Verdict with Ted Cruz - October 08, 2022


The Future of Verdict


Episode Stats

Length

30 minutes

Words per Minute

193.89291

Word Count

5,882

Sentence Count

478

Misogynist Sentences

13

Hate Speech Sentences

3


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:00:02.560 Guaranteed human.
00:00:04.620 We are 32 days out from the midterm elections.
00:00:08.260 We are in the middle of a 17-state,
00:00:11.180 month-long campaign bus tour.
00:00:13.940 And we are coming to you from sunny Las Vegas.
00:00:16.960 This is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
00:00:24.760 This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz
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00:01:31.920 Welcome back to Verdict with Ted Cruz.
00:01:33.940 I'm Michael Knowles.
00:01:34.860 Senator, excellent to see you in person.
00:01:37.180 You are looking very good and awake and energetic
00:01:40.520 for having been on a 17-state bus tour.
00:01:43.180 Well, I'm having a blast.
00:01:46.020 So we're on day seven of the bus tour.
00:01:48.360 We started in Texas, Tomball, Texas, which is just north of Houston.
00:01:52.700 Did a big rally with Wesley Hunt,
00:01:54.820 who's going to be a new congressman,
00:01:56.180 a Republican elected from there,
00:01:58.160 West Point graduate, African-American,
00:02:00.560 football player at West Point, great guy.
00:02:03.160 We went from there down to the Rio Grande Valley.
00:02:05.600 We did three rallies down in the Rio Grande Valley
00:02:07.900 with three congressional candidates.
00:02:09.660 We did rallies in McAllen, Harlingen, and Laredo.
00:02:13.280 All three congressional candidates,
00:02:15.040 all Republicans, all Hispanic women.
00:02:17.440 I think all three are going to win.
00:02:19.280 Huge packed out rallies down in South Texas.
00:02:21.720 We went from there to New Mexico,
00:02:23.860 did a big rally in New Mexico.
00:02:25.720 We went from New Mexico to Arizona,
00:02:27.760 did two rallies in Arizona.
00:02:29.420 Seemed to sort of light up the internet.
00:02:31.600 You know, I've seen bits and pieces from the tour,
00:02:33.760 but your appearance in Arizona really seemed to explode.
00:02:37.280 Very exciting candidates in Arizona.
00:02:38.840 It was fantastic.
00:02:40.460 So we did, in New Mexico,
00:02:41.700 we were with Yvette Harrell,
00:02:42.900 who's running for re-election.
00:02:44.000 She's fantastic in New Mexico.
00:02:45.940 In Arizona, we were with Eli Crane,
00:02:48.860 who's a Navy SEAL.
00:02:50.180 The guy's a badass, smart, principled.
00:02:53.320 He's a warrior.
00:02:54.420 He's going to win, defeat a Democrat.
00:02:56.020 And then we did a rally with both Blake Masters
00:02:57.940 and Carrie Lake.
00:02:59.740 And I got to say, that lit it up.
00:03:01.660 She's going to be the next governor.
00:03:03.280 And I think Masters has a real shot
00:03:05.160 at winning that Senate race.
00:03:06.180 And it was, those events were packed.
00:03:09.180 And now we're here in Las Vegas.
00:03:11.120 We're doing a rally here tonight
00:03:12.440 with Mark Robertson and Sam Peters,
00:03:16.840 both running for the House here.
00:03:18.320 Both have a real shot to beat Democrats
00:03:20.400 and get elected.
00:03:22.100 After Nevada, we go to Utah.
00:03:24.420 Then we go to Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio,
00:03:30.380 Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina,
00:03:34.100 Tennessee, Georgia, Florida,
00:03:37.180 back up to Michigan, back up to Wisconsin.
00:03:39.500 And we close it out in Texas
00:03:41.340 the day before the election.
00:03:42.520 I'm exhausted just hearing that schedule.
00:03:44.580 That's outrageous.
00:03:45.200 And I do know we've been on the road together
00:03:46.800 many, many times.
00:03:47.760 I do know whatever stop you're at,
00:03:51.100 whatever the event is,
00:03:51.920 whether it's a verdict live tour, wherever,
00:03:53.220 you are never the one to say,
00:03:55.320 okay, we've all got to go home.
00:03:56.440 I'm too tired, guys.
00:03:57.400 You stay up very, very late.
00:03:59.380 You keep on going.
00:04:01.060 Well, as long as you feed me
00:04:02.440 with scotch and cigars,
00:04:03.440 I'm happy to go as long as you like.
00:04:05.320 And I have to note a couple of milestones.
00:04:07.740 Number one, this is your first time in Vegas.
00:04:10.380 This is my, shockingly,
00:04:11.880 I love gambling.
00:04:13.640 I love, you know,
00:04:14.740 staying out late and getting up to no good.
00:04:17.000 This is my very first time.
00:04:18.240 And I didn't realize they have slot machines
00:04:19.720 in the airport.
00:04:20.600 Oh, yeah.
00:04:21.320 And by the way,
00:04:22.240 we are filming,
00:04:23.160 this studio is unique,
00:04:24.380 that we are filming in a studio
00:04:25.740 where I guess they train showgirls.
00:04:27.980 Like, I know I went to the restroom.
00:04:29.360 That's why it looks familiar.
00:04:30.440 Yeah.
00:04:30.660 Okay.
00:04:31.040 But like, there's, you know,
00:04:32.520 there's mirrors all along the walls.
00:04:34.660 And, you know,
00:04:35.480 I kind of feel like
00:04:36.160 we ought to be wearing sparklies or something.
00:04:37.860 Well, that could be,
00:04:39.020 I guess that's a thought
00:04:40.140 for the next stage of verdict.
00:04:42.820 And actually,
00:04:43.640 speaking of the next phase of verdict,
00:04:46.060 there is huge news that's come in.
00:04:50.340 And it's come in very, very recently.
00:04:52.200 And it's part of the reason
00:04:53.260 that I wanted to fly out here.
00:04:55.680 It's really, really good news.
00:04:57.680 And it's a little bit of bad news.
00:04:59.420 But I think we should let the audience in on it.
00:05:01.140 So here's the really, really good news
00:05:02.880 about verdict has been a bootstrapped operation
00:05:06.500 from the very beginning,
00:05:08.340 starting in a basement in D.C.,
00:05:10.600 you know,
00:05:11.340 not on one of the major outlets
