Weekly Review With Clay and Buck H2 - Curtis Sliwa Calls Us

Summary

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The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Weekly Review With Clay and Buck H2 - Curtis Sliwa Calls Us
Date: November 1, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

In this high-energy episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton focus on the critical New York City mayoral race, just six days from Election Day. They interview Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who defends his decision to stay in the race amidst pressure and concerns over vote-splitting, particularly against Andrew Cuomo and Democratic Socialist nominee Zoran Mamdani. The discussion dives deep into New York City politics, the threat of far-left governance, and the nature of political compromise, featuring pointed questions, memorable analogies, and candid moments about the city’s future.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Vote Splitting Concerns and Sliwa's Refusal to Drop Out

• Clay Travis opens with concern that Sliwa and Cuomo together might split the anti-Mamdani vote, potentially handing the mayoralty to "awful Marxist left-wing lunatic" Mamdani ([00:35]).
  • Clay pledges to wear a red beret and open a bar tab for Sliwa if he wins.
  • Pushes Sliwa: If vote-splitting costs the GOP/N.Y. moderates the mayoralty, will Sliwa feel responsible?
• Curtis Sliwa rebuts forcefully ([02:10]):
  • "Why would I even drop out? And by the way, you can't drop out. I'm on the ballot… I've never intended to drop out."
  • References being offered a $10 million bribe to withdraw, and that he and his wife now need armed guards due to threats.

2. Curtis Sliwa’s Path to Victory

• Sliwa frames himself as the hard-working, blue-collar candidate in subways and streets versus Cuomo’s absenteeism ([02:36], [08:21]).
  • "I'm meeting the people, the voters. I am the Republican populist, blue-collar, working-class candidate. That's my pathway to victory."
• Discusses building upon his previous 28% share from the last mayoral race.
  • Highlights a new “Independent/Protect Animals” ballot line to attract one-issue voters, particularly animal lovers: "It calls for no kill shelters and putting animal abusers in jail." ([08:21])

3. Sliwa’s Critique of Cuomo and Mamdani

• Sees little to no difference between Cuomo and Mamdani on key progressive reforms like no-cash bail and prison closures ([05:30]):
  • "I see no differentiation. They are birds of a feather, two peas in a pod. They're Democrats. They have caused the destruction of New York State."
  • "The reason that we lock up Two-Face and not criminals is the architect of no-cash bail, Andrew Cuomo, and then his apprentice is Mamdani."
• Positions himself as uncompromising and committed, likening his campaign to the defiance of Mel Gibson in Braveheart ([04:53]):
  • "Think of that last scene in Braveheart… I'm saying impale me. I will never support Andrew Cuomo, the Prince of Evil. He's cold-hearted."

4. Sliwa’s Integrity and Campaign Pressure

• Details attempts by powerful interests to bribe him to drop out ([11:27]):
  • “Ten million dollars is a lot of money to walk away from. I said, guy, you know me, I was born with nothing. I'll die with nothing. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. This sounds to me unethical. It's a bribe. It could be illegal.”
  • States his wife, an attorney, has advised recording any such future attempts.
  • Refuses to name specific bribers but warns of legal consequences if it continues.

5. Relationship with Trump and the Broader GOP

• Sliwa says Trump has not contacted or endorsed him despite previous comments about the race ([13:02]):
  • “I wish he would endorse me. He hasn't. But I've always said publicly, Mr. President... you’ve got bigger things to worry about than the New York mayoral race.”
• Argues that his win would revitalize Republican hopes in New York, referencing Giuliani and Pataki victories in the early 1990s.

6. Mamdani’s Political Strategy

• Sliwa and Buck Sexton discuss Mamdani's shift in tone and public promises to retain respected officials in his prospective administration ([09:42]):
  • Sliwa brands Mamdani as "Bill de Blasio on steroids" and questions the sincerity and practicality of his campaign promises.

7. Bigger Philosophical Debate: Is There a ‘Lesser Evil’ Between Cuomo and Mamdani?

• After the interview, the hosts dissect Sliwa’s logic and whether, practically, Cuomo would be any less destructive than Mamdani ([18:01]):
  • Buck: "I'm actually sympathetic to that point of view. I know that sounds crazy to people. Cuomo was awful."
  • Clay: "He doesn't see any difference between Mamdani and Cuomo. I think that's the essence of why he is staying in the race."
• The hosts grapple with the future of the Democratic Party and America’s capacity to reject or embrace increasingly radical politics. They debate whether “moderate Democrats” are a myth and the national implications of a Mamdani or Cuomo mayoralty ([29:46]-[32:07]).

