Loading summary
Transcript110 lines
- [00:00]
Michael Knowles
We are 32 days out from the midterm elections. We are in the middle of a 17 state month long campaign bus tour and we are coming to you from sunny Las Vegas. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
- [00:21]
Ted Cruz
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is brought to you by Field of Greens. Back in the day, people grew what they ate. Fresh vegetables and fruits were the core of their diet. It's what they ate. But as Americans became busier and busier, now we eat pre made processed fast food. You know, the easy stuff but not very healthy. Definitely not the six cups of veggies and fruits a day. But let me tell you about Field of Greens. Field of Greens is packed with a full spectrum of essential vegetables and fruits, plus science back herbs and prebiotics. This is what we need to stay healthy. Field of Greens works fast. You'll have more energy. You'll look and feel healthier and it can even help you lose weight. Next time you're at the doctor and they compare your old lab work to your new lab work, I bet the doctor will tell you you crushed it. Join me and take Field of Greens. And to help you get started, I got you 15% off your first order and another 10% off when you subscribe. For recurring orders, visit fieldofgreens.com and use promo code cactus to collect this deal. That's fieldofgreens.com promo code cactus.
- [01:28]
Michael Knowles
Welcome back to Verdict with Ted Cruz. I'm Michael Knowles. Senator, excellent to see you in person. You are looking very good and awake and energetic for having been on a 17 state bus tour.
- [01:40]
Ted Cruz
Well, I'm having a blast. So we're on day seven of the bus tour we started in Texas, Tomball, Texas, which is just north of Houston. Did a big rally with Wesley Hunt, who's going to be a new congressman, Republican elected from there. West Point graduate, African American football player at West Point. Great guy. We went from there down to the Rio Grande valley. We did three rallies down in the Rio Grande Valley with three congressional candidates. We did rallies in McAllen, Harlingen, Laredo. All three congressional candidates, all Republicans, all Hispanic women. I think all three are gonna win. Huge packed out rallies down in South Texas. We went from there to New Mexico, did a big rally in New Mexico. We went from New Mexico to Arizona, did two rallies in Arizona.
- [02:25]
Michael Knowles
Seemed to sort of light up the Internet. I've seen bits and pieces from the tour, but your appearance in Arizona really seemed to explode. Very exciting candidates in Arizona.
- [02:35]
Ted Cruz
It was fantastic. So we did in New Mexico, we were with Yvette Harrell, who's running for re election. She's fantastic in New Mexico. In Arizona, we were with Eli Crane, who's a Navy seal. The guy's a badass, smart, principled. He's a warrior. He's gonna win, defeat a Democrat. And then we did a rally with both Blake Masters and Kari Lake, and I gotta say, that lit it up. She's gonna be the next governor, and I think Masters has a real shot at winning that Senate race. And it was. Those events were packed. And now we're here in Las Vegas. We're doing a rally here tonight with Mark Robertson and Sam Peters, both running for the House here. Both have a real shot to beat Democrats and get elected. After Nevada, we go to Utah. Then we go to Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, back up to Michigan, back up to Wisconsin, and we close it out in Texas the day before the election.
- [03:38]
Michael Knowles
I'm exhausted just hearing that schedule. That's outrageous. And I do know we've been on the road together many, many times. I do know. Whatever stop you're at, whatever the event is, whether it's a Verdict, live tour, wherever you are, never the one to say, okay, we've all got to go home. I'm too tired, guys. You stay up very, very late. You keep on going.
- [03:56]
Ted Cruz
Well, as long as you feed me with scotch and cigars, I'm happy to go as long as you like. And I have to note a couple of milestones. Number one, this is your first time in Vegas.
- [04:06]
Michael Knowles
This is my. Shockingly, I love gambling. I love, you know, staying out late and getting up to no good. This is my very first time. And I didn't realize they have slot machines in the airport.
- [04:16]
Ted Cruz
Oh, yeah. And by the way, we are filming. This studio is unique that we are filming in a studio where I guess they train showgirls. Like, I know I went to the restaurant.
- [04:25]
Michael Knowles
That's why it looks familiar.
- [04:26]
Ted Cruz
Yeah, like, there's. There's, you know, there's mirrors all along the walls, and, you know, I kind of feel like we ought to be wearing sparklies or something.
