The Tudor Dixon Podcast: The Hill the Dems Chose to Die On with Michele Tafoya

Summary

Summary of "The Tudor Dixon Podcast: The Hill the Dems Chose to Die On with Michele Tafoya"

Episode Overview In this compelling episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, featured guest Tudor Dixon engages in an in-depth conversation with former NFL sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya. Transitioning from sports journalism to political commentary, Tafoya offers insightful critiques on current Democratic strategies, particularly focusing on their stance on women's sports, education, and governance. The discussion delves into the perceived ideological rigidity of the Democratic Party, the effectiveness of governmental programs, and the broader implications for upcoming elections.

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1. Democrats' Stance on Women in Sports

Tudor Dixon initiates the conversation by highlighting a recent Democratic promise to support women by wearing pink during the president's address. However, this gesture appears contradictory as no Democratic senators supported critical protections for girls and women in sports.

• Michelle Tafoya criticizes the Democrats' limited support, stating, “...the only real thing that they feel supportive of is their pro-choice and that's it. And other than that, I can't really think of where they're pro-women...” (01:13).

The lack of bipartisan support in states like Minnesota underscores a larger issue of ideological adherence over constituent representation.

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2. Parental Influence on Children's Gender Expression

The discussion shifts to societal pressures on gender expression in children. Both Dixon and Tafoya express skepticism towards the push for gender neutrality in upbringing.

• Michelle Tafoya shares her personal experience: “...to try to push any one direction is like neutrality or whatever. It's, it's kind of absurd...” (03:18).

They debate the natural inclinations of children versus imposed societal norms, emphasizing the importance of allowing children to develop their interests organically.

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3. Critique of California Governor Gavin Newsom

Governor Gavin Newsom becomes a focal point as Tafoya and Dixon dissect his policies and political maneuvers.

• Michelle Tafoya remarks on Newsom's political savvy and radicalism: “He is also, he's a radical. And we can never forget he's a radical.” (06:20).

Tafoya critiques Newsom's handling of state crises, including homelessness and boundaries on immigration, suggesting that his charming demeanor masks deeper systemic failures.

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4. Homelessness and Government Dependency in California

A significant portion of the conversation addresses California's escalating homelessness crisis and the effectiveness of government interventions.

• Michelle Tafoya questions the sustainability of current programs: “...if you're spending all that money, then these people shouldn't really be homeless, shouldn't they, shouldn't they be solving it?” (09:21).

Both speakers argue that increased funding has not translated into tangible solutions, leading to greater dependency on government aid rather than empowering individuals to achieve self-sufficiency.

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5. Education System Failures

Dixon and Tafoya delve into the American education system's shortcomings, particularly focusing on literacy and curriculum mismanagement.

• Michelle Tafoya shares a personal anecdote highlighting ideological indoctrination in educational programs: “...she went up and it's like, hang in there, Michelle… And I kept listening and I couldn't take it anymore.” (17:54).

The conversation criticizes the emphasis on socially progressive agendas over fundamental skills like reading and math, advocating for a return to phonics-based teaching methods to address declining literacy rates.

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6. Political Landscape and Upcoming Elections

The discussion transitions to the political ramifications of these policy failures, especially in the context of upcoming midterm elections.

• Tudor Dixon expresses concern over the lack of viable Democratic candidates who truly represent their constituents, citing Peggy Flanagan as overly left-leaning: “...she is as lefty as you are going to get. We need a better candidate in that Senate seat.” (30:00).

They emphasize the importance of strategic campaigning and voter education to counteract what they perceive as detrimental Democratic policies.

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7. Supporting Israel and International Affairs

The episode also touches upon international issues, specifically the ongoing conflict in Israel and the support provided by organizations like the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ).

• While primarily an advertisement, the message underscores the severe humanitarian impact of the conflict and calls for financial and emotional support: “...the real work is just beginning. Whatever you can give, please go to their website...” (31:32).

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Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Tudor Dixon and Michelle Tafoya present a critical examination of Democratic policies, emphasizing perceived inconsistencies between their stated values and legislative actions. They advocate for policy shifts towards practical solutions in areas like homelessness and education while expressing concerns over the Democratic Party's future electoral prospects. The conversation underscores a call to action for voters to seek candidates who genuinely address constituent needs over ideological posturing.

