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Senator Ted Cruz
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Ben Ferguson
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Ben Ferguson
It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. It's nice to have you with us. We've got some big breaking news. We're just going to start right away with it. Senator, I'm going to let you take it away for the announcement.
Senator Ted Cruz
Look, in an extraordinary story, Chuck Schumer has apologized to the American people. He said he's sorry. He is sorry that the Democrat Party has embraced open borders. He's sorry they allowed an invasion of this country. He said he's sorry there are a bunch of jihadist loving lunatics who've defunded the Department of Homeland Security. And he said he's very, very sorry. To every TSA agent. He didn't pay to every Coast Guardsman. He's still not paying to every Secret Service agent. He's not paying to every DHS officer. He's not paying to every FEMA official responsible for disasters. He has said he's sorry. And he said, look, the reason is he's just cheap and scared and he cares about power.
Ben Ferguson
Is he going to get bonuses though? I mean, that's what I want to know. Does they get their bonuses for showing up?
Senator Ted Cruz
He will give them all The Maduro cocaine.
Ben Ferguson
I like it.
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Representative
All right.
Ben Ferguson
I knew there was a catch here.
Senator Ted Cruz
Now, look, the only problem with this breaking news is. Is the calendar date.
Ben Ferguson
Yes, yes, that'll do it.
Senator Ted Cruz
And. And, and sadly, it is April Fools. The chances of that happening are as likely as pigs flying as the moon turning to green cheese and as Chuck Schumer turning away from a camera. All of those are equally likely.
Ben Ferguson
It's more likely you're going to shave your beard today.
Senator Ted Cruz
No. No, it's not.
Ben Ferguson
No. Okay. It's not. That thing is really there to stay. Right. I just want to be real clear about that.
Senator Ted Cruz
You know, look, it would be impressive, Ben, if you could grow a beard.
Ben Ferguson
You know what? I did it once for. That was it. No shave November. Remember that? And they asked me once on tv, is anything visible? It was. It was a little. It was. There's one picture on the Internet and,
Senator Ted Cruz
And it's kind of hillbilly esque. Is it patchy? What?
Ben Ferguson
It looked like I could have sold drugs on the side of the road. And, and, and so a producer called me one day and said, we're just curious if that beard is going to be gone by Sunday. When I was doing a show, I was like, I'll take the head. I'll shave it off by Sunday. Yes, it was. It made it look like I was homeless. And, and, and seriously in. In need of guidance in life. So that. That does that. That picture is out on the Internet, though.
Senator Ted Cruz
I will say, you know the sad thing, Ben, about that whole diatribe I went on on April Fools and what Schumer apologized for. Yeah. There's not a word I said that was false. I mean, the real April Fool's joke is the other 364 days a year when he refuses to do that, because that is the Democrat Party position. It is astonishing. And so today we're going to talk about. We're going to talk about radical Islamic terrorism and how the Democrats have coddled it, how they've embraced it, how they've exposed us, how they've endangered us. And we're going to talk about it in a number of instances. We're going to talk about it concerning Michigan and the Michigan terror attack that we now know was inspired explicitly by Hezbollah. We're going to talk about it in New York City and Kamaran Mandami apparently believing that it is the responsibility of the mayor of New York City to defend the Ayatollah and to defend the Islamist regime in Iran. And then we're going to talk about it in terms of a radical left wing Senate candidate in Michigan who explained just how many Michiganders are sad, so very, very sad that the ayatollah, the same Ayatollah who chants death to America, that he's no longer with us. And finally, we're going to talk about something that somehow is not an April Fool's joke. But the Washington Post this week came out and said especially with the war in Iran, it underscores how the Democrats green New Deal energy agenda is, is hurting America profoundly. And that's actually not an April Fool's joke. That's reality.
Ben Ferguson
That's real. You can't make that part up. We've got a lot to cover today. There are so many of you guys that I just want to say thank you that have really gotten into standing up for the people in Israel. And there are a lot of people that are under attack in Israel. There is a lot of people that are hurting. There are a lot of people that are in need. And the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, they are on the front lines right now helping people including Holocaust survivors who are homebound, giving them food and medical care within their home. And they need our help now more than ever before.
