Cracker Barrel’s $100M Disaster, GOP Probes Alleged DC Crime Cover-Up & Biden Packed Swing States

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode Title: Cracker Barrel’s $100M Disaster, GOP Probes Alleged DC Crime Cover-Up & Biden Packed Swing States
Date: August 30, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson (Premiere Networks)

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Overview

In this Saturday edition of The 47 Morning Update, Ben Ferguson dives into three major political and cultural stories shaking America. The show begins with Cracker Barrel’s failed rebrand and “woke disaster,” explores a GOP investigation into alleged D.C. crime data manipulation, and concludes with accusations that the Biden administration “packed” swing states with illegal immigrants for political gain. Ferguson delivers unfiltered commentary, referencing exclusive interviews and firsthand accounts, while frequently crediting former President Donald Trump for influencing outcomes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cracker Barrel's $100M Branding "Disaster"

Timestamps: 03:56 – 10:16

• Summary: Cracker Barrel tried to “modernize” under CEO Julie Messino (appointed 2023) by dropping classic Southern branding—removing “Uncle Hershel,” overalls imagery, and the “Old Country Store” from its logo. Ferguson says this alienated its loyal customer base and led to a dramatic public backlash and a quick financial downturn: stock valuation fell by up to $100 million.

• Public Response and Corporate Spin:

  • Critics and customers called the rebrand a “slap in the face.”
  • On Good Morning America, CEO Julie Messino claimed feedback was “overwhelmingly positive” and staff were eager for renovations. Ferguson calls this “delusional spin.”

    “Honestly, the feedback's been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we're doing.”
    – Julie Messino, Cracker Barrel CEO (06:31)

• Course Correction:

  • Facing mounting losses, Cracker Barrel’s leadership publicly acknowledged they mishandled the change and reassured fans that classic icons would return.
  • Donald Trump publicly called on the company to “go back to the old logo, admit a mistake, and manage the company better.” (09:00)
  • The White House, via Press Secretary Caroline Levitt, praised this decision as evidence of Trump’s “unmatched business instincts.”

• Outcome: By Tuesday, Cracker Barrel fully reverted to its old branding, admitting it was a mistake to alienate their base in the first place.

• Ferguson’s Takeaway:

  “Why on earth would you try to take an iconic brand like Cracker Barrel and change it into something clearly that doesn’t align with your customers? ...Job well done to the President of the United States of America for doing this.”
  – Ben Ferguson (09:45)

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2. House GOP Probes Alleged D.C. Crime Data Cover-Up

Timestamps: 10:16 – 14:26

• Summary: The House Oversight Committee, led by James Comer, has launched an investigation into accusations that D.C. officials manipulated crime data to downplay rising crime.

  • Whistleblowers allege crime stats were intentionally downgraded at the instruction of senior Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) leadership.
  • The investigation follows a Justice Department federal probe into D.C. crime statistics.
  • Comer’s letter highlights that while one district commander (Michael Pulliam) was suspended, all seven districts are implicated.

    “Whistleblower... informed the committee the crime statistics were allegedly manipulated on purpose... at the direction of senior MPD officials.”
    – Ben Ferguson summarizing Comer's letter (12:02)

  • Trump labeled FBI crime statistics “fake,” using it to justify increased federal intervention into city policing.

    “Donald Trump... has called the statistics released by the FBI, ‘fake’ to justify federal intervention in D.C. and his plans to intervene in other cities.”
    – Ben Ferguson (13:08)

• Political Response:

  • Trump’s stance provoked strong backlash from Democratic leaders, especially after his threat to send federal troops to Baltimore.

    “Democratic leaders, what did they do? Well, they lost their minds. They started picketing, they started screaming… they were angry that the President of America isn’t buying into… business as usual.”
    – Ben Ferguson (13:49)

• Ferguson's Argument: Trump’s refusal to “back down” and demand transparency is why he finds success with voters.

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3. Biden Administration "Packing" Swing States with Illegal Immigrants

Timestamps: 14:28 – 20:03

• Summary: Ferguson alleges that the Biden administration intentionally allowed over 1 million illegal immigrants to settle in electoral swing states within the first two years of Biden’s presidency (2021–2023). Citing Pew Research and other sources:

  • Examples: Florida grew by 700,000; Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio also saw steep increases.
  • Ferguson argues this influx was a coordinated power play for future elections, impacting both local redistricting and congressional representation.

