Verdict with Ted Cruz

Bonus: Daily Review with Clay and Buck

Episode Date: October 21, 2025

Episode Overview

This special edition features Clay Travis and Buck Sexton hosting a comprehensive breakdown of key political, cultural, and electoral topics shaping the current moment in American life. The hosts focus on the New York City Mayoral race, the government shutdown, free speech controversies, the legacy of political figures, and pandemic-era policies, mixing commentary, humor, and debate. Notable guests and audio clips, including Curtis Sliwa and President Trump, punctuate the fast-paced episode.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New York City Mayoral Race Showdown

[02:31–16:11, 22:52–25:58]

• Curtis Sliwa’s Candidacy & Refusal to Drop Out

  • Sliwa is resisting calls to exit to prevent splitting the anti-Mamdani vote, arguing Democrats are to blame for the city’s predicament.
  • Clay and Buck weigh whether Sliwa's persistence helps the GOP long-term (by making socialists the face of the Democrats nationally) while hurting New York in the short term.
    • Buck: “Sliwa staying in only guarantees Mamdani is going to be elected the next mayor. But… it’s the best thing for the Republican Party, worst thing for anyone who’s sane in New York City.” [09:35]
  • Discussion includes Sliwa's assertion that voters for him won't automatically switch to Cuomo and that he represents working-class New Yorkers.

• Electoral Math & Consequence

  • Overwhelming odds (93% in prediction markets) put Mamdani as the front-runner.
  • The idea that Democratic infighting could yield political lessons for other battlegrounds—“sometimes you just have to let the island go under the water.” [12:28]
  • Pressure mounting in the city for Sliwa to withdraw, but both hosts believe he intends to stay in.
    • Clay: “I don’t see him dropping out at all. And I see Zoran Mamdani as the next mayor of New York.” [24:25]
  • The conversation includes humorous jabs about personalities and New York tabloid influence.

2. The Continuing Government Shutdown

[02:31, 54:25–57:11]

• Shutdown Blame, Impact & Political Strategy
  • Hosts deride Democrats for obstruction—paralleling current shutdown blame with prior Democratic tactics during Obama’s tenure.
    • Clay: “Obstruction is their only game plan right now.” [02:31]
  • Schumer (audio clip) blames Republicans for harming Americans by being inactive; hosts counter that it’s truly the “Schumer shutdown,” and that Obamacare’s broken promises are coming home to roost.
    • Clay: “Obamacare has actually made… everything more expensive and worse than it would be.” [57:11]
  • Trump audio highlights his administration’s focus on cutting Democrat priorities via OMB (Russ Vought, aka “Darth Vader”).
    • Trump: “He’s cutting Democrat priorities. And they’re never going to get them back… they’ve really allowed us to do it.” [53:26]

3. Debate over Free Speech, Cancel Culture, and Morality

[29:08–36:45]

• Teacher's Fired for Protest Gesture

  • Clay and Buck debate whether elementary teachers making abhorrent political gestures (e.g., celebrating a public figure’s assassination) merit firing, not on First Amendment grounds, but morality clauses.
    • Clay: “There is a morality component to being an elementary school teacher… you can be fired for violating that morality component… I think most people would not want their kid’s teacher to be a stripper.” [29:10]
  • Lively audience call-ins inject humor, particularly regarding teachers with side jobs (Hooters, etc.).
  • Listeners challenge, asserting “hate speech has got to be protected speech whether we like it or not.” [31:08]
  • Hosts use the example to discuss inconsistencies in leftist free speech advocacy.

• Cancel Culture Inconsistencies & Public Standards

  • Highlight that standards for public speech and outrage operate on a double standard—“It’s always situational with leftists. They want what they want, how they want it, when they want it.” [32:15]
  • FCC and media response to Jimmy Kimmel contrasted with past European or American scandals.

