1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: Welcome in his verdict with Ted Cruz Weekend Review, Ben 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: Ferguson with you, and these were the major stories that 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 1: we chatted about this past week that you may have missed. 4 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: First up, John Radcliffe being confirmed as a CIA director. Well, 5 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: he then decided to release COVID info that was readily 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: available when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were in the 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: White House, but they deliberately chose not to share it 8 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: with the American people. What is that information? I'll explain 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: it to you in just a moment. Also tips no 10 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: tax on them and no tax on Social Security? Can 11 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: this idea from Donald Trump actually pass through Congress? Senator 12 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: Cruz explains the real opportunity here to change things in 13 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: a big way for seniors. And finally, Democrats moving to 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: obstruct the confirmation hearings as much as they can, and 15 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: they're trying to get at least one of Trump's nominees 16 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: to fail. So what is going to happen next? We'll 17 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: explain that for you. It is the Weekend Review and 18 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: it starts right now. I want to move to this 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: other big headline, and that deals with the CIA and 20 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: releasing new analysis on the COVID origins. 21 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 2: Doesn't matter where you read the headline. 22 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: Whether it's Fox News, Politico, AP, BBC, Wall Street Journal, 23 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: they're all writing the same article. Now, and I'll go 24 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: to Politico. CIA now says COVID nineteen is more likely 25 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: to have originated from a lab leak. Now, the most 26 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: interesting part about this transparency that we're getting from the 27 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: CIA director John Ratcliffe, a friend of both of ours, 28 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: is the fact that he made it clear, Hey, I'm 29 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: releasing information that they had already come to a conclusion 30 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: on Center when Biden and Harris were in charge. They 31 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: just didn't want the American people to know it. So 32 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: if you think I'm the one giving you this intel, 33 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: it's not me. This is intel from Biden and Harris 34 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: that they hid from you. 35 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 3: Yeah. 36 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 4: So the CIA had already come to this conclusion, and 37 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 4: for for a number of years, the CIA's public position 38 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 4: was it could not conclude with certainty where the pandemic started. 39 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 4: And yet two days after John Radcliffe was sworn in 40 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 4: as the new director of the CIA, they issued a 41 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 4: public statement that said, quote, we have low confidence in 42 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 4: this judgment and will continue to evaluate any available, credible, 43 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 4: new intelligence, reporting, or open source information that could change 44 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 4: CIA's assessment. And by the way, low confidence typically when 45 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 4: the intelligence community has a conclusion that they will report 46 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 4: it with low confidence, with moderate confidence, or with high confidence. 47 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 4: So they're saying that they're not convinced it's absolutely right, 48 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 4: but they think it's correct, but it's at the lowest 49 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 4: confidence level. And they did note CIA continues to assess 50 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 4: that both research related in natural origin scenarios of the 51 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 4: COVID pandemic remain plausible. It is striking striking, however, that 52 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 4: as you just said a second ago, the CIA had 53 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 4: concluded this some time ago. It's just under Joe Biden 54 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 4: and Kamala Harris they didn't bother to tell the American people. 55 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 4: Listen to John Radcliffe explaining this. 56 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 5: Part of what we have to do is we have 57 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 5: to restore Americans trust in our own institutions like the 58 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 5: intelligence community and law enforcement, and that includes the CIA. 59 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 5: And you know, one of the things that the President stress, 60 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 5: you know that the purpose of the CIA is to 61 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 5: protect Americans, to keep us safe from foreign threats and 62 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 5: foreign adversaries, but we also need to be truthful with Americans. 63 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 5: And he has stressed to me and others that you know, 64 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 5: these aren't mutually exclusive missions. We can do both. And 65 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 5: so in the case of the CIA, which is the 66 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 5: best foreign intelligence service in the world, after five years, 67 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 5: to not have a public assessment to be honest with 68 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 5: the American people about where the likely source of a 69 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 5: pandemic that killed millions around the world, including a million Americans, 70 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 5: and really impacted all three hundred and forty five million 71 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 5: Americans in some way. People lost jobs, they lost houses, 72 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 5: they lost their health, they lost their businesses, all of that. 73 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 5: And so I had the opportunity on my first day 74 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 5: to make public an assessment that actually took place in 75 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 5: the Biden administration, so it can't be accused of being political, 76 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 5: and it does assess the CIA has assessed that the 77 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 5: most likely cause of this pandemic that has wrought so 78 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,679 Speaker 5: much devastation around the world was because of elaborated incident 79 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 5: in Wuhan, and so we'll continue to investigate that moving forward. 