Notable Quotes:

• Michelle Tafoya: “...the only real thing that they feel supportive of is their pro-choice and that's it...” (01:13).

• Michelle Tafoya: “...to try to push any one direction is like neutrality or whatever. It's, it's kind of absurd...” (03:18).

• Michelle Tafoya: “He is also... a radical. And we can never forget he's a radical.” (06:20).

• Michelle Tafoya: “...if you're spending all that money, then these people shouldn't really be homeless...” (09:21).

• Michelle Tafoya: “...hang in there, Michelle... I couldn't take it anymore.” (17:54).

• Tudor Dixon: “...she is as lefty as you are going to get. We need a better candidate in that Senate seat.” (30:00).

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This summary provides an encapsulated view of the episode's main discussions, offering insights into political critiques and societal observations through the lens of Tudor Dixon and Michelle Tafoya's dialogue.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Michelle Tafoya]

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[Tudor Dixon]

Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Today I have Michelle Tafoya with me. She is one of the most notable TV sports personalities and a longtime NFL sideline reporter working for both NBC and espn. Now she's retired from sports and she's talking politics, which is interesting. Michelle, welcome.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Thank you Tutor. It's nice to see you.

[Tudor Dixon]

It's good to see you too. So there's a lot going on that actually connects to sports, which I think is interesting and probably very interesting for you right now. We watched this past week as we had Democrats come out and say that they were coming to the president's address in pink to represent women after the day before voting against women.

[Michelle Tafoya]

It's crazy, right? I looked at this pink and this idea that they were going to support women. The only real thing that they feel supportive of their pro choice and that's it. And other than that, I can't really think of where they're pro women because to to have not a single Democrat vote for this protection of girls and women, girls and women in sports is insane to me. And it tells me that they're not representing their constituents Tudor, they're just representing ideology. And they did not want to give Trump a win. The same thing, same day happened in the state that I live in, Minnesota. We had a vote on the same issue. They needed one Democrat, one to cross and vote along with Republicans. Not one of them did. And so that same idea, protecting girls and women in sports here in Minnesota also failed again. I'm convinced there was coordination. They did not want to give this issue a win. The night before Trump was going to speak to that joint session.

[Tudor Dixon]

It just always interests me to watch this because they say that children shouldn't be pushed into knowing what their gender is. Girls shouldn't play with dolls and boys shouldn't play with trucks and everything. And they even have had now in recent years. This is since I've had kids. So I would say probably in the last five years, there's been a real push for neutral clothing for infants. Have you seen this?

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, I have. I have a son who's biologically mine and a daughter whom we adopted from South America, Colombia, when she was three months old. So she's really only known. And I can tell you with a son and an adopted daughter, they couldn't be more different in terms of what they were attracted to and when in their childhoods. My son was always pushing around trucks and you know, it's not that he didn't have access to other things. He was at daycare, he was at preschool. He had all these things at his access, but he was. I'm sorry if this offends anyone. He was boy through and through.

[Tudor Dixon]

Right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

My, my daughter loved all the frozen princesses and all the princesses and now she's stud little soccer player who loves sports. And that's just how it happened. And to, to try to push any one direction is like neutrality or whatever. It's, it's, it's kind of absurd. I remember hearing about parents who decided to raise their kids in a non binary sort of way. We're not going to cut their hair. We're not going to, you know, we're going to give them a very neutral name and we're not going to tell them what they are. We're just going to see what happens.

[Tudor Dixon]

That. No, I actually, a girl that I'm friends with her sisters, so her sisters, like niece and nephew, they were raised in this situation, which I think is so strange where you. And honestly, I will say I had the same experience. I have girls, but I was like, when I had girls, I don't want to do the princess thing. I'm not going to push the Disney princess thing. I remember we got them a Disney princess car and we didn't even put the stickers on. We're like, they're not going to be that. You cannot avoid it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You can't.

[Tudor Dixon]

There is. They were. Next thing I know, I'm doing videos of them singing Let it Go. You know, that's just how it goes.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yep.

[Tudor Dixon]

But the, I think the bizarre thing to me is that this is the push for children which who are naturally attracted to bright colors, bright things. All the toys are made that way. But now you've got these brands that are coming out that are like, you know, plain wood and everything that in their wardrobe is cream and beige. But the Democrats were willing to come out and say that for women they would wear pink. And I'm like, that's a great point.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah. Why pink? Why not neutral?

