1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to today's edition of The Clay Travis and Buck 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 1: Sexton Show podcast. Welcome on in Everybody, twenty twenty three 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 1: Tuesday edition of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. 4 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: We have missed you, all of you across this great 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: land now for many days. Clay are both back with 6 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: you now from our respective vacations and we have a 7 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: ton to get to. We are looking forward to breaking 8 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: it all down for you today here on The Clay 9 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,200 Speaker 1: Travis and Buck Sexton Show. We will dive into this 10 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 1: situation in Congress right now underway as we speak, getting 11 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: new sound bites and new updates. Will Kevin McCarthy be 12 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: the next Speaker of the House or will something else happen? 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: This is what is at the top of the political 14 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: agenda right now. We also a Clay is going to 15 00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: break down what happened last night, a really gut ranching 16 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: scene from Monday night football involving a player who is 17 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: still in critical condition and what's going on around that. 18 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:12,839 Speaker 1: A lot of the discussions, obviously a lot of prayers 19 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: up for that individual in his family. We have the 20 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: promise later on at some point Clay not yet disclosed 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: of the Faucci Twitter files, which I know you and 22 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: I are excited about because there's a lot going on. 23 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 1: Despite Fauci stepping down from the eons, he spent as 24 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: the highest paid I like to remind everybody of this, 25 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 1: the highest paid federal government employee. There are millions of 26 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,919 Speaker 1: employees of the federal government. Faucci was the most highly paid. 27 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: It's not because he was such an awesome guy who 28 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: was right so much of the time. We can be 29 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: certain about that one. But there are masks returning in 30 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: a lot of places. There's new information coming out about 31 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: the latest boosters, vaccines, etc. We will break that all 32 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: down for you, Clay. Let's let's jump into this one, 33 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,079 Speaker 1: because this had been building for a while. We knew 34 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: this was going to happen. We had Kevin McCarthy on 35 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: the show before the Christmas, a New Year's holiday, or 36 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 1: the holiday season, and he was making the case pretty 37 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: clearly on this show. If not me, then whom which 38 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: I think that there are a few different layers, a 39 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: few different points to keep in minds here, right, there's 40 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: the what is the goal of this? There is in 41 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: my mind, at least you know, a little bit of 42 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: shoving a little bit of elbowing with a new Congress 43 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: after a disappointing mid term election cycle. And I'm sure 44 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: you saw there there were breakdowns of exactly additional breakdowns 45 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 1: of why the polls were off the way that they 46 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: were and why everybody was expecting a different result looking 47 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: at the polls. But the conversation we can get into later. 48 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: And then there's the outside chant that this thing, I mean, 49 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 1: the one hundred and eighteenth Congress, with a number of 50 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: GOP holdouts, could for the first time since nineteen twenty three, 51 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: go into multiple ballots many times over this would only 52 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: have occurred I think a total of fourteen times in 53 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: our nation's history. Thirteen of those times happened before the 54 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: Civil War. So it's been a while, Clay. Are you 55 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: concerned at all that this could backfire? People are saying, 56 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, what if we ended up with a 57 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: Democrat as Speaker or the House because of this in fighting? 58 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: Or is this good? You gotta throw some elbows, you 59 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: gotta get the locker room a little bit on their 60 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: on their toes. This I don't know the answer to 61 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: whether this is good or bad. It's messy, and I 62 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: think in general there's a belief that things that are 63 00:03:54,680 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: messy are bad, but sometimes that's not true, right, Sometimes 64 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: times a fight is necessary in order to get things clarified. 65 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: And so what would be the absolute worst case scenario 66 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: is somehow Republicans so bungle this that Hakim Jeffries, the 67 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: Democrat majority leader right now, ended up as the speaker. 