The Wit & Wisdom of Sen John Kennedy One-on-One

Summary

---

Verdict with Ted Cruz

Episode: The Wit & Wisdom of Sen John Kennedy One-on-One
Date: November 3, 2025
Guests: Senator John Kennedy, Senator Ted Cruz (host), Ben Ferguson (co-host)

---

Overview

This episode centers on a lively conversation with Senator John Kennedy about his book How to Test Negative for Stupid (and Why Washington Never Will). It’s a mix of insider tales, legal war stories, southern humor, reflections on political life, and Kennedy’s take on what’s wrong (and right) with Washington and America. Kennedy joins Cruz and Ferguson for a rollicking hour where wit meets war stories from the U.S. Senate, peppered with memorable quotes and practical wisdom.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Comedy and Sharpness of John Kennedy

• Book Title Origination: Kennedy jokes about originally wanting to title his book Always be Yourself Unless You Suck but the publisher denied it.

  • Quote: “The publisher, Ted, wouldn’t let me use the title I wanted... they said, no, that’s not gonna work.” (03:12)

• Senate Donor Roast: Kennedy shares stories of roasting Ted Cruz at a fundraising event, demonstrating his reputation as the Senate’s standup comic.

  • Quote: "Let me tell you what you have to understand about Ted Cruz. He is really, really, really smart. But so was the Unabomber. And therein lies the problem. You can’t leave him unsupervised." (03:47)

• Kennedy’s Brand of Humor: Throughout, Kennedy’s regional jokes and punchlines about his colleagues highlight his wit and willingness to poke fun at political heavyweights.

2. The Art of the Senate Cross Examination

• Cruz heralds Kennedy as “the most dangerous cross examiner in the entire United States Senate.” (02:09)

• Judicial Nominee Stories: Kennedy and Cruz swap stories about high-profile nominee grillings. Kennedy describes grilling a nominee unable to name constitutional articles, leading to a withdrawn nomination.

  • Quote: “If you cannot answer, what is Article 2? You will flunk first year civil procedure constitutional law.” (07:40)
  • Kennedy on a failed Trump nominee: “Just because you’ve seen my cousin Vinnie doesn’t qualify you to be on the federal bench.” (09:02)

• Not Just Partisan: Both recount going hard on nominees from both parties, emphasizing the Senate’s role in vetting, not rubber-stamping.

3. How the Senate Really Works

• Behind the Scenes: Kennedy and Cruz describe Senate “mean girls” culture — cliques, backbiting — equating it to junior high “where nobody ever gets out of sophomore year.” (17:37–17:46)

• Senatorial Dynamics: They discuss the grilling sequence in Judiciary Committee (Mike Lee, Cruz, Hawley, Kennedy — called “murderer’s row”), contrasting Cruz’s appellate style with Kennedy’s trial lawyer storytelling.

  • Kennedy on Cruz: "Ted could talk a dog off a meatwack and he could talk the hide off a cow..." (13:34)

• Trial vs. Appellate Lawyers: Cruz and Kennedy reflect on their different backgrounds — Cruz handling appellate arguments, Kennedy thriving as a trial lawyer, both agreeing the Senate values both intellectual rigor and relatability.

• On Colleagues: Memorable commentary about senators (Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Lindsey Graham) is sprinkled with good-natured jabs.

  • Quote: “I was asked to compare Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. I told the truth. I said they have a lot in common. Each is very smart, each is very tenacious. And each of them could lose his place during sex.” (20:36)

4. On Writing the Book

• Purpose & Style: Kennedy explains he wrote a story-based, humorous look at how Washington works, aimed at the average American.

  • Quote: “This book is not about policy, per se. It’s a storybook. I use stories to make my points about policy.” (16:49)

• Three Main Goals:

  1. Revealing what the Senate is really like behind the scenes
  2. Explaining why “normal” is just a setting on the washer in D.C.
  3. Arguing that a return to common sense could fix DC, but not sugarcoating the entrenched dysfunction.

• Memorable Lines: “The water in Washington, D.C. is not going to clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek.” (17:46)

• Process: Dictated for hours at his kitchen table, transcribed, and heavily edited for clarity and plain-speaking.

  • Quote: "I tried to speak plainly. I don't try to muddy the water to make it look deep." (37:07)

5. Small Town America vs. The Beltway

• Rural Roots: Kennedy and Cruz discuss how “small town America is America,” voicing optimism that the national mood is swinging back in favor of rural interests after years of being overlooked ("flyover country").

  • Kennedy: "Small town America is America... The people, they get up every day, they go to work, obey the law..." (29:06)

• Political Underpinnings: Kennedy connects Trump’s original rise to this dynamic: “Even though he’s a billionaire and even though he’s a New York developer, he doesn’t talk down to people.” (30:41)

6. Political Life, Party Switching, and Louisiana Lore

• Lawyer to Politician: Kennedy recounts a circuitous route through education, law, and Louisiana politics, including switching parties as the Democrats “left” him.
• Colorful Political History: Recounts old Louisiana stories, such as Edwin Edwards’s famous bumper sticker (“Vote for the Crook. It matters.”) and political one-liners.
  • Kennedy on party switch: "They all got mad at me... but the mistake they made, they let me live." (43:29)

7. Reflections on the Senate’s Work

• Biggest Surprises
  • Upside: Learning that advancing good ideas is less important than killing bad ideas.
  • Downside: The extreme dysfunction and difficulty making real progress (“you have to inch along”).
• Advice & Outlook: Both favor Republican control and using all legislative tools, bemoaning missed opportunities under McConnell’s leadership (“left so much good policy on the table”).
  • Cruz: “It remains the most politically indefensible decision I’ve ever seen.” (45:26)

8. Kennedyisms & Closing Zingers

• Kennedy shares one of his favorites, delivered in a Judiciary hearing: “Christmas tree ornaments and Jeffrey Epstein, two things you know didn’t hang themselves.” (47:37)
• On Schumer: “He’s polling right up there with clubbing baby seals... but to be fair, he’s still above chlamydia.” (38:30)

