From Iran’s Strait Of Hormuz To A Cruise Ship Outbreak

We bounce from airline boarding chaos to global conflict, asking why incentives and unclear goals keep producing the same ugly outcomes. We weigh Iran’s shifting mission language, a cruise ship outbreak scare, city politics in Seattle and California, and the growing 2028 conversation around Rubio and Vance. 
• Southwest’s assigned seating and the disappearance of “Jetway Jesus” 
• Iran’s operation rename, the War Powers Act timeline, and unanswered objectives 
• Strait of Hormuz pressure, oil flow, and the risk of wider global entanglement 
• Suspected hantavirus on a cruise ship, quarantine fears, and passenger reality 
• Amsterdam banning meat and fossil fuel ads to push a green agenda 
• Europe’s social strain and the irony of selective “public good” rules 
• Seattle’s tax-the-rich politics and why businesses and talent leave 
• California’s top-two primary risks and Spencer Pratt challenging Karen Bass 
• Marco Rubio’s communication strengths and the Rubio versus Vance 2028 logic 
• Met Gala “who dat” game as a quick culture temperature check 
• Comment section standards, free speech, and keeping debate clean 
Please, from Elsa and I, like you can express your opinion, but keep it clean. Like, let's be grown-ups about this, okay? 

Transcript

Welcome And A Travel Oddity

SPEAKER_04 0:23

This is the coach.

SPEAKER_08 0:29

Oh, hey, hi. How are you, Clay?

SPEAKER_04 0:31

Good. How are you?

SPEAKER_08 0:33

I am good. I'm good. Yeah, I don't have anything interesting to share, I don't think. I mean, it's it's been a busy but also quiet week. Does that make any sense? Like it's been busy. Like life busy but quiet. No dramatics, no nothing crazy going on. Not in the personal life, at least. I mean in the world.

SPEAKER_04 0:52

There's there's always crazy in the world. And uh folks, it is Wednesday. It is uh approximately 4 p.m. on the east coast. Um, I have a I have a quick one uh that uh I'm gonna ask you because you travel a lot like I do, but I don't know if you uh travel southwest or not. So uh this is not even a topic, folks. This is just something I saw today, but I know Elsa and I both travel. So flying Southwest, which I do often, that is my airline preference. Um, you know, they have changed policies from the uh, you know, first come, first serve, pick your seat, yes, right kind of thing to assign seating, which has caused some consternation among the faithful of Southwest Airlines. But what it has also done, have you ever heard of the term jetway Jesus? No, so so it used to be, especially out of the hubs, like um Midway Chicago is one, Love Field Dallas is their home um field. So what you would get, because you have a high density of Southwest flights, is you would have people who didn't necessarily need wheelchairs, uh, would have a family member wheel them. You know, they would be on the the airline wheelchairs, yes, and and then they would have the family escort, and so they would be first to board on Southwest. So they would get they would get their choice of seats. So you would have, and I'm not kidding when I say this, anywhere from five to ten people in these wheelchairs with a family escort. Um, that would get, you know, they would be the first to board, you know, with the families with the little kids and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And so they would get on, they would get their seats near the front of the plane with their family escort. But then when the plane landed, it's a miracle, they would all get up and walk off the plane, right? Praise Jesus. That's why they called it Jamie Jesus, because amazingly they would be healed, they would no longer need the wheelchair, and they would get up and walk off the plane. So it was all about getting priority seating. Yeah. Well, now that Southwest no longer does first come, first served seating. You go to the airport, and I had to do some traveling a couple of weeks ago for a family and memorial service. Um, there's like one, maybe two. And there are people who really need it, right? And they have a signed seating, and they're people who really need it. So e this, and this isn't just clay seeing this, folks. Like, this is there are have been news articles written about this already, the disappearance of Jetway Jesus in the policy change from Southwest.

SPEAKER_08 3:26

So that's first of all, that's horribly hilarious.

SPEAKER_04 3:29

It is, it's so funny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 3:32

Yeah. So okay, so that does explain a lot to me because I don't always um travel, I bounce around like between uh typically it's mostly it's jet blue for me that I travel on. And then my second choice is usually southwest and sometimes stealthy. Like I'll, you know, I'm I don't have that great a loyalty, but mainly it's jet blue. However, I have uh many times flown southwest. And I have to be honest, that whole, you know, pick your own seat thing always gave me tremendous stress and anxiety because I I'm very particular about my seating, you know. And I'm sure I think everybody kind of is. Like certain people are like, it always has to be an aisle seat or it always has to be a window seat. I don't know anybody who always says that it has to be, always has to be a middle seat. I don't know any middle seat people. No. Um, but for me, if I'm flying by myself, I have to be up near the front and an aisle seat. So I get like all internally flustered. You'd never know it looking at me. I have a very calm demeanor, but internal stress. So when they did this, I was kind of like, oh, okay, I kind of like that, even though it meant, you know, more fees, of course. Um, I did always notice so many wheelchairs. And I remember only now that you're saying it, being like, what the heck? So many people in wheelchairs these days. What is going on? Not putting these things together. Very funny and so messed up. I never heard the name though.

SPEAKER_04 5:09

Yeah, I'm I'm an exit row guy. Like, I just because there's too many crazy people on airplanes nowadays, and I am who I am. So if I'm not controlling that door, I get a little crazy. Um, yeah, so I I am that guy, and I would always pay for the early, like the early upgrades to get in that A list to be the first one, you know, and I would always get an exit row. Um, but yes, you would always notice Jetway Jesus. There's there was all these people, and then of course, there was never the wheelchairs on the way out. So yeah, folks, if you're a Southwest flyer, even if you're not a frequent Southwest flyer, take a look next time and notice how many fewer wheelchairs you see getting onto Southwest because they have changed the seating policy. Yeah, I figured you'd traveler, and I didn't know if you'd notice that or not.

SPEAKER_08 5:54

I I never put the things together like that. I never never realized that, did not know that. I oh my god, are people so awful? People just are the worst. Yep. Oh my goodness. Actually, I think I am flying in July. I think one of my July trips is on Southwest, so I'm gonna be paying attention. I'm gonna be watching for it. Shame on you people, shame, shame.

SPEAKER_04 6:19

But we've got we've got a lot more going on than just jetway Jesus, folks. And uh, let's see, we're we're we're already five minutes in, so we gotta.

Tonight’s Rundown Of Headlines

SPEAKER_08 6:26

Oh my goodness. All right, guys, here's here's what we have coming up for you.

SPEAKER_03 6:30

Tonight on the show. Iran says one thing, Washington says another. Amsterdam is banning meat ads because apparently brisket is now a public threat. A luxury cruise turns into a floating horror movie. California may have accidentally rigged itself against itself. Seattle keeps trying socialism like it's a gym membership they swear will work this time. Pete Buddig is auditioning for Middle America. Meanwhile, we're asking the question every Republican is quietly thinking JD Vance or Marco Rubio next. We'll wrap up with a game of hoodat and let's not forget the comments section. Let's get started.

SPEAKER_04 7:14

Even AI can't pronounce his name.

SPEAKER_08 7:16

I don't know if I ever have said his name.

SPEAKER_04 7:19

Booty gig. I don't know. No idea.

SPEAKER_08 7:23

Who is it that called him booty juice? Was that president?

SPEAKER_04 7:26

A lot of people called him booty juice.

Iran, War Powers, And Unclear Goals

SPEAKER_08 7:29

So gross. So disgusting. Oh my goodness. Well then, I mean, I we have to, of course, uh start here, right? I mean, this is of course the never-ending story, right? I don't mean that in the great uh 80s film sense.