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Representative
A sacred season is approaching, Passover, when we remember God's deliverance, the night he brought his people out of bondage and into freedom. This year, many of God's people will observe in darkness under the shadow of war across Israel. Red alert sirens pierce the air. Families run to shelters with seconds to spare. Elderly men and women fear they'll be left behind. And parents are comforting their frightened children as explosions shake the night. Sleeplessness and uncertainty have become daily life in Israel. And Passover reminds us that God hears the cries of his people and answers with love and compassion. And that's why the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is on the ground in Israel right now. They're providing food and emergency supplies, equipping bomb shelters and caring for elderly Holocaust survivors. Just as his people once cried out for deliverance, vulnerable Israelis need your help today with your generous Passover gift. It shows you stand with God's people. And if you are ready to stand with the people of Israel, then stand with the IFCJ and help. You can call them 888488 IFCJ. That's 888488 IFCJ to rush your gift right now or you can give online@ifcj.org that's ifcj.org all right.
Ben Ferguson
Center. So let's get to the this first big story here. And, and this is one of the, that concerns me so much about what is happening in this country right now. We've also seen this happen in Europe and we are now seeing that there are more attacks. We're seeing churches that are being burned around the world. And we're now seeing this synagogue attacker that attacked on behalf of Hezbollah. It happened right here in Michigan. We know a lot more now than we did before.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. You remember when this story broke, when the man drove his truck into the synagogue that was also a school. There were over 100 kids there. He was trying to kill as many young, young children as he could. And, and the media coverage, they referred to him as Michigan Man. It was, it was reminiscent of Maryland Man. The guy who was the MS.13 gang banger and human trafficker. That was just a Maryland man who for some reason was deported. No one could imagine why. Well, here it was Michigan Man. And then they had all this sympathetic coverage. Michigan man was, was upset that his brother had been killed in the Middle East. What they didn't mention is his brother was a commander for Hezbollah and so he was a terrorist. So Hezbollah terrorist in America unhappy that a different Hezbollah terrorist had been killed. And so he tried to kill as many children, as many Jews as possible. Here, here are the details. The attack earlier this month. This is from CNN on a synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan was a, quote, Hezbollah inspired act of terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community and the largest Jewish temple in Michigan. The FBI said a news conference on Monday. The assailant. I'm in. Ghazali was a naturalized US citizen from Lebanon. Now put a pin in that. That we need to change our vetting for naturalized citizens.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah.
Senator Ted Cruz
He rammed a pickup truck into the synagogue on March 12 as more than 100 children were attending school inside. After waiting in the synagogue's parking lot for more than two hours. Authorities said Ghazali drove the truck far into the building, hitting a security officer. Before the vehicle became wedged in a hallway. Security officers for the synagogue began exchanging gunfire with Ghazali who eventually shot and killed himself inside the truck. During the chaos, the truck's engine compartment caught fire and caused extension extensive damage to the building. The truck was filled with over $2,000 of commercial grade fireworks and about 35 gallons of gasoline which he used to enhance the explosion. No one else was killed. One of the temple's lead security officers was injured after being hit by the vehicle. Had he lived, he would have been charged with providing material support to Hezbollah, the Iranian backed terrorist group. In Lebanon, said Jerome Gorgon, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Gorgon added that Ghazali was inspired by Hezbollah propaganda to carry out the attack. Quote, this man acted under Hezbollah direction and control. He intended to kill others, not just himself. In the days after the attack, US Officials said Ghazali was located in federal government databases as having connections to, quote, known or suspected terrorists associated with Hezbollah. Stop there for a second. So they searched the databases. The databases showed that he had connections to known or suspected terrorists. Then why the hell was this guy letting the country in the first place? Why did they allow him in? Why did they naturalize him as a citizen? I have a feeling that information in the databases didn't magically appear in the last 15 months. It's been there a long time. It's just prior administrations didn't care. We need to get to the bottom of that. A week prior to the attack, members of Ghazali's family in Lebanon, including two brothers, were killed in an Israeli airstrike as the US And Israel entered its second week of conflict with Iran. Now, this is where the media clutched their pearls. Well, his brother was killed. So naturally, when your brother's killed, what you do is try to murder a hundred kids. That's that. That's the normal reaction to that. But then here's the killer paragraph that follows. The Israeli military said one of the brothers, Ibrahim Mohammed Ghazali, was a Hezbollah commander in charge of managing weapons operations in the Iranian proxy group's Badr unit. Ghazali began planning for the attack days earlier, the FBI said. With his plans intensifying on March 9, a review of Ghazali's online activity dating to January. January was before the war in Iran started.
