Bastards" is analyzing the political fallout and reactions to Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York City mayoral race, framing it as a major win for the left and a significant loss for establishment figures like Andrew Cuomo. 
  • The right-wing reaction to Mamdani's win is characterized by immediate 'crash out' coping mechanisms, including internal fracturing (as seen in the Tucker Carlson/Nick Fuentes controversy) and hyperbolic claims that the election was illegitimate due to 'foreigners' voting. 
  • Senator Mike Lee's attempt to weaken public land protections by linking them to border security is highlighted as a transparent, cynical maneuver to facilitate commercial exploitation under the guise of addressing 'Biden's open border chaos.' 
  • The discussion on public lands highlights a critique of traditional conservation views that exclude Indigenous peoples and advocates for valuing these lands for ecological and cultural sustenance over purely recreational use. 
  • The interview with Nick Fuentes on Tucker Carlson's show is framed as a significant event that mainstreamed white supremacist rhetoric and caused major internal conflict and donor loss within conservative institutions like the Heritage Foundation. 
  • The pro-Palestine organizing landscape has shifted from a rights-based approach to a critique of settler colonialism and empire, viewing the issue as fundamentally intertwined with American domestic policy and democracy. 
  • The controversy surrounding Tucker Carlson's normalization of white supremacist Nick Fuentes has caused a significant fracture within the conservative establishment, highlighted by internal battles at the Heritage Foundation and public condemnations from figures like Ben Shapiro. 
  • The Heritage Foundation's initial defense of Tucker Carlson led to resignations, including members of its Anti-Semitism Task Force, exposing a deep ideological divide between those advocating for 'no enemies to the right' and those demanding moral conservatism. 
  • Newly released Jeffrey Epstein emails suggest that powerful figures across the political and financial spectrum, including Donald Trump, were openly aware of and joked about his illicit activities, reinforcing the hosts' view that the ruling class operates with impunity. 
  • The discussion suggests that immediate public reaction to events like the Epstein leaks may not change outcomes unless it catalyzes long-term resistance movements, contrasting with the right-wing panic over perceived threats like Me Too. 
  • A significant portion of young Republican staffers (30-40%) are estimated to be 'groipers' (fans of Nick Fuentes), driven by a shared sense of economic despair and distrust in institutions, mirroring the underlying psyche of school shooter politics. 
  • The right-wing media, exemplified by *The Blaze*, is aggressively pushing a January 6th false flag conspiracy theory, relying on questionable evidence like gait analysis and unverified whistleblower claims, which is being critiqued even by some on the right. 

Segments

Mamdani Victory Winners List
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(00:06:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Lindsey Boylan is celebrated as a major winner following Andrew Cuomo’s humiliation and Zohran Mamdani’s victory, embodying the defeat of abusers like Cuomo.
  • Summary: Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment, is highlighted for her happiness and triumph following Cuomo’s political downfall. The hosts emphasize the dual satisfaction of Cuomo’s second major defeat and the prospective positive impact of the Mamdani mayoral administration. Boylan’s past quote, “We will beat these monsters,” is recalled as prophetic regarding Cuomo’s defeat.
Mamdani Victory Losers List
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(00:12:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Right-wing figures like Laura Ingram and Ross Douthit are immediately engaging in ‘copium’ by downplaying Mamdani’s victory or claiming Democrats are losing by winning.
  • Summary: The segment details the immediate, negative reactions from conservative media figures, including Laura Ingram’s claim that Democrats are losing despite winning. Mike Cernovich is noted for contrasting the ‘joyless’ Conservative Inc. with the energy of Mamdani’s celebration, while also highlighting the internal right-wing conflict over accepting figures like Nick Fuentes. Republican politicians like Greg Abbott and Rick Scott reacted by mocking New York City and offering to welcome fleeing New Yorkers.
Financial Class Reactions to Mamdani
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(01:31:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Elite figures like Jamie Dimon and Ken Griffin are expressing cautious pessimism or outright disapproval of the Mamdani win, while Donald Trump privately views Mamdani as a ‘slick and good talker.’
