Buck Brief - Trump's Old Nemesis Done For or Coming Back?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show Episode: Buck Brief - Trump's Old Nemesis Done For or Coming Back? Release Date: May 7, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton delve into the evolving political landscape in California, focusing primarily on Kamala Harris's potential bid for the governorship, the administration of Governor Gavin Newsom, the decline of California's film industry, and the shifting sentiments within the Latino community post the recent Trump election. The conversation features insights from Elizabeth Bark Ohana, a California GOP delegate, providing a Republican perspective on these pressing issues.

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Kamala Harris: Governor Nominee or Political Relic?

[03:00] Clay Travis initiates the discussion by addressing rumors about Kamala Harris possibly running for Governor of California. He humorously speculates that if Harris fails in her presidential ambitions, she might end up in a less influential position, such as a provost at a University of California school.

[03:30] Elizabeth Bark Ohana expresses skepticism about Harris's political future, stating, "There is talk of her running for governor of California... but you know that doing stupid stuff hasn't stopped them before." Ohana highlights Harris's previous electoral struggles, noting her narrow victory in the Attorney General race and her lack of strong performance in statewide elections.

[05:22] Clay Travis questions whether Governor Newsom would support Harris's potential gubernatorial run, pondering if such a move could set her up for another presidential campaign.

[05:52] Elizabeth Bark Ohana responds by discussing internal Democratic dynamics, mentioning that while some Democrats like Javier Becerra and Katie Porter might support Harris, the field remains crowded and competitive on both sides.

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Governor Gavin Newsom's Administration and California's Governance

[07:55] Clay Travis shifts focus to Governor Gavin Newsom's leadership, criticizing his governance and its impact on California's key industries.

[09:12] Elizabeth Bark Ohana elaborates on the challenges facing California, particularly the migration of the film industry out of the state due to high costs and unfavorable policies. She attributes these issues to long-standing Democratic priorities that overlook the needs of industries crucial to California's economy.

[11:25] Clay Travis references a podcast with actors discussing the high costs of filming in Hollywood compared to places like Budapest, underscoring the detrimental policies of the California administration.

[13:48] Elizabeth Bark Ohana provides details on the aftermath of the Palisades fire, highlighting the slow rebuilding process and the lack of effective action from Governor Newsom. She criticizes the administration for not addressing systemic issues such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Commission, which impede timely reconstruction efforts.

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The Decline of California's Film Industry

[09:12] Clay Travis brings attention to the exodus of the film industry from California, citing high production costs and unfavorable policies as primary reasons.

[10:27] Elizabeth Bark Ohana explains that while wealthy elites and major producers are less affected, the backbone of the industry—the crews and behind-the-scenes workers—are being pushed out of state. She points to the loss of jobs in costume design, set building, and other essential roles due to tax incentives offered by other states and countries.

[12:36] Clay Travis connects the decline to broader economic mismanagement, mentioning the lack of media coverage on the slow rebuilding after wildfires and criticizing Newsom's promises of streamlined permitting, which have not materialized.

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Wildfires and the Rebuilding Effort

[13:48] Elizabeth Bark Ohana discusses the ongoing challenges in rebuilding after the Palisades fire, noting the inadequate water reservoirs and the sluggish permit approval process. She mentions efforts by local figures like Rick Caruso to expedite reconstruction through technological solutions but emphasizes that significant bureaucratic hurdles remain.

[15:02] Clay Travis questions whether Newsom has effectively streamlined bureaucracy or alleviated the influence of restrictive bodies like the Coastal Commission.

[15:10] Elizabeth Bark Ohana asserts that Newsom has made no substantial progress in these areas, criticizing the administration for failing to implement necessary reforms that would facilitate faster and more efficient rebuilding.

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Latino Voters: Shifting Allegiances Post-Trump Election

[16:00] Clay Travis introduces the topic of Latino voters' support for Trump in the recent election, prompting a discussion on the factors influencing this shift.

[17:12] Elizabeth Bark Ohana attributes the Latino community's support for Trump to dissatisfaction with Democratic policies. She argues that the Democratic Party's focus on portraying negative stereotypes and prioritizing welfare for undocumented immigrants has alienated Latino voters. Ohana states, "the Hispanic community thinks of them as these downtrodden gangsters that they need to protect in America."