- [04:33]
Michael Knowles
Well, that could. I guess that's a thought for the next stage of Verdict. And actually, speaking of the next phase of Verdict, there is huge news that's come in, and it's come in very, very recently, and it's part of the reason that I wanted to fly out here. It's really, really good news, and it's a little bit of bad news, but I think we should let the audience in on it. So here's the really, really good news about Verdict has been a bootstrapped operation from the very beginning, starting in a basement in dc, not on one of the major outlets or a major podcast or radio network, and just really bootstrapped and fun and largely independent. So an offer has come in from iheartradio to take this show to a huge national audience. It's already, obviously, at a national audience on podcast, but on radio stations, on terrestrial radio. IHeart has a gigantic network. IHeart can fund the whole thing, fund production, dump a whole bunch of money into marketing. This is incredible. It will make this show sustainable, not just for the next few months going into the midterms, but for the next years. The only bad news is, from the very beginning, as much as I love this show, it's been my moonlighting job, because my day job is over there at the Daily Wire, and I've been very graciously loaned out by the Daily Wire to do this show. And because the Daily Wire is a different podcast network and because I have a radio show on a different radio network, if Verdict is to move into this next very sustainable, exciting, energetic phase, it will have to be without me as part of it. I certainly will be coming back around, maybe coming to live events, coming around as a guest, but I think it is very, very important that this show remain sustainable. This show has never been about me. It is Verdict with Ted Cruz. It's been an amazing ride. We took it to number one of all the podcasts. Ted Cruz became a bigger podcaster than Joe Rogan and stayed there for actually a pretty decent period of time. And so I am really very excited for this next phase with iHeart. And there's a great broadcaster from iHeart who's been in the business forever, who's been a friend of mine for many, many years, who is gonna come on and fill this seat. And that would be Ben Ferguson. Should we bring Ben on? Ben, can you come out here?
- [07:05]
Ted Cruz
All right.
- [07:07]
Ben Ferguson
How are you, sir?
- [07:08]
Ted Cruz
Welcome.
- [07:09]
Michael Knowles
Good to see you, my friend. How are you?
- [07:11]
Ben Ferguson
Two guys that usually get to hang out in Tennessee all the way in Vegas. Welcome to your maiden voyage, as they say.
- [07:16]
Michael Knowles
It is a little strange. Have senator from Texas, a broadcaster from Texas, a broadcaster from Tennessee who only ever sees you in Tennessee, and for some reason, we're in Nevada.
- [07:29]
Ben Ferguson
It's a strange world of politics and stores.
- [07:31]
Michael Knowles
That's right. So now, the last time, Ben, that I saw you, it's a little blurry, actually. It was about one in the morning at.
- [07:39]
Ben Ferguson
There were cigars. Involved.
- [07:40]
Michael Knowles
There were cigars, maybe angry liberals.
- [07:42]
Ben Ferguson
Angry liberals and Politicon, if I remember.
- [07:45]
Michael Knowles
Correctly, we were at some honky tonk down there in Nashville. But since then, and for the handful of people out there who might not know who you are, what have you been up to?
- [07:55]
Ben Ferguson
So I've been hosting my radio show, syndicated show, podcast, and raising three boys. That's. I say I shouldn't say it that way. I'll get in trouble with the wife. She's doing the majority of it, and I'm paying some bills. Is that a better way of putting it?
- [08:08]
Michael Knowles
That's good.
- [08:09]
Ben Ferguson
And, yeah.
- [08:10]
Ted Cruz
So, I mean, Ben, I don't know why that's the case. I raise my daughters all on my own. He has nothing to do with it.
- [08:15]
Ben Ferguson
That's a man that has decades right there of experience. He knows how to pull that off.
- [08:19]
Ted Cruz
You gotta understand, I'm in real trouble because Heidi listens to this podcast. So that statement, my phone is going to ring while she's listening to it.
- [08:29]
Ben Ferguson
I already know how much that meal is going to cost and where you're going to end up taking her in Houston. Like, that's just that. That's. That's going to hurt.
- [08:34]
Ted Cruz
Yeah.
