The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode Date: February 27, 2026
Title: Biden DOJ Spied on Susie Wiles & Kash Patel plus a Tale of Two Olympians and Dems No Longer Proud of America
Host: Ben Ferguson (with guest Senator Ted Cruz)

Overview of the Episode

This episode of The 47 Morning Update delves into several high-profile political stories:

1. Allegations that the Biden Administration’s DOJ and FBI spied on figures close to Donald Trump, specifically Susie Wiles and Kash Patel.
2. A discussion contrasting the Olympic journeys of Alyssa Liu and Eileen Gu, focusing on patriotism and the American immigrant experience.
3. A deep dive into recent polling revealing a marked decline in the number of Democrats who report feeling proud to be American.

Throughout, Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz provide unvarnished conservative analysis and commentary, marked by humor, personal anecdotes, and pointed critique.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Alleged Spying by the Biden DOJ and FBI

[05:05 – 17:33]

• The Breaking News:
  Ben Ferguson introduces the explosive claim that the Biden-era FBI spied on Susie Wiles (Trump’s campaign manager) and Kash Patel (now described as FBI Director), even capturing Wiles' attorney-client phone call without her knowledge.

  • "If you're listening those phone calls, you're listening in, I would assume, to everything that deals with the campaign or campaign strategy. ... That is interference in election, in my opinion." (Ben Ferguson, 11:16)

• Senator Ted Cruz’s Reaction:
  Cruz underscores the unprecedented nature of these actions, linking them to a broader pattern of power abuse by the Democrats against Trump and his associates.

  • "We now know that the Biden FBI and DOJ under Jack Smith ... was engaged in a massive dragnet ... targeted at ... Republicans who supported Donald J. Trump." (Senator Cruz, 05:54)

• Details on Subpoenas:

  • The FBI subpoenaed the phone records of 20% of Senate Republicans, including Cruz himself.
  • Cruz humorously notes the incompetence of the DOJ in his own case, having subpoenaed only a general office number.

• Legal Ramifications:
  Cruz, as a lawyer, is particularly alarmed at the possible breach of attorney-client privilege:

  • "The idea for any lawyer that you would know law enforcement was taping your conversation with your client, you would be disbarred, you would lose your license." (Senator Cruz, 09:41)

• Historical and Political Context:
  Cruz claims weaponization of federal agencies began under Obama:

  • "What Richard Nixon tried to do, Barack Obama succeeded in doing ... Every federal agency was weaponized to go after Obama's political opponents." (Senator Cruz, 11:37)
  • Both hosts recount skepticism and mockery faced by Trump for his 2016 claims of being spied on—assertions they argue were ultimately validated.

• Memorable Quip:
  In discussing how the agencies classified the Steele dossier as "user generated," Cruz jokes, “That's dossier. ... You fling your hand in there. Point your pinky when you say dossier. I wanted some Perry with my dossier.” (Senator Cruz, 14:34–14:44)

• Past vs. Present DOJ Practices:

  • Cruz describes a prior era where political spying would have been "laughed out of the room."
  • Contrasts the rigorous checks then with the current "drunk with power" DOJ:
    • "They were drunk with power, and the rule of law was utterly and completely forgotten." (Senator Cruz, 17:28)

2. A Tale of Two Olympians: Alyssa Liu vs. Eileen Gu

[18:39 – 29:15]

• Patriotic Triumph and Personal Sacrifice:
  Cruz recounts the story of Alyssa Liu, an American figure skater whose father fled China as a political refugee. Beijing allegedly spied on and tried to intimidate their family ahead of the Olympics.

  • "In 1989, Arthur Liu fled China as a political refugee after the Tiananmen Square massacre ... Decades later, his daughter, Alyssa Liu, became the face of Team USA. But the CCP didn’t forget." (Senator Cruz quoting Afshine Am.Ronnie tweet, 19:10)

  • Alyssa competed under huge pressure, protected by the FBI, and delivered America’s first women’s figure skating gold in 24 years.

