NPR Lawsuit Unpacked, the Fight for Women’s Sports plus Comey & a Message in the Sand Week In Review

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson: Episode Summary

Release Date: May 31, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson
Produced by: Premiere Networks
Episode Title: NPR Lawsuit Unpacked, the Fight for Women’s Sports plus Comey & a Message in the Sand Week In Review

---

Introduction

In this episode of The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson, host Ben Ferguson delves into three pivotal stories shaping the current political and social landscape in America. The discussion centers around the recent lawsuit filed by NPR and Colorado Public Radio against the Trump administration, the ongoing battle over women’s sports in the wake of transgender athlete participation, and former FBI Director James Comey's controversial "seashells" message. Ferguson provides unfiltered insights, critical analysis, and engages in a robust dialogue with co-host Jack Armstrong to unpack these significant topics.

---

1. NPR Lawsuit Unpacked

Overview: The episode begins with a deep dive into the lawsuit filed by National Public Radio (NPR) and three Colorado public radio stations against the Trump administration. The lawsuit challenges the President's executive order that seeks to bar the use of federal funds for NPR and PBS, arguing that this move violates the First Amendment.

Key Points:

• Legal Grounds: The lawsuit asserts that defunding NPR and PBS based on perceived biases contravenes free speech protections. Specifically, it claims that cutting funding would effectively silence these institutions' "dishonest and political" content.

• Host’s Perspective: Jack Armstrong criticizes the lawsuit, labeling it "absurd" to defund NPR and PBS merely because they are deemed biased. He emphasizes that NPR and PBS, in his view, are inherently partisan and questions the legitimacy of taxpayer-funded propaganda.

• Democratic Resistance: Armstrong highlights the significant political hurdles in defunding these public media outlets, noting that "zero Democrats will vote to defund NPR or PBS," making it unlikely to pass through the Senate due to the need for a 60-vote supermajority.

Notable Quotes:

• Jack Armstrong [06:39]: "The argument of NPR is that the First Amendment requires for you and me to keep paying for them to propagandize and lie."

• Co-host Joe Getty [07:32]: "That's proof of just how biased they are? The fact that zero of them would go to defund it because they know how valuable it is to their propaganda."

Additional Insights:

• Katherine Marr's Congressional Hearing: Armstrong references NPR CEO Katherine Marr's testimony before Congress, where she defends the organization’s commitment to unbiased reporting while acknowledging challenges in combating misinformation. Armstrong criticizes her stance, insinuating a significant Democratic bias within NPR's editorial boards.

Quotes from Parliamentary Hearing Montage:

• Katherine Marr [09:13]: "The First Amendment in the United States is a fairly robust protection of rights... it's a little bit tricky, really, to address some of the real challenges of where does bad information come from."

• Jack Armstrong [09:16]: "Why is NPR even doing editorials? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Do edit Federally funded entity that's supposed to provide the news. Can you not provide the news?"

---

2. The Fight for Women’s Sports

Overview: The second major story tackles the contentious issue of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Ferguson and Armstrong discuss California's policy shift aimed at protecting female athletes from unfair competition, highlighting a broader national debate.

Key Points:

• Policy Changes in California: Governor Gavin Newsom announced amendments to track and field policies ensuring that biological girls retain their slots in state championships, even when competing against transgender women. This move marks a significant policy concession aimed at addressing fairness and safety in women’s sports.

• Political Implications: Armstrong shares his experience from the 2024 Texas Senate campaign, where the protection of girls' sports was a central issue. He emphasizes that this concern resonates deeply with moderate and undecided voters, particularly women who are active in their children's sports.

• Media and Public Perception: The hosts discuss how media narratives have often mislabeled this issue as fringe or extreme. However, emerging evidence from recent sports events, such as Lia Thomas in swimming and the inclusion of biological males in women’s boxing, underscores the practical implications of this debate.

Notable Quotes:

• Jack Armstrong [18:17]: "American people want to protect girls sports and women's sports. We want to protect our daughters, and we don't want to see them hurt or competing unfairly."

• Co-host Joe Getty [22:46]: "California having to change girls track and field championship roles after the Trump threatens funding over the trans athletes is just an example of, hey, we are in many times the silent majority."

