Porta-potties and Taliban cell phones
The Brand Brief 5.20.26: Graham Platner, Thomas Massie, Stephen Colbert, Scott Bessent, Whoopi Goldberg, and Raul Castro
Actionable media intel: The Brand Brief delivers a daily snapshot of the conservative media ecosystem - FOX News, podcasts, and more. | Brought to you by On Brand Strategies | Written by Carly Moran and Nathan Brand
📣 Driving the Conversation…
1,557 words | 7 minute read | Written to be skimmable (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: The Graham Platner takeover
New Media Voices: Massie, Colbert, and Cooper
Leading FOX: Zohran Mamdani, Mark Cuban, and election results
Trending: Cuba up next
What the Right is Writing: TrumpRx, El-Sayed, and Massie
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
The latest round of Graham Platner headlines from FOX News, The Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Wire, and Townhall have captured the full attention of the conservative media ecosystem (he did what in a porta-potty?!).
Platner is unhinged and dangerous. Conservative media is treating him as such, and legacy media should follow suit. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Ben Shapiro Show - 5/19
Shapiro argues the celebration of Luigi Mangione’s murder signifies a dangerous escalation of violence fueled by a “permission structure,” critiques the criminal justice system for being too protective of perpetrators
He condemns Congressman Thomas Massie for allegedly being a Holocaust denier, calls him an obstructionist “Ron Paul figure”
Shapiro introduces his concept of “Homicidal Empathy,” distinguishing it from guest Gad Saad’s “Suicidal Empathy,” to explain how excessive empathy for one group can lead to murderous hatred against another
He criticizes the media for mislabeling Nazi violence as “right-wing”
Shapiro critiques the “luxury beliefs of the Left,” exemplified by Alex Cooper, who promotes promiscuity over having a family
The Isabel Brown Show - 5/19
Brown argues abortion is modern-day genocide, driven by a “god of self” and the false promises of second-wave feminism
As chemical abortion pills account for 70% of abortions, she explains their risks like undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and Rh incompatibility
Guest Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, reveals anti-progesterone metabolites from abortion pills and aborted fetal remains are contaminating drinking water, leading to ecological damage and rising infertility rates
She condemns the Biden admin for removing critical safety regulations and refusing to enforce the Comstock Act, circumventing state abortion bans
Brown says the Republican Party must do more to defund Planned Parenthood, champions the emerging Gen Z pro-life generation
Timcast IRL - 5/19
The panel asserts Thomas Massie’s election defeat confirms President Trump’s continued power as Republican kingmaker
Steve Friend and Scott Pressler talk about an explosive being thrown at a Pennsylvania voting site
Pool critiques excessive campaign spending in “safe” Republican primaries, arguing it diverts funds from crucial midterm races
He also opposes Minnesota’s prediction market ban, views marijuana legalization as a poverty tax, and calls for the SAVE America Act
Pool advocates for mass deportations, self-deportations, overhauling birthright citizenship
He targets Sen. John Thune for his “Never Trumper” stance, calls to primary him if the SAVE Act isn’t passed
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 5/19
Jashinsky critiques the impending farewell to traditional late-night television, says Stephen Colbert’s last stand is nichified, partisan content catering to resistance boomer wine moms
Former ambassador Sam Brownback expresses concern over China’s war on faith, viewing communism as an atheistic ideology seeking total domination and control
Jashinsky argues Alex Cooper’s pregnancy is hypocritical, saying while feminist narratives promote consequenceless sex, these ideals make marriage and family more challenging
Geoffrey Cain shares his book Steve Jobs in Exile, highlighting how Jobs’ period of failure after being pushed out of Apple, coupled with the grounding influence of family, were crucial in shaping him into a visionary
Jashinsky frames declining birth rates, financial struggles of traditional media, and tensions with China as elements of a broader Western civilizational struggle
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
VP JD Vance subs in for Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt, leads task force to root out national fraud
CA Gov. Gavin Newsom visits DC ahead of his likely 2028 run
