1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: Welcome in his verdict with center, Ted Cruz ben Ferguson 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: with your center. You have come back from a codell 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,959 Speaker 1: of Latin America and it is finally wrapped. You got 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: back in the wee hours of the morning, and you're 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: going to give us a final update on the last 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: part of your trip. 7 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 2: Well, I got home at four in the morning last night, 8 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: so it's good to be at home. It's good to 9 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 2: sleep in my own bed. It was a very productive trip. 10 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 2: As we discussed on previous pods. We started by going 11 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 2: to El Salvador. I met with President Bukelly, the president 12 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: of El Salvador, saw the incredible success he has had 13 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 2: defeating gangs, defeating Ms thirteen and the eighteenth Street barrio 14 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 2: in l Salvador. They've gone from the highest murder rate 15 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 2: in the entire world one hundred homicides per hundred thousand people. 16 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: That meant in any given year, one in one thousand 17 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 2: Salvadorans was being murdered. That number has plummeted by ninety 18 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: eight percent. Last year, their murder rate was one point 19 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: nine per one hundred thousand. That is among the safest 20 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: in the world. That is three times safer than the 21 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 2: United States of America, where just over six murders per 22 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 2: hundred thousand, El Salvador is now three times as safe. 23 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 2: Incredible success. What they're doing in El Salvador. From then 24 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 2: I flew on to Panama, Panama was a fascinating meeting. 25 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 2: I toured the Panama Canal. I must say it is 26 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 2: truly an engineering miracle. The idea that the United States 27 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: was able to build this more than a century ago 28 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 2: in nineteen fourteen, it is incredible, an incredible design, and 29 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 2: it's incredibly important both for US national security and for 30 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: US economic security. And so I had multiple discussions with 31 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:42,479 Speaker 2: senior Panamanian officials about the critical importance of removing China 32 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 2: from the Panama Canal. China right now has a major 33 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: port at the mouth of both ends of the canal. 34 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 2: I went and went right up by that port, and 35 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: you could see China's strategic location to be able to 36 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: shut down the Panama Canal should we have a military 37 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: conflict with China. Not only do they have a major 38 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: port at the mouth of the canal, China is also 39 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: building a bridge right across the mouth of the canal 40 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 2: at the Pacific. They are also digging a tunnel under 41 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 2: the canal for a metro train. Any of those would 42 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: give them the ability if they use them maliciously, to 43 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: try to shut down traffic on the canal, which among 44 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 2: other things, would have a massive economic harm to the 45 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 2: United States, but it would also severely limit our ability 46 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 2: to move our naval ships. We have a very significant 47 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: portion of our fleet in the Atlantic. The Panama Canal 48 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 2: cuts weeks off the transit to get those ships to 49 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: the Pacific, and should there be a conflict in the Pacific, 50 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: the Chinese would like to force our Atlantic fleet to 51 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: stay in the Atlantic and not be able to traverse 52 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 2: the canal. And so it was a very productive meeting, 53 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: stressing that the United States was going to do whatever 54 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 2: is necessary to make sure that the canal is safe 55 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: and that the Chinese don't control it. The final step 56 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 2: of the codell was Mexico, and I spent yesterday or 57 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: the day before in Mexico with multiple senior government officials. 58 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: Met with the Foreign Secretary, and met with the Defense secretary, 59 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 2: and met with the Agriculture Secretary. 60 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 3: We had very productive. 61 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 2: Meetings, and the focus of my meetings was very much 62 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: safety and security. Number one, securing the border, and number 63 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 2: two going after the Mexican drug cartels, and we have 64 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 2: seen extraordinary success securing our border because President Trump is 65 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 2: back in office and because we have a president who 66 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 2: is willing to secure the border, and we have seen 67 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 2: illegal border crossings drop ninety nine percent. When I was 68 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 2: in Mexico, I was going to the Mexican government. I 69 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 2: was asking the government to join with us, join with us, 70 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: and partner with us in taking out the Mexican drug cartels. 71 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 2: We had extensive discussions on this, and finally we're going 72 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 2: to talk about how JB. Pritzker and the Democrats have 73 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 2: decided to be open that they are in support of criminals. 74 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 2: They are the party of murderers. They are the party 75 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 2: of criminals. It is sadly it is the culmination of 76 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: a long, long downward slide from today's Democrat party. 