Hour 3 - Rush Limbaugh Candidate Wins

Summary

---

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – Hour 3: Rush Limbaugh Candidate Wins (June 3, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this third hour, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton dive into a blend of economic optimism, societal psychology, generational attitudes, and election news. They reflect on why, despite dramatically improved economic indicators, Americans report feeling more negative than ever. The episode builds toward a celebratory note around Zach Lane, a longtime Rush Limbaugh fan, winning the Iowa GOP gubernatorial primary, capping the hour with archived Rush and Obama audio. Listener calls and anecdotes deepen the exploration of culture, sacrifice, and nostalgia for the past.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Economic Progress vs. Consumer Confidence

Timestamp: 02:13 – 16:15

• Clay’s Research:
  Clay opens with a rare spate of optimism, reviewing economic indicators between June 2022 and 2026, highlighting substantial improvements:

  • Inflation dropped from 9.1% to ~3%
  • Average gas price down by $0.70/gal (from $5.00+ to ~$4.30)
  • National murder rate fell from 6.3 to 4 per 100,000
  • S&P 500 doubled

  "The worst economy in the last 15 years or so, I think it’s fair to say, was actually June of 2022...If you had a dollar in the market, you now got two. That’s pretty incredible." — Clay Travis [04:08]

• Puzzling Malaise:
  Clay asks why, with all metrics improved, consumer confidence is lower than in rougher times.

  "How is it possible that people today...have a lower level of consumer confidence than they did in 2022, despite the fact that everything is better? Is that a crazy question?" — Clay Travis [07:29]

---

2. Why Are We Hardwired for Negativity?

Timestamp: 08:12 – 11:25

• Human Brain & Evolution:
  Buck explains that the tendency toward negativity is evolutionary, tied to ancestral vigilance.

  "We are a mammalian species...with very much the same biochemistry...when we had to be worried about saber-tooth tigers...our brain now is finding things to be concerned with, to be unhappy with, to be anxious about." — Buck Sexton [08:20]

• Social Media:
  They discuss the outsized influence of social media amplifying negativity, especially among younger generations who grew up entirely online.

  "The downside of social media was greatly underplayed. And we didn’t know—we’re still really figuring out what it is, especially for children." — Clay Travis [10:20]

---

3. Negativity, Conspiracy, and Media Focus

Timestamp: 11:25 – 14:07

• Hardwired for Bad News:
  Buck connects negativity to conspiratorial thinking and media incentives:

  "Conspiracy is essentially an interlocking series of extreme negativity....There's a reason why conspiracy, especially online, does so very well." — Buck Sexton [11:44]

  • Local news, bad news: “If it bleeds, it leads.”
  • Politicians thrive by blaming and highlighting negatives

• Material Progress vs. Perceptions:
  Americans are materially better off than ever but resist hearing it.

  "On a material basis...there’s no question that Americans are better off now than they have ever been...But people get pissed off when you say that." — Buck Sexton [13:00]

---

4. Nostalgia and Remembering Bad Times Fondly

Timestamp: 14:07 – 16:11

• Rose-colored Memories:
  Clay points out Americans’ tendency to look back on difficult times with nostalgia, erasing the harshness.

  "Retrospectively, we remember bad times nostalgically better than they are...So many people have already forgotten, or they don't want to recollect, what happened during COVID and 2022." — Clay Travis [14:39]

---

5. Caller Charles on Sacrifice and Attitudes

Timestamp: 21:31 – 23:11

• Charles from Palm Beach County emphasizes:

  • Older generations made real sacrifices and endured hardship with a long view, while today's culture seeks "easy street" and instant solutions.
  • Americans expect politicians to fix everything without personal adjustment or perseverance.

  "But now it seems like there's an attitude where nobody wants to make a sacrifice, nobody wants to persevere through anything difficult. We want easy street all the time." — Charles, caller [22:01]

  • Charles also critiques growing government dependence vs. empowerment.

• Hosts Praise Charles:

  "Incredibly wise call." — Clay Travis [23:03]
  "I co sign on everything that Charles just said." — Buck Sexton [23:05]

---

6. Culture Shift: Community and Comparison

Timestamp: 24:37 – 28:09

• Negativity vs. Positivity:
  Buck notes modern negativity penalizes optimists.

  "They get annoyed at people who push the positive because you, in this example, are the one telling them...no big deal." — Buck Sexton [25:40]

• Comparison is the Thief of Joy:
  Clay explains social media fuels comparison and resentment by displaying curated lifestyles, even for acquaintances, not just celebrities.

  "You used to judge yourself by people you actually knew and interacted with. Now you judge your life by what somebody else has, that you don't even know very well. And you're resentful..." — Clay Travis [27:03]

---

7. Listener Stories: Changing Generational Discipline

Timestamp: 28:09 – 30:42

• Callers Steve and Mark recall stricter discipline and closer-knit communities in past decades;

  • Steve: "There's not the same kind of community now that there used to be."
  • Buck contrasts current parental surveillance via neighborhood moms and technology with past freedoms.

• Childhood Pranks:
  Clay and Buck share stories from their schooldays, including prank wars, community responses, and the infamous substitute teacher/prank VHS incident.

---

8. Voter Security & Mail-in Ballots

Timestamp: 33:45 – 35:51

• Caller Mark (Las Vegas):
  Decries mail-in ballots and loose voter ID standards in Nevada, recalling stings where non-citizens could register, and ACORN scandals.

  "Mail-in ballots are the biggest threat to our election process. Also...we don't require ID to vote." — Mark, caller [33:56]

• Hosts’ Agreement:
  Buck: Trump is right about needing to restrict mail-in ballots; in-person, ID-required voting is the gold standard.

---

9. Rush Limbaugh Candidate: Zach Lane’s Viral Town Hall (Iowa)

Timestamp: 40:29 – 44:50

• Election News:
  Clay and Buck announce Zach Lane has won the Iowa GOP gubernatorial primary, a candidate with a notable 2009 exchange with President Obama over Obamacare.

