Verdict with Ted Cruz – Week in Review

Episode: We're not WORTHY or READY for Michelle, a Gambling Curveball in Pro Sports & the Ongoing Atrocities against Christians in Nigeria

Date: November 22, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson

Overview

In this “Week in Review” episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson tackle three major topics:

1. Michelle Obama’s remarks on the possibility of a female president in the US and her own political intentions
2. The growing scandal of gambling corruption and “prop bet fixing” in professional sports
3. The escalation of Christian persecution in Nigeria, US response, and broader implications

Each segment provides political analysis, cultural commentary, and personal anecdotes, all in the podcast’s signature direct and humorous tone.

1. Michelle Obama’s Comments: “America’s Not Ready” for a Female President

Key Discussion Points

• Michelle Obama’s Statement: Quoting the former First Lady’s claim that America “ain’t ready” for a woman president, and that she won’t run because “you don’t deserve me.”
  • Notable Quote — Michelle Obama (played in clip) [05:44]:
    • “As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain't ready. That's why I'm like, don't even look at me about running because you all are lying. You're not ready for a woman. You are not. So don't waste my time. You know, we got a lot of growing up to do, and there's still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman. And we saw it. What was the question?”
• Cruz and Ferguson’s Reaction:
  • They frame her comment as arrogant and dismissive of voters, suggesting it’s an excuse for political unpopularity rather than a reflection of genuine misogyny.
  • Ted Cruz ridicules the idea that opposition to Democratic policies is about sexism, not performance:
    • [09:06] “Like the absolute condescension — you people are too immature to elect my magnificence.”
  • They joke about the audience’s composition and riff on the “identity politics” of the Democratic Party.
• Political Analysis:
  • Cruz argues that Democrats aren't showing introspection after electoral defeats; instead they blame voters, contrasting this to historical pivots (like the Democrats nominating Bill Clinton after losing in the 1980s).
  • They revisit a Verdict prediction from a year before: that Biden would not end up the Democratic nominee (and claim they were mocked but proven right).
  • [07:27] “It’s just arrogance… If Michelle Obama had wanted it, she would have been the nominee. Had she wanted to do it, they would have handed it to her instead of Kamala Harris.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Ted Cruz [09:06]:
  • “The dripping arrogance of her. You know, you listen to her comments. The American people have a lot of growing up to do.”
• Ben Ferguson [06:21]:
  • “The room goes wild with women. It was clearly a female audience that she's talking with there.”
• Ted Cruz (on Democrats’ post-loss thinking) [11:50]:
  • “Whoever the Democrat nominee is in 28, please make Michelle Obama your spokesperson because we really need her lecturing the American people how much the voters suck. Because you know that historically has proved such an effective way to campaign.”

2. Rising Scandal: Prop Bet Fixing & Gambling in Pro Sports

Starts [16:55]

Key Discussion Points

• Overview of “Prop Bet” Scandal:
  • Multiple pro athletes (especially in MLB and NBA) are implicated in manipulating aspects of a game (not just win/lose outcomes) to benefit bets placed (“prop bets”) by themselves or others.
  • Verdict highlights player control in these instances — like pitching a ball on command — and how this makes the system easily corruptible.
• Specific Example:
  • Cruz reads from his Senate oversight letter to Major League Baseball, citing the indictment of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Claes and Luis Ortiz for rigging their own stats.
    • Cruz letter excerpt [20:31]:
      • “Recent indictment alleges Cleveland Guardians players Emmanuel Claes and Luis Ortiz purposely threw certain pitches for balls or strikes. Both players allegedly told friends of their plan and to place prop bets beforehand. Claes...made some bets himself. Perhaps most shockingly, this scheme lasted more than two years before Major League Baseball found out.”
    • Notable: Friends won $27,000 in one game; over $400,000 total across years.
• Cultural Impact:
  • They note a statistical increase in “anomalies” (e.g., wild pitches) since prop betting became widely legal, reinforcing concerns about the integrity of sports.
• Leagues’ Response, Oversight, and Next Steps:
  • Cruz, as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, is investigating and seeking answers from professional leagues.
  • Ferguson voices skepticism that leagues will police themselves effectively, suggesting outside intervention might be needed, especially to protect college sports.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Cruz [24:40]:
  • “Negative Prop bets are 100% within the control of an individual player.”
• Ferguson [23:39]:
  • “That's a lot of money, folks. And that's just one example that got busted. You got to wonder how many others were out there, right?”
• Cruz [30:43]:
  • “On the question of gambling...you got pro sports, but I'm also concerned about college sports. With such a proliferation, you know, a small school with a game that's not in the headlines and an individual player there...you may have a chance to make ten grand fixing the game. That is a real challenge.”