00:05:13.860 or a major podcast or radio network
00:05:15.880 and just really bootstrapped and fun
00:05:18.180 and largely independent.
00:05:20.000 So an offer has come in
00:05:21.360 from iHeartRadio
00:05:22.720 to take this show
00:05:24.680 to a huge national audience.
00:05:28.320 It's already, obviously,
00:05:29.160 at a national audience on podcast,
00:05:31.000 but on radio stations,
00:05:33.160 on terrestrial radio,
00:05:34.100 iHeart has a gigantic network.
00:05:36.520 iHeart can fund the whole thing,
00:05:38.580 fund production,
00:05:39.840 dump a whole bunch of money into marketing.
00:05:41.920 This is incredible.
00:05:42.800 It will make this show sustainable,
00:05:44.860 not just for the next few months
00:05:46.820 going into the midterms,
00:05:48.480 but for the next years.
00:05:51.380 The only bad news is
00:05:52.880 from the very beginning,
00:05:55.540 as much as I, you know,
00:05:57.760 love this show,
00:05:59.120 it's been my moonlighting job
00:06:00.580 because my day job is over there
00:06:02.100 at The Daily Wire
00:06:02.820 and I've been very graciously
00:06:04.560 loaned out by The Daily Wire
00:06:06.580 to do this show.
00:06:08.180 And because The Daily Wire
00:06:09.140 is a different podcast network
00:06:11.320 and because I have a radio show
00:06:13.680 on a different radio network,
00:06:15.220 if Verdict is to move
00:06:16.740 into this next very sustainable,
00:06:19.500 exciting, energetic phase,
00:06:21.080 it will have to be
00:06:22.360 without me as part of it.
00:06:24.620 I certainly will be coming back around,
00:06:27.360 maybe coming to a live event,
00:06:28.880 coming around as a guest,
00:06:29.820 but I think it is very,
00:06:32.060 very important
00:06:32.560 that this show remain sustainable.
00:06:35.160 This show has never been about me.
00:06:36.920 It is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
00:06:38.640 It's been an amazing ride.
00:06:40.720 We took it to number one
00:06:42.000 of all the podcasts.
00:06:43.440 Ted Cruz became a bigger podcaster
00:06:45.020 than Joe Rogan
00:06:45.940 and stayed there
00:06:47.020 for a actually pretty decent period of time.
00:06:49.860 And so I am really very excited
00:06:52.520 for this next phase with iHeart.
00:06:55.000 And there's a great broadcaster
00:06:56.840 from iHeart
00:06:57.500 who's been in the business forever,
00:06:59.720 who's been a friend of mine
00:07:00.680 for many, many years,
00:07:01.740 who is going to come on
00:07:02.760 and fill this seat,
00:07:04.120 and that would be Ben Ferguson.
00:07:06.340 Should we bring Ben on?
00:07:07.700 Ben, can you come out here?
00:07:09.120 All right.
00:07:11.740 How are you, sir?
00:07:12.460 Welcome.
00:07:13.120 Good to see you, Mr. Ferguson.
00:07:14.460 How are you?
00:07:15.060 Two guys that usually get to hang out
00:07:16.680 in Tennessee all the way in Vegas.
00:07:18.480 Welcome to your maiden voyage,
00:07:20.220 as they say.
00:07:20.660 It is a little strange, you know,
00:07:22.240 to have a senator from Texas,
00:07:24.500 a broadcaster from Texas,
00:07:26.240 a broadcaster from Tennessee,
00:07:28.360 who only ever sees you in Tennessee.
00:07:30.140 In Tennessee.
00:07:30.340 And for some reason,
00:07:31.080 we're in Nevada.
00:07:33.140 It's a strange world of politics
00:07:34.740 and bus tours.
00:07:35.680 That's right.
00:07:36.200 So, now, the last time, Ben,
00:07:37.540 that I saw you,
00:07:38.780 it's a little blurry, actually.
00:07:41.180 It was about one in the morning.
00:07:42.960 There were cigars involved.
00:07:44.020 There were cigars.
00:07:45.080 Angry liberals.
00:07:46.020 Maybe a few Coca-Colas.
00:07:46.800 Angry liberals and Politicon,
00:07:48.720 if I remember correctly.
00:07:49.540 Yes.
00:07:49.660 We were at some honky-tonk
00:07:51.260 down there in Nashville.
00:07:53.200 But since then,
00:07:54.540 and for the handful of people out there
00:07:56.500 who might not know who you are,
00:07:57.940 what have you been up to?
00:07:59.080 So, I've been hosting my radio show,
00:08:01.820 syndicated show, podcast,
00:08:03.500 and raising three boys.
00:08:05.720 That's what I say.
00:08:07.040 I shouldn't say it that way.
00:08:07.920 I'll get in trouble with the wife.
00:08:09.120 She's doing the majority of it,
00:08:10.560 and I'm paying some bills.
00:08:11.780 Is that a better way of putting it?
00:08:12.820 That's good.
00:08:13.320 And, yeah, so, I mean,
00:08:14.560 Ben, I don't know why that's the case.
00:08:16.120 I raise my daughters all on my own.
00:08:17.800 He has nothing to do with it.
00:08:19.760 That's a man that has decades right there
00:08:21.600 of experience.
00:08:22.480 He knows how to pull that off.
00:08:23.260 You've got to understand,
00:08:24.280 I'm in real trouble
00:08:25.200 because Heidi listens to this podcast.
00:08:27.520 So, that statement,
00:08:29.380 my phone is going to ring
00:08:30.940 while she's listening to it.
00:08:33.140 I already know how much
00:08:33.980 that bill's going to cost
00:08:34.880 and where you're going to end up
00:08:35.720 taking it here in Houston.
00:08:36.800 That's just, that's going to hurt.
00:08:38.600 Yeah.
00:08:38.920 That's going to be worse
00:08:39.580 than losing at the roulette table this week.
00:08:41.500 I can promise you that.
00:08:43.280 So, yeah, so I've just been doing that
00:08:44.820 and doing a little more TV
00:08:46.140 and getting to hang out with this guy.
00:08:47.320 So, it's been good.
00:08:48.200 This is very exciting news
00:08:49.260 also because you guys both live
00:08:51.280 in the same town.
00:08:52.100 Yeah.
00:08:52.400 You live in Houston.
00:08:53.640 So, you know, I mean,
00:08:55.280 obviously this deal came up
00:08:56.900 relatively quickly.
00:08:58.000 We're heading right
00:08:59.040 into the midterm elections.
00:09:00.200 So, we wanted to make sure
00:09:01.300 that this kind of,
00:09:02.600 the ink could dry,
00:09:03.880 you know, as quickly as possible.
00:09:05.100 Well, this thing for the podcast
