Trump & Cruz at Turning Point on the Incredible Mandate from the Election, plus Biden Considering Pardoning Every Murderer on Federal Death Row

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz: Episode Summary Release Date: December 23, 2024

In this episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," hosted by Premiere Networks, Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson delve into pivotal political developments, including Cruz's interaction with former President Donald Trump at the Turning Point conference and concerns over President Joe Biden's potential pardons for federal death row inmates. The discussion is enriched with candid insights, notable quotes, and a preview of Cruz's impactful speech to young activists.

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1. Introduction and Setting the Stage

Timestamp: 01:34

Ben Ferguson opens the show by welcoming listeners during the bustling holiday travel season. He sets a lively tone, mentioning Ted Cruz's recent presence at the Turning Point conference and his interaction with Donald Trump. Ferguson also takes a moment to acknowledge Cruz's birthday, adding a personal touch to the episode.

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2. Ted Cruz's Birthday and Interaction with Donald Trump

Timestamp: 02:08 – 12:29

Ted Cruz Celebrates His 54th Birthday

• Ted Cruz: "Well thank you. I'm 54 years old today..." (02:08)

Cruz humorously reflects on his age, highlighting a friend's comment that he looks great for 65, hinting at his lively demeanor.

Cruz's Day at Turning Point

• Cruz: Describes his attendance at the America Fest Turning Point rally in Phoenix, addressing over 3,000 enthusiastic young people. He praises the energy and dedication of the attendees, emphasizing their role in the recent electoral victory.

Backstage Banter with Donald Trump

• Cruz recounts an amusing exchange with Donald Trump backstage, where Trump called him up unexpectedly, leading to a playful interaction. This moment was captured and shared on social media, showcasing the camaraderie between Cruz and Trump.

Donald Trump's Remarks

• Trump: "He's a great guy. Was really out there working very..." (08:28)

President Trump's remarks highlight the success of the recent election, emphasizing a Republican mandate to secure borders, create jobs, and protect American families. He lauds the support from diverse voter demographics, including a majority of Hispanic votes in Texas.

Cruz on the Trump-Trend Relationship

• Cruz: "I think that's exactly right..." (12:29)

Cruz expresses optimism about the unified Republican agenda with control over the Senate, House, and the possibility of Trump returning to office. He underscores the collective commitment to fulfilling campaign promises.

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3. Joe Biden's Potential Pardons for Federal Death Row Inmates

Timestamp: 15:20 – 23:37

Biden's Clemency Plans

• Ben Ferguson: Introduces the alarming news that President Biden plans to pardon individuals on federal death row, disregarding justice for victims.

• Cruz: "Well, that's exactly right..." (16:12)

Cruz vehemently criticizes Biden's use of executive clemency powers, predicting a mass commutation of death row sentences. He laments the administration's disregard for federal law and the implications for justice and law enforcement.

Impact on High-Profile Cases

• Cruz: Predicts pardons for notorious criminals, including the Boston Marathon bomber and perpetrators of hate crimes, arguing that this undermines the death penalty's intended purpose.

Call to Action

• Cruz: Urges listeners to voice their opposition to these pardons, drawing parallels to past successes in influencing executive decisions through public pressure.

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4. Cultural Commentary: Perception of Murderers in Media

Timestamp: 23:37 – 27:01

SNL Segment Reaction

• Cruz: Criticizes a recent "Saturday Night Live" segment that portrayed a murderer in a seemingly favorable light, highlighting the audience's disturbing reaction.

• Audience Member: Reacts with cheering, likening the murderer to a rock star.

Broader Implications

• Cruz: Discusses the troubling trend of glorifying violent criminals in media and popular culture, attributing it to a flawed moral compass influenced by leftist ideologies.

Senator Ferguson Echoes Concerns

• Ferguson: Agrees, emphasizing the societal shift towards turning perpetrators of heinous crimes into public heroes, which he finds alarming.

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5. Preview of Ted Cruz's Speech at Turning Point

Timestamp: 29:48 – 39:03

Key Themes of the Speech

• Cruz addresses over 3,000 young activists, drawing historical parallels to pivotal moments in American history like 1776 and the Reagan era.

