CNN’s Shutdown ‘Town Hall’ Was Mostly An Infomercial for Socialism

Jorge Bonilla
October 16th, 2025 12:57 AM

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CNN’s much-hyped Shutdown America town hall was, by and large, little more than an extended infomercial for socialism in America, with Kaitlan Collins acting mostly as a facilitator. Little was achieved by this exercise except to showcase the maximalist demands of guests Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders in exchange for an end to the ongoing government shutdown.

The question mix was pretty interesting: of the 14 audience questions we counted, five were considered to have come from a right-leaning perspective, six were neutral, and only three were from the left. 

The first question is on hardship assistance for furloughed government employees. AOC’s response was to both call for opening the government AND for negotiations, which would likely keep it closed:

A Trump-voting Democrat then asks Bernie how Democrats justify fighting over subsidies as opposed to the current hardships suffered by federal workers. Bernie’s response: class warfare.

After a College Republican asked Bernie which Republicans he could work with to get to a continuing resolution, AOC is asked for her suggestion on what government workers should do for food when the funds stop flowing. AOC’s response was to defame Speaker Mike Johnson.

A Democrat student from George Washington University asks why the GOP is so much more effective on social media. Bernie claims the GOP controls the platforms, AOC goes off into a weird rant about masculinity.

A Democrat bartender from Mississippi asks what the guests are doing to end the stalemate. Each goes to what is likely some form of their joint stump speech. Collins confronts AOC on her past statements regarding shutdowns as “hostage-taking”:

Grover Norquist is made proud as one of his interns asks Bernie a question on how the shutdown reflects on Chuck Schumer’s leadership. Bernie tries to throw the question back at the young man, only to get COOKED:

Collins follows up with a Senate primary question for AOC:

Should taxpayers pay for healthcare for illegals? AOC dodges by advocating for single-payer as Bernie rants about billionaires. 

AOC reluctantly credits Trump for the release of hostages in Gaza.

Bernie praises Zohran Mamdani, calls for that to take place in all 50 states. 

One imagines that this town hall is similar to the socialism events that Bernie and AOC do throughout the country. As a nation continues to face down the barrel of a shutdown, the people are needing leadership. Instead, and with a big assist from CNN, it is our sense that the people got the former.

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