80 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 5: But I think it was important for the American people 81 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 5: to see an institution like the CIA get off the 82 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 5: sidelines and be truthful about what our intelligence shows at 83 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 5: the same time of protecting us from adversaries like China 84 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 5: if they caused or contributed to this. 85 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: I mean, E said, wow, what else can you say? 86 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 1: This is all intel that we already had that they 87 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: hid and lif to the American people about. 88 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 4: Well listen, and I know John Ratcliffe, well, he's a 89 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 4: good friend of mine. He is someone I sat and 90 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 4: spent about an hour talking with him a week ago 91 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 4: before his confirmation. And I'll tell you one of the 92 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 4: things I urged John to do is bring maximum transparency 93 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 4: that's possible. Look, the nature of the CIA, you can't 94 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 4: be transparent and everything. Obviously, we don't want the public 95 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 4: to know the identity of covert agents or or you know, 96 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 4: secret wiretaps or things that would jeopardize national security. But 97 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 4: the consequences of the politicization and weaponization of both law 98 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 4: enforcement and the intelligence community is that the public's trust 99 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 4: in those institutions has been severely diminished. That's what John 100 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 4: was talking about in that clip you just played, And 101 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 4: so I urged him. By the way, it's the same 102 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 4: thing I've urged Pam Bondy, who's been nominated to be 103 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 4: Attorney General. It's the same thing I've urged Cash Betel, 104 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 4: who's been nominated to be FBI director, is have the 105 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 4: maximum transparency possible, and in particular, I've urged them with 106 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 4: respect to COVID and the origins of COVID and by 107 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 4: the way, any US government complicity in terms of funding 108 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 4: the Chinese research and the gain of function research that 109 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 4: may have created the COVID virus, that we need maximum 110 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 4: transparency concerning that in particular, and I think John Ratcliffe 111 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 4: is following through with that. I've also urged maximum transparency 112 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 4: concerning January sixth and any US government informants who may 113 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 4: have been involved who may have enticed or entrapped people 114 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 4: into conduct on that day to make that public as well. 115 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 4: And I'm hopeful and by the way, I'll mention Trump 116 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 4: is also releasing the files on JFK and RFK and 117 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 4: Martin Luther King's assassinations. I will note Ben when Trump 118 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 4: said he was releasing the JFK files. 119 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 2: I know where you're going with this. 120 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 4: I did at least tweet just wondering what are the 121 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 4: non extradition countries Again, I'm asking for a friend. 122 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 2: All right. 123 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 1: You can't say that without telling the backstory on this one, right? 124 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 2: Can you find people the humor here on this? 125 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 5: Sure? 126 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 4: During twenty sixteen, Trump accused my father of killing JFK, which, 127 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 4: for the record, no, my dad did not kill JFK. 128 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 4: He did kill Jimmy Hoffa. Jimmy Hoffa is buried my 129 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 4: dad's backyard, but he didn't kill JFK. 130 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 3: And so it's it's a thing. And so if he's 131 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 3: releasing the the. 132 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 4: JFK files, I got to tell you, I'm buying a 133 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 4: plane ticket for my dad to go to Bolivia right now. 134 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: Between that and the Zodiac Killer, you're just making headlines, 135 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: my friend. 136 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 3: And it was amazing. 137 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 4: So Ben, there is actually a real poll that I 138 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 4: have seen that show, this was a few years ago, 139 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 4: that twenty eight percent of Floridians believe I may well 140 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 4: be the Zodiac Killer. 141 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:55,679 Speaker 2: That's one I would frame him put on my desk. 142 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 3: It really is. 143 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 4: And given that the Zodiac Killer killed a number of 144 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 4: people in northern Klifornia in the nineteen sixties before I 145 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 4: was born, that's an amazing talent to be able to 146 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 4: murder in Utero, to reach like back in time. That 147 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 4: that's just you know, I'm kind of proud of that. 148 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: I mean, if liberals another reason to be afraid of 149 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: you just know that Center crews can time travel per 150 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: per Internet report, So. 151 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 3: As the meme says, FAFO, I. 152 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 2: Love it all. 153 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: Right, let's talk about the last thing on our list, 154 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: and it is one. 155 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 2: Were you right in your prediction? When did you get home? 156 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 1: If you listen our last show, we were talking about 157 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: our Democrats going to hold out through the weekend. Are 158 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: you gonna have to stay in DC all weekend? Are 159 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 1: you gonna get to come home? They were holding up 160 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 1: the nomination jet again. So tell us how that went down. 161 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: When did you get back? Were you right? 