---

Memorable Quotes by Timestamp

• 03:47 (Kennedy): “Let me tell you what you have to understand about Ted Cruz... He is really, really, really smart. But so was the Unabomber.”
• 06:41 (Cruz): “When John begins cross examining, is there a cross examination you’ve done in the Senate that’s your favorite?”
• 08:08 (Kennedy): “You’re a smoked turkey, man. You’re dead as fried chicken.”
• 09:02 (Kennedy): “Just because you’ve seen my cousin Vinnie doesn’t qualify you to be on the federal bench.”
• 13:34 (Kennedy): "[Ted] could talk a dog off a meatwack and he could talk the hide off a cow..."
• 17:46 (Kennedy): “It’s like high school, but nobody ever gets out of sophomore year.”
• 17:46 (Kennedy): “In Washington, normal is just a setting on the clothes dryer. This place is a different world.”
• 20:36 (Kennedy): “Each... could lose his place during sex.”
• 29:06 (Kennedy): “Small town America is America... They get up every day, they go to work, they obey the law...”
• 30:41 (Kennedy): "[Trump] doesn’t talk down to people."
• 37:07 (Kennedy): "I tried to speak plainly. I don't try to muddy the water to make it look deep."
• 38:30 (Kennedy): “He’s polling right up there with clubbing baby seals.”
• 43:29 (Kennedy): "They all got mad at me and they tried to hurt me, but the mistake they made, they let me live."
• 47:37 (Cruz quoting Kennedy): “Christmas tree ornaments and Jeffrey Epstein, two things you know didn’t hang themselves.”

---

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Kennedy Roasts Cruz at Donor Event: 03:12–05:24
• Legendary Cross-Examinations and Judicial Nominees: 06:41–10:21
• On Senate Cliques and Culture: 17:08–17:46
• On Writing & Shaping the Book: 16:49, 37:07
• Small Town America’s Resurgence: 28:14–32:38
• Edwin Edwards and LA Politics: 41:13–43:53
• Senate Surprises & Frustrations: 44:00–46:13
• Kennedyisms and Zingers: 20:36, 38:30, 47:37

---

Tone and Takeaways

• Humorous & Relatable: Kennedy’s blend of self-deprecating humor and folksy wisdom, combined with Cruz’s and Ferguson's banter, makes this episode both entertaining and insightful.
• Insider Access: Listeners get a rare look at the personalities and processes shaping today’s Senate, including plenty of color commentary on its foibles.
• Storytelling as Politics: Both guests agree — if you can’t tell a story, you don’t belong in politics.
• Underlying Message: The show is as much a call for common sense in D.C. as it is a cautionary tale about how the “swamp” operates.

---

Final Recommendation & Closing

• The hosts unabashedly recommend Kennedy’s How to Test Negative for Stupid for its humor, honesty, and peek behind the curtain of Washington politics.
• The episode closes with a classic Kennedy line and encouragement to "buy the book — it'll make you think, laugh, maybe even day-drink."

---

For a blend of irreverent wit and political insight, this episode is a can’t-miss — especially for those curious about the real (and really funny) inner workings of the U.S. Senate.

Transcript

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Rodney Williams]

I'm Rodney Williams.

[Travis Holloway]

And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealthbreak podcast, a real conversation about finance.

[Rodney Williams]

Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone.

[John Kennedy]

I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have.

[Travis Holloway]

To revisit that and we're not stopping at success stories.

[Wealth Break Podcast Voice]

What happens when it doesn't go right? How do you cope with it?

[Rodney Williams]

Because wealth isn't just about money. It's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same.

[Travis Holloway]

Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[John Kennedy]

Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24,7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care. Every now and then I rinse it out and I deep down the rins tonight and I need it more. My kid wears a bed and the smell never leaves I don't know what to do I'm always in the dark the sweat and dead short smells like.

[iHeartRadio Ad Voice]

Downy rinse fights stubborn odors in just one wash when impossible odors get stuck in.

[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome. It is Verdict with sinner Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you and this is going to be one of those shows that's just going to be an awful lot of fun. A good friend of mine and a great friend in the Senate of Santa Cruz has got a new book out with maybe one of the best titles for 2025, how to test negative for stupid senator. You're in D.C. and this is just going to be one of those shows which I hope everyone enjoys as much as you and I do hanging out with our next guest.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, I'm very glad to welcome to Verdict John Kennedy. John is one of my dearest friends in the Senate. He is someone I am really glad came to be in the Senate. He is someone with a wicked sense of humor. He is the most dangerous cross examiner in the entire United States Senate. And in fact entire generations of judicial nominees and nominees from administrations have studied past John Kennedy cross examinations. They still have PTSD from the terror that he puts in them. And this man, in addition to being brilliant as hell, is also as Good. A standup comedian as I've ever known. He's written a book. The title of the book is how to Test Negative for Stupid and why Washington Never Will. John, welcome to Verdict. I gotta say, your book sucks and it's not funny.

[John Kennedy]

Well, number one, the publisher, Ted wouldn't let me use the title. I wanted. I wanted to say always. I wanted the title to be Always be yourself unless you suck. And they said, Harper Kavin said, no, that's not gonna work. I also gotta tell one of my best Ted Cruz stories.

[Ted Cruz]

Uh oh.

[John Kennedy]

Ted's people invited me out. You remember this? Oh, yeah. He had a huge fundraiser somewhere out there. Some fancy place. I don't remember. I mean, it was the room. I mean, it was really fancy.

[Ted Cruz]

Rich people don't go to Motel 6.

[John Kennedy]

And, and, and I'm a Motel 6 guy. And anyway, I go out there and Ted's people said, you remember say. I said, what do you want me to talk about? They said, make fun of Ted. I said, okay. And I said, these are all of his friends. And I said, yeah, he's a big heavyweight, people. Okay, we're talking mega rich. So I started off and I said, y' all know Ted. Y' all know Ted. Well, I said, let me tell you what you have to understand about Ted Cruz. He is really, really, really smart. But so was the Unabomber. And therein lies the problem. You can't leave him unsupervised. And all the Ted's contributors stood up and they're going, yeah, that's Ted. That's our Ted. It was great.

[Ted Cruz]

So John is not kidding at all.

[John Kennedy]

It's really happening.

[Ben Ferguson]

No, he's not. I was there. I was a witness.

[Ted Cruz]

And his entire lunch remarks were basically a stand up comedy routine.

[John Kennedy]

We had a great time.

[Ted Cruz]

And one of the things he did is he just basically went through the SEC and made fun of everybody.

[John Kennedy]

It's easy.

[Ted Cruz]

So he started, he said, how do you get an Oklahoma. An OU grad off your front porch? Pay the man for the pizza.

[John Kennedy]

I remember that.

