The interwebs were abuzz Wednesday over the new Charles McCall for governor ad. In it, he chops a banana while making the point that the cut doesn’t make it an orange — a crude but obvious allusion to the transgender issue.

At the end of it, he cuts again and quips, “You first.”

The spot will galvanize the base, and completely offend the opposition.

But as somebody who has studied politics and advertising for a long time, I believe McCall’s campaign team knocked it way out of the park with this one — not for its topic (that’s for another debate), but for the ad’s ability to capture attention.

And 13 months away from Election Day 2026, candidates need “attention.” Capturing attention buys time and audience at the top of the funnel to “interest” potential voters in listening to way more substantive issues.

The hope is that they eventually “convert,” er, vote, and if you’re wondering why I’m putting those words in quotes — it’s because running a campaign is at its core a sales operation. And when you’re not in office currently, the quest to capture attention isn’t as easy.

Incumbents and office-holders get the news cycle.

Everybody else has to create attention.

McCall definitely did that.

Anyway, if you’re a politics geek like I am, I’d love to know your thoughts. Do you think that ad will be effective for McCall? Hit me up at [email protected].

Onto the Thursday list:

‘Oklahoma Memo’ is on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. There is also a YouTube channel — and it’s all growing day by day.

Continued very warm in Oklahoma with no rain in the forecast until early next week.

🌡️ Thursday's high in OKC 88°
🌡️ Thursday’s high in Tulsa 86°

By Graycen Wheeler and Sierra Pfeifer, KOSU
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The day after Ryan Walters officially resigned as Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, another state official is calling for a post-mortem on his spending at the State Department of Education.

In a press release, Attorney General Gentner Drummond said he formally requested a financial audit of the department, from Walter’s first day as superintendent to his last. State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd would be responsible for combing through department finances.

“Given the former Superintendent's well-established history of mishandling tax dollars, combined with new and ongoing allegations of misspending, I am now ordering an investigative audit of the Oklahoma State Department of Education," Drummond said in the press release.

Last year, a grand jury assembled by Drummond called Walters’ handling of pandemic relief funds “indefensible,” saying he blew past fiscal guardrails to advance his political agenda as then-Secretary of Education.

“The evidence shows state officials, though perhaps well-intentioned, disregarded available administrative safeguards in favor of advancing a political and philosophical agenda,” the grand jury stated.

Drummond’s audit request doesn’t cover Walters’ time as Secretary of Education, but he wrote that multiple Department of Education employees have brought forward concerns about spending practices while Walters was superintendent.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Byrd’s office had not received a letter or any form of request from Drummond’s office, according to spokesperson Andrew Speno.

“It’s unprecedented to send out a press release before making the formal request to the auditor’s office,” Speno said. “Of course, if she gets the request, she’ll fulfill it – she must.”

Jerm and I took the mics again this week to talk all things Bedlam, that is all things Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. With there being no Sooners game this weekend, we focused mostly on the Cowboys and the 45-27 loss to Baylor.

But there were some good things for the Pokes, too.

We also talked about the latest on John Mateer’s thumb injury, the full day in college football, pro football and then a look at Major League Baseball’s playoffs.

We’d love it if you gave it a listen — and if you do, like and subscribe!

If you’d like to advertise in the Oklahoma Memo newsletter daily, reach out to me at [email protected]. I’d be happy to send you a rate card with all sorts of options.

A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:

• ‘Find solutions’: Chip Keating announces campaign for governor at OCPAC event (NonDoc)

• Mayor: state to cut $8 million in mental health funds for Tulsa (Public Radio Tulsa)

• 'Not our fault, but it is our problem': Tribal nations across Oklahoma brace for federal shutdown impacts (KOSU)

• How the federal shutdown impacts Oklahomans using SNAP and WIC benefits (Fox 23)

• Paycom to replace over 500 workers with artificial intelligence at Oklahoma City headquarters (The Oklahoman)

• Stitt expected to announce new state superintendent Lindel Fields at Tulsa school (Tulsa Flyer)

• As Oklahoma waits for new superintendent, the Education Department's website gets scrubbed (The Oklahoman)

• Controversial OSDE Chief Policy Advisor not returning to department, source says (KFOR)

• Tulsa Fire Dept. identifies firefighter killed in Owasso crash (News On 6)

• Oklahoma Starbucks workers, supporters join national picket for union contract (KGOU)

• Supporters rally at Oklahoma City Starbucks store demanding contract with improvements (The Oklahoman)

• OSU staff member Richetti Jones indefinitely suspended after altercation with player (Tulsa World)

• Pryor couple convicted of embezzling funds from nonprofit they ran (Tulsa World)

• Russell Brand, Savannah Chrisley, Gov. Kevin Stitt to speak at OU as part of Turning Point USA tour (OU Daily)

• Mother and son arrested on stalking charges (Kay News Cow)

• Launch of updated Oklahoma campaign finance system delayed due to ‘final adjustments’ (Oklahoma Voice)

• OSU wrestling announces 2025-26 dual schedule (The O’Colly)

The ‘Oklahoma Memo’ mission is simple: Reignite the daily news habit by connecting Oklahomans and those who love Oklahoma to quality sources of news and vetted information.

✅ Save you time.
✅ Make you smarter.
✅ Protect Democracy.