Dave Rubin did the nation a service this week by sharing a direct-message clip that put a CNN anchor on the spot and exposed yet another example of elite media damage control. The Rubin Report’s clip shows Jake Tapper reading Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s own words back to her, and the reaction on Crockett’s face said more than her follow-up denials ever could. Americans are tired of politicians and pundits trying to rewrite their own words after they’ve been caught.
The words at issue didn’t come from a random blog; Crockett told Vanity Fair last year that Latino voters who backed President Trump exhibited what she described as a “slave mentality,” a remark that was as offensive as it was revealing of the contempt some Democrats feel toward whole communities of voters. That wasn’t spin or a misquote — it was her assessment of a demographic that is increasingly skeptical of the party establishment. Democrats shouldn’t be surprised when voters recoil at being talked down to by their would-be leaders.
When Jake Tapper calmly read the Vanity Fair passage back to Crockett on CNN, her flustered attempts to walk it back made the whole exchange worse for her party. Rather than own a tone-deaf remark or apologize directly to the communities she disparaged, Crockett tried to parse and narrow her words, which only underscored the arrogance. Voters smell insincerity, and televised backpedals like that only confirm what conservative critics have long said: the left’s leaders view Americans as subjects to be lectured, not constituents to be listened to.
This isn’t abstract — Latino support for President Trump surged in 2024, with exit polls showing record Republican gains among Hispanic voters in crucial states, proof that conservatives’ message on economics and law and order is resonating. Crockett’s tone-deaf description couldn’t be more out of touch with reality if it tried; voters aren’t puppets or caricatures, they’re citizens exercising judgment about who will improve their lives. The Democrats’ reflexive habit of blaming voters instead of addressing policy failures is a big reason the party is hemorrhaging support.
Crockett’s behavior is emblematic of a broader Democratic problem: a cadre of coastal elites who assume they can shame or lecture whole communities into voting the “right” way. That arrogance shows up in policy priorities, in campaign tone, and in casual contempt for people who don’t toe the party line. Conservatives should call it out relentlessly because respect for voters — not sneering at them — is the foundation of a healthy republic.
Equally troubling is the media’s role in cushioning and enabling these elites. The very outlets that normalize identity-based tribalism then rush to protect their allies when those allies are exposed, substituting spin for accountability. Dave Rubin putting the clip back in public view was a reminder that independent media and free speech still have the power to hold powerful people to account when mainstream outlets won’t.
Americans deserve better than contempt from their leaders and cover-ups from their media. If Democrats want to win back trust, they’ll stop insulting the people they hope will support them and start delivering real results on the issues voters care about: secure borders, good jobs, and public safety. Until then, every time a politician like Jasmine Crockett sneers at a demographic that’s voting for conservatives, she hands Republicans another example to show undecided voters who actually respects them.
The takeaway for patriots is simple: don’t let the elites gaslight you. Watch the tape, remember the context, and call out hypocrisy whenever you see it — whether it comes from Capitol Hill, cable news, or a Vanity Fair profile. America was built on accountability and common sense, not woke lectures from people who fly cross-country for boutique hotels while telling working citizens what to think.
