Hour 2 - This is America!

Summary

---

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 - This is America!
Date: February 24, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Main Guests: Bill O'Reilly, Kelly Leffler, John Minidakis

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton dive into the political and cultural impact of the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team's gold medal win, the ensuing cultural backlash, and the politicization of sports. Special guest Bill O’Reilly joins to discuss the upcoming State of the Union address, the controversy around inviting the hockey teams to the event, and the dynamics of the Democratic presidential field for 2028. The episode also brings in Kelly Leffler (Small Business Administration) and John Minidakis (owner, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood) to discuss viral patriotism and the real-world meaning of American exceptionalism.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State of the Union Preview with Bill O'Reilly

Timestamps: 02:54–16:34

• Bill O'Reilly’s expectations for President Trump’s upcoming address:
  • "Well, it's gonna be long. That's what it's gonna be. So lots of snacks are gonna be required." (03:45)
  • He predicts Trump will focus on optimism, avoid harping on negative issues or recent Supreme Court setbacks, and try to “cement momentum” for Republicans.
  • O’Reilly cautions Trump to stay positive: "He'd be wise to give the Republicans cement momentum by saying, look, country's in good shape. Very specifically, here's what's going to happen the next 12 months and keep it as positive as possible." (03:45)

2. Culture War Around U.S. Hockey Team’s Win

Timestamps: 04:39–16:34

• The Left’s Reaction:

  • Clay and Bill discuss how progressive commentators tried to undermine the unifying spirit of the men’s hockey team’s win, using it as a political wedge because of Trump’s involvement.
  • O’Reilly distinguishes between “dissenters” and “destroyers” on the Left:

    "There are two types of people who are disenchanted with their country. Dissenters... that's fine. And then destroyers, people who want to just knock out everything. They believe that America is a bad country, not noble at all, and everything has to change." (05:16)

• Women's Hockey Team Controversy:

  • O’Reilly talks about the optics of the women’s team declining the State of the Union invite and sees it as a subtle political jab at Trump:

    "It had to know, by issuing a statement saying the women aren't going to show up, that it would reflect poorly on Trump, which I believe is why they did it. And this goes back to Megan Rapinoe and the soccer team. The culture between the men's hockey and the women's hockey is very different." (08:35)

3. Gavin Newsom, Identity Politics, and 2028 Democratic Field

Timestamps: 09:09–16:28

• Gavin Newsom’s “Low SAT” Remark:

  • O’Reilly insists Newsom’s comment (“I’m like you, I got a low SAT score”) is not racist, calling out both sides for destructive “cry racism” tactics:

    "I'm sure you guys have been accused of being racist. I have all day long. Racist, racist, racist. It doesn't have any meaning anymore. That's how overused it is." (10:09)

  • O’Reilly warns conservatives:

    "To tag him with the racist thing... that's just not right." (11:45)

• Who’s the Democrat to Beat in 2028?

  • O’Reilly: "That's the weakest field I've ever seen in my 51 years of journalism. In 2028 for the Democrats, it's so weak..." (12:06)
  • Mentions names: Amy Klobuchar, Andy Beshear, Josh Shapiro, Gavin Newsom, noting Newsom has "huge money behind him," but his "record is abysmal."

4. Stephen A. Smith as a Political Candidate

Timestamps: 13:06–16:47

• Could Stephen A. Run for President?
  • O’Reilly says it’s “possible,” estimating odds “3 to 1 against,” but notes the door is now open for media figures:

    "At this point in history, whether he runs or not, Stephen A. is a winner because it draws attention to him from the non sporting community." (13:46)

  • He adds: “He doesn't have to decide for two years at least and he can broaden out his brand. So where's the downside? There isn't any.” (13:46)
  • On Stephen A. Smith’s independence:

    “Can he go and overcome the radical left financial machine? That is the question. Because he's not radical left and he's criticized them and he won't get money from them. And they are running the Democratic Party now.” (15:14)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Left’s Response to American Success:

  "So nothing good can happen in this country while President Trump is the leader. Nothing. Everything is bad 100%. So it's a stretch to find something bad about a gold medal for the men's hockey team."
  —Bill O'Reilly (05:16)

• On Culture & Sports:

  “Sports used to be about bringing everyone together. It needs to be there again. But, you know, what they're trying to do is distract from the failures of, you know, kind of this woke era. And we're never going to apologize for winning. We're just getting started, actually, as a country.”
  —Kelly Leffler (24:05)

• On Celebrating Others' Success:

  "You really know more about people based upon whether they can be happy for other people than when they're able to show sympathy for their losses."
  —Buck Sexton (25:34)

• On Social Media & Schadenfreude:

  “There’s a lot of schadenfreude out there... a very much a symptom, I think, of a social media age.”
  —Clay Travis (26:00)

---

Segment Highlights & Timestamps

Bill O’Reilly on State of the Union and Hockey Team Controversy

• 03:45–09:09: O’Reilly’s SOTU preview, sports unification, the men’s hockey team controversy, culture war analysis.
• 09:09–12:06: Discussing Gavin Newsom’s “low SAT” comment, media race-baiting, and what’s problematic about both political extremes.
• 12:06–16:34: Democratic presidential prospects, and whether media figures like Stephen A. Smith have a path to political stardom.

