Verdict with Ted Cruz - Bonus： Hulk Holgan's Legacy - July 25th, The Sean Hannity Show

00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.

00:00:02.540 Guaranteed human.

00:00:04.500 Coming up next, our final news roundup and information overload hour.

00:00:09.680 All right, news roundup, information overload hour, toll free.

00:00:12.520 Our number is 800-941-SHAWN if you want to be part of the program.

00:00:16.100 Well, in keeping with spreading false lies and peddling conspiracy theories,

00:00:22.460 the left seems fixated on this notion, this idea that the only reason Stephen Colbert got fired

00:00:31.360 is because of Donald Trump. 1.00

00:00:33.740 No, he got fired because his show sucks. 1.00

00:00:37.800 He's not funny. 0.99

00:00:38.740 The audience attrition levels have been massive.

00:00:42.500 He has very, very low viewership.

00:00:45.920 And the worst part is he's losing $40 to $50 million a year.

00:00:50.620 Now, you don't survive in television.

00:00:53.740 I will have completed 30 years on the Fox News Channel as of October, assuming I live that long.

00:01:00.160 And I can tell you that that's the formula, the way it's always been, the way it always will be.

00:01:06.540 He failed.

00:01:07.720 Jimmy Kimmel, similarly, is failing.

00:01:10.440 He's on official cancellation watch.

00:01:13.000 And that would go the same for Jimmy Fallon.

00:01:14.940 And that would go the same for that hard-hitting news show, The View.

00:01:18.780 Their ratings are in the toilet, and I'm sure they're probably losing money, too.

00:01:23.220 So that's what happens in television, like it or not.

00:01:26.960 Now, the question with Colbert is he says that they came to a mutual agreement that his last show will be in May of 26.

00:01:35.560 That's next year.

00:01:36.920 But if he keeps going out there night after night after night, trashing the company that gives him a paycheck that's going to lose $40 or $50 million this year, they may just cancel it sooner.

00:01:50.240 I wouldn't be shocked if it happened by next week.

00:01:53.240 Listen to what he's saying about his new bosses.

00:01:55.200 Wow, hold on.

00:01:57.180 Plus, they're paying his legal fees.

00:01:58.900 $16 was $20, $36.

00:02:00.600 That means by bending the knee, they lost like $40 million this year.

00:02:06.380 Huh.

00:02:06.980 They better watch out.

00:02:08.920 They better watch out.

00:02:11.660 They might get canceled.

00:02:12.600 For purely financial reasons.

00:02:18.440 The present owners are denying that additional $20 million, which I hope is true.

00:02:26.220 Because could you imagine how angry people would be?

00:02:29.440 Last year, Paramount laid off 2,000 employees, then cut another several hundred just last month, firing that many people,

00:02:37.380 and then handing over $36 million to a guy who's putting your neighbors in alligator camps,

00:02:42.600 all because of a lawsuit that your own lawyers said was completely without merit.

00:02:47.140 If that's true, it would make CBS look morally bankrupt.

00:02:51.120 Also bankrupt.

00:02:53.940 Anyway, joining us now, I have no idea why I like this guy.

00:02:57.660 I really don't.

00:02:59.000 You know, on paper, I shouldn't even like him at all.

00:03:01.440 Chris Hahn of the ever-growing Chris Hahn Show, now with a whopping 15 affiliates nationwide.

00:03:08.500 He's the host of the Aggressive Progressive Podcast.

00:03:11.940 You're still on radio stations, right?

00:03:13.420 How many stations now?

00:03:14.560 I mean, I think you're right.

00:03:15.920 I'm 15 or 20, something like that.

00:03:17.760 Mostly in the Northeast.

00:03:19.760 But he's better known as a former aide to one of the angriest people in Washington,

00:03:25.580 who, if he got primaried by AOC, would get clobbered, and that is Senate Minority Leader Chuckie Schumer.

00:03:35.040 You know he'd get clobbered, right?

00:03:36.440 You do understand that.

00:03:37.380 We'll get to that in a minute.

00:03:38.400 So think hard about your answer.

00:03:40.740 We do take on that, I believe.

00:03:43.000 So, you know.

00:03:43.420 So you've been a guest over the years many times on this program,

00:03:46.860 and you know that how TV and radio works, you have your own radio program,

00:03:53.160 and if you have a show and you're being paid money to do that show every day,

00:03:57.940 and your show is losing money for your partners, for your network, or your syndicator,

00:04:03.440 whatever it happens to be, and your ratings are going progressively down because you're not funny

00:04:09.980 and you're supposed to be a comedy show, and people don't watch your show anymore,

00:04:14.560 and you've lost a massive amount of audience.

