Hour 3 - Do You Buy This Story?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – Hour 3: "Do You Buy This Story?"

Release Date: June 26, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts

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1. Stock Market Insights and Economic Outlook

Ryan Seacrest opens the discussion by highlighting positive trends in the stock market, emphasizing the resilience of the S&P 500. He states:

"We are within 6, 7 points of an all-time high in the S&P 500... So even if you bought back in February at the absolute height of the market at the all-time high, if you just did nothing, you have basically the same amount of money now on paper as you did then" ([02:42]).

Clay Travis concurs, reinforcing the importance of long-term investment strategies and advising against panic-driven decisions:

"Long term horizons don't panic. It's easy to panic, particularly in a social media era. Try to make long time decisions if you're too emotional, maybe don't check stock prices" ([02:42]).

The hosts discuss the merits of S&P 500 index funds, urging listeners to maintain their investments despite market fluctuations. They caution against the common pitfall of attempting to "buy low and sell high," which often leads to losses.

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2. Media Dynamics and the Influence of Trumpism

A significant portion of the episode delves into the evolving relationship between the media and political figures, particularly under the influence of Trumpism.

Clay Travis reflects on the transformation within conservative media’s response to the press:

"One of the brilliant changes that has been brought about by Trumpism... is that... they'll respond [to attacks]... treat that like a hostile prosecutor in a court, as they well should" ([08:00]).

He contrasts the past decorum expected from conservatives in media interactions with the more confrontational stance adopted post-Trump. This shift has empowered figures like Caroline Levitt and Pete Hegseth, who actively challenge media narratives.

Ryan Seacrest adds perspective on the coalition-building within the Republican Party, highlighting the inclusion of diverse figures:

"There's a lot of talent, and the talent has a variety of different perspectives... Tulsi Gabbard... RFK Jr... There's a lot of... the coalition that Trump has built" ([09:31]).

The hosts express optimism about the strength and adaptability of the Republican coalition in navigating media challenges.

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3. Internal Struggles Within the Democratic Party

The conversation shifts to internal conflicts within the Democratic Party, sparked by remarks from Chris Cuomo regarding the party’s direction.

Ryan Seacrest discusses Cuomo’s criticism of the Democratic Party's far-left faction:

"Chris Cuomo... says the AOC socialist wing of the Democrat Party just needs to leave the Democrats because they're not actually Democrats" ([12:38]).

Clay Travis expands on this by analyzing the shift towards a more radical left-wing stance within the party:

"The Democrat Party is not a moderate party. You must be a radical on abortion... on borders... on spending..." ([14:00]).

They explore the implications of such divisions, questioning the Democratic Party's unity and ideological coherence.

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4. The Role of Socialism and Race in Political Discourse

Clay Travis introduces a critical analysis of socialism and racial dynamics in American politics:

"Socialism is a suicide pact for mediocrity... race communism... used as part of the divide and conquer strategy of Democrats" ([15:53]).

He argues that the Democratic Party leverages racial resentment and envy to fragment opposition, further entrenching ideological divides.

Ryan Seacrest echoes concerns about the lack of a unifying message within the Democratic Party, questioning what truly binds its diverse factions together.

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5. Healthcare Reform: Replacing Obamacare

The discussion transitions to healthcare, specifically addressing the shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and advocating for alternatives.

Clay Travis cites former President Trump's stance on Obamacare:

"President Trump was right when he said Obamacare sucks... he wants to replace it with much better health care" ([18:00]).

Ryan Seacrest elaborates on the proposed alternatives, emphasizing affordability and comprehensive coverage:

"With a monthly cost as low as $262, you get free unlimited prescriptions with 93% of all drugs covered" ([18:09]).

They advocate for "Ease for Everyone," a healthcare plan designed to offer more affordable and flexible options compared to Obamacare.

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6. The Decline of CNN and Media Trust Issues

A substantial segment of the episode critiques CNN’s transformation and declining credibility.

Clay Travis shares his skepticism about the integrity of CNN’s reporting, especially in the context of recent events involving Iran's nuclear program:

"CNN is to tell Democrats what they want to hear and attack Republicans in every way you can. That is the job" ([33:30]).

Ryan Seacrest concurs, noting the shifting audience trust and CNN’s diminished role in emergency news coverage:

"Now they don't even get turned on when big news happens. Fox News... had 4.9 million viewers when the Iran attacks happened. Nobody else was even close to them." ([36:13]).

The hosts discuss the potential for CNN to undergo radical changes but remain pessimistic about its ability to regain former prestige.

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7. Harassment Claims: The Case of Jamal Bowman

The episode addresses a listener's question regarding Jamal Bowman's reported harassment, challenging the credibility of such claims.

Clay Travis expresses disbelief in Bowman's story of being heckled:

"I don't buy this story. And it's one of these things you can never prove or disprove. But I don't believe that somebody went up to him in Yonkers..." ([28:11]).

Ryan Seacrest adds skepticism, questioning the likelihood of such an encounter based on Bowman's public recognition:

"I don't think most people in New York City have any idea who he is... So the percentage of people that would hate him enough to taunt him... is what, like 1% of New York?" ([28:20]).

This segment underscores the hosts' skepticism towards certain media narratives and personal accounts.

