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Clay Travis
This is an iHeart podcast. Welcome everybody to the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show on this fantastic Friday, July 18th. Can't believe we're already halfway through summer. Hope you're having a good one. A lot of news to get into. Give you a bit of a road map here where we're going today on the show. Senator McCormick of Pennsylvania will be with us every some very interesting things to talk to him about, including how AI is going to transform not just the economy, the world that we live in. And they had this AI summit in Pennsylvania. I think the best way to line this up is for those of us who are. I don't know if anyone's not really a believer in this clay who's paying attention to it, but it's, it's looking more and more like the Internet circa 1996 in terms of the way that this could really transform business and our day to day lives. If this works the way that it is anticipated that it will and that it already is in some ways. So I just think that's a fascinating discussion. And you know, I've got the clay. We got Waymos all over the place here now in Miami.
Buck Sexton
I love them. I love them. Have you gotten in one yet?
Clay Travis
I haven't. I'm going to be a Waymo guy because, you know, I always feel a little guilty. This will not surprise anybody, but I do not like listening to loud music. That is especially not the music that I. In general, I don't like loud music.
Buck Sexton
So you love that there's no driver and you're completely alone in your isolated cocoon of movement.
Clay Travis
Because I feel a little bit like a jerk getting into somebody else's car.
Dave McCormick
Being like, excuse me, sir, excuse me, can you turn down your.
Clay Travis
You know, I just, I don't love that. So I try not to do it. And so I have learned a lot about reggaeton and Bad Bunny down here in Miami beach as a result, because I end up listening to it every time I get into a car. But yes, it is, it is a change that is coming here with Waymo and the driverless vehicles. And that is just. This is one of infinity things that are going to be changing.
Buck Sexton
I think sometimes we don't always recognize when the future is upon us. And the Internet, I would say because for those of us who remember the dot com bubble, everything they said about the Internet ended up being true. But they said it so early and then everything imploded that a lot of people didn't realize as the Internet kind of took over all of our lives. I mean, I guarantee you there were a lot of people back in the day who were saying, oh, the Internet's overrated. There's no way the Internet's going to change anything about my life. And then nowadays, the Internet is so fundamentally embedded, sometimes you do a tech thing. For me, it was getting in that Waymo vehicle, and I felt like I was in the future. You know, we were talking about the Jetsons the other day. We. When I got in there in that vehicle with my son and it drove us around like it did. I said, in the future. And I know people out there get fired up about this. I think driving a car is going to be like riding a horse. I think it's going to be something that people do for fun. That is. Otherwise, most people don't do it. And people like, say, you know, in 1890, everybody knew how to put a horse down. Everybody knew how to feed a horse. Like it was the method of propulsion.
Clay Travis
There's an intermediary step. My older brother, who's a car guy, loves. He still drives stick shift. He's got a stick shift car. He loves to get out there and do the shifting with his. You know, I mean, I. I can kind of do it. Not well. And I probably can't really do it. I used to be able to do it, but he loves it. Just because he loves it, it'll be like that driving. My brother, driving a car yourself.
Buck Sexton
Designed cars for Ford for 30 years. He loves. In the Detroit area, loves driving cars. Like, if you told him, hey, you're going to go on vacation, he'd be like, I want to drive 12 hours to. I'd be like, that sounds like the worst vacation ever. He loves it. So I'm not saying people. I think in a generation, this is going to be an example of something that is profoundly different than life is today. Yes.
Clay Travis
So we'll talk to him about a. I just. I want us to be familiar with that conversation and start to get into this because I know it might sound like a little something more you'd hear on cnbc, which, by the. By the way, I didn't even mean to transition into this, but I will just note cnbc, CNBC throwing big time shade at the great state of Tennessee. And I think that Clay is going to have to defend Tennessee's honor after cnbc. This is. This is madness. I don't know how this could happen. We'll get to that later. It's a short, shorter conversation. But CNBC has said that Tennessee, based on Their metrics. Okay, Tennessee is the worst state in America to live in. I was like, the worst state of.
Buck Sexton
America across the bow. It's one thing to say, hey, it's not the best to call Tennessee the worst place to live in America, as CNBC did, is virtually impossible.
Clay Travis
If you want to tell me it's not top three or top five, I'll listen to you. But having spent a good amount of time in Tennessee, in large part because of this show and Clay's residency there, that is just, I mean, I could name a whole bunch of states that I'd be like. Anyway, we can get into that. We can get into that later. Some, some news. Let's, let's pile into some news right now. It's a Friday, so we're a little loose. We're having some fun. We'll take your calls, obviously. So light us up. We love your talk backs. Hit us up with more talkbacks and VIP emails as we go. Couple things for the, for the news cycle. One is Attorney General Pam Bondi is saying she's going to unseal grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein. And this is following a directive from President Trump. So back in the news cycle, everybody, we're not choosing to talk about the Epstein case. It is now a thing that is happening that is news and that's just something to be aware of. I don't think you'll see much in there that matters. And I think every time I've told you that so far about something not mattering, it has been accurate. But I could be wrong. We'll see. And then Trump tweeted this out. I keep saying tweeted, whatever, truth this out. Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I've asked Attorney General Bondi to produce any and all pertinent grand jury testimony subject to court approval. This scam perpetuated by Democrats should end right now. Ok, Clay, that comes out from Trump and within hours of each other. There is also a Wall Street Journal piece that dropped. This Wall Street Journal piece is. I don't understand what they think. The point of it really is. It goes into. We'll just give you the summary of it. And Clay is into the details as well. So fill in anything I miss. But it's that Epstein had a 50th birthday a long time ago and a bunch of people wrote bawdy notes, you know, locker room talk. Nothing like, you know, perverted per se, or at least nothing that they're saying Trump wrote was perverted, at least not that I'm aware of, but, you know, writing boobs on things and stuff like that. And they said that Trump was part of this, like, birthday tribute. It was known that Trump used to hang out at, hang out in Palm beach with Jeffrey Epstein. Jeffrey Epstein used to hang out with all the socialites, I believe, in Palm beach of his era. He was just out with all these people. He was a rich guy who liked to party at that time. There was a time when people didn't realize that he was a sick pedophile. So, you know, you have to separate these things into different. You know, if somebody told you that they thought that like Bill Cosby was a great American 30 years ago or 20 years ago or whatever it is, that would feel a little different than someone saying, I think Bill Cosby is a great American today. Right. Where there's what people know about somebody's past behavior and what. And when they know it. Clay, what was the point of this Wall Street Journal piece? Why.