  "A big Rush Limbaugh fan is now nominated to run for governor. I think you guys are really gonna enjoy that conversation when we play it for you from back in the day." — Clay Travis [16:15]

• Throwback Audio:

  • [41:19] Rush Limbaugh & Obama clips:

    • Zach Lane’s incisive question: “How in the world can a private corporation...compete with an entity that does not have to worry about making a profit...?”

      "This kid is amazing. And there's no question in my mind. This kid listens to this program." — Rush Limbaugh [42:06]

    • Obama acknowledges the logic in the question, effectively conceding an argument against the public option’s competition with private insurers.

      "Obama just agreed with the student and explained why the centerpiece of his plan...won't work because he can print money." — Rush Limbaugh [43:41]

  • Clay and Buck celebrate the “full circle” of a Rush-inspired listener now ascending in GOP politics.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|------------------|-------| | 04:08 | Clay Travis | “The worst economy in the last 15 years or so...was actually June of 2022....If you had a dollar in the market, you now got two. That’s pretty incredible.” | | 08:20 | Buck Sexton | “We are a mammalian species...with very much the same biochemistry...when we had to be worried about saber-tooth tigers...our brain now is finding things to be concerned with....” | | 13:00 | Buck Sexton | “On a material basis...there’s no question that Americans are better off now than they have ever been...But people get pissed off when you say that.” | | 22:01 | Caller Charles | "...now it seems like there's an attitude where nobody wants to make a sacrifice, nobody wants to persevere through anything difficult. We want easy street all the time." | | 27:03 | Clay Travis | "You used to judge yourself by people you actually knew and interacted with. Now you judge your life by what somebody else has, that you don't even know very well. And you're resentful..." | | 42:06 | Rush Limbaugh | “This kid is amazing. And there's no question in my mind. This kid listens to this program.” | | 43:41 | Rush Limbaugh | “Obama just agreed with the student and explained why the centerpiece of his plan...won't work because he can print money.” |

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Economic Overview: 2022 vs. 2026 – [02:13]–[08:12]
• Negativity Explained – [08:12]–[11:25]
• Media and Conspiracies – [11:25]–[14:07]
• Nostalgia and the Past – [14:07]–[16:11]
• Caller on Sacrifice & Perspective – [21:31]–[23:11]
• Children, Community, and Social Changes – [28:09]–[30:42]
• Election Integrity Concerns – [33:45]–[35:51]
• Zach Lane and the Rush Limbaugh Legacy – [40:29]–[44:50]

---

Overall Tone

• Conversational and analytical, with a mix of humor, nostalgia, and pointed optimism from Clay.
• Cultural critique: Frequent references to generational shifts, psychological tendencies, and political realities.
• Celebratory and full circle: Closes with Rush Limbaugh’s legacy inspiring a new generation of GOP leaders.

---

Takeaways for Listeners

• Despite economic gains, Americans’ psyche is mired in negativity—driven by evolution, amplified by media, and exacerbated by social comparison.
• The culture’s default to pessimism makes political positivity a tough sell—even when facts are on your side.
• Rush Limbaugh’s influence is still felt in conservative political ascendance, as exemplified by Zach Lane’s gubernatorial nomination.
• Listener calls reinforce generational wisdom, communal ties, and skepticism about modern convenience and policies.

---

For those who missed the episode, this hour offers a mix of data-driven hope, deep dives into why America feels down despite being up, and a moment of pride for the Rush-inspired right.

Transcript

[Clay Travis]

This is an iHeart podcast guaranteed human

[Advertisement Announcer]

this July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music, performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at america250.org,

[Clay Travis]

as a consumer, you decide which companies succeed with your purchasing power. PureTalk wants to say a heartfelt thank you for choosing them. Because of you, PureTalk had a record breaking year. You've helped them donate over half a million dollars to America's Warrior Partnership to help prevent veteran suicide. You also help provide 1000 hand sewn made in America flags to veterans and you're supporting US jobs by choosing a proudly American company from the PureTalk family. Thank you for your trust and God Bless America.

[Lingokids Parent]

With my mom and dad living in Orange county, when we bring my five and seven year old to visit, we are sometimes in for a two hour drive that could feel like 10.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Oh, as an avid camper, I know all about this. We'll pack up the RV and know this is either going to be the trip of a lifetime or a complete disaster.

[Lingokids Parent]

Which is why we load up the iPads with Lingokids before we even pull out of the driveway.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

It's what dreams are made of. Lingokids keeps kids engaged and quiet with over 4000 interactive games, songs and shows that kids simply cannot get enough of.

[Lingokids Parent]

You can pack whatever you think you'll need, but Lingokids is the only entertainment you'll need for a stress free car ride.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Or really any ride. Plane, train, hovercraft, whatever.

[Lingokids Parent]

Download Lingokids for free today or unlock

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

even more amazing content with LingoKids.

[Lingokids Parent]

Plus choose the yearly plan and save up to 60%. Search LingoKids in the app Store or Google Play.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Lingo Kids Everything Kids love professional wrestling fans.

