1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: Seventeen states and the President of the United States have 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: joined the Great State of Texas ensuing the battlegrounds over 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: election irregularities in the Supreme Court. This after there was 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: another lawsuit brought up to the Supreme Court regarding the 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: irregularities in Pennsylvania, and the host of this show has 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: been asked to argue both of those cases before the 7 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: Supreme Court. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz. Welcome back 8 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: to Verdict with Ted Cruz. I'm Michael Knowles, and I 9 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,319 Speaker 1: should clarify I have not been asked to argue those 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: cases before the Supreme Court. I have offered my services. 11 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: A Ken Paxton in Texas has not returned my calls. 12 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: Actually it was Senator Cruz who's been asked. Senator, there's 13 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: a lot to get into right here. The last time 14 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: we spoke, we discussed in Pennsylvania this case regarding the 15 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: irregularities there and the possible violation of the Pennsylvania state Constitution. 16 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: At that time, I believe you had not yet been 17 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,119 Speaker 1: asked to argue the case before the court. The Supreme 18 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: Court then rejected that appeal. Anyway, Now we've got this 19 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: other case from Texas. What is going on Why have 20 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,839 Speaker 1: you been asked, I suppose because of your great experience 21 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: arguing before the Supreme Court. But but how did this 22 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: all come to pass? Well, sure, let's start with a 23 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania case. When we last did the podcast, the Pennsylvania 24 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: case was pending and the lawyers for the plaintiffs there. 25 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,199 Speaker 1: So the plaintiffs in the Pennsylvania case were Mike Kelly, 26 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: an incumbent Republican congressman in Pennsylvania who lost a very 27 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: narrow reelection in November, and Sean Parnell, who was a 28 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: Republican candidate for Congress who lost a very narrow race 29 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: in Pennsylvania as well, And so their lawyers had drafted 30 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: the pleadings. When we did the last pod, they were pending, 31 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: and their lawyers reached out to me and they asked, 32 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: they said, listen, if the court takes this case, would 33 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: you be willing to argue it? And I thought about it. 34 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: And usually, more often than not, you argue a case 35 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: where you drafted the briefs and you've been part of 36 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: the legal team from the beginning, so it's fairly unusual 37 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: to come in at the tail end. But but given 38 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: the importance of it, um, I had already written a 39 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: long statement which actually you read on the last pod, 40 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: urging the Supreme Court to take the case. And so 41 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: I had already read the pleading and thought it needed 42 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: to be heard, and so I said, sure, I'm happy 43 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 1: to argue it, and and we put that out publicly. Unfortunately, 44 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: then the Supreme Court declined to take the case. And 45 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: I have to admit, although I wish the Court had 46 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: taken the case, for for most observers myself included, it 47 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: was not an astonishing surprise that the Court didn't uh. 48 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: And the reason for that that the challenge in the 49 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania case is that I think there's a clear violation 50 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: of state law in Pencil Lvania. The Constitution requires in 51 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: person voting in all but very limited circumstances. The legislature 52 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: expanded the law to allow universal mail in voting. There 53 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: was a clear violation of state law. The problem is 54 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: the US Supreme Court doesn't decide questions of state law, 55 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: so questions of state law are typically left to the 56 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: supreme courts of each state. And what was more difficult 57 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: to articulate was more difficult I think for the court 58 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: to see is what the clear federal question was I 59 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: think the lawyers in the Pennsylvania casey, they worked hard 60 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: to articulate a federal interest, and look, obviously you've got 61 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: a presidential election, so that's a huge federal interest. Although 62 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: finding the federal constitutional issue was more complicated, and so 63 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: the court turned it down. They did not write an opinion, 64 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: so we don't have any reasoning as to why they 65 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: turned it down. It was simply a one line order. 66 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: What that means is there weren't five votes. It takes 67 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: five votes to grant an injunction, and so there were 68 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: not five votes to issue extraordinary relief to grant an injunction. 69 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: We know that. And then subsequently the Texas case was filed. 