  • Summary: JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon expressed hope that Mamdani will ‘grow into’ the job and implement good policies, suggesting skepticism about his current capabilities. Ken Griffin explicitly prayed that Mamdani’s governing policies would differ from his campaign talking points. Privately, Donald Trump reportedly called Mamdani a talented politician and suggested he might ‘help him a little bit,’ contrasting with public threats to pull funding.
Public Land Threats by Mike Lee
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(00:43:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is attempting to pass legislation that would allow the Department of Homeland Security to build navigable roads in protected wilderness areas within 100 miles of the border, using border security as a pretext.
  • Summary: Mike Lee’s new bill seeks to amend the Wilderness Act to permit road construction in designated wilderness areas near the border, ostensibly to combat border chaos and cartel activity. This proposal is seen as a thinly veiled attempt to degrade public land protections for commercial exploitation, similar to previous efforts to sell off federal land. The hosts contrast this with the actual threats to public lands posed by extractive industries supported by the Trump administration, such as the nomination of Steve Pierce to lead the BLM.
Public Lands Value Critique
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(01:02:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Wilderness value must extend beyond recreation to include Indigenous stewardship and ecological integrity.
  • Summary: The disruption of caribou herds by oil and gas drilling fundamentally alters the landscape, showing that viewing public lands only for leisure misses their core value. Early conservationist Bob Marshall’s definition of wilderness as ‘solitude and savageness’ removed people from the land, a conception that should be rejected. True wilderness protection requires integrating Indigenous traditional management practices.
Mike Lee Donor Analysis
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(01:04:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Senator Mike Lee’s campaign donations from real estate are noted as grossly undervalued relative to the permanent alteration of public lands his legislation could cause.
  • Summary: Senator Mike Lee’s top donor industry is real estate, contributing about $665,000, which the hosts find small given the scale of public lands affected. The hosts jokingly propose a crowdfunding campaign to buy back public lands to ensure protection rather than sale. The proposed legislation impacts a vast area, extending 100 miles from the border and the Great Lakes shorelines.
Border Zone Rights Erosion
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(01:07:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The 100-mile border enforcement zone operates as a zone of exception where US citizens and non-citizens have fewer constitutional rights.
  • Summary: The analysis of the public lands bill requires understanding the US 100-mile border enforcement zone where rights are diminished. Assessing migrant damage to public land is deemed a useless allocation of government resources, especially when damage results from survival needs like making fires for warmth. A provision in the bill mandates migrants can only be housed on federal public land within a detention center.
Personal Connection to Wilderness
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(01:08:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Outdoor recreation is essential for personal coping mechanisms and should be defended for future generations, including Indigenous return.
  • Summary: The speaker describes camping and moving under their own power through mountains as their primary way to cope with traumatic work experiences. While the term ‘America’s best idea’ for public lands is disliked due to its erasure of Indigenous sovereignty, protecting these lands is still considered one of the state’s better actions. Fighting for public lands ensures potential return to Indigenous peoples without industrial scars.
New York Land Swap Proposition
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(01:12:27)
  • Key Takeaway: New York amended its constitution to protect 2,500 acres of new land to legitimize the continued use of an existing Olympic complex.
  • Summary: The New York constitutional amendment addressed an Olympic sports complex built 100 years ago in violation of wilderness protection. The proposition passed narrowly, protecting thousands of acres nearby while allowing the existing complex to continue operating. This land swap demonstrates flexibility is possible when acreage is not lost to exploitation like oil/gas or McMansions.
GOP Shift on Conservation
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(01:15:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The Republican party’s current strong anti-public lands stance is a recent development, contrasting with their historical need to appeal to hunting and fishing constituents.
  • Summary: The shift is attributed to environmentalism becoming ‘woke-ified’ and associated with figures like Al Gore, causing conservatives to reject the language. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts who witness environmental changes firsthand struggle to articulate their observations without using language now deemed political. The hosts note a Republican conservation group attempting to rebrand by ‘putting the conservative back in conservation.’
Chaco Canyon Recommendation
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(01:18:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Chaco Canyon National Park is an under-visited site featuring the Great House, the largest US building until 1880, built by ancestral Puebloans.
