1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: As tensions ratchet up between Moscow, Russia, and the West, 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Germany is inviting Putin right into the heart of Europe. 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: And the worst part of all is very few people 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: even know that it's happening. Well, we know one person 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: who knows it's happening, who's been very involved in this 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: now for years. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz. Welcome 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: back to Verdict. I'm Michael Knowles, joined as ever by 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 1: Senator Ted Cruz. Senator. This is a subject which I 9 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: will just put it out on the table. I know 10 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: absolutely nothing about. I have heard little rumblings here and there, 11 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: but there is something called nord Stream two. I know 12 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: this involves oil going to Europe. I know this involves Germany. 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: I know this involves Russia. That's all I know. But 14 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: it's apparently a very big deal and nobody's talking about it. 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: All right, Well, I hope somebody knows something or else. 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: This is going to be a very short podcast. But 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,639 Speaker 1: so nord Stream too is a natural gas pipeline that 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 1: is being constructed from Russia to Germany. And Russia has 19 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: massive oil and gas resources, and in fact, I remember 20 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: John McCain used to refer to Russia he used to say, 21 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: Russia is a gas station with a country attached. Russia 22 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: fuels its aggression through the export of oil and gas 23 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: and Nordstream too. Right now, Europe relies on Russia for 24 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: energy resources. But but much of that right now comes 25 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 1: through Ukraine. Now, now this is harkening back to impeachment. 26 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: You recall we talked a lot about Ukraine and how 27 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union broke off and 28 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: Russia and Germany reached an agreement to build a new pipeline, 29 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: a pipeline that cuts Ukraine completely out and that carries 30 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: the natural gas eight to Germany. And the problem is, 31 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: building this pipeline would do several things. Number One, it 32 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: would enrich Russia. It would put billions of additional dollars 33 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: in Putin's coffers, which he then uses to build their military, 34 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: to be aggressive, to pressure to invade his neighbors, to 35 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: reak havoc. Number Two, though it actually hurts Europe because 36 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: it makes Europe more dependent on Russia. It gives Putin 37 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: more control over Europe. And so I began over a 38 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: year ago last year in twenty nineteen, really leaning in aggressively, 39 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: trying to stop nord Stream two from being constructed. So 40 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: you saw this happening early on, but I guess you 41 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: saw it happening at a time where the relationship that 42 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: we have to putin, the relationship we have to China 43 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: is all kind of influx. And so I'm wondering, now, 44 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: without having had my head in it, how should the 45 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 1: United States even look at Vladimir Putin? Even look at Russia? 46 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: Are we still in the Cold War? Is a different 47 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: from the Cold Wars? It's still a threat to Europe. 48 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: Where's that relationship? Putin is a bad guy. He is 49 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: a KGB thug. He is not our friend, and we 50 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: should be trying to minimize his power. We should be 51 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 1: trying to minimize his ability to do damage to America 52 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: and damage to Europe. And you may recall when when 53 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: President Trump went and spoke to NATO, he leaned in 54 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: hard and he took on Angela Merkel, the head of Germany, 55 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: for why are you doing this nord Stream too thing? 56 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: This is terrible. You're hurting Europe and helping helping Putin. 57 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: So I was in the Senate. I'm on the Senate 58 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: Foreign Relations Committee, and I said, all right, let's do 59 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: something about it, and so I teamed up with a Democrat, 60 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: with Jane Sheheen, who's a Democrat from New Hampshire, and 61 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: we introduced legislation that was tough sanctions focused on any 62 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: company that was helping build the Nordstream two pipeline. Okay, 63 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: and it was designed to be iCal. There were only 64 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: five companies in the world that had the technology to 65 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: be able to build the deep sea pipeline needed, and 66 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: so we were targeting those fives to try to cut 67 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: them off. Well, when I introduced the legislation, it was 68 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: very interesting. Russia has been aggressive in their counterpropaganda. They 69 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: were they were putting out this legislation has no chance 70 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 1: of passage. It will never pass, it can't go anywhere. 