[Clay Travis]

The action continues every week. This is total non stop action. TNA Thursday Night Impact every week on AMC. For showtimes and more information visit tna

[Buck Sexton]

wrestling.com welcome back in Clay and Buck. Okay Buck. Yesterday I was a bit of a Debbie Downer. I was sitting around looking at the data. Consumer confidence is looking low. Registering at the University of Michigan. Basically the lowest in the last 50 years. Of late when I go online and I post nice things immediately somebody in the first comment scroll down. That's great if you own stocks. By the way you should own stocks even if you're starting at $5, $10, $15, $20. Build. Teach yourself the value of growing with the best businesses in America. Make long term decisions. 5, 10, 15, 20 even longer years into the horizon. But I decided because one of our callers, I think it was a caller, might have been an email, it might have been a talk backer. I apologize for not remembering exactly her name, but I do remember it was a woman. She said, and we kind of dismissed it. She said, hey, you need to talk about the fact that the price of oil and gas was over $5 a gallon in June of 2022, four years ago. And Buck, you said, well, I think that's gonna be a hard argument to make in the midterm here because people are gonna say, Trump's been in office for two years. I'm not really concerned about what the situation was four years ago. But after she made that comment and I was driving around, I mentioned that gas prices have started to come back down in my neighborhood. This past weekend, I paid $3.90 a gallon. So we're under $4 here in the Nashville area where I live, if you look, not every single gas station, right? I'm not speaking to what every gas station is in your neighborhood. And certainly the people in California are paying a lot more than the people in Texas are, for instance. But I did think it was instructive. I was thinking, like, why is there this national malaise? Why are so many people out there unhappy with the state of the economy? Why is confidence so low? And Buck, I decided, you know what? The worst economy in the last 15 years or so, I think it's fair to say, was actually June of 2022. This is leaving aside the fact that everything shut down for Covid, this is the fallout of COVID everybody deciding, hey, we can spend trillions of dollars. There's no impact whatsoever. And I decided to go back in time and do a little bit of a research project and try to remind myself of what almost exactly four years ago we were dealing with. And here is what the data reflected for me, Buck, that I do think is pretty significant. The inflation rate in June of 2022 was 9.1%, 9.1% in June of 2022. Also, the price, an average price of gas nationwide was over $5. That is roughly 70% more, $0.70 more per gallon than we are paying right now. Four years later, when everybody is saying, oh my God, gas prices, the murder rate was roughly 6.3% per hundred thousand. It now has dropped to 4 per 100,000. So in four years, we have gone from 9%, 9.1% inflation to frankly, around 3. It's about 2.8 if you discount for the fluctuating price of oil and gas. We've gone from over $5 a gallon to down to about 420. And we have dropped the overall national murder rate from around 6 per 100 to around 4 per 100. That's a big decline. That's pretty extraordinary accomplishment. Simultaneously, the stock market, the s and P500, has doubled since June of 2022. That means if you had a dollar in the market, you now got two. That's pretty incredible. And that's just in the last four years now, are there? And by the way, that doesn't even factor in that people were being fired for not getting the COVID shots, that we were still being lectured for not wearing MA masks. How is it possible that people today, in 2026, have a lower level of consumer confidence than they did in 2022, despite the fact that everything is better? Is that a crazy question? There's some optimism for you, Buck. If you look four years ago, you and I were on this radio program in June of 2022. Murder rate skyrocketing, 9%, inflation. The stock market was half of where it is right now and was down about a thousand points from where it had been. Uh, and people were still getting fired for not getting the COVID shot. You were still getting lectured in some parts of America for not wearing a mask when you went into a restaurant. That was just four years ago. How is it possible that national consumer confidence is lower today than it was four years ago, when everything is not just better, it's light years better in 2026 than it was in 2022? Is this crazy? Is that too much optimism to start off the third hour of a Wednesday with Buck? This is what I was doing last night. Research. I'm looking around, I'm like, all right, I want to look at the data. I want data, not feelings. Facts, not feelings. As our friend Ben Shapiro likes to say.

[Clay Travis]

Why are human beings drawn to negativity? That's the.

[Buck Sexton]

This is actually a big picture question.

[Clay Travis]

No, it is, though. And I think that it is the only real answer to what you were saying. We are, and I'm going to go way deep here for a second or way back for a second. We are a mammalian species that has been evolving for tens of thousands of years, and we have very much the same biochemistry with some tweaks and things here and there. But the same biochemistry that we did, Clay, when we had to be worried about saber tooth tigers.

[Buck Sexton]

Yep.

[Clay Travis]

When we had to. Which I've always thought were particularly scary. The big teeth, all kinds of. The short faced bear, for example, which is like a grizzly bear on steroids. It's like a double grizzly bear, if you will. There are these things. Whatever it was actually other human beings was probably the single biggest threat that we faced. If you actually read about early mankind and tribes and how we interacted with each other, it wasn't very nice. But my point here is we have systems set up for anxiety to be a thing that preserves your life, for concern to be something that has to be at the front of your mind. Because it used to be we got to be on our game and vigilant all the time so that we can survive. Now we have to remind ourselves to get off the couch, stop eating the pistachio ice cream, the most delicious flavor, turn Netflix off, go get some steps and, and you know, basically find things. We, our brain now is finding things be concerned with, to be unhappy with, to be anxious about. I think this is a really big problem in just the modern world in general. I do think you're right about social media amplifying a lot of these things. I don't want to, you know, like, to me, cigarettes are nothing but downside. So that's why I think social media

[Buck Sexton]

actually has a lot of really beneficial uses.

[Clay Travis]

So maybe that's a little bit of my, you said to your cigarettes point. I think the downside of social media was greatly underplayed. And we didn't know we were still really figuring out what it is, especially for children. You and I didn't grow up with it. Right?

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah. One reason we're a little bit psychologically healthier than some kids who did.

[Clay Travis]

I mean, you know, Clay was, you know, Clay was graduating from college and like everybody was still doing Napster. And you know, it was a very different time. Very different time.

[Buck Sexton]

This is a big conversation. But I do think one reason that people roughly in our age groups are able to have success in media is we grew up without the Internet, largely many people in our age. But we are young enough that we learned how to use the Internet. So we have actual real world life growing up experience. But then we also can translate that into how to communicate on the Internet. And I think that's that hybrid. That bridge generation is actually particularly skilled in this space in a way that others might not be.

