Mark Levin Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Polls Don’t Lie: Republicans on the Rise Amid Shutdown
Date: November 1, 2025
Host (Guest Host): Brian Mudd in for Mark Levin
Producer: Cumulus Podcast Network

Overview

This episode, guest-hosted by Brian Mudd, delivers a fiery, satirical, and data-driven analysis of the ongoing partial federal government shutdown, highlighting the strengthening political position of Republicans and the adverse polling for Democrats. Mudd explores the political dynamics, the practical realities of the shutdown, public attitudes on political and supernatural "creepiness" (in the spirit of Halloween), and the larger implications for upcoming elections, particularly referencing contentious races in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. The show’s tone is combative, mocking, and combative toward Democratic leaders, and it integrates listener calls reflecting widespread frustration with Democratic policies.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Halloween-Themed Political Satire: “Creepy, Chilling, Haunting” Democrats

• [00:44]–[05:00]
  Mudd opens by lampooning Democratic figures in Halloween style, calling President Biden and certain Democrats “creepy,” referencing Biden’s history of personal space violations (as cited by AI assistants Grok and ChatGPT), and roasting politicians like Nancy Pelosi and Debbie Wasserman Schultz:
  • “Still gotta be Joe Biden, right?... Joe Biden’s sniffing of children’s hair or nibbling on a child’s shoulder... those are certainly things known to be creepy, right?” – Brian Mudd ([03:05])
  • Also jabs at former Dem Rep. Anthony Weiner and Nancy Pelosi.
• [05:30]–[11:00]
  Accuses Democrats of being “anti-American scumbag creeps” for voting against paying essential federal employees during the shutdown, and expands the “creepy” label to “chilling” and “haunting” by referencing weaponization of the DOJ and surveillance of political opposition.
  • “You have to be an anti-American scumbag creep to vote not to pay folks who literally put their lives on the line every day...” – Brian Mudd ([05:49])

2. Weaponization of Government Claims

• [11:00]–[14:30]
  Mudd critiques Special Counsel Jack Smith (“Special Criminal Jack Smith”) for issuing mass subpoenas targeting Republicans, media, and Trump associates:
  • “Special criminal Jack Smith, his chilling use of broad prosecutorial powers... effectively creating what Chuck Grassley’s ... Committee has identified as an enemies list...” ([12:44])
  • Highlights that AT&T resisted, but Verizon complied with DOJ subpoenas for congressional Republicans’ phone records.

3. The Partial Government Shutdown: Realities and Poll Effects

• [20:09]–[25:00]
  Presents polling data (frequently citing CNN’s data guy Harry Enten) showing that the shutdown has not hurt the GOP; if anything, Republican approval is up, particularly among independents.
  • “The net approval rating [for GOP in Congress] up 12 points versus pre-shutdown... Among independents, it’s up eight points as well.” ([35:56])
  • Asserts Democrats miscalculated, treating voters as “stupid” when they were “ignorant,” and the public has now become more informed.

4. Election Stakes and Realignments

• [23:30]–[34:00]
  Discusses upcoming elections in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia, warning of a potential “haunting” scenario if “Marxist Islamists” win in NYC, and analyzing probable voter behavior shifts due to Democratic governance.
  • Notes massive population outflows from NYC and “grim prospects” if further leftward shifts occur.

5. Economic Analysis: Shutdown, Immigration, and Inflation

• [25:10]–[29:59]
  Multiple callers and Mudd argue that illegal immigration has strongly driven up inflation, especially housing costs, and that new government spending is unsustainable.
  • “We added a double-digit increase in housing inflation alone through the importing of illegal immigrants.” ([26:18])
  • “Over 60% of all illegal immigrants in this country [are] on government assistance programs...” ([27:23])
  • Mudd maintains that the economy is improving under Trump’s (second-term) administration, even during the shutdown, citing stock market highs, low gas prices, and reduced inflation.

6. Listener Calls: Frustrations and Political Realignments

• [30:43]–[39:03]
  Calls from listeners in NJ, NY, FL, OH, and elsewhere echo themes of anger at Democratic governance, inflation, crime, and illegal immigration. Several mention flipping from Democrat to Republican in recent years, and express optimism for GOP prospects in coming elections.
  • “I flipped two years ago... because no bail, no police... insanity.” – Jesse from Westchester ([34:17])
  • Voters share skepticism, supernatural anecdotes (ghosts), and political Realignment stories.