[Ted Cruz]

He said, what do you call a genius in Georgia? A visitor. And then, I'm sorry, Ben. He then, what does an old Miss Grad get on his act? Drool.

[John Kennedy]

We had a great time. I got him on Alabama. I said, why did Alabama raise the drinking age to 32? To keep alcohol out of the high schools, Ben. We had the best time.

[Ted Cruz]

And he's told that Alabama joke at our Senate Republican lunches. And Richard Shelby was chairman of the Appropriations Committee. And I'm pretty Sure, he like, pulled a billion dollars out of Louisiana.

[John Kennedy]

It cost me millions, man. It cost me millions, but it was worth every penny.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, look, John is what I said about his cross examination, that is not an exaggeration.

[John Kennedy]

Well, that's very kind.

[Ted Cruz]

It is a beautiful look. And to be honest, he has done that. He does that mostly to Democrat nominees, but he's done that to Republicans also. And one of the things people don't necessarily know, before John was in the Senate, he was a trial lawyer, and he was a hell of a trial lawyer, and he knows how to talk to a jury. You know, John is a little bit. He's got a southern accent and sometimes he puts it on a little deep. But I sort of analogize John to like, you know, you know, there's an old rule of never play poker with someone named after a state.

[John Kennedy]

Yep, yep, yep.

[Ted Cruz]

And John, good rule when the draw gets deep.

[Ben Ferguson]

Amen.

[Ted Cruz]

And he'll be like, well, I don't know much about that. You were about to get robbed. It's like at a poker table when someone says, now remind me, does a straight beat a flush or a flush beat a straight? Like, hold onto your wallet and run out of the door. And so when John begins cross examining, is there a cross examination you've done in the Senate that's your favorite.

[John Kennedy]

Oh, gosh, that lady. I don't remember her name. Ted, you'll remember because you beat the living hell out of her too. That couldn't name any provision of the Constitution. Oh, that.

[Ted Cruz]

Okay, she was the one that didn't know Article 5.

[John Kennedy]

That's right. She's from Washington state. And she, she, after it was over.

[Ted Cruz]

Joker in something like, yeah, she quit.

[John Kennedy]

And. Which was smart.

[Ted Cruz]

I mean, and then the one. Okay, Article 5 is the provision. It's the part of the Constitution that lays out how constitutional amendments happen. And he asked about Article 5 and then, and this was cruel, but. But then he asked, well, how about Article 2?

[John Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

And she couldn't answer. And look, if you're not a lawyer, that doesn't seem like a, a question that. Look, the way the Constitution set up Article 1 sets up the Congress, Article 2 sets up the executive and the president and Article 3 sets up the judiciary. If you cannot answer, what is Article 2? You will flunk first year civil procedure constitutional law.

[Ben Ferguson]

Like you're done with.

[John Kennedy]

You're a smoked turkey, man. Your dead is fried chicken.

[Ted Cruz]

And she had no idea. I'm pretty sure we played that, that cross examination on this podcast we played a bunch of years and that really was, by the way, this woman was nominated to be what's called an Article 3 judge.

[John Kennedy]

Right.

[Ted Cruz]

And I'm pretty certain she has no idea what Article 3 is either. But it was devastating. But, but to be clear, look, John doesn't just do that to Democrats. There was a, a poor fellow who Trump nominated the Court of Appeals, I remember, and district court, Federal district Court. District court. You're right, you're right. He had been on the Federal Election Commission.

[John Kennedy]

That's exactly right. Nice guy.

[Ted Cruz]

Nice guy, smart guy, but had no trial experience whatsoever. And I will say John's cross examination was so devastating that they withdrew the nomination. Like, it literally at the end of that cross, they're like, okay, yeah, he's not going to be a judge.

[John Kennedy]

Well, he's a nice guy, but he just wasn't ready to be a federal judge. And after it was over, the President called, press called me. I, I was, I had phoned back home. I was in New Orleans. Phone rings. You know the way it works. Unknown number. You go, okay, it's White House. I'm ready to take my kit, my whip in here. So I pick up the phone and, and Trump says, who? Kennedy. I watch your, your, your examination. This guy, he said, who was this guy? I said, well, he's your nominee. And he said, he doesn't sound too. Did I interview him? And I said, no, Mr. President, your staff did. And he said, you know, he doesn't seem very qualified. He said, what do you think? I said, well, Mr. President, just because you've seen my cousin Vinnie doesn't qualify you to be on the federal bench. And he said, yeah, you're right. He said, what do you think we ought to do? And I said, well, let's put him out of his misery. I don't want to embarrass him. And the President withdrew the appointment.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, yeah. No, it was. I have never seen a cross examination take out a nominee. Although. What was it? It was the Biden nominee who was the Russian who graduated from a Russian university. And your line was, should I call you comrade?

[John Kennedy]

She was nominated for controller of the currency. She was a former member of the Communist Party of Russia. She had graduated from Moscow State University, and her dissertation, a copy of which she wouldn't give us, was on Karl Marx. So real. Yeah, Ben, it was. And she was. Her main argument for being comptroller of the currency, which, of course is responsible. All the state banks was to get rid of all the banks and have everybody nominate, or a bank, rather, from.

[Ben Ferguson]

The Federal Reserve want to take a moment and just talk to you real quick about an incredible opportunity for you to continue to expand your mind and learn, no matter what your age is. Senator Cruz and I were at the memorial service for Charlie Kirk and one of the people that spoke was the president of Hillsdale College. And he talked about meeting with Charlie early on and how he said, you're going to have to work hard, you're going to have to suffer, and you're going to have to continue to learn when he was so young. And he talked about all of the classes that Charlie ended up taking at Hillsdale. I immediately said, I want the listeners of this show to be able to have the same opportunity to do that. There are amazing classes, History, economics, the great works of literature, the meaning of the US Constitution. And if you didn't study these things in school, or maybe you did, but you were like, you know, just trying to check the box and make the grade. When you're 20, now is a great time for you to go back and learn so much more. Hillsdale College is offering More than 40 free. I want to say that again. 40 free online courses. That's right. More than 40 free online courses. You can learn about the works of C.S. lewis, the stories in the book of Genesis, the meaning of the US Constitution. I'm doing that one. It's incredible. The rise and fall of the Roman Republic or the history of the ancient Christian church with hysterical College's free online courses. Now I'm also looking at the Constitution 101. It's amazing. A refresher course and you can see and explore the design, the purpose of the Constitution, the challenges it faced in the Civil War, and how it's been undermined for more than a century by progressives and liberals. This 12 lecture course is self paced, so you start whenever you want to and it is truly amazing. So how do you do this? You can go right now to Hillsdale Edu Verdict to enroll. There is no cost and it's easy to get started. That's hillsdale.edu Verdict V E R D I C T to enroll for free and take any one of these classes. Take advantage of it. It's free Hillsdale Edu V E R D I C T Verdict and go check out the amazing classes they have there. All right, I got a question for both of you.