Patriotism and Viral Moments: Jimmy’s Famous Seafood

• 20:42–24:39: John Minidakis recounts his viral “gfy” response to Huffington Post’s critique of national pride.
• 24:05: Kelly Leffler highlights the endurance and innovation of American small business, emphasizing the connection between economic strength and national pride.

Unity and Greatness in Sports

• 28:35–31:38: The Hughes brothers’ mom on team unity and country pride.
• 31:38: Jack and Quinn Hughes express gratitude to the troops and the nation after their win.

Comedy, Normalcy, and Cultural Divide

• 33:37–38:30: Clay and Buck lament the Left’s inability to “just be normal” and take (or make) jokes, discussing identity politics and generational divides.
• 37:14: Reflection on backlash humor among young men and how oversensitivity is triggering new comedic styles.

---

Notable Extended Quotes with Attribution & Timestamps

1. Bill O'Reilly on the Culture Divide:

   “There are two types of people... Dissenters who go out and demonstrate against certain policies, and that's fine. Okay? And then destroyers, people who want to just knock out everything. They believe that America is a bad country, not noble at all, and everything has to change. And that's what drives this kind of craziness.”
   —Bill O'Reilly (05:16)

2. Quinn and Jack Hughes' Mother on Teamwork and Unity:

   “Like, at the end of the day, it's just about the country and the moment that these players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country... That's what it's all about. And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity, they care about unity, and they care about the country.”
   —Mother of the Hughes brothers (28:35)

3. Jack Hughes on Patriotism:

   “And I want to thank our troops for allowing us to play this game and thank all the support back home. But very special to be a part of this group.”
   —Jack Hughes (31:39)

---

Additional Takeaways

• Clay and Buck stress the importance of finding people who genuinely celebrate your success, not “energy vampires.”

  • “To the extent that you can avoid getting drawn into that, your lives will be infinitely better.” —Clay Travis (26:29)

• Comedy as a Political Touchstone:

  • The hosts argue that the inability to take or make jokes (citing Trump’s joke about inviting the women’s team) is a defining cultural divide.

• Identity politics and language policing receive a thorough criticism, especially with the “Latinx” debate and the policing of what jokes are socially acceptable.

• The episode ends with listener call-ins that riff further on the divide between the men's and women's teams and on broader voting demographics. Clay adds context that men’s hockey team members, due to greater resources, have an easier time making cross-country trips.

---

Conclusion

Hour 2 of Clay Travis and Buck Sexton’s “This is America!” delivers a lively discussion of American identity through the lens of sports, politics, and culture. The hosts—alongside Bill O’Reilly and their guests—use the U.S. men’s hockey gold as a springboard to debate patriotism, the culture wars clouding unity, and the state of politics on both sides of the aisle. The episode champions American exceptionalism, the joy of genuine celebration, and the need to “just be normal,” highlighting a deep disconnect between mainstream American sentiment and elite progressive skepticism.

---

Transcript

[Bill O'Reilly]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Guaranteed Human support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.com Time for

[Anabe Sofas Advertiser]

a Sofa Upgrade Introducing Anabe Sofas where designer style meets budget friendly prices. Anibe brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquids simply slide right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high resilience foam lets you choose between a sink in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus our pet friendly stain resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your living space. Today sofas start at just $699 with no risk returns and a 30 day money back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[IFLAG Flag Football Advertiser]

Flag Football is exploding and IFLAG is leading the way as the Guinness World Record Holder. IFLAG hosts premier flag football tournaments nationwide for boys, girls, high school girls and adults. From first time players to elite competitors, IFLAG delivers top level competition, unforgettable, unforgettable experiences and a community built around the game. Ready to be part of it? Join the movement, find your tournament and learn [e-mail] that's iflag.org do you know

[Clay Travis]

Pure Talk's favorite holiday, President's Day, because they believe wireless service should only cost you a couple of presidents, a Jackson and a Lincoln to be exact. For just 25 bucks a month, PureTalk gives you unlimited talk, text and plenty of data. So enjoy superior 5G coverage without the inflated price.

[Buck Sexton]

Just go to PureTalk.com buck and save 50% off your first month. That's PureTalk.com buck to switch to Pure Talk. Welcome back in, everybody. Second hour of play and Buck kicks off now, our friends Bill O'Reilly, Uncle Bill, he is with us now. He is in the mix. Bill O'Reilly.com where you want to go a one stop shop for all things Bill, any of his dozen or so bestsellers. Of course, you should have all those on your bookshelves. We also have the Bill O'Reilly analysis there, including the weekly column that he does. And this week he's talking about the State of the Union a bit. Bill, thanks for being here with us. What are your expectations, your preview, your predictions, all that good stuff for President Trump's address this evening?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Well, it's gonna be long. That's what it's gonna be. So lots of snacks are gonna be required to watch it. And you know, I think the president understands he has to present a positive outlook for the country rather than dwell on the negative. He just got slapped down by the Supreme Court. I don't think he's going to spend a lot of time on that. He might mention it in passing. I don't know how many of the justices are going to be there, if any. But he'd be wise to give the Republicans cement momentum by saying, look, country's in good shape. Very specifically, here's what's going to happen the next 12 months and keep it as positive as possible.

