In competitive political races, candidates with strong personal records and established political capital often face significant challenges when running against opponents with controversial statements or positions, even when those opponents have strong endorsements. The Texas Republican Senate runoff between Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton illustrates this dynamic, where Cornyn's 30-year Senate record and established political capital contrast with Paxton's legal baggage and controversial personal history, despite receiving a presidential endorsement. This case demonstrates that political viability depends not only on endorsements but also on a candidate's ability to withstand scrutiny of their record and character in the general election.
Will Red Texas Turn Blue? Karl Rove & Sen. John Cornyn on the Paxton Runoff | Brian Kilmeade ShowAjouté :
He is the greatest radio host in America, but he is off on the great Brian Kilme show. This is your humble correspondent from DC, Griff Jenkins, trying to fill Brian's giant shoes. And I don't know whether I am more intimidated having to live up to Brian Kilme's big shoes or the fact that I am going to interview the Indie 500 winner right now, Felix Rosenquist joining us.
We had him on Fox and Friends. He is such an incredible athlete and obviously champion on the track, but also one of the most outstanding guys off camera because I said, "Could you do a radio hit right now?" He's like, "Oh man, I've been doing like 20 straight hours of media, but why not? Let's do it. Felix joins us. Thanks for being here.
>> Thank you very much. Pleasure to be here.
>> You know, Felix, um I've been a fan of Indy500 for for years and obviously everybody was talking about, you know, would Alex Palo repeat wood ped award finish, but yet you stole the show and won by 200ths of a second. Walk us through that finish and how you accomplished it.
>> Yeah, thank you. that that finish was, you know, it's easy for me to say now, but as a race fan, I loved how that went down. Uh, as you said, it was kind of >> So did 350,000 other people, by the way, including myself.
>> I could hear that. It It was incredible to to have a last lap shootout like that where basically five different drivers could win uh side by side racing. And yeah, dude, it took a lot of it took a lot of everything. a lot of patience, bravery.
Um, yeah, I just wanted that win so bad.
And I feel like every year when I come back to India, I just get a little little bit better. And as you said, I I probably wasn't the guy everyone predicted going into the race that's going to, you know, uh, win it. But yeah, I I I felt more than any any other 500 that this one was special. We we had a rocket ship of a car. My team built me a absolute incredible car. It handles so well and I just had a feeling that day that this this car deserves some uh some milk on it in in the end of the day.
>> You're like connected with the with the car. Walk us through what it was like to come across that finish line and and and realize you've won in front of all those fans.
>> It's honestly I I I still haven't taken it in. It it was I was just in tears in the car. I never actually cried on a racetrack in my whole life. And I was just screaming and crying and every possible human emotion you can feel at that time. And it it's just an unreal experience and and stepping out of the car, you know, after finishing that inlap and uh jumping up at the top of my car and facing the fans and just hearing that roar. Uh cuz yeah, I can tell they love they love the show. They love that finish and that I I I got to be the lucky man to to stand in victory circle.
It was uh yeah, best uh best moment in my whole career for sure.
>> Did you feel and I got the uh privilege of getting to go in a two-seater and it was a blowway experience for me.
Adrenaline like never before. I'd love to do it a thousand times again. But but when you're racing, obviously you are hyperfocused. You're connected. Did you feel at some point you were really in sync flowing with that specific car?
>> Absolutely. I think that was pretty much the story of the of the end of the race for me. I was just driving on adrenaline. Uh, and it's it's kind of hard to explain to someone, but obviously be driving at the IND500 is a lot of risk and and you have to be very precise with your your driving inputs and it's very easy to crash and every time you do crash, it's a massive crash there cuz you're going at 230 mph. But those last two laps, I just it was just like a muscle memory driving. I I wasn't really thinking too much. I was I wasn't afraid that something was going to happen. Just willing to risk it all. And that that's why it was such a cool last lap that I just basically said, "Hey, if I end in the wall, I'll end in the wall." And I know my team, My Shank Racing, will be proud that, you know, we tried instead of settling in for for second or third. And and I think that's what Indy500 is all about.
>> Were you talking to your MSR pick crew saying, "We're going."
>> Yeah, that's what we said. They said on the radio, "Go get him. It's yours." and and we did something that no one's ever done before to to go side by side for a whole lap around there on a on a on a finishing lap and uh also the closest finish ever in in the history of the race. Yeah. I I just feel so lucky to to be that guy that that got to do that awesome last lap.
>> I I I want to get into literally you not only won the Indy500, you won the month of May because you became a father, your gorgeous daughter Stella. But before I do that, still talking about racing. At what point, Felix, in your life or in your career, did you say, you know what, I'm going to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway someday and I'm going to win it.
>> It was uh I mean, it's probably not very early in my life. You know, I watched Kenny Brack win it in 99, my fellow Swede. Um, and though it was such a I I never really thought that was going to be reality for me to even participate to be honest. And uh I was I just been kind of through a lot of different ups and downs in my career and it was kind of wholesome moment this weekend when you kind of look back at the journey uh that I've had and you know I'm 35 years old.
I've done this for 25 years and I I don't think truly I you you don't really dare to dream about being in that situation and and yeah, it's just yeah, it it's a lot to take in. I don't think I've fully taken it in yet. And this race, you know, it's one thing to finish it and win it and drink the milk, but then the whole other thing that comes afterwards, the, you know, the traditions, the the celebrations, the, you know, there's just so much more to winning the 500, but you'll ever every day, rest of your life, you'll wake up as a winner, and no one can take that away from you. And that's that's pretty awesome.
>> And you know what? You'll wake up every day and also be so proud of is being a father. So, you literally just became a father before this race. Talk to me about that.