70 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: Now I want to make clear for people we're recording 71 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: this Thursday night, you've been up on the hill all 72 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: day dealing with a lot a number of other issues 73 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: unrelated to the election that I do want to hit 74 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 1: on in just a moment. So we're just waiting to 75 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: find out if the Supreme Court is even going to 76 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: hear this other lawsuit from Texas suing Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, 77 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 1: and Wisconsin, with the support of seventeen other states and 78 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: President Trump, that lawsuit is coming up. You have been 79 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: asked to give the argument in that case as well. 80 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: The court, if they didn't take the Pennsylvania case, I 81 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 1: fear it maybe won't take this case either. That may 82 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: be right. So the Texas case I first learned about 83 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: Monday night. Actually I was doing Sean Hannity's TV show, 84 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: and so I was on Hannity and Hannity asked me 85 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: about the Texas case, and I actually wasn't entirely sure 86 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: what he was talking about, and so, I mean, I 87 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: just kind of spoke generally about suits between states, but 88 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: but I didn't know the details of it. The reason 89 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: was the Texas case wasn't filed until late that night. 90 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: I actually think it was early the next morning, at 91 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 1: like twelve fifty in the morning or something like that. 92 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: And so I saw the case when after it was filed. 93 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 1: And then Tuesday is when the Supreme Court turned down 94 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: the Pennsylvania case. And that evening I was at dinner 95 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: and got a call on my cell phone from the 96 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: President and the President was unhappy that the Court had 97 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: turned down the Pennsylvania case. I understood that I was 98 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: unhappy too. I'd vocally and vigorously urged them to take it. 99 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: And the President asked me at the time, said where 100 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: you surprised the court didn't take the case, And I said, look, 101 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: I was not. I was not shocked they didn't take 102 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: the case because of the challenge we just talked about 103 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: a minute ago of the difference between state law and 104 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: federal law, and that was a challenging hurdle. And so 105 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: the President on that call, he asked me, he said, look, 106 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: this Texas case has just been filed, and he said publicly, 107 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: this is the case. As you noted, the President has 108 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 1: since intervened in it. And he asked me, would you 109 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: be willing to argue this case? And I said, sure, 110 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: I'd be happy to if the court grant said I'll 111 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: argue it, And your question was an insightful one. Like 112 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: the Pennsylvania case, there are hurdles to get it granted. 113 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: And one of the things to understand is just the 114 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: overall numbers. The Supreme Court doesn't take that many cases. 115 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: In a given year. You get anywhere between eight thousand 116 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: and ten thousand appeals to the Supreme Court. They typically 117 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: grant about eighty, so it's about one percent. A suit 118 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 1: between the states is different and this is a suit 119 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: between Texas and four other states Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin. 120 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: Under the Constitution, the Supreme Court has what's called original 121 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: jurisdiction and suits between states. That means, you know, typically 122 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: if you file a federal lawsuit, you go file it 123 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: in federal district court. That's how virtually all federal lawsuits begin. 124 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: A suit between two or more states, you can file 125 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: it in the US Supreme Court. It has original jurisdiction, 126 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: but it's not mandatory jurisdiction, so they don't have to 127 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: conduct a trial. And actually in suits between states, so 128 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: they usually come up in the context of say a 129 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: dispute over boundaries or a dispute over a river. Those 130 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: are the circumstances where you get a fight where two 131 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: states are saying our line is here, and the other 132 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: state to say no, no no, no, our line is here. 133 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: And the way the court normally resolves that is it 134 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: will appoint a special Master that is basically a trial judge, 135 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: and they can go conduct a trial on behalf of 136 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: the US Supreme Court, and then they'll prepare a report 137 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: that typically the Supreme Court it will adopt or change 138 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: or and they review it then in this instance, the 139 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: court has a decision whether to grant leave for the 140 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: state to file a complaint. That again takes five votes, 141 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: And so the Texas lawsuit is much broader than the 142 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania lawsuit. It raises a lot of the issues about 143 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: fraud and irregularities and different players in the different states 144 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: changing the law