Verdict with Ted Cruz

Bonus: Daily Review with Clay and Buck - Feb 25, 2026

Date: February 25, 2026
Guests: Senator Marsha Blackburn

Episode Overview

This bonus episode features an in-depth review of the news cycle by conservative radio hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton, primarily focusing on former President Trump's recent State of the Union address near the end of his first year back in office, the reactions from Democrats, and broader cultural and political tensions in America. The episode also includes an interview with Senator Marsha Blackburn, focusing on reactions to the State of the Union, Big Tech regulation, and election integrity.

The tone is energetic, patriotic, and openly critical of the Democratic party, emphasizing themes of American pride, policy victories under Trump, and deep cultural divides. Buck and Clay dissect memorable moments from the speech, the political implications, and current issues like book publishing biases and policing challenges in big cities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump's State of the Union - High Praise and Political Theatre

• Opening Thoughts
  • Buck Sexton calls it "the best State of the Union speech I've ever seen" (03:07) and emphasizes how it defied his usual skepticism. He lauds Trump’s delivery as "soaring, majestic, pageantry... I laughed, I cried, I felt my heart soar" (03:07–03:28).
  • Clay Travis counters slightly, saying it was "too long" at nearly two hours but agrees it was the "most optimistic, patriotic speech that Trump may have ever given" (07:48).
• Policy Wins Highlighted
  • Hosts point to tangible achievements: border security, lower crime rates, and a "booming economy" (05:48).
  • "Everyone needs to take a moment, enjoy the win, enjoy the victory. Because unfortunately, this too shall pass." – Buck Sexton [06:47]
• Cultural Framing of Party Differences
  • They argue the speech distilled a key division: “One party that is proud of this country and...feels intense patriotic loyalty to America, and that is Republicans. And then there is a party that is ashamed of America...and that is Democrats.” – Clay Travis [15:11]
• Political Imagery & American Pride
  • Memorable moments highlighted include Trump honoring the US Men’s Olympic Hockey Team and stories of military heroism, which the hosts frame as cinematic and deeply moving (11:12–13:13).

2. Democrat Response & Partisan Division

• Democratic Non-Participation
  • The hosts are staggered by Democrats refusing to stand or cheer in universally patriotic moments. "I was kind of staggered. I don't know who gave Democrats that advice...I couldn't believe the way they behaved." – Clay Travis [57:42]
  • Senator Marsha Blackburn calls the Democrats’ behavior “appalling” and evidence of their party’s shift: "They would rather take care of illegal immigrants than...the people that voted for them." [58:30]
• Framing Democrats as “Anti-American”
  • The hosts repeatedly argue that Democrats are defined by “retroactively oppos[ing] whatever Trump is in favor of,” which they claim is a political liability [07:48].

3. The Hockey Team Controversy and Media Double Standards

• US Men’s Hockey Team White House Visit
  • Both hosts address outrage in left-wing media after the men’s team visited Trump at the White House. They argue the controversy is manufactured, with Travis noting: “Their very patriotism is being used against them by the left because the left...hates the country and the country's history.” [32:02]
• Deconstruction of Trump’s ‘Joke’
  • Clay Travis takes pains to point out how social media distorted Trump’s joke about also inviting the women’s team—a joke, he says, at the expense of Trump’s critics, not the women (28:36–29:31).

4. Book Publishing & Conservative Media Marginalization

• Lack of Conservative Voices in Bookstores
  • Brief discussion of the pointed lack of conservative books on top displays in physical bookstores and airports, a problem they argue is due to ideological bias, not market demand (38:22–41:28).