[Clay Travis]

Bill, the president is bringing in the US Men's hockey team. I know you are a sports fan. I imagine you probably watched this game. Uh, can you believe that the left wing in this country has decided that they're gonna try to find reasons to be upset about the US Men's team winning, President Trump being called, Cash Patel being involved, and now they're going to the State of the Union. Uh, given how popular this team is and how unifying sports typically is, are you surprised by this being a cultural battle they have decided to fight?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Not surprised. The radical left is a movement that does not respect the United States of America. That is clear. And I can prove it by saying that there are two types of people who are disenchanted with their country. Dissenters who go out and demonstrate against certain policies, and that's fine. Okay? And then destroyers, People who want to just knock out everything. They believe that America is a bad country, not noble at all, and everything has to change. And that's what drives this kind of craziness. But there's a lot of interesting things about the story itself. So the far left doesn't want anybody championing anything while Donald Trump is in office. That's number one. It's where you start. So nothing good can happen in this country while President Trump is the leader. Nothing. Everything is bad 100%. So it's a stretch to find something bad about a gold medal for the men's hockey team. It's a stretch. But the Trump administration gave the radical left a little opening in two ways. President made a joke in the aftermath by saying to the men's hockey team, hey, you guys are invited to the State of the Union, and I guess I have to invite the women or I'll get impeached. That was obviously a joust. Okay, well, that gave the radicals. They're over. He's denigrating women. Oh, look at that. And then Cash Patel, the FBI director, was celebrating in the locker room after the game with the players, and that gave the left, well, Cash Patel, how come he's not back dealing with the Mexican cartels? Well, the answer is, if you knew anything, you moron, that the FBI provided expertise to Italian authorities in the security realm, and that's why the FBI was there and Cash Patel was there, because they were actively helping the Italians stave off any kind of terror attack. But the left doesn't, A, know that because they are big on research, and B, they don't care. Well, Cash Vital is attached to Trump, so it's got to be evil. But the third story going largely unreported is what the deuce is the women's hockey team doing? Now, this bothered me. So they put out a statement saying, well, the women's hockey team isn't going to participate in the State of the Union, even though we were invited to do so. The statement wasn't bellicose. It wasn't rude. It was a statement like, oh, we're flattered, but we can't. But you can. Not every woman's player, some of them have commitments, but the team itself doesn't have anything. Nothing as a team. So what the common sense statement would have been was, we're going to let our ladies decide whether they want to go or not. Some will, some won't. And the women's team did not do that. And it had to know, by issuing a statement saying the women aren't going to show up, that it would reflect poorly on Trump, which I believe is why they did it. And this goes back to Megan Rapine and the soccer team. The culture between the men's hockey and the women's hockey is very different.

[Buck Sexton]

It's a bad look, Bill. I think for the women's hockey team, I know that they've got this. Oh, we have no. When the president United States, after you win a gold medal, says come by the White House, I think you can get out of whatever else you got going on. And we all know that. So to me, it seems pretty obvious. We've got Bill O'Reilly with us now. Bill O'Reilly.com for his latest. I'm wondering what you make of this latest Gavin Newsom moment, Bill, we talked about it a bit on the show yesterday. He's speaking to this audience. He says, you know, I'm it's a predominantly black audience in Georgia. He says, I'm like you and I got a very low SAT and people are making a thing of this. I don't think this is really going to hit Gavin Newsom. I don't think anyone's going to remember in a few weeks, to be honest with you. I think this is just sort of baked in that Newsom is going to say things that are pandering and look dumb. But is Newsom the guy? Do you think there's really a fight ahead on this one, or is it just already coalescing?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Well, number one, the statement. I have a message of the day on bill o'reilly.com and I'm going to talk about it again tonight on the no spin news is not a racist statement. And for conservatives or Republicans or whatever to say that nuisance are racist is A, not true and B, diminishes the conservative movement. You don't want to do what the radical left does. Okay. And the radical left jumps on the racist thing. I'm sure you guys have been accused of being racist. I have all day long. Racist, racist, racist. It doesn't have any meaning anymore. That's how overused it is. What Newsom meant, and it was clear if you read the interview, which I have, was that I'm a regular guy and I'm not something special. I wasn't very smart in high school, but I made it. That's what he meant when he Said just like you. I don't think he was addressing it. You're just black, so you think he was addressing it. Everybody who didn't do that well in high school. I didn't do that well in high school, okay? So to take that and to ram it down Newsom's throat is ridiculous, number one and dishonest, number two, because there are plenty of other things that you can do that are legitimate to challenge Gavin Newsom. Now, I spent some time with him at the super bowl and I wanted to take his measure, which I did. He invited me on his podcast, which I'll do if he carries through, and that'll be an event because I know California pretty well and that state's a disaster. But to tag him with the racist thing, that's just not right.