• Promises of Republican Agenda:

  1. Securing the Border: Immediate actions to end "Catch and Release" policies, aiming to reduce illegal immigration.
  2. Unleashing American Energy: Leveraging the U.S.'s status as a top energy producer to lower costs and ensure energy independence.
  3. Supporting Small Businesses and Crypto: Repealing restrictive regulations and promoting cryptocurrency adoption, with Cruz proudly identifying as a Bitcoin miner.
  4. Restoring Integrity to Justice Institutions: Reforming the Department of Justice and FBI to eliminate partisan abuses.
  5. Enforcing Law in Universities: Combating anti-Semitism and violent protests on campuses, with strict repercussions for violators.
  6. Ending Foreign Wars with Victory: Committing to decisive outcomes in conflicts like Ukraine and the Middle East.

Call to Action

• Cruz encourages listeners to stay engaged, inform their communities, and support the Republican agenda through actionable steps like subscribing to his podcast.

Notable Quotes from the Speech:

• "We are going to secure the border... plummet in January and February of this year." (30:44)
• "America is the world's energy superpower... we are going to lower energy costs and make life more affordable for everyone." (30:44)
• "We will unleash crypto... Texas is the oasis for Bitcoin." (30:44)
• "We will enforce the law, especially against universities across this country." (30:44)

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6. Conclusion and Holiday Wishes

Timestamp: 39:20 – End

As the episode wraps up, Ben Ferguson extends Merry Christmas wishes to listeners, emphasizing safety and the importance of family during the holidays. Ted Cruz reciprocates the sentiments, urging listeners to embrace God's love and reflect on their blessings amidst political fervor.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ted Cruz on His Birthday:

  • "To me, 54. And I will say a good friend of mine texted me and said, I look great for 65, which I appreciated very much." (02:21)

• Cruz on Predicting Biden's Pardons:

  • "Joe Biden, before he leaves the White House, will commute the sentence of every federal prisoner on death row." (19:32)

• Cruz Critiquing Public Perception:

  • "This was during the weekend update on Saturday Night Live... He just mentions his name... What the hell is wrong with people?" (25:41)

• Cruz on Republican Mandate:

  • "The Republicans in the Senate... we're going to get it done, which is exactly what the voters sent us there to do." (12:29)

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz" offers a robust discussion on critical political issues, blending personal anecdotes with sharp political critique. Senator Cruz's insights into the Republican agenda, his concerns over executive overreach, and his engagement with cultural narratives provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the current political landscape. The episode culminates with a motivational speech aimed at empowering young activists to continue shaping the nation's future.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Ted Cruz]

Two shots of espresso.

[Narrator]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome. It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you and this is one of those fun shows where many of you are going to be listening on your way to go visit family all over the country. I was in airport today. It was insane. Senator, you were in an airport today. It was also, I'm sure insane with the holiday travel. So we will try to have a little bit of fun today and also give you some of the big news which includes you hanging out with Donald Trump today. Not a bad day cuz it is. By the way, as we're recording this, I have four, four more minutes to say this. Your birthday. Happy birthday sir.

[Ted Cruz]

Well thank you. I'm 54 years old today and it is 11:56pm so I will be, it'll be my birthday for just four more minutes but I wanted, I wanted to.

[Ben Ferguson]

Get that in there and can we just say the age again because that's important.

[Ted Cruz]

To me, 54. And I will say a good friend of mine texted me and said, I look great for 65, which I appreciated very much. I will say there may have been some expletives in response to that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes, as there should be. As there. As there should be. So, at 54, do you have any wisdom you'd like to bestow on everyone listening right now? Because, I mean, let's be honest, that's.

[Ted Cruz]

Like, I think I have enough. Apparently, I think I have enough wisdom that I do a podcast three days a week. So I'm at least happy to prattle on about what's going on three times a week, whether it's wise or not. I leave that to our incredible verdict listeners, but I make no promises.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, Platy's still feisty at 54. I love it. So you hung out with Trump today. That's not a bad birthday.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah. So I started the day I was in Phoenix and I was at America Fest, Turning Points, big rally there, and it was incredible. 3,000 plus people, young people, mostly college kids, energized. They were incredible. As I started the day, gave a speech to Turning Point, which actually, we're going to end the podcast with your hearing what I had to say. But then after I gave my speech, two speakers after me was Donald Trump. And so I caught up with the President backstage, and then he went. He went on stage and gave very concise hour and a half remarks, which we will not play the full hour and a half remarks, although they were actually. They were fun. I gotta say, President Trump was in a great mood. He was happy, he was loose, he was cutting jokes, he was feeling really good. So we are gonna play an exchange because while he was standing on stage, he decided to call me up to say something. And the problem was I was backstage and didn't know he was gonna do it. So he starts calling me up and I'm like, what? What? What? And so I kind of run from backstage, but there's an amusing back and forth where he's looking around going, where the hell's Ted? And since I didn't know he was gonna do that, I was way backstage. I'm really glad I wasn't in the men's room when he did that. But we're gonna play that exchange where.