- [08:35]
Ben Ferguson
That's going to be worse than losing at the roulette table this week, I can promise you that. So, yeah, so I've just been doing that and doing a little more TV and getting to hang out with this guy. So it's been good.
- [08:44]
Michael Knowles
This is very exciting news also, because you guys both live in the same town.
- [08:48]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah.
- [08:48]
Michael Knowles
You live in Houston. So, you know, I mean, obviously this deal came up relatively quickly. We're heading right into the midterm elections, so we wanted to make sure that this kind of. The ink could dry, you know, as quickly as possible.
- [09:01]
Ted Cruz
Well, this thing for the podcast is just a big damn deal. IHeartRadio is a monster. It's got 850 stations across the country. And so this was something. This was not something we were out looking for. But they came and they saw what was happening on this podcast. They saw the work of the incredible viewers and fans and engaged viewers we have all over the country. And they said, listen, we want to take this podcast to the next level. We want to reach. We want to promote it across our 850 stations. We want to promote it across our podcasts. And listen, iHeart is the network that work and built with Rush Limbaugh and helped him build into the greatest ever, and that works with folks like Hannity and Glenn Beck and Clay and Buck and Jesse Kelly, you know, there's a.
- [09:53]
Michael Knowles
Coincidence, actually, right before my show became syndicated to terrestrial radio nationwide, I got one last little opportunity to be on a different radio network. And it was when The President of iHeart called me, it was in the last days of Rush Limbaugh's show, said, michael, would you like to host Rush's show? And I said, oh, my gosh, this is a dream come true. I would love to. I said, I've got this other radio contract that's about to inked in like three days. But yes, that would be, that would be just the greatest thing in the world. And so I know the reach of iheart is just phenomenal.
- [10:25]
Ben Ferguson
It's going to be fun. And I think you talked about it being a big deal. I think getting to expand it to three days a week, getting to talk more breaking news and having people not have to wait once a week to get it. And you wonder if it's, you know, was it dated and when was it done? I mean, we're going to be able to break news, talk about breaking news and give people your point of view instantly. And I think that's so important now. People are hungry for that. I mean, you've seen it. Whether it's your podcast or mine or radio, I mean, people want to go around the mainstream media to the people they trust. And there's a lot of Americans that are going to be introduced, I think, because they're going to hear this promotion, oh, Ted's got this podcast. I'm in. I want to hear this on a regular basis basis and make it a part of their day. And I'm excited to get to expand that with you and reach more people and hopefully ultimately, which is what you and I, we started, we talked about this in Nashville. You and I do this because we want to change hearts and minds. You do what you do for the same exact reason. And the more people we can have listen to what we believe in, why we believe in it, why it makes sense logically. It's been my life goal. My mission field is politics. I've said that for years. I started when I was 12, as you know, and started in TV Bill O'Reilly when I was 17. And that's my mission field. And I look at where we're going as a country. I mentioned earlier, I've got twin boys, there are three, and I've got a six year old. And I'm terrified of where we're headed. And that's kind of given me my second wind in my career. I Think to say, okay, are we going to leave this place better than it was when I got to grow up? And right now, it's not right. If you looked at the clock and you look at the issues and you look at what's happening, but there's also things exciting that's happening, and that is you're seeing parents are getting involved in their school boards. You see police officers are now getting the backing again from society with crime that's out of control. You have people that are starting to understand, like, this deficit that we have right now is a massive problem. And you see people dealing with inflation, the highest in our lifetime. And so these are, I think, a pallet of issues that if we can hear from the senator more often, it's going to change more hearts and minds. And so that's why I'm super excited to get to partner with you and do this and to keep the torch going that you guys started. Because when you started during impeachment, it was unbelievable. I. And you guys, I don't know if everyone knows this, but the story of how y'all started this and at what time of night you started it. Like when you said you were moonlighting, you weren't lying earlier during the first impeachment. Right. We gotta clarify which impeachment we're talking about. But when you guys started this, and I remember listening and thinking, this is something that's missing from the market. And that was a conversation that was missing. And being obviously a fan of yours, I remember the first time I ever had you on my show when I was hosting in Dallas when you were running the impossible campaign against the richest guy. The do hurt. You can't touch him. You can't. You know, this is an election that's already tied up. It's done. And you came out of nowhere and proved all the experts wrong. And that's, you know, from that moment on, I was hooked.