00:09:06.540 is just a big damn deal.
00:09:09.300 Yeah.
00:09:09.920 iHeart Radio is a monster.
00:09:11.460 It's got 850 stations
00:09:13.140 across the country.
00:09:14.660 And so, this was something,
00:09:16.120 this was not something
00:09:16.940 we were out looking for,
00:09:18.540 but they came
00:09:19.600 and they saw
00:09:20.960 what was happening
00:09:21.540 on this podcast.
00:09:22.440 They saw the work
00:09:23.360 and the incredible viewers
00:09:25.180 and fans
00:09:25.800 and engaged viewers
00:09:28.500 we have all over the country.
00:09:29.540 And they said,
00:09:30.240 listen, we want to take
00:09:31.220 this podcast
00:09:31.880 to the next level.
00:09:33.320 We want to reach,
00:09:34.860 we want to promote it
00:09:35.640 across our 850 stations.
00:09:38.820 We want to promote it
00:09:39.440 across our podcasts.
00:09:40.640 And listen, iHeart
00:09:41.360 is the network
00:09:42.480 that work and built
00:09:44.500 with Rush Limbaugh
00:09:46.100 and helped him build
00:09:47.940 into the greatest ever
00:09:49.260 and that works with folks
00:09:51.560 like Hannity and Glenn Beck
00:09:53.820 and Clay and Buck
00:09:55.340 and Jesse Kelly.
00:09:56.500 You know, there's a coincidence,
00:09:58.020 actually,
00:09:58.640 right before my show
00:10:00.680 became syndicated
00:10:01.600 to Terrestrial Radio
00:10:02.760 Nationwide.
00:10:03.940 I got one last
00:10:05.280 little opportunity
00:10:06.360 to be on a different
00:10:07.540 radio network
00:10:08.120 and it was when
00:10:09.080 the president of iHeart
00:10:10.080 called me,
00:10:10.960 it was in the last days
00:10:11.940 of Rush Limbaugh's show,
00:10:13.320 said, Michael,
00:10:13.920 would you like to host
00:10:14.780 Rush's show?
00:10:15.520 I said, oh my gosh,
00:10:16.560 this is a dream come true.
00:10:17.880 I would love to.
00:10:19.100 I said, I've got this
00:10:19.820 other radio contract
00:10:20.740 that's about to be inked
00:10:21.780 in like three days,
00:10:22.640 but yes, that would be
00:10:23.300 just the greatest thing
00:10:24.580 in the world.
00:10:25.040 And so I note
00:10:25.540 the reach of iHeart
00:10:26.520 is just phenomenal.
00:10:29.440 It's going to be fun
00:10:30.540 and I think you talked
00:10:31.720 about it being a big deal.
00:10:33.260 I think getting to expand
00:10:34.720 it to three days a week,
00:10:36.040 getting to talk
00:10:37.040 more breaking news
00:10:38.060 and having people
00:10:39.920 not have to wait
00:10:40.740 once a week to get it
00:10:42.100 and you wonder
00:10:42.780 if it's, you know,
00:10:43.440 was it dated
00:10:44.040 and when was it done?
00:10:44.820 I mean, we're going
00:10:45.180 to be able to break news,
00:10:46.680 talk about breaking news
00:10:47.960 and give people
00:10:49.260 your point of view
00:10:50.720 instantly.
00:10:52.280 And I think
00:10:52.800 that's so important.
00:10:53.680 Now, people are hungry
00:10:54.380 for that.
00:10:54.860 I mean, you've seen it,
00:10:55.560 whether it's your podcast
00:10:56.580 or mine or radio.
00:10:58.320 I mean, people want
00:10:59.140 to go around
00:10:59.840 the mainstream media
00:11:00.780 to the people they trust.
00:11:02.640 And there's a lot
00:11:03.580 of Americans
00:11:04.140 that are going
00:11:04.740 to be introduced,
00:11:05.420 I think,
00:11:05.780 because they're going
00:11:06.200 to hear this promotion.
00:11:07.980 Oh, Ted's got this podcast.
00:11:09.480 I'm in.
00:11:10.080 I want to hear this
00:11:11.000 on a regular basis
00:11:11.600 and make it a part
00:11:13.020 of their day.
00:11:13.700 And I'm excited
00:11:14.880 to get to expand
00:11:16.360 that with you
00:11:16.820 and reach more people.
00:11:18.600 And hopefully,
00:11:19.740 ultimately,
00:11:20.300 which is what you and I,
00:11:21.480 we started.
00:11:22.020 We talked about this
00:11:22.620 in Nashville.
00:11:23.620 You and I do this
00:11:24.420 because we want
00:11:24.840 to change hearts and minds.
00:11:25.860 You do what you do
00:11:27.440 for the same exact reason.
00:11:29.580 And the more people
00:11:30.480 we can have listened
00:11:31.280 to what we believe in,
00:11:32.320 why we believe in it,
00:11:33.540 why it makes sense logically,
00:11:35.360 it's been my life goal.
00:11:36.460 My mission field
00:11:37.060 is politics.
00:11:37.920 I've said that for years.
00:11:38.900 I started when I was 12,
00:11:39.880 as you know,
00:11:40.900 and started in TV,
00:11:42.660 Bill O'Reilly,
00:11:43.240 when I was 17.
00:11:44.580 And that's my mission field.
00:11:46.280 And I look at
00:11:47.500 where we're going
00:11:48.000 as a country.
00:11:48.780 I mentioned earlier,
00:11:49.480 I've got twin boys
00:11:50.240 that are three
00:11:50.640 and I've got a six-year-old.
00:11:51.960 And I'm terrified
00:11:52.640 of where we're headed.
00:11:53.760 And that's kind of
00:11:54.700 given me my second wind
00:11:55.900 in my career,
00:11:56.500 I think,
00:11:56.800 to say,
00:11:57.180 okay,
00:11:58.040 are we going to leave
00:11:59.380 this place better
00:12:00.120 than it was
00:12:00.760 when I got to grow up?
00:12:01.880 And right now,
00:12:02.360 it's not, right?
00:12:03.160 If you looked at the clock
00:12:04.280 and you look at the issues
00:12:05.340 and you look at what's happening,
00:12:06.720 but there's also things
00:12:07.420 that are exciting
00:12:07.940 that's happening.
00:12:08.560 And that is,
00:12:08.980 you're seeing parents
00:12:10.500 that are getting involved
00:12:11.060 in their school boards.
00:12:12.160 You see police officers
00:12:13.980 are now getting
00:12:14.600 the backing again
00:12:15.640 from society
00:12:16.420 with crime
00:12:17.360 that's out of control.
00:12:18.140 You have people
00:12:19.020 that are starting
00:12:19.560 to understand
00:12:20.360 like this deficit
00:12:21.580 that we have right now
00:12:22.380 is a massive problem.
00:12:24.740 And you see people
00:12:25.860 dealing with inflation,
00:12:26.860 the highest in our lifetime.
