Why Jennifer Welch matters
The Brand Brief 10.29.25: What left-wing podcasters mean for conservative media, Newsom, Mamdani, Riley Gaines, and Jasmine Crockett
Actionable media intel to cut through the noise and keep you ahead: The Brand Brief delivers a daily snapshot of trending stories in 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…
1,625 words | 7 minute read (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Who is Jennifer Welch?
New Media Voices: Foreign-born voters
Leading FOX: Trump in Asia, hurricane watch, and Mamdani
Trending and Pouncing: Obama continues to speak
What the Right is Writing: Mamdani, AOC, and the Chicago mayor
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
Jennifer Welch. Hasan Piker. Ben Meiselas. The fracturing of media isn’t confined to the right. Left-wing podcasters and influencers are thriving within their ecosystem. For those tracking conservative media, this matters: the right is exposing media content from beyond the traditional sources of network news, MSNBC, and CNN.
While Jennifer Welch may not be a household name on the right, her call to kill conservatives has dominated the online conversation this morning. As conservatives monitor and expose a wider array of left-wing figures - many of whom are encroaching on the mainstream - the result is a steady stream of new material fueling the conservative media ecosystem. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 10/28
Biden’s senior advisor Mike Donilon admits he received $4 million for running Biden’s 2024 campaign, Kelly ties his 2nd run to staffer greed
Guests from the Ruthless Podcast say Donilon’s actions were unpatriotic, that high consultant fees are powered by donor interests
KJP says Biden’s ousting was a betrayal, she believes black and queer women like herself are disrespected, that Harris couldn’t have won
After facing backlash for associating with a radical imam linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Mamdani claims Muslims are the real victims of 9/11
On podcasts, Michelle Obama complains about fame while nevertheless promoting herself, while CA Gov. Newsom claims he grew up hustling despite growing up alongside the Getty family
The Benny Show - 10/29
Johnson confirms he will attend the JD Vance-Erika Kirk TPUSA event at Ole Miss
Trump’s tour of Asia continues in South Korea with multiple trade deals
A violent, diseased monkey on the loose in Mississippi
Republican NJ governor candidate Ciattarelli interviewed about a poll showing his lead for NJ governor
Johnson uses the example of Matthew Lohmeier being confirmed as undersecretary of the Air Force as Trump keeping his promises
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul’s endorsement of Mamdani appears to be negatively affecting her reelection polling
Johnson describes CA Gov. Newsom’s recent podcast act as “stolen street valor” and reflective of broader identity issues among Democrats
Besides pretending to grow up in the ghetto, Newsom is also attempting to spark a fight with podcaster Joe Rogan
The Michael Knowles Show - 10/28
The View panics over a joke by Steve Bannon that this is Trump’s third term since he “won” 2020
Trump endorses a hypothetical Vance-Rubio ticket while being interviewed aboard Air Force One
Knowles compares AOC’s rally speech to Howard Dean’s 2004 campaign-ending scream, ties Mamdani’s success to foreign-born voters
Mamdani doubled down on woke policies by pledging $65 million to gender transition services, including for minors
Chicago Mayor Johnson compares the term “illegal alien” to “slaves,” while KJP continues to remind everyone she is a queer Black woman
Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly calls Kamala Harris a strong candidate for 2028
TimCast IRL - 10/28
CA Gov. Newsom says federal poll watchers could rig his Prop 50 election, exposing Democrats’ equal concern over ballot harvesting
The hosts talk about how Europeans find it strange that American elections don’t universally require voter ID
The hosts worry if SNAP benefits expire on Nov 1st due to the shutdown there could be food riots and the National Guard deployed
With Mamdani in the lead, the hosts discuss how foreign-born voters shift places like NY and CA further left than generational residents
The Timcast team talks about how even when there’s video evidence that disputes an issue, group allegiance often overrules logic
Brett Cooper Show - 10/28
Financial podcaster Caleb Hammer, who interviews people on their monetary situation, has been receiving backlash for his honesty
Many of his podcast guests, Cooper says, blame their issues on America’s systems while piling on their own debt and using subsidies
Cooper says the guests’ refusal to take personal responsibility is a reflection on the issues with broader American culture