SPEAKER_04 7:50

Traumatizing it though it was. Um, yeah, so um Operation Epic Fury, as it was known as it began, uh, has now been declared as over, I think. Um, and been replaced with what is it, Project Freedom. Yes. Um, now you you can speculate on a lot of things uh on why that happened, uh, specifically because of the War Powers Act. Um, they've been Congress, left left side of the aisle, Congress has been after President Trump and Secretary Heggs about, you know, when is this gonna end? You've declared war without Congress's approval, which under the War Powers Act, the president's got 60 days, uh, you know, take military action without any explanation to Congress. Well, we just hit 60 days. And so without having to go back and ask for an extension or a declaration of war, which by the way, we haven't done since World War II, um, they essentially ended the operation and then had it uh renamed a follow-up operation, which is again what Project Freedom, um, which is the defense of the Strait of Hormuz. Um, you know, I guess it bet it does beg the question, and that is were the objectives of uh Epic Fury actually met, and that's why it was declared over, or is it because it hit the 60-day mark and the president and secretary didn't want to deal with Congress? And I I, you know, because truthfully, the the the goals, the objectives of the operation were never clearly outlined. You and I have talked about this for yeah, two months, right? Yeah, is it regime change? Is it the straight? Is it what are we doing? And there was never a clear idea. So um, I guess when you don't have clear objectives, you can declare victory anytime you want.

SPEAKER_08 9:54

I was literally gonna say say the same thing, like in a way, it was like technically kind of a brilliant strategy to not really give a clear definition because you're like, yeah, no, uh, objective met. Yeah, no, we're good. Like, trust me, we did it.

SPEAKER_04 10:08

Um, yeah, it's President Bush, mission accomplished, landing on the air. It's the same thing. Um listen, folks, I you know, I I don't point these out as a as a criticism. It's questions all of us Americans at$25 billion being spent already. These are the questions we all should be asking, whether you're a fan of President Trump and Secretary Heggs, if they're not. Um, you know, we need we collectively need to have clear outlined objectives in what we're doing when we're committing America's sons and daughters in harm's way. So um, you know, now we've transitioned to Project Freedom, but but have we? You know, there was a there was the ceasefire, the ceasefire was clearly violated by Iran, right? Um, UAE is pissed, uh, you know, and obviously there was I think some attacks on American installations or American ships in the last 24 hours. It's hard to keep track of it all, folks, to be honest with you. And I did this for a living for a long time. Um but the question is what's next? Like today, there were reports of us firing on an Iranian flag tanker that was trying to bust through the blockade. Um, I don't know the results of that because it was reporting in in the last three hours. So um so again, what what is what are we doing? Yeah, is anything really does anybody know?

SPEAKER_08 11:36

Nope, I don't think anybody does, but I do hope that uh certainly hope the Trump administration knows what they're doing and what's going on. And um yeah, I you know, you and you've got not only uh arguments from the left, you have the internal, so to speak, arguments within within the party, which you know, obviously you've got, you know, the they call them the warhawks, right? They they're arguing that the forces necess was necessary and the ones with more restraint. The conservatives argue that the um that the risks are you know outweighing the benefits, and you know, so feeling like it's not such a great idea. Then of course you have the Democrats who are, you know, no matter what happens, let's be real, no matter what the outcome was, they they would not have any kind of um uh praise or agreement with anything. So I it's almost like to me, it's almost like even a non-point to bring them in the conversation in this context, because it literally doesn't matter what went on, they will find a problem and fault with it. So I'm I'm kind of personally more interested in what the different mindsets are within within the conservative, you know, Republican Party.

SPEAKER_04 12:51

Yeah, I think and again, folks, I I'm not opposed to what we've done because I've been accused of that. And and my my issue, my concern is that one, we have not clearly outlined the objectives of what we're doing, um, and two, we have not to me clearly committed to anything. Like we have naval power there. I know that there was, you know, uh the 80s portions of the 82nd Airborne were alerted, marines were pushed forward, right? There's all this, there's been discussions for two months about a ground invasion, whether it's you know, on the island or you know, inside mainland Iran or or or whatever. Um and I and I'll tell you, folks, inside the the big old defense umbrella, it's not terribly clear there either.

SPEAKER_07 13:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:40

Um, as much as we, you know, people would like to say, well, you don't know because you're not there. I you're right. I don't, I'm not there, but I know a lot of people who are, and I know there's a lot of confusion still or a lack of uh direction and focus. So um, yeah, the the questions that we all have been asking are the ones that we need to continue to ask. My, you know, as this grows and as the calendar continues to flip days and it gets longer and longer and longer, the global impact of this continues to grow, right? Because Iran is a, you know, not just Iran and and the oil that they provide, but anything that moves through the Strait of Hormuz. Um, and so now what you're doing is you're affecting China more, right? You're affecting Russia more, right? And that the longer that the Iranian oil is withheld uh and and not moved through the strait and got into China and got into Russia, uh, et cetera, um, and exports Iranian drones and all these other things, um, the more you're putting a strain on those much larger nations uh who may you know come to a point of you know desperation, I hate to say. And and they stick their nose in this, which I know is not anything that we're looking forward to wanting or anticipating. Uh, this is supposed to be just us and Iran, or just I should say us, us Israel and Iran.

SPEAKER_07 15:03

Right.

SPEAKER_04 15:05

And then obviously, unfortunately, the the Arab nations, you know, the the you know, all the nations surrounding Iran that are just catching random stray rockets and missiles, you know, all over the place. Um, so I I think there's too much uncertainty in this right now. Uh and I yeah, I'm not I'm not comfortable with it.

SPEAKER_08 15:24

Right. Yeah, I mean, you know, my question I think always is with this is how do you walk away from it? Like you can't just go, you know, you can't just like quietly drift away. We, we uh we can't just quietly drift away from it because it's not working. There's still a pretty significant issue, multiple issues with obviously uh nuclear capabilities, uh still significant issues with them, oh, I don't know, wanting death to America. You know, I we there are ongoing significant issues here, which frankly, and maybe to some people's horror at my saying this, um the only way that and I do feel bad saying this, but this is uh to very realistic, I think, to say the only way to stop these people is to decimate them completely, to wipe them off the face of the earth, because we're talking again at many times over, we're talking about a group that only knows violence, first of all. That is their their mission and their goal and their existence is violence and death and hatred, um, and you know, oppression and conquering everyone and everything. Uh what do you even do with that? And you know, how do you sell that to the rest of the world that like there is no um there's no peace through peace, there's peace through strength, period. So, you know, again, I mean, there's a there's so many layers to that. One we've talked about many times also, you know, you having experienced multiple times over the experience of war, and you know, rightly saying it's nothing that we wish um on anyone, but particularly our our own troops, we don't we don't want boots on the ground, we don't want them there, we don't want any of this. I talk about being between a rock and a hard place is the only way I can see it right now.

SPEAKER_04 17:32

Yeah, it and again, this isn't I'm not afraid of the application of military force at all. I mean, you know, I I did that for a living for a very long time. It is necessary in today's world. It is about making sure that we, the United States and whoever is on our side, you know, whether it's Israel in this case or a NATO force or whoever's pitching in, that we are all aligned and unified in what we are trying to accomplish. And those goals are clearly stated uh and achievable, right? Um, and so, you know, part of one of the communication issues with this is we all know this about President Trump, and we all Americans know and understand him as a New Yorker and who he is when he talks and he says things like the best ever, nobody's ever seen this before, we'll blow them off the map, we'll decimate them, it'll be an attack, nobody's ever seen like all of those he's he speaks in these extremes, right? When you speak that way as a threat against a nation, which he has done against Iran, you have to like the rest of the world doesn't take that as oh, he's speaking like a New Yorker. They're not, they're taking him at his literal word, and when you make those statements, but you either aren't prepared to back them up or you don't back them up with action, then it you become the boy who cried wolf in the eyes of the world. Um, and you know, again, it's an Americanism that doesn't translate well across the rest of the globe. When you tell the Iranians, hey, if you don't do this, I'm gonna level you know your country, and then you say, I mean it.

SPEAKER_08 19:17

Yeah, okay, I I mean it. That's like with your kids when you count to three and then nothing happens at three, right?