  • Summary: Chaco Canyon is recommended as a ‘banger’ National Park, despite being difficult to access via a 17-mile dirt road. The Great House structure was immense, predating most other large US construction by centuries. Visiting such sites connects visitors to the deep history of ancestral Puebloans.
Fuentes/Carlson Interview Fallout
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(01:52:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Tucker Carlson’s interview with white supremacist Nick Fuentes generated massive viewership and caused immediate, severe internal division and donor resignations at the Heritage Foundation.
  • Summary: The two-hour interview covered Fuentes’ political evolution and his anti-Semitic framing of Jewish people as incompatible with America-First patriotism due to dual loyalty. Heritage President Kevin Roberts initially defended Carlson against ‘cancellation’ but later condemned Fuentes’ views, leading to resignations from the foundation’s anti-Semitism task force by figures like David Bernstein and Rabbi Yaakov Menkin. Roberts’ attempt to challenge ideas without canceling backfired by massively raising Fuentes’ public profile.
Pro-Palestine Organizing Evolution
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(02:13:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Pro-Palestine organizing has fundamentally shifted its analytical frame from 1967 borders and rights to a critique of settler colonialism rooted in the 1948 Nakba.
  • Summary: The discussion moved from focusing on the 1967 War to the legitimacy of Israel’s founding based on Jewish supremacy. This shift means that the universalist argument for equal rights and the nativist ‘America First’ argument against foreign protectorates both stem from the core analysis of settler colonialism. The speaker believes that statehood is an insufficient goal given the current colonization and destruction in Gaza, suggesting that only radical pressure like arms embargoes and sanctions will force change.
Heritage Board Trustee on Extremism
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(02:08:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Heritage Foundation Trustee Robert P. George publicly rejected the ’no enemies to the right’ stance, arguing that white supremacists and anti-Semites must not be welcomed into conservatism.
  • Summary: Robert P. George, a Heritage Board of Trustees member, posted a statement opposing the acceptance of white supremacists and anti-Semites within the conservative movement. The speaker questions this commitment by contrasting it with conservative policies restricting healthcare and uprooting families. This highlights the internal conflict within conservatism regarding ideological boundaries.
Shapiro’s Takedown of Carlson
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(02:09:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Ben Shapiro released a 40-minute video condemning Tucker Carlson as an ‘intellectual coward’ for normalizing Nick Fuentes and the Groipers, while simultaneously arguing his criticism is free speech, not cancellation.
  • Summary: Shapiro characterized Fuentes’ followers (Groipers) as white supremacists who admire Hitler and Stalin, facilitated by Carlson’s normalization efforts. Shapiro defined drawing moral lines and criticizing bad speech as elements of free speech, not cancellation. He argued that Carlson acts as an ‘ideological launderer’ by softening hideous ideas for a mainstream audience.
Fuentes’ Rise and Right-Wing Radicalization
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(02:13:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The political shift toward anti-white and anti-Christian identitarianism on the left created a ‘Bizarro Mirror Image’ in Nick Fuentes’ movement, which was further radicalized by the right-wing content ecosystem.
  • Summary: Fuentes’ philosophy is described as an incoherent stew of malignity, but his ideas spread due to the radicalization pipeline he influenced, exemplified by the mainstreaming of the white great replacement theory. Shapiro’s own company is implicated as Candace Owens, who previously hosted Fuentes, was given a large platform after leaving Turning Point USA.
Heritage Leadership Defends Carlson
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(02:17:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts defended Tucker Carlson, stating his relationship with the movement would not be severed, and characterized critics as part of a ‘globalist class.’
  • Summary: Roberts’ defense of Carlson, following the Fuentes interview, was deemed tragic and awful by Shapiro, as it implied anyone opposing Carlson was acting on behalf of a foreign power. This defense was explicitly intended to appeal to ‘disaffected young men’ on the far fringes of the right who follow Fuentes. This action prompted resignations from Heritage staff, including members of the Anti-Semitism Task Force.
Conservative Infighting and Pragmatism
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(02:19:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Shapiro argued pragmatically that Republicans should reject Fuentes’ ideology because polling shows Americans across the spectrum hate it, contrasting this with the GOP being eaten by radicals similar to the Democratic Party.
