The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 – Etch A Sketch Politicians

Air Date: October 10, 2025
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

In this hour, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton scrutinize the evasive, noncommittal rhetoric of key Democratic politicians in Virginia, branding them “Etch A Sketch politicians” who erase and redraw their stances to suit audiences. The episode follows up on primary political debates in Virginia, confronts the controversy involving Jay Jones, and features an interview with current Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares about his race and the explosive allegations against Jones. Frequent themes include political accountability, culture war flashpoints (such as transgender policies in schools), crime, and the candidacy of Abigail Spanberger.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Letitia James and Mortgage Loan Integrity

[01:30 – 04:30]

• Clay Travis references a Twitter thread by attorney Eric Pacific about classifying homes for mortgage purposes, noting the significance of the case involving Letitia James.
• The discussion centers around financial misrepresentation: claiming a rental property as a second home to receive favorable loan terms.
• Insight: “You buy a house, say it’s a second home, immediately rent it out, tell your insurer it’s owner occupied, and then report rental income on your taxes. That’s not a misunderstanding, that’s a pattern.” – (Eric Pacific paraphrased by Clay Travis, [03:50])
• Theme: If a top legal official misrepresents documents, it’s likely intentional rather than error.

2. Virginia Gubernatorial Debate: Avoiding Direct Answers

[05:39 – 09:57]

• Focus on debate performance by Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger, specifically her refusal to directly answer a yes/no question on transgender students in sports and bathrooms.
• Buck Sexton expresses frustration with political evasions, asserting such ambiguity is strategic orthodoxy for the Democratic Party.

Notable Moment:

• Moderator asks: “Should transgender girls who are biological males be allowed to use girls bathrooms and play on girls sports teams? You have 60 seconds.”
  Spanberger’s answer is described as evasive and circular, emphasizing local decision-making and refusing a straight answer multiple times despite persistent follow-up ([06:18 – 09:10]).
• Buck's Insight:

  “Spanberger is pretending to be something she’s not. Or rather she’s making sure that no one knows what she is... She is a Democrat. Democrats have to say trans dudes have to be able to go in to your daughter, your wife, etc’s locker room and bathroom under law. Ok. It’s a civil rights issue. That is what Democrats as a party mandate. This is orthodoxy.” – [09:18]

3. The Jay Jones Controversy

[11:14 – 13:33]

• Discussion about Jay Jones, Democratic nominee for Virginia Attorney General, and his past text messages wishing harm on political opponents' children.
• Abigail Spanberger refuses to rescind her endorsement of Jones, dodging a direct yes/no when pressed by debate moderators.

Memorable Quote:

• Buck Sexton:

  "She’s an Etch A Sketch politician. Well, whatever you want it to be. Well, I’ll say whatever I need to say in the moment so that people don’t know what I actually believe." ([12:36])

4. Debate Highlights: Winsome Sears Calls Out Evasion

[19:36 – 21:52]

• Winsome Sears, current Republican Lieutenant Governor, calls out Spanberger for speaking in empty platitudes and refusing accountability.
• Key exchange:

  Winsome Sears: “You don’t even know what you’re saying.” ([19:56])

  • Buck and Clay praise Sears for confronting Spanberger’s evasive debate style directly.
• Sears presses Spanberger to explicitly denounce Jones’s texts and demand his withdrawal.

Most Impactful Moment:

• Winsome Sears:

  “I would not say that. So that’s why I’m wondering why my opponent won’t say, beyond ‘it’s abhorrent and disgusting’, why she won’t say it is not okay and that he must leave the race because Jay Jones advocated the murder, Abigail. The murder of a man... What if he said it about your two children, your three children? Is that when you would say he should get out of the race?” ([20:31])

5. Interview: VA Attorney General Jason Miyares

[23:32 – 37:35]

• Attorney General Miyares expresses deep concern over Jay Jones’s “vile” text messages and shares his own connection to those targeted.
• Miyares stresses the difference between ideological disagreement and wishing harm upon opponents’ families.
• Recounts his record on fighting crime, reducing Virginia’s murder rate, battling the opioid crisis, and supporting law enforcement.

Highlight Quote:

• Jason Miyares:

  “I have never found a difference of opinion in politics, philosophy or religion to be cause to withdraw from a friend... My job is to be the people’s protector of everyone. That’s such a different mindset from someone who says I would like to see my political opponents have two bullets in their head.” ([27:03])

On Law Enforcement:

• Detailed record of targeting violent repeat offenders, achieving dramatic crime reductions in Virginia.
• “Virginia is now the number one state in the entire country in the overall drop of addiction deaths, from this record high... huge drop in reduction in violent crime.” ([35:33])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Clay Travis [14:14]:
  “Biden got into office as a moderate, and then... you saw that he actually was going to govern as a far left wing insane person. Virginia, that’s what your decision is basically about. Are you supporting sanity or not?”
• Buck Sexton [18:37]:
  About Spinberger: “Supposed to be a mediocre cipher. Somebody you can put whatever you want... She is trying to fool people. She’s being dishonest about who she is.”
• Winsome Sears [21:14]:
  “Would it take him pulling the trigger? Is that what would do it? And then you would say he needs to get out of the race?”
• Jason Miyares [25:34]:
  “Imagine somebody saying this about a friend of yours and their family... this wasn’t some hypothetical... at the ages of Todd’s children, they were 2 and 5 years old.”
• Buck Sexton [35:08]:
  “What have you done as Attorney General that has had real impact that you’re proud of, that has shown the kind of law enforcement focus...”

Key Timestamps

• [01:30 – 04:30]: Mortgage fraud, Letitia James segment.
• [05:39 – 10:09]: Spanberger’s evasiveness in VA gubernatorial debate on transgender issues.
• [11:14 – 13:33]: Jay Jones controversy, Spanberger refuses to disavow.
• [19:36 – 21:52]: Winsome Sears calls out debate evasions and presses Spanberger.
• [23:32 – 37:35]: Jason Miyares interview—reaction to Jay Jones, record as AG, views on political violence.

Summary & Takeaway

This episode illustrates the dynamic between politicians who “run out the clock” to avoid controversy—exemplified by Abigail Spanberger—and those who confront them on principle. Clay and Buck stress the importance of directness and accountability, especially as debate moderators and opponents (notably Winsome Sears) demand clear stances and action on pressing ethical issues. The interview with Jason Miyares broadens the ethical debate by emphasizing leadership standards, his tangible impact as Attorney General, and his condemnation of rhetoric that promotes violent political retribution. Throughout the hour, the hosts maintain their signature blend of outrage, sarcasm, and calls to action for their Virginia audience.