[Buck Sexton]

But is he the guy? But Bill, the real question is, is he the guy? For the Democrats who feel like it's

[Bill O'Reilly]

already more gals, that's the weakest field I've ever seen in my 51 years of journalism. In 2028 for the Democrats, it's so weak, I'm sitting there and going, amy Klobuchar is going to be elected governor of Minnesota. Then she'll pivot and run for president. So you got brushears in Kentucky, nobody knows who he is. All right, Shapiro in Pennsylvania, smart guy. But I can't get a handle on him. And he. And he avoids tough interviews. And then who else? So Newsom's got name recognition, he's got huge money behind him, enormous money, but his record is abysmal in California. So, you know, whoever's going to run on a Republican side. Catching a huge break.

[Clay Travis]

Bill, do you think. Last question for you. And we appreciate the time and enjoy the State of the Union tonight. Do you think that Stephen A. Smith will actually run? My theory is Democrats need somebody who could appeal to black voters to try to ko Kamala Harris, who might well do well with black voters, particularly black women. And Stephen A. Would obviously do very well with black men, not just black men, but I think he would be a highly media covered black candidate at the outset. I'm not sure there's any others. Does he run? How do you assess? You know him pretty well?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah. Last Wednesday on News Nation, we had a long chat about this. Stephen A. Cuomo and myself, the three Americans. Will he run? It's possible. If you were a betting man, maybe the odds are 3 to 1 against. But Trump opened the door for Stephen A. Yep. And I told him that. I said, you ought to send Trump A bouquet of flowers. So at this point in history, whether he runs or not, Stephen A. Is a winner because it draws attention to him from the non sporting community. He doesn't have to decide for two years at least and he can broaden out his brand. So where's the downside? There isn't any. Whether he decides to give up his substantial salary depends how rich he is. I don't know how rich he is.

[Clay Travis]

Right.

[Bill O'Reilly]

All I know is I pick up most of the tabs when I go out with Stephen A. That's all I know. Okay? But Stephen A. Is a sincere man, not a phony. I have to tutor him. And he'll admit that in State of the World, State of the Union, he doesn't know a lot of history and he doesn't know a lot of the nuances that are in play. But he's eager to learn. So if he does run, it's a good thing for the country. Can he go and overcome the radical left financial machine? That is the question. Because he's not radical left and he's criticized them and he won't get money from them. And they are running the Democratic Party now. Every Democrat House member who isn't attending the State of the Union tonight, every single one of them who's going to this stupid alternative people. State of the Union on the Mall. And it'll be very lonely, by the way. Nobody's going out there to see that except the people who are bused in and paid by the radical left. Okay? But every one of them takes huge money from the radical left to run for reelection. They are in the pocket of the left. They have to do what they're told. And if you look at the roster of names, there is not one exception to what I just said.

[Clay Travis]

Outstanding as always, Bill O'Reilly. We appreciate you and we'll talk to you again soon. Enjoy the State of the Union.

[Bill O'Reilly]

All right, I got, I got Buck on the no spin news tomorrow. Boy, you better bring your A game.

[Buck Sexton]

There is no other game for Mr. Buck, Bill, I promise you.

[Bill O'Reilly]

He's got a new book out. We're going to give him a little grill.

[Clay Travis]

All right. That'll be awesome. I'll be sure to check that out. Bill O'Reilly. Check out all of the outstanding stuff that Bill does@bill o'reilly.com. look, prize picks get hooked up right now whether you love hockey, basketball, baseball's coming back. The spring training has begun. Basketball and college moving to towards March madness. You get $50 when you play, $5 at pricepix.com that's code clay pricepix.com get hooked up today prizepix.com $50 when you play $5 in all 50 states pricepix.com Code clay Want to be in the know when you're on the go? The Team 47 podcast drop highlights from the week Sundays at noon Eastern in the Lanebook podcast feed. Find it on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Support for the show comes from Public the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Investors Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosure is available at public.comdisclosures Time

[Anabe Sofas Advertiser]

for a Sofa Upgrade Introducing Anabe sofas where designer style meets budget friendly prices. Anibe brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anove is the only only machine washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquids simply slide right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high resilience foam lets you choose between a sink in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus our pet friendly stain resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your living space. Today sofas start at just $699 with no risk returns and a 30 day money back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[IFLAG Flag Football Advertiser]

Flag football is exploding and IFLAG is leading the way as the Guinness World Record Holder. IFLAG hosts premier flag football tournaments nationwide for boys, girls, high school girls and adults. From first time players to elite competitors, IFLAG delivers top level competition, unforgettable experiences and a community built around the game ready to be part of it. Join the movement, find your tournament and learn [e-mail] that's iflag.org these days it

[Okta Advertiser]

seems like AI agents are just about everywhere you turn, every field and every function. But without identity, you can't trust they'll serve your business instead of jeopardizing it. Fortunately, Okta helps you get identity right by securing your AI agents identities, giving you a single layer of control, a single standard of trust. So whether an AI agent supports a single user or your entire enterprise, with Okta you'll turn risk into opportunity. Secure every agent, secure any agent. Okta secures AI.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in clay Travis Buck Sexton show We head up to Baltimore, a city that is filled with patriots in the wake of the US Men winning the hockey gold medal. There was a mega viral moment, a tweet that was shared from Jimmy's Famous Seafood. Awesome place. We are joined now by Small Business Administration head Kelly Leffler. I was with her last week. She is fantastic. And also the owner of Jimmy's Famous Seafood, John Minidakis. And let's go ahead and bring both of you in. For people who don't know, you had a mega viral response to the Huffington Post being troubled by the fact that the US Men and the Olympics outcomes. Where were you? How did this story happen?

