Ep. 710 - The State Of The Union Is Stupid

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode centers on Trump’s State of the Union preparations, the politics of guest selection, and Ben Shapiro’s broader critique of identity politics. He argues Stacey Abrams’ response speech embraces divisive intersectional thinking, contrasts it with Obama-era and Trump-era polarization, and says Virginia Democrats are collapsing under scandal. He also highlights Democratic resistance to an anti-infanticide bill, plus several media and culture items.

Main Topics: Trump’s State of the Union and guest roster (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro frames the State of the Union as a ceremonial, largely forgettable spectacle and reviews Trump’s invited guests, emphasizing how they are used to signal policy themes like border security, criminal justice reform, opioid recovery, terrorism, and anti-bullying. Critique of Stacey Abrams and intersectionality (Priority: 5/5): A major segment attacks Abrams’ Foreign Affairs essay as an endorsement of identity politics. Shapiro argues she treats groups rather than individuals as the basic unit of political life and claims this deepens tribalism instead of reducing it. Obama, Trump, and the rise of identity politics (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro claims Barack Obama normalized racialized politics by turning policy disagreements into racial conflicts, and that Trump’s 2016 campaign was a backlash to that approach. He presents Trump as a response rather than the origin of modern identity politics. Virginia Democratic scandals (Priority: 4/5): The show covers Ralph Northam’s blackface yearbook scandal and the fallout involving Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, portraying Virginia Democrats as engaged in mutual destruction and poor crisis management. Senate Democrats and the anti-infanticide bill (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro says Senate Democrats blocked a bill requiring medical care for babies born alive after abortion attempts, and uses the episode to argue Democrats are moving to the far left on abortion. Cultural/media commentary and side issues (Priority: 3/5): The episode closes with commentary on CNN’s Adam Levine/Janet Jackson nipple coverage, Stephen Colbert’s political comedy, and backlash to Liam Neeson’s remarks, which Shapiro uses to discuss media absurdity and the need for grace and redemption.

Key Arguments: State of the Union has become a theatrical event driven more by props and guests than substantive public memory, and Trump’s guest list is designed to amplify policy messaging. Stacey Abrams’ pro-intersectionality argument is presented as a defense of group-based tribal politics, which Shapiro says weakens American civic identity. Obama, not Trump, accelerated modern identity politics by framing political opposition as racial hostility and elevating grievance politics. Trump’s 2016 campaign succeeded partly as a backlash to Obama-era identity politics, creating a cycle of mutual polarization. Democrats are increasingly embracing far-left positions, exemplified by opposition to an anti-infanticide bill and expansive abortion rhetoric. Virginia Democrats’ scandals show how politicians now survive best by refusing to resign, because leaving office can cement disgrace. Media institutions often manufacture pseudo-news and moral panics, such as CNN’s nipple coverage and the reaction to Liam Neeson, while missing the larger moral lesson about human fallibility and redemption.

Data Points: Stamps.com savings: 5 cents off every first-class stamp; up to 40% off Priority Mail - Ad read promoting postal savings Stamps.com users: Over 700,000 small businesses - Used to promote the service’s scale Man Crates discount: 14% off when spending $100 or more - Valentine’s Day promotion Annual Daily Wire subscription: $99 a year - Promotion for subscribers Monthly Daily Wire subscription: $9.99 a month - Subscription pitch State of the Union guest age: 10-year-old cancer survivor - Grace Eline is identified as a child guest Bullying timeline for Joshua Trump: Started two years before the article referenced - Story about the sixth grader bullied for his last name Year of Ralph Northam yearbook photo: 1985 - Shapiro discusses the blackface/KKK photo as a college-era incident Year of alleged Justin Fairfax assault: 2004 - Referenced in the allegation against Fairfax States with born-alive infant care laws: 26 states in 2014 - Cited while discussing the anti-infanticide bill States requiring reporting of born-alive infants: 6 states in 2016 - Used to argue the bill had legal significance Amount of New York tax revenue drop: $2.8 billion - Discussing Governor Cuomo and state budget shortfall

Pivotal Quotes: "Identity politics strengthens democracy" — Stacey Abrams: Title/claim of Abrams’ Foreign Affairs essay, which Shapiro criticizes "In a few minutes, the United States Senate is going to have an opportunity to condemn infanticide." — Ben Sasse: Statement urging unanimous opposition to killing newborn babies "What the governor did was took ownership of a picture that had his name as a prominent heading." — Ralph Northam supporter on CNN: Defending Northam’s explanation of the yearbook photo

Implications: Listeners are left with a strong critique of identity-based politics, a warning about Democratic radicalization on abortion, and a view that scandals in Virginia and media behavior reflect deeper institutional decay and tribalism.