77 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: All of you know that I am a pro Second 78 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: Amendment guy. I've shared on numerous occasions how carrying my 79 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: firearms saved my life from a gang related attack. But 80 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: for those of you out there with family members who 81 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 1: may not be comfortable having a gun by their side, 82 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: you still want them to be able to protect themselves 83 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: and others in times of danger and that's where the 84 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: Burno launcher comes in. Berna is a handheld pistol that 85 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: fires both kinetic rounds and chemical irritants to separate you 86 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 1: from an attacker. And I'm here with Josh Cherrard from 87 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: Berna to share the true story of how an avid 88 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: hiker uses burnon to stop an attacking mountain lion. Josh 89 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: tell us what happened. 90 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, Jason is an avid hiker deciding to 91 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 4: take his family out on a hiper he's done several times, 92 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 4: super easy, high but super fun, all armed with his Berna. 93 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 4: You know, this is one of those things where he 94 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 4: didn't expect to see anything, and all of a sudden 95 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 4: on this hike, this mountain lion appears out of no 96 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,280 Speaker 4: work or He sends his family on down the trail, 97 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 4: watches the line for a few minutes, realizing it's not 98 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 4: going away, so uses his burner, fires a few rounds 99 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 4: to scare it off. Continues down the trail, but unfortunately, 100 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 4: this mountain line appears again, at which point he realized 101 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 4: he was going to have to up his aggression with 102 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 4: that burner. Fire's four rounds was able to strike the 103 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 4: mountain lion all four times at chest and torso, at 104 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 4: which point that mountain lion airs off, never to be 105 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 4: seen again. These guys make it down the trail back 106 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 4: to their car and back to home safely. Fortunately, this 107 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 4: is all it took to make sure and get this 108 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 4: family back home safe off a hike that could have 109 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 4: taken an obvious turn for the worst. 110 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: And I'm going to guess that burner has been used 111 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: to stop other types of animal attacks as well. 112 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 4: Absolutely, we get stories all the time of users with 113 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 4: whether it be dogs or other wildlife. We even have 114 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 4: an ecological park whose security carries burna four bears out 115 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 4: in the smoky mountains out there. That's been effective there 116 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 4: as well. So once again not just a tool for people, 117 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 4: but very affected against animals as well. 118 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: It's really incredible. If you want to get more information 119 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: on how you and your family member can protect themselves 120 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: with the burner launcher, go to Berna dot com. That's 121 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: by r NA dot com. Again by RNA dot com 122 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: Berna dot com. Senator, Let's start with these meetings that 123 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:24,840 Speaker 1: you just had in Mexico, and you mentioned the issue 124 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: of safety and security that obviously is top of mind 125 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: for so many Americans. Explain what their reaction was, what 126 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: they had to say about the border being shut down 127 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: in essence compared to wide open border. Look, they're one 128 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: of their top stimulus of their economy is illegal immigrant 129 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: sending money back to Mexico. So this is going to 130 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: have some sort of economic effect on their country, I'm 131 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: sure as well. 132 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 3: Well. 133 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: I started the meeting with a long meeting with Juan 134 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 2: Ramon de la Fuente, who is the Secretary of Foreign 135 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 2: Affairs of Mexico, and it was a very positive meeting. 136 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 2: He is the minister, speaks fluent English, he is someone 137 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 2: who has spent significant time in the United States. He's 138 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 2: a professional economist, and we talked. We actually started by 139 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: talking about areas of cooperation and in particular trade and 140 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: commerce between the United States and Mexico. Every year, the 141 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: United States and Mexico, that we have roughly eight hundred 142 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: billion dollars worth of trade and commerce between our nations 143 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 2: and about three hundred billion of that is between Texas 144 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 2: and Mexico. And so one of by big focuses. My 145 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 2: number one priority in the Senate without fail has been jobs, 146 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 2: focusing on more jobs, higher wages, greater opportunity, helping small businesses, 147 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: and so expanding trade between Texas and Mexico is good 148 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: for Texas farmers and ranchers and small businesses. And so 149 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 2: we talked about that. We talked about the four new 150 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 2: bridges that I've taken the lead on getting built between 151 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 