Ben Ferguson
Yep.
Senator Ted Cruz
Showed repeated searches for pro Hezbollah and Iranian news outlets, as well as videos related to gunfire and ammunition. Beginning March 9, FBI said he closely followed speeches and live coverage involving Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem, along with reporting about an Iranian fatwa, a religious ruling concerning Islamic law calling for total jihad against the US Military. He also researched Jewish cultural education and religious centers throughout the Detroit metro area, viewing multiple pages of upcoming events at Temple Israel, and searched specific terms and phrases such as, quote, the largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan Orthodox synagogues and Israelis near me that day. After two people declined to sell him a weapon, Ghazali bought an AR15 style rifle, 10 magazines, and about 300 rounds of ammunition at a gun store in Dearborn Heights, Runyon said. Now, it's interesting that two stores declined to sell it to him. And yet the one in Dearborn was willing to. I think that's something else. You've owned a gun store.
Ben Ferguson
I was going to say that is a massive red flag. Like, if you turn down somebody and there's two stores, they clearly, like, we're doing their jobs, by the way. Gun stores.
Senator Ted Cruz
And so tell us, as someone who's owned a gun store, like, like this guy goes in and says, I want to buy an ar. Why would, why would a gun store say no?
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, there's a couple of reasons. One, you profile and you can see if someone seems angry or agitated. You can also, you're supposed to be looking to see if an individual you think is doing a straw purchase, which means they're buying for someone else illegally. Uh, you'll see that happen a lot of times with wives that will come in, their husband would be a felon, or someone that's disqualified from only a weapon or a friend will come in. We, we. You'll see people that walk in the store, they'll look at a gun, they'll take a picture of it, they'll leave, and then literally 30 seconds later, a minute later, someone comes in and tries to buy the exact gun that you just showed to someone else. Like, there's multiple things that you look for here, but then there's also conversations if, if you see that someone comes in and, and, and by the way, if you believe that they're drunk or high or on some sort of drug, you can refuse. And if you just have a really bad feeling, if something doesn't feel right, you can say, I'm not going to sell you a gun. And you have the rise of store owner to do that. But when you hear that two gun stores did this, that says. And most. Yeah, that says a lot because something there I would love to see and go back and, and, and hear, because I'm sure there's going to be an interview. What was it? And then were the authorities alerted to this? And yet a third store was able to sell them the gun. They didn't check in on that afterwards. That also is very concerning.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. The story continues. He practiced shooting the new weapon the next day and bought the fireworks. An order of dozens of water containers arrived on the 11th day before the attack, and he immediately started filling them with gasoline, making four trips to gas stations so he would not arouse suspicion. He also bought two torch lighters, which authorities believed he used to set his truck on fire on the day of the attack. Ghazali sent his sister, who authorities believe lives in Lebanon, numerous videos and messages, quote, affirming his Hezbollah inspired ideology. Ten minutes before he drove his truck into the synagogue, Ghazali sent his sister two videos in Arabic indicating that he was at the largest gathering of Israelis in the state of Michigan, had booby trapped his car and would forcibly enter and start shooting people. The FBI said. God willing, I will kill as many of them as I possibly can, Ghazali recorded himself saying, according to Runyan. Look, these are the kind of threats we're facing. By the way, this podcast covered when the Iranian fatwa went out, and we have covered at length the radical Islamic terrorists that the Biden administration allowed to flood into this country and the lack of vetting. And tragically, all of this happened at the same time. We had the Department of Homeland Security shut down because the Democrats have defunded it. And I'm sorry to say this guy is not the last radical Islamic terrorist left in the country. And yet Senate Democrats do not seem to care at all.
Ben Ferguson
Well, let's go back in time just a little bit to remind people this was part of what President Trump had said we need to do, which was to go back and vet. Can you give an update on that? And has some of that vetting stopped because of DHS lack of funding and all these fights and the government shutdowns that have happened?
