The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 - DeSantis for SCOTUS?
Date: April 3, 2026
Hosts: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this Good Friday edition, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton offer their trademark blend of conservative humor, news analysis, and listener interaction. The hour centers on the evolving political landscape: key developments in the Trump administration, speculation over the next U.S. Attorney General, and a headline-grabbing pitch—could Florida Governor Ron DeSantis be a candidate for the Supreme Court? The hosts also lampoon woke parenting trends, discuss Presidential cabinet speculation, and field audience calls and talkbacks, making for an energetic and insightful hour.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. News Updates & Banter (03:05–07:21)

• Breaking News Recap: Clay provides updates on an F-15 shot down in Iran: “One of the two crew members has been rescued... Intense search for the other.” (03:11)
• Good Friday Vibes: Many listeners off work or traveling, with a friendly open to set a relaxed, conversational tone.
• Listener Emails: Engaging with a listener named Sylvia about hearing abilities, leading to playful chat about drive-thru miscommunications and needing hearing aids.

2. Listener Talkbacks & Humor (06:30–07:29)

• Show Name Joke: Listener Robert from NC jokes about why it’s not called “The Buck and Clay Show”—“Say that fast five times real quick!” (06:35)
• Friggin’ vs. Frickin’ Debate: Listeners respond to a previous hour’s audio clip of a child at the Artemis launch, clarifying what word was actually said.

3. Discussing "Woke" Parenting – Gavin Newsom's Wife (08:04–11:32)

• Clip from Newsom’s Wife: She shares giving her boys dolls to teach caregiving, and swapping pronouns in bedtime stories to normalize women as protagonists.
  • “I’ve given our boys dolls, even if they tear the head off... care and caregiving is not just an activity that’s reserved for women...” (08:07–08:21)
  • “If I’m reading a book and the protagonist is a male, I just change the ‘he’ to a ‘she’ and it just normalizes.” (08:25–08:31)
• Hosts' Reactions:
  • Clay: “Changing the gender of the heroes of children’s stories is a crazy thing to do... This is not a normal thought process.” (10:11)
  • Buck: “You did something that I wasn’t expecting. You made me have some sympathy for Gavin Newsom.” (08:47)

4. Personal Reflections on Parenting and Children’s Books (09:06–10:06)

• Buck’s Parenting Anecdote: Buck shares about reading to his soon-to-be-one-year-old son who only wants “Where the Wild Things Are,” marveling at the enduring appeal of classic children’s books.

5. Political Celebrity & Relationships: Newsom, AOC, and Life Goals (11:32–14:04)

• The hosts riff on the perceived superficiality and political personas of Gavin Newsom and wife, and AOC and her husband.
• Buck muses: “He probably kind of mumbles about like, yeah, I’m a male feminist, you know... You can just tell.”

6. Gavin Newsom’s Past & Political Ambition (14:04–17:26)

• Newsom’s Controversial History: Discussed allegations of Newsom’s affair with his best friend’s wife; hosts characterize this as “sociopathic.”
  • Clay: “Cheating on your wife when it is your best friend’s wife... is just like lunatic self.” (15:26)
  • Buck: “He’s the perfect Democrat... Soulless but slick.” (15:46)
• Buck analogizes Newsom and Biden as “perfect vessels” for the Democratic party, willing to say or do anything for power.

7. Speculation: Trump’s Next Attorney General (22:52–27:50)

• Pam Bondi Out: The firing of Trump’s attorney general, Pam Bondi, receives scant attention outside the show. Clay presents the leading contenders (with prediction market odds):
  • Lee Zeldin (53%) – current EPA head
  • Todd Blanch (25%) – interim AG, close to Trump
  • Judge Jeanine Pirro – head of D.C. Attorney’s Office
  • Ken Paxton (TX AG), though confirmation could be tough
• Alternative Options: Mention of Ron DeSantis and Mike Lee as possible picks; discussion of potential confirmation hurdles.

8. The DeSantis Dilemma: What’s Next for Ron? (28:30–31:30)

• Clay’s Question: “What is Ron DeSantis going to do?” as he’s term-limited as Governor.
• Buck’s Take: Predicts DeSantis is likely to run for President in 2028, leveraging the growing trend where failed presidential bids lead to cabinet positions.
  • “I actually think... he will run for president, but... also be a great Secretary of State under a JD Vance or a Marco Rubio.” (29:06)
• Consensus that DeSantis is unlikely to want or accept an AG position.

