Karol Markowicz, New York Post columnist, co-author of Stolen Youth: How Radicals Are Erasing Innocence and Indoctrinating a Generation, and host of The Karol Markowicz Show on iHeartRadio, joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to discuss President Obama’s return to the campaign trail, the state of Democratic politics in New York and Virginia, and the growing culture war over education.
Markowicz said that Obama’s campaign appearances for Democrats in key states highlight how little the former president’s political style has evolved since leaving office. “He’s still relying on the same empty rhetoric,” she said. “People treat him like this great orator, but I can’t recall a single memorable thing he said other than ‘If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.’” She compared Obama’s performances unfavorably to those of George W. Bush, noting that even Bush’s unscripted remarks after 9/11 left a lasting impression.
Turning to New York City’s mayoral race, Markowicz predicted a likely victory for progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani and warned that his policies would be disastrous for residents. “He’s pushing ideas that have failed everywhere they’ve been tried,” she said. “When he can’t raise taxes the way he imagines, what’s he going to do then? That’s what New Yorkers should be worried about.” While she acknowledged that former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s political comeback is gaining attention, she said it reflects the desperate state of New York politics. “People are now saying, ‘Cuomo killed my husband, but I’m still voting for him,’” she noted. “That’s how far things have fallen.”
The conversation then turned to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s recent comments accusing conservatives of “criminalizing educators” and turning classrooms into “culture war battlegrounds.” Markowicz called his remarks hypocritical and out of touch. “Conservatives didn’t want this fight,” she said. “It was forced on them by the far-left teachers unions and activist organizations that have taken over the schools.”
She cited examples from her book Stolen Youth, describing explicit and ideological content being introduced to children in classrooms. “We’re talking about pornographic books being placed in elementary school libraries,” she said. “When parents read these books aloud at school board meetings, they’re shut down for being too explicit — yet this is what their third graders are being told to read.” Markowicz praised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for highlighting the issue publicly. “He tried to read one of those books on TV, and the station had to cut him off,” she said. “You can’t read it on air, but it’s fine for kids? That’s insane.”
Markowicz warned parents in conservative areas not to assume their schools are immune from progressive influence. “They already have Chicago and New York,” she said. “Now they’re coming for the red districts. This fight isn’t over — it’s just beginning.”
On national politics, Markowicz said Democrats’ control over messaging remains a major advantage. “Even when Democrats cause the problem, the media frames it as Republicans’ fault,” she said. “That’s part of what makes states like Virginia and New York such uphill battles.”
Still, Markowicz expressed optimism about New Jersey’s elections and the possibility of incremental gains for Republicans. “If the races are even remotely close, that’s a win,” she said. “It shows voters are waking up to how far the left has pushed things.”