Nightly Scroll with Hayley: “Young MAGA Won The Culture War”
Host: Hayley Caronia
Guests: Mary Margaret Olahan (Daily Wire White House Correspondent), C.J. Pearson (Family Matters Podcast Host)
Date: October 8, 2025
Episode: 151
Episode Overview
In this episode, Hayley Caronia sits down with Mary Margaret Olahan and C.J. Pearson for an energetic and incisive conversation on the state of Washington, D.C. under the new Trump administration, the evolving conservative movement—especially among young people—media and culture battles, and viral moments in contemporary politics. With wit and bold opinions, the trio unpacks shifts in crime, memes, “culture war” rhetoric, and generational dynamics on the right, concluding with reflections on effective conservative outreach to youth.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Life in D.C. During and After the Shutdown
- Quiet Streets & Weird Energy: The trio exchanges observations about recent government shutdown effects, fewer people downtown, and shifts in nightlife.
- Mary Margaret (01:25): “It is usually pretty quiet during the shutdown…a lot of my friends work in Congress... they’re not actually at work anymore. So that’s weird.”
- Shutdown as Ceremony: Hayley calls shutdowns “very ceremonial and…symbolic,” with business as usual resuming once funding is restored.
- Hayley (02:41): “Whenever this comes to an end…they’re gonna find more ways to steal our money.”
Nightlife and Republican Culture Shift
- A New High-Class GOP Crowd: Discussion of how Republican gathering spots have grown more “highfalutin” with Trump’s return—pickled martinis and caviar replacing beer.
- Mary Margaret (04:01): “They like their caviar and their martinis. It used to be a beer. Beer was the Republican drink.”
2. Trump’s Crime Crackdown in D.C.
- Visible Change, National Guard: C.J. shares seeing National Guard troops and a decline in public drug use and homeless harassment.
- C.J. (05:02): “President Trump is definitely making a big difference and…making D.C. safe again...there’s been definitely a substantial decline in the crackhead occurrences that I’ve seen.”
- Press Reception & Public Perception: Mary Margaret notes even White House correspondents have routine experiences with crime, yet legacy press instinctively frames crackdowns negatively.
- Mary Margaret (06:46): “They were both saying, we’ve been robbed in daylight in D.C…. But thankfully I’m not one of those people. I’m really careful.”
- Self-defense Restrictions: Barriers to gun ownership and even mace in D.C. prompt anxious anecdotes from all three.
- C.J. (09:08): “I’m from Georgia, where…you don’t really need much to get a gun. In D.C., it’s a very, very different terrain.”
- Mary Margaret (11:36): “My dad took me to the range…and after we practiced together, he said that Helen Keller was a better shot than me.”
3. The “SombreroGate” Meme & Media Discourse
- Memes as a Political Tool: The guests reflect on J.D. Vance’s social-media savvy and resilience against meme-based trolling, insisting that embracing internet culture is part of winning with young voters.
- C.J. (16:40): “Memes made President Trump…or helped President Trump become president in 2016, and him leaning into that virality…helped him return to the White House in 2024.”
- Generational Change in Political Communication: Vance is praised for not pretending to ignore online chatter but instead addressing it head-on, contrasting with older politicians.
- Mary Margaret (17:57): “The old lawmaker mantra seemed to…pretend we don’t see what’s happening on the Internet…whereas Vice President Vance…sees it all.”
4. Super Bowl Controversy & Culture Flashpoints
- Bad Bunny Halftime Show Reactions: Hayley and guests mock Outrage over Bad Bunny’s selection, poke fun at Whoopi Goldberg’s suggestion to “tan themselves and fake Latin accents to escape ICE.”
- Hayley (21:02): “Anyone who goes to the super bowl halftime show who's a leftist…they are going to tan themselves either in the sun or with makeup. They're going to fake a Latin accent to confuse ICE.”
- Mary Margaret (21:20): “I don't understand why the NFL would do this…when NFL fans like country music or like normal American music.”
5. Science, Authority, and Media Narratives
- Bill Nye & “Rejection of Science”: Discussion of Bill Nye’s recent protest and his claim that rejecting mainstream scientific narratives is “unpatriotic.”
- Mary Margaret (23:14): “We saw this so exposed in the coronavirus pandemic…we had all of this insane ideology pushed on us whether it had to do with coronavirus, whether it had to do with critical race theory, gender ideology, you name it.”
- C.J. (24:02): “If rejecting science is anti patriotic, then is rejecting the biological differences between men and women unpatriotic?”
- Climate Change as Political Weapon: Audio clip of Bill Nye associating voting for Democrats with stopping climate change is ridiculed.
- Hayley (26:00): “So apparently the way to stop hurricanes and to stop climate change is to vote for Kamala Harris.”