8. Listener Reaction

• A caller from Alabama supports Clay’s concern about vote splitting and backs his “math” ([19:06]):
  • "If you are splitting the vote three ways, someone has to drop out or Mamdani wins."
• VIP emails split; one compares Cuomo to Mamdani, arguing “Let Mamdani win. At least the truth will come out about socialism” ([39:10]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Curtis Sliwa:

• “I will never support Andrew Cuomo, the Prince of Evil. He's cold-hearted. He is the worst of what the Democratic Party represents.” ([04:53])
• “I'm saying impale me. I will never support Andrew Cuomo…” – referencing Braveheart ([04:53])
• “I got 28% of the vote. So I build on the 28%. I not only have conservative Republican votes, there are two and a half times the number of independents… I have that vote and I have a new line, Independent line, protect animals.” ([08:21])
• “I've got my boots on the ground. I'm in the subways. I'm dealing with regular, average day working class people. I'll let the elites determine that while I'm in the streets.” ([10:18])
• Regarding the $10 million bribe: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. This sounds to me unethical. It's a bribe. It could be illegal.” ([11:27])

Hosts:

• Clay Travis: “My concern... is that when we look at the final tally... we're going to see that actually the majority of New York voters voted against Mamdani. But because the anti-Mamdani vote is split... that means Mamdani is going to be the next mayor.” ([19:32])
• Buck Sexton: “I'm actually sympathetic to that point of view. I know that sounds crazy to people. Cuomo was awful. I lived in New York when he was governor. He was terrible.” ([18:50])
• On vote-splitting: “Cuomo is not Joe Manchin. Okay? Cuomo was a disastrous governor.” ([33:59])

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Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Description | |-----------|-------------| | 00:35 | Clay introduces mayoral race, vote-splitting concern, and Sliwa
| 02:10 | Sliwa challenges Clay, invokes Braveheart, assails Adams & Cuomo
| 05:30 | Sliwa explains why to him Cuomo and Mamdani are equally bad
| 08:21 | Sliwa lays out his campaign coalition, "Protect Animals" line
| 10:18 | Sliwa critiques Mamdani’s promises as disingenuous, "Bill de Blasio on steroids"
| 11:27 | Sliwa elaborates on being offered a $10 million bribe to drop out
| 13:02 | Sliwa on relationship with Trump and GOP national implications
| 18:01 | Post-interview analysis of vote splitting and Sliwa's motivation
| 19:06 | Alabama caller backs Clay's math on vote-splitting
| 22:31 | Buck and Clay dissect Sliwa’s stance on Cuomo vs Mamdani post-interview
| 29:46 | Broader debate: moderate Democrats, left-wing policies, national stakes
| 39:10 | VIP emails: listener perspectives on Cuomo vs Mamdani

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Tone and Style

The episode is marked by animated, combative dialogue, sharp political analogies (e.g., Braveheart references, “Prince of Evil”), and a mix of gallows humor and seriousness about the future of New York City. Sliwa embodies the defiant, populist outsider, while the hosts balance skepticism about third-party runs with an acknowledgment of deep voter frustration on both sides.

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Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen for anyone invested in New York City’s political future or broader national trends regarding progressive politics and the GOP response. Sliwa’s unwavering commitment, the hosts’ pointed questioning, and the raw debate over “lesser evilism” within Democratic politics make for riveting, thought-provoking radio.

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For full context, discussions, and unique color, the conversation is best experienced in Clay and Buck’s own voices.

Transcript

[iHeart Radio Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Buck Sexton]

Wishing the.

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[iHeart Radio Announcer]

Welcome.

[Clay Travis]

In our number two Clay Travis Buck Sexton show. We have been talking quite a lot about the upcoming New York City mayor's election six days from now. Also, voters going to the polls in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere. As we are continuing to break all that down, we've been talking a lot about Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa. And the Republican nominee for the New York City mayor's office is in with us now. He is Curtis Sliwa. And Curtis, we appreciate you coming on the show and I know that you are running around like crazy talking everywhere. So I'm just going to start off. Let's just dive right into it. I have pledged if you win so you know, to wear a red beret for a week and open up a bar tab at a sports bar not run by communists in New York City. So I'm on the record there. If you win, here's my concern. You can tell me why I'm a moron. If you stay in this race, I think on Wednesday we are going to wake up and we are going to see that Mamdani did not get the majority of the vote, but that you and Andrew Cuomo have split the anti Mamdani vote. And as a result, this awful Marxist left wing lunatic Mamdani is going to be the next mayor of New York City. If that happens, will you feel responsible? How would you respond to someone like me who thinks that that's the most likely outcome if you stay in the race?

[Curtis Sliwa]

Well, let's go back to your initial statement. That's too easy. A bar cab in a gin mill. How about riding the number four chain, the Muggers express with me and your red beret fighting crime? Yeah, that's a little more dangerous. But on the all right, I will.

[Clay Travis]

Join you on whatever public trans you would like me to join you on. If you are New York City's mayor in a red beret, I will join you. So I'll step it up a notch.