7. The "Hidden" Impact of the Shutdown

• [39:30]–[48:37]
  Emphasizes that, for most Americans, the 31-day, 34%-government shutdown has gone virtually unnoticed unless reported by the media—used as an argument that much government is unnecessary.
  • “You wouldn’t have the first flipping clue it existed if you didn’t hear about it every day in the news... 34% of the federal government offline, and nobody notices!” ([39:47])

8. Funding Showdowns on SNAP/ACA

• [48:37]–[52:33]
  Explains the federal courts ordering Trump’s administration to continue SNAP payments but questions the existence of contingency funds to do so.
  • Observes that pressure will increase on Schumer/Dems once shutdown hits wider programs like SNAP and ACA, impacting tens of millions.

9. Structural Reforms: Case for Permanently Shrinking Government

• [79:08]–[92:16]
  Mudd advocates for making the shutdown permanent—citing public indifference as proof of the dispensability of over a third of federal agencies, and proposing that the resulting budget surplus could resolve deficits:
  • “The partial shutdown has proven the need to make it permanent... we could immediately cut about a third of the size of the federal government.” ([79:31])
  • Argues for limited government and notes that recent housecleaning at DOJ and FBI (e.g., Cash Patel, Pam Bondi) are correcting “deep state” rot.

10. Final Reflections and Political Forecasts

• [100:29]–end
  Discusses further population shifts from blue states, the rise of socialism in deep-blue cities, and asserts that the shutdown, economic improvement, and Democratic overreaching are triggering a substantial realignment of voter affiliation toward the GOP—citing voter registration trends.
  • “The six [swing] states that provide monthly voter registration changes... over last November, 2.7 million more net Republican voters than a year ago...” ([111:11])
  • Urges optimism and continued activism, with closing encouragements for the Life, Liberty & Levin TV show.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Still gotta be Joe Biden, right?... Joe Biden’s sniffing of children’s hair or nibbling on a child’s shoulder... those are certainly things known to be creepy, right?”
– Brian Mudd (03:05)

“You have to be an anti-American scumbag creep to vote not to pay folks who literally put their lives on the line every day...”
– Brian Mudd (05:49)

“Special criminal Jack Smith, his chilling use of broad prosecutorial powers... effectively creating what Chuck Grassley’s ... Committee has identified as an enemies list.”
– Brian Mudd (12:44)

“The net approval rating [for GOP in Congress] up 12 points versus pre-shutdown... Among independents, it’s up eight points as well.”
– Brian Mudd, citing Harry Enten/CNN (35:56)

“You wouldn’t have the first flipping clue [about the shutdown] if it weren’t in the news... 34% of the federal government offline, and nobody notices!”
– Brian Mudd (39:47)

“The partial shutdown has proven the need to make it permanent... we could immediately cut about a third of the size of the federal government.”
– Brian Mudd (79:31)

“They have played the long game for four decades... All by design. Overwhelm the system. This is what open borders were all about.”
– Brian Mudd (105:30)

“I flipped two years ago... because no bail, no police... insanity.”
– Jesse from Westchester (caller) (34:17)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:44–05:00: Halloween “Creepy, Chilling, Haunting” satire of Democrats
• 11:00–14:30: “Weaponization” of DOJ/Jack Smith/Verizon–AT&T stories
• 20:09–25:00: CNN’s Harry Enten’s polling data, GOP’s rising approval
• 25:10–29:59: Economics, immigration, inflation’s drivers
• 30:43–39:03: Swing-state election stakes, listener calls share anxieties
• 39:30–48:37: Minimal effects of the shutdown, argument for permanent cuts
• 48:37–52:33: SNAP, ACA funding showdowns and impact on vulnerable
• 53:36–68:15: More calls, election analysis, impact of Trump’s messaging
• 79:08–92:16: Push for permanent reduction of government, DOJ/FBI “cleaning”
• 100:29–end: Migration from blue states, socialism in urban centers, final political realignment discussion

Closing Notes

• The episode closes by reiterating that the ongoing shutdown, far from harming Republicans, is acting as a referendum on government bloat and Democratic overreach; polling, public sentiment, and even union agitation are straining Democratic unity.
• Mudd, filling in for Levin, maintains a tone of aggressive satire, urging listeners to remain alert, informed, and ready for a new “golden age” of conservative governance.
• Mark Levin’s standard closing promos for Life, Liberty & Levin are included, but episode content is handled by Brian Mudd.

For listeners who missed the episode:
This installment is a high-octane, sharply satirical, and data-laced tour through the Halloween political landscape, the government shutdown, the mechanics of polling, and the shifting tides of party politics and national sentiment. It blends fiery rhetoric with real voter stories and a pointed call for conservative reforms in both government size and electoral strategy.