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Ben Ferguson
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.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
He's Joe Getty.
Ben Ferguson
We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy modern world.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
How about something about a comedic tone?
Ben Ferguson
We have a winner. Yes, listen to Armstrong, you Getty on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
S. Canner Freedom
My team and I have carefully examined the WNBA's eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in May 2027. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices. I am simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone. So you at training camp.
Ben Ferguson
You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
Good Monday morning. Nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update, and we've got two very big stories for you. First up, the President, United States of America weighing in on the wnba. Well, now allowing apparently any man who says they're a woman to try out and join the draft. What happens next? We've got the story and it's incredible. Also, the left and some of the Republicans that hate Donald Trump failed again trying to get rid of his AG nominee. We have a new ag Todd Blanch. And explain exactly how the vote got across the finish line over the weekend. It's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now. Story number one, the WNBA is taking on Donald Trump and the conservatives and the Supreme Court as well as men in what could be one of the biggest backfires in professional sports history. Now the WNBA has come out with a requirement for what it means to actually play in the wnba. Now they, they guess they've forgotten what the W stands for, which is women, and they've decided to go all woke. Well, former first round pick Royce White says he's declaring now for the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming he now identifies as transgendered for the purpose of playing professional basketball. Now this is a former 6 foot 8 Houston Rockets draft pick. And now he is following a former NBA player, an est Kander Freedom. I love this guy and s. Excuse me, Freedom. Who announced his own plans to declare amid the growing debate over, quote, transgender athletes in women's sports. Now, White Royce Wright told Fox News Digital he believes he'd be unstoppable in the WNBA and suggested he could pursue legal action if denied an opportunity to play. White said the move is meant to challenge the WNBA to clarify and to define its eligibility rules for transgendered athletes, saying I'd like to know what the parameters are in his announcement. This is what he said.
Royce White
Oh, earlier this week I made the announcement. I'm transgender. I'm a woman. I'm, I identify as, sometimes identifying as a woman for purposes of, of basketball, professional basketball. So I'll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well. I mean, I think I'd be unstoppable, you know, but I'm a team first guy, you know, I'm a pass first kind of player. I do the little things. You know, I led my team in all five major stat categories at Iowa State University. So I do a little bit of everything. I do whatever the coach needs me to do. I'll do whatever the, the girls need me to do. I think the WNBA could come out and make a definitive statement about, about guys with, with a pair of balls playing in the, in the Women's Association. But you know, hey, that, that, that'd be, that'd be probably too much like, right? So, and I don't want to be discriminated against now. I, I, I want, I want fair treatment. I'm a black, I'm a young black, hopefully United States senator that, that like, that would like a fair chance to to participate as a sometimes identifying as a transgender woman athlete.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
That is Statement from Again, Royce Wright, first round draft pick. Now that's not the only one that is declared for the draft. As I mentioned earlier, an S Canner Freedom said, after carefully considering and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I'm officially declaring myself a WNBA prospect. If simply declaring who you are is all that's required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the wnba. My team and I have carefully examined the eligibility criteria and government governing framework surrounding self identification and inclusion. And based on the current WNBA guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming draft. Here he is in his announcement video.
S. Canner Freedom
After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I am officially declaring myself a WNBA prospect. If simply declaring who you are is all that's required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA. My team and I have carefully examined the WNBA's eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in May 2027. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of or disrespect any community or personal choices. I am simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone. The rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for. My team and I are prepared to ensure these guidelines are applied equally consistently and without exception. And I look forward to the WNBA honoring its stated principles. See you at training camp.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
See you at training camp. Okay, so let's go over this real quick. You have two dudes who are saying that they are going to act or they believe that they are transgender. Now this also comes as Donald Trump said that if he coached in the WNBA, he'd ask LeBron if he had any desire to be a woman. Now this is why the WNBA is responding the way they are. They're a woke league. Here's the president in his own words
Donald Trump
and I'll tell you what. If I were ever, I'd be the greatest woman's basketball coach in history. Because I don't like LeBron James. I like Michael Jordan much better. But I'd go up to LeBron James. It doesn't matter. I'd say, LeBron, did you ever have any desire to be a woman? Because what I'd love you to do is star on my team that I'm building up. I will have the greatest team in history. They'll never lose. Nobody will come within 70 points of this team. Now we have to change that, and we have to make it okay to talk about it. You know, the young lady I was talking about is afraid to talk about it. She's shunned and she's canceled when she talks about it. This is crazy.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
This is crazy. Now, this is the reason why the WNBA has decided to do what I describe as the most ridiculous policy that I have heard. Now, Senator Ted Cruz was asked by TMZ about this move, telling TNZ that again, this is insane. And this is what happens when you don't protect women's sports.
