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- [00:00]
A
Welcome to today's podcast sponsored by Hillsdale College, all things hillsdale at hillsdale.edu. i encourage you to take advantage of the many free online courses there. And of course, a listen to the Hillsdale dialogues, all of them@q4hillsdale.com or just Google, Apple, itunes and Hillsdale. Good morning glory and Evening Grace America on this Tuesday. I'm Hugh Hewitt in Relief Factor Studio West. Thank you for joining me. Got a lot coming up today. Byron York, Brett Baer, I'll be talking with Lilacs later, but I begin with Jim Garrity, senior editor at National Review, host of the 3 Martini podcast, frequent contributor to the Editors podcast at National Review, Washington Post columnist and jets fan. And the jets were worse than the Browns. I just want that on the record there, Jim, you were. You guys stunk worse than Cleveland did.
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B
Hey, when we played each other, who won?
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A
Hugh? Well, that's beside the point. It's about the season, Jim. You're drafting ahead of us and I gather you're drafting another quarterback.
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B
Yeah, it all depends on whether more comes out from Oregon. He's the only one who said assuming the Raiders take Mendoza right now. If you look at the history of the Raiders, they have this history of making really unorthodox picks. If they did pick them, he'd be there, I believe their first quarterback that took that early since jamarcus Russell.
- [01:17]
A
Oh, trivia question. Everybody who's like nobody wants to remember that in law. No, nobody, no Raiders fan wants to remember Mr. Russell. But I do think the jets will take a QB. Browns are at 6. They'll take a wide receiver and then an OL with the Jags. We're going to win. We're being the playoffs next year. Jim. I don't know about the Jets.
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B
So you're going to hire a coach who's going to have to accept Shador Sanders. Is that the thinking? Yeah, you know, you welcome to scenic, sunny, lovely Cleveland where you will not get the choice of what quarterback you want with the guy who you know. But honest curious question and I welcome to Q. Hewitt sports talk radio. But are they going to interview Deion, do you think?
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A
No, I will. Let me make addendum to that. They might because of the Rooney rule, but they would not hire him. It would not be good for Shador. It would not be good, which is.
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B
Exactly why they're going to hire him.
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A
Jim, take it to the bank. It's not happening. So let's get to the serious stuff. Operation Absolute Resolve. Your reaction?
- [02:22]
B
Jim Garrity, military operation was phenomenal and really on par with the bin Laden operation. Hugo, you know, the entire regime in Venezuela is terrible. I don't. I have no patience for any of those idiots in the streets marching free Our president, he's not a president, he's a dictator. He's got a record of human rights abuses that are longer than a CBS receipt. You know, I'm not 100% sure. I love the idea of leaving the vice president in charge. She has certainly sounded defiant. Now, it's possible she's taking one stance in public and being more cooperative behind the scenes. Trump was saying that she was being very gracious in her call with Rubio on Saturday morning. Look, you know, getting the Venezuelan regime to stop cooperating with Iran and Russia and China is a high priority. I noticed those were the three ambassadors she embraced during her swearing in ceremony. Again, maybe this is all for public consumption. Maybe behind the scenes are going to be a lot more cooperative if we end up with her still running the country. A year from now, I will feel like this astounding military operation has been wasted because I'd really like to see the Venezuelan people get to choose their own leaders. One of these.
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A
Now, Jim, I don't know if you get news items from John Ellis. I read it first thing every morning. And he had an item this morning from Eva Gollinger, an immigration lawyer wired into Venezuela about the fact that what we see on television is not what's going on inside of Venezuela and that the vice president and her brother have wrested control away from the Chavistas. And though they might be doing all that public stuff for the benefit of the Chavistas, they. They're actually working with the agency in the United States government very closely to begin what will be a step by step transition back to a normal country. If we won't know, and I don't think we can take that to the bank for a year, at least, maybe two. But if that happens, will it be an unqualified success if.
- [04:32]
B
If that happens? Yes, I would love to see that happen. Color me a bit more skeptical. We're talking about a woman who is a hardcore socialist down the line loyalist, very plugged in with Cuban intelligence. You know, she used to be head of the intelligence agency and was responsible for all kinds of torture, extrajudicial executions, use of rape as a weapon. Like this is a bad, bad woman. Now, maybe she's turned over a new leaf and maybe she does not want to wake up to find a whole bunch of US Special operators at the foot of her bed in the middle of the night, ready to give her a free flight to a Brooklyn cel if that comes the case, great. I don't think we're seeing this in her public stance so far. Now maybe this is, again, maybe this is all behind the scenes, but I just don't trust this woman and I don't. I'm surprised to see folks like Rubio and the rest of the administration willing to put their chips on her, at least for the foreseeable future.
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A
The only analogy I can hope is happening and we don't know that it's happening. I don't know that it's happening. I don't have the clearances. Nobody does. Who's not in the game and is. What happened in Libya after George W. Bush invaded Iraq in 2003, Gaddafi, who had a rather advanced WMD program, including the beginnings of a nuclear program and a lot of WMD in the bio and chemical category, he said Nomas threw open his kimono, the United States went in there very quietly, took all of the weapons of mass destruction out and destroyed them and nobody knew a thing. And this is years before he was toppled by Obama. I'm just hoping the same thing happens. And I don't think it's really unreasonable to think that might be happening again.
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B
I hope you're right. And I do remember right around that time, Hugh Gaddafi did an interview, I believe, with Joe Klein, who I believe was with Time magazine at the time. And as he's ending the interview, Gaddafi says to Klein something along the lines of like, please tell Bush not to bomb me. I am not Saddam Hussein, I will.
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C
Yeah.
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B
And look, if this can, quote, unquote, scare her straight and the now acting President of Venezuela, Rodriguez, is going to have a different attitude and less hostile to the United States, fine. And I understand that all over the Middle east there are regimes that are much more anti American in their public rhetoric than they are in their private rhetoric, their private actions. They actually want to work with the US because they're every bit as afraid of Islamist radicals as we are. You know, if that's what's going to happen, great. I still however, believe that like one, this regime is responsible for just an abominable long line of crimes. And I'd like to see somebody get held accountable for this. And then secondly, I would like to see the Venezuelan people get back into the, like, they had an election in 2024, they picked somebody else and the regime said, eh, never mind, we're going to use the, we're going to use force to strike this down.
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A
It's been 20 years of dictatorial rule since Chavez took over and it will be welcome if they change. But Jim, I want to let our new affiliates. We have two new affiliates this week, News Radio, Pensacola, Florida, 92.3, WNRP in Pensacola, and Triple Talk, 102.3, 103.3 and 12:70am WMKT in Padofsky, Michigan. Way up north, so way up north, way down south. Would you tell them how to get the Morning Jolt if they want to get you every day? Sure.
- [07:57]
B
Nationalreview.com right on the left side of the screen we have a menu. Drop down that menu to subscriptions. The Morning Jolt is free. It's also online all day. It is free. I am not behind the paywall. Apparently I am a good gateway drug to the work of all of my colleagues sometimes. Some of my other writing at National Review, alas, is behind that. NR plus is very reasonable. It's a dollar a week. You get access to the whole magazine. You can get prints, you can get online. You can get both. We have different rates for all of them, but at the beginning of the year we always have very good rates. But the morning Joel, the newsletter I write every day, that's 15002000 words walking you through the day's headlines, probably almost as good as John Ellis's news items.
