LIVE | Red Clay Rundown: GBI investigates Town Center Mall shooting & primary runoff shakeups

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:44]Don't know.

[00:01:01]Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

[00:01:41]A Tennessee high school graduation held outside in the pouring rain has gone viral. School officials decided to proceed anyway despite this torrential downpour. Uh this video captured by a parent shows the students receiving their diplomas while getting so soaked.

[00:01:58]The school says they thought the storm was supposed to arrive later and they wanted to keep it outside for the large crowd. There was a lot of concern about slipping and falling. Um not to mention some pretty wet diplomas. What do you think guys? I mean, you you remember this moment for the photos you want to take, right? I bet everybody looked like a soaking wet dog.

[00:02:20]>> They were taking photos of this.

[00:02:21]>> Can I just say something? This is going to be a graduation that they will never think.

[00:02:26]>> I mean, we all remember our graduation.

[00:02:28]>> I mean, they're still drying off from this. Degree dis like goes away. Like, can you still use it? Is it still valid if it disappears because it's so wet?

[00:02:38]>> Disintegrate. That's the word.

[00:02:39]>> Did you really get it?

[00:02:41]>> Yeah. Did you really get it? I'm going to say weatherman's privilege here that I that's uncalled for.

[00:02:46]>> Yeah.

[00:02:47]>> If you were like like it was raining for a good period of time and they're out.

[00:03:03]Good evening and thank you for joining us for Red Kelly rundown on Fox Local.

[00:03:07]I'm Russ Spencer. We'll discuss politics tonight with Brian Robinson and Theren Johnson in just a moment. It's good to see you, gentlemen. But, uh, let's begin with the top stories on Fox 5 tonight.

[00:03:16]Uh, the GBI is investigating a shooting that involves a Cobb County police officer. It happened near Town Center Mall on Barrett Parkway near Kennesaw.

[00:03:24]Officials say a shoplifter ran from police and pulled out a gun. He was then shot and killed by officers. No officers were hurt. We have learned the identity of the victim in the 1990s West Point Lake homicide in Troop County. The FBI Atlanta office identifies him as Craig Maddox. His adult son provided the DNA sample that allowed the FBI to crack the case, they tell us. The sheriff's office says his decomposing body was found on the shore in 1990. The investigation is ongoing. And Pauly County authorities are warning residents about a water testing scam. The director says a woman misrepresented herself to a resident as someone who works with Pauling Water. He says the water department does not show up unannounced or try to sell anything anytime.

[00:04:11]Let's turn now to our political coverage. We've talked about how President Trump still hasn't gotten involved in Georgia's GOP Senate runoff.

[00:04:19]And last night, we got another indication about just how important his endorsement can be. Ken Paxton crushed incumbent Senator John Cornin in the Texas Republican runoff. Got 64% of the vote. Cornin had been a senator for 24 years, one of the top Republican senators. Uh but President Trump had recently called him very disloyal. He denied it. Here's Fox's Rebecca Caster.

[00:04:43]>> Change was on the ballot and change won.

[00:04:47]After a lastminute endorsement from President Trump, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is the latest challenger to unseat a GOP incumbent.

[00:04:57]>> President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement in this most power is the most powerful force in politics.

[00:05:03]>> We have a movement the likes of which this country has never seen.

[00:05:06]>> The president endorsed Paxton last week over sitting Senator John Cornin, citing Cornin's delay in supporting his presidential run as the reason. Cornin now joins a growing list of Republicans who've lost their seats in Washington by going against Trump.

[00:05:21]>> I trust the voters of Texas and they've made their decision and I must respect it.

[00:05:29]>> The cardinal rule in politics is if you can't turn out your base, you can't win.

[00:05:34]And right now, we know that President Trump's supporters are the base of the Republican party.

[00:05:40]>> But Paxton is not without controversy.

[00:05:42]and his road to Washington might not be as easy as Texas Republicans are used to. He was impeached in 2023 on bribery and corruption charges, but was later acquitted by the Texas State Senate. And last year, his wife announced she was divorcing him on biblical grounds.

[00:05:59]Democrats think this could all help their candidate, James Terico, win in November.

[00:06:04]>> Terrio is talking to people about their real needs. We are going to win Texas.

[00:06:10]So far in 2026, no Trump endorsed candidate has lost a primary race in Washington. Rebecca Caster, Fox News.

[00:06:20]>> All right, Rebecca, thank you. Let's bring in Brian and Theren, it would seem that the lessons of this are are are fairly obvious, but but Brian, are Republicans taking a chance and putting their faith in Ken Paxton? He has won statewide as attorney general there twice. Uh but we heard about the scandals that and obviously they're going to uh be prominently used by James Telerico who he calls Telico uh in in his speech last night. What do you take out of all this, Frank?

[00:06:49]>> Well, certainly the gold standard in Republican politics is the Trump endorsement. We did see the power of it there. John Cornin is a four-term US senator has always won really without any major problems. So, this is a uh a major I wouldn't say upset, but a major development. And the record that we've seen over the last month that we just saw there of Senator Cassidy in Louisiana losing, Congressman Massie in Kentucky losing does show that Trump's power uh whatever it may be in the general election is still super powerful within a primary. Now, I I do think it's relevant in Georgia that it hasn't been quite that impact here as we've seen in other states, but still very important.

