The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: Meet the Press Showdown w Tom Cotton plus DOJ Uncovers 260,000 Dead Voters
Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson, Premiere Networks

Episode Overview

Ben Ferguson delivers an action-packed Monday edition focused on two explosive political stories:

1. Senator Tom Cotton’s defense of the military against media claims regarding a controversial strike on a Venezuelan drug boat, countering coverage from The Washington Post.
2. A major Department of Justice finding that over 260,000 dead individuals remain on U.S. voter rolls, which raises questions about election integrity and draws sharp criticism of Democratic leadership for allegedly blocking reform.

Both segments are tackled with Ferguson’s trademark combative and unfiltered commentary, featuring substantive clips from a “Meet the Press” interview with Senator Tom Cotton and a detailed breakdown of the DOJ’s voter roll investigation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Tom Cotton on Military Strike & Media Controversy

[03:00–14:00]

Background and Context

• Ferguson introduces the segment criticizing mainstream media, especially The Washington Post, for what he labels as “slander” against the U.S. military and the Trump administration regarding a strike against a Venezuelan drug boat allegedly filled with narco-terrorists.
• Mentions that two weeks prior, Democrats in Congress had encouraged military leaders to defy the President, setting the political backdrop for the controversy.

Senator Tom Cotton on Meet the Press

• Senator Cotton forcefully defends the legality and necessity of the military strike, rejecting media insinuations of war crimes.
• Cotton asserts that everyone on the targeted boat was a “valid target” due to reliable intelligence confirming involvement in drug trafficking.

Notable Quotes

• Senator Tom Cotton:

  "The order, like the entire operation... is to destroy these drug boats which are running drugs into our country from foreign drug cartels... killing hundreds of Arkansans every year and hundreds of thousands of Americans."
  — [07:02]

• Cotton (refuting media claims):

  "They were not floating in the ocean on a wooden plank or in life jackets. They were on the capsized vessel. They were not incapacitated in any way. It was entirely appropriate to strike the boat again... in no way violation of the law of war. And I think The Washington Post owes Secretary Hegseth and especially Admiral Mitch Bradley... an apology for that slander."
  — [08:04]

• Kristen Welker’s Pressing:
  Repeatedly presses Cotton for confirmation about a “military target list” and legality under the Law of War, highlighting the media’s ongoing scrutiny.

  "The Pentagon's Law of War manual... says, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal."
  — [11:28]

Ben Ferguson’s Commentary

• Ferguson alleges the media and Democrats are colluding to undermine the President and instill fear in military ranks about following lawful orders:

  "This story is a story just like the Russian hoax story, the Steele dossier... the media do? They gave legs and life to that story... This story is no different."
  — [08:23]

• Emphasizes that the controversy is manufactured to discourage military compliance with the President’s directives and paints Democrats as attempting to gain political advantage through intimidation.

2. DOJ Uncovers 260,000 Dead Voters on Rolls

[14:00–18:45]

Summary of Findings

• Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announces the Justice Department’s discovery of over 260,000 dead individuals on American voter rolls, alongside thousands of registered non-citizens.
• Fourteen states have been sued for failing to comply with federal voter transparency laws; four others have begun cleanup efforts after voluntary cooperation.
• North Carolina singled out as a swing state with over 100,000 outdated or invalid registrations.

Notable Quotes

• Ben Ferguson:

  "Let me translate that for you. They found thousands of illegal immigrants registered to vote."
  — [14:52]

• AG Harmeet Dhillon (as quoted by Ferguson):

  "Every person voting who shouldn’t have voted is one too many, because every citizen is entitled to one person, one vote..."
  — [15:09]

Political Reactions and Implications

• Ferguson highlights Democratic pushback and frames it as obstruction:

  "Why would Democrats not want to clean up the voter rolls? Is it because they know the majority of cheating that’s done is done by Democrats and not Republicans and it gives them a big advantage?"
  — [17:46]

• Quotes Trump’s reaction:

  "Our elections are crooked and rigged. The voters know it... Must bring integrity back to voting. And it starts, the President says in all caps, with voter id and I couldn't agree with him more."
  — [16:28]

• Argues that voter ID is a simple, effective reform withheld due to partisan interests.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 07:02 | Senator Tom Cotton | "The order... is to destroy these drug boats which are running drugs..." | | 08:04 | Senator Tom Cotton | "They were not incapacitated in any way. It was entirely appropriate..." | | 08:23 | Ben Ferguson | "...just like the Russian hoax story, the Steele dossier... This story is no different." | | 10:07 | Senator Tom Cotton | "They had high confidence... everyone on that boat was part of a foreign or foreign terrorist organization..." | | 15:09 | Harmeet Dhillon (quoted)| "Every person voting who shouldn't have voted is one too many..." | | 16:28 | Donald Trump (quoted) | "Our elections are crooked and rigged. The voters know it... Must bring integrity back..."| | 17:46 | Ben Ferguson | "Why would Democrats not want to clean up the voter rolls?..." |

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:00–09:51]: Cotton vs. The Washington Post – Meet the Press clips and dispute context
• [09:51–13:00]: Senate intelligence, press questions about legality, operation orders discussion
• [14:00–18:30]: DOJ voter roll findings, state responses, Ferguson’s analysis and political context

Podcast Tone and Language

Ben Ferguson’s tone is combative, unfiltered, and highly partisan—framing media outlets and Democrats as not only misguided but actively working against the President, the military, and election integrity.

The podcast contains emphatic calls to action for listeners to inform themselves, engage on social media, and pressure political leaders to implement reforms such as voter ID.

Conclusion

This episode of The 47 Morning Update is a rapid-fire breakdown of two contentious national stories. Ferguson maximizes the use of high-profile interviews, direct quotes, and an overtly critical tone toward perceived adversaries (mainstream media, the Democratic Party), advocating strongly for the Trump administration and its priorities on national security and election integrity. The episode is particularly useful for those seeking a conservative, insider interpretation of recent headlines centered around military operations and the ongoing debate over voter rolls and election laws.