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A
So I'm leading you up to my my question for everyone over the next two weeks. Is the United States better off today and next week than it was a year ago? Yeah.
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C
Yeah.
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B
Generally it's a mixed bag. I think if you're, you know, listeners are looking at their 401k statements at the end of the year, they're probably feeling pretty darn good about that. I think the, you know, had a rough year, Hugh, the Iranian nuclear program.
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A
Yeah.
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B
It's a bigger rebuilding year for them than the jets and the Browns.
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A
Yes.
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B
They've loss of personnel. Just the whole thing fell apart literally as well as metaphorically. So, no, there are, you know, I'm a little frustrated with the administration's position regarding Ukraine. I think we're not quite as tough on China as I'd like it to be. I understand why people don't feel like the golden age has begun and the prices has gone down. But I would point out gas prices have been very reasonable, come down a bit since winter began. So generally it's good. No president's going to have everything going terrific. I would prefer the president would not insist that affordability is a hoax. I think people are still genuinely squeezed like that. I don't like the tariffs, but on balance things are better. And I think that if Harris had been president and the illustrious Tim Walls had been our vice president, no, we would not feel like things are getting better.
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A
Tim, we hardly knew ye. We got 30 seconds. How sad.
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B
We know him well enough.
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A
How sad are you that Tim Walsh is out of the game?
- [10:04]
B
So I, so I went back and I checked. The very first thing I wrote about Tim Walls was July 29, 2024. And I said that there was no way that Kamala Harris was going to pick this guy because he had so much baggage, because the entire state government of Minnesota had been looted in one fraud scandal after another. Now, it's not that nobody else wrote about this during the 2024 presidential campaign. CNN did do one good story on this in like, you know, late September, early October. But by and large, you didn't hear.
- [10:34]
A
Very much about unless you were a Power Line blog reader. All, all praise like Lincoln said, all honor to Jefferson, all honor to Powerline and Jim G. Because they were on the Wall scandal before anyone else. Jim, thank you. Follow him on X as well. Jim Garrity, come back for segment two of today's you Hewitt Show. Welcome back, America. I'm Hugh Hewitt. I would like to introduce our next guest very specifically to our two new affiliates, our News Talk Affiliate News radio in Pensacola at the Naval Aviation Air Community. So they will probably know of him at 92.3 WNRP and then triple talk 102.3, 103.3 12:70am in the Northern part of Michigan, Charlevoix and Patofsky. You may not know of the four horsemen of the podcast Apocalypse, otherwise known as the fellas of the Ruthless podcast, but one of them, the Buckeye, is John Ashbrook and he joins us now from the Ruthless podcast. Mr. Ashbrook, I hope you are watching football in Cincinnati this weekend when the Browns laid another one and Miles Garrett put the record on the wall against Joe Burrow.
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D
I watched it, buddy. I watched it from start to finish. And I'd like to congratulate you on the great win and what a season for Myles Garrett. I mean, that guy's a special talent and the Browns are sure lucky to have him. But I wanted to ask you what you think is going to happen with this Kevin Stefanski job. I mean, do you have any eyes on any coaches in particular?
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A
I hope they just promote the defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, and then keep Tommy Reese as the offensive coordinator. But that would be too smart. So the Browns will probably go hire Mike McCarthy or some other person to change the system on Shador Sanders and then blow the draft. I don't know what's going to happen in Bengals land. Burrows is back, but he's only good for like four games a year, right?
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D
Yeah, hopefully. He hopefully plays all year next year. I mean, it just has been a rough go for him from an injury standpoint. But they announced they're going to keep the coaching staff. They're going to keep what sort of front office they have in place. Hopefully they add some more scouts. Got to turn it up next year because we can't miss the playoffs another year in a row during Burroughs prime. I mean, it's been really disappointing.
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A
I would love to say that the same thing about Miles. If we could take your offense and the Browns defense and put them together, we could go to the playoffs together.
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D
John, you win the Super Bowl.
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A
Yeah, it would be amazing. It would be actually amazing. We need your offensive line as well. Let me talk a little bit to the new audience, especially about the fact you were pummeled pretty badly at the beginning of the year by your colleagues on the Ruthless podcast over Skyline Chile. And I want you to know that I am from Ohio and, and I agree with them. It's horrible stuff. Nobody, nobody likes it outside of Cincinnati. You know that, don't you? It's horrible stuff.
- [13:36]
D
I do, but I don't care because I love it. If I had a choice for my last meal on earth, I would choose that. I mean, I absolutely love it like most people from Cincinnati, but anybody from out of town, it's a real love hate thing. It's not something that, that everybody loves. Although I do have friends from northern Michigan and I'm glad, glad to hear they're on the air right now. Beautiful part of the country. Maybe less so in the winter, but certainly in the summer. I do have some friends from northern Michigan who love it.
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A
So you must have some naval aviation pals down in Pensacola, don't you? That's where all the fighter pilots go.
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D
Without a doubt. I mean that's, that's a place to be. I mean, I think every kid grows up dreaming that one day they can move down to Pensacola and fly jets. You know, it didn't work out for me or most of my buddies, but what a great part of the country.
- [14:21]
A
Well, you know, I got a son in law who, who is a fighter pilot, though he is now driving ships, not flying F18s anymore. But I asked Him. He happened to. Behe's not deployed right now. Happened to see him. How impressive was that operation over the weekend? He said, man, that was something. I said, are you a little bit jealous? And there are a few of the guys from his class who are down there on different ships. And he said, yeah, I got to admit, I am. People want to be the guys who do this, want to be in that sort of a thing. And what a remarkable. Let's just for a moment, your comment on what they pulled off.
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D
Yeah, it was incredible. And you can easily understand why guys would want to be a part of that, because everybody wants to be a part of a team that knows how to execute and wins when they do. And, I mean, they had every little detail figured out for that operation, right down to something that I know is near and dear to Dwayne Patterson's heart, the sound. I mean, this is a guy who understands audio, so I know he appreciates this aspect of the mission.
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A
Who is this Dwayne Patterson of who you speak?
- [15:21]
D
Generalissimo. My favorite guy on the planet, the.
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A
Guy who doesn't produce the show.
- [15:27]
D
Well, they flew. They flew these jets so low over Caracas that the sound was deafening and nobody could hear the helicopters coming in from underneath. I mean, it was one of the most brilliant things that most other people would never even think of, but they thought of every last detail right down to that. And you got to think that the Chinese, you got to think that the Russians, you got to think the Iranians look at a mission like that and the way that the US Was able to pull that off, and they're like, well, we could never do anything like that. And what a contrast between the way that Joe Biden handled himself with Afghanistan and everything else, and the way that President Trump is handling things, letting the military work. You got a lot of really smart people. They know what to do. You let them go out and you let them win.
- [16:12]
A
Now, John, I know you've been following legacy media's reaction to this, and I know that they are very upset with the president. Have you noticed that they've lost their mind over the fact that we have once again done something that Joe Biden and Barack Obama never dare do, much less accomplish. They really have lost their mind that this was done.