[Bill O'Reilly]

So funny enough, I was actually in church for godparents Sunday. I probably shouldn't say that. Watching the game on my phone, watching the overtime on my phone. We were still outside to the foyer and once that overtime goal hit me when Jack brought it home, Pure euphoria and glad it was a feeling I can't even explain. I'm sure everybody listening right now felt the same way.

[Clay Travis]

And then the Huffington Post was upset and you hopped in the comments and it was absolutely spectacular. We're on radio, so be careful here. But what did the Huffington Post say and what was your response that went so mega viral?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah, well look, just like I referenced everybody who was on cloud nine, obviously you're seeing so many beautiful images. You're seeing Johnny Hockey's kids on the ice. Memories are going to carry forever and bring tears to your eyes. And then sprinkled in right There in the middle, you see the Huffington Post saying, you know, you shouldn't be cheering for these people. And that's when I guess we typed out what everybody that read that was probably thinking. And that was gfy.

[Clay Travis]

Gfy. You can figure it out. Kelly, you're doing amazing work for the Small Business Administration. I know you wanted to go up and check out Jimmy's. You guys are there together right now. This kind of personifies the greatness of small business, doesn't it?

[Kelly Leffler]

Absolutely. Clay. I landed late last night back from the Olympics, cheering Team USA on. And my first stop back here was at Jimmy's Famous Seafood. First of all, had a great lunch, unbelievable crab cakes. Have immediately ordered some to be shipped online. But I will tell you exactly what small business means to America and its authenticity itself.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Jobs.

[Kelly Leffler]

It's innovation, and it's opportunity. I just got to hear the great story of this family and the business that John and Tony's father built over the last 50 years, and now they've taken it over. It's just a beautiful story. That's what small business is.

[Clay Travis]

This is great. By the way. You guys will appreciate this. The US Hockey team has just landed at Andrews Air Force Base. One of the players walked off carrying an American flag, and they are greeting many different members of the military and law enforcement that have lined up along a gate to represent them. This is the best of America, right? American exceptionalism. We went overseas. Kelly, you were there. You guys saw this, and we kicked everybody's ass.

[Kelly Leffler]

American exceptionalism is back, just like in 1980, the Miracle on ice. This is about bringing back the celebration of American strength unapologetically. And, you know, Clay, you've pointed out, like sports used to be about bringing everyone together. It needs to be there again. But, you know, what they're trying to do is distract from the failures of, you know, kind of this woke era. And we're never going to apologize for winning. We're just getting started, actually, as a country. And really, the best is yet to come. And I think that's what the President's going to talk about tonight at the State of the Union, too.

[Clay Travis]

Amen. We've got a heart out here. Keep up the good work, Kelly. Enjoy the State of the Union. And if you are in the Baltimore area, check out Jimmy's Famous Seafood. John Minidakis. That was a hell of a tweet. Congrats, brother, and thanks for being a spectacular American. We will be back right after this.

[Buck Sexton]

Welcome back into Clay and Buck. I love this guy. Quinn Hughes. I Don't even know anything about hockey or I love Jack Hughes, too. I guess I love the Hughes brothers is really what I'm trying to say. They have become American icons and in the best possible way, celebrating a huge win, but just also the feelings of patriotism and that Americans can share in this. And it's important to have symbols. It's important to celebrate greatness in our midst of our fellow Americans. You know, Clay, I always say this to people, and I really. This is a little digression. I'm weaving, but it's okay. You really know more about people based upon whether they can be happy for other people than when they're able to show sympathy for their losses. I think it's easy to say, oh, I'm so sorry that, like, you're so down on your luck. That's. You really learn about somebody when they're willing to say, wow, something great is happening for you. I'm so happy for you. That's awesome. And to really mean it, you know, I think it shows a lot more character.

[Clay Travis]

There's actually, you know, rare, because there's a lot of schadenfreude out there, if I pronounce that correctly, where, yes. People want to kind of marinate in the failure of others and also often hide while doing is a very much a symptom, I think, of a social media age. I think that is hard. 100% true. And the point I would make, too, I'm building on what you said, is find people in your life who genuinely want you to be successful.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes.