00:04:17.960 What happens in that scenario?

00:04:20.020 First of all, you would take a hit.

00:04:22.680 I don't know that you could.

00:04:23.300 No.

00:04:24.160 Slow down.

00:04:24.960 Slow down.

00:04:25.580 What happens in television if your ratings sink so drastically and dramatically like Colbert's have?

00:04:33.200 I've never seen a number one show get canceled, and it's the number one show.

00:04:37.960 Ding, ding, ding.

00:04:39.460 No, it's not the number one show.

00:04:42.500 It is.

00:04:42.780 Greg Gutfeld smokes him.

00:04:44.560 Greg Gutfeld's on.

00:04:45.580 He smokes.

00:04:46.200 He is not on at 1130.

00:04:47.800 Okay.

00:04:48.520 So the numbers that he has compared to Letterman and Leno when he inherited the show,

00:04:54.580 he's lost two-thirds of the audience that Letterman formerly had on that show.

00:05:00.160 He's losing $40 to $50 million a year for the network.

00:05:04.740 And guess what?

00:05:05.520 The worst thing you can say about a comic, and I can admit, I'll tell you who's funny.

00:05:09.740 I think Jon Stewart can be very, very funny, bitingly so.

00:05:14.280 The same thing with Bill Maher can be funny.

00:05:16.720 He's very smart.

00:05:18.100 I disagree with a lot of what he says.

00:05:20.080 Both of them have gone after me, and I have actually laughed at what they've said because they're funny.

00:05:26.060 Stephen Colbert is not funny.

00:05:27.920 Well, look, I'm glad that you could take a joke.

00:05:29.840 I wish we all could take jokes.

00:05:31.120 I could take a joke.

00:05:32.180 I mean, come on here.

00:05:32.960 You joke on me.

00:05:35.160 But look, I mean, everyone in broadcast media has lost market share because people don't watch TV the way they used to.

00:05:43.060 They can stream.

00:05:44.060 Is Donald Trump responsible for his firing, or is it low ratings and loss of revenue responsible?

00:05:51.040 I think that it's a combination of the two.

00:05:53.900 If his ratings were high or higher than or as high as it was when David Letterman had the show,

00:06:01.400 and he was making $50 million a year profit for the network, would he have been fired?

00:06:07.100 Of course not, but nobody is doing David Letterman.

00:06:10.200 Okay, well, I hate to tell you, we're doing better than we were doing years ago on the Fox News channel.

00:06:18.700 It's like every year we just keep growing thanks to this great audience that we have.

00:06:24.240 But, you know, have we had down years?

00:06:26.960 Yeah, but nothing that resembles the precipitous decline in audience attrition numbers that he has.

00:06:33.380 Why can't you just acknowledge a simple truth?

00:06:35.700 I think late-night viewing is very, very different than prime-time viewing at this point.

00:06:40.400 People are watching Colbert on YouTube the next day.

00:06:43.380 But why are people tuned out late-night comedy?

00:06:47.380 Why are they tuning out in droves?

00:06:49.760 Well, people's viewing habits have changed.

00:06:52.300 They're going to stay up totally.

00:06:53.060 Wrong.

00:06:53.820 They're not funny.

00:06:55.100 If Johnny Carson were alive or Johnny Carson took over that show, that show would do much better.

00:07:02.080 You agree with that?

00:07:03.080 Or Jay Leno?

00:07:03.880 I am a comic myself.

00:07:06.780 You know this.

00:07:08.060 And I happen to think that Steve-

00:07:10.400 Wait a minute.

00:07:10.900 You're a comic.

00:07:11.380 Now, that's a joke, right?

00:07:12.940 No, I'm an improv comic.

00:07:14.000 Why do you think I did so well on your show all these years?

00:07:16.760 Because I really-

00:07:17.840 Well, you've got to go watch my gig that I did with Jimmy Fallon, Punchlines and Patriots.

00:07:21.520 It's on foxnation.com.

00:07:22.980 And tell me how you think I did.

00:07:24.880 I will take a look, and I will let you know.

00:07:26.540 We sold out Ruth Eckert Hall in Clearwater, Florida, and we had a rip-roaring, fun, fun night.

00:07:32.260 What was the average age of the audience member, like 75, or-?

00:07:36.300 No, we had young people, middle-aged people, older people.

00:07:39.580 We had everybody.

00:07:40.660 Just like the demographics of this show, it's all across the spectrum.

