October 8, 2022 • 30 mins
We are just a month out from the midterm elections, our very own Senator is on a 17-state bus tour to take back America, and the next phase of politics is on the horizon—as is the next phase of this show. In sunny Las Vegas, Senator Ted Cruz is joined in person by Michael Knowles to share a major announcement about the future of Verdict. With America’s best podcast audience to thank, Verdict sprouted from its humble roots in a DC basement over two years ago to grow into one of America’s most important and recognized political podcasts. Today, podcasting’s favorite pair reflects on the rise of Verdict and sets a course for an even bigger future.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We are thirty two days out from the midterm elections.
We are in the middle of a seventeen state month
long campaign bus tour, and we are coming to you
from sunny Las Vegas. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
(00:20):
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is brought to
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(01:24):
of Greens dot com promo code Cactus. Welcome back to
Verdicts with Ted Cruz. I'm Michael Nols, Senator. Excellent to
see you in person. You are looking very good and
awake and energetic for having been on a seventeen state
bus tour. Well, I'm having a blast. So we're on
day seven of the bus tour. We started in Texas.
(01:45):
Tom Ball, Texas, which is just north of Houston, did
a big rally with Wesley Hunt, who's going to be
a new Congressman, a Republican elected from there, West Point graduate,
African American football player at West Point, great guy. We
went from there down to the Rio Grand Valley. We
did three rallies down in the Rio Grand Valley with
three congressional candidates. We did rallies in McCallan, Harlan Jin
(02:07):
and Laredo. All three congressional candidates all Republicans, all Hispanic women.
I think all three are going to win, huge, packed
out rallies down in South Texas. We went from there
to New Mexico, did a big rally in New Mexico.
We went from New Mexico to Arizona. Did two rallies
in Arizona. Seemed to sort of light up the internet.
You know, I've seen bits and pieces from the tour,
(02:29):
but your appearance in Arizona really seemed to explode very
exciting candidates in Arizona. It was fantastic. So we did
in New Mexico. We were with Vette Harold, who's running
for reelection. She's fantastic. In New Mexico. In Arizona, we
were with Eli Crane, who is a Navy seal. The
guy's a badass, smart, principled, he's a warrior. He's going
(02:50):
to win defeat a Democrat. And then we did a
rally with both Blake Masters and Kerry Lake. And I
got to say that lit it up. She's going to
be the next governor, and I think Masters has a
real shot at winning that Senate race. And it was
those events were packed. And now we're here in Las Vegas.
We're doing a rally here tonight with Mark Robertson and
(03:11):
Sam Peter's both running for the House here, both have
a real shot to beat Democrats and get elected. After Nevada,
we go to Utah. Then we go to Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, back up to Michigan, back
(03:34):
up to Wisconsin, and we close it out in Texas
the day before the election. I'm exhausted just hearing that schedule.
That's outright, And I do know we've been on the
road together many many times. I do know. Whatever stop
you're at, whatever the event is, whether it's a verdict
life or wherever, you are never the one to say, okay,
we've all got to go home. I'm two tired guys.
You stay up very very late, you keep on going
(03:56):
well as long as you feed me with Scotch and cigars.
I'm happy to go as long as you like. And
I have to note a couple of milestones. Number one,
this is your first time in Vegas. This is shockingly
I love gambling. I love, you know, staying out late
and getting up to no good. This is my very
first time. And I didn't realize they have slot machines
in the airport. Oh yeah. And by the way, we
(04:18):
are filming this studio is unique that we are filming
in a studio where I guess they train show girls.
Like I know, I went to the rest. That's why
it looks familiar. Yeah, Like there's there's you know, there's
mirrors all along the walls and and you know, I
kind of feel like we ought to be wearing sparklies
or something. Well that could be. I guess that that's
a thought for the for the next stage a Verdict.
(04:38):
And actually, speaking of the next phase a Verdict, there
is there is huge news that's come in and it's
come in very very recently, and it's part of the
reason that I wanted to fly out here. It's really
really good news and it's a little bit of bad news,
but I think we should let the audience in on it.
So here's the really really good news about Verdict. Has
(05:00):
been a bootstrapped operation from the very beginning, starting in
a basement in DC, you know, not on one of
the major outlets or a major podcast or radio network,
and just really bootstrapped in fun and largely independent. So
an offer has come in from iHeartRadio to take this
show to a huge national audience. Now it's already obviously
(05:24):
at a national audience on podcast, but on radio stations.
On terrestrial radio, iHeart has a gigantic network. I Heart
can fund the whole thing, yet fund production, dump a
whole bunch of money into marketing. This is incredible. It
will make this show sustainable, not just for the next
few months, going going into the midterms, but for the
(05:45):
next years. The only bad news is from the very beginnings.
As much as I, you know, love this show, it's
been my moonlighting job because my day job is over
there at the Daily Wire, and I've been a very
great loaned out by the Daily Wire to do this show,
and because the Daily Wire is a different podcast network,
(06:07):
and because I have a radio show on a different
radio network. If Verdict is to move into this next
very sustainable, exciting, energetic phase, it will have to be
without me as part of it. I certainly will be
coming back around, maybe coming too a live events, coming
around as a guest. But I think it is very,
(06:27):
very important that this show remained sustainable. This show has
never been about me. It is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
It's been an amazing ride. We took it to number
one of all the podcasts. Ted Cruise became a bigger
podcaster than Joe Rogan and stayed there for a actually
pretty decent period of time. And so I am really
very excited for this next phase with iHeart. And there's
(06:51):
a great broadcaster from iHeart who's been in the business forever,
who's been a friend of mine for many, many years,
who is going to come on and fill this seat,
and that would be Ben Ferguson. Should we bring Ben on? Ben?
Can you come out here? All right? Welcome, good to
see how are you two guys that usually get to
(07:12):
hang out in Tennessee all the way in Vegas. Welcome
your your maiden voyage. As they say, it is a
little strange, you know, to have senator from Texas, a
broadcaster from Texas, a broadcaster from Tennessee who only ever
sees you in Tennessee, in Tennis for some reason, we're
in Nevada. It's it's a strange world of politics, that's right.
So now, the last time Ben that I saw you,
(07:35):
it's a little blurry. Actually it was about one in
the mornings. Involved there were cigars, maybe, angrybers, angry liberals
and politic I remember we were at some honky tong
down there in Nashville. But since then, and for the
handful of people out there who might not know who
you are, what have you been up to? So I've
(07:55):
been hosting my radio show, syndicated show podcast and uh
and in three boys, that's what I say. I shouldn't
say it that way. I'll get in trouble with the wife.