Additional Insights:

• Public Support: Armstrong points out that focus groups in Texas revealed significant support among moderate women for policies protecting girls' sports, challenging the notion that this is a polarized or niche issue.

• Future Outlook: The discussion hints at a potential nationwide shift as more states and political figures may adopt similar stances in response to public sentiment and the tangible impacts observed in competitive sports.

---

3. James Comey & a Message in the Sand

Overview: The final segment delves into a perplexing incident involving former FBI Director James Comey, who posted an image of seashells arranged to spell "86 47" on the beach. This act has been interpreted by Armstrong and Getty as a veiled threat against President Donald Trump.

Key Points:

• Interpretation of "86 47": The number "86" is slang for killing, and "47" refers to Trump's status as the 47th President. Armstrong argues that Comey’s gesture is a coded call to murder the President.

• Legal Implications: Citing 18 USC §871, Armstrong emphasizes that threatening the President is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. He questions Comey's responsibility and awareness of the legal consequences of his actions.

• Comey's Justification: In a congressional hearing, Comey downplayed the significance of the seashell arrangement, claiming it was merely a decorative element without any malicious intent. Armstrong and Getty dismiss this explanation as insincere and manipulative, suggesting that Comey is leveraging controversy to promote his forthcoming book.

Notable Quotes:

• Jack Armstrong [29:27]: "James Comey is publicly calling for the murder of the President of the United States."

• Co-host Joe Getty [35:22]: "He's too country for pop. But then once I got to country, it was, he's too pop for country. So I kind of never really had a place to fit in."

• Jack Armstrong [34:41]: "What's funny? It's actually a felony. Threatening the President of the United States is a felony that's punishable by up to five years imprisonment."

Additional Insights:

• Critique of Comey: Armstrong characterizes Comey as someone with "delusions of grandeur," suggesting that his actions indicate a dangerous overreach of personal power and a disregard for legal norms.

• Potential Consequences: While acknowledging Comey's lack of immediate legal repercussions due to his status as a former FBI director, Armstrong warns of the serious implications should authorities choose to pursue charges.

Quotes from Congressional Hearing Montage:

• James Comey [32:36]: "No, I just thought it was a cool picture. Someone was expressing a political view in a very clever way in shells that were organized by the same color for each of the letters."

• Jack Armstrong [33:30]: "He proposed sending someone wearing a wire to entrap the President of the United States."

---

Conclusion

In this illuminating episode, Ben Ferguson and Jack Armstrong tackle three significant and controversial issues affecting the United States. From defending journalistic integrity and addressing fairness in women’s sports to scrutinizing potential threats against national leadership, the hosts provide listeners with a comprehensive analysis rooted in their political perspectives. By highlighting legal battles, policy shifts, and high-profile incidents, The 47 Morning Update encourages its audience to stay informed and critically engage with the pressing matters of the day.

---

Listening Options

To gain a deeper understanding of these discussions and explore additional insights, subscribe to The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform. Stay informed, stay ahead, and join Ben Ferguson for daily updates from Monday through Saturday.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

This is an iHeart podcast. Chu Chu Chu Cha Chumba Looking for excitement? Chumba Casino is here. Play anytime, play anywhere. Play on the train, play at the store. Play at home. Play when you're bored. Play today for your chance to win and get daily bonuses when you log in. So what are you waiting for? Don't delay. Chumba Casino is free to play. Experience social gameplay like never before. Go to Chumba Casino right now to play hundreds of games, including online slots, bingo, Slingo and more. Live the chumba [e-mail] no purchase necessary. VGW Group void where prohibited by law. 21 plus terms and conditions apply.

[Joe Getty]

Wholesome family entertainment is so important, especially for my family with my three boys. And there's a new movie I want you to know about. I want to give you free tickets. The Last Rodeo Angel Studios newest family Blockbuster starring Neil McDonough hits theaters May 23rd. And become a premium member right now and get two free tickets to see the Last Rodeo on the big screen. Plus, you can stream other angel exclusives like Homestead, the Shift, and more, help choose which movies get made, and support film and filmmakers that share our values. So join the angel guild [e-mail] verdict that's angel.com verdict. Don't miss the Last Rodeo. Only in theaters. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.