[00:07:36]I do think that the Trump endorsement was important in Bert Jones kind of closing hard going into the first round of the primary with some momentum that, you know, people who were undecided well said, "Well, I I'll go with the Trump endorsed candidate." That's something that Rick Jackson has to overcome in this uh runoff on June 16th. And of course, we're all waiting with baited breath to see if President Trump is going to engage in the US Senate race here in Georgia.

[00:08:05]>> All right. I certainly want to get to that. But before we do, uh Theren, I'm interested in whether you think that this James Terico really has a serious chance as a Democrat in Texas. Of course, we remember how excited people were about Beta Oor. Is Texas really in play or is this just wishful thinking?

[00:08:23]>> Well, I think Texas has always been on the radar. Russ, I go back to when I was the national southern regional director for the Obama campaign in 2012, and it always went in this order. Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, and then we saw in 2020 it then went Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas. Now, with the recent primary election between Congresswoman Crockett and uh Telto Rico, he did defeat a African-American woman in a very highly contested uh primary election. So, we knew that Paxton was really gaining momentum. I mean, we read the stories leading up to this election that Cornin did not have the u the endorsement from Trump.

[00:09:07]Probably he was not going to get that.

[00:09:09]And you just heard the woman tell us early on that corner had actually abandoned the base. So is Texas in play?

[00:09:17]Yes, Russ. Because I think that right now with a president who did help a candidate win the primary, does that translate? Does that transfer over to the general? Last thing I'll say is this is that it's a lot of money in Texas. If you look at the money that Tel Rico is raising, Paxton is raising, I think that Georgia is ahead of Texas when it comes to protecting John Oaf, but you you said it Russ, I mean, this candidate, uh, Attorney General Paxton has a lot of issues, but the voters in Texas in the Republican primary did not care. And Cornin, who stayed true to the game, stayed true to his values all the way up leading up to to his defeat, is still a very repable candidate in the Republican party. I just believe that the Republican party has left candidates like Cornin and others that you put up.

[00:10:05]I think you put up Cassidy and others who have lost that race. And Donald Trump is making three things clear.

[00:10:10]Number one, he ran for re-election to try to stay out of legal troubles. He wanted to punish his enemies and he wants to do everything he can to position him and his family so when his term is over, they're going to be very, very, very wealthy. And so, unfortunately, Cornin was just the next on the Trump agenda to defeat. I think that Teler Rico actually does have a good chance if he can run a moderate campaign with the money, but passing is going to be very difficult to beat because at the end of the day, it's still a very red state in Texas.

[00:10:39]>> Okay, Brian. So, what is President Trump's calculation when it comes uh to Georgia and between Derek Douly and and Mike Collins, we've heard that the president is sensitive to even the smallest slide. I mean, after all, John Cornin supported him immediately after he won the Republican nomination uh in the state of New Hampshire, and it became clear that he actually did have a chance uh in 2024. Uh and that was not enough in in this circumstance here in Georgia. There's still not I wouldn't call it bad blood. I don't know how you would characterize it, but there's not exactly a warmth between him and and Brian Kemp. That is that going to reound to the disfavor of Derek Douly or not?

[00:11:19]Well, you're right. It's not a warm relationship, but there is a relationship and there is communication.

[00:11:24]And Governor Kemp has kept an open door with President Trump really over the last year, uh, having several meetings in the Oval Office whenever there's a Republican governor's association meeting in Washington. So, there has been dialogue going back and forth. And look, they have a a mutually productive business relationship, I think, is one way that we could describe it. And I I'm sure that President Trump would would be open to a conversation with Governor Kemp about it. I hear Governor that President Trump has had productive and friendly conversations with Derek Douly uh going back in 2025. But we also have heard that Mike Collins was called up to the White House this week for a meeting.

[00:12:07]Uh we don't know what was discussed there and what's going to come out of it, but we know that that he was there and presumably Derek Douly is down at Sea Island uh this week where Governor Kemp is holding a very big annual fundraiser where many of his big donors come together and they have a series of speakers and events there. So, right now it it does look like Collins is communicating with Trump and I think we'll soon see if there's something to that.

[00:12:38]>> Uh, do you think that there will be an endorsement? What's your gut sense?

[00:12:43]>> President Trump loves a winner and one thing that I sat on Georgia gang on Friday and I was a little sick at my stomach because we got conflicting information after we finished taping on Friday. The great thing about Red Clay Rundown is this is all in real time. I'm only responsible for what's available right now. Georgia gang, it comes on two days later.

[00:13:02]>> But if the first round of polling showed Mike Collins with a significant lead coming out of of the first round, something in the 50s and then Derek Douly somewhere in the mid30s. Now, that's a pretty big spread. And if that's true, if it was ever true, then Mike Collins is in the pole position.

[00:13:22]and that's a really hard margin to close. If you are up against somebody and they're in the 50s, that generally is a bad sign for you. So, if that polling is accurate and continues, then I think President Trump's going to be really tempted to get on board with the person he thinks is going to win. It's very important for Derek Douly to keep the polling close. after we finished taping Georgia Gang. I mean, immediately after we finished taping it, new polling came out that showed Mike Collins's lead much smaller. So, I can promise you this. This is what's happening in the White House right now. Russ, this week, the president's pollsters are in the field somewhere in Georgia or talking with pollsters that they know and trust who are in the field in Georgia and looking at what those numbers are. And if it looks like it's insurmountable for Mike Collins, that becomes a really juicy target for President Trump. If Derek Douly looks competitive, it looks much less appealing. And of course, I think Trump understands that in November, we've got a fight on our hands in Georgia going up an against an incumbent uh Democratic senator.