>> Yeah, 4th of May uh was the day when our daughter came into the world and it's still that that is actually the best day of my life. Uh it's kind of hard to compare the two. I think as I said before, the the range of emotions that you that this month has taken me through. I'm Scandinavian uh Swedish and and I don't really I wouldn't say I'm the most emotional guy. I think that comes naturally for us. But yeah, I've widened my emotional spectrum by about a million times. It's I' I've cried more this month than I've done in my whole life. And and yeah, what a joy to be me right now. It's I I'm probably the happiest man in the world. And I can probably sit here and talk for 10 hours about being a dad. Like it's it's just such an incredible thing. And I it it changed me as a person immediately to the better. I I just felt like I stepped up as a human being. and I have responsibility and I have to become good at something else than going in circles and I just love it, man. I I feel like I was born to be a dad and my my beautiful wife Emil, she she was born naturalb born mom as well and I I'm just so proud to for our little family we have now.
>> Let me preview for you an amazing day that is coming in your life. I'm the father of two daughters. are both in their 20s, but at some point your beautiful daughter, young Stella, will will grow old enough and realize like, hey, wow, dad, you won the Indie 500 and you're going to get to tell her the whole story about how it happened.
That's going to be something.
>> I can't wait to just see that transition from telling her the first time when she can talk. Obviously, she won't understand what it means. And it probably it's probably going to take maybe a decade or two before she realized what uh you know when she entered the world what what went down and and the magnitude of it and the lucky charm that she she brought uh to us and that race.
>> Boy, she may be the lucky charm indeed.
Now let's talk about um you know this is obviously you were so kind and gracious to come and do a quick interview with us on radio TV. You got a bunch of publicity you got to do, but yet you got to race this weekend at the Detroit Grand Prix. Uh, it's it's a lot.
>> It is a lot. I'm probably the most sleepdeprived Indy500 winner in the 110 runningings we we've done. Um, yeah, it was a lot of partying obviously on Sunday night and then it's just been a whirlwind of interviews and media, you know. Uh, which is great problems to have, right? Uh and yeah, coming to Detroit on Thursday evening, I think, and there'll be practice on on Friday.
And I think historically, uh the Indy500 winner hasn't done that well in Detroit for very >> because they're fighting to stay awake in the car probably, >> but you know, it doesn't matter.
Honestly, I don't really think much about Detroit right now.
told myself, I'll let this just enjoy every moment of this and there will be a moment when you jump in the car and you will start focusing on being in Detroit and not Indie 500. And um but we'll we'll just enjoy every day till that comes.
>> Well, soak it all in. You deserve it.
Felix Rosenquist, congratulations. And by the way, I think we discovered that you are going to be the first face on that Borg Warner trophy with a beard.
That's pretty cool, too. I think that's an unbelievable stat. I can't believe that no one else has a beard.
>> I know, but you're the first.
Congratulations. Thank you for taking time. I know we got to turn you loose.
You got a busy day still ahead. Felix, thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
>> And this is Griff Jenkins filling in for Brian Kilme on the great Brian Kilme show.
>> I think our position is well stated. The president had a very important, I think, historic call just a couple days ago with a number of leaders from the region. And I think there's strong alignment and agreement on what a preliminary draft should look like. I think like anything with something like this and it's going to take a couple days uh to settle on even down to the disagreements over a word uh sentence.
So, we'll have to work through that. If there's going to be a deal, we're going to have to work through that. But this is uh you know, it's either going to be a good deal or there isn't going to be one.
>> Either a good deal or no deal at all.
Secretary Rubio echoing President Trump's position on potential Iran peace deal negotiations. This is Griff Jenkins filling in for Brian Kilme on the Brian Kilme show and we are very fortunate now to have former congressman and Lieutenant Colonel Allan West joining us on this program a great friend of this program. Colonel, it's great to have you.
>> Always a pleasure to be with you, Griff.
God bless.
>> God bless. you know, uh, we live in dangerous times and over Memorial Day as we talked about fallen heroes and and I know you have as I have walked amongst the heroic tombstones in Arlington National Cemetery many years in section 60 particularly, which is the global war on terror service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice. many that died because of Iranian bombs that were put into Iraq over the years and it really brings home the gravity of what's at stake here. You know, it there in that sound by by Secretary Rubio, he's quite cleareyed about these negotiations. Are you optimistic that this is going to produce results?
>> No, I'm not optimistic whatsoever. And uh you know I was there in Iraq and you know those explosive force penetrator IEDs were very dam damning to our men and women and also they were utilized in Afghanistan as well and I spent two and a half years there. But uh I came on active duty 7 days after the Beirut barracks bombing back in 19 October 1983. So Iran has always been present in my mind as in my service in uniform. And I, you know, deals are transactional.
And I don't understand why we use that terminology because this is not a transaction with the number one uh sponsor of Islamic terrorism worldwide, a a country that, you know, a regime that executes their own people. This is evil and you cannot make a deal with evil. The only thing you can do is you have to defeat it. And I know that we're talking about, you know, trying to, you know, leverage something with some of the other countries in the region so that we can have a peace accord with Israel. But I think the other countries in the region would like to see this menace going away. And the most important thing is that they're not holding the rest of the country, especially the Gulf Cooperation Council countries uh hostage there in that region and especially holding the rest of the world hostage by having control over the Straits of Hormuz. So, I think that we have to without a doubt and and I'm not a wararm monger. I'm not a neocon. All these other, you know, insidious labels that people throw, but as Sun Sue would say, you have to impose your will on your enemy. Uh, and that's the goal of a a combat operation. That's the goal of a war.
>> And you're not alone, Colonel West, in that viewpoint. The Wall Street Journal had an interesting oped that everyone's talking about. The headline is, "Will Trump bail out the Iran regime?" And it talks about the fact that we not only have greatly militarily degraded Iran to their weakest point uh in recent times if not ever over the past 47 years but we've also brought their economy to the brink of collapse and the journal is essentially arguing that if we bail them out if the president actually gives you know these economic sanctions relief and and opens up the oil routes again for them they will re they will recover and and they now know that they have a trump card, no pun intended, to play in terms of meddling in the straight of horses to get back to a negotiation table. That that's that's essentially sort of where you're coming from.