[Clay Travis]

And so, but back, back to the overall thesis. I just think that if you, you can reason this out yourself, and I believe you'll come to the same conclusion. And this is also why people not only are drawn to negativity and also to conspiracy. Conspiracy is essentially interlocking series of, of extreme negativity. And like there's always this overarching there they are going to get us or there is some evil group that is doing all these terrible things, it's going to keep getting more terrible. There's a reason why conspiracy, especially online, does so very well. And yes, I know some conspiracies, a lot lately have actually come true. But in general, whether it's true or not, it automatically grabs your attention, right? And I think that human beings are hardwired in this way. We're meant to find negativity. We're meant to say, oh my gosh, there's a. What's the most classic hackneyed thing you can see, Clay on local news? The product you have in your house that's killing you that you don't even know about tonight at 11. You know, like, this is. Why is that? Why does that work so well? And so to what you're saying about why people don't want to hear right now, and by the way, we might have had people who are like, literally, you know, like, I'm going to listen to some country music now or turning off. Everything you're saying is true. I totally agree with you. And I think that it's important that people hear this. The same way that I thought it was important to say Trump Year one was just ass kicking for America. It was fantastic. Trump Year two has been, you know, some bumps here and there, but overall I think still going very well. And you want to enjoy these moments because they're not going to last. But a lot of people would rather just tell you everything is always screwed, everything is always set against you. It's a way to get attention, it's a way to get people to believe you. And I think it just goes to the exploitation of our underlying hardware, which is to look for threats, look for the negative, look for the scary thing. And you know, you, part of wisdom and part of virtue is looking beyond those things and overcoming that and actually appreciating what is good. But already I feel like I'm boring people by agreeing that things are really good actually in a lot of respects in this country. In fact, I think you could argue that from, on a material basis, there's no question that Americans are better off now than they have Ever been on a material basis, not on a relative basis to their bills or whatever. I'm talking about, this is the Warren Buffett thing. The food you have, the medical care you have the average size of the American house, the average access to AC and the Internet and all these things. Better now than it has ever been. People get pissed off when you say that. And if you want to win an election, you tell everybody, look at how bad everything is, and then you find the person to blame for it. So this is what we're up against.

[Buck Sexton]

The other part of this that I should have added on more positivity. Murder rates collapsing. A lot of people didn't believe that was possible. But also average lifespans have set an all time record. So we are killing people less frequently than ever before and we are living longer than ever before. Both of those are very positive. And for people out there that don't want to hear it, because to Buck's point, there is a proclivity for negativity. If it bleeds, it leads. Has been a phrase that I've heard my whole life, particularly when it comes to local news, just compared to 2022. I also think, Buck, you were talking about the instinct for negativity, for bad news to be leading the news cycle more frequently. Here's another part about this. I will say it's not only that bad news leads, it's that retrospectively we remember bad times nostalgically better than they are. Oh yeah, right. So many people have already forgotten or they don't want to live through and recollect what happened during COVID and 2022. 9.1% inflation. The worst for most. The worst of my life. The worst for most of you. If you're. That you can remember, if you're in the neighborhood of 50 or younger, if you're in that world now, nostalgically, people are looking back on 22. So people are going to be mad at me for sharing all that data. But the s and P500 is doubled in four years. The murder rate has dropped from 6 per 1,000 to 4 per 100,000. That's unbelievable. Inflation has gone from 9% to roughly 3%. Gas is nearly 70 cents cheaper per gallon than it was four years ago on almost this exact day in June. And the average lifespan is higher than it has ever been in the history of the United States. Things are actually trending very well in many different parts of American life now. People might not feel like they are.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, they're throwing tomatoes at you in their heads. Right now, buddy, you're getting tomatoed.

[Buck Sexton]

There is a difference between how people feel and what the reality of the numbers can reflect. We'll take some of your calls, some of your talk backs. Also, I want to hit you with some more details on on this Platner story that is out there. Not yet what Buck said might happen, but we'll get to that and more. And I want to play for you what happened in Iowa. A big Rush Limbaugh fan is now nominated to run for governor. I think you guys are really going to enjoy that conversation when when we play it for you from back in the day. But first, I want to tell you all about Sabre. Are you worried that when you have young kids or maybe you have grandkids and they're out late hours, maybe they're working summer jobs, maybe you got a daughter who's going to a new college, maybe you got a granddaughter who's going to be moving to a new city and you want to know that she's going to be safe. You want to know that your kids are going to be safe. That's what Saber Smart Pepper Spray is all about. It's available on Amazon. You can order it today. Have it delivered quickly. Handheld device, easily stored in a purse or backpack. When it's activated, Saber Smart technology is attached to a pepper sprayer. Will alert up to five different emergency contacts. When it's used, you will know. You will get a location. Peace of mind you can't put a price on for you and your family. Get protection. Stay connected. Search Saber Smart Pepper Spray on Amazon to get it today. That's Saber Smart S A B R E Smart pepper spray on Amazon. Get it today because when it comes to your kids, you don't leave safety to chance.

[Clay Travis]

Preset your pals Clay and buck on the iHeart app.

[Buck Sexton]

The clay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast is proud to be supported by Grand Canyon University, an affordable, private, nonprofit Christian university based in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. They say higher education is outdated, irrelevant. GCU doesn't settle for the status quo, they shatter it.

[Clay Travis]

At gcu, academically rigorous, industry driven programs are built to move at the speed of relevance, with practical skills, career readiness and opportunity for every learner. GCU believes education shouldn't be a privilege, but an affordable path forward for all.

[Buck Sexton]

Grounded in Christian truth, GCU works to empower the next generation to lead with integrity, serve with purpose and help transform their communities, building a future that matters. GCU is purpose driven education. Take action. Find your purpose at GCU. Private, Christian, affordable, non profit visit gcu.edu to learn more.

