Democrats Come After Musk & Zuck Thinks About Leaving California | PBD Podcast Ep. 878

October 23, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The PBD Podcast episode 878 opens with the hosts dissecting a political ad that backfired spectacularly. Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign released an ad featuring the mother of his opponent, Amy Acton, calling her a liar. The ad was intended as an October surprise. Instead, it triggered a rapid 11-point swing against Ramaswamy on betting markets. The reason: Acton’s mother had lost custody of her after Acton was sexually abused by her stepfather at age nine—a fact the campaign apparently did not vet. The hosts argue the ad was a catastrophic misstep, not because of policy disagreements, but because it weaponized childhood trauma against a victim. They note that even Donald Trump, who initially defended the ad, would have been furious had he known the full context. The episode uses this as a case study in how data—not punditry—reveals whether a political attack lands, and as a warning that such deep personal attacks may now carry a permanent political cost.

The Ilhan Omar Marriage Scandal and the Question of Accountability

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What you'll learn

1 (01:03) **Ilan Omar's "Not to My Knowledge" Exchange** - The host opens with a mocking critique of Congresswoman Ilan Omar's interview response when asked if she married her brother.
2 (11:19) **The Vivek Ramaswamy Attack Ad Backlash** - The panel analyzes the controversial ad against Amy Acton that featured her own mother.
3 (26:28) **Threats Against Elon Musk from Democrats** - The panel discusses threats from Kara Swisher, Hillary Clinton, and others about coming after Elon Musk.
4 (59:29) **Zuckerberg's $20 Billion Deal to Stay in California** - Meta's board reportedly offered Zuckerberg a massive package to keep him from leaving over the state's wealth tax.
5 (74:59) **The "Data Republican" Leaks on Planned Civil Unrest** - Leaked audio reveals former USAID officials planning massive civil unrest if Republicans win the midterms.
6 (86:44) **Bukele's Military Rescue of Hostages in Haiti** - El Salvador's president sent special forces to rescue four citizens kidnapped by gangs in Haiti.
7 (92:31) **New York Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages** - New York City voted to phase out the 168-year-old tradition of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Vivek Ramaswamy Amy Acton Ilhan Omar Elon Musk Kara Swisher Hillary Clinton Mark Zuckerberg

Show Notes

Elon Musk vowing retribution against Democrats. Plus Zuckerberg’s California wealth-tax threat, Meta’s $25 billion privacy penalty, and Trump’s “golden age” economy colliding with record-low home sales.

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Patrick Bet-David is the founder and CEO of Valuetainment Media. He is the author of the #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller “Your Next Five Moves” (Simon & Schuster) and a father of 2 boys and 2 girls. He currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.