2: South Texas and Mexico, to expand the ability for our 152 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 2: farmers and ranchers to sell our livestock south of the border, 153 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: to span our ability for us to sell energy south 154 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 2: of the border, to expand our ability to export manufactured 155 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 2: goods south of the border, and so on that I 156 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: would say the Ford Minister and I had a very 157 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 2: positive meeting, and there's steps that are going forward that 158 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 2: have been taken under the Trump administration that are expanding 159 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 2: trade mutually beneficial trade for both countries. But then we 160 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: shifted into okay, that will happen in an environment where 161 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 2: security is maintained, and I pressed, I said, listen, the 162 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 2: United States wants to be a friend of Mexico. We 163 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: want to be your partner. And I pointed out to him, 164 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: and I pointed this out also to the Defense Secretary. 165 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 3: I said, listen. 166 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 2: Under Joe Biden, the Mexican drug cartels became unbelievably wealthy. 167 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,199 Speaker 2: Here's a stat from the New York Times. In twenty eighteen, 168 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 2: the Mexican drug cartels made roughly five hundred million dollars 169 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 2: from human trafficking twenty eighteen. Last year, again, according to 170 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 2: the New York Times, the cartels made over thirteen billion 171 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 2: dollars from drug trafficking. That is a two thousand, six 172 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: hundred percent increase. And what Joe Biden and the Democrats 173 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: did to Mexico was horrible. Mexico paid a very real 174 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 2: price for that night. And I told the Foreign Secretary 175 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 2: of Defense. Secretary, I said, listen to America was not 176 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,239 Speaker 2: being a good friend with Joe Biden and the Democrats 177 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: open borders. Those open borders, they did massive damage to 178 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 2: the US, but they also did massive damage to Mexico 179 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 2: because we took transnational criminal organizations who are vicious murderers, 180 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 2: who commit unspeakable atrocities, and Joe Biden the Democrats flooded 181 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 2: tens of billions of dollars into them, turning them into 182 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 2: dominant economic forces in the nation of Mexico. And there 183 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 2: are countless numbers of Mexicans who have been murdered, who 184 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 2: have been kidnapped, who have been tortured because of Joe 185 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 2: Biden and the Democrats' open borders. And so my request 186 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 2: to the Mexican government is, and I said, listen, the 187 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:07,479 Speaker 2: United States stands ready to assist Mexico in eliminating the cartels. 188 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 2: The twenty twenty four election in the United States was 189 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 2: clearly a mandate from the American people to close these 190 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 2: open borders. President Trump has rightly declared the cartels to 191 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 2: be terrorist organizations, and so my pitch to them was 192 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 2: work hand in hand with us to take it to 193 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 2: a different level, to take those cartels out. 194 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: You talk about that, what is their response, because everybody 195 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: knows that. Look, the infiltration of the cartels in Mexico's 196 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: government is significant and it's real, and I think everybody 197 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: knows that that knows anything about the cartels down there 198 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: in general, when you say this, is it lip service 199 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: or is there a sense of like, hey, maybe you 200 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: guys can help us do something we can't even do ourselves. 201 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,719 Speaker 3: So unfortunately, the response was flat out no. 202 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 2: Yesterday, Mexico's President Claudia Scheinbaum was asked about my trip, 203 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 2: about the offer I made for the United States to 204 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 2: assist Mexico in eliminating the cartels. And her answer was 205 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 2: absolutely not. No, we do not want America's help. This 206 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 2: is Mexico. We will handle it internally. Essentially, we don't 207 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 2: want the Yankee gringos in our country. She didn't quite 208 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 2: say that, but that was the message of it. And 209 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 2: I would say that was consistent with what I was 210 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 2: hearing from the Foreign Secretary and the Defense Secretary, both 211 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 2: of them. The phrase they repeated most often was sovereignty. 212 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 2: They kept saying sovereignty, sovereignty, sovereignty, Mexico. We want our sovereignty. 213 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 2: We don't want the American military in Mexico. And I'll 214 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 2: tell you Ben, I tried to make an historical analogy 215 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 2: and compare it to some other instances. I pointed out 216 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: number one, Del Salvador, and I said, look, I was 217 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 2: just in El Salvador a few days ago, and I 218 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 2: described to them the unbelievable success that El Salvador had 219 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: dealing with the gangs in MS thirteen eighteenth Street barrio. 