71 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: I remember Rick Perry was Energy Secretary talking to Rick 72 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: at the time who was in Europe, and was saying, look, 73 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: you need to understand Cruz's legislation is going to pass. 74 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: This is going to pass. These sanctions are going to happen. 75 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,559 Speaker 1: And the Russian disinformation was fighting with Rick Perry. Well, 76 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: Senate Foreign Relations. We take up my bill and it 77 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: passes the committee by a vote of twenty to two, 78 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: so overwhelming bipartisan passage. I then sought to take it 79 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: up and pass it on the floor of the Senate, 80 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: and to use a mechanism called unanimous consent, which is 81 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: the way a lot of things get passed unanimous consent. 82 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: As the name suggests, it's got to be unanimous, which 83 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: means any senator can object. In this instance, Rand Paul 84 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: voted against it in committee, and he'd objected to taking 85 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: it up on the floor. And one senator can kill 86 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: unanimous consent, or you see, is what everyone calls it. 87 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: Could I just ask not asking for you to tell 88 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: any tales out of school here, but what was the 89 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: objection to? I mean, this seems like a sort of 90 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,239 Speaker 1: common sense piece of legislation. Listen. I'll let Rand speak 91 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: for himself. He is very skeptical of sanctions. Generally, he 92 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: doesn't he often opposes efforts to use sanctions against foreign countries, 93 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: including sometimes our enemies. I actually think sanctions are a 94 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: very effective tool, and they're a tool far short of warfare. Look, 95 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: Rand and I agree at times, and that we're both 96 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 1: as does the President, that we should be very hesitant 97 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 1: to use military power and only use it when critically 98 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: necessary to defend the nation. But I think are an 99 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 1: effective tool of power short of military force. So when 100 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: Rand objected, I had to find another way to pass this. 101 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: And in twenty nineteen, the National Defense Authorization Act, which 102 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: is the big bill that passes every year authorizing our 103 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: military defense, that was moving forward, and I've been an 104 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: active part of passing the NDAA year after year after year, 105 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 1: and so we decided, all right, let's try to attach 106 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: this bill to the NDAA. Now to do that, we 107 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: had to get a lot of sign off. To do that, 108 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 1: I had to get number one, the chairman, a Republican, 109 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: and the ranking member of Democrat of the Senate Armed 110 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: Services Committee to sign off, because the Armed Services Committee 111 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: passes the NDA. So we did that. I had to 112 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: get the chairman and the ranking member of the Senate 113 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 1: Foreign Relations Committee to sign off, because since that's the 114 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: committee that had jurisdiction over my bill, Foreign Relations could 115 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: have vetoed it and said no, we're not going to 116 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,160 Speaker 1: allow it to go onto the NDAA. So was able 117 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: to do that, got both the chairman and ranking and 118 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: then I had to do the same thing on Senate 119 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: Banking that the Senate Banking Committee, because sanctions often go 120 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: through banking. Banking could have vetoed it also, and so 121 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: I had to get the chairman and ranking member of 122 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: Senate Banking to sign off on and then I also 123 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: had to get Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer to shine 124 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: off on the majority and Minority leader. So we managed 125 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: to do all of that. It got attached to the 126 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: NDAA and it passed through the Senate. Then I had 127 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: to do the exact same thing in the House, so 128 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: get the chairman and the ranking on Armed Services, on 129 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 1: Foreign Relations, on banking, and majority leadership. So we're talking 130 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: phone call after phone call after phone call. As I'm 131 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 1: talking to multiple members. Gene Sheheen is helping with the Democrats. 132 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: She's talking to up multiple members in the House. We 133 00:07:55,680 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: almost had it derailed from a completely unrelated education provision. 134 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: I don't remember what it was, but it was threatening 135 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: to derail at the House. So I had to be 136 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: on the phone to Kevin McCarthy trying to like navigate 137 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: through that and stop the objectives. December twenty nineteen, we 138 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: get it past, okay. So once we get it past, 139 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: then the question is, well, is the pipeline going to stop? 140 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: Because they were building the pipeline and the pipeline was 141 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: ninety to ninety five percent complete. Wow, right, because we're 142 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's it's easy as we as 143 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: we think about this legislation going through the Senate and 144 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: then the House, we as Americans like to think that 145 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 1: whatever we say goes, but that's only getting the American 146 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 1: response set. But obviously Germany can do whatever it likes. 