Podcast Summary: The Five

Episode Title: Dems Force Government Shutdown By Blocking GOP Plan
Date: October 1, 2025
Host: FOX News Podcasts
Panel: Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, Jessica Tarlov, Paul Morrow, Whitney Allen, Tyrus

Overview

This episode of "The Five" dives into the latest federal government shutdown, focusing on the partisan blame game surrounding it. The panelists dissect who is truly responsible for the shutdown, debate the implications of ongoing political standoffs over border policy, entitlement spending, and the culture wars, and critique responses to growing urban crime and federal intervention. The tone is combative, satirical, and rich in pointed barbs at both sides, with a particular focus on Democratic actions, media coverage, and populist issues heading into the 2026 campaign cycle.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Finger-Pointing Over the Government Shutdown

• Democrats and Republicans Blame Game
  • Jesse Watters (00:05): Opens by pointing out the mutual accusations, with a focus on “nearly every Senate Democrat voted against a Republican plan to open [the government] back up.”
  • Dana Perino (00:29): Asserts, "Democrats in Congress have officially shut down the United States government."
  • Jessica Tarlov (00:34): Defends Democrats: "Democrats want to avert this crisis, but Republicans tried to bully us."
  • Greg Gutfeld (00:39): Blames Dem leadership, "Chuck Schumer is listening to the far left radicals in his own party."
  • Paul Morrow (00:43): Flips blame onto the GOP: "Republican leadership is off playing make believe."
• Irreversible Consequences
  • Tyrus (01:06): Warns, “We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible ... like cutting programs they like. When you shut it down, you have to do layoffs.”
• Shutdown Antics
  • Jesse Watters (01:27): Mocks “trolling” exchanges, including hats and props at negotiations, highlighting political theater: “…slapping sombreros on Hakeem's head, shoving Trump 2028 hats in their faces...”

2. Systemic Dysfunction vs. Participant Fault

• Shutdowns as Routine, Not Emergency
  • Dana Perino (02:29): Provides historical context, "What's happened is, over time, the shutdowns have become so anodyne that you're not going to miss your Social Security check. Everything is pretty much work. You're not personally affected by it."
  • Jesse Watters (02:24): Compares government to Home Depot in a shutdown: "There's just nobody there to help you."
• Political Calculus
  • Perino references Neera Tanden’s spin blaming Republicans, noting that Democratic maneuvers played a role (03:47).
  • Points out bipartisan finger-pointing is now so routine most citizens are unaware or unaffected by shutdowns.

3. Border Crisis, Entitlements, and “Free Stuff”

• Linking Crisis to Policy Gridlock
  • Greg Gutfeld (05:25): “The only reason [Schumer’s] doing this is to save face because his far left base wants action… Trump looks loose…he got everything in the big, beautiful bill.”
  • Jesse Watters (07:27): Asserts, “Isn't this entire budget conflict a direct result…of the border fiasco? You combine open borders with free stuff, and you have this massive opportunity cost…”
• Dissenting View
  • Whitney Allen/Jessica Tarlov (08:00): Counters, “The border crisis…did not make the GOP go for all the provisions in the reconciliation bill and give massive amounts of tax cuts to billionaires and take away Medicaid coverage from the poorest Americans.”
  • Fact-check (08:48-09:05): “ACA tax credits are the crux... 21 million of the 24 [mil] people that benefit are in Trump states, so [GOP] should want to keep them happy.”
• Birth Tourism and Costs of “Open Borders”
  • Paul Morrow (10:29): Highlights, “Birth tourism is a real thing...You can't have open borders and a full safety net...look at Europe right now. It's failing.”

4. Federal Force in Cities: ICE Raids, National Guard, and Local Pushback

• Trump’s Local Interventions
  • Dana Perino (13:53): “President Trump is defending a decision to use US Troops in American cities...But the strategy seems to be making an impact...Mayor Brandon Johnson wants the feds out of his city.”
  • Paul Morrow (15:17): Details legal mechanisms: “A couple of carve outs...the Insurrection Act...You can use it to protect facilities and…when federal law is being obstructed. ICE is trying to enforce federal law. If they're being obstructed, you can do this.”
  • Critiques lack of local support for federal agents, calling it political sabotage.
• Media Satire and Public Perceptions
  • Greg Gutfeld (19:35): Dismisses Portland’s resistance to federal agents as ineptitude: “You obviously do [need help], because you guys can't arrest the same 60 people who do the same thing every night for four months.”

5. Polling, Public Opinion, and Election Framing

• Crime and Immigration as Winning Issues for GOP
  • Greg Gutfeld (20:36): “Crime is Donald Trump's strongest issue. The second strongest is fighting illegal immigration...The two weakest issues for Democrats…are crime and illegal immigration.”
• Counter-Point: Concern Over Use of Force
  • Whitney Allen/Jessica Tarlov (21:31): Cites New York Times/Siena poll: “Which is more concerning: crime will spiral out of control in big cities unless the national guard gets involved, 42%. Or that Donald Trump could use the National Guard to intimidate his political opponents—51%.”