68 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: I find the chances. I I find it inconceivable that 69 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: Republicans could be so incompetent that they could blow their 70 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: majority and end up with a with a sort of 71 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: some sort of middle ground where you end up with 72 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: Achim Jeffreys as the speaker. So I don't foresee that 73 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: being possible, but I am concerned that the longer this continues, 74 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: the more of a mess it might end up being, 75 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,239 Speaker 1: and if that were to occur, that it just makes 76 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: the Republican Party look even more incompetent. There's a lot 77 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: of anger, I think, out there over the twenty tw 78 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: twenty two midterms and what exactly the message was and 79 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: why we only won the House and did not win 80 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: the Senate, and that I think is undergirding much of 81 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: this discord that right now exists in the House. I 82 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 1: think that that's That's why when people are asking me, 83 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: they're saying, well, what do you think of this? And 84 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: it's isn't the the zen Master? Right? This is also 85 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: a remember in Charlie Wilson's War, you know that gets 86 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: the horse and you know then he breaks his leg 87 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: and is this a good thing? Oh? You know, we'll see, 88 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: we'll see. Is this sensible politics? Is this a good 89 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: idea for the GOP? Right now? If it puts speaker 90 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: would be Speaker McCarthy on. Notice that the Freedom Caucus 91 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: has some expectations that the machinery will change a little bit. 92 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: I think that could be useful down the line. I 93 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: also don't want to overpromise an under deliver here for 94 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: any of us with what can really happen. The Democrats 95 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: have the Senate, the Democrats have the presidency not changing 96 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: for two years. The best they can do is stand 97 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: athwart the craziness and speak to the American people about 98 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: what a positive agenda would look like. Right, well, Clay, well, 99 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: what are they going to give everybody? What are they 100 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: gonna do if power is given back to them in 101 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four? So obviously all roads now for the 102 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: Republicans lead to that decision. There are limitations. I know 103 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: they're gonna They're gonna do a lot of investigations. Some 104 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: of it I think is important because it's ongoing issue. Right. 105 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: For example, the COVID vaccine issue, which we'll talk about 106 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: a lot today. Looking into that is important. It's important 107 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: because I don't even know what booster we're supposed to 108 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: be getting now if we're you know, I don't even 109 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: know buck We've talked about this kind of made jokes. 110 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: I never got a shot. So if I let's presume 111 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: that suddenly doctor Fauci took control of my mind like 112 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: Jedi style, would I be supposed to go get five shots? 113 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: But I have to spend the next six months like 114 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: spacing these shots out, or could I just jump straight 115 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 1: to the by valent or whatever it is Omnicron, because 116 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: there's no reason to get an alpha, you know, shot 117 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: at all. Right, Fauci would tell you, Clay, you have 118 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: two arms, one for each series of three inoculations against COVID. 119 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: This is what no, I mean, it makes no sense. 120 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: None of this is adding up anymore, but it is remarkable. 121 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: I think they're the media is a little quieter about 122 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: let's dive into some of that COVID stuff a little 123 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: bit later, because we've been shooting messages back and forth, 124 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: masks the Wall Street Journal mass making come back the 125 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: Wall Street Journal asking the question, is it possible that 126 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: there is a selection process being made naturally by the 127 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: virus in response to the the very rapid pace of 128 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: booster and vaccine than booster. I agree with you calling 129 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: this a vaccine is we don't call it a flu? Actually, 130 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: that's it's ridiculous, and I do think the language needs 131 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: to change on that. But bring it. Bring us back 132 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: to to the McCarthy fight for a second, and here 133 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:13,119 Speaker 1: is Lauren Bobert, who won a pretty stunning victory given 134 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: that she was counted counted out early on in the 135 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: vote counting process. Here is Lauren Bobert telling everybody that 136 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: she's not voting for McCarthy, and she's not the only one, 137 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: and this thing could go to a whole bunch of votes. 138 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: Play it. The deal was rejected and as it stands, 139 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: I will not be voting for ken. So she's not 140 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: alone there, Clay. You know, Matt Gates also coming out 141 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: and saying that you don't drain the swamp by filling 142 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: the swamp something along those lines. Again, I understand the anger, 143 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,319 Speaker 1: although let's keep in mind Republicans did win the House, right, 144 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: So let's not create a situation where the one thing 145 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 1: that really other. There's Florida, there's the GOP House, and 146 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: there's a handful of other things that went right, and 147 00:08:57,800 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: let's not give away the things that went right because 148 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 1: we didn't get all the things we wanted. Yeah, and 149 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: I think also it's important to remember a lot of 150 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: this is still negotiation. And let's play cut one. Because 151 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: Kevin McCarthy said, Hey, Matt Gates said he'd be okay 152 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: with a Keen Jefferies, who is the Democrat majority leader 153 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: becoming speaker. Let's listen to that. But let's also keep 154 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: in mind that that is something you say I think 155 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 1: that you don't actually mean. Right. I don't believe that 156 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: Matt Gates legitimately believes that or means that. I really don't. 157 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: But let's listen to this cut one. Last night, I 158 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: was presented the only way to have two hundred and 159 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: eighteen votes if I provided certain members with certain positions, 160 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: certain gavels to take Old Church Committee, to have certain budgets. 