[Ben Ferguson]

He called me, by the way, let's just be clear. You love doing that, too. I have wit. And it's such a fun thing when you're up there and, you know, you can call somebody out and if they're not paying attention. You get to roast them and if they are paying attention. And I've, I've been the butt of that once or twice so far in my time hanging around you. And you, you relish the moment just as much as Donald Trump does, undoubtedly.

[Ted Cruz]

And more will come. We're also going to talk about the fact that Joe Biden is talking about commuting every single murderer on federal death row. And this is something, sadly, that that verdict predicted a year ago. So we're going to walk through what the news is and what we predicted, but it is an incredible abomination of justice. If Biden goes through with this, then we're going to talk about the fact that snl, SNL talked about the murderer who murdered the health care CEO and the crowd cheered for the murderer and just exactly what that means. And then finally, as I said, we're going to give you my remarks to turning point. 3,000 people. It was energized. It was an incredible day. And I got to say, the young men and women at Turning Point really do inspire me because they are working, they are passionate, they are fighting, they are turning this country around. And I think the victory we saw in November is in significant part, but due to their hard work and the hard work of millions across the country.

[Ben Ferguson]

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[Donald Trump]

Pleased to be joined by a man who just also, we. We really did well in Texas. And I heard Ted's speech, and he could come up and speak more if he wants, or he can just, you know, Ted's going to be going to a big event in a little while. Where's Ted Cruz? Is he here? He's here someplace. Dead. Dead. Oh, oh, oh. He's in trouble. He's in trouble.

[Ted Cruz]

By the way, the cheering right there as I'm walking out behind him.

[Donald Trump]

Oh. Oh, good. He's not in trouble.

[Audience Member]

Keep Texas. Texas. Amen. And I've got to say, this election has given President Donald J. Trump a Republican Senate and a Republican House, a clear mandate to deliver on our promises. One month from today, President Trump will secure the border. We are going to bring back jobs. We are going to lower prices. We are going to protect American families. We are going to put criminals in jail. We are going to keep our kids safe. We are going to end foreign wars with victory. And I'll tell you, Mr. President, the results of this election. Seven battleground states, you won all seven. The people elected a Republican Senate and a Republican House to have your back. And we are going to deliver results. And if I can speak parochially for a minute, one of the most consequential things that happened in this race, in Texas, you won professional, profoundly in Texas. And both you and I won a majority of Hispanic votes in the great state of Texas. That is unprecedented. That is generational change. And it demonstrates that we are going to protect our nation, we are going to bring our country back, and we are going to make America great again.

[Donald Trump]

He's a great. He's actually a great guy. Was, was really out there working very. Oh, I'm so glad he was here. Oh, that was, that was an amazing moment.

[Ben Ferguson]

I gotta tell you. I love just the end there. He's smiling, he's grinning. The demeanor and the interaction is just, seems to be very different this time than it compared to 2016. It's like you guys are on the same football team going into the playoffs as a team, and let's whoop some ass.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, I think that's exactly right. And I gotta say, at the, at the entire America Fest, Trump was happy, he was relaxed, he was feeling good. You could see it in a way that just he was loose and having fun. And listen, we're coming in with an incredible mandate. We're going to transform, I believe, the country. And I think he's ready to get to work. And I know I am, and I think all of us are.

[Ben Ferguson]

So let's talk about his agenda for a second. One of the things you talked about was the border. That seems to be a very central point of what he keeps talking about over and over again. And is that something that you and him have talked about very clearly, like, hey, this is square, this is step one, let's go, we're going to knock this out, day one?

[Ted Cruz]

Absolutely. And the clearest single mandate of this election is to secure the border. People are fed up with Joe Biden and the Democrats open borders. They want it to end, they want the border secured, and we're going to get that done. And Trump understands that. I think Republicans in the Senate understand that. Republicans in the House understand that. And we're going to get it done, which is exactly what the voters sent us there to do.

