Tipsheet

Bipartisan CBS Focus Group Stuns Host When Panelists Agree On Almost Everything, Including 'Woke Culture'

Scott Morefield
Scott Morefield  |  October 23, 2022 3:15 PM

A balanced focus group on CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday morning surely didn't go quite as producers expected when the Democrat and the independent voter both found themselves agreeing with the Republican on key issues, including "woke culture" in schools.

The discussion, moderated by anchor Margaret Brennan, started off pretty tame and predictable, with participants describing the effects of a sputtering economy, inflation, and high gas prices on their own lives. But when the topic turned to raising children in America, even Brennan seemed surprised by the level of agreement.

What are your biggest concerns about raising children in America right now?" Brennan asked John, the self-identified Republican on the panel.

"The whole woke culture affecting our children," John responded. "All these elementary schools and middle schools having woke culture pushed on them from the LGBT plus community for sexual identity and gender. We should be pushing the actual school studies, math, social studies, science. Not, you know, gender studies or sexual identification."

Seemingly hoping for a counterpoint, Brennan next turned to Lashawn, the Democrat, and asked her to "weigh in on this."

"I can also agree with some of his points," Lawhawn said. "I say sex education, I feel like some things are brought to the children’s attention, they wouldn’t even think about."
And you have eight kids," said Brennan. "I imagine you have some pretty specific ideas in your mind when you’re speaking about this?"

"Yes, I do. Yes," Lashawn responded. "Children aren’t – you know, they’re really influenced. You can teach them one thing at home, but when they go to school, they’re just as much influenced by their teachers and their surroundings. And we should have more input, the parents, of what we want them to learn."

Stephanie, the independent, stated her agreement with John and Lashawn before citing her own Covid-related school concern.

After a brief discussion about crime and border security concerns, Brennan made a point to note how this focus group has been different from others the network has done.

"Often when we do these focus groups we have people from different party affiliations disagreeing with each other, but I’m hearing all of you echo a lot of the same concerns and agreeing with each other," she said. "None of you are very optimistic about the country right now."

"No," Stephanie replied dryly.

Sure, it's just one focus group. But it also aligns with current polling. With midterm elections quickly approaching, when ordinary people of all political persuasions start agreeing on key conservative issues, it can only mean bad news for Democrats.