- [16:33]
D
They have. And it doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, why can't they just say, yeah, we all said Maduro needed to go and now he's gone. Why can't they just say, oh, that's great, and move on to something Else. I mean, for the life of me, I don't understand why they're trying to take the opposite position from a very successful mission by our own military. These are friends and neighbors. You know, these are guys who put their life on the line to protect us, and they executed flawlessly. And this is the second time they've done an attack. The media went on the offensive against Trump for some reason you could. You can't even understand. You know, we had Bill Barr on our show, the Ruthless podcast, right before Christmas, and he, of course, worked for President Trump, but he worked for George H.W. bush, the back in the day, and talked about the parallels between their operation in Panama to remove Manuel Noriega and the operation in Venezuela to remove Nicolas Maduro. Very interesting conversation. Something I know would be near and dear to your heart is a legal mind, you know yourself. It was very sharp. And I can't tell you how you know it. Just there's a new renewed sense of pride in, like, hey, we're the greatest country in the world, and we have the best people, and when they execute, they win, and you just have to let them do it. I don't understand the second guessing from the mainstream media, but they'll never stop.
- [18:02]
A
You know, there's a Lulu Navarro over at the New York Times who has posted that the secret police are out in the streets and the gangs are out in the streets and journalists are being arrested. And I think to myself that she's based this on phone calls to people she knows in Venezuela. They cannot help themselves. But the headline in the Wall Street Journal, john Maduro's capture deals heavy blow to Cuba's vaunted intelligence service. You think so? That's like the heavy blow that the Browns got this year. Not making. They're out of the game. They're not. Nobody wants Cuban intelligence service anymore.
- [18:37]
D
Well, you love to see it. And I mean, how about the fact that there were 32 Cubans around Maduro? I mean, I. I mean, I know that you follow these things closer than I do. I didn't expect them to walk in and find 32 Cubans standing between them and the goal line, but they did. And it sort of gives you a little bit more pause because Cuba is so close to us. I mean, it's just a boat ride away from Key West. And the thought that maybe there's a chance, you know, there's some. There's some speculation about, well, maybe Cuba is next. I certainly hope so, because that would be a wonderful place to visit.
- [19:13]
C
The home team has first and 10 in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. Tired of missing, missing the game because of your tenants? Let Turbo Tenant simplify rental management for you.
- [19:24]
A
It's free, easy to set up, and.
- [19:26]
C
You don't have to worry about missing.
- [19:28]
A
Out on the big moments. Get started for free@turbotenant.com still going, brought down at the 50, the best they had and Delta Force went through them like Miles Garrett through the Bengals line. John Ashbrook, it is always good to see you. Follow him on Ashbrook, listen to the ruthless podcast like and subscribe. See the fellas as all four of them in a variety of capacities on FOX News. Thank you, John. I'll be right back on the Hugh Hewitt Show. Welcome back. Amygdala. I'm Hugh Hewitt. David Drucker is with the Dispatch. He's their senior political correspondent for the Dispatch. He's also always on the radio with me once a week. David Drucker, happy New Year to you. Your reaction to the Venezuelan operation over the weekend?
- [20:16]
E
Well, what fascinated me the most, Hugh, was listening to General Kane, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sort of relay exactly what went into it. Right. I mean, he, I mean, they were just fact after fact and discussing the amount of coordination and the planning and the execution. I mean, my hat's off to him not just for overseeing this, but just the way he was able to explain it in a way that, you know, I could understand that I felt like a lot of people could understand exactly what it is we accomplished. That, you know, from a military standpoint at the very least, was amazing.
- [20:55]
A
Now on the weekend review shows, especially George Stephanopoulos with Secretary Rubio, Secretary Rubio tried to explain to him again and again and again, we're not going in there with boots on the ground, but we're not letting the oil come out. And therefore we're in charge and we have leverage. And I don't know what it is that is so hard for people to understand. We're not running the country. We are running the country indirectly by not letting them sell their oil unless they do things. I'm not expecting miracles. I'm not expecting an overnight transition. I'm not even expecting an election. But I think it's a huge win for America anyway. What do you think?
- [21:34]
E
Well, I mean, I think removing Maduro from power and removing an ally anywhere in the world, particularly in our region, from removing an ally from Iran, from Russia, from China is a net positive. Right? And there was legal, there was a legal basis to remove him, which, which helps. I Think part of the, I don't want to say part of the problem, I will say part of the confusion is that the commander in chief, the President of the United States, keeps insisting that we're running Venezuela. He says so. And then people will say, well, Secretary of State Rubio explained that we're not really running it. We're just sort of, you know, making sure bad things don't happen. And he's like, yeah, no, we're running it. And so I think that it's important for us eventually to understand exactly what our influence is and how are we exerting it, because the United States has often executed the toppling of where I won't say often, but we have in the past very successfully executed the toppling of dictators. And where we've gotten ourselves into trouble, or at least domestic political trouble for the administration overseas. But where Americans have gotten very glitchy with the whole thing is the aftermath. And so I think there's just a lot to understand that we don't know yet. But I don't blame people for asking the question or being confused because President Trump keeps insisting we are running the country.
- [23:05]
A
And now, David, this is where I think it's interesting. I think we are running the country, but not on a day to day basis or an hour by hour basis or a block by block. I think we're running the country because they can't sell their oil and they know that we can come get anyone we want when we want to, and we can kill them if we want to. If they try and hurt Americans or in the country, they better not threaten an American or kill an American. So we are running the country. It's kind of the. In the way that a lot of people run this show not named Hugh Hewitt. And I've got two new affiliates today, right? In Pensacola, Florida, and up in Michigan, they run the Hugh Hewitt show because they can choose not to have me on the air tomorrow. So they run the Hugh Hewitt show on whether or not they're in Pensacola, but they're not telling me what to say every minute of the day. But if all my affiliates go away, I'm done. And so the question becomes, I understand it. Does George really not get it? Do people really not understand that when you've got them by the neck, they can't do anything?
- [24:03]
E
Right, Hugh? But I think so much goes into it, and I don't know that Your analogy is apt. Look, I know where you're coming from, right? I mean, I sometimes get screamed at by people like, why did the dispatch do this? And I'm like, listen, I'm just the senior reporter. I'm not the executive editor or company president. So you know, talk to them about this. But from a political standpoint, if the dictator that's now in charge of Venezuela and there's still a dictator in charge, it's just Maduro's, you know, so called vice president, then eventually the people in Venezuela are going to start asking questions. Right before they knew who their oppressor was, it was Maduro and his regime. And if we keep insisting that we're the ones keeping everything in place for whatever our reasons are, and I'm not saying they're not good reasons or we shouldn't do it, but the people in Venezuela are going to start saying, well, if you're running things, why don't you change it? And there may be some Americans, some voters who say great operation, glad we got rid of Maduro, exactly the right decision. But now what are we doing with the country? What is it costing us? And so I just don't think it's quite as simple as saying we're running it, but not, but indirectly, I think that there's just a lot more to it.
- [25:14]
A
Well, I, we're going to have to agree to disagree because I am remindedi used this analogy earlier with Jim Garrity in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Libya that we were not intending to invade was run by Qaddafi at the time. He called up the United States and said, don't invade me. You can come get all my wmd. And for a course of a year that no one knew about American special forces and trained weapons of mass destruction. Destroyers went in there and shipped it all out and took it to the United States and rendered it harmless. Everything. And no one knew what was going on. We were running Libya for a year and nobody knew and then we were done.
- [25:56]
E
Well, yeah, but that's, yeah, but that's not, listen, when you say we're running the country, right? I mean that is another way of saying we're governing the country.