• Contrast with Eileen Gu:

  • Eileen Gu, also of Chinese heritage and born/raised in the US, chose to compete for China.
    • She reportedly accepted millions in endorsement deals from the Chinese government.
    • Cruz warns against vilifying her, attributing her choices in part to age and cultural context:
      • “I’m not in that camp. Look, she’s a 20-year-old college kid ... And there is something of a tradition in the Olympics ... you have lots of people who are from other countries... and no one is horrified.” (Senator Cruz, 24:10)
    • Ferguson distinguishes this from international NBA players representing their native countries vs. Gu’s defection from the US:
      • “That’s not defecting from America. But when you’re in America ... then you’re like, all right, I’m literally defecting and going to do this for China.” (Ben Ferguson, 25:52)

• Patriotism Beyond Politics:

  • Cruz emphasizes that despite reports Liu is politically liberal or even “woke,” he stands with any American competing for the flag:
    • “She competed for America ... I don’t give a damn if she votes for Barack Obama or Joe Biden. She's an American and I'm proud to cheer her on.” (Senator Cruz, 29:05)

• Humorous Banter:

  • The two riff on their own (lack of) skating abilities, with Cruz joking, “I'm an unbelievably bad skater. I basically wobble around the skate rink and hold onto the walls… Four year olds come skating past me.” (Senator Cruz, 22:47)

3. Declining American Pride Among Democrats

[34:14 – 39:45]

• Gallup Poll Data:
  Cruz introduces new Gallup polling showing a dramatic decline in “pride in being American”—from 87% in 2001 to 58% in 2025 across all adults.

  • Notably, among Democrats, pride dropped from 87% (2001) to 36% (2025) vs. Republicans, who remain at 92%.

• Causes and Context:

  • Cruz attributes this to leftist indoctrination in education, describing a trend of teaching that “America is evil ... a colonialist, oppressive nation.”

    • “It's indoctrinating leftists. And part of leftism ... is that America is evil.” (Senator Cruz, 37:21)

  • Ferguson ties in the Olympic story, suggesting athletes like Eileen Gu, educated in elite institutions, may be influenced by such views.

• State of the Union Moment:
  The hosts recall a recent SOTU where Trump challenged Democrats to stand for American citizens over illegal immigrants:

  • “Every single Democrat, all of them, 100%, stays sitting. By the way, that image is going to be played on a million campaign ads.” (Senator Cruz, 38:10)

  • Cruz shares an inside tidbit—a Trump staffer doubted the tactic would work, but Democrats did, indeed, remain seated:

    • “He [the staffer] said, I thought it was at best 50/50. And it's amazing. Not a single [Democrat stood].” (Senator Cruz, 39:00)

• Broad Implications:
  Both hosts lament the fracturing of unity and shared pride, underscoring what they see as a looming ideological crisis.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Attorney-Client Spying:
  “The idea for any lawyer that you would know law enforcement was taping your conversation with your client, you would be disbarred, you would lose your license.”
  —Senator Ted Cruz ([09:41])

• On the Historic Use (and Abuse) of DOJ Power:
  “What Richard Nixon tried to do, Barack Obama succeeded in doing. ... The entire system would have said ... we want to be certain that this is not abuse of power. And what is amazing is during the Biden DOJ, there were no checks.”
  —Senator Ted Cruz ([11:37]; [16:57])

• On the Decline in National Pride:
  “It’s indoctrinating leftists ... part of leftism ... is that America is evil.”
  —Senator Ted Cruz ([37:21])

• On Eileen Gu’s Olympics Decision:
  “But you know what? ... If you decide I want to compete for China ... you can do that. But you know what you're saying? I want 1.3 billion people in China to root for me and I want to beat the United States of America.”
  —Senator Ted Cruz ([27:03])

• Humorous Skating Anecdote:
  “I basically wobble around the skate rink and hold onto the walls ... Four year olds come skating past me and are like, get out of the way...”
  —Senator Ted Cruz ([22:47])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Breaking down Biden DOJ/FBI Spying Allegations: [05:05 – 17:33]
• Alyssa Liu vs Eileen Gu – Tale of Two Olympians: [18:39 – 29:15]
• Interview with Alyssa Liu’s Father: [31:58 – 33:26]
• Declining Patriotism Poll Discussion: [34:14 – 39:45]

Final Takeaways

This episode delivers a sharp critique of the current administration, warning of the precedent set by political surveillance and the long-term consequences of ideological division. Through the Olympic stories, Ferguson and Cruz highlight questions of loyalty, patriotism, and the immigrant American dream, even as they express concern over declining national unity and pride, particularly among the younger left. The tone is punchy, opinionated, and laced with humor—classic Ferguson and Cruz.

For listeners seeking a distilled version of the headlines, context, and conservative analysis shaping the week, this episode pulls no punches.