[Narrator]

You wake up, put on your Ray Ban meta glasses classic style, innovative tech. You're living all in. You realize you need coffee desperately so.

[Paris Hilton]

You say hey Meta how do I make a latte?

[Ted Cruz]

To make a latte brew two shots of espresso.

[Narrator]

After Meta AI gets you caffeinated, you start walking to work and you need a soundtrack.

[Paris Hilton]

Hey Meta Play hip hop music with.

[Narrator]

The built in camera. You snap a pic of a dope mural on the side of a building that you think is worth sharing.

[Ted Cruz]

Hey Meta.

[Paris Hilton]

Text my last photo to Eva.

[Narrator]

Sending message after work you head to meet some friends.

[Ted Cruz]

Hey nice glasses.

[Narrator]

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[Paris Hilton]

Loves it's Paris Hilton Are you ready to slive your best life this holiday season? Well, I've got the ultimate holiday giveaway just for you. Go to parishilton.comgiveaway to win a fabulous gift basket filled with handpicked faves from my gift guide, from my iconic cookware and chic apparel to glam goodies from my go to brands, this bundle has it all. Don't wait. Enter [e-mail] giveaway good luck and Happy Holidays. Keep sliving. That's hot.

[Roku Channel Announcer]

It's beginning to sound a lot like the holidays. The Roku Channel, your home for free and premium tv is giving you access to holiday music and genre base stations from iHeart, all for free. Find the soundtrack of the season with channels like iHeart, Christmas and North Pole Radio. The Roku Channel is available on all Roku devices, Web, Amazon, Fire TV, Google TV, Samsung TVs and the Roku mobile app on iOS and Android devices. So stream what you love and turn up the cheer with iheartradio on the Roku Channel. Happy streaming.

[Ben Ferguson]

I want to move to this other topic that's a big one and that deals and we're going to obviously get to your turning point speech in just a little bit and that'll be certainly a part of this in a moment. But I want to turn to another unfortunate I say prediction is about to come true and the news continues to break and I think it's fair to say to the audience listening right now, brace yourself because while you're spending time with your family and your friends over Christmas and New Year's, Joe Biden and the White House are going to be handing out some unbelievable pardons and clemency. And Biden is apparently granting clemency to people on the, on federal death row yet again, saying, we don't care about justice for the victims. We are going to start pushing this political ideology.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, that's exactly right. And it is. You know, sadly, you could say, who could have predicted this? But the reality is you and I predicted this. We predicted this over a year ago, that Joe Biden was going to take federal death row and empty it and use his executive power. Now, listen, the Constitution gives him the power to grant pardons, gives him the power to grant clemency with pretty much no limits. It's essentially an unlimited power. That being said, we've never had a president use that pardon power. We've already seen him use the pardon power to give his son a get out of jail free card for all of his illegal conduct. And we've talked about how. I believe he's going to grant many more pardons to members of the Biden family, to Democrats, to those who have engaged in illegality. But while he's engaged in this business, he's also going to seek, I believe, I think there's a very real risk he's going to seek to nullify federal law. Federal law passed by Congress, signed by the president, provides for the death penalty, the death penalty for the most egregious crimes. That includes the Boston Bomber that murdered people at the Boston Marathon. And I think we are perilously close to Joe Biden emptying federal death row. So Politico reported this week, quote, president Joe Biden is promising to flex his clemency powers again before he leaves office next month. Boeing hopes of capital punish opponents that he'll take a big step towards making good on his campaign promise to end the federal death penalty. Biden could use his authority to grant commutations to convert existing federal death sentences into life in prison. That would deal a serious blow to Trump's plans to bring back and even broaden the use of the death penalty when he returns to power. The Justice Department has quietly recommended that Biden grant commutations to Most of the 40 people on death row, according to a person familiar with the discussions not authorized to discuss them publicly. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is also on the verge of publishing the findings of a long running internal review of the lethal injection protocol that the Trump administration adopted in 2019. That protocol uses a fatal dose of a single sedative drug, pentobarbital, to put prisoners to death. Many experts and critics of the death penalty have said the method adopted due to shortages of other drugs used in executions, can cause extreme pain during a prisoner's final minutes. And anti death penalty activists say the DOJ's forthcoming report may bolster the case for clemency. Quote, we hope the review will find that the problems with legal lethal injection are one additional reason as to why President Biden should grant clemency to death row prisoners, said Ruth Friedman, who oversees death penalty work for the Federal Defenders nationwide. This is. If he does this, it is absolutely outrageous because as I said, it is federal law. He doesn't like federal law. Propose a change to federal law, propose taking the death penalty off the books. But he doesn't have the votes to do that. Congress is not going to do that. And so he simply wants to lawlessly say, give me the very worst murderers, give me the Boston Marathon bomber, and I'm going to give them the gift of life. As I said, that's exactly what we predicted over a year ago.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, I want to play and just remind people exactly what was said. And I hate it when these predictions become reality because it's not good for the victims families, it's not good for law and order, it's not good for justice. And yet this is exactly what we knew was going to happen because of the radicals within Joe Biden's administration and his viewpoint.