9. Game-Changer: “DeSantis for Supreme Court?” (31:30–34:48)

• Clay’s Bold Prediction: Advocates for DeSantis as a potential Supreme Court Justice, especially as Alito and Thomas age.
  • “DeSantis is a legal nerd... a strong legal scholar... a nitty gritty guy. I think Ron DeSantis as a replacement for Alito... would be an incredible Supreme Court justice.” (31:34)
  • Points out political realities: if Senate control is lost, odds for GOP appointments evaporate.
• Buck’s Reaction: Surprised by the idea: “I’ve never heard anyone talk about Ron for the Supreme Court.” (34:29)

10. 2028 Republican Primary & Cabinet Speculation (34:48–38:19)

• Ted Cruz Ambition: Universally agreed he’ll run for President in 2028.
• VP and NFL Commissioner?: Clay floats that Marco Rubio may prefer being NFL Commissioner over being VP, citing both the job’s perks and historic precedent (Condoleezza Rice’s interest).

11. Audience Engagement & Broader Media Trends (42:05–43:48)

• Listener Defends Show’s Political Balance: Applauds having Democratic candidates on as guests.
• Media Landscape: Hosts reflect on their show’s influence—now so large it even attracts Democrats eager to reach broad audiences, perhaps more so than traditional media like CNN.

12. Brief Military Anecdote (43:58–44:54)

• Caller Tom (ex-F14 pilot): Shares an anecdote about Argentine pilots during the Falklands War, drawing a quick parallel to current pilot search news.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Parenting Fads:
  • Clay: “Changing the gender of the heroes of children’s stories is a crazy thing to do... This is not a normal thought process.” (10:11)
  • Buck (on Newsom’s wife): “You did something that I wasn’t expecting. You made me have some sympathy for Gavin Newsom.” (08:47)
• On Newsom’s Record:
  • Clay: “Cheating on your wife when it is your best friend's wife... is just like lunatic, lunatic self.” (15:26)
  • Buck: “He’s the perfect Democrat. Soulless but slick.” (15:46)
• Speculation on DeSantis:
  • Clay: “I think Ron DeSantis would be an incredible Supreme Court justice.” (31:34)
  • Buck: “I’ve never heard anyone talk about Ron for the Supreme Court.” (34:29)
• On 2028 GOP Primary:
  • Buck: “There’s only one Trump. It’s a different thing. No one else is Trump.” (35:57)
• On VP Ambitions:
  • Clay: “I think there’s an argument that the best job in America is commissioner of the NFL when you consider the amount of money they make, the fact you’re selling something that everybody loves.” (37:07)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening news & banter: 03:05–07:21
• Listener jokes & Artemis launch clip recall: 06:30–07:29
• Gavin Newsom’s wife/woke parenting discussion (audio, reactions): 08:04–11:32
• Personal kids’ books anecdotes: 09:06–10:06
• Newsom, AOC, and relationship/licentiousness riff: 11:32–14:04
• Newsom’s personal history, “soulless but slick”: 14:04–17:26
• Attorney General speculation & possibilities: 22:52–27:50
• Ron DeSantis’s future and 2028 field: 28:30–31:30
• DeSantis for Supreme Court?: 31:30–34:48
• 2028 primary, Cruz and Rubio/NFL theory: 34:48–38:19
• Audience/caller engagement (defending diverse guests): 42:05–43:48
• Military anecdote caller: 43:58–44:54

Tone and Style

Lighthearted but sharp, Travis and Sexton intertwine serious political analysis with irreverent humor. They balance insider political talk with down-to-earth anecdotes and audience engagement, maintaining a conversational, bantering spirit throughout.

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode is a quintessential mix of Clay and Buck's signature levity and inside-the-Beltway insight. They tackle big “what’s next” political questions, giving listeners smart, sometimes cheeky, and always opinionated takes on everything from the next Attorney General to the (possibly wild) case for Ron DeSantis as a future Supreme Court Justice. The hosts also mock the perils of “woke” parenting, discuss the risky business of political ambition, and highlight how their show increasingly shapes (and attracts) America’s shifting political conversation. A must-listen for anyone seeking both informed speculation and a few hearty laughs.