[John Kennedy]

Man.

[Ben Ferguson]

Has there ever been a time that you guys are both sitting there beating the hell out of someone and do you ever look at each other and grin?

[Ted Cruz]

Like, how does it work?

[Ben Ferguson]

Like you go Then I go, Ted.

[John Kennedy]

Goes first and, and, and, and, and he knocks him to Pluto and softens them up. And I talk about it in my book. You know, I think, what did I say about Ted? I said I didn't call him articulate though he is. I said Ted could talk a dog off a meatwack and he could talk the hide off a cow and he knocks these witnesses to Pluto. And then Josh Hawley, I think is ahead of me, goes next. And then I bat cleanup.

[Ted Cruz]

There's a murderer's row.

[John Kennedy]

We have fun.

[Ted Cruz]

And it actually starts with Mike Lee. And from Mike Lee to John Kennedy, I mean, those are four questioners. I actually feel for a witness because that's. And they're also different styles. So I will say, Ben, one thing that you may not appreciate not being a lawyer, but John's and my legal careers are very, very different. So I'm an appellate lawyer. And the vast majority of what I've done is argue in a court of appeals. And a court of appeals is totally different.

[John Kennedy]

Very different.

[Ted Cruz]

So there's trial courts and courts of appeals. A court of appeals is. You're standing in front of judges, typically three judges. If it's the Supreme Court, nine judges. And, and you are. You write a brief that is in the supreme court. It's a 50 page written argument. And then your argument would usually be 30 minutes. And most of it is questioning from judges. So it's questioning about the law. You got to be quick, you got to be able to dance. I mean, being an appellate lawyer is a very precise. It's a more, it's a more academic skill. It is very academic.

[John Kennedy]

A lot of law professors, an intellectual discussion. That's what it is.

[Ted Cruz]

So a trial lawyer is what most people think of when you turn on the tv. When you think of LA Law or Perry Mason. Like a trial lawyer, you're in a.

[Ben Ferguson]

Courtroom, you're talking to a jury.

[Ted Cruz]

In a room, you're talking to a jury, you have witnesses. Like appellate lawyers don't have witnesses. You have witnesses. You either have direct examination across. And so trial lawyers tend to be better storytellers. They tend to be more relatable. They're talking to Aunt Bertha in the jury pool instead of Anton and Scalia. I mean, those are different. You have different arguments to Aunt Bertha. And so the two best trial lawyers on Judiciary are John Kennedy and Lindsey Graham. Lindsey Graham is also a very talented trial.

[John Kennedy]

Lindsey is very good. He has a little trouble keeping staying on topic. Sometimes I talk about Lindsay in the book. I love Lindsay he's one of my favorites. That's one of the reasons I like Lindsay. How did I put it? He's like Ted and I. He plays out of the pocket. And you don't know what you're going to get. If you invite Lindsay to dinner, you may.

[Ted Cruz]

He's a great dinner companion. I mean, you will laugh.

[John Kennedy]

Well, you say if you invite Lindsay to dinner in your home, you may get an intellectual conversation. On the other hand, he could get drunk and vomit in the fish tank and you don't know which. You have no idea. Or both on the same evening.

[Ben Ferguson]

What made you want to write this book? I mean, the title is hysterical, but, but, but when did you decide you want to do this? And what is it that people are going to get if they go buy this?

[John Kennedy]

Well, it was about a year ago. It's. Look, Ted's written four or five. It's been. It's a lot of work. As you well know, this book is not about policy, per se. It's a storybook. I use stories to make my points about policy.

[Ted Cruz]

And by the way, all good trial lawyers and all good politicians are storytellers. I mean, if you can't tell a story, you don't belong in this business.

[John Kennedy]

That's right. Some of the stories, I think more than some, frankly, are funny. Some of them are bizarre. They're all true. And I use the stories to make three points. Number one, I want people to understand through the stories what the Senate is really like behind the scenes.

[Ted Cruz]

And basically think mean girls. It's. It's not even high school. It's a junior high. It's Caddy. They're cliques. They're popular kids. They're the geeks. The jocks like it.

[John Kennedy]

Ted Dale. It's like high school, but nobody ever gets out of sophomore year. And. And the second, the reason I wrote the book, I wanted to help people understand in. In real time why in Washington, normal is just a setting on the clothes dryer. This place is a different world. And the third reason I wrote it was to try to make people understand that it doesn't have to be this way if we have a return to common sense. But. But I also don't bubble wrap it. The. The water in Washington, D.C. is not going to clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek. That's just the way it is. And look, some people like the book, some don't. I'm really proud it's doing well. All right.

[Ted Cruz]

And so I gave him some grief, but it is a terrific Book. It is funny. He's telling very real stories. You look at the front, he looks grumpy on the front. That picture you picked, I didn't pick it.

[John Kennedy]

The publisher picked it up.

[Ted Cruz]

You know, you look kind of like your stomach's upset, but you look like you're getting ready to rip someone a new one is what it looks like. And so let me encourage everyone who's listening to this or watching this. Go to Amazon, go to Barnes and Noble. Buy the book. Buy one. So look, it's fixing to be November. It's Christmas season. Buy two or three books. Buy a book to give it.

[John Kennedy]

I love this guy.

[Ted Cruz]

Give it to your mom. This is a great present, you know, and actually you can give your family members an autograph copy because see, John's from Louisiana, so he can't. Can't. Can't actually sign his signatures or just put an X and X, it'll look real.

[John Kennedy]

I ripped through them. Just put that X and you'll. It's my X.

[Ted Cruz]

And by the way, if you have a liberal uncle, buy this for him, it'll piss him off. It'll be the best present you can put under the tree.