00:07:44.740 My grandmother retired to Clearwater.

00:07:46.520 It's a beautiful beach.

00:07:47.460 I love it.

00:07:47.860 Well, she should have come to my show. 1.00

00:07:49.760 I would have given her a free seat. 0.96

00:07:51.140 And you're a liberal.

00:07:51.860 You love free stuff.

00:07:53.080 She died four years ago.

00:07:54.520 But my mother-

00:07:55.460 All right. 1.00

00:07:56.200 Now you're making me feel like crap. 0.99

00:07:58.140 My mother moved to Clearwater. 1.00

00:07:59.780 Oh, but she died. 0.97

00:08:00.680 I mean, tell me after the fact. 1.00

00:08:01.980 Make me sound like a jerk. 0.98

00:08:03.240 I am genuinely sorry. 0.98

00:08:05.820 I lost my mother a long time ago, too.

00:08:07.580 It sucks. 0.78

00:08:08.500 All right. 0.99

00:08:08.880 Next question.

00:08:10.040 Sean, that was my grandmother at the time.

00:08:11.640 My mother's still very much alive.

00:08:13.180 Oh, your grandmother moved there.

00:08:15.160 Okay, I misunderstood.

00:08:16.420 I'm sorry you lost your grandma.

00:08:19.400 Listen, it's going to be 30 years next March when I lost my father and my mother not long thereafter.

00:08:25.380 It sucks to lose people you love.

00:08:27.220 All right.

00:08:27.420 Let's concede that point.

00:08:29.180 Let's move on.

00:08:30.720 Chuckie Schumer, Kathy Hochul, Hakeem Jeffries, I argue, are deathly afraid of Zoran Mamdani,

00:08:41.860 Marxist Mamdani, as we refer to him on this show.

00:08:44.420 They are afraid to speak out against global antifada.

00:08:49.340 They're afraid to speak out about him wanting government-run grocery stores and that billionaires

00:08:56.460 shouldn't exist and that he wants to raise taxes, especially in wider neighborhoods.

00:09:02.200 Why won't they speak out about those fundamental things?

00:09:04.920 Because I know the answer, and I know you know the answer, but you're not going to tell me the truth

00:09:08.440 because you're a Chuckie Schumer acolyte and disciple.

00:09:12.260 Well, you know there are government-run grocery stores in red states where there are food deserts,

00:09:17.780 and there are food deserts in New York City, and everybody's been talking about having to fix it.

00:09:22.540 And he says, look, I'll subsidize a grocery store in areas where there are food deserts.

00:09:27.860 Okay.

00:09:28.420 I mean, I think that happens.

00:09:29.580 It happens in Florida.

00:09:30.460 Okay, you're missing my overall point, and you're diverting on a purpose, which is what you do,

00:09:35.020 and I'm trying to get you to answer the question.

00:09:37.780 Yeah.

00:09:37.940 You and I know that in real life, deep in his heart, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Kathy Hochul,

00:09:45.180 all of these New York politicians want nothing to do with Mamdani, but they're scared to death to take him on.

00:09:53.260 They're scared to death to call out the squad, you know, squad members, in my view, variantly anti-Semitic.

00:10:00.760 Why?

00:10:01.340 Why are they so afraid of their own radicals in their party?

00:10:05.820 Well, look, first of all, Mamdani hasn't won anything yet.

00:10:08.520 He won a primary.

00:10:10.040 There is still an election to be had.

00:10:12.760 It's right now a four-way race, and in a four-way race, anything can happen.

00:10:16.620 So right now would be the time to speak out if you had moral clarity and courage, wouldn't it?

00:10:21.620 Oh, actually, if you're a big-time politician and you speak out right now,

00:10:25.460 you give more oxygen and more legitimacy to candidates you might want to beat.

00:10:30.800 So if Chuck Schumer says, I can't vote for somebody that won't condemn the global entifada

00:10:35.820 and that wants to tax people based on their race, that's a bad thing for Chuck Schumer to do?

00:10:43.380 Is it okay?

00:10:43.860 Are you okay with his unwillingness to condemn global entifada?

00:10:49.420 Are you okay with his willingness to tax white neighborhoods more than other neighborhoods?

00:10:54.220 Chuck has condemned global entifada.

00:10:55.880 I asked you if you're okay with it.

00:10:58.380 Am I okay with what?

00:10:59.320 Him not a political entifada?

00:11:02.240 You see, all you do is run out the clock.

00:11:04.420 Pay close attention.

00:11:05.420 Keep up.