[00:14:31]>> Yeah, the president obviously has had a lot of recent success on his revenge tour against Bill Cassidy and Thomas Massie uh in Kentucky. But, you know, it's interesting, Theren. in Texas. Ken Paxton was leading in this race before he got the endorsement uh from President Trump. To to Brian's point, the president doesn't want to get behind somebody who he thinks might lose. We would see.

[00:14:55]>> Well, the president's got to understand, you're not only running against Derry Douly, you're running against Brian Kim.

[00:15:00]And Brian is right. The president has got his posters. He's they're talking to posters. They probably got people on the ground. I'm sure they're talking to members of the congressional delegation to say, "Hey, what is your true pulse on this race?" Let's remember, you got to get your base voters back out. Derek Douly developed a lot of momentum. He closed very well. He spent the money in the right places. He took a very risky gamble. He did not go up on television as early as Mike Collins and Buddy Carter. He went to a more retail grassroots campaign strategy. And I've said this before in Red Clay Rundown, Russ, I don't care who you are, when an incumbent governor come to your city or your town, you're going to show up. And so, can he raise the money to really amplify the negatives against Mike Collins and also amplify the positives of him being an outsider? I don't think President Trump enters this race in any capacity unless he's absolutely certain that Mike Collins can win. The worst thing that could happen to President Trump was for him to endorse Mike Collins and then Derek Douly pulls off a victory. Now, the best thing for the Douly campaign, whoever you know that knows Trump, whether it's Governor Brian Kemp, members of the congressional delegation, whatever you have at your disposal, you definitely want to tell the president, "Hey man, do not endorse in this race yet. Give me a chance to show you that I have a winnable pathway in this runoff." So, I can see the president maybe staying out of this a little longer unless Mike Collins truly can show him a winnable path. But Derek Douly, we talked about this on Red Clay Rundown, is amplifying some of the mishaps that Mike Collins campaign has had. He had to recently let go one of his top advisors because of some very unethical, very disgusting comments that were made, right? And so now, how does he rebound from that? But Brian can tell you this. I think for you to get voters to come back out early and get them to come back out in June when it's getting hot, it really is going to be determined by the money and the level of organization on the ground. And I believe that coupled with Brian Kemp's organization and Derek Douly and his momentum, he could possibly make this race close. But if Trump endorses Mike Collins, I believe it's game over for Derek D. I think Mike Collins wins.

[00:17:17]>> All right, Brian, one last question on the subject of the president's success in getting rid of some of the politicians. he he considers disloyal.

[00:17:24]Uh you know, has he made life difficult for himself in terms of dealing with Congress? He's been going around Congress in a lot of different issues, but you know, Bill Cassidy, for example, the Louisiana senator who lost his primary, has now had some things to say about the $ 1.8 billion slush fund that the president would like to spend on some of his allies. uh and also on the war in Iran. Is it going to be more difficult for the president to get parts of his agenda passed uh now that he's alienated some Republicans who who like John Cornin for example?

[00:17:56]>> Well, it was a challenge to govern even before this primary season rush. I mean, it's it's a very small majority in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson, of course, has been a constant counselor to President Trump. They remain very close.

[00:18:11]And I do think that Johnson has been a voice talking about the need for some sort of stability and keeping the caucus together just to get anything passed whatsoever. But one thing that is true of this Congress and many Congresses passed is there's not many bills passed anymore anyway. I think for the first two years of the Trump term, almost everything was rolled up into the one big beautiful bill that got done. That got passed and signed. And I think once that was done, the prospects of much else passing during this Congress were very slim. But yes, I do think that what one thing that's going to be different is these members who have lost their primaries are liberated. John Cornin is 74 years old. This is the end of the road. He doesn't have to calculate about his political future. There is no political future. So he's got 6 months.

[00:19:02]And if he chooses to cause havoc and trouble, he certainly can. I would imagine that Senator Cassidy will. We've already seen him uh taking some opposite views of the administration since he lost his primary and we know that Senator Cassidy has, you know, regrets about his vote to confirm RFK as HHS secretary. So, you know, it could be very difficult in both chambers to get anything passed when the margins were already so tight and now you have people who might be looking to cause some trouble.

[00:19:35]>> Yeah. So much to watch between now and November. Gentlemen, thank you. Coming up next on Red Clay Rundown, we'll discuss the primary victories for some left-leaning Democratic candidates here in Georgia and what that might mean.

[00:21:21]Hey, hey, hey.

[00:21:57]Welcome back to Red Clay Rundown.

[00:21:59]Georgia's liberal Democrats are celebrating primary election wins that put their coalition on track to add new voices to the general assembly.

[00:22:06]Representative Gabriel Sanchez, for example, the first Democratic socialist elected to the legislature in 2024, beat a more moderate challenger with more than 82% of the vote in his Cobb County district. A voting right activist, Bentley Hudgens, is on track to become the first openly non-binary and transgender person elected to the Georgia General Assembly. Hudgens, who goes by they them pronouns, won the Democratic primary in House District 90 in South Dap. Uh the more progressive candidates are endorsed by the working families party. They say the primary successes for their endorsed candidates prove that those issues are resonating with voters and can get traction under the gold dome. Uh Theren, what's your assessment of those wins and and what it might mean?