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8. Final Thoughts: Media Influence and Future Outlook

Wrapping up the episode, Clay Travis and Ryan Seacrest reflect on the broader media landscape, emphasizing the need for reliable and unbiased reporting.

Clay Travis criticizes the current state of journalism, asserting that media outlets like CNN prioritize partisan agendas over factual reporting:

"Journalism is trying to find the facts and the truth... that's meant to cover for the actual job, which is to tell Democrats what they want to hear and attack Republicans..." ([32:48]).

Ryan Seacrest contemplates potential restructuring efforts for CNN, suggesting that significant overhaul would be necessary to restore trust and credibility:

"If I were running CNN... Could Megyn Kelly alone produce an audience... you would have to accept there'd be that painful ratings transition period" ([34:47]).

The hosts conclude with a somber view of CNN's future, predicting continued decline unless substantial changes are implemented.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ryan Seacrest [02:42]: "We are within 6, 7 points of an all-time high in the S&P 500... So even if you bought back in February at the absolute height of the market at the all-time high, if you just did nothing, you have basically the same amount of money now on paper as you did then."

• Clay Travis [08:00]: "One of the brilliant changes that has been brought about by Trumpism... is that... they'll respond [to attacks]... treat that like a hostile prosecutor in a court, as they well should."

• Clay Travis [14:00]: "The Democrat Party is not a moderate party. You must be a radical on abortion... on borders... on spending..."

• Clay Travis [15:53]: "Socialism is a suicide pact for mediocrity... race communism... used as part of the divide and conquer strategy of Democrats."

• Clay Travis [18:00]: "President Trump was right when he said Obamacare sucks... he wants to replace it with much better health care."

• Clay Travis [33:30]: "CNN is to tell Democrats what they want to hear and attack Republicans in every way you can. That is the job."

• Ryan Seacrest [36:13]: "Now they don't even get turned on when big news happens. Fox News... had 4.9 million viewers when the Iran attacks happened. Nobody else was even close to them."

• Clay Travis [28:11]: "I don't buy this story. And it's one of these things you can never prove or disprove. But I don't believe that somebody went up to him in Yonkers..."

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Conclusion

In this episode of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," the hosts navigate through a myriad of pressing topics, from economic trends and stock market resilience to the intricate dynamics of media and political party alliances. Their critical analysis offers listeners a perspective that challenges mainstream narratives, emphasizing the importance of skepticism and independent thought in today's polarized environment. The episode underscores the evolving landscapes of both the economy and media, urging listeners to stay informed and vigilant.

Transcript

[Unknown Host]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Clay Travis]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Hey, it's Karen and Georgia from My Favorite Murder. Thanks to Hyundai, we got to take a post show drive in the Ionic five.

[Unknown Host]

We had snacks, laughs, and we even recorded a special episode featuring some unforgettable car themed stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Take a listen. I'm going to tell you a story today, Karen. It's about a pivotal role that cars played in none other than the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

[Unknown Host]

Okay, well, yes, it's right there in the title, right? This episode is brought to you by the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5.

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[Clay Travis]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

Welcome in. We are rolling through the Thursday edition of the program. Let me hit you with some good news right off the top. We are within 6, 7 points of an all time high in the S P 500. S P 500 is the 500 largest companies in America all rolled into an index. If you want to just never have to worry about your stocks. What I do is S&P 500 index funds. They set an all time high in February if you remember. You may be old enough to remember that back in the day, back in April they started telling you that everything was collapsing, that it was a disaster, that you needed to run for the hills Buck and I said hey, stay strong. If you have some dry powder, some extra money, maybe it's good time to invest. Dollar cost Average stock prices drop tremendously right now the S&P 500 as I am talking to you 6139 the all time record 6147. So we are within about seven points of setting an all time high for stock prices. So even if you bought back in February at the absolute height of the market at the all time high, if you just did nothing, you have basically the same amount of money now on paper as you did then maybe a bit more because you probably would have made a little bit in dividends again. Long term horizons don't panic. It's easy to panic, particularly in a social media era. Try to make long time decisions if you're too emotional, maybe don't check stock prices but every quarter, every six months, every 10 years on average they're going to double. But man you can do the opposite of buying low and selling high. There's a lot of sell low and buy highs out there when you try to time the market. So just a positive sometimes we don't spend enough time.

[Clay Travis]

I was waiting for Clay to go full greed is good.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Gordon Geckos is going to fix that.

[Clay Travis]

Ailing corporation of the usa.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I will tell you capitalism is in fact a good economic system better than all the rest. And anyway sometimes I feel like on a day to day we aren't giving the long term horizon. I think we gave great advice to everybody back in April and my advice would remain the same. I buy s P500 index funds and I sit on them and and don't worry about the day to day. I know sometimes it's tough to do but all of us, anyone who has a 401k. Anyone out there who has stocks, you are headed for record highs potentially today. Stock prices in the first six months of the Trump era potentially going to set an all time high. All right, we've been talking about Eric Adams and, and mom Donnie, the New York City mayor situation. But just a few minutes ago, our friend Caroline Levitt, as I told you, was hosting a press briefing. And this follows the early morning press briefing that Pete Hegseth hosted that dealt with the leaks which tried to suggest that there was not success from the Iranian nuclear site attacks on Saturday. And man, Caroline Levitt went scorched earth on the CNN reporter who initially said, hey, these, these attacks did not have their desired impact. This is what it sounded like. Play cut 26.