She's doing the majority of it and I'm paying some bills.
Is that a better way? That's good? And uh yeah,
So I mean, man, I don't know why that's the case.
I raised my daughters all on my own. That's a
(08:15):
man has decades right there of experience. You gotta understand,
I'm in real trouble because Heidi listens to this podcast.
So that statement, my phone is going to ring while
she do it. I already know how much that bill
is going to cost and where you're going to end
up taking her. That's just that, that's that's gonna hurt. Yeah,
that's gonna be worse than losing at the Roulette table
(08:36):
this week. I canna promise you that. So I've just
been doing that and doing a little more TV and
getting to hang out with this guy, So that's been good.
This is very exciting news also because you guys both
live in the same town. Yeah, you live in Houston,
so you know, I mean, obviously, this deal came up
relatively quickly. We're heading right into the midterm elections, so
we wanted to make sure that this kind of the
(08:58):
ink could dry, you know, as quickly as possible. Well,
this thing for the podcast is just a big damn deal. Yeah.
I Heeart Radio as a monster. It's got eight hundred
and fifty stations across the country, and so this was
something this was not something we were out looking for.
But but they came and they saw what was happening
on this podcast. They saw the work at the incredible
(09:20):
viewers and fans and and engaged viewers we have all
over the country, and they said, listen, we want to
take this podcast to the next level. We want to
reach we want to promote it across our eight hundred
and fifty stations, we want to promote it across our
podcast and listen. iHeart Is is the network that that
work and built with Rush Limbaugh and and helped him
(09:43):
build into the greatest ever h and that works with
folks like like Hannity and Glenn Beck and Clay and
back at Jesse Kelly, you know. And there's a coincidence. Actually,
right before my show became syndicated to Teristra Radio nationwide,
I got one last little opportunity to be on a
different radio network. And it was when the president of
(10:05):
iHeart called me. It was in the last days of
Rush Limbaugh's show, said, Michael, would you like to host
Russia's show? And I said, Oh my gosh, this is
a dream come true. I would love to, said, I've
got this other radio contract. It's about to be inked
in like three days, but yes, that would be That
would be just the greatest thing in the world. And
so I note the reach of iHeart is just phenomenal.
It's gonna be fun. And I think you talked about
(10:27):
being a big deal. I think you're getting to expand
it to three days a week, getting to talk more
breaking news and having people not have to wait once
a week to get it. And you wonder if it's
you know, as it dated and when was it done.
I mean, we're gonna be able to break news, talk
about breaking news, and give people your point of view instantly.
And I think that's so important now. People are hungry
(10:50):
for that. I mean you've seen it, whether it's your
podcast or mine or radio. I mean people want to
go around the mainstream media to the people they trust.
And there's a lot of Americans that are going to
be introduced, I think because they're going to hear this promotion. Oh,
Ted's got this podcast. I'm in. I want to hear
this on a regular basis and make it a part
of their day. And I'm excited to get to expand
(11:12):
that with you and reach more people and hopefully ultimately,
which is what you and I we started. We talked
about this in Nashville. You and I do this because
we want to change hearts and minds. You do what
you do for the same exact reason, and the more
people we can have listened to what we believe in,
why we believe in it, why it makes sense logically.
It's been my life goal, my mission field as politics.
(11:33):
I've said that for years. I started when as twelve,
as you know, and started in TV bill O'Reilly when
I'm seventeen, and that's my mission field. And I look
at where we're going as a country. I mentioned earlier,
I've got twin boys or three, and I've got a
six year old, and I'm terrified of where we're headed.
And that's kind of given me my second win in
my career. I think to say, Okay, are we going
(11:54):
to leave this place better than it was when I
got to grow up? And right now it's not right.
If you looked at the clock and you look at
the issues, and you look at what's happening, but there's
also some things exciting that's happening, and that is you're
seeing parents are getting involved in their school boards. You
see police officers are now getting the backing again from
society with crime that's out of control. You have people
that are starting to understand like this deficit that we
(12:17):
have right now is a massive problem. And you see
people dealing with inflation the highest in our lifetime. And
so these are I think, a palliative issues that if
we can hear from the center more often, it's gonna
change more hearts and minds. And so that's why I'm
super excited to get to partner with you and do
this and to keep the torch going that you guys started,
(12:37):
because when you started during impeachment, it was unbelievable and
you guys. I don't know if everyone knows this, but
the story of how y'all started this and at what
time of night you started it, Like when you said
you were moonlighting, you weren't lying earlier during the first impeachment,
right which impeachment we're talking about, But when you guys
started this, and I remember listening and thinking, this is
(13:01):
something that's missing from the market, and that was a
conversation that was missing, and being obviously a fan of yours,
I remember the first time I ever had you on
my show when I was hosting in Dallas, when you
were running the impossible campaign, yep, against the richest guy
that do hurt. You can't you can't touch him, you can't.
You know, this is an election that's already tied up,
it's done, and you came out of nowhere and proved
(13:24):
all the experts wrong. And that's you know, From that
moment on, I was hooked. Well, I will say this,
it's interesting that you use the phrase hearts and minds.
As both of you guys know, I'm obsessed with what
we got to do as conservatives is we have to
connect with people's hearts and minds. We've got to reach
beyond the people watching Fox News. We got to reach
(13:46):
young people, We got to reach Hispanics and African Americans
and suburban moms. And it has been amazing. You know,
looking back, it's been two and a half years since
we started this podcast. We started it, as you just noted, Ben,
it was on the very first day the first impeachment trial.
We're on the Senate floor till midnight, one in the morning,
jumped in a truck and headed over to a basement studio.
(14:09):
It was dingy. I think we had this same craps right,
and and it just started like walking off the Senate floor,
let's talk about it. And it went from a standing
start with zero viewers, zero downloads two within days, we
shot to the top of the charts. And I remember,
(14:30):
I remember that first night. We're sitting down there. I've
never done a podcast. We know how to do this,
and we're talking about it, and we were talking about
what would success look like, and we talked about, okay,
if we could break into the top hundred. Ye that,
by the way, to this day is still an amazing
accomplishment if you even get there, yep, yeah, that that
would have I think we were speaking, not even realistically.