147 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: So the question is are these sanctions going to work? Yeah? 148 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: And let me pause for a second and point out 149 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:58,079 Speaker 1: what was truly miraculous December twenty nineteen. Can you think 150 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: of anything else that was going on? Then? You know, 151 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: I seem to recall it was a busy political time. 152 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: The House was literally impeaching the president and impeaching the 153 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: president over Ukraine. Now, mind you stopping Nordstream two benefits Ukraine. 154 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: It is a frigging miracle. Is a Christmas miracle on 155 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: thirty fourth Street that we got this done. We passed 156 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: bipartisan legislation through both houses of Congress that concerned Ukraine. 157 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: I didn't mention Ukraine at all. Every time I talked 158 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: to people, I said Germany, Russia, Ukraine. Never heard of it. 159 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: I don't know where it is, don't have my map 160 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: doesn't have Ukraine on it, don't know anything about it. 161 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: Like in the midst of that partisan mess, to get 162 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: this national security win was miraculous. But then once it happened, 163 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: there was a company, a Swiss company called All Seas 164 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: that was actually building the pipeline. It was almost done 165 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 1: and so they're rushing to just finish the pipeline. So 166 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: I was like, well, tough luck, we're done. So what 167 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: I did then is drafted a letter to the CEO 168 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: of All Seas, and it is a letter that says, 169 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:06,839 Speaker 1: this is to put you in formal notice that your 170 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: company is in direct jeopardy of facing crushing economic sanctions 171 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,719 Speaker 1: on your shareholders and your senior employees that will effectively 172 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: put your company out of business. And there were a 173 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: couple of questions that could arguably be ambiguous. Number One, 174 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: the way the statute was written, the State Department had 175 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: to do a report I think it was sixty days later, 176 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 1: and so you could say, oh, well, we got sixty 177 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: days to get this done. And number two, the statute 178 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: allowed what was called a wind down period, so you 179 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: didn't just stop immediately and cause environmental damage. Our letter explained, 180 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: although the report is due sixty days later. Under the 181 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: terms of the letter, your liability attaches instantaneously, and the 182 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: sanctions are mandatory. The executive has no discretion over whether 183 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: to impose them. And so what I wrote in the 184 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: letter to the CEO, I said, you need to be 185 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: aware the instant the President signs this bill, your company 186 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: faces exposure and your only reasonable option is halt construction 187 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: instantaneously and before the bill is signed. Yeah, Now both 188 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: Houses of Congress have passed it. There's a big lobbying 189 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: press in Washington. Suddenly all CES hires a lobbyist. They're 190 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,319 Speaker 1: reaching out, so suddenly that there's word that at the 191 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: NSC there may be an effort to try to undercut 192 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: these sanctions. So I pick up the phone and I 193 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 1: call Robert O'Brien, the National Security Advisors, a close friend 194 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: of mine. Robert was headed to a Christmas party. I said, look, Robert, 195 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: I need you to come out, and I talked to 196 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: him about it and said, this would be don't listen 197 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: to this dumbass lobbying effort. This is a huge national 198 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: security win for the country. Thankfully NSC. Robert's a great 199 00:11:55,800 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 1: guy and nscn't didn't bite. We then had a fight, 200 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: an interagency fight between the State Department, the Treasury Department 201 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: in the Energy Department. So I'm on the phone with 202 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: Treasury Secretary Stephen Manuche, and I'm on the phone with 203 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: Energy Secretary Danbury. Yet Mike Pompeo was in Europe. I 204 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: forget where he was, but I'm texting Mike on my phone. 