161 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: And they even came to the position where one Matt 162 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 1: Gates said, I don't care if we go to polarity 163 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: and we elect Hakeem Jeffries that it hurts the new 164 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: frontline members not to get reelected. Well, that's not about America, 165 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: and I will always fight to put the American people first, 166 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,080 Speaker 1: not a few individuals that want something for themselves. So 167 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: we may have a battle on the floor, but the 168 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: battle is for the conference and the country, and that's 169 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: fine with me. You know, Clay that they'd be in 170 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: a stronger position here, and you and I know and 171 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: like some of the members who are involved here, you know, 172 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: like like them on a personal level. Annapoline, a Luna 173 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: new member from from Florida who was one of the 174 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: nine who signed the letter saying, look, we're not just 175 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: going forward with McCarthy here. There's negotiation to be had, 176 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: we know Lauren Boebert, and there's there's obviously a handful 177 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: of others, actually more than a handful of others who 178 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: have a problem with McCarthy at this phase. Steve Scalise, 179 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:38,079 Speaker 1: for example, he would be the alternative to McCarthy. Right, 180 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: Are you getting a different outcome really from Steve Scalise 181 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 1: being the Speaker of the House than Kevin McCarthy. I 182 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: think the answer is no. And if you go then 183 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: to Stefanic, she's certainly more liberal. You know, she's more 184 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: more Democrat leaning on a bunch of issues than either 185 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: McCarthy or a Scalise. So you know how to have 186 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: a plan, right, if you're going to charge the hill, 187 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: so to speak. That kind of makes sense in a 188 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: number of ways here, But you gotta have a plan. 189 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: You don't want to just get gonna get pushed right down. 190 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: So I'm not really clear on what they think they 191 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: can accomplish other than the messaging and maybe some concessions. 192 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: But it looks like those concessions from McCarthy just aren't 193 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: He's not going to sign on to anything that artificially 194 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: constrains him as speaker, right, that's just not going to happen. Yeah, 195 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 1: And I think that's where most people out there are 196 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: sitting around. This to me feels like feels like a 197 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 1: lot of the negotiations when you're like, hey, are we 198 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: going to raise the debt ceiling? Yeah, eventually the debt 199 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: ceiling is gonna get raised. Right. You might shut down 200 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: the government for a week or ten days, maybe, but 201 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: it's not like it's not going to get resolved at 202 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,719 Speaker 1: some point. That's where I come around on this, and 203 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: I think your point is well taken here. For the 204 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: average person out there listening to us, what is the 205 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: practical difference between Kevin McCarthy in the speaker's chair and 206 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: between let's say Steve Scalise in the speaker's chair. I 207 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: know it matters a great deal to those individuals, but 208 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: in terms of their practical ability to get things done, Buck, 209 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't think it changes anything because we 210 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: have to keep in mind basically the House of Representatives 211 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: exists now. As as as just a roadblock a break, 212 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: they're just the breaks on the crazy train. They don't 213 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: get to direct where the train goes, they don't get 214 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: to control where the train stops. They just get to 215 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: be a roadblock. And is there very much difference in 216 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: McCarthy as a roadblock or Scalise as a roadblock? Based 217 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: on what I have seen, the answer is no. Maybe 218 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: we're missing something. We've reached out to some of those 219 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: nine that are saying, hey, we're not going to vote 220 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: for McCarthy. They have an open forum to come on 221 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: this program and explain to us what we are missing. 