[00:22:52]>> Well, Russ, one of the things that I'm learning is that state politics is totally different than local politics and national politics. And as someone who has been very fortunate and blessed to be able to navigate a Republican controlled legislature, you got to be a Democrat that can actually work across party lines to deliver for your district when it comes to policy. Now, what you've seen with these left-wing candidates, some of whom are socialists who have run and actually won, is that they work very hard. I don't want to underscore the victory at all because uh you look at Sanchez, Representative Sanchez for instance, before this race, he took out a very well-liked, very wellrespected incumbent in Tario Nolovitz. Uh and now he comes back and wins this race. And so watching him at the capital, how he maneuvers, how he sort of speaks up within the Democratic caucus is very efficient. The challenge for Democrats is going to be this.

[00:23:50]you're going to get more and more left-wing sort of socialist candidates that are endorsed by working families um party and other because they are eager to run and they're campaigning on issues that they think are very um you know concerning and and very prevalent in their lives. But in order for us to rebuild a majority in the House and Senate, we've got to not only elect people who can represent the districts they're currently drawn, but we got to make sure that we're recruiting candidates can actually go into some of these newly created districts. What I've been very proud of is that you haven't really seen or heard a lot of dissension in the caucus because many of these candidates who run as socialist, there's no way they can run as a Republican. So, they have to run as a Democrat. So, what we've not done as a Democratic party is say, "Hey, you can't run. You can't go through the Democratic process. You know, we want democracy to play itself out." But once they get under the caucus umbrella and get down to the gold dome, how can they work to make sure that we oppose the majority but also introduce bills and come up with a common sense strategy in order to get things done?

[00:24:53]And so, look, Russ, I think the party right now, we need more left-wing folks.

[00:24:57]I'm a more of a moderate Democrat. I believe moderate de Democrats can actually win more in Georgia, but never will you hear me sort of say that they shouldn't run. But it's a difference between actually winning the election and governing. And so I just want to make sure that these new folks who are winning once they get to the gold dome and the special session and then they get back in um legislature in the beginning of January that they actually fall up on the caucus, make sure they follow caucus leadership and try to get some good bills passed for the people of Georgia.

[00:25:26]>> Yeah, Brian, I have a hunch that Republicans might see this as an opportunity.

[00:25:31]When I read the stories about these far-left Democrats beating more moderate opponents, one thing that is clear throughout them is the embrace of identity politics. How often we have to mention their alternative pronouns. You know, these are groups that just simply won't play on a bigger stage in Georgia now and perhaps for a very long time to come. They are on the fringes of Georgia politics and there is an opportunity there for Georgia Republicans to make sure that these voices which are very loud voices and obstreporous voices to make sure that they become the face of the Georgia Democratic party to say this is what is coming your way if you choose to replace us as the majority party in this state. And one thing I've also noticed is in many of these cases in Wet and Dicab certainly maybe in Clayton County as well, you know, a lot of these far-left candidates are recent immigrants or first generation Americans. And one thing that I want to say is people from all over the world have come here seeking opportunities created by capitalism. Our standard of living, the fact that we are the richest nation on earth and probably in the history of the earth is based on capitalism.

[00:26:53]Please don't come here and vote for policies that destroy capitalism.

[00:27:00]You know, stay stay at what whatever country whose economy you are escaping if you're if you want to come here and and do that, right? This is something that is very important to the future of Georgia. Once you get into America, people are choosing Georgia because we have a great business climate and it's creating good paying jobs.

[00:27:20]Respect that. Vote for it. Keep it for the next generation. A lot of what they want to do will kill the golden goose.

[00:27:28]It absolutely choke it to death. We will we will quit being a a business friendly environment. We'll quit quit attracting highpaying jobs. And you know, capitalism spreads prosperity unevenly.

[00:27:42]Socialism spreads decline and despair.

[00:27:46]That's one thing we all need to remember, particularly in November of this year in Georgia. Yeah. Real quick, Russ, let me let me say this. Not all of these candidates that are running are from out of the country. I can name you one or two who actually were born right here in Georgia by hardworking parents, right? Middle class parents who actually work for everything. And so while capitalism is a form of prosperity in this country, Brian, but I think that we cannot discount the issues that these folks in the socialist party are working towards. They want everyone to basically have due process. They want people to have honorable access to jobs and opportunity. They're also talking about that can we really look at our country and its fabric and in its totality to really figure out are we actually bringing everyone along with us? Is it truly a love for all mankind sort of society? And I think you would agree that if you really peel back and just close your eyes and open your ears, if you really look at their agenda, it's not totally different than what most Democrats are fighting for. The challenge is is that they get labeled as a socialist party or socialist candidate because that is what they believe in.

[00:28:56]Look, I I believe that we need to protect women and men in labor. That's what they're talking about, right? And so it's just the way that it's presented and I don't want to rule these people completely out of the party. We welcome them. Uh is it a part of our winning strategy? Absolutely. They motivate a certain arm of the Democratic party that we need to be motivated. But I just want to make sure that you you know you know this not all of them some of them not all of them are not born in other countries to come here. Many of them are actually born and raised American citizens who throughout their process of growing up has had a different point of view of how this world and this economy, this state should be actually working for all of its citizens.