Buck Sexton
Why would they do this?
Clay Travis
And as ticked Trump off in no small measure, which we can get into. But why they do this?
Buck Sexton
I think there is an attempt and a desire to directly connect Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. And I think Trump saw this coming. It's why he has not wanted particularly to focus on the Epstein related issues. And I read the Wall Street Journal piece last night. When it came out, I texted it to you. It doesn't sound like Trump at all. Uh, doesn't sound like something that Trump would do. Having said that, I, I don't know why it's particularly newsworthy and I also don't know why it wouldn't have come out in 2016 or 2020 or 2024 if it was deemed newsworthy. Look, they accused Trump of having sex with a porn star and paying to keep it from going public. They put him on trial for those charges. They accused him of sexual assault in a changing room. They dropped the Access Hollywood tape. I don't think there's anything you can say about Trump. I'm just being honest about Trump at this point. That is going to cause anyone to change their opinion about Trump. And so I think this is a big swing and a mission. I actually think, and this is maybe a little bit counterintuitive, I actually think it's somewhat beneficial to Trump because it makes him look like the victim here. Meaning it looks so over the top in the way that you are pursuing him. What, like, even if this.
Clay Travis
It's like the four. The four criminal cases.
Buck Sexton
Yeah.
Clay Travis
You don't have to bring four Criminal cases against somebody at once who's never been charged with a criminal case in his life. Unless you're just doing the kitchen sink routine, which is what they were doing. Throw everything at him. Even if it's nonsense and even if it were true.
Buck Sexton
Let's assume that. The way that I like to look at these things is one of the things they teach you. Teach you in law school, is analyze. When you file a lawsuit, one of the things you're supposed to do as a judge is presume everything in the lawsuit is true. And you have to do that for purposes of summary judgment. That's taking you a little bit into the legal world. But presume everything that the Wall Street Journal reported is 100% true. Why does it matter? Jeffrey Epstein had a 50th birthday party, and people that he knew at that time, before he had ever been charged with any crime, they decided they wanted to give him a gift. And that gift was basically a yearbook of joking, bawdy commentary about him at the age of 50. I mean, for anybody out there listening, open phone lines here, explain to me why this would be relevant in any way other than as a way. Because Jeffrey Epstein, we now know, is a felon and a awful felon at that, right? He's not somebody who stole some toothpaste or something and got arrested for it. He's a sexual predator. So being associated with someone who is negative, you're just trying to stain that person by saying, oh, he knew him. Oh, he. And so Open phone lines, 800-282-2882. Explain to me why this would be supremely relevant as a story even if it were 100% true? I don't buy that it is.
Clay Travis
Okay, secondly, what are we supposed to take from. I don't want to. I don't want.
Buck Sexton
That's what I mean. That's 100% what I'm arguing. Like, even if it were 100% true, how does it in some way implicate this story in a big way?
Clay Travis
It doesn't further the story at all. It feels like a throwaway detail in this because we already knew and nobody denied that there was. And we had Dershowitz on who talking about it was Epstein's lawyer and talked about this. And it's also well known that Epstein got creepy with a member's daughter who was. I believe the story is the daughter was underage, and Trump was like, dude, you're being a scumbag. You're out of here.
Buck Sexton
Yeah, so what?
Clay Travis
So what are we learning about this like that Trump. And the other part of this too is you read this thing that they, that they say was a Trump note and I'm sorry, I do not believe for what. And this isn't, oh, I love Trump and he's the greatest American president of my lifetime. Put that in a separate bin. I'm really trying to be objective if you ask me. You know, Buck, if you get this right, you get a million dollars. Did Donald Trump write this? I'd be like, no, I do not believe Donald Trump wrote some weird, like, poetry to Jeffrey Epstein where he referred to him as an enigma. I do not believe him.
Buck Sexton
I don't know that Donald Trump frankly knows the word enigma or could use it. Let me read that to you. But right before we go to break here, here is what Trump is alleged to have written. Drawn a picture of a woman. Also, don't release a naked woman. And then he said voiceover. There must. This is what they allege Trump wrote in the Epstein 50th birthday book. Voiceover. There must be more to life than having everything. Yes, there is. But I won't tell you what it is, nor will I since I also know what it is. We have certain things in common, Jeffrey. Yes, we do. Come to think of it, Donald, enigmas never age. Have you noticed that, Jeffrey? As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you. Trump, a pal is a wonderful thing. Happy birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret. That is what they allege Trump wrote. They think that Trump made up an imaginary conversation and sounded in no way like anything Trump has ever sounded like in any of our lives. I don't know that it would actually be a good dive. I don't know that Trump's ever used the word enigma in any of his speeches or any of his comments. I don't think it's used appropriately in this sort of mess up. But I also, it doesn't sound like anything Trump would write. So point one, I don't really understand and open phone lines. If you can tell me why this is relevant, worthy of front page storiedom in the Wall Street Journal. Point two, I just don't believe it. Like, it sets off the radar detector in me of, yeah, something just doesn't add up here. I don't think that it is real. So anyway, that is the latest. I actually think this helps Trump because again, it looks like his enemies are being more outrageous and outlandish than he often is. Life in Israel contrast in Tel Aviv, you see high rise construction cranes indicating growth, investment and optimism for the future. But you also hear sirens giving residents a 10 minute warning of an incoming missile attack. Everyone relies on an app to find the nearest bomb shelter. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has been placing new bomb shelters across the country along with necessary supplies for existing bomb shelters. While I was in Israel last December, we visited an IFCJ donated bomb shelter placed next to a falafel business. Your gift to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has helped countless civilians and to help protect Israel and her people, call 888-488 IFCJ. That's 888-488 IFCJ. You can also go online at IFCJ.org that's IFCJ.org making America great again isn't just one man, it's many. The Team 47 podcast Sundays at noon Eastern in the Clay and Buck Podcast Feedback. Find it on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's face it, sometimes cars don't get the attention they deserve. That's where Meguiar's new paint dash and glass comes in from the brand. Trust IT for over 120 years for quality and performance. This all in one solution is built for convenience and speed. Perfect for those short on time paint, dash and glass tackles, light dust on paint, vinyl, leather, even screens as well as bugs and debris on glass. It's an interior exterior detailer that removes the guesswork and keeps vehicles looking sharp on the go. Quick to use and incredibly effective, it's a must have addition for anyone who wants to keep their car looking fresh between deeper details. With a legacy of top tier car care, Meguiar's delivers again with a product that makes it easy to reflect your passion. Meguiar's Paint Dashing glass is available now at select auto parts stores and online.