222 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: They are in the middle of this battle right now, 223 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: but right now I don't see as being a tangibly 224 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: massive difference between the two. Haven't heard from any of 225 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 1: you are friends all across the country. So eight hundred 226 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:12,719 Speaker 1: two A two two eight eighty two. If you got 227 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 1: some passionate thoughts on this battle for the speaker's gavel 228 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: kind of rhymed, please do call us and we'll be 229 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: talking to you later on in this hour. A lot 230 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,199 Speaker 1: more coming up here on COVID. And also Matt Matt Gates, 231 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: we mentioned him. He's got a sound bite out right 232 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 1: now on Benghazi and oversight, and oh my, these members 233 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: of the House, they're they're pushing, they're pushing each other 234 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: a bit. It's interest to watch this play out. But 235 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: you know, if one of your goals this year is 236 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,839 Speaker 1: to do business with companies that share your values, you 237 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: gotta hop on the Pure Talk train. Pure Talk is 238 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: my cell phone company, and it is the antidote too 239 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: Woke Wireless. They're proudly veteran owned. 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Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Welcome 257 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton Show as we await 258 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: word on the official House decisions which are underway right now. 259 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: One bit of positive news. Florida Governor Ronda Santis has 260 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: been inaugurated for a second term as the governor of Florida, 261 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: and I believe we have a cut from that address 262 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: which he just gave here it is. Freedom lives here 263 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: in our great sunshine, say of Florida. It lives in 264 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: the courage of those who patrol the streets and who 265 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: keep our communities safe. It lives in the industry of 266 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: those who work long hours to earn a living and 267 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: raise their families. It lives in the dedication of those 268 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: who teach our children. Lives at a determination of those 269 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: who grow our food. It lives in the wisdom of 270 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: our senior citizens. It lives in the dreams of the 271 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: historic number of family who have moved from states across 272 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: this country because they saw Florida as the land of 273 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 1: liberty and the land of sanity. All right, you're in 274 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: Tallahassee right now, Buck, I'm going to come down a 275 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: little bit later. One of the celebratory events, as you mentioned, 276 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty two election, was Florida officially turning 277 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: into a red state. Many different pickups that took place 278 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: in the House all over the state. Republicans won by 279 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: margins of eighteen to twenty one. Interestingly, Kathy hokel now 280 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 1: starting to realize that a lot of New Yorkers may 281 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: have bailed on her state. But you and I planning 282 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: on being there at the celebration tonight in Florida, which 283 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: is one that I do think we should enjoy because 284 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: it's pretty seismic. If you had said eight years ago 285 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: Florida is no longer a toss up state, people would 286 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: have said you were crazy. Clay. Not only did Florida 287 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 1: go read in a big way, and it is obviously 288 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: because of the governorship of Ronda Santis starting in twenty eighteen, 289 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: Miami date. I mean, you look at Miami, it went 290 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,719 Speaker 1: read so the biggest city in the state. I mean, 291 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: that is a seismic shock to the state Democrat party. 292 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: That's something that is really hard for them to shake off. 293 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: And I think that you're just going to see a 294 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: continued consolidation because you gotta remember, now you have ron 295 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 1: De Santis as governor of Florida with a supermajority in 296 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: the state legislature. So think about what he was doing 297 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: and what he managed to do with a very much 298 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: more narrow majority, and also, let's be honest, a narrow 299 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: win in twenty eighteen. Now he has as clear a 300 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 1: mandate as the people of the state of Florida could 301 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: have given in a reelection. Effort, and I think you're 302 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 1: going to see constitutional carry come to the state of Florida. 303 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: I think you're going to see more slashing of unnecessary 304 00:17:56,520 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: regulation bringing down costs. They already brought down the costs 305 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,359 Speaker 1: here a lot of really good stuff. Republican governors take note. 306 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 1: There is a way. My friends the Florida Blueprint. 