6. Media and Culture Clashes: Trolling, Late Night, and ‘Fascism’

• Late-Night Hosts and Anti-Trump Rhetoric
  • Greg Gutfeld (25:50): Ridicules the “therapy session” of Kimmel, Colbert, and Fallon: “[They’re] like three ex-wives of one man getting together at brunch...except these bitter Crohn’s were dumped by America.”
  • Dana Perino (27:37): Observes: “[These] newsmakers making crazy points about President Trump used to go on other cable news channels...now it’s all on those late night comedy shows.”
  • Panel (29:28-30:40): Discusses late-night ratings struggles, with Paul Morrow calling it “the end game...Mozart’s Requiem playing...Mount Trump just buried the three of them.”
• Accusations of ‘Fascism’
  • Joy Reid (31:45, quoted): “We are in a fascist moment...a right wing, white nationalist...moment centered around hierarchy...They want [the] world [where] no income taxes, no regulations. That’s the world they want back.”
  • Greg Gutfeld (32:13): Retorts: “If fascism is wanting regulation, estate and income tax cuts, then I am the biggest fascist of all time.”
  • Dana Perino (33:19): Notes, “All the things that she just described would actually…benefit a lot of African American communities, minority communities, if you could let them do things that they want to do.”

7. Identity Politics and Bureaucratic Confusion

• Debate on “Two Spirit” in Government Language
  • Exchange (36:05-37:41): Senator Josh Hawley stumps a Biden official who can’t define “two spirit,” sparking derision from the panel.
  • Paul Morrow (36:49): Explains the term’s indigenous origins, then critiques the irrelevance of such language to communities worried about real-world violence, not gender identity labels.
  • Panel (37:58-38:27): Questions competency and authenticity in government reports, implying they're often rubber-stamped by NGOs instead of written or understood by officials.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The only reason [Schumer’s] doing this is to save face because his far left base wants action...AOC has already come out and said, hey, if you want to negotiate, I’m your girl. How do you think that looks to Schumer? He’s already losing power.”
  — Greg Gutfeld, 05:25

• “You can't have open borders and a full safety net. You just can't have it. It's just a truism of life. And if you want to see where it goes, look at... Europe. It's failing.”
  — Paul Morrow, 11:36

• “Crime is Donald Trump's strongest issue...You know what the two weakest issues for Democrats are? Crime and illegal immigration. So I say whatever he's doing on crime and illegal immigration, he should go harder.”
  — Greg Gutfeld, 20:36

• “This looks like...a public access channel show called Prison Talk. They're both wearing different styles of stripes...I'd love to produce it.”
  — Jesse Watters, 34:05

• “Kamala Harris, by the way, is a two spirit animal. Whiskey and vodka.”
  — Jesse Watters, 38:27

• “All I can say is...if I write a report, Jessica, and then someone asks me what's in the report and I say, I don't know, I've never heard of it. He didn't write the report. Am I surprised that a Biden official didn't know what the hell was going on and didn't even know the work he was putting out under his name? No, I'm not surprised.”
  — Greg Gutfeld, 37:58

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Topic | Approx. Timestamp | |------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------| | Opening | Blame game over shutdown | 00:05–01:27 | | Shutdowns: History | Anodyne, system issue, public apathy | 02:29–03:40 | | Border/Entitlements | Free stuff, Medicaid, “beautiful bill,” “birth tourism” | 05:03–12:57 | | Federal Action/Cities | ICE raids, legal basis, mayoral pushback | 13:53–19:35 | | Polling & Election | Trump’s strengths, Dem weaknesses, NYT/Siena poll discussion | 20:36–22:24 | | Late Night Media | Kimmel/Colbert/Fallon roast, cultural divide | 25:50–30:40 | | “Fascism” claims | Joy Reid, taxes, regulation, capitalism defense | 31:45–35:20 | | “Two spirit” episode | Hawley stumps official, panel riffs on identity politics | 36:05–38:27 |

Tone & Style

The language throughout is sharply partisan, satirical, and occasionally playful. Zingers, running jokes (especially about “trolling” and culture war issues), and quick-fire exchanges keep the tone brisk and combative. There's a blend of substantive policy critique and comedic derision—classic for "The Five."

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode of "The Five" is a quintessential look at how partisan media frames national crises—emphasizing Democratic culpability for the government shutdown, linking border politics to fiscal fights, mocking progressive rhetoric, and lampooning cultural clashes from late night TV to administrative language. The panel freely mixes policy discussion with cultural commentary and humor, offering plenty of memorable one-liners and moments that exemplify the show’s blend of news and entertainment. If you missed it, you've missed some fiery debate, plenty of conservative talking points, and sharp barbs aimed across the aisle and at the media.