Interviewer
Could I ask you a question, please?
Senator Bill Cassidy
Ted?
Interviewer
How are you, man? It's good to see you.
Ted Cruz
I'm doing well.
Interviewer
Hey, have you been following the WNBA and this transgender debate?
Ted Cruz
That's.
Interviewer
It's all they're talking about there.
Ted Cruz
I saw Clay Kravis offered $10 million. I'd watch that game.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
Could I just ask.
Interviewer
Megyn Kelly said that Caitlin Clark is a coward for not taking a side in either this or that. What do you feel about that?
Ted Cruz
Oh, look, Caitlin Clark is a hell of a ballplayer and fun to watch.
Interviewer
Do you think she should take a side?
Ted Cruz
At the end of the day, I don't think athletes are required to express an opinion on every topic. I think it is clearly unfair to allow boys to compete against girls and to allow men to compete against women. Boys and girls are different, and mankind has known that literally since the dawn of time.
Interviewer
Is it a big issue, though, at WNBA level? Like, I don't see many.
Ted Cruz
I'm curious, tell me, what does the W stand for?
Interviewer
Women.
Ted Cruz
It seems there. There's some coaches in the WNBA who can't figure that out.
Interviewer
But should they also be, like, sympathetic and empathetic for young little girls who, like, are feeling an identity crisis? They want to play sport. They want to be with their friends.
Ted Cruz
If they're boys, they're not young little girls. And the fact that your ideology. Do you think it would be fair to let LeBron James play in the WNBA?
Interviewer
No, but that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about young people.
Ted Cruz
Well, you're talking about old people, too. You're not just saying five year olds? Well, I think the WNBA doesn't have five year olds.
Interviewer
a professional level, yeah, I mean, obviously, but. But at a minor level, when these kids are just trying to be happy and be kids, not letting them socialize with their friends just because they're a
Ted Cruz
bit different, socialize, they can be happy. To be honest, though, a lot of the transgenderism is coming from leftist adults who are convincing their kids of this nonsense. And it is really sad to see the ideology of parents. Listen, I think God knows what he's doing when he makes a little boy. I think God knows what he's doing when he makes a little girl. And I think the phenomenon of woke leftist adults. You know, I read a tweet once from Cynthia Nixon, the actress who said her child is trans, her sister's child is trans, all of her friends, child. Children are trans. You know what that is? That's adults putting their politics and their ideology on their kids. And I.
Interviewer
Well, maybe it's letting their kids be who they really are. Maybe like, you don't know. We don't know.
Ted Cruz
You know what? If you don't know what a boy is and you don't know what a girl is, there's a reason you work at tmz.
Interviewer
All right, then, Ted, I appreciate you, man. Thank you.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
This is how radical the left has become. And the WNBA is about to find out what happens when you make stupid rules.
Ben Ferguson
Now, story number two.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
There was some good news that happened this week, and it was obviously downplayed by the mainstream media. It was a story that was supposed to be surrounded in controversy. It was a story that was sold as it could be a, quote, disaster for Donald Trump. The story was actually a really simple story. There was a man who was going to be confirmed as the Attorney General of the United States of America, a man by the name of Todd Blanch. The attacks came in, and the attacks were that Todd Blanche, a guy that had literally decades of service in the Department of Justice, was somehow just some random dude that was an attorney for the President of the United States of America. And that is how the media started pushing the story that he was unqualified, even though he'd spent well over a decade at the Department of Justice and it served in the New York system as well in the doj, where he saw a lot of serious and important cases and prosecutions that happened. Yes. At the hands of the government. Now, that is what you would refer to if you're a same person, as significant experience. You would refer that as really important experience. You would refer to it as experience. That would make you more than qualified. Let me say that again, more than qualified to be the Attorney General. By the way, he's also been the acting Attorney General, which gave him even more of a resume booster than many others have had before when they received the position of being confirmed as the Attorney General. But you saw the left do their job. You saw the media start to say that this guy is nothing more than a presidential yes man because he was the president's attorney and that he was unqualified for the job, even though they admitted purposely his background in working at the doj. Now, I say all of that to go to the new headline, which is now not being covered at all. Todd Blanch has been confirmed as the US Attorney General. Despite opposition from even some Republicans that were trying to stick it to Donald Trump. The acting Attorney general is now the attorney General. He was confirmed Saturday to lead the U.S. department of Justice. The news coming after Republican lawmakers struggled to make a decision. Then Senator Bill Cassidy, someone that the president did not back in his reelection and lost his reelection bid in Louisiana, announced at the last minute on Friday that he would support Blanche's confirmation. Now, during his announcement, Cassie said the process was about Blanche, the difficulty of his job, and how the American people can be best served. He put it this way on the floor of the Senate senator from Louisiana.