  • Summary: The speaker asserts that the political class is too cowardly to stand up to radicals like the Groipers for fear of losing support, comparing the GOP’s situation to the Democratic Party being consumed by its own radicals. Both Fuentes’ philosophy and Carlson’s laundered anti-Americanism are unpopular with Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike.
Right-Wing Figures React to Crisis
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(02:20:08)
  • Key Takeaway: Several Republican figures, including Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, publicly denounced Fuentes’ rhetoric as anti-Semitic, signaling an existential crisis within the party over defining its boundaries.
  • Summary: Ted Cruz called the rise of anti-Semitism on the right an ’existential crisis’ for the party, while Josh Hawley stated there is no place for such hatred. Conversely, Lindsey Graham expressed confidence in the party’s direction, noting, ‘We’re killing all the right people and we’re cutting your taxes,’ suggesting a focus solely on pro-Israel alignment over internal ideological purity.
Heritage Damage Control and Staff Exodus
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(02:33:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Kevin Roberts issued a strategic non-apology, blaming his resigned chief of staff for the initial video, while simultaneously attempting to justify the outreach to Fuentes’ audience as necessary for winning over ‘disaffected young men.’
  • Summary: Roberts admitted his mistake was focusing on cancellation over anti-Semitism but continued to frame the issue around loyalty to friends like Carlson. This led to the resignation of attorney Ian Spear and Chris Demuth, and the National Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism broke ties with Heritage to focus on extremism on the right.
The Generational Divide and Infiltration
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(02:37:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The Heritage controversy exposed a generational divide where younger staffers expressed support for Roberts’ defense of Carlson and a desire for Heritage to be welcoming to views critical of Israel.
  • Summary: The debacle occurred amid a broader conservative debate over ’no enemies to the right’ following the Young Republican racist group chat scandal, which J.D. Vance dismissed as ‘kids’ telling edgy jokes. Nick Fuentes claimed Groipers have infiltrated government agencies and Ivy League schools, suggesting the movement is already significantly embedded in young conservative Washington networks.
Epstein Emails Reveal Elite Complicity
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(03:02:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Newly released Epstein emails confirm Donald Trump’s awareness of the abuse, with Epstein noting Trump was ‘75% there’ regarding victims and joking about him walking into a glass door while ogling children at Mar-a-Lago.
  • Summary: The emails show Epstein openly discussing powerful figures, including Trump, Steve Bannon, and the Obama White House’s chief legal counsel, in a casual manner regarding his activities. The hosts argue that the ruling class’s blatant communication style over unencrypted email demonstrates their belief in complete invincibility against accountability.
Reaction to Epstein Leaks
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(03:15:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Long-term resistance, not immediate reaction, determines the impact of major political revelations.
  • Summary: The utility of reacting to events like the Epstein leaks is measured by whether they spur long-term resistance against the administration. Past movements, like Me Too, caused significant fear among opponents, demonstrating the potential for organized feminist movements to effect political change. The hosts emphasize that collective action, not passive response, dictates whether these events matter.
GOP Post-Trump Succession
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(03:17:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Some Republicans are already planning to use the current political climate to decouple the party from Trump post-midterms.
  • Summary: Republicans may utilize current political scandals to electorally distance the party from Trump, viewing his administration as having peaked. Many on the far-right anticipate a stalled Trump administration following expected Democratic success in the midterms. Figures like Rod Dreher are already discussing J.D. Vance as a potential leader to save the right wing from fascism.
Media Coverage Comparison
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(03:19:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The New York Times demonstrated a clear editorial choice in 2018 by heavily covering the migrant caravan while ignoring the Epstein leaks.
  • Summary: In the week before the 2018 midterms, the Times ran 12 front-page stories on the migrant caravan, dropping to five the week after, despite the caravan physically growing. This coverage pattern is cited as an example of media directing public attention away from sensitive issues like the Epstein case. The fear is that similar distractions will prevent actual accountability for powerful figures.
Epstein Files Vote Update
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(03:21:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The White House is actively panicking and attempting to block the full release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
  • Summary: Representative Adelita Grajalva was sworn in, securing the 218th signature needed to force a floor vote on releasing the Epstein files, which Speaker Johnson scheduled for the following week. Trump held an emergency meeting with aides to convince Lauren Boebert to withdraw her support from the petition to stop the vote. Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt publicly dismissed the Epstein story as a Democrat/media hoax designed to distract from Trump’s ‘wins.’