>> Yeah, absolutely. So, and you know, I had a piece on town hall.com yesterday that said the art of war, not the deal.
Uh, and that's what I'm trying to articulate. And so, when you look at the straight of our moves, Iran should not be in control of that straight. As a matter of fact, we just saw us attack a couple of Iranian vessels that were laying mines in the straits of Hormuz.
So that's them saying, uh, no, we we really and truthfully don't want to have any negotiated peace. We really don't want to have any type of deal unless we maintain control of the straits and let and also we maintain our position of tyrannical and totalitarian control over this country. So, you know, we talk about regime change. The I think the most the easiest way to come about this regime change is to force them out by their own hand. Uh is to take away their economic leverage, which means that they will not have a power leverage over the people. And if there's a means by which we can create a separation between the Iranian revolutionary guard corps and the regular army of Iran, I think that's the way that we can help the people to overpower the regime and the RGC.
>> Boy, you hit the nail on the head. I have harped a lot about this and you well understand that Middle East politics are different from American politics in the sense that they span a very long uh distance. And when you talk about separating the IRGC from the Iranian military, it's worth noting that the individual today right now that's running the IRGC is a guy named Ahmad Vahiti. Ahmad Vahiti was the guy that Moshaba Kami, the current Supreme Leader, who is the son of Ali Kami, who we have since killed. Ali Kami, the previous Supreme Leader, put Vahiti in charge of standing up the coupud's force in the 90s with the sole purpose of exporting terrorism to places like Lebanon, Hezbollah, and elsewhere. And then he turned Fahiti turned the the coups force over to uh Kasam Solommani who President Trump obviously has since killed. But but the fact that we're at this negotiating table knowing back in Iran running the IRGC who is certainly not a good faith negotiator and certainly a historical hardliner is in charge of the IRGC and we haven't taken him out. It really makes you wonder exactly who we would be talking to.
>> Yeah, that's the whole point. Who are we negotiating with? I would tell you right now, we're just negotiating with ourselves because as you just articulated, this is just another hardliner. And really and truthfully, he's the one that's in charge, not any uh, you know, head of the parliament or or speaker of their house or even the supreme leader. Uh, the person that's in charge is the head of the IRGC. And you just broke down the fact that he is a conduit for the exportation of Islamic terrorism. And if we want to defeat, you know, Hamas and Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and all this, we have to defeat the IRGC, we have to defeat their chain of command. And I think that should be our goal and objective. So well said, Colonel Alan Wilson, Colonel Alan West, sorry. Great to have you on the program.
We'll see where it goes. I'm just drinking it out of the fire hose of news and I'm messing up left and right, but it's always great to have my friend Allan West on this program. Have a great day, sir.
>> You too. God bless. Take care now.
>> God bless. This is Griff on the Brian Kilman Show. We'll be back >> because this type of facility shows exactly why we should not have private mass detention facilities.
>> They were raising not just concerns about the conditions but about how they are intentionally not being uh given access to the courts uh that this is a farce of a system. That was New Jersey Governor Mikey Cheryl and New Jersey Senator Andy Kim protesting outside of the Delaney Detention Hall in Newark, New Jersey, the ICE facility where we saw last year uh a handful of lawmakers getting arrested, including Congresswoman Lam Monica Macyver literally roughing up ICE guards and charged facing federal charges right now. This is Griff Jenkins filling in on the Brian Kilme show. We are so lucky to have joining us now, Congressman Jim Jordan on the newsmaker line.
Congressman, thanks for for joining me.
And you know, we we are we watching on on Fox, you know, all morning long.
We'll see where it goes. There's more uh protesters turning out. The protesters, by the way, are trying to set up a quote autonomous zone to block ICE from doing their job. And and of course, there's been this this uh claim by the governor and and and Democrats that somehow the illegal criminal aliens that have been apprehended under federal law that are being held in this facility are in some way being deprived of food. They're on a hunger strike and a whole litany of other abuses. The DHS secretary, Mark Wayne Mullen, saying that's absolutely nonsense. But what do you make of this?
Here we go again with another one of these spectacles.
No, it's it's just a continuation of a multi- multi-step plan the Democrats have enacted. Step one, of course, was during the B administration for four years, they let in 10 million illegal migrants. Step two, create sanctuary jurisdictions all over the country, which make it difficult to remove those illegal migrants when they commit another crime. Step three, don't fund the guys who do the removing. The Democrats have done that. We're still trying to get ICE funded in this reconciliation package. Step four, we had a hearing two weeks ago where you have these prosecutors in these sanctuary jurisdictions who actually give more favorable treatment to illegal migrants who commit crimes than they do American citizens. They will lessen the the charge. They will reduce the they will have a better plea deal so that those people don't get uh don't get deported. We saw this with Desano with Kraner in Philadelphia. Desano there in in Fairfax County, Virginia. And now the final step is go protest at the facilities where you're actually holding people. So like it's like what I I don't know what was that like five steps that they have but it's all part of a coordinated effort to just abandon the rule of law and and and never forget what sanctuary jurisdictions do. They tell the politicians tell local law enforcement don't work with federal law enforcement when it comes to enforcing federal law. So this is just a continuation of that. And as you pointed out, uh it was about a year ago, I think, when a member of Congress was actually arrested for for going after uh and and and in charge for assaulting uh uh a nice uh personnel there at that same facility.
>> That's exactly right, Lmonica MacGyver.
She's still facing federal charges. And Congressman, it's just for the life of me, I can't understand why Democrats, as we head into midterms, the Democrat party seems to be not only abandoning perhaps the greatest issue that cost them the election in the last goound, which was not paying attention to Americans who said, "Hey, we want our border secure. We want our communities to be safe from illegal criminal aliens who should be arrested that are rapists, murders, and the like." And yet they've been released particularly in blue cities in these sanctuary cities. Why are Democrats choosing to double down?