00:12:28.160 And so these are,
00:12:29.380 I think,
00:12:29.520 a pallet of issues
00:12:30.540 that if we can hear
00:12:31.660 from the senator
00:12:32.260 more often,
00:12:34.080 it's going to change
00:12:34.920 more hearts and minds.
00:12:35.980 And so that's why
00:12:36.500 I'm super excited
00:12:37.260 to get to partner
00:12:38.820 with you and do this
00:12:39.580 and to keep the torch going
00:12:41.120 that you guys started.
00:12:42.380 Because when you started
00:12:43.100 during impeachment,
00:12:43.840 it was unbelievable.
00:12:44.980 And you guys,
00:12:45.880 I don't know
00:12:46.280 if everyone knows this,
00:12:47.480 but the story
00:12:48.120 of how y'all started this
00:12:49.040 and at what time of night
00:12:50.600 you started it.
00:12:51.560 Like when you said
00:12:52.140 you were moonlighting,
00:12:52.880 you weren't lying earlier.
00:12:54.740 During the first impeachment,
00:12:56.340 right?
00:12:56.520 We got to clarify
00:12:57.780 which impeachment
00:12:58.660 we're talking about.
00:12:59.980 But when you guys
00:13:00.860 started this
00:13:01.540 and I remember listening
00:13:02.760 and thinking,
00:13:04.500 this is something
00:13:05.840 that's missing
00:13:06.440 from the market.
00:13:07.260 And that was a conversation
00:13:08.760 that was missing.
00:13:10.020 And being obviously
00:13:11.360 a fan of yours,
00:13:12.200 I remember the first time
00:13:13.220 I ever had you on my show
00:13:14.140 when I was hosting in Dallas
00:13:15.280 when you were running
00:13:16.400 the impossible campaign
00:13:17.800 against the richest guy,
00:13:20.200 the do-hurt.
00:13:20.760 You can't touch him.
00:13:22.380 You can't, you know,
00:13:23.000 this is an election
00:13:24.200 that's already tied up.
00:13:25.200 It's done.
00:13:25.800 And you came out of nowhere
00:13:27.160 and proved all the experts wrong.
00:13:31.740 And that's, you know,
00:13:32.740 from that moment on
00:13:33.500 I was hooked.
00:13:35.200 Well, I will say this,
00:13:37.160 it's interesting
00:13:37.760 that you use the phrase
00:13:38.860 hearts and minds.
00:13:39.900 As both of you guys know,
00:13:41.320 I'm obsessed
00:13:42.260 with what we got to do
00:13:43.780 as conservatives
00:13:44.360 is we have to connect
00:13:45.420 with people's hearts
00:13:46.080 and minds.
00:13:46.980 We've got to reach
00:13:47.960 beyond the people
00:13:49.160 watching Fox News.
00:13:50.340 We've got to reach young people.
00:13:51.380 We've got to reach Hispanics
00:13:52.380 and African Americans
00:13:53.240 and suburban moms.
00:13:54.940 And it has been amazing.
00:13:57.320 You know, looking back,
00:13:58.200 it's been two and a half years
00:13:59.180 since we started this podcast.
00:14:00.960 We started it,
00:14:01.980 as you just noted, Ben,
00:14:02.980 it was on the very first day
00:14:04.260 of the first impeachment trial.
00:14:06.440 We're on the Senate floor
00:14:07.960 till midnight,
00:14:09.320 one in the morning,
00:14:10.040 jumped in a truck
00:14:10.700 and headed over
00:14:11.260 to a basement studio.
00:14:13.320 It was dingy.
00:14:14.500 I think we had
00:14:15.080 this same crappy carpet.
00:14:17.360 That's right.
00:14:18.580 And it just started
00:14:20.280 like walking off
00:14:21.200 the Senate floor.
00:14:21.980 Let's talk about it.
00:14:22.920 And it went
00:14:24.060 from a standing start
00:14:26.340 with zero viewers,
00:14:27.700 zero downloads
00:14:28.660 to within days,
00:14:32.220 we shot to the top
00:14:33.700 of the charts.
00:14:34.360 And I remember
00:14:34.920 that first night.
00:14:36.500 We're sitting down there.
00:14:37.680 I've never done a podcast.
00:14:38.920 We didn't know how to do this.
00:14:39.880 And we're talking about it.
00:14:40.880 And we were talking about
00:14:41.980 what would success look like?
00:14:44.300 And we talked about,
00:14:45.180 OK, if we could break
00:14:46.100 into the top hundred.
00:14:47.260 Yeah, that's spectacular.
00:14:49.240 By the way,
00:14:50.060 to this day,
00:14:50.740 still an amazing accomplishment
00:14:52.120 if you even get there.
00:14:53.520 Yeah, yeah,
00:14:53.980 that that would have
00:14:54.740 I think we were speaking
00:14:55.740 not even realistically.
00:14:57.340 We were thinking
00:14:58.400 that's actually
00:14:59.360 that would be
00:14:59.760 an ambitious goal.
00:15:01.000 Yep.
00:15:01.620 And then what was it?
00:15:02.300 Four days later.
00:15:03.100 And then we like boom
00:15:04.300 into the top hundred
00:15:05.100 and then we're in the top ten
00:15:06.320 and then we climb ten,
00:15:07.460 nine, eight, four, three.
00:15:09.480 We're sitting there going,
00:15:10.000 holy crap,
00:15:10.560 could you imagine
00:15:11.200 if we get
00:15:11.800 and then boom,
00:15:13.060 number one
00:15:13.620 as we kick Joe Rogan
00:15:14.620 out of the out of the spot.
00:15:15.700 I mean, it was
00:15:16.240 it was crazy.
00:15:18.260 Yeah.
00:15:18.920 And we've done now
00:15:19.940 we've done 145 shows.
00:15:22.420 We've had over 50 million downloads
00:15:25.220 of this podcast.
00:15:26.740 And every single week
00:15:28.760 we beat CNN's morning show.
00:15:30.780 Right.
00:15:31.220 And so that has been
00:15:32.400 that's always been the mission
00:15:33.520 of a bonus structure, right?
00:15:34.560 That's what you get
00:15:35.100 is your bonus structure.
00:15:35.920 You get to meet CNN every week.
00:15:38.280 That'll make you wake up
00:15:39.400 and do the show.
00:15:40.120 That's right.
00:15:40.800 But but now with with
00:15:42.660 with I heart stepping in
00:15:44.280 to distribute and promote.
00:15:45.880 Yeah.
00:15:46.220 The reach is going to be
00:15:47.520 that much broader.
00:15:48.560 And I think that's really exciting
00:15:49.800 because this was always about
00:15:51.020 really equipping our listeners.
00:15:53.540 If you're going to battle
00:15:55.020 to save the country,
00:15:56.180 if you're going to take on
00:15:57.580 the cultural Marxist,
