The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – Daily Review (Oct 28, 2025)

Episode Overview

On this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle major developments in the lead-up to the 2025 elections, critique progressive politics and candidates, and host an in-depth, spirited conversation with swimmer and women’s rights advocate Riley Gaines, fresh off an unexpected Twitter feud with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). Election intrigue, the state of American liberalism, Trump-era politics, and debates over meritocracy and women’s sports take center stage, with their characteristic blend of irreverence, skepticism, and conservative humor.

Key Topics & Discussion Breakdown

1. Election Countdown and Local Political Developments

• Kickoff to the 2025 Election Season
  • [02:25] Clay reminds listeners the 2025 elections are just a week away, urging voting in key states (NJ, VA, NY). Personal note: he voted for “alderman” in Franklin, TN.
• Spotlight on New York City Mayoral Election and Zoran Mamdani
  • [04:41] Clay is “shocked” NYC may elect Zoran Mamdani, whom he describes as a “transparent liar” who “has accomplished nothing.” Cites Mamdani’s shifting story about Islamophobia in his family post-9/11 ([07:17]).
  • [07:59] Buck: Compares Mamdani’s storytelling to “the Jussie Smollett” playbook—“How dare you question me when I'm caught in my lie?”

2. Identity Politics, Islamophobia, and Radical Progressivism

• Islamophobia and Narrative Manipulation
  • [08:40] Buck critiques the term “Islamophobia” as a tool to silence legitimate debate:

    “The whole point of Islamophobia is to create a word that shuts down criticism of aspects of a faith... There was plenty of rational fear of radicalized elements from within the Islamic world.”

  • Post-9/11 American Response

    “To America's extreme credit, there was so little actual Islamic bigotry on display after 9/11, given the scope…of those attacks.” ([09:27])

• Mamdani’s Rhetoric and Progressive Critique
  • [12:33] Clay plays clips of Mamdani calling to “defund the NYPD” and comparing them to the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces):
    • Mamdani (clip): “When the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it's been laced by the idf.”
    • “We need to take this money, defund the NYPD, and refund the people.”

3. The Left’s Political Echo Chamber and New York’s Future

• Campaigns and Voter Sentiments
  • [13:37] Buck: Both Mamdani and Cuomo (the rival candidate, whom he calls a “nepo baby”) are criticized as uninspiring. The attacks on Mamdani’s radicalism and inexperience “will be excused” by his base.
  • [14:37] Clay: Concerned that if Mamdani wins and policies fail, progressives will claim, “We didn’t go far left enough.”
• Extremism and Historical Revisionism
  • [15:29] Clay announces upcoming audio of Mamdani’s father making extreme statements, including, “Hitler learned everything he knows from Abraham Lincoln.”

4. Progressive Iconography: Lincoln, Genocide, and Settler Colonialism

• [26:49] Buck plays audio of Prof. Mahmood Mamdani (Zoran’s father) analogizing American “settler colonialism” to Nazi practices:
  • Prof. Mamdani: “America is the genesis of what we call settler colonialism... Abraham Lincoln generalized the solution of reservations...This was the inspiration [for the Nazis]... Hitler realized... genocide was doable.”
• Historical Rebuke
  • [29:00] Buck: “This is not true,” outlines U.S. revolutionary roots and criticizes the “bastardized” use of history to delegitimize America.
  • [30:39] Clay: “If anything in history, we’re the heroes of the colonial worldview.”
  • The hosts argue that progressives push “white men are evil” at the core of their ideology.

5. Stock Market Highs and Trump’s Prospects

• [37:28] Clay lauds the “new all-time records” for the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq, crediting the “Trump economy.”
• Trump 2028 Speculation
  • [41:39] Clay: “Do you buy the idea that JD [Vance] and Marco [Rubio] might just say, ‘Let’s keep the band together and have a unity ticket?’”
  • [42:55] Buck: “All sounds great…This is the way we think the story should go. That to me means it’s unlikely.”

6. Humor, Cognitive Testing, and Trumpian Rhetoric

• [45:26] Clay & Buck play a Trump audio clip where he mocks Rep. Jasmine Crockett and AOC’s intelligence, challenging them to pass the same “cognitive test” he took:
  • Trump: “The first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe…When you get up to 10 and 20 and 25, they couldn’t come close…” ([47:38])
• [48:18] Jasmine Crockett responds, accusing Trump of being “obsessed with women of color” and not getting into college on his own merits.

Featured Interview: Riley Gaines

Introduction & Motherhood

• [54:32] Clay warmly welcomes Riley Gaines, congratulates her on new motherhood. Riley praises motherhood, noting her positive experience contrasts sharply with “all the horror stories” she was told ([55:12]):

  “All of the women said were going to happen happened to me. I had a fantastic pregnancy...The process was a breeze...You get wrapped up in all the horror stories.”