in the middle of the process. That 145 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: breadth is good, But on the other hand, that breadth 146 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: may be a factor. I don't know if there are 147 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: five votes, and if they're not five votes, the court 148 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: won't take the case, and we could find out. You 149 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: and I are sitting here Thursday evening. The courts set 150 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 1: a deadline for the defendant states to respond three pm today, 151 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: and so after the response, the court could could resolve 152 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: it at any time. It could be tonight, it could 153 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: be tomorrow. Now the court could say we're gonna set 154 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 1: a oral argument date for day after tomorrow. I mean, 155 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: they could move really fast, and they could move really slow. 156 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: They could deny it all together. So by the time 157 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: this pod comes out, which I think will be sometime Friday, 158 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: when we get get it all edited and processed and 159 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 1: put out, we may know the answer. But as of 160 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: right now we don't know what the Supreme Court's going 161 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: to do, and if they tell you that you've got 162 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: an oral argument the following day, then you are going 163 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: to have a very busy night and day. And I 164 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: know there's other work that you have to pay attention 165 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: to on Capitol Hill. So I do want to touch 166 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: on a few of these issues because I fear that 167 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: in the craziness of the election drama, we're missing out 168 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: on some pretty important changes that have been going on 169 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: the Senate today. Back to a massive arms sale to 170 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: the United Arab Emirates, there was a major peace deal 171 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: between Morocco and Israel. You've got a big debate over 172 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: the National Defense authors should act. Can you just move 173 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: us for a second from domestic to foreign policy, regardless 174 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: of how the election turns out, what's going on abroad. 175 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: So there's a lot of foreign policy moving forward, and 176 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: much of it is very, very positive. We saw a 177 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: couple of months ago, and we talked about in an 178 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: earlier pod, the Abraham Accords, which were the historic peace 179 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: agreements between Israel and the UAE and Israel and Bahrain 180 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 1: where where both Arab nations normalized relationships with Israel. That 181 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: hadn't happened in decades, and it was a major step 182 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: forward for peace. And I'll say a couple of things. One, 183 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: it is a vindication of a foreign policy approach that 184 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: I've been advocating for a long time, which is that 185 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: the best way to produce peace is clarity and lack 186 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: of ambiguity. For eight years of Obama Biden, they deliberately 187 00:10:55,840 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: embraced an ambiguity of we're with Israel, We're not with Israel. 188 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: They embraced the notion that you must resolve the Palestinian 189 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: situation before anything else can be done. And we now 190 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: know that view was unequivocally wrong. It was simply bologny. 191 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: And I spent the last half of the Obama administration, 192 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: the time I was in the Senate, blasting that view 193 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: and saying this is foolish. Instead make unequivocal we stand 194 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: with Israel. That will facilitate peace. Well, when President Trump 195 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: came in, he agreed with me. He moved the embassy 196 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: to Jerusalem, a huge decision that I advocated for. He 197 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: pulled out of the Obama Iran nuclear deal, a huge 198 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:45,559 Speaker 1: decision I advocated for. Both of those. The State Department, 199 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: Defense Department, had argued against. So President Trump overruled his 200 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: own State Secretary of State, his own Secretary Defense to 201 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 1: move the embassy to Jerusalem to end the Obama Iran deal. 202 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,319 Speaker 1: That clarity set the stage for the Abraham Accords. I'll 203 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: tell you the the week the Abraham Accords were signed, 204 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: I was at the White House for the signing. I 205 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: spoke with the foreign officials in both Ua and Bahrain. 206 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: Both said, we want to be friends with America. It's 207 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: really important with us to be friends with America. And 208 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: what we figured out is one of the best ways 209 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: to be friends with america's be friends with Israel. So 210 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: we're doing this because it's clear that this will make 211 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: America happy, and it really is the fruits of that 212 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: unambiguous clarity. Now, I worry if we have a President Biden, 213 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: that that'll all gets screwed up, that they'll go back 214 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: to the same strategic ambiguity. Now you asked about the 215 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: votes this week. There were two big votes this week 216 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: yesterday on arms sales American arms sales of drones and 217 00:12:56,040 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: F thirty fives to the UAE United Arab Emirates. They 218 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: were controversial, they were closely contested. Brand Paul wanted to 219 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: disapprove of of the armed sales, and most of the 220 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: Democrats wanted to disapprove of the armed sales. And I 221 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: got to tell you this week, I struggled on this question. 