Senator Bill Cassidy
Mr. President, I rise today to speak to the nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General. Over the last several days, I've heard from lots of people sharing their views on this nomination. And most of the time, it's clear Mr. Blanche has become a referendum on how people feel about President Trump. If you don't like the president, you don't like Mr. Blanch. If you do like the president, you do. I have not approached it that way. This process should be about Mr. Blanch and how he will go forward in a difficult job and how the American people can be best served. I have a history with Mr. Trump, but that history does not matter one bit. On the one hand, Mr. Blanch does not need to be Senate confirmed. He can continue to serve at the pleasure of the president as Deputy Attorney General or even acting Attorney General if this vote is pulled. On the other hand, I am told that Senate confirmation is important in interactions with the president, with others in the Cabinet, and is important to DOJ employees in general. Being Senate confirmed gives him greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed forward. This does not demean the Senate's role. Important issues have been discussed through this process, and Mr. Blanche has made commitments now on to the specific nomination. Since Mr. Blanch passed out of Judiciary Committee on August 4, I've spoken to Mr. Blanche five or six times. We have texted many more. I just got off the phone with him. I've spoken multiple times to Senators Murkowski, Cornyn Tillis. Senator Whitehouse shared his concerns a different and past administration officials, including a long conversation with former Attorney General Bill Barr. Late last night I spoke to two U.S. attorneys from Louisiana, David Crocel and Kurt Wall. Of course, there's been a lot to read and a lot to consider and I slept on it overnight. Let's start with the concerns. Mr. Blanch showed poor judgment in approving the anti weaponization slush fund and exempting the President from IRS audits. No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law. Mr. Blanch said these were mistakes and he has made efforts to kill the slush fund. I am particularly concerned about episodes of apparent lawfare, DOJ bringing suits against political enemies. Both parties, presidents of both parties have been guilty of this. It must stop. It should stop now. A never ending cycle of prosecuting political enemies undermines the rule of law, degrades the public's trust in our institutions and makes our politics more extreme when we need to unite to solve the big problems of our time. I'm not entirely satisfied where where this is and I have no doubt that I'll have concern in the future. I will note that I've learned that some of the cases that have been publicly reported to be under investigation by the Department of Justice have been dismissed, are no longer being pursued.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
Now let me just stop there. You notice where this is heading? Bill Cassidy is airing the dirty laundry of why he hates Donald Trump while also telling you he supports Todd Blanche for the U.S. attorney General. Now, Cassie's support placed Blanche in a position to be confirmed. And in a social media post early Saturday, Blanche wrote, I'm deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed to me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nations 88th Attorney General. I'm grateful to the Senate for staying late to complete this process. To the dedicated public servants of the Department of Justice, thank you for your work. Each state uphold the law and keep our country safe. God bless America, he concluded. Now there was also some other things that were interesting. What backfired on the left in the media is the fact that they tried to lie to the American people, saying that Blanche was only Trump's former personal lawyer. That was the big lie. This is a guy that had served his country in the Department of Justice for well over a decade. This is a man that understood how this works. He is an individual that then went to the private sector and had top clients that were high profile. Obviously a former president would be one of those. Does that mean that he's unqualified to be the ag. The answer is obviously no. And the Democrats knew it and so did the Republicans, even the Republicans that hate Donald Trump. Now, one of the things you heard there from Cassie said, I have had my issues with Donald Trump, but that has nothing to do with this. Clearly it did. This would have gotten done a lot faster if there wasn't some of you that were petty. Now, I will say I do believe Cassie here did the right thing. And I think we should all say thank you for doing the right thing, not holding up the president's nominee, who, by the way, the president has the support of the American people and the will of the people, decided that he should be the president, therefore he should get his attorney general that he wants as long as they're qualified. Clearly, Todd Blanch is overqualified for the job. And that is ultimately what this comes down to. The president got the man he wanted. The president got the man that is pushing the America first agenda. The president got a man that is going after waste, fraud and abuse. And the only reason why any of the Republicans were against him is because those that were against them are those that hate Donald Trump because Donald Trump didn't endorse them in their primaries and many of them lost. Now, that is what petty politics truly sounds like. And that's exactly what happened here. So congratulations to the president. Congratulations to Blanche. I think he's going to do a phenomenal job because he's going after those that are that are dealing with waste, fraud and abuse in our government as well as the private sector. This is a day we should all celebrate, by the way, even if the Democrats and media are furious about it. By the way, that also tells you how good of a pick Todd Blanche is, how much they tried to torpedo him, lie about him and smear him. So enjoy the moment. It's a big victory.
