IDEAS | JOHN MAC GHLIONN The podcast pipeline that fueled T***p is breaking. Here’s how Democrats can seize the mic.

The lesson in Talarico’s Rogan appearance is simple, and it could be the playbook for Democrats trying to win Senate seats in red states and the 2028 election. These audiences don’t demand agreement. That has never been the case. They demand authenticity, follow-through, and the basic respect of showing up. They punish condescension with ruthless efficiency. They reward courage — even the courage of disagreement when it arrives without a spin doctor’s fingerprints on it. A Democrat who walks into that space and speaks like a human being rather than a focus-grouped simulation won’t be eaten alive. They’ll be heard.

But Talarico showed what to do: Go in, defend what deserves defending, concede what doesn’t, and trust the audience to respect the honesty even when they reject the position. That’s not capitulation but the art of conversation. There’s a difference, and these audiences know it better than most.

John Mac Ghlionn contributes regularly to the Globe and other publications.