205 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,319 Speaker 1: All three of them, State and Energy were in the 206 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: right place, which is wanting these sanctions to be robust. Treasury, 207 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 1: unfortunately was pushing on the other side, and so it 208 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: was a big fight. So I'm talking to all three 209 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: leaning in hard. At the end of the day, State 210 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: and Energy and National Security Council won that interagency battle, 211 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: and so the sanctions remained tough. The President signed that bill. 212 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: I believe it was a Thursday at seven pm, if 213 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: I'm remembering the time correctly. About fifteen minutes earlier Thursday, 214 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 1: six forty five pm, all CS puts out a press release. 215 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,719 Speaker 1: We are lifting anchor and leaving and we have immediately 216 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: halted all construction of door Stream too. So where does 217 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: this put the pipeline now? I mean, so, after there's 218 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,839 Speaker 1: a sort of herculean effort, it finally gets through all 219 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,559 Speaker 1: the very chambers of the Congress and then gets through 220 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: the departments and it goes into effect. Where does that 221 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: leave the pipeline. So for several months it just left 222 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: it stopped. So it's ninety five percent bill. But remember 223 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: a pipeline that is ninety five percent built is zero 224 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: percent built. The pipeline doesn't work, so you connect both ends. 225 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:42,719 Speaker 1: So so right now it's a hunk of metal on 226 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: the bottom of the ocean like it's not doing nothing. 227 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,959 Speaker 1: So Russia was then scrambling, all right, how do we 228 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: build it? And they didn't have the technology to do it. 229 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: They're trying to do it using a Russian ship called 230 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: the academic Chursky. Now to do that, they had to 231 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 1: get a new environmental permit from Denmark. So I was 232 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: on the phone to the Danish ambassador, pressing on the 233 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: Danish ambassador saying, don't grant the permit. Unfortunately, Merkel and 234 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: Germany are on the phone with Denmark leaning on them hard, 235 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: please grant the permit. They ended up granting it. By 236 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: the way, they're serious environmental risks to how Russia wants 237 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: to do it. Among other things. One of the ways 238 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: they're looking at doing it is dragging an anchor on 239 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: the seafloor and they are actually unexploded Kevin chemical munitions 240 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: on the sea floor from World War Two that if 241 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: you hit them you could have an environmental complete mess. Wow. 242 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: And it's not like the Russians are very good at this. 243 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: They don't know how to do this, which is why 244 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: they had to hire a Swiss company to build it initially. Well, 245 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: a sentator, you mentioned the world wars here, and maybe 246 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: this is a stupid question, but just knowing the little 247 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: I do of history, the Germans and the Russians have 248 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: not always had a wonderful relationship, and I'm just wondering 249 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: why is Germany so hell bent on getting this pipeline 250 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: in this relation ship with Russia. Is it just money? 251 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: You know, Michael, I don't have a great answer. I 252 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: think it is not in the German people's best interest. 253 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: Merkel is leaning in really hard. The European Union actually voted, 254 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: I think it was about a year ago to condemn 255 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: Nordstream two is harmful to Europe and the vote was 256 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 1: something like four hundred to one hundred. I mean, it 257 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: was an overwhelmingly lopsided vote condemning Nordstream two, and so 258 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: the Russians have been scrambling to move forward. I have 259 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: been since then. And by the way, all of the 260 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: naysayers who were trying to stop our legislation, what they 261 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: kept saying was it'll never work. It won't actually stop 262 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: the pipeline. There's no chance of it succeeding. And of 263 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: course it worked like a charm. It's stopped it into 264 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: the tracks. Now the Russians are trying to retrofit their 265 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: ship to be able to finish it. And so what 266 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: I've done, I've been working very closely with State and 267 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: Energy still and Treasury. But I introduced a second set 268 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: of say sanctions that is even it's a tougher set 269 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: of secondary sanctions that basically says anyone else who's affiliated 270 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: with it, you're getting sanctioned to like if you if 271 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: you touch this project, you're screwed. Yeah. Again, I did 272 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: it with Jeane Sheheen. It was bipartisan, Republican and Democrat, 273 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: and we passed passed it through the Senate, attached to 274 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: the next NDAA and so and so we got that through. 