Podcast Summary:
Verdict with Ted Cruz
Episode: Super Bowl, CA Taxes, Follow the DEI Money & VA Assault on Democracy
Date: February 9, 2026
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson
Overview
In this episode, Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson delve into a wide array of political topics framed by recent cultural and legislative events. They begin with a lighthearted discussion of the Super Bowl halftime show, then transition into serious critiques of California's tax policies, concerns about the Mellon Foundation’s influence in academia, and sweeping changes in Virginia’s political climate post-election. Throughout, the conversation is candid, often irreverent, and heavily critical of progressive initiatives and Democratic strategies, offering a behind-the-scenes look at conservative interpretations of current events.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Super Bowl and Halftime Show (00:34–09:01)
- Ted Cruz’s Super Bowl Experience: Cruz reveals he missed most of the game due to travel and barely caught highlights of the halftime show, joking about the media fuss around artist Bad Bunny.
- On Bad Bunny and Outrage Culture:
- Cruz observes that "most of the halftime shows are kind of silly," and while there was supposed outrage from the political right, he personally found it unremarkable.
- Memorable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 01:48):
"I know that there were a lot of folks all worked up... On the right, you're supposed to be outraged... I just found myself not caring."
- Generational Perspective: Ted Cruz notes his daughters are fans of Bad Bunny, reflecting generational gaps.
- Cultural Anecdotes: Cruz shares personal stories about his late aunt, the importance of family, Cuban heritage, and cultural discipline.
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 05:33):
"A shankleta was this, like, heavy rubber sandal... My theasonia could pull it off and whack you in the back of the head. It was like this, you know, boomerang bow. And you'd be like, wow, that hurt. She was very good at it."
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 05:33):
- Family Tribute: Cruz honors his aunt (who fought against Castro) and their family's history, segueing into his political journey.
Timestamps:
- Super Bowl & Halftime: 00:34–03:38
- Family Anecdotes & Funeral: 03:24–08:40
2. California’s Tax Policy & The “Jock Tax” (09:01–13:00)
- Outrage Over Taxes: The hosts highlight the story of Super Bowl player Sam Darnold, who, due to California’s taxes, lost money playing in the game despite earning a bonus.
- Breakdown of Earnings: Regardless of a win or loss, Darnold paid more in California taxes than he earned.
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 10:06):
"If he wins, he’s going to receive $178,000 as a bonus. And he will pay $249,000 in taxes to California... meaning he will lose $71,000."
- Broader Impacts: Discussion on how musicians, comedians, and athletes avoid performing in California to dodge high taxes.
- Comparison to Texas: Cruz touts Texas as an income tax-free alternative that provides better incentives.
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 12:36):
"Welcome to California. Congratulations on the Super Bowl. And by the way, when you play the Super Bowl in Texas, we don't tax you a penny and you get great Tex Mex."
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 12:36):
Timestamps:
- California Tax Story: 09:01–13:00
3. Exposing the Mellon Foundation and “Follow the Money” in Academia (14:49–25:39)
- Wall Street Journal Highlight: Cruz summarizes a column revealing the Mellon Foundation’s extensive funding of progressive, identity-driven academic initiatives.
- Examples of Funding:
- University of Virginia’s program for hiring “racial equity” focused faculty.
- Funding for projects at Utah, Santa Cruz, Wayne State, and more, targeting transgender and “environmental anti-racism” projects, prison abolition, and intersectional studies.
- Radicalization Accusation: The foundation is described as having shifted from neutral arts/humanities support to aggressive ideological activism.
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, reading columnist, 17:05):
"The Mellon Foundation is the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities... In recent years, it has been refashioned as a tool for advancing an identitarian vision of social justice for academia."
- Examples of Funding:
- Hiring Practices & Ideological Constraints: Examples given of job listings and professor research targeting specific identities.
- Long-term Impact: Cruz argues such trends are corrupting higher education, making academia inhospitable to those outside progressive orthodoxy.
- Host’s Summary (Ben Ferguson, 23:22):
"This is pay to play in its simplest form."
- Host’s Summary (Ben Ferguson, 23:22):
- Philanthropy Capture: Cruz warns that right-leaning donors must guard their legacies, so their foundations are not taken over by leftists.
Timestamps:
- Introduction to Mellon Foundation Critique: 14:49–18:30
- Details on Funding & Announced Purposes: 18:31–21:25
- Critiques and Broader Implications: 21:25–25:39
4. Organized Activism & “Buy-to-Protest” (25:17–25:39)
- Paid Protests: Ferguson and Cruz argue that much of what appears as grassroots protest (e.g., anti-ICE activism) is actually funded, not organic.
- Example: Cruz recounts reports of activists being openly paid to protest, citing a viral video and a Laura Ingraham encounter.
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 25:17):
"There is real money that is fomenting violence and that is quite literally fomenting revolution. That's what they're trying to do."
Timestamp:
- Organized Activism: 25:17–25:39
5. Virginia’s Post-Election “Assault on Democracy” (27:37–33:41)
- Political Realignment: Cruz warns that Virginia, following its recent Democratic wave, is rapidly implementing “radical” policies:
- Cutting ties with ICE enforcement.
- New redistricting seen as extreme gerrymandering.
- Details of Redistricting: Cruz lays out how Democrats, representing 52% of the electorate, now control 91% of the state’s congressional delegation.
- Comparisons to Other States: The episode draws contrasts to Texas and New England, noting gerrymandering is common but claiming Virginia’s moves are especially egregious.
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 29:46):
"The 47% of Virginians who voted for Trump are now going to get 9% of the congressional representation in the state."
- Notable Quote (Sen. Ted Cruz, 29:46):
- Cynical Democrat Response: An unnamed state senator’s crude retort, "You all started it and we effing finished it," is presented as emblematic of Democratic attitudes.
- Broader Message: The hosts frame this as a warning for the rest of the country before the midterms; Democrats, they argue, will use power aggressively to cement their advantage.
Timestamps:
- Virginia Policy Shifts & Redistricting: 27:37–33:41
Notable Quotes in Context
| Time | Speaker | Quote | |-------|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:48 | Ted Cruz | "I know that there were a lot of folks all worked up... On the right, you're supposed to be outraged... I just found myself not caring."| | 05:33 | Ted Cruz | "A shankleta was this, like, heavy rubber sandal... My theasonia could pull it off and whack you in the back of the head."| | 10:06 | Ted Cruz | "If he wins, he’s going to receive $178,000 as a bonus. And he will pay $249,000 in taxes to California... meaning he will lose $71,000."| | 12:36 | Ted Cruz | "Welcome to California. Congratulations on the Super Bowl. And by the way, when you play the Super Bowl in Texas, we don't tax you a penny and you get great Tex Mex."| | 17:05 | Ted Cruz | "The Mellon Foundation... has been refashioned as a tool for advancing an identitarian vision of social justice for academia."| | 29:46 | Ted Cruz | "The 47% of Virginians who voted for Trump are now going to get 9% of the congressional representation in the state."| | 25:17 | Ted Cruz | "There is real money that is fomenting violence and that is quite literally fomenting revolution. That's what they're trying to do."|
Conclusion
This episode weaves personal anecdotes, humor, and pointed criticism to discuss cultural, economic, and political issues through a conservative lens. The central themes are dismay at progressive influence (in both entertainment and policy), concern about activist-driven philanthropy in academia, and alarm about Democratic majorities leveraging political power in states like Virginia. The underlying motifs are “follow the money” and vigilance against ideological capture, with the message urging conservative engagement and awareness ahead of the midterms.