The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Weekly Review With Clay and Buck – Hour 1 – The AOC of TN

Date: November 29, 2025
Host: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

This episode dives into the biggest recent political headlines—from Trump’s surprising cordiality with new New York City Mayor Mamdani, to a high-stakes congressional special election in Tennessee’s 7th district featuring a leftist Democrat dubbed “the AOC of Tennessee.” Clay and Buck combine news, sharp commentary, and humor to make sense of the rapidly shifting political scene, rallying their audience to action and vigilance heading into the holiday season and pivotal elections.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thanksgiving Week and Travel Trends

• Context: Record-setting numbers of Americans are traveling for Thanksgiving, with the hosts wishing everyone safety and sharing personal updates.
• Clay returns from Italy and recaps meeting the Pope—later discussed in a lighter segment.

2. Major News Stories

• Trump-Mamdani Meeting: Analysis of the optics and the politics behind the unexpectedly genial encounter between Donald Trump and newly elected NYC Mayor Mamdani.
• Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District Race: Deep dive into an upcoming, crucial special election, the background of the candidates, and why this "safe" Republican seat is suddenly at risk.
• Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Departure: Briefly mentioned as a surprise political move.

3. Trump and Mayor Mamdani: “Bro Fest” in NYC

• Dynamic: Rather than confrontation, Trump extended congratulations and offered support to Mayor Mamdani, despite political differences.
• Political Strategy: Buck had predicted that Trump would avoid aggression—labeling the move "classic Trump:"

  "He's not going to have anything other than a smile on his face...he gains nothing by coming out guns blazing." – Buck Sexton [06:22]

Notable Moment—Reporter Presses on “Fascist” Comment [09:35]

• Reporter: “Are you affirming that you think President Trump is a fascist?”
• Trump, with trademark humor:

  "That's okay. You could just say okay. It's easier. It's easier than explaining it. I don't mind." – Donald Trump [09:51]

• Analysis: Clay and Buck see this as evidence that attacks on Trump are mostly performative:

  "They don't believe any of the things they say about Trump, and Trump knows that to be true." – Clay Travis [09:59]

Crime & Policing in NYC

• Discussion of Mayor Adams’ successful crime reduction and speculation over how Mamdani will handle policing.
• Clay highlights Nashville’s low crime stats:

  "We're on track right now, Buck, for a 60-year low in violent crime. No one is talking about Memphis...The surge of support from federal [agencies]...is being transformative." – Clay Travis [12:29]

• Buck: Safety is key to cities thriving—contrasts Nashville’s party scene with cities where crime has increased.

Observations on Political Optics

• Trump’s approach is labeled “the art of the deal”: maintaining open channels and denying opponents an easy target.
• Call from Sean in Queens expresses disappointment at Trump’s geniality with an avowed leftist, arguing for a harder stance. Buck replies that Trump tends to prefer “glamour” over “fireworks” in such staged events. [45:07]

4. Urgent Spotlight: Tennessee’s 7th District Special Election (“The AOC of TN”)

• Issue: A safe Republican seat is under threat due to timing (December 2, post-Thanksgiving), Democratic funding, and Republican complacency.
• Democratic Candidate Afton Bain is branded as an extreme leftist, drawing comparisons to AOC.
• Republican candidate Matt Van Epps will join the show in the next hour.
• DNC Involvement: Heavy spending on ads; energized Democratic base likely to show up.

Clay Sounds the Alarm [15:14, 25:14]

• Emphasizes how turnout is critical, accuses Democrats of exploiting confusion over district lines and holiday absences.

  “They are gambling. They are hoping that Republicans just don't show up…” – Clay Travis [03:11]

• Bulwark Article Highlighted: Outlines the Democratic strategy to “shock” MAGA country.
• Clay’s direct appeal:

  "They are relying on Republicans not showing up. ...The crazy base of the Democrat Party ...they show up for every race, their base. They're trying to steal this election to try to diminish Republican control of the House. So we got to show up." – Clay Travis [25:14]

About Afton Bain: “The AOC of TN” [32:50]

• Played MSNBC clips showing Bain supporting abolishing the Nashville PD and justifying riots:

  “She didn't just say she wanted to defund the police. She said she wanted to shut down the Metro Nashville Police Department. She also said she supported people burning down police stations.” – Clay Travis [32:20]