275 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: It's pending, it hasn't been signed into law, but we 276 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: got it through the Senate. Again. And I'll tell you 277 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: I recently joined with a couple of other senators and 278 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: sent a letter to the German port where Russia is 279 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: retrofitting uh, the academic Trursky and trying to to to 280 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: lead its efforts to finish this pipeline. The German ports name, 281 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: I'm I'm sorry, it's a German name along German name 282 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: that I can't remember, but it uh, it had a 283 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: whole lot of consonancy. So I sent them a letter 284 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: pointing out, look, under the terms of these sanctions, you 285 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: are facing serious sanctions under what Congress has passed. I 286 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 1: got to say Germany is the German government is flipping out, 287 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: is losing their minds. They're very upset. Russia's very upset. 288 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: Now other players in Europe, like I spoke two weeks 289 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: ago to the Polish ambassador Poland thinks, you know, Europe 290 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: has seen the danger of Russian aggression. You know, for Poland, 291 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 1: Soviet tanks in the streets are real memories. They know 292 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: what that's like. And and part of the reason you 293 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: don't want Europe totally dependent on Russia for energy is 294 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,239 Speaker 1: because Putin's demonstrated he'll shut off the energy in the 295 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: middle of a brutal winner in order to extract concessions 296 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 1: from people he wants to get concessions from, and so 297 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: he uses it. You know, it's a little bit like saying, 298 00:17:55,840 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna make myself dependent on 299 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: the mafia, on the mob you know, you know, you 300 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 1: know Vito Corleoni, I'm gonna put him in charge of 301 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: of of air and water for my house. That's a 302 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: really bad idea, because Vito will come to you sometime 303 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: and ask for a favor. And then Putin has a 304 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 1: lot of Vito Corleoni. Apologies to Marlon Brando somewhere he's 305 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: rolling over in his grave. It was it was like 306 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: I was watching the film. But so this battle is 307 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: ongoing right now. M here's the bottom line. I don't 308 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: believe this pipeline will ever get constructed, but we are 309 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 1: literally fighting both Merkel and Putin right now who billions 310 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:50,440 Speaker 1: of dollars are at stake to complete this pipeline. We 311 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 1: have managed to keep a bipartisan coalition throughout the government 312 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: in Congress and the executive branch, Republicans, Democrats, all the 313 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: other issues were fighting about. We've managed to keep this 314 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:06,399 Speaker 1: coalition together on national security. And if we continue to 315 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: stop the pipeline, which we've done so far, it hurts Putin, 316 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: taking billions of dollars out of its pockets. It helps 317 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,919 Speaker 1: Europe by making it less dependent on Russia. And it 318 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: helps America because if Europe because Europe, it would be 319 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: much better for Europe for them to be importing energy 320 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: from America, creating jobs of the United States of America 321 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: rather than enriching Putin. And so this is a win 322 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: win all around. And it's an active diplomatic battle that 323 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,199 Speaker 1: it is ongoing right now, and I think that's an 324 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 1: important point. First of all, it serves American interests, Second 325 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: of all, it serves European interests, and third of all, 326 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: this harkens back to something that we talked about very 327 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 1: early in the podcast during impeachment, which is, I think 328 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 1: a lot of our focus now is on China. Obviously, 329 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: we're living in this pandemic and these lockdwns that were 330 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 1: caused by China, and so people are saying, Okay, China 331 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: is the real threat. You know, Russia was a threat 332 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: during the Cold War, but now China is the real threat. 333 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: This doesn't have to be an either or Here, it's 334 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: not the case that just because China is now threatening 335 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: us in a way that we hadn't seen before, then 336 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, Vladimir Putin is our best friend. 337 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 1: Is surely he does not have our interests at heart 338 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: now that that's exactly right. Listen, In terms of magnitude 339 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: of threats, China is the far bigger geopolitical threat. I 340 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: think it's the biggest threat we have over the next century. 