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Or call eight hundred seven nine 326 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: two three two six nine. That's eight hundred seven nine 327 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: two three two six nine on the front lines of 328 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: Clay in Buck. Going strong here in twenty twenty three, 329 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 1: kicking it off and excited to be with all of 330 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: you as we're figuring, and we're figuring out right now 331 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: what exactly is going on here with this one hundred 332 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 1: and eighteenth Congress with these Republican they're I think pretty 333 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: understandably being referred to as the holdouts because there's not 334 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: that many of them, but there's enough of them that 335 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:51,360 Speaker 1: they could throw this into some degree of disarray and 336 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: look brinksmanship. Brinksmanship. The thing about it is that if 337 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: it goes awry, you don't look very clever. And if 338 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: you do it just the right way, it can be 339 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: seen as as statecraft. It can be seen as a 340 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: high stakes negotiation. But the thing about playing a game 341 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,679 Speaker 1: of chicken. I'm gonna start mixing analogies here or metaphors 342 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: or both. Is if one of you doesn't pull off 343 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 1: the road, you end up in a wreck. And we 344 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: got to see where this is supposed to had. I 345 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: am not entirely well, I would put it this way, Clay. 346 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: I'm not certain that all of the members are certain 347 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,959 Speaker 1: who are involved in this, exactly what an acceptable end 348 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: state is to them. We all know a totally unacceptable 349 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: end state I think everybody on the right understands, is 350 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: that you have anyone other than a Republican who is 351 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: going to be Speaker of the House, absent an alternative, 352 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: a realistic alternative who can get the votes. Where is 353 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: all this going now? Matt Gates, who has been a 354 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: fiery on this issue, He's out there saying that this 355 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: is about oversight, and I think there's this notion this 356 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: case being made, this is about shaping the way oversight 357 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 1: and the way hearings will be done in this one 358 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: eighteenth Congress by the House. Here is Gates who's bringing 359 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: up the Benghazi issue. Played twenty five. Please, we were 360 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: threatened by my committee chairman to be on the Armed 361 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: Services Committee. Mister rogers that if we did not vote 362 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 1: for mister McCarthy, we would be removed from committees. Our 363 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: position is that if Kevin McCarthy is the Speaker of 364 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,919 Speaker 1: the House and we don't have an ability to ensure 365 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: that there is an oomph behind the agenda and energy 366 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: behind our oversight, that the commite assignments don't mean that 367 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,719 Speaker 1: much anyway. I'm not here to participate in some puppet 368 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 1: show where we pass a bunch of messaging bills, send 369 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: him to the Senate, watch him die, fail to use leverage, 370 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: and don't hold the Bide administration accountable. I don't want 371 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: to relive the Benghazi experience where it's just theater pretending 372 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: to be oversight. A few things that Benghazi hearings, unfortunately 373 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: did not achieve what they sought out to achieve. And 374 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: that was clear early on, and I said it, and 375 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: people got mad at me, and it was true that 376 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: as soon as Barack Obama won reelection back in twenty twelve, 377 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: this notion, I mean, it launched a few cable news careers, 378 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: but it was not actually meaningful oversight, and there was 379 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: no accountability had for Benghazi whatsoever. That's just a recitation 380 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,360 Speaker 1: of the reality of that situation, right, that's what came 381 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: of it. But okay, so what does that mean now? 382 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: Gates is saying Clay that he doesn't want it to 383 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: be hollow and just measures. But there are limitations to 384 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: what Republicans can do in just the House, they don't 385 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: have unified government. And beyond that, why aren't we hearing 386 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: that they will eventually vote for a Republican and make 387 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: sure there is no chance that after multiple ballots you 388 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: would get a Democrat and the Speaker of the House chair, 389 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: Because then I think they really I think I ever 390 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 1: realized this. Well, they've kind of said where this all goes, 391 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 1: which means do they really even have any leverage in 392 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: the first place? Did you know what? I mean? They 393 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: need to establish for everybody that they're not willing to 394 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 1: blow this whole thing up. But the problem with being 395 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: a person who's threatening to blow everything up is the 396 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: moment you say you won't do it, nobody listens to you. Yeah, 397 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: that's that's why it's I don't buy it as a 398 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: real negotiation strategy. I mean, I understand it. I understand 399 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: why your analogy of like two cars that are playing chicken, 400 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 1: the one who pulls that the last minute wins. But 401 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: if neither pulls, then everybody dies. Like that's not you know, 402 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: a suicide pact is not to me a victory in 403 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: some way. And here's what I would say. Jim Jordan 404 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: has come on this show for a long time. Jim 405 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:55,960 Speaker 1: Jordan wants Kevin McCarthy to be speaker. Donald Trump wants 406 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: Kevin McCarthy to be speaker. Donald Trump Junior just went 407 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 