SPEAKER_04 19:24

Your kids are like, Oh. And it's not like, oh, well, we're gonna continue to to do what we're doing. Like if they don't see, feel, smell, like an increase in you know, American firepower and everything else that we can bring to bear, yeah. If that is not readily felt, then it means nothing to them. And so, you know, this is one of those times where as much as we love to cheer President Trump and he brings America, you know, 52% of America, you know, to a fervor on some of this stuff, um it doesn't translate well outside of the borders of the United States. So um, I personally wish that would be something he would be a little bit cleaner with, or he would, and and Secretary Heggs is not better. He he's not better at it than the president is, he may even be worse. Um, you know, this is where, and we'll talk about this a little later. Secretary Rubio is the best communicator of these kinds of things, and I wish the president would use him more, although this is not truthfully in his, you know, in his realm. I guess it could be, you could force it into his realm, but um I mean he's Marco Rubio, he can handle all of the jobs.

SPEAKER_08 20:40

Well, I mean I mean he can do everything.

SPEAKER_04 20:42

Yeah, the guy has lit, he has literally become a meme with all of the jobs.

SPEAKER_08 20:47

It's literally there is a uh guys, you have to go to this page. I believe it's called Marco Rubio headquarters, I think it is. There's probably multiple ones, but that's the one that I actually follow. Um it's I follow it on Instagram, I'm sure they're on all the other platforms too. And it's just among other things, they do all of the things, you know, the most famous one where he's sitting in the oval office, that one, and they put him in every different, you know, uniform or costume or outfit or whatever. And oh, they're just hilarious. Somebody commented it in my own thing um last week on something, it might have been one of our our clips, podcast clips. And um he said, Yeah, but can he can he be a steel worker? And I actually made one of him as a steel worker in that thing. Yeah, like yeah, yeah, I can. There he is. He's ready, he's ready for the job.

SPEAKER_04 21:36

They when they fired the when the Boston Red Sox fired their manager and half of their coaching staff a week ago, the very next day. There it was. There it was. Mark Garillo just found out he's got to manage the Boston Red Sox. Like so funny.

SPEAKER_08 21:52

So I back to the topic. Like, sorry, guys, sorry.

SPEAKER_04 21:57

No, that's the that's the thing I wish. President Trump would ask him to do more of is communicate, you know, with Iran on behalf of the United States, you know, however, that's not President Trump's style. Um it is, it would be incringing or infringing uh or encroaching upon the responsibility of Secretary Heggs. So it's a little bit of that gray area. Um, but you know, really right now I think we're we're continue to stand in the same box, which is we don't, we collectively, the United States, the Republic, the citizenry, are not terribly clear on what our goals and objectives are in Iran, and it leaves way too many questions unanswered.

SPEAKER_08 22:41

Yeah, I mean, do you feel it's a matter of, and maybe it's just too hard to even say, but um, do you feel that it's a matter of the Trump administration has backed themselves into a corner, or do you feel like this is still a potentially uh Trump playing 4D chess?

SPEAKER_04 22:57

Yeah, I well, I think there is a lot of the 4D chess, truthfully. I really do. Controlling oil flow across the globe is definitely part of it, no question. I think um, you know, the denial of nuclear capability, we talked about this last week and weeks ago. Like, I I am now a absolute believer supporter in they shouldn't even have nuclear energy because they will screw it up to the point where it condemns the globe itself. Um that the problem is is when you we in modern warfare, modern warfare has changed, warfare has changed in the modern age, where you don't go in, kick somebody's ass, take all their stuff, right, and and you know, then rule over them their land after the fighting's over with. Now you go in, you kick somebody's ass, you break all their stuff, and then you've got to rebuild it and then hand it back to them and reestablish, you know, law and order and governance, and then walk away from it. Um and so, you know, we we are creating a power vacuum that I don't I think that the administration and the planning had it set in their mind that the Iranian people would rise up and they would fight, they would overthrow, and it would be you know, all of those things, and none of that has come to fruition.

SPEAKER_08 24:12

So and it did look like that very early on because there were the you know, the massive, massive marches in the streets and the fanfare and all of the things going on.

SPEAKER_04 24:24

And I I don't, you know, well, they the Iranians started killing citizens.

SPEAKER_08 24:30

I was just gonna say then they were started beheaded beheading people and you know killing people in the streets by the hundreds, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:37

Um, and of course, you know, at that point, when you don't have any way, because they're a they're a firearm free society, folks. Yeah, um, they've got no way to stand up against the government, and so they for their own safety and you know, whatever they they back down, and we've offered them no real help thus far. So um, I think the the last pin in all of this is the regime change, because right now we can't back away from this and leave the people in power in power.

SPEAKER_07 25:08

Right.

SPEAKER_04 25:09

Um, I know they're trying to negotiate a treaty, and I know that that goes on every day, and I know that Iranians are coming back with crazy counterpoints and things that are not acceptable to us, but that leadership, you know, whatever you want to call it, uh we can't we can't leave that the way that it is. So because otherwise what you've got is Afghanistan, you know, the Taliban are back in power again. Like it's the same thing. So I think that's the thing that I is can't be solved. And and I've been saying this, folks, I've been saying this for weeks. Successful regime change requires boots on the ground. You can't not, it doesn't work. So, and I know that there's reluctance to do that. I know President Trump doesn't necessarily want to do it. I actually have a feeling Secretary Heggs does want to do it. Um I think there is reluctance across the board uh to commit troops uh to a ground operation inside of Afghanistan. But you can't you can't do regime change without it. So um, we just have to really get our act together. We need to put things down on paper, make them public, and say these are the goals and this is what we're going after, and then just do those things.

SPEAKER_08 26:20

Just do them, just do it. Yeah. Well, um, one thing about the whole thing that I can guarantee is that we will be talking about it next week as well.

SPEAKER_07 26:29

Yes, yes, we will.

Cruise Ship Hantavirus Nightmare

SPEAKER_08 26:31

I believe that we will. All right, so on that note, let's go on to uh I'm a little bit speechless now. Oh my goodness. So this is pretty horrific. Um, and I can't tell you how many people I've uh heard say in this, and that's why I don't go on cruises. I'll never go on a cruise. I never will. I've been uh I've been on a couple, few, couple, I think. Um, and I have thought about that. Like, my goodness, uh different, all different aspects of it. And there's been, you know, plenty of horror stories about cruises. Now, when you compare it to the number of cruises that actually go on, that number, you know, starts to look smaller and smaller, of course. But there's been enough of them, you know, just the videos alone, never mind, you know, crazy viral outbreaks and things like that, and the food poisoning and all of those things. Those storms, when those storms hit out of like nowhere and you see these waves and the ships are like just that alone is almost enough for me to go, you know, I think I'm good. I think I'm good. I think I'm gonna think I'm gonna pass on a cruise. I also know people that don't care and they swear by their cruises and they're they love them, they live and breathe from them for them. Um, so if you don't know, which I'm sure you do, I'm gonna tell you anyway, a polar expedition cruise ship, uh, the MV Hondius. Did I say that right? I think I did.

SPEAKER_04 27:55

That's how I would pronounce it, yes.

SPEAKER_08 27:57

Perfect. We're going with it then. Um, it's become a floating nightmare after a suspectus suspected hantavirus outbreak left three people dead and several others sick. Um uh who says that the public risk is low, but the strain involved may be Andes virus, which is especially concerning because it can uh rarely spread person to person. This is one of those stories that reminds us that modern ah, who cares about that? I'm not even gonna bother reading that part. Um, so I'm like, ah, whatever, whatever. Um, so here's the thing, right? This hantavirus is spread from mice and rats.

SPEAKER_04 28:41

Feces.

SPEAKER_08 28:42

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 28:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 28:44

So, you know, let's just take that pause and think about that. That mice and rats are on a cruise ship, this enclosed capsule, this you know, space where air is being circulated through all the same rooms, the same air is being circulated all over the place. Um, the same place where meals for how many people go on a cruise? Like, I mean, literally, physically, I mean thousands. So, like on one cruise ship, on one cruise, there is likely thousands of people on it.