[Jack Armstrong]

This medal is for the men who.

[Joe Getty]

Went down that day on Medal of Honor Stories of Courage. You'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong. He's Joe Getty. We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy.

[Joe Getty]

Modern world about something about a comedic tone.

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes, listen to Armstrong. You get it on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran Contra Affair. The things that happened were so bizarre and insane. I can't begin to tell you. Please do to hear the whole story. Listen to Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Joe Getty]

Welcome. It is Verdict with Ted Cruz Week in Review, Ben Ferguson with you. And here are three big stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week. First up, NPR and three Colorado Radio stat suing the Trump administration. They want their free money back, you know, your taxpayer dollars that you work so hard for. Well, the Trump administration is fighting back and we'll give you the details in just a moment. Also, California is continuing to defy Trump on boys and girls sports and some politicians are starting to flip on the issue and it may even be changing in California. That in just a moment. And finally, James Comey and his 8647 Seashell message on the beach. Well, it's a story that's just not adding up and we'll dive into that as well. It's the Weekend Review and it starts right now. Want to move also the NPR lawsuit and get your take on that senator as well.

[Jack Armstrong]

So this week, npr, National Public Radio and three Colorado Public Radio stations filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Trump White House against the president's executive order barring the use of funds for NPR and for pbs. And the lawsuit says, quote, it is not always obvious when the government has acted with a retaliatory purpose in violation of the First Amendment. But this wolf comes as a wolf. The order targets NPR and PBS expressly because in the president's views, their news and other content is not fair, accurate or unbiased. Now, now let me stop and say, listen, you could file a reasonable lawsuit arguing that on any of these particular executive orders that where you're dealing with congressional appropriations, that challenging the authority of an executive order to limit congressional appropriations, that's an area that's being litigated. That's going to be litigated. And reasonable minds can differ on what is permissible. And we've talked in previous podcasts that there is a significant dispute over the president's authority to engage in what is called impoundment, which is essentially to decline to spend money that Congress has appropriated. That you want to file a lawsuit over that, okay, courts will sort that out. That'll be litigated. But here what this lawsuit is claiming is that the First Amendment prohibits defunding npr. And the reason they say it really is absurd is you can't defund the NPR simply because, quote, their news and other Content is not fair, accurate or unbiased. Now, let me say, I think no objective person on planet Earth can contend that NPR or PBS are fair, accurate or unbiased. And so we really are in Alice in Wonderland, through the Looking Glass, where you now have litigants arguing because NPR and PBS are dishonest and political. You can't cut off funding because cutting off funding would be silencing our right to be dishonest and political and not just. Look, you absolutely have a right to be dishonest and political. So MSNBC can publish any nonsense they want. CNN can publish any nonsense they want. Now, nobody watches them. It's kind of a tree falling in the woods. But they have a right to say it. They have a right to say utter Nonsense. But NPR's argument is not only do they have a right to say it, which I agree they do, but they have a right to have the taxpayers fund them forever. That it is illegal for us to stop paying for their partisan lies. I gotta say that is an absurd claim. And it is the simple reality of the absurdity of the left.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, it is. And I wonder when we will actually get resolution on this. Is there a real chance you think that we could actually defund npr, PBS and just say, hey, make it on your own? Is there a real chance?

[Jack Armstrong]

Look, I certainly hope so. I am pressing to do so. I'm pressing Congress to do so. I'm pressing Congress to enact and codify the Doge cuts that we've seen Elon Musk and Doge put in place. We're going to have a battle in Congress. We're going to have a battle in Congress. If it has to go through regular order, what regular order means is, is. Is the standard path of legislation. That means it's subject to filibuster. That means you need 60 votes in the Senate, which means you need seven Democrats. If you have to get seven Democrats.

[Joe Getty]

And that's how they save it, is what you're saying. That's right. That's their ideal situation, is you guys complain about it. And we keep giving billions to our propaganda machines.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Zero Democrats will vote to defund NPR or pbs, which means if it goes through regular order, it will not happen the other way.