[John Kennedy]

Well, I hope the book, I spent a lot of time on it. I hope it'll make people think. It may make you laugh. It's the truth. It may make you day drink because I don't sugarcoat it. And I talk about a lot of different senators. I don't try to be mean, but I talk about Thune. I talk about President Trump, I talk about President Biden, talk about Senator Grassley. I talk about Chuck Schumer. I think Chuck got a little mad at me because they. I described him as imagine a five year old in a Batman costume. I said that's on a sugar high. That's how Chuck is when he gets excited. And I talked some about Mitch. I explained that, that Ted and I think we were together. We saw Mitch smile once back in 2017.

[Ben Ferguson]

Just one time. Broke news.

[John Kennedy]

I talk about the time I really almost got in trouble on this. Mitch was not amused. But I was asked to compare Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. And I told the truth. I said they have a lot in common. Each is very smart, each is very tenacious. And each of them could lose his place during sex. Well, my office. Mitch was a majority leader then. And how'd that go, by the way?

[Ben Ferguson]

After. I'd love to see that phone call.

[John Kennedy]

It was a one. I was pretty sure I was. My office was going to be moved to Richmond. As I recall. But anyway, I had fun writing it.

[Ted Cruz]

But and to be clear, that's not the only joke John Kennedy is told about his colleagues having sex. So at my donor retreat, Ben, you will remember this. John stood up in front of everyone and he said, you know, Ted told me about his first sexual experience.

[John Kennedy]

I remember this one.

[Ted Cruz]

And everyone starts looking and going, wait, where is this going? He said, he was young, it was dark, he was scared, he was alone.

[John Kennedy]

You have to think about that. The folks in the audience took them about five seconds, they said, okay, we get it, we get it.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, we get it. We're all there.

[Ted Cruz]

And I have to admit, I turned to Heidi and I said, wait a second. I paid to fly John here, like out of my campaign money. I paid his airline.

[John Kennedy]

We had a good time. We had a good time.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's what happens when you bring a small town, Louisiana boy back to the big leagues. You know, with all the highfalutin donors.

[John Kennedy]

Out there, we had a good time.

[Ben Ferguson]

In times like these, true peace comes from trusting God's provisions and stewarding it well. And at Kurt Elliott Precious Metals, they believe managing your resources isn't just business. It's a calling guided by biblical principles. That's why I want you to know about the amazing job they do with precious metals. They know wealth isn't just numbers. It's about legacy, purpose and the lives you impact for generations. Gold and silver that you can actually hold, steward and pass on. With Kirk Elliot Precious Metals, you're going receive three important things. Real bullion, no gimmicks, just investment grade gold and silver. No overpriced coins, no flashy, ridiculous markups. You're also going to get transparent pricing, something very hard to find in the gold and silver space. You just pay 8% when you buy and nothing when you sell. No hidden fees ever on transactions. At the end of the day, they're a faith driven, guided company. They treat every client like family, offering honest upfront answers that make you understand exactly doing with your hard earned money. Now, if you're seeking a partner with an eternity mindset, go to kepm.com ben that's K-E-P M.com ben or call them 720-605-3900 or online at ke-pm.com ben let's be real.

[Wealth Break Podcast Voice]

Life happens. Kids spill, pets shed and accidents are inevitable. That's why you need a washable sofa that can keep up. Our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out so you can say goodbye to stains and hello to Worry Free Living. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, they're kid proof, pet friendly and built for everyday life. Plus, changeable fabric covers let you refresh your sofa whenever you want. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa anytime to fit your space, whether it's a growing family room or a cozy apartment. Plus, they're earth friendly and trusted by over 200,000 happy customers. Get early access to Black Friday pricing starting at just $699. It's time to upgrade to a stress free mess proof sofa. Visit washablesofas.com today and save that's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[iHeartRadio Ad Voice]

Do you feel like your values are being challenged right now? It seems like our beliefs are constantly under fire. That's why it's important to partner with organizations that share your beliefs. America's Christian Credit Union is committed to standing firm in our faith, serving the community and bringing you the best financial services. Now, with their elite checking program, you can take your banking to a whole new level. With up to 4% APY on checking balances under $15,000, early pay, exclusive loan discounts, built in cell phone protection, ID theft monitoring, everyday shopping discounts and more. ACCU works alongside Christians nationwide to advance God's work because your money should reflect your mission. Are you ready to bank with purpose? Visit americaschristiancu.com elite to learn more and make the switch. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the ncua.

[Rodney Williams]

I'm Rodney Williams.

[Travis Holloway]

And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break.

[Rodney Williams]

Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving, it's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger.

[Travis Holloway]

And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles, and real wins.

[Rodney Williams]

We're here to talk about the journey you're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're.

[Travis Holloway]

Bringing you their stories and we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same.

[Rodney Williams]

So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place.

[Travis Holloway]

Listen to the Wealthbreak podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ads supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, iHeart's twice as large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers are into, true crime, sports, comedy, culture, they'll hear your message. Plus, only iHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. And all this reach means everything. Just think about the universal marketing formula. The number of consumers who hear your message times the response rate equals the results. Now let's get those results growing for you. Think podcasting can help your business? Think iHeart streaming radio and podcasting. Let us show you at iheartadvertising.com that's iheartadvertising.com or call 844-844-IHEART. One more time, call 844-844-iHEART and get podcasting working for you.

[Ben Ferguson]

I gotta ask you, in your book, one of the cool things is you talk about being a small town guy. Is it Jeffrey? Is that right? Louisiana.

[John Kennedy]

No. Zachary.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay, gotcha. All right, so I actually think there's something interesting that's happening in the country right now, and I want to get your take on it. I think small town America had been overlooked for so long, forgotten, referred to to fly over country. I think there's a huge pendulum swinging right now in this country where rural America is mattering now a lot more than it has in my lifetime. Small town America is being listened to now and has a voice that they haven't had in a long time. The mainstream media has lost a lot of their power to influence and to try to act like only big cities matter and the rest of the country doesn't. Are you seeing the same thing? And as you look back at your career, your life, where you came from, do you see that there's, I think, a big glimmer of hope right now that small town America is actually being listened to for once in Washington, D.C?

[John Kennedy]

Well, small town America is America. When I grew up in Zachary, there's about 3,000 people now what part of.

[Ted Cruz]

The state is Zachary?

[John Kennedy]

Zachary is sort of just north of Baton Rouge. The people, Zachary, when I grew up there. And it's still the case, Ted. You know these folks, they get up every day, they go to work, they obey the law, they pay their taxes, try to save a little money for retirement, try to do the right thing by their kids. They don't read Aristotle every day. They don't have time. They're earning a living.