SPEAKER_07 29:24

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 29:24

Oh my, oh my, oh my god, just the very thought. So you have a huge number of people breathing the same air, eating food that was made in a facility where now you know for certain that there are rats and mice, and this whole thing. I think I just decided I'm done with cruises. Like the more I think about it, the more I realize I think I I think I'm good. I think I'm good.

SPEAKER_04 29:54

I I have never taken one, but so this one, you know, there's there's some of them that the the content of them, like the purpose of the cruise itself, there's some attractiveness to this. So this left Argentina, dropped down into that Antarctic, right? You got it down into the cold weather, and then sailed diagonally across the uh the Atlantic to Cape Verde and was headed towards Africa. Um, and somewhere in the midst of all of this, uh, one man fell sick, another fell sick. I think the first man died, and then, like you said, three, and then six very ill. And it's been determined that you know it's hontavirus, and or at least that's the suspicion. So I'll add one more to it. Those three dead bodies still on the boat. Um yeah, uh, so you you've got all of those because no one was allowed to leave the boat, because now you've got the potential because you haven't truthfully diagnosed, determined what the cause is, you can't let anybody off the boat because they may bring it with them and infect all kinds of people, right?

SPEAKER_08 31:05

Yeah, and ports are recusing them. Oh, yeah, they're they're being refused, so they're they're just drifting around on the ocean, all you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 31:14

And so you've got only so much, you know, they can get resupplied and those kinds of things, but there's only so much food, there's only there's only so much booze, there's only so right, and this was supposed to be a long-term cruise, right? Think about that. Um, but it and and thousands of dollars spent by the people on the cruise, yeah. And now they can't get off of it. Although today, I think they were being allowed for the first time to step off. I I can't remember where we're a deserted island, yeah. Some place where there is no other human beings, right and and and in isolation. But yes, I'm with you. I've never been on a cruise. Uh, I think you know, there are some that are intriguing. Uh, those river cruises in Europe I think look interesting. I would probably take one in and around Alaska. I have zero desire to go Caribbean at all. Um, anything that is uh a Disney cruise is definitely off limits. Um yeah, this is just more reason never to go on a cruise.

SPEAKER_08 32:16

And uh yeah, I gotta admit, like, yeah, I don't, I just I don't I don't think I want to do it again. And I know somebody who just came back from a cruise, and I know somebody who's on a cruise right now, not that cruise. Um, and you know, funny enough, the person that just came back from a cruise has a respiratory uh ailment. So just just saying, and I don't think I know anybody who's come off a cruise that that wasn't sick after. Yeah, I mean, you know you said it, right?

SPEAKER_04 32:47

You're all living on top of each other, you're all breathing, you know, a lot of recirculated air below decks. You're all like this is the same thing. Anybody who's been in the military knows that once there's uh cold that goes through the barracks in the wintertime, or everybody everybody gets sick. Everybody, you know, it's like COVID every time you get on a boat, but um yeah, these these things. I you know, I know a guy who one of his favorite things to do is he jumps on the repositioning cruises. So when they've got a boat that is like a it'd be a quick one. So they've got a boat that you know they're moving from the Dominican Republic to Miami, right? They're literally it, they're not turning it into a seven-day, it's literally a straight shot, it's a two-day kind of a thing. Well, you go down to the DR, you know, you fly down there, you get on the on the boat, you're on the boat for two days, you do it, it's a couple hundred bucks, and you get two days on a cruise ship or three days on a cruise ship, and you pull into Miami and you get off and you go back to work. I know a guy who does that often, yeah. Um, those are also not max capacity seven stops, you know, kind of cruises. You've got a couple of hundred people on there who choose to do that. Now that I will do right, that to me sounds a little more enjoyable.

SPEAKER_08 34:00

That I will do, yes. I'm okay with that.

SPEAKER_04 34:03

At the end, even if it sucks, it's over in three days. So yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_08 34:07

Um yeah, I think you know, I think going forward, I think I'm pretty much gonna be a destination gal. Like, let's just hop on a plane, get to the place. Like we're going to Aruba in uh November, and it's like get on the plane, go there, enjoy that experience, go home, and that's it. No being trapped for any longer than an airline flight. There's I could tell you a story since you know we don't have a lot of time, so I'm not gonna tell you the story this time, but y'all remind me to tell you the story about this Aruba trip because y'all, y'all will be like, What? And I I I'm gonna leave you hanging with that. Well, keep that one in mind, keep that one in mind because it's pretty funny. Maybe I'll save it for then to tell you, tell you all about. Um, so yeah, so the whole thing's um crazy. And you know, guys, listen, so here's the thing. I know we're kind of we're kind of joking around a little bit and we're kind of making light. Um, but I do like this is a this'll break your heart a little. Let me take let me just take us all down a notch from having some amusements here about this. Um, here is a um passenger uh on this cruise ship. Um, essentially right now, or maybe they're off now, I don't know. But here's here's this. Very sad.

SPEAKER_02 35:23

Like this, but I feel like I need to say something. So I wrote a few things down. I'm currently on board. I'm the Hadius, and what's happening right now is very real for all of us here. We're not just a story, we're not just headlines, we're people, people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home. There's a lot of uncertainty, and that's the hardest part. All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home. So if you're seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it, and that this isn't something happening somewhere far away. It's happening to us right now. I'll share more when I can, but for now, I just ask for your kindness and understanding. Thank you.

SPEAKER_08 36:24

Um, so uh let me tell you, first of all, if that guy was making that up and he's not really on that ship, and it was like some elaborate, we're not very elaborate thing. Um the only thing I would have to say to that is you jerk you. Um, so you know, I I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt that this was real. I have not heard otherwise that that was not real.

SPEAKER_04 36:51

I I saw that uh yesterday, I think, and or maybe the night before. And yes, I do believe that that is real. Um I I would have a totally different set of emotions. It would not be the weepy, trembly voice. Um would be threatening life limb and eyesight to anybody and everybody involved on that ship. Anger would take hold, it would not so, but the the emotion is true, right? I mean, there clearly these people are not happy, it's not a comfortable place to be, and and I do not envy them no any of it.

SPEAKER_08 37:26

No, no, terrible experience. Um, zero stars do not recommend. Yes, sorry. I'm I'm sorry, I'm joking about it again, and it's terrible. It's gallows humors, humor, guys. Let's let me be. Let me be. Uh, let's see. Let's okay, let's move on to other things that like you either laugh about it or you know, or I don't even know.

SPEAKER_04 37:49

I'm gonna start this out by saying Europe is gone. Yeah, like it is so Amsterdam has banned uh fuel and food advertising, specifically meat advertising, uh, in public spaces in the city, uh, because they are attempting to push the green agenda, plant-based meats and non-fossil fuels uh across the city. And so they think by banning the advertisement of those two things in public spaces, and think about the public spaces, folks. This is bus stops, park benches, billboards, you know, signposts, all of those things, all banned. Uh and you cannot fossil fuels specific and more specifically, airlines, like you can none of the airlines can can advertise, but use of fossil fuels and use of any live meat products, fish, poultry, beef, pork, all of it, banned. Can't do it in the city, uh, because they are pushing the green agenda. And I started by saying it, and I will say it again: Europe is gone. It's yeah.

SPEAKER_08 39:02

I, you know, I I'm I'm so close to being speechless because it is so insane to me that this is a real conversation, a real event, a real occurrence, a real thing that is going on in the world right now. And you know, here's a funny side note. Uh, several years ago, when the whole, you know, uh plant-based meat stuff was gaining some popularity, because I I love I love vegetables. Like I, I mean, I love meat too. I am definitely I'm an omnivore, okay? Um, so there's none of that nonsense here. Uh but I was like, oh, you know what? Let me let me give that a try and see if I like that. And um, I don't know. I mean, it was what it was. It wasn't terrible, it wasn't great, it wasn't, it was fine. But the second that I saw the government, particularly like Biden, the uh during the Biden administration, that they started pushing it, that like this started becoming a thing, I immediately went, and I'm done. And that was it. That's a if you're pushing it, if y'all are pushing it, um, I'm good, but thank you. Let me go get a ribeye. I'm good.