- [26:03]
A
All right?
- [26:04]
E
We were dismantling Libya's, you know, WMD program at their request and so there was no conflict. But we forcibly, and I'm not criticizing it, but we forcibly removed the leader of Venezuela's regime and we have now declared that we are in charge. So that, that, that raises a lot of questions as to the decisions we are making that are, that, that is allowing, that are allowing the, the new dictators to operate and how they handle their citizens and other things. And I just think that the questions may have very good answers and there may be a very good outcome. But if we are going to say that you're only allowed to do what we that means everything that's allowed to happen is something that we're at least winking and nodding at, if not endorsing. And then those are going to raise a whole bunch of other questions.
- [26:56]
A
Well, okay, we'll continue the conversation next week. I think Rubio has made it very the president said very briefly we're running it. And Rubio explained we're running it indirectly by via the quarantine and the embargo. And I get it. And I think the legacy media is willfully refusing to understand what is going on here, which is leverage. And they just won't admit Trump pulled off a genius move. And it's unfortunate, actually, because they're going to lose more audience as a result. David M. Drucker of the Dispatch, always good to see you. Follow him on X, everybody. David M. Drucker, follow me in the next segment of the Hugh Hewitt Show. Good morning glory and evening grace in America. I'm Hugh Hewitt. Welcome to our new affiliates, especially WNRP in Florida and Pensacola. So good to have the naval aviation community joining us, as well as everyone else in Pensacola and to our friends up north, way north in Michigan on wmkt. Welcome to the U. Hewitt Show. I like to begin most Tuesdays with Bret Baer. He is the host of the FOX News Special Report. Every night at 6pm America's Most Trusted News anchor, Brett, Happy New Year to you. I hope it's off to a good start.
- [28:07]
F
Happy New Year. Yeah, it's cooking. There's a lot of news.
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A
Well, there is. Someone asked me today, how's it going? I said there's no better time to be in this business. Brett, some people are being purposefully obtuse as to what it means. When President Trump says we are running Venezuela. I think I understand what he means. What do you think he means?
- [28:28]
F
I think he means that we're running as far as influence and leverage and have, you know, a thumb on the scale as far as the people on the ground that they need to do what the US Wants them to do and thereby running it from afar, not running it like a viceroy, you know, on the ground in Baghdad. And I think that's what he means and that it's going to lead to a transition on the ground for eventually an election, but that you have to get from Point A to Point B. I think there are a lot of questions here, Hugh. I think that there are legitimate questions about how the previous regime and the loyalists who were loyal to Maduro suddenly can change. But if you're looking at an armada off your coast and you're looking at leverage from the U.S. maybe you do.
- [29:32]
A
Yeah, there are many questions. I don't think we'll get a lot of answers because I think a lot of this is being done, as was the 2003 George W. Bus operation in Libya where Qaddafi said, I don't want to be invaded, come get my wmd. And we sent scores hundreds of special personnel there to offshore and then destroy his vast arsenal of wmd. It's years before President Obama bombed him and nobody knew about that, Brett. So I don't know what we're doing there and I don't expect us to know because I don't think we can know. And if the acting president, the new president, is running a double game, speaking in Spanish to the Chavistas and talking in English to Marco Rubio, that's fine by me. We don't need to know. Do you think that might be what's going on?
- [30:18]
F
I do think that there is something that has been baked in the cake to have the amount of confidence that they have currently with as many questions as we have, you know, on the outside looking in. I think that something is afoot that we don't know about. And we know for a fact that the CIA has been on the ground for a long time.
- [30:41]
A
Yeah. And there are 32 dead Cuban security service members. Cuba certainly knows what's going on. So that brings me to Lulu Navarro. I don't know her. She might be a fine reporter. I don't take the New York Times anymore. She posted up a few hours ago about 7:30 in the morning, east coast time. Speaking to people I know inside Venezuela and they tell me armed gangs, basically paramilitary gangs, lied to the government, are roaming the streets. Arrests of journalists are taking place and the new old government is undergoing a wave of repression. Is that what the US Means by being in control now? I think that's purposely obtuse. I don't doubt that there are armed gangs in the street. I hope journalists aren't being arrested, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was happening. And I don't believe the regime is going to suddenly announce we're going to do what the United States wants us to do. But I also think we're grownups. And what I saw many people engage Secretary Rubio they were not asking grown up questions. Brett, I don't know if you want to engage in media criticism with me. Grown up questions is when can we expect to see concrete results in Venezuela? Six months, a year? Two years? Is that a fair question?
- [31:55]
F
Yeah, I think it's a fair question. I don't know that they have an answer to that yet. And I agree with you. I mean, there was, there were efforts to try to catch him up. And I think that, you know, Secretary Rubio does a fine job answering with the answers that he has. I don't, I think that there are, you know, parts of this that don't add up as far as an easy storyline. You know, Republicans don't want to be holding the bag like we were in Iraq. And, you know, when the Ba' Athists disappeared into the insurgency and we didn't pay the checks and suddenly there was a massive pushback. You know, I covered that on the ground in Baghdad and it was a mess for a long, long time. And I think that that is in people's minds and thereby it leads to a lot of questions about what it looks like now in Caracas.
- [32:57]
A
So we're not going to have a Paul Bremer, who was the viceroy of Iraq. We're not using that model. And the model we are using is I think the Libyan model from the same time, 2003. But it's pressure and I think it's immense pressure. What do you think, or have you had a chance to chat with anyone yet about the almost immediate second order impact on Cuba and then a third order impact on China, which will combine with the Iranian impact on China to put. But I think China is the big loser this week. There are two oil suppliers that's between 5 and 15 to 20% of their oil every day has just been shut off by these two countries in disarray. Yeah.
- [33:38]
F
And Russia is not a winner either. And you start starving. Russia and China, you know, the lifeblood of some of this oil. It becomes harder for them to do some big things. It becomes harder for Putin to maintain Ukraine. It becomes, I think, harder maybe for China to move on Taiwan. I mean, at least that's what I agree experts are saying and I kind of tend to agree with them.
- [34:08]
A
So that's the world picture. Donald Trump was at the Trump Kennedy center today talking to Republicans urging them to do a deal on health care. I frankly don't think that's possible given that the Republican congressman died. Mr. Lamoff, in California today, Marjorie Taylor Greene is going to leave. They're going to be down to a margin of two votes. Michael Aller is putting on.
- [34:31]
F
One of them is Tom Massie.
- [34:32]
A
Yeah. Massey is one of them. The other one's Michael Oller. And I like Michael Aller, but he's not going to vote for it. So that's I don't think that's going to happen to you.
- [34:40]
F
I don't. That said, I hear the president, I hear what his idea is and putting the money in health savings accounts or getting the money to people to make the decisions to take it out of the hands of big insurance companies. I get the pitch. It's a very positive pitch and it's probably one that puts Democrats in a corner with such slim majorities. It's going to be tough.
- [35:07]
A
I just don't have much hope for that. But I do have hope for the economy. And that brings me to my last question. Brett Bear, if you're asked straight up, straight newsman that you are, is America better off today than it was on January 6, 2025? How do you say, how do you assess that? Yes.