>> I do not get it because if if it's one it's it's more than we can count where in these jurisdictions someone has been given a special deal and they go out and harm someone in case like Miss Gorman in Chicago was killed. Uh the the she was the Lyola student there. Um and but but it it shouldn't surprise us that it's happening because remember sanctuary jurisdictions now are uh about a third of the population of the country now lives in one of these jurisdictions because they're I think it's 18 cities, 11 states, three big counties and the District of Columbia are all sanctuary jurisdictions. But they're big blue cities, big blue states. So, it's again, it's like 31 12% of the population lives in a jurisdiction where politicians tell local law enforcement, don't work with federal law enforcement when you enforce federal law. And it's just it's just dumb. But that's that's today's left. Uh I always I always say just about every single position today's left adopts is crazy. And you can, you know, you can go down the list. Defund the police, defund ICE, shut down the government, sanctuary jurisdictions, men against women in sport. I mean, it just on and on it goes. So, uh it's it's it's kind of sad that the Once Great Party, I think you they were just playing the speech by JFK before during the break before we got on. And it's like the once great party of of of FDR and JFK is now controlled by the radical left. And it's and it's actually sad and not good for the country. I think you're spot on because while we used to say, you know, the Republican party was the party of Ronald Reagan, it's maybe appropriate today to say that the Democrat party is the party of Bernie Sanders. And when you talk about, you know, all the different crazy positions they take, okay, let's talk about the taking down the billionaires.
The billionaires, as Bernie Sanders likes to talk about, that's one thing.
And that's a policy, economic policy debate with very wide ranging uh solutions to uh any sort of uh income income gap. But but when you talk about keeping communities safe, that's where it's so perplexing. And you mentioned Sheridan Gorman. You know, Sheridan Gorman's parents have spoken out quite viferously saying, "Why can't the politicians be for all Americans? And why can't they understand that we just want to make sure that there isn't another Sheridan Gorman?
>> Yeah, I don't get it. I I don't get why you would just abandon the common sense kind of just adhere us to the rule of law. I I don't know why you would do it.
I part of me thinks it's this this, you know, this attitude on the left that we got to get Trump no matter what. And his issue, of course, uh the issue for the Republicans in the last election for President Trump was securing the border and stopping this. I I think it's it's partly that. I think it's just that the radical element in their party is where all the energy is. That's where they raise the money and it drives the agenda for the Democrats. So, I don't know what it is, but it makes no sense. And um again, I think it's important that we highlight this in the midterms. If we're going to win, which I think we can, um we need to highlight I I I was I was I don't know a couple weeks ago I said I think this uh this election is really two sentences. They're crazy. We're not.
And highlight all the crazy policies.
and then the highlight we're we're the we're the party of like common sense.
And so, um I think I think that's what we got we got to point out here as we head into uh what now five months away the election.
>> Yeah. You know, Congressman, you mentioned, by the way, uh the the funding for ICE that's still uh unresolved and it's driven because of the politics on this ICE issue and and the vilification, if you will, of federal law enforcement, who by the way are literally only carrying out the patriotic duty of the laws that exist on the book, not trying to change the laws, which would be understandable if that's what they chose to do and, God forbid, they get into power again and decide to do, but we're talking about simply funding uh faithful uh federal law enforcement officers. Where do we stand with that?
>> No. No. Exactly. And and just uh just to highlight and underscore a little bit, it wasn't enough to harass these ICE agents when they're out doing their job, to dox them, to track them, to spit on them, to swear at them, and in some cases assault them. That wasn't enough.
The Democrat says, "No, we don't want to pay them." That that's literally where we're at. then no, we don't want to pay these guys for enforcing federal law and in sanctuary jurisdictions, we're going to work against them. I mean, that is how ridiculous it's gotten. And I'm like, I I just I'm like you, G. I just failed to like where is the common sense in that? And then, of course, the the consequences are as real as it gets. You can talk to all kinds of families in Fairfax County where Disconano gave these guys a great deal and they went and harmmed someone. You can talk to Miss Gorman's family, of course, in Chicago where it happened there. But every major uh sanctuary jurisdiction, there's a story like that. Many places multiple stories where an American or some case in some cases it was another illegal migrant was harmed because they did not enforce the law on an illegal migrant who committed some other crime.
And that is again I think that's something we're going to have to highlight as well uh going into this election. But more importantly, it' be it'd be great if they just stopped this ridiculous um behavior that we see in these uh in these jurisdictions. Boy, Congressman Jordan, I hope you do highlight some of that that you just said because as the guy that's covered immigration, the border crisis of traveled across continents with multiple caravans going all the way down to Colombia and and the the unbelievable jungle of the pipeline that was opened up under Biden. But but you you hit something that is often missed and that is the reason why Hispanics turned out in uh record numbers for Donald Trump last goround is because those migrant communities are often the hardest hit because where do the illegal criminal aliens live? They live in Hispanic migrant communities. And there were enough of the individuals living in those communities and and you saw this by the way. It's not some prognostication by Griff Jenkins here.
You saw I saw it on the border all along the southern border in Texas. These long traditional blue towns uh turned red and that was an affirmation that the communities that were most in the uh the you know crosshairs said we've had enough and if this guy's going to get us out of it, go for it. and and largely that's President Trump hasn't backed off of that mandate that he gave those voters.
>> Yeah. It turns out your your heritage and your skin color don't matter when it comes to safety. Everyone wants safety in their community and it's like that that's what we saw in that that uh uh in that last election. Um and it again we keep we keep using the term, but it's just good common sense for goodness sake. I do not I do not get what the left is is doing. And I've been down in Macallen, Texas. I've been down to the border several times as well and uh talk with folks down there and uh all all Americans regardless of what your heritage is want safe communities.