[Tudor Dixon]

Right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, but they're always doing something I loved as I watched that, the joint session that I did see some Republican men in pink ties and some Republican women wearing pink sort of reclaiming, saying, you know what, we're for women, too. But the whole notion that they will not protect women in sports is insane. And now you're seeing, and I'm sure you saw this, Governor Gavin Newsom of California, staunch Democrats, saying, yes, it's unfair. Now, I will point this out. Charlie Kirk went on Governor Newsom's podcast. I'm glad that he did. And he pushed him. He said, would you support. Would you stand up for this? He never, the governor never committed to standing up. He just said, it is intrinsically unfair, but he would not commit. Yeah, he politicked. Exactly.

[Tudor Dixon]

And he is very slick. This is what makes me nervous about trying to normalize Gavin Newsom is that he is very easily normalized. He's attractive, he is charming. He is someone that I think people and I think he knows this about himself. He can very much win you over with his little salesy. He has this way of speaking that makes it seem like he really cares about you. He's a politician, but he is very good. Very good. But he is a radical. And we can never forget he's a radical.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's the thing that gets lost here in Minnesota. We have two Democrat senators. Both are radical. And they paint themselves as very middle of the road women. And they're not. They're not by the way they vote. They're not by the way they, they act and whom they side with. But you're right about Newsom. The thing that's got to be drilled home about Newsom is his record. Because as mayor of San Francisco and California is my. Where I was born and spent the first half of my life as mayor of San Francisco and as governor of state. The state has. Is in a shambles. It. It is tragic. And I have friends out there who suggest that, well, you know what, these fires in the Palisades and Altadena really open people's eyes and we're going to shift back toward the right. I'll believe it when I see it. And this Gavin Newsom trying to look at my new podcast. Look at this shiny thing over here. Ignore these fires and the, you know, the. What's gone on under my watch. I'm going to talk to people. I wish he'd spend that time fixing.

[Tudor Dixon]

Things and, and manipulate people. I mean, he is A master manipulator. You know, you read all these stories about what a narcissist is, and this guy is like, he's the biggest threat. Right. Do you think by any means having Charlie Kirk on as his first guest was just by happenstance? No, of course not.

[Michelle Tafoya]

No, no, He, Charlie has a massive audience and Newsom wanted to tap into that following and I haven't seen the entire podcast, but I certainly hope Charlie held his feet to the fire and took him to task on these, these issues on which Newsom has been a complete, like you said, a radical. So, you know, that's what people need to be reminded of. And I can't. He's an open border governor. They are sanctuary states, sanctuary cities. It's. Those things have to be pushed. So for him to try to. This is a really interesting tactic. And you're right, he's an excellent politician. That's what makes him scary to me. I don't want a politician. I want someone who cares about the country, about the state, whatever about, about their city. Those are the people I want in office. The ones not who are virtue signaling and trying to feel good about themselves and, and control, take control and have power, but the ones who actually solve problems.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yeah, the ones that care about the people who pay the taxes. So he's like, he is taking the taxes from the California people, paying health care for illegal immigrants. He's got this border wide open. Like you said, the homeless. The homelessness problem in California to me is a very interesting case study because in the time that he has been governor, they continue to put more money into the homelessness problem. The homelessness problem continues to get worse. It's kind of under the theory of the more government you build, the more it will do to continue to stay there. So if they solve the homelessness problem, then all of these, and we're talking, I think in LA and San Francisco, they're each close to $1 billion now in funding for a homelessness program.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So what does that program doing? If you're spending all that money, then these people shouldn't really be homeless, shouldn't they, shouldn't they be solving it? This is what's called getting people dependent on government. So if they're really good to the homeless and they feed them and they give them tents, as they do in Portland, Oregon, and they, they give them food and they give them medical care. What is the motivation for these people to pull themselves up, get the help they need to transition back into a productive life where they can have their own Home. You know, it's what's happening in California again, I really hope that people continue to open their eyes and call this out for what it is. It is virtue signaling and it is creating a dependent class. And, you know, I'm hearing rumors that in place of all those beautiful homes that were there on the coast that people paid for and worked, worked for, and some, you know, somewhere in their families for decades and decades, they now want to put up multifamily and some low income housing to make it, quote, unquote, equitable. And, you know, there are no guarantees about equal outcomes, just equal opportunity in this country. So give people the opportunity to aspire to be whatever they want to be. Don't promise them an equal outcome because all you're doing is lowering the standards for everybody else.