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Buck Sexton
We are joined now by Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania. They just had a major AI event, Energy and Innovation Summit. Lots of AI money pouring into the state of Pennsylvania. And Senator, appreciate you joining us. And I know that you have a good huge successful business background and Buck and I were talking about AI writ large. So before we have you dive into the Senate and everything else that you're doing there, I'm just curious, as you look at this through the lens of a business guy, is it in your mind, AI and its impact going to be transformational on a level like the Internet was in the 90s to the culture in the world, do you think more, less? Where are we? What do you think from a business perspective, people should know about AI.
Dave McCormick
Hey, good morning guys. How are you? I guess, good afternoon. Thanks for having me. Yeah, I think this is the next great industrial revolution, I think, and the stakes are so high because it has huge implications for our economic situation, our economic opportunity has huge implications for national security. We are in a fight, we are in a battle with China for leadership in artificial intelligence. And if we don't win that leadership battle, we're gonna have everything at risk. Our infrastructure, our data, our very way of life. It's that significant. And you know, the case that we made on Tuesday with the President in Pittsburgh was that the intersection of energy, innovation and AI, innovation is where the future lies and that America has to win at both. And if we're going to win, we have to win in places like Pennsylvania because you have to have abundant energy. You have to have natural gas, nuclear power, fossil fuels, all forms of energy. You have to have incredible energy resources. You have to have incredible skilled workers to be able to build that infrastructure. And you have to have the most exceptional technology leadership like we have at Carnegie Mellon. And I guess the last point I'd make, guys, is this is not a, you know, we gotta win this over the next decade kind of thing. This, this battle is playing out over the next six months, 12 months, 24, 36. This is something that if we don't continue to have leadership, we're gonna say we missed a moment.
Clay Travis
Senator, appreciate you being with us. I've mentioned before that one of my forays into AI was just taking A standard blood test that I had gotten back with all the different numbers and the rest of it and loading it in and saying, tell me everything I need to know about all my different markers. And it was fascinating. Not only did it give me incredibly detailed analysis, more so than even what I'd gotten from a pretty long sit down with my doctor about it, but I could do follow up questions, get incredible deep dive information in real time about anything. So to me that's just one little test case of how AI this was all through an AI system. How AI is going to change things for people out there right now, whether you're, you know, you're working for a mid sized company, whether you own a car dealership, whether you work at a hardware store or you're a truck driver. Like, what are, what are the ways that at a summit like this you can see the world is going to change and the ways that it will affect people in their day to day. Let's start with any of the positives before we worry about Skynet, you know, leading us in a nuclear war. Like what are the things that you see really getting better, more efficient, more helpful and, and more wealth creation going for people?
Dave McCormick
Well, you know, the funny thing about this is that it's, it's the marriage of this incredible new thinking about algorithms and data and really taking this unique ability to collate all this intelligence in artificial intelligence, but it's the marriage of that with infrastructure, data centers and new energy capabilities. So at the summit, I guess the one thing that would probably surprise people the most is the fact that this boom is going to have huge implications for blue collar jobs. So Mike Rowe was there and he was saying this is unbelievable because what's happening is that there's going to be this huge demand for welders and steam fitters and pipe fitters and electricians to build out this enormous infrastructure. Because AI requires enormous energy. And so energy demand is going to triple over the next 15 years. And that's going to create this enormous opportunity for skilled workers. So I think that's one of the maybe surprising dimensions of it. At the same time, it's also going to put enormous pressure on certain types of white collar jobs. You know, I just did a couple of AI searches this morning on my positions just to see what they would say. I said, what's Dave McCormick's position on Ukraine? And it laid out in excruciating detail my positions on Ukraine and what we should be doing there.
Buck Sexton
By the way, accurately in your mind, when you.
Dave McCormick
This was very Extremely accurate. It drew on all sorts of different. You could have written the article. My point is you could have basically said if you're a reporter you could ask that question and that would have been 90% of the article. And so it's going to put pressure on all sorts of white collar opportunities which are. And the software industry. I was with Satya Nadella not long ago, the CEO of Microsoft, and I asked him the impact. He said, you know, geez, 90%, 80% of the development work that our software developers used to do can now be done by AI, which is really good in his mind because that allows our developers to focus on the, you know, the 20% or the 10% that's the highest value. But this is going to put enormous pressure on certain types of jobs. And listen, this is a new reality. So my view is that America and Pennsylvania needs to embrace this change and be at the forefront, be leaders in it because unfortunately it's inevitable and the stakes of not being the leader are so high.
Buck Sexton
I think what you just said is so interesting there about the search that you did on your policy on Ukraine train. I have been hammering this for a lot of writers out there and I'm sure you've seen this a lot, Dave, from the, the background of a business guy. So much of life is figuring out what added value can you provide, right? I mean in, in whatever job you do, what can you do that's better than the average guy or gal that might be doing your job? One thing that I think this is going to require of everybody is mediocrity is going to be replaced quickly by AI. So whether you're selling cars or whether you're writing articles or whatever you are doing in the larger universe, I would suggest familiarize yourself with AI because it can take you to a different level of excellence. But if you're not pursuing excellence in what you do, you're going to be very replaceable. Would that be a good contextualization, you think, business wise?