[Ted Cruz]

Is Zachary a pretty rural town? Is a lot of farm and ag or what do people do for a living?

[John Kennedy]

Farm, some ag. But it's about 30 miles north of Baton Rouge, so you could call it a suburb, but that sounds too affluent. But these are real folks and they don't read Aristotle every day, but they get it. And I remember thinking, during the Biden administration, have these people ever been any place but California, Washington and New York? They all in Washington, President Biden's people, they all thought they were smarter and more virtuous than everybody else. And their attitude toward rural America was we're smarter than you, we're more virtuous than you. Shut up and send us your money and all your freedom and we'll tell you how to, to, to, to, to live your life. And I think that's the genesis a part of President Trump's support.

[Ted Cruz]

I mean, absolutely.

[John Kennedy]

I mean Trump picked up on that early on. And even though he's a billionaire and even though he's a New York developer, he doesn't talk down to people. Yeah, yeah, he doesn't talk.

[Ted Cruz]

You know, he's very real. He communicates.

[John Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

He tells you exactly what he thinks. You never know what he's going to say because you never know what he's liable to say. Anything. He is funny as hell. He actually doesn't the sense of humor he has but he can say things that'll just, just be side splittingly funny.

[John Kennedy]

I was with him about a week before his debate with President Biden and Jake Tapper and Dana Bash and it was the two from CNN and Biden and I said, well, what do you think, Mr. President? He said, Kennedy, I don't know. I got Tapper, I got Bashed, Bashed and I got Joe Biden. It's going to be two and a half to one.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's funny.

[John Kennedy]

And I wouldn't, I am laughing so hard. He's two and a half to one. And then of course they had the infamous debate. Yeah. And President Biden just crumpled. But the, you know, I talk about President Trump in the book. I'VE got a different style from. Than him.

[Ted Cruz]

Sure. I told the President, so does everybody else.

[John Kennedy]

So does everybody else. And, I mean, it's clear that the President's unfiltered. He. He grows anxious when he has an unexpressed thought. He just. He can't. I told him one time, he said, how do you like my tweets, Kennedy? And I said, you know, Mr. President, I got to be diplomatic here. I said, tweeting a little bit less would not cause brain damage. And he said, what? You don't like my tweets? I said, no, hold on.

[Ben Ferguson]

What year did you tell him? Because this could. This could have been profound.

[John Kennedy]

It was in his first term. And.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ted Cruz]

And I will say his second term, his tweets have gotten much more disciplined.

[John Kennedy]

Yes.

[Ted Cruz]

There's a very different discipline.

[John Kennedy]

First term, he let it rip. And. And he.

[Ben Ferguson]

And, And. And we added, thank you for your attention to this matter. Like it's a completely different man. And for you.

[John Kennedy]

But he didn't get it. And I. He didn't know whether to be offended or what. And he said, what do you mean? I said, Look, Mr. President, look at it this way. I like steak, but I don't like to eat eight steaks at one time. And he said, you don't like my tweets? I said, no, I didn't say that. And of course, it made no difference. He just.

[Ted Cruz]

All right, now let me ask, growing up. You're growing up? Little town, Louisiana. Did you always know that you want to be a lawyer?

[John Kennedy]

No.

[Ted Cruz]

Your parents. Lawyers and lawyers in the family.

[John Kennedy]

I care. My parents really emphasized education, Ted, just like yours. But when I wasn't studying, I cared about two things. I cared about basketball and I cared about cheerleaders.

[Ted Cruz]

Are you a ball player? And did you play hoops in high school?

[John Kennedy]

I played hoops.

[Ted Cruz]

What position?

[John Kennedy]

Forward. All right.

[Ted Cruz]

How's jump shot, ball handling?

[John Kennedy]

Jump shot, man.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, you know, I still play twice a week.

[John Kennedy]

I know you do. I've seen you come in the cloakroom. He comes in the cloak room to vote, and he's all worked up and sweaty and he's beating up on some. But Cruz.

[Ben Ferguson]

Senator, I'm going to advise you, don't take the bait when he asks you to play, because I've already had a broken bone.

[Ted Cruz]

It is true. We broke Ben's finger.

[John Kennedy]

Cruise is a total ball.

[Ted Cruz]

What? I got to ask you, Ben, so you broke your pinky. Where exactly did you have your pinky stuck?

[Ben Ferguson]

You know, here's what I know. When I broke my Pinky. We were at one of them highfalutin houses, and I thought about calling Kennedy, say, well, you represent me. Could have gotten me a really good settlement.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it was a tech billionaire's house that you broke your pinky and said, and you didn't even get tape on it.

[John Kennedy]

I would.

[Ben Ferguson]

Nothing.

[John Kennedy]

I got.

[Ben Ferguson]

I powered through like a real.

[John Kennedy]

Danny called me. We'd have gotten you a beach house out of that. We could have.

[Ben Ferguson]

I could have been.

[John Kennedy]

Handled the appeal. I'd take it to trial court. We might have gotten you two beach houses, man.

[Ben Ferguson]

So, for the last several weeks, you've heard me talk with Josh Sherrod from Burnham about real stories of how people like you and I have used their burner launcher to protect themselves and their families. Now, Burna is a handheld pistol that fires both kinetic rounds and chemical irritants to separate you from an attacker. Josh is back with me today to tell you a real story about a burner launcher that was used and how it helped a woman protect herself from a home intruder.

[Josh Sherrod]

So, a Chicago woman was recently the victim of a home invasion that occurred in broad daylight when several men broke into her home while she was inside in the middle of the day. And it was all caught on video. So while sitting in her kitchen, the homeowner began hearing strange noises coming from the front door. So she went to investigate and saw that intruders had made it inside her home, at which point she yelled that she'd call police to try and scare them off. Now, fortunately, in this case, it worked, and they promptly exited the house, and the victim and a neighbor actually chased intruders down the street while calling 911. While on the phone with 91 1, dispatchers told the homeowner that police were on their way. However, it ended up taking police over four hours to reach the scene due to an overwhelming backlog of emergency calls. It was only sheer luck in this case that she wasn't hurt or killed.

[Ben Ferguson]

And this is where you asked the question, is Burna something that could have been used in that situation for home defense? And how could she have deployed it to keep herself safe and deter those attackers?