5. Policing, Crime, and Urban Disorder

• Snowball Incident with NYPD
  • Buck Sexton rails against a viral incident in New York where police officers were attacked with snowballs (42:20–45:04). He argues this reflects growing disrespect for police, which he attributes to liberal governance and DAs like Alvin Bragg: “...the whole game of the left is no one's ever accountable. It's always, you're always a victim, it's always someone else's fault.” [44:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Trump’s Speech

• “Not only was this the best State of the Union speech, that was a marker, a high point… Trump was absolutely dialed in, locked in, en fuego, all of the above.”
  – Buck Sexton [03:07]
• "The most optimistic, patriotic speech that Trump may have ever given."
  – Clay Travis [07:48]
• “The USA Hockey team thing...that moment was pure cinematic gold.”
  – Buck Sexton [11:12]
• "That national pride is something that I want to see in everybody, irrespective of who they vote for."
  – Buck Sexton [11:36]

On Political and Cultural Division

• “There is one party that is proud of this country...and that is Republicans. And then there is a party that is ashamed of America...”
  – Clay Travis [15:11]
• “Their very patriotism is being used against them by the left because the left...hates the country and the country's history.”
  – Clay Travis [32:02]

On Democrat Reactions

• “Their behavior was appalling. They would rather take care of illegal immigrants than...citizens of this nation.”
  – Sen. Marsha Blackburn [58:30]
• "For persuadable minds...there is still a substantial majority of Americans that believes...this is the best country in the history of the world."
  – Clay Travis [36:00]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:07–07:48 | Opening reactions to Trump’s State of the Union speech, praise & initial debate | | 07:48–09:59 | CNN poll, audience reception, frustration with speech length, optimism focus | | 11:12–13:13 | US Hockey Team & military honorees moments, patriotic highlights | | 13:27–15:58 | Military hero story, Trump’s “America First” theme, party patriotism divide | | 23:14–26:45 | Economic highlights post-Trump’s first year, border crime, SOTU messaging | | 28:13–32:02 | Discussion of Trump’s joke about women’s hockey, media distortion, left outrage | | 38:22–41:28 | Conservative books marginalized in physical stores and airports | | 42:20–45:04 | NYPD snowball incident, criminality, and urban policy critiques | | 56:07–58:30 | Interview: Sen. Marsha Blackburn on the SOTU and Democrat behavior in Congress | | 59:47–66:50 | Blackburn on social media harms, Kids Online Safety Act, Big Tech lobbying | | 66:50–69:33 | Election integrity, photo ID for voting, budget discipline |

Sen. Marsha Blackburn Interview Highlights

On the State of the Union:

• “It was remarkable. The two hours absolutely flew by...the President just kept rolling right on through all the objections that the left side of the aisle was throwing.” [56:46]

On Democrat Behavior:

• “It was absolutely astounding. They would rather take care of illegal immigrants than...the citizens of this nation.” [58:30]

On Social Media & Kids Safety:

• Mark Zuckerberg "lost in the court of public opinion” by downplaying social media's harm to kids. [60:26]
• Strong support for the Kids Online Safety Act, aimed at introducing product safety standards for online platforms, like other industries. [62:20–65:16]
• “They have proven they cannot police themselves...Big Tech...do not want to change their business model.” [65:16]

On Election Integrity:

• “It should be common sense, standard practice, that you have to be a citizen...to vote in our elections and you have to show an ID and prove who you are.” [67:45]

Additional Segment Notes

• Cultural & Economic Accomplishments: The hosts repeat that economic metrics are strong: low inflation, high growth rates, low crime—the best in living memory (23:14).
• Media and Corporate Bias: Discussion on how conservatives are marginalized in book retail and media, limiting exposure to new audiences (38:22–41:28).
• Law and Order: Criticism of urban governance, linking disrespect for police to broader leftist policies (43:13–45:04).

Conclusion

This episode captures a moment of conservative confidence after a widely praised (in their circles) Trump State of the Union, setting a contrast between patriotism and perceived leftist radicalism. The hosts celebrate what they see as major policy victories, lament the deepening of cultural divides, and spotlight media distortions and institutional biases against the right.

For listeners who missed the episode:

• Expect a robust, patriotic analysis of Trump’s address.
• Hear detailed criticisms of Democratic politicians and reactions, framed as emblematic of a cultural rift.
• Gain insight into ongoing Republican pushes on Big Tech safety standards and election integrity.
• Enjoy memorable, at times theatrical, commentary from hosts who blend policy talk with storytelling and humor.