- [35:27]
F
Everybody I talk to on all sides of the aisle sees sprouts of an economy that is ready to bust out. And the more aggressive ones than Q1 and Q2 are going to be really aggressive. And the others are, you know, hesitant about the effect of tariffs and what it means, big picture. But I think overall you could make that flat statement and be confident to back it up.
- [35:58]
A
I agree with you. And I think the price of oil falling contributes to everyone except those of us in California. I'm here for a few weeks. We all get, yeah, we don't get the benefit of that out here. I wish I was wherever you are, Brett Bear, always good to talk to you. Follow Brett on exit. Brett Baier. Watch him every night at 6:00pm on the Fox News Channel Special Report. America's anchor is Brett Baier. Thank welcome back, America. My next guest, Michael Whatley was frequently on my program in 2024 when he was running the Republican National Committee and leading the ground game that got Donald Trump elected president again and got the Senate in Republican hands or the House in Republican hands. But now Michael Whatley is running for himself. So he's going to be on a lot in 2026 because we got to get him elected in North Carolina. Chairman Whatley, how are you?
- [36:47]
C
I'm doing great. It's good to be on with you. Hugh.
- [36:48]
A
Well, let's start with the basics. You're a campaign man. What's the website for Whatley for Senate? It is michaelwatley.com michaelwatley.com spelled W H A T E L Y W H A T L E Y W h A T L E Y and your Twitter account, your X handle, is what? Ly nc W h A T L E Y N C Michael, how much does it cost to run in North Carolina? And you need small donors, so let's start asking.
- [37:21]
C
Yeah, well, look, this race is going to be the most expensive Senate race in the history of the country. We're talking 600 to $800 million. That's going to be all in. We're going to need to raise about 50 million of that into my campaign. And it is going to come from people all across this country. You know, we're very excited about the response that we've seen from the first, you know, several months that we've been a candidate here, where we've been getting donations from all 50 states across all 100 counties here in North Carolina, because people understand we have got to keep the Senate Republican. We have got to make sure that President Trump has an ally and North Carolina has a conservative champion in the Senate. We do not need to flip the Senate to the Democrats and go back to where we were with Joe Biden and his politics.
- [38:06]
A
Now you've got President Trump on your side, as you were on his side in 2024. Has he already been down to the state, or is that coming up later as we get closer to to the election?
- [38:16]
C
Yeah, he came down the Friday before Christmas and had a fantastic event in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. Really, really great conversation about how the economy is picking up and all the things that he is doing to make sure that we're going to create more jobs, we're going to get bigger paychecks, and we're going to get costs down. So I don't, I do expect that he'll be back in North Carolina again. This is one of his favorite states. It's the only battleground state that we actually carried for Donald Trump all three times. 2016, 2020 and 2024.
- [38:48]
A
Now, Michael Whatley, we got to make sure we do early voting in North Carolina because your Delta Force guys, they could be anywhere. They could be in Caracas next November. Right? I mean, you do represent Delta Force, don't you?
- [39:00]
C
I got to say, I am so proud of the work that they did. And for President Trump to stand up and take out one of the most dangerous criminals in the entire Western hemisphere and for the role of our brave men and women from Fort Bragg here in North Carolina could not Be prouder of the work that they've done. You know, when you talk about the early vote, you know, we expect over 50% of all votes will be cast before Election Day in North Carolina. That has been the case going back to when I was the state party chair and we built an early vote program that has been winning the early vote here in North Carolina for the first time ever.
- [39:36]
A
Now, Chairman, we lost my friend, your friend, Charlie Kirk. And the Turning Point effort is simply irreplaceable. Has it continued on strong in North Carolina in the wake of Charlie's murder?
- [39:50]
C
Well, it absolutely has. We have a fantastic series of chapters all across the state. I am very proud to be endorsed by Turning Point Action. Had a chance to go out there and meet with their leadership at the Amfest in Phoenix a couple weeks ago, and we do have strong support all across the state from him. You know, when you think about how Donald Trump won, one of the key demographs that we were able to win was young voters. And we've never, ever, as Republicans carried, you know, young voters like we did with President Trump. The fact that he won, you know, males 18 to 24 outright was the first time that we've ever seen that. And we need to make sure that we're fighting for their values. Right. And what do young voters want? They want jobs, they want paychecks. They want to be able to get married. They want to be able to afford a house and raise a family. And under Joe Biden and the Democrats, that just simply was not happy, which is why they came to President Trump and why we're going to continue to fight for that agenda.
- [40:48]
A
Now, Michael Whatley, one of the unusual things about North Carolina is it's schizophrenic come governor time, and you're running against Roy Cooper to term governor in North Carolina. But I wonder, do you have a blue state fraud problem like Tim Walz and Gavin Newsom and Hochul in New York? Every blue state seems to be awash with fraud. Does North Carolina have that problem?
- [41:11]
C
Well, we're certainly going to see. We're going to see what happens there. You know, fortunately, we have had Republican legislature since 2010, and they've done a pretty good job of kind of setting up this economy to thrive. You know, when we talk about North Carolina, you mentioned it's a Purple State. We're 30% Republican, Republican, 30% Democrat, 40% unaffiliated, which is our version of the independents. And the way that manifests itself is we typically see Democrat governors, lieutenant governors, attorney general, Secretary of State. But we win on the federal side. And so we have 10 out of 14 members of Congress right now are Republicans, both of our senators are Republicans. And Donald Trump won the state three different times. So we know that we're going to be in for a very serious fight here, that this is going to be the most closely contested and expensive Senate race in the entire country. But we feel very confident that we're going to win because we're voting and we're running on the same issue set that President Trump did in 2024.
- [42:06]
A
And again, I appeal to my audience and you'll hear Michael Whatley a lot this year. Go to michaelwatley.com because your $10, your $25, your $100 makes a difference. This is the key to holding the Senate. We've got to hold on to John Houston in Ohio, and that's a given. Susan Collins in Maine, that's a given. Democrats have their eye on North Carolina because it's an. And they unfortunately drew Michael Whatley as a challenger. Now, Chairman Whatley, I love what the president did with Operation Midnight Hammer. I love what he did with Maduro. People don't vote on that, though. They vote on gas and the cost of food and whether or not they have a job. How is gas doing in North Carolina? I'm out in California for a few weeks. It's four and a half, you know, Gavin Newsom land, it's four and a half dollars a gallon here. What is it in North Carolina?
- [42:53]
C
Yeah, according to GasBuddy this morning, it's $2.59 a gallon, which is a pretty big drop from where we were just even last month, you know, and prices are coming down. President Trump has unleashed American energy. And we are, we are seeing the fruits of that right now. And it really, truly matters when you talk about the economy. Gasoline and diesel prices really, truly do dictate a lot of our grocery prices, retail prices, prices, you know, and other prices that we're going to see. And so the number one influence when it comes to inflation is going to be what the gas prices are. And that's why we've seen inflation prices come down so dramatically since President Trump took over.
- [43:32]
A
Last question. In North Carolina, I got my in laws, my son's in laws, live in Winston Salem and it's still affordable. In Winston Salem, you can find a house, you can find an apartment in Winston Salem. What about the state as a whole? Charlotte's booming. What is it for a young couple looking to get places to buy or rent?