Michelle Obama says you can’t “pigeonhole” Trump voters as racist, economic hardship drove Americans conservative
Whoopi Goldberg tries to compare President Trump to Biden over his more quirky Truth Social posts
The Five talk about how no one socializes with their neighbors anymore
FOX & Friends
Trump-backed Ed Gallrein beats incumbent Thomas Massie in the Kentucky primary race, Trump endorses Ken Paxton for Texas senator
Iran issues new threats to expand the war beyond its current borders, VP Vance says the U.S. remains ready to strike if talks fail
The DOJ confirms the Southern Poverty Law Center funneled $3M to white nationalist groups
The View rips into businessman Mark Cuban for aiding President Trump in lowering drug costs
XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey shares the continued fight for fairness in women’s sports
CA Gov. Gavin Newsom says Democrats have been “too timid”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the NAACP call for Black college athletes to boycott southern schools due to redistricting
A grandmother dies after falling into an open NYC manhole
The daughter of the mosque security guard killed in the San Diego shooting speaks out in memory of her father
The Simi Valley, CA wildfire explodes to 1,700 acres
A new study shows marriage rates have dropped 19.9% over the past 50 years
Steve visits the Ark Encounter in Kentucky
Maine senate candidate Graham Platner said a soldier wounded four times by the Taliban deserved to die, in a resurfaced Reddit comment
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu says he is “deeply concerned” about the speed of the most recent Ebola outbreak
New NTSB footage shows the engine flying off the Kentucky UPS plane from November
Seattle business exodus fears grow as taxes go up and Starbucks expands southern presence
Country singer Clint Black is interviewed on his memoir Killing Time
FOX Newsroom
The IRGC issues new threats, President Trump said he was an hour away from striking Iran, Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent calls on G7 allies to defund terror, Israeli Ambassador Dr. Michael Leiter reacts
Andy Barr wins the GOP Kentucky senate primary, while Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein beats incumbent Thomas Massie, former speaker Kevin McCarthy reacts
The DOJ is expected to indict Cuban dictator Raul Castro, former Miami Mayor Francis Suarez reacts
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani meets with business leaders after his tax the rich threats causes investments to flee the city
President Trump says both VP JD Vance and Sec. of State Marco Rubio “did good” as press secretary before traveling to give the commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy
The House Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on the SPLC funding neo-Nazi groups, potential of the Biden admin knowing
The Charlie Kirk assassination case defense team says an open hearing could prejudice the jury
CA Gov. Gavin Newsom encourages Democrats to fight fire with fire
Colorado River waters remain dangerously low
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
Sec. Marco Rubio just broke out into full Spanish mode, ripping the Communist Cuban regime and sending a message directly to the people. [X, Daugherty]
There is literally zero incentive to work if you’re a homeless person in California. This is the brand new $9 million dollar luxury apartments of Melrose in Los Angeles. [X, Wall Street Apes]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
Kentucky voters deliver verdict on Thomas Massie [FOX News]
Iran’s supreme leader’s fiery anti-US posts spark warnings of ‘jihad’ [FOX News]
Prince William, Kate Middleton US trip could make royal history [FOX News]
Breitbart
E.U. Finally Strikes Deal on U.S. Trade Pact Ahead of Tariff Hike Deadline [Breitbart]
Trump Admin Creates $1.7 Billion Fund to Compensate Allies Prosecuted Under Biden [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
New York Post
JPMorgan exec sues ex-banker for defamation over ‘sex slave’ allegations [NYP]
NY students defiantly paint huge, lasting Chiefs message in defiance of Gov. Hochul: ‘Always a Chief’ [NYP]
Shocking manifesto reveals teen shooters’ vile motivations behind San Diego mosque shooting [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
Michigan’s El-Sayed Endorsed ‘Reparations’ for ‘Indigenous Peoples’ in Deleted Tweet Attacking Thanksgiving [WFB]
Washington Reporter
TrumpRx expands to generics; Sen. Tom Cotton calls move a “huge deal” for lowering costs for Arkansans [Reporter]
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