341 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 1: But Putin and Russia remain dangerous, and we need to 342 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: be vigorous against them. And for that matter, of nuclear 343 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,959 Speaker 1: Iran would be profoundly dangerous. North Korea's dangerous. So there 344 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,920 Speaker 1: are lots of dangerous places on Earth. China, strategically, their 345 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: economic might makes them, I think, a different level of 346 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: magnitude than every other player for the next century. But 347 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 1: Russia is dangerous, and putting billions of dollars in Putin's 348 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: pockets to use against us is a really bad idea. Well, 349 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: moving from the realm of foreign policy to tell on 350 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: domestic affairs here in our last few moments, I want 351 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: to get to the mailbag, Rob asks. He says, I 352 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:09,640 Speaker 1: would like Ted's thoughts on the recent comments by Dems 353 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:14,199 Speaker 1: that a Trump landslide on election night could be a mirage. 354 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: That basically you could get Trump winning on election night, 355 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: but then some mail in ballots come in weeks later 356 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, the election goes to Joe Biden. Well, look, 357 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 1: I think it is a moment where the Democrats actually 358 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: set out loud the things that they meant to keep quiet, 359 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: which which is they're admitting from a democratic perspective, there 360 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: were one or two outcomes. Either they win in November 361 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 1: or they're going to scream the election is illegitimate. They're 362 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: going to file litigation in every state and jurisdiction they can, 363 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: and they're going to do everything they can to steal 364 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: the election. That they the outcome of Trump winning that 365 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: there's so much rage at Adam that I and you 366 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 1: can see them setting the predicate for them. You can 367 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: see them already setting the stage to challenge the legitimacy 368 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: of the election. And and you know, it's interesting there 369 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: have been prominent Democrats, Hillary Clinton asking, you know, would 370 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: Trump accept it if he lost? And there's an odd 371 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: thing that a lot of Democrats do. I mean, it's 372 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: a Freudian projection, which is they accuse the other side 373 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: of doing what they're doing. Look, it's the Democrats that 374 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: still haven't accepted they lost in twenty sixteen. You know, 375 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: it's Stacy Abrahams who still thinks she's governor of Georgia. 376 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:37,640 Speaker 1: And I am very concerned that that they are unless 377 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: they win, in which case it will be Hosanna, hosanna 378 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: income the Socialists. But but if if there's any outcome 379 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 1: other than they're winning on election night, hold on tight, 380 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,440 Speaker 1: because they're going to do everything they can to dispute 381 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: the outcome. Right. It's very funny because Hillary Clinton said 382 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen that Donald Trump is threatening not to 383 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: accept the results of the election. This is a threat 384 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,959 Speaker 1: to democracy. She then went on to dispute the election 385 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 1: for four years, and now she's saying Joe Biden should 386 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 1: not concede under any circumstances. You know, if there were 387 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: self awareness on that side of the aisle, I'm I'm 388 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: sure we could all laugh about it, But sadly there 389 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: seems not to be. So, Michael, let me jump in 390 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: actually on a mailbag topic, and this is actually a 391 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: correction from prior mailbag. Hold on center. I'm going to 392 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: stop you, right, there. I'm shocked. I'm edified, but shocked 393 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 1: that you would correct something on the air, because if 394 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 1: this were The New York Times and you had said 395 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: something wrong, you would bury the correction in page three 396 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: thousand and fifty of some supplemental book that no one 397 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: would read. But you are going to make a correction 398 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: right here on the show, I am, and I'm gonna 399 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna shine a light on it. Which is which is. 400 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: Several episodes ago, we were doing a mailbag and we 401 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 1: had a question from from from one listener who's handle 402 00:23:55,320 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: on Twitter. You and I both were heard to is 403 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: Bay Lamb's donkey? Yes, And we were talking about it 404 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: going well, you know, and we're sort of we made 405 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: some jokes. Well, I gotta tell you afterwards, Um, a 406 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: dear dear friend of mine, guy named Willie Langston, is 407 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: one of my closest friends on earth. Uh and and 408 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 1: Willie is a deep devout Christian, a godly man and 409 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: and and a he knows the Bible through and through. 