    “The Biden administration knew what they were doing and they knew they were overseeing a massive surge of legal aliens in non-border states that would help them when it came to redistricting…”
    – Ben Ferguson (15:39)

  • New Jersey and Texas also saw notable increases, with the estimated total “illegal alien population today in 2025 well above 22 million.”

• Motivation & Accusations:

  • Biden’s team accused of “rolling out the red carpet” for illegal immigrants with incentives.
  • Ferguson says this is with the goal of shifting electoral advantages and offering amnesty—leading to lifelong Democratic votes.

    “If you don’t have a secure border, you don’t have a country... The Biden administration said, let’s pack the swing states… then we’ll give them amnesty and they’ll vote for us forever.”
    – Ben Ferguson (19:14)

• Connection to Trump:

  • Ferguson frames Trump’s border security and census policies as a direct response to this perceived strategy.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Branding Backfire:

  “It was a slap in the face or a middle finger, however you want to describe it, to the customers that love Cracker Barrel.”
  – Ben Ferguson (05:37)

• Public Pushback Undermined:

  “Because the feedback and the buzz is so good, not only from our customers, but from our team members. …So we’re doing everything for our guests and our team members.”
  – Julie Messino, Cracker Barrel CEO (06:50)

• Political Maneuvering:

  “This is exactly why Donald Trump keeps winning on the issues, because he’s not backing down.”
  – Ben Ferguson (14:12)

• Border Accusations:

  “Why is Donald Trump doing so much to secure the border… to make sure the census doesn’t count illegal aliens… Because he understands what the Biden administration was trying to do.”
  – Ben Ferguson (18:10)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Cracker Barrel Rebrand & Fallout: 03:56 – 10:16
• D.C. Crime Data Investigation: 10:16 – 14:26
• Swing States & Illegal Immigration: 14:28 – 20:03

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Key Takeaways for Listeners

• The episode draws sharp lines between “woke” corporate changes, political manipulation of crime statistics, and demographic shifts through immigration—arguing that attempts to move away from tradition or hard data result in backlashes, from business to politics.
• Ferguson consistently credits Trump’s actions and rhetoric as both transformative and vindicated by events.
• The tone is unapologetically conservative, alarmist about Democratic motives, and dismissive of progressive or mainstream explanations.
• Listeners are urged to see connections between public backlash, lost trust, and perceived manipulation in both business and government.

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Transcript

[Ben Ferguson]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Donald Trump]

I will tell you, this is the best of all. And they're gonna fight me like this slob of a governor you have in Illinois. This poor, this poor guy got thrown out of his business by his family. But I met this gentleman. I never met him before. Sir, you're doing a great job. You're doing an unbelievable job. Thank you very much. But then he goes on television, says, oh, Trump is a dictator.

[Ben Ferguson (Podcast Host)]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

[Ben Ferguson]

Good Saturday morning to you, Ben Ferguson with you. And these are some of the stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week on the 47 Morning Update. First up, Cracker Barrel. They screwed up big time. The President said it's time for you to go backwards, correct the course and learn from your mistake quickly so you can be successful. Well, within 24 hours of the President weighing in on the issue, Cracker Barrel decided, yeah, we're going to do exactly that. And we've got the story behind it. Also, the White House working now with the House GOP that has just launched a probe into the alleged D.C. crime. Data manipulation lies from the Democrats claiming that violent crime and crime in general is actually down big time this year. Well, there's now an official probe into it and what they're finding is truly shocking. And finally, Democrats have now been exposed for packing swing states with illegal immigrants. But before I get to that, I want to talk to you about my friends at Kirk Elliott Precious Metals. Two days ago, I got my new order of silver. Now, I'm investing in silver right now because the pricing on it is amazing and the upside, well, it's real. I actually have a 100 ounce silver bar. It is actually really cool. It's really heavy because it's 100 ounces. But I also know that I bought it at the right price and I wasn't paying massive upcharges on quot There are special coins and then when you go to sell them, you take away all of your earning potential. Why do they do it this way at Kurt Elliott? Because they have transparent pricing up front. It's very simple. You pay 8% when you buy. And here's what matters to you the most. Nothing. When you sell. There are no hidden fees ever. With Kurt Elliott Precious Metals. This is the reason why I recommend them. It's not just about investing. It's about making sure you for your money. And that is exactly why Kurt Elliott helps people all the time. Whether it's gold or silver. You can hold it be a good steward of it. You can pass it on to future generations and you can build wealth with it. It's real bullion, never gimmicks, just investment grade gold and silver. No overpriced coins, no flashy markups. And it's a company that I love because they are a faith driven company. There's no pressure non just honest care. They treat every client like family, offering honest answers up front to help you make wise, informed decisions. Now if you're seeking a partner when it comes to gold and silver with an eternity mindset, visit kepm.com BEN that's K-E P M.com BEN. You can also call them 720-605-3900. That's 720-605-3900. So let's faithfully steward what God has given so you can experience real peace now and for generations to come. Kepm.com Ben it's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now.