[00:29:36]>> Yeah. In considering this issue, Theren, you know, I'm reminded of some of the comments from former congressman, the late Congressman Barney Frank uh before and and then after his death and some of his writings uh basically warning the Democratic party, of course, he was the first uh openly gay congressperson, the first person to come out voluntarily.

[00:29:57]uh and his comment about the Democratic party was that in his estimation at least uh the progressives tried to in some cases take too much too quickly that as far as the uh the gay rights issue for example. He said it was important that they talked first about uh gays in the military and employment issues before leaping to gay marriage which most Americans now accept happily but would not have if they had gone for that uh first. He talked about the need to be patient and and and an incrementalism that he says that uh perhaps Democrats are reluctant to embrace. What's your take?

[00:30:35]>> And I'm so glad you brought up Barney Frank. I mean, B Rob and I, we served in the Congress where Barney Frank was in leadership roles. You know, I worked for the late great Congressman John Lewis. I went to Congress working for John Barl.

[00:30:47]And Barney Frank was that courageous leader, Russ, that you just mentioned, who had the courage to come out at a time where honestly the country had not evolved. Um, you know, President Obama didn't evolve on the marriage equality issue until well into his first term. It took him talking to Sasha Malia, his children, for him to evolve on this. And so, I agree with Barney Franks when he's talked about how it needs to be a progress. But listen, I'm a black man who's a Democrat, and I believe love is love. But there's a lot of people in my community who are homophobic, who are Christians, who don't believe that. And so when I talk to many of my family members and other folks, I have to one respect their point of view. But I do believe that we got to make sure that we don't allow identity politics to be our only message to the majority of voters in Georgia. Yes, we have our opinions about it, but if you really look at it, I mean, you know, I think about Kathy Willer, who B Rob and I spent a lot of time with. I mean, she talks about openly on Fox 5 Atlanta and shout out to us about how she's been married to her wife for 38 years. Kathy Willlet would have never been able to say that, Russ 10 years ago or 12 years ago and feeling comfortable about it. So, it is a part of who we are as a party. We welcome the LGBTQ plus community, but it is just the ability for Republicans to use that as a wedge issue to not only suppress the Democratic vote, but to motivate their Republican voters to go out against the Democrats who appear to be supportive of those issues.

[00:32:18]>> All right, Brian, you get the last word.

[00:32:20]>> Well, I think this rise of the socialist left in the Democratic party in some ways mirrors the rise of the populist right and the Republican party. And I tell both parties this. What this shows us is there are many Americans who are struggling and feeling left behind whether they are socially conservative or socially liberal. And I think that's kind of how they are sorting themselves along this ideological spectrum. But many of them are wanting the same things. They're wanting a big government approach to solve their problems. and they don't want an incremental approach that comes with a strong economy that slowly grows wages in a sustainable way, grows the quality of life for everybody.

[00:33:00]And I think the divergence in wealth versus the poor in this country is beginning to crack in the middle. And we're creating this problem in both parties where many people are fed up, they're scared, they're angry, and they want change. And I think when you are scared and angry and want change, you sometimes vote for really bad change. So those of us who are center right or center left like me and the are, then we've got to figure out a way to meet the needs of these people who are being pulled toward the fringes because that's bad for all of us. Well, >> excellent discussion, gentlemen. Thank you. Next on Red Clay Rundown, will there be a debate between Bert Jones and Rick Jackson? We'll discuss.

[00:34:52]Hey, hey, hey.

[00:35:56]Oh. Rick Jackson and Bert Jones have yet to agree on a date for a debate ahead of the June 16th runoff. The AJC reporting that Jones has agreed to an Atlanta Press Club debate on Monday. Not clear whether that's going to happen. Uh the Jones campaign is accusing is using the situation to take shots at Jackson's age, saying quote, "They're hiding Rick Jackson the way Democrats hid Joe Biden." I'm sure you got something to say about that, Brian. And uh I remember you saying not too long ago here on Red Clay Rundown that there's only downside in these debates. Do you think one's going to happen at all?

[00:36:30]>> I I do want to say that when I when I spoke about that, I wasn't talking about this campaign. I'm just talking about my career as a political operative and the stress that any of these for any client gives me. But to you know today we had some more developments on this. Uh, I can tell you, as I always must say, I'm I am a consultant for the Jackson campaign, and I can tell you that there were ongoing conversations with the Atlanta Press Club trying to get a date that works. We were never given an option on it. We told them from the very beginning that June 1st would not work.

[00:37:01]Florida Senator Rick Scott, of course, is a close ally of President Trump, will be coming into Metro Atlanta on Monday to campaign with Rick Jackson. Of course, Senator Scott's got a very busy calendar, so we had to do that when we could. The date didn't work and they just simply wouldn't negotiate with us and find a new time. We offered June the 7th and we're told no. So, that really was something that we thought was was a fair compromise and it just was refused.

[00:37:29]Uh what the Jackson campaign has agreed to is a June 14th uh debate, which would be two days before the runoff election when most voters will be going to the polls. It's Flag Day. It is the president's birthday. A lot to celebrate in Republican circles on that day. And we've talked with a a rival uh network of uh television stations here in the state to host that. So that offer is on the table. Bert Jones said anywhere, anytime. but has for some reason declined this one. So, you know it right now we seem to be at loggerheads.

[00:38:06]>> All right, Theren. U obviously this is the other party, but you've got smart observations about everything. What do you think about this?