- [13:31]
Ted Cruz
Well, I will say this. It's interesting that you use the phrase hearts and minds. As both of you guys know, I'm obsessed with. What we gotta do as conservatives is we have to connect with people's hearts and minds. We've gotta reach beyond the people watching Fox News. We gotta reach young people. We gotta reach Hispanics and African Americans and suburban moms. And it has been amazing. You know, looking back, it's been two and a half years since we started this podcast. We started it, as you just noted, Ben, it was on the very first day of the first impeachment trial. We're on the Senate floor Till midnight. One in the morning, jumped in a truck and headed over to a basement studio. It was dingy. I think we had the same crappy carpet.
- [14:12]
Michael Knowles
Carpet. That's right.
- [14:15]
Ted Cruz
And it just started, like, walking off the Senate floor. Let's talk about it. And it went from a standing start with zero viewers, zero downloads, to within days, we shot to the top of the charts. And I remember that first night, we're sitting down there. I've never done a podcast. We didn't know how to do this. And we're talking about it, and we were talking about, all right, what would success look like? Remember, we talked about, okay, if we could break into the top hundred.
- [14:43]
Ben Ferguson
That'd be spectacular, by the way. To this day, still an amazing accomplishment, if you even get there.
- [14:49]
Michael Knowles
Yep. Yeah, that would have. I think we were speaking not even realistically. We were thinking that's actually. That would be an ambitious goal.
- [14:57]
Ted Cruz
Yep.
- [14:57]
Michael Knowles
And then, what was it? Four days later?
- [14:59]
Ted Cruz
And then we, like, boom, into the top hundred, and then we're in the top ten. And then we climb 10, 9, 8, 4, 3. We're sitting there going, holy crap, could you imagine if we get. And then, boom, number one, as we kick Joe Rogan out of the spot. I mean, it was crazy. And we've done. Now we've done 145 shows. We've had over 50 million downloads of this podcast, and every single week, we beat CNN's morning show. And so that has been. That's always been the mission.
- [15:29]
Ben Ferguson
That's the bonus structure.
- [15:30]
Ted Cruz
Right.
- [15:30]
Ben Ferguson
That's what you get, is your bonus structure. You get to meet CNN every week. That'll make you wake up and do the show.
- [15:36]
Michael Knowles
That's right.
- [15:37]
Ted Cruz
But now with iHeart stepping in to distribute and promote, the reach is gonna be that much broader. And I think that's really exciting. Cause this was always about really equipping our listeners. If you're gonna battle to save the country, if you're gonna take on the cultural Marxist, if you're gonna take on the socialists and the people coming at everything that built America. You need the tools, you need the information you need to know what's going on. And the vision of this podcast was always, we're gonna give you as much of those tools as possible so that you're prepared and, you know, the inside story. And so I couldn't be more excited about this next step. It is sad, you know, Michael, you and I didn't know each other very well when we started.
- [16:23]
Michael Knowles
That's right.
- [16:25]
Ted Cruz
We have become very close friends. We are Remaining very close friends. You know, I will note, you know, when you started, you were, you know, an uptight young whippersnapper.
- [16:35]
Michael Knowles
Yeah, yeah.
- [16:36]
Ted Cruz
And for the 145th podcast, I'll just say right now, you're in Vegas. We're in Vegas. And for the first time ever, Michael Knowles is not wearing socks.
- [16:46]
Michael Knowles
So he's. Yeah.
- [16:50]
Ted Cruz
And I will tell you, so when we cut. When Ben was walking out of here, we cut the camera scene, and I will tell you, Michael was adjusting his. Adjusting his microphone, and he proceeded to undo his belt. And I'm like, michael, Ben's coming. Do not drop your pants. When Ben, the first time he walks.
- [17:06]
Michael Knowles
Onto the podcast, said, I was told, this is Las Vegas. I was told, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. That was okay that you're right. No, it's true. I have now loosened up, apparently to the point of political scandal. But it has been really. I mean, the show, to your point, has really grown, and it's loosened and it's changed, and we've gone on the road and we've done all these great things. And it's so important, too, to continue to hit new and new audiences. And so we've cultivated this really, really large, wonderful group of listeners. And now moving over to. With the show, moving over to a different platform, that's going to give us new listeners with the show moving to terrestrial radio, in some cases, that's going to give you an entirely new demographic.