Republican Defense of Trump
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(03:23:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Defenses of Trump regarding the Epstein case involve minimizing the age of victims, arguing that ‘barely legal’ teens are different from younger children.
  • Summary: Media figures like Megan Kelly are attempting to manufacture consent by distinguishing between victims aged 15 versus 5, suggesting that involvement with ‘barely legal types’ (14 or 15-year-olds) is less severe. This defense highlights a deep structural misogyny where many men do not view 15 to 17-year-old girls as children. This minimization tactic is seen as an attempt to normalize the extent of the abuse.
January 6th Conspiracy Theories
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(03:25:55)
  • Key Takeaway: The right-wing media is promoting a January 6th pipe bomber false flag theory based on unreliable gait analysis and unverified FBI whistleblower testimony.
  • Summary: The Blaze published a story alleging the J6 pipe bomber was a former Capitol Police officer, basing their case on gait analysis and claims from ex-FBI agent Kyle Seraphim, which is not supported by publicly available evidence. The Bulwark’s Will Sommer debunked the core claim, noting the Blaze’s evidence was weak and they later added an editor’s note contradicting their initial assertion. This continues the broader conspiracy theory that the FBI staged the entire event to crush Trump.
Rod Dreher’s Substack Analysis
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(03:26:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Rod Dreher’s analysis of the right wing reveals that many young staffers are ‘groipers’ because they share Gen Z’s sense of economic doom, albeit channeled through a fascist lens.
  • Summary: Dreher, who advocates for J.D. Vance to lead the GOP away from Trump, estimates 30-40% of Republican staffers are ‘groipers’ (Holocaust Denier fans). He attributes this to Gen Z Republicans feeling equally ‘fucked’ regarding jobs, housing, and climate, leading them to blame the Jews for systemic failures. Dreher’s piece echoes 1920s rhetoric regarding Jewish control over media institutions.
Catholic Bishops on Immigration
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(03:42:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a rare, strong condemnation of the climate of fear surrounding immigration enforcement, aligning with Pope Francis.
  • Summary: The USCCB released a statement strongly condemning the vilification of migrants, profiling, and anxiety around enforcement, marking one of their strongest political condemnations in years. This stance is notable as it aligns with Pope Francis and contrasts with the fascist-friendly traditionalist Catholics often associated with figures like J.D. Vance. For migrants, especially those from Central/South America, the presence of a priest during hearings provides significant comfort.
DHS Data Destruction and Lawsuits
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(03:48:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The Biden administration’s DHS illegally maintained domestic data on Chicago residents and then destroyed video evidence from an ICE facility.
  • Summary: The Department of Homeland Security secretly kept domestic data on 900 Chicagoland residents under Biden, violating rules, and subsequently destroyed video evidence from the Broadview ICE detention facility. Separately, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County for funding NGOs that provide legal aid to migrants. This reflects a recurring right-wing strategy of blaming NGOs, particularly HIAS, for migration flows.
Trump’s Economic Proposals
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(03:50:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The Trump administration is floating economically damaging proposals, including a ’tariff dividend’ that likely won’t materialize and 50-year mortgages that drastically increase total interest paid.
  • Summary: Trump suggested directing hundreds of billions in tariff revenue as a $2,000 ’tariff dividend’ check, though the White House later suggested this might manifest as tax decreases instead. Separately, Trump is pushing for 50-year mortgages, which, while lowering monthly payments, would cause borrowers to pay over twice the original house value in interest over the loan’s life. The administration is also facing issues releasing October jobs data due to the government shutdown.
Supreme Court and Culture War
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(04:01:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The Supreme Court’s rejection of a challenge to nationwide same-sex marriage legalization suggests this issue is more settled for them than abortion rights.
  • Summary: The Supreme Court declined to overturn the previous ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, indicating a line they are currently unwilling to cross. This decision may suggest that as economic issues worsen, the political utility of anti-woke cultural grievances, like screaming about trans people, might diminish for Republicans in future elections.