[Advertisement Announcer]

This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the large Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music, performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark [e-mail]

[Clay Travis]

if your credit card balance is higher than you'd like to see after all the holiday spending, here's one way to cut expenses without sacrificing quality. Cut your cell phone bill in half by switching to Pure Talk Saver plan. It's just $20 a month for unlimited talk, text and 3 gigs of high speed data on PureTalk Superfast nationwide 5G network.

[Buck Sexton]

And as a veteran led company, who cares about giving back to those who serve? If you're active or former military or a first responder, you'll save an additional 20% every single month. Reduce your monthly recurring bills starting with your cell phone bill.

[Clay Travis]

Go to PureTalk.com buck and make the switch today in as little as 10 minutes. Again, talk, text and data for just $20 a month. That's PureTalk.com buck and you'll save an additional 50% off your first month. Pure Talk, America's Wireless company With my

[Lingokids Parent]

mom and dad living in Orange county, when we bring my five and seven year old to visit, we are sometimes in for a two hour drive that could feel like 10.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Oh, as an avid camper, I know all about this. We'll pack up the RV and know this is either going to be the trip of a lifetime or a complete dis.

[Lingokids Parent]

Which is why we load up the iPads with Lingokids before we even pull out of the driveway.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

It's what dreams are made of. Lingokids keeps kids engaged and quiet with over 4000 interactive games, songs and shows that kids simply cannot get enough of.

[Lingokids Parent]

You can pack whatever you think you'll need, but Lingokids is the only entertainment you'll need for a stress free car ride.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Or really any ride, plane, train, hovercraft, whatever.

[Lingokids Parent]

Download Lingokids for free today or unlock

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

even more amazing content with LingoKids.

[Lingokids Parent]

Plus choose the yearly plan and save up to 60%. Search LingoKids in the App Store or

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Google Play Lingokids everything kids love.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in here to Clay and Buck. Like all the positivity that you were starting to solve today.

[Buck Sexton]

Loaded lines with my Positivity. By the way, we can get to some of these in the second half of the program.

[Clay Travis]

Here we go. Charles in Palm Beach County, Florida. What's going on?

[Caller Charles]

Charles?

[Caller Charles (continued)]

Yes. How you doing today?

[Clay Travis]

We're good.

[Buck Sexton]

We're great.

[Clay Travis]

Thanks.

[Buck Sexton]

Thank you for listening.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, you're on.

[Caller Mark]

Okay.

[Caller Charles (continued)]

Basic. Yeah, basically I called because I heard you talking about how people are complaining because of the gas, because this, because that.

[Caller Steve]

But I remember when I, when my

[Caller Charles (continued)]

grandmother used to talk to us about what they went through in their 30s where they had to really make sacrifices when they had to go without and

[Caller Mark]

they

[Caller Charles (continued)]

sacrifice and went through that period of time knowing that they were going to be something better on the other side. But now people feel like, you know, if it gets a little tight or whatever, they want to complain, but they won't say, well, we need to cut back. We need to manage our money better, work within our means. Hey, let's drive slower. Let's leave earlier. Let's make fewer trips. We can do things to adjust to the situation, knowing that this situation is not permanent. But now it seems like there's an attitude where nobody wants to make a sacrifice, nobody want to persevere through anything difficult. We won't easy street all the time and the president can't make those changes. He has to make structural changes. Just like people talk about. Well, we want to, we want about the tax you got. You can cut tax. That means that people go invest and open up jobs and factors. Everything can do that. And then there's more money people pocket. But they don't want to cut taxes because they want the government to grow or that business grow. I mean the government to grow so that they can spend more money on nonprofit program that really don't empower the people. It just keeps them enslaved to a system.

[Clay Travis]

Incredibly wise call.

[Buck Sexton]

Nodding along with everything. Thank you, Charles. We're going to a break. I agree with I co sign on everything that Charles just said.

[Clay Travis]

I'm sad we have to go to a break. I was going to let Charles just do the next segment.

[Buck Sexton]

Charles could stay. Look, when we come back, this is I will take more of your calls. A lot of you want to weigh in. I also think Charles hit on something significant and I'm going to kind of build on it a little bit more when we come back about what the culture is nowadays and how it's changed some. We can't imagine what it's like to live in a nation constantly under attack with bombs raining down every day, thankfully. But a lot of people in Israel well, that's their reality. And for those of us out there that are Christians, for those of us that are Jews, that are trying to make the world a better and safer place, that's exactly what the IFCJ does. It's an American based organization, the Fellowship of Christians and Jews. They've worked for over 40 years to try to make life better for people that need a lot of help. You can help them. You can join me in helping them by going to prayifcj.org to submit a prayer to people in need. That's prayifcj.org pray if you ifcj.org welcome back in Clay and Buck, I tried to be super optimistic. Doubled S&P 500 murder rate has collapsed. Inflation has gone from 9 to 3%. Average lifespan has hit an all time high. Infinitely better numbers since four years ago.

[Clay Travis]

This is important because going back to my, you know, I actually took anthropology in college. So yeah, you know, so I stayed at a Holiday Express last night. You know what I'm saying? I know some things about some stuff. It was actually economic anthropology is what they called it. But Clay, in this example, before we get to these loaded lines, which I want to do, you are like the caveman who is telling everybody, oh no, it's fine, there's no saber toothed tiger out there. And now even if you are correct, people are gonna get ticked off at you because they're like, what do you mean, buddy, why am I, why am I gonna listen to you? If I'm, if you're wrong, I get eaten by a saber toothed tiger. If I am freaked out and stay in the cave. We got a fighting chance if that thing comes in here. So my point is, not only do people get drawn to negative in commentary, but they get annoyed at people who push the positive. Because you in this example are the one telling them, come on, a short faced bear, it's like a big puppy, no big deal.

