Brandi Kruse
Politics • Culture • News
[un]Divided Newsletter: October 2, 2022
October 02, 2022
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Take a minute to [un]wind with our Sunday morning newsletter. Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what you may have missed from [un]Divided this week.

Smiley saga gets stranger

On Friday’s podcast, we discussed three cease and desist letters sent to the Tiffany Smiley for Senate camp over its use of corporate logos in her campaign ads.

Starbucks sent Smiley's campaign a letter on September 23, asking her to remove or alter a recent ad that shows her standing in front of a Starbucks in Seattle that closed due to concerns over crime. The company took issue with a barely visible (and backward) sign of theirs on the building, as well as the word “Starbucks” in a newspaper headline that flashed on screen.

Starbucks has every right to enforce its trademark, although I do find it a little petty in this instance. Besides, Starbucks should celebrate the fact that someone wants to actually pay attention to the crime crisis that has forced it to close several locations across the country.

The Seattle Seahawks sent Smiley’s campaign a letter on September 6, asking her to remove or alter an ad that depicts her family watching a football game at home. For two seconds of the ad, her husband Scotty can be seen on the couch wearing a Seahawks jersey. In its letter, the Seahawks organization said it was opposed to its trademarks being used by her campaign "in any manner that may suggest that it is in any way endorsed by, or otherwise affiliated" with the team.

The jersey in question was given to Mr. Smiley by the Seattle Seahawks when he raised the 12th man flag in honor of his service as the nation's first blind active-duty military officer.

In an effort to appease the Seahawks, Smiley's campaign altered the ad to make the jersey more generic.

As I stated on the show on Friday, I have no issue with the Seahawks protecting their brand as long as it's done so evenly. Which brings me to the latest development.

On Friday, Washington State Rep. Tarra Simmons (D) posted what appeared to be an endorsement from the Seahawks on her campaign page.

Certainly, there could be explanations as to why Simmons' post is fine, but Smiley's commercial is not. For example, have the Seahawks endorsed Simmons and therefore are fine with the usage of their trademark for a campaign post? Did she ask permission before posting? Are commercials treated differently than social media?

I'm open to a reasonable explanation, but the Seahawks have not responded to my inquiries thus far.

Overall, I don't think it's a good look for the Seahawks and could serve to alienate part of their fan base.

Now to letter number three, which I find most concerning of all.

The Seattle Times sent Smiley’s campaign a cease-and-desist letter on September 21, taking issue with use of its logo in her ad about the closed Starbucks shop.

The Times appears to take issue with its logo being shown on screen without permission. Here are the two instances:

Just like any other corporation, the Times has a right to protect its brand. But as a news organization, it has a duty to apply those rules evenly - especially when an election is at stake.

As Smiley's camp pointed out in a press release, Murray used the Times logo in her ads multiple times in 2016. Those ads remain up on YouTube, which would lead to the conclusion that there were no trademark disagreements that led to their removal.

Again, there could be explanations for this, but the Times has so far failed to provide one - even in its own reporting on the issue.

On Saturday, Times reporter David Gutman wrote a story about the trademark claims against Smiley. The article did not answer the single most important question: Why was Murray allowed to use the Times logo, but Smiley wasn't?

It is a fair question.

In an email exchange on Friday, Times Senior Vice President of Marketing and Public Service Kati Erwert told me:

"The Seattle Times permits candidates to use our logos and marks without charge if done so in a non-misleading manner that providers readers and voters accurate information. Ms. Smiley’s ad left the mistaken impression The Times has endorsed her campaign, which violates our policy. Her characterization of this as playing favorites to a specific campaign or political party is inaccurate and a misrepresentation."

I pressed Erwert for clarity on two fronts:

  • What about the use in question gives the impression that The Times has endorsed her campaign?
  • Was the Times comfortable with Patty Murray's usage of the logo in 2016 because it had endorsed her campaign in that race?

She declined further comment.

As a news organization, I would encourage the Times to be more transparent on this matter - even if they think the answer seems obvious. My gut tells me Murray's use was acceptable since the articles were actually about her, while Smiley's were not. If that's the case, the Times should simply say so.