- [17:49]
Ted Cruz
And, Michael, I'll make a promise to you right now that even though neither Ben nor I went there, we will continue to make fun of you.
- [17:56]
Michael Knowles
I'm really pleased.
- [17:57]
Ted Cruz
That's not going to end. That's going to be a consistency.
- [18:01]
Ben Ferguson
That's part of my bonus structure they gave me, was that I get to make fun of Yale on a regular basis. The first time I ever went, I went to Harvard Kennedy School right after the 04 election. And I walked up, they asked me to speak, and I worked on the Bush campaign. They were doing a retrospect of that campaign. I walked up there, it's a big room of people, And I walked up, I was younger, and I just didn't say anything. And the room was just kind of quiet, and I didn't say anything. Just kind of looked around, got to the point where, on purpose, it was a little awkward, and I leaned down, I was like, just want to savor the moment. There's no chance in hell I could have gotten into this place. And now you're paying me to speak. And the rare guy Laughing. I was like, I may never get to come back, but I'm gonna enjoy this moment right here, right now where the Ivy Leaguers jokes on you and I got paid.
- [18:46]
Michael Knowles
That is, that is magnificent.
- [18:49]
Ben Ferguson
It was fun.
- [18:49]
Michael Knowles
Well, you know, to this point, before we go, I mean before we sort of let people go and there will be a whole new phase of verdict, I do have to ask you guys, we've got a United States Senator here, been on the campaign trail constantly. We've got a lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School, for goodness sake.
- [19:03]
Ben Ferguson
Put it on the resume.
- [19:04]
Michael Knowles
Right? That's right. Where do we stand? 32 days out from the elections, I.
- [19:11]
Ted Cruz
Still think it's gonna be an historic election. I think we're gonna retake the Senate, I think we're gonna retake the House.
- [19:15]
Michael Knowles
But you still think we're gonna retake the Senate.
- [19:18]
Ted Cruz
I put the odds of the House at north of 90% and I think there's a real chance. We have a big majority in the House. 30, 40, 50 seats. The Senate, I'd put the odds at about 65, 35. It's not a great map. And if I were to predict, my prediction right now is we end up with 53 Republicans.
- [19:36]
Michael Knowles
Okay. Cause previously you had said 60, 40.
- [19:39]
Ted Cruz
I've gone back and forth between 60, 40 and 65. 35amonth ago, two months ago I was at 65, 35amonth ago I was at 60, 40, and I'm back to 65, 35. So it did turn a little bit south about a month ago. And I think the momentum has turned again. I think we're going to win, win a bunch of seats. This bus tour is designed to do that.
- [20:04]
Michael Knowles
Ben, what do you think?
- [20:06]
Ben Ferguson
I tend to agree with you on this. I think that you're seeing a really last minute shift. And I've noticed it on my show with callers. There is a real level of stress for the American people right now with the economy. I just was in California. You're seeing $6, $7 gallon gas, new records. You see a president that is just draining our strategic oil reserves. And there's and not talk about now how low they're going to be come election day. You see what OPEC has just done and you're starting to see the housing market switching very quickly. We just sold a house, for example, and the real estate agent said, you're lucky you got out when you did. Because he goes, I think if we, if this fell through and we went right back on tomorrow, it's a desert. He said, it is We've not seen anything like this, he said, since 08. And. And I think people are feeling that stress. And I think the closer, unfortunately, and I hate this, but the closer we get to election Day, it's getting worse, not better. And I don't think the president can do anything at this point or the Democrats somehow convince you, oh, no, really, it's going to be okay? Oh, it's going to be fine.
- [21:10]
Michael Knowles
Don't believe you're lying.
- [21:11]
Ben Ferguson
I really think people are feeling it now. Small businesses are feeling. I'm a small business owner. We're seeing it. We lost money for the first time ever last month in our restaurant. Food costs skyrocketed, labor costs are up, and people are feeling it. And we'd never experienced that before. The accountant called, and they're like, hey, you guys lost $6,600.