162 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 5: So? 163 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 3: I was right. I said I thought we'd get back Saturday. 164 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 4: I thought the Democrats would fight tooth and nail to 165 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,839 Speaker 4: try to beat Pete hegg Seth. I said they'd lose, 166 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 4: and I said when they lost, they'd give in and 167 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 4: they want to get out of town because they want 168 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 4: to get home, just like we do. 169 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 3: So that's exactly what happened. 170 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 4: So we were there, We were there late Friday night, 171 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 4: and then we ended up finishing the vote Saturday morning, 172 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 4: and we all flew out Saturday afternoon. So i'm you 173 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 4: and I are recording. It is twelve eleven in the 174 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 4: morning right now, Sunday night, Monday morning. I'm in Houston 175 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 4: and tomorrow morning. I'll fly back to d C to 176 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 4: go back to the Senate tomorrow. So we did get 177 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 4: out and where are we on the confirmations? So right 178 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 4: now four cabinet members have been confirmed. The first to 179 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 4: be confirmed was Marco Rubio, a Secretary of State. He 180 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 4: was confirmed on January twentieth. The vote was ninety nine 181 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 4: to nothing. The second to be confirmed was the guy 182 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 4: that you just played that clip from, John Ratcliffe, ats 183 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 4: a director. The vote was seventy two to twenty six, 184 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 4: so big bipartisan vote. And it's striking though that the 185 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 4: Democrats delayed that several days even though there was clear 186 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 4: bipartisan support for him. Ratcliffe should have been confirmed on 187 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 4: January twentieth. Also, in fact, we thought he was going 188 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 4: to and the Democrats delayed it several days just because 189 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 4: they're engaged in obstruction. 190 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 3: They're trying to delay everything, and. 191 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 2: We're way behind schedule compared to other administrations. 192 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 4: So people understand that way behind is strong, but they're 193 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 4: dragging their feet and that's why that's why we ram through, 194 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 4: forced them to stay through the weekend, CAPE, kept them 195 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 4: late Friday night, kept them their Saturday. 196 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 3: To make clear. 197 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 4: Listen, if you delay, We'll just motor through, and so 198 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 4: you can decide do you want it to be unpleasant 199 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 4: or do you want to move forward. We're going to 200 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 4: move expeditiously and confirm these nominees. The Democrats, if they want, 201 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 4: they can abuse the procedural rules. They can drag things out, 202 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 4: but that means they're going to be there on Fridays 203 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 4: and Saturdays and Sundays and they're not going home. And 204 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 4: that's the most effective way to get them to give 205 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 4: cave in, which is what they did. And so Friday 206 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 4: night the third cabinet member was confirmed, that was Pete Hegseith. 207 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 4: And then on Saturday we confirmed the fourth cabinet member, 208 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:00,040 Speaker 4: which is Christy nom for Secretary of Homeland Security. He 209 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 4: was confirmed fifty nine to thirty four, so a respectable 210 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 4: bipartisan vote. Not overwhelming, but she got six Democrats. And 211 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 4: next week we have teed up Scott Bessen for Secretary 212 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 4: of Treasury, Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation, Chris Wright 213 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 4: for Secretary of Energy, and Doug Bergham for Secretary of 214 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 4: the Interior. All of them are out of committee. All 215 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 4: of them are teed up. I think all four of 216 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 4: them will be confirmed next week. We may have some 217 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 4: others confirmed next week as well, but we're moving expeditiously, 218 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 4: and as I said, my prediction is that we will 219 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 4: confirm all of Trump's cabinet nominees within thirty days. We 220 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 4: also have next week in Judiciary, we will vote Pam 221 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 4: Bondi out of committee and we'll have the hearing on 222 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 4: Cash Battel. And by the way, one of the things 223 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 4: I did last week is participated in in a moot 224 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 4: preparation with Cash Battel, which was very productive. 225 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 3: Cash. 226 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 4: I think it's going to do a good job. The 227 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 4: Democrats are going to go hard after Cash Battel. They're 228 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,679 Speaker 4: going to go hard after Tulsi Gabbard. Those are their 229 00:11:58,679 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 4: top two targets. 