(14:53):
We were we were thinking that's actually that would be
an ambitious goal. Yep. And then what was it? Four
days later? And then we like boom into the top hundred,
and then we're in the top ten, and then we
climbed ten, nine, eight, four three. We're sitting there going,
holy crap, could you imagine if we get and then
boom number one as we kicked Joe Rogan out of
the out of the spot. I mean, it was it
was crazy. And we've done now, we've done one hundred
(15:16):
and forty five shows. We've had over fifty million downloads
of this podcast, and every single week we beat CNN's
morning show, right, And so that has been that's always
been the mission, Right, that's what you get as your
bonus structure. You get to beat CNN every week. That'll
make you wake up and do the shows. Right. But
(15:36):
but now with with with iHeart stepping in to distribute
and promote, the reach is going to be that much broader.
And I think that's really exciting because this was always
about really equipping our listeners. If you're gonna battle to
save the country, if you're gonna take on the cultural
Marxist if you're going to take on the socialist and
(15:57):
the people coming at everything that built America, you need
the tools, you need the information you need to know
what's going on. And the vision of this podcast was
always We're gonna give you as much of those tools
as possible so that you're prepared and you know the
inside story. And so I couldn't be more excited about
(16:18):
this next step. It is sad, you know, Michael, you
and I didn't know each other very well when we
started RUM. We have become very close friends. We are
remaining very close friends. You know. I will note you
know when you started, you were, you know, an uptight,
young whipper snapper. Yea. And for one hundred and fifth podcast,
(16:38):
I'll just say right now, we're in Vegas, and for
the first time ever, Michael Jules is not wearing socks skin. Yeah,
And I will tell you so when we cut, when
Ben was walking out of here, we cut the camera scene,
and I will tell you Michael was adjusting his uh,
adjusting his micro proceeded to undo his belt. I'm like, Michael,
(17:02):
Ben's coming, do not drop your pants on the podcast set.
I was told this is Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas.
I know that was okay that You're right, No, it's true.
I have now loosened up, apparently to the point of
political scandal, but it has been really I mean, the show,
to your point, has really grown and it's loosened and
(17:25):
it's changed, and we've gone on the road and we've
done all these great things. And it's so important too
to continue to hit new and new audiences. And so
you know, we've cultivated this really, really large, wonderful group
of listeners. And now moving over to with the show
moving over to a different platform, that's going to give
us new listeners. With the show moving to terrestrial radio
(17:45):
in some cases, that's going to give you an entirely
new Democrat. And Michael, I'll make a promise to you
right now that that even though neither Ben nor I
went there, we will continue to make fun of you.
You know, I'm really easily that's not going to end.
That's going to be a consistent That's part of my
bonus structure they gave me was that I get to
make fun of Yale on a regular vasis The first
(18:06):
time I ever went I went to Harvard Kenny School
right after the OZ four election. Yeah, and I walked if.
They asked me to speak, and I worked on the
Bush campaign. They were doing a retrospect of that campaign.
I walked up there. It's a big room of people,
and I walked up. I was younger, and I just
didn't say anything, and the room was just kind of quiet,
and I didn't say anything, just kind of looked around
and got to the point where on purpose it was
(18:27):
a little awkward, and I leaned down. I was like,
I just want to savor the moment. There's no chance
in hell I could have gotten into this place, and
now you're paying me to speak, and the laughing. I
was like, I may never get to come back, but
I'm going to enjoy this moment right here, right now,
where the ivy leaguers jokes on you and I got paid.
That is magnificent. It was fun. Well, you know, to
(18:50):
this point, before we go I mean, before we sort
of let people go in, there will be a whole
new phase of verdict. I do have to ask you, guys.
We've got the United States Senator here, been on the
campaign trail constantly. We've got a lecturer at Harvard Kennedy's
School for that's right, where do we stand thirty two
days out from the elections. I still think it's going
(19:11):
to be an historical election. I think we're gonna retake
the Senate. I think we're gonna retake the House. But
you still think we're gonna retake the Senate. I put
the odds of the House at north of ninety percent,
and I think there's a real chance we have a
big majority in the House thirty forty fifty seats. The Senate,
I'd put the odds at about sixty five thirty five.
It's not a great map, and if I were to
(19:32):
predict my prediction right now, is we end up with
fifty three Republicans. Okay, because previously you had said sixty forty.
I've gone back and forth between sixty forty and sixty
five thirty five. A month ago, two months ago, I
was at sixty five thirty five. A month ago, I
was at sixty forty, and I'm back to sixty five
thirty five. So it it did turn a little bit
south about a month ago, and I think the momentum
(19:55):
has turned again. I think we're gonna win win a
bunch of seats. This bus tour is designed to do that, Ben,
what do you think. I tend to agree with you
on this. I think that you're seeing a really last
minute shift, and I've noticed it on my show with callers.
There is a real level of stress with the American
(20:16):
people right now, with the economy. I just was in California.
You're seeing six dollars seven dollars gallon gas, new records.
You see a present that is just draining our strategical reserves,
and there's no way to not talk about now how
low they're going to be come election day. You see
what OPEC has just done, and you're starting to see
the housing market switching very quickly. We just sold a house,
(20:38):
for example, in the real estate agent said, you're lucky
you got out when you did, because because I think
if we if this fell through and we went right
back on tomorrow, it's a desert, he said, it is.
We've not seen anything like this, he said, since oh eight.
And I think people are feeling that stress. And I
think the closer, unfortunately, and I hate this, but the
closer we get to election day, it's getting worse, not better.
(21:02):
And I don't think the President can do anything at
this point, or the Democrats somehow commits you. Oh, no, really,
it's gonna be okay. Oh, it's gonna be fine. I
really think people are feeling it now. Small businesses are
feeling I'm a small business owner. We're seeing it. We
lost money for the first time ever last month in
our restaurant. Food costs skyrocketed, labor costs are up, and
(21:24):
people are feeling it and we'd never experienced it before.
The count call and they're like, hey, you guys lost
six thousand, six hundred dollars. Well, and when you hear
that and you see it and then you start saying,
what do we do to fix it? I think that's
the conversation America's having. So I agree with you. I
think the Senate is definitely, in my opinion, I think
it's more than I think it's probably even more optimistic
(21:44):
than you are on that because I think people are
having these conversations right now, and I think that's going
to be the only blessing disguises. We're going to get
a change in leadership, and we're gonna get to go
back to fiscal responsibility and go back to what was working,
and people are willing to listen listen to that idea
now well, and when you talk to candidates. So we're
here in Nevada. I think Nevada presents the number one
(22:07):
best pickup opportunity for Republicans in the Senate. Adam Laxalt.