[Curtis Sliwa]

But remember, wait a Second, the reason there is a Zorhan Mandami is that you had a failed mayor, Eric Adams, the most corrupt in the history of New York City. And that's saying a lot. Had he been a halfway decent mayor, it would have been round to 2025, as it was in 2021. Eric Adams, incumbent Democrat, running against Republican challenger Curtis Lewa. So Eric Adams, failed Democrat. Then Andrew Cuomo, like a political zombie, came back from the Hamptons where he was hanging out with his billionaire friends, was 40 points ahead on March 1 when he announced he was running in the Democratic primary to become the next mayor. Three and a half months later, with Zoran Mondami at 1%. When Andrew announced that 40%, he got beat by 13% and admitted he ran a horrible race. He didn't do retail politics. Well, guess what? Just recently, the New York Post published a story that said that Andrew Cuomo has been absent from the campaign trail for 10 days since Labor Day. You don't win elections that way. I'm in the subways, I'm in the streets, I'm on the buses. I'm meeting the people, the voters. I am the Republican populous, blue collar, working class candidate. That's my pathway to victory. Andrew Cuomo is responsible for the rise of Zoran Mandami and the Democrats are responsible for the Socialists taking over their party. So why would I even drop out? And by the way, you can't drop out. I'm on the ballot. I'm not on the number two line. I'm the Republican candidate. There's no dropping out. I've never intended to drop out. Billionaires tried to bribe me with $10 million. Now I got to walk around with armed guards along with my wife Nancy because our lives have been threatened. You really think that Curtis Lewis, with everything I've been through in my life, is going to drop out? Think of that last scene in Braveheart where Mel Gibson is on the gurney and the executioner says, I want you to bow to the King of England or I'm going to impale you. I'm saying impale me. I will never support Andrew Cuomo, the Prince of Evil. He's cold hearted. He is the worst of what the Democratic Party represents.

[Clay Travis]

Okay, so if I am right though, and Momdani wins because you and Cuomo split the anti Momdani vote, is it your contention that Mom Donnie is not going to be worse than Cuomo would be? And by the way, Bucket, neither Buck nor I have any love lost for Cuomo at all. And Bucks, you've won Buck over with your Braveheart analogy there. Yes, but.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes, I was going to say that's, that's all I needed to hear, but go ahead.

[Clay Travis]

But if, if Mamdani is elected, do you not think that he will be worse for New York City than Cuomo, or do you think they're both so awful there's no distinction at all, no matter who would win it there?

[Curtis Sliwa]

Well, the reason that we lock up too face and not criminals is the architect of no cash bail. Andrew Cuomo and then his apprentice is. Guys, my oldest son Anthony was nearly killed in a gang attack. Juveniles, they stomped him. He's lucky to have survived because of the architect of raised the aids Cuomo and his supporter on that, the apprentice or Amandami. These five juveniles who should have gone to criminal court and been charged with adult crimes went to family court and were released on their own recognizance to their parents. And then lastly, Governor Cuomo, when he was in charge 10 years ago, before he fled impeachment to the Hamptons, he was the architect of closing our prison, Rikers island, and his apprentice, Zorhan Mandami, they both have led to the crime crisis that we're in now. I see no differentiation. They are birds of a feather, two peas in a pod. They're Democrats. They have caused the destruction of New York State. They're looking to destroy New York City. And again, Andrew Cuomo has only himself to blame for Zohan Mandami being the Democratic nominee because he didn't run a race. So I'm the Republican. I have Republican values completely different than my adversaries, I believe. This is a strange notion in America, isn't it? Democracy should prevail. The billionaires aren't going to choose the mayor or the influencers or the insiders. The people. One person, one vote. Let the people choose the next mayor. Cuomo has already signaled that if he loses to Johan Mandami, he's fleeing to Florida. I stay, I fight for what I know is right. Improve. Don't move. If I happen to lose his on, I will become his worst nightmare. 24, 7, 36 5. I fight, fight, fight, fight. Cuomo runs, runs, runs, runs.

[Buck Sexton]

All right, so now the other New Yorker here, Curtis, wants to jump in. I wanted Clay to be able to get out there because he's been, he's been worried about the ticket splitting issue. I just want to throw out there that I think blue face paint a la Braveheart along with your red beret would be a good look in these Final Days, because that is a fantastic movie. And now to his point, you have won me over with your fight till the very end. But tell me this, how is it that you could win? Is it that all the polls, if you win based on what the so called intelligentsia and the political, political class, pundits, etc. Based on what they've been saying, it would be the biggest upset. I don't know, I mean, certainly along the lines of Trump 2016, bigger than that, based on the numbers. What do you say to those people who are telling you you're a long shot, you're a no shot and you're just helping the other side? Right. How do you win? What's your pathway look like?

[Curtis Sliwa]

Last time I ran against Eric Adams and remember I did warn everybody he would be corrupt and it would be chaos. I was right about that. And I got 28% of the vote. So I build on the 28%. I not only have conservative Republican votes, there are two and a half times the number of independents and there are Republicans. I have that vote and I have a new line, Independent line, protect animals. First time ever in electoral history my wife was able to get the signatures to qualify. It's the first independent line on the ballot. Try to find Andrew Cuomo in the maze, very difficult. And it calls for no kill shelters and put animal abusers in jail. Let me tell you something, there are a lot of women and men who are one issue voters out there when it comes to animals. Mahatma Gandhi said, a society that does not take care of its animals, does not take care of its people. And look at us here in New York City. We don't take care of our homeless, our emotionally disturbed, our veterans. But Cuomo supported the $7 billion that Eric Adams spent on illegal aliens. People we didn't even know. I want to take care of our own. It's time we bring it home and care for our homeless are emotionally disturbed and most importantly, our veterans who have been forsaken. You don't hear Cuomo saying that and naturally you don't hear Curtis.