230 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 1: Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, 231 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: you can go back and listen to the full podcast 232 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: from earlier this week. Now onto story number two. All right, 233 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: so taxes tips. It was clearly a big campaign issue. 234 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 1: It brought in a lot of voters. A lot of 235 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,559 Speaker 1: people came to Donald Trump and said this couldn't have 236 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: a huge impact. Now it's paying off on it, Is 237 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 1: there a real chance? 238 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 4: So yes, and I believe this will happen. This will 239 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 4: happen by the end of the year. So let's rewind. 240 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 4: In the middle of the presidential campaign, Donald Trump was 241 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 4: in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he actually told us the story. 242 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 4: So he came by in the middle of the campaign. 243 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 4: He had lunch with all the Republican senators and he said, listen, 244 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 4: I was in Vegas. 245 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 3: I had a rally that night. 246 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 4: And he said, I was having lunch and he said, 247 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 4: there was a waitress who came. It was serving me 248 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 4: my meal, and he said she began like complaining about 249 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 4: the enormous burden that the Biden administration had put on 250 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 4: recording her tips, on paying taxes on tip. 251 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 3: And he said, I pulled out. 252 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 4: A piece of paper and I got out of pen 253 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 4: and I just wrote, no taxes on tips. 254 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 3: They said, it's just. 255 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 4: An idea that popped in my head. And he said, look, 256 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 4: some people, they they focus group things, they do white papers. 257 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 4: He said, I didn't do any of that. I just 258 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 4: wrote it down from the conversation I had with the 259 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 4: waitress over lunch. And he said, I had that rally 260 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 4: later the day and I had thousands of people there, 261 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 4: and he said, I just threw it out there no 262 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 4: taxes on tips, and he said, and they went crazy, 263 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 4: They went absolutely crazy. And I got to say, there 264 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 4: are times when when Trump I just think has an 265 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 4: instinct that is a very good, gut instinct, and I 266 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 4: think this policy makes enormous sense. And so when he 267 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 4: announced it, He's right, the crowd went crazy. 268 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 3: I looked at it and I said, this is this 269 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 3: is a great idea. 270 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 4: I immediately went to my team and I said, let's 271 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 4: draft the legislation to make this happened. So the next 272 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 4: week I filed federal legislation of no taxes on tips. 273 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 4: Now what's interesting, Ben is when I filed this, it 274 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 4: immediately became bipartisan. Both senators from Nevada, Jackie Rosen and 275 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 4: Catherine Court's Master, both of them immediately co sponsored it. 276 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 4: One of them said to me, she said, look in Nevada, 277 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 4: twenty five percent of the employees in the entire state 278 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 4: are tipped workers. And so it was bipartisan. And then 279 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 4: shortly thereafter, Kamala Harris endorsed it and she said, this 280 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 4: is a great idea. So it became there was enormous 281 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 4: bipartisan support. Now, obviously Trump is won. We have a 282 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 4: Republican Senate. At Republican House, I've refiled my legislation. Here's 283 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 4: what I'm pressing to happen. So Trump just was back 284 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 4: in Nevada and Las Vegas just made a huge push 285 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 4: to pass this. I am pressing for Congress to pass 286 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 4: the legislation right now. It doesn't have to be part 287 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 4: of budget reconciliation. Now, for any tax bill under the Constitution, 288 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 4: the House of Representatives has to originate it. So if 289 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 4: that's a provision of the Constitution, the Senate cannot start 290 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 4: a tax bill. A tax bill has to originate with House. 291 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 4: So I am merging the Speaker of the House. I'm 292 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 4: merging the majority leader take up my legislation no taxes 293 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 4: on tips. 294 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 3: Just pass it. 295 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 4: We have the votes in the House, Republicans can pass it. 296 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 4: If it passes and goes over to the Senate, I 297 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 4: believe we can pass it in the Senate, and I 298 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 4: think we'll get sixty votes, so we don't have to 299 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 4: wait for reconciliation. Reconciliation is the process that gets around 300 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 4: the filibuster. Lets us pass something with just fifty votes. 301 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 4: I don't think we need that for no taxes on tips. 302 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 4: If the House passes it. What I'm merging, John Thune, 303 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 4: the Senate majority leaders put it on the Senate floor. 