1: on Twitter and said, basically, a strategy that presupposes a 408 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: Democrat might win is not a strategy. And I understand anger, certainly, 409 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: there are a lot of angry people out there, but 410 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: anger isn't always a viable strategy. At some point, anger 411 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: has to give way to practicality. So I don't know 412 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: exactly how this is going to go. But the analogy 413 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: I used earlier is I think an accurate one where 414 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: for your average person out there, a Republican is going 415 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: to end up in the speaker chair. And I don't 416 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: think buck your life or my life, or anyone else's 417 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 1: life out there is going to be fundamentally altered by 418 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: who's in the speaker chair because we don't have the house. 419 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: I mean, we have the house but we don't have 420 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: the Senate and we don't have the White House. So 421 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: this idea that you're going to be able to do 422 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: things other than roadblock, Now, there are a lot of 423 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 1: things I want them to do. I want them to 424 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 1: do a hearing on the org of COVID buck, I 425 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: want to and all of our government's response. I think 426 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: we need a massive investigation into big tech, big media, 427 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: and big government collusion as it pertains to our current environment. 428 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 1: But those things are just about setting the table and 429 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 1: telling the story. They aren't about implementing legislation because we 430 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: can't do that yet. And I understand that there is 431 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: a lot of frustration out there right now because of 432 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: the massive omnibus that was passed. You were handling this play. 433 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: Usually the week the week before, the days before Christmas. 434 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,120 Speaker 1: You don't get something done like that by a lame 435 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: duck Congress. But sure enough they ran through that massive 436 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 1: spending bill. And there are people who are asking the question, understandably, 437 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 1: what's the point if everything, just if Republicans can't even 438 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: be a roadblock. I understand that, and there is frustration 439 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: around that rooted in what we've all seen. But we 440 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: also need to not just the seed the battlefield to 441 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: the other side. There's no way that we can take 442 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:06,880 Speaker 1: our ball and go home with it. There's no way 443 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: that we can avoid engaging with the realities of the 444 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 1: Congress as it currently stands. And I don't think that 445 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:15,159 Speaker 1: there's I don't I don't think you're gonna see chip Roy. 446 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: I don't think you're gonna see any of these other 447 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: members of Congress, as as House Speaker. So, ultimately, if 448 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,439 Speaker 1: the message has been heard, what is left to do 449 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: here other than go forward with McCarthy? And I asked 450 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: that question in all honesty. I think there's some people 451 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 1: who are very frustrated by it, but I haven't gotten 452 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: a really satisfactory answer to it. And I'm just gonna 453 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 1: the notion, it's almost hard to say out loud, right, 454 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: but the notion that after Republicans win a House majority, 455 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: they could hand the speaker's gabble to the Democrats at 456 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: that point when we get email saying what's the point 457 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: of voting Republican? I'm not I don't even know if 458 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 1: there's a response to sitting here like no. I mean, 459 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: and that I think is the concern that you're painting 460 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: yourself into a corner where the result actually blows up 461 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 1: your own party and hands victory to the Democrats. Maybe 462 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 1: the only thing you can say at this point, Buck, 463 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: is that Republicans could get this incompetent is evidence of 464 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 1: what we really need, which is a game plan that 465 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 1: actually benefits everyone in the party, right And the only 466 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 1: thing that could benefit everybody in the party is uh, 467 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 1: cutting taxes, increasing economic output, being the party of responsible 468 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 1: saying adults, that lifts the standard of living for everyone. 469 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:40,119 Speaker 1: And in the meantime, all this behind the scenes battle 470 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: over whose speaker, I mean, what percentage, Buck, there's a 471 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 1: good question for you, what percentage of Americans can even 472 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 1: name who the Speaker of the House is? Right, it's 473 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: it's it's ninety nine point nine percent of this audience, uh, 474 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 1: and it is I don't know America overall. I would 475 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 1: say twenty or thirty maybe Max that could name. Maybe 476 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: they might know Nancy Pelosi because she's been there a 477 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: long time. Fifteen or twenty percent at most are going 478 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: to know whoever the Republican Speaker of the House is, 479 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:12,680 Speaker 1: you know. I think there's also part of this is 480 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: dealing