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, some. Some of that vetting would be happening at the State Department, some of it would be happening at dhs. And so I don't know the status of that vetting. We have not gotten a report. We obviously have a brand new Secretary of Homeland Security, Mark Wayne Mullen. By the way, I will point out, every Democrat but two voted against confirming him. So their position is they don't want a secretary of dhs. And by the way, they all like Mark Wayne. He was a colleague in the Senate. They knew him, he was well liked on both sides of the aisle. It was not personal. They wouldn't vote to confirm Bugs Bunny as head of dhs. Their party is the Open Borders Party. Anyone who is focused on securing the border, today's Democrats oppose.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, no doubt. And then you look at this story and you go immediately to New York. I am really concerned about what we're seeing in New York. Yes, you and I have talked about this. Mandani, I think, is a bigger threat to this country than just a threat to the people in New York City. Let's talk about the breaking news there as well.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, very much agree. Give a Listen to what Mondame had to say about the war in Iran and about the Ayatollah in particular. Give a listen.
Democratic Progressive Party Spokesperson
I think we're seeing the fact that in the face of Americans facing a historic affordability crisis, that we have the pursuit of something that has already cost $23 billion thus far. The kind of money that could transform working class Americans lives, whether through investments in Medicare or teachers or even elimination of student debt for tens of thousands of Americans. And all of that being thrown aside for the pursuit of yet another regime change war. And it's a war that should be opposed on every single ground. Not just procedural, but also moral, but also political. And also a war that should be opposed on the grounds of the fact that it is being financed by the very money that could make it easier to keep calling this city, this country, home. And yet there is a blindness to that fact, all while we're being told that this is not what we're seeing with our own eyes.
Ben Ferguson
All right, Senator, let's just go to the moral spot there. When he said that, I'm like, what world is he living in morally? Then explain the terrorism, Hezbollah, Hamas, and all the other sponsors of terrorism. And all the dead bodies and all the Americans have been killed by Iran. He says there's no moral compass for this war to even begin with. I would say sit down with families who've lost loved ones and are placing flowers at tombstones on Memorial Day and tell them this political garbage.
Senator Ted Cruz
Look, Iran has killed nearly 1,000Americans over the last 47 years. They're the number one state funder of terrorism in the world. They provide 90% of the funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. They hired hitmen to kill President Trump. And the Ayatollah, who Mondami is grieving right there, regularly would lead mobs chanting, death to America. And yet Mondami's loyalties, apparently death to America is not a sentiment that he has significant disagreement with. He thinks it is immoral. He thinks it is wrong. It should be opposed on every front. Taking out a regime that is killing Americans. And look, this is the heart of today's Democrat Party. Mandami and AOC and Ilhan Omar, the radical Marxist Islamist jihadist, America hating commie left. By the way, I love that he begins with $23 billion. Can you believe they spent that much? Never in his life has madame seen government spending that he opposes, except if it's taking out an Islamist leader who is murdering Americans. That's the one instance in which government spending he is opposed to in every other instance, this man, how much of
Ben Ferguson
the government spending in New York City was for illegal immigrants that they were housing in four star and five star and three star hotels. Like, can we just remember, like how much money they've wasted that by the way, could have gone to the people of New York that are suffering. Instead they said, no, no, we want to pay out billions to illegal immigrants and make their lives more comfortable after they broke our laws.
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, and we played a couple of weeks ago on Verdict Kathy Hochul, the New York governor pleading with rich New Yorkers who had fled the state, Please come back, Please come back to New York, but not promising to make it any better, say, we want to tax the hell out of you, we want to take your money, but we have really lavish social spending programs and if you don't come back, we won't have the money to pay for them. And it really is funny. I'm trying to figure out who is the one rich guy who fled New York and hears, hey, come back so we can take your money and give it away because we know what to do with it better than you. Who's the one audience member who hears that? I don't know. But Mondame isn't even saying that he's happy for them to flee his city. And look, I fear with this kind of environment, number one, I fear for the nypd, their ability to do their job with a mayor who now opposes their enforcing the law and protecting New Yorkers. But number two, his coddling, his embrace of Islamist America haters is not good. New York suffered the very worst terror attack our country's ever seen on 9 11. D.C. did as well. But having a mayor who is now rooting for the death to America crowd, that is a deeply, deeply concerning development.
Ben Ferguson
It's a new year, 2026, you've probably heard the name bitcoin and cryptocurrency. So the question so many people have is, is it safe? And is it something that I should be invested in? It's a question I want to get answered for you today. And joining me now to talk about that is the co founder of Bitcoin, Ira Chris Klein. Chris, I appreciate you being here and it is pretty cool to see what's happened in the crypto space. It has become normal. It now can be a part of your ira. The federal government has changed the rules. They're accepting cryptocurrency like it's a stock.