[Clay Travis]

And invest in those relationships. There are so many energy vampires out there. I love this phrase. I heard a college football coach use it once, and he said there's. We spend so much time in our lives, no matter who you are in your culture, trying to deal with people who drag you down and they use your energy to fill themselves, but they don't give it back. And everybody out there has somebody in their family, somebody in their workplace, somebody. To the extent that you can avoid getting drawn into that, your lives will be infinitely better.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, I mean, I. I say to people, if you surround yourself with those who celebrate your wins with you, you're making good choices. But it doesn't. You. You have to know that they're really in on it. Right. You have to know that they're not faking it, and that's why you pay close attention. You know, if somebody.

[Clay Travis]

If.

[Buck Sexton]

When you have a great day or a great thing or a big victory, there's. Oh, that's cool. I didn't know that was, you know, as good as you think it is anything like that. Then you're, you're seeing a side of somebody that tells you a lot about who they really are. I bring it up because libs can't celebrate the American greatness here of this team because they are angry about America in general because of Trump. It is a sad state of affairs. They have Trump derangement syndrome. They are malcontents. But that is where they are on the other side of the equation. You have the Hughes brothers, for example. And I just, this is just a great, just a great little sound bite. I want to play for everybody. Well, actually, did you already do 31, Clay? I got two. Great. So this is the, I want to start with this one, actually. This is the mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes and a development consultant for U.S. women's hockey asked about the call to the men's team and. Well, this is a, this is a solid, these are kind of two different clips. I'll start with 31 here. This is what the mom of the Quinn brothers said about the president's call. Play 31.

[Mother of Hughes Brothers]

Like, at the end of the day, it's just about the country and the moment that these players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country. People that cheered on that don't watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side. And that's all both the men's team and the women's team care about. If you could see what we see from the inside and the men and women sharing, you know, dorms, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women. That's what it's all about. And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity, they care about unity, and they care about the country.

[Buck Sexton]

I think that's an excellent take.

[Clay Travis]

Yes.

[Buck Sexton]

You don't.

[Clay Travis]

It's 100% the way that 99.9% of people actually feel. And this is why we asked O'Reilly this, this is why Democrats building their arguments on the hills of these absurdities. We just talked with the Jimmy Sifu guy and I wanted to share this Huffington Post, which is now worth under a dollar a share buck buzzfeed. It is completely collapsed. It has no audience.

[Buck Sexton]

They have both always been trash. They just use smoke and mirrors to convince people for a short moment on the left that they weren't trash. But I was around at the origins of these entities and they've always been garbage. Keep going. Sorry.

[Clay Travis]

Huffington Post, the article that went viral and then we'll play this other cut of of that has gone viral from one of the sons of the mom that we just played. Huffington Post had an article up that said if waving the American flag or chanting USA turns you off right now, you're not alone. And one of our listeners, Ronnie, just shared the latest there with me and it says let's see that tweet from them. Got 1.1 thousand likes. The response from Jimmy Seafood of and he said he was at church so he wanted to apologize for sending this from church was very funny. Gfy and you can probably think the expletive in the middle go in. Well, I can say two of the three go yourself. 120,000 likes on social media. That is in response to if the American flag makes you uncomfortable, enchanting USA during the Olympics does too. And then the US Men just landed at Andrews Air Force Base. Buck. They were swarmed by soldiers there and they immediately went and took photos with them and Democrats and sports media, which is kind of, as you've learned, buck, an overlap. 100% are outraged by this. And I just want you to listen to what Jack Hughes, who scored the winning goal, this is the kind of thing that Democrats are outraged by. And this is why I think so many soldiers rushed to him as and his teammates as soon as they landed. Listen to this.

[Bill O'Reilly]

I mean it's just so special.

[Clay Travis]

And I want to thank our troops for allowing us to play this game. Thank our troops for allowing us to play this game and thank all the support back home. But very special to be a part of this group. That's Quinn Hughes, the brother of Jack. And I just, I really, I'm not making this up. There are 50 Democrats who are going to skip the State of the Union tonight. Buck. How are Democrats going to respond when the U.S. men's gold medal hockey winning team are introduced? Are some of them going to refuse to stand because they're upset about Trump's joke? I mean, I think probably some Democrats will refuse to stand and cheer a gold medal winning team because their brains are broken.

[Buck Sexton]

This is almost, this is almost like, like a stand up in and of itself. You know, someone made a joke about women not being able to take a joke and these women are not able to take a joke. Yeah, that's really, the joke is really about women not being able to take a joke and they're not able to take it. This is where we are now. This is not a good approach to this especially because by the way, it wasn't, as we pointed out, it was funny under the circus. It was a funny moment. He was just being a guy's guy for a minute. Ok? Which again Democrats no understanding of that. They pretend that there's no such thing as being a guy's guy anymore. That's why they put out Tim Walls. Jazz hands, Broadway choreographer from Minnesota. The least guy's guy any. Oh, I'll get your coach. Remember they're trying to say he was Coach Walls and turned out he was like the water boy for a month or something. Like not even a real football coach. The least guys guy that they could find in the whole state of Minnesota practically. I mean you, you, you pull any dude out of a hunting stand in Minnesota and he'd be more masculine than Tim Walls. That was the best they could offer the National Stage. Clay. They have completely abandoned this very just commonplace and basic understanding of being a guy's guy. They don't even know what this means anymore.