220 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 2: They were just like the Mexican drug cartels. They were 221 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 2: vicious transnational organizations. And when you had a leader, President Bukeley, 222 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 2: who decided I'm going to value the innocent civilians, the 223 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 2: moms and dads and the kids of El Salvador, more 224 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,719 Speaker 2: than those criminals. They knew who the criminals were. They 225 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,839 Speaker 2: went and arrested them, and they locked them up. And 226 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 2: by the way, if you did not see our podcast 227 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 2: on Wednesday, if you did not listen to our podcast 228 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 2: on Wednesday, let me encourage you to listen to it, 229 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 2: because I take you inside the Seacot Prison, the maximum 230 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 2: security prison where these very worst gang members are held. 231 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 2: I described or never seen anything remotely like this. I 232 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 2: describe it in detail. And I also recount an extended 233 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 2: conversation that I have with an MS thirteen member who 234 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 2: joined in the United States and faalse Church Virginia, who 235 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 2: lived for years in America, lived for years in Texas, 236 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 2: and he described some of the crimes that he committed 237 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 2: in the United States and some of the crimes he 238 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 2: committed in El Salvador. If you didn't listen to it, 239 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 2: go back and listen to it. But I use that 240 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: example with the Mexican leaders to say we can do this. 241 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 2: You know who the cartel members are, go after them 242 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 2: and have the same political will. What is missing is 243 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,079 Speaker 2: the political will, have the political will that El Salvador 244 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 2: did to say, we are not going to let the 245 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 2: cartels be effectively the government of Mexico. We are going 246 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 2: to let the people. I made the argument they were 247 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 2: talking about sovereignty. I said, you want to talk about 248 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 2: sovereignty when the cartels are allowed to control the country 249 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 2: and terrify people. I described a mayor of a northern 250 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 2: Mexico city who I visited with a number of years ago, 251 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:42,319 Speaker 2: described how in his region there were over more than 252 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 2: three thousand disappearances of Mexican nationals who just disappear. The 253 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 2: cartels kidnap them, they murder them, they throw them in 254 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 2: mass graves and abandon them. That is not the behavior 255 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 2: of a sovereign country that is protecting its citizens the 256 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 2: way it should be. And so my pitch was followed 257 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 2: the example of El Salvador. And then there was a 258 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 2: second example I used been which was Columbia. Colombia in 259 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 2: the early two thousands, George W. Bush was president, and 260 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 2: he made an offer to President Eurebae of Columbia. He said, Colombia, 261 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 2: like El Salvador a few years ago, like Mexico, now 262 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 2: had narco terrorists controlling the country, had the murdering police 263 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 2: officers and murdering soldiers and journalists and judges and elected officials, 264 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 2: terrorizing the citizenry, and Colombia President of Rebe demonstrated some 265 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 2: of the same clear eyed resolve that President Bukelli and 266 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 2: El Salvador's demonstrated. And President of Rebe said said to 267 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: the United States, yes, we want your help. And the 268 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 2: American military came into Colombia and just all but eradicated 269 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 2: the terrorist came in with incredible force and effectiveness, but 270 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 2: did it hand in hand with the partnership of the 271 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 2: Colombian government. That was called Plan Colombia. And I said, 272 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 2: follow that model, we will work hand in hand with you. 273 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 2: And I got to tell you both the Defense Minister 274 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 2: and the Foreign Minister and then ultimately President Shinbaum yesterday 275 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 2: said no, we do not want to work with the 276 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 2: American military. We're not willing to do so. That is unfortunate. 277 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 2: I understand the Mexican politics. I got to say, the 278 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 2: first night I was there, there was actually a fistfight 279 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: in their Congress. Two Mexican senators began punching each other 280 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 2: on the face on this issue. 281 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 3: So the level of this are amazing. 282 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: By the way, because I mean, when you see the 283 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: news break like that, you're like. 284 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 3: Wow, yeah, that was right. 285 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 2: When I landed in Mexico City and I looked at 286 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 2: the video of two senators getting in a fist fight, 287 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 2: and it was over, should we accept America's help to 288 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 2: use military force to take out the cartels? And listen, 289 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 2: there's a long history of politics in Mexico where it 290 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 2: is good politics. Generally speaking, it is good populist politics 291 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 2: to rail against the Yankee imperialist from the north, and 292 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 2: that that has elected quite a few politicians in Mexico 293 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 2: saying we're going to stand up to America. Shinbaum is 294 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 2: a protoche of am Loo. 295 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 3: Amlow ran on. 296 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 2: A hard left anti American agenda. Shinebaum less so. But 297 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 2: Mexico has a complicated situation because their economy is intertwined 298 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 2: with the United States. We are by far their largest 299 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 2: trading partner, and so there's a combination. Some of what 300 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 2: they're doing when they're saying no, we will not let 301 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 2: the United States military into our nation is that they 302 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 2: are appealing to those populous and nationalist sentiments in Mexico. 