>> There is obviously this Senate primary playing out today in Texas between >> uh two Republicans, Senator John Corn and we'll we'll see u uh whether or not it looks like uh Attorney General Paxton's got got this. We'll see what the results are, but ultimately whoever wins will face in November. James Terico, a very left Democrat, a young Democrat, but he's made a number of statements. And one of those statements was he said that the border ought to be open and a place where they have a welcome mat laid out. And that's a pretty charged thing to say considering people were pretty fed up with the four years of the Bordon uh Biden border crisis. What's your take?
>> Yeah, and that's not the only ridiculous thing that this guy has said. Um, you know, I know people are saying um it looks like u Mr. Paxton is going to win that race uh today and that make it tough to to win in uh in November. I I think I think whether it's Paxton or Cornin, I think we're going to keep that Senate seat. I think we're the Republicans are going to win because you can point out all the ridiculous things that Mr. Tarico has said, the positions he has taken. Um uh and and and and remember it's Texas for goodness sake, right? Uh so I I think I think uh I think we're going to be just fine there.
But I do think it's important to highlight the the where Talico he he said all kinds of things uh that just make no sense. So um but I I feel good about that race as well.
>> Yeah. Aside from the border issue, which by the way, just putting out a welcome mat and opening the border back up is not going to fly with most of the border people that I've spoken to over the past several years. But he's also said that God was non-binary. He said there aren't two sexes, there's six sexes. And that that's, you know, this was in that DNC autopsy report. By the way, they they just failed to address any of the obvious problems. But one thing they did touch on, but they didn't extrapolate on was the fact that the Democrat party stopped listening to and stopped caring about Heartland Democrats. They only cared about the coastal Democrats. And ultimately, the fact that you've got Democrats that are going to go to the to the ballot box in November and they've got to deal with like a guy like James Telerico, I don't think it's going to work and they're going to have the same problem, which is one of the only things they pointed out in their own uh botched release of a DNC autopsy.
>> Yeah, it's it's funny because what you said I think is is so true and it the great example is our state. Ohio used to be the bellweather state, you know, 50-50 state. You had to win Ohio to be president. Well, since President Trump's come along, he he won Ohio by 8 and a half and 16, 8 and 1/2 and 20, and 11 and a half in 2024. And he has changed our state because of what you just described. We're the workingclass middle class families like the one I came from where I mean, my dad was a union worker at General Motors in Dayton, Ohio. those those type of people and type of families we've all now we're like Trump Republicans and and it it's that kind of change because it's looking out for middle America uh families and is is so true and it's it's had a huge impact on uh on our state.
>> It has indeed. Congressman Jim Jordan, it is great to talk to you as always and uh we'll see where things go. It's going to be an interesting day down in Texas.
Thanks for joining us.
>> You bet, Griff. Take care. Thanks.
>> All right. You too. This is Griff Jenkins filling in for Brian Kilme on the great Brian Kilme show.
This is the great Brian Kilme show.
Griff Jenkins pinch hitting today for Brian. He has the day off. And you know, I've said on this program before, I started my career in the 90s and talk radio and there's no place I'd rather be. I got the honor to work with Colonel Oliver North and his radio show and then the great Tony Snow and the medium is what makes the magic because unlike in television where you've just got two seconds to talk about things and you got to move so quick on radio you can actually expand on things and that's why when we just heard Congressman Jim Jordan talking about a number of things but we were talking about that DNC autopsy that DNC report that wasn't going to be released uh but then wased and they botched the release. It's worth taking a moment and talking more about it only because this is a party Ken Martin, the DNC chair, literally botched releasing a report about why Democrats lost so bad. Donald Trump won every battleground state, not just Ohio that Congressman Jim Jordan was talking about, but all of them. And it is time that if you were the DNC, you would say it's time that we really are honest with ourselves, look in the mirror and say, "All right, here's what we did wrong."
They literally left out all of the obvious ones. One was that Kla Harris was the wrong candidate. Two, that they should have had a fairer process. Three, the fact that they didn't even acknowledge the president then, Joe Biden's uh mental decline. But I thought it was interesting when, and by the way, my favorite line was that one Democrat said that the DNC autopsy now needs a malpractice attorney, which sort of says it all. But President Donald Trump weighed in on maybe what he could have done for the DNC. Listen, >> did you see they did an autopsy on why they lost the election and they said you lost the election because of Trump primarily, but other than Trump, you lost the election because you had crappy candidates and you had bad policy and they didn't know how to speak properly and they weren't smart people and various other reasons. I could have given him the autopsy without any charge at all.
And in the autopsy, what really at least got mentioned, but not really held up enough, is that there was a either intentional or they perhaps made the mistake of just not listening to their own members. And that's why you have what I call a a a literally uh competing group of Democrats now in the Democratic party.
There are the coastal elites, the coastal Democrats, and then there are heartland Democrats, people all across the country in Ohio, in Wisconsin, down in Texas, and they were saying throughout the process that they wanted an input on the policies. They're not with AOC. They're not with Zoron, Mom, Donnie. They don't care about making sure that biological men can play in women's sports. They have literally kitchen table issues that they wanted addressed and they were ignored. And there's no indication that they've even learned that lesson. This is Griff Jenkins filling in on the Brian Kilme show.
This is the great Brian Kilme show and Griff Jenkins here filling in pinch hitting for the great Brian Kilme and what an honor it's never lost on me to sit behind a microphone particularly on the fastest growing best radio show in the country for a kid that started his career in radio and I'll tell you it's fun too because talk radio has one bread and butter and that is certainly politic politics and down in the lonear state today we have a Texas primary Republican runoff race that has garnered the attention of the country that is Senator John Cornin the incumbent senator there who has been in office for some 30 years I believe now facing off against the attorney general Ken Paxton who has had no shortage of personal shortcomings and and a lot of baggage coming with it didn't look like he was really going to mount a a really formidable uh campaign against Cornin in the early days. But then he began to rise and then he got the Trump endorsement and you can look at so many other primaries where the president uh president's endorsement has been a key factor that has really changed the trajectory of this race. We don't know where this is going to go.
