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Ruthless Podcast

Ruthless Podcast

Written by: Josh Holmes Comfortably Smug Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook
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 A variety progrum. Smug, Holmes, Duncan, and Ashbrook bring next generation conservative talk to the next level with RUTHLESS. There is no shelter for anyone as the fellas provide a lighter analysis of the news (and fake news) of the day.2023 Bobcat Media LLC. Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • What Democrats Keep Getting Wrong w/ Michael Knowles

    What Democrats Keep Getting Wrong w/ Michael Knowles
    Feb 27 2026
    When Michael Knowles joins the fellas, the gloves come off. The culture war isn’t slowing down — it’s exposing who’s ready for the moment and who isn’t. Why do Democrats keep misreading the country? Why do they double down on the exact messaging that turns voters away? And is the cultural fight now more decisive than any policy debate? Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook kick off with Michael Knowles and dig into what’s really driving the political realignment. In this episode… • Why the culture war is remains a battlefield heading into 2026 • What Democrats keep getting wrong about voters • How elite institutions overplay their hand every time • The messaging mistakes Republicans still need to fix PLUS, A STATE OF THE UNION HARD PIVOT THAT DESERVES ITS OWN AWARD. Special Guest: Michael Knowles 🎙️ • The deeper cultural divide shaping national politics • Why Democrats can’t stop misreading middle America • Faith, identity, and populism in the modern Right • Where the movement goes from here Special Guest: Congressman Wesley Hunt 🇺🇸 • His closing argument in the Texas Senate primary 🗳️ • Youth, energy, and the next generation of GOP leadership • Why Texas could reshape the national Senate map Special Guests: Nick Shirley and David Hoch 🎥 • The fraud investigations forcing DC to pay attention • How independent journalism is driving accountability • What happens when grassroots reporting outpaces legacy media And we roll out ruthlesspodcast.com/map — click your state, watch every candidate interview, and decide for yourself. No spin. No filters. Just the fellas asking the questions. Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Fun Time Friday. Follow Ruthless on social for clips all week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 41 mins
  • What Does The SOTU Mean For The Midterms?

    What Does The SOTU Mean For The Midterms?
    Feb 26 2026
    🎤 Trump turns the State of the Union into a midterm war map — and Democrats can’t decide whether to sit, shout, or show up in frog costumes. Is this the moment that resets 2026? Or just another viral night in the circus? Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook break down the speech the way the MSM won’t. The optics. The traps. The binary choice moments. And why some Democrats might wish they had just stayed home. In this episode… • The “stand up if you agree” moment that froze the Democrats cold • Why sitting might haunt Democrats in campaign ads • Trump’s closing argument for the midterms • The alternative “State of the Swamp” disaster PLUS, DEMOCRATS ROLL OUT A GIRAFFE AND FROG BRIGADE. YES, REALLY. Then we deliver on a promise. Special Guest: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton 🇺🇸 • The high-stakes Texas Senate primary showdown • Runoff math and what happens if no one hits 50% 🗳️ • How he answers the impeachment and personal attacks • Why Texas could shape the national Senate map We also sit down with Jessica Anderson of Sentinel Action Fund 📊 • Can Republicans break the midterm curse? • The economic message that actually moves voters • How to keep the Trump coalition engaged And we unveil something big: RuthlessPodcast.com/Map — click your state, watch the candidates, decide for yourself. No filter. No spin. Just the fellas asking the questions. Question of the Day: Did this State of the Union change the midterm trajectory — or not? Drop your take in the comments. Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Fun Time Friday. Follow Ruthless on social for clips all week. Comment, share, and send this to the group chat. 00:02:30 State of the Union sets the 2026 midterm battlefield 00:05:52 Congress stock trading crackdown and the political optics 00:08:24 Minnesota fraud scandal and the immigration culture clash debate 00:13:15 The stand-or-sit moment that becomes campaign ammo 00:16:52 Why the “they’re crazy” line lands with voters 00:20:22 New interactive map to vet candidates by state 00:27:44 Democrats’ disruptions and the sanctuary cities flashpoint 00:31:59 The alternative SOTU meltdown and why it backfires 00:36:59 Democrats mock American heroes and the backlash case 00:40:04 Trump’s “golden age” pitch and the midterm contrast strategy 00:48:59 Question of the Day: Does this SOTU move votes? 00:50:21 Listener responses on Democrats’ biggest midterm liability 00:52:20 Interview: Texas AG Ken Paxton on the Texas Senate primary 01:18:55 Post-interview: Can Paxton clear 50% or trigger a runoff? 01:21:19 King of the Hill: Bill Kristol vs. Joe Walsh meltdown tournament 01:32:49 Interview: Jessica Anderson on winning the midterms with data 01:49:36 Strategy debrief and why the map could change primaries Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 57 mins
  • Democrats’ 2028 Problem

    Democrats’ 2028 Problem
    Feb 24 2026
    Team USA delivers gold — and the Democrats deliver… whatever this is. The fellas break down Gavin Newsom’s bizarre “I’m just like you” pitch, Gretchen Whitmer freezing on Ukraine, and Andy Beshear wrapping progressive policy in Sunday-morning language. Then it gets worse: Democrats quietly admit their 2024 problem in a locked-up autopsy they don’t want you reading. Also in this episode: • The Texas Democrat primary FCC “equal time” twist no one in media wants to talk about • Trump’s greatest stand-up hits (yes, we play them)• Canada coping after hockey heartbreak • A runaway hog with maximum confidence Then — Featured Interview: Stephen Moore 📈💰 • What’s really driving inflation right now • The outlook heading into the State of the Union • Tax policy, spending fights, and the midterm stakes • Why energy policy and deregulation matter more than headlines • How voters should actually think about growth, wages, and the economyA straight-up economic breakdown from one of the architects behind major tax reform — no spin, just the numbers and what they mean going forward. Sports pride. Political malpractice. Variety the way it’s supposed to be. Question of the Day: What’s the Democrats’ biggest liability right now? Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Fun Time Friday. Like. Comment. Share. Stay ruthless. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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