SPEAKER_04 40:15

Yeah, I I always um first of all, it never tastes the same, it just doesn't. It doesn't, it doesn't ever had a plant-based anything that tastes like real meat. Right. Um, you know, they had the pink sludge, the pink faced, whatever that stuff was. But I actually go back to it. It was a movie, it was a terrible, it wasn't even a great movie, but it was a worst TV show. Did you ever see the movie Snowpiercer? Um so this is about a train which ends up being two trains that are the the entire earth is frozen over, nuclear winter, um, and there's just these trains that just they're on a circular track, and that's they just drive around in circles, but it's become a cast class system on the train. Front of the train is the rich people, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And the back of the train is the poorest of the poor. Um, and so with limited resources on a train that doesn't stop, uh, you know, the poor people are fed these blocks of brown, like jello, gelatinized. Well, what they find out is that it's uh ground up in gelatinized um bugs, roaches.

SPEAKER_08 41:24

Yeah, oh I mean, um they're getting their protein, right?

SPEAKER_04 41:28

And and that's it's exactly the kind of mind like, oh no, this is good for you. This is all yeah, healthy. And listen, folks, I'm not comparing plant-based meat substitutes with bricks of cockroach. However, yeah, there are some similarities there that you cannot deny. And uh, yes, I'm like you if it if it, you know, and un what's her name, Billy Eilish. Did you see this absurdity?

SPEAKER_08 41:52

Oh, that's silly, silly girl. That's silly little girl.

SPEAKER_04 41:56

Animals and love that and love eating meat at the same time. Sure, you can.

SPEAKER_08 42:01

Yeah, I was just I was just gonna say, um, yes, I can.

SPEAKER_04 42:05

And too.

SPEAKER_08 42:05

Yes, I can. I think cows are the one of the cutest things I love. I'm obsessed with cows. I think they're so cute. I'm gonna hug them and squeeze them, and they taste delicious. Yes, they do. I'm sorry they do. Actually, I'm not sorry. I'm not at all sorry. Um, both things can and can and are true, can be and are true. Um, they are adorable to look at. I plan to one day own one, um, preferably uh like a highland cow or something. That would be lovely, just you know, putting that out into the universe. Um, but yes, um, I will continue to eat beef. I love steaks, I all of the things. I love them. I find them to be delicious and nutritious.

SPEAKER_04 42:54

Yeah, and and back to the original, you know, Europe is gone point. Um UAE is actually the second country to do it. I think the first was Saudi Arabia, but they are now UAE is now denying uh visas to certain of their own citizens, they are denying travel of their own citizens to certain European nations because they are afraid that they will go there, they will interact with other transplanted Muslims and become radicalized and then come home. Wow. Wow in the Middle East have recognized the downfall and the impact of the refugee Muslim populations that have infected and overtaken Europe and the fact that they're being radicalized. So if you're a president, you know, a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and you want to go, I think England's on the list. If you want to go to England, uh, or I I know France is on the list, and they say nope, can't go there. Um, or if you go there, you know, they're gonna you're on a watch list when you come back, basically, because they are so Afraid that you're going to go over there, you're going to go to a mosque, you're going to practice your religion overseas while you're on vacation, and you're going to interact with people and become radicalized and bring that crap back to their own country. So wild. Europe's gone, folks. Like and if you really have any doubts, look at the level of violent crime in France. That's all you need to do. So sad. And how much of it is done by immigrant population. So yeah, it's it's it's bad and it's getting worse.

SPEAKER_08 44:28

Yeah. Yeah. A little bit of irony though. Isn't like Amsterdam? I mean, there's some questionable stuff that goes on there, right? Isn't that like is that the one with the red light district?

SPEAKER_07 44:38

Like you're gonna allow some irony, right?

SPEAKER_08 44:41

Like you're gonna allow some freaky deeky stuff.

SPEAKER_04 44:45

Yep. Sex work is completely normalized, it has been for decades. Um, but you can't have a burger. Don't have a burger. Yeah.

Seattle’s Socialist Spiral And Flight

SPEAKER_08 44:57

Makes perfect sense. Yeah. Perfect sense. Oh my goodness. So that's that's what's going on. You know, if you had to pick a state, Clay, if you had to pick a state that would be right on board with doing something like that, what state would you pick?

SPEAKER_04 45:13

Well, it's one of two. Actually, it's one of three, but right now, right now, it's Washington. It's Washington State. It's yeah, Seattle leading the charge.

SPEAKER_08 45:23

Yep, yep. I feel you. If I could find where my little pop-up was, I'd put it up there, but I don't even see it. So, oh, here it is. I got it, I got it, guys. Don't even worry. There it is. Socialism killing Seattle. I mean, hasn't it already killed? It's like pretty much killed it already. I don't know why it shouldn't be ing, it should be uh ED at the end of Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 45:44

So what you're what you're seeing, Katie Wilson is the mayor for those that don't know, and she's a a white female version of Mom Donnie. Um, very much the same mindset, tax the rich, all of you know, everything, everything is free. It's all provided by the government, uh, but we're gonna tax the rich to do it. And so now what you've got is what is the number when you think of Seattle, what is the number one anchor business you think of when you think of Seattle?

SPEAKER_08 46:13

Um you know, I'm it's actually gonna say pot, but that's probably Colorado, right?

SPEAKER_04 46:18

Corporate corporation.

SPEAKER_08 46:20

Oh, corporate, oh is it Starbucks? No, are they Starbucks? Yeah, it is Starbucks, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 46:24

And you know where they're moving to? Nashville. They're leaving, they're leaving Seattle and they're moving to Nashville. There you go. The president of Starbucks is leaving and moving to Florida. Oh and and has and has said out loud that we can't, the business, the company cannot afford to stay in Seattle, cannot afford to stay there, and he personally is not staying there because he knows that the entire goal of that mayoral administration is to tax the rich. And he's like, I don't have to do this. And that's the fallacy of what both her and mom donnie and people of their ilk believe is that uh if you're rich, uh that they're gonna tax you and you're just gonna stay, and as if you have no choice, as if there's, you know, uh you have no other options, and that you're just gonna out of the, you know, we're just gonna stay here. We're gonna tax the rich and they're gonna stay and they're just gonna pay their taxes. No, they're not. And they don't understand the impact of what they're doing. And it's Seattle's dying very, very quickly because of this mayor, very much like New York is going through the same things with mom don't right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 47:36

Yeah, you know, and it just becomes this, or it has become this thing of, you know, that we actually just have to sadly sit back and you know, wait for the the I, you know, oh time is it? Oh, it's I told you so time. That's what time, you know, like check your watch. What time is it? It's I told you so time. Yeah, I mean, thank you, thank you. I like that too, actually. See, once in a while I come up with them, Clay. Once in a while, and that's gonna be it for the rest of the show. That's gonna be all I have. That's okay though. Um, but yeah, you know, it's just give me a break already. Give the world, give this country a break already, and just go the heck away and just shut up. Get your own island where you can all, you know, but they don't want that because if they have their own island, you know, these little tyrants uh want to be dictators is really what they are. Um, because they they don't, you know, this is what the rest of them don't understand. These people will be fine, these, you know, leadership top rung, they're gonna be fine, they're gonna be live and large, and you're gonna be all the same. And all the same means you're all gonna be dirt poor with nothing, you know, holding out your hands for scraps from the government, you know, please, sir, may I have some more?

SPEAKER_04 48:53

Get in line for bread now. Yeah, just get in line.

SPEAKER_08 48:56

Yeah, Seattle has been a disaster, you know, for um has it been a decade already?