6. Political Violence, Rhetoric, and Blame
- Escalation of Rhetoric: The panel blasts Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s claim that Trump’s federal interventions are akin to war.
- C.J. (30:08): “The only civil war that he should be consumed with is the one that’s happening in his own city between the Crips and the Bloods.”
- Left-Wing Violence & Media Framing: Guests cite attempted assassinations and mass shootings by left-leaning individuals, alleging one-sidedness in media coverage.
- Mary Margaret (32:17): “This man [who tried to kill Brett Kavanaugh]…was motivated…because everyone in the world was saying all these leftist Democrats, Chuck Schumer was saying, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, women will die all over the country.”
- Transgender Violence & “Mental Illness”: Extensive discussion of transgender shooters and mental illness as root causes, with demands for more policy focus.
- C.J. (35:12): “Liberals…are often quick to point out a pattern…when it comes to straight white men…yet they are ignoring the clear pattern…when it comes to these trannies shooting up…schools, churches, all these things.”
7. The Future of the Conservative Movement & Youth Outreach
- Winning the Culture War Among Young People: C.J. asserts Gen Z and Gen Alpha reject cancel culture, revel in internet humor, and trend rightward.
- C.J. (36:27): “Gen Alpha is probably going to be one of those conserv[ative] generations we’ve ever seen. Why? Because they’ve grown up in a culture where they hate cancel culture.”
- Conservative Events vs. Liberal Gatherings: Conservative parties are described as more joyful and attractive, while leftist protests are associated with negativity.
- C.J. (37:55): “No one’s connecting with them because they’re all depressed, they’re all angry, and no one wants to be around those people.”
- The Power of Authentic Video & Internet Content: Mary Margaret stresses that online, firsthand “raw footage” is what persuades youth—not talking points.
- Mary Margaret (39:13): “If we are not meeting young people online, I don’t know where you’re going to be trying to meet them…it’s through video…it is through raw, authentic footage.”
8. Conservative Media Innovation
- Turning Point USA & Viral Content: Teamwork, investment in young creative talent, and a willingness to have fun online are credited with shifting youth toward conservatism.
- C.J. (40:59): “They’re doing that because they know exactly who we're trying to reach…It's a bunch of 20 somethings who are super creative.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On D.C. Crime Crackdown (05:02):
“There’s been definitely a substantial decline in the crackhead occurrences that I've seen. And, you know, I think it's for the better...they tried to frame this as anti-black, when...it's a majority black city, who are actually the real victims of a lot of these crimes.”
— C.J. Pearson -
On Memes and Political Savvy (16:40):
“J.D. Vance...is a chronically online guy. He runs his own Twitter account. So he has his finger on the pulse...he is able to just kind of defuse these situations with kind of humor and laughter.”
— C.J. Pearson -
On Contradictory “Science” Narratives (24:02):
“If rejecting science is anti patriotic, then is rejecting the biological differences between men and women unpatriotic?”
— C.J. Pearson -
On the New Right’s Attractiveness (39:13):
“If you’ve ever been to an abortion protest, it is the most, like, disturbingly unattractive spectacle you will ever see. But also, it’s very much on the older side.”
— Mary Margaret Olahan -
On Gen Z & Memes Shifting Culture (41:30):
“There’s such a vibe shift happening right now…But now it is [cool to be a conservative]. And obviously President Trump played a big role in that. I think J.D. is going to build on that. But to your point with Charlie, like he also got like the importance of doing this stuff online as well.”
— C.J. Pearson
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:05 | Observations on government shutdown’s effect on D.C. | | 03:18 | Changes in nightlife with Trump back in office | | 05:02 | Trump’s National Guard deployment & effects on crime in D.C. | | 09:08 | Gun laws & self-defense difficulties in D.C. | | 13:09 | J.D. Vance in the White House briefing room—media strategies | | 16:40 | “SombreroGate” memes, the new right’s sense of humor | | 20:17 | Super Bowl/Bad Bunny, Whoopi Goldberg’s ICE comments | | 23:14 | Bill Nye, “unpatriotic” science skepticism, climate politics | | 28:57 | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “rematch of the Civil War” comments | | 32:17 | Left-wing rhetoric, attempted violence, “both-sides” media fallacy | | 36:27 | Young people, Gen Alpha, and the future of the conservative movement | | 40:59 | Internet culture, Turning Point, meme virality |
Further Resources
- C.J. Pearson’s new show: Family Matters (available on all podcast platforms)
- Mary Margaret Olahan’s reporting: DailyWire.com | Twitter/Instagram: @MaryMargOlahan
This summary captures core themes, lively anecdotes, and pointed commentary that defined the episode, highlighting how today’s young conservatives are shaping— and celebrating— a new political culture.