[Clay Travis]

They have lost the ability to have normal conversations with half the country. They really have. And the Tim Walls. The analogy I made is it's like you ask the lesbians who's the most masculine man we could pick? Tim Walls is the guy they would pick. A lesbian's idea of a Midwesterner who will appeal to men. But one of the things I like to say is, is jbn and what does it stand for? Just be normal. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Just be normal. And it's staggering how many Democrats can't just be normal. They are, particularly the men, very, very strange and very weird. And you know, we just Talked with Bill O'Reilly. One reason why I think Stephen A. Smith could have success in the Democrat party is is he is a guy who could talk to dudes. And you know that joke, Trump made a joke for those of you didn't hear it, that basically was hey, I want you to know we're going to invite you to the White House State of the union. We'll have to invite the women too because otherwise I'll get impeached.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Haha.

[Clay Travis]

And people are offended by that joke. How many times do guys say something like hey, like if Buck and I said hey, we're gonna do something kind of fun but we gotta get the wives too or else they'll divorce us. It's a joke. It's not being taken for truth. And I just, it is funny. How really, what you can boil things down to now in our country is who can you make jokes about? And who can take a joke?

[Buck Sexton]

Or. Or who can take jokes is really the big. Yeah, yeah, who can.

[Clay Travis]

But also who you can make jokes about. Because. Because of identity politics, Democrats, for instance, were upset with Dave Chappelle making fun of trans people.

[Buck Sexton]

Oh, that's because they can't take a joke.

[Clay Travis]

That's right.

[Buck Sexton]

You're not allowed to do it because they, you know, because the assumption is they can't take the joke. Right. So this is the. Although it is interesting, I will say sometimes the people to your point who are saying you can't make that joke do it on behalf of people who are like, no, I actually thought that was funny. That's rare. But that does happen.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, there's a lot of liberal white people who want to tell you what jokes can be made in the larger context of society about people that are not like them at all. And I mean, really, this is about language. I mean, the Latinx thing is one of my favorite. When they decided that Hispanic people needed to be called Latinx. And then you talk to Hispanic people. This was a Democrat, white lady talking point. And then you talk to Hispanic people, and they had no idea what Latinx meant. And they also found it ridiculous. The idea was, you're not going to say Latino and Latina. Right. Because that's gendered language, and gendered language cannot be allowed. So we'll just refer to everyone as Latin X. It was like, what? Like, who even comes up with this? And, and, and the, The. The people out there who were Hispanic looked around and said, this is like, you're not talking to us. And I think this is what happens when you let left wingers dictate the conversational topics. And it's why I think, culturally, Democrats are broken. And this hockey win has become so emblematic of that truth. And trust me, there's not any young men out there watching this and thinking, oh, I want to be more like the people who are censoring jokes. Because one of the responses that I'm seeing and that we're seeing online for young men, their jokes are way more savage. If you have teenage boys and you look at the jokes that they make, they are over, like the tiptoeing up to, oh, it's back.

[Buck Sexton]

It's backlash humor. It's backlash to being told what you can and can't make jokes about. They. They rip stuff that you're like, whoa, okay, I.

[Clay Travis]

Look, this happened before in the 90s when we had, remember when we had the politically correct world and then you started to have a real pushback aggressively against. It was early 90s, politically correct, late 90s for a lot of you out there in Gen X and young millennials, you remember when that era just blew up. We're living through that area blowing up too. And my wife just texted me with an explanation of the joke that she really important people need to recognize Trump was not actually making fun of the women's hockey team. He was making fun of himself and society for being so easily offended by everything he does that they try to impeach him for the slightest little thing, the slightest slip of the tongue. He was calling to congratulate the men's hockey team, recognizing clips going to be shared and recognizing that he is going to be criticized for anything and they'll impeach him if he doesn't invite the women. But yes, and Trump is actually mocking the media for the absurdity of the media's perspective. And then they followed him down the route.

[Buck Sexton]

I was going to say Trump basically said, I mean, we all know the media can't take a joke. And then they can't take the joke. That's what happened.

[Clay Travis]

Yes. And I got to tell you about one of our new advertisers out there that we are excited to welcome into the show. By the way, you guys are embracing this show across so many different places that we're going to be bringing in a lot of new advertisers. And that is great. And that is a testament to you guys. And given all the severe weather we're enduring this winter, getting your roof inspected to make sure it's holding up strong is a good idea, particularly when the inspection's free. If you put it off for too long, you'll encounter issues bigger than just roof replacement. Get your roof inspected by Erie Home, America's largest privately owned residential roofing company. 50 years of experience. They'll inspect your roof free of charge. 25 point inspection, and it's free. While you're thinking about whether you need to get a replacement. They can install a metal roof that lasts up to two or three times longer than traditional shingle roofs and their metal roofing materials made to mimic the look of traditional roofing materials and maintaining the look of your home, but with greater durability. And these replacements can last for 15 to 20 years. Your new roof from Erie Home will come with a 50 year transferable warranty. And so this will last for a very, very long time. Schedule your free [e-mail] Clay that's eerie. E R I E like the lake Eriehome.com Clay News you can count on

[Buck Sexton]

and some laughs too.