00:15:59.580 if you're going to take on
00:16:00.480 the socialist and the people
00:16:01.800 coming at everything
00:16:04.960 that built America,
00:16:05.800 you need the tools,
00:16:06.840 you need the information,
00:16:07.800 you need to know
00:16:08.340 what's going on.
00:16:09.880 And the vision of this podcast
00:16:11.540 was always we're going to give you
00:16:13.620 as much of those tools as possible
00:16:15.780 so that you're prepared
00:16:17.480 and you know the inside story.
00:16:20.260 And and so I couldn't be more excited
00:16:22.120 about this next step.
00:16:23.220 It is sad.
00:16:25.080 You know, Michael,
00:16:25.840 you and I didn't know each other
00:16:26.640 very well when we started.
00:16:27.580 That's right.
00:16:28.800 We have become very close friends.
00:16:31.620 We are remaining very close friends.
00:16:34.380 You know, I will note,
00:16:35.340 you know, when you started,
00:16:36.340 you were, you know,
00:16:37.120 an uptight young whippersnapper.
00:16:39.720 Yeah.
00:16:40.600 And for the 145th podcast,
00:16:43.020 I'll just say right now.
00:16:44.420 You're in Vegas.
00:16:45.380 We're in Vegas.
00:16:46.960 And for the first time ever,
00:16:49.020 Michael Knowles is not wearing socks.
00:16:50.680 So he's loosened up.
00:16:52.320 You got some skin.
00:16:54.340 Yeah.
00:16:54.620 And I will tell you,
00:16:55.980 so when we cut,
00:16:56.860 when Ben was walking out of here,
00:16:58.040 we cut the camera scene.
00:16:59.020 And I will tell you,
00:16:59.960 Michael was adjusting his,
00:17:01.220 adjusting his microphone.
00:17:04.000 And he proceeded to undo his belt.
00:17:05.860 And I'm like,
00:17:06.320 Michael, Ben's coming.
00:17:07.340 Do not drop your pants
00:17:08.700 when Ben,
00:17:09.280 the first time he walks
00:17:10.180 onto the podcast set.
00:17:11.360 I was told this is Las Vegas.
00:17:12.980 I was told what happens in Vegas.
00:17:15.400 I know that was okay.
00:17:17.100 You're right.
00:17:18.020 No, it's true.
00:17:18.900 I have now loosened up,
00:17:20.200 apparently to the point
00:17:21.260 of political scandal.
00:17:22.200 But it has been really,
00:17:24.140 I mean,
00:17:24.520 the show,
00:17:25.420 to your point,
00:17:26.400 has really grown
00:17:27.520 and it's loosened
00:17:29.220 and it's changed
00:17:30.320 and we've gone on the road
00:17:31.600 and we've done
00:17:32.040 all these great things.
00:17:33.020 And it's so important, too,
00:17:34.640 to continue to hit
00:17:36.020 new and new audiences.
00:17:37.860 And so,
00:17:38.400 you know,
00:17:38.800 we've cultivated this
00:17:39.940 really, really large,
00:17:41.140 wonderful group of listeners
00:17:42.580 and now moving over to,
00:17:44.760 with the show moving over
00:17:45.480 to a different platform,
00:17:46.640 that's going to give us
00:17:47.280 new listeners.
00:17:47.960 With the show moving
00:17:48.800 to terrestrial radio,
00:17:50.080 in some cases,
00:17:51.060 that's going to give you
00:17:51.640 an entirely new demographic.
00:17:52.780 And Michael,
00:17:53.660 I'll make a promise
00:17:54.580 to you right now
00:17:55.600 that even though
00:17:57.040 neither Ben nor I went there,
00:17:58.660 we will continue
00:17:59.500 to make fun of Yale.
00:18:00.400 I'm really pleased.
00:18:01.620 That's not going to end.
00:18:02.960 That's going to be
00:18:03.540 a consistency.
00:18:04.900 That's part of my bonus structure
00:18:06.780 they gave me,
00:18:07.420 was that I get to make fun
00:18:08.500 of Yale on a regular basis.
00:18:10.420 The first time I ever went,
00:18:11.500 I went to Harvard Kennedy School
00:18:12.720 right after the 04 election
00:18:14.160 and I walked up,
00:18:15.660 they asked me to speak
00:18:16.360 and I worked on the Bush campaign
00:18:17.720 and they were doing
00:18:18.580 a retrospective of that campaign.
00:18:20.080 I walked up there.
00:18:21.240 It's a big room of people
00:18:22.700 and I walked up.
00:18:23.560 I was younger
00:18:23.980 and I just didn't say anything.
00:18:25.860 And the room was just
00:18:26.740 kind of quiet
00:18:27.400 and I didn't say anything,
00:18:29.300 just kind of looked around
00:18:30.100 and got to the point
00:18:31.220 where on purpose
00:18:31.880 it was a little awkward
00:18:32.740 and I leaned down
00:18:33.380 and I was like,
00:18:33.940 just want to savor the moment.
00:18:35.160 There's no chance in hell
00:18:36.160 I could have gotten
00:18:36.740 into this place
00:18:37.460 and now you're paying me to speak.
00:18:39.420 And the room died laughing.
00:18:41.500 I was like,
00:18:42.180 I may never get to come back,
00:18:43.640 but I'm going to enjoy
00:18:44.340 this moment right here,
00:18:45.760 right now,
00:18:46.860 where the Ivy Leaguers,
00:18:48.060 joke's on you
00:18:49.080 and I got paid.
00:18:50.700 That is magnificent.
00:18:53.160 It was fun.
00:18:53.840 Well, you know,
00:18:54.880 to this point,
00:18:55.460 before we go,
00:18:56.200 I mean,
00:18:56.400 before we sort of
00:18:57.200 let people go
00:18:57.720 and there will be
00:18:58.040 a whole new phase of verdict,
00:18:59.360 I do have to ask you guys,
00:19:01.260 we've got a United States senator here
00:19:02.840 been on the campaign trail constantly.
00:19:04.480 We've got a lecturer
00:19:05.320 at Harvard Kennedy School,
00:19:06.500 for goodness sakes.
00:19:07.260 Put it on the resume, right?
00:19:08.260 That's right.
00:19:09.540 Where do we stand
00:19:10.820 32 days out
00:19:12.120 from the elections?
00:19:14.300 I still think
00:19:15.460 it's going to be
00:19:15.880 an historic election.
00:19:16.760 I think we're going
00:19:17.100 to retake the Senate.
00:19:17.960 I think we're going
00:19:18.280 to retake the House.
00:19:19.500 But you still think
00:19:20.320 we're going to retake the Senate?
00:19:22.400 I put the odds
00:19:23.460 of the House
00:19:23.920 at north of 90%,
00:19:25.100 and I think there's
00:19:25.680 a real chance
00:19:26.280 we have a big majority
00:19:27.220 in the House,
