The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Hour 3 – Ranking Our Presidents
Date: February 16, 2026 | Podcast: iHeartPodcasts | Hosts: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton
Episode Overview
On this special President’s Day episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton delve into the complexities and current perceptions of America’s presidents, discuss how historical narratives are shaped and weaponized, and swap cultural observations about pop culture’s shift away from positive portrayals of fatherhood. The episode moves from the origins and commercialization of President's Day, through the controversial results of a modern presidential ranking survey, to pointed commentary on Barack Obama's recent remarks and the broader manipulation of history for political ends. The hosts supplement the discussion with listener calls and nostalgic exchanges about TV dads, before closing with book recommendations and a nod to Mardi Gras.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. President’s Day – A “Weird Construct”
Timestamps: 03:00–04:12
- Buck notes the unclear purpose of President’s Day, joking that it's "really for getting a great deal on a mattress, maybe a lawnmower" (03:06).
- Clay clarifies that it began as Washington’s birthday, expanded to include Lincoln, and now is just a general holiday, often commercialized heavily by retailers.
2. YouGov Presidential Rankings – Surprises & Skepticism
Timestamps: 04:12–07:25
- Clay reviews the latest YouGov poll on Americans’ favorite presidents, which ranks Lincoln #1, JFK #2, Washington #3, with both Roosevelt (Theodore and Franklin) and Reagan making top 10.
- Buck is incredulous at JFK's #2 placement: “What? Get out of here. Trash. Trash.” (04:48)
- Both hosts highlight oddities, like John Adams at #7 and Obama and Carter reaching the top ten—“Obama, 9…Get out of here. What list is this? Is this communist.com?” (06:15).
- Clay notes Andrew Jackson now ranks much lower, mostly defined by the Trail of Tears, reflecting modern historical reinterpretation and activism.
Quote:
“When you and I were in school, Andrew Jackson would have been considered one of the best presidents…They have been so successful at defining Jackson entirely based on the Trail of Tears that he now has collapsed in his overall popularity.” —Clay Travis (06:32)
3. Rewriting History & Political Agendas
Timestamps: 07:25–09:53
- Buck argues the ongoing “fight over history is actually a fight over the narrative in the present.”
- He connects the negative recasting of Nixon and Jackson to progressive political narratives, referencing historical programs like Project Venona to illustrate under-taught facts about anti-communism.
Quote:
“There is power at stake with the history that we believe or with the history that we accept. And so that’s why the left is always rewriting history as fast as they can.” —Buck Sexton (07:25)
- Clay points out pop culture’s influence: Hamilton was saved from being removed from the $10 bill solely due to the Broadway musical’s popularity, while Jackson’s reputation tanked in the 21st century, and “Alexander Hamilton, who was never a president, has surged up entirely based on the way they're talked about today.” (09:27)
4. Obama’s Recent Interview – Tone-Deafness & Irony
Timestamps: 10:02–14:22
- Clay and Buck dissect Obama’s recent interview, where he claims the right traffics exclusively in “mean, angry, demagoguery…divisive politics,” versus the left’s “coming together” (10:45).
- Buck points out the irony, given Obama’s tenure included divisive movements like BLM and “bringing back race riots in the 21st century” (11:31).
- They mock Obama’s claim that Democrats “have a much harder job” because they aren’t “as mean and tough and nasty” as Republicans, calling it self-refuting (13:39).
Quotes:
“This is the most quintessential Obama thing in existence, which is to say something that is...self-refuting in the statement itself.” —Buck Sexton (10:13)
“Obama explicitly threatened to cut off education funds to I think it was North Carolina over the bathroom gender policy bill.” —Buck Sexton (14:22)
- Clay wonders how plugged in Obama truly is to current affairs, calling him “a rich, out-of-touch leftist like many of the people that are in Hollywood right now.” (12:01)
5. Listener Calls & Reactions
Timestamps: 20:55–23:41
- Pete from Minnesota queries if “white privilege” exists if “whiteness is imaginary,” riffing off AOC’s comments (21:01).
- Fun exchanges about Amish beards and mustaches, with pop culture references from “The Office” and C. Everett Koop.