[Ted Cruz]

And by the way, I'm going to make a prediction as well, which is that these are not the only mass murderers that I think this administration is going to refuse to follow federal law and impose the death pen. I'm going to make a prediction right now, which is Joe Biden, before he leaves the White House, will commute the sentence of every federal prisoner on death row. That he will do it for every one of them. And that includes, it includes the white supremacist and Nazi who murdered nine African Americans at the Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina in a horrific hate crime. He's on federal death row. It includes the Boston bomber who murdered innocent people by exploding a bomb at the Boston Marathon. One of the two brothers is still alive. He's on death row. And my prediction right now is Joe Biden intends to spare every one of these mass murderers. Every one of them. Many of them are racist, bigoted, homicidal lunatics. And I think we're gonna see him commute all of their sentences before he leaves the White House.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean, we said that a year ago, Senator. And there was these, these clear, you know, moments where the mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed of 9 11. They were like, oh, yeah, let's not put that guy to death. Let's. Let's do a deal and let's let him live. And now we can see it. And you say, we're very close to becoming a reality. What could stop this? Is there anything that people listening could do right now to say no to this?

[Ted Cruz]

Well, yes. And the podcast you just played was from August of 2023. So it was more than a year ago. It was last summer. And that was when the news was reported that the Biden administration was cutting a deal with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9 11, to take the death penalty off the table. And that was about to happen. And we covered this on the podcast. And the news was ignoring it, CNN was ignoring it, the networks were ignoring it. We covered it at length. And I gotta say, our listeners were incredible. They lit up the phones, they began speaking out, they began tweeting about it, they began using their voice. And the political heat on the White House became so intense that I believe this podcast played a major role in ratcheting up the heat on the White House and causing them to back away from granting clemency and taking. Taking the death penalty off the table for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Right now, not only is Joe Biden considering sparing the life of the bomber at the Boston Marathon, he's also considering sparing the life of. Of the bigoted racist who murdered African Americans at the Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina. And by the way, he's also considering sparing the mass murder at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2018. And all of these, you have vicious racists who committed mass murders. And yet the Democrat Party, they have embraced the notion that capital punishment is always wrong, even in the most egregious circumstances. And your question is, what can listeners do? Speak out if you're outraged. If you don't want these racist, bigoted psychos given clemency by the President of the United States, let your voice be heard. We turned it around with ksm. Let's turn it around with this as well.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's also, I think, a mindset that is starting to change in this country and not in a good way. The left is continuing to cheer and turn murderers into heroes.

[Ted Cruz]

Yes.

[Ben Ferguson]

And people that are just horrible human beings into. I don't know, it's like they're movie scripts for them. It's this reality TV obsession where they're like, oh, we think because someone is. Is attractive that therefore we should spare their life. And. And because they Went up against somebody we don't like, whether it be trying to assassinate Donald Trump or killing the CEO of the, of the healthcare company in New York City as an assassin, like, but the assassin looks nice. And now we're seeing it make its way into tv. I know you saw this as I did on Saturday Night Live this weekend, and it was disgusting as Saturday Night Live live not only talked about this murder, but they actually, the audience was cheering on the murderer who killed the CEO.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah. This was during the weekend update on Saturday Night Live this weekend. And Colin Jost had a joke about the mass. The murderer, not mass murderer, but the murderer who shot the healthcare CEO in cold blood. And the reaction of the audience, this is a live audience in New York City. I gotta say, it took my breath away. So he just mentions his name. I'm not gonna mention the murderer's name, but it is in this little excerpt. And I want you to hear the audience's reaction at hearing the name of this cold blooded murder.