303 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 2: I was trying hard to say, listen, this is an 304 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 2: opportunity for you. Your nation will be safer, your citizens 305 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 2: will be safer if you accept our help. 306 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: When you look at the response now, I think many 307 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 1: Americans are going to ask the question, Okay, this goes 308 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: back to the Trump doctrine of declaring these cartels terrorist organizations. Yes, 309 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: and that gives us more ability to hit them. It 310 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: is is your calculus change because of this trip? Is 311 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: what is your thoughts about moving forward? If they're just 312 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 1: not willing to do it or they're so compromise they 313 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: can't do it in Mexico. 314 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 2: So I will tell you, particularly with the Defense minister, 315 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 2: I had a very frank and candid conversation. General Travilla 316 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 2: came in. He argued, at first, at great length. He says, well, 317 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,959 Speaker 2: the cartels are not terrorist. We do not think they're terrorists. 318 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 2: They're just ordinary criminals. 319 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: They do a straight phase. 320 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:32,400 Speaker 3: Oh he did. 321 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,439 Speaker 2: He had a whole PowerPoint presentation and and I listened 322 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 2: to him. I thought it was interesting that that's how 323 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 2: he chose to begin his presentation. 324 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 3: And he also. 325 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 2: Argued, pointing to some some military exercises in which Mexico 326 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 2: had done very well and had done better than the 327 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: United States, and some military exercises. 328 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 3: And I didn't bother to. 329 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 2: Argue with him on that's It's like, okay, fine, you 330 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 2: guys are great like like I I'm. 331 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 1: Not interesting in that conversation, right. 332 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 2: I'm not interested in a context in a contest where 333 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 2: we're measuring appendages. And and this same Defense secretary there 334 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 2: there was a House member who previously was down there 335 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: who apparently got in a screaming match with him over 336 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 2: exactly this question of whose military is tougher. And I'm like, look, 337 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 2: I'm not going to vest at any time and energy 338 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:25,959 Speaker 2: arguing with you. We both know the answer to that, 339 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 2: so so you can say whatever you want to say 340 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 2: face and that's fine. What I said to him was 341 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,360 Speaker 2: the following I said. And I said, listen, I understand 342 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 2: that you care about your sovereignty. That's good and important 343 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 2: that you should care about your sovereignty. America cares deeply 344 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 2: about our sovereignty. But I said, you need to understand 345 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,679 Speaker 2: these cartels. If these were just criminal organizations in Mexico, 346 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,160 Speaker 2: and if they were just killing Mexican nationals, that would 347 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 2: be tragic, but it would not be our concern. They're 348 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 2: not just killing nationals in your own country. These Mexican 349 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 2: drug cartils. Cartels are killing vast numbers of them Americans. 350 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 2: They're committing crimes in the United States. They're murdering people, 351 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 2: they're raping people, They're dealing vast amounts of drugs. Last year, 352 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 2: we had over one hundred thousand people die of drug overdoses, 353 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 2: seventy percent of which was fentanyl. The impact on the 354 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 2: United States is enormously harmful. And I said, in light 355 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 2: of that, because we believe in our sovereignty as well, 356 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 2: we are going to act. And I told the Defense Secretary. 357 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 2: I also had a press conference and I said this 358 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 2: in the press conference, I said, I find it very 359 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 2: hard to believe that four years will pass and the 360 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 2: United States will not act in a serious military manner 361 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,640 Speaker 2: against these drug cartels. And I pointed out to both 362 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 2: the Defense and Foreign Secretary. I said, listen, I'm not 363 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 2: the commander in chief. That's not my decision to make. 364 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 2: The ambassador, the United States ambassador from Mexico was sitting 365 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 2: next to me. I said, that's not his decision to make. 366 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 2: That decision is made by President Donald Trump. And I 367 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 2: believe sometime in the next four years you will see strong, long, 368 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 2: decisive military action against the cartels. I said, the choice 369 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 2: you have to make is which way do you want 370 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 2: it to go. We would much rather it be cooperative. 