[Buck Sexton]

Curtis, I love the protect animals thing. I love dogs as much as any human being I've ever met and other animals too. So I think that's fantastic. But I want to ask you about this, the Mamdani shape shifting situation here or the code switching, the changing it up on some of the stuff. For example, now he's saying he would keep Jessica Tisch, who I actually worked with at the NYPD many years ago, keep her in the commissioner role, what do you make of that? I mean, is it just. He'll say anything to make people not as scared of his communist nonsense as they should be. What's going on?

[Curtis Sliwa]

Well, he's Bill de Blasio on steroids. Now, remember, he's more dangerous because Bill de Blasio, halfway through the night, would be on the back porch of Gracie Mansion smoking his Maui Wowie and Hindu Kush with his grifter wife, Charlay. With Zora Mandami, he would give 20 hours a day to destroying the city. But de Blasio, when he was running in 2013, said, I will choose Bill Bratton as my police commissioner. That was his insurance policy. So he's following in the footsteps of his mentor, Bill de Blasio, by saying, I will keep Jessica Tish. The question is, if he should win, will Jessica Tish stay? I don't know. I don't have conversations with her. I've got my boots on the ground. I'm in the subways. I'm dealing with regular, average day working class people. I'll let the elites determine that while I'm in the streets.

[Clay Travis]

Curtis Lewa with us right now, running Republican nominee for mayor of New York City. You mentioned right off the top that you'd been offered $10 million to drop out by billionaires. What are those offers look like? And will you tell us who's been offering for you to be paid to drop out of the race?

[Curtis Sliwa]

Yeah. Well, there were seven calls that I fielded from people I grew up with that are not supporting me. They're supporting Cuomo, which is fine, but they were calling on his behalf for me to drop out. And the last call, which my wife listened to, who is a attorney, Nancy, got to the point where I said, no, no, a thousand times no. And then he said, curtis, everybody has a price. $10 million is a lot of money to walk away from. I said, guy, you know me, I was born with nothing. I'll die with nothing. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. This sounds to me unethical. It's a bribe. It could be illegal. And from that day forward, my wife said, look, you got to put everybody on blast that if they're going to talk to you about bribing you, you're going to be wired up like a Christmas tree, which I am now. And there've been no call since. Now, the people who reach me, their family people, they have businesses in the business of politics, which, you know is the dirtiest business of all. Just ask the founder of ufc. He said the same Thing the dirtiest business. I give these guys a pass. They know not what they do, but anybody moving forward, hey, you're going to be prosecuted for obviously illegalities and for what are corrupted practices.

[Clay Travis]

Have you talked to Donald Trump? He has discussed your candidacy. He's talked about the fact that sometimes he wishes you would drop out because he's concerned about Mamdani becoming the mayor of New York City. Have you talked to Trump? What have those conversations been like?

[Curtis Sliwa]

No, I have not spoken to the president recently. For 40 years, I knew Donald Trump as a New Yorker. We had a love hate relationship like most people had with Donald Trump. I mean, you look at his vice president, J.D. vance, doing a great job. He called him Hitler in 2016 and now he's the vice president. So I've been on the roller coaster with Donald Trump. Like most people, he's not reached out to me. He's not talked to me. He certainly has had conversations with Andrew Cuomo and with Eric Adams. And the president is free to do what he wishes. I wish he would endorse me. He hasn't. But I've always said publicly, Mr. President, you're trying to get peace in the Middle east and Persian Gulf, that you're the only guy who can do that. You've got to get peace between Russia and Ukraine. You're the only guy who can do that. And he's dealing with Asia now and the Red Chinese menace. He's the only guy who can deal with that. Comparably to those bigger issues, do you think weighing in on the mayoral race in New York City is equal to those? I don't think so. And by the way, Zoran Mandami loves it because then he plays David to Goliath. He doesn't want to run against Andrew Cuomo or Curtis Levy. He wants to run against Donald Trump, who happens not to be very popular in New York City. He is around the country. He is in other parts of New York State. The benefit of my running and winning a mayoral election as a Republican is it's 1993 all over again. Rudy Giuliani won. I AM Rudy Giuliani 2.0. And next year we set it up the way it was in 94 when Pataky beat the better Cuomo. Mario. And we had not only competence, no corruption, no chaos. Crime went down with Rudy and with Pataky. You elect me the Republican mayor and then we pull out all the stops to elect Congresswoman Elise Stefanik the governor next year Republican candidate, and we can return to the days of Giuliani and Pataky. And send Kathy Hochul packing back to Buffalo.