[Caroline Levitt]

Natasha Bertrand published an article in Politico from the Intelligence Agency. She said that John Ratcliffe was speaking without any evidence when he said Iran was attempting to undermine President Trump's presidential campaign. And then we of course found out that was absolutely true. In fact, the Biden administration declassed an intel report which said they had high confidence that Iran had done exactly what Ratcliffe alleged. They did run an influence campaign to hurt President Trump's candidacy. In fact, we know the Iranians tried to take President Trump's life. And so this is a reporter who has been unfortunately used by people who dislike Donald Trump in this government to push fake and false narratives. She should be ashamed of herself. And that's not what reporting is. Journalism is trying to find the facts and the truth. And this week we saw this same reporter being used to push a fake narrative to try to undermine the President of the United States and more importantly, the brave fighter pilots who conducted one of the most successful operations in United States history.

[Clay Travis]

I mean, she's laying it down. I just would say, Clay, that I've been doing this. You know, we had our four year anniversary of the show. I've been doing this media thing for about, about 15 years. And we had gotten so used to on the right before Trump came along that our side was just supposed to always have this one way courtesy where no matter what the media says, no matter how they lie, how they attack, how they do all these things. You know, if you go back to the Bush era gop, it was all, oh, well, we'll have to get back to you on that or, you know, let's stick to the matters at hand or whatever. No, if someone takes a swing at you in a bar fight, there's really only one thing that you can do in response and that is One of the brilliant changes that has been brought about by Trumpism, not only we see by Donald Trump himself, but also with Pete Hegseth dealing with the media, Caroline Levitt dealing with the media, you'll notice there's a lot of questions that get asked, and it's fine and they're getting information. They can write their stories. If you want to ask a real question to the White House press secretary or to the secretary of defense, hey, can you tell us more about the following. Hey, you know, they'll respond and they're respectful. But if you want to say, when did you stop beating your wife? So to speak, they treat that like a hostile, either interrogation or hostile prosecutor in a court, as they well should. And I just think that it's, it's such a, for so many of us who've been doing this and watching this for a long time, Clay, it's such a relief that we don't have to just watch everyone on the right get skewered and humiliated in public, because that's what decorum demands. It really doesn't. And this is a much better way. You know, you meet respect with respect. You meet attacks with counterattacks.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I also think this is a sign of how much better Trump 2.0 is than Trump 1.0. And I'm not trying to take attacks, take shots at the people who worked for Trump in the first administration. There is just so much talent, and the talent has a variety of different perspectives. It doesn't get enough attention. Tulsi Gabbard ran for president against Trump in 2020 as a Democrat. Now she's in the cabinet. You had RFK Jr. Who's the most famous Kennedy, lifelong Democrat. Trump brought him into the coalition as well. There's a lot of you out there listening. The Maha moms who otherwise wouldn't have voted Republican, but have found your way into this as a reaction to what you saw happen related to Covid, the tent, the coalition that Trump has built. Even look, people out there were in a position where some people said, hey, we should never do the attacks on Iran. Others, you and I said, hey, we think this probably makes sense. If they have the nuclear assets, we should try to take them out. A robust debate over that. There's nothing wrong with it. And in fact, I think it reflects upon the strength overall of the coalition that this is where we are. And I just think Caroline Levitt, I mean, talk about great communicators. Pete Hegseth earlier today setting the agenda from the Pentagon. And now you have Caroline Levitt coming out a little bit later in the afternoon, also setting the agenda. And it wouldn't shock me, given the fact that he talks to reporters all the time. If Trump comes out and he's the third batter of an agenda setting coalition all day long. And I just think it's, it's a credit to the team that he's put together. What exactly is going on? So that was Caroline Levitt. I was also going to play a little bit of a different angle here. We mentioned the New York City race, the mayor's race, Chris Cuomo. I don't know if you heard this yet, Buck. Chris Cuomo, obviously younger brother of Andrew Cuomo. There's a lot of talk about the uncertainty of how things were going to go inside of the Republican caucus surrounding Iran. Well, Chris Cuomo now has come out and said the AOC socialist wing of the Democrat Party just needs to leave the Democrats because they're not actually Democrats. Listen to this. How do you keep them from having the nuke impeach Trump is the opposite of having a better idea. You're killing your party. You're killing your party. And look, I hope it works out for you. I hope you guys splinter off and become, you know, whatever you really are because you're not a capitalist and you're not a Democrat. And, you know, you can say, well, what do you know? I was raised by a real one. I was raised by a real one. Go ahead and criticize Mario Cuomo. What's going to be your biggest insult? They spawned me and Andrew. Is that going to be the best you have? Because you ain't compared to him.

[Clay Travis]

Whoa.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Wow. I mean, Chris Cuomo fired up his dad, obviously. Mario Cuomo, Democrat Governor of New York. I do think that there is an unholy alliance which may, may at some point explode inside of the Democrat Party again. When you have a big tent, it means that you may have people coming from a variety of perspectives. I was just talking about the big tent of the Republican and everybody spent a great deal of time talking about the interventionist versus the anti interventionist wing of the Republican Party over how to respond to Iran. How about what Chris Cuomo just said there, Buck? There are big parts of the Democrat Party now which don't believe in capitalism. That seems like kind of a big deal. It used to be there were elements of the Democrat Party that you're very pro business. That's not really the case anymore.