[Josh Sherrod]

You know, absolutely. In this case, she lucked out, and she was able to call their bluff, and they ran off. But in many cases, that's not going to happen. Any kind of resistance has to be used to get those attackers out and to get you to safety. Burn a max or kinetic rounds. Both would have allowed her the time to get out and get somewhere safe.

[Ben Ferguson]

It is really an incredible option, and I have A Burnham. I have real handguns as well, but I always have a burner. And if you want to see what it can do to protect you and your family or a loved one that you know needs this, go to Byrna by R N a dot com again, that's Burna B Y R N a dot com burna dot com Right. Now, I know you got to run center soon, but I want to ask you one other.

[John Kennedy]

Sure, ask me anything you want.

[Ben Ferguson]

And it goes back to the book. When you write this book and you sit down to do it, who did you envision reading it? Is there some bigger purpose where you're like, I want to write this for the future generation? Was part of it?

[John Kennedy]

Just.

[Ben Ferguson]

I want to just tell my story and how I got to where I am today. What was it?

[John Kennedy]

Here's what I did. I sat down with a handheld Dictaphone at my kitchen table, and I started dictating. And I dictated. I dictated. I don't. I don't know how many hours, hundreds of hours. And then I had it transcribed. And then I put it together and. And then I had an editor come in who looked at it and rearranged it. And then I just started editing. And I was speaking to the same person that Ted and I both speak to when we do interviews, the average American. And I tried to speak plainly. I don't try to muddy the water to make it look deep. The American people don't have time for that. And I wanted to understand that. If you get mad, I can't help it. I have the right to remain silent, but God did not give me the ability. And, and some people are going to like it and some don't. But that's what the American people expect from their politicians today. And it's one of the reasons that that Senator Schumer, who Ted and I both know, he. He's right now, he's got 30% approval rating. He's got a 60% disapproval rating. The other 10% won't pause their video game to answer the pollsters call. And. And Chuck is polling. He's polling right up there with clubbing baby seals. That's. I mean, but.

[Ted Cruz]

But to be fair, he's still above chlamydia.

[John Kennedy]

He's still. He's still close. But because Chuck's been here so long, Ted, you know this. He's been here so long, he sounds like Washington.

[Ted Cruz]

So I will say it's interesting. You and I have a very similar process, it sounds like, for writing a book, because that's very much the books I've written, and some of it is, it may be being a lawyer and having written briefs, that, that process of recording and telling stories in my books. I just try to tell stories because that's how people communicate.

[John Kennedy]

I've read a couple of your books. There's a difference between you and me, though. I've written one book, Ted's written about a squillion. Okay, but, but it's hard. I mean, I'm not, It is, it is a, it is a painful process.

[Ted Cruz]

You know, all right, you're a kid. When does the idea of being a lawyer. What was it that made you say, hey, I, I, I can do that, I want to do that?

[John Kennedy]

My dad was from a depression family in Oklahoma. He got a degree, worked his way through college in petroleum engineering, came to Louisiana, the work in the oil fields, married my mom. I have three brothers. From day one, they drilled into us Education, education, education. And it wasn't where you're going to go to college or when you're going to go to college was where. Right. And that was drilled in from day one. And I enjoyed college, but I started thinking about law school then. But I stalled and restalled to it as long as I could. I mean, I spent four years in college and I, then I went three years in law school, and then I clerked for a federal judge and I tried to get a Supreme Court clerkship. I didn't. You did. And then I said, well, I'm not ready for the real world. I'm going back to school. I went back and got another law degree. At Oxford. Yep. And then finally I had, you know, I had to, I was out of money, you know, and I wanted to eat and live indoors, so I didn't want to live in a refrigerator box behind Outback, so I had to go to work for a living.

[Ted Cruz]

And Ben, I know something that I know you don't know. I know the name of his old law partner.

[Ben Ferguson]

Who is that?

[John Kennedy]

Who's that?

[Ted Cruz]

So, so, so he would practice his name, obviously, as John Kennedy. And his partner was, was Jose Canseco. And he'd walk in and it'd be John Kennedy and Jose Canseco here to see you. And they would double take.

[John Kennedy]

One of my best friends. I was in a. For Louisiana, a big law firm, six 30 haulers. And one of my good friends was Jose Canseco. And we'd go to meetings. That's amazing. I'd say, I'm John Kennedy, this is Jose Canseco. We're here to see so. And so. And they said they would say, you're here to see security, sir. True story.

[Ted Cruz]

All right, so when did you get. When did you get the idea in your head you wanted to run for office? Was this something like, as a kid, you always wanted.

[John Kennedy]

Oh, I always thought about it, but I was practicing law, earning a good living. Louisiana politics was rough. I mean, it was rough. It was on. Yeah, he was under Governor Edwin Edwards. I wasn't part of his clique.

[Ted Cruz]

Who has my favorite political bumper sticker ever?

[John Kennedy]

Yep.

[Ted Cruz]

And you know exactly where I'm going. Do you know. Do you know this, Ben? I don't know if you know this.

[Ben Ferguson]

I do. I do not.

[Ted Cruz]

So Edwin Edwards is running for governor against David Duke. Now, David Duke was a former grand grand wizard of the kkk.

[Ben Ferguson]

Grand grand. Yeah, grand wizard, Right.

[Ted Cruz]

But Edwin Edwards was as good as corrupt. He was as crooked as the dog's hind legs. See, I'm trying to do this to keep up with John.

[John Kennedy]

Pretty good, Ted.

[Ted Cruz]

And. But. And everyone knew he was corrupt. And so Edwin Edwards bumper sticker said, vote for the crook. It matters.

[John Kennedy]

That's right.

[Ted Cruz]

And if you're running against a Klansman, that was a winning slogan. And then you know what? He was indicted and convicted of embezzlement.

[John Kennedy]

Or fraud or when the economy was doing well in Louisiana. I mean, this was. Having a colorful governor was all fun and games. He was. He was a big. He was very promiscuous. He used to say, I give, they make. How did he put it? When I give blood, they use it to make Viagra. That was a. That was a. I always thought that was a pretty good. And. And there's a bumper sugar for it.

[Ted Cruz]

That's a line they would have used about Strom Thurmond, too. You. And I didn't serve with Strom Thurmond, but by all accounts, counts that would have described him accurately.