More on this tomorrow on the show.

Is there no bottom in the briefing room?

Remember when the daily White House press briefings were so mundane that the average American had probably never watched one?

Oh, to experience mundanity again.

While I have my complaints with each of the past three press secretaries, Karine Jean-Pierre has brought the briefing room to a new low with her unwavering commitment to gaslight the public.

This week, despite being pressed by multiple reporters in the room, Jean-Pierre refused to make a simple and obvious acknowledgment that President Biden made a mistake when he called out for the late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at an event. I discussed it at length on Friday’s podcast.

A press secretary is naturally going to try to protect the reputation of their boss, I don’t think anyone would fault her for that. But this goes well beyond routine efforts to spin narratives in a president’s favor. Don’t forget who pays her salary: you.

I’ve long shared my frustration with taxpayer-funded mouthpieces who protect elected officials at all costs. In fact, I’ve previously called for there to be a law against public spokespeople knowingly lying with the intent to conceal. Does that go too far? Perhaps. But stop for a second to think about the insanity of paying people to lie to you. Especially people you can't vote out of office. What's the recourse?

What recession?

Sharing this tweet from 2020 Libertarian VP nominee Spike Cohen, simply because I think it’s hilarious. I also wouldn’t be surprised if this is where we’re heading.

Where Seattle went wrong

I had the privilege this week to address the Gwinnett County (Georgia) Chamber of Commerce while they were in Seattle for a leadership convention. I’ve posted the remarks in full here if you’d like to listen.

My remarks reflect what I believe to be the true problem facing our country today: A divide between reasonable and unreasonable, rather than between warring political factions.

Reasonable people exist across the political spectrum and no one party has the market cornered on common sense. I would take a pragmatist who I had fundamental policy disagreements with over an ideologue who can't be reasoned with.

Housekeeping

Presidential Patrons, please mark your calendar for our October 16 event in Bellevue, Washington. You should have received a direct message on your Patreon account about this. RSVP as soon as possible.

Thank you to everyone who attended our virtual September Q&A – it was a lively one! My apologies for the technical issue off the start, but thanks for sticking with it. It was a lot of fun.

Miranda wanted to say thank you to everyone who reached out asking if she was OK down in Florida. Luckily, Miami was relatively untouched by the storm, but the devastation left behind by Hurricane Ian is profound. If you would like to donate, the Red Cross and Volunteer Florida are good options.

Have a great Sunday and thank you for supporting this mission to give common sense a comeback!

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I struggled with what to talk to you about tonight. 

Well, that’s not true. I didn't struggle with what to talk to you about – I struggled with whether I was brave enough to say what I wanted to say. 

When I'm invited to speak to groups, I don't want to offend anyone or be too controversial. So, I reached out to a few of your fellow party members to ask whether any topics were off limits or wouldn't go over well with the crowd. 

I got some good advice. 

Then I decided to ignore that good advice entirely.

Too much is at stake to be polite. 

As we sit here tonight, we are in the final battle of a war. 

A war that has pit sanity against insanity. 

Pragmatism against idealism. 

A war that has sacrificed the public good, in favor of a twisted idea of progress.

It's a war that began long before I moved here 15 years ago. It started silently and it was mostly waged in the shadows.

Most of us didn't even realize that a war was being fought. We were too caught up in our own lives and our own problems. ...

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My full remarks to President Donald Trump
Disrupting violent extremism in all forms should be a nonpartisan pursuit.
 

 

 

I was honored this week to join President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and other independent content creators for a roundtable on Antifa.

While a certain joke about TDS is getting a lot of attention, the underlying mission of the meeting was serious – deadly serious.

For years, organized left-wing radicals have sought to influence public policy through coercion: using harassment, threats, vandalism, and violence as their tools. From the Occupy movement, to the May Day riots, to the "Summer of Love" and up to the most recent anti-ICE actions, I've followed these activities closely – and been the target of their tactics far too many times.

Whether you call them Antifa, terrorists, radicals, or just criminals – understanding, investigating, and disrupting violent extremism in all forms should be a nonpartisan pursuit.