Adam is a terrific guy. He's a close friend. He
was attorney general here in Nevada. His grandfather was Paul Laxalt,
who was the governor and senator from Nevada. As a
legend in this state. He was Reagan's best friend in
the Senate. His grandfather was. And Adam is pretty consistently
(22:27):
running three or four points ahead and the polls that's
been for about a month. He's been there. And it's interesting,
whether you talk to him or congressional candidates all across
the country, the Democrats everywhere have just gone all in
an abortion. Every ad they're running is abortion, abortion, abortion, abortion.
And I've been been pointing out, I said, look, of
course they are. What else did they have to talk about?
(22:51):
Imagine for a second, God forbid? All right, Ben, you
wake up tomorrow. You're Catherine Cortez Masto's campaign manager. Yeah,
Now she's the incumbent Democrat from Nevada. What are you
going to talk about? You can't talk about the economy
because the economy has gone to crap under Biden. Inflation
is horrible. By the way, Nevada has the second worst
inflation of any state in the Union. Gas prices are
(23:11):
through the roof, mortgages have tripled. You certainly can't talk crime,
murder rates, carjacking rates, all the crime rates of skyrocket
are under the Democrats. And you sure as hell can't
talk about immigration because the Southern borders at the worst
spot in sixty two years. What you're going to talk
for in policy? Isn't it great we surrendered to the Taliban?
Isn't it great that all of our enemies are going well?
(23:32):
Isn't it great that we have the first major war
in Europe since World War friggin two? All of this
happened under Joe Biden. So if you're a Democrat, what
do you talk about rather than fearmonger on abortion and
screaming abortion, abortion, abortion. But look, I think people care
about kitchen table issues and what affects their family, what
affects literally putting the food on their family, as people
(23:55):
are having a hard time paying the grocery. The CNN
and Mint of this yesterday they said, you know, I
forget which commentator was on CNN said, you know, I'm
really surprised that abortion consistently ranks so low in people's priorities.
And if you've been paying attention to public opinion polls
for the last um thirty years, you would know that
is the case of both both pro abortion and pro life.
(24:17):
How does it watch show thirty? You know, it's an
impressive tie there, But you know, it's just not even
if your were all very pro life obviously we've maybe
do vote on abortion. We are kind of outside the norm,
you know, And the same is true for people who
(24:38):
support abortion. It's just people vote on the economy, they
vote on safety, the vote on crime, they vote on education,
they vote on all these things that as you say, Senator,
the Democrats are just completely dead in the water on
and so there's just a limit to what they can
message it. There was a joke that happened, and you
may remember after Donald Trump left office it was like
I could really use two fifty gallon gas and a
(24:58):
mean tweet right about now there is when that came out,
that first one kind of hit and it turned into
all the issues, like you know, I really wish I could.
I could use some police officers right now and a
mean tweet. It is so all encompassing of this election
right now, and there's there's ideology and then there's reality.
And it's easy to be a liberal and to seeing
(25:19):
these Kumbaya moments and the you know, defund the police
and what do we want dead cops? And when do
we want them now? Until you see the crime come back,
until you see the interest rate skyrocket, until you see
the unemployment numbers, and when these things start to happen,
it goes back to that mentality, right. I could really
use some of what we used to have, and I
(25:42):
think that's the opportunity here. And if if, if, and
you've seen them on the road, I think the Republicans
are focused now. Conservatives are focused on these issues and
talking about them, and that's going to be a huge
difference on election day. So I was in Arizona yesterday.
We're in Nevada today, Las Vegas. Driving over to the studio,
(26:02):
I pulled up Drudge on my phone. Two stories on
Drudge right now. A professor at University of Arizona shot
and killed on campus. I'm like, crap, we were there
yesterday and today Thursday morning. It's Thursday afternoon right now,
Thursday morning. There was a mass stabbing in front of
(26:25):
the Wind Casino here in Las Vegas. Not at two
in the morning, Thursday friggin morning. Yeah, like you will
talking about one. You want to talk about real crap,
like like people you know, what was it Northern California.
You had some lunatic with a samurai sword cut a
woman's head off. Yeah, right right. That is a real
(26:50):
threat to people when they look around their towns, in
their cities, they say, you know, crime is up, police
protection is down. There has been defunding of the police abroad,
as you mentioned, the first major war in Europe since
World War Two. There is a lot of uncertainty out there.
I think personal security, national securities is really going to
be at the forefront. If you're ranking things to be
worried about in America. It used to be beheading didn't
(27:13):
make the list. Yeah, and now are mass stabbings. Yeah,
and now you have these things there are certing to
happen in broad daylight in this country. But where were
they saying defund the police Las Vegas. Yes, you had
people campaigning off of it. I mean, you look at
California and look at the crime there. You look at
even in Memphis, Tennessee, a place that is a was
(27:36):
defund the police, and you saw this horrific murder of
this of this runner Liza Fletcher there. Yeah, and you
see that happen. And now you see what the changes.
You have the governor that had to come down to
step in just to talk to the people because you
had a liberal Democratic mayor there. You have a liberal
city council that still is refusing to fund the police.
They are literally twelve hundred police officers down from where
(27:59):
there's supposed to be a sound like Memphis, which is
the second most angerous city in America, and they are
refusing to even change things as simple as saying, okay,
to get more cops, you can live outside of the county.
You can live right across in Mississippi or Arkansas, you
know where Memphis is. And the Democrats on the city
counts they are saying, no, you have to live here,
(28:19):
and they're saying, we can't recruit enough police officers with
these ridiculous, arbitrary ideas that you guys have put on us.
And people are starting to realize this is now life
and death. And you know, Michael ben insists that they
know how to make barbecue at Memphis. I just it's true.
I believe it. Yeah. Well, the speaking of all these
(28:40):
places around the country, the tour is going to continue on.
The show is going to continue on. I think there's
going to be a ton of energy behind it. I
cannot wait to see this next phase. It's going to
be amazing. I cannot wait to come back and visit
wherever somewhere around the country, here or there. It's going
to be wonderful. It's in excellent hands with mister Benkburg,
It's in pretty good hands with the Senator Tech. That's good.
(29:03):
That's good. It's gonna be wonderful. Guys. I can't wait.
And so for the last time from this chair, it
has been truly one of the great pleasures and honors
and privileges of my life to start the show with you, Senator.
I'm getting choked up. I'm getting mushy. Michael, You're a
gentleman and a scholar, and the kindest thing I know
how to say about you is Yale did not fully
screw you up. That's how sweet night. Listen, It's really
(29:28):
time with the Verdict. It's it's really wonderful. Cannot wait
to see the next steps. For the last time from
this chair, I'm Michael Knowles. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
(29:49):
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is being brought
to you by Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack, a political
action committee dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organization, and candidates
across the country. In twenty twenty two, Job's Freedom and
Security Pack plans to donate to conservative candidates running for
Congress and help the Republican Party across the nation.