Dave McCormick
I really, I agree with you 100%. And I also think, listen, this change is enough. It's hard. I mean there's a lot of anxiety out there and I understand that. And there are genuine and legitimate concerns about the national security implications of AI, the privacy implications. So there is, as Buck said, there's pros and there's cons. However it is coming, this is an enormous transformation and I think we need to lean into it and recognize that leadership and controlling our destiny is. We can't put our heads in the sand and think this isn't happening. Controlling our destiny as a nation, as a commonwealth in Pennsylvania, and as individuals is the only way through it. And I agree with you, it's in many ways AI is going to ensure and enforce even more of a meritocracy in the sense that those who can contribute unique value, I think are going to be the beneficiaries of it. As I said, it's not white, it's iron. The irony is, I think those with, you know, unique skills in the, in the, in the building trades and the blue collar world may have a really unique moment.
Clay Travis
You know, Senator, I saw that the, that Google is working through, what is it Brookfield to. And this came up at the AI Summit to get access to hydroelectric power plants. Right. So the energy needs of this AI revolution are going to be a challenge all on its own and all on their own. And so I'm just wondering, do we have some sense as to one, how much of an expansion of the grid we're going to need? And then how is the Trump administration trying to align with the. Not just the, the idea of drill, baby, drill, but everything. We're talking nuclear, all, all of the above to try to meet what's going to be power needs a surge beyond anything we've seen before.
Dave McCormick
I mean, I'm. Guys, this, this thing was awesome. I mean, I was so proud, proud to be part of it. And it was, you know, we had, we had 60 major CEOs, 20 companies that made announcements. And, you know, this was something I had asked the president if he'd. If he'd be willing to do. Right. Right after I won the election, I said, would you come to Pennsylvania? You know, he had campaigned or in 2017, he had made the famous line that I'm more worried about serving the people of Pittsburgh than the people of Paris as related to the Paris Accords. So he comes, we invite, we invite these CEOs. We have, you know, the, a big chunk of the cabinet there. Secretary Besson, Secretary Ludnick, Secretary Burgum, Secretary Wright, Lee Zeldin, David Sachs. Just this unbelievable collection. And the CEOs there announced $92 billion of investment. This is in. Some of these things have been working on for years. Some of these things are brand new. Out of the blue, $25 billion investment by Blackstone in two major data center campuses in northeastern Pennsylvania. And if you look at the investments, they split up, which is instructive to your question, about $36 billion of data centers. There was another $35 billion of energy infrastructure this is transmission to meet the needs. Distribution OPER made a huge $15 billion announcement of investing in energy infrastructure because you've got to have the data centers, you've got to have the infrastructure and you got to have the energy project. So there was a huge announcement around conversions of coal to natural gas plants. Westinghouse, directly related to the president's executive order on nuclear power, announced a commitment to building two or ten new nuclear reactors. $6 billion. So to your question, to make this work, you need an investment in data, you need investment in infrastructure, you need investment in production. And Pennsylvania is kind of unique because we've got, we're the second largest energy producer in the country, fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world, huge nuclear installed base. You know, Microsoft just did a big deal with Constellation on Three Mile Island. Who would have thought? So, you know, there's no way to meet this energy demand, which is going to triple in the next 15 years without embracing all forms of energy. That doesn't mean subsidizing them. What they've got to be economic, all forms of energy and, and then having the infrastructure to make sure that we keep prices low for consumers and that we meet this big surge and create these great jobs for Pennsylvania.
Buck Sexton
Last question for you. And you can tell me if you think I'm crazy. I know you were at Butler, Pennsylvania. We've talked with you as the one year anniversary comes near. We've talked with you about what that experience was like. You've heard gunfire before. You immediately recog. I said on the show this week as we talked about the one year anniversary and the implications and significance that I thought Butler, Pennsylvania, that location should become a national monument of sorts, used as a not only historical location, but also as a testament to combating political violence. Is this a crazy idea or do you think.
Dave McCormick
I love it. I love it.
Clay Travis
Clay and I. I loved it too, Senator. So Clay's getting a lot of traction here. A lot of the audience.
Buck Sexton
Well, can. Can I help you? And you've got a lot more influence on this. But this is your state. I don't want that place. And look, I live on the battlefield of Franklin, Tennessee. You know, I'm a history nerd. Sometimes history gets paved over and we forget decades. 100 years later, you're like, man, I wish I could really see this battlefield or I wish I could experience the significance of this place as it might have looked then and understand why it's culturally resonant to me. Butler can be that not only today, but I think as the Passions of the day fade for kids and grandkids out there who want to study the Trump era and understand how close we came to disaster there. I like the idea of creating a monument that's opposed to political violence. Thankfully, it wasn't a site of political violence. We don't have to be an rfk, mlk, or JFK like site, but. So it's not Dealey Plaza, thankfully. But why not create something that is significant there? And long last.
Dave McCormick
I think it's a great idea. I hadn't thought of it, but it's a great idea. And I do think memorializing what happened there. And frankly, you know, you've been a strong voice in this. This is across political parties. You know, not long ago, we had a arson attack on our governor here in Pennsylvania, who's a Democrat. So we need to speak out clearly and decisively against political violence. And I think memorializing. I say that to people. You know, as you know, I was right there on the stage. It's like being next to the limousine when Kennedy was shot, the convertible in Dallas. Like, this is. This is an iconic moment of American history. And thank God, yes, that we missed the sniper, missed the president. The assassin missed the president by an inch. And I love the idea of memorializing that. So that's something maybe we can talk about offline. But I like that idea, Clay. And, you know, you're listening.
Clay Travis
You're a.
Dave McCormick
You're a font of good ideas. Is he always like this, Buck?
Clay Travis
He certainly has the confidence for it. I will say I will.
Buck Sexton
So I'm not saying everything is brilliant, but I do have. To me, this is one that does make sense. Poor Buck has to listen to ideas like this all day. But, Senator, you can help make this happen. I'd just like to see this site preserved. And I do think it's a. It's a worthy idea for generations to come.
Dave McCormick
It's a great idea. Let me run with it. Thank you, Clay.
