Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words
Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words

The AI Apocalypse, the Left’s History of Crisis Warnings, and the Midterm Elections | Victor Davis Hanson

September 19, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“Every one of those things was drummed up by the left,” Victor Davis Hanson says, running through a list of past panics—the population bomb, nuclear winter, climate change, COVID lockdowns, the Me Too movement, the George Floyd protests. His point is that each one erupted in an election year, each one was aimed at a Republican president or nominee, and each one turned out to be exaggerated or outright false. Now, with the 2026 midterms approaching, he sees a new apocalyptic warning being deployed: artificial intelligence. The AI extinction scare, he argues, is the latest in a long line of manufactured crises designed to discredit the right and justify global controls on American technological dominance.

The Pattern of Election-Year Panics

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (03:47) **Show Opening & Book Promotion** - Host Sammy Wink introduces Victor Davis Hanson and his new book *Counter Revolution: The Fall and Rise of Donald Trump and the MAGA Movement*
  • 2 (06:57) **Iran, the Houthis, and the Cost of War** - Hanson analyzes the ongoing military campaign against Iran and its regional implications
  • 3 (14:43) **Midterm Elections: Texas and Minnesota Races** - Analysis of key Senate and House races, focusing on the Talarico campaign in Texas
  • 4 (26:20) **Racial Tensions and Social Media** - Hanson describes a new media landscape where racial anger is being fueled on both sides by viral videos
  • 5 (36:28) **Fentanyl Crisis and Mexico** - Hanson connects the fentanyl epidemic to Chinese and Mexican cartel operations
  • 6 (43:14) **Presidential History: Millard Fillmore** - Hanson provides a historical analysis of the 13th president
  • 7 (53:43) **Presidential History: Dwight D. Eisenhower** - Hanson offers a detailed assessment of the 34th president

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Guests on this episode

Victor Davis Hanson

Show Notes

Iran’s growing regional influence, the 2026 midterm elections, and warnings about the Left threatening an AI apocalypse dominate today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”
Victor Davis Hanson and Sami Winc examine Iran’s missile and nuclear programs, the U.S.-Israel relationship, and the strategic importance of the Middle East.
They also discuss the 2026 midterms, touching on key races in Minnesota and Texas and the political strategies shaping the campaigns.
Hanson also addresses warnings from AI leaders about human extinction, and questioning calls for international regulation. He connects the current AI debate to previous political and cultural crises instigated by the Left, including the overreaction panic from the left during COVID, and the lasting effects of those rushed decisions.
The episode also explores racial tensions amplified by social media, fentanyl trafficking, and historical reflections on Millard Fillmore and Dwight D. Eisenhower. 


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Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words

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