The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 3: Sen. Ron Johnson Fireworks
Date: February 13, 2026
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts
Summary by Expert Podcast Summarizer

Episode Overview

This hour of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show features a lively and wide-ranging discussion on border and immigration policy, government shutdown politics, and media narratives, highlighted by a fiery interview with Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. The second half shifts gears to a playful pop culture debate about Taylor Swift's place in music history—specifically whether she is “this generation’s Beatles.” Throughout, hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton balance political seriousness with signature humor and banter, especially about Valentine’s Day “pitfalls” for men.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Senator Ron Johnson on Sanctuary Cities and Law Enforcement (02:41–15:13)

Main Topics:

• Johnson’s confrontation with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in Senate hearing.
• The legal and safety implications of sanctuary cities.
• The organized resistance to federal immigration enforcement.
• Broader funding and NGO involvement supporting migration and opposition to enforcement.
• The upcoming partial government shutdown and its limited impact.
• The GOP’s legislative agenda, with focus on election integrity and voter ID.

Highlights and Quotes:

• Sen. Johnson on Ellison’s Attitude:
  “It is incredibly proud of himself and very smug about it. ... as I'm describing it just, it just, you know, he just got so under my skin just watching him just sit there and smile.” (04:35)

• Exchange from the Hearing (audio clip):
  “A tragedy was going to happen and you encouraged it. And you ought to feel damn guilty about it... Yeah, sit there and smirk. Smirk. It's sick. It is despicable.” – Johnson to Ellison (06:35)

• Buck Sexton’s setup:
  "We should let everyone actually hear how this went. This is cut 29. Play it." (06:26)

• Johnson’s rebuttal to Ellison calling him a liar:
  “Everything I said about him was the truth... I said, you've encouraged people to put themselves in danger. And that was kind of my whole point. I can't imagine asking MAGA folks to go out and put themselves in danger, start obstructing legal law enforcement officials knowing that something bad could happen. And that's exactly what Keith Ellison did. ... He's just smug about. ... Honestly, for the two martyrs that they did help create.” (07:05)

• Clay Travis on legal authority over immigration:
  "The federal government has the constitutional right to determine immigration policies... how in the world are people not getting arrested for sanctuary city policies... they are directly defying federal immigration law as it's being applied by the President..." (08:08)

• Johnson on political and NGO funding:
  "This is one great big mercurially financed but well organized effort by the radical left. ... It's nation state actors that are adversaries to us. It's transnational criminal organizations. ... They want to turn America into one party nation." (09:44–11:51)

Timestamps:

• [02:41] – Segment begins; context of sanctuary city debate.
• [04:35] – Johnson's background and critique of Ellison.
• [06:35] – Fiery hearing exchange audio.
• [07:05] – Johnson rebuts “theatrical performance” criticism.
• [08:08] – Travis presses on the legality of sanctuary status.

2. Looming Government Shutdown and Legislative Fights (11:51–15:13)

Main Topics:

• Real-world consequences (or lack thereof) of a "partial government shutdown."
• Republican and Democrat strategies, and the role of media.
• The importance and difficulty of passing voting reforms (Save America Act, Voter ID).

Highlights and Quotes:

• Johnson on the shutdown:
  "Very little is going to really be shut down that's noticeable... Air traffic controllers are being paid because they're normally the first people to start digging the heels in and really make it painful on a shutdown..." (12:12)

• Johnson on future legislative hopes:
  “If we don't get control over our elections, if we can't secure them, prevent cheating, it's literally existential... But again, I don't want to get people's expectations up. This is tough about the public coming up and actually putting pressure on Democrats for a change.” (13:47)

Timestamps:

• [11:51] – Shutdown context and media optics.
• [13:19] – Prospects for Voter ID legislation.

3. Pop Culture Throwdown: Is Taylor Swift This Generation's Beatles? (20:19–36:56)

Main Topics:

• Clay Travis reiterates his claim that Taylor Swift is today's Beatles, facing skepticism from Buck.
• Clips and commentary from Ringo Starr (“Taylor Swift is this generation’s Beatles,” 21:39), Gene Simmons, and listener calls.
• Debate on cultural impact, longevity, and musical influence.
• Buck argues true test is lasting musical legacy, not momentary popularity.