[Clay Travis]

Clay Travis at Buck Sexton Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or where wherever you get your podcasts.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Support for the show comes from Public the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S P500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures sink into affordable luxury.

[Anabe Sofas Advertiser]

Anabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out with stain resistant slipcovers and a cloud like frame duvet. Everything goes right in the wash. Plus the modular design lets you change the the look of your space anytime. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home shop up to 60% off site wide with sofas starting at just $699 and a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[IFLAG Flag Football Advertiser]

Flag Football is exploding and iflag is leading the way as the Guinness World Record Holder. IFLAG hosts premier flag football tournaments nation nationwide for boys, girls, high school girls and adults. From first time players to elite competitors, iflag delivers top level competition, unforgettable experiences and a community built around the game ready to be part of it. Join the movement, find your tournament and learn [e-mail] that's iflag.org these days it

[Okta Advertiser]

seems like AI agents are just about everywhere you turn every field and every function, but without identity you can't trust they'll serve your business instead of jeopardizing it. Fortunately, Okta helps you get identity right by securing your AI agents identities, giving you a single layer of control, a single standard of trust. So whether an AI agent supports a single user or your entire enterprise, with Okta you'll turn risk into opportunity. Secure every agent. Secure any agent. Okta secures AI welcome back into Clay

[Buck Sexton]

and Buck when there's economic uncertainty like tariff readjustments and speculation on what comes next, investors turn to purchasing gold for stability purposes. We saw that play out in real time yesterday as the markets, investors and countries around the world look for solutions to what comes next. Recall that last year had its fair share of unpredictable recall. Rather not to be confused with Total Recall, which is a movie recall. Last year had its fair share of unpredictable moments. Last year gold was up 65% in value. That's where Birch Gold Group comes in. They help you diversify your savings with gold, particularly with your existing 401k and IRA accounts. This isn't speculation, it's stability planning. Gold and silver aren't tied to a single policy or earnings report. Birch Gold Group will walk you through the process in clear, straightforward terms of either just buying gold, which makes a lot of sense, that's what I've done. Or for those of you who have an IRA or 401k that you want to transfer over, they can help you do that too. To get a gold IRA or 401k, text my name Buck to 989898 get their free info kit. Learn more about Gold Text My Name Buck Do 989898 get started with Birch Gold Group. So let's get some calls going here Clay. We have like Brian in Bridgeport, Ohio. Let's do it Brian.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Hey good day guys. I just wanted to say I think our country's voting demographics is representative between the women team not going to the State of the Union teams being the conservative side going to it. I basically see that there's basically 70% or 65% of the population suffers from personality disorder, which is a fear based voting personality type. And basically in the end you got 70% of the 19% of the liberal socialist Democrats are women. You have about another 20% are gay effeminate men and then the other 10% are basically with men that are trying to keep the peace at home. It's cheaper to keep her.

[Clay Travis]

Thank you for the call. I will point out in defense of the women's hockey team, the men all are very wealthy comparatively, meaning their teams have jets. They have the ability to travel easier than I think a lot of the women do. In other words, if you made millions of dollars a year and you had to suddenly buy a ticket or you had to get to your location in order to do your job, it's way easier to do than if you are a US women's hockey player.

[Buck Sexton]

They should have just said trump, send Air Force One for us. You know why? So he would have done it.

[Clay Travis]

He would have done it because he just did it for the men. So I also think there is some politics here unfortunately.

[Anabe Sofas Advertiser]

Last hour now sink into affordable luxury. Annabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out. With stain resistant slipcovers and a cloud like frame duvet, everything goes right in the wash. Plus the modular design lets you change the look of your space anytime. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home shop up to 60% off site wide with sofas starting at just $699 and a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[IFLAG Flag Football Advertiser]

Flag Football is exploding and iflag is leading the way as the Guinness World Record Holder. Iflag hosts football premier flag football tournaments nationwide for boys, girls, high school girls and adults. From first time players to elite competitors, iflag delivers top level competition, unforgettable experiences and a community built around the game. Ready to be part of it. Join the movement, find your tournament and learn [e-mail] that's iflag.org these days it

[Okta Advertiser]

seems like AI agents are just about everywhere you turn, every field and every function. But without identity, you can't trust they'll serve your business instead of jeopardizing it. Fortunately, Okta helps you get identity right by securing your AI agents identities, giving you a single layer of control, a single standard of trust. So whether an AI agent supports a single user or your entire enterprise, with Okta you'll turn risk into opportunity. Secure every agent. Secure any agent. Okta secures AI well, the holidays have

[Clay Travis]

come and gone once again. But if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life a gift. Well, Mint Mobile is extending their holiday offer of half off unlimited wireless. So here's the idea. You get it now. You call it an early present for next year.

[Buck Sexton]

What do you have to lose?

[Clay Travis]

Give it a [e-mail] Switch limited time,

[Anabe Sofas Advertiser]

50% off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required $45 for three months, $90 for six month or $180 for 12 month plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy. See Terms.

[Buck Sexton]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.