- A listener from Pueblo criticizes promotion of “violent movies like the Godfather,” prompting Buck to clarify, “We're talking about a movie that's one of the most Oscar-winning of all time…Movies can be about bad people and be really entertaining.” (23:19)
6. Pop Culture, TV, and the Decline of the "Good Dad" Figure
Timestamps: 25:38–38:32
- The hosts discuss the changing depiction of families and dads in sitcoms: from positive, stable father figures (Full House, Family Matters, Fresh Prince) to modern antiheroes and flawed characters (Tony Soprano, Breaking Bad).
- Clay observes: “We basically have eliminated dads from pop culture and there are no positive dad pop culture characters. I think there is a huge opportunity to push back against the counterculture and solve this issue” (31:45).
- Both hosts reminisce about growing up with wholesome family TV and speculate on a market demand for its return.
Quotes:
“When's the last show that was popular where the good guys are just good?” —Clay Travis (28:17)
“These dads were dedicated, competent, masculine, handsome or handsome enough…then we kind of got into the era of dads are all kind of schlubs…” —Buck Sexton (29:45)
- There’s extended discussion of how media glamorizes antihero criminals, and how this shapes societal messaging.
7. Modern Movie and Sitcom Critique
Timestamps: 34:00–38:32
- Buck and Clay riff on “Pretty Woman,” “Big,” and “The Shape of Water,” critiquing their odd or dubious morals, and mock the idea that “Pretty Woman” is positive or aspirational.
- Clay maintains his standard for movies is simple: “Do I sit and watch it for two hours and not look at my watch…?” (37:34)
- Praise is reserved for select Netflix originals, especially “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
8. History Book Recommendations
Timestamps: 44:12–45:10
- Clay recommends Rick Atkinson’s World War II and Revolutionary War trilogies as engaging, in-depth, and non-political reads.
- Buck is nearly finished with “The Killer Angels” (winner of the 1976 Pulitzer Prize), endorsing it as “fantastic.”
Notable Quotes By Topic
-
On President’s Day’s Commercialization:
"What is President's Day really for? Getting a great deal on a mattress, maybe a lawn mower, perhaps some outdoor furniture." —Buck Sexton (03:06)
-
On Historical Narrative Manipulation:
"There is power at stake with the history that we believe or with the history that we accept. And so that's why the left is always rewriting history as fast as they can." —Buck Sexton (07:25)
-
On Obama’s Claims of Left-Wing Niceness:
"Well, I mean, I actually think that Carter probably did less damage actively. Barack Obama's signature thing..." —Buck Sexton (08:45)
-
On Pop Culture and TV Dads:
"I think there's a demand for it...you have a very positive association with that [old family sitcoms]. There is a huge demand, I think, for dads and moms who live in a house and like each other."
—Clay Travis (38:32)
Memorable & Entertaining Moments
- Buck's incredulity at JFK’s ranking: "What? Get out of here. Trash. Trash." (04:48)
- Clay and Buck riffing on Hamilton: “That’s because a lot of Americans, unfortunately, when they think of Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton, they think of a Puerto Rican guy rapping badly.” (09:53)
- Playful mustache banter and references to “The Office” and “Amish beards.” (21:23)
- Listener outrage over The Godfather: “If you didn’t promote the disgusting and evil and violent movies like the Godfather series, these people were animals, man.” (22:44)
- Movie critique detour, culminating in Buck’s takedown: “Shape of Water was like brain damage.” (38:32)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 03:00 – Commercialization and confusion around President’s Day
- 04:12 – YouGov poll: Ranking of U.S. presidents; odd results and controversy
- 07:25 – The real power and consequences of historical narrative manipulation
- 10:13 – Obama’s recent interview; left vs right “niceness”
- 13:39 – Obama’s claims about the difficulty of being a Democrat
- 20:55 – Listener calls and humorous exchanges
- 25:38 – Pop culture depictions of fathers and antihero evolution
- 44:12 – Book recommendations
Closing Thoughts
This fast-moving episode uses President’s Day as a springboard for wide-ranging, insightful, and often humorous commentary on how Americans view their leaders, how history is being massaged for political gain, and cultural trends in entertainment and family values. It’s packed with quotables, sharp critiques (especially of Obama and modern Hollywood), and nostalgia-fueled reflections on the kinds of heroes—presidential and paternal—that America celebrates.