She further explains that policies like extending medical welfare to illegal immigrants have strained public resources, leading to economic burdens and overcrowded schools. These issues, according to Ohana, have made conservative values—such as family emphasis and religious beliefs—more appealing to the Latino community.

[20:01] Clay Travis wraps up the discussion by expressing appreciation for Ohana's insights, underscoring the significance of Latino voters in the political realignment observed in California.

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Conclusion

The episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the current political and economic challenges in California, emphasizing the potential rise of Kamala Harris within the state's political hierarchy, the administrative shortcomings of Governor Gavin Newsom, the declining fortunes of the once-thriving film industry, and the shifting political loyalties among Latino voters. Elizabeth Bark Ohana's perspectives offer a critical Republican viewpoint on Democratic governance and its impact on key Californian sectors and communities.

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Notable Quotes

• Elizabeth Bark Ohana [04:06]: "Kamala Harris, yes. There is talk of her running for governor of California. Gavin Newsom is termed out in 2026, as if California governorship is some consolation prize for losing the presidency in 2024."

• Elizabeth Bark Ohana [05:52]: "When he ran for governor, he ran against Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles. And that's where the Silicon Valley, the San Francisco, the Bay Area interest, the tech interest really took over in terms of economic policy and focus of the Democrat Party to Southern California's detriment."

• Elizabeth Bark Ohana [17:12]: "The Hispanic community thinks of them as these downtrodden gangsters that they need to protect in America and their rights... open border has done to their communities. It has made all communities in America less safe."

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Implications and Future Outlook

The discussions in this episode highlight significant shifts in California's political and economic landscape. The potential candidacy of Kamala Harris for governor could reshape Democratic strategies in the state, while Governor Newsom's administration faces increasing scrutiny over its management of key industries and disaster recovery efforts. Additionally, the realignment of Latino voters towards conservative candidates like Trump suggests a pivotal change in electoral dynamics that could influence future statewide and national elections.

Listeners are encouraged to stay informed on these developments, as the outcomes will have profound implications not only for California but also for the broader national political arena.

Transcript

[Buck Sexton]

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[Clay Travis]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

You're listening to the Buck Sexton show podcast. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Clay Travis]

Is Kamala Harris going to be the governor of California? Is that a stepping stone for her being the nominee for the Democrats once again? Plus, has Gavin Newsom killed the industry that we most associate with California, the film industry? We're going to discuss this now with our friend Elizabeth Bark Ohana. She is a California GOP delegate, a lady who knows the pulse of all things GOP in her home state. And Elizabeth, thanks for being on the show. Great to have you.

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

Absolutely. Thank you so much. I'm so glad to be here.

[Clay Travis]

So talk to me about Kamala, because I'll tell you this, my co host, Clay Travis, I've been saying to him that if Kamala lost, which she obviously did, she's going to end up the provost of one of the UC schools, making a million dollars a year to do nothing except show up at an occasional cocktail party. I am seeing some reporting that, oh, no, she is not done. In fact, she may be the next governor of California. You and I may think that's insane. Do California Democrats what happens?

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

The first time I heard that Kamala Harris after the election that she may run for governor, I almost fainted because the idea of having to listen to her speak for another however many years or even just through a campaign sounds very painful. Kamala Harris, Yes. There is talk of her running for governor of California. Gavin Newsom is termed out in 2026, as if California governorship is some consolation prize for losing the presidency in 2024. So she spent. She lost. She wasted about $1.5 billion on that presidential campaign. And I read almost half of that money came from California. So it would be pretty silly to run a candidate again that, you know, flushed 1.5 billion of your dollars down the toilet. But you know that doing stupid stuff hasn't stopped them before, right?

[Clay Travis]

I mean, they tried to tell us that Biden didn't have dementia and that didn't work out so well for them in 2024. But in terms of where The Democrats are in your state and the Democrat, you know, machinery, if you will like. Will Gavin Newsom, right. Will Gavin Newsom support Kamala in your mind to be the next governor? Because if that happens, it feels like there's a very good chance that she's gonna try to, I mean if she becomes the governor, why wouldn't she try to become president again?