Texans are taking to the ballot boxes literally as we speak today. But many believe that Paxton is probably going to pull out a win. And that would be fascinating. He will face off against a Democrat that many have compared to Betto Oor because of the crazy things that James Telerico has been saying out there from everything from saying that there are six sexes, six sexes instead of two and that God is non-binary. We're going to dive deeper into the Democrat uh candidate there, but but it's worth laying out the fact that this Trump endorsement has no doubt put Cornin in a difficult position. And President Trump leaned in even on social media today saying that Senator Cornin. He chose Paxton over Cornin because of Paxton of Cornin's refusal to support some of his agenda including the Save America Act that the president wants the Senate to pass so much and Senator Cornin has been addressing that. Here he was talking about the Trump endorsement. Senator Cornin cut 13. Listen, >> obviously, uh, you know, I've worked with the president a long time and, uh, and I want him to be successful. I'm proud of my voting record, supporting him 99.3% of the time and appreciate him, his comments about u about me in the early stages of this runoff where he called me a good man and a friend. Um, so nothing has really changed, but obviously the president uh is entitled to make his pick.
So that's Senator Cornin doing the best he can to avoid an elephant in the room that the Trump endorsement is going to be very very uh difficult for him to pull out. And Cornin also chose to go after Kin Paxton and attack some of the quote baggage that he brings. Here is Cornin again cut 14. because I think Ken Paxton's flaws and the baggage he brings to the general election is going to be exploited to the fullest by James Talerico and by Democrats. Um but then it's not only the the that Senate seat he puts at risk, it's also all the down ballot races. Um state legislative races, local races like the judges and the like. A lot of the Senate race is the top of the ticket in the midterm election. So President Trump's not running. of the Senate race will be at the top and I believe that I would be in a better position to help uh provide a significant margin of win a winning margin not only in my case but also to help everybody down ballot.
>> But Ken Paxton is pushing back aggressively and he's saying that that claim by Senator Cornin that Paxton will hurt Republicans is not at all the case.
Cut 15. Here's the attorney general.
This argument is made by John Cornin because he's having trouble in his own primary. There's no data that suggests that he's right. As a matter of fact, most of the polling suggests I'll do as well or better than John Cornin.
Secondly, I've already won three statewide races in a row. Some of them by large margins. So that's ridiculous.
But you're right. This focusing back on the real problem, James Tarico. This guy, we just heard some of his views.
And there are more views that are very strange and very strange things that he said. I think he was asked uh what he thinks about in his spare times and he said I think about ch trans transgender children. That's a very strange response and as you just heard this idea that God is non-binary that there are six genders is is I don't think going to fly with Texans.
>> We're going to get into James Terico in a moment. But first let me please welcome a man that knows more about Texas politics than any human on the planet and that is our friend Carl Roof.
Hey Carl, thanks for joining us.
>> Thanks for having me Griff. And is this going to be permanent? Have you Have you forced uh Kilme into exile abroad someplace?
>> That's right. I stole Congratulations.
>> I stole his TV seat and his radio. No, he is off on some sort of important crazy Brian Kilme mission. And I'm honored that they let me sit in as you know I was saying at the very beginning, you know, I was just a kid producing radio back in the 90s with Ali North and then Tony Snow and and to be behind a microphone. And it's such an honor and also an honor honestly with with all seriousness an honor to talk to you right now about this Texas primary underway right now as you and I are talking. Voters are going to the ballot box. But this I think you would know I correct me if I'm wrong. This is one of the most expensive Senate primaries maybe ever. And it looks like Ken Paxton may be headed towards victory today. And and and you can't discount that Trump endorsement carrying a lot of weight.
Well, you have to carry give it all credit to that. Um, polling be the day before uh Trump endorsed the president endorsed Paxton, polling showed that um if the among the people who had read, seen, or heard about Ken Paxton, 37% said they'd be more likely to vote for him in the primary and 47% said what they'd heard about him would be less likely. So, he was on his way to defeat until the president came in and endorsed him. And you you got to give the president credit. Uh he he uh he's got a powerful endorsement to give in the primaries.
>> He sure does. And what's fascinating is while we are at the Republican primary today, we sit today 161 days from the midterms. And whether it's Paxton or Cornin, he's facing off against James Telerico who as you heard Paxton there talking about all the crazy things he's been saying. It's it's almost Carl like uh James Telerico turned to Betto Aoric and said, "Hold my beer. Let me show you the crazy stuff I can say." And we pulled uh the latest one from him.
Telerico on a podcast had this to say.
Cut 18, guys.
>> I think about someone like Pope Francis.
I think about someone like Pope Leo.
These are spiritual heroes of mine. Um, both of them are firmly opposed to abortion rights. Um, so we disagree on that issue. Uh, I trust Texas women to make decisions about their own bodies, to shape their own destinies in consultation with their family members, their doctors, their faith leaders. I don't believe that's a place for government. I don't believe it's a place for politicians. I don't believe it's a place for the state.
>> Where's he going with that, Carl?
>> Well, remember the the context here. He is a divinity student. Uh attended a Presbyterian Divinity School here in recent years in Austin, Texas. Very liberal divinity school. And so he he is a Christian albeit of a liberal bent.
And so this was how he was squaring his views with the views of the Catholic Church. Having said that, Paxton's right that that he's going to go after the crazy things that that Taloric was saying, but on the other hand, the Democrats are going to go hard at Paxton over the scandals that surrounded him.