Chris Klein (Bitcoin IRA Co-founder)
Yes, absolutely. And it's, it's really driven itself into a mainstream Space. I remember a decade ago when we first started bitcoin, Ira and everybody was like, are you crazy kid? You're putting bitcoin in retirement accounts? Is this even possible? And you fast forward to where we're at today, where countries are building stockpiles, corporations are building stockpiles. Strategy, for example, is pretty much its entire business models around this. It's a piece of diversification that every major player in the space and economics is looking at and so should to the individual sovereignty of the average American looking to put it inside of their retirement.
Ben Ferguson
You guys actually have a really cool stat that you told me about at dinner and that is that your clients 75% were born before 1976. So the idea that you maybe missed out on this or if you're a little older, it's a young man's game in crypto. That is also just not true.
Chris Klein (Bitcoin IRA Co-founder)
That's definitely one of the myths I wanted to come debunk with you and your audience is this isn't, this isn't our grandfather's economy. And grandfathers are buying bitcoin and putting it inside of their retirement for long term holdings. Especially now that they're thinking about inheritance and handing some of these things down. But yeah, that was actually shocking to me. We discovered that in 2018 that 75% of them were older than my parents generation. And what we found from surveying all of them was this is something that they think is new age and that I think almost every American, especially older ones, has a genuine concern of watching what's happened to the US dollar over the last four or five decades. And there's always been gold and silver as a potential hedge land, real estate, these scarce assets in bitcoin, while it may seem, oh, that's digital and it's, it's different, it's scarce. There's only 21 million assets of Bitcoin that will ever be mined. 19 and a half million have been mined so far. And you and I actually won't live. Our kids will probably live to see the last one get mined. This is something, you know, we're in a world of abundance. Since I was born in 1985, it's abundance we just printed and printed and printed. This is a moment in time where we may be able to revert back to scarcity. And there'll be a day where just saying I have one Bitcoin will be life changing.
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Representative
Chris.
Ben Ferguson
I hope a lot of people that are watching this, you guys will go and find out more. It is amazing what you can do in your retirement account now, just like your other investments with Bitcoin Cryptocurrency. Find out more right now@bitcoin ira.com Ben that's bitcoin ira.com Ben and see what Cryptocurrency can do for your portfolio.
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Representative
A sacred season is approaching Passover when we remember God's deliverance, the night he brought his people out of bondage and into freedom. This year, many of God's people will observe in darkness under the shadow of war Across Israel, red alert sirens pierce the air, families run to shelters with seconds to spare, elderly men and women fear they'll be left behind, and parents are comforting their frightened children as explosions shake the night. Sleeplessness and uncertainty have become daily life in Israel. And Passover reminds us that God hears the cries of his people and answers with love and compassion. And that's why the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is on the ground in Israel right now. They're providing food and emergency supplies, equipping bomb shelters and caring for elderly Holocaust survivors. Just as his people once cried out for deliverance, vulnerable Israelis need your help today with your generous Passover gift. It shows you stand with God's people and if you are ready to stand with the people of Israel, then stand with the IFCJ and help. You can call them 888488 IFCJ. That's 888488 IFCJ to rush your gift right now. Or you can give online@ifcj.org that's ifcj.org
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support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosure is available at public.com disclosures kids pets life.
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Martha Stewart
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Ben Ferguson
If you think Mandani's like a one off, you're wrong. And if you want proof of it and how concerned you should all be over these types of individuals, let's take a look at the Michigan Senate candidate that avoids discussing Iran because, quote, there's a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad that we took out the Ayatollah. Like this is not just Mandani, folks. This is the Democratic Party growing very quickly in this.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, look, some listeners, particularly listeners who are skeptical when I said Mandani was sad the Ayatollah was killed, might have said, gosh, that's, that's too harsh. He's not really that that's putting too much. Well, Mandani is is part of a broader movement of America hating Islamists who are taking over the Democrat Party. And in Michigan, you've got a candid U.S. senate, a guy named Abdul El Sayed. And interestingly enough, he was caught on tape strategizing what to say about the Iran war. And I'll tell you what, how about I don't put words in his mouth? Ben doesn't put words in his mouth. Let's listen to the words that came out of his own mouth. Give a listen.