4. COVID, Legacy Media, and Revisionism

[38:17–41:17]

• COVID-19 Policy Reflections & Sports Figures
  • Discussion of pandemic-era absurdities in New York (grocery store policies, Kyrie Irving’s sidelining).
    • Clay: “Outside, six feet of distancing. Inside, shoulder to shoulder—unlimited time to shop, do whatever you want to do.” [38:17]
  • Revisiting public skepticism about vaccines, with Stephen A. Smith now conceding Kyrie Irving was right to stand his ground.
    • Stephen A. Smith (audio): “In hindsight, the brother was right… props to him for having the foresight.” [40:00]
  • Linked back to Andrew Cuomo’s legacy and failure of leadership—“Cuomo was 1 billion percent wrong.” [41:17]

5. The Mythos of Political Dynasties: Kennedys, FDR, & Media

[47:10–52:24]

• Trump Reflects on White House History
  • Trump offers a humorous retelling of JFK’s rumored White House pool parties.
    • Trump: “…they would have skinny dipping sessions when JFK was president with girls that they would bring in. So that pool’s now covered up and it’s where the press goes.” [47:49]
  • Clay uses this to critique the “Camelot” myth and the press’s role in covering for political icons’ flaws (FDR’s wheelchair, Woodrow Wilson’s incapacitation).
    • Clay: “Talking about JFK and Camelot… was a pure fabrication of the Democrat-aligned media… this idea that he was this strapping, handsome, all-American guy is all a fabrication.” [49:49]

6. Economics & Democratic Policy Blunders

[58:17–59:15]

• Jon Stewart on Democratic Subsidies
  • Stewart’s commentary is played: the government’s endless subsidies without cost controls simply drive up prices—seen in tuition, pharma, and health care.
    • Jon Stewart (audio): “When the government promises endless funds… prices rise far beyond the rate of inflation.” [58:28]
  • Buck applauds Stewart’s rare lucidity about basic economics, as Clay looks forward to Bernie Sanders' predictable demagoguery.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On NYC Mayor Race:

  • “I think sometimes you just got to let the island go under the water.” —Clay Travis [12:28]
  • “Curtis Sliwa is doing what’s best for the Republican party… Not best for New York City.” —Buck Sexton [09:35]

• On Free Speech in Schools:

  • “I don’t think you should be teaching kids if you are going around publicly celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk.” —Clay Travis [31:27]

• On Media and Political Myths:

  • “They pretended that FDR was not in a wheelchair.” —Buck Sexton [51:47]
  • “Camelot… was a pure fabrication of the Democrat-aligned media.” —Clay Travis [49:49]

• On COVID Legacy:

  • “Kyrie said, 'No.' Props to him, but I didn’t view it that way at the time.” —Stephen A. Smith [40:00]

• On Democratic Economics:

  • “Democrats don’t understand market-based policies and get all of their prescriptions wrong.” —Buck Sexton [59:01]
  • “When the government promises endless funds… prices rise far beyond the rate of inflation.” —Jon Stewart [58:28]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Mayoral Race & Curtis Sliwa Debate | 02:31–16:11; 22:52–25:58 | | Free Speech, Morality & Teaching | 29:08–36:45 | | COVID Absurdities & Kyrie Irving | 38:17–41:17 | | Trump on White House History & Kennedy Myths | 47:10–52:24 | | Government Shutdown & Budget Cuts | 54:25–57:11 | | Obamacare/Economics & Jon Stewart Clip | 57:11–59:15 | | Quotes from Schumer and Trump | 53:26; 56:19 | | Stephen A. Smith Admits Kyrie Irving Was Right | 40:00 |

Tone & Style

Clay and Buck’s conversation is marked by sharp banter, sarcasm, and a willingness to poke fun at themselves, guests, and adversaries. The hosts display a mix of conservative critique, skepticism of mainstream media narratives, populist appeal, and irreverence for political orthodoxy.

Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode:

This summary captures the intricate debates and notable humor, highlights the stakes in the NYC mayoral race, explores persistent national policy debates, and uncovers how media and myth shape perceptions. Key audio clips and personalities add substance, and timestamps provide a guide for targeted re-listening.