Remember in 2023, it was a Republican state house of representatives that impeached him. And you know, we know that he's got he's had multiple girlfriends. uh one a corrupt business guy who was found guilty of bank fraud.
Uh gave his one of his girlfriends a job so she could move close to Austin to be near Paxton. Uh the the Krub businessman set up a fake Uber account in the name of David P. So, we now have because of the records of the impeachment, we can now have because of the impeachment, the Texans know exactly when he left his house uh using the Uber account to go to his mistress's uh apartment and when he returned from the apartment in the middle of the night or maybe didn't appear to return at all cuz she drove him home in the morning. and and here's a guy who admitted to to violating the Texas whistleblower act and then put passed the $6.7 million bill onto the taxpayer. So, you know, in the general election, this will be Paxton talking about uh Terico saying God is non-binary and the Democrat backed by an enormous amount of money saying he's a crook. So, it's going to be one of the ugliest contests. And one of the things is Paxton is not a good fundraiser. He has raised $7 million through the end of May. At the end of March, Telerico had raised $41 million.
>> Wow.
>> So, the Democrats are going to come hard for Texas and money that could be spent in Maine or North Carolina or Michigan or Alaska or Florida or, you know, some of these other contests, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas. Instead, is going to have to be spent in Texas. And we got a guy who is not a good fundraiser and is also not a good candidate. He in the last his last election he trailed the other six wide statewide Republican candidates by 154,000 votes and the election before that he trailed them by 177,000 votes. So >> wow, >> you know, problems.
>> Yeah. I mean, listen, I'm I'm listening to you and this is why it's so great to have you because nobody knows this stuff better than you. And it was really a a sober realization because we've heard for years that a politician is going to turn red Texas blue, red Texas blue, and and it's not it doesn't happen. But you're you're sort of laying out that this is a real concern here. I mean, this could be a a very significant uh uh challenge, possibly uphill climb for Paxton.
>> Yeah. And look, even if Paxton wins, it could be like, remember in 2018, U Ted Cruz barely held off Robert Francis Oor, you know, 50.9 to 48.3. It was a close race. Republicans lost two congressional seats and a dozen seats in the state house because the Democrat turnout was grew and the Republican turnout was not as energized as it as it could have been in 2018. It was the it was President Trump's first midterm. Well, now it's worth a second midterm. And even if Paxton wins, which is I think very much up up for grabs. I mean, when he last ran, we didn't know all of this stuff.
We didn't know about misuse of government funds or securities fraud.
We're learning stuff today. He he a guy in for a lawyer in Waco, the the the the attorney general has some special authorities in sex trafficking cases, and the attorney general's office was involved in this case in Waco.
a lawyer had sexually abused the friend of his child of his child for years and he was found guilty and uh the the the attorney general's office said, "Well, let's give him time served," meaning, you know, like a couple of days in the pokey rather than 20 years. Even the judge said, "I I I cannot believe that the state is recommending essentially no punishment for this man who committed this horrendous act." Well, guess what?
Turned out his lawyer was the same lawyer of the corrupt business guy who gave him the fake Uber account and paid for his girlfriend, his mistress, to have a job in Austin and for whom the the attorney general did favors. The attorney general uh literally appointed a quote special prosecutor whose only job it was to go after the the creditors of the corrupt business guys. So anyway, the Democrats are going to if Paxton is the nominee and and look, I say this, I'm a friend of John Corners. I want to be clear about that. I've known him forever. We were young guys together in the Republican party in Texas when they when the state wasn't that Republican.
But let's not kid ourselves. Paxton will be able to go around and say this guy's a vegan and this guy says God is non-binary and they're six genders, but the Democrats are going to say you're a crook and let's talk about the the specifics. It's not going to be a pleasant year for Republicans in Texas if he's the nominee. And and and what you're describing there is what we call bringing the receipts. It's not just a accusation you're making to sort of, you know, taint the the candidate as being possibly uh poor character judgment.
This is actual receipts. This is hard stuff that Texans are going to look at because Texans, I'll give you this, you guys are independent-minded. You're going to you're going to do you love Donald Trump. Trump's very popular in Texas, but you are independent-minded voters and they're going to see this stuff.
>> Yeah. And look, you know, here's a guy who admitted to violating the whistleblower act, but he did so after delaying it and delaying it and delaying it so that he would not be put under oath and forced to testify in it. And finally, you know, when that all of those legal opportunities ran out, he said, "Okay, I admitted I violated the whistleblower act." And this and the penalty was $6.7 million. And he said, "Well, you know what? I'm not going to pay it. I'm gonna leave it up to the legislature to pay it on my behalf.
>> Wow. We'll see where this goes. Carl Rove, my friend, thank you for joining us as always. Great insight and we may be talking about that Senate race as the midterms come up more so than any other in the country if this is really how it plays out.
>> Yeah.
>> All right. Well, thanks again for having me and congratulations for filling in.
>> Thank you, Carl. Have a great day. And this is Griff Jenkins on the Brian Kilme show. Don't touch that dial.
This is a Brian Kilme show. Griff Jenkins filling in for the great Brian Kilme today. And this radio show does make you think. And what we just heard from Carl Rove there certainly makes you think, wait a minute, could we actually see red Texas turn blue in the Senate there? And we're going to talk in just moments from now with Senator John Cornin. And I'm going to ask him about all sorts of things and and certainly what Carl just talked about. But you know that if if for some reason the Republicans lost this Senate seat and James Terico won, it would be a part of what Democrats are projecting is going to be this giant blue wave. And Carl Rove recently wrote a piece and and we were talking about the primary because that's in news today down there. But he wrote a piece a while back talking about maybe the Republicans only shot at stopping a blue wave is the fact that people on the far left, particularly people like AOC, is going to do the job of saving the Republicans from defeat in the midterms. And that's because AOC in her very farleft uh politics is eyeing that 2028 presidential nomination. and she says she's not running whatever. She's got bigger ambitions. In fact, I'm about to play that for you. Before I do, I want you to realize that we are seeing her making a half a dozen or more presidential style stops all across the country in Alabama, in Atlanta, and elsewhere, rallying the troops to get behind the very issues that cost the Democrats election in every battleground state in the last election because of particularly at the top of the list were the open borders. She has been giving all these speeches saying that opposition to open borders, meaning have wanting to have a secure border, makes you in some way a racist. She said things like, "Billionaires can't make a billion dollars. They It's not possible.