371 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 2: We'd much rather it be the American government working hand 372 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 2: in hand with the Mexican government. That's the best way, 373 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 2: as friends and neighbors for. 374 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 3: Us to do this. Sure, but if you refuse. 375 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 2: To act, I think it is extremely unlikely that Donald 376 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 2: Trump will allow four years to go without acting militarily. 377 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 2: And the two examples I used also, I said, listen, 378 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 2: you can talk about sovereignty all you like, but we 379 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 2: just a matter of weeks ago sent two B two's 380 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:42,959 Speaker 2: across the globe to deliver bunker buster bombs to obliterate 381 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 2: Iran's nuclear weapons facilities. The United States is perfectly capable 382 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 2: of acting and projecting force anywhere on the planet if 383 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 2: American citizens are threatened, if it is endangering the lives 384 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 2: of Americans, and these Mexican drug cartels are most assuredly 385 00:20:58,320 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 2: doing that. I said, you know what, we didn't ask 386 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 2: the Eye, I told this permission to do so. We 387 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 2: did so because we had a strong commander in chief 388 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 2: who was protecting the citizens of America. And I said, likewise, 389 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: when America went and took out Osama bin Laden. I said, 390 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 2: in that instance, we did cooperate with the Pakistani government. 391 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 2: We did inform them and work work with them to 392 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 2: take out bin Laden because bin Laden was hiding in Pakistan. 393 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 2: But I said, I'll tell you what I think, if 394 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 2: the Pakistani government had resisted US, I believe we would 395 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 2: have taken out bin Laden as well, because he was 396 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 2: a terrorist, and he was a terrorist who had killed 397 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:31,719 Speaker 2: thousands of Americans. 398 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 3: And so you've got a choice to make. 399 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 2: I believe America is going to act, and we are 400 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,120 Speaker 2: going to act very directly on these cartels because they've 401 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 2: killed too many Americans for US to sit idly by. 402 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 3: And your choice is. 403 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 2: Do you want to be our partner in doing so 404 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 2: or do you want to read about it in the 405 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 2: newspaper and watch it on the six o'clock news. 406 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: Response, I got to ask what was it? Finally? 407 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 2: Look, the response was the president doing a press conference 408 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 2: and she said, no, we will not allow the US 409 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,959 Speaker 2: military into the United States. It was defiance. It was 410 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 2: it was giving in to the populist stand up to 411 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 2: America rhetoric. You know that's fine to say in a 412 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 2: press conference when when you're feeding red meat to the masses. 413 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 2: We'll see what she says to the Trump administration directly. 414 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 2: And I think this is going to be an ongoing 415 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 2: discussion for the next three and a half years. But 416 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 2: as I said, I believe that President Trump, he's already 417 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 2: secured the border. I think he's going to act decisively 418 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 2: against these cartels who have been waging war on the 419 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 2: United States of America. And during the Biden administration, not 420 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 2: only were we not fighting back, but Joe Biden the 421 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 2: Democrats were actively complicit in waging that war. 422 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: Which center brings us to part two of this conversation. 423 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: Let's bring it back home. 424 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 3: JD. 425 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: Pritzker is a interesting man. He's got a lot of money. 426 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: He's a governor, and he thinks he's succeeding at fighting crime. 427 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 1: But getting illegal immigrant killers and rapists off our streets 428 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: is quote unquote dangerous, he says. And now it is 429 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: apparently anti American. Tie that into your trip to Mexico. 430 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: I mean, you want to talk about to people the 431 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: kid gotten together and had one heck of a lunch. 432 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: The people you met with with JD, they'd be like 433 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 1: kumbayayeing this stuff. 434 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 3: Well, JB. Pritzker. He is a billionaire. 435 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 2: Like many Democrat billionaires, he did not make his money. 436 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 2: He inherited it. He inherited a vast fortune. And he's 437 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 2: now the governor of Illinois and presiding over a state 438 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 2: where the people are fleeing his state, where crime is 439 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,160 Speaker 2: out of control, where left wing policies are are an 440 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 2: absolute disaster, and it's striking. He has the same reality 441 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 2: denying vision. Gavin Newsom has the same thing in California 442 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 2: where they both You know, it reminds me of that 443 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 2: meme of the dumpster burning in the background and saying, 444 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 2: you know, everything fine here. That that is today's Democrats 445 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 2: just telling you don't believe your lying eyes. Just make 446 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 2: sure to duck the bullets when you're in your living room. 447 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 2: But everything other than that is great. 