[Buck Sexton]

Let me give you another good data point. I just saw this come across my thread, May in Baltimore. Eight homicides so far this year. That compares to 39 in May of 2020 and May of 2021. So what is that? A 80% decline in murders in Baltimore as an example of what we have seen since 2020. Let me hit you with one more idea and then I'm going to go to these calls. I want you guys to think about this because I spend a lot of time thinking about it. But when I was using social media and made the analogy that it's cigarettes, mentally, it's like cigarettes for your brain. Doesn't mean that there's not some benefit to it. But I think one reason why people are so unhappy. Buck, think about this. Your anthropological background here. I think it's because the analogy I used was when we were growing up. Buck, you remember Robin Leach, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous? You could probably do his voice. Well, because I think you can.

[Clay Travis]

He's got a 200 foot yacht waiting for him off the back of his incredible mansion.

[Buck Sexton]

You might be different because you lived in New York City. I didn't know anybody that was actually that rich. And I didn't know anybody certainly that was famous at all. My point on that is we watched television and we saw people. You could also say younger people, cribs. Back in the day, people who were super rich were removed from us. And let me also build on the analogy. People who were super attractive. Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra. You run through any of those women? We knew we were probably never going to meet them. Nowadays on social media, people are exposed to wealth. They may have a friend who's wealthy, they may have a friend who's incredibly good looking. And they're constantly judging themselves by the best curated version of somebody else's life. And comparison is the thief of joy. And it leads to overwhelming, I think, dismay at your own life. You used to judge yourself by people that you actually knew and interacted with. Now you judge your life by what somebody else has and that you don't even know very well. And you're resentful because you don't have it. I think this is growing. I think there's a rising tide of resentment. I think Democrats are going to tap into it and it doesn't matter what the facts are in your life. It's not as good as the richer person that you're experiencing.

[Clay Travis]

Right. But now I get to hear people yell at you. Steve in Allentown, what have you got for us?

[Caller Steve]

Make a quick comment on when I was little, if I got in trouble at my friend's house after my Aunt Helen got done disciplining me, before I got home, she had called my mom. And when I got home, I got disciplined again. I didn't misbehave because I knew better.

[Caller Charles (continued)]

Thank you.

[Buck Sexton]

Okay. I don't know how that connects with anything. Did we miss this happen? I appreciate the fact that you didn't misbehave because you knew you were going to get in trouble

[Clay Travis]

on the chart for good behavior. You know, he was good.

[Caller Steve]

I'm saying is there's a Lot less. There's not the same kind of community now that there used to be. When I was, When I was a kid, everybody knew everybody and you couldn't get away with anything. I'll never forget my idiot brother. My older brother got caught for soap and windows Halloween, and he wasn't smart enough to go out of the neighborhood and somebody saw him. And what was really funny was we got to watch him clean wash all their windows.

[Buck Sexton]

Thank you. Thank you for the call. I will say this, and I don't know. My kids can't get away with anything because of the neighborhoods that we have lived in for their youth. They do anything. And we like to make jokes about buck that the moms are like a CIA corps. They're on the phone before they can get home. And texting and everything else. Every kid that does anything in my neighborhood for the last 10 years, they. They know way more about them than my generation when we just rode the bus home and nobody had any idea what was going on. My parents both worked like the moms these days, it feels like to me are. A lot of them are very plugged in.

[Clay Travis]

Wait, what was, what was the prank that you saw someone else do or the thing you saw someone else do as a kid that you were the most. Oh, my gosh, this person's in so much trouble. You know what I mean? Was there anything you ever saw somebody.

[Buck Sexton]

Kids still do this, but the throwing eggs thing is not a good thing to do. You used to egg somebody's like, you know, their mailbox or the house or God forbid, a car. And I would be like, this is a really bad decision. Like, I don't know that kids egg as much as they did back in the day. Eggs might have gotten too expensive to egg there for a while, but I do think, what about you? Is there some. What did people do in New York City too?

[Clay Travis]

There was a. There was a. A well known incident in my school. My, my St. David's School. It was a little more rough and tumble back in the day. It's now very, very posh. But it was a little bit rough and tumble for a, For a private Catholic school. And there was a teacher who was a substitute teacher. And you remember when they used to have those televisions that were on the, you know, the, like the trolley, you know what I mean?

[Buck Sexton]

Television got rolled into the room back in the day.

[Clay Travis]

They roll the TV in the room. This is how old school we are with the VHS tape and the teacher. I was not in this class, but I remember hearing about this. And I remember hearing that it was an absolute pandemonium in the class. The teacher had put a video cassette in that was like a sort of Bill Nye the Science Guy. Like, let's look at atoms together. And they knew that this was gonna happen because it was a substitute teacher day. Someone in the class switched out the videotape with a. With pornographic material. Yes.

[Buck Sexton]

This happened at a Catholic school.

[Clay Travis]

Yes. And the teacher stepped out. Like, basically told one of the students, would you just press play for a second? He stepped out to have a conversation.

[Buck Sexton]

So I.

[Clay Travis]

Again, my older brother was in this. In this class. So I've heard this story many. My older brother, Mason. Teacher stepped out for maybe 30 seconds out into the hallway. And you can imagine this. I think there were seventh or eighth graders at the time. Went absolutely bonkers at the.

[Buck Sexton]

That's actually really, really funny. The poor teacher that actually stepped out. That is tough.

[Clay Travis]

By the way, they found the kid, and the kid got expelled, like, summarily like that.

[Buck Sexton]

I don't think I would have expelled him. I mean, that's. I get it. But that's kind of funny. I would have been a lenient.

[Clay Travis]

Okay, first of all, no one thinks that Principal Clay would expel again.

[Buck Sexton]

I would have been. I would have been a lenient. A lenient judge on that one. Buck. This is actually dark. I hadn't thought about in a long time. When I was in seventh or eighth grade, a kid tried to burn down the school. Arson.

[Caller Charles (continued)]

Whoa.