Buck Sexton
All right. Thank you. That's Senator Dave McCormick, thankful that he won Great state of Pennsylvania. We'll come back, we'll talk more about this and more. 800282 2882. But I want to tell you, I was in Atlanta. Thanks to our affiliate down in Atlanta for hosting me for the All Star Game and the Home Run Derby. And I hung out with a lot of the executives with prize picks. I love these guys. They have built a really great business that just makes sports more fun, whether you like Major League Baseball, whether you like golf, the British Open, the Open Championship for those of you who are real sticklers, is underway right now. Going to be a lot of fun. Difficult course and conditions over there, but whatever you like, golf, tennis, football, basketball, baseball, whatever your sport is, you can have more fun with it at price picks and they'll give you $50 to test it out when you play. Just $5 all over the country. Prizepix.com Code Clay that is prizepix.com Code clay get hooked up today. Check it out. I promise you're gonna love it. We're gonna have picks for you during football season and hopefully we can get some more winners. Prizepix.com Code Clay Stories of Freedom, stories of America. Inspirational stories that unite us all. Each day, spend time with Clay and Buck. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton show. Appreciate all of you hanging out with us. We are rolling through the Friday edition of the program and I mentioned this off the top, but I do. And let me just also mention we had a quick turn there, but I think the Butler, Pennsylvania memorial site national monument. I we're going to make this happen and it's gonna make some people angry because they're gonna be like, you can imagine what they would say. They're the kind of people who in modern day, even without corsets on, would have such low testosterone that they might need to fall onto fainting couches. Men. Because Trump gives them the vapors to tie that in. They definitely are offended by my body language about buxom women. But in general, I think this is a no brainer. I also think the amount of winning sometimes gets lost because there is this expectation, I think, in life to focus oftentimes on what you're not getting as opposed to what you are getting. And we're getting a pretty awesome 6 months so far from Trump. And it's not only inside of the Trump world, it's also the larger cultural surroundings. And I think that's significant because, yes, you all out there listening to us right now. You know what's going on in the world politically. You know what's going on with foreign affairs. You are plugged in. Thank you for hanging out with us every day. Most people aren't y'. All, most people are super busy. Uh, they don't really know what's going on politically, but they are impacted by the larger cultural universe. Those people are maybe even more impacted by left wing political thought without recognizing that they're being impacted by left wing political thought. And I bring that up because something that I think is significant happened yesterday in the cultural landscape and it's connected NPR and PBS taxpayer funding. After basically 40 years of attempting to do it, two generations, Trump did it. The money that you and I give to the federal government that then is routed to NPR and pbs, taxpayer money is over. Simultaneously, Stephen Colbert was fired. They're basically ending his show. And I dove into some of the, the economics on this show. I know a little bit right with the economics of this radio show. I've obviously done a lot of Fox News. I produce and help run and have run digital shows for some time through Outkick. So I'm aware of what shows cost. The Colbert show budget blew my mind. Let me hit you with a few stats here. Stephen Colbert had 200 employees working on his show. They had 200 brains trying to make you laugh. And they failed because he went full on politics. They couldn't remotely be funny. The show had a budget of $130 million. Putting that into sports context, team, look this up, I believe the Florida Marlins, or the Miami Marlins as they are known now, the whole baseball team gets paid $67 million. Stephen Colbert's TV show had twice the budget of the entire Miami Marlins professional baseball player team budget. And Stephen Colbert made $15 million on this show. And he's now gone and the show is going to be canceled in May. And I believe we have some fun audio of this. The final. This is too perfect. The final guest. When the, the first guest after Colbert.
Clay Travis
Announced his show, exactly who you'd want to have on. If you're trying to entertain people at night before they go to sleep and, you know, give them. You want Adam Schiff on. If you want somebody who's really funny, look, Stephen Colbert had a platform handed to him that he didn't build, that he didn't honor by doing the thing that he first and foremost should have done. The mission of that role, like we always say here, hey, this is the house that Rush built. Our mission is to serve you, the audience, as best we can every single day and carry on Rush's legacy. Stephen Colbert's mission should have been, obviously it's a different platform, different role. His mission should have been to make the American people laugh and relax to the greatest of his ability, all people, just to make people laugh at night. And instead he decided that he was going to join the ranks of the Trump deranged and pander to the political proclivities of a bunch of crybabies who can't Handle that they can't live in reality. So this was a richly deserved cancellation. Stephen Colbert destroyed the audience that he was given and the fact that he was getting paid as much as he did is an absurdity. And it's just a corporate, really a corporate legacy thing that he was able to seize for himself to get that kind of a price tag. And now I think we don't have to really hear much or deal with him. He's not a great stand up, he's not going to go on to do great things. He'll probably launch some crappy podcast that will get a boost for about two months clay and then he'll realize, wait, no one actually really cares what I have to say.
Buck Sexton
So let me ask you this. Were you, I know we've talked about this a little bit before. Were you a late night TV show viewer back in the day maybe when.
Clay Travis
I was really young, I was a Leno. I was a Leno guy. Even though I grew up in New York. I was a Leno guy.
Buck Sexton
Okay. So I love the Letterman and I loved a Letterman even when he was on after for the late, late, late, what was it called? Late Night. Which came from these moments where you.
Clay Travis
Realize there's definitely two different people on this show thinking about very things. They thinking about things in a very different way. I always thought Letterman was a total, just a total product of the machine, not funny at all. And a smarmy jerk. A jerk. Oh wow.
Buck Sexton
I really liked Letterman. But what I will say is first of all, most of the time when you're a kid, you're not able to stay up. I loved staying up. I felt like in the summers, this is a whole different topic. But in the summers, basically I was just home all day by myself. My kids now have a billion different summer camps that they go to for sports and they go to all these different events. I was at home, I would read and I would watch the Chicago Cubs and Harry Carey on wgn. And then I would watch like baseball because the Cubs used to play only during the day and I would stay up late and I would watch David Letterman most nights. And he came on, I think at 11:30 Central Time in Nashville and he was after Johnny Carson back in the day, if I remember correctly. And then after Jay Leno eventually, if I remember correctly. And then obviously he left and he went to the Late show and this is the show that's now being canceled, that Colbert has followed him on Colbert Legacy.