We are thirty two days out from the midterm elections.
We are in the middle of a seventeen state month
long campaign bus tour, and we are coming to you
from sunny Las Vegas. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
(00:20):
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is brought to
you by Field of Greens. Back in the day, people
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of Greens dot com promo code Cactus. Welcome back to
Verdicts with Ted Cruz. I'm Michael Nols, Senator. Excellent to
see you in person. You are looking very good and
awake and energetic for having been on a seventeen state
bus tour. Well, I'm having a blast. So we're on
day seven of the bus tour. We started in Texas.
(01:45):
Tom Ball, Texas, which is just north of Houston, did
a big rally with Wesley Hunt, who's going to be
a new Congressman, a Republican elected from there, West Point graduate,
African American football player at West Point, great guy. We
went from there down to the Rio Grand Valley. We
did three rallies down in the Rio Grand Valley with
three congressional candidates. We did rallies in McCallan, Harlan Jin
(02:07):
and Laredo. All three congressional candidates all Republicans, all Hispanic women.
I think all three are going to win, huge, packed
out rallies down in South Texas. We went from there
to New Mexico, did a big rally in New Mexico.
We went from New Mexico to Arizona. Did two rallies
in Arizona. Seemed to sort of light up the internet.
You know, I've seen bits and pieces from the tour,
(02:29):
but your appearance in Arizona really seemed to explode very
exciting candidates in Arizona. It was fantastic. So we did
in New Mexico. We were with Vette Harold, who's running
for reelection. She's fantastic. In New Mexico. In Arizona, we
were with Eli Crane, who is a Navy seal. The
guy's a badass, smart, principled, he's a warrior. He's going
(02:50):
to win defeat a Democrat. And then we did a
rally with both Blake Masters and Kerry Lake. And I
got to say that lit it up. She's going to
be the next governor, and I think Masters has a
real shot at winning that Senate race. And it was
those events were packed. And now we're here in Las Vegas.
We're doing a rally here tonight with Mark Robertson and
(03:11):
Sam Peter's both running for the House here, both have
a real shot to beat Democrats and get elected. After Nevada,
we go to Utah. Then we go to Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, back up to Michigan, back
(03:34):
up to Wisconsin, and we close it out in Texas
the day before the election. I'm exhausted just hearing that schedule.
That's outright, And I do know we've been on the
road together many many times. I do know. Whatever stop
you're at, whatever the event is, whether it's a verdict
life or wherever, you are never the one to say, okay,
we've all got to go home. I'm two tired guys.
You stay up very very late, you keep on going
(03:56):
well as long as you feed me with Scotch and cigars.
I'm happy to go as long as you like. And
I have to note a couple of milestones. Number one,
this is your first time in Vegas. This is shockingly
I love gambling. I love, you know, staying out late
and getting up to no good. This is my very
first time. And I didn't realize they have slot machines
in the airport. Oh yeah. And by the way, we
(04:18):
are filming this studio is unique that we are filming
in a studio where I guess they train show girls.
Like I know, I went to the rest. That's why
it looks familiar. Yeah, Like there's there's you know, there's
mirrors all along the walls and and you know, I
kind of feel like we ought to be wearing sparklies
or something. Well that could be. I guess that that's
a thought for the for the next stage a Verdict.
(04:38):
And actually, speaking of the next phase a Verdict, there
is there is huge news that's come in and it's
come in very very recently, and it's part of the
reason that I wanted to fly out here. It's really
really good news and it's a little bit of bad news,
but I think we should let the audience in on it.
So here's the really really good news about Verdict. Has
(05:00):
been a bootstrapped operation from the very beginning, starting in
a basement in DC, you know, not on one of
the major outlets or a major podcast or radio network,
and just really bootstrapped in fun and largely independent. So
an offer has come in from iHeartRadio to take this
show to a huge national audience. Now it's already obviously
(05:24):
at a national audience on podcast, but on radio stations.
On terrestrial radio, iHeart has a gigantic network. I Heart
can fund the whole thing, yet fund production, dump a
whole bunch of money into marketing. This is incredible. It
will make this show sustainable, not just for the next
few months, going going into the midterms, but for the
(05:45):
next years. The only bad news is from the very beginnings.
As much as I, you know, love this show, it's
been my moonlighting job because my day job is over
there at the Daily Wire, and I've been a very
great loaned out by the Daily Wire to do this show,
and because the Daily Wire is a different podcast network,
(06:07):
and because I have a radio show on a different
radio network. If Verdict is to move into this next
very sustainable, exciting, energetic phase, it will have to be
without me as part of it. I certainly will be
coming back around, maybe coming too a live events, coming
around as a guest. But I think it is very,
(06:27):
very important that this show remained sustainable. This show has
never been about me. It is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
It's been an amazing ride. We took it to number
one of all the podcasts. Ted Cruise became a bigger
podcaster than Joe Rogan and stayed there for a actually
pretty decent period of time. And so I am really
very excited for this next phase with iHeart. And there's
(06:51):
a great broadcaster from iHeart who's been in the business forever,
who's been a friend of mine for many, many years,
who is going to come on and fill this seat,
and that would be Ben Ferguson. Should we bring Ben on? Ben?
Can you come out here? All right? Welcome, good to
see how are you two guys that usually get to
(07:12):
hang out in Tennessee all the way in Vegas. Welcome
your your maiden voyage. As they say, it is a
little strange, you know, to have senator from Texas, a
broadcaster from Texas, a broadcaster from Tennessee who only ever
sees you in Tennessee, in Tennis for some reason, we're
in Nevada. It's it's a strange world of politics, that's right.
So now, the last time Ben that I saw you,
(07:35):
it's a little blurry. Actually it was about one in
the mornings. Involved there were cigars, maybe, angrybers, angry liberals
and politic I remember we were at some honky tong
down there in Nashville. But since then, and for the
handful of people out there who might not know who
you are, what have you been up to? So I've
(07:55):
been hosting my radio show, syndicated show podcast and uh
and in three boys, that's what I say. I shouldn't
say it that way. I'll get in trouble with the wife.
She's doing the majority of it and I'm paying some bills.
Is that a better way? That's good? And uh yeah,
So I mean, man, I don't know why that's the case.