[Buck Sexton]

All right, Curtis, real quick. We only got 30 seconds before we get into a heartbreak here. Where can people go? We got a big war audience that want to mobilize for you. What's the site? Where? What do they do?

[Curtis Sliwa]

Just go to sliwa4nyc.com that sliwa f o r n y c.com thanks guys.

[Buck Sexton]

Hey Curtis. Thank you. Bring home the W. And Clay's gonna wear that red beret. I'll wear one too actually. Thank you so much. Curtis could use some rapid radios while patrolling the subways with the Guardian Angels. Look, you've heard us talking about rapid radios before. They keep you connected to people. Particularly when you experience service disruptions caused by natural disasters or power outages. Rapid radios are small, can slip into your purse or even a coat pocket. But don't their size fool you? They go five days without a charge and connect to anyone anywhere in the US that's also carrying one. That's because they work on a nationwide LTE network. Let's just say these walkie talkies have come a long way since we were kids. Storms don't wait for the right time. Emergencies don't send invitations. You need to be prepared this holiday. Give a gift that keeps you connected to the people you love. No monthly fees, no complicated setup. Just pre programmed reliable communication when accounts because when everything else goes silent. Rapid radios don't go to rapidradios.com use code radio. That's rapidradios.com today.

[Clay Travis]

You don't know what you don't know, right? But you could. On the Sunday, hang with Clay and buck podcast.

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Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[Buck Sexton]

Could you be more specific when it's cravenient?

[AMPM Advertiser]

Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter available right down the street at am, pm or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at AM pm.

[Buck Sexton]

I'm seeing a pattern here.

[AMPM Advertiser]

Well yeah, we're talking about what I.

[Buck Sexton]

Crave, which is anything from am, pm.

[AMPM Advertiser]

What more could you want?

[Curtis Sliwa]

Stop by AMPM where the snacks and.

[AMPM Advertiser]

Drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience am, PM Too much Good.

[Buck Sexton]

Stuff welcome back into Clay and Buck. We want to get your reactions, response, responses, analyses, short form essays, whatever you got. In response to the Curtis Lewa interview we just had there. Curtis is taking this to the very end. He is not dropping out, obviously, and I didn't really get clarification on how he can win, but I did get clarification on he is not going to drop out. That I can say. And also he takes no responsibility, Clay, for what you asked, which was the question about what if it is close enough that Cuomo would have I kind of think that he thinks Cuomo wouldn't be any better than Mamdani ultimately. And I am very I'm actually sympathetic to that point of view. I know that sounds crazy to people. Cuomo was awful. I lived in New York when he was governor. He was terrible. A terrible governor.

[Clay Travis]

So I think the biggest takeaway is that Buck, because look, I believe the data is going to come out and we'll talk more about this because we got a quick turn. Let's play. CC I'll tell you what I took away from that conversation. You guys.

[Caller from Huntsville, Alabama]

From Huntsville, Alabama calling in to defend Clay and his take on the New York Mayor's race. If the race were between a Democrat and a Republican only, he would be all in on the Republican staying in the race. Fight, fight, fight. You never know what might happen. But if you are splitting the vote three ways, someone has to drop out or mom dummy win. So back off people. Clay is right. This Alabama girl's got your back. Clay.

[Clay Travis]

I knew the Alabamans, Alabamians, they would all have my back. Look, the math is the math and we'll talk about this when we come back. Buck, my concern and we I laid it out for Curtis and you guys heard it is that when we look at the final tally on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning early, we're going to see that actually the majority of New York voters voted against Momdani. But because the anti Momdani vote is split between Sliwa and Cuomo, that means Mamdani is going to be the next mayor of New York City. That's my concern. Money gets tight every holiday season. Between travel, gifts, donations, you name it. One easy way to save hundreds of dollars this coming year, up to 1,000 for a family, is to go ahead and make the switch to Pure Talk. Right now, the average sized family of four can save over $1,000 a year when they switch from the big wireless companies to Pure Talk. Because Pure Talk gives you unlimited talk text, plenty of Data for just 25 bucks a month on PureTalk's lightning fast 5G network. Compare that monthly price to what you're paying right now, plus they'll take an additional 50% off your first month. I use PureTalk to stay in touch with my 17 year old and my 15 year old. You can use PureTalk to stay in touch with your family and also save a bundle. You can keep the same phone and the same phone number and just save up to a thousand dollars. Here's how you do it. Dial pound 250. Say Clay and Buck. That's pound 250. Make the switch to Pure Talk today. Welcome back in Clay. Travis Buck Sexton SHOW okay, let's dive right into the the interview we just had with Curtis Lewa. So Buck, you tell me if you disagree with any of these takeaways. First of all, the fact that he was potentially offered $10 million to drop out of the race and I asked him directly about it is actually a huge crime. I, I, I think candidly if that took place. So that's very newsworthy to me. But to me, the most significant thing in terms of analyzing SLI was motivations. Buck is he doesn't see any difference between Mamdani and Cuomo. I think that's the essence of why he is staying in the race, that he doesn't believe that it's going to be measurably worse if it's Mamdani or if it's Cuomo. He sees them both as bad options and therefore he does not feel as if one or the other of them is the winner. It doesn't matter to him. Now whether that's true or not, I think will remain to be seen. But ultimately his motivation in not dropping out is that he doesn't Think Momdani or Cuomo, it's going to make much difference at mayor. Do you take that as the biggest sort of analysis of why he's staying in the race? Because I directly asked him, and I think the data is going to reflect Momdani is not going to get the majority of the vote. The anti Momdani vote is going to be split between Cuomo and Sliwa. If you really cared and thought that Cuomo would be better, you would drop out. He clearly doesn't believe that.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, look, I think what we did unearth here was there's a deep disdain between Cuomo and. Or that Sliwa has for Cuomo.