Memorable Moments

• Playful banter about March Madness charity brackets and college football rivalries highlights the show’s relaxed, sports-fan tone.
• Ferguson notes how even pro athletes suspect “something’s off” in the games, reinforcing the theme that the problem is hiding in plain sight.

3. Christian Persecution in Nigeria: America’s Role and Responsibility

Starts [36:54]

Key Discussion Points

• Crisis Overview:
  • Nigeria is now the deadliest country for Christians worldwide; since 2009, over 50,000 Christians have been murdered.
  • Over 20,000 churches and schools have been destroyed.
• Role of Radical Islamic Terrorist Groups:
  • Boko Haram, an extremist group in Nigeria, is named as the main perpetrator.
  • The complicity and complacency of Nigerian government officials is heavily criticized.
• Senator Cruz’s Advocacy:
  • Cruz discusses his legislative efforts to have the US designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern” and to apply sanctions to specific Nigerian officials responsible or complicit in persecution.
  • References President Trump’s previous steps and statements on the issue.
• Contrast with Media Attitudes:
  • Critique of American media and political figures (including direct criticism of Tucker Carlson) for downplaying or denying religious persecution in Nigeria.
  • Cruz shares personal story of advocacy for Miriam Ibrahim, a Christian sentenced to death in Sudan, to underscore his record.
• Broader Theme:
  • The conversation ties the issue to the general principle of standing up for persecuted Jews, Christians, or others—and the dangers of ideological blinders or antisemitism.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Senator Cruz [39:08]:
  • “There is no country on planet earth where more Christians have been murdered in the last 20 years than Nigeria. Since 2009, more than 50,000 Christians have been murdered in the country of Nigeria.”
• Ted Cruz on extremists: [38:05]
  • “Radical Islamic terrorists, they hate Christians and they hate Jews and they have murdered vast numbers of Christians. They have murdered vast number of Jews. They continue to do so and they Also murder a significant number of Muslims.”
• On American responsibility:
  • “I think we should defend Christians when they're being persecuted. I think we should defend Jews when they're being persecuted. I think we should stand up and make a difference...it does mean we use our voice as a voice to stand up for those.” [46:02]

Notable Exchange about Tucker Carlson

• Cruz [44:04]:
  • “I understand that Tucker's told the world there's no one he hates more than Christian Zionist, and he singled out me and Mike Huckabee as the people he hates the most in the world. But that's truly a bizarre claim...I've literally spent 13 years doing that [defending persecuted Christians].”
• Cruz recounts story of Miriam Ibrahim:
  • “I actually got to meet Miriam Ibrahim when she came to Washington ... When you were in that prison cell ... how did you not give up hope? And she looked at me with a peace that I'll never forget, and she just said, Jesus was with me.”

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Michelle Obama & the Woman President Debate:
  • 03:23 – 11:50
• Prop Bet Corruption in Pro Sports:
  • 16:55 – 31:51
• Christian Persecution in Nigeria:
  • 36:54 – 47:28

Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• [05:44] Michelle Obama (clip): “We ain't ready. That's why I'm like, don't even look at me about running because you all are lying. You're not ready for a woman.”
• [09:06] Ted Cruz: “Like the absolute condescension — you people are too immature to elect my magnificence.”
• [23:39] Ben Ferguson: “That's a lot of money, folks. And that's just one example that got busted. You got to wonder how many others were out there, right?”
• [39:08] Ted Cruz: “Since 2009, more than 50,000 Christians have been murdered in the country of Nigeria.”
• [46:02] Ted Cruz: “I think we should defend Christians when they're being persecuted. I think we should defend Jews when they're being persecuted. I think we should stand up and make a difference.”

Episode Takeaways

• Political Analysis with Signature Sass: The hosts dissect political news with sharp conservative critique, skepticism toward Democratic narratives, and humor.
• Senate Oversight in Action: Cruz’s role as an investigator into pro sports corruption highlights the political and legal ramifications of a growing scandal.
• Advocacy for the Persecuted: The episode makes a passionate case for shining light on “unreported” crises, especially Christian persecution abroad.
• Podcasts as Community: Regular callbacks to prior predictions and a bantering, fan-centric sports segment create a sense of in-group camaraderie for the Verdict audience.

This summary includes all major issues and stand-out moments, preserving the episode’s direct, irreverent, and advocacy-minded tone.