I raised my daughters all on my own. That's a
(08:15):
man has decades right there of experience. You gotta understand,
I'm in real trouble because Heidi listens to this podcast.
So that statement, my phone is going to ring while
she do it. I already know how much that bill
is going to cost and where you're going to end
up taking her. That's just that, that's that's gonna hurt. Yeah,
that's gonna be worse than losing at the Roulette table
(08:36):
this week. I canna promise you that. So I've just
been doing that and doing a little more TV and
getting to hang out with this guy, So that's been good.
This is very exciting news also because you guys both
live in the same town. Yeah, you live in Houston,
so you know, I mean, obviously, this deal came up
relatively quickly. We're heading right into the midterm elections, so
we wanted to make sure that this kind of the
(08:58):
ink could dry, you know, as quickly as possible. Well,
this thing for the podcast is just a big damn deal. Yeah.
I Heeart Radio as a monster. It's got eight hundred
and fifty stations across the country, and so this was
something this was not something we were out looking for.
But but they came and they saw what was happening
on this podcast. They saw the work at the incredible
(09:20):
viewers and fans and and engaged viewers we have all
over the country, and they said, listen, we want to
take this podcast to the next level. We want to
reach we want to promote it across our eight hundred
and fifty stations, we want to promote it across our
podcast and listen. iHeart Is is the network that that
work and built with Rush Limbaugh and and helped him
(09:43):
build into the greatest ever h and that works with
folks like like Hannity and Glenn Beck and Clay and
back at Jesse Kelly, you know. And there's a coincidence. Actually,
right before my show became syndicated to Teristra Radio nationwide,
I got one last little opportunity to be on a
different radio network. And it was when the president of
(10:05):
iHeart called me. It was in the last days of
Rush Limbaugh's show, said, Michael, would you like to host
Russia's show? And I said, Oh my gosh, this is
a dream come true. I would love to, said, I've
got this other radio contract. It's about to be inked
in like three days, but yes, that would be That
would be just the greatest thing in the world. And
so I note the reach of iHeart is just phenomenal.
It's gonna be fun. And I think you talked about
(10:27):
being a big deal. I think you're getting to expand
it to three days a week, getting to talk more
breaking news and having people not have to wait once
a week to get it. And you wonder if it's
you know, as it dated and when was it done.
I mean, we're gonna be able to break news, talk
about breaking news, and give people your point of view instantly.
And I think that's so important now. People are hungry
(10:50):
for that. I mean you've seen it, whether it's your
podcast or mine or radio. I mean people want to
go around the mainstream media to the people they trust.
And there's a lot of Americans that are going to
be introduced, I think because they're going to hear this promotion. Oh,
Ted's got this podcast. I'm in. I want to hear
this on a regular basis and make it a part
of their day. And I'm excited to get to expand
(11:12):
that with you and reach more people and hopefully ultimately,
which is what you and I we started. We talked
about this in Nashville. You and I do this because
we want to change hearts and minds. You do what
you do for the same exact reason, and the more
people we can have listened to what we believe in,
why we believe in it, why it makes sense logically.
It's been my life goal, my mission field as politics.
(11:33):
I've said that for years. I started when as twelve,
as you know, and started in TV bill O'Reilly when
I'm seventeen, and that's my mission field. And I look
at where we're going as a country. I mentioned earlier,
I've got twin boys or three, and I've got a
six year old, and I'm terrified of where we're headed.
And that's kind of given me my second win in
my career. I think to say, Okay, are we going
(11:54):
to leave this place better than it was when I
got to grow up? And right now it's not right.
If you looked at the clock and you look at
the issues, and you look at what's happening, but there's
also some things exciting that's happening, and that is you're
seeing parents are getting involved in their school boards. You
see police officers are now getting the backing again from
society with crime that's out of control. You have people
that are starting to understand like this deficit that we
(12:17):
have right now is a massive problem. And you see
people dealing with inflation the highest in our lifetime. And
so these are I think, a palliative issues that if
we can hear from the center more often, it's gonna
change more hearts and minds. And so that's why I'm
super excited to get to partner with you and do
this and to keep the torch going that you guys started,
(12:37):
because when you started during impeachment, it was unbelievable and
you guys. I don't know if everyone knows this, but
the story of how y'all started this and at what
time of night you started it, Like when you said
you were moonlighting, you weren't lying earlier during the first impeachment,
right which impeachment we're talking about, But when you guys
started this, and I remember listening and thinking, this is
(13:01):
something that's missing from the market, and that was a
conversation that was missing, and being obviously a fan of yours,
I remember the first time I ever had you on
my show when I was hosting in Dallas, when you
were running the impossible campaign, yep, against the richest guy
that do hurt. You can't you can't touch him, you can't.
You know, this is an election that's already tied up,
it's done, and you came out of nowhere and proved
(13:24):
all the experts wrong. And that's you know, From that
moment on, I was hooked. Well, I will say this,
it's interesting that you use the phrase hearts and minds.
As both of you guys know, I'm obsessed with what
we got to do as conservatives is we have to
connect with people's hearts and minds. We've got to reach
beyond the people watching Fox News. We got to reach
(13:46):
young people, We got to reach Hispanics and African Americans
and suburban moms. And it has been amazing. You know,
looking back, it's been two and a half years since
we started this podcast. We started it, as you just noted, Ben,
it was on the very first day the first impeachment trial.
We're on the Senate floor till midnight, one in the morning,
jumped in a truck and headed over to a basement studio.
(14:09):
It was dingy. I think we had this same craps right,
and and it just started like walking off the Senate floor,
let's talk about it. And it went from a standing
start with zero viewers, zero downloads two within days, we
shot to the top of the charts. And I remember,
(14:30):
I remember that first night. We're sitting down there. I've
never done a podcast. We know how to do this,
and we're talking about it, and we were talking about
what would success look like, and we talked about, okay,
if we could break into the top hundred. Ye that,
by the way, to this day is still an amazing
accomplishment if you even get there, yep, yeah, that that
would have I think we were speaking, not even realistically.
(14:53):
We were we were thinking that's actually that would be
an ambitious goal. Yep. And then what was it? Four
days later? And then we like boom into the top hundred,
and then we're in the top ten, and then we
climbed ten, nine, eight, four three. We're sitting there going,
holy crap, could you imagine if we get and then
boom number one as we kicked Joe Rogan out of
the out of the spot. I mean, it was it
was crazy. And we've done now, we've done one hundred
(15:16):
and forty five shows. We've had over fifty million downloads
of this podcast, and every single week we beat CNN's
morning show, right, And so that has been that's always
been the mission, Right, that's what you get as your
bonus structure. You get to beat CNN every week. That'll
make you wake up and do the shows. Right. But
(15:36):
but now with with with iHeart stepping in to distribute
and promote, the reach is going to be that much broader.