[Curtis Sliwa]

That.

[Buck Sexton]

That. And I. I would assume it goes both ways based on Cuomo's reputation, too. And I think it's fair because I came to this before we talked to Sliwa to say the notion that Curtis should alter anything in his trajectory because Andrew Cuomo has a chance to be mayor. Andrew Cuomo is. He was such an awful governor that he's a big part of why I left New York. So, so I kind of sit here and I go, that's what's gonna happen here. Remember Cuomo chips, everybody. Remember. No, no bail, no jail. Remember all the things. Remember the. The ventilators and the. You can't. You couldn't open the gyms in New York even after we hit the numbers you were supposed to open. You couldn't go walk outside. They're putting circles in the parks. The whole. He was horrible, an absolute moron, and was. And was pushed out of office because basically people just didn't like him. I mean, I know they say it was a me too thing, but it was really just. He's kind of gross and creepy and weird.

[Clay Travis]

I mean, I think it was Biden because he was going to run against Biden. That's my theory, I think.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, there's. That maybe Biden called the code. The code red on him to push him aside. But isn't that interesting? If Biden had the juice to do that, Clay, and then what happened with Biden later on, you know, who's the chief strategist of that one? Karine Jean Pierre. So anyway, that's the tough part of this that I have. If there was a. If there was an actual moderate, competent, moderate, third option here, I would have a lot more. I would understand a lot more of the pressure. Pressure on Curtis. I'm not convinced that Cuomo will be better than Mandani. I know that sounds insane. I am not, as someone who lived, go back to what it was like everybody in New York under Cuomo. He is a moron. He is corrupt too, by the way. He could not. He was the worst governor in America during COVID He did the no bail, no jail before COVID He flooded the streets with the crazies and the criminals, and he's completely unrepentant and ran a lazy ass campaign. I mean, well, so because he doesn't, you know, use the pithy, sly phrases of, of the socialist, Mamdani will think he'd be that much better. Look, do I think he'd be a little better, I guess. But, you know, maybe I'm much iffier on that than other people.

[Clay Travis]

So I, you know, what you're sounding like is my argument that you just got to let New York City make an awful choice, which New York City appears it's going to do, and that it will be beneficial in the rest of the nation, even if New York City has to deal with this truly awful mayoral choice. And I think that's where we are. Look, I told Curtis Sleewell when he came on the show exactly what I think's gonna happen. He made his argument of why he's not willing to drop out. And if Momdani wins, I think it is simultaneously awful for New York City because I do believe that the best case scenario is that he's so incompetent he can't enact the agenda that he hoped to enact, and then at some point his far left wing base turns on him because he gets into office and is in not able to actually deliver on any of this. I think that's probably a best case scenario. But for the nation, I think Mamdani as the face of the Democrat party is disastrous. I think AOC as the face of the Democrat party is disastrous. And so I think it will actually be very beneficial in the House of Representatives and in Senate and governor races in sane parts of America to say, look out or else you're going to turn into New York City. And I do think that if Mamdani is able to put his policies into place, Buck, they're going to make things way worse.

[Buck Sexton]

So, so here's also an assumption. Again, let's. We're trying to think outside the box here. Cover everything and not just get locked into a, a set of, of analytic beliefs and suppositions that could be completely wrong or could be totally off. Because Clay, here's a part of all this. Oh, well, if Mamdani wins, this is going to mean that there's this big lesson that America takes from it because of how bad things will be in New York, et cetera, et cetera. I bring you a. Then little known. Now, I know he can't run for president. He wasn't born here. But in terms of the left and AOC and this wing of the party, Barack Obama was the most left wing senator in the United States Senate before he became president. For eight years now, he did some, some dancing around some of the issues like the gay marriage thing and others. And he had the whole media behind him and all this stuff. But I'm not as convinced they got what, 49% of the vote to go for Kamala Harris, the worst candidate any of us have ever seen in our life.

[Clay Travis]

Yes.

[Buck Sexton]

So this assumption that the Democrats won't go all in for someone because they're too left with wing, I'm not convinced that that's as clear as many of us on the right think it would be. And I'm not clear that Mamdani is going to be such a disaster that he will sink the hopes of the progressive left for the next election. I'm just not as convinced as everybody.