Clay Travis
Go ahead. I always like, I like Craig Ferguson, Scottish guy. Yeah, I thought he was, I thought he was funny. I thought he was and very self effacing. I didn't watch him religiously, but I remember whenever I would stumble onto him, I really, I'd say I watched late night from like seventh grade maybe through high school. So about four or five years would have been like, you know, the late 90s, early 2000s. And I thought Craig Ferguson was maybe that was even later on. I forget when he was on, but he was pretty funny. And I'm actually, I like Conan too. Really. The only one I don't like is Letterman and oh no, that's not true. And the current crop are all garbage.
Buck Sexton
Garbage. Okay, I. So if you had told me when I was 14 or 15, hey, you get to have any job in media, there would have been two jobs in media that I wanted 14 or 15 years old. I would have wanted to be like late night talk show host. Seems like an incredible job. You're trying to make people laugh. You're even parts Democrat, Republican, you know, ridicule. And the other one would have been Sports center anchor. I would have the idea that you got to go on talk about sports. I would have said those were the two that I would say are the best possible jobs in media. I think Colbert's legacy is he destroyed late night television. Because it's one thing if you fail, right? If Stephen Colbert had a show and he had failed, that happens, right? Everybody gets canceled at some point in time. If you do movies, they don't always, they're not always box office huge successes. If you do media long enough, you're probably going to get fired somewhere or your company's going to go bankrupt and you're going to have to find a new job. Just FYI, that's happened to Buck, that's happened to me. Like that's life in the media universe. I will say Colbert was bombing. He decided to turn his comedy show into left wing propaganda and everybody else followed him. Jimmy Fallon followed him, Jimmy Kimmel followed him. Gutfeld obviously went the different direction at Fox News. But the legacy of Colbert is not only that he's getting canceled now, it's that he destroyed late night television once and for all. Whatever you thought about Letterman, Leno back in the day, Conan, whatever you thought about Johnny Carson, that was, I think, a cultural connective tissue. Late at night people would put on those shows, they would kick back, they would laugh and they would get ready for bed and now it doesn't exist. I think all these shows are going to get canceled and I think they killed themselves. And I think Gutfeld will continue. And I know a lot of you probably watch that on Fox News at night, but I do think it's unfortunate that that entire cottage industry is basically going to vanish. I really do. And I, I'm going to miss it. Now people might say, oh well, the podcast universe, whether it's Theo Vaughn who is a Nashville based guy, or there's all these different comedy podcasts, certainly Joe Rogan has an element of this and maybe people watch those now that would have watched late night television and that's the biggest combatant. But I do think if Colbert hadn't gone left wing political, I don't think his show would be getting canceled right now. I think there would have been enough longevity in those shows that everybody else wouldn't have followed him over the woke waterfall if all they had to do was make fun of Democrats and Republicans. That's all he had to do.
Clay Travis
I think that he chose the selfish and easy route, which was to just turn his show into the New York Times editorial page with jokes.
Buck Sexton
Yes.
Clay Travis
Which is what it became. And, and it also was really sanctimonious and kind of mean spirited a lot of the time. And instead of just, you know, you can make jokes. Look, Shane Gillis, who you and I were playing, playing some clips from yesterday, he's a guy, I'm not sure he's, I wouldn't say he's conservative. I mean he's, he's willing to, he says things sometimes that he plays around. He basically goes after both sides from what I can see. Like he'll make fun of the wokeness, but he'll also take some shots at the right, but not in a mean way, in a funny way. And so I'm not as clear. I think he would probably think of himself almost as like a Joe Rogan politically, a little more non aligned. That's just my guess. I don't know, you might know him better than I do, but he's, he's not a dogmatically right wing guy, but you get the sense that his overriding goal is to say things that have a little edge and make people laugh. And that is what he's actually trying to do. Stephen Colbert, you tune in and it was no different than msnbc. It's just they would slap a joke on the end of the line and that's, that's just, that's gross. And it's really an abandonment of what that show was supposed to be.
Buck Sexton
What I would say about Shane Gillis, and this is my View on comedy to the extent you need it at all. The most egalitarian, fair thing you can do is make fun of everybody across the board. So what they tried to do with identity politics was say, oh, a white male comic could never make fun of a black woman. That's the New York magazine headline after Shane Gillis's ESPYs is basically, oh, these are unfunny jokes. You can't make jokes about the wnba. Why? Much of the WNBA deserves to be ridiculed. So by the way, could the NBA or the NFL. And what I would say is basically the south park doctrine, which is the goal, is humor above everything. If there is gold in those comedic hills, it should be mined whether the person who's getting made fun of is white, black, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight, trans, whatever your identity is. If you aren't being made fun of, then we're applying identity politics to the equation. And identity politics destroys comedy because it turns it into propaganda, which is what Stephen Colbert became. And I think that's why his show failed. And I think it's why a show like south park has remained culturally relevant for 30 years, whatever you think of it, because they're going to go where the humor is, even if it makes people uncomfortable. And often great comedy does make people uncomfortable. You shouldn't always love every joke. That's me on the soapbox.
Clay Travis
You know when Shane Gillis says that watching History Channel documentaries about World War II is stage one conservative, like that's funny, you know, like, like you're, you know, you're just, you're, you're going down the, the long dark pathway of conservatism because you want to watch History Channel documentaries. Like, and now that's a gentle joke. But I'm just saying, like, you know, that's actually meant to be funny. I know, I like, I like that joke. I thought it was pretty funny. It's pretty true. Now all of a sudden people are.
Buck Sexton
Like, good thing comedy not going to stun you. But I like a lot of comedy that others would consider to be edgy and inappropriate. So come after me for that too.
Clay Travis
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Buck Sexton
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Buck Sexton
I will have you know, not all of America is filled with haters. In fact, this text I just received from my 10 year old, this is Nash. Unlike the haters I believe in, you. Don't give up and practice. There you go. That's what you want to hear. Everybody else doesn't have my back. 10 year old, he's like, dad's got this. To be fair, this all started when I took my 17 year old to Alcatraz. We were on a visit to San Francisco, looking at colleges all over the place. And we were standing there looking at out across San Francisco Bay. And I said, I think I can make this swim. And my 17 year old said, no, no, no, no, dad, you would drown. And then we argued about whether or not I could make the swim. That's legitimately where all this started. But I've always thought my 10 year old was smarter than my 17 year old. And he's right. I would make that swim. And I'm going to train and I'm going to make it happen. I might die now.
