10 Minute Drill – Episode Summary

Podcast: 10 Minute Drill
Host: Matt Whitlock
Episode: Gavin vs. Gavin; Dems rage against shutdown end; Scandal rocks Democrat rising star
Date: November 13, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a brisk, pointed rundown of the latest turbulence in Democratic politics following the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Host Matt Whitlock dives into the internal party meltdown over reopening the government, exposes the shifting personas of California Governor Gavin Newsom, and unpacks a brewing scandal around rising Democratic star Jasmine Crockett’s campaign spending. Whitlock’s commentary is unfiltered, occasionally cheeky, and rooted in his insider political background.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Democrats in Disarray over Shutdown’s End

• Background: The House votes to end a record federal shutdown, but the fallout fractures Democrats, who had long blamed the GOP.
• Audio Clip: Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin [00:54] acknowledges the shutdown hurt constituents and admits dissatisfaction with political brinkmanship:

  “Cannot accept a strategy which wages political battle at the expense of my neighbor's paycheck or the food for his children.” – Dick Durbin

• Whitlock’s Take:
  • Democratic Ownership: Whitlock stresses that Durbin’s admission undercuts Democrats’ “Republican shutdown” narrative, essentially taking ownership of the crisis.
  • Senate Divisions: Only 8 Democrats voted to reopen, though others privately wanted the shutdown to end but balked at risking re-election (“many more who wanted it to end” [02:07]).
• Partisan Rhetoric:
  • Ron Wyden, normally seen as bipartisan, released an incendiary tweet (paraphrased):

    "Republicans have destroyed health care... people will die... priorities begin and end with helping billionaires." [02:30]

  • Whitlock accuses Wyden of hypocrisy, noting Wyden helped craft the very health-care system he now attacks, and suggesting this rhetoric destroys prospects for future bipartisanship.
• Activist Backlash:
  • Indivisible: The liberal group targets Democrats like Chuck Schumer for voting to reopen, backed by controversial foreign donors, according to Whitlock [04:36].
  • Whitlock:

    “They are taking foreign billionaire money to attack the Democrats that reopened the federal government so that needy people in America could get their food stamps.”

2. Big Banks, Trump, and Regulatory Clashes

• Banking Investigation:
  • Florida Attorney General James Uthmeyer investigates JPMorgan Chase for allegedly providing confidential Trump Media data to federal authorities and “debanking” Trump’s family—including Barron Trump ([05:33]).

    “If there indeed was intentionality there and effort to tank the stock, we could be talking about serious implications.” – James Uthmeyer [05:52]

• White House & Wall Street:
  • Major bank CEOs, including Jamie Dimon, attended a White House dinner ([04:29]).
  • Activist campaigns like Save Our States argue against giving banks more control via CFPB regulations ([06:40]), with Whitlock summarizing:

    “Should the future of American banking belong to ordinary Americans or corporate elites?”

3. Teachers Unions and Political Agendas

• Parents Coalition Warning:
  • Conservative parental rights groups warn the NEA and AFT are advancing far-left political causes over educational basics ([07:32]), including:
    • Emphasis on DEI
    • Pronouns/preferred names
    • Slavery reparations
    • Downplaying Holocaust specifics
• Whitlock’s Critique:
  • Asserts unions and activists drive Democrat politics but fail to improve educational outcomes.

4. Which Gavin Will You Get Today? – Newsom’s Shifting Persona

New recurring segment introduced.

• The “Latinx” Flip-Flop:

  • Newsom mocks Democrats' use of 'Latinx' on the right-wing Charlie Kirk podcast:

    "Not one person ever in my office has ever used the word Latinx." – Gavin Newsom [09:35]

  • Montage follows of Newsom repeatedly using 'Latinx' in official statements ([09:43]).

• Climate Activist vs. Energy Realist:

  • Newsom has recently toggled between supporting fossil fuels (due to skyrocketing gas prices) and adopting the “climate hero” role ([10:00], [10:54]).