222 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: This was not an easy question for me. It was 223 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: a close question. And the reason is, look, if you 224 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 1: look the history of the Middle East, the Middle East 225 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,440 Speaker 1: has been a tinderbox weapons like the F thirty five, 226 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,199 Speaker 1: the most advanced airframe we have. Only Israel has it 227 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: in the Middle East right now, and so I viewed 228 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 1: that as a big threshold for another Middle East country 229 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: to get the F thirty five. And so I spent 230 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: hours on the phone with the Israeli ambassador, Ron Dermo, 231 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 1: is a very good friend of mine, and we talked 232 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:55,199 Speaker 1: about it at great length, with the UAE ambassador, who 233 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: I've also gotten to know well with, with Jared Kushner, 234 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: with others in the administration, with others on my team, 235 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: really trying to understand the pros and cons of it. 236 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: And ultimately I voted in favor of the arms sale. 237 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: And I did so because I think it was a 238 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: component of the Abraham Accords. It's part of how we 239 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: brought UAE to the table to make peace with Israel. 240 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: That was a big deal. Also Israel, both Benjamin NETTNJA 241 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: who and Benny Gantz, so the prime minister and the 242 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: lead opposition figure, both of them supported the sale. That 243 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: is weird to unite them. That doesn't happen very often. 244 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: They were united on the Abraham Accords, they were united 245 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: on the Arms Sail. One of the important pieces of that. 246 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: US federal law requires that our policy ensure Israel have 247 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: what's called a QME, a qualitative military edge. Basically that 248 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: they're military can kick the butt of every other military 249 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: in the Middle East. That that that that that's how 250 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: you avoid warfare by making it clear nobody else can 251 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: take out the Israelis, so you don't have what we 252 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: saw in the sixties and seventies, which is Middle East War. 253 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: After Middle East War. Based on extensive conversations with the 254 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: Israelis and with our own Pentagon and based on classified briefings, 255 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: I became comfortable that this sale didn't undermine Israel's qualitative advantage. 256 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: And you know, the UAE ambassadory said, look, we stuck 257 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: our neck out. We made this piece deal with us. 258 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: We're standing with you. We want to stand with you. 259 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: We've sent our soldiers into combat alongside you, and this 260 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: is an important part of defending ourselves against Iran. That 261 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: ultimately was to me, was persuasive. Now here's the interesting thing, Michael, 262 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: I think it is likely that my vote was decisive 263 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: on this, huh. I was one of the last senators 264 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: to vote, and I deliberately I wanted to wait and 265 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: see where the vote shook out. I When I walked up, 266 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: so they were whipping pretty hard, and John Thune, the 267 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: Republican whip he was kind of leaning in on me, 268 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: although I will say they've actually learned that whipping hard, 269 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: like beating me with a stick, doesn't work. Yeah, so 270 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: you know, he was kind of asking me where you're 271 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: going to be, but wasn't wasn't being too aggressive. And 272 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: when I went up to vote, I was looking at 273 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: the vote tally and John just said, you know, I 274 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: think your vote will probably decide it. And I said okay, 275 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: And so I voted in favor of the sale. What's 276 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: interesting is that two Democrats immediately after me, Kirsten Cinema 277 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: and Mark Kelly, both from Arizona, both voted the same 278 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: way within a minute. Right now, Cinema had been talking 279 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: about doing it anyway, but it was just it was, 280 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: and it ended up being approved fifty to forty six. 281 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: So so those three votes that clustered at the end, 282 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: if the three of us had gone the other way 283 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,880 Speaker 1: it would have been, it would have been disapproved. Right. 