• Buck notes:

  "There are Democrats out there...you're like, 'man, I don't agree with these perspectives.' This chick is...crazy." – Buck Sexton [33:38]

• Bain’s candidacy is considered emblematic of the new hard-left:

  “She's a rich kid from East Tennessee who went to rich private schools. She's...the quintessential crazy left wing.” – Clay Travis [35:05] “A white left wing chick that's been able to support herself...with money made by other people her entire life and has no idea how the real world actually works and has insane ideas that would destroy civilization. Also known as the base of the Democrat party.” – Buck Sexton [35:17]

• Call to Action: Clay and Buck insist Republican voters need to turn out ("No cobbler for you on Thanksgiving" if you don’t vote! [37:39]).

5. Judicial Update: Comey and Letitia James Cases Dismissed [42:47]

• Briefly covers the dismissal due to procedural issues (lack of appropriate appointment for a U.S. Attorney), not the substance of charges.
• Clay clarifies:

  “This is super nerdy, but this is going to be appealed. ...It doesn't go to the legitimacy of the charges themselves...it goes to whether the U.S. attorney who brought the charges was properly vested with the authority.” – Clay Travis [44:45]

• Buck expresses skepticism: judges will use every procedural block to keep political allies safe.

6. Clay’s Papal Encounter (Light Segment) [22:20–24:10]

• Clay relates meeting the Pope, helping set up a possible first pitch at a White Sox game, and jokes about giving the Pope a copy of his book.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump embracing Mamdani publicly:
  “Why not say he's rooting for New York success? Why not say he's willing to extend a hand? … That way when Mamdani completely messes everything up, Trump can look at him and say, I tried. I offered. I was there for him.” – Buck Sexton [06:22]

• On performative attacks against Trump:
  “They don't believe any of the things they say about Trump, and Trump knows that to be true.” – Clay Travis [09:59]

• On why safety matters to cities like Nashville:
  “It's because it's so safe that people feel like that's why girls are like, let's get 20 of us there. We can all go out and party. And it's not a scary city.” – Buck Sexton [14:37]

• On leftist candidates in conservative areas:
  "This chick makes Kamala Harris seem conservative." – Clay Travis [35:34]

• On election urgency:
  “I'm just trying to wake people up because I think a lot of people out there are not aware. I mean, how often do you vote for a congressional seat on December 2?” – Clay Travis [36:46]

• Caller Sean’s frustration at Trump’s Mamdani approach:
  “I was not expecting my president to lavish this radical Islamic sympathizer, this anti-Semite, this racist, this Marxist communist, the way he did in the Oval Office for the world to witness.” – Sean, caller from Queens [45:17]

Important Timestamps

| Segment/Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Opening: Thanksgiving week and show rundown | 03:11 | | Trump-Mamdani NYC “Bro Fest” | 06:22–09:59 | | Trump jokes about being called a fascist | 09:35 | | NYC crime, Adams, and policing | 12:11–15:43 | | Tennessee 7th: Stakes and Electoral Dynamics | 25:14–37:17 | | Afton Bain’s MSNBC interview (radical left policies) | 32:50 | | Clay’s Papal meeting story | 22:20–24:10 | | Comey/Letitia James case procedural dismissal | 42:47–44:52 | | Caller “Sean in Queens” responds to Trump-Mamdani | 45:07 | | Closing call to action for Tennessee voting | 37:17–39:13 |

Tone & Style

The tone is energetic, irreverent, and urgent—blending sharp political critique with levity and inside jokes. Clay and Buck balance political strategy analysis with relatable personal anecdotes, and are not shy about calling out both Democratic and Republican strategic weaknesses. The repeated reminders and analogies (e.g., “no cobbler for you if you don’t vote”) keep the energy high and audience engagement strong.

Summary for New Listeners

If you haven’t listened, this episode will catch you up on both national and local political showdowns—spotlighting Trump’s strategic politeness, the (potentially underestimated) stakes in a special Tennessee election, and the ongoing cultural and legislative battles playing out coast to coast. The episode is rich in soundbites, humor, and direct calls to civic engagement, all framed by Clay and Buck’s right-leaning perspective and radio chemistry.