304 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 4: I think we'll get sixty votes, and that means we 305 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 4: could pass it. It would be a big bipartisan win, 306 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 4: and we'll put it on President Trump's desk. He can 307 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 4: sign it into law as a huge victory. And by 308 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 4: the way, it's a win win man. If we put 309 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 4: it on the floor and Democrats decide to be partisan, 310 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 4: they decide, Okay, we're going to oppose it because we 311 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 4: just oppose any tax cut, we oppose anything Trump wants. Okay, 312 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 4: that's not the end of the day. If Democrats defeat 313 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 4: it in the Senate because we can't get to sixty, 314 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 4: that's fine. Then we'll stick it in budget reconciliation. We 315 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 4: can get it done with fifty. But it's a win 316 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 4: win because every Democrat senator who votes know that is 317 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 4: an ugly issue in two years to go face the 318 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 4: voters and say, hey, I voted against no taxes on tips. 319 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 4: Even though every waiter, every waitress, every bartender, every taxi driver, 320 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 4: every uber driver, every barber, every hairstylist, every nail salon person, 321 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 4: everyone who is relying on tips cares a lot about this, 322 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 4: So if the Democrats all want to vote against it, look, 323 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 4: I think this policy is an incredible embodiment of the 324 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 4: most important political transformation of the last decade, which is 325 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 4: that Republicans have become a blue collar party. We are 326 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 4: the party of waiters and waitresses and working men and women. 327 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 4: And so Democrats can decide where they stand, but I 328 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 4: think we ought to get this passed, and one way 329 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 4: or another, my prediction is this will get done before 330 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 4: the end of twenty twenty five. 331 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 2: Is this one of those issues where people should call 332 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 2: their congressmen their sinners? I mean we talk about this, Yes, yes, yes, 333 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 2: I mean yes, And what do you say? 334 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: This is good for my state, this is good for 335 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 1: my city, this is good for hourly workers. 336 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 4: It's the best argument. Just pass no taxes on tips. 337 00:17:57,400 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 4: So look, one of the things to understand when you 338 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 4: call your hungers, when you call your senator, if you 339 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 4: make a detailed, subtle argument, that doesn't get through. So 340 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 4: every member of Congress gets what I get every day, 341 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 4: which is I get an email. So all right, let 342 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:17,159 Speaker 4: me find my email from today. 343 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 3: Call totals. 344 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 4: So on t eight twenty five, today there were one thousand, 345 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 4: three hundred and seventy two calls to my office. There 346 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:28,919 Speaker 4: were seven hundred and fifty four to DC, there were 347 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 4: six hundred and eighteen to Texas. There are four hundred 348 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 4: and eighty two live calls, so we had interns and 349 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 4: staff assistants who answered four hundred and eighty two calls. Today, 350 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 4: there were eight hundred ninety calls that went to voicemails. 351 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 4: Of those calls, oney three hundred and twenty two Texans called, 352 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 4: fifty non Texans called, so overwhelmingly the calls were Texans. 353 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 4: So let's break it down casework. So that's I've got 354 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 4: an issue with Social Security, I've got an issue with 355 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 4: the VA, I've got an issue with government. Forty five 356 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 4: of those calls were casework, and I've got a whole 357 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 4: team that works to help Texans deal with the government 358 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 4: every day. Twenty four dealt with the academy, so young 359 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 4: men and women in high school students that want to 360 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 4: go to service academy. So twenty four of them. Eight 361 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 4: concerned the campaign. I don't know what they concerned. Ninety 362 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 4: one concerned scheduling, so people calling and saying, hey, can 363 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 4: you come and do this event or this other event 364 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 4: now of the breakdown. Eighteen called in support of me, 365 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 4: twenty eight called in opposition to me. So people called 366 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 4: and said, I can't stand Cruise, He's terrible. Okay, that 367 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,959 Speaker 4: gets recorded. Ten people called in support a President Trump, 368 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 4: Seventy nine people called in opposition to President Trump. Now nominations, 369 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 4: seventy five people called in support of President Trump's nominees. 370 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 4: Seventy people called in opposition to President Trump's nominees. Now, 371 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 4: it's interesting. FK Junior got a bunch of calls. One 372 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 4: hundred and eighty seven people this is yesterday called in 373 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 4: support of RFK Junior for HHS Secretary. Ninety three people 374 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 4: called in opposition to RFK Junior, so about two to one, 375 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 4: Bobby Kennedy, the calls were coming in. Nineteen people called 376 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:25,159 Speaker 4: in support of Cash Battel for FBI director. Four hundred 377 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 4: and thirty two people called in opposition to cash Battel 378 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 4: as FBI director. And I think there probably were some 379 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 4: liberal groups stirring up calls, because that number is big enough, 380 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 4: four hundred and thirty. 