[00:38:13]>> Well, Russ, when you were out and you know we missed you, brother, when you were uh recovering from your voice, uh your colleague, myself and Tom Haynes had a very very interesting conversation about that word agism. And I reminded my good friend B- Rob on a group text. I said, "Remember those words because Bert Jones campaign is going to talk about Rick Jackson's age." And here we are.

[00:38:36]And it's a different sort of metaphorical term, but basically what he's implying is that, and it's not the case, Brod, but that you guys are trying to quote unquote hide Rick Jackson because he doesn't want to have a bite moment. Now, the good news for Rick Jackson is that he's not going to have a bite moment. He's got B Rob and others over there that are prepared. But what Bert Jones is doing here, Russ, and I said this is going to happen. I told my good friend B Rob to pin this text. He There's got to be something to polling that shows him that he's got to differentiate himself. Okay, so Rick Jackson doesn't have a record that you can attack. All you can attack is whether or not he supported Stacy Amos or Brian Kim. Okay, he did a commercial showing him and his lovely wife standing there with Brian Kim. Okay, that's off the table. You can't say about any positive votes. then you got to go attack his business. Well, the Jackson campaign has been responding to all the attacks on Bert Jones business. So, this whole notion that Bert Jones is challenging him to a debate, Russ basically like, "Hey, I'm the younger vibrant guy. I'm ready to debate." And I think he believes that Rick Jackson, if he's in a debate with him again, he will not do as well. But here's my warning to Bert Jones. I mean, you are talking a lot of smack, brother. Like, you he's out here know Ram like he he's got to deliver. And knowing Bert Jones, the way I know him, Russ, he would not be taking this tactic to c challenge Rick Jackson to a debate unless he really believes that he's gonna win. And I do believe Bert Jones believes that. So, while you don't talk a lot about it, and I said this in the Democratic primary where I truly believe that one of the reasons why Michael Thurman did not do better is because of his age, is that Bert Jones wants you to believe that there's a pitcher here, a visual pitcher that he's going to be going up against a more seasoned opponent in Rick Jackson. And so Rick Jackson has got to take this debate, whatever date they're going to agree with, and he's got to learn from the first debate of things that he did well, which he did a lot of those things well, and some of the things he didn't do well. And then Bert Jones now has gotten his guy oneonone because let's be fair to Bert Jones. Bert Jones is really debating four people on that debate, right? So now he gets a one-on-one match for Rick Jackson. What is it going to be the issues and sort of tactics that he's going to be able to differentiate himself? While he does have a record that Rick Jackson can attack, but he's got to use other things to attack Rick Jackson because he doesn't necessarily have a record of voting that he can actually amplify in a negative way.

[00:40:59]>> Yeah, that debate on April 27th, I I think that there were eight candidates, I should know, since I was the moderator of that debate, but there were so many that it was tough really to focus on the top four candidates who really had a chance in this race. I gotta believe, Brian, that if the two of them were to stand next to each other for an hour at the Atlanta Press Club or on Gray Television, one or the other, that voters might actually pay attention to that given the high stakes of this race.

[00:41:26]>> Well, that was one of the arguments made by the Rick Dyson campaign would be that the Sunday before would be a time when everybody is tuned in. You know, the you know, mentioned earlier sort of the problem of turnout for a runoff in the summer. You know, he said because it's getting hot. I don't know if it's because it's getting high. I think people are just going on vacation, tuning out. They're less the, you know, they're they're got child care issues.

[00:41:50]There's just a lot going on in the summer that would distract you from politics. And I do think that voters will have a smaller window to tune in.

[00:41:58]Going into that Tuesday is one when voters will be paying great attention.

[00:42:03]And I do think that we would get viewership for that debate. probably the most we've seen since, you know, those famous Hershel Walker, Raphael Waro debates back in 2022 when everybody thought we were going to see a train wreck, but Hershel Walker actually held his own in those debates much more than anybody ever thought that he would.

[00:42:23]>> That's true. I remember. All right, my friends. Thank you. Next on Greg Clay Rundown, the federal government's threat to major cities that don't cooperate with immigration enforcement. We'll be right back.

[00:44:44]Welcome back to Red Clay Rundown.

[00:44:45]Democrats are calling attention to what they say are inhumane conditions at ICE detention facilities. And now the Trump administration is considering a drastic step to tone down the rhetoric. Fox's Caroline Elliot has more.

[00:45:00]Everybody remain calm.

[00:45:02]>> The Department of Homeland Security sending a stern warning to sanctuary cities after the latest protests outside an ICE facility in New Jersey.

[00:45:13]DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen renewed a threat to block international travel into cities that aren't cooperating with ICE.

[00:45:21]>> They're barricading our employees from coming in and out of the facility. Then why are we processing international flights into the airport there?

[00:45:29]>> Protests continued Tuesday in New Jersey at Delaney Hall after a reported hunger strike over rotting food.

[00:45:36]>> A detainee handed me a carton of milk uh and I looked at it and it was just congealed solid. I mean, it was absolutely disgusting.

[00:45:43]>> Mullen says the hunger strike claims are exaggerated >> when there was only a handful of individuals that was refusing to eat because they want their ethnic group or their ethnic right food. Well, they can go back to their country and get whatever food they want. Uh the fact is we're giving them the calories they want. Uh this isn't holiday in >> the threat to shut down some international travel has captured the attention of the travel industry, especially right before the World Cup.

[00:46:08]We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places. We shouldn't we shouldn't shut down air travel in a in a state that doesn't agree with our politics.