Abdul El-Sayed
This is going to destabilize reason. I also want to remind you guys that there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad times today. So, like, I just don't want to comment on Kumani at all. Like, I, I don't think it's worth
Ben Ferguson
even touching that, doesn't even want to touch this, this, this butcher and killer and murder of Americans because there's a lot of people that he wants to vote for him in Dearborn that are sad today.
Senator Ted Cruz
And by the way, you hear his staffers. Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, they all know that this is no secret. Why are the people in Dearborn sad? They're sad for the same reason Mandani is sad, because far too many of them are Islamists who cheer for the Islamists who want to kill Americans. And, you know, this Michigan Senate candidate, you know, talk about cynical. Listen to his strategy rather than talk about US national security, rather than talk about killing terrorists, rather than talk about keeping America safe. What do you think he wants to do instead? Well, again, don't take my word for it. Give a listen to his strategy rather than address U.S. national security, and I'm
Abdul El-Sayed
just gonna go straight to pedophilia. Frankly, I should be like, pedophile president probably decides that he doesn't like the front page news, so he decides to take us into another war. There was a time when you all were talking about America first. This seems to be to be America last.
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Representative
There it is.
Ben Ferguson
Like, we're just gonna make up stuff, lie about the present and do this. And that'll be our pivot from us actually having to talk about what's happening in Iran, because I don't want to upset the Islamists that support, you know, support the Ayatollah.
Senator Ted Cruz
By the way, quick question. What painting did Jeffrey Epstein have hanging in his living room in New York City?
Ben Ferguson
It was Bill Clinton in a blue dress. Isn't that right?
Senator Ted Cruz
And red pumps. He literally had a painting of Bill Clinton on his wall. He was an original friend of Bill. Bill Clinton practically had his own seat on the LEDA Express. And yet the Democrats Just scream, okay, let's, let's just call Trump a pedophile. It's pure. But, but the cynicism of it, the cynicism of it is, only works because the media is corrupt. Listen to what else this Democrat Senate candidate had to say.
Abdul El-Sayed
Like, we have the moral high ground here. I think the more we stay out of, like they're going to try and bait us into saying, yeah, but isn't it justified now that they took him out?
Senator Ted Cruz
Right.
Abdul El-Sayed
And I just think that's what we got prep for.
Ben Ferguson
We got to prep for it. We got to prep for taking out a murderous terrorist in Iran that says he wants to blow up and kill innocent Americans who already has and Israel. And they're like, we got to prep for this, guys. This is a big PR nightmare for us. What are we going to do now?
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, there is one other Democrat strategy. One, they scream pedophile and attack Trump. But there's a second Democrat strategy because if they don't want to actually talk about protecting America and killing terrorists, what they do instead is their old refuge. Well, again, listen, rather than let me characterize it, I mean, the talking about doing this and Israel's issue always just makes me a little nervous.
Abdul El-Sayed
I figured as much. I can shade away from it, but when I, if I'm going to take the shot, I can't just allude to it. I got to take the whole shot. Which means that I'm going to say, look, you've got a PAC backed congresspeople who now don't want to empower Congress to step up and enforce its own prerogative. Yeah. Ask yourself who that benefits and why. Ask yourself how powerful that force is in our politics if they won't even stand up to a president who's making illegal and unjustified war.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. Making a legal war in order to distract us, you know. Yeah, yeah, I think that, I think
Cancer Survivor/Advocate
it's, that shot is fine. I, I just think that it should
Senator Ted Cruz
always be coupled with the affordability argument. Like, I think the danger here is just getting too caught up in the like, high level politics of it and,
Ben Ferguson
and not, not spending enough time with
Abdul El-Sayed
how it's gonna come up with what's her name? With Welch.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yes, it will.
Abdul El-Sayed
She's going to be hot on this and she's going to, she's going to bait me into the Israel stuff. And if I'm going to take the shot, I got to set it. I got to set up the whole shot. That's the thing.
Senator Ted Cruz
You know what I mean?
Abdul El-Sayed
Like, look I'm running against an APAC backed Democratic congresswoman. And you know what her statement was? We're perfectly okay with this war. You should have asked us first.
Ben Ferguson
It's amazing how much sustain he has, by the way, for Jewish people in Israel, right? Like, just. You can hear it there in his voice. He's like, hey, look, we're dealing with.