Clay Travis
I feel like I need to train and make it happen. So I don't know, I don't even.
Buck Sexton
Know how you train for a swim that long, by the way. Like I think, because in him a lot. Yeah, but in a pool or do you go to a lake? Is there a. I mean, if you ran like I did a half marathon, it was miserable. You, it turns out to run a marathon, which is not fun. You also have to spend a lot of time training to run the marathon, which is even less fun. And. But it's easy, right? In theory, you know, there's lots of places you could run long distances. Here's the way running works. You just start like Forrest Gump, and then at some point you can just stop and it's miserable. And my argument, which always gets the runners angry, is I think running is for people with really low self esteem because they're like, I don't know if I can do this. Oh, look how far I ran. I, Oprah, ran a marathon. I am more athletic than Oprah. There's no doubt in my mind that I could run a marathon. The problem with running a marathon is you have to train for it for a long time. But there's lots of places you could train. How do you train to swim like a mile and a half? Do you even. I mean, I guess you could do like a hundred laps in the pool.
Clay Travis
You get in the ocean and you swim.
Buck Sexton
But how do you know how far an ocean distance is?
Clay Travis
Well, I mean, you can. Like, I'm thinking about a Miami beach, for example. You start in front of one hotel, basically, and you swim down to South Point park or something, and you look at the. On the GPS and you can calculate.
Buck Sexton
It, but there's tides. Like, his water distance impacted. Like, I feels way more complicated. My wife. This is.
Clay Travis
Come on, Copernicus. We could calculate this. All right. This isn't that bad.
Buck Sexton
My wife is of the opinion that I would drown. When we were in the Bahamas, she had me swim a decent distance. And I don't even know if I talked about this on the air. She was like, moron, you are going to drown. I want you to swim in the bay. All this distance. And so I was doing the backstroke. I was. She had no confidence that I could do it. And I did it pretty easily because, again, I'm not saying I'm a great swimmer. I'm just saying as long as I didn't drown, I would end up on the shore. This is the thing that people don't understand. Like, if you swim long enough, eventually you get to where you need to go. I can do it.
Clay Travis
All right, well, there we go. I like where your head's at on this one.
Buck Sexton
And by the way, this is up on the Sunday hang. We had some fun with this. Producer Ali said there's lots of fun stuff if you're on the road, go subscribe to the the podcast. Lots of fun Sunday hang things. I hate you, Sean Hannity. I also hate you, Riley Gaines. You're off the Christmas card list.
Clay Travis
I just want to be clear. Kerry insists that I go and make sure that you don't drown. And so then Laura can be certain that I will make sure you don't drown off of Alcatraz.
Buck Sexton
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Clay Travis
This is an iHeart podcast.
Episode: Daily Review with Clay and Buck - Jul 18, 2025
Release Date: July 18, 2025
Host: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Hosted by: iHeartPodcasts
On a vibrant Friday, July 18, 2025, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton welcome listeners to another edition of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show." The duo sets an enthusiastic tone, acknowledging the swift passage of summer and hinting at a packed agenda that delves into pressing news topics, technological advancements, and cultural commentary.
Key Discussion Points:
AI's Impact on Society and Economy:
Clay initiates the conversation by drawing parallels between the current trajectory of artificial intelligence (AI) and the revolutionary emergence of the Internet in the mid-1990s. He emphasizes AI's potential to transform daily life and business operations fundamentally.
Clay Travis [00:00]:
"...it's looking more and more like the Internet circa 1996 in terms of the way that this could really transform business and our day to day lives."
Driverless Vehicles and AI Integration:
The hosts touch upon the proliferation of Waymo's driverless cars in Miami, discussing the shift towards autonomous transportation and its societal implications.
Buck Sexton [02:04]:
"...I felt like I was in the future."
Economic and Cultural Shifts:
Buck elaborates on how AI is becoming embedded in daily activities, drawing historical lessons from the dot-com bubble to illustrate how transformative technologies often face initial skepticism before becoming ubiquitous.
Buck Sexton [02:04]:
"It's going to be like riding a horse... you're going to have this huge demand for welders and steam fitters..."
Key Discussion Points:
Critique of CNBC's Assessment:
Clay expresses strong disagreement with CNBC's recent declaration of Tennessee as the "worst state to live in America." He bases his stance on personal experiences and the positive aspects of Tennessee influenced by the show's presence in the state.
Clay Travis [04:02]:
"Having spent a good amount of time in Tennessee... that is just..."
Defending Tennessee's Reputation:
Buck supports Clay's viewpoint, questioning the credibility and fairness of such a ranking, highlighting Tennessee's strengths and dismissing the negative portrayal.
Buck Sexton [04:49]:
"It's virtually impossible to call Tennessee the worst place to live in America..."
Key Discussion Points:
Unsealing of Grand Jury Testimony:
The conversation shifts to Attorney General Pam Bondi's announcement to unseal grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein, following President Trump's directive. Both hosts express skepticism about the significance of this development.
Clay Travis [05:00]:
"...I don't think you'll see much in there that matters."
Trump's Public Statements:
They analyze Trump's tweet urging the release of the testimony, framing it as an attack on Democratic efforts to perpetuate the Epstein narrative.
Buck Sexton [07:48]:
"...they accused Trump of having sex with a porn star...I think this is a big swing and a mission..."
Wall Street Journal's Coverage Critiqued:
Clay and Buck critique the Wall Street Journal's reporting on Trump and Epstein, arguing that the allegations lack substantive relevance and potentially serve to paint Trump as a victim.
Clay Travis [07:48]:
"...why they do this...it looks like a throwaway detail..."
Key Discussion Points:
Introduction of Senator Dave McCormick:
The show welcomes Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, a guest with a strong business background, to discuss AI's impact and Pennsylvania's strategic initiatives in this arena.
AI as the Next Industrial Revolution:
Senator McCormick underscores the monumental significance of AI, equating it to an industrial revolution with profound implications for economic growth and national security.
Senator Dave McCormick [18:46]:
"I think this is the next great industrial revolution... we're in a fight... with China for leadership in artificial intelligence."