284 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:09,239 Speaker 1: And it's interesting also, Senator to note that when you 285 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 1: look at national politics from an outsider's perspective, you just 286 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 1: assume there are no gray areas, there's no deliberation. People 287 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: know exactly where they stand. We have a very polarized country, 288 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: and I remember during impeachment this kind of surprised me, 289 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: which is that things are happening in real time. People 290 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: are taking in new information, they're deliberating, they're making up 291 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: their minds. The way one person votes is going to 292 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:34,920 Speaker 1: affect perhaps away other people vote, and that these issues 293 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: have a little more complexity, maybe than some of the 294 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 1: more knee jerk issues that we all know exactly where 295 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: we stand now. I think that's right, And particularly questions 296 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: of foreign policy and national security, there can be close calls. 297 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: They're calls about standing with allies and resisting those who 298 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,399 Speaker 1: are enemies. They're easy calls. There are things like the 299 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: Obama Ran nuclear deal being a train wreck, which I 300 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: actually think is a very easy call. And if we 301 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: end up with a Joe Biden administration, I expect that 302 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: they will try to gallop back into that terrible deal, 303 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,360 Speaker 1: and if that happens, I'm going to spend the next 304 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,360 Speaker 1: four years fighting hard against that. That's an easy call. 305 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: This one was much more on the edge. But and 306 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,959 Speaker 1: I spent, as I said, hours really trying to listen 307 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,719 Speaker 1: to the relevant players, listen to the experts, understand the details, 308 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: to get comfortable with the right call. Right. And I 309 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: love your point about clarity with our friends and clarity 310 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: with our enemies. I would be remiss if I didn't 311 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: mention that, as we're talking about the threats from Iran, 312 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: the threats from China, it did come out this week 313 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: that a certain Democratic member of the House of Representatives 314 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: got extraordinarily close with a Chinese spy. Well. I gotta say, Michael, 315 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: for a long time I've accused the Democrats of being 316 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: in bed with the Chinese communists. I just didn't realize 317 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: that that was not that that was more than a metaphor. Yes, yes, 318 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: Representative Eric Swollwell appears to perhaps in particular have taken 319 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: that message to heart. This is a real issue though. 320 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: I mean, China has spies in the States, and the 321 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: United States spies on other countries too. You know, a 322 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 1: lot of countries do it. But the degree of infiltration 323 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 1: that China seems to have taken with the top ranks 324 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: of the Democratic Party is troublesome. Well, and let me 325 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: be fair about what we know publicly, and I don't 326 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: know anything beyond what you've read in the newspapers, so 327 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: I'm not divulging any anything confidential. But but what's been 328 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: released publicly as there was this spy for the Chinese government, 329 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 1: a communist spy who's a beautiful woman, who apparently was 330 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:44,680 Speaker 1: assigned to get very close to Democrats, and it appears 331 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: California Democrats in particular, And what's been made public is 332 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: apparently she had sexual relations with two different mayors, I think, 333 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: one of whom's described as a small town mayor and 334 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: another whom described as an older mayor. So I'm I 335 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: don't know, I don't know beyond what I've read. Swallowell, 336 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: to be clear, what's been released has not allege that 337 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: he went to bed with her, but he spent three 338 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: days refusing to answer that question. And you and I 339 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: are both married, and I can say in your marriage 340 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: and mind, if you come home and your wife said, 341 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 1: did you sleep with that woman? And your answer isn't immediate, unequivocal, 342 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,959 Speaker 1: you got a problem. Yes, Yes, very wise that it 343 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: doesn't take a total political genius to read that situation, 344 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: but obviously worrisome, especially you know if we do get 345 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: a Biden administration, that there will be cozying up to Iran, 346 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: cozying up to China, and then there is this other 347 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: contentious issue. We only have, you know, a few more 348 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: minutes before we can get to mail bag. But the NDAA, 349 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: the National Defense Authorization Act, this is another issue where 350 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: where the fights are breaking out within the GOP. We 351 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:01,719 Speaker 1: don't know how the vote necessarily is going to go. 352 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: What's the controversy here? Well, the National Defense Authorization Act 353 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: passes every year. It author raises our military across the board. 