381 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 1: I was going to say, when you see days like that, 382 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: you got to be thinking somebody went on an email 383 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,640 Speaker 1: campaign or a Callboitz campaign and said, yeah, target this 384 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: member today specifically, because if it doesn't match the day before, 385 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: the day after, that's when that's kind of the tel right. 386 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 3: And that happens. 387 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:53,959 Speaker 4: There are groups that will focus and say make these calls. 388 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 4: And I think those calls the four hundred and thirty two, 389 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 4: that's a big enough number. That's where that probably came from. Now, 390 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 4: in a day, forty eight people called in support of 391 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 4: Tulsa Gabbard, twenty two people called in opposition. 392 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 3: To Tulsa Gabbard. 393 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 4: On legislative issues, thirteen people called in support a border 394 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 4: of security, two people called in opposition to border security, 395 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 4: and interestingly enough, four hundred and seventy four people called 396 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:27,719 Speaker 4: in opposition to the omb pause of federally appropriated funds. 397 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 4: So look that's the sort of report. I get that 398 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 4: report every day and I read it every day. Now, 399 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 4: look what we get over the course of the year, 400 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 4: hundreds of thousands of calls. So I can't listen to 401 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 4: every voicemail that comes in. I could literally spend all 402 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 4: day long doing nothing but listening to voicemails and not 403 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 4: do any hearings, not do any legislation, and I still 404 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 4: wouldn't have enough time. So the way I consume that 405 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 4: data is through report like that. I just read you 406 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 4: the report that came today. Every other member consumes that 407 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 4: this same way. What I'm saying is, if you want 408 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 4: Congress to pass no taxes on tips, you don't need 409 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,120 Speaker 4: to present a long, detailed, subtle argument as to all 410 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 4: of the pros and cons. Just pick up the phone 411 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 4: and call your member and say, pass no taxes on tips. 412 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 4: If you say that sentence, it will get recorded in 413 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 4: a report just like that to the House member of 414 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 4: the senator you're calling. That's how the information gets consumed. 415 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:31,360 Speaker 2: That's encouraging. 416 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:33,360 Speaker 1: By the way you said, everybody looks at their call 417 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: this like the same way you do. 418 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 3: It, I hope. 419 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 4: So I don't know that there may be some people 420 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 4: that don't give a damn. 421 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:40,160 Speaker 3: I look at it every day. 422 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 4: I can't promise that all five hundred and thirty five 423 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 4: members of Congress do, but I certainly look at it 424 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 4: every day because I work for thirty one million Texans, 425 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 4: and so I want to see what issues people are 426 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 4: engaged on and what they care about. 427 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: As before, if you want to hear the rest of 428 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: this conversation on this topic. You can go back and 429 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: dow the podcast from early this week to hear the 430 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: entire thing. I want to get back to the big 431 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 1: story number three of the week. 432 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 2: You may have. 433 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 1: Missed that obviously means the pace is moving up. When 434 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: you look at so far what's happened there does seem 435 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: to be a little bit of a change. 436 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 2: Now. 437 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: We're noticing it with the Democrats in the media especially, 438 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: it seems like there's a real appetite to just get 439 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 1: a nominee whatever when they get their hands on to 440 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:30,479 Speaker 1: not pass. 441 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,360 Speaker 2: Is that part of the gainsmanship that we're witnessing. Am 442 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 2: I reading the room the right way? 443 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 5: Yeah? 444 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 4: Look, I still believe, and I've said this a number 445 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 4: of times, that all of Trump's cabinet nominees are going 446 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 4: to be confirmed, and I think they'll be confirmed within 447 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 4: thirty days. 448 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 3: That we are leaning in. 449 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 4: We're putting the pedal to the medal under the Senate 450 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 4: rules that the Democrats can delay some, but I think 451 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 4: within thirty days we'll get them all through. Now, the 452 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 4: three that they are going after hardest are in terms 453 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:05,679 Speaker 4: of cabinet nominees, Tulca Gabbert for Director of National Intelligence, 454 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 4: Bobby Kennedy for Health and Human Services. And then it's 455 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 4: not a cabinet position, but Cash Pateel for Director of 456 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,959 Speaker 4: the FBI, which it's a sub cabinet position, but a 457 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 4: very very important law enforcement position. Those are the three. 