Episode 298 Audio: Vaush

Abdul El-Sayed and Jon Ossoff showed us how it’s done when they destroyed their Republican opponents on live TV during last week’s debates. Kyle is joined by Vaush, our special guest this week, for play-by-plays of our favorite moments, where Democratic nominees made MAGA look unhinged, bigoted, and out of touch with what American voters want to change. Jon Ossoff pretty much gave a masterclass in the Georgia Senate debate, a race in which he’s polling ahead. His viral line about his opponent “grabbing a billy club” to attack the march from Selma to Montgomery has already drawn a lot of public attention, especially as everyone tries to size up who has what it takes to represent the Democrats in 2028. Ossoff doesn’t break from the party establishment much when it comes to policy, but it’s telling that when it comes to strategy, he’s thinking about what it will actually take to win, and in order to win, he’s willing to get confrontational with opponents who deserve harsh criticism. Democrats have tried election after election to get MAGA out of office by appealing to respectability politics, and while Ossoff didn’t revert to the actual name-calling we associate with Trump, he decided to confront Collins for behavior and opinions that should get anyone disqualified from public office. We also talk about the masterclass Abdul El-Sayed offers every time he’s given the spotlight, staying with the issues and avoiding undermining both from unsympathetic mainstream media and from hostile right-wing freaks. When challenged about his refusal to support sending aid to Israel, Abdul reiterated his commitment not to spend taxpayer dollars on foreign wars when funding is desperately needed to support his constituents and working-class people everywhere. He made the question about what Americans actually gain from having their country start and engage in bloody conflicts, and his very convincing answer is that actually, we have nothing to gain at all. These two examples of energizing, inspiring performances from Democratic nominees provide a path forward for the party that offers hope and success in 2028. Are the Democrats willing to take it? Kyle and Vaush get into it in our latest episode. Thanks for tuning in. You can find this episode on major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and here on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe