1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: Here's what you missed on Buck Sexton with America Now. 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: Welcome back, everybody, It's time for some Ben Shapiro. He 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: is editor in chief of Daily Wire dot Com, syndicated columnist, 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: host of The Ben Shapiro Show. He writes a national 5 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: review as well. We've got a lot to talk about, Ben, 6 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining the show again. Hey, how 7 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: are you doing all right? For first the Russia thing, 8 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: I just want your your reaction to the meeting with 9 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: this lady over the weekend. Is this something or is 10 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: this nothing? So everyone stupid? As always, my commentary begins 11 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: with that preface. Um, you know, I think that the 12 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: it's something for Trump Junior, it's something for Manaport, it's 13 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: something for Kushner. I'm not sure that it's anything beyond that, 14 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: meaning that if somebody neither are the three top campaign officials, 15 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: at least to the three top campaign officials in the 16 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: Trump campaign at the time, and they're all in a 17 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: meeting with one person who they say was a big 18 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: nothing but nobody had any clue who this person was. 19 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: I don't believe that story. I think that if some 20 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: Randall walked in out of the street and said I'd 21 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,639 Speaker 1: like to have a meeting with Kushner, Manafort, and Trump Junior, 22 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: he'd be thrown out. So clearly somebody had said this 23 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,759 Speaker 1: person is plausible and has information about Hillary Clinton. Trump 24 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: Junior said that was the enticement to go to the meetings, 25 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: that this person had information about Hillary Clinton. Uh, if 26 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: the person had no bona fide s other than I 27 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: know somebody who was associated with someone from the two 28 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: third team Miss Universe contest, that's not really a very 29 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: strong pitch. So I think there's more of that story. 30 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: But the media have jumped to this means that there 31 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: was overt Trump Russia collusion, that information passed hands, that 32 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: there was actual planning and involvement, and there I see 33 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: no evidence of anything. I mean, the fact is that 34 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,559 Speaker 1: Trump Junior says, and so does everybody else in the meeting, 35 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: that nothing happened, that there's no actual information, nothing actually 36 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: got passed. Um. You know. So the media's attempt to 37 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: turn this into sort of the first step in this 38 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: broad plan of collusion between Trump campaign and Russia. I 39 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: don't see that without a second step. Otherwise, it just 40 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: looks like an isolated step pidity from Trump Jr. Do 41 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: you buy any of this, that that it was a 42 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: what we would call a dangle uh in and intel speak, 43 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: somebody who was who was sent specifically for the purpose 44 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: of putting out disinformation, because I seem to see that 45 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: was at least some people were offering that up. So 46 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: so this this lawyer miss I'm gonna get her name, roy, 47 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: I can't remember where it is right now, but whatever, 48 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: this Russian, this Russian lawyer lady is sent specifically to yeah, 49 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: the vessel n Sky and the tally veil that she 50 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: sent just to be there. Essentially that that the whole 51 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: purpose of her getting the meeting was to get the 52 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: meeting so that later on they could say, see, he's 53 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: meeting with the Russians. That that doesn't seem to make 54 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: sense to me either, that that that doesn't watch him 55 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 1: me at all. That was Ryan's previous excuse yesterday on 56 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: TV and it was put out there by CIRCA And 57 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: I don't buy that. And the reason I don't buy 58 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: that is because there's no payoffs. If you want to 59 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: actually hurt Trump, you assume they would have dumped that 60 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: before the election, or if you want to really hurt 61 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: let me do it after the election, Right why don't 62 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: you dump that now or dumped that six months ago, 63 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: like right after his inauguration, So it's none of the 64 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: story washes. As always with with Team Trump, I am 65 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: tempted to always attribute action to stupidity rather than malice. 