with is a processing of the frustration that we 481 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 1: had in the midterms that we suffered through because look, 482 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 1: we didn't get enough to do all that we want 483 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: to do. We didn't win a majority in the Senate, 484 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: and we didn't win a big enough majority in the House, 485 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,160 Speaker 1: and that means, as we all know, elections have consequences, 486 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: and so I think at some level this is the 487 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 1: way that the system is processing this right now. And 488 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 1: people are dealing with this, including members of the Freedom 489 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: Caucus who are particularly annoyed at the reality, which is 490 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:55,280 Speaker 1: that you're gonna have a house here, that there's gonna 491 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: be a lot of wheeling and dealing. There's got to 492 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: be negotiation, there's gonna be you know, you didn't get 493 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: the sweeping victory you need, even on the House side, 494 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: I think to get everything that you want and to 495 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: have the kind of trajectory of the Republican majority that 496 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: you would want, it's just it's reality, man. We gotta 497 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: face what we have. You know, you know the Rumsfeld quote. 498 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: The people always say, you go to war with the 499 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: army you have. Well, we're doing politics with the congressional 500 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 1: majority we have, and it's not great right now, McCarthy 501 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 1: just said as he walked into the chamber, there and 502 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 1: burs who wants something they can't get. And there were 503 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: booze in the chamber just now Buck when McCarthy was 504 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: nominated for speakers. So we will follow this drama as 505 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: the show progresses throughout today and maybe even into tomorrow 506 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: if this doesn't end up with his selection as the speaker. 507 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,239 Speaker 1: But in the meantime, I want to tell you if 508 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 1: you own a business and have for the last several years, 509 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: i RS program can benefit you. If your business has 510 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 1: five or more poise made it through COVID, you could 511 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 1: be eligible to receive a payroll tax rebate of up 512 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 1: to twenty six thousand dollars per employee. 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A lot of you 531 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 1: wanting to react to the speaker battle that is currently 532 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 1: underway on the House floor Mark in San Antonio. We 533 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: should mention Buck that one possible resolution to this process 534 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: is that you could end up with someone being selected 535 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: who is not a member of Congress. That is possible. 536 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: You could have a speaker come in from outside of Congress. Yes, Clay, 537 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: you're very busy with this show. Let's not get crazy here, 538 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: all right, the draft Clay Travis movement into Speaker of 539 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 1: the House. Everyone out there settled down. Can't have it? 540 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: The yes, the would I would respectfully decline the other 541 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: thing out there. That's worth understanding is that, to me 542 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: is quite fanciful because the job of the speaker is 543 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 1: very procedural. There is a great deal of detail involved 544 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: in managing the House of Representatives calendar and everything else. 545 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:20,480 Speaker 1: So you typically need someone who's very plugged into the 546 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: party apparatus to be able to do this job. But 547 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: there are people who want to draft someone from outside 548 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: of the house. Right now, Mark and San Antonio's got 549 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: an idea, Buck, you bet, Actually we're looking for an 550 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 1: alternative to McCarthy. I think legitimately that the bulk of 551 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:45,120 Speaker 1: the conservatives and you're listening to audience would love to 552 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: see the Santas that been a speaker, if if he 553 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 1: was willing to and if you could valued support behind him, 554 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 1: because frankly, we have an opportunity to rock the boat. 555 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: I think that would absolutely rock the boat, and it 556 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: would that would less a lot of conservative support behind 557 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 1: somebody that we all seem to be would believe is 558 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: really the standard bearer for the conservative movement. Right now, 559 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 1: thank you very much for this, and I'll just say 560 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: I'm in Tallahassee right now and going to be celebrating 561 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: with the greater Decantist world, the inauguration of after the 562 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: reelection of the person who I would argue is clearly 563 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,480 Speaker 1: the best governor in America. I don't even say the 564 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: best Republican governor America. I mean, I think that's a given, 565 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: but the best governor in America based on results and 566 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 1: based on how people move with their feet. Right. It's 567 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: like we always say, don't listen to the climate change 568 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 1: alarmists in the media and Hollywood because they're all buying 569 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: their Malibu beach houses. What do they really do with 570 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,040 Speaker 1: their money? How do they really operate in their day 571 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 1: to day Look at how the people of America are 572 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: responding to what's going on in Florida. They are flocking 573 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: here in numbers. I don't even know if we've ever 574 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 1: seen numbers like this before, hundreds and hundreds of thousands. 