[Tudor Dixon]

And again, you take away from someone who had a tragedy and you say now that because of this tragedy, you don't belong here anymore. I mean, imagine that. That's. Those are the things they fight against in other areas. But in the United States, if there's a tragedy, then, oh, let's get rid of the people who actually were living there before because we want to put other people there. It's totally crazy. But the going back to the homelessness situation, I think this is similar to what we're seeing with the Department of Ed. People don't want, once a department is created, there's a lot of fear over getting rid of it. You have Linda McMahon right now saying, yeah, I'm working myself out of a job, and I think that she's going to have a task ahead of her because she's going to have to explain how this works and it's better and it doesn't hurt education, and it will. That's the truth about it. But I mean, that really should be the way it should work in California with these big agencies as well. Look, we don't want to spend $600 million in LA every year on homelessness. We want to solve the problem and we want ourselves to be out of a job. This is a, this is interesting as I watch how people react to the idea of shutting something down. And, and to me, the Department of Ed is the best example. There's going to be ways to still have federal funding, right? Do you need an entire department around it?

[Michelle Tafoya]

We didn't up until 1979 when it was created. You know, my mom was a schoolteacher for her entire career and were the bane of her existence, this inability to access the things that she, she taught Spanish, she wanted to Have a map, different maps of different parts of, you know, Spanish speaking parts of the world. And they couldn't get her that, but they still took her dues. You know, she.

[Tudor Dixon]

Right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And, and she would go up to Sacramento as a representative and she just came home and you could see from the look in her eyes and the dejection on her face that dealing with these union heads and dealing with the politicians was really distasteful to her. So I think education needs a massive overhaul. If people can't understand. Look, here in Minnesota, 50% of our kids cannot read at grade level, cannot do math at grade level. What are we doing? We're wasting a lot of time in the classroom teaching pronouns and teaching CRT and dei, but we're not teaching math or reading. It breaks my heart for every child in this state and in this country if they can't read and have the tools to progress in their lives as productive human beings. So whatever we're doing isn't working and it needs an overhaul. And if the states can have control of their own education, then, you know, they can compete again and say, you know, look, I mean, right now, the fact that Louisiana is doing so well in education, it used to not be that way. California, Minnesota, Michigan used to be the states with, you know, vying for those top spots in education. And they're, they're woefully underachieving right now. And it is so disheartening to see.

[Tudor Dixon]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

It is Ryan Seacrest here. There was a recent social media trend which consisted of flying on a plane with no music, no movies, no entertainment. But a better trend would be going to chumbacasino.com it's like having a mini social casino in your pocket. Chumba casino has over 100 online casino style games all absolutely free. It's the most fun you can have online and on a plane. So grab your free welcome bonus [e-mail] sponsored by Champa Casino.

[Michelle Tafoya]

No purchase necessary vgw group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.

[Unknown Speaker]

Almost a year and a half of nothing but war and terror and pain in Israel fighting for their survival against radical Islamists. And all of Israel is brokenhearted after learning of the tragic death of the Phoebus children who were held hostage in Gaza. We all saw the images. It was horrible. So many are still hurting in the holy land where the need for aid continues to grow. Thankfully the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. They're supporting the families of hostages, other victims of the October 7 attacks and the war that ensued. And with your help, the IFCJ has been able to provide financial emotional help to hostages, their families and to those that are healing and rebuilding their homes and broken bodies. But the real work, sadly is just beginning. Whatever you can give, please go to their website. It's one word. It's supportifcj.org supportifcj.org or call toll free 888-488ifcj 888488 ifcj.

[Tudor Dixon]

Today, Michigan is 41st in the entire country when it comes to education. And we've seen this since the pandemic. My gosh, the amount the the ability to read has declined significantly. But the crazy part about this is we also know that the ability to read is directly connected to your chances of going to prison in life. And if you can't read, you almost are end up in prison. It's just a devastating consequence. And we don't know why people aren't, why there isn't leadership holding these schools and these teachers and the government accountable. Because really when you look at what the government is meant to to provide to the people and I think this part is very interesting, people are always Like, I want government to come in and save me. I want government to do this. Well, we should have public safety. We've agreed that we're going to have public schools. What is the point of having public schools that do not provide the ability of these children to actually read and have a life? I mean, if you've robbed them of that From K through 12, you have robbed them of any chance going forward. So again, you look at these people that are like, well, we have to keep feeding this machine. We have to keep feeding the department of the federal Department of Ed. But even on the state level, we feed the machine, but we don't get anything out of the machine that's useful.