[Audience Member]

Play the clip Luigi Mangione dropped. Yeah, yeah, definitely. Woo. You're wooing for justice, right? Luigi Mangione dropped his extradition fight and was flown from Pennsylvania to New York to face multiple charges. In related news, Bumble exploded.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean, I think he was actually a little shocked by the audience there that they were cheering like it was a rock star.

[Ted Cruz]

Charles Manson.

[Audience Member]

Woohoo.

[Ted Cruz]

Jeffrey Dahmer. Yay. Ted Bundy.

[Audience Member]

Woohoo.

[Ted Cruz]

Like, what the hell is wrong with people?

[Ben Ferguson]

And it happened in New York City where this is being taped.

[Audience Member]

It.

[Ted Cruz]

He was shot not far from where this was taped. And listen, we've talked about this before. The leftists have spread the ideology that oppressors being the subject of violence is a good thing. Anyone defined as an oppressor. These are the same idiots that are cheering Hamas in Israel. These are the same idiots who believe that violent revolution. These are the same idiots that look the other way at Black Lives Matter and antifa riots for an entire year. Because if it's a so called oppressor or so called victim against a so called oppressor, violence and murder is okay. And I gotta say, watching that, listening to that, that's horrifying. Because the screams of joy we covered a week ago on this podcast how Taylor Lorenzo, the former reporter for the Washington Post, described that she felt joy when the CEO was murdered. Well, you know what? You just heard screams of joy. And that is the poison that has been accepted sadly so far on the left of our society.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, it really is sad. And yet again, they're turning these people into heroes. And now we're gonna see this president give out clemency to people that have taken others lives. And you wonder where our moral compass is in this country, right? Being destroyed by the left. I want to talk to you real quick about our friends over at USCCA. There is a reason why they have over 800,000Americans that are members of the USCCA. Because not only do they help you understand how to protect and defend yourself and to protect and defend your family at home, but they also make sure that you're protected with our twisted legal system if you ever have to use a firearm to defend yourself. Now look, I've had to use a firearm to save my own life. I had to pull the trigger and I wish I would have known about USCCA and been a member. The reason is because they are there fighting to keep our second amendment rights alive and protect you. That's why there's over 800,000Americans that are members of the USCCA. Because not only will you get access to their protector academy where you learn vital skills like precision shooting and how to fortify your home against criminals, but you also get access to the 24, 7 critical response team. Why is that so important? Because that is the included benefit of self defense liability insurance to make sure that you and your family are prepared for anything. Unfortunately, there's a lot of activist DAs in this country right now that do not like law abiding citizens exercising their second amendment right. And that's why you need someone looking out for your rights for a limited time. If you text the word America right now to 87222 you're going to get the uscca's free life saving concealed carry and family defense guide and a chance to win seventeen hundred dollars for to buy any self defense gear that you need before it's too late. So text the word America right now for your chance to win seventeen hundred dollars to buy any self defense gear you need to 87222 right now. That number again. Text the word America to 87222 right now. All right Senator, finally I want to get back to the the turning point event that you just left. Obviously Donald Trump was there, you were asked to speak and I want you to give us a quick preview before we play your speech because this is one of those speeches that I think is really about setting the tone for what's coming in January when you guys have control of the Senate and the House and the White House.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, I started this morning speaking and this is about an hour before the exchange that you heard at the beginning of the podcast with President Trump and me, I addressed, as I said, Over 3,000 young people activists at Turning Point. It was incredible. And I really wanted to encourage them. I wanted to encourage them that they had had a profound impact on this election, on this country. And I also wanted to focus on, now that we've won, we've got a job to do. And so what I attempted to do in these remarks is lay out, here are the deliverables that we need to accomplish in the next two years to have a clear vision for what to expect. I'm really excited. I'm excited about President Trump being reelected and coming back into office. I'm excited about a Republican Senate, Senate and a Republican House. But I also have in front of me the absolute seriousness we need to deliver on our promises. And so that. That's what I had to say to Turning Point this morning.

[Ben Ferguson]

Take a listen as we play this right now.