00:19:27.820 30, 40, 50 seats.
00:19:30.500 The Senate,
00:19:31.500 I'd put the odds
00:19:32.300 at about 65, 35.
00:19:34.760 It's not a great map,
00:19:35.940 and if I were to predict
00:19:37.440 my prediction right now
00:19:38.680 is we end up
00:19:39.160 with 53 Republicans.
00:19:40.780 Okay.
00:19:41.420 Because previously
00:19:42.220 you had said 60, 40.
00:19:43.820 I've gone back and forth
00:19:44.920 between 60, 40 and 65, 35.
00:19:47.140 A month ago,
00:19:48.380 two months ago
00:19:49.060 I was at 65, 35.
00:19:50.540 A month ago
00:19:50.960 I was at 60, 40
00:19:51.900 and I'm back to 65, 35.
00:19:53.760 So it did turn
00:19:55.900 a little bit south
00:19:57.120 about a month ago
00:19:58.160 and I think
00:19:58.640 the momentum
00:19:59.280 has turned again.
00:20:02.040 I think we're going
00:20:03.040 to win a bunch of seats
00:20:05.560 this bus tour
00:20:06.300 is designed
00:20:07.040 to do that.
00:20:08.860 Ben, what do you think?
00:20:09.920 I tend to agree
00:20:10.980 with you on this.
00:20:11.980 I think that you're seeing
00:20:13.200 a really last-minute shift
00:20:14.860 and I've noticed it
00:20:16.260 on my show
00:20:16.820 with callers.
00:20:18.160 There is a real
00:20:19.580 level of stress
00:20:20.740 with the American people
00:20:21.500 right now
00:20:21.860 with the economy.
00:20:22.740 I just was in California.
00:20:24.500 You're seeing $6,
00:20:25.760 $7 gallon gas.
00:20:27.280 And new records.
00:20:28.060 And new records.
00:20:28.800 You see a present
00:20:29.580 that is just draining
00:20:30.540 our strategic oil reserves
00:20:31.740 and there's no way
00:20:32.600 to not talk about now
00:20:33.880 how low they're going to be.
00:20:34.840 Come Election Day,
00:20:36.040 you see what OPEC
00:20:37.000 has just done
00:20:37.800 and you're starting
00:20:38.840 to see the housing market
00:20:39.960 switching very quickly.
00:20:41.540 We just sold a house,
00:20:42.880 for example,
00:20:43.460 and the real estate agent
00:20:44.400 said,
00:20:44.740 you're lucky you got out
00:20:45.780 when you did.
00:20:46.520 Because he goes,
00:20:47.240 I think if this fell through
00:20:48.700 and we went right back
00:20:49.460 on tomorrow,
00:20:50.400 it's a desert.
00:20:51.580 He said,
00:20:52.140 we've not seen anything
00:20:53.360 like this,
00:20:53.860 he said,
00:20:54.300 since 08.
00:20:55.620 And I think people
00:20:56.980 are feeling that stress
00:20:58.200 and I think the closer,
00:20:59.700 unfortunately,
00:21:00.520 and I hate this,
00:21:01.580 but the closer
00:21:02.980 we get to Election Day,
00:21:03.820 it's getting worse,
00:21:05.240 not better.
00:21:06.440 And I don't think
00:21:07.280 the president
00:21:07.700 can do anything
00:21:08.720 at this point
00:21:09.280 or the Democrats
00:21:10.100 can somehow convince you,
00:21:11.080 oh, no, really,
00:21:11.640 it's going to be okay.
00:21:12.740 Oh, it's going to be fine.
00:21:14.280 Don't believe you're lying.
00:21:14.860 Yeah, I really think
00:21:16.100 people are feeling it now.
00:21:18.000 Small businesses are feeling it.
00:21:19.120 I'm a small business owner.
00:21:20.080 We're seeing it.
00:21:21.120 We lost money
00:21:21.940 for the first time ever
00:21:23.160 last month
00:21:23.960 in our restaurant.
00:21:25.120 Food costs skyrocketed.
00:21:27.000 Labor costs are up.
00:21:28.540 And people are feeling it.
00:21:30.080 And we'd never experienced
00:21:31.140 that before.
00:21:31.540 The accountant called
00:21:32.040 and they're like,
00:21:32.380 hey,
00:21:32.980 you guys lost $6,600.
00:21:35.600 Wow.
00:21:36.540 And when you hear that
00:21:37.800 and you see it
00:21:38.860 and then you start saying,
00:21:39.860 what do we do to fix it?
00:21:41.120 I think that's the conversation
00:21:42.760 America's having.
00:21:43.360 So I agree with you.
00:21:43.920 I think the Senate
00:21:44.780 is definitely,
00:21:45.680 in my opinion,
00:21:46.180 I think it's more than,
00:21:47.460 I think it's probably
00:21:47.980 even more optimistic
00:21:49.140 than you are on that
00:21:49.820 because I think people
00:21:50.980 are having these conversations
00:21:52.160 right now.
00:21:52.900 And I think that's going to be
00:21:54.060 the only blessing in disguise
00:21:55.100 is we're going to get
00:21:55.720 a change in leadership
00:21:56.620 and we're going to get
00:21:57.700 to go back
00:21:58.240 to fiscal responsibility
00:21:59.740 and go back
00:22:01.460 to what was working
00:22:02.420 and people are willing
00:22:03.500 to listen to that idea now.
00:22:05.520 Well, and when you talk
00:22:06.280 to candidates,
00:22:06.900 so we're here in Nevada,
00:22:08.440 I think Nevada presents
00:22:10.160 the number one
00:22:11.640 best pickup opportunity
00:22:12.740 for Republicans in the Senate.
00:22:13.920 Adam Laxalt.
00:22:14.720 Adam is a terrific guy.
00:22:16.000 He's a close friend.
00:22:17.200 He was attorney general
00:22:18.220 here in Nevada.
00:22:19.500 His grandfather
00:22:20.380 was Paul Laxalt,
00:22:21.940 who was the governor
00:22:22.640 and senator
00:22:23.280 from Nevada.
00:22:24.780 He's a legend
00:22:25.440 in this state.
00:22:26.360 He was Reagan's best friend
00:22:27.580 in the Senate.
00:22:28.180 His grandfather was.
00:22:29.080 And Adam is pretty consistently
00:22:32.020 running three,
00:22:33.200 four points ahead
00:22:33.920 in the polls.
00:22:34.800 That's been for about a month
00:22:35.700 he's been there.
00:22:37.420 And it's interesting
00:22:38.540 whether you talk to him
00:22:39.760 or congressional candidates
00:22:41.180 all across the country,
00:22:42.500 the Democrats everywhere
00:22:43.700 have just gone
00:22:45.000 all in on abortion.
00:22:46.080 Every ad they're running
00:22:46.960 is abortion, abortion,
00:22:47.800 abortion, abortion.
00:22:48.420 And I've been pointing out,
00:22:51.440 I said, look,
00:22:52.040 of course they are.
00:22:53.600 What else do they have
00:22:54.760 to talk about?