Highlights and Quotes:

• Clay Travis’ victory lap:
  “I made the indisputable argument that Taylor Swift was the Beatles of her era... But then guess what has happened. Ringo Starr... said Taylor Swift is this Generation's Beatles.” (20:38)

• Ringo Starr audio clip:
  “I do. I think Taylor Swift is great anyway. Yeah. And she's pulling them in... when we talk about her, I always have to mention that the first time I met her, she was 14 and she was at the Grammys with her mother. Taylor is the now one.” (21:39)

• Buck’s skepticism:
  “Have you heard music today, Clay? ... Ringo—it's like, does anyone even remember this guy was in the Beatles?... If Paul McCartney comes out and says this, I’d put a little more stock.” (22:05)

• Gene Simmons’ commentary:
  “It's more than music. And the only analogy I can point to is the Swifties of today... The Beatles had that. It was called Beatlemania.” (31:45)

• Listener Jay from Michigan’s rebuttal:
  “Taylor Swift. Are you kidding me? The only song I know is one that you mentioned on the radio, and I couldn't name one of the lines.” (34:23)

• Clay Travis fire back:
  “There is not a 15 to 45 year old woman girl in America that cannot name a Taylor Swift song. ... It's just Jay is 57 and male. I get it. This is not his wheelhouse.” (35:21)

Timestamps:

• [20:38] – Clay introduces the Beatles-Swift debate.
• [21:39] – Ringo Starr endorses Swift’s pop-cultural moment.
• [31:45] – Gene Simmons gives his analogy.
• [34:23] – Listener calls spark cross-generational takes.

4. Friday & Valentine’s Day Humor & Anecdotes (25:09–30:56, 39:13–45:40)

Main Topics:

• Clay and Buck exchange Valentine’s Day war stories, dispense (tongue-in-cheek) advice to men.
• Joking about last-minute dinner reservations and the perils of “prefix menu” price hikes.
• Clay recounts a son’s innocent question: “Is Valentine’s Day just a day where boys have to get girls things and if we don’t, we're in trouble?” (25:09)
• Buck laments the “scam” of restaurant Valentine’s Day dinners: “You're supposed to be grateful for getting the reservation because it's Valentine's Day, my friends. This is a scam.” (28:30)

Timestamps:

• [25:09] – Clay’s son on Valentine’s Day.
• [28:30] – Buck’s restaurant scam rant.

5. A Sobering Moment: The Death of John Lennon on Monday Night Football (38:01–45:40)

Main Topics:

• Trivia and discussion: Howard Cosell’s live announcement of John Lennon’s murder during Monday Night Football in 1980.
• Reflections on media, news delivery, and cultural memory.

Quotes & Highlights:

• Cosell, reporting:
  “An unspeakable tragedy confirmed to us... John Lennon... shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival. Hard to go back to the game after that news flash.” (43:40)

• Clay’s observation:
  “Good trivia... John Lennon's death announced by Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football. ... I think the average news person was more intelligent and well versed in larger society than they are today.” (38:43, 45:40)

Notable Quotes (Chronological)

• [04:35] Senator Ron Johnson: “He just got so under my skin just watching him just sit there and smile.”
• [06:35] Ron Johnson (audio): “Yeah, sit there and smirk. Smirk. It’s sick. It is despicable.”
• [08:08] Clay Travis: "How in the world are people not getting arrested for sanctuary city policies and sanctuary state policies because they are directly defying federal immigration law...?"
• [09:44] Ron Johnson: “This is one great big mercurially financed but well organized effort by the radical left.”
• [13:47] Ron Johnson: “If we don’t get control over our elections... it’s literally existential.”
• [21:39] Ringo Starr (audio): “I do. I think Taylor Swift is great anyway ...”
• [31:45] Gene Simmons: “It’s more than music. And the only analogy I can point to is the Swifties of today...”
• [28:30] Buck Sexton: “You’re supposed to be grateful for getting the reservation because it’s Valentine’s Day, my friends. This is a scam.”
• [25:09] Clay’s son: “Is Valentine’s Day just a day where boys have to get girls things and if we don’t, we’re in trouble?”
• [43:40] Howard Cosell: "John Lennon... shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival. Hard to go back to the game after that news flash."

Tone & Style

• Highly conversational and irreverent, with a blend of passionate politics and playful pop-culture banter.
• The interview and discussions are animated and, at times, confrontational (notably Johnson's exchanges on sanctuary cities).
• Self-effacing humor about “uncool” middle-aged dads, generational divides, and date-night mishaps.

Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This hour delivers a deep-dive into contemporary immigration debates, critiques of federal and state governance, and the intersection of politics with media narratives. The playful turn toward Valentine’s Day foibles and the ongoing Taylor Swift–Beatles argument provides levity and pop-culture connection. Highlights are the raw exchange with Sen. Johnson, revealing the emotional stakes of national policy fights, and the spirited, multigenerational pop music joust. Listeners will walk away informed, entertained, and equipped with fresh conversational ammo—plus a little fatherly wisdom about reservations and roses.