66 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna go stupidity rather than malice here. I 67 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: think the only person in that room, you know, Kushner 68 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: Trump junior Maniphort, who I would be comfortable attributing malice 69 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: to his Maniphort, just because he has long standing documented 70 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: ties with the Russian government in Ukrainians. But um, you 71 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: know again, there's been nothing proved there, So I don't know, 72 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: you know what we're supposed to say other than show 73 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: me the evidence? And uh, what do you think about 74 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: the latest on the COMI memos? Here people are saying 75 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: that there were some classified information contained in the memos, 76 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: But that doesn't necessarily mean that he leaked classified information 77 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: or does it? What do you think? No, it doesn't, 78 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: I mean, and I think again, everybody's temptation is to 79 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: jump too far. So there's classfied information to memos. That 80 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: means that he has to be careful about who he 81 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: shows them too. Uh, they were judged by the fidity 82 00:03:57,760 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: government documents. That's the second issue, right, which goes to 83 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: his employments agreement that you're not allowed to take government 84 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: documents and reveal them to anybody. But um, as far 85 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: as classified information, no, I don't think that the evidence 86 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: is I don't think the evidence is totally incomplete that 87 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: that he was spreading classified information and violation of the law. 88 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: I mean, he's he's a smart enough guy, I think 89 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: to know that he doesn't want to get caught up 90 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,559 Speaker 1: in that. I mean, he had just finished investigating Hillary 91 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: Clinton's Yeah, I I can't imagine for a second that 92 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: he's actually giving classified information in written form to people 93 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: and going out there and saying, oh, yeah, I gave 94 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: this to my friend a leak to the press and 95 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 1: it was class So just because there was information in 96 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: some memos, if he had totally unclassified memos and handed 97 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: those to somebody to give to the press, that maybe, 98 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 1: as you point out, a violation of z FBI agreement, 99 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: But that is not necessarily a problem for him from 100 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: a Criminal Espionage Act standpoint. Exactly. So, again, I think 101 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 1: that everyone wants to jump one step too far in 102 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: order to defend their side. But again I had bote 103 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: both these stories, to Comey story and the Trump Junior story. 104 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 1: I just there's not enough there for us to actually 105 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: make some sort of hard to saund call. I think 106 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: we're speaking of Ben Shapiro. He's an editor in chief 107 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: of Daily Wire dot com and also you can hear 108 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: his latest on The Ben Shapiro Show. Ben, what do 109 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 1: you make of the current situation the Republicans find themselves 110 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: in when it comes to healthcare? I mean, I think 111 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: that the biggest problem here is that Republicans for a 112 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: very very long time have been lying about what their 113 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: actual principles were on healthcare. So it's easy to oppose Obama, 114 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: but they never held any principles in common on healthcare. 115 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: So he had President Trump spend the entire election cycle 116 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: saying that he wanted to repeal Obamacare, but he didn't 117 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: actually agree with any of the basic principles of repealing Obamacare. 118 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: He still wanted pre existing conditions, he still wanted everybody covered, 119 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:39,919 Speaker 1: he still wanted to make sure that that the that 120 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: the federal government was picked up the tab for a 121 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: lot of this stuff. So you know, when when you 122 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: say that you want to repeal and replace something and 123 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: then you replace it with what you're repealing. I failed 124 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: to see how exactly that's a big win. Meanwhile, the 125 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: Republican caucus is so fractured. Instead of just coming around 126 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: together and saying, Okay, we're gonna repeal, then will figure 127 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: out the place by campaigning on repeal and replace, which 128 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: is something that it was a formulation has come up 129 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: with with by Brand Paul and by President Trump. By 130 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: kemp ending on that, they basically sure they're not even 131 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: gonna be forced to repeal. They can just come up 132 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: with either some very weak plan and try and ram 133 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: it through, or they can do nothing, and those of 134 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: those seem to be their two choices. Where do you 135 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,479 Speaker 1: think that Trump agenda stands right now when it comes 136 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: to uh, the budget and taxes. By the way, I 137 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: feel like if we can't get an agreement on healthcare, 138 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: there's no prayer of getting that other stuff done in 139 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 1: the next few months. It's gonna be very cool because 140 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: the fact is that you need fifty one votes under 141 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: reconciliation for tax reform. But reconciliation requires that you actually 142 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: have to get a score from the CBO that shows 143 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: that you're not increasing the national debt. Well, The entire 144 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: plan for doing health reform first was that you were 145 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 1: going to save a bunch of money on health reform, 146 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: and then you'd use that money and apply it towards 147 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: tax reform. If you don't get health reform done, then 148 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: there is no money to be saved on tax reform 149 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: because the CBO is always going to score a tax 150 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: decrease as an increase in the deficit, at least in 151 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: the short terms. So then you need sixty votes. Well, 152 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: the chance of them passing Castle from the sixty votes 153 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: are nil. So it's it's a mass. I mean, it's 154 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: a real mass, and I don't know how they're going 155 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 1: to be able to ram anything through. You know, this 156 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: is one area where presidential leadership would be really useful. 