[Clay Travis]

I mean, maybe harm them. I think he harms them. I think the scary thing is basically what left wingers are saying is we don't care about good governance. We don't care about basic common sense. We're angry living in New York City and we're going to buy into these ridiculous ideas like freeze the rent and start your own grocery store.

[Buck Sexton]

I agree with you on all this. How is, how is Mom Donnie, when push comes to shove, more left wing than Gavin Newsom. You know, really think about it.

[Clay Travis]

Gavin Newsom. To my knowledge, Gavin Newsom has not said we're going to tax white neighborhoods higher, which Mamdani has said. I mean, that's crazy. We are going to make every bus free and in doing so, we're going to make. I mean, I think, I think Momdani is way further left. I mean, I don't know that Gavin Newsom has said prisons are a problem because they just hide bad people. They don't actually make us safer.

[Buck Sexton]

If you go back again, I'm trying to be a little provocative here, but I'm trying to get us outside of the, of the echo chamber on the right a little bit. Clay, what was Gavin Newsom saying in 2020? That's because we have to compare apples to apples here.

[Clay Travis]

You know, Gavin Newsom I think is. Stands for nothing. I don't think. I think Momdani, in his head, is convinced that he is a hero and that left wing political ideals are the only solution. I think that Gavin Newsom, if he thought he could get elected by saying everything that Ronald Reagan said he would say. And so I think Gavin Newsom has been more willing to tiptoe up to the ideas that Mamdani is just 100% endorsed.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, but then again, look at Joe Biden, who was supposed to be blue collar Joe riding the choo choo. We say this a million times. I don't know how much more left wing you could have had in terms of policy than what you had from the White House with Joe Biden's advisors with the auto pen and what they were doing. Remember, there are things they want Clay. 10 million. They let the border. 10 million people came into the country and they knew it and they wanted more. They entered the country illegally under false pretense. How much more left wing can you get? That was the Joe Biden administration. What I'm trying to say is we create these distinctions between Mamdani and. Oh, but what about Cuomo and everything? Democrats, really? A Democrat, my friends, they agree on like 95% of this stuff when it actually comes to pulling the lever for one thing or another.

[Clay Travis]

Yes, but I think they try to avoid saying the things that Mamdani has said directly. Let me give you an example. Kamala Harris said we need to have illegal immigrants getting trans surgeons paid for by taxpayers.

[Buck Sexton]

She was vice president. Yes, but.

[Clay Travis]

But when that came out, they tried to argue that that wasn't true because they knew it was politically an issue. Let me give you an example of Gavin Newsom. Remember when they did the big reparation study in California and they all endorsed reparations? And then Gavin Newsom, what did he do? He just said he shelved it. Yeah. He just walked away from it. He just said, yeah, we're not going to do reparations.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, that's because that's a. That's a write the check moment. And he knew that he couldn't actually write the check. I think Momdani might come across some of those moments, too. He can't. The legislature has to do a lot of the stuff that he's saying he wants to do.

[Clay Travis]

But Mamdani directly said. Gavin Newsom hasn't said, hey, we're going to. We're going to tax white neighborhoods harder. Like, he hasn't directly said these things. He commissioned a lot of crazy.

[Buck Sexton]

Hold on. Again, hold on. He commissioned the reparation study like he played into the whole game.

[Clay Travis]

I get it. But when push comes to shove, he says we're not going to do that. And he directly said it like, I think Zoran Mandami, because he can't ever run for president, is going to say all sorts of crazy things. And I think he's saying, then we're playing the cuts. I agree with you that they try to run as more moderate than they are. Yeah.

[Buck Sexton]

But I think moderate Democrats are a myth. Clay is what I'm. It's a myth. It doesn't really exist.

[Clay Travis]

To a large extent, I think that's true. Fetterman seems to me to be somebody who is somewhat.

[Buck Sexton]

He's about to get kicked out of the party. He is.

[Clay Travis]

He is. And look, this is what Andrew Cuomo said on Maria Bartiromo this morning. Now, it's convenient for him to now be making the argument, but I think he's right that there's going to be a civil war inside of the Democrat Party. And I think the Democrat Party is potentially going to destroy itself by going too far because.

[Buck Sexton]

No, I don't have to.

[Clay Travis]

They have to appeal to people who still have some semblance of sanity. Now, we came within 225,000 votes of Kamala Harris being able to be elected. That's scary.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes.

[Clay Travis]

And there is a committed, huge base of Democrat voters, and a lot of them are older, sadly, who picked a party and aren't willing to consider principle or policy and are going to show up and push the button no matter what. And I think the challenge here, this is my big, this is my big thesis for a long time is until you have such an kicking that somebody in the Democrat Party says they heard our message and there's no way we can win with it, and they haven't gotten it yet. I think they're going to continue to double, triple and quadruple down on crazy. The difference to me between Mamdani and others is he says explicitly the crazy thing. Others tiptoe up to it and try to avoid the sound bite of the crazy. Smart.