[Ben Ferguson (Podcast Host)]

Story number one.

[Ben Ferguson]

You would think that companies would learn from the fiascos and the disasters of woke ideology. A great example of that is what happened with Bud Light using a transgendered person, AKA a dude acting like a chick to try to promote their brand. We all know how that ended. You would also think that CEOs in 2025 would understand that there's quite a few Americans out there that just want brands to be normal and not push an agenda. Or if they have a core audience, don't be ashamed of them and who they actually are. Well, you would think that CEOs of companies would understand that insert Cracker barrel Aiming to quote, modernize under the new CEO appointed in 2023, they decided it was a good idea to trash an entire brand, but not just the brand. Actually trash the customers that had propped up that brand for decades. They unveiled what they described as a minimalist text only logo and updated the restaurant dec, dropping the iconic image of Uncle Hershel, the overalls clad man leaning on a barrel and removing the old country store from all of their branding. Yes, it was a slap in the face or a middle finger, however you want to describe it to the customers that love Cracker Barrel, loyal customers and branding. Critics then slammed the changes, accusing the chain of abandoning not only its nostalgic but also its southern country identity. The company's stock tumbled by more than 10%, in fact to 17% if you look at the latest reports, and the brand lost as much as a hundred million dollars in its valuation. But apparently that wasn't Enough for Cracker Barrel leaders. They stuck to their plan day after day as it continued to get out of control. And then when they knew they had a real problem, they went on Good Morning America. The Cracker Barrel CEO on the restaurant renovations that had made everyone start talking about the brand. Here's what she had to say when was asked about, hey, did you guys maybe make a mistake?

[Podcast Interviewer]

I gotta ask this question. I think I probably know the answer. What if all the customers are coming at you hard enough about the look of the restaurant and they want to go back to the old way? Would you do it?

[Julie Messino (Cracker Barrel CEO)]

Honestly, the feedback's been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we're doing. I'll give you another soundbite. I actually happened to be in Orlando last week with all of our managers. We bring them together and once every other year. And the number one question that I got asked, Michael, was how can I get a remodel? When can I get a remodel? How do I get on the list?

[Ben Ferguson (Podcast Host)]

Oh, really?

[Julie Messino (Cracker Barrel CEO)]

So because the feedback and the buzz is so good, not only from our customers, but from our team members. They want to work in a, in a wonderful restaurant. So we're doing everything for our guests and our team members.

[Podcast Interviewer]

Well, Julie Messino, it's wonderful to have you here.

[Julie Messino (Cracker Barrel CEO)]

Pleasure to be.

[Podcast Interviewer]

Thank you for answering those questions. For all the Cracker Barrel fans out there, there's a lot of, a lot of great changes.

[Julie Messino (Cracker Barrel CEO)]

Thank you so much.