458 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 4: It's not complicated or subtle. Those three are the top 459 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 4: targets of the Democrats. 460 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:26,719 Speaker 3: Today. 461 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 4: In the Senate Judiciary Committee, we had Cash Betel's hearing. 462 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 4: I was vigorous at the hearing defending him. I will 463 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 4: tell you I think I think Cash did very well. 464 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 4: I think he acquitted himself in an excellent way. This 465 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 4: evening I was on Sean Hannity, and as I put it, 466 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 4: I said, my assessment of the Democrats' behavior at Cash 467 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 4: Betel's hearing reminded me of the quote from Shakespeare's Macbeth. 468 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 4: It was a tale told by an idiot, full of 469 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 4: sound and fury and signifying nothing. 470 00:24:57,520 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 2: That is a great. 471 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: Accurate way of describing I mean, it was, you know 472 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 1: what show is how I was going. 473 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 2: To put it. 474 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 4: But they didn't land any material blows. And look, the 475 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 4: point on Cash what they're attacking him on not that 476 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 4: he's not qualified. 477 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 3: He's clearly qualified. He has. 478 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 4: Over a decade of experience in law enforcement, national security, 479 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 4: including having been a federal public defender, including having been 480 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 4: a federal prosecutor, having worked in the National Security Division 481 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 4: of the Department of Justice, having worked in the White 482 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 4: House and the National Security Council, having been a senior 483 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 4: intelligence staffer on Capitol Hill, and having been the chief 484 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 4: of staff at the United States Defense Department. They're not 485 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 4: arguing he's unqualified. What they're arguing is they're terrified he 486 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 4: will do exactly what President Trump promised he would do, 487 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 4: which is eliminate the politicization and weaponization of the FBI 488 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 4: and get it back to its core function. I believe 489 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 4: Cash Bettel will do that, and I think the Democrats 490 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 4: are freaking out because they don't want him to do that. 491 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 4: But I think Cash will make it through. We also 492 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 4: had hearings this week for both Bobby Kennedy and Tulsea Gabbert. 493 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 4: I don't know, it is not impossible that one of 494 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:11,239 Speaker 4: those nominees is defeated, but I think they all make 495 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 4: it through. 496 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 1: Right now, when you look at the Republicans, when Democrats 497 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: are pushing this obstructionism the way that they are doing 498 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: it and trying to slow things down, does that unify 499 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:25,679 Speaker 1: the Republican base more because it's like, all right, come on, guys, 500 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: does that make it actually easier to get the votes 501 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: you need because you realize what you're up against. 502 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 4: A Look, potentially, you had Pete hag Seth, who is 503 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:39,239 Speaker 4: the one they went after the hardest so far, and 504 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 4: that vote was fifty to fifty. We lost three Republicans. 505 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 4: We lost Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell. Because 506 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 4: we have a fifty three to forty seven majority, losing 507 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 4: three made it fifty to fifty, and that meant the 508 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,679 Speaker 4: Vice President jd Vance could break the tie. 509 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,160 Speaker 3: I am glad we have fifty three. 510 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 4: If we had a fifty one vote majority, I would 511 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 4: not be nearly so saying, and I would not be 512 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 4: saying every Trump Cabinet nominee is going to be confirmed 513 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 4: if we had a fifty one vote majority. But because 514 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 4: we have fifty three, we can lose up to three, 515 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 4: and so I think all of these make it through. Listen, Tulsi. 516 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 4: Tulsi was a Democrat for most of her career. She 517 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 4: is perceived if you look at Republican foreign policy, they're 518 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 4: interventionists and isolationists. There are many who perceive Tulsi as 519 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 4: much more of an isolationist, So there are Republicans who 520 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 4: have real concerns with her. Will that play out into 521 00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 4: no votes? I don't know. I think the President deserves 522 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 4: a considerable amount of deference in naming his cabinet members, 523 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 4: and he has decided to name Tulci Gabbert. I'm going 524 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 4: to vote yes, but I don't know. It's not impossible 525 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 4: that we get four no votes, which would take down 526 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 4: the nomination. Likewise, Bobby Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy's a complicated situation. 527 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 4: Both Kennedy and Tulsi, until like twelve minutes ago, they 528 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 4: were both Democrats. Yeah, and so Bobby Kennedy obviously a 529 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 4: scion of one of the great Democrat royalty families, Camelot. 