[00:46:17]>> And millions of foreign tourists are set to arrive next month as the games kick off and New York. Caroline Elliot, Fox News.

[00:46:26]>> And Sean Duffy, of course, is a Republican who's saying that it doesn't make any sense to not allow international flights into Democratic cities. Uh Theren, I'm assuming you agree. You know, Russ, when we came up with this idea to start this show, you know, leadership at Fox 5 Atlanta, it was for reasons like this and let's talk about how this affects Georgia. You know, I was with the mayor of Atlanta today. We were touring sort of a plot some of land that he's going to be able to make a big announcement here in the future. But when I asked him about the World Cup and let's take you here to Atlanta, I said, "Mayor, how are you feeling about the World Cup?" Of course, he gives me how he's been working with the governor and the Georgia chamber and the metro chamber and all these different people, William Paid and Dan Corso, all these folks. So, we're prepared, Russ. We're we're prepared. Security is top of mind for him. We have enough rooms. But, you know, the one thing that I think that he didn't say this to me, but you look at these reports and you hear what Sean Duffy just said is that I don't know if people really feel welcome to come to the US from these countries. Yes, they're love soccer, but a lot of these folks are very concerned about the climate in the US and will they risk flying over to Atlanta and to these other democratically led cities to actually enjoy the FIFA World Cup. The second thing that I think Democrats are really asking for, and I actually talked to Senator Cory Booker about this, we're not saying that they should live in a holiday in. We're not saying that these folks who are being detained, let's give them due process, but it is some inhumane um sort of, you know, uh environments in these ICE facilities. And so Democrats for us, we look at this from a humanitarian standpoint. But Republicans like to say is that, oh, they're putting more emphasis on these detainees, these women and men who are being detained, but then everyday working people. And that's absolutely not true. I definitely think we do need to have more transparency about what's going on in these ICE facilities and I was very happy for the last few weeks or so months or so that we have not seen the protest but we cannot forget that while ICE is going in a new direction they do have they have new leadership but the intention and the mission is still the same. So how do they carry it out? And so that clip that you just showed in New Jersey I'm happy that while it did get a little rowdy it got a little testy no one died. No one was shot. No one, you know, was murdered in plain dayside, whatever, driving a car, trying to ram into ICE agent, none of that stuff. But it's going to continue unless the Republican le Congress and the White House continue to give us more transparency, making sure that these folks are actually getting a chance for due process. But we cannot let this be a issue that Republicans amplify, saying that Democrats are more concerned about detainees than they are the American people. And that's not true. But I think we need more transparency. And I'm very concerned about how this is going to possibly drive down people who are traveling to the US because Russ, the folks that I talked to over in Greece and Madrid and people, the first question they asked me is that, hey man, how are things in the US? How are things in Atlanta? And so I'm happy that we have a mayor like Mayor Dickens and a governor who is trying to welcome people here, but we got to be very, very concerned about what's come out of Washington and what you just heard from the secretary. I don't know if that type of rhetoric is going to benefit us all leading up to the FIFA World Cup.

[00:49:47]>> Yeah, it's interesting you say that. I read a report today that tourism to the US is uh way down for the first time in a long time. And it seems reasonable to suspect that our domestic polic politics has at least something to do with that.

[00:50:00]Brian, what do you think of Mark Wayne Mullen, the do the new DHS secretary, saying that perhaps international flight shouldn't fly into sanctuary cities?

[00:50:09]Look, I think we need to take a step back and look at the broader administration policies here and the context in which this is happening.

[00:50:16]President Trump got elected at a time when we had historically high levels of foreignb born population throughout American history and this goes back to the 1800s. Whenever we get to 14, 15, 16% of the people living here are foreignb born, there begins to be a bit of a nivist push back to that and people want to tap the brakes and let some assimilation happen over a period of time. So we we saw during the Biden years a rush of millions and millions and millions of people over an uncontrolled border and Americans had a backlash to it. And that backlash is part of the policies that we are seeing now. People want to see a topping of the brakes. And has it led to an atmosphere where maybe some people don't want to come here for tourism? Hey, perhaps. I I I'll grant you that. But at the end of the day, I think what the Trump administration wants to do is to put a put a pause on what has been mass migration to this country in recent years and again allow us to assimilate those who are here particularly at a time when we have a housing crisis. Some people can't afford to buy their first ever home or can't stay in their home in their elderly years. You know, there there are these are things that are very important to Americans and I think this is policy that reflects what has been happening in the broader sense.

[00:51:40]>> All right, gentlemen. Thank you. Coming up next on Red Clay Rundown, we'll talk about President Trump's visit to Walter Reed Medical Center and how he's doing.

[00:53:58]President Trump had his fourth publicly disclosed medical exam since he returned to office yesterday. spent three hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for what the White House described as preventive medical and dental checkups. Now, the president said on social media that everything checked out perfectly. He turns 80 years old next month on the 14th and is the oldest person elected to the office of the presidency. Former President Biden left office at 82, you'll remember. Concerns raised obviously about his health and competency after that debate here in Atlanta against Trump in June of 2024.

[00:54:32]Former first lady Jill Biden commented on that debate in an interview that airs in full this weekend. She said, quote, "I was frightened because I'd never ever seen Joe like that before or since.