[Michelle Tafoya]

The machine ain't delivering. And I want to tell you a quick anecdote because I hear in Minnesota, where I live tutor, I tried to become a reading tutor and I found an organization nearby that where you could go to certain schools and help kids read. But you had to take a 90 minute online Zoom training. So I signed up for it, I went and I took it. We were 30 seconds in when the 22 year old girl instructing us on tutoring said, if you come here to do this, you must first understand that this was primarily a problem for black and brown children and that this is all based on systemic racism. And she went on, and then I was like, hang in there, Michelle, get through it. Because all you really want to do is help a kid to read. That's all you really want to say, hang in there. And I kept listening and there may be children who don't look like you. There may be trans children. You must be okay with tutoring. And I'm like, hang on, hang in there, Michelle. And finally when I reached in and hung up on the zoom was when she listed words. She said, all right, I want to look at something black and blank, husband and blank, salt and blank, peanut butter and blank. Now how do you fill in those blanks? That would be based on your internal biases. If you say husband and wife, you are, you're biased. So I just, I hung up. I couldn't take it anymore. And I was so angry that this group, in order to, to they were indoctrinating. Even the tutors, you know, it was, it was, it was infuriating.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, and instead of teaching phonics, I mean you could think of what you could have really learned in that period of time to help a child. And that to me has been interesting. We've seen, gosh, I don't know, I feel like even the Governor of Michigan said this recently is that we should get back to phonics. This has been a battle for 20 years of people saying we should never have gotten away from phonics. This is a messed up system, which I will never criticize. If somebody finally comes out and says, okay, we figured out this screwed up, this was a screw up, because we do. I mean, things change and you do, over time realize that it is a problem. But the fact that we have so many people, and Secretary McMahon was saying, saying this too, we need to get phonics back into schools. Well, if that's what we can do from the federal level or even from the state level, I really think it's a matter of sitting back and stopping this idea that we just throw money at a problem and that one side doesn't want to fund it and the other side does. I love our public schools. Our public schools are critical, but they've got to be able to teach something the right way. And if phonics is the answer, then we should all get behind phonics.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yep, I agree with that. The, the. I don't know if it's the teachers unions, but if Randi Weingarten is any example of what the teachers unions represent, that is a bad example because she's not really in it fighting for phonics and fighting for kids to raise the bar for kids. She's actually talking about lowering the bar, lowering standards, taking math out of certain classrooms because it's quote, unquote racist. All of these crazy ideas to turn kids more and more into victims instead of helping them become resilient, productive, the, the smart people they can become, the wise people they can become, the educated people they can become. And, you know, we're seeing it manifest itself all over society when you've got kids in college, you know, pro Hamas protesters, All of this stuff is not based on, yeah, you know what? I want to graduate, I want to go get work, or maybe I don't go to college, I become a plumber and make a fortune and go be able to raise a family and pay my bills. There is honor in all kinds of work. You do not need to be college educated to find an honorable position in this society.

[Tudor Dixon]

And these universities have been very hard on our kids. To your point about the people that have been out there protesting for Hamas, we actually have a guy here who is running for mayor of one of the cities on the southeast side, Michigan, and he was telling a story as a young Arab kid who grew up in Michigan, then went to the University of Michigan. He said, I went to the University of Michigan, and I was told, there is no God and all white people are bad. And he said, I was convinced. And this is a kid who grew up in a Muslim home, which is. And, you know, it's interesting, because I feel like in that culture is very strict. And yet he was still pulled away. And he said, I was pulled away from God. And I was. I was isolated by saying, you know, everybody else around me is bad.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right.