448 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 3: JB. 449 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 2: Pritzer says he's succeeding at fighting violent crime in Chicago, 450 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 2: and you're right. It is reminiscent of these Mexican government 451 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,479 Speaker 2: leaders who said they're handling it just fine. Look at 452 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 2: the great progress they're making, and you look at the 453 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 2: cartels who are murdering Mexicans with impunity and who are 454 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 2: committing vast numbers of crime in the United States. 455 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 3: Here give a listen to JB. Prisker, Governor Illinois. 456 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 5: What we won't do, however, is engage in what is 457 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 5: a federal effort. That is to say, they have their 458 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 5: job immigration. We have our job, which is to fight 459 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 5: violent crime on the streets of our city. And by 460 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 5: the way, we're succeeding at that job. But when they 461 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 5: bring people in and don't coordinate with us, they're going 462 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:53,360 Speaker 5: to cause enormous problems. 463 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: So going to cause enormous problems they're center. I mean, 464 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 1: if that doesn't sound like a threat, I don't know 465 00:24:58,280 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: what is. 466 00:24:59,359 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 4: So. 467 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:03,400 Speaker 2: Pritzker claims he is succeeding at fighting violent crime in Chicago. 468 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 2: Chicago has had the most murders of any American city 469 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,439 Speaker 2: for thirteen consecutive years, thirteen years in a row. Chicago 470 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 2: is number one. Chicago's murder rate is three times higher 471 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 2: than Los Angeles. It is five times higher than New 472 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,919 Speaker 2: York City, it is two times higher than Islamabad, that 473 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 2: it is fifteen times higher than Delhi. And the answer 474 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 2: to a billionaire democrat who is surrounded by police officers 475 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 2: at all times, so he's not worried about being mugged 476 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 2: on the streets of Chicago. That's not a threat he's facing. 477 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 2: He says, we've got the highest murder rate in America. 478 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 2: We're succeeding. This is Democrats success, you know. But he 479 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 2: goes even further. He expresses great dismay that if President 480 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 2: Trump is successful in turning around crime in Chicago, that 481 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 2: would be a bad thing. 482 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 3: Listen to the second clip. 483 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 5: So this is dangerous. They shouldn't be doing it. It's 484 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 5: anti American, it's un American. And I would tell her 485 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 5: to maybe check herself for what does she really believe? 486 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: Nothing says we're fighting crime, like threatening the woman who's 487 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: out there in Department of Homescurity Secretary Nome and saying 488 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: you need to check yourself right and saying it's dangerous 489 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: and un American and anti American to go after a 490 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: legal American killers and rapists. 491 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,919 Speaker 2: It's stunning. The Democrats are becoming more and more open 492 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: that if they have a conflict between a murderer and 493 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 2: a victim, if they have a conflict between a Venezuelan 494 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 2: gang member and an innocent American citizen, if they have 495 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 2: a conflict between a rapist and a single mom, if 496 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 2: they have a conflict between a violent sexual predator and 497 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 2: your children. The Democrats will pick the criminal every single time. 498 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 2: They're not even pretending anymore to go after those criminals. 499 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 2: Democrat Governor Pritzker says is dangerous, anti American and un American. 500 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:02,919 Speaker 2: And I think the American people are getting fed up. 501 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 2: You know, there was a new poll from ap Slash 502 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 2: NORC that found that a large majority of Americans sixty 503 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 2: eight percent, see crime as a major problem in large cities. 504 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 2: And the approach of the Democrat Party is they're not 505 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 2: going to do anything about it. In fact, the highest 506 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 2: murder rate in the US they describe as a success. 507 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 2: And what it is, it's reminiscent of the leadership in 508 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 2: Al Salvador when they had the highest murder rate in 509 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:33,679 Speaker 2: the world, and they describe what they were doing as 510 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 2: a success. And the only answer is new political leadership 511 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:40,640 Speaker 2: that actually says keeping our citizens safe is our number 512 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,639 Speaker 2: one priority, and we're going to do so. We've seen 513 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 2: what happens when President Trump does so in the United 514 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,760 Speaker 2: States and the border is immediately secured. We had a 515 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 2: ninety nine percent decrease in illegal crossings. We saw what 516 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 2: happened with President Bukele in El Salvador, where they had 517 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 2: a ninety eight percent drop in homicides. Ironically, we saw 518 