00:22:55.500 Imagine for a second,
00:22:56.740 God forbid,
00:22:57.420 all right, Ben,
00:22:57.760 you wake up tomorrow,
00:22:58.960 you're Catherine Cortez Mastos
00:23:00.380 campaign manager.
00:23:02.740 Yeah.
00:23:02.920 Now she's the incumbent
00:23:03.820 Democrat from Nevada.
00:23:05.080 What are you going
00:23:05.740 to talk about?
00:23:06.300 You can't talk about
00:23:06.880 the economy
00:23:07.360 because the economy
00:23:07.940 has gone to crap
00:23:08.600 under Biden.
00:23:09.780 Inflation is horrible.
00:23:10.740 By the way,
00:23:11.100 Nevada has the second
00:23:12.080 worst inflation
00:23:12.840 of any state in the union.
00:23:15.020 Gas prices are
00:23:16.020 through the roof.
00:23:17.380 Mortgages have tripled.
00:23:19.380 You certainly can't
00:23:20.460 talk crime,
00:23:21.200 murder rates,
00:23:22.060 carjacking rates,
00:23:22.940 all the crime rates
00:23:23.720 have skyrocketed
00:23:24.460 under the Democrats.
00:23:25.100 And you sure as hell
00:23:26.160 can't talk about immigration
00:23:27.900 because the southern border
00:23:28.920 is at the worst spot
00:23:30.020 in 62 years.
00:23:31.860 What you're going to talk
00:23:32.480 about foreign policy,
00:23:33.280 isn't it great
00:23:33.680 we surrender to the Taliban?
00:23:35.180 Isn't it great
00:23:35.920 that all of our enemies
00:23:36.740 are going well?
00:23:37.360 Isn't it great
00:23:37.760 that we have the first
00:23:38.520 major war in Europe
00:23:39.960 since World War frigging II?
00:23:41.500 All of this happened
00:23:42.340 under Joe Biden.
00:23:44.180 So if you're a Democrat,
00:23:46.340 what do you talk about
00:23:47.700 other than fear monger
00:23:49.620 on abortion
00:23:50.100 and scream abortion,
00:23:50.960 abortion, abortion?
00:23:51.560 But look,
00:23:52.480 I think people care
00:23:53.760 about kitchen table issues
00:23:55.480 and what affects
00:23:56.120 their family,
00:23:56.960 what affects literally
00:23:58.260 putting the food
00:23:59.040 on their family
00:23:59.680 as people are having
00:24:00.320 a hard time
00:24:00.820 paying the grocery bills.
00:24:01.560 CNN admitted this yesterday.
00:24:03.200 They said, you know,
00:24:03.860 I forget which commentator
00:24:05.060 it was on CNN said,
00:24:06.340 you know,
00:24:06.760 I'm really surprised
00:24:07.940 that abortion consistently
00:24:09.280 ranks so low
00:24:11.060 in people's priorities.
00:24:12.260 And if you've been
00:24:13.560 paying attention
00:24:14.160 to public opinion polls
00:24:15.260 for the last 30 years,
00:24:17.900 you would know
00:24:18.440 that that is the case,
00:24:19.460 both pro-abortion
00:24:20.580 and pro-life.
00:24:21.560 How does a watch show
00:24:22.480 30 years play?
00:24:23.140 It's an amazing complication
00:24:24.520 that's an impressive
00:24:26.640 timepiece you have there.
00:24:29.520 But, you know,
00:24:30.380 it's just not,
00:24:31.980 even if you're,
00:24:32.820 we're all very pro-life,
00:24:33.820 obviously,
00:24:35.520 we've maybe
00:24:36.220 do vote on abortion.
00:24:37.840 We are kind of
00:24:38.800 outside the norm,
00:24:40.200 you know,
00:24:40.740 and the same is true
00:24:41.700 for people who support abortion.
00:24:43.520 It's just people vote
00:24:44.800 on the economy.
00:24:45.860 They vote on safety,
00:24:46.640 they vote on crime,
00:24:47.300 they vote on education.
00:24:48.200 They vote on all these things
00:24:49.360 that, as you say,
00:24:50.000 Senator,
00:24:50.220 the Democrats are just
00:24:51.320 completely dead in the water on.
00:24:52.960 And so,
00:24:53.420 there is just a limit
00:24:54.400 to what they can message.
00:24:55.740 There was a joke
00:24:56.460 that happened,
00:24:57.080 and you may remember
00:24:57.940 after Donald Trump
00:24:58.760 left office,
00:24:59.460 it was like,
00:24:59.880 I could really use
00:25:00.920 250-gallon gas
00:25:02.740 and a mean tweet
00:25:03.480 right about now.
00:25:05.340 There is,
00:25:06.120 when that came out,
00:25:07.240 that first one kind of hit
00:25:08.560 and it turned into
00:25:09.200 all the issues.
00:25:10.020 Like, you know,
00:25:10.480 I really wish I could,
00:25:11.360 I could use some police officers
00:25:12.560 right now
00:25:13.180 and a mean tweet.
00:25:15.000 It is so all-encompassing
00:25:16.860 of this election right now.
00:25:18.120 And there's ideology
00:25:19.260 and then there's reality.
00:25:21.040 And it's easy to be a liberal
00:25:22.660 and to seeing these
00:25:24.660 kumbaya moments
00:25:25.900 and, you know,
00:25:27.340 defund the police
00:25:28.300 and what do we want,
00:25:29.000 dead cops
00:25:29.520 and when do we want them now
00:25:30.460 until you see the crime come back,
00:25:32.660 until you see the interest rate skyrocket,
00:25:35.160 until you see the unemployment numbers.
00:25:37.140 And when these things start to happen,
00:25:40.300 it goes back to that mentality, right?
00:25:42.920 I could really use
00:25:44.220 some of what we used to have.
00:25:45.960 And I think that's the opportunity here.
00:25:48.300 And you've seen them on the road.
00:25:51.260 I think the Republicans are focused now.
00:25:53.820 Conservatives are focused on these issues
00:25:55.680 and talking about them.
00:25:57.220 And that's going to be a huge difference
00:25:58.460 on election day.
00:25:59.400 So I was in Arizona yesterday.
00:26:01.700 We're in Nevada today, Las Vegas.
00:26:05.060 Driving over to the studio,
00:26:06.820 I pulled up Drudge on my phone.
00:26:09.740 Two stories on Drudge right now.
00:26:11.700 A professor at University of Arizona
00:26:16.840 shot and killed on campus.
00:26:19.500 I'm like, crap, we were there yesterday.
00:26:21.880 And today, Thursday morning,
00:26:23.900 it's Thursday afternoon right now,
00:26:25.300 Thursday morning,
00:26:26.400 there was a mass stabbing
00:26:28.760 in front of the Wynn Casino
00:26:30.920 here in Las Vegas.
00:26:32.440 Not at two in the morning,
00:26:34.080 Thursday frigging morning.