Here are my full remarks to President Donald Trump:

Mr. President, you’re going to hear us be very fired up today, as you can tell. It’s because some of us have been covering Antifa for 15 years and have never had anyone in a position of authority even acknowledge their existence.

The single most powerful thing you’ve done to deal with this scourge has been acknowledging that Antifa is a real thing. I genuinely believe there would be people at these tables who would be dead today and would have been killed in Portland had you not called them a terror organization and said you're going to bring the full weight of the federal government to bear.

I talked to Katie Daviscourt in Portland the other day. She’d been assaulted all summer. And she said the same thing. They didn’t seem as quick to violence as soon as you made that designation. They’re worried. There’s been two dozen or so arrested in Portland. They don’t want to go to federal prison.

There’s this video of one of them who was in the face of an ICE agent and then he’s in custody shaking. Once you take the mask off, they’re nothing.

I was told by probably a dozen people not to tell you this. I’m going to tell you anyway because it’s relevant to what we’re talking about. I’m living proof that you can recover from TDS. I had strong Trump Derangement Syndrome for probably eight years. This is one of the reasons I recovered from it.

By the way, it’s much better to not have TDS. I’m happier. I’m healthier. I'm more successful. I even think I got a little more attractive after I got rid of my TDS.

I’m a reporter in Seattle and frankly, I could not care any less what any of you have to say about this meeting (looks to Press Corps). I could not care any less. We’re not here for you. I’m not here to convince any of you that Antifa is a real thing. Because if you have not come to that conclusion by now, you are never going to come to that conclusion because you don’t want to see it. And you’re going to say it’s a bunch of right-wing conservative influencers who are here spinning a tale.

I was one of you. I was a mainstream reporter in Seattle for 10 years. I was a TV reporter, on the streets, doing my job and I was still assaulted by Antifa. So, it’s not about being conservative. It’s about people who go out there and show what they’re doing.

When I saw after all those years that the media wouldn’t be honest about what was happening, that Democratic politicians wouldn’t be honest about what was happening, I thought, well, if they’re not being honest about that, maybe they’re not being honest about President Trump either. It opened my mind to just looking at things for what they were. And now I find you quite funny, actually (looks to President Trump).

Again, I could not care any less the stories that go to print. This is what I care about: We have three and a half years. Nothing is guaranteed. Although, I think if Democrats keep it up, we’ll probably have Republican presidents for the next three decades. But nothing is guaranteed. So, what I want to see over the next three and a half years is a fullcourt press to dismantle Antifa once and for all in a meaningful way. I know Andy Ngo, we talked before this about some ideas. We want the federal government to take as many of these cases as possible and look at the interstate travel between Portland and Seattle when it comes to these people who are committing violent acts.

Hopefully, in three and a half years, they will be a shell of their former selves.

President Trump:

Well I think we're very close, and it’s Antifa and many others. Unfortunately, there are many others, bad ones. Most have been named terrorist organizations. There a couple that we’re going to focus on, but I think we’ve got it pretty well covered, but there are many others. Specifically today is Antifa and it’s really bad and we’re going to get it cleaned up.

Thank you very much. I’m glad you no longer have TDS. I feel very good about that. Thank you.

 

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September 29, 2025
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Hello from the 'war zone': Portland

There will be no live show today, September 29.

Why?

I'm on the ground in Portland, doing my best to sort through competing narratives about what's happening outside the ICE facility here.

President Donald Trump declared the city a "war zone," mobilized the National Guard, and authorized Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to use "full force" to finally bring months of unrest outside the facility to an end.

Democratic leadership, including Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, have called the city "safe and calm," suggesting there is no need for federal intervention.

As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle. But after just one night on the ground, it is clear that Portland has failed to address the unrest in any meaningful way for more than 100 days. The federal government has a right to protect federal assets and agents, especially considering the abdication of responsibility from local leaders, but what level of intervention is appropriate?

We will be back on air tomorrow, September 30, at our regular time with a special report. In the meantime, the best way to follow breaking updates is on any one of my social media platforms:

X: @BrandiKruse

FB: @BrandiKruseNews

 

 

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