The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show: Normally Podcast

Episode: RFK Jr. Scandal, Urban Family Decline & America’s Education Crisis

Date: November 20, 2025
Hosts: Mary Katherine Ham & Carol Markowitz

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mary Katherine Ham and Carol Markowitz dive into the political landscape post-midterms, analyze the RFK Jr. “sex scandal,” and discuss the declining presence of families with children in major cities alongside the dire state of America’s education system. With their signature blend of humor and pointed commentary, they break down why Republicans are struggling, the real story behind recent media scandals, and what’s at stake in American classrooms.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Political Landscape After the Midterms

Timestamps: 02:10–10:38

• Democratic Resurgence:
  Despite predictions of Democratic doom post-presidential loss, the party is experiencing a resurgence, leading the generic ballot by 14 points.
  • Quote:
    “Remember when everybody was like, the Democratic Party is over forever and will never rise again. And you and me were like, I think they'll rise again. Yeah, yeah, they're rising.”
    — Carol (02:10)
• Republican Disarray:
  The GOP faces internal issues, with fringe voices dominating and toxic culture-war discourse on topics like Hitler, Israel, and misinformation overshadowing substantive policy.
  • Quote:
    “The right is mired in...abject stupidity. The loudest voices on our side are litigating World War II and finding Hitler to be the good guy... They're discussing whether the first lady of France has a penis. And these are the people getting millions and millions of views.”
    — Carol (03:31)
• Messaging Misdirection:
  Republicans’ overemphasis on culture war issues—while neglecting kitchen-table topics like the economy—risks alienating swing voters.
  • Quote:
    “If it becomes the only thing you talk about, people will think you're not paying attention to other things... like the groceries that you're trying to buy.”
    — Mary Katherine (07:09)
• Latino & Young Male Voter Shift:
  While GOP had momentum with Latino and young male voters, that progress is fragile if their lives don’t measurably improve.
  • Quote:
    “Turning Latino voters and young voters, particularly male... into a swing vote is an accomplishment. But... they can swing back.”
    — Mary Katherine (05:24)
• Failures in Shutdown Messaging:
  Democrats outmaneuvered Republicans in government shutdown communications, highlighting the GOP’s branding challenges.
  • Quote:
    “Democrats wiped the floor with Trump on shutdown messaging, which is not as it should be.”
    — Mary Katherine (08:53)
• Takeaway:
  Republicans need to expand their message beyond culture wars and keep persuading voters, as political victories are never permanent.

2. The RFK Jr. “Sex Scandal” (Or Non-Scandal)

Timestamps: 11:19–19:21

• No-Sex Affair Explored:
  Olivia Nuzzi’s new book claims an affair with RFK Jr., but the hosts find it perplexing as it lacked physical intimacy—no sex or even a kiss.
  • Quote:
    “Olivia Nuzzi wrote a book about having an affair with RFK Jr. Where no sex is had. And I find that perplexing personally.”
    — Carol (11:19)
• Media Personalities Involved:
  The scandal spans figures like Ryan Lizza and Keith Olbermann, veering into stories of career implosions and tabloid-esque confessions.
  • On Ryan Lizza's Substack Reaction:
    “I think that might be his final revenge is that he is a better writer than [Nuzzi].”
    — Mary Katherine (13:45)
• Public Reaction and Real-World Relevance:
  The hosts observe that “normies” (i.e., the general public) neither know nor care about such scandals, highlighting the insularity of media drama.
  • Quote:
    “Normies enjoyed the gossip and then they went on about their lives. They will not remember who these people are... I wish them all the best.”
    — Carol (17:01)
• Impact on Women in Media:
  These scandals erode trust and generate suspicion about how female journalists gain access, feeding negative stereotypes.
  • Quote:
    “Have every woman looked at in this way and think, well, what? How did she get that interview?...I don't appreciate it, Olivia. I don't appreciate it.”
    — Mary Katherine (19:10)
• Reflection:
  The saga feels outdated—like a “last gasp media scandal”—and emblematic of a media ecosystem obsessed with itself and disconnected from wider societal issues.

3. Urban Family Decline and the Education Crisis

Timestamps: 19:21–28:52

• Urban Exodus of Families:
  Major cities see dramatic drops (up to 38%) in families with children under five, attributed to pandemic-era school closures, high costs, and public safety concerns.
  • Quote:
    “All of the places with this population drop were the strictest on schools reopening... Parents got the message, public schools cannot be relied on in these cities, and they left.”
    — Carol (20:53)
• Why Stay in the City?:
  The pandemic erased the perks of city living—activities, dining, culture—while keeping costs and increasing urban disarray.
  • Quote:
    “You took away the perks, but you left the cost of living and then you added some public safety disarray...And then you tell people...This is just the cost of doing business. Yo. What?”
    — Mary Katherine (21:40)
• School System Failures:
  Cities like DC effectively force parents into private schools, adding to urban families’ unsustainable financial burdens.
  • Quote:
    “People I know in D.C.: it’s basically understood that none of them are sending their kids to public schools there. Like, that's just not even a possibility.”
    — Mary Katherine (22:33)
• Education Crisis Deepens:
  A UCSD report fuels worries of “idiocracy” as college students increasingly lack math competency—exacerbated by pandemic remote learning, disappearing standards, and abandoning standardized tests.
  • Quote:
    “America has been using its young people as lab rats in a sweeping, if not exactly thought out, education experiment. Schools...lowering standards and removing penalties for failure. The results are coming into focus.”
    — Mary Katherine (23:18)
• Blame for Declining Competency:
  The move away from accountability, enforced standards, and standardized tests—decisions labeled as “compassionate” during the pandemic—now hide student failure and erode critical thinking.
  • Quote:
    “It’s just hiding failure. And eventually you get to the point where, yeah, college students cannot do middle school math or elementary school math.”
    — Mary Katherine (26:51)
• Societal Impact of Lowered Expectations:
  Hosts warn that the “skill of learning itself” and the ability to think critically are badly eroded, with AI and calculators no substitute for basic thinking skills.

Notable Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On the State of Political Discourse:
  “If I wasn't super into politics and...suddenly I'm hearing Hitler is good and, you know, elevating Nick Fuentes, I would be, like, running in the other direction...”
  — Carol (04:11)
• On Relentless Politicking:
  “You got to keep convincing people. That's what politics is. It’s, you got to keep the politicking going.”
  — Mary Katherine & Carol (10:31–10:34)
• On Education Standards:
  “Keeping standards is more beneficial to [kids]. Keeping their schedules is more beneficial to them... five years later, this is just hiding failure.”
  — Mary Katherine (26:00)
• On Living and Parenting in Cities:
  “I think American cities, liberal American cities, during the 2020-2023...you guys are committing suicide.”
  — Mary Katherine (20:53)
• On the Impact of Media Sex Scandals:
  “When something like this happens, it makes everyone suspect... I don't appreciate it, Olivia. I don't appreciate it.”
  — Mary Katherine (19:10)

Segment Timestamps

• Political Landscape & Messaging: 02:10–10:38
• RFK Jr. Scandal: 11:19–19:21
• Urban Decline & Education Crisis: 19:21–28:52

Final Thoughts

Mary Katherine and Carol insist:

• The GOP’s communication strategy is off track and must reconnect with practical voter concerns.
• Media scandals reflect an insular and self-observed press, disconnected from average Americans.
• Urban mismanagement and an education system in decline prompt families to flee cities and leave kids academically adrift.
• Authenticity, resilience, and adherence to standards—in politics, media, and education—matter more than ever.

“Listen to us going forward is really the message here from all three segments, I think.”
— Carol (28:11)

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