00:11:05.900 You're a talk show host.

00:11:07.240 Yeah, yeah.

00:11:07.580 Okay, will you speak out against Mamdani yourself?

00:11:13.300 And will you speak out against his refusal to condemn global entifada?

00:11:18.080 And will you speak out against his plan to tax whiter neighborhoods more money?

00:11:23.720 I believe if he does not condemn global entifada, he should not be mayor of New York City.

00:11:31.400 Are you okay with his position to tax people based on their race?

00:11:36.300 Well, he didn't say he was going to tax people based on their race.

00:11:40.140 No, he said he's going to tax the whiter neighborhoods more.

00:11:43.200 The richer, whiter neighborhoods and the property tax issue.

00:11:47.100 Well, is that or is that not taxing people, a factor of which based on race? 0.99

00:11:52.620 That was a very dumb thing to say. 0.85

00:11:56.020 But would you is what would you call it? 0.99

00:11:57.960 There's a word for it, isn't there?

00:11:59.740 Yeah, it is a dog.

00:12:01.920 What is what is the word that I'm thinking of?

00:12:04.060 You're suggesting that it was a racist quote.

00:12:06.760 Well, let me ask you, if a candidate ran and they said they want to tax African-American neighborhoods more or Hispanic neighborhoods more or Asian-American neighborhoods more, would that be racist in your view?

00:12:24.440 Yeah, just as if somebody said, I bet that air traffic...

00:12:27.380 So you're saying, Mom, Donny's policies are racist?

00:12:30.600 I'm saying that selecting things based on race can be racist, like saying that an air traffic controller...

00:12:36.860 I'm not asking if you think it can be.

00:12:38.920 Is his policy as stated racist?

00:12:41.860 No, it's not.

00:12:43.140 He's talking about neighborhoods.

00:12:46.000 It's, you know, it is...

00:12:46.800 Okay, so if you say you're going to tax richer African-American neighborhoods more, would that be racist?

00:12:54.740 Again, if you're talking about the value of the property and not the people who live there, I thought... 0.95

00:13:01.140 Look, I think it's a dumb thing to say. 0.91

00:13:02.820 Is it borderline? 0.99

00:13:03.840 Is it racist?

00:13:04.840 I don't know.

00:13:05.640 I don't think so.

00:13:06.340 You really don't think so?

00:13:07.760 No, I don't think when he said he was going to tax richer, whiter neighborhoods that I didn't... 0.65

00:13:11.580 Would you advise Chuck Schumer to have courage of his convictions and speak out against this guy?

00:13:18.000 Would you advise Kathy Hochul to speak out against this guy?

00:13:21.020 Would you advise Hakeem Jeffries to speak out against this guy?

00:13:24.200 I think they've got to view the landscape of this election and see where it's going.

00:13:28.640 Because I don't think his victory is assured in New York.

00:13:31.660 I think Cuomo can win.

00:13:32.820 I think Sleela can win. 1.00

00:13:34.040 Sleela can win. 0.91

00:13:34.880 I do not believe Adams can win.

00:13:36.260 But I do believe that there's a path for Cuomo and Sleela to get elected here.

00:13:40.340 Quick break.

00:13:40.920 Right back more with Chris Hahn.

00:13:42.620 And on the other side of the break, 800-941-SHAWN.

00:13:46.740 There's a number also.

00:13:47.460 Your call's coming up this Friday as we continue.

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00:14:15.160 Listen to the Honest Talk podcast on iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

00:14:20.380 You know, the old friend Chris Hahn.

00:14:23.040 He is the host of the Impressive Progressive podcast.

00:14:26.780 And he also was a former aide to U.S. New York Senator Chuckie Schumer.

00:14:32.140 How great would it be if Sleela won?

00:14:33.780 That would be awesome.

00:14:35.180 You know, he was my radio partner for many years.

00:14:37.500 And I was the regular Kubi fill-in on Curtis and Kubi in New York.

00:14:41.360 So, I mean.

00:14:42.100 Great.

00:14:42.600 It'd be funny.

00:14:44.300 Think about all.

00:14:44.740 Kubi's hard to fill in for.

00:14:46.120 He's pretty hardcore.

00:14:47.760 I always liked him.

00:14:49.300 Yeah.

00:14:49.600 I mean, Curtis is an easy guy to do radio with.

00:14:51.600 He's funny as hell.

00:14:52.580 Smart as hell.

00:14:53.840 I would feel bad for New York City people who work at Gracie Manchin because he's going

00:14:57.920 to be bringing his hundred cats with him if he moves in there.