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 2: what happened in San Francisco where President she came to 519 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 2: San Francisco and Gavin Newsom immediately cleaned up San Francisco, 520 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,679 Speaker 2: removed the homeless people, took the junkies off the street, 521 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 2: and cleaned up the human feces off the street, all 522 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 2: of which demonstrates they know how to do so. If 523 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 2: they could do so on Monday, they could do so 524 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 2: on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The reason 525 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 2: they don't, the reason the crime persists, the reason your 526 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 2: family is threatened is because the Democrats politically their ideology, 527 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 2: they think it's better to side with the criminals than 528 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 2: it is with you and that I don't get that, 529 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 2: but that's where we are, and I do think it's 530 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 2: part of the reason we see today's Democrat Party getting 531 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 2: more and more extreme and appealing to a smaller and 532 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 2: smaller sliver of our society. 533 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 1: Final question on this, I believe now that the Democratic 534 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: Party is in such shambles that they don't even know 535 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:56,479 Speaker 1: how to get out of this. 536 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 3: There is no real leader. 537 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: We're being told Obama's coming back and going to like 538 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 1: quote start mentoring people in the Democratic Party. That's how 539 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: desperate they are. The same guy that's the godfather, as 540 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: I described it on Laura Ingram's show on Fox Friday Night, 541 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: as the godfather of this type of insandi and anarchy. 542 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: He's the that created the aocs of the party and 543 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: gave them power. And so you look at the Democratic 544 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: Party now. I don't want to be over confident, but 545 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: what I do want to say is I feel like 546 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: these midterms may actually be a big opportunity for Republican 547 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: candidates coming up. Usually you give up seats when you 548 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 1: have all three branches in the midterms, there's a chance 549 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: this could actually work out for Concertives, as you mentioned, 550 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: because the voters are so sick and tired of the 551 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: left not keeping them safe. It's not even about the economy, 552 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: it's about safety. 553 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 554 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 2: Look, I hope so, Ben, I'll confess I'm significantly more 555 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 2: worried than you. We've got cross cutting forces for the midterms. 556 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 2: On the positive side for Republicans, the Democrats have gotten 557 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 2: so extreme, so whacked j out there that it seems 558 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 2: like they took a list of a dozen eighty twenty issues, 559 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 2: and they said, let's take the twenty percent side of 560 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 2: all of them. And in some instances they've even taken 561 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 2: ninety ten issues and said, let's appeal to the smallest 562 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 2: liver of America we can. Generally speaking, that is a 563 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 2: really bad political strategy, so that augurs in our favor. 564 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 2: On the other side, we have a real enthusiasm gap. 565 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 2: And this worries me about the midterms, which is an 566 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 2: awful lot of Americans are really happy with the success 567 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 2: we've seen in the first eight months of twenty twenty five. 568 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 2: President Trump has been winning major victories. The danger is 569 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 2: that when people are happy, when they're seeing success, they're complacent, 570 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 2: they stay home. I'll tell you what. The left is 571 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 2: not complacent. They are in rage. They are out raising 572 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 2: Republicans three to one. They hate Donald Trump. And we 573 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 2: saw we just saw a special election in Iowa state 574 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 2: senator seat that Trump had won that district by eleven points. 575 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 2: They just elected a Democrat state senator in that district 576 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 2: that I believe was an enthusiasm gap. That the left 577 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 2: is motivated by rage and hate and and and that 578 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 2: means that that they are definitely showing up. And it's 579 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 2: our job to make sure that that that the the 580 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 2: common sense majority of this country is not complacent but 581 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 2: realizes if we don't show up to defend what we've got, 582 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 2: that that's how you get these whack jobs elected in 583 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 2: the first place. 584 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, grade point, it's gonna be a lot that we're 585 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: gonna have to watch, certainly going into the midterm elections. 586 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: Don't forget. We do this show on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 587 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 1: so at that subscriber auto download button wherever you get 588 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: your podcasts, uh, and so that you don't missing an episode. 589 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 1: Also on this in between days, grab my podcast, the 590 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 1: Ben Ferguson podcasts as well. I'll keep you up to 591 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: down on the latest breaking news and the Senate and 592 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: I will see you back here on Wednesday morning.