    “And to stand up to this bully. He's an invasive species.” – Gavin Newsom on Trump [10:54]

  • Attributes wildfires to climate change in Brazil speech:

    “You saw one of the most devastating wildfires in American history in the middle of winter in Los Angeles in January. Hundred mile hour winds attached to fire.” – Gavin Newsom [11:08]

  • Whitlock rebuts, citing leadership failures such as uncleared brush and empty hydrants [11:22].
  • Newsom frames climate as a “cost of living issue” ([11:50]):

    “It's a cost of living issue. Ask anyone in... California.” – Gavin Newsom [11:50]

  • Whitlock’s punchline: “The fight against climate change from the left is a cost of living issue, but not in the way that Gavin thinks…”

5. Jasmine Crockett Scandal – Lavish Spending & Hypocrisy

• Fox News Report:
  • Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), recently celebrated by the left, allegedly spent $25,748 on luxury hotels and limousine services since January, including the Ritz Carlton and high-end resorts across the country ([12:10]).
  • Nearly $50,000 was spent in 2025 on private security, despite Crockett’s support for “defunding police.”
• Whitlock’s Takedown:
  • Accuses Crockett of “lov[ing] the lavish 1% lifestyle while pretending to be a working class hero.”
  • Mocking reference to viral incident:

    “Can you confirm that I just kissed your sneakers? This is sneaker. That's a pretty weird thing… we’ll have to talk about another day.” [13:30]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Dick Durbin’s Concession:

  “Cannot accept a strategy which wages political battle at the expense of my neighbor's paycheck or the food for his children.” – Dick Durbin [00:54]

• Sheldon Whitehouse on Dem Divisions:

  “He also had a bigger number of senators to deal with than eight… another five or six… waiting in the wings.” – Sheldon Whitehouse [01:56]

• Ron Wyden’s Rhetoric:

  “Republicans have destroyed health care in our country. Millions will go without care and people will die. Yet again, Republicans have shown their priorities begin and end with helping billionaires.” (paraphrased) – Ron Wyden, as cited by Matt Whitlock [02:30]

• James Uthmeyer on JPMorgan & Trump Media:

  “If there indeed was intentionality there and effort to tank the stock, we could be talking about serious implications.” – James Uthmeyer [05:52]

• Gavin Newsom’s ‘Latinx’ Pivot:

  “Not one person ever in my office has ever used the word Latinx.” – Gavin Newsom [09:35] “Latinx of how impactful this has been…” – Gavin Newsom [09:43]

• Gavin Newsom on Trump:

  “And to stand up to this bully. He’s an invasive species. He’s a wrecking ball president.” – Gavin Newsom [10:54-11:03]

• On Pacific Wildfires:

  “You saw one of the most devastating wildfires in American history in the middle of winter in Los Angeles in January. Hundred mile hour winds attached to fire.” – Gavin Newsom [11:08]

• Jasmine Crockett Scandal:

  “Loves the lavish 1% lifestyle while pretending to be a working class hero to her Dallas constituents.” – Matt Whitlock [13:10]

Segment Timestamps

• Opening & Main Theme – [00:00-00:34]
• Shutdown Fallout & Democratic Infighting – [00:34-05:01]
• Big Banks, Trump, and Regulation – [05:01-07:15]
• Teachers’ Unions and Politics – [07:15-09:35]
• Which Gavin Are We Getting Today? – [09:35-12:00]
• Jasmine Crockett Scandal – [12:00-13:40]

Tone & Style

Matt Whitlock delivers a concise, punchy, and often sarcastic monologue, calling out perceived hypocrisy in Democratic politics, spotlighting intra-party drama, and skewering political rivals with humor and bluntness. The mood stays upbeat and irreverent, in line with the show's “fun, fast, and light” promise—even as it covers serious themes.

Conclusion

This episode of 10 Minute Drill offers a rapid-fire, sharply opinionated tour through Democratic turmoil after the shutdown, the shape-shifting of Governor Gavin Newsom, and the embarrassment of Jasmine Crockett’s spending scandal. Whitlock’s unapologetic conservatism and inside-baseball anecdotes make it clear: the drama in American politics is as much about personalities and narratives as it is about policy.