00:15:01.280 Yeah.

00:15:01.540 He definitely.

00:15:02.480 I got to get on him about this crazy cat thing.

00:15:04.820 It's not good.

00:15:05.960 That's the only thing I disagree with him on.

00:15:08.500 Anyway, I do appreciate Chris Hahn.

00:15:11.360 Chris, you know deep down in your heart what the right thing is.

00:15:17.720 I'll give you credit for loyalty, but I can't give you credit for, you know, how you defend

00:15:22.260 it.

00:15:23.220 Hey, man, we all got to do what we got to do.

00:15:25.620 It's going to be an interesting election.

00:15:27.020 I do think that I don't think his victory is guaranteed.

00:15:30.400 And I do think he's got to find out Jewish. 0.99

00:15:32.760 He has a problem with Jewish voters in New York City and he better fix it or he can't

00:15:36.080 win.

00:15:36.780 All right.

00:15:37.200 Let's get to our busy phones.

00:15:38.780 Jack is in Long Island, New York.

00:15:41.000 What's up, Jack?

00:15:41.880 How are you?

00:15:42.400 Glad you called, sir.

00:15:44.160 Hi, Sean.

00:15:44.640 Thanks for taking my call.

00:15:45.800 Thank you for calling.

00:15:47.360 What's going on?

00:15:47.820 What part of Long Island are you from?

00:15:49.700 Blue Point.

00:15:50.420 Oh, Blue Point.

00:15:51.100 You know, I lived in Bay Point, Bayport rather, for a while in my life.

00:15:55.060 I saw you in a local restaurant once, but I didn't want to disturb you.

00:15:59.900 But I saw you.

00:16:01.160 By the way, let me let me let me just get this out of the way, because I find this out from

00:16:05.220 people now.

00:16:07.120 People are very, very gracious.

00:16:10.280 Understand, I don't have this microphone without your support.

00:16:14.220 Understand, I don't have that camera at night on the Fox News channel without your support.

00:16:20.900 And people I know are a little hesitant sometimes if they want to come over, get a picture, say

00:16:25.280 hello, whatever. 0.88

00:16:26.600 I am giving everybody except crazy left wing lunatics that hate me permission at any point, 0.92

00:16:34.040 wherever I am, come and say hi, shake hands, take a picture, do whatever you want.

00:16:38.380 But I'm grateful for your support.

00:16:40.600 So let me just clear the air on all of that so nobody feels bad saying hello.

00:16:44.740 I'm very grateful.

00:16:46.300 Thank you so much, Sean.

00:16:47.820 So what's on your mind in Long Island?

00:16:49.920 You know, I grew up in Franklin Square, Long Island.

00:16:51.940 Sean, I've always admired and respected the deference that you show Trump with regard to

00:17:00.100 your friendship.

00:17:00.580 You never abuse your friendship with Trump.

00:17:03.600 And I think that's wonderful.

00:17:05.500 But I'm asking you to use your influence this time to ask President Trump to do the eulogy

00:17:13.840 for Hulk Hogan.

00:17:15.140 I would love to see President Trump do the eulogy, invite Linda McMahon and Dana White.

00:17:23.120 I would only point to the convention.

00:17:26.480 Could you have asked for a more compelling or impassioned speech that Hulk gave to help

00:17:33.420 Trump get over the finish line?

00:17:36.060 Well, Hulk just crossed the finish line.

00:17:39.120 And we need Trump to help Hulk's family heal from what they've gone through.

00:17:45.720 And I would love to see the president do that.

00:17:48.760 I also have a personal circumstance with my son.

00:17:53.320 He was five years old.

00:17:55.240 We're watching Hulk pick a 300 pound guy up and slam him down on the canvas.

00:18:01.340 And my son, he's sitting on my lap and he looks up at me and he goes, hey, dad, do you

00:18:05.680 think you could beat Hulk Hogan?

00:18:07.380 And I look back and forth at the TV and my son and I look at him and I say, yeah, I think

00:18:13.520 I could beat him.

00:18:14.480 And my son looks up at me, five years old, and he goes, I think you could beat him too,

00:18:18.900 dad.

00:18:19.900 My son.

00:18:20.660 That's pretty good.

00:18:21.340 You know what he made?

00:18:23.840 I love when life is fun.

00:18:26.940 We don't talk about this enough.

00:18:28.880 You know, there's so much.

00:18:29.780 We always talk about the bad things.

00:18:31.080 We always talk about the stressful things.