[Joe Getty]

Isn't that proof of just how biased they are? The fact that zero of them would go to defund it because they know how valuable it is to their propaganda.

[Jack Armstrong]

And they don't care. In fact, I want you to listen to Katherine Marr, the CEO of npr, who describes the First Amendment as The quote, the greatest challenge that she faces to controlling narratives here. Give a listen. The number one challenge here that we see is, of course, the First Amendment in the United States is a fairly robust protection of rights. And that is a protection of rights both for platforms, which I actually think is very important. The platforms have those rights to be able to regulate what kind of content they want on their sites. But it also means that it is a little bit tricky, really address some of the real challenges of where does bad information come from and sort of the influence peddlers who have made a real market economy around it.

[Joe Getty]

I mean, that's where your tax towers are going. And that's the woman who's in charge.

[Jack Armstrong]

Dammit, that pesky First Amendment. We want to censor, we want to silence voices we disagree with, and that First Amendment stands in the way. And here I want you to listen to this montage of Katherine Marr being grilled at congressional hearing. Give a listen to just how extreme the NPR CEO is. And I welcome the opportunity to discuss the essential role of public media in delivering unbiased, nonpartisan fact based reporting to Americans. Madam Chair, thank you so much for the opportunity to address this. I know. Do you, Is it, is it, is.

[Joe Getty]

It up to you and NPR to.

[Jack Armstrong]

Crack down on bad information or decide the truth?

[Joe Getty]

Answer the question yes or no, Ms. Marr.

[Jack Armstrong]

Absolutely not. I'm a very strong believer in free speech and I believe that more speech, your public statements say otherwise. During the COVID pandemic and the 2020 election, you said you censored information through conversations with government. Which governments were those, Ms. Marr? The Biden administration? Yes or no? Madam Chair? Wikipedia never censored any information. These are your public statements, Ms. Maher. Madam Chair, we are in full compliance and with the FCC's inquiry and we'll continue to cooperate. I remind you, you're under oath. I'm assuming you're concerned, both of you are concerned about this and that's why you brought so many attorneys with you today. First of all, I want to recognize your concerns. One of the first things that I did in coming in in May was to beef up our editorial standards. Why is NPR even doing editorials? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Do edit Federally funded entity that's supposed to provide the news. Can you not provide the news? Of course, of course. Congressman, an article by Uri Berlinger. I've been at NPR for 25 years. Here's how we lost America's trust. Well, I do want to say that NPR acknowledges that we were mistaken in failing to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story more aggressively and sooner. Our current editorial leadership, Wuhan, we recognize that we were reporting at the time, but we acknowledge that the new CIA evidence is worthy of coverage and have covered it. You've even talked about the First Amendment kind of getting in the way of what you want it to get done. NPR is now taking this non biased approach. I so appreciate the opportunity to perhaps clarify some things. My talk about truth was really referencing the way that people use truth to refer to belief as a opposed to facts. Your comments said that truth was getting in the way of getting things done and that you were prioritizing what you wanted to get done over truth.

[Joe Getty]

Did they come up in your job.

[Jack Armstrong]

Interview like, do you see a problem, Congressman? Thank you for the question. No, I, they never came up in my job interview. You're a rabid progressive, like, and do you not think it's a problem that your political leanings make it seem to the American people that, that you're not biased and you're not doing your job because you agree that your job is to have journalistic integrity, Right? Absolutely. But there is a strong firewall between the newsroom and anything that I. Let's talk about the newsroom. You have 87 registered Democrats, not a single Republican in your, in your editor boards. I mean, how does that work to give us the perception that you're doing your job of actually delivering unbiased information? Well, I would agree with you that that number is a concern if it is accurate. I do believe that we need to have journalists who represent the full breadth of the American society so that we can report well for all Americans.

[Joe Getty]

Well, I just got to stop it there. This goes on for several minutes, but that part there at the end when he's like, you got 87 people on the editorial board. They're all Democrats. You don't have a single Republican. And then she's like, yeah, if that number is true, then it is a concern.