[Clay Travis]

Well, I think that unfortunately for bro Cuomo, the Bernie wing of the party and the far, especially if you look at the demographic data on age. They, they're more powerful. The, the people who, the Cuomos of the world who cling to a. Maybe a more Clintonian era of Democrat life has passed them by. I mean, that is no longer the case. You are now in. You saw this with Biden, right? Biden was the facade, right? The dementia puppet used to fool voters for the radically left wing stuff. I mean, you look at the radically left wing spending, radically left wing gender identity stuff, racial radical border policies, radical border policy. I mean, Biden was a complete Trojan horse, which we knew all along. This was not a surprise to any conservatives. I was saying that when this is back in 2020, you know, a lot of people on the right recognize this, but why would he be a Trojan horse? Well, because they can't tell people who they really are and win national elections. But that's who actually runs the Democrat Party. It is the AOC Bernie wing of the party that is ascendant and that is the central ethos now. And it's the other people who are really just used to create a greater comfort for the middle of the electorate that is based on the false promise of moderation. They're not moderate. The Democrat Party is not a moderate party. You must be a radical on abortion. You must be radical on the borders. You must be radical on spending. You must be willing to tolerate radical anti Israeli and anti Jewish sentiment. I mean, there's a lot of stuff when you add it up, there's no shocks, no surprises here. When you look at it, where this party's going to.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I think it's an interesting question. What actually unites the Democrat Party right now? We've talked about the fact that they don't have a true leader. But what motivating ideals, other than America's awful white men suck, really actually coalesce across the entire Democrat Party. I think that's one of the challenges. I'm not sure what they actually even stand for. We'll talk about this some and continue to roll through the Thursday edition of the program.

[Clay Travis]

Just real quick, you know, we talk about, I was talking about socialism and that naval line about how it's a suicide pact for mediocrity. That's what socialism is. But really, we talk about the race communism in this country. It's just another way of using the resentment and envy that is present in any large population of people in this country and in other countries too. And a lot of it has been blamed on whiteness as a concept.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Yes.

[Clay Travis]

Now that. That's different. Than blaming it just because there are a lot of white people that buy into that. Right. But whiteness as a concept has been used very much as part of the divide and conquer strategy of Democrats.

[Ryan Seacrest]

We'll come back, we'll talk about this more. I mean, I think it's an interesting question. What is the motivating unity policy that connects Democrats today? In the meantime, we're faced with big decisions each day. Sometimes it can be what do you do with health care? And if you're having to deal with the Affordable Care Act, AKA Obamacare, why? I'm telling you there's a better option. It's called Ease for Everyone offers affordable health care for as low as $262 a month. You can keep your doctor, never pay a deductible, have access to over 400 prescription drugs for free. Go online to their website, See what the plan is that's right for you and your family. Ease for Everyone Developed by smart forward thinking experts in my hometown of Nashville. You'll be speaking with people who live in your world and can speak your language. Answer your questions, Visit ease for everyone.com Clay to join today. That's Ease for Everyone. F O R E A S E F o R E S4 everyone.com Clay that's ease forever.com Clay.

[Clay Travis]

President Trump was right when he said Obamacare sucks. President Trump also said he didn't want to terminate Obamacare, but he wants to replace it with much better health care.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Clay Travis]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Clay Travis]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Clay Travis]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

And Georgia from My favorite Murder. Thanks to Hyundai we got to take a post show drive in the Ionic five.

[Unknown Host]

We had snacks, laughs and we even recorded a special episode featuring some unforgettable car themed stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Take a listen. The Montgomery Bus Boycott Success was dependent on the action and dedication of many individuals, of course. But today we're going to focus on the work of one of those people in particular, a woman in her 30s. And yes, I love her name. It's Georgia Gilmore.

[Unknown Host]

Oh yes. Today's story is centered on a group of courageous women dedicated on taking down Hitler during World War II. They banded together to form an all female ambulance corps which became the first unit its kind to join an official combat division on the Western front. This is the story of the Rochambeau Group best known by their nickname, the Rochambels. Oh my God, right? This episode is brought to you by the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5.

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[Clay Travis]

Get some of your calls, some of your talkbacks. Also want to remind you to please subscribe to Clay and Buck Podcast Network. David Rutherford, Tudor Dixon, Carol Markowitz, Lisa Booth, Brian Gardusky. I mean, we got a lot of shows on there and they're doing great. They're doing great. We've got great relationships, Clay and I, great relationships with all the shows. They're doing great, fabulous people. But yeah. So please check out those podcasts and let's take some calls here. Greg, my fellow Floridian, what's going on, man? Hey, man, I have figured out CNN's message. We didn't drop enough bombs. We need to drop more. Thank you, cnn. Booyah. There we go. Thank you.

[Ryan Seacrest]

It is funny, Buck. As we were talking about yesterday, the legacy media went very rapidly from we don't even know that Iran has nuclear weapons to everybody running with, well, now we've only set back their nuclear weapons program by a few months.

