The Isabel Brown Show – "CNN Cut Me Off for Telling the Truth — Full Breakdown"
Host: Isabel Brown (The Daily Wire)
Date: December 8, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Isabel Brown delivers a passionate, critical breakdown of her recent contentious appearance on CNN, using it as a springboard to examine what she describes as a new peak in "toxic empathy," escalating political hatred, and calls for violence from the American left. Brown also spotlights the controversial rhetoric of left-wing podcaster Jennifer Welch, mainstream media coverage, and the broader cultural consequences of demonizing political opponents. The episode ultimately calls for a return to humility, faith, and dialogue as the path back from the brink.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Setting the Stage: A Fraught Media Landscape
- Isabel recounts her latest appearance as a conservative panelist on CNN, characterizing it as far less constructive than her previous two visits.
- She expresses concern at the increased intensity of language—hatred, vitriol, open calls for violence—emerging from certain left-leaning voices, both on TV and in podcasting.
- "The unapologetic nature of just how badly these people hate you—...not just disagree with your ideas...but outright hate you—is beyond comparison to me at any other point in my lifetime.” (02:49)
2. Jennifer Welch: From Reality TV to Left-Wing Podcast Star
- Brown profiles Jennifer Welch, now host of the highly popular left-wing podcast "I've Had It," noting her substantial online following and a glowing New York Times profile.
- Welch is framed as the rising "darling" of leftist podcasting, entering political discourse post-reality-television.
- Critiques Welch's public comments and influence, particularly her attacks on conservative figures.
Notable Quotes from Jennifer Welch (as shared by Brown):
- On Erica Kirk:
"She is a grifter... she is an absolute grifter, just like Donald Trump and just like her unrepentant, racist, homophobic husband was." (05:58–07:07) - On Riley Gaines:
"You're an insufferable twat. Nobody likes you except for the other fake Christians..." (19:51–21:21) - Welch's rhetoric, according to Brown, exemplifies the rise of personal attacks and casual, inflammatory slurs in mainstream progressive podcasting.
On Welch's Appeal and Media Coverage:
- "The reality TV celebrity turned left-wing podcaster Jennifer Welch is fed up with President Trump. She also expects better from the Democrats." (Paraphrased NYT, 09:02)
- Brown reads from Welch's NYT profile, poking fun at Welch’s daily routines and quipping:
"That sounds like the most horrifyingly grim existence on the face of the planet to me." (09:25)
3. Mainstreaming of Violent Rhetoric
- Brown highlights recent quotes from Welch that, in her view, cross into outright incitement.
- Cites Welch urging Democrats to "get on board with wanting conservatives dead," or risk being politically targeted themselves (14:53+).
Notable Moment:
- Welch directs the Democrat establishment:
"Listen up Democratic establishment. You can either jump on board with this or we're coming after you in the same way that we come after MAGA, period." (15:42) - Brown connects this to similar rhetoric she attributes to Hasan Piker and others, warning:
"This is insane behavior. This is beyond anything we've ever seen in my lifetime in the zeitgeist of American politics." (16:23)
4. Brown’s CNN Experience: Feeling Silenced and Misrepresented
- Isabel describes feeling consistently "talked over" and mischaracterized by Abby Phillip and other panelists during the recording.
- She attempts to raise concerns about drug trafficking, redistricting, and political violence, only to have her perspectives dismissed or reframed as implicitly racist or morally suspect.
- "[The panel] considered themselves to be the heroes and I was the villain...they actually ended up feeding into the problem." (22:27)
Segment Analysis:
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On drug boat strike and U.S. drug policy:
- Brown tries to frame fentanyl deaths as a humanitarian crisis; is corrected by panelists who emphasize the cocaine shipment and question the relevance of Caribbean strikes (31:12–32:16).
- Brown’s sarcastic response:
"It was cocaine. It was cocaine. So it's okay then. Actually, it was okay. It was okay. Isabel, you're so insane for suggesting that we should be stopping the flow of illegal drugs into our country..." (32:33)
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On Texas redistricting:
- Is accused (without direct labeling) of supporting racially-motivated disenfranchisement; Brown denounces the idea that all Black voters are Democrats as "actual racism" (34:57).
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On the January 6th pipe bomber:
- Brown spotlights media double standards and the “toxic empathy” of jumping to blame "white men" and MAGA supporters.
- "The fact that that's where your brain immediately went. Attack the white man, blame the white man...This is the programming of this toxic empathy that has happened for years." (37:39)
5. "Toxic Empathy": The Central Critique
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Brown borrows from Allie Beth Stuckey’s book Toxic Empathy, arguing that left-wing empathy has become a mask for behavior and policies she sees as destructive and dehumanizing.
