The Next Generation of Progressive Pundits Is Here
Piker, acknowledging that “leftist infighting is the number one thing that people love doing,” had a polite but spirited debate over all this and more with his uncle during an annual Thanksgiving livestream dubbed “Cenkgiving.” While he’s quick to say, “I love my uncle,” Piker also acknowledged that they “argue all the time and debate all the time publicly, too.” According to Piker, they fundamentally disagree about criminal justice reform; Uygur thinks the left acts as if “crime doesn’t exist,” whereas Piker recognizes the United States as “a very reactionary, very draconian carceral state.” They also disagree about whether MAGA is a true populist uprising against the elites or just a grievance-driven personality cult. “I think it’s just hokum,” Piker told me, laughing at the idea of “maga communists.”
Uygur pioneered the online progressive commentary world that is currently thriving. He is also self-aggrandizing (he launched a quixotic campaign to primary Biden in 2023) and a bit of a blowhard (he has apologized for making boorish blog posts about women). He has also been ahead of the curve, both politically and in terms of new media. He was an early backer of Sanders; his Justice Democrats PAC helped discover Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; he predicted that Trump would win in 2016; and he said that Biden’s age would doom his reelection prospects when few, if any, on MSNBC would dare utter such a statement. It’s doubtful that the progressive ecosystem would exist without Uygur, but there are some signs in 2025 that it may be moving past him for the first time, though Uygur, of course, is going nowhere. “I think he feels wronged by a lot of people on the progressive wing, some of whom initially directly came from TYT and now shit on TYT,” Piker said. Progressive media is in danger of becoming too personality-driven: Uygur says something; his critics respond; Uygur hits back—forever and ever. When this happens, Piker said, “that conversation becomes the only thing you’re talking about. You’re no longer a news network: You’re a drama network.”
One thing everyone seems to agree on is that this is a huge moment for progressives—and the YouTubers and Twitch streamers they increasingly flock to. “The only reason we haven’t won before is because of the media ecosystem, and I’m optimistic because mainstream media has been defeated,” Uygur said. “Our side is the most popular side and the most authentic side, and the one that can’t wait to fight for the voters and deliver for the voters. So good luck to everyone else. We’re going to win.”
