Episode overview

The PATHETIC Way Dems are Trying to Court "Manly Men"

Megyn Kelly Show · 14 July 2026 · 16m · 2 Egleze moments

What happened in this episode?

Host Megyn Kelly and commentator Michael Knowles dissect a recent Atlantic article about the Democratic Party's attempt to win back male voters by recruiting traditionally masculine candidates, exemplified by Ohio congressional candidate Brian Pohldexter, a union ironworker who drives a Ram truck and built a shed. Knowles argues this strategy is fundamentally doomed because Democrats refuse to abandon progressive positions on LGBTQ issues, particularly transgender ideology, which he identifies as the decisive factor that lost them working-class and union voters in 2024. The discussion pivots to actor Elliot Page, who is promoting multiple projects including Christopher Nolan's Odyssey adaptation and a nature documentary about same-sex relationships in animals. Page recently called critics of transgenderism "absolute vile losers" who are "profoundly uncomfortable with themselves," claims Knowles and Kelly reject by pointing to mental health statistics showing depression and anxiety rates remain high or increase after transition. Knowles characterizes the Democratic Party's dilemma as existential: they've lost union members and union leadership support, traditionally core Democratic constituencies, but cannot credibly appeal to working-class men while maintaining their cultural progressive positions. The episode highlights what the hosts see as the fundamental incompatibility between working-class cultural values and contemporary progressive ideology on gender and sexuality, with Page serving as an example of what they view as the mental health consequences and unconvincing nature of transgender identity claims.

What are the key points?

Michael Knowles argues Democrats cannot win back male voters without completely abandoning transgender ideology and LGBTQ positions that cost them the 2024 election.
The Atlantic profiled Ohio congressional candidate Brian Pohldexter as example of Democratic effort to recruit traditionally masculine men to win back male voters.
Knowles identifies transgender ideology, particularly involving children, as the decisive cultural issue showing Democrats lost all judgment in voters' eyes.
Union members now vote Republican and union leadership is no longer reliably Democratic, representing an existential crisis for the party according to Knowles.
Elliot Page called critics of transgenderism "absolute vile losers" who are "profoundly uncomfortable with themselves" while promoting new film projects.
Knowles and Kelly argue depression, anxiety and suicide rates do not decrease after gender transition, with anxiety potentially increasing based on statistics.
The hosts characterize California Governor Gavin Newsom as embodying Democratic Party schizophrenia, unable to choose between appealing to working-class voters or progressive base.

Which topics are covered?

Politics Society Entertainment

How is this page sourced?

Programme: Megyn Kelly Show
Published: 14 July 2026
Duration: 16m
Original episode: Open the original source ↗

Egleze verifies the speaker, source and timestamp for each linked moment. Unless a moment is explicitly marked independently verified, statements remain attributed claims by the named speaker rather than established facts.

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2 moments from this episode

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Politics

Michael Knowles Says Democrats Cannot Win Back Men Without Abandoning Trans Ideology

at 4:16 · Attributed speaker claim

The difficulty for them is they're unwilling to give up all of the woke stuff up to and including the trans ideology. So if you it's one thing to go out there and say we want to win men over again and we want to win back the working class and we want to win back unions. But it's one thing to go out there and say it, but if you're going to convincingly say it, you got to give up all the gay stuff and the trans stuff and the lavender stuff.

Conservative commentator Michael Knowles argues that the Democratic Party's effort to recruit masculine male candidates to win back male voters is doomed to fail unless they completely abandon their positions on LGBTQ issues, particularly transgender ideology. Knowles claims that transgender issues, specifically involving children, were the decisive cultural touchstone that cost Democrats the 2024 election, showing voters the party had lost all judgment. He cites union voters now voting Republican and union leadership no longer reliably supporting Democrats as evidence of an existential crisis for the party.

Read this moment → Check original at 4:16 ↗

Entertainment

Elliot Page Claims Critics of Transgenderism Are Profoundly Uncomfortable With Themselves

at 12:23 · Attributed speaker claim

Try and block out the noise from, you know, absolute vile losers who must just be so profoundly uncomfortable with themselves they can't handle that someone could get to a place that I think, you know, that trans people do get to which is a level of self-acceptance and understanding that I think is really beautiful and profound.

Actor Elliot Page, promoting a film about same-sex relationships in animals and appearing in Christopher Nolan's upcoming Odyssey adaptation, characterized critics of transgender people as "absolute vile losers" who are deeply uncomfortable with themselves. The comments come amid controversy over Page's casting in the Odyssey film. Commentators on the podcast criticized Page's mental health and noted that depression, anxiety and suicide rates do not decrease after transition, with anxiety rates potentially increasing.

Read this moment → Check original at 12:23 ↗