- [43:50]
C
Well, look, what I will say is this. The President Biden, over the course of the four years that he was in office buying the exact same house cost twice as much in 2024 as it did in 2020. Housing prices are still way too high and we need to see the Fed drop the interest rate. I'm glad that President Trump is fighting every single day with, with the Fed to try and get those interest rates down. We need to make a change in the leadership there in order to be able to help. But North Carolina is still one of those states because of the Republican led legislature where our economy is strong, we are creating jobs and wages are going up. And that really is going to be a significant factor for anybody who wants to, you know, start a family and buy a house. What's better than receiving rent on the.
- [44:35]
A
First, not having to ask for it.
- [44:37]
C
Stop wasting your time and let software.
- [44:39]
A
Handle rent collection for you.
- [44:40]
E
You, it's easy, free and you don't.
- [44:42]
F
Have to be the bad guy.
- [44:43]
A
Get started@turbotenant.com we will keep talking throughout the year. Michael Watley Good luck all the way through November. Michaelwhatley.com michaelwhatley.com w h a t l e y michaelwatley.com Go get involved. Sign up for the newsletter, get the emails. You know, if you make a contribution, you get more asks. That happens. But what the countries here got to hold on to the senate. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll be right back. America. Stay tuned to the qq. Welcome to our three of the program today. Whether you're watching on the Seattle News Channel or listening to our affiliates all across the United States. Want to watch. Welcome especially our new affiliate in Pensacola, Florida. Among our regular guests is Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, who about this time next year will be Tennessee Governor Marsha Blackburn because I think she's going to win her race for governor there. Welcome, Senator. Can I begin by asking for your reaction of the Operation Absolute Resolve that President Trump ordered up over the weekend in Venezuela?
- [45:41]
G
Absolutely. And when I talk to Tennesseans, Hugh, they are so pleased with President Donald Trump taking the action. Nicolas Maduro has headed the cartel. He and his wife have really been in charge of this operation. They've been pushing these drugs into the United States. You've got hundreds of thousands of individuals that have lost their lives, families that have been adversely impacted, communities that have been torn apart. This is a narco terrorist and it is appropriate that he was apprehended and that he has been brought to the US to face the charges that are in front of him and to be held to account for what he has done to hundreds of thousands of Americans.
- [46:32]
A
Now, Senator, I talked to your colleague yesterday, Senator Cotton, who's one of the Group of Eight, who gets warning when it's appropriate of something like this going down. And there was no advance notice here and he was fine with that because of the nature of the operation. Do you believe it was a legal operation and that Congress got adequate notice when they received it?
- [46:55]
G
I believe it was a proper operation and I do believe that the notice we received immediately after was sufficient. President Donald Trump was right to go in and to carry this out. I think that General Kaine did a good job of laying out the framework of this operation and the fact that it was military and law enforcement. And tomorrow we're going to have a briefing on this and look forward to more details.
- [47:29]
A
Now, Senator Blackburn, our friends in the left wing legacy media, whether it's George Stephanopoulos on ABC or the New York Times reporter today, are saying, what's it mean? You're running it, you're not running it. And then Secretary Rubio, your old colleague for many years, said, we're not letting any of the oil out. We've got leverage. And I understand what the president means when he says we're running it. We're not having a Paul Bremer in Caracas like we did in Iraq, but we are running the show there because they're not going to be able to sell. It's like being in bankruptcy court and we're the bankruptcy judge. Do they not understand or are they being willfully ignorant?
- [48:09]
G
When you look at the statements they have made in years past about Maduro needing to be removed and the issue in Venezuela being dealt with and now they're trying to do the flip flop, which they become a pro at. Anything that Donald Trump is for, they are going to be against. And you know, Hugh, I think it is as simple as that.
- [48:32]
A
Okay, I agree with you because I know what he means and I'm not looking for an immediate transformation. I would like to get your estimate on how long it will be till we see the kind of move towards democracy. I'm thinking two years to get the transition in place. And I think we've got agency people down there and we certainly have the armada to enforce the quarantine. I mean, how long until you think we'll see real change that Americans say, ah, that's why we did that.
- [49:02]
G
And I don't know the answer to that because I'm not sure anyone at this point knows the answer to that question. What we do know is that we are there to help stabilize. We are there to bring freedom. We are not there to occupy. And we certainly have heard from Venezuelans, whether they are in Tennessee or Florida or any of the other states, they are so excited that they now have hope for stability in their country and getting their country back on track and moving it to productivity. And I have a friend that sent me a text from one of his friends who is Venezuelan, who said, now my daughter will have a future. And so that is what people are looking toward, exactly how that is going to roll out. I don't think that we can give you a solid answer to that right now because this is a situation that is developing. And even though we live in an age where people want instant gratification, Hugh, sometimes things are going to take a little bit of time. The good thing is we are there to help be a stabilizing presence in this region.
- [50:29]
A
And I think Secretary Rubio explained it perfectly well. They're not going to sell a dime of oil unless we let them. And we're not going to let them unless they move towards reform. Now, Senator Blackburn, let's talk about becoming Governor Blackburn. We have a problem in the United States blue state fraud. It's been in Minnesota, most obviously uncovered. It's in New York. I'm in California right now for a few weeks where gas costs $4.5 a gallon and we had $20 billion stolen from the COVID money by prisoners in jail filing unemployment insurance claims that were honored. Do you think Tennessee has got the kind of problem that Minnesota, New York and California does? Is that what you're looking forward to when you become governor?
- [51:12]
G
You know, I think Tennessee is a well led, well governed state. And this is why you see Tennessee being one of those states where people want to move. Now one of the things that I think has been shocking to people is when you look at Minnesota, you are seeing such broad based fraud and this is on children's service programs. But when you begin to add to that programs that deal with homelessness, with drug addiction, the way some of these grants have been made to nonprofits, you also in Mississippi today there is a jury that is being seated that is going to deal with fraud issues. There you have some people that have pled guilty and someone else who is going to actually go to trial on this. I think what we have seen is this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fraud in so many of these government programs. You know Hugh, when you look at health care, one of the things we found in these plussed up Biden bonus Covid credits was a tremendous amount of fraud in the Obamacare program. You've got 24 million people enrolled. 12 million never used the program. That is why President Trump is saying let's stop sending the money to the insurance company, send it to the individual, send it back to the taxpayer is their subconscious.
- [52:55]
A
What a concept. So, Senator Blackmore, before we run out of time, what is your website for the governor's campaign? I want to make sure the audience, especially in Tennessee but across the United States, knows where they can go to get news about the campaign, make a contribution to the campaign, follow the campaign. Where's the political website?
- [53:13]
G
And that is marshablackburn.com that's easy.
- [53:17]
A
Marshablackburn.com Last question. Senator, the Titans were awful. My Browns were awful. You know, the Haslams. Can you guys work it out so that the Browns and the Titans get better?
- [53:31]
G
I want to make certain that Tennessee has winning teams.
- [53:36]
A
Senator Marsha Blackburn, always a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you for joining me. Don't go anywhere, America. I'll be coming back with Byron York here on the Hugh Hewitt Show. Welcome back, America. I'm Hugh Hewitt. Byron York is with the Washington Examiner. He's our chief correspondent. You can read him daily over at washingtonexaminer. Dcexaminer.com actually, Fox News contributor as well. Byron, it's been at least 48 hours since we got some of the details in Venezuela. What do you make of the assessments? Not of the operation. It was brilliant. But of the assessments of the operation that we're now seeing in legacy media. They're saying nothing has changed. As bad as before?