[Jack Armstrong]

The argument of NPR is that the First Amendment requires for you and me to keep paying for them to propagandize and lie. And I gotta say, one of my favorite facts is, as I said, it's not just npr, it's three Colorado radio stations. The statewide Colorado public radio station based in Denver, ksut, which was originally founded by the Southern Ute Indian tribe. And this is the one that cracks me up. The Aspen Public Radio, which broadcasts in Aspen, one of the richest communities on planet Earth. If you're in Aspen and you look at the airport, you just see a line of private jets as far as the eye can see. And their argument is the First Amendment mandates that we tax American workers to pay for propaganda in Aspen. Because the poor wretched masses of Aspen can't afford to pay for their own propaganda, they need to tax American workers instead.

[Joe Getty]

Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, you can go back and listen to the full podcast from earlier this week.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, in the book of Genesis, God makes a promise to your offspring. I promise this land. Now, that promise is the foundation of Israel, a land the Jewish people have returned to after centuries of exile and bondage and even the horrors of the Holocaust. But that promise is still under threat, especially after October 7th.

[Joe Getty]

Now, Israel's safety today depends on the.

[Jack Armstrong]

Very brave men and women of the idf, the Israeli Defense Forces. Every citizen is required to serve. Your gift of $45 will help provide aid to soldiers and their families by helping to provide food and other bare necessities for these families and emergency supplies for soldiers now, you can help secure their future. Honor those who are defending the holy land.

[Joe Getty]

Call now 888-488-IFCJ. That's 888-488-IFCj.

[Jack Armstrong]

But just go to their website, it's ifcj.org and you can give Today, they are in desperate need of help.

[Joe Getty]

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.

[Jack Armstrong]

This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it.

[Joe Getty]

I'm J.R. martinez. I'm a U.S. army veteran myself, and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and iHeart podcast from Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor going above and and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong. He's Joe Getty. We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth, help you figure out this crazy modern world.

[Joe Getty]

How about something about a comedic tone?

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes. Listen to Armstrong. You geti on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. Did you make a mistake in sending arms to Tehran, sir? No.

[Joe Getty]

No one was letting me.

[Jack Armstrong]

It became known as the Iran Contra affair, and I'm not taking any more questions. In just a second, I'm going to ask. I'm Leon Naifak, co creator of Slow Burn. In my podcast, Iran Contra, you'll hear all the unbelievable details of a scandal that captivated the nation nearly 40 years ago, but which few of us still remember today. The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you. Please do. To hear the whole story, listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. On this week's episode of Math and Magic, I'm sitting down with the one and only Bobby Bones. We were exploring the power of audio.

[Joe Getty]

The word on the street then was, he's too country for pop. But then once I got to country, it was, he's too pop for country. So I kind of never really had a place to fit in. But that's exactly how and why I fit. I just embraced that, like, yeah, I don't fit into one specific hole. I think that is what endeared me to listeners. That's why I'm here now, because I talk to people that grew up like me, have sensibilities like me, and have loyalties like me.

[Jack Armstrong]

Listen to math and magic stories from the frontiers of Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Joe Getty]

Now on to story number two. Senator, let's deal with California. And there has been a fight since the President came in with his executive order on trying to protect women from men being in their locker rooms, being in their sports, beating them up. We saw it during the Olympics in boxing. We've seen countless women who, their achievements have been taken away from them on the podium because of men claiming they're women, which is impossible in reality. And California decided they were going to stand up to Donald Trump. And guess what? It didn't go very well for them.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, listen, we've seen the Democrat Party getting more and more radical ever since Donald Trump took the oath of office back in 2017. They hate Trump and they've gotten more and more extreme on a host of issues. And one of the poster children for their extreme issues is embracing boys and girls sports, men and women's sports. And it is wrong, it is unfair, it invites injury, and it also deprives both girls and women of athletic victories they should have and they've earned. There are differences between boys and girls. There are differences between men and women. That did not used to be a controversial proposition. It is only in today's Looney Tune Left that they can't tell the difference between men and women. But I gotta tell you, even though in the Senate, Senate Democrats, all of them, continue to defend men and women's sports and boys and girls sports, we're seeing the state of California, we're seeing the Democrats beginning to retreat. We're seeing Gavin Newsom, the governor, who's been a far left radical governor. He's got ambitions of being president. He's looking at, looking at running in 2028. And he's decided, okay, we're on the wrong side of an 8020 issue. I want to get the hell away from this. And so California announced this is a big deal. They're changing their policy for track and field so that if you are a biological girl and you got, you missed out on making it to the state championship because you were beaten by a biological male who claims to be a transgender woman, then the girl, you will still get your slot. You still get invited to the state championship. Look, that's a significant step in the right direction. And Gavin Newsom is embracing it. And I gotta say, this really illustrates that at least some Democrats realize, wow, we are on the wrong side of an issue that America, America wants to protect girls sports and women's sports. We want to protect our daughters, and we don't want to see them hurt or competing unfairly. And so the crazy thing is that means in track and field in California now, they may give three gold medals, one to the boy, one to the girl, and one to the transgender athlete. You may have gold medals all around, but for bright blue California to make this concession, it shows that at least some Democrats realize they are way on the wrong side of this issue.