575 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: Problem though, with what was just raised and an interesting idea, 576 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:08,399 Speaker 1: and I understand where our steam caller is coming from 577 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 1: with the clay. There's only so much to Rond de 578 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: Santist to go around, right, I mean, he's he's governor 579 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 1: of Florida. Obviously, people are talking about him a lot 580 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:20,320 Speaker 1: for twenty twenty four as a possible presidential contender. I 581 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:23,279 Speaker 1: think that first of all, he probably he'd like being 582 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 1: governor more than he'd like being speaker, and the people 583 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:27,759 Speaker 1: of Florida don't want to give him up. So I 584 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:29,839 Speaker 1: don't think he's going anywhere. I think that's pretty clear. 585 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 1: I think he can accomplish way more as governor than 586 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 1: he could as speaker. Candidly, I mean, again, we're not 587 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 1: talking about a Republican controlled Congress, and we're certainly not 588 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: talking about a Republican in the White House. So there's 589 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 1: you know, this is why that's gonna get signed. This 590 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 1: is why I think it's so we always are honest 591 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: with everybody about what I think expectations, what we think 592 00:34:50,200 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 1: expectations should be, and how this is likely to play out. 593 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: And when you have a very narrow congressional majority, which 594 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 1: Republicans have, I mean, what are the things that can 595 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 1: happen here? Oversight and spending Oversight is largely messaging because 596 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:09,120 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna say it, we don't have the you 597 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:13,239 Speaker 1: know what's to start subpoenaing Democrats that Republicans just won't 598 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:15,759 Speaker 1: do it because they'll be There'll be articles written in 599 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,399 Speaker 1: some of the old standard journals about how Oh, that's 600 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 1: not how we do things. And you know it's just 601 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:23,359 Speaker 1: not gonna happen. Our side won't play as rough as 602 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: their side. And I hate to say it, but if 603 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 1: anyone disagrees with me, let me know what evidence you 604 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 1: have for that one. So on the overside side, you 605 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 1: know there are limitations. And then it's on spending and 606 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: clay our side likes to spend money too. Yeah, there'll 607 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,319 Speaker 1: be people in the Freedom Caucus, and you know they'll 608 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:41,560 Speaker 1: be the obviously ran Paul's in the Senate, but it 609 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 1: will be people that'll take principle stands against overspending, take 610 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: a stand against sending another one hundred billion dollars to Ukraine, 611 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,320 Speaker 1: whatever it may be. But you're not gonna you're not 612 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 1: gonna see enough people take that stand to prevent the 613 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 1: spending because look what just happened with the omnibus, right, 614 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:59,600 Speaker 1: So there's not that much that comes from this one 615 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 1: way or the others. Really, what I understand why people 616 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:04,279 Speaker 1: also are of the opinion I don't really care who 617 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:08,960 Speaker 1: speaker is, and they're saying that because hey, eighteen Republican 618 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:12,840 Speaker 1: senators just cut the legs out of whoever the speaker is. 619 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:15,920 Speaker 1: Because they voted for the one point seven trillion dollars 620 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: omnibus before we even had the opportunity to take over 621 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:21,760 Speaker 1: the House. And so they can't even really do anything 622 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: buck until we get to September of this year when 623 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:30,080 Speaker 1: the new resolutions begin, and we will follow this and 624 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: maybe we're going to get at the last minute and 625 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:36,640 Speaker 1: acceptance of Kevin McCarthy, if not at Steve Scalise, And 626 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,759 Speaker 1: would they really go outside otherwise? I don't even know 627 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 1: who the contenders would be outside of the house right 628 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: now now. I look. I think this ends up with 629 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:49,200 Speaker 1: Kevin McCarthy as speaker, and if it doesn't, we got 630 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 1: a problem on our hands because things have gone really 631 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:52,879 Speaker 1: a right because I don't see what the third way 632 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: is here. I don't see it, but could be wrong, 633 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: could be wrong, Clay. I do hear that there are 634 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:02,640 Speaker 1: mad in a whole bunch of places now mandated in 635 00:37:02,719 --> 00:37:05,400 Speaker 1: schools again, have they been asleep for the last two 636 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 1: and a half years or so? Yes, And we need 637 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 1: to talk about exactly what the Wall Street Journal put 638 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 1: out today because the COVID vaccine and ain't actually a 639 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: vaccine at all. We'll tell you about it next fleet 640 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,920 Speaker 1: Travis and Buck Sexton on the front lines of truth.