[Clay Travis]

And you said this is the most well protected nuclear grade and I'm sorry, military grade anti bunker buster facility made in the history of the universe. And we couldn't do anything about it. So you're right. We've gone from I don't even think they've got nukes to oh man, we couldn't put a scratch on their incredible nuke program that happened in like a week.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Week. Whatever makes Trump look bad is what they're going to focus on. And I think that's where Hegseth was. That was his overarching message. But I do think it's important for people to recognize how dishonest those attacks are. If you wanted to continue to say, hey, we should have never dropped any bombs on Iran, they don't have nuclear capability, that's at least a consistent argument to go from. They don't have nukes at all to, well, we only knocked them back by a few months is completely different arguments in the space of virtually no time at all.

[Clay Travis]

Well also if, if we only knock them back a few, knock them back a few months, which I don't believe, but we can knock them back again. That's the other part of this. They can't stop us. Their military is weaker than it's been in decades. So what are they going to do about it? You know, so now the whole point is to get, the point is not to level all of Iran and hurt innocent people. The point is to get the regime to stop this nonsense and start acting like a normal country. That's it. And Trump wants to get there. So yeah, I'm very, I wouldn't say very optimistic, but I have some optimism. The next big meeting of nations post NATO is the BRIC conference in Brazil just after July 4th. They're calling that meeting the Rio Reset for reasons that won't benefit the value of our US Dollar if they can get what they want out of this meeting. They're trying to move away from the US Dollar as our global reserve currency. This could be the greatest threat to the dollar's global dominance ever. BRIC includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, Iran and other nations delaying the groundwork to replace the dollar with their central banks divesting from the US dollar and US Bonds in favor of gold. How can you protect your IRA or 401k from the fallout of this landmark shift? Diversify with gold from Birch Gold Group. Historically, gold has been a safe haven in times of uncertainty. Birch Gold is who I buy my gold from. They'll treat you well. Get a free info kit on a tax sheltered gold IRA by texting my name Buck to 9,898.98. Text Buck to the number 9,898. 98. Today.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I really want to say thanks. I've met a ton of you up here in Northern Michigan. I know a lot of you say, please don't say positive things about it up here because it's getting so crowded. But it is amazing in the summer up here. We've been all over the place. Traverse City News Talk 580 has been taking care of us every single day here this week and I appreciate all of you. Buck's been down in Miami. I'm sitting here in a jacket cause it's only like 65 degrees today. But new affiliate that we have up here in Traverse City, Michigan, WTCM 5 80. They've had me all week. They have been fantastic couple of cuts that I want to play for you because I think they kind of get at the failures that CNN in general has been having. First of all, every evening they just have sort of the Star wars universe of crazy left wing peddler arguments. And Jamal Bowman, who lost his Democrat primary and no longer has a job, was on. He is the guy who pulled the fire alarm and was defeated in the New York City area district which he was representing. Here he is saying, and I want to get Buck's reaction to this, that he was confronted on the street and heckled and this is what he has to deal with on a regular basis. Listen, I don't want to fight. I just want to chill. I just want to not. I was in, I was walking down the street the other day, some white dude, ball, head tilt, he looked me, called me a piece of to my face, said, I'm going to get what's coming to me. Why not deal with that dog in, in Yonkers, New York? Well, can I tell you something? I'm not making that up. Do you buy it, Buck? Do you think Jamal Bowman.

[Clay Travis]

No, I think he's making it up. I think he's making it up. Jabal Bowman. I've seen him bench three plates on each side.

[Ryan Seacrest]

He's a big dude.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah. I mean, so I just, I don't buy this story. And it's one of these things you can never prove or disprove. But I don't, I don't believe that somebody went up to him in Yonkers and, you know, I'm just glad he didn't say that. You know, the guy yelled like this is MAGA country or whatever. Like this just sounds fake to me.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I just don't buy very often big dudes being confronted by probably small. And if, if the guy who confronted Jamal Bowman would have to be a heavyweight boxer or an NFL defensive lineman to be appreciably bigger than Jamal Moen. First of all, I don't think most people know who Jamal Bowman is. And, and I don't mean that to be, to insult him. I just, I don't think most people in New York City have any idea who he is. So the percentage of people that would hate him enough to taunt him face to face and know him is what, like 1% of New York?

[Clay Travis]

Also, the way he tells the story, did he, did he do something like rude to somebody and then they responded because you're supposed to think, I guess that someone came after him because he's Jamal Bowman. I don't know Maybe he was. Maybe he was having a loud speakerphone conversation or doing something that sets people off that may. You know, I gave somebody on my plane ride over to France Clay an extra set of headphones.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Oh, no.

[Clay Travis]

Because I turned around, I said, I have a spare. I have a spare. He was. Why? It was a guy. I'm just gonna say it's a white guy in his 50s, okay? Very well dressed, like, very, you know, hoity toity. Had, like, Louis Vuitton baggage, and. And he thought he could watch his iPad like he's a little kid with no headphones on. So I actually had a spare. I had the wired set in my bag, and I said, here you go. Here's a wired set of headphones. And he kind of stared me down for a second and realized, like, so now what's your excuse? So he put them on. Now I have to watch them, though.

[Ryan Seacrest]

That is really, really. So he gave them back to you at the end of the day?

[Clay Travis]

He rolled them up. Rolled them up nicely and gave them back to me at the end. So now this is my new move. I'm going to carry an extra set of headphones in public places and offer headphones to people who are on the side of barbarism and think that we want to hear your cell phone conversation or your iPad noises or whatever it is.