00:18:33.460 You know, what about the moments in life when you're bonding with your five year old son

00:18:38.580 over his love of Hulk Hogan and talking about that?

00:18:42.860 Do you think you can take him?

00:18:43.880 How cool is that?

00:18:44.620 You know, I think back, my son is now 26 years old, but I'll never forget the hours and hours

00:18:51.020 and hours we would spend playing PlayStation.

00:18:54.640 And a lot of people thought it was a bad idea, but I always said, no, it's a great idea because

00:18:59.500 you really had to think to get to the end of Scooby-Doo Night of a Hundred Frights.

00:19:06.340 And for those of you that ever played it, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

00:19:10.120 You got to get Scooby snacks and then you go.

00:19:12.640 It has 13 different layers.

00:19:14.900 It was my four year old son that figured out how to beat the game.

00:19:18.180 And even after he showed me how to beat the game, I still couldn't beat the game, which

00:19:21.760 infuriated me, but in a good way, because I was kind of proud of the fact that he figured

00:19:25.840 it out himself.

00:19:26.600 Um, it's moments like that, you know, people that, that do entertain us, make us laugh,

00:19:33.300 that have a good time.

00:19:35.500 Um, I'm grateful to all of them and they use their talent.

00:19:39.500 In his case, he sacrificed his body to do it.

00:19:42.620 Um, I'm sure it took a toll on, on his health.

00:19:45.600 I have no doubt.

00:19:46.540 I never talked to him about it, but every former professional athlete that I know, especially,

00:19:51.920 you know, if you play any of our gladiator sports, I mean, they're the hockey players,

00:19:55.820 football players, I mean, they're, they get beaten up pretty bad and usually they end

00:20:00.480 up with lifelong injuries and those joints don't work like they did when they were kids

00:20:05.000 and they get knee replacements and hip replacements and shoulder replacements and, and they're out

00:20:10.280 there to entertain all of us.

00:20:11.880 And we love great champions and we love our fighters on the field and on the ring and the

00:20:17.520 rink and, and every other sport.

00:20:19.260 So, um, uh, I, I, I, I have kind of have a rule that I don't ask president Trump for

00:20:27.640 any favors.

00:20:28.200 I, I have to do my job.

00:20:29.860 So I asked for interviews.

00:20:31.180 Well, we are, we are so lucky to have Trump because we were about to go off the cliff and

00:20:37.740 Trump has rescued us from that.

00:20:39.440 And it's amazing how badly they've abused him for 10 years.

00:20:43.080 Now he is not only the most powerful man on earth, he's also the toughest look what he's

00:20:49.340 gone through.

00:20:50.100 And back to the moment with my son, we are our children's protector.

00:20:56.420 And I convinced my son that I'm the strongest daddy in the world, just like you did when

00:21:02.140 your children were babies.

00:21:03.440 And that's our job as their fathers.

00:21:05.960 We have to have fatherhood come back.

00:21:08.960 Fatherhood has to come back.

00:21:10.360 The women are doing great jobs, but we need fatherhood to come back. 1.00

00:21:14.600 And that's...

00:21:14.920 We need fathers and mothers. 0.99

00:21:16.180 We just do.

00:21:17.000 I mean, and I, I couldn't agree with you more.

00:21:19.900 You know, I actually thought that, you know, once my kids graduate college, that most of

00:21:24.880 my job was done, I couldn't have been more wrong.

00:21:27.140 I find that at this stage in their life, and I'm very proud of both of them, my, both my

00:21:32.160 kids and their great kids, and I'm not going to get into what they do, but they're very

00:21:35.720 successful at what they do.

00:21:36.940 And I, I can, and I'm grateful they didn't choose the public arena.

00:21:42.980 I really am.

00:21:44.340 Because I, I wouldn't want them to go through half of what I've gone through.

00:21:47.520 Nevermind, you know, it's, it's a level, a dimension I can't even comprehend what Donald

00:21:52.220 Trump's been through.

00:21:53.740 And, but I'm glad that there are people that go through it.

00:21:56.660 But yeah, I mean, the good news is you go through this period, you know, it's, it's great

00:22:02.520 when kids are toddlers.

00:22:03.540 It's great when they're really young, it's incredible stages.

00:22:06.720 Then you hit this age, I don't know, 13, 14, 15, 16, whatever it is.

00:22:11.440 And then your kids, like the last person they want to hang out with is you.

00:22:15.220 And then they go off to college and then they come home and then guess what?

00:22:18.860 The dream is what's happened in my case, they become your best friend.