157 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: I mean, on healthcare would be great if like Lin 158 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: put this way, there were President Ted Creuse, which of 159 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: course it isn't, But if it were President Ted Cruz. 160 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: So I think that the Senate would have repealed themacare 161 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: I do right, Because I think he would have made 162 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: that his central plank. I think he would have made 163 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: that his central goal. And I think that's a lot 164 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: easier of a central goal than replace and repeal and 165 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: all this nonsense. What do you say to people who respond, Ben, 166 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure you hear this. I'm sure people write this 167 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: and occasionally on Twitter and Facebook say nasty things about 168 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: this because you know that's what happens. Uh. That's well, 169 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: repeals impossible, Ben, Come on, well, I mean I don't 170 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: understand why repeal would be impossible. I mean, you had 171 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: every Republican in the country campaigning on repeal, and all 172 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: you have to do is put it to an upper 173 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: down vote. But the problem is that the President Trump 174 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: hasn't actually want to appeal. If you wanted to repeal, 175 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: he could probably push for it, but he doesn't want 176 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: it because he's afraid of the political fallout that will 177 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: that will occur after the repeal. Look, you're gonna get 178 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: bad headlines anyway, if it's something Republicans have to get over, 179 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: and honestly, I'm sort of shocked that the President Trump 180 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: hasn't gotten over it because it's not as though the 181 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: pressents treated President Trump with any sort of clinness obviously, 182 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: so if you're going to get treated badly, amazed, we'll 183 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: do what you want to do. But Republicans, i think, 184 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: are so terrified that they're going to repeal and then 185 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: a bunch of people are gonna get kicked off Medicaid 186 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: that they're going to be hell'd responsible for that at 187 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: the ballot box. It will be a bunch of bad headlines. 188 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: They failed to understand they're gonna get the bad headlines 189 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: regardless of what they do. So they can either make 190 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 1: the situation better and get the bad headlines, or make 191 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: the situation worse and get bad headlines. Last one for you, 192 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: Ben Chelsea Clinton has said that Donald Trump is giving 193 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: the country away. Some people, and I know you're up 194 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 1: on daily wire dot com with a response to this. 195 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: Have some have some stuff to say about Chelsea Clinton 196 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: and pourning fingers about people giving away the country for cash. Yeah, 197 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,199 Speaker 1: I mean her, she should she should look at her mother. 198 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 1: I mean one of the things that it's so irritating 199 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: about the Clintons that they just won't go away. And 200 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: so Chelsea she said something about how she was upset 201 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: that vane. It was all in response to Ivanka taking 202 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: Trump seed at the G twenty and Trump tweeted something 203 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: out about the Clintons, because Trump's go to a is 204 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: always the Clinton's and then Chelsea tweeted something in response 205 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: about how my mother never would have relied on me 206 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: that way. Okay, it's called the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea 207 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: Clinton Foundation. Chelsea didn't get her name on the foundation 208 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:21,719 Speaker 1: because of her vast qualifications, experience, and accomplishments, so the 209 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: whole thing is ridiculous. But I mean, you know, I 210 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: saw a story today about a person waking up uh 211 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: in the in the woods with in her her crunching noise. 212 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: It's herd a baron was eating his head, And I 213 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: think that that's basically the best metaphor I have for seventeen. 214 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: At this point, we just keep waking up in a 215 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: bear's eating our head, all right, Ben Shapiro, check his out, 216 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: check out his latest at the Daily Wire dot com 217 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: or he's editor in chief. Ben. Great to have you, sir, 218 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for calling in. Thanks a lot to 219 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:51,079 Speaker 1: all like us on Facebook just search Buck Sexton