[Tudor Dixon]

And it was a very interesting story because he tells of how he went to Ohio. He ended up in this town, this little. Little town where everybody was white. And he felt like people looked at him, and they were like, who are you? And he said he went out and he was playing basketball with people from work, and this guy kept getting in his face. And he said, I just realized in that moment, this is it. He's going to beat the crap out of me, and there's nothing I'm going to. He said everybody else on the team got in front of him and said, give him a break, man. And he said, it was a defining moment in my life where I said, wow, I've been listening to the people who say, everybody's against you and there's no God. And that has not brought me joy in my life. And here, these people showed me a different side.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I love stories like this, and I'm hearing them more and more. I think people are stepping forward and becoming more courageous in telling people, you know, what? The side you've asked me to be on has failed me. You tried to tell me all of these things that I've later discovered are not true. And I almost lost myself in despair over being told that because I'm black, because I'm brown, whatever the case that I am not, that I'm going to be at the lower end of the totem pole simply because of the color of my skin. We had an education activist here in Minnesota testify that all throughout her high school, she was teased and told all of these things. And she went to college, and it was hammered into her head even more. And she said, but for some reason, she was determined to become an attorney, and she did. And now she has kids who are in school, AP students, athletes, doing well, and she thought, I overcame this, but you all were lying to me about this. And I think that lie serves to keep certain people in power and other people believing that they can't achieve. And it angers me no end. I'm cleaning up my language for you, Tudor.

[Tudor Dixon]

No, you don't have to do that, but it does. And I think that's what we've seen since Trump took office. That hasn't worked. That didn't win in November, and that doesn't mean that it's gone. And I, I think that's. My cautionary tale to people, is like, this was still a close election. This is still the, the midterms could go a different way. This is still very close. We have to make sure that we are constantly out there talking and educating and making sure people realize that this is a, there is a nefarious plan for certain people on the progressive side. And you look at what they have done since then, they've had multiple experts on their side come out and say, first of all, the idea of men and girls sports do not die on that hill. That didn't work for you. The people don't like it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And they're still on that hill.

[Tudor Dixon]

They're still. Why?

[Michelle Tafoya]

I don't know. I don't know. It seems like a mission that, like a fool's errand. Like, where do they think they're going with this? I think that they're so afraid of losing this very small constituency. But maybe. I honestly, I can't answer it. I don't, I don't know. It seems really, really foolish. But I think that what their plan is now, and you're seeing it with comments from people like Gavin Newsom and even Hakeem Jeffries, is slowly, we're going to walk our way back over to that line and across that line and support women and girls in sports. We just couldn't do it on Trump time because that would make us.

[Tudor Dixon]

I wonder, though, if they are going to. I, I think that they, I think that they are trying to toe the line and make it look like that. But even in that interview with Charlie, Gavin was saying, you know, we don't want to ban books. They had that conversation and he was like, well, I don't like the cancel culture. And he's kind of dancing around it. And I think that we have to be careful about how we present the message from the other side. They are very good at demonizing us. I mean, my gosh, if that were the way that we were talking, they would be, would be saying, you know, this person wants to hurt little kids and they're going to take away their choices and all that. But we presented as like, look, he's starting to be reasonable. No, do not give him that win. Because he's not. If you listen to the way he. Politics and I think it's hard because when you have a master, when you're so good at it, when you're a Bill Clinton or a Barack Obama or a Gavin Newsome, this is nice. Lying and manipulation is like, that's your bread and butter. You love it. It's. It's who you are. It's like, defines them. They're good at it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah. Here's the thing, though. The other side will say you can say the same exact thing about Trump. I have friends who are still convinced and message me saying, Trump is evil. He is a danger to the world, he is a danger to human beings, a danger to humanity all over the world. And I don't know. I haven't seen any camps yet where Trump's filing people into. I know he's concerned about the United States of America and protecting people here and trying to bring peace in ways that people aren't used to, which I think is a good thing. So it is amazing how divided we are right now that people could use adjectives about Gavin Newsom, as you just did, that he's good at politicking, that he's manipulative, and his side would say the same things about Trump and about the other side. What we have right now is an opportunity to not screw this up. We have gotten. We have the Senate, we have the House, we have the Supreme Court, and we have the presidency. And we have to make really good use of that and not screw it up and make sure that it is a good thing for voters and the American people so that the midterms don't suddenly turn on us, so that these ideas and these. These policies actually do work for people and do represent the majority of the people. We can't screw this up.

[Tudor Dixon]

So what happens in Minnesota? There's an open Senate seat there, correct?