[Buck Sexton]

He did not want to go to our school. And he lit, like, multiple times that people were like, who's this would be arsonist. He caught the curtains on the stage in the. On fire. And we were minutes away from the whole building going down. And that was when we had. You know, you're a kid, you have fire drills, and, you know, you're. Most of the time, you kind of roll your eyes. It's not usually an actual fire. I remember going out and there being smoke everywhere. Firefighters. I don't know what they did to the kid. Vaguely remember his name. Probably not good one to say on the air he was a minor. But I kind of wonder what happened to that kid who tried to burn down the school multiple times. Let's see. Mark in Las Vegas, what you got for us?

[Caller Mark]

Hey, guys, thanks for taking my call. I listened to you as much as I can, and I thank you for being so informative.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, for sure. Thank you.

[Caller Mark]

The reason for my call is I tuned in when you were talking about how long it's going to Take to count the votes in California. I live in Nevada and we're just. We take almost as long as California does. And I was a lead investigator on election matters in our state for a period of time when I was working. I'm retired now. And I'll tell you, mail in ballots are the biggest threat to our election process. Also in Nevada, we don't require ID to vote. And I would go out on stings, tell guys that are registering people to vote. Hey, I'm from Canada. I'm just down here for a couple of months enjoying myself. Can I. You want. Can I register? Oh, absolutely, yeah. Just sign right here. In fact, back in acorn, I don't know if you remember that situation where ACORN was operating in different states, especially in Nevada, registering people. We went out to investigate ACORN outlet here in Nevada that would register the entire front line of the Dallas Cowboys, because they're getting paid for this.

[Buck Sexton]

Thank you for the call. Look, mail in ballots. This is where, again, we've been hammering this. Trump's right. We should do away with mail in ballots. I think New Hampshire's got this right, Buck. I believe it's in New Hampshire they almost give no absentee ballots and everybody has to show up pretty much on election day and vote. That, to me, is the perfect way to have a secure election. Now, I also think early voting, if you wanna allow early voting in person for several weeks, I'm. I'm fine with that too. But this idea of, hey, we're gonna let millions of people, we're just gonna send out ballots like California does to every registered voter. Who knows what happens to those ballots and how many versions they are, how long it takes to tally. We're dealing with this right now. It's broken.

[Clay Travis]

Let's go to a quick break here, Clay, because you mentioned this Rush talking about Zach Lon and Obamacare, and we have these clips. So let's, let's come back into that because we said we would get to it. Technology is a beautiful thing. We often marvel about it on this show. Take our sponsor, Rapid Radios. They make walkie talkies capable of connecting you with another person anywhere in the US with the push of a button. Rapid Radios are perfect for people who want easy, instant communication. There are no range limits, no monthly bills, no complicated setups, and no technical headaches either. If you buy these for. For dad this Father's Day, all he has to do is literally turn them on and start talking because they're trusted by first responders, law enforcement, and over half a million users nationwide, you can safely assume that rapid radios are built tough and reliable for everyday use. Right now for Father's Day you get over $300 in free gear with your order, including a tactical radio bag and an EMP Faraday bag. Every order also comes with a 30 day money back guarantee so you can buy with confidence. Skip the tie or the coffee mug this year. Give Dad a tool he'll use and appreciate every single day. Go to rapidradios.com get free shipping from Michigan Rapid Radios the Father's Day gift that keeps you connected Rapid Radios Communication Redefined it's like having your house at

[Buck Sexton]

the perfect temperature all the time. Preset Clay and Buck on the Iheart Apple the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast is proud to be supported by Grand Canyon University, an affordable, private, non profit Christian university based in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. They say higher education is outdated, irrelevant. GCU doesn't settle for the status quo, they shatter it at gcu.

[Clay Travis]

Academically rigorous, industry driven programs are built to move at the speed of relevance with practical skills, career readiness and opportunity for every learner. GCU believes education shouldn't be a privilege, but an affordable path forward for all.

[Buck Sexton]

Grounded in Christian truth, GCU works to empower the next generation to lead with integrity, serve with purpose and help transform their communities. Building a future that matters. GCU is Purpose Driven Education. Take action. Find your purpose at GCU Private Christian, affordable nonprofit. Visit gcu.edu to learn more.

[Advertisement Announcer]

This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark [e-mail]

[Caller Charles (continued)]

if

[Clay Travis]

your credit card balance is higher than you'd like to see after all the holiday spending, here's one way to cut expenses without sacrificing quality. Cut your cell phone bill in half by switching to PureTalk's Saver plan. It's just $20 a month for unlimited talk texts and and three gigs of high speed data on Pure Talk superfast nationwide 5G network.

[Buck Sexton]

And as a veteran led company who cares about giving back to those who serve? If you're active or former military or a first responder, you'll save an additional 20% every single month. Reduce your monthly recurring bills starting with your cell phone bill go to PureTalk.com

[Clay Travis]

buck and make the switch today in as little as 10 minutes. Again, talk, text and data for just $20 a month. That's PureTalk.com buck and you'll save an additional 50% off your first month. PureTalk, America's wireless company.

[Buck Sexton]

Mom, can I have Lingokids? Dad, Lingokids, please. When did we become the Lingokids house?

[Lingokids Parent]

No idea. Last week it was dinosaurs.

[Buck Sexton]

This week it's Lingokids. Why Lingokids? Because it's the best thing ever. We can play games with astronauts, wild animals and superheroes.

[Advertisement Announcer]

With more than 4,000 interactive games, songs

[Buck Sexton]

and shows, LingoKids is the number one entertainment platform for young kids.

[Lingokids Parent]

So no dinosaurs and dinosaurs.

[Buck Sexton]

Everything kids love, download it for free.

