As bad as MAGA is, Dems still facing tough 2026
The David Pakman Show - October 15, 2025
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Democrats face the risk of losing 19 House seats in 2026. Despite Trump’s unpopularity, Democratic losses could stem from gerrymandering, voter fear, or the party’s inability to clearly present a compelling alternative for working-class Americans. This midterm could be one of the most consequential in decades, and Democrats’ ability to convince voters they are the better choice will likely determine the outcome.
Federal agents under Trump have escalated tensions in Chicago. After Border Patrol agents rammed an SUV on a residential street, officers deployed tear gas, pepper balls, and smoke grenades, injuring residents—including children—and detained a 15-year-old for hours. This mirrors the authoritarian tactic of provoking chaos to justify more force.
During a cabinet meeting, Donald Trump dodged substantive questions, attacked journalists, and favored “fluff” questions he could control. He made false claims about inflation, threatened to move World Cup games over political disagreements, and refused to take questions from ABC because he didn’t like how George Stephanopoulos pressed JD Vance over the weekend.
At Charlie Kirk’s posthumous Medal of Freedom ceremony, Trump made the event almost entirely about himself. He opened with remarks about his redesigned Rose Garden, recounted avoiding being shot, and ranted about winning the election.
Eric Trump later said in an interview “God saved” his father because he is “heaven bound,” raising difficult questions: if God intervened to save Trump, why not Kirk or other victims? Some religious believers reject this framing, arguing God doesn’t micromanage events.
Trump also publicly praised Hamas over rival Gaza militias, framing their violent suppression of opponents as positive. Following the Israeli-Gaza deal, Hamas executed rivals publicly, and Trump called them “very bad gangs” whose elimination didn’t bother him. This contradicts decades of U.S. policy, signaling that authoritarian control is preferable to democratic processes when convenient.
Trump also ranted about Los Angeles wildfires, falsely blaming Gavin Newsom for refusing to “open valves” to divert water from the Pacific Northwest. There are no such valves, but Trump repeated the claim. Newsom mocked him online, asking a chatbot whether losing touch with reality is a dementia symptom.
Recent leaks exposed deeply troubling behavior among the next generation of Young Republican leaders. State-level officials joked about gas chambers, rape, slavery, and antisemitism. These aren’t anonymous trolls but rising party figures. While some have apologized, the party response has mostly been damage control.
Finally, Representative Jake Auchincloss, Democrat from Massachusetts, joins us to discuss the government shutdown, and much more…
On today’s bonus show:
The Supreme Court will consider further gutting the Voting Rights Act. Gun crime cases fall as federal agents prioritize immigration enforcement. Trump is giving Argentina $20 billion to help Javier Milei, and much more...
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Democrats could lose 19 seats in 2026 even with MAGA setting itself on fire. Only this party could watch Republicans joke about gas chambers, ram kids with SUVs, and still say, “eh, but what if voters don’t get us?”
Trump’s out here giving a Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk’s corpse and ranting about magic water valves in California, while Eric Trump claims God saved his dad because he’s “heaven bound.” If that’s heaven’s A-list, the afterlife needs better booking agents.
And JD Vance? Still calling full-grown Nazi staffers “kids in a chatroom.” These guys aren’t kids, they’re future Cabinet secretaries with LinkedIn pages.
Trump is vigorously campaigning against Trump.
We need to campaign FOR the people.
Make America Yours so that we MAY win the day and make this the country we know it needs to be. People voted for Trump for all the wrong reasons, but many were desperate and just prayed half of the promises were true, or that Trump would break everything so the rich would no longer be in charge with an economy that ensures they get most all the money and we get less every year.
So, this time don't go in cocky, nominate a President that will appeal to most everyone and is BOLD enough to lead the charge ont he major change that will be needed just for this country to survive and better than that MAY change it so that the PEOPLE benefit the most, not the rich, not the power brokers, not the owners of the media or enough money to pressure those who do own the media.