530 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 3: It is a curious dynamic. 531 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 4: It's not clear to me any Democrat is going to 532 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 4: vote for him, which is an interesting situation. 533 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 3: Listen, there's some conservatives. 534 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:23,879 Speaker 4: Bobby Kennedy, until recently, on many policies is his views 535 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 4: were quite left of center. I'm going to vote for 536 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 4: Bobby Kennedy because I think he's a change agent, because 537 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 4: I think he has courage to take on I think 538 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,880 Speaker 4: some of the corruption that we have at HHS, particularly 539 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 4: with big Pharma, that gets in bed with the career 540 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 4: bureaucrats there and stifles competition and drives up costs. I 541 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 4: think if you have a terrible disease, you should have 542 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 4: a right to access. 543 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 3: Life saving medication. 544 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,959 Speaker 4: And I'm one of the original sponsors of the right 545 00:28:56,040 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 4: to Try legislation. I think that's very important and and 546 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 4: I think Bobby Kennedy is going to shake up the 547 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 4: the cronyism that that that that has characterized HHS. 548 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 3: What's not clear to me. 549 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 4: Is I don't if any Democrats want that cronyism shaken up, 550 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 4: and to be honest, there may be some Republicans that don't. 551 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 3: Let's play this exchange. 552 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 4: So this is Bobby Kennedy responding to Bernie Sanders Bernie's 553 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 4: going to vote now. When Bertie was attacking him like crazy, 554 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,360 Speaker 4: but I got to say, Bobby Kennedy popped him back 555 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 4: pretty hard. 556 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 3: Listen to this exchange. 557 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 6: I'm going to make America healthier than other countries in 558 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,479 Speaker 6: the world. Right now, will you guarantee do what every 559 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 6: other major countries. It's a simple question and by the way, Bernie, 560 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 6: you know, the problem of corruption is not just in 561 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:52,280 Speaker 6: the federal agents, is in Congress too. Almost all the 562 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 6: members of this panel are accepting, including yourself, are accepting 563 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 6: millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical And. 564 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 2: I did no interest. Oh, I thought that that would no. 565 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 6: I ran for president like you. I got millions, millions 566 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 6: of contributions. They did not come from the executives, not 567 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 6: one nickel of pack money from the pharmaceuticals, and they 568 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 6: came to twenty twenty. In twenty twenty, you were the 569 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 6: single largest because I receiver comminations from workers all over 570 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 6: this country. Workers. You were this not a nickel from 571 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 6: corporate You was the single largest pharmaceutical dollars from workers 572 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 6: in poor three five million. 573 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, out of two hundred million. 574 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 3: All right, but. 575 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 2: You have not answered last question. 576 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 1: I mean that you want to talk about a beatdown 577 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: with the facts there, Bernie, you've accepted millions of dollars 578 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 1: in the pharmaceutical industry. In twenty twenty, you were the 579 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: single largest receiver of pharmacual dollars one point five millions. 580 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 2: Like, let's just move on here. 581 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, he did not like that exchange. 582 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 4: By the way, I've never seen a confirmation hearing where 583 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 4: the nominee refers to the senator by his first name. 584 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 3: He keeps calling him Bernie. 585 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 4: Like it's clear Bobby Kennedy and Bernie Sanders they know 586 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 4: each other well. I mean, they've got a long history there. 587 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 4: Because that's that that that's quite unusual too. But I 588 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 4: gotta say Bernie was not anticipating that pop back. We'll 589 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 4: see how it plays out, but I think Kennedy's gonna 590 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 4: get confirmed. I want him to get confirmed. I like 591 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 4: Bobby Kennedy, and I also think there are a lot 592 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 4: of Americans, a lot of Americans who are not even 593 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 4: very political, a lot of moms who are worried about 594 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 4: the garbage that that our kids are are consuming, are 595 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 4: worried about the rise in in in in chronic illness. 596 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,240 Speaker 4: That that that that I think Bobby Kennedy is a 597 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 4: very good person to take that on. 598 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 2: As always. Thank you for listening to Verdict. 599 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: Was center Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you don't forget 600 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 1: to deal with my podcast, and you can listen to 601 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: my podcast every other day. 602 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 2: Hey, you're not listening to Verdict or each day when 603 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 2: you 604 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: Listen to verdict afterwards, I'd love to have you as 605 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: a listener to again the Ben Ferguson Podcasts, and we 606 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 1: will see you back here on Monday morning.