Podcast Summary

The Tony Kennett Cast - Ep. 500
Date: February 12, 2026
Podcast: The Tony Kennett Cast (The Daily Signal)
Host: Tony Kennett
Guests: Greg Price, Rob Bluey
Major Topics: Voter ID in Congress, hearings on illegal immigration and Epstein files, border/drone security, Canadian school shooting coverage, political media theatrics, jobs numbers, and more.

Overview:

The 500th episode of The Tony Kennett Cast delivers a fast-paced, opinionated coverage of current national issues, emphasizing recent legislative battles over voter ID, heated Congressional hearings (especially on immigration and Epstein files), a newly reported cartel drone incident near El Paso, and critiques of performative politics on both sides of Congress. Tony Kennett—a self-described sarcastic Hoosier—injects biting humor and skepticism, particularly against claims he sees as out-of-touch or performative from political opponents. Special guests Greg Price and Rob Bluey provide additional insight into Congressional theater, political communication, and economic news.

Key Segments and Discussions

1. House Passes the "Save America Act" Voter ID Bill

[00:04 – 11:00]

• Breaking News: The House narrowly passes the Save America Act, setting stricter federal voter ID requirements (218-213).
• Controversy:
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune's hesitancy about bringing it to a talking filibuster is questioned.
  • Mockery of Democratic talking points, especially the argument that women and minorities would struggle—or are "too stupid"—to comply with stricter ID laws.
• Kennett’s Tone: Sarcastic and incredulous at Democratic rhetoric, especially as presented by Reps. Terry Sewell and Norma Torres.
• Notable Quote:

  “They're bringing out the big guns. That's right. They are now telling Democrat women that they are stupid. Yep. No, I’m serious.” – Tony Kennett [01:06]

• Key Democrat Concerns:
  • Difficulty of name changes for married women; not enough Americans have qualifying IDs.
  • Republican response: These are routine tasks, and everyone needs ID for daily life.

Democratic Responses:

• Rep. Terry Sewell:

  "Let us be clear, this is not a voter ID bill. It is a voter suppression bill, plain and simple... Americans will be required to present their birth certificate or their passport." [02:35]

• Rep. Norma Torres:

  "As many as 69 million women who... change their name after marriage do not have a birth certificate that matches their legal name." [03:49]

• Rep. Catherine Clark:
  • Further claims that working mothers will be unfairly burdened.
• Senator Alex Padilla / Rep. Delia Ramirez:
  • Suggest the law has racist and misogynist intent, is designed to suppress the vote, and connects to "white supremacy."

  "Same racist, misogynistic trash." – Rep. Delia Ramirez [09:41] "Voter ID is a solution in search of a problem..." – Rob Bluey [08:35]

Republican Response:

• Speaker Mike Johnson promises to keep pushing the issue as it is "incredibly popular."
• Kennett's summary:

  "You've drawn the obvious conclusion. They want illegals to vote. That's why they opened the border wide for four years under Biden and Harris..." [11:37]

2. Congressional Hearings: Immigration and Epstein Files

[13:36 – 29:33, 33:24 – 36:45, 52:10 – 64:02]

Immigration and Crime

• Rep. Brad Knott to Pam Bondi: Questions on criminal releases due to sanctuary policies.

  “Illegal aliens... have been released by sanctuary cities, by sanctuary states, rather than being turned over to the federal government for deportation. Isn’t that correct?”
  "It is. And it’s...sad for all Americans..." – Pam Bondi [13:36]

Critique of Congressional Performances

• Kennett lampoons the performative nature of hearings, describing members as more interested in viral clips than substance:

  "Hearings have just...become the most theatrical and completely useless spectacles of all time." – Greg Price [22:11]

Epstein Files, DOJ, and Partisan Clashes

• Representative Ted Lieu presents allegations from newly released Epstein files, which Kennett and Price highlight as unfounded and sensationalist.
• Example: An FBI tip references Trump/Epstein, then immediately includes unrelated conspiracy about Hillary Clinton.

  “Ted Lieu must have missed that part, I guess.” – Greg Price [25:01]

• Pam Bondi and Democratic Reps: Heated arguments, especially with Reps. Pramila Jayapal (“Demanding...an apology for releasing too much of the Epstein files”) and Jasmine Crockett (fiery, but described as performative).

3. Guest Segments: Social Media, Economy, and Senate Prognosis

Greg Price on Social Media & Congressional Staff:
[25:33–27:57]

• Critiques the lack of savvy and authenticity in Democrat online messaging.
• Notes how Dems are now ironically using “Epstein hated Trump” as a supposed dunk on Trump.
• Quote:

  “I've never, it never ceases to amaze me just how stupid and untalented the people who do digital for… Democrat members of Congress are.” – Greg Price [26:22]

Rob Bluey on Jobs/Data/Economy:
[30:10 – 32:18]

• Highlights positive jobs numbers: 130k new full-time private sector jobs; contrasts this with losses during Biden administration.
• Private sector growth > government job expansion for economic health.