- [21:31]
Ted Cruz
Wow.
- [21:32]
Ben Ferguson
And when you hear that and you see it and then you start saying, what do we do to fix it? I think that's the conversation America's having. So I agree with you. I think the Senate is definitely, in my opinion, I think it's more than. I think it's probably even more optimistic than you are on that, because I think people are having these conversations right now, and I think that's gonna be the only blessing in disguise, is we're gonna get a change in leadership and we're gonna get to go back to fiscal responsibility and go back to what was working. And people are willing to listen to that idea now.
- [22:01]
Ted Cruz
Well. And when you talk to candidates. So we're here in Nevada. I think Nevada presents the number one best pickup opportunity for Republicans in the Senate. Adam Laxalt. Adam is a terrific guy. He's a close friend. He was attorney general here in Nevada. His grandfather was Paul Laxalt, who was the governor and senator from Nevada, is a legend in this state. He was Reagan's best friend in the Senate. His grandfather was. And Adam is pretty consistently running 3, 4 points ahead in the polls. That's been for about a month he's been there. And it's interesting. Whether you talk to him or congressional candidates all across the country, the Democrats everywhere have just gone all in on abortion. Every ad they're running is abortion, abortion, abortion, abortion. And I've been pointing out. I said, look, of course they are. What else do they have to talk about? Imagine for a second, God forbid. All right, Ben, you wake up tomorrow. You're Catherine Cortez, Masto's campaign manager.
- [22:58]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah.
- [22:59]
Ted Cruz
Now she's the incumbent Democrat from Nevada. What are you going to talk about. You can't talk about the economy because the economy's gone to crap under Biden. Inflation is horrible. By the way, Nevada has the second worst inflation of any state in the union. Gas prices are through the roof. Mortgages have tripled. You certainly can't talk crime, murder rates, carjacking rates, all the crime rates have skyrocketed under the Democrats. And you sure as hell can't talk about immigration. Cause the southern border's at the worst spot in 62 years. What you're gonna talk foreign policy? Isn't it great we surrendered to the Taliban? Isn't it great that all of our enemies are going well, isn't it great that we have the first major war in Europe since World war frigging ii? All of this happened under Joe Biden. So if you're a Democrat, what do you talk about other than fear monger on abortion and scream abortion, abortion, abortion. But look, I think people care about kitchen table issues and what affects their family. What affects literally putting the food on their family as people are having a hard time paying the grocery bills.
- [23:57]
Michael Knowles
CNN admitted this yesterday. They said, you know, I forget which commentator it was on CNN said, you know, I'm really surprised that abortion consistently ranks so low in people's priorities. And if you've been paying attention to public opinion polls for the last 30 years, you would know that that is the case both pro abortion and pro life.
- [24:17]
Ted Cruz
How does it watch show 30 years?
- [24:18]
Michael Knowles
You know, it's amazing complication.
- [24:21]
Ben Ferguson
That's an impressive timepiece you have there.
- [24:24]
Ted Cruz
That's right.
- [24:25]
Michael Knowles
But you know, it's just not even if you're, we're all very pro life, obviously we maybe do vote on abortion. We are kind of outside the norm, you know. And the same is true for people who support abortion. It's just people vote on the economy, they vote on safety, they vote on crime, they vote on education, they vote on all these things that as you say, Senator, the Democrats are just completely dead in the water on. And so there is just a limit to what they can message.
- [24:51]
Ben Ferguson
There was a joke that happened and you may remember after Donald Trump left office, it was like I could really use 250 a gallon gas. And a mean tweet right about now. There is when that came out, that first one kind of hit and it turned into all the issues like, you know, I really wish I could, I could use some police officers right now. And a mean tweet it is so all encompassing of this election right now. And there's there's ideology and then there's reality. And it's easy to be a liberal and to sing these Kumbaya moments and, and the, and, you know, defund the police. And what do we want? Dead cops and when do we want them? Now, until you see the crime come back, until you see the interest rates skyrocket, until you see the unemployment numbers. And when these things start to happen, it goes back to that mentality. Right. I could really use some of what we used to have, and I think that's the opportunity here. And you've seen them on the road. I think the Republicans are focused now, conservatives are focused on these issues and talking about them, and that's gonna be a huge difference on Election day.