[Audience Member]

God bless Turning Point. We are looking at America. We are gathered here at truly a momentous time. If you were young and passionate and it was 1776, you would have been part of transforming and creating the United States of America. If you were young and passionate and the year was 1980 and the Reagan Revolution was happening, you would have been part of transforming the United States of America. And today, in 2024, you are young and passionate, and every one of you is integral to transforming the United States of America. The Washington swamp is terrified of you. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris are terrified of you. Joe Biden, well, no, he's actually not terrified. He doesn't know where he is, but he is wondering what time the People's Court is on tv. If you look at what happened in November, the results of the election were clear and unequivocal. Seven battleground states across America. We won all seven. And I've got to say, Donald J. Trump is truly an extraordinary leader. Has there ever been anyone in American history who, after being shot in the head, stands up and responds, fight, Fight. Fight. The American people have given us the White House. They've given us the House, they've given us the Senate. Now it's time for us to deliver. We have work to do to deliver on our promises. So a year from now, two years from now, four years from now, the American people can say they did exactly what they said they would do. Number one, starting on January 20th, we will secure the border. Catch. And Release ends on January 20th. If you are an illegal alien, if you're a murderer, if you're a rapist, if you're a child molester, if you're a Venezuelan gang member, pack your bags because you're getting the hell out. And I'm here to tell you that's not going to take a year, it's not going to take six months. We are going to see the numbers of illegal immigration plummet and they are going to plummet in January and February of this year. Number two, we are going to unleash American energy. America is the world's energy superpower, the number one producer of oil in the world, the number one producer of natural gas in the world, and America will be energy dominance. If you're fed up with high prices, high prices at the gas pump, high prices at the grocery store, high prices when you pay your bills, energy feeds into every one of them. The American people in this election said enough is enough is enough. And we are going to lower energy costs and make life more affordable for everyone. Number three, we are going to unleash small business, the regulators descending from Washington. We are going to repeal the rules they're using to kill small businesses. And I'll tell you what, we are also going to unleash crypto. I'm proud to stand with crypto, I'm proud to stand with bitcoin and I am the only member of the United States Senate who is in fact a bitcoin miner. I've got three miners hashing in West Texas right now and it is beautiful. And let me say to all of crypto and all of bitcoin, come to Texas. Texas is the oasis for bitcoin. Number four, we will restore integrity to the Department of Justice and the FBI. If you are a wild eyed partisan who has abused your power and targeted your political enemies at DOJ or the FBI, well pack your bags because your job is done. And that means, number five, we will enforce the law, especially against universities across this country. The anti semitic protests we've seen at universities will end next year. If you violently protest, if you threaten your fellow students, you will be arrested, you will be expelled, and if you're a foreigner, you will be deported. And we're going to see the Department of Justice and the FBI follow the money, go after the money, cut off the money. We're going to see universities that tolerate anti Semitism having their federal funds cut off. And when your fellow students look around and say, hey, why didn't this happen before? Why did everyone look the other way at the violence and the threats and the hatred and the bigotry, you're going to be in a position to tell them. And we will end the wars with victory. The war in Ukraine will end this next year and Vladimir Putin will lose and the war in Israel will come to an end and Hamas will lose. Hezbollah will lose. Iran will lose. Every one of you stand up and speak. And I want to encourage you, inform your friends, want to ask you, pull out your cell phone, pull out your cell phone and send the word. Text the word verdict to the number 24005. That number again, 24005. Text the word verdict. You will get in back a link to subscribe to my podcast that is designed to help inform you to be you are the ones who won this election. You are the ones who are persuading your colleagues. You are the ones who are informed and educated and engaged and just as if we were in 1980, just as if we were in 1776, I stand here today amazed and inspired to be in the company of patriots who love America, who together we are making America great again. God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

[Ben Ferguson]

Center it's really exciting to just see where we're going to be going over the next year. We're going to be covering it all here. And for all of you that are getting ready for Christmas, I just want to make sure I say Merry Christmas to you and your family. Don't forget what this is about. Be safe on the road. Center, I know you want to say something as well.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas. I hope you spend time with your family, hugged your loved ones. I hope you focus on God's love for us, his salvation for us, and take a minute away from the craziness of politics just to be thankful for the blessings we enjoy as Americans. The blessings we enjoy with God's love. Merry Christmas.

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