410 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: And I gotta say, Willie had a little bit of 411 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: fun making fun of you and me. I know, I 412 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: know where this is going. For our lack of biblical literacy, 413 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: because what it actually was referring to is Balom's donkey, 414 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,360 Speaker 1: and who is Balam? And I had to be reminded 415 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 1: I didn't remember this, and Willie laughingly recounted, So if 416 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: you look in the Book of Numbers, chapter twenty two, 417 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: so Balom, he wasn't an Israelite. He was with the 418 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: Mennonites and the Moabites, but he was someone to whom 419 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: God spoke and the story in numbers twenty two. And 420 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: I actually want to read the story because I remembered it, 421 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 1: but I didn't remember it when we were talking about it, 422 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:13,439 Speaker 1: and it's worth remembering. So numbers twenty two, starting with 423 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 1: verse twenty two. But God was angry because Balam was going, 424 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: and the Angel of the Lord took his stand in 425 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: the way as an adversary against him. Now he was 426 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 427 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing 428 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, 429 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 1: the donkey turned off the other way and went into 430 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: the field, but Balam struck the donkey to turn her 431 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: back into the way. Then the Angel of the Lord 432 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 1: stood in the narrow path of the vineyards with a 433 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,479 Speaker 1: well on the side and a wall on that side. 434 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she 435 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: pressed herself into the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against 436 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: the wall, so he struck her again. The Angel of 437 00:25:57,359 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place 438 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: where he was no place to turn to the right 439 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 1: hand of the left. When the donkey saw the Angel 440 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 1: of the Lord, she laid down Underbalom. So Balam was 441 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: angry and struck the donkey with his stick. And the 442 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said 443 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: to Balom, what have I done to you that you 444 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: have struck me these three times? Then Balam said to 445 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: the donkey, because you have made a mockery of me. 446 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: If I'd had a sword in my hand, I would 447 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: have killed you by now. This is the guy talking 448 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: to his donkey. The donkey said to Balam, Am, I 449 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: not your donkey on which you have ridden all your 450 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: life to this day. Have I ever been accustomed to 451 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: do so to you? And he said no. Then the 452 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: Lord opened the eyes of Balam, and he saw the 453 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: Angel of the Lord standing in the way with the 454 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:49,199 Speaker 1: drawn sword in his hand, and he bowed all the 455 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: way to the ground, and the Angel of the Lord 456 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:56,879 Speaker 1: said to him, why have you struck your donkey three times? Behold, 457 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 1: I have come out as an adversary because your way 458 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 1: was contrary to me. But the donkey saw me and 459 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 1: turned aside from me these three times. If she had 460 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 1: not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed 461 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:15,719 Speaker 1: you just now and let her the donkey live. And 462 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 1: so our listener, bloms Donkey was a wonderful biblical reference 463 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 1: that as a graduate a second Baptist high school, I 464 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: am embarrassed that I did not recognize immediately. But Willie, 465 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 1: I'm fessing up and fessing up for all to hear. 466 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:33,719 Speaker 1: You know, it's so funny you mentioned at Senator. I 467 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,199 Speaker 1: did have this thought. I was thinking about Bay what 468 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: is that? And after the episode, I thought, oh, my gosh, 469 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:42,119 Speaker 1: I actually did read numbers, probably two years ago. I 470 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: had never read all of numbers. It's two or three 471 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 1: years ago. And you know it's not It's a little 472 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: bit dry as far as books of the Bible go. 473 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: And but I thought, oh gosh, this is very bad. 474 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: And I, unlike bloms Donkey, I deserve to be struck 475 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: three times. We do on this show. For our biblical ignorance. 476 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 1: We've really covered a lot of ground. We've not only 477 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: gone to modern day Russia, We've gone to the ancient 478 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: mid East. We've covered everything in between, all the way 479 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 1: from heaven to Earth. We'll have to stop it there 480 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: and we will see one another next time, and I'm 481 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: gonna catch up on my Bible in the meantime. I'm 482 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: Michael Knowles. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz. This episode 483 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,760 Speaker 1: of Verdict with Ted Cruz is being brought to you 484 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: by Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack, a political action committee 485 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organizations, and candidates across the country. 486 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: In twenty twenty two, Jobs Freedom and Security Pack plans 487 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 1: to donate to conservative candidates running for Congress and help 488 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: the Republican Party across the nation.