[Buck Sexton]

So there's, there's a few things here. And, and again, I'm trying, I'm trying to, you know, take us outside of what I think is the, the consensus on the right on some of this stuff. But I think that the policies that you will get from a Cuomo versus a Momdani in New York, the actual difference in how they will govern, not in what they will say and how they will govern is pretty minimal.

[Clay Travis]

Well, I mean, that's that's the argument that Sliwa has to be making to himself to stay in the race.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, but. And that's why I've been saying this for a while, I really think that we've gotten way too sold on. Cuomo is not Joe Manchin. Okay? Cuomo was a disastrous governor.

[Clay Travis]

So here's the.

[Buck Sexton]

Here's the polite community hates the pro gun community. I mean, he's terrible.

[Clay Travis]

Here's the big question on this, though. This is the part that I worry about. Let's say you're right. New York. New York voters are so committed to their political worldview that they would vote for the extinction of their city as an elite, shining city on a hill example of American exceptionalism. They don't connect the choices they make politically with the poor results that they're seeing on the street. That, to me, is the scariest part of all this, that people are so committed to their political view that they don't take responsibility for the consequences of those political views. And that's the scary thing about Montreal.

[Buck Sexton]

That's been every Democrat city for. That's been every Democrat city in America for like 50 years now.

[Clay Travis]

So, I mean, that's not slowly. But. But why was it different with Giuliani in 1993, the.

[Buck Sexton]

The murder rate got so high, so bad, people in, you know, Guadalajara and cartel wars were like, I can't go vacation in New York. That place is crazy.

[Clay Travis]

So the answer is, sadly, New Yorkers haven't suffered enough based on the poor choices that they've made.

[Buck Sexton]

Unfortunately, yes, that. That we do end up on that square here in this situation. That is unfortunately true. All right, look, if you live in a house surrounded by trees, I'm not telling you anything you don't know already. This time of year, your gutters fill up with leaves. Your only solution to keeping your home safe from clogged gutters and eventual rainwater damage is getting the ladder out and cleaning them out for yourself. But there's a better way. Make it easier on yourself and get connected with Leaffilter. Leaffilter is America's number one gutter protection company. And of course, they have a solution to the near constant clogged rain gutters that happen at this time of year. Right now, you can get a free inspection, free estimate, and save up to 30% off your entire purchase at Leaffilter's website. Leaffilter.com Buck protect your home from flooding, roof damage, rotting and foundation issues. Sure, there may be cheaper upfront solutions, but the Leaffilter solution starts with their installation and includes their lifetime no clogs guarantee. Go online today to schedule your free gutter inspection and get a no obligation free estimate. A leaffilter trusted pro will clean out, realign and seal your gutters before installing leaffilters. Over 1 million homeowners to date have trusted leaffilter. Don't spend this fall worrying about your gutters. Schedule your free inspection and get up to 30% off your entire [e-mail] buck that's L E A F filter.com buck that's a free estimate. Free inspection and 30% off at leaf filter.com boxy representative for warranty details, news.

[Clay Travis]

And politics, but also a little comic relief. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Buck Sexton]

All right, we got a lot of email. Oh, sorry. We got a lot of emails coming in. Clay, you want to get some of these VIP emails?

[Clay Travis]

Fire away, Fire away.

[Buck Sexton]

All right, we'll do this one. VIP from Jill. Buck is right. Cuomo is the same as Mamdani. The only difference is the free bus issue. Cuomo defunded, the police will fight Trump on immigration. Invented no bail, wants green energy supported. Alvin Bragg, he's the same. Let Mamdani win. At least the truth will come out about socialism. I mean, yeah, this. This goes to my. Cuomo is marginally better than Mamdani at best. At best. I don't know. You disagree, Clay?

[Clay Travis]

I mean, no, no, no. Look, I think that the practical impact is going to be negligible, but I do think Momdani as a. Hey, you know, the worst thing about 911 is the fact that my aunt was uncomfortable getting on the subway is pretty culturally significantly different.

[Buck Sexton]

VIP email from Karen. Can you guys talk about something other than the New York City election? It's been days. Folks who live in other states. States don't give a crap if the idiots of New York vote for a communist. We will have the. We'll have. Representative Donald's on from Florida here shortly, who's running for governor. And we will talk about perhaps Trump's visit to the Far East. But that's kind of a big story, guys.

[Clay Travis]

New York City mayor is by far the biggest story going on right now. Now, you can say New Jersey governor, you can say Virginia governor, which we both have covered significantly, both of those races. But I think in terms of the national impact, there are three races that are going on right now. Who gets elected New York City mayor, I think is far bigger than who gets elected New Jersey or Virginia governor because of the impact of the mayor. Can we, can we, though, give.

[Buck Sexton]

Can we give all due credit to. To Katie Miller, Stephen Miller's wife, for her. For her slap down on the. On the TV screen. Clay, coming up here, I want everyone to hear the sound bite. It's fabulous.

[Clay Travis]

Yes. Oh, I love it. We'll do that, too.

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[Buck Sexton]

Who's a good boy?

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[Curtis Sliwa]

That's right, dude.

[Clay Travis]

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