They're not allowed to." But when she gets asked about, "Is she running for president?" This is what she's been saying. Cut 30.
>> They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat. My ambition is way bigger than that. Um, my ambition is to change this country. Presidents come and go, but singlepayer healthcare is forever.
A living wage is forever. Workers rights are forever. Women's rights, all of that.
>> You have to listen to politicians. They will do what they say they want to do.
And the key phrase there was, "She wants to change the country.
And here in New York City, we have a Democratic socialist. Zora Donnie AOC is a Democratic socialist and what she wants to do. And we'll see what happens in Texas. You need to be paying attention. And that's why the Brian Ky show makes you think.
All right. You want breaking news?
You've come to the right place. The Brian Kilme show. Griff Jenkins filling in for Brian today. And I say that we can break some news because we have a news maker on the line and that is the longtime serving Senator John Cornin from the state of Texas in a primary battle of his life. Senator, it's it's great to have you here. Thanks for joining the program.
>> You bet, Griff. You know, Senator, you probably couldn't hear it, but we were talking uh in a previous segment earlier in this hour with Carl Rove, who said, "Listen, in full disclosure, I'm friends with uh with Senator Cornin for a long time, but he said, Griff, the concern is that there is so much baggage with Ken Paxton. If he were actually going to win, it changes the dynamic of the race against a progressive left candidate who seems to have topped Betto Aoric in terms of saying some of the most outrageous things that voters aren't going to uh vote for in Texas. But yet the baggage of his legal problems would be the focus of the Democrat attack on the Republican and the general, whereas you would be able to just simply go after the character of James Telerico.
Now, Attorney General Kim Paxton spoke out on Fox and Friends about this claim that Paxton would be weaker in the general and and here's what he had to say. I want you to listen to it. I know you've heard it, but I'll play it for you so our listeners can hear your response. This is cut 15.
>> This argument is made by John Cornin because he's having trouble in his own primary. There's no data that suggests that he's right. As a matter of fact, most of the polling suggests I'll do as well or better than John Cornin.
Secondly, I've already won three statewide races in a row, some of them by large margins. So, that's ridiculous.
But you're right, this focusing back on the real problem, James Tarico, this guy, we just heard some of his views.
And there are more views that are very strange and very strange things that he said. I think he was asked uh what he thinks about in his spare times and he said, "I think about ch transgender children." That's a very strange response. And as you just heard, this idea that God is non-binary, that there are six genders is is I don't think gonna fly with Texans.
>> We're gonna get into Telerico, but first, Senator, your response. Would you be the stronger candidate in the general?
>> Yeah, of course. Griff, um Paxton's arrogance knows no bounds and he's gotten more and more reckless uh over time because he has gotten elected and he hasn't really been held accountable until now. Uh but he's underestimating what uh the Democrats will do in November with somebody like James Talerico who raised $27 million in the first quarter of this year alone. And there will be a tsunami of money coming into the state and all of this that most general election voters have not really been paying attention to, particularly independents and some Democrats. Uh this will be new fodder for the Terico campaign and I think there's a real risk that uh Paxton could lose uh elect the first Democrat in statewide politics in Texas since 1994 and take the rest of the ticket down with him. Um I think that's a real risk.
President Trump obviously gave his endorsement to Baxton and as we've seen in several races before yours, the Trump endorsement is carrying a lot of weight.
Have you had a chance to to communicate with speak with President Trump or what's your message to him?
>> Well, President Trump has called me a friend and a good man and I appreciate that and I've been an ally of the president. much of what he's accomplished in his first and second term, I've certainly helped him with, particularly the confirmation of three new Supreme Court justices. Some really important stuff. And so I think the president is uh my situation is a little different than Massy's or Cassid's. Uh he is frustrated, I think, with the Senate as a whole and the inability to get some things across the finish line.
And I can tell you that the Senate uh being the Senate is a frustration to almost every president because things operate very slowly. But uh I'm in this u in this to help the president because I want him to be successful. I want uh uh Republicans to win up and down the ballot. And I don't want to see him having to go through a third impeachment and another uh trial in the Senate, which he will if if we lose the House.
It's remarkable to me uh to consider that that we heard for so many cycles previously that red Texas was going to turn blue and it didn't happen. And now you're talking about Telerico's got this fundraising prowess and Paxton if he were to win tonight would carry a lot of legal baggage that Texans would look at.
They're not going to not pay attention.
And Carl Rove made a good point noting that prior to this endorsement, there was some polling asking Texans, Texas voters, uh, if they would be more likely or less likely to vote on to vote for Kim Paxton if they, you know, now knowing what we know about the legal number of legal issues that he he has.
And I believe Carl cited 47% said less likely, the Trump endorsement really changed the dynamic. But, uh, how concerned are you that should Paxton win that that that that you're going to that seat's going to turn blue?
>> Well, I know Texans and I know Texas.
Um, and Tex in Texas character still matters and I think u that's going to be, you know, the biggest problem that a Paxton candidacy will have in a in a general election. But here's here's this the strange thing about these kind of runoffs. um there's going to only be maybe 8% of registered voters who will vote in this runoff and we've been encouraging as many people as possible including the 3/4 of uh registered voters in Texas that didn't vote in the primary. You can vote in the runoff. So, um 829,000 so far have voted in early voting and that's probably somewhