Nobody mistakes the NFL for a liberal institution.
Its ownership circle is stacked with MAGA billionaires — people who collectively donated $23 million to Republicans and just $2.5 million to Democrats in the 2024 election.
That pretty much explains why Colin Kaepernick’s career — the quarterback who famously took a knee during the national anthem — ended as abruptly as it did.
Even among the self-proclaimed woke progressives, there’s a limit: they won’t let their gifted kids play football because of concussion risks.
And yet, the same NFL has chosen Bad Bunny — a Spanish-speaking, anti-ICE pop icon — to headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
He’ll stand at the very center of America’s empire and sing in Spanish.
Bad Bunny, More Than a Symbol
If you think Bad Bunny is just a marketing move in “diversity chic,” think again.
This summer, instead of cashing in with a residency in Las Vegas, he stayed home in Puerto Rico, performing a show called “No Me Quiero Ir” (“I Don’t Want to Leave”).
He deliberately excluded the U.S. mainland from his tour — fearing ICE agents might target his fans.
That’s the man the NFL picked for its most-watched stage.
The MAGA right lost its mind.
Corey Lewandowski, former Trump adviser, fumed:
“ICE will be waiting at the Super Bowl. We’ll find you, arrest you, and deport you.”
Ridiculous? Yes. Predictable? Absolutely.
Because “Woke” Works
The NFL knows what it’s doing.
It’s the same playbook that brought Jimmy Kimmel record ratings when he returned from suspension, or South Park its highest viewership in years.
It’s also the same reason Target’s sales dropped after it scrapped its DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) commitments.
Like it or not, woke sells.
(Just look at HYBE x Geffen’s global girl group “Cats Eye” breaking ad records with their inclusive GAP campaign.)
The league doesn’t need to be left-wing — it only needs to read the market.
And the market has spoken: progressive symbolism is profitable.
Democrats, Take Notes
Here’s where the Democratic Party should pay attention.
While Republicans control Congress, polls show 47% of Americans blame the GOP for the government shutdown — compared to 30% blaming Democrats.
Democrats are trying to use this moment, framing the shutdown as an act of resistance — a way to refocus attention on skyrocketing health care costs and Republican dysfunction.
It’s messy, but it’s movement.
The problem? Leadership.
Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries are pragmatic and cautious — but charisma isn’t their strong suit.
And they’re fighting a populist right led by a man whose ideas are extreme but whose confidence is absolute.
Schumer had no choice but to back the shutdown this time.
Another retreat, like the one in March, would’ve finished him.
Back then, his attempt at bipartisanship yielded nothing.
Even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted him for “betrayal.”
Seven months later, the “new Schumer” is at least trying to look defiant — though, as he told MSNBC, “Hakeem and I sent a letter.”
A letter. Really?
Meanwhile, Jeffries was on TikTok saying “Gen Z has entered Congress!”
It’s fine for engagement, not for leadership.
“What Would Bad Bunny Do?”
That’s the question Democrats should be asking.
Former Harry Reid aide Rebecca Katz texted me:
“Our leaders are scared of the best messengers we have.
Imagine how strong our party would look if we put our most effective communicators front and center.
The good news is, we have plenty of them.”
Just watch the 3-minute shutdown explainer by Bernie Sanders and AOC.
As analyst Nate Silver put it, “It’s about 142 times better than anything from leadership.”
Back in 2002, Bill Clinton warned his party:
“When people are uncertain, they prefer someone strong and wrong to someone weak and right.”
That doesn’t mean Democrats should be wrong.
It means they shouldn’t be so terrified of taking a stand.
Politics today isn’t won with legislative craftsmanship — Congress barely legislates anymore.
Republicans have surrendered their constitutional power just to avoid crossing Trump.
Most Americans hate it. But Republicans, shameless as ever, pay no price.
The Lesson of the NFL
Democrats should stop fearing voices that make the establishment uneasy.
They should back the loud, unapologetic communicators who can set the tone — not the lawyers drafting careful statements.
When MAGA commentators like Greg Kelly on Newsmax rage —
“Who’s this Bad Bunny guy? Bad rabbit? He hates America, Trump, ICE, and even English!” —
that’s not a problem.
That’s proof you’ve hit a nerve.
In February, Kendrick Lamar’s politically charged Super Bowl show drew 133.5 million viewers, breaking Michael Jackson’s 1993 record.
The crowd is listening.
It’s time the Democrats did, too.
Boss Brief 
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