And I think that's really exciting because this was always
about really equipping our listeners. If you're gonna battle to
save the country, if you're gonna take on the cultural
Marxist if you're going to take on the socialist and
(15:57):
the people coming at everything that built America, you need
the tools, you need the information you need to know
what's going on. And the vision of this podcast was
always We're gonna give you as much of those tools
as possible so that you're prepared and you know the
inside story. And so I couldn't be more excited about
(16:18):
this next step. It is sad, you know, Michael, you
and I didn't know each other very well when we
started RUM. We have become very close friends. We are
remaining very close friends. You know. I will note you
know when you started, you were, you know, an uptight,
young whipper snapper. Yea. And for one hundred and fifth podcast,
(16:38):
I'll just say right now, we're in Vegas, and for
the first time ever, Michael Jules is not wearing socks skin. Yeah,
And I will tell you so when we cut, when
Ben was walking out of here, we cut the camera scene,
and I will tell you Michael was adjusting his uh,
adjusting his micro proceeded to undo his belt. I'm like, Michael,
(17:02):
Ben's coming, do not drop your pants on the podcast set.
I was told this is Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas.
I know that was okay that You're right, No, it's true.
I have now loosened up, apparently to the point of
political scandal, but it has been really I mean, the show,
to your point, has really grown and it's loosened and
(17:25):
it's changed, and we've gone on the road and we've
done all these great things. And it's so important too
to continue to hit new and new audiences. And so
you know, we've cultivated this really, really large, wonderful group
of listeners. And now moving over to with the show
moving over to a different platform, that's going to give
us new listeners. With the show moving to terrestrial radio
(17:45):
in some cases, that's going to give you an entirely
new Democrat. And Michael, I'll make a promise to you
right now that that even though neither Ben nor I
went there, we will continue to make fun of you.
You know, I'm really easily that's not going to end.
That's going to be a consistent That's part of my
bonus structure they gave me was that I get to
make fun of Yale on a regular vasis The first
(18:06):
time I ever went I went to Harvard Kenny School
right after the OZ four election. Yeah, and I walked if.
They asked me to speak, and I worked on the
Bush campaign. They were doing a retrospect of that campaign.
I walked up there. It's a big room of people,
and I walked up. I was younger, and I just
didn't say anything, and the room was just kind of quiet,
and I didn't say anything, just kind of looked around
and got to the point where on purpose it was
(18:27):
a little awkward, and I leaned down. I was like,
I just want to savor the moment. There's no chance
in hell I could have gotten into this place, and
now you're paying me to speak, and the laughing. I
was like, I may never get to come back, but
I'm going to enjoy this moment right here, right now,
where the ivy leaguers jokes on you and I got paid.
That is magnificent. It was fun. Well, you know, to
(18:50):
this point, before we go I mean, before we sort
of let people go in, there will be a whole
new phase of verdict. I do have to ask you, guys.
We've got the United States Senator here, been on the
campaign trail constantly. We've got a lecturer at Harvard Kennedy's
School for that's right, where do we stand thirty two
days out from the elections. I still think it's going
(19:11):
to be an historical election. I think we're gonna retake
the Senate. I think we're gonna retake the House. But
you still think we're gonna retake the Senate. I put
the odds of the House at north of ninety percent,
and I think there's a real chance we have a
big majority in the House thirty forty fifty seats. The Senate,
I'd put the odds at about sixty five thirty five.
It's not a great map, and if I were to
(19:32):
predict my prediction right now, is we end up with
fifty three Republicans. Okay, because previously you had said sixty forty.
I've gone back and forth between sixty forty and sixty
five thirty five. A month ago, two months ago, I
was at sixty five thirty five. A month ago, I
was at sixty forty, and I'm back to sixty five
thirty five. So it it did turn a little bit
south about a month ago, and I think the momentum
(19:55):
has turned again. I think we're gonna win win a
bunch of seats. This bus tour is designed to do that, Ben,
what do you think. I tend to agree with you
on this. I think that you're seeing a really last
minute shift, and I've noticed it on my show with callers.
There is a real level of stress with the American
(20:16):
people right now, with the economy. I just was in California.
You're seeing six dollars seven dollars gallon gas, new records.
You see a present that is just draining our strategical reserves,
and there's no way to not talk about now how
low they're going to be come election day. You see
what OPEC has just done, and you're starting to see
the housing market switching very quickly. We just sold a house,
(20:38):
for example, in the real estate agent said, you're lucky
you got out when you did, because because I think
if we if this fell through and we went right
back on tomorrow, it's a desert, he said, it is.
We've not seen anything like this, he said, since oh eight.
And I think people are feeling that stress. And I
think the closer, unfortunately, and I hate this, but the
closer we get to election day, it's getting worse, not better.
(21:02):
And I don't think the President can do anything at
this point, or the Democrats somehow commits you. Oh, no, really,
it's gonna be okay. Oh, it's gonna be fine. I
really think people are feeling it now. Small businesses are
feeling I'm a small business owner. We're seeing it. We
lost money for the first time ever last month in
our restaurant. Food costs skyrocketed, labor costs are up, and
(21:24):
people are feeling it and we'd never experienced it before.
The count call and they're like, hey, you guys lost
six thousand, six hundred dollars. Well, and when you hear
that and you see it and then you start saying,
what do we do to fix it? I think that's
the conversation America's having. So I agree with you. I
think the Senate is definitely, in my opinion, I think
it's more than I think it's probably even more optimistic
(21:44):
than you are on that because I think people are
having these conversations right now, and I think that's going
to be the only blessing disguises. We're going to get
a change in leadership, and we're gonna get to go
back to fiscal responsibility and go back to what was working,
and people are willing to listen listen to that idea
now well, and when you talk to candidates. So we're
here in Nevada. I think Nevada presents the number one
(22:07):
best pickup opportunity for Republicans in the Senate. Adam Laxalt.
Adam is a terrific guy. He's a close friend. He
was attorney general here in Nevada. His grandfather was Paul Laxalt,
who was the governor and senator from Nevada. As a
legend in this state. He was Reagan's best friend in
the Senate. His grandfather was. And Adam is pretty consistently
(22:27):
running three or four points ahead and the polls that's
been for about a month. He's been there. And it's interesting,
whether you talk to him or congressional candidates all across
the country, the Democrats everywhere have just gone all in
an abortion. Every ad they're running is abortion, abortion, abortion, abortion.