Senate Outlook on SAVE Act:
[34:09 – 36:45]

• High public support for voter ID (including among Democrats).
• Kennett and Bluey foresee possible Democrat filibuster spectacle in Senate, but are skeptical this will work given the public mood.

4. National Security: Cartel Drones Over El Paso

[37:30 – 46:40]

• Incident: Full FAA lockdown of El Paso airspace for hours, the most severe since 9/11; later revealed to be in response to cartel surveillance drones.
• Details:
  • Two cartel drones taken down: one with electronic countermeasures (laser/frequency jamming disrupting communications), another with a missile.
  • Kennett claims U.S. drone countermeasures are far more advanced than adversaries'.
• Security Implication: Cartels getting Chinese tech/training; increasing border militarization.

5. Canadian Trans School Shooting Media Coverage & Critique

[48:50 – 52:10]

• Event: School shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada; perpetrator was a trans-identifying individual.
• Kennett’s Critique:
  • Calls out media and RCMP for initially shielding the shooter's identity/gender details.
  • Argues minimizing or misclassifying trans-perpetrated violence as a political gesture.

  “You have thrown away your right to privacy just like you have thrown away your right to freedom.” – Tony Kennett [51:23]

• Shows media language manipulation ("female shooter") and calls for a more reality-based public discussion of trans issues and mental health.

6. Congressional Theatrics and Media Performance

[64:02–70:50]

• Kennett lampoons performative antics from both parties, especially Democrats like Adam Schiff and Tim McBride, who favor influencer-style videos to public debate.
• Quote:

  “Hope you're ready for an entire midterm election season that is being run...by 4 and 2, just the influencer crowd, but who are about five years late to the trend.” – Tony Kennett [65:40]

• Suggests public sees through "Twitter activism" and is eager for a return to adult, substantive politics.

7. Q&A, Show Reflections, and Closing

[70:50–End]

• Accepts live questions about the Senate (e.g., whether Cornyn, Grassley, Murkowski, or Collins could block the SAVE Act—unlikely).
• Short technical Q&A on drone technology.
• Firmly refuses a listener's idea of “trading Puerto Rico for Greenland.”
• Emotional thanks to his team, syndication partners, and listeners for making 500 episodes possible, with promises of continued in-depth, honest, and transparent reporting.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Congressional Debates:

  “Committees are the biggest waste of time on planet Earth...Now it’s all performative theater and it’s a waste of time.” – Tony Kennett [15:44]

• On Voter ID Law Arguments:

  “It’s a wild strategy because you’re calling women stupid in two ways here.” – Tony Kennett [05:14]

• On Social Media As Outreach:

  “It's hard to find good digital people in general, no matter what side of the aisle you're on.” – Greg Price [26:16]

• On Cartel Drones:

  “What you know about [drone warfare]...is like 20, 30, 40 years old. We've got some truly cool things in the United States.” – Tony Kennett [44:15]

• Show’s Tone: Sharp, irreverent, skeptical, with regular jabs at political opponents and institutional incompetence.

Important Timestamps

• [00:04] – Opening, breaking news: House passes SAVE Act
• [02:35–04:09] – Dem floor statements vs. ID requirements; Kennett’s real-time commentary
• [09:41] – Rep. Ramirez calls voter ID arguments “racist, misogynistic trash”
• [13:36] – Pam Bondi on sanctuary policies in hearing
• [22:11] – Greg Price on Congressional hearing theater
• [30:10–32:18] – Rob Bluey on jobs and economic trends
• [37:30–46:40] – Breakdown of cartel drone incident over El Paso
• [48:50–52:10] – Trans shooter media coverage critique
• [64:02–70:50] – Rant on Congressional influencer culture
• [82:50] – Episode sign-off and gratitude

Final Takeaways

• The podcast covered breaking congressional news, border security developments, and political theatrics with a mix of reporting and biting critique.
• Tony Kennett’s tone is forceful, humorous, sometimes caustic, and highly skeptical of both establishment and progressive narratives.
• Discussion reflects growing voter demand for transparency and substance over political theater, as well as continued polarization and technocratic evolution (drones, social media, etc.) in U.S. politics.

For listeners who missed the live show, this summary offers a clear roadmap to the major issues, insightful moments, and combative tone that has made The Tony Kennett Cast a growing conservative voice with national reach.