[Ben Ferguson]

All right. A lot of great changes is how Good Morning America put it. Well, that didn't go over well. Fast forward to Monday. And finally, Cracker Barrel admitted defeat and their woke CEO, realizing she had a very big problem on her hands, Cracker Barrel acknowledged that it could have done a better job of sharing who we are and who will always be. Attempting to calm the furious customer base that had abandoned the store, their public communications team emphasized that beloved elements like Uncle Hershel rocking chairs out front, the classic decor would in fact remain in the stores. And then there's the politics of this. Donald Trump weighed in strongly saying, quote, cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake, and manage the company better than ever before. Hours later, the White House, via the press secretary Caroline Levitt, praised Cracker Barrel's decision to revert, stating that Trump has unmatched business instincts and that the brand made a great decision to trust the President of the United States of America. By Tuesday evening, Cracker Barrel had changed their tune even more. They announced it would scrap the new logo entirely and revert to the Original Old Timer design with Uncle Hershel and the Old country store naming back. The company described the change as listening to its customers and reaffirming the importance of tradition, hospitality and comfort. Now, Donald Trump's vocal criticism and the public urging made a massive difference. It aligned with widespread customer outrage as well as the financial losses. And then Cracker Barrel had to fully admit that the rebrand was a mistake. Not only was it a mistake because they were ashamed of, apparently their image, they were ashamed of their customer base. They wanted to be new trendy and woke up. Well, now Cracker Barrel said after losing 100 million in their market cap, okay, I guess we're just gonna go back to how things were before. Remember, nothing was actually broken. And this is the bigger question that so many people should be asking, especially in the advertising, marketing, and the business brand world. Why on earth would you try to take an iconic brand like Cracker Barrel and change into something clearly that doesn't align with your customers? It's an amazing brand. It's a business that people love. Going into the food is actually incredible. And the President, United States of America, calling them out was a brilliant move, by the way. He was also protecting so many of the people that work there and people that invested in the business. Job well done to the President, United States of America, for doing this. And it'll be very interesting to see how long the leadership at Cracker Barrel will still be employed after this nightmare and disaster.

[Ben Ferguson (Podcast Host)]

Next, story number two.

[Ben Ferguson]

There is a big story brewing, and it involves the House GOP launching a probe into alleged D.C. crime data manipulation. And it's happening right before our very eyes. Yes. Democrats are now being accused of covering and lying, claiming that crime was dropping, when in reality it was still extremely high. And that is where you insert House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. He has launched an investigation into President Trump's allegations that D.C. crime data is being manipulated by local police leadership. Now, you may ask yourself this question, like, why do I care? Well, let me explain. The action actually comes less than a week after the Justice Department announced a federal probe into the statistics. That's a big deal. The Trump administration is facing escalating pushback over the president's decision to frame federal agents involved in D.C. as a public safety issue when violent crime in the city, they're now claiming, is at a, quote, 30 year low. The problem is the citizens are saying that's a lie. And now whistleblowers are coming forward, a whistleblower, quote, with direct knowledge of internal MPD operations and crime Data discussions also inform the committee the crime statistics were allegedly manipulated on purpose on a widespread basis and at the direction of senior MPD officials. That is what Comer wrote in a letter to the Metropolitan Police Department's chief, Paulina Smith, quote, while MPD took action against the single district commander. The issue potentially affects all seven patrol districts, as MPD leadership allegedly instructed commanders to routinely downgrade the charges to, quote, artificially label crime at a lower statistic. So you're going to artificially lower crime, the District of Columbia's crime stats, so then you can then say it's safer, even though it is actually not, and it may be, is even more dangerous than it was the last time you looked. So if you know that you do what they're doing, you just do. If you just make it, make it up as you go, right? You say, no, no, everything's great. Crimes down, right? Crimes down. Crimes down. Who could be against how great things are now, AKA Donald Trump? We don't need you to send in the National Guard. Well, Comer noted in his letter that the D.C. police had suspended a commander, Michael Pulliam, for allegedly manipulating crime statistics like I mentioned, on purpose. Media accounts of the incident additionally note that the police union claims police supervisors in the department in fact manipulated crime data to make it appear violent crime was fallen considerably compared to last year. Now, his committee is requesting documents and transcribed interviews with the commanders of each of the seven patrol districts in Washington, D.C. and then you have Donald Trump. He has called the statistics released by the FBI, quote, fake to justify federal intervention in D.C. and his plans to intervene in other cities. The President has also said that he's interested in using D.C. as a test for operations in other cities. And on Sunday, he even raised the ear of Maryland's Governor, Wes Moore, when he threatened to send troops to Baltimore. Now, Democratic leaders, what they do? Well, they lost their minds. They started picketing, they started screaming, they started yelling. And what did they do? Well, they were angry. Yes, they were angry that the President of America isn't buying into, as many would describe it, business as usual. This is exactly why Donald Trump keeps winning on the issues, because he's not backing down.