00:22:22.140 And I love that part of it, but they'll also, but you're also a parent and you'll give them

00:22:25.900 advice and counsel whether they want it or not.

00:22:28.720 And they roll their eyes when I tell them what it was like when I grew up.

00:22:31.940 But there's, you know, all of it's really special.

00:22:34.140 I'll put it that way.

00:22:35.400 Well, anyway, my friend, I'm going to move on.

00:22:37.420 I could talk to you all day.

00:22:38.680 You're the best.

00:22:39.860 Have a great day.

00:22:41.020 800-941-SHAWN, if you want to be a part of the program.

00:22:45.940 Austin, he's in Missouri.

00:22:48.540 Why did my, I had one aunt that referred to Missouri as Missouri.

00:22:52.820 Missouri?

00:22:53.560 Missouri.

00:22:54.800 To me, it's Missouri.

00:22:55.880 It's always been Missouri.

00:22:57.500 Yeah, we call it misery, but you can call it Missouri.

00:23:00.160 You call it misery?

00:23:02.280 I mean, you got two good senators from there.

00:23:05.080 Yeah.

00:23:05.300 Oh, yeah.

00:23:05.700 No, I know him personally, but it's hot out here.

00:23:07.600 It's miserable.

00:23:08.300 No, but actually, thanks for taking my call.

00:23:11.680 I grew up watching you and Alan Combs back in the day when I was eight years old.

00:23:16.260 You know, I don't know any other eight-year-old watching Alan Combs and Hannity, but no.

00:23:22.500 You know, I'm getting that more and more in my life, and I don't know whether to take that

00:23:25.840 as a compliment or like, man, I got to look in the mirror a little more deeply.

00:23:30.320 I'm getting old.

00:23:31.760 Yeah, I know.

00:23:32.280 You're good.

00:23:32.740 I appreciate your service.

00:23:33.980 You know what the thing is that I love doing what I do, and I don't even think about doing

00:23:40.020 anything else.

00:23:41.380 Linda keeps saying, well, there's all this online chatter.

00:23:44.200 Is Hannity going to run for president?

00:23:45.480 I don't even know where this came from.

00:23:46.840 It didn't come from me.

00:23:48.580 I'll be your first vote.

00:23:50.380 Oh, my goodness.

00:23:51.360 Don't know you're encouraging her.

00:23:53.420 Stop.

00:23:54.260 Don't encourage her.

00:23:55.980 Yeah.

00:23:56.320 Well, and I'll be quick.

00:23:57.660 I know you got other guests, but regarding the Obamagate, I don't see any accountability

00:24:02.020 happening with this.

00:24:03.220 Nothing happened with Hillary, with Fauci.

00:24:06.400 You know, it seems like once you step out of Congress and into the executive branches,

00:24:11.100 you become untouchable.

00:24:12.860 I mean, unless you're a Republican like Trump, you know, the Democratic Party, they seem like

00:24:18.960 they're so powerful that they can get away with literally everything.

00:24:22.120 And I want to know, honestly, Sean, I want to know what your expectations are out of this,

00:24:27.960 because if we continue going down this path with no standards, no accountability, it's

00:24:33.500 going to continue to happen.

00:24:34.320 I am telling you right now, and I do agree with Jonathan Turley, that Brennan and maybe

00:24:41.160 a couple of others, you know, Brennan now is officially lawyered up as he should.

00:24:46.040 But if we don't hold these people accountable for abusing power in these spectacular ways,

00:24:52.740 then we're just going to continue to have more of it.

00:24:55.740 But, you know, what I really want and hope for with the intelligence community and with

00:25:02.240 the FBI, I want they used to be the world's premier law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

00:25:10.020 I want to restore them to their former greatness.

00:25:12.740 And I'm not saying that we haven't had moments, you know, go back to the church committee or

00:25:18.140 go back to J. Edgar Hoover.

00:25:19.800 You know, one of the reasons I've not talked about the MLK files that were released, are

00:25:25.960 you even aware they were released this week?

00:25:28.980 Mm hmm.

00:25:30.080 Yeah.

00:25:30.460 One of the reasons is I don't like how the FBI treated MLK Jr.

00:25:36.960 I think they used many of the same tactics that they used against Donald Trump, illegal

00:25:44.060 wiretapping and spying on him and putting cameras in hotel rooms.

00:25:49.800 And they did get information.

00:25:51.680 And that information is is pretty salacious.

00:25:55.620 And I've known about this for some time, but I'm sorry.

00:25:59.440 I feel like it was gotten in a nefarious way.