Senator Ted Cruz
His strategy is simple. Attack Israel, attack the Jews. Like that is a strategy. And you know what? In Dearborn, the same people who, as he put it, are, quote, sad that the Ayatollah who chanted, death to America is no longer able to pay terrorists to kill Americans. Those are the same people that when you attack Israel and attack Jews, they get excited and vote for you. And you know what's really terrifying? That may be a winning strategy in a Democrat primary in Michigan. It obviously was a winning strategy in a Democrat primary in New York City. It was a winning strategy for Ilhan Omar. It was a winning strategy for aoc. It was a winning strategy for Rashida Tlaib. This is the base of the Democrat Party. And if you have any serious question about how do you protect America against radical Islamic terrorists who want to kill us, like the Hezbollah terrorist in Michigan that we started this podcast talking about, today's Democrat Party has nothing to say about it.
Ben Ferguson
Nothing. I want to move to this last story. It is April 1st. April fools. But this story is not a joke. We're not Babylon being you here, Senator. This is actually a real story that has come out. And it's amazing. From the Washington Post, talking about the Iran conflict, showing why energy dominance is so important. You can't make this up. I mean, wow.
Senator Ted Cruz
So this is a real editorial in the Washington Post. And it's an editorial from the paper itself. It's not a guest columnist. It is entitled Three Cautionary Tales from the Iran Energy Shock. Never confuse good intentions with good planning. And here's what the Washington Post editorial board has to say. Roughly 28 million tons of liquefied natural gas have disappeared from global markets since the closure of the Strait of Hormuzz. Damage to Qatar's export terminals. Analysts predict the shortfall could last years. While every energy importer will feel the pinch, not every one of them will feel it equally. Germany, Taiwan, and California are cautionary tales. All three have had their politics shaped by green movements. And all three are more vulnerable for it. It. When environmentalists came to power, they forced the premature retirement of nuclear reactors, coal plants and oil refineries. They calculated that the planet's needs demanded it and that global markets would fill the gap. All three polities are now frantically reversing course. But energy sources can't be rebuilt overnight. Germany's Green Party was founded in 1980 as an anti nuclear movement. When it first entered coalition government in 1998, its price of admission was nuclear phaseout. It re entered government in 2021 in time to oversee the shuttering of Germany's last three reactors in 2023. The Greens also pioneered the phasing out of the country's coal plants. That Germany sits atop 35 billion tons billion tons of lignite did not enter into their calculations. Germany bet big on solar and wind, but intermittent renewables can't ensure a consistent supply. That left LNG filling the gap. Last week, Energy Minister Katharina Reich called the nuclear shutdown a huge mistake. With spot prices for LNG sharply up, the government is now looking at restoring coal plants it retired in the past. Germany has imported nuclear generated electricity from France when squeezed. So notice the Green Party. The effect of them is to go back to coal generation and to increase pollution. All right, let's continue and see what the Washington Post has to say about Taiwan. Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party codified Anton anti nuclear dogma into its founding Charter. In 1986. Its arch rival, the Nationalist and at the time authoritarian Kuomintang, wisely built nuclear power plants as part of a breakneck industrialization program. When the DPP won power in 2016, it legislated a nuclear free homeland and began retiring the country's coal plants. Phasing out coal made sense. Replacing nuclear with lng. Much less so. Like Germany, Taiwan can't rely solely on renewables. Taiwan has virtually no domestic fossil fuels and without nuclear, it has to import 97% of its energy by sea. Last week, the DPP reversed course and announced plans to restart the reactors. All right, how about the People's Republic of California led by Comrade Gavin Newsom? In California, environmental regulations have achieved something remarkable. They have severed the state's gasoline market from the rest of the country. Unique fuel blend mandates mean no other states gasoline is compatible with with California's other onerous regulations. Emission fines, profit caps, drilling restrictions have driven refiners out. And there are no inbound pipelines for crude or refined products. Now gas is approaching $6 a gallon. Yep, with no domestic replacement, California became dependent on gasoline imports from Asian refineries which are now cutting shipments because the Strait of Hormuz is closed. As Chevron's refining chief Andy Waltz recently put it. Quote the California intent to offshore carbon to other nations has offshored their security of supply. Chevron has warned that it could leave California entirely within a decade unless regulations change. By the way, Chevron was a California company. They moved to Texas in the last year because the California loonies drove them out. Yeah, and here's what the Washington Post closes with. The error in Germany, Taiwan and California was confusing good intentions with good planning and assuming a stable global energy market would always be there to paper over the difference. The Iran war shows it won't. The government's best situated to weather this energy shock are not the greenest, but the ones that treated energy as a national security interest and diversified their supply responsibly. I'm going to say something I don't know that I've ever said before. I agree wholeheartedly with the Washington Post.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, you and I both on that one. It's a great way to end the show. Don't forget.