354 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: I've been very active in drafting it for eight years now. 355 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: There are a lot of good things in the NBA. 356 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 1: It includes actually additional sanctions that I authored on nord 357 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 1: Stream two. We did a pot a while back on 358 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: the natural gas pipeline that Russia's trying to build a 359 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: Germany that so far sanctions I author has killed, and 360 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 1: this is a second wave of sanctions that will really 361 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: drive a nail in the coffin of the Nordstring two pipeline. 362 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: The first version of the NDA that came out of 363 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: the Senate I voted for was a good bill. It 364 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: had a lot of good elements in it, including the 365 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,919 Speaker 1: nord Stream two stuff. The House bill was much worse, 366 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: and in the conference committee this bill has gotten a 367 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: whole lot worse. So I still haven't decided one hundred 368 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: percent how I'm going to vote, but I got to 369 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,679 Speaker 1: say I'm quite unhappy with the direction the bill has 370 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 1: gone on in conference committee. It includes a provision a 371 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: provision from from Elizabeth Warren on renaming bases that that 372 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 1: is really mandatory. Uh. That that that I've got real 373 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 1: concerns with um. It also includes a provision that that 374 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: restricts the ability of a president to draw down military 375 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: from overseas conflicts like Afghanistan. And one of the things 376 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: I very much agree with President Trump on is, as 377 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: he puts it, ending endless wars that that I think 378 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: we ought to be bringing our sons and daughters home, 379 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 1: that we should use the military where needed, but be 380 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: very reluctant to engage in foreign military conflict. And this provision. 381 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,879 Speaker 1: You know, some of us were talking in the in 382 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: the cloak room, and and you know, one senator put 383 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: it this way. So, so let me get this straight. 384 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: A president unilaterally can get us into war anywhere in 385 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,679 Speaker 1: the world, but can't get us out of war anywhere 386 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: in the lad That's that's kind of a weird standard. 387 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: And so I'm still assessing the details of it, but 388 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 1: I think there's a pretty good chance I'll vote no. 389 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: My guess is there'll be enough yes votes to pass it, 390 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 1: and maybe even to override a presidential veto. The President 391 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: has suggested he might veto the bill. In the House, 392 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:25,439 Speaker 1: at least there was a big enough margin that if 393 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 1: the President does veto the bill, the House had a 394 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 1: big enough margin to override a vito. It takes two 395 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,640 Speaker 1: thirds of the House, two thirds of the Senate. If 396 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: you were to guess, it's a pretty good guess that 397 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 1: there there will be a similar margin in the Senate. 398 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 1: But I think we'll lose some of the votes we had. 399 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: This actually brings us to a mail bag question from 400 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: Real Truth Cactus, which if you're not following Real Truth 401 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: Cactus on Twitter is the cactus from our show. But 402 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: whoever created that account really great work, terrific stuff. This 403 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 1: gets to the Senate majority or what it really means 404 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,879 Speaker 1: to have a Senate majority, Cactus rites. I don't know 405 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: the gender of cactus, Cactus writes, I know the Georgia 406 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: Senate races are important? Is gender ever knowable? Michael? You 407 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: make it? You know, it remains to be seen day 408 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 1: by day how the cactus will identify. But the cactus 409 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: wants to know. You know, the Georgia races are very important. 410 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 1: But should we also not be worried about rhinos such 411 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: as And then he puts in a name of a 412 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,199 Speaker 1: colleague of yours. I will not mention that to be 413 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: polite to your colleague. But I think we all know 414 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 1: who we're talking about. Siding with the Democrats agenda, assuming 415 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: that Joe Biden does win, are we you know? We 416 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:40,399 Speaker 1: let's say we win and we have a majority in 417 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: the Senate, but then we've got all these squishes that 418 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:47,360 Speaker 1: vote with the Democrats. What does that get us? Look, absolutely, 419 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: we should be worried about that if we win in George. 420 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: If we are fifty two forty eight Republican, which is 421 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: what we are right now, and Joe Biden is sworn 422 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 1: in as president, we're gonna have a rough couple of years. Yes, 423 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:03,880 Speaker 1: there are going to be squishy Republicans wanting to make 424 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: deals with the Democrats, wanting to make deals with Joe Biden. 