[Joe Getty]

This also, I think, is an issue that it's worth fighting for. And I think many that are listening are saying, we don't want to give in and we don't want to give up. And the pendulum went so far to the radical left for so many years that this is the fight that is worth fighting on and fighting over and showing. California having to change girls track and field championship roles after the Trump threatens funding over the trans athletes is just an example of, hey, we are in many times the silent majority, and we need to start acting like it, especially on these types of issues.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I'll tell you, Ben, this, this issue is a powerful issue. And as you know, I ran for reelection in Texas last year in 2024. It was a quarter billion dollar race. I was Chuck Schumer's number one target. And my campaign was the first campaign in the country last year to put. Put real time and energy behind this. This. This issue of we're gonna protect girls sports from boys competing, and we put tens of millions of dollars behind this issue. Well, what's fascinating is the media completely misunderstood the issue. So one of the things that my campaign did is we did focus groups in Houston and Dallas of undecided moderate women to understand what issues move them. And we tested 30, 35 different messages. The number one issue that moved undecided moderate women in Texas was boys and girls sports. And when I started campaigning on it, it was very funny. The reporters are like, oh, Cruz is trying to appeal to the crazy right wing. And I was just laughing at him. I'm like, you guys are so clueless. This is not the crazy right wing. This is soccer moms. This is soccer moms who love their daughters. And we led on this issue. And then you saw Senate races all across the country pick up the same message because they were seeing the same data. We were. We saw President Trump lean in hard on this message.

[Joe Getty]

Some of those women that you were talking to, let's be very clear, had moved from California because how many people from California moved to Texas over the last six years? A lot.

[Jack Armstrong]

We have over a thousand people a day moving to the state of Texas. And California is overwhelmingly the heaviest, the largest state that is sending people to Texas. But, but this issue, what's fascinating, Ben, is, you know, four years ago, this issue did not work politically. You saw campaigns try to raise it four years ago, and I think people thought then that it was jumping the shark, that it didn't feel real. Four years ago, I think people said, oh, come on, that's not a real threat. Well, you know what? We've now seen Lia Thomas, the swimmer, who is a biological man and looks like Michael Friggin Phelps. Who, who, who, who? We. We've also seen, and I think this was really a seminal moment in the Olympics, the two dudes competing in. In. In women's boxing and beating the hell out of women. And I think a whole lot of people said, wait, this is not theoretical. This is happening over and over and over again. Enough is enough. And, and. And I think this is another milestone that, that California is retreated shows that truth and sanity are winning.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. And now the question becomes how much are they gonna be able to fight back through the court system? And is this gonna be something that's gonna be, unfortunately, an issue for probably years to come?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, look, we'll see. And to be honest, California hasn't conceded altogether. They're still having biological males compete against women, which is. Which is unfair. It invites injury. You know, if you're playing volleyball, we've seen women who have a biological man spike the ball into their head. And I mean. I mean, it is. California is still Looney Tunes. But the fact that even the lefty government of California is saying we've gone too far, that's a very positive sign.