Hammer’s show highlights how government handouts enable bad behavior and dependency upon a system outside themselves
Cooper uses his show as a comparison as the government shutdown continues, with 42 million Americans at risk of losing SNAP benefits
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
A look inside the FOX editorial decision-making…
The Five
The new Japanese PM literally jumps for joy upon meeting Trump
During his Japan trip, Trump signs a mineral and arms trade deal
Tim Walz falsely claims that Trump’s top priority is the ballroom, based on an edited video that asks which renovations he’s focused on
Rep. Jasmine Crockett asks whose party’s policies are “truly pro-life”
A Semafor piece outlines report saying progressive policies have destroyed Democrats’ popularity among most undecided voters
Riley Gaines challenges AOC to a debate after the congresswoman berated her on X
An MSNBC anchor claims no Democrat has ever called Trump Hitler
Actor Charlie Sheen talks to Bill Maher about obvious solutions: lock up criminals
FOX & Friends
Trump confirms a new trade deal with South Korea before his meeting with Xi Jinping tomorrow
The president plans on finalizing TikTok deal, easing some tariffs with China while threatening new ones if provoked
VP Vance and Erika Kirk will co-host a TPUSA stop at Ole Miss tonight
The House Oversight Committee refers its findings on Biden to the DOJ
A diseased monkey is on the loose in Mississippi after its truck crashed
The Toronto Blue Jays tied the World Series last night with a win against the LA Dodgers
Riley Gaines is interviewed about her spat on X with AOC
A study confirms more than 1 million people discuss suicide with ChatGPT weekly
The Democrats vote for the 13th time today to keep the government closed, as 42 million people face losing their SNAP benefits
Mamdani is under fire for yet another leaked comment, “The boot of the NYPD has its boot on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.”
NJ’s Sherrill and VA’s Spanberger are teaming up on their governor campaigns
Chuck Schumer says the suffering of Americans will push the Republicans’ hand to compromise on Obamacare
Guest James Patterson expresses his concerns about AI in new book
ICE is on track to deport 600,000 people by the end of the year
Guest European Parliament President Roberta Metsola talks about the impact of Trump’s additional sanctions on Russian oil
Kai Trump will be making her LPGA debut at the Pelican Golf Club next month
FOX Newsroom
Trump weighs in on government shutdown from Air Force One, SNAP benefits lapsing next week, Senator Mullin interviewed and Speaker Johnson press conference on latest
Trump visits South Korea, reaches $350B trade deal, no meeting Kim Jong Un, preview of meeting with Chinese president Xi
Israel strikes Hamas targets in retaliation, resumes ceasefire enforcement
Cuomo interviewed as polls show race narrowing with Mamdani, columnist Douglas Murray interviewed about socialism in the UK
Hurricane Melissa brings immense damage to Jamaica
Panel discusses JP Morgan Jamie Dimon slamming texting during meetings, girls filming dating moments
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today: highlights from the conversation on the right and what conservatives are “pouncing” on…
Barack Obama says the quiet part out loud — it’s time to “experiment” with “new forms of journalism” with “government regulatory constraints.” [X, Vigilant Fox]
Jake Tapper: “This is…a choice by Senate Democrats to not vote to open the government.” [X, Daugherty]
I can’t imagine the hubris of being in Congress and telling someone else to “get a real job.” [X, Hemingway]
Iraqi refugee to the Pima County City Council: “Without government support, I can’t stay more than a month.” [X, Pearson]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
Leading FOX News Digital
Mamdani’s mom ripped for using ‘repulsive’ slur toward Americans in resurfaced interview [FOX News]
Tearful Charlie Kirk remarks were ‘mistranslated,’ Jamie Lee Curtis told Variety [FOX News]
Former president faces mounting scrutiny as autopen pardon scandal escalates [FOX News]
Top of Breitbart
Trump Addresses Third Term Prospects: ‘Pretty Clear I’m Not Allowed to Run’ [Breitbart]
Brandon Johnson: ‘We Don’t Have Illegal Aliens’ [Breitbart]
Mansour: Trump’s Big Beautiful Ballroom Is a Gift for America [Breitbart]
AOC Rallies for Mamdani: ‘They Want Us to Think We Are Crazy — We Are [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
The GOP’s ObamaCare Opportunity [WSJ Ed]
The Bad Teamsters Bargain With UPS [WSJ Ed]
Will Hamas Sink Trump’s Gaza Deal? [WSJ Ed]
Wisconsin vs. Catholic Charities, Round II [WSJ Ed]
SAY HELLO
Nathan (@NathanBrandWA on X or Nathan@OnBrandStrategies.com) and Carly (@realCarlyMoran on X or Carly@OnBrandStrategies.com).
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