425 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: That's going to be a real issue. And I fully 426 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:14,239 Speaker 1: expect some terrible spending bills of a trillion dollars here, 427 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: a trillion dollars there. I think there's a real risk 428 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,199 Speaker 1: of a big amnesty bill. I'm very worried about that. 429 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 1: I actually met yesterday with a number of leaders against 430 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 1: illegal immigration helping mobilize efforts to fight a Biden amnesty 431 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: if God forbid we have a Biden administration, And are 432 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 1: there Republicans who would go along with that? Sadly, yes, 433 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 1: in a heartbeat. So these fights will not be done 434 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: if we have a narrow Republican majority. But having the 435 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: majority is enormously important because if there's a Schumer majority, 436 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: there will be a massive tax increase. If there's a 437 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: Republican majority, we're not going to have a massive tax increase. 438 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 1: If there's a Schumer majority, the District of Columbia will 439 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 1: become a state, which will elect two new Democratic Senators. 440 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: If there's a Republican majority, DC is not becoming a state. 441 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: If there's a Schumer majority, I think they will pack 442 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 1: the US Supreme Court. They'll add four new left wing 443 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 1: justices to the Supreme Court. We've talked about that a 444 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: lot in this podcast. Obviously, my book One Vote Away 445 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: talks about the consequences of that. If there's a Republican majority, 446 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 1: the chances of packing the Supreme Court or zero point 447 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: zero zero percent ain't going to happen. So the majority 448 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: gives you ball control. What you can do is you 449 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:38,879 Speaker 1: can control what comes to the floor. So I'm not 450 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: suggesting winning Georgia will solve all our problems, but losing Georgia, 451 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: I think would likely create massive structural damage to the country. Right. 452 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 1: This is one of my favorite parts about doing this 453 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: show is we get down into the detail, into the 454 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: granular level, and often people just want to talk in 455 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,719 Speaker 1: all or nothing kind of terms. But what you're saying is, yeah, 456 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: having the majority doesn't give us everything. You might still 457 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: get a ton of terrible legislation, especially with the squishes, 458 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: But there are certain fundamental pieces of legislation that have 459 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: a zero percent chance of passing, and that is more 460 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: than enough to keep me fighting. Last question, this one, 461 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: actually this question also from Real Truth Cactus, who writes 462 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: great questions. Can this lawsuit all right? Michael? Is that 463 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:32,440 Speaker 1: you know, I wish I'm not nearly clever enough at 464 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 1: social media. Actually, if you I clicked on the account 465 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 1: on Real Truth Cactus, and it's just a cartoon version 466 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: of the cactus from this show, and very often adds 467 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: his name to the show title. So this show is 468 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: actually called Verdict with Ted Cruz and Cactus. But he 469 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: wants to know, can this lawsuit between the states delay 470 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: the finalization of the election or will we have a 471 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 1: president no matter what in January? You know, I know 472 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: we've got these deadlines coming up. The electors are going 473 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: to vote, but January comes along. Do we have a 474 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,880 Speaker 1: certainty on the president or not? So in the ordinary 475 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 1: course of things, we will have a new a president, 476 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 1: either a new president or the same president sworn in 477 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: on January twentieth. That that is the date set by law. 478 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 1: You know, you can go through all sorts of hypotheticals. 479 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,439 Speaker 1: If the Supreme Court takes the case and issues an 480 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: extraordinary order. But I think in nine hundred ninety nine 481 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 1: out of a thousand universes, we're going to know by 482 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: January twentieth. To paraphrase Jim Carey from Dumb and Dummer. 483 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 1: What I'm hearing you say is we have a chance. 484 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: That's what I'm hearing. We will find out. Obviously, these 485 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: things are happening in real time. You are, in many 486 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 1: ways at the center of this because the President has 487 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: asked you to argue this most recent case if it 488 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: goes to the court. There's a lot happening. So I 489 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: suppose we'll have to just come right back again and 490 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: do another pod when we know more. In the meantime, 491 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 1: I'm Unchel Knowles. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz. This 492 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,680 Speaker 1: episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is being brought to 493 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: you by Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack, a political action 494 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: committee dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organizations, and candidates across 495 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: the country. In twenty twenty two, Jobs Freedom and Security 496 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: Pack plans to donate to conservative candidates running for Congress 497 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: and help the Republican Party across the nation.