[Ryan Seacrest]

This is funny because on my flight up to Michigan with the Travis boys, my oldest son wanted to watch Trump's address about the bombing of Iran, did not have wireless phones or his. Or a plug to put in. And my wife, who was in the row in front of us, turned around and complained about our oldest son making too much noise while he was watching Trump's address. So she would have certainly appreciated if you had had an extra pair of headphones for my son. All right, that is Jamal Bowman claiming that he's a vic. This also always reminds me there are people who behave awfully towards famous people, but the idea that Jussie Smollett. This is MAGA country. The number of Trump voters who knew who Jussie Smollett is or was in that era was zero. I mean, there was nobody watching what was the show? Empire. The number of Trump voters watching Empire frequently enough that they knew who Jussie Smollett was that they would feel compelled to not only know who he was, but know his politics and taunt him in Chicago at 2am it's one of the craziest stories on a freezing cold.

[Clay Travis]

Winter night to lie in wait with a noose. Yes. And some Kind of thing to spray on him. Because you're that angry about Jussie Smollett, who. Nobody who voted for Trump had any idea whom he was. Yes, that would be. That was a strange one.

[Ryan Seacrest]

And you would think that the media might have actually questioned some of that, particularly because our good friend Jake Tapper wants all of you to know what the role of the media really is. So you got CNN Jamal Bowman saying he's getting taunted because of who he is. Here is Jake Tapper lecturing everyone about what it is the job of the media really is. Asking questions is literally our job. Demanding facts and answers instead of just taking a president's word for it.

[Clay Travis]

No, that's actually.

[Ryan Seacrest]

That is.

[Clay Travis]

That's actually not their job, though. This is the. This is where I have a really. I have a big bone to pick with. With all these people who call themselves journalists. We have seen what their job is depending on where they work. The job of a CNN employee is to tell Democrats in the audience what they want to hear and to hurt Republicans in terms of public perception in every way that they can. That is the job. That's actually the job. If you don't do that, you will be fired. So that's what the job is. This. It's to ask questions and get the truth to the people. That is a lie. That is meant to cover for the actual job, which is to tell Democrats what they want to hear and attack Republicans in every way you can.

[Ryan Seacrest]

What do you think? Let's pretend that suddenly you or I were in charge of CNN and they said, hey, we've been listening to your radio show. It's phenomenal.

[Clay Travis]

They should do it. We would shake that place up. It'd be amazing.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Okay, so is it salvageable? Like, let me just give you a hypothetical. If Megan Kelly, who obviously had a very successful show on Fox News, look at you.

[Clay Travis]

Always given. I mean, look, Megan's great. She was always great to me in my career and everything else, but she's always number one on your list for who's gonna be the top.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I think she's the smartest, most talented person in digital space that I don't work with. Does that make sense? So, wow, who would you put this.

[Clay Travis]

And send this to? Megan?

[Ryan Seacrest]

Well, I think she is. I think she asked really smart questions. I think she gets to the heart of issues. If I were running. So. But the question here is, let's pretend that I am running cnn. And I say, hey, I want to change. We got to get away from the Jake Tapper World, we can't have this stenographer for the Democrat powerful anymore. We're going to shake things up. Could Megyn Kelly, who I think, I'm just telling you, I think is the most talented independent voice in media today.

[Clay Travis]

All right, all right. I mean, I think Megan's great too, but. Yes. Okay.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Could she alone, would she be able to produce an audience or CNN's brand so broken that even if you put somebody who's good at television and good at doing a show, people wouldn't respond to it because their brand is broke? In other words, how salvageable do you think it is?

[Clay Travis]

Right. You would have to accept that during the change process from being a Democrat propaganda outlet, you would lose a lot of audience and then have to rebuild. Audience.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Yeah.

[Clay Travis]

The audience of CNN right now does not want anything to be told to them that is outside of what the DNC would approve and send themselves. They don't want to hear it. And so you would have to accept there'd be that painful ratings transition period. And then I think you could build into something else. But that's, you know, that's a risk that executives at these places are very rarely willing to take any risks. I think CNN's brand is in terminal decline. I think CNN will exist in kind of the way that ABC News and some of these places, yeah, sure, they'll have some audience, but a shadow of their former. Now, ABC News still has a pretty big TV audience, but it's a shadow of what it was 20 or 30 or 30 years ago. So I think that that's where I don't think CNN is going to be able to turn this thing around.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I just look at it purely from a business market perspective. If Fox News has around 70% of the news audience on cable, and it does, and it's got an incredibly loyal brand, what is CNN's angle? Because that leaves 30% MSNBC, whatever you think about them, has the left wing angle covered. Why would you not go after some of the 70?