- [54:21]
F
Well, that you mean nothing and nothing has changed in Venezuela. Correct as before. Well, obviously the administration has been saying, you know what we want to do. We're not going to run every single bit of every office in Venezuela. That's not what Trump means by running. We're going to make it more pro American and we're going to ensure that they stop the drug trafficking, that they stop the mass migration and we get rid of, you know, foreign influences hostile to the United States in Venezuela. So I think it's way too early to say that that has happened.
- [55:04]
A
Now.
- [55:04]
F
Who's going to be in charge of the place? Is there going to be an election to stand someone up quickly?
- [55:10]
B
I don't know.
- [55:10]
F
I will say I think that for the president's sake, they should do what they're doing quickly because if they're messing with this, six months from now it's going to be, they're going to be one, in the middle of midterm season and two, open to charges of nation building, which would be a bad idea.
- [55:26]
A
So, Byron, the representative post I've taken to stand in for all of legacy media, and I do mean television news and radio and columnist is Lulu of the New York Times, Lulu Navarro. Earlier today she posted Speaking to people I know inside Venezuela, they tell me armed gangs, basically paramilitary gangs allied to the government, are roaming the streets. Arrests of journalists are taking place and the new old government is undergoing a wave of repression. Is this what the US Means by being in control? How do you react to that? I'll give you a second take afterwards, but that's legacy media at its finest.
- [56:13]
F
Well, look, I don't know what's happening on the streets of Venezuela right now, do you? I mean, no, I really don't have a good feel of what's going on in the streets of Venezuela right now. So I'm not going to say that any report is false or overdone. But I do know what American officials are saying, their intentions are and what they plan to do. And I do know it can't be done in the 48 hours we've been talking about.
- [56:41]
A
Now, the second take which I found in news item by John Ellis this morning is from an immigration lawyer in New York, Eva Gollinger. And she wrote, this is just a simple overview. The government in Venezuela has been comprised of several groups that have a power sharing pact. They control different sectors of the apparatus, security, military, pueblo colectivos, institutions, judiciary, oil industry, business, etc. One of those groups, Delsey and her brother Jorge, have now taken power through a meticulous and evil genius negotiation with the Trump administration that has been going on for months behind the scenes. Note that the new indictment against Maduro and Celia includes both Maduro's son and Diosodado. That is purposely to put them on alert that they are next should they betray the Rodriguez Sibo siblings. CIA is now operating inside Venezuela and can execute another extraordinary rendition at any time on Trump's orders. Delsey has allowed them in and permitting them to stay. The US Embassy is returning along with all of its intel and military support. And there's a lot more I posted over at my X account. I have no way of knowing if that's true either. But you know, that's a completely different view of what's going on, which is more like Gaddafi 2003 than it is, the New York Times report is saying. I've talked to people in New York and repression is happening.
- [57:59]
F
I don't know. I mean, sorry, I'm the guest who knows nothing.
- [58:04]
A
No, you and I are. We're equal.
- [58:06]
F
We're together on this one. Listen, I simply don't know what's happening on the ground in Venezuela. We, you know, the United States has just swooped in and taken the president, decapitated the government and begun some number of measures to exert new control over it and appoint some sort of new leadership in the relatively near future. But I have no idea. I would expect that's a pretty disquieting series of events in Venezuela, which was pretty much lawless on the government side anyway, so I have no idea.
- [58:43]
A
So what I do know is what Rubio told Stephanopoulos three times on Sunday. We have a quarantine on their oil that gives us leverage. So unless they make changes, they will sell no oil before it's time. It's like the old Gallo wine ad. That means Cuba and China are in a world of hurt. It also means Iran, which is falling apart as we speak, can't be exporting as much oil as it wants to. And that hurts China as well. So take it as a whole. Has the world improved for freedom from a year ago?
- [59:18]
F
From a year ago? Yeah, I would. Yeah, I would think so. Absolutely. First of all, you have. The Iranian nuclear program is obliterated, to use Trump's words, something, if not obliterated, darn close to it. So I think that's a positive right there. And I think the United States has made clear this whole, you know, this whole Trump corollary of the Monroe Doctrine was in the National Security Strategy released by the administration in November. You can read it. It's pretty, pretty clear. And it really paves the way for what's just been done in Venezuela. So I do think things are better. Obviously, the war in Ukraine has not stopped. The war in Gaza sort of has, but. So I think on net net it's in a better shape.
- [60:18]
A
And the border is closed.
- [60:20]
F
I mean, 100% closed U.S. mexico border. Absolutely.
- [60:24]
A
And 4.3% GDP in quarter three. I don't know. I'm not a big fan of all these tariffs, but I'm also not as skeptical as some ideologically absolutist free traders. And so I step back and say, I don't know how anyone can say Trump hasn't had a good first year. I think he's had a great first year. Byron?
- [60:46]
F
Yeah, I think it's very positive. And I do think you're right about the 4.3% GDP that was like, you know, every economic story about Trump on the news day has the words unexpected in it because they never expect GDP to get better. They never expect inflation to stay the same or go down because they're expecting bad things. And all of the calamitous predictions after the tariffs have just not really come to pass. Yes, the tariffs have increased prices in some areas, there's no doubt about that, but nothing like the things that were predicted before, which was basically the Democratic refrain of he's crashing the economy. Go back to late March and April that they said it over and over and over again. He's crashing the economy.
- [61:44]
A
Good luck with that. With 4%, 4.3% growth. Last question, Byron. They also never account for substitutionary goods. Goods. Some goods are impacted by tariffs, but you don't have to buy them. There's always a substitute for them made in America. I really except for bananas and coffee. I don't know what we don't make there or people can't choose. I just don't. Oh, well, we're out of time. Byron York, always a pleasure to talk to you. Follow him on xyronyork, subscribe to his newsletter at DC examiner and see him on FOX News. Byron, thank you. I'll be right back. America feel a little bit pinched. Well, if you make a switch to consumer cellular, you may add some stretch to your budget. Consumer cellular.com/hue 1800 411-4454 now listen, do not fall for the phone on us big wireless offer. That phone is not free. Typically, the most expensive phone you ever buy is the free phone that you get with big Cellular. Look at the actual cost of that plan, the length of the contract before you get locked into what could be $1,000 mistake right now, for a limited time only, you get the second month of service with Consumer Cellular for free. When you use my promo code hugh.hugh or visit consumercellular.com hugh it'll be automatic. But if you call 1-800-411-4454 and mention hugh, you get that second month free. And here's something my listeners who are 50 and older will love. Two unlimited lines of data, two for just $60. That's only $30 per line. Unlimited data. It's an easy way to manage your cost of living. It is the best deal out there. Call 1-800-411-4454. Be sure to use my promo Code Hugh.
- [63:33]
C
The home team has first and 10 in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.
- [63:39]
A
Tired of missing the game because of your tenants?
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C
Let Turbo tenant simplify rental management for you.
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A
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You don't have to worry about missing.
- [63:48]
A
Out on the big moments. Get started for free@turbotenant.com still going. Brought down at the 50. Welcome back, America. I'm Hugh Hewitt. I get to introduce my new affiliate in Pensacola, Florida, News Radio Pensacola 92.3 WNRP to James Lylex, as in Lilacs on X. Otherwise the funniest man on substack. You can get his substack@jameslylux.substack.com that's all one word. Jameslylux.substack.com Lilacs. I have so much to cover with you. We're gonna have to move fast. First of all, my memory is failing me. But on the Hue cruise that you were kind enough to come on, we call it the Cold cruise. It was a Caribbean cruise and was about 50 degrees out there. There. Did we or did we not stop at an island in Venezuela?
