Ep. 619 - American Grandstand

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode centers on the Kavanaugh confirmation fight, where Shapiro mocks Cory Booker and Kamala Harris for performative, factually weak grandstanding, while arguing Democratic panic around the Supreme Court is exaggerated. He also covers Twitter’s ban of Alex Jones, critiques left-wing media and political hypocrisy, and closes with cultural/business commentary on Nike, Jeffrey Owens, and California’s gender quota law.

Main Topics: Kavanaugh hearing as political theater (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro argues Democrats used the Judiciary Committee hearings for base-signaling rather than substantive questioning, framing the hearings as a circus driven by outrage and performance. Cory Booker’s 'Spartacus' episode (Priority: 5/5): He ridicules Booker’s claim of rule-breaking and his dramatic self-presentation, asserting the released documents were already public and did not damage Kavanaugh. Kamala Harris and weak evidentiary claims (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro criticizes Harris for insinuating improper contact between Kavanaugh and Mark Kasowitz’s law firm without proof, saying her questioning was designed to insinuate guilt rather than establish facts. Media panic and Supreme Court commentary (Priority: 4/5): He pushes back on op-eds from Paul Krugman and Erwin Chemerinsky, arguing the left both claims Kavanaugh will destroy the Constitution and that justices should have broad interpretive discretion. Twitter bans Alex Jones (Priority: 4/5): Shapiro notes Jones’s permanent ban but questions platform consistency, pointing out that other accounts like Hamas and Louis Farrakhan remain active and standards remain unclear. Culture-war and business side stories (Priority: 4/5): He discusses Nike’s Kaepernick ad, Jeffrey Owens’s career recovery after tabloid shaming, and calls California’s board gender quota law unconstitutional and economically foolish. Mailbag and conservative worldview (Priority: 3/5): He answers listener questions on ethics in sales, constitutional originalism, antitrust skepticism, dating for marriage, Marxism, the 17th Amendment, and Supreme Court clerkship preferences.

Key Arguments: Democrats in the Kavanaugh hearings were more interested in emotional base mobilization than in genuine legal inquiry. Cory Booker’s dramatic 'Spartacus' pose was misleading because the documents he claimed to bravely release were already public and unremarkable. Kamala Harris made insinuations about Kavanaugh and Kasowitz without evidence, using questions as a political weapon rather than a search for truth. The left’s panic over Kavanaugh is internally inconsistent: some critics call him a radical destroyer, while others argue justices should have broad discretion to reshape the law. Social media moderation is applied inconsistently, undermining trust when figures like Alex Jones are banned but other extremist or controversial accounts remain active. Trump’s rallies and tweets are described as performative entertainment, but Shapiro argues the policy machinery around him often functions independently of his rhetoric. California’s corporate board quota is portrayed as unconstitutional, bad for business, and unlikely to change outcomes meaningfully. Originalism is defended as interpreting texts by the meaning of the words at the time they were written, not by later semantic drift. Marxism is criticized as a theory that misdiagnoses human nature and fails to produce prosperity or equality in practice. People should seek ethical consistency in work and relationships, including avoiding dishonest sales practices and being upfront about dating for marriage.

Data Points: Senate Judiciary questions by Cory Booker: about 56 to 60 questions - Shapiro claims Booker asked many questions during the Kavanaugh hearing but cited no cases. Documents Booker claimed to release: 20 documents - Booker said he had released 20 documents that had not been cleared, though Shapiro says the material was already public. Unemployment rate: 3.9% - Cited as evidence that the economy is strong despite political chaos. Nike favorability drop: 34 points - Morning Consult data after the Kaepernick campaign announcement. Nike favorable impression: from 69% to 35% - Shapiro cites a fall in Nike’s overall favorability after the ad campaign. Likelihood to buy Nike products: from 49% to 39% - Reported change in consumer purchasing intent after the Kaepernick campaign. California board quota timeline: 1 woman by 2019; 1 to 3 women by 2021 - State bill would require publicly traded California-based companies to add women to boards based on size. Indochino promo price: $359 - Advertised premium made-to-measure suit price with promo code SHAPIRO. Tommy John discount: 20% off - Offer for first order using the show’s link. Legacy Box discount: 40% off - Promo for listeners using LegacyBox.com/slash Ben and code Ben. Betterment promo: up to one year managed for free - Investment-management promotion for listeners.

Pivotal Quotes: "I will say that I did willingly violate the chair's rule on the committee confidential process." — Cory Booker: Booker’s dramatic statement during the Kavanaugh hearing, which Shapiro frames as performative grandstanding. "I'm breaking the rules. I am breaking the sham rules." — Cory Booker: Booker’s insistence that he had knowingly violated Senate rules to release documents. "The latest act of resistance is the op-ed published in the failing New York Times by an anonymous, really an anonymous, gutless, coward." — Donald Trump: Trump’s rally attack on the New York Times anonymous op-ed, highlighted for its comedic delivery.

Implications: Listeners are encouraged to view modern politics as theatrical, fact-light, and incentive-driven. The episode argues for skepticism toward media narratives, platform moderation, and performative activism, while favoring originalism, free markets, and institutional restraint.