00:26:02.920 Therefore, I don't think it's fair to him.

00:26:05.520 His memory, the good work he did in his life.

00:26:08.300 Nobody's perfect.

00:26:09.740 And his family for them to go through that.

00:26:12.340 And I support the family and what they're saying, which is, you know, they didn't want

00:26:19.060 it released.

00:26:19.580 It had to be released.

00:26:20.880 If you have it, you release it.

00:26:22.960 But I agree with them that, you know, considering the circumstances under which some of this material

00:26:28.520 has gotten, I believe, personally, my view, violating his rights, this has to stop or

00:26:34.680 it will continue.

00:26:36.240 Anyway, my friend, God bless you.

00:26:38.160 Get some air, get in the air conditioner while the heat's blazing over there in Missouri

00:26:42.680 today.

00:26:44.080 Back to our phones.

00:26:46.500 Let us go to Jack in South Carolina.

00:26:49.300 What's up, Jack?

00:26:50.040 How are you?

00:26:50.840 Hi.

00:26:51.260 Hi, Sean.

00:26:51.880 You know, I know we all want transparency.

00:26:56.340 I say everybody's begging for it.

00:26:59.280 I go back to Watergate here because that's how old I am.

00:27:03.720 And I've watched Benghazi and Oliver North and you name it.

00:27:08.380 And it's a bunch of grandstanding.

00:27:10.500 It's a bunch of speeches.

00:27:12.160 And the only thing they can do in Congress is do a referral.

00:27:16.500 And now we got Gabbard.

00:27:18.820 God bless her. 1.00

00:27:19.780 And she's she's making all these press conferences about what she's doing is a 1.00

00:27:25.740 referral.

00:27:27.060 Why don't we just stop hyping us up, getting our expectations up, send this stuff to a

00:27:34.920 grand jury and let's hear about the indictments and be done with it.

00:27:39.260 Well, remember, the one person that they actually brought all this to fruition for was all based

00:27:44.120 on, you know, a bunch of lies and and and phony arguments was Donald Trump.

00:27:50.480 So it has come to fruition.

00:27:52.400 Number one.

00:27:52.980 Number two, you're right.

00:27:54.720 They often over promise, under deliver.

00:27:57.680 And you're right.

00:27:58.660 People that have done wrong have gotten away with wrong things.

00:28:01.500 And you're right.

00:28:02.720 Expectations sometimes are set too high.

00:28:04.520 As of right now, we see that they corrupted the intelligence on purpose right now.

00:28:10.480 It was referred to the Department of Justice right now.

00:28:13.920 There's a strike force that has been formed right now.

00:28:16.820 There's a grand conspiracy investigation within the FBI as it relates to the 10 years of Trump.

00:28:22.840 So you're right on every front.

00:28:24.420 And my hope is, is that all the pieces are in place and that this time will be different.

00:28:31.420 I'm not guaranteeing that.

00:28:33.160 As a matter of fact, I'm worried as you are.

00:28:36.000 But, you know, we we we can't we've got to try.

00:28:40.700 I'll go to my favorite one of my favorite scenes in Braveheart.

00:28:44.500 What we've been doing these three years, we got to try.

00:28:48.460 You got to try and we got to try our best.

00:28:51.680 And we have a responsibility to our country and our children and the rule of law and not trying is not an alternative.

00:29:01.260 I got to run, my friend.

00:29:02.620 I do appreciate your call.

00:29:04.260 Every one of you, please.

00:29:05.680 All right.

00:29:05.840 That's going to wrap things up for today.

00:29:07.100 Hannity tonight, nine Eastern on the Fox News channel.

00:29:11.060 The definitive hour on one of the biggest scandals, certainly bigger than Watergate in our lifetime with the release of these declassified documents.

00:29:19.920 We'll check in with Senator Tom Cotton, John Solomon, Greg Jarrett, Kimberly Strassel, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Trey Gowdy, Hugh Hewitt.

00:29:30.020 And thank me.

00:29:30.800 God bless us.

00:29:31.480 The great one.

00:29:32.060 Mark Levin.

00:29:32.980 All happening tonight.

00:29:34.180 Nine Eastern.

00:29:34.820 Set your DVR Fox News.

00:29:36.280 See you tonight.

00:29:36.900 Back here on Monday.

00:29:38.160 Have a great weekend.

00:29:39.240 This is an iHeart Podcast.

00:29:45.820 Guaranteed Human.

Verdict with Ted Cruz - July 26, 2025

Bonus： Hulk Holgan's Legacy - July 25th, The Sean Hannity Show

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