Verdict with Ted Cruz - July 26, 2025


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

Topics
late-night comedy ratings decline election fatherhood
Hosted by
Ted Cruz
Mentioned
Donald Trump Chuck Schumer Chris Hahn Show Stephen Colbert Zoran Mamdani Jack Kathy Hochul Hulk Hogan Sleela Sean David Letterman Johnny Carson Linda McMahon Jimmy Fallon Greg Gutfeld Alan Combs Jay Leno Brennan Cuomo Kubi and 24 more
Obama Admin Caught in a Bombshell LIE about the Russia Hoax plus ALL THE WINS in the One Big Beautiful Bill Dems' Poll Numbers PLUMMET, plus How to Save $1TRILL in Fed Spending & Why We Need to Fix the Tax Laws to Treat Poker Pros Fairly

Episode Stats


Length

29 minutes

Words per minute

175.71

Word count

5,232

Sentence count

511

Harmful content

Misogyny

10

sentences flagged

Toxicity

19

sentences flagged

Hate speech

3

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

On today's show, John Avlon is joined by Chris Hahn, host of the Aggressive Progressive Podcast, to discuss Stephen Colbert's exit from CBS and the implications for the future of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Plus, a look at the growing list of celebs who are on the brink of losing millions of dollars a year.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Toxicity classifications generated with s-nlp/roberta_toxicity_classifier .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
Topics generated with Qwen2.5-3B-Instruct.
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
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.
00:13:50.080 Canadian women are looking for more. 1.00
00:13:52.140 More out of themselves, their businesses, their elected leaders, and the world around them.
00:13:56.280 And that's why we're thrilled to introduce the Honest Talk podcast.
00:14:00.020 I'm Jennifer Stewart.
00:14:01.160 And I'm Catherine Clark.
00:14:02.180 And in this podcast, we interview Canada's most inspiring women.
00:14:06.220 Entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, politicians, and newsmakers.
00:14:09.500 All at different stages of their journey.
00:14:11.960 So, if you're looking to connect, then we hope you'll join us.
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.