SPEAKER_04 49:04

I mean, when did it have a slow decline? Uh but but yes, it's it's been, you know, that has been one of the hubs, you know, whether it's San Francisco, it's you know, or the Bay Area in general, but San Francisco has been obviously part of that. Seattle, New York, you know, there's a couple of key places across the United States, and and now it's you know, you've got this mindset of um we deserve it, should be here, and anybody who doesn't support this, this just happened in Chicago just uh yesterday or the day before. Uh, there's people speaking out because I think it was a Walgreens or a CVS closed, as has happened in many neighborhoods and urban areas because they keep getting robbed. Um you know, so they they their inventory gets stolen, it's a non-profitable location, and the big corporation looks at it and says, Well, we're not keeping this open, and they closed it. And now you've got people speaking out saying, Well, like I think it's CBS, you know, CBS should be fined, they shouldn't be allowed to close. Like, we deserve to have this here. Can you imagine? And then it's this, well, you know, if they if they, you know, people steal because they have to get bread to feed their kids. And if that, you know, if that store isn't there to steal from, then how are these people going to feed their kids? And the reality is, is it's not people stealing bread that's putting them out of business. No, it's the kids going in there and stealing candy and chips, it's the teenagers going in there and stealing condoms, it's the people going in there and stealing, you know, baby formula and pregnancy tests and you know, and selling them in low-income neighborhoods on the black market, which is what I'm doing, right? Of course. This isn't a this isn't theft for survival. This I in fact, I wish that those companies, CBS and Walgreens, when they close these stores, if they just went through and did an inventory and they published for the last 12 months, these are all the things that have been stolen.

SPEAKER_08 51:02

Would have been brilliant.

SPEAKER_04 51:04

That would have been the greatest campaign ever to just say yes, this is why we're closing. We're closing because you keep stealing all the beer. We're closing, you know what I mean? This isn't about survival. Um, but again, it's this it's this mentality of you know, everything should be provided. That's the same as the socialism and communism from Mom Donnie, as it is Katie Wilson in Seattle. Now it's bleeding into the other major metro areas, Chicago's being one of them with our idiot mayor Johnson, uh, and and the folks that he continues to promote. So that's where we're at, folks. And you're you're right, Elsa is we we are gonna have to sit and watch these cities crumble, yeah, and make sure that like the the guy from Starbucks doesn't move to Florida and go, let's turn it blue, baby. You know, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 51:49

Do not Seattle or Florida, do not do it.

SPEAKER_04 51:54

Yes, perfect.

SPEAKER_08 51:55

Don't you do it. I'm gonna be there soon, and I will not New England, uh, Florida either.

SPEAKER_04 52:03

Because then you get the backlash, right? Yeah, exactly in uh California, yes.

California’s Primary Chaos And A New Challenger

SPEAKER_08 52:09

Oh, California. Oh my goodness. So obviously the 2026 primary is heating up, and the big story is the state's top two primary system. Democrats are nervous because a crowded field could split the vote. We talked about this, was that just last week?

SPEAKER_04 52:24

We were just talking about it. Now we've got a little bit more. We're as June 2nd is their primary. So yes, we're getting closer. Uh, and and now we're we're we're getting a little bit more um, you know, exposure, I guess, is probably the best word. Right? We had debates the other night.

SPEAKER_08 52:44

Yep. Oh my goodness. Uh yeah, no, it's it's uh this has been interesting to watch, but I really like you know I'm jumping the gun a little bit, but I just want to show this video so bad. Um, I'm just I've been so excited to show this video the whole the whole episode so far. Uh this is uh Spencer Pratt, who is uh running for mayor. He's challenging um uh Karen Bass. Thank you. And um his ad, all of them, his ads have been straight fire, like fire. And this might be, in my opinion, the one that takes the cake. So here it is.

SPEAKER_00 53:30

Please, I'm begging you. There's homeless drug addicts in front of the schools. My children aren't safe.

SPEAKER_07 53:38

Look, if you were a transgender migrant, I could get you a free pussy.

SPEAKER_00 53:42

Let's move the drug addicts closer.

SPEAKER_08 53:45

That's already solved crime. I endorse her.

SPEAKER_04 55:08

You're right. And it's funny because you know, he he lost his house. And for those of you that don't know who Spencer Pratt is, he is like a D-list reality guy. Um you know, whoever his wife is or what Heidi Montaug. Heidi Montaug, yeah. She's the she's one of those who got like 17 plastic surgeries in in a three-month time span or something. Um they blew their entire reality show wad. Like they have no money. Um, you know, they were living in the Palisades, their house got burnt down, yeah. Uh, and and he's frustrated.

SPEAKER_08 55:46

Very accusation on the war path, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 55:49

Right. And and the accusations are like, oh, well, he's not qualified because he can't, he he couldn't even manage his own money. There's not been a Democrat who could manage a budget in six years. So, like, that's the biggest fallacy in the whole thing. But he is a citizen of, you know, he's a resident of Los Angeles. He's tired of everything that happened with the Palisades fire, not being able to rebuild his house, the backlog on the administration, the permits, and everything else. He moved a uh that picture, like in the AI where he's standing in front of like an airstream trailer.

SPEAKER_07 56:22

Yes, that's what they're doing that.

SPEAKER_04 56:23

Like they brought a trailer and they put it back on his property. Um, he might even be there illegally, as far as the you know, what's going on in the aftermath of the fire, but right running, he's running for mayor. Yeah, that's what you're getting in California is the backlash. You are finally getting the people that are so pissed off at everything that's been happening that they are acting, they're getting involved in local governance. And we've seen this out of Los Angeles and out of California, you know, Sonny Bono, Clint Eastwood, right, Ronald Reagan, yeah, Ronald Schwarzenegger. Like we've had enough great examples, yeah, right. That they have all popped in out of Hollywood and said, we can't do this anymore. And and you know, I wish him good luck. I I hope he does get elected. I listen, he can't be any more, any less competent than she is.

SPEAKER_08 57:15

Yeah, listen, Spencer Pratt may just be the hero that they didn't know that they needed. So California, uh, this might be your guy. This might be your guy. And you know, I again I I I I'm with you on the kudos to him for uh I've been following his uh journey, I guess, with all of this uh for fairly early on over on the TikTok. And uh is yeah, I've been watching his videos for a while now, and I I saw early on when he first started posting about all of this. Um it wasn't talk of running for mayor yet, but it was about all of the the double talk and the BS and everything since the fires. This is when I've been watching him since. And he's been calling him out, and I and I've watched him escalating in the in the best possible way on this and digging deeper. And you know, and I I think this is entirely genuine. Like the more he investigated, the more he dug into this, the more people and people in California, in this entire region, started sending that started sending him videos and documents and you know, all of these things that were really backing up what he was saying and just rounding out the picture for him of just how bad it was and just how deep the lies and corruption and deceit really were and are. And it it just fueled him. And of course, now here we are. It's led him to say, you know what? I'm going for it. I'm going for it. Yeah. So it started really with him just calling him out and just trying to get some resolution for his family and his relatives and friends, and and um shine some light on it. And of course, the deeper it went, the more invested he became and in realizing that it was so much bigger. So Spencer Pratt, reality TV series um alumni potentially turned next mayor. That could be could be a thing. We'll see.

SPEAKER_04 59:29

Love it.

SPEAKER_08 59:30

Yeah, yeah, I do too. Um, let's see. How are we on time? Let's see, what can we do? What can we do? Oh, well, can we do this one?

SPEAKER_07 59:38

Can we do that one?

SPEAKER_08 59:39

Yeah, good. You know, I love talking about Marco Rubio.

SPEAKER_04 59:43

Um, so every every year, right, with sports, and NFL is notorious for this, right? As soon as the Super Bowl's over with, there is a way too early prediction for next year's Super Bowl. They do it in all the sports, but like the NFL is is notorious for way too early predictions. And so we are, you know, two and a half years out uh from the next election cycle, the next inauguration, basically. Uh and really about a year and a half out from the election, you know, the campaigning to start.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:18

Right.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:19

And, you know, we were all, you know, when President Trump got elected, and he's even before he got elected, he selected JD Vance to be his vice president. We all looked at it, you and I included, and we laid out the line of succession. And it was President Trump, eight years of Vance, you know, and then very quickly it became after Vance, eight years of Rubio, right? That was kind of the foregone conclusion. Um, so everybody was looking at 20 years of red, and but but is that still what's gonna happen?