[00:54:44]Never." As I watched it, I thought, "Oh my god, he's having a stroke and it scared me to death." End quote. And and guys, we were together doing political coverage on that particular night. I think we all looked at each other with something like that same feeling, Brian.

[00:54:59]>> Yeah, we did. It was one of the most shocking moments in American history. We were Theren and I were with you that night, Russ. Earlier that day. Theren and I were at Georgia Tech at the Coliseum for uh the media room and we did a live hit on MSNBC. Uh which of course, you know, I was a token Republican there. And I said what every Republican was saying that Joe Biden may have a senior moment. I don't think any of us could have imagined that it was gonna be as bad as it was. Just as unimaginably bad as it was. But the host of the show looked at me like I had just said something out of left field. Like like it's crazy to think that Joe Biden may have a senior moment when half of America could see it every day on their television screens. And I I think that there was a bit of a blind, a willful blindness to it from many Democrats who wanted to see Joe Biden or any Democrat elected in 2024. But it was predictable that it would be bad. I don't think what was predictable was how catastrophic it was.

[00:56:04]>> All right. Then Darren, your thoughts on that? And and also how what responsibility does President Trump have to be transparent with respect to the results of these tests? Is he being transparent enough?

[00:56:16]>> I'm gonna say this as an American. I want the person, in this case, President Donald Trump, who's leading our country, his number one responsibility is protect the homeland. I want him to be sane. I want him to be healthy. And I want him to have enough people around him, Russ, that will basically help him do his daily job uh as protecting us as American citizens. I want him to be mentally, physically, and emotionally able to do the job. Now, transparency, Donald Trump is gonna tell us he's in great shape no matter what, right? Um, I mean, he's gonna tell us he's got an amazing golf swing. He's gonna tell you that he doesn't drink, he does all these great things, he's healthy, he does all these things. And I think that's what he wants to project. But the fact that you just told us that he's turning 80 uh is a concern after Joe Biden. Now, I want to say this about the you know Joe Biden and we had this conversation on Red Clay Rundown about a week ago is that we were led to believe that President Joe Biden was in better shape than he was. Um Brian is right. I remember that vividly at MSNBC and you know we all checked our sources and unfortunately that debate performance is going to live with him forever. But what we also saw here in Georgia, because it's a Georgia show, is that Joe Biden got on a commercial for Kesha Lance Bottoms and just looked as healthy and as vibrant as ever. And and I think that was part of the reason why she got the, you know, overwhelming vote that she got, right? Because he was a former president uh who talked about her and and what he's doing. So, you know, I think that the president has to be transparent. We want to make sure that not only is he physically, emotionally, and uh in um intelligently enough to do the job, but we also want to make sure that the people around him are propping him up, giving him the support uh that he needs. And I think that that's where a lot of Democrats when we look at this autopsy report that's come out is that we believe that a lot of people around uh President Biden at the time were not being transparent, were not being honest with themselves and was not being transparent with people like me and others across the country who were Democratic surrogates at the time. So let's just wish the president good health. Let's continue to make sure that he doesn't do anything like Biden did and go out and say some things and freezes the way Biden did as well. But I think that ultimately um President Trump is going to continue to let us know that he's in good shape and and long as he's able to show that visibly when he's out and about in the public, I'm I'm okay with it.

[00:58:41]>> All right. Finally, we'll lighten things up. Some unusual construction going on at the White House right now. The South Lawn being converted into a combat sports arena with a UFC octagon in the middle. More than 4,000 people will be watching on the lawn of the night of the fights with an additional 85,000 free tickets issued for people to watch on the Ellipse. Of course, we're looking at the front of the White House. The the stage is going up behind and you can see a little piece of the Washington Monument behind the fight night. June 14th, President Trump's 80th birthday.

[00:59:14]Uh you they're actually going to do the weigh-ins at the Lincoln Memorial. Not exactly I have a dream type stuff, but what do you think, Brian? We have two minutes.

[00:59:23]>> Yes. Uh I think this is going to be quite a fun spectacle. And this this goes to show one of President Trump's great political strengths and his ability to connect with average Americans and enjoy the same things that they enjoy in their homes. And I've got some great news. I have been talking with Congressman Brian Jack from Georgia's third congressional district.

[00:59:45]He's very close to President Trump. And when he worked for President Trump, he would wake up every Sunday morning and talk about the Saturday night fights with President Trump. And I think I'm going to be able to get him to come on the show to talk about this uh next week sometime in anticipation of this big matchup on the White House law.

[01:00:02]>> Uh we'll look forward to that. Theren, you got 30 seconds.

[01:00:06]>> Look, I mean, you know, if this is what the president wants to do, I really want him to focus more on trying to get people back to work, lowering the inflation, ending this war in Iran. Um but you know the only thing that President Obama did U Russ was let a few of us call on his basketball court and play a little you know half court fullcourt basketball. But now if the president wants to bring a whole UFC fight um to the White House I mean you clearly know that he's a president that's never going to run for president again. So he's pretty much doing whatever he wants to do.

[01:00:33]>> Yeah. Dana White, the head of the UFC says he's honored to be doing this. He's a little bit worried about it raining on June the 14th. We'll see what happens.

[01:00:40]All right, gentlemen. Thank you so much and thank you for joining us for Red Clay Rundown. Uh our executive producer tonight, Josh Voit. Our producer is Connor Knox and our director is John Costa. I'm Russ Spencer. We'll see you tomorrow night.

[01:01:32]Hey, hey, hey.