[Clay Travis]

This is why. And I was there and observed this. When it happens, CNN under Jeff Zucker's leadership, if you can call it that, ignominiously ended in scandal. CNN decided to become MSNBC with different letters, anti Trumpism, completely crazy. Treat all the actual conservatives who would have come on your air like trash. This is what they did. And so that space that they were at least theoretically occupying of somewhere in between Fox and msnbc, that just became untenable. They were just another version. There were MSNBC with less honesty. And that is not A tenable brand that, that's not a place where you can really be. And so that's what ended up happening to them. But I'm, I'm happy. I mean, if you had told me, if you had told me when the Tea Party was getting their thing going, don't worry. One day, not only will Trump call CNN fake news to their faces, but he'll essentially destroy the death star of propaganda that is cnn. I would have said, that sounds amazing. And we're pretty much there.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Oh, totally. And again, they only have about 10 or 15% of the overall news marketplace. And you know what, what it really comes through. It used to be when big news happened, people would turn on CNN because they trusted them to get big news. Right. I still think about CNN back in the day of Bernard Shaw and the Scud stud, whatever that guy's name was during the first Gulf War, when that really made CNN's brand as somebody that could, you could trust. Now they don't even get turned on when big news happens. Fox News, I think, had 4.9 million viewers when the Iran attacks happened. Nobody else was even close to them. And it just feels like CNN is in a terminal decline. And I wonder at this point if there's anything they could do to change the trajectory that they're on. And I don't know that they could, but I would be trying to undertake radical change, I think, if I were in charge of cnn.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, I mean, it would have to be, you know, when you're doing a. You're doing some housing construction stuff, but when you're doing a renovation and people say, I'm going to tear it down to the studs, CNN really needs to be torn down to the studs. You need to get all the way, you know, get all the way into the drywall and really pull things apart in there to rebuild. You can't just do a little coat of paint and call it a day.

[Ryan Seacrest]

That's totally what's, by the way, happening with the intelligence agencies right now, too. Yeah, we'll see how that's going.

[Clay Travis]

We are, if you consider yourself pro life, and I certainly do. Here's something to pay attention to. Despite overturning Roe v. Wade, which was the correct Supreme Court decision three years ago, the number of abortions increased 1% last year. That translates to over 100,000 additional babies, lives lost in just one year. Every one of these lives was precious. The team working at preborn clinics are on the front lines advocating for these unborn babies who never had the chance to grow up. Preborn's clinics are strategically located in the country's highest abortion areas, ready to support women making decisions about their baby's futures. Through compassionate love, loving care and free ultrasounds, Preborn helps women connect with the life growing inside of them. An ultrasound doubles a baby's Chance at Life. One ultrasound is only $28 five ultrasounds $140. To donate, dial 250 and say the keyword baby that's pound 250, say baby or visit preborn.combuck preborn.com buck Sponsored by Preborn President Trump was right when he said Obamacare sucks. President Trump also said he didn't want to terminate Obamacare, but he wants to replace it with much better health care.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Now you can replace your overpriced Obamacare with Ease for Everyone, the only group plan that any adult in the US Is now eligible to join. With a monthly cost as low as $262, you get free unlimited prescriptions with 93% of all drugs covered, available at no extra cost, including insulin. With huge savings on brand names, there's.

[Clay Travis]

Free unlimited virtual primary care and urgent care. With just a $30 copay, you get generous cash back reimbursements for doctor's office visits, emergency room visits and ambulance transportation.

[Ryan Seacrest]

You can have affordable health care for as low as $262 a month. And today visit ease for everyone.com clay that's ease for everyone.com forward/clay paid for by Affordable Benefit Choices.

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Karen and Georgia from My Favorite Murder. Thanks to Hyundai, we got to take a post show drive in the Ionic five.

[Unknown Host]

We had snacks, laughs and we even recorded a special episode featuring some unforgettable car themed stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Take a listen. The Montgomery Bus Boycott Success was dependent on the action and dedication of many individuals, of course, but today we're going to focus on the work of one of those people in particular, a woman in her 30s. And yes, I love her name, it's Georgia Gilmore.

[Unknown Host]

Oh yes. Today's story is centered on a group of courageous women dedicated on taking down Hitler during World War II. They banded together to form an all female ambulance corps which became the first unit of its kind to join an official combat division on the Western front. This is the story of the Rochambeau group, best known by their nickname, the Rochambels.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh my God.

[Unknown Host]

Right? This episode is brought to you by the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5.

[Unknown Advertiser]

We see what's happening with Israel. They are at war for their survival. At war with Iran. Now, in a necessary act of self defense, Israel finally has had enough with the hundreds of thousands of rockets being fired into their country. And rightly, they have struck Iranian nuclear facilities, military targets. Top leadership Right now, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is on the ground preparing large scale distributions of life saving food, first aid emergency kits, especially to Israel's most vulnerable people, the sick, the elderly, children, families in great, great need. Now the Fellowship is also making sure that hospitals, emergency rooms, shelters are fully stocked with critical and life saving medical supplies. But the fellowship needs your most generous gift today. Now is the time to stand with Israel's most vulnerable. Please call as soon as possible. 888488 IFCJ. That's 888488 IFCJ online is IFCJ.org that's IFCJ.org today discover the life changing benefits.

[Dennis Black]

Of meow greens for your cat. Ever see your cat slowing down or having health issues and wonder what can I do to make them better? Well, my friend, add meow greens to your cat's food for 90 days and I guarantee you'll see changes that will amaze you. Greetings. I'm naturopathic doctor Dennis Black, inventor of Meow greens and I invite you to take the Meow Greens 90 day challenge. In the first 30 days, you'll see shinier coats and increased energy. By day 60, your cat will have a stronger immune system, less shedding, improved joint function, all due to the live nutrients that you've added to their diet. And at 90 days, they're going to have better digestion, reduced inflammation, improved heart health, and you may even have reduced their cancer risk. Fetch a free Jumpstart trial bag for your kids, your cat today go to try Meow Greens.com use promo code try Meow. That's try M E O W. You just cover the shipping. You don't have to change your cat's food, to improve your cat's health, just add a packet of Meow Greens.