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, there is. And I think the one person. There are two people who are sort of have thrown their hat in the ring. One on the conservative side is a guy named Royce White. He used to play in the NBA. He talks a good line, but he's a little bit out there, and he's tried this before, and I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell of winning. The other is Peggy Flanagan, the Lieutenant Governor under Tim Walls. And if you think Tim Waltz is nuts, you should see Peggy Flanagan. So she is as lefty as you are going to get. We need a better candidate in that Senate seat. I'm hoping to God someone shows up and takes it, because it's neither one of these I think if Royce White runs, he's going to lose even to Peggy Flanagan because people will say, well, she's been the lieutenant governor. She can't be that bad.

[Tudor Dixon]

I know someone that has good name id.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Oh, who's that?

[Tudor Dixon]

You?

[Michelle Tafoya]

Oh, geez. You know, I've been asked and let's just say I haven't made a decision.

[Tudor Dixon]

Okay, stay tuned for more. Coming up with Michelle Tafoya. But first, I want to talk to you about my partners at ifcj. After more than a year of war, terror and pain in Israel, all of Israel is broke. To find out about the tragic deaths of the Bebus children who are being held hostage in Gaza. And there are so many who are still hurting. Throughout the Holy Land where the need for aid continues to grow. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has supported and continues to support the families of hostages and other victims of the October 7 terror attacks. With your help, IFCJ has provided financial and emotional help to the hostages and their families and to those healing and rebuilding their broken homes and their broken bodies. But the real work is just beginning. Your gift will help provide critically needed support to families in Israel whose lives continue to be destroyed by terror and uncertainty as Israel remains surrounded by enemies. Give a gift to bless Israel and her people today by visiting supportifcj.org. that's one word. It's supportifcj.org or you can call 888, 488 ifcj. That's 888488, ifcj. Stay tuned. We've got more with Michelle after this.

[Unknown Speaker]

Almost a year and a half of nothing but war and terror and pain in Israel fighting for their survival against radical Islamists. And all of Israel is brokenhearted after learning of the tragic death of the Phoebus children who were held hostage in Gaza. We all saw the images. It was horrible. So many are still hurting in the Holy Land where the need for aid continues to grow. Thankfully, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. They're supporting the families of hostages, other victims of the October 7 attacks and the war that ensued. And with your help, the IFCJ has been able to provide financial emotional help to hostages, their families, and to those that are healing and rebuilding their homes and broken bodies. But the real work, sadly, is just beginning. Whatever you can give, please go to their website. It's one word. It's supportifcj.org supportifcj.org or call toll free 888-488ifcj 888-488ifcj Today we're in the same boat in Michigan.

[Tudor Dixon]

We suddenly had Gary Peters retire. It's been interesting. He's not running again and we've been told. I, I have said I'm looking at. We have the governor's seat and the Senate seat. I'm looking at both of those.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You're looking at both. Good. I know you ran for governor against Whitman, right?

[Tudor Dixon]

Yes, I did.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And how close was that? Because I remember sending you money.

[Tudor Dixon]

That was, it was not as close as we would like. She, she effectively used abortion and I will say that I think a lot of us were unprepared for that, the Dobbs decision and for that to be overturned and what that would mean especially in a state like Michigan where there law already on the books and, and they effectively use that now it looks like they are going to. Well, the Secretary of State will run for governor and then the Lieutenant Governor looks like he's also going to run. So it'll be interesting to watch them go after each other on their side.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Tudor Dixon]

On the Senate side Pete Buttigieg moved into the state of Michigan a few years back and he is looking at the Senate in the state of Michigan.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I don't know what Michiganders want and don't want because I thought you were such a good candidate. Now using abortion effectively as you said, worked here in Minnesota too. That's what got Tim Walls reelected. And you know, if you're on the conservative side of Minnesota and as the candidates said, we will ban abortion, you're not going to win. You are not going to win. That messaging must change and you have to understand that no matter how pro life you are, the people on the other side are just as adamant, if not more so. So if you want to win, you almost have to take that issue off the table. That's in my humble opinion.

[Tudor Dixon]

And that in the state of Michigan it's off now. It's in the Constitution. So that's done. It's a done issue and that I think is a weapon they won't be able to use against conservatives.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Well, that's good to hear. So what can you do to win?

[Tudor Dixon]

I don't know. I don't know if like, you know, God is mysterious and interesting. I was walking through the airport on Thursday or I guess it was Wednesday night. I was walking through the airport and in New York and brushed shoulders with Pete Buttigieg and I was like, oh, that's weird.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That is weird.

