Podcast Summary: The Five – "Tragedy In Texas"
Release Date: July 7, 2025
Host: FOX News Radio
Description: The hot topics that have everyone talking from the five voices that will have everyone listening. Don't miss 'The Five' as they discuss, debate and at times debunk the hot news stories, controversies and issues of the day.

1. Devastating Flash Floods in Texas

The episode opens with an update on the catastrophic flash floods that struck Central Texas, resulting in significant loss of life and numerous missing persons.

• Host Dana Perino announced, “The death toll from Friday's flash floods in Central Texas has soared to 91 and that includes 27 children. At least 40 people are still missing, among them 10 girls from Camp Mystic” (00:31).

• Mike Tobin, reporting from the ground, provided a detailed account of the rescue efforts: “You've got some 400 searchers on foot, but you also have the National Guard helicopters... We saw one Black Hawk helicopter come to our vantage point, get interested in something on the ground” (01:10).

• Jesse Watters expressed hope for survivors despite the grim circumstances: “This will be a rough week. Primary search continues and we remain hopeful” (02:20).

• Rescue Efforts Highlighted: Over 850 rescues have been executed, with Petty Officer Scott Ruskin of the Coast Guard credited with saving 165 people by utilizing rescue cables for helicopter lifts (02:34).

2. Political Reactions and Blame Game

The panel delves into the political fallout following the tragedy, with differing viewpoints on responsibility and preparedness.

• Greg Gutfeld criticized the Democrats and former President Trump’s administration for alleged cuts to early warning systems: “Some Democrats, celebrities and folks in the media wasted no time to blame President Trump's administration... these are the results that we're going to start to see on a daily basis” (03:14).

• Dana Perino added context regarding staffing shortfalls in the National Weather Services: “We're also learning that there were significant staffing shortfalls. The National Weather Services offices in the region” (03:37).

• Greg Gutfeld countered claims against the Trump administration by asserting that the National Weather Service provided timely alerts and was well-staffed: “...the National Weather Service provided early and consistent warnings. They gave out timely flash flood alerts. There were record breaking lead times in the lead up to this catastrophe” (03:50).

• Jesse Watters criticized the politicization of disaster response, emphasizing preparedness over blame: “I don't think it's helpful to have missing key personnel from the National Weather Service not in place to help prevent these tragedies” (03:50).

• Dana Perino and Greg Gutfeld continued discussing the misallocation of funds towards climate agendas versus direct disaster relief, highlighting skepticism towards climate change narratives as a justification for the tragedy.

3. Controversy Surrounding NY City Mayoral Hopeful Zohran Mamdani

A significant portion of the discussion focused on Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic mayoral candidate in New York City, and allegations regarding his racial identity.

• Kellyanne Conway accused Mamdani of falsifying his racial background: “New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani... he checked both black or African American and Asian on his Columbia University application” (15:39).

• Jesse Watters criticized identity politics: “...he adorned himself with a different race, which exposes the lie of identity politics. If it is so unfair to be black in America, why are you pretending to be one?” (16:08).

• Jessica Tarloff defended the complexity of identity boxes on applications but acknowledged the issue: “When Mamdani applied to Colombia, there was no Indian or South Asian box on the application...” (20:37).

• Greg Gutfeld highlighted inconsistencies in political responses: “...the New York Times got crushed by the left for telling the truth... if this had been a Republican candidate, they would have been cheering on and criticizing the New York Times for not running in” (19:22).

• Dana Perino and Jesse Watters continued to challenge Mamdani’s legitimacy and the broader implications of identity manipulation in politics.

4. Elon Musk's Attempt to Launch a Third Party

The panel discussed Elon Musk's initiative to establish a third political party, analyzing its viability and potential impact on the existing two-party system.

• Jesse Watters mocked the seriousness of the endeavor: “But I think it's ridiculous. Kellyanne, is Elon Musk serious about the third party?” (33:22).

• Kellyanne Conway argued that third parties dilute the political landscape and often act as spoilers: “They end up being a spoiler... You have 50 different rules, 50 different thresholds to get on the ballot in 50 states” (32:13).

• Greg Gutfeld expressed skepticism about the success of such a venture: “...it won't be successful. The other thing I would say is that you could try to Ross Parrot it. But what ends up happening... it's more about applying pressure” (33:48).

• Dana Perino and Jessica Tarloff added perspectives on the practicality and historical challenges faced by third parties in the U.S. political system.

5. "Woke" Superman and Cultural Commentary

The discussion shifted to cultural representations, specifically critiquing the modern depiction of Superman as "woke."

• James Gunn, director of the latest Superman reboot, described the character as “the story of America, an immigrant that came from other places and populated the country” (36:03).

• Dana Perino criticized the analogy and revealed issues Gunn faced: “He nearly lost his job, career. He was fired after they unearthed tweets containing pedophile jokes” (36:03).

• Greg Gutfeld and Jessica Tarloff debated the effectiveness and reception of the new Superman narrative, with emphasis on diverging from traditional portrayals to align with contemporary social issues.

6. Additional Highlights

• Rescue Hero Spotlight: Recognition of Petty Officer Scott Ruskin for his heroic efforts in saving 165 lives (02:34).

• Call to Action: Listeners were encouraged to support Texas flood relief via a dedicated Fox platform: “gofox/txFloodRelief” (14:37).

• Light-hearted Segments: Brief mentions of cultural events and humorous takes on current happenings, including a satirical take on movie theaters and sports events.

Notable Quotes:

• "Some Democrats, celebrities and folks in the media wasted no time to blame President Trump's administration for this." – Greg Gutfeld (03:14)

• "I don't think it's helpful to have missing key personnel from the National Weather Service not in place to help prevent these tragedies." – Jesse Watters (03:50)

• "If it is so unfair to be black in America, why are you pretending to be one?" – Jesse Watters (16:08)

• "They end up being a spoiler... You have 50 different rules, 50 different thresholds to get on the ballot in 50 states." – Kellyanne Conway (32:13)

• "He nearly lost his job, career. He was fired after they unearthed tweets containing pedophile jokes." – Dana Perino (36:03)

Conclusion

In this episode of "The Five," the panel navigates through the immediate tragic events in Texas, intertwining political discourse with cultural critiques. The discussions highlight the intersection of disaster response, political accountability, identity politics, and cultural representation, providing listeners with a blend of news analysis and opinion-based commentary.

Note: This summary focuses on the core discussions and key points presented in the episode, omitting advertisements, introductions, and non-content segments to provide a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the full podcast.