00:26:35.660 Yeah.
00:26:36.460 Like, you want to talk about...
00:26:38.700 You want to talk about real crap?
00:26:41.200 Like, people...
00:26:43.380 You know, what was it?
00:26:44.660 Northern California,
00:26:45.860 you had some lunatic with a samurai sword
00:26:47.880 cut a woman's head off.
00:26:49.020 Yeah, right, right.
00:26:51.580 That is a real threat to people
00:26:55.660 when they look around their towns
00:26:56.740 and their cities.
00:26:57.220 They say, you know, crime is up.
00:26:58.940 Police protection is down.
00:27:00.440 There's been defunding of the police.
00:27:02.580 Abroad, as you mentioned,
00:27:03.660 the first major war in Europe
00:27:04.640 since World War II.
00:27:05.600 There was a lot of uncertainty out there,
00:27:07.760 I think personal security,
00:27:10.760 national security
00:27:11.320 is really going to be
00:27:12.380 at the forefront of people's minds.
00:27:13.240 If you're ranking things
00:27:14.220 to be worried about in America,
00:27:16.380 it used to be beheading
00:27:17.740 didn't make the list.
00:27:18.880 Yeah.
00:27:19.980 And now...
00:27:21.360 Or mass stabbings.
00:27:22.960 Yeah.
00:27:23.320 And now you have these things
00:27:24.720 that are starting to happen
00:27:25.420 in broad daylight
00:27:26.460 in this country,
00:27:28.020 but where were they saying
00:27:29.300 defund the police?
00:27:30.500 Las Vegas?
00:27:31.440 Yep, yep.
00:27:31.900 You had people campaigning off of it.
00:27:34.300 I mean, you look at California
00:27:35.720 and look at the crime there.
00:27:37.460 You look at even in Memphis, Tennessee,
00:27:39.000 a place that is a...
00:27:40.400 was defund the police
00:27:41.600 and you saw this horrific murder
00:27:44.040 of this runner,
00:27:45.040 Liza Fletcher there.
00:27:46.140 Yeah.
00:27:46.460 And you see that happen
00:27:48.060 and now you see what the change is.
00:27:50.060 You had the governor
00:27:50.700 that had to come down
00:27:51.660 to step in
00:27:52.520 just to talk to the people
00:27:53.980 because you had
00:27:54.420 a liberal Democratic mayor there.
00:27:56.220 You have a liberal city council
00:27:57.360 that still is refusing
00:27:58.460 to fund the police.
00:27:59.460 They are literally
00:28:00.980 1,200 police officers
00:28:02.700 down from where
00:28:03.420 they're supposed to be.
00:28:03.900 And a town like Memphis,
00:28:05.600 which is the second
00:28:06.300 most dangerous city in America,
00:28:07.880 and they are refusing
00:28:09.440 to even change things
00:28:11.620 as simple as saying,
00:28:12.500 okay, to get more cops,
00:28:14.140 you can live outside
00:28:15.060 of the county.
00:28:15.980 You can live right across
00:28:17.820 in Mississippi or Arkansas.
00:28:19.440 You know where Memphis is.
00:28:20.720 And the Democrats
00:28:21.640 on the city council
00:28:22.460 are saying,
00:28:22.860 no, you have to live here.
00:28:24.180 And they're saying,
00:28:24.580 we can't recruit
00:28:25.760 enough police officers
00:28:26.620 with these ridiculous,
00:28:28.220 arbitrary ideas
00:28:29.180 that you guys have put on us.
00:28:30.260 And people are starting
00:28:31.580 to realize
00:28:32.080 this is now life and death.
00:28:33.560 Yep.
00:28:33.680 And, you know,
00:28:34.220 Michael, Ben insists
00:28:35.620 that they know
00:28:36.360 how to make barbecue
00:28:37.080 in Memphis.
00:28:37.860 I just...
00:28:39.240 It's true.
00:28:40.660 Believe it when I see it.
00:28:41.780 Come on down.
00:28:42.260 Yeah.
00:28:43.000 Well, speaking of
00:28:44.580 all these places
00:28:45.540 around the country,
00:28:46.440 the tour is going
00:28:47.180 to continue on.
00:28:48.360 The show is going
00:28:49.080 to continue on.
00:28:50.020 I think there's going
00:28:50.840 to be a ton of energy
00:28:51.740 behind it.
00:28:52.760 I cannot wait
00:28:53.500 to see this next phase.
00:28:55.280 It's going to be amazing.
00:28:56.580 I cannot wait
00:28:57.540 to come back
00:28:58.300 and visit wherever,
00:28:59.240 somewhere around the country,
00:29:00.200 here or there.
00:29:00.640 It's going to be wonderful.
00:29:01.880 It's in excellent hands
00:29:02.880 with Mr. Ben Ferguson.
00:29:04.820 It's in pretty good hands
00:29:05.780 with Senator Ted Cruz.
00:29:06.760 I'll try not to screw it up.
00:29:07.660 That's good.
00:29:08.180 That's good.
00:29:08.560 It's going to be wonderful, guys.
00:29:09.460 I can't wait.
00:29:10.340 And so for the last time
00:29:11.380 from this chair,
00:29:12.520 it has been truly
00:29:13.560 one of the great pleasures
00:29:15.260 and honors
00:29:15.820 and privileges of my life
00:29:17.160 to start this show
00:29:18.120 with you, Senator.
00:29:19.320 I'm getting choked up.
00:29:20.160 I'm getting mushy.
00:29:21.040 Michael,
00:29:21.320 you're a gentleman
00:29:22.260 and a scholar
00:29:23.180 and the kindest thing
00:29:24.880 I know how to say about you
00:29:26.180 is Yale did not
00:29:27.200 fully screw you up.
00:29:29.240 That's,
00:29:29.980 how sweet.
00:29:32.280 Put that on a t-shirt.
00:29:33.700 That's my time
00:29:34.920 with the verdict.
00:29:36.140 That's right.
00:29:36.780 It's really wonderful.
00:29:38.180 Cannot wait to see
00:29:38.960 the next steps.
00:29:40.740 For the last time
00:29:41.600 from this chair,
00:29:42.740 I'm Michael Knowles.
00:29:43.760 This is Verdict
00:29:44.500 with Ted Cruz.
00:29:45.420 This episode of Verdict
00:29:55.660 with Ted Cruz
00:29:56.560 is being brought to you
00:29:57.580 by Jobs Freedom
00:29:58.600 and Security Pack,
00:29:59.940 a political action committee
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00:30:02.500 conservative causes,
00:30:03.920 organizations,
00:30:04.780 and candidates
00:30:05.460 across the country.
00:30:06.820 In 2022,
00:30:08.060 Jobs Freedom
00:30:08.680 and Security Pack
00:30:09.700 plans to donate
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00:30:12.900 and help the Republican Party
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