The clip that’s been making the rounds shows CNN’s Abby Phillip hosting a panel the night a government shutdown loomed, with former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and commentator Ana Kasparian on the table. The exchange was tense, and the panel itself underscored what every patriotic American already feels: the American people are tired of Washington theater and empty promises.

Pawlenty didn’t mince words — he bluntly told Phillip that Democrats actually need shutdown drama to placate an angry base that thinks their leaders aren’t fighting hard enough. Watching Phillip’s face tighten as that reality was stated plainly was a rare moment where CNN’s performative outrage met cold political truth, and it showed.

Dave Rubin was right to highlight the moment: conservative messaging is winning when it forces the left to explain why self-inflicted chaos is somehow a political asset. The conservative argument — that Democrats will fold when the public starts feeling the real pain of a shutdown — isn’t wishful thinking but plain political arithmetic, which allies and independents are already responding to.

Let’s be clear about the stakes: a shutdown doesn’t just produce pundit theater, it furloughs workers, delays services, and creates chaos for ordinary Americans while elites on television lecture us about “principle.” When those real consequences hit families and small businesses, voters won’t reward leaders who chose political spectacle over sensible governance.

Conservatives should take heart and take the initiative — keep making the case that fiscal responsibility and secure borders come before partisan giveaways and headline-chasing. Pound the message that Democrats’ priorities have alienated working Americans, and remind voters who is actually fighting to rein in waste, secure the nation, and protect livelihoods.

Finally, the media’s tantrum over being shown up by reality was on full display, and Americans watched it happen live. Let this be a calling card for patriots: stay loud, stay principled, and never let the narrative be set by those whose first instinct is to protect power instead of people.