[John Kennedy]

And he was running for governor, I think, his third time, and he was way ahead in the polls. He was running against incumbent. And the press asked him, they said, you're going to win this race. And he said, well, let me put it this way. The only way I can lose this race in the last week is if I'm caught in bed with a live girl or a dead boy. And I thought that was pretty clever. But eventually, his past caught up to him, and we elected a reform governor named Buddy Romer. He. And I'd supported him. He asked me to leave my practice, come to Baton Rouge, and I liked it. I was his legal counsel, and I stayed, and then I ran for office and got elected, and I ran for the Senate three times. Took me three times to get here. And I thought they left me for dead. For a few times, politically, I switched parties because the Democrat, I couldn't. I just couldn't be a Democrat anymore. And they all got mad at me and they tried to hurt me, but the mistake they made, they let me live. They never should have let me live it. So I wanted. On the third time, and here we are, we're having fun.

[Ted Cruz]

All right. Biggest surprises when you get to the Senate. Biggest surprise upside and biggest surprise downside.

[John Kennedy]

Biggest surprise upside. You probably saw this. I came in wanting to gallop. You can't gallop in the Senate. You have to inch along. And at first, that frustrated me. Still does. But it's not altogether bad, because after a while, you realize the Senator's job is not just to advance good ideas, it's to kill bad ideas. And sometimes killing the bad ideas is more important than advancing the good ideas. That has been my biggest transformation in the Senate. But it, It, it's frustrating. Senator McConnell, who's your friend and mine, but Mitch. Mitch was the Majority leader, and I wasn't used to taking orders from another politician, and Mitch and I butted heads a few times. He butted heads with you?

[Ted Cruz]

Oh, yeah.

[John Kennedy]

Mitch liked to run it from the top down. And I thought. I remember you and I talked when we passed President Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We passed it through reconciliation, and Ted was an advocate of doing a second bill.

[Ted Cruz]

Yep.

[John Kennedy]

And it just took a majority vote, no Democrats. And we, I backed him, and Mitch wouldn't do it, and we left so much good policy on the table.

[Ted Cruz]

It remains the most politically indefensible decision I've ever seen.

[John Kennedy]

And I hope we don't do it under Trump's second term.

[Ted Cruz]

And actually, John brought that up at lunch today.

[John Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

Made that argument. And it's clearly. Look, it is our best avenue to win victories, and we should be focused on winning victories. Now, that being said, we got a lot done in that one. Big.

[John Kennedy]

Well, it's. Sure. But we get a second bite at the app.

[Ted Cruz]

Exactly. And a third if we want it.

[John Kennedy]

And why not take it? Yep, why not take it? And we don't have to get. We don't have to get Democratic votes.

[Ted Cruz]

Yep.

[John Kennedy]

Because I'm, I'm, I'm. You know, I think. I want to think the best of people, but I just think it's going to be hard to negotiate anything with the Democrats. From here on out, they just hate Trump.

[Ted Cruz]

They're so extreme right now.

[John Kennedy]

They're just blinded by. By their. Their passion. Yep.

[Ben Ferguson]

Senator, I'm gonna. I'm afraid of hitmen from Louisiana. Your staff's telling me. We were supposed to wrap with you a few minutes ago, so I want to hold up the book again.

[John Kennedy]

Oh, man. Thanks.

[Ted Cruz]

All right, so let me tell everyone.

[Ben Ferguson]

Again, know what to buy.

[Ted Cruz]

The book is how to Test Negative for Stupid and why Washington Never Will. It is by John Kennedy. Not John F. Kennedy, but John Kennedy, the great United States Senator. The book is funny. It is interesting. It gives you stories behind the scenes of what's going on in the U.S. senate. John Kennedy rats out all his colleagues. He makes them embarrassed. He makes them curl up. Curl up. Chuck Schumer curled up in a ball in the closet and cried like a little girl when John Kennedy wrote this book. So you need to go to Amazon and buy it. And I will say, as I said before, John Kennedy is easily one of my favorite colleagues. He is right back in. Funny as hell. And he is smart as hell. A lot of people don't realize this man is dangerous and has, you know, he's an Oxford educated lawyer and, and, and with a Southern accent, particularly Yankees underestimate and be like, all right, he's got a Southern accent. He can't be all that bright.

[John Kennedy]

You can't accuse me of being self aware, not being self aware. I'm fully aware that my voice scares small children and sets off car alarms, but it's my voice. But thank you for having me, Ted. Thank you, Ben.

[Ted Cruz]

And I'm going to close. I'm going to close with my favorite Kennedyism, which was in a Judiciary Committee hearing. John Kennedy leaned forward into the microphone and he said, Christmas tree ornaments and Jeffrey Epstein, two things, you know, didn't hang themselves.

[Ben Ferguson]

I love it.

[Ted Cruz]

I was sitting there going, wait, this is at an open hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Did he really say that?

[John Kennedy]

It was. I did. It was true. I'd read that joke somewhere. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Thank you, guys.

[Ben Ferguson]

Buy the book wherever you can. How to Test Negative for Stupid. Get it on Amazon. Don't forget, you can get this podcast Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Wherever you get your podcast, share it on social media. Senator Cruz and I will see you back here in a couple days and grab the book right after this as well.

[Rodney Williams]

I'm Rodney Williams.

[Travis Holloway]

And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break Podcast, a real conversation about finance.

[Rodney Williams]

Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone.

[John Kennedy]

I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have.

[Travis Holloway]

To revisit that and we're not stopping at success stories.

[Wealth Break Podcast Voice]

What happens when it doesn't go right?

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

How do you cope with it?

[Rodney Williams]

Because wealth isn't just about money. It's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same.

[Travis Holloway]

Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[iHeartRadio Ad Voice]

You know what your customers are doing right this second?

[John Kennedy]

The exact same thing. You are listening to me, which, let's be honest, is kind of flattering.

[iHeartRadio Ad Voice]

But my point is, ads on iHeartRadio actually get heard.

[Ben Ferguson]

In the car, at the gym, on.

[John Kennedy]

The couch, while people are walking their dogs. Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? You're a good boy. That's right. So why not make the next ad about you? Get started today.

[iHeartRadio Ad Voice]

Call 844-844-IHEART or go to iheartadvertising.

[John Kennedy]

Com.

[iHeartRadio Ad Voice]

That's 844-844-IBEART or iheartadvertising.

[John Kennedy]

Com.

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHEART podcast.