[Tudor Dixon]

When do you ever see someone like that and literally nearly run into them?

[Michelle Tafoya]

That is. I think that's a sign.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, we'll see. We shall see. To be continued. I'm not giving anything away.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Okay, I hear you. But I will support you if you're on tutor.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, same, same. And I. And I've heard a lot of people who have said they'd like to see more Republican women in the Senate. So if you. I know. If you did decide that, I think you would have a massive amount of support. I think the midterms will be very interesting this time because Trump is going in and breaking things to build them back better.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right.

[Tudor Dixon]

And I shouldn't say that. To actually build them back.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes. A BBB actually build back better, actually.

[Tudor Dixon]

But he is. And that scares people. I mean, I've seen people like, to your point, the people that say that stuff to you, they're like, oh my gosh, this is insane. Look at what he's doing. And you're like, you have to understand that anybody who takes over a business, like, have you ever seen that one where. What is that guy, Gordon Ramsay? Is that who it is that goes in and breaks? Yeah, he like goes into the restaurant, he's like, this is a disaster.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes, that.

[Tudor Dixon]

I feel like Donald Trump is the Gordon Ramsay of the United States right now. That's what we need.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, we. We do need it. And sometimes, and you know, I. People are so used to just incremental change, but that sort of death by a thousand cuts, we have incrementally changed in America too far to the left. But it's happened the course of time with these little, tiny, tiny incremental changes. And they've played the long game well, and we find ourselves here. I heard, I think it was Steve Moore, former economic adviser to the president in Trump's first term, saying that people need to understand that the financial situation of this nation is far worse than they can imagine and that what is trying to be cleaned up, it's so necessary. And I think people look at that national debt, this is just to me has always been a major problem. It's a national security problem. And the numbers look so big that they think, eh, I can't really conceive of what that number means. So therefore I'm not going to worry about it because there's nothing I can do about it. So. But we have to. I mean, we absolutely have to. And I was happy to see today, when the jobs numbers came out, that government jobs were in decline. We don't need more government jobs. We need more private sector jobs. We need people who are willing to go out and work in competitive industries. Government isn't a competitive industry. It is not. Yes.

[Tudor Dixon]

Government doesn't make anything. They don't build anything. They don't make money. That's what people forget. And you have. It's kind of like Elon Musk is a radiologist. He's going through and he's diagnosing the cancer all over. And then all of the secretaries are going to go in with the scalpel and they're going to cut it all out. And that's never been done before. And it's shocking people. Yeah, but you're right. We're in a crisis that people don't recognize we are.

[Michelle Tafoya]

There is no question about that. We are in a crisis and people need to wake up. Look at that debt clock. Let it scare you. And be open to this because government workers are not guaranteed jobs. And for these federal, these Congress people to come out and say we shouldn't have to fire a single federal worker. Why not? What meta just fired 4,000 people. ABC News is firing the Good Morning America staff. Settle down. When you can streamline things and make them more efficient and make the DMV a pleasant place to visit instead of, you know, and the IRS a trustworthy organization. Now you've got my attention, right?

[Tudor Dixon]

Yeah. Government's not guaranteed jobs. I hate to mention it to people. There are no guaranteed jobs. That's just the reality.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Except for being a parent.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yes. And you're. It's. That one's going to come for you no matter what time of day.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, yeah, the 3:00 phone call.

[Tudor Dixon]

That's what I will let you go. But I just want to say the, this is like the, the great example of that. The other day I was in my bathroom and I'm like, I'm in the bathroom and my 11 year old goes, let's just be honest. You signed up for this. You. There is no privacy for you. And I'm like, you're 11 year old said those words. That's what she said.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Oh my goodness. Sounds like she's maybe been listening to.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yeah, totally. Right? Exactly. Exactly.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I love it.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yes.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I love it.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yes. Well, it has been a joy talking to you today. And we are going to be watching. If you do announce, I'll be watching you too. Well, you will have my support for sure.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Likewise.

[Tudor Dixon]

Michelle Tafoya. Thank you so much.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Thanks tutor.

[Tudor Dixon]

And thank you all for listening to the Tutor Dixon podcast. For this episode and others go to tutor dixon podcast.com, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and join us next time. Have a blessed day.