A look inside the shutdown news cycle
The Brand Brief 10.9.25: Bad Bunny, Peace in the Middle East, and Katie Porter
Brought to you by On Brand Strategies | Written by Carly Moran and Nathan Brand
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📣 Driving the Conversation…
1,353 words | 6 minute read
✍️What Matters: Shutdown coverage and message progression
🎙️ New Media Voices: Left-wing political violence and Katie Porter
📺 Leading FOX: Trump’s Israel-Hamas peace deal
🍿 Trending and Pouncing: Bad Bunny, Schumer, and Katie Porter
🗞️What the Right is Writing: Peace in the Middle East
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
The government shutdown has not dominated the conservative media ecosystem, and fresh news cycle data from Axios confirms that. We predicted this last week in Shutdown Fatigue.
But what the shutdown has produced is alignment between DC Republicans and the conservative media ecosystem: Democrats want free healthcare for illegal immigrants (we also noted this last week in Mission Alignment).
But where’s this news cycle going?
Two news developments are coming: 1. U.S. servicemembers are to go unpaid next week, and 2. Democrats intend to cater to a far-left base on October 18 during a nationwide “No Kings” rally. Democrats think they are winning by dragging this on, but expect the conservative ecosystem to be well synced on a message: Republicans want to pay troops, Democrats want to give free perks to illegal immigrants to appease their base. - NRB
🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Ben Shapiro Show - 10/9
Trump’s Phase One of Israel peace deal will release all 20 living Israeli hostages today, as well as 250 Hamas terrorists and 1,700 detainees
As the IDF retreats to a designated line within Gaza, Israel maintains military dominance over Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian forces
Shapiro is concerned about Hamas claiming difficulty locating the bodies of the 28 deceased hostages
Phase Two and beyond will prioritize ending the war by disarming Hamas and establishing a provisional government in Gaza
Shapiro praises past victories, such as eliminating key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, as well as destroying Iran’s nuclear facility
Shames pro-Palestine protestors for their limited celebration of the peace plan, arguing they were more anti-Israel than pro-peace
The Megyn Kelly Show - 10/8
Democrat candidate for CA governor Katie Porter has interview meltdown
Kelly and guest Link Lauren call Porter “the bearded lady,” mention the poor lighting and ill choice of wardrobe
Hosts note AOC’s own appearance contributing to her success after she called Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller 4’ 10’’
The View host Whoopi Goldberg told white Superbowl attendees to tan with cocoa butter and use a “Latin accent” to distract ICE agents
NYT reporter’s book “Devil’s Advocates” reveals Hunter Biden’s foul deals with Ukraine and Romania, Joe Biden blocked CIA report
The Michael Knowles Show - 10/8
41-year-old Lewis Jerry arrested outside St. Matthews Cathedral for planting bombs before an annual mass for the Supreme Court
Knowles compares America’s rise in political violence to the Spanish Civil War
Knowles says federal intervention in places like Chicago and Portland is inevitable
FBI Director Kash Patel says Chicago has 110,000 gang members that contribute to 1,200 shootings per year
Knowles reads a NYT piece about Gen Z divorce, but offers hope with high rates of Christian conversion among young people
Allie Beth Stuckey’s “Relatable” - 10/8
Stuckey says Charlie Kirk’s murder stemmed from his views on gender and the gospel, making him a martyr
Rejects comparisons calling Kirk “the Right’s George Floyd,” because of how they lived such different lives
Expresses frustration with Pope Leo’s equal comparison of abortion and the death penalty, since one is an innocent life
Stuckey questions whether Sen. Dick Durbin is a worthy recipient of a Catholic Lifetime Achievement Award due to supporting abortion
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 10/8
Rod Dreher, author of The Benedict Option, joins Jashinsky to talk about VA AG candidate Jay Jones’ inflammatory texts
Dreher and Jashinsky tie together the Manchester synagogue bombing into the broader issue of western civilization’s decay
Internal Democrat frustrations threaten Hakeem Jeffries’ leadership, especially as the shutdown continues
Corporate media continues to downplay leftist violence, as seen with the attempted attack on a DC Catholic church
The Palisades Fire suspect used AI imagery while plotting his arsonry
The Glenn Beck Program: Hour One - 10/9
A suspect has been arrested for the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 buildings
Trump confirms an agreement to release hostages while withdrawing Israeli troops in Phase 1 of a Israel peace plan
Trump hosts a DHS roundtable on the dangers of Antifa
A Texas business owner faced doxxing, death threats, and was asked to leave his church for his post criticizing H-1B visas
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS TODAY
A look inside the FOX editorial decision-making…
The Five
500 Texas National Guardsmen deployed to Chicago
JB Pritzker calls Trump “deranged” after president calls for his arrest
Trump hosts roundtable DHS meeting on Antifa threat
Former FBI Director Comey pleads “not guilty” in court, trial scheduled for Jan 5th
CA governor candidate Katie Porter nearly storms out of interview, questions why she’d need to appeal to Trump voters
CA Republican Gov. candidate Steve Hilton says he hopes Porter stays in the race because “she’s easily beatable”
FOX & Friends
Trump leads historic Middle East peace deal, Israeli hostages expected to be released today
Israeli, Turkish, and British leaders all expressed thanks for peace deal, as well as members of congress from both parties
Trump says in phone interview “his tariffs have brought peace to the world”
FOX Newsroom
Trump’s Israel-Palestine peace deal enters Phase One today
The plan includes releasing both Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, demilitarizing the Gaza strip
Senate to vote again today on reopening government, verbal arguments break out in Capitol hallways
New Jersey gubernatorial candidates hold final debate, while Virginia Dems avoid condemning AG candidate Jay Jones’ violent texts
Guest Democrat Sen. Fetterman congratulates the president on establishing peace deal for Israel
Florida man accused of starting Los Angeles Palisades fire
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today: highlights from the conversation on the right and what conservatives are “pouncing” on …
Bad Bunny remained seated during ‘God Bless America’ [X, TMZ]
Bondi: For Years, the Biden Admin Let Antifa Attack Police Stations, Beat Journalists With ‘Total Impunity’ [X, Daily Signal]
Katie Porter viral clip: “get out of my f***ing shot” [X, Gallagher]
Chicago residents excited to see Border Patrol Chief [X, Daily Caller]
White House Memo Exposes Democrats’ History of Pushing Health Care for Illegal Immigrants [Daily Signal]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
Leading FOX News Digital
Netanyahu calls for Trump to receive top global honor for securing historic peace deal in Middle East [FOX News]
‘Horrifically understaffed’ blue city police open to federal help as crime surges [FOX News]
White House rebukes Kamala Harris over her remarks at Los Angeles event [FOX News]
Top of Breitbart
War on ICE: Rep. Goldman Smears Agents as ‘Violent,’ Denies Attacks from Leftist Protesters [Breitbart]
Report: Hamas Agreed to Ceasefire in Gaza, May Release All Hostages [Breitbart]
Jon Stewart Calls ICE a ‘Well-Funded Paramilitary Group’ Attacking Elderly [Breitbart]
Hakeem Jeffries Rejects Legislation to Extend Obamacare Subsidies for One Year [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
The Incredible Expanding Fannie Mae [WSJ Ed]
More Marijuana Users Are Crash Dummies [WSJ Ed]
Immigrants and American Nobel Prizes [WSJ Ed]
The FBI, Senate Phone Records, and Jan. 6 [WSJ Ed]
SAY HELLO
Let us know what you think by reaching out to Nathan (@NathanBrandWA on X or Nathan@OnBrandStrategies.com) and Carly (@realCarlyMoran on X or Carly@OnBrandStrategies.com).
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