- [25:55]
Ted Cruz
So I was in Arizona yesterday. We're in Nevada today, Las Vegas. Driving over to the studio, I pulled up Drudge on my phone. Two stories on Drudge right now. A professor at University of Arizona shot and killed on campus. I'm like, crap, we were there yesterday. Wow. And today, Thursday morning. It's Thursday afternoon, right now. Thursday morning, there was a mass stabbing in front of the Wynn Casino here in Las Vegas. Not at 2 in the morning. Thursday frigging morning.
- [26:31]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah.
- [26:32]
Ted Cruz
Like, you want to talk about. You want to talk about real crap like, like people, you know, what was it, Northern California? You had some lunatic with a samurai sword cut a woman's head off?
- [26:45]
Michael Knowles
Yeah, right, right. That, that is a, a real threat to people. When they look around their towns and their cities, they say crime is up, police protection is down. There's been defunding of the police abroad. As you mentioned, the first major war in Europe since World War II. There's a lot of uncertainty out there. I think personal security, national security is really going to be at the forefront of this.
- [27:09]
Ted Cruz
If you're ranking things to be worried about in America, it used to be beheading didn't make the list.
- [27:17]
Ben Ferguson
Or mass stabbings. And now you have these things that are starting to happen in broad daylight in this country. But where were they saying, defund the police? Las Vegas. You had people campaigning off of it. I mean, you look at California and look at the crime there. You look at even in Memphis, Tennessee, a place that was defund the police. And you saw this horrific murder of this runner, Liza Fletcher there.
- [27:42]
Ted Cruz
Yeah.
- [27:42]
Ben Ferguson
And you see that happen. And now you see what the change is. You have the governor that had to come down to step in, just to talk to the people, because you had a liberal Democratic mayor there. You have a liberal city council that still is refusing to fund the police. They are literally 1200 police officers down from where they're supposed to be in a town like Memphis, which is the second most dangerous city in America. And they are refusing to even change things. As simple as saying, okay, to get more cops. You can live outside of the county. You can live right across in Mississippi or Arkansas. You know where Memphis is. And the Democrats on the city council are saying, no, you have to live here. And they're saying we can't recruit enough police officers with these ridiculous, arbitrary ideas that you guys have put on us. And people are starting to realize this is now life and death.
- [28:29]
Michael Knowles
Yeah.
- [28:29]
Ted Cruz
And, you know, Michael, Ben insists that they know how to make barbecue at Memphis.
- [28:34]
Michael Knowles
I just.
- [28:35]
Ben Ferguson
It's true.
- [28:36]
Michael Knowles
Believe it when I see it, I guess. Yeah. Well, speaking of all these places around the country, the tour is going to continue on. The show is going to continue on. I think there's going to be a ton of energy behind it. I cannot wait to see this next phase. It's going to be amazing. I cannot wait to come back and visit wherever, somewhere around the country, here or there. It's going to be wonderful. It's in excellent hands with Mr. Ben Ferguson. It's in pretty good hands with Senator Texas.
- [29:02]
Ted Cruz
I'll try not to screw it up.
- [29:03]
Michael Knowles
That's good. That's good. It's going to be wonderful, guys. I can't wait. And so for the last time from this chair. It has been truly one of the great pleasures and honors and privileges of my life to start this show with you, Senator. I'm getting choked up. I'm getting mushy.
- [29:17]
Ted Cruz
Michael, you are a gentleman and a scholar, and the kindest thing I know how to say about you is Yale did not fully screw you up.
- [29:25]
Michael Knowles
That's how sweet. How nice. It's really.
- [29:28]
Ben Ferguson
I put on a T shirt. My time with the Verdict.
- [29:32]
Michael Knowles
That's right. It's really wonderful. Cannot wait to see the next steps for the last time from this chair. I'm Michael Knowles. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
- [29:50]
Ted Cruz
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is being brought to you by Jobs, Freedom and Security pac, a political action committee dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organizations, and candidates across the country. In 2022, jobs, freedom and Security PAC plans to donate to conservative candidates running for Congress and help the Republican Party across the nation.