[Ben Ferguson (Podcast Host)]

And here is story number three.

[Ben Ferguson]

The Biden administration. We're now learning PAC swing states with over 1 million illegal aliens. Why? Solely for a power grab. In just two years into his first term as president, President Joe Biden's border policies helped welcome more than a million illegal aliens to the nation's electoral swing states. And additionally, some 450,000 illegal aliens into Texas alone, the latest Pew Research center estimates. Specifically look at the rate at which Biden increase the illegal alien population in a two year window from 2021 to 2023. Notably, the Biden administration packed swing states with more than a million illegal aliens during those two years, with likely many more resettling in such states from 23 through 2024. In particular, the swing state of Florida saw its illegal alien population grow BY A staggering 700,000 in just two years under President Biden. Another example of just how much they wanted to pack this country with illegal immigrants to change the electoral map completely is Georgia. Georgia not even close to the border with Mexico. Well, their illegal alien population grew by more than a hundred thousand. Pennsylvania and Michigan each added at least 80000 legal aliens to their resident populations in 2021 and 2022. North Carolina is another great example as a swing state added a hundred thousand plus illegal aliens from 2021 and 2022. And Ohio adding almost 75,00. Arizona added 50,000 illegal aliens in the two years of the first two years of Biden administration. Nevada and Wisconsin each absorbed 30,000 illegal aliens during that first two years. Colorado, which has rapidly turned blue in the last decade, saw more than illegal aliens added to its population in 2021 and 2022. If you look at the total population of some of these states, this is a massive increase. And then look at New Hampshire for example. They have a population of 1.4 million. They added more than 10,000 illegal aliens in the first two years. The Biden administration. Now why is this so significant? The Biden administration knew what they were doing and they knew they were overseeing a massive surge of legal aliens in non border states that would help them when it came to redistricting and to how many representatives different states receive based on population. They knew that illegal immigrants were going to be counted in the census. And that's exactly why when the Bob wire was put down at the southern border in Texas, Joe Biden sent in what forklifts to raise it up to allow more illegals into the country. You look at illegal aliens in New Jersey, for example, which election predators say could be tight over the next 10 years. And Texas, a GOP stronghold, the Democrats have long sought to flip to their side. Texas alone during the first two years, the Biden administration absorbed about a half a million illegal aliens in just the first two years under Biden. Now, New Jersey saw an influx of more than 150,000 illegal aliens during that same period. The Pew Research center estimates that the illegal alien Population also had a record in 2023 under Biden at more than 14 million. Now, again, this was in 2023. Scholarly estimates from years prior suggest the illegal alien population today in 2025 is well above 22 million. Which brings us back to reality. Why is Donald Trump doing so much to secure the border? And why is Donald Trump doing so much to make sure the census doesn't count illegal aliens? And why is Donald Trump doing so much to make sure that illegal immigrants are not given the right to vote so they alter and change our elections? Because he understands what the Biden administration was trying to do. They were trying to pack swing states with well over a million illegal aliens from day one of the Biden administration within the first two years. And what happened after we had an open border policy during those first two years. They then rolled out the red carpet for illegal aliens. They started giving them hotel rooms and credit cards and cell phones and food. They started giving them everything to entice them to flood America. Now, you may ask yourself this question. Why do we not have the numbers after 2022? Because there's so many people we're trying to count. There are so many illegal immigrants there. And this goes back to what Donald Trump has been saying since the very beginning. If you don't have a secure border, you don't have a country. And now we understand the plan. The Biden administration said, let's pack the swing states, just like we want to pack the Supreme Court, and then we'll give them amnesty and they'll vote for us forever. And that's exactly why Donald Trump is fighting it so hard right now.

[Ben Ferguson (Podcast Host)]

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here on Monday morning.

[Ben Ferguson]

This is an iHeart podcast.