An IndyCar driver just gave a masterclass in responding to today’s hostile and toxic political climate.
California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff recently took to social media to lambaste President Donald Trump’s latest America 250 celebration, which was an epic IndyCar race through the nation’s capital.
Schiff took to X to whine about video highlights from the event.
“While you struggle with the cost of gas, Trump offers you the spectacle of an IndyCar race hoping you will not notice,” Schiff complained. “More taxpayer money spent on his self-aggrandizing distractions. And you get higher taxes and higher costs.”
Well, doesn’t Adam just sound like a blast at parties?
Schiff was ripped to shreds in the X comments — as he should have been — but one response stood out precisely because it didn’t tear down Schiff.
IndyCar driver Graham Rahal let basic logic and facts pick apart Schiff more than any insulting retort ever could. And it was a sight to behold:
Did you watch Freedom 250?
No, no, Adam. He wanted you to notice and bask in the pride of being AMERICAN, watch great racing and patriotism on display. Not only that, this was privately funded, not government although it drove thousands of folks to the DC area that have never been (that’s economic impact… https://t.co/MHgRm5DOvt
— Graham Rahal (@GrahamRahal) August 24, 2026
“No, no, Adam,” Rahal began. “[Trump] wanted you to notice and bask in the pride of being AMERICAN, watch great racing and patriotism on display. Not only that, this was privately funded, not government although it drove thousands of folks to the DC area that have never been (that’s economic impact for you).”
“It allowed folks who have never been to see museums, monuments, the White House and AMERICAN history for the first time as well. And guess what, hundreds of thousands of AMERICANS, blue & red, as well as fans from all over the world loved the #Freedom250!”
What a perfect response toward a California lawmaker who seldom provides that sort of grace and humility himself.
And look, I am hardly the person who is going to argue that President Donald Trump is above reproach. There is plenty to criticize the president about, and reasonable people can disagree about his policies, his rhetoric, and even the way he conducts himself.
But the America 250 celebration really isn’t one of those legitimate criticisms. We are talking about the 250th birthday of the United States of America. If there were ever a moment for the president to pull out all the stops and celebrate this country, this would be it.
And let’s be honest: If a Democrat were sitting in the Oval Office in 2026, do we really think there wouldn’t be enormous, expensive celebrations taking place all across the country? Of course there would be.
Maybe the events would look different. Maybe there would be different performers, different spectacles, and different ways of highlighting America’s history.
But the basic premise would be identical: America is turning 250 years old, and the president would want to commemorate the occasion in a big way. That’s not a uniquely Trumpian impulse. That’s just what presidents do when their country reaches a historic milestone.
That’s why Schiff’s criticism feels less like a sincere objection to government spending and more like an excuse to take another swing at Trump. If the race had actually been taxpayer-funded, if the event had been some enormous boondoggle at the expense of struggling Americans, there would at least be a legitimate argument to make.
But Rahal pointed out that the event was privately funded while also bringing thousands of visitors into Washington and exposing them to America’s museums, monuments, and history. You don’t have to love Trump to recognize that celebrating your country isn’t inherently some sinister distraction from the problems of the day.
In fact, especially in today’s increasingly bitter political climate, celebrating the things we still share might actually be exactly what we need.
And that’s ultimately why Rahal’s response was so refreshing. He didn’t need to call Schiff an idiot, question his intelligence, or descend into the same political mud that has poisoned so much of our public discourse.
Rahal simply reminded him that there is another way to look at this: not everything has to be a partisan battlefield. America can still be worth celebrating. Americans of different political persuasions can still stand together and enjoy a race, visit a museum, look at the monuments, and feel a little pride in the country they call home.
In an era when far too many politicians seem determined to convince us that our fellow Americans are the enemy, Rahal offered something remarkably simple: Maybe, just maybe, we can all put down the political swords for a minute and celebrate America together.
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