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The Ben Shapiro Show

David Horowitz | The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special Ep. 115

The Ben Shapiro Show

The Daily Wire

News Commentary, News

4.4152.4K Ratings

🗓️ 23 May 2021

⏱️ 61 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

David Horowitz joins us to discuss his journey from the far left to the right side of the political aisle. After growing up in a communist household at the height of the Cold War, Horowitz became a prominent figure of the far left and a prolific radical author in the 1960s and 70s.  In the 80s however, David announced his support for a Reagan presidency, alienating himself from his former friends, party, and the cultural elite that once praised his work. In this episode, we will discuss how he found his way on the complete opposite end of the political spectrum. We’ll also discuss his experience advocating for the Left’s radical ideas and his latest book, “The Enemy Within: How a Totalitarian Movement is Destroying America.” Become a Daily Wire member and watch the bonus questions! dailywire.com/Shapiro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

The left is very intimidating.

0:02.1

They've got 61% of Democrats believing that all Republicans are racist.

0:08.2

That's, and as I say, Republicans are firing back by calling them liberals or saying they're

0:14.3

playing with politics.

0:16.0

They're not playing people.

0:18.8

At the height of the Cold War, David Horowitz was raised in a New York communist household.

0:23.6

At Berkeley, he led activism for socialist revolution in the country and then advanced as a

0:28.2

prolific author for the radical left in the 1960s and 70s.

0:32.1

He was editor of Ramparts, the leading magazine for the new left.

0:35.7

He befriended Huey Newton and raised money for the Black Panther Party.

0:38.9

His second book became a widespread handbook for the growing anti-Vietnam war movement of the 1960s.

0:43.9

And then, after 10 years away from political discourse, David announced he was supporting Ronald Reagan for president, and he was leaving the left.

0:51.2

We'll get into what he witnessed that drove him away from politics for a decade,

0:54.8

and how he re-emerged on the other side of the aisle. David's career originally celebrated by

0:59.8

intellectuals disappeared from the cultural establishment almost overnight. Prior to conversion,

1:04.7

he had books praised by major mainstream media publications, New York Times, LA Times,

1:08.9

the National Book Awards, and then was widely ignored.

1:11.9

But David continued to be a prolific writer. He used the anti-American beliefs and experiences

1:16.5

from his early life to expose the damage to American society from the left.

1:21.5

In this episode, David tells us about his avocation to fight fire with fire when it comes to

1:25.8

leftists. If the left makes politics about rising to higher purpose with social political activism,

1:30.4

the right will never win unless we fight that same way.

...

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