[Joe Getty]

As before, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation on this topic, you can go back and download the podcast from earlier this week to hear the entire thing.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, in the book of Genesis, God makes a promise to your offspring. I promise this land. Now, that promise is the foundation of Israel, a land the Jewish people have returned to after centuries of exile and bondage and even the horrors of the Holocaust. But that promise is still under threat, especially after October 7th. Now, Israel's safety today depends on the very brave men and women of the idf, the Israeli Defense Forces. Every citizen is required to serve. Your gift of $45 will help provide aid to soldiers and their families by helping to provide food and other bare necessities for these families and emergency supplies for soldiers. Now you can help secure their future. Honor those who are defending the holy land.

[Joe Getty]

Call now 888-488-IFCJ. That's 888-488-IFCj.

[Jack Armstrong]

Just go to their website.

[Joe Getty]

It's ifcj.org and you can give.

[Jack Armstrong]

Today, they are in desperate need of help.

[Joe Getty]

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.

[Jack Armstrong]

This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it.

[Joe Getty]

I'm J.R. martinez. I'm a U.S. army veteran myself, and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and I Heart podcast from Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor going above and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on Demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong. He's Joe Getty. We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy modern world.

[Joe Getty]

How about something about a comedic tone?

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes. Listen to Armstrong, you geti on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. Did you make a mistake in sending arms to Tehran, sir?

[Joe Getty]

No one was letting me.

[Jack Armstrong]

It became known as the Iran Contra affair, and I'm not taking any more questions. In just a second, I'm going to ask a journey. I'm Leon Naifak, co creator of Slow Burn. In my podcast, Fiasco Iran Contra, you'll hear all the unbelievable details of a scandal that captivated the nation nearly 40 years ago, but which few of us still remember today. The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you. Please do. To hear the whole story. Listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. On this week's episode of Math and Magic, I'm sitting down with the one and only Bobby Bones. We're exploring the power of audio.

[Joe Getty]

The word on the street then was, he's too country for pop. But then once I got to country, it was, he's too pop for country. So I kind of never really had a place to fit in. But that's exactly how and why I fit. I just embraced that, like, yeah, I don't fit into one specific hole. I think that is what endeared me to listeners. That's why I'm here now, because I talk to people that grew up like me, have sensibilities like me, and have loyalties like me.

[Jack Armstrong]

Listen to math and magic stories from the frontiers of Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Joe Getty]

I want to get back to the big story number three of the week you may have missed unless the head.

[Jack Armstrong]

Of the FBI is calling for the murder of the President of the United States. And that is another story that broke in the last few days. So the former FBI director, James Comey, he tweeted out this image, and it is an image of seashells on the beach that spell out 86, 47. Now, 47 is obviously Donald Trump. And 86 on the face of it, to 86 someone is standard slang for killing someone. And as I posted on social media, is there any other reasonable interpretation of this other than the former head of the FBI publicly calling for the murder of the President of the United States and Comey backed away from it. And I got to say, part of the reason I think he put it out is he's got a new book coming out and he wanted some attention. But it is unimaginable that a head of the FBI would be particularly a president who has had two assassination attempts. This is not theoretical. Donald Trump was shot. He came within a half inch of being killed in Butler, Pennsylvania. And yet the head of the FBI is openly calling for people to 86 Donald Trump.

[Joe Getty]

Well, and not only, as you mentioned, is it a dog whistle, but also, yeah, he had a book coming out. He's like, hey, if I do this, and maybe there's just narcissism and arrogance to a level that even I didn't realize with with him. And I thought it was pretty high where he's like, I'm, I'm so powerful, I can get away with this. And then everybody will want to interview me. I get to dog whistle this against the present, while also guaranteeing that every single show will want to book me to talk about my book, AKA and also the seashells on the beach. It was one hell of a move. And I think it's one where he thought, nothing's going to happen to me, even if I do get interviewed by the Secret Service, who cares?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, and I will say he doubled down this week by calling on the FBI essentially to fight the President of the United States and accusing The Trump administration of being, in his words, quite white supremacist adjacent. Listen to this. So follow up on the seashell situation when you were explaining why you took it down, but what were you trying to communicate to the public? Impeach Trump. What was your reasoning for it? No, I just thought it was a cool picture. Someone was expressing a political view in a very clever way in shells that were organized by the same color for each of the letters. I just thought, what a cool thing. And I'm well known as a political opponent of Donald Trump. And I just thought, that's cool. My Instagram account is family politics stuff, including stuff like this. I put a shell on last fall. I thought it was cool. Someone had painted the inside of a big shell to say vote Kamala. And I thought, that's really cool. So I put that on. But so it's not any particular message other than that.

