It’s always quite rewarding to watch CNN commentator Scott Jennings take on the panel and decimate whatever ridiculous Democratic narrative they might be pushing that day.
He did it again in a big way on Wednesday by upholding one of the basic differences between Republicans and Democrats: the belief in the value of work and responsibility versus the belief in the explosion of government benefits. The first principle leads you to prosperity and can save programs. The second is a recipe for big problems for the country.
Jennings countered the concerns of Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) that Republican positions on Medicaid in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” might cost them in 2026. “I think he’s wrong,” Jennings declared. Indeed, he thought the Republicans should lean into it, that the point they have to make is something that would resonate with people.
Scott Jennings didn’t wait for introductions before lighting a fuse on CNN’s panel.
He went directly after Senator Thom Tillis, dismissing his criticism of the GOP’s Big Beautiful Bill as not just wrong, but politically clueless.
“I think he’s wrong,” Jennings said without… pic.twitter.com/dZEnfWZK0t
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) July 9, 2025
“There’s nothing politically devastating about trying to bar 1.4 million illegal aliens from getting welfare,” he said.
“There’s nothing politically devastating about encouraging 4.8 million people….who choose not to work….to try to work a little in order to get government benefits.”
He explained the Senate even included a $50 billion provision to help protect rural hospitals so they wouldn’t be adversely impacted. “And I think Republicans ought to lean into these things: work requirements are good. Encouraging work instead of welfare is a good thing, and it will work in campaigns.”
Indeed. And when Democrats were sane, a long, long time ago, they too used to believe that you should have some requirements for government benefits. People want to talk about getting a handle on spending — getting a handle on this is a big start.
As our sister site Townhall observed, Axios reporter Alex Thompson thought he had a “gotcha” point to make about most of the Medicaid changes not taking effect until after 2026. However, Jennings dispensed with that as well, explaining first that states need time to implement the changes, but also that if the Democrats thought this was a winning point, they were about to find out they were wrong.
It didn’t take long for the tension to spike.
Axios reporter Alex Thompson zeroed in on what he thought was a potential vulnerability: the bill’s Medicaid changes wouldn’t kick in until after the midterms.
It was a classic “gotcha” moment—except Jennings didn’t take the bait.… pic.twitter.com/U6iVIOc4lh
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) July 9, 2025
“And I’m telling you as a debating point, if Democrats want to run on giving Medicaid to illegal aliens and people who won’t work or choose not to work, Republicans have a counter-message that will work if they are willing to courageously defend it.”
He ended up having Thompson nodding in understanding.
New York Times podcaster Lulu Garcia-Navarro then pushed the narrative, saying the Republicans would be seen as the party who were taking something away. Jennings explained that while the Democrats would likely use that talking point, it’s the Democrats who have become the party of “exploding” government benefit programs.
But the conversation was just warming up.
New York Times reporter Lulu Garcia-Navarro took a swing at the Republicans’ messaging problem, saying they were boxing themselves in as the “party of taking things away.”
“It is much easier to run on a message of someone took… pic.twitter.com/ogBgKrDeCQ
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) July 9, 2025
Garcia-Navarro was the podcaster who tried to lead NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to attack President Donald Trump, but he wasn’t having any of that.
READ MORE: NATO Sec General Mark Rutte Just Levels NYT Reporter in Brilliant Breakdown of What Trump Achieved
Jennings finished the panel off with what should be the Republican mantra.
By the end of the exchange, Garcia-Navarro was desperately trying to steer the conversation back to the basic promise that anyone should be able to get medical care.
“But what I’m saying is most people do believe that there should be a basic ability to go to a hospital and get… pic.twitter.com/pX0UOdFXSo
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) July 9, 2025
“I agree, but I think most people also believe that people should not be able to sit and do nothing and receive government benefits, or be in the country illegally and receive government benefits,” he said. “And the Republican ethos is encouraging work, the Democratic ethos is encouraging government dependence. That’s the debate.”
Bingo. Republicans are on the right side of that debate because it saves the programs for those who need them, so they don’t implode. That’s an easy-to-understand point. Democrats are always going to attack and not tell the truth. So, be bold in the truth; it will resonate, and you will win.
Editor’s Note: President Trump is leading America into the “Golden Age” as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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