• [57:04] Buck and Riley bond over the negativity new parents face and the pressure of “whataboutism.”

AOC v. Riley Gaines — The Origin and Meaning of the Feud

• [59:16] Clay introduces the Twitter spat: AOC attacks Riley, suggesting she could have been a better swimmer if she “channeled all of her anger towards swimming.”
  • Riley: “Would she call the fifth best college football player in the nation mediocre?...All it does is show she knows nothing about sports and, honestly, it’s misogynistic.” ([60:07])

The Women’s Sports Debate and Identity Politics

• [61:06] Riley:

  “You have two sides of this argument. One side is standing for women who want fair competition…and the other is the side of the 6’4” man who was ranked 462nd among men and flashes women in the locker room. AOC made the side she chose very clear.”

Sports Bets and Lighthearted Banter

• [62:04] Buck seeks Riley’s input on whether he’ll break 100 mph on a tennis serve. Riley quips:

  “I think there is a more plausible chance of you serving a 100 mile per hour serve than there is Clay Travis actually swimming Alcatraz.” ([63:03])

Sharks, Swimming, and Fear

• [64:24] Clay asks Riley about her fear of sharks during open-water swims; Riley replies she isn’t fazed, referencing “Soul Surfer” and her friendship with Bethany Hamilton.

Why Did AOC Go After Riley?

• [65:08] Riley speculates AOC’s attack is a social-media play to energize the radical base—even though the position is politically damaging and a minority view within the Democratic party:

  “It’s just totally politically ignorant...Not only is this something 100% of the Republican Party agrees with…but like 80% of the Democratic Party.” “This is their party’s leader...Try and think of a moderate Democrat at any level. There just isn’t one.” ([66:59])

• Riley concludes the strategy will only hurt Democrats in future elections.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Zoran Mamdani’s Islamophobia Story (Buck, [07:59]):
  “This is the Jussie Smollett: ‘How dare you question me when I’m caught in my lie?’ Well, yeah. That’s how this works.”

• Buck on Islamophobia ([08:40]):
  “Islamophobia is a nonsense term…used to shut down criticism of aspects of a faith…There was a period of time where there was plenty of rational fear.”

• Prof. Mahmood Mamdani Audio ([27:58]):
  “America is the genesis of what we call settler colonialism. Abraham Lincoln generalized the solution of reservations...For the Nazis, this was the inspiration.”

• Clay on Progressive Attacks ([30:39]):
  “If anything in the history, we’re the heroes of the colonial worldview, because we took independence from the places that had colonized us.”

• Trump on Challenging AOC to a Cognitive Test ([45:26]):
  “Let AOC go against Trump. Let Jasmine [Crockett] go against Trump...the first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe…”

• Riley Gaines on AOC’s Attack ([60:07]):
  “Would she call the fifth best college football player in the nation mediocre?...All it does is show she knows nothing about sports and, honestly, it’s misogynistic.”

• Riley on Democratic Leadership ([66:59]):
  “Try and think of a moderate Democrat at any level. There just isn’t one. So this is their party’s leader. But we will continue to see them lose in 2026, 2028, and further on if they continue with these harmful policies.”

Important Timestamps

• 02:25 – Kickoff: Next week’s elections & personal voting anecdotes
• 07:17 – Zoran Mamdani’s shifting story on Islamophobia
• 12:33 – Mamdani: “Defund the NYPD” past statements
• 26:49 – Audio: Prof. Mamdani’s speech linking Lincoln, reservations, and Nazi inspirations
• 37:28 – Stock market highs and “Trump economy” commentary
• 45:26 – Trump challenges Crockett and AOC to a cognitive test (audio)
• 54:32 – Riley Gaines segment: New motherhood
• 59:16 – Riley recounts AOC Twitter attack
• 61:06 – Riley: “You have two sides of this argument…” (on women’s sports)
• 62:04 – Riley’s sports bet banter with Buck & Clay
• 65:08 – Why is AOC picking this fight? Riley’s political perspective

Tone, Style, and Takeaways

• Language & Tone: True-to-show: snarky, fast, irreverent conservative. Critiques are pointed, and personal stories are blended with broad commentary.
• Content Value: This episode offers a comprehensive conservative critique of NYC politics, the radicalization of the Democratic Party, and the pitfalls of progressive social-media activism—along with spirited banter on sports, merit, and the experiences of new parents.
• For New Listeners: This episode is a snapshot of Clay and Buck’s approach: lively, skeptical of progressive trends, and committed to amplifying voices like Riley Gaines and themes of common sense, tradition, and competitive merit.

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