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

Well, we saw a very weird dynamic between the two of them when Biden stepped down. They kept him away and I don't there's a debate about whether they were keeping him away from her or they were keeping him a way to as not taint him for his future run for president. That's possible too. They may cut some deal where if he supports her, she'll support him. You know, we don't know but we, we do know that Kamala Harris has run for statewide office before in California and she honestly did not do very well. She ran in a competitive race and we expect that the governor's race in 20 going to be competitive. She ran in a competitive race against a Republican who was the former Republican District Attorney of LA County, Steve Cooley. She ran against him for Attorney General and barely won. She didn't even crack 50% of the vote and it was a 1% very, very close election. That was the last time she ever ran against a Republican in a competitive race. When she ran for US Senate, she was running against another Democrat. So she is a weak Democrat candidate even for California and their field is already pretty crowded. You know, she did when, when there was talk of her running, there were Democrats that were still declaring that they're going to run for governor even if she runs. One of them is Javier Becerra who was a secretary under Joe Biden. We have Katie Porter who's running. You know, she has said that if Kamala runs she may drop out, but who knows. So the field is still developing on both sides, the Republican and the Democrat side.

[Clay Travis]

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[Jim Rickards]

The movie tariffs, what they've done is other nations have been stealing the movies, the movie making capabilities from the United States. And I said to a couple of.

[Clay Travis]

People, what do you think?

[Jim Rickards]

I've done some very strong research over the last week and we're making very few movies now. Hollywood is being destroyed. Now you have an incompetent, grossly incompetent governor that allowed that to happen. So I'm not just blaming other nations, but other nations, a lot of them have stolen our movie industry. And I'm saying if they're not willing to make a movie inside the United States and we should have a tariff on movies that come in. And not only that, governments are actually giving big money. I mean, they're supporting them financially. So that's sort of a threat to our country in a sense. And it's been a very popular thing. I can tell you one thing, movie makers love it.

[Clay Travis]

Before we dive into, into, into that, more specifically, what, what is going on where I'm seeing all these interviews and, and podcasts with actors and Hollywood people who are saying it is too expensive to make Albany Movies or TV shows in Hollywood these days. How does that happen?

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

That's been going on for a really long time. So, and it's a really big problem. Not for, you know, the big name producers or actors, you wealthy elite in Hollywood. It's a problem for the crew and the, and the, the, the people who are actually, you know, behind the scenes making the movies. The costumes designer, set designers, like all of those people, all of those jobs are being sent out of state. That has been going on for a really long time. The other states in the nation offer tax incentives and so they, the films get, the movies get filmed elsewhere. And now that's happening also on an international scale. And Another thing that really killed the film industry is the pandemic. So they, they with the mandates and.

[Clay Travis]

You know, the, the, yeah, the insanity of California. This audience certainly remembers all that. But, but Elizabeth, why doesn't, why don't Democrats, I mean, Democrats like Hollywood, at least they, they have for a long time. Why don't they offer these tax credits?

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

They're starting to talk about it. I think it's just because they've had other priorities. Gavin Newsom is a Northern California president. When he. Excuse me, governor.

[Clay Travis]

Governor, yeah.

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

When he ran, when he ran for governor, he ran against Antonio Village, who was the former mayor of Los Angeles. And it was like a NorCal SoCal fight. And obviously Gavin Newsom prevailed in that. And that's where the Silicon Valley, the San Francisco, the Bay Area interest, the tech interest really took over in terms of economic policy and focus of the Democrat Party to Southern California's detriment.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, it's been remarkable to see how the movie industry, which, you know, people think Silicon Valley, obviously that's Northern California. Right. So the two titans of industry in your home state, in California are the movie industry and Silicon Valley. And at the southern end of the state, movie industry is in, has been in a rough spot for a while. I saw this podcast I think was with Rob Lowe and Adam Scott, who actually some people say I look like, but put that aside, Adam Scott, and he was saying that it's more expensive to film in Hollywood than it is to fly everybody to like, I think it was Hungary, he said. I think it was, I think it was Budapest. And that to me is just indicative of how crazy the California policies are going. By the way, one thing you know about how is the, the rebuild going after the terrible wildfires there, there's been nothing in the media, at least the national media about this for months. Remember Gavin Newsom showed up, he said, oh, we're gonna like, we're gonna make the permitting faster and it's all gonna be so smooth. What's really happening, Palisades fire, you know, aftermath.