And I've been been pointing out, I said, look, of
course they are. What else did they have to talk about?
(22:51):
Imagine for a second, God forbid? All right, Ben, you
wake up tomorrow. You're Catherine Cortez Masto's campaign manager. Yeah,
Now she's the incumbent Democrat from Nevada. What are you
going to talk about? You can't talk about the economy
because the economy has gone to crap under Biden. Inflation
is horrible. By the way, Nevada has the second worst
inflation of any state in the Union. Gas prices are
(23:11):
through the roof, mortgages have tripled. You certainly can't talk crime,
murder rates, carjacking rates, all the crime rates of skyrocket
are under the Democrats. And you sure as hell can't
talk about immigration because the Southern borders at the worst
spot in sixty two years. What you're going to talk
for in policy? Isn't it great we surrendered to the Taliban?
Isn't it great that all of our enemies are going well?
(23:32):
Isn't it great that we have the first major war
in Europe since World War friggin two? All of this
happened under Joe Biden. So if you're a Democrat, what
do you talk about rather than fearmonger on abortion and
screaming abortion, abortion, abortion. But look, I think people care
about kitchen table issues and what affects their family, what
affects literally putting the food on their family, as people
(23:55):
are having a hard time paying the grocery. The CNN
and Mint of this yesterday they said, you know, I
forget which commentator was on CNN said, you know, I'm
really surprised that abortion consistently ranks so low in people's priorities.
And if you've been paying attention to public opinion polls
for the last um thirty years, you would know that
is the case of both both pro abortion and pro life.
(24:17):
How does it watch show thirty? You know, it's an
impressive tie there, But you know, it's just not even
if your were all very pro life obviously we've maybe
do vote on abortion. We are kind of outside the norm,
you know, And the same is true for people who
(24:38):
support abortion. It's just people vote on the economy, they
vote on safety, the vote on crime, they vote on education,
they vote on all these things that as you say, Senator,
the Democrats are just completely dead in the water on
and so there's just a limit to what they can
message it. There was a joke that happened, and you
may remember after Donald Trump left office it was like
I could really use two fifty gallon gas and a
(24:58):
mean tweet right about now there is when that came out,
that first one kind of hit and it turned into
all the issues, like you know, I really wish I could.
I could use some police officers right now and a
mean tweet. It is so all encompassing of this election
right now, and there's there's ideology and then there's reality.
And it's easy to be a liberal and to seeing
(25:19):
these Kumbaya moments and the you know, defund the police
and what do we want dead cops? And when do
we want them now? Until you see the crime come back,
until you see the interest rate skyrocket, until you see
the unemployment numbers, and when these things start to happen,
it goes back to that mentality, right. I could really
use some of what we used to have, and I
(25:42):
think that's the opportunity here. And if if, if, and
you've seen them on the road, I think the Republicans
are focused now. Conservatives are focused on these issues and
talking about them, and that's going to be a huge
difference on election day. So I was in Arizona yesterday.
We're in Nevada today, Las Vegas. Driving over to the studio,
(26:02):
I pulled up Drudge on my phone. Two stories on
Drudge right now. A professor at University of Arizona shot
and killed on campus. I'm like, crap, we were there
yesterday and today Thursday morning. It's Thursday afternoon right now,
Thursday morning. There was a mass stabbing in front of
(26:25):
the Wind Casino here in Las Vegas. Not at two
in the morning, Thursday friggin morning. Yeah, like you will
talking about one. You want to talk about real crap,
like like people you know, what was it Northern California.
You had some lunatic with a samurai sword cut a
woman's head off. Yeah, right right. That is a real
(26:50):
threat to people when they look around their towns, in
their cities, they say, you know, crime is up, police
protection is down. There has been defunding of the police abroad,
as you mentioned, the first major war in Europe since
World War Two. There is a lot of uncertainty out there.
I think personal security, national securities is really going to
be at the forefront. If you're ranking things to be
worried about in America. It used to be beheading didn't
(27:13):
make the list. Yeah, and now are mass stabbings. Yeah,
and now you have these things there are certing to
happen in broad daylight in this country. But where were
they saying defund the police Las Vegas. Yes, you had
people campaigning off of it. I mean, you look at
California and look at the crime there. You look at
even in Memphis, Tennessee, a place that is a was
(27:36):
defund the police, and you saw this horrific murder of
this of this runner Liza Fletcher there. Yeah, and you
see that happen. And now you see what the changes.
You have the governor that had to come down to
step in just to talk to the people because you
had a liberal Democratic mayor there. You have a liberal
city council that still is refusing to fund the police.
They are literally twelve hundred police officers down from where
(27:59):
there's supposed to be a sound like Memphis, which is
the second most angerous city in America, and they are
refusing to even change things as simple as saying, okay,
to get more cops, you can live outside of the county.
You can live right across in Mississippi or Arkansas, you
know where Memphis is. And the Democrats on the city
counts they are saying, no, you have to live here,
(28:19):
and they're saying, we can't recruit enough police officers with
these ridiculous, arbitrary ideas that you guys have put on us.
And people are starting to realize this is now life
and death. And you know, Michael ben insists that they
know how to make barbecue at Memphis. I just it's true.
I believe it. Yeah. Well, the speaking of all these
(28:40):
places around the country, the tour is going to continue on.
The show is going to continue on. I think there's
going to be a ton of energy behind it. I
cannot wait to see this next phase. It's going to
be amazing. I cannot wait to come back and visit
wherever somewhere around the country, here or there. It's going
to be wonderful. It's in excellent hands with mister Benkburg,
It's in pretty good hands with the Senator Tech. That's good.
(29:03):
That's good. It's gonna be wonderful. Guys. I can't wait.
And so for the last time from this chair, it
has been truly one of the great pleasures and honors
and privileges of my life to start the show with you, Senator.
I'm getting choked up. I'm getting mushy. Michael, You're a
gentleman and a scholar, and the kindest thing I know
how to say about you is Yale did not fully
screw you up. That's how sweet night. Listen, It's really
(29:28):
time with the Verdict. It's it's really wonderful. Cannot wait
to see the next steps. For the last time from
this chair, I'm Michael Knowles. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz.
(29:49):
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is being brought
to you by Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack, a political
action committee dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organization, and candidates
across the country. In twenty twenty two, Job's Freedom and
Security Pack plans to donate to conservative candidates running for
Congress and help the Republican Party across the nation.
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