SPEAKER_08 1:00:51

My goodness. Uh just Rubio, he's just everything he touches turns to gold. I mean, and you know, he is such a incredibly well-spoken, poised, articulate, intelligent, level, calm, um, factual, direct. Like he's just amazing to watch. And he is grown. I think he's I personally I I've watched him for a long time. It's the Cuban connection. What do you want from me? Uh, and I've liked him for a very long time. Um I I really, you know, I I said uh in the earlier days of um, you know, the the Trump um uh the election cycle, I I was like, well, you know, it my my heart choice would have been Rubio, but I knew that it would be Trump. Like that there was it was not gonna be. So and I knew that completely fine with that, but because of how I already saw how he presented, um, I felt like he he would make a phenomenal um president, historically legendary president was my feeling, still my feeling. Um, so yes, and this is not to say anything against JD Vance. I am I am a JD Vance fan all day long. I will be very, very pleased with a Vance presidency. Regard like everything considered, everything I just said, I would still be very happy with a Vance presidency. But yes, if it were 100% up to me, I would say Rubio all day long. And let me just give you guys um reason number, you know, whatever, uh, 1001 of why. Take a look and a listen to this recent uh event. We'll talk about it after.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:47

At a time such as this. My hope for America and it's the same it's always been. Deal with that. Yeah, look, I mean, my hope for America is what it's always been. I think it's the hope I hope we all share. We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, where you're not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity, but frankly, it's a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential. I think that should be the goal of every country in the world, frankly. But I think in the US, we're not perfect. Our history is not one of perfection, but it's still better than anybody else's history. And ours is a story of perpetual improvement. Each generation has left the next generation of Americans freer, more prosperous, safer, and that is our goal as well. But it is a unique and exceptional country, and as we come upon this 250-year anniversary, I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history. It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement, where each generation has done its part to bring us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders of this country had upon its founding.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:44

Come on now, come on now. What amazing uh may zing. That was did you see a uh a prompter? Did you see him reading? No, that was all from that man's brain out his mouth, and what that was spectacular.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:05

So I I I think he is I think he is the best candidate. Um now, which you're gonna have to have inside of the GOP, and and truthfully, I think it's President Trump at this point is gonna have to make the decision. Yeah, he is gonna have to, he can say, you know, just do it open, just do just do open, you know, primaries, just do open primaries and let anybody run, you know, let the system work the way that it's supposed to. Yeah, however, um, I think he needs to bring those two gentlemen into a room, yes, uh, Vance and Rubio, and I think he needs to sit them down and say, listen, this is how this needs to work. Now you can't force them to do anything. No, of course. What needs to happen is the two of you need to run against each other in primaries, and then the winner asks the guy who comes in second to be his vice president, and he accepts, no matter what. So it would be Rubio Vance or Vance Rubio, you know, JD Vance may be the guy, first guy in history to be the vice president for 12 straight years, right? Yeah, it's wild guy conceptually pretty wild, yeah, but totally fine with us, I think. But that's they but it could be Vance Rubio, you know, with and then Rubio comes in eight years after that. Neither of them are old men, like they have plenty of time on the clock. Absolutely, and and I I really do think that if they both buy into that, it truthfully, not on the surface, not to appease President Trump, but if he put them in a room and told them, listen, first place, second place, and you guys say yes to it right now, I think that ends all discussion. I do think though, Rubio wins hands down over any Democrat candidate there is. Period. I don't have newsome, any it doesn't matter. Um, I think Vance is a little bit close. Of a race, depending on who the Democrats put up as their primary candidate. But I think Rubio is hands down a winner.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:07

I I think Rubio would blow everyone out of the water. Uh there you cannot, I I don't know anybody who could um from the Democrat side that could rival him, that could speak as articulately, as um knowledgeably. Oh, you know, I I can't, I just if they got it, put it up. I mean, that's fine. Put up what you got, put up or shut up. But um, boy, oh boy, that man is spectacular. And I I think and I believe this fully that Marco Rubio, if given the opportunity, could be the president that unified. And it is a bold statement here, considering where we're at in this world, but I'm gonna make it. Marco Rubio is the president potential who could unify this country.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:04

Agreed.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:05

Because he is, it's not that he's neutral, it's that he's fair and that he is his words, are always measured. He's direct, like he's all the things. I I already went down that list. I'll I'll do it again and again and again. But yeah, that's um, that is how strongly I feel about Marco Rubio right now. Can that change at some point? Of course it could, you know. But right now and consistently from the very first time I heard him speak, that has been my feeling. So sticking to it. I'm with the end of God.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:41

All right. I think that's where we're at.

Met Gala Who Dat Culture Check

SPEAKER_08 1:07:43

That's where we're at. All right, let's um um, we gotta skip over a couple. Let's go. I can we do the fun one? Can we do can we do the fun one? Okay, all right, let's do the fun one. So, Met Gala, I mean, listen, let's let's go right away with the who cares.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:58

Real people don't care.

SPEAKER_08 1:08:00

We don't care, but I thought it would be fun since I I caught sight of all of these um these images and videos and stuff to play a little game of who that like literally, literally, let's see. Now I do uh know I believe I think I know I think I know who all of them are except for like one or two. Let's see how many clay knows who these people are. You ready? Let's start right here.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:25

Who that it's is that Taylor Swift?

SPEAKER_08 1:08:28

Good job, Taylor Swift.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:30

Um, uh, you know, I'm not gonna do the whole this isn't uh what would what E had um oh who yeah the red carpet crap they're listening all of their all of their outfits are purposely outlandish.

SPEAKER_08 1:08:45

Yes, that's like the whole goal, that's the whole point, the whole purpose to be outlandish, outrageous. The theme, I think this year was something, I think it was like uh famous paintings, right? They were they were to like basically recreate famous paintings. So that that was like the theme. Um, let's go with this one.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:04

It's one of the Kardashians.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:06

Yeah, I'm almost positive that that is Kim. I feel very confident in that. Somebody correct me if we're wrong. Um, but yeah, that's a Kardashian. Uh, this is one I did not know who it was. Um, I don't you I don't know what painting that would be. I don't even know who half these paintings would be, anyhow.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:27

So my guess is that it looks like an athlete, but it may not be an athlete. I don't know who that is. I have no clue.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:33

Yeah, I have no idea. I couldn't guess. Somebody put it in the comments because I forgot to look it up.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:38

Not a clue.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:39

No. Um, that is he's a basketball player, right? That guy Steph Curry? Yes, I believe it is. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:47

Well, that's he's obviously wearing a wig of some sort because he wears very close cropped hair.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:52

Yeah, I didn't know I couldn't tell if that was like a like a a hood or if that's like a wig he's wearing. I don't really know. Um, this one, well. I yeah, well, uh that would be do you know? No, that would be Cardi B. Yes. I I'm so shocked that you don't know who that is. I thought that was like your favorite. Jeez, Clay. What the heck? All right, let's hold um I I don't I don't understand what's happening. I don't know. I guess I could have been nice and and hunted down the paintings that these corresponded to, but I did not I do know the next one because I saw somebody else made a joke about this.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:42

That's Katy Perry.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:44

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:44

Um we know this because somebody made a joke making fun of Justin Trudeau, like that she wears that mask so that his long girly fingernails don't poke her in the eye.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:55

Or that is funny.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:57

That's that's the only reason I know who that is. I would never have a clue otherwise.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:00

No, no, Sam. I don't think I would have been able to guess that one, not based on that. Uh let's see what's the next one we have here. Oh, this poor thing.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:09

Um is that is that Sam Smith?

SPEAKER_08 1:11:14

It is good job.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:15

I did not that guy's been off the rails for so eight years.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:20

Yeah, he makes me so sad. I mean, he's such a talented, super talented singer, and he's just off the rails. Yeah, this is what happens when you sell your soul for fame. Yes. Um, let's see. Who's that?