- [64:35]
H
We did not stop at an island. We stopped at a place off the Honduras and we went and we, you know, faffed around with dolphins. But no, I don't believe that we did.
- [64:45]
A
I thought we went to Cartagenga.
- [64:51]
H
Is Cartagena part. I would love to be able to say that I've been to Venezuela and just count that little one stop there or so, but I don't believe so I will check my records you and then I'll get back to you. Is that the only time you've been to Venezuela?
- [65:01]
A
Yeah, all I remember that they might not. I mean, it's not even Venezuela.
- [65:09]
B
Yeah, no.
- [65:09]
H
Cartania is Colombia and that was on the Hue. That was on the Panama cruise, as a matter of fact.
- [65:14]
A
So did you go on that one? I did.
- [65:17]
H
Don't you remember?
- [65:18]
A
I don't remember anything, James.
- [65:20]
B
Which would not have been Venezuela.
- [65:22]
A
There were. There are 25 different cruises. They all kind of cruise together. The U Cruises cruiser.
- [65:28]
C
Yes.
- [65:28]
H
Well, I wouldn't know. I wouldn't know, Hugh, because I haven't been on any your cruises lately. I stopped at 2 for some reason. May have been that unfortunately unfortunate instance in the bar that night that got me blacklisted. But we can talk about that.
- [65:38]
A
Well, that's not for the radio. Okay, second question. Denmark has appealed for a meeting with Secretary Rubio over Greenland. Do you think that's well advised on their part?
- [65:51]
H
Well, I'm not exactly sure. Rubio's got an awful lot on his plate right now and they might want to remind him that in addition to being in charge of Venezuela and several of the things he probably. He doesn't want to take Venezuela, he doesn't want to take Greenland onto his plate. But I, you know, I'm drawing the line at annexing Greenland. I really am. I've, you know, I've been all for these muscular strikes that decapitate the Iranian nuclear facilities and do what they did in Venezuela. But the idea of somehow of gathering the huge bounty of Greenland into the national arms, I'm not quite there.
- [66:21]
A
I'm all in favor. Did you ever read Red Storm Rising when Tom Clancy was in his. His power? Remember when John Clark dropped on the. It was Greenland or Iceland. I get him confused. But John Clark dropped there and set up the station where we intercepted all the rescues. Right.
- [66:38]
H
Well, I tend to think that we could probably get what we wanted out of there in terms of military strategy in the case of a pinch without actually making it the 51st flag. We can boost the American economy in other ways rather than causing everybody to go out and get a different flag because everybody now would have to go out and get a different flag because it would have another star.
- [66:58]
A
Yeah, but you did it in Minnesota. You just put up a new flag in Minnesota. I'm coming there. That's my fourth point. I'm going to get to the. Have you got the new flag?
- [67:05]
H
Yeah, yeah, no, I've got the old flag. I'm that I'm that much of a revanchist, I'm that much of a traditionalist that I actually have the old flag castigated by all for its bad messages. But yes, I do, and it's right next to my 1 with 5o, count them, 5o stars.
- [67:19]
A
We don't want to make Greenland a state. They can be like Puerto Rico, a commonwealth. And we just want to keep the Chicoms out of our 200 mile national waters. If they're going to come up with the nine dash line for the waters off China, for the China Sea, we need Greenland and we can keep them out. That's why we need Greenland.
- [67:43]
H
I don't think we need Greenland. We can probably do it without angering everybody there and confirming the worst suspicions that everybody has of it. Usually I don't care if we're suspicions are confirmed because it means that we're feared as opposed to being, you know, doormat. But this, this is just an unforced error.
- [68:01]
A
No, no, I Want Greenland. We must part ways here. Talk to me about legacy media in Venezuela. Are they that dumb? Are they simply ignorant or are they deceitful? Because they keep saying they don't know what it means to run Venezuela, Venezuela the way we are running Venezuela, which is as a bankruptcy judge runs a company in bankruptcy. Yeah, right.
- [68:25]
H
I mean, there's a lot of moving parts here and a lot of glugging parts that happen to be made of heavy oil. So, no, I don't trust anybody actually in the media to be able to get wrapped their hands around this. I expect them to tut, tut and cluck, cluck. And unfortunately in this case, you know, it's sort of hard to tut, tut and cluck, cluck a lot when the guy is so manifestly unpopular and has done so many bad things. Bad things. And when you impress upon them the fact that Iran and China, China and Russia are now on their back foot because of what we did there and it was a pretty good geopolitical move and shows that America is back, baby. And the rest of it, either they just shut up and slink away or they make some argument about legality. And I always love the legality argument because the idea that the world is governed by words instead of the blade of the sword is a nice little fiction that we still inherit from the 1990s and the aughts, but taint so.
- [69:13]
A
Only if politically convenient. Now, my last question. Question, My last question for this segment. Did you get any of the money in Minnesota? Are you the only guy that missed it?
- [69:24]
H
No, I actually have declared, I think, $7.8 million since the year 2000 when I began a daycare here in my house. Now, when I say a daycare in my house, I mean I was taking care of my daughter after she was born and continued to do so for 18 years. I figured that that probably qualifies as a daycare. So, you know, I haven't put in for it yet, but I'm going to try retroactively. Might not be a good time to try retro. Retroactively.
- [69:47]
A
Maybe not. Do you think Governor Walsh quit because he wanted to focus on governing?
- [69:55]
H
I know it.
- [69:56]
A
That's right.
- [69:57]
H
I am so devoted to the practice of brain surgery, I'm chopping off both of my hands and dashing up both my eyes. No, of course not. He saw the polls and the party gave him a nice little shove because behind him, if Amy Klobuchar is actually going to fill the role, is one of the most trusted politicians. I think they get the state and.
- [70:15]
A
Amy Klobuchar is going to run.
- [70:18]
E
That.
- [70:19]
H
Says it's what I'm hearing that they're going to swap her in and something like that.
- [70:22]
A
Yeah. Oh, but then nobody be wrong, but nobody wants to work for her.
- [70:27]
H
Oh, yes, they do. Yes, they do. It's, it's the little millennials who don't like a comb throw thrown at them because they forgot to do something promptly and have to go off and cry on Tumblr. No, no, people like to work for her because she's jumping generally smart and no nonsense. And I mean, there are worse people to work for in Washington, believe me.
- [70:43]
A
But. Oh, I, I know that. But if she runs, that means no one will know any of the senators in Minnesota right now. They know who Amy Klobuchar is, but Smith is gonna be.
- [70:57]
H
Unless of course, they put, Unless of course, they put Tim Walt in the spot in the senator in the Senate. They just move around like this.
- [71:03]
A
That would be, that would give Maria Hirono a run for her money, actually, if they. I'm just not sure where that's going to happen. James, it's good to have you back. I want everyone to even abroad with John Clark doing Tom Clancy like mission. I would like everyone to know you go to jameslylix.substack.com follow my next jameslylix.subStack.com we'll find out about his application for child care status next week on the Udo Show. Stay tuned.