It’s Day 16 of the government shutdown — and the tide is turning. New polling shows more Americans blaming Democrats for the gridlock, even as Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump work to protect troops from being caught in the crossfire.

In California, Gavin Newsom says critics suffer from “California Derangement Syndrome” — but with Tesla, Chevron, Oracle, and dozens of other companies leaving the state, the facts tell a different story. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris keeps making headlines for all the wrong reasons on her book tour.

Also in this episode:

-Shutdown Update: The Hill reports more voters now blame Democrats for the shutdown. (Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5555904-poll-blame-democrats-shutdown/)

-Dark Money Groups: “No Kings” protest backed by Indivisible, George Soros, and the Tides Foundation. (Source: https://www.nokings.org/partners)

-Virginia AG Debate: Jason Miyares vs. Jay Jones as polls tighten.

-California Derangement Syndrome: Rogan calls out Newsom’s record on jobs, homelessness, and gas prices.

-Anti-Energy Scheme: Left-wing cities file climate lawsuits coordinated by dark money networks. (Source: https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/10/a-preposterous-legal-assault-against-fossil-fuels/)

-Sierra Club in Chaos: Leadership scandal, racial infighting, and Ben Jealous’s messy ouster. (Source: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2025/10/14/can-the-sierra-club-get-it-together-00608431)

-Kamala Harris: Declares herself “the most qualified candidate ever” — and keeps proving otherwise.

🎧 Listen to the October 16th episode of The 10 Minute Drill — your quick daily rundown of the biggest political stories from D.C. to California, without the spin.