- "You look in the mirror and you think that you are a saint, but in reality, the things that you are advocating for...are destroying people's lives..." (22:44)
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She sees the danger of this "empathy" in media calls to “other” conservatives, and in reframing violence as righteous or necessary.
Escalation to Extreme Rhetoric (C-SPAN Clip):
- Brown plays audio of a Black Nificent Books owner advocating for the extermination of white people (50:48).
- "We have to exterminate white people, people off of the face of the planet to solve this problem..." (50:48)
- She warns this is the “logical conclusion” of demonizing and othering political opponents.
6. The Spiritual Solution: Humility, Conversation, and Faith
- Facing what she sees as a boiling political culture, Brown calls for a “hard reset” centered on humility and a return to God—the only real solution to hatred and violence.
- She draws parallels to the feast of the Immaculate Conception and Mary as a model of humility and submission to God, emphasizing “less of me, more of You” as an antidote to pride and division.
- "The only solution to this growing divide in our society and the growing calls for violence against others is God. And more specifically is Jesus Christ. That is the only answer." (60:07)
- Urges listeners: “Drop everything, hit your knees, literally, and pray for all of the people who you consider to be your political enemies today.” (61:55)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the rise of vitriol:
“Unapologetic, unabashed hatred, vitriol, ugly, evil, disgusting language and calls for celebration of outright violence...” (01:51) - On the function of "toxic empathy":
“Toxic empathy...the things that you are an apologist for...they are tearing down our society with every passing day...” (22:44) - On media double standards:
“Jake Tapper did correct it over the weekend. I mistakenly said that the suspect was white. Obviously, as the photo revealed, he's black. ...the fact that that's where your brain immediately went. Attack the white man, blame the white man.” (37:36–37:39) - On calls for political violence:
"Jennifer Welch...openly suggested that all of the Democrat establishment of left wing politics in America needs to get on board with wanting conservatives dead..." (13:49) - On coexistence and dialogue:
"People who think differently from me are not always, sometimes they are, are not always evil...How we learn how to have a conversation in society has to be our number one priority for 2026...” (53:15, 53:24) - On the remedy for toxic strife:
“Less of me, more of You. Would we be actually more empathetic? Would we be kinder?...The only solution...is God...and more specifically...Jesus Christ.” (58:09–60:07)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [01:51] – Isabel frames the episode, sets up the CNN experience, and introduces themes of rising political hatred.
- [05:58–07:07] – Jennifer Welch’s (quoted) attack on Erica Kirk and her late husband, controversial language.
- [09:02] – Reading from Welch's NYT profile; commentary on her routine and fame.
- [14:53–15:42] – Audio clip and discussion: Welch celebrates political violence and urges Democrats to join in.
- [19:51–21:21] – Welch’s harsh attack on Riley Gaines re: trans issues, faith, and “fake Christians.”
- [22:27] – Isabel’s breakdown of the concept of “toxic empathy.”
- [31:12–32:33] – CNN panel debate: drugs and the U.S. southern border; Isabel describes being dismissed.
- [34:57] – Redistricting discussion turns racially charged; panel's accusations and Isabel's response.
- [37:36–37:39] – Jake Tapper's correction on suspect’s race; media framing criticism.
- [41:13–44:48] – Panel argues over January 6th pipe bomber; discussion of pardons, motives, and media narratives.
- [46:49–47:41] – Isabel’s summary: Media, podcast, and book rhetoric as evidence of dangerous escalation.
- [50:48–51:23] – Clip: C-SPAN testimony calling for extermination of white people.
- [53:15–53:24] – Isabel on the nature of evil and the future of American coexistence.
- [58:09–60:07] – Call for humility, prayer, and a Christ-centered solution to political and societal strife.
- [61:55] – Call to listeners to pray for enemies as the first response to division.
Tone and Language
- Isabel’s tone throughout is intense, emotionally charged, sometimes exasperated—she mixes sarcasm, serious warning, personal reflection, and open distress about the state of American discourse.
- The podcast uses strong, direct language, including quoting expletives and pejoratives from opposing voices.
- Underneath the criticism, Isabel returns repeatedly to faith and humility, offering a message of hope and challenge to both sides.
Final Message
Brown urges listeners to resist the lure of polarization, to pray for political enemies, to embrace humility, and to center their lives on faith—calling this the only way to avoid a societal breakdown fueled by what she sees as rising, saintly-branded, but ultimately destructive “toxic empathy” from the left.