[Clay Travis]

Closing up shop today on Clay and Buck and Clay, you actually were the one leading the charge on this, so I'll let you. But before that, I just want to say thank you to the normally podcast Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Ham. They co host that show on the Clay and Buck podcast network. They threw that party for me in D.C. yesterday. It was a great time. We had Dr. Oz show up. We had Andy Giuliani, we had Gorka. We had all kinds of fun folks in the mix. And yeah, man, it was great. It was great. Clay, take it away.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes. So we're still waiting to see what the results are going to be in California, unfortunately. But we do have the results from Iowa. And there was a bit of an upset as Zachary Lane has beaten Randy Feenstra. Zach Lane is going to be the Iowa nominee for the Republican Party to be the next governor of Iowa. And I saw this circulating now that Zach Lane has won the primary, very close race in Iowa. He challenged Barack Obama back in 2009 about Obamacare. This is going viral. He also is a big fan of Rush Limbaugh. We need to get him on the radio program. But I thought you guys would enjoy this. We have broken it up into two parts. This is back in 2009. Listen.

[Rush Limbaugh (clip)]

This is from Grand Junction, Colorado on Saturday. Obama and a town hall meeting. Zach Lane.

[Barack Obama (clip)]

I'd love to have a debate just all out anytime, Oxford style, if you'd like. I understand how I'm willing to do that. But my question is this. We all know the best way to to reduce prices in this economy is to increase competition. How in the world can a private corporation providing insurance compete with an entity that does not have to worry about making a profit, does not have to pay local property taxes. They do not have to. They're not subject to local regulations. How can a company compete with that? And I'm not looking for anything. I don't want generalities. I don't. Philosophical arguments. I'm just asking a question.

[Rush Limbaugh (clip)]

This kid is amazing. And there's no question in my mind. This kid listens to this program.

[Clay Travis]

In fact.

[Rush Limbaugh (clip)]

Well, no, not really. And there's. There's a New York Times column today. Ross doubted and he just point blank says that these town hall meetings are filled with limb ball listeners. How does a private entity compete with a company doesn't have to make a profit. The government. Stop talking generalities and philosophical arguments.

[Buck Sexton]

This kid, my name's Zach Lane.

[Rush Limbaugh (clip)]

His student challenges the president to a debate. Then with one simple question that Obama can't answer nukes the entire foundation of Obamacare.

[Buck Sexton]

I thought this was awesome. We have a second part of the clip, but that is Rush Limbaugh giving a shout out in 2009 to the current nominee to be the next governor of Iowa on behalf of the Republican Party. That's pretty cool, right? This is going viral. Here's the second part. I think this is Obama responding to Zach Lane's question. Again, Zach Lane, back in the day going at it with Obama over Obamacare.

[Rush Limbaugh (clip)]

Listen, listen to this answer.

[Caller Charles]

It is true that there are certain costs associated with a private business that a government would not have to worry about. You mentioned a couple of them. It's conceivable that a private entity that's having to pay a certain interest rate for their money would be really undermined if the government is able to get money much cheaper. Implicitly because Uncle Sam backs this operation. I think there are ways that we can address those competitive issues. And you're absolutely right. If they're not entirely addressed, then that raises a set of legitimate problems.

[Rush Limbaugh (clip)]

Well, here you have a rambling answer. And Obama just agreed with the student and explained why the centerpiece of his plan, the public option, won't work because he can print money. He didn't say that. But when he says, well, Uncle Sam, you know, get money much cheaper implicitly because Uncle Sam beck print it. It's our tax. People just go out and take it from people. Private insurance companies can't do that. So this student gets Obama to admit that his whole plan won't work. As he himself said, this kid is amazing.

[Buck Sexton]

I just. What a perfect circle here. Now, Zach Lane, congratulations. The Iowa Republican nominee to be the next governor of the state of Iowa. And I would imagine when you get him on the program. But I would imagine that Anyone listening to us right now in Iowa is pretty gung ho about going to vote for this guy. And certainly major salute from us on behalf of Rush and this program to taking people back to 2009. And now it's come full circle.

[Clay Travis]

That's good. We, I like, I like, I like how we brought it all full circle. That at the end, you know what I'm saying? There's some, there's some balance to that. There's some synchronicity, you could say.

[Buck Sexton]

That's how we watch. You gonna watch your Knicks tonight? Are they gonna win?

[Clay Travis]

I am.

[Caller Mark]

The Spurs.

[Clay Travis]

The Knicks in six, my friends. The Knicks in six.

[Advertisement Announcer]

This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party. Hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music, performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark [e-mail]

[Lingokids Parent]

with my mom and dad living in Orange county, when we bring my five and seven year old to visit, we are sometimes in for a two hour drive that could feel like 10.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Oh, as an avid camper, I know all about this. We'll pack up the RV and know this is either going to be the trip of a lifetime or a complete disaster.

[Lingokids Parent]

Which is why we load up the iPads with Lingokids before we even pull out of the driveway.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

It's what dreams are made of. Lingokids keeps kids engaged and quiet with over 4000 interactive games, songs and shows that kids simply cannot get enough of.

[Lingokids Parent]

You can pack whatever you think you'll need, but Lingokids is the only entertainment you'll need for a stress free car ride.

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Or really any ride, plane, train, hovercraft, whatever.

[Lingokids Parent]

Download Lingokids for free today or unlock

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

even more amazing content with LingoKids.

[Lingokids Parent]

Plus choose the yearly plan and save up to 60%. Search LingoKids in the App Store or

[Lingokids Spokesperson]

Google Play Lingokids everything kids love Professional wrestling fans.

[Clay Travis]

The action continues every week. This is total non stop action. TNA Thursday Night Impact Every week on AMC. For showtimes and more information, visit tnarestling.com

[Buck Sexton]

Combat sports fans this January, it's the Bruise Cruise Party with fighters. Watch a bare knuckle fighting event live in the Caribbean. Plus DJs, bands and chaos at sea. Prices increase soon. Hop aboard now. Go to bkfsea.com.