[Joe Getty]

I was just gonna ask you about.

[Jack Armstrong]

The MSNBC interview you were doing, because on social media, everyone's saying he's talking about the white supremacist adjacent Republican Party. Everybody in the party. Yeah. Voters. What? What's. You want to clarify? Thank you. No clarification at all.

[Joe Getty]

No, I'm not going to comment on it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Hello.

[Joe Getty]

I love it. Be well, I'm not going to clarify on that. I'm going to keep that out there as well. Buy my book.

[Jack Armstrong]

What utter garbage. Oh, I just thought it was kind of interesting. I just thought it was, you know, kind of pretty. The seashells were pretty. Like, what an absurd claim. And there's something mocking about it that he could claim. Okay, number one, James Comey is not a stupid man.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, he's smart. He knows what he's doing.

[Jack Armstrong]

He knows exactly what he is doing. And James Comey, number one, he knows who 47 is. He knows exactly who 47 is. 47 is the 47th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. Number two, the claim that he didn't know what 86 is. Listen, that is absurd. It is. It is not remotely credible. And the fact that he's saying that. The fact that he's saying that is mocking. It is a level of contempt. And listen, I gotta say, I don't know Comey personally, but in my view, he is someone who was consumed by power when he was the head of the FBI. I think he had delusions of grandeur. I think he believed he was J. Edgar Hoover and he wanted to have presidents of the United States reporting to him. By the way, do you happen to know off the top of your. Top of your head what 18 USC section 871 provides.

[Joe Getty]

No, what is it?

[Jack Armstrong]

What's funny? It's actually a felony. Threatening the President of the United States is a felony that's punishable by up to five years imprisonment. You would think the head of the FBI would know that. And yet he blithely said, oh, I just saw some pretty seashells, you know, nothing to see here.

[Joe Getty]

And let's just remind people when you said that he's smart. This is the same guy that mocked the Trump administration the first time, right when they got into office, when he just sent a couple FBI agents over to try to entrap General Flynn. Like, never forget, that's how calculated this guy is. So for him to say, oh, I just saw a picture here and I thought it was really cute. Of seashells. I don't buy that crap for a moment.

[Jack Armstrong]

He proposed sending someone wearing a wire to entrap the President of the United States. And I want you to listen to him with Nicole Wallace on msnbc, because I want you to listen to just this smarmy, sanctimonious, dishonest. You can tell what I think about him here. Just play his words and see if you agree with me.

[Joe Getty]

You are back in the middle of a political firestorm.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, for walking on the beach with my wife. So I don't know how we ended up here. It never occurred to me that it was any kind of controversial thing, but that's the time we live in. Okay, Ben, there's a technical word for what he just said there that would be called a lie. He's deliberately lying. He knows he's lying. He is not in trouble for walking on the beach with his wife. He is understandably in trouble for publicly advocating the murder of the President of the United States.

[Joe Getty]

And yet there's a lot of people think he knew exactly what he was doing. And, yeah, he may get hauled in for some questioning, but he's not going to get arrested because he's a former FBI director and that guy never gets in trouble. Right?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, we shall see. I will say Cash Patel and Dan Bongino are not your typical heads of the FBI.

[Joe Getty]

As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. Don't forget to download my podcast. And you can listen to my podcast every other day. You're not listening to Verdict or each day when you listen to Verdict afterwards. I'd love to have you as a listener to again, the Ben Ferguson Podcast. And we will see you back here on Monday morning. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.

[Jack Armstrong]

This medal is for the man who went down that day.

[Joe Getty]

On Medal of Stories of Courage, you'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong.

[Joe Getty]

He's Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy modern world.

[Joe Getty]

How about something about a comedic tone?

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes. Listen to Armstrong. You get it on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran Contra affair. The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you. Please do to hear the whole story. Listen to Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.