[Clay Travis]

Closing up shop today on Clay and Buck. Thanks for rolling with us. And it's good to be back with a normal voice. I gotta say, when you lose your voice for, like, over a week, it can be something that you take for granted before, you don't take it for granted afterwards. So very pleased to have my normal vocal register to address all of you here. We'll be back tomorrow, Clay and I both, and then we've been for a few days next week. I can't believe 4th of July, independence Day. Some people get very, you know, they get persnickety about this. They don't like when you call it 4th of July. Whereas my grandmother once I said 4th of June, July. So she used to say it down in Charlottesville. So, you know, this is a time of independent celebration for America. So there you go.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Buck, one of our podcast listeners has got an issue that he wants to raise with you as we finish the Thursday edition of the program. This is Steve, who wants to talk with you about your big flamingo discussion yesterday.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, let's hear it. Let's hear it. Buck, check your history on the flamingos. I'm 70 years old, and as a kid, before long before Miami Vice came out, I grew up thinking flamingos were from Florida. Chat GPT says that they were native but then went almost extinct. So check it out. All right, all right, buddy.

[Dennis Black]

All right.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I don't know the answer here. I'm stepping out of this fray. This seems pretty intense.

[Clay Travis]

Flamingo, you know, when you, you know, the zoological specificity necessary on. On this. On this show is quite a thing. All right, let me. Let me just say this. This is what the truth is. As I understand it, there were flamingos here. They went extinct, though, for about 200 years. Okay, so they were gone in the 1800s, 1900s, and then they wouldn't. Weren't able to find any. And then the 20th century, they started to try to reintroduce some native colonies. And now in Florida, there are about 100 of them. But they are doing better than the dodo bird here, but not much better. Like, they weren't around. And like I said, the. It was the. It was a flock of imported African pink flamingos in Miami Vice that were not indigenous to Florida that got everybody thinking about in the 80s. Oh, Florida and flamingos. Again. They didn't have. They didn't have flamingos in Florida for over 100 years, so. And yet every everywhere you go, there's flamingo this and flamingo that. It's kind of weird, right? Like walking around Newfoundland being like, hey, the dodo birds.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Not as many dodo birds, I'll tell you this. All over northern Michigan, they've got bear in every business. Streets named after bear. I don't think there's any bear left up here, by the way. Just Jody. Jody says, love the show. They used to have flamingo. You got lit up by flamingo people out there also saying the same thing. They were decimated for the feathers used in women's hats back in the day. That's why they killed all the flamingos off in Florida. So I don't know, sir, you better step check yourself before you step into flamingo wars.

[Clay Travis]

Well, I'm just. They were gone though. That's my point, is that there were no flamingos and everyone's talking about flamingos all the time. The only flamingos you're gonna see in Florida are the lawn ornaments out there. I'm just telling you guys the truth. You can come at me with whatever you like.

[Ryan Seacrest]

We'll be back tomorrow. Who knows what colorful battles did.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hey, it's Karen and Georgia from my favorite Murder. Thanks to Hyundai, we got to take a post show drive in the Ionic Five.

[Unknown Host]

We had snacks, laughs, and we even recorded a special episode featuring some unforgettable car themed stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Take a listen. I'm gonna tell you a story today, Karen. It's about a pivotal role that cars played in none other than the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

[Unknown Host]

Okay, well, yes, it's right there in the title, right? This episode is brought to you by the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5.

[Unknown Advertiser]

Know what's underrated? Winning at the checkout line. With the Verizon Visa card, you win by getting 4% in rewards on things you buy all the time, including grocery store purchases, gas, and dining out as a cardholder. You can even use those earned rewards toward your Verizon bill or a new smartwatch. Apply [e-mail] Verizon Visacard application required. Subject to credit approval. Must be a Verizon mobile account owner or manager or files account owner. See verizon.com Verizon Visa card for terms and restrictions. The Verizon Visa signature card is issued by Synchrony bank pursuant to a license from Visa USA Inc.

[Dennis Black]

Ever notice your dog slowing down and having health issues and wonder, what can I do to make them better? Well, my friend, add rough greens to your dog's food for 90 days and I guarantee you'll see changes that will amaze you. Greetings naturopathic doctor Dennis Black, inventor of ruffgreens here, and I invite you to give your pup the Ruffgreens 90 Day Challenge. In the first 30 days, you'll see shinier coats and increased energy. By day 60, your dog will have a stronger immune system, less shedding, improved joint function, all due to the live nutrients that you've added to their diet. And at 90 days, better digestion, reduced inflammation, improved heart health, and you and may even have reduced their cancer risk. Fetch your dog a free Jumpstart trial bag today. Go to try roughgreens.com use promo code try rough. That's T R Y R U F F. Go to try roughgreens.com use promo code try rough. You just cover the shipping. You don't have to change your dog's food to improve your dog's health. Just add a scoop of ruff greens.

[Clay Travis]

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.

[Dennis Black]

This medal is for the men who.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Went down that day.

[Clay Travis]

On Medal of Honor Stories of Courage. You'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Unknown Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.