Senator Ted Cruz
And it's not an April Fool's.
Ben Ferguson
It's not an April Fool's. This is real. It's not the Babylon Bee. Don't forget we do the show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can also watch it on YouTube or on Facebook. If you want to watch the show there, hit that subscribe auto download button and write us a five star review. It helps us reach more people and the Senator and I will see you back here on Friday morning. Can you buy real Bitcoin in your retirement account? If not, it's time to upgrade to Bitcoin.
Senator Ted Cruz
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Ben Ferguson
You can buy and sell Bitcoin with major tax advantages. Visit bitcoin ira.com or call 864-679-7871 now kids pets Life.
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Episode Title: Michigan Hezbollah Terrorist, Mamdani Defends Iran, Dem Candidate Says Dearborn is "Sad" about Ayatollah & California Self-Inflicted Energy Crisis
Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Ted Cruz
This episode of The 47 Morning Update dives into a series of interrelated national security, political, and energy topics. Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz discuss the recent Hezbollah-inspired terrorist attack in Michigan, Democratic officials' responses to the ongoing conflict with Iran, troubling sentiments regarding the death of Iran’s Ayatollah among political candidates, and the real-world fallout of progressive energy policies in light of the Iran crisis—all with Ferguson’s signature directness and Cruz’s detailed political critique.
[10:08 – 19:14]
Attack Details:
Senator Cruz recaps the attack on a synagogue in Michigan, carried out by a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon, Ahmed Ghazali, inspired and directed by Hezbollah.
Media & Political Framing:
Cruz criticizes mainstream media for initially referring to Ghazali simply as "Michigan Man", and for portraying him sympathetically as someone grieving for his Hezbollah commander brother.
Systemic Failures:
The attacker was flagged in databases for connections to known/suspected Hezbollah terrorists, yet still became a U.S. citizen.
Red Flags in Gun Purchase:
Two gun stores refused to sell firearms to Ghazali, sensing something was wrong, but a third (in Dearborn) did sell him a rifle.
Call to Action:
Both hosts urge listeners not to minimize the threat posed by radical Islamic terror and emphasize that current Democratic leadership, in their view, “do not seem to care at all” about these risks.
[20:14 – 25:00]
Mandani’s Comments:
Ferguson and Cruz react to Democratic NYC councilmember Kamran Mamdani’s recent statements opposing military action against Iran, criticizing the cost and morality of war.
Democratic Party Critique:
Cruz associates Mandani’s position with an emerging group within the Democratic Party—“the radical Marxist Islamist jihadist, America-hating commie left”—including AOC and Ilhan Omar.
Themes:
[32:09 – 38:54]
Abdul El-Sayed's Remarks:
Audio is played of Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed advising staff to avoid publicly commenting on Iran’s Ayatollah because “a lot of people in Dearborn... are sad today.”
Political Strategy:
El-Sayed suggests deflecting criticism by attacking Trump and referencing “pedophile president” allegations, pivoting away from directly addressing Iran.
Attack on Israel and APAC:
El-Sayed and staff discuss the strategy of attacking Jewish congressional opponents by questioning their loyalty to Israel, feeding into anti-Israel sentiment in their constituency.
Broader Implications:
Ferguson and Cruz argue this sentiment is now widespread among Democratic primaries—referencing Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and others.
[38:54 – 45:10]
Washington Post Editorial:
Cruz reads from a Washington Post editorial criticizing Germany, Taiwan, and California for letting green energy politics undermine energy security amid the Iran conflict.
Germany, Taiwan, California Case Studies:
Key Quote:
Rare Praise:
Summary Note:
This episode spotlights urgent concerns about national security in the wake of a Hezbollah-inspired attack, critiques perceived Democratic sympathies for anti-American regimes, highlights political rhetoric around the Iran conflict, and sounds the alarm over state and national energy vulnerability. Ferguson and Cruz consistently urge listeners to recognize what they see as Democratic Party failures, both at home and abroad, wrapping with a rare bipartisan alignment over the perils of hasty “green” energy transitions as exposed by the ongoing Iran crisis.