Pennsylvania's Strategic Investments:
McCormick details the state's robust investments in AI-related infrastructure, including significant funding in energy resources, data centers, and skilled labor to support the burgeoning AI industry.
Senator Dave McCormick [27:17]:
"...CEOs there announced $92 billion of investment...data centers, infrastructure, and energy projects."
Impact on Employment Sectors:
The senator highlights a dual impact of AI: boosting demand for blue-collar jobs like welding and electrical work due to infrastructure expansion, while also exerting pressure on certain white-collar professions as AI automates routine tasks.
Senator Dave McCormick [21:36]:
"...there's going to be this huge demand for welders and steam fitters..."
Urgency in AI Leadership:
Emphasizing the rapid pace of AI development, McCormick stresses the immediate need for the U.S. to secure its leadership position to safeguard its infrastructure, data, and way of life.
Senator Dave McCormick [18:46]:
"This battle is playing out over the next six months, 12 months, 24, 36. This is something that if we don't continue to have leadership, we're gonna say we missed a moment."
Meritocracy and AI:
Both hosts and McCormick agree that AI will accelerate a meritocratic society, rewarding individuals who offer unique value and adapt to technological advancements.
Buck Sexton [24:16]:
"...mediocrity is going to be replaced quickly by AI... familiarize yourself with AI because it can take you to a different level of excellence."
Key Discussion Points:
Creating a National Monument:
Clay and Buck propose transforming Butler, Pennsylvania, into a national monument dedicated to combating political violence, drawing parallels to historical sites like the Battle of Franklin and Dealey Plaza.
Buck Sexton [30:34]:
"I love it. I love it."
Bipartisan Support for Memorialization:
Senator McCormick supports the initiative, emphasizing the importance of memorializing significant moments of political tension to educate future generations and promote unity.
Senator Dave McCormick [31:38]:
"It's a great idea... memorializing that moment of American history."
Key Discussion Points:
Cancellation of Stephen Colbert's Show:
The hosts express disappointment over the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's show, attributing its downfall to his shift towards overt political pandering.
Clay Travis [38:09]:
"Stephen Colbert destroyed the audience that he was given."
Impact on Late-Night Television Landscape:
Clay and Buck argue that Colbert's political alignment set a precedent that led other late-night hosts to adopt similar stances, ultimately causing the fragmentation and decline of traditional late-night formats.
Buck Sexton [43:00]:
"...he destroyed late night television once and for all."
Contrast with Non-Partisan Comedy:
They laud comedians like Shane Gillis, who balance humor without leaning heavily into political bias, suggesting that maintaining comedic integrity without pandering can lead to greater longevity and cultural relevance.
Clay Travis [45:01]:
"...he was going to join the ranks of the Trump deranged..."
Legacy of Light-Hearted Comedy:
Comparing the political tilt of current shows to more balanced ones, the hosts lament the loss of non-partisan humor that fosters broad audience appeal.
Key Discussion Points:
Ambitious Personal Challenges:
Buck shares a humorous personal story about training to swim long distances, highlighting his determination despite skepticism from his family.
Buck Sexton [51:40]:
"I've always thought my 10 year old was smarter than my 17 year old... I'm going to train and I'm going to make it happen."
Humorous Takes on Physical Endeavors:
The conversation veers into light-hearted banter about training for marathons and long swims, showcasing the hosts' camaraderie and ability to intersperse serious discussions with relatable, everyday topics.
Clay Travis [55:09]:
"...this isn't that bad."
As the episode wraps up, Clay and Buck reflect on the dynamic interplay between technological advancement, political landscapes, and cultural shifts. They underscore the imperative for leadership and adaptability in the face of rapid AI development, the importance of preserving historical sites to foster unity, and the critical role of maintaining integrity in media and entertainment.
The hosts also share a final light-hearted moment, reinforcing their connection with the audience and their commitment to delivering insightful, balanced discussions amidst a rapidly changing societal backdrop.
Clay Travis [00:00]:
"...it's looking more and more like the Internet circa 1996 in terms of the way that this could really transform business and our day to day lives."
Buck Sexton [02:04]:
"I felt like I was in the future."
Clay Travis [04:02]:
"Having spent a good amount of time in Tennessee... that is just..."
Buck Sexton [04:49]:
"It's virtually impossible to call Tennessee the worst place to live in America..."
Clay Travis [05:00]:
"...I don't think you'll see much in there that matters."
Senator Dave McCormick [18:46]:
"I think this is the next great industrial revolution... we're in a fight... with China for leadership in artificial intelligence."
Buck Sexton [24:16]:
"...mediocrity is going to be replaced quickly by AI... familiarize yourself with AI because it can take you to a different level of excellence."
Clay Travis [38:09]:
"Stephen Colbert destroyed the audience that he was given."
Buck Sexton [43:00]:
"...he destroyed late night television once and for all."
Senator Dave McCormick [31:38]:
"It's a great idea... memorializing that moment of American history."
AI as a Revolutionary Force:
Artificial intelligence is poised to alter the economic landscape and daily lives profoundly, comparable to the Internet's impact in the 1990s. The U.S. must prioritize AI leadership to compete globally, particularly against China.
Economic Shifts and Employment:
While AI will automate certain white-collar jobs, it will simultaneously create a surge in demand for skilled blue-collar workers to support the necessary infrastructure, highlighting a complex evolution of the job market.
Political and Cultural Integrity:
The episode underscores the importance of maintaining political neutrality and integrity in media, cautioning against the pitfalls of political pandering that can erode audience trust and lead to the decline of traditional media formats.
Historical Preservation for Unity:
Proposals to memorialize significant events, such as the suggestion to honor Butler, Pennsylvania, aim to foster national unity and serve as educational landmarks against the backdrop of political violence.
Personal Resilience and Determination:
Through personal anecdotes, the hosts illustrate the value of persistence and determination in overcoming challenges, resonating with listeners on a relatable level.
This episode of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" offers a comprehensive exploration of artificial intelligence's burgeoning role in society, critiques of current media trends, and thoughtful discussions on preserving historical integrity. Through engaging dialogues and expert insights, Clay and Buck provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of the intersection between technology, politics, and culture.