James Talarico stated, 'Oil and gas is an outdated business. It's like cassette tapes.'
Posted by The Michael Berry Show, Checked
- Sources
- 4 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 80%
The Michael Berry ShowSep 15, 2026
Multiple outlets report that Talarico compared Texas's oil and gas industry to cassette tapes and said it would not last, most clearly in a 2020 Sierra Club forum. The exact wording in the claim ('outdated business') does not appear in the sources, but the substance matches the reported remarks, so the claim is graded as a faithful paraphrase.
What was said
… It's not altered. It's not taken out of context. I'm a Christian who hates Christian. I've often said, I'm a Christian who hates Christianity. Wow. God is non binary. There are not two genders. There are six. We're going to dismantle capitalism. Oil and gas is an outdated business. It's like cassette tapes. Our campaign has gone meatless. We are vegan. No meat around here. You notice they're running an ad that makes him look like a server in a restaurant, and a small to a small town restaurant that, too. They're going for you. …
The Michael Berry Show · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. CNN's KFile report says that in a September 2020 Sierra Club forum Talarico likened Texas's oil and gas leadership to 'leading in cassette tapes during the 1980s' and said 'that industry is not going to last.'[1][2]
Supports. The State independently quotes Talarico from the same 2020 call: 'that's like being the leader in cassette tapes in the 1980s. That industry is not gonna last.'[3]
Supports. Texas Tribune reports a separate 2026 remark in which Talarico said 'it feels a little bit like we're the No. 1 supplier of cassette tapes in 1988' and that it is 'time to transition.'[4]
Context. The sources do not contain the exact phrase 'outdated business'; the claim's quoted wording is a paraphrase of the reported remarks, and the Talarico campaign later said he no longer holds those views.[3][5]
Sources
5 sources: 5 not rated
- 1In 2020, James Talarico said Texas oil was 'not gonna last,' spoke of 'dismantling' capitalism, white supremacy and climate changeus.cnn.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 2James Talarico described capitalism as 'oppressive system' in 2020 ...edition.cnn.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 3As Texas Senate race tightens, Talarico's mask is slippingthestate.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 4In 2026 election, James Talarico moderates on some issuestexastribune.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5James Talarico Demanded 'Dismantling' of Capitalism in 2020 - Yahooyahoo.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- The United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars.True
- Donald Trump owns 81 million dollars in oil and gas stocks.Mixed
- President Trump stated that gas prices are a small price to pay for the war.True
- Donald Trump has made tens of millions of dollars from stocks in oil and gas companies.True
- The California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) refuses to issue permits for the maintenance of oil wells.False