Ben Ferguson
Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.
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Ben Ferguson
N 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.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
He's Joe Getty.
Ben Ferguson
We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy modern world.
Ben Ferguson (Host)
How about something about a comedic tone?
Ben Ferguson
We have a winner. Yes to Armstrong. You get it on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Date: August 10, 2026
Host: Ben Ferguson | iHeartPodcasts
This episode of The 47 Morning Update dives into two of the day's biggest political and cultural stories:
Ben Ferguson offers sharp, opinionated commentary, giving listeners both a factual timeline and his perspective on why these developments matter for the country at large.
[01:28 - 13:34]
Enes Kanter Freedom (Announcement, 01:28 & repeated at 06:15):
"Based on the current [WNBA] guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in May 2027. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices. I am simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone."
(06:15, S. Canner Freedom)
Royce White (04:17):
“I’m transgender. I’m a woman. I identify as, sometimes identifying as a woman for purposes of basketball... I’ll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well. I mean, I think I’d be unstoppable, you know, but I’m a team first guy… I think the WNBA could come out and make a definitive statement about guys with a pair of balls playing in the Women’s Association. But you know, hey, that’d be probably too much like, right? So, and I don’t want to be discriminated against now.”
(04:17, Royce White)
"Now they...forgotten what the W stands for, which is women, and they've decided to go all woke." (02:52)
Donald Trump (07:44):
Trump ridicules the situation at a rally, jokingly suggesting LeBron James could dominate the WNBA if he identified as a woman.
“If I were ever, I’d be the greatest woman’s basketball coach in history… I’d go up to LeBron James... I’d say ‘LeBron, did you ever have any desire to be a woman?’ Because what I’d love you to do is star on my team that I’m building up. I will have the greatest team in history. They'll never lose...”
(07:44, Donald Trump)
Senator Ted Cruz on TMZ (08:56 – 11:31):
Cruz calls the policy “insane” and warns about erasing the distinction between men and women’s sports:
“It is clearly unfair to allow boys to compete against girls and to allow men to compete against women. Boys and girls are different, and mankind has known that literally since the dawn of time.”
(09:28, Ted Cruz)
He also jabs at ideological opponents:
“If you don’t know what a boy is and you don’t know what a girl is, there’s a reason you work at TMZ.”
(11:26, Ted Cruz)
“This is how radical the left has become. And the WNBA is about to find out what happens when you make stupid rules.”
(11:34, Ben Ferguson)
[13:44 – 20:45]
Cassidy, whose support clinched the confirmation, directly addresses the political friction:
“Mr. Blanche has become a referendum on how people feel about President Trump. If you don't like the president, you don't like Mr. Blanche... This process should be about Mr. Blanche and how he will go forward in a difficult job and how the American people can be best served. I have a history with Mr. Trump, but that history does not matter one bit.”
(14:43, Senator Bill Cassidy)
Cassidy also voices concerns about politicized prosecutions (“lawfare”) and Blanche’s past decisions:
“Mr. Blanche showed poor judgment in approving the anti weaponization slush fund and exempting the President from IRS audits... Mr. Blanche said these were mistakes and he has made efforts to kill the slush fund.”
(16:00, Senator Bill Cassidy)
“I’m deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed to me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nation’s 88th Attorney General. I’m grateful to the Senate for staying late to complete this process... God bless America.”
(17:32, Paraphrased by Ben Ferguson)
“Congratulations to the president. Congratulations to Blanche. I think he’s going to do a phenomenal job because he’s going after those that are dealing with waste, fraud and abuse in our government as well as the private sector. This is a day we should all celebrate, by the way, even if the Democrats and media are furious about it.”
(19:49, Ben Ferguson)
Royce White:
“I think the WNBA could come out and make a definitive statement about guys with a pair of balls playing in the Women's Association. But you know, hey, that'd be probably too much like, right?” (04:17)
Enes Kanter Freedom:
“I am simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone. The rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for.” (06:15)
Donald Trump:
“I will have the greatest team in history. They'll never lose. Nobody will come within 70 points of this team. Now we have to change that, and we have to make it okay to talk about it.” (07:44)
Ted Cruz:
“If you don't know what a boy is and you don't know what a girl is, there's a reason you work at TMZ.” (11:26)
Sen. Cassidy:
“No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law.” (16:10)
WNBA Declarations & Reactions:
Attorney General Confirmation:
Ben Ferguson’s coverage is direct, unabashedly conservative, and highly critical of what he sees as left-wing overreach and political gamesmanship—both in sports and government. He positions today’s events as case studies in cultural and political battles, urging listeners to see victories for his side as validation of broader principles.
For more updates and Ferguson’s takes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.