SPEAKER_04 1:11:38

That's Madonna. That's good.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:40

That's Madonna. That is indeed good one. You were quick, and then let's see. And the last two that I have, uh, one is my favorite, and the other is the funniest one to me. So here's my favorite. I actually have a favorite.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:56

Oh, that's uh what's her name from uh the wicked movie?

SPEAKER_08 1:12:00

Yes, little Ariana Grande, who looks healthy and yeah, she does, you're right, ethereal and beautiful, and I'm pleased to see that. And no, but deathly skinny for a while. Yes, she was alarmingly frail, and um, it was uh a fright to see, but she looks just absolutely stunning, and again, it's not that I care about the celebrity, it's just a human being, another one who's outrageously talented, in my opinion. Um, and then this one was the um the funniest to me. Ready for it?

SPEAKER_04 1:12:41

Again, I only know this because it it was brought up, somebody else brought it up on that's Sarah Paulson.

SPEAKER_08 1:12:47

Yes, correct. Um, phenomenal actress.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:50

Yeah, the hilarity of this is she's she's talking about the you know, the one the the the dollar, how you know, all of it's some sort of metaphor for how money blinds people, blah blah blah blah blah, you know, and the money. Do you know how much she's worth? 12 million dollars. Yes, it's just right.

SPEAKER_08 1:13:10

Just yeah, it that that was the part that um same, and that was why to me that was the funniest one. This was, you know, a bold statement uh against uh, you know, I don't know, capitalism and the rich and the elite and all of that stuff. And here you were at the Met Flippin' Gala, the most, you know, it's like tens of thousands of dollars to go. Yes, yes, easily, easily. And then that doesn't even include your designers, you know, the cost for all of that stuff. And I'm sure they all write a nice big fat check for you know to uh support the the the Met and all of those things.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:47

And was this the event a couple of years ago where this uh Will Smith's dumb kid showed up with like a building on his head?

SPEAKER_08 1:13:57

Yes, he had like a black house on his head. Yes, then you know, and they all um try to outdo each other with the most outlandish looking uh costumes and outfits, and most of the women cannot even walk up the stairs without assistance. Yeah, they can't sit, yeah, yeah. They can't sit, they can't eat, certainly, because their costumes or their dresses are like essentially painted on them. There was one um clip, and I didn't even bother with it, but um that I found uh a little like very cringy. Actually, I actually felt uncomfortable and embarrassed for her. Um, but Blake Lively, there was a clip of her, and she in a lot of these women have these like massive trains, you know, to their dresses that they need a lot of help arranging and getting up the stairs with them and everything. And there was this like awkwardly long clip of her essentially being stuck on the staircase with nobody helping her. So she's kind of like, you know, apparently she's fallen out of grace uh in in Hollywood with with her ilk because of her all her drama and stuff. And you know, apparently she's got a pretty, pretty heavy, mean girl personality. And of course, her husband uh has fallen out of it. They've both fallen out of grace quite a bit with their uh lawsuit and all that kind of stuff going on with uh what's his name? Baldoni. I can't remember that crap.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:23

I have no idea.

SPEAKER_08 1:15:23

You don't know all of these things. I know way too much of this stuff. Like I'm embarrassed at how much I know about it. But that's the extent, that's it. So yeah, um, and very last thing we're gonna say, we do not have a comment section clip, but we do have a little bit of a reprimand, if we may be so bold.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:53

We've seen less comments in the during the actual show, right? So it's live on not live, but it's released the same time on YouTube and on Facebook. You know, Elsa and I pop in as often as we can on one or the other or both. Um, but what we've been seeing is a and so the number of those comments has actually been going down, which we don't want. Um the number of comments when Elsa does a great job leading up to the show, she does these little like 30-second clips, and then we get tons of tons of comments on the clips, right? On the highlight reels, but unfortunately, folks, some of those have gotten very, very hateful, very vulgar. Um, I don't know how some of them pass like the Facebook community standards. I don't even know. Please, from Elsa and I, like you can express your opinion, but keep it clean. Like, let's be grown-ups about this, okay?

SPEAKER_08 1:16:49

Yeah, just be respectful of other people. Like, again, we've told you a million times over we have very thick skins. You don't hurt our feelings in the slightest. I don't care about that. I I don't care. Um, I don't care what you say about me or about us, about our personalities, our our looks, because this is what people do on the internet when they're safe behind a keyboard. We're very used to that. Um, but just you know, for the sake of your own dignity, first of all, uh for the sake of the other people in the comments section, just uh, you know, make an attempt, uh, make a little attempt at some some class and and dignity. Um, I can't, you know, just like Clay, I I cannot be sitting in those comments sections and, you know, and I would believe me, and and I'm so sorry to, I rarely apologize for anything, but I do apologize to uh the good people in the comment section who, you know, just are are giving a normal, healthy opinion for or against. I don't care what it's about, but doing it respectfully uh and with some intellect, uh, you know, to them, I I'm very sorry that I don't get in there and delete those especially, you know, awful, inappropriate ones, insulting ones, because they go attack everybody in there, you know, anybody who says anything they disagree with, they're just on the attack. Um, so I'm sorry that I don't often get in there to make those go away. Um, I try, and Clay tries not to police what people say uh in content. So, you know, how about don't make us go there? Don't make us have to do listen, come on.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:20

I dropped in there, I don't even remember which clip it was, but you know, you did it one of the clips, and I scrolled through because it was one of those that had like hundreds of comments, and I was like, what's going on in here? And I just scrolled through. And listen, I saw like, like I said, these are things that I can't believe even got posted on Facebook. Like, like there was like the C word was dropped in there, which is not cool for anybody, right? No, you know, like there's some high vulgarity going on in there. Like, listen, folks, again, we don't care, you don't have to agree with us, but no, like keep it clean, yeah, express your opinion, use your words, people, use your words, use big boy, big girl words, act like a grown-up, you know. If you have a dis you know, a a contrarian point, make your point, but just jumping on there and throwing out expletives because you disagree with us is embarrassing, like Elsa said. So just keep it clean, express your opinion all you want. Um, and and you know, listen, it's the first amendment. Say what you're gonna say, but say what you're gonna say. We're just asking. We're that's all we're doing. We're asking to keep it clean. That's all.

SPEAKER_08 1:19:26

Yes, that's all. That's all. Do I think they're gonna listen? Probably not, but listen, we'll we let you know.

SPEAKER_04 1:19:33

So consequence will be what they will be, and uh, you know, parental advisory lyrics label on the front of your favorite album cover that nobody ever paid attention to.

SPEAKER_08 1:19:42

Nobody, it was actually an incentive to buy it, right? Good group.

SPEAKER_04 1:19:46

Oh tip of gore, gotta love it.

SPEAKER_08 1:19:48

Yes, my goodness. Wow, I remember. Wow, that just brought me back uh in in time. That's so wild. Yeah, oh my goodness. Well, that is that we covered all the topics, but I think we missed like one or two, I think. Um, but listen, it was a great show, it was a great conversation. I love I love talking all these things. We love seeing you guys in the comments section despite the naughty ones. Uh, we love you anyway. And um, we look forward to uh chatting with you in this comment section. And uh we look forward to next week. Clay, you want to close them out?

SPEAKER_04 1:20:24

Yeah, folks, uh like Elsa said, we appreciate it. Please don't, you know, don't be afraid to comment. Uh we just ask you to do it a little bit nicer. That's all. Um but uh we'll we'll have plenty more to talk about next week. And I will, like Elsa said, we will talk about Iran. Uh and until then, from me, as always, keep moving, keep shooting.

SPEAKER_08 1:20:42

Take care, guys.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:43

The headlines will change by tomorrow, but the patterns won't. Thanks for spending this time with us. We'll be back to keep asking the harder questions and telling the quieter truths. Until then, stay grounded, be discerning, and we'll see you next time.