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

Right. There is a lot going on, but it's happening so slowly that it's not necessarily in the news. What was just published in the news is that the water reservoir that was empty, that was supposed to feed the Palisades, you know, they didn't have enough water to fight the fire. That's empty again. At about the hundred day mark, I think Los Angeles had approved four or six permits for rebuilding out of the, you know, thousands of structures that were lost. A lot of people have Moved down to, you know, Orange county or Manhattan Beach. They've, like temporarily relocated. The schools in the area have been closed and they've relocated to other places. There's talk about rebuilding. Rick Caruso has been very involved in trying to get this process to kind of have AI look at plans to speed up the permit approval process. So people are basically self authenticating.

[Clay Travis]

Has Governor Newsom streamlined the bureaucracy? Have they gotten the Coastal Commission to back off all that stuff?

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

No, not really. I mean, you need to do a few things at the statewide level. You need to get rid of ceqa, you need to get rid of the California Coastal Commission. You need to fix the insurance industry problem. And no, he hasn't done any of those things.

[Clay Travis]

All right, well, let's, let's talk about Latinos for Trump here in just a second. What do you say? We'll talk about Latinos for Trump because obviously California, very large Latino population. And I want to know how they're feeling after this Trump election. You know, a few nonprofits, our sponsor here is Preborn. There aren't many nonprofits. I can say they've saved 350,000 babies over the existence of that nonprofit, but Preborn is one of them. The Preborn team have clinics nationwide who welcome pregnant moms to their facilities. And they welcome them with love, with open arms and support, because they want them to see that the future for them should have a baby in it and not the other choice, which we know is abortion. They do this by an ultrasound. They introduce mom to her baby via ultrasound. And they only are able to do this because of donations from the pro life community. That means you, $28 is the cost of an ultrasound. You can donate that. That's fantastic. You might save a baby's life if you can donate $280. That would be 10 ultrasounds, which could result in 10 births of tiny babies in this world. It is a beautiful thing to donate securely. Dial 250 and say the keyword baby. That's 250. Say baby or visit preborn.com buck that's preborn.com b u c k sponsored by preborn. All right, Elizabeth. The Latino vote was actually really important for Trump in this last election. Some of that data, I think, showed up in the exit polls in California specifically. How are the Latino community that you're in touch with? How are they feeling about Trump so far? Given the focus of the administration?

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

I would say great. I would say that. So President Trump moved the Latino man vote in California. And this, this, I would say the focus of the Democrat party on lionizing and making heroes out of, you know, Ms. 13 trenda agua wife beaters, those types of people holding men up like that as their heroes that they are going to fight for and flying to El Salvador to do wellness checks on them. I think that that really reinforces that the Democrat party looks down on the Latino. Hispanic community thinks of them as these, you know, downtrodden gangsters that they need to protect in America and their rights and, and they forgot the, the amendments that are here and what this open border has done to their communities. It has made, it has made all communities in America less safe. It has drained social service resources. You know, the, in California, the Democrats voted to extend medical welfare resources so like health insurance basically to illegal immigrants. And that basically bankrupted the whole system where it's cost over $10 billion when it was supposed to cost much less, which we didn't have to begin with anyways. They are filling the schools and so it's creating a drain on the education system for the dwell. I mean there's, they can see it all with their own eyes in their own communities and it reinforces that they're voted the right way. It also Steve Garvey, when he ran for US Senate, he had a huge surge with the Latino population in California becoming, you know, less entrapped by, you know, this Democrat machine and more open to looking at alternatives. You know, they, these communities are more religious, they're, they stand for family values, they're, they're much closer in their certainly their social beliefs to conservatives than they are to liberals.

[Clay Travis]

Elizabeth Barker Hanna, appreciate you being with us. Thank you so much.

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

Thank you, thank you for having me.

[Clay Travis]

All right, that was great. And there will be a podcast should be out tonight. I'll DM you the link, share it out and thank you for making the time. Good to talk to you.

[Elizabeth Bark Ohana]

Amazing. Thanks Buck, Nice to see you.

[Clay Travis]

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[Clay Travis]

Hey Clay, if there was a summer camp for critical thinking, we'd be the chief counselors.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August.

[Clay Travis]

Be a lot of fun too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure references.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Thrown in this podcast like a daily dose of that. Minus the campfires, archery and pranking.

[Clay Travis]

The girls. The bonafide boot camp for critical thinking. You can get in on it for free at the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Just search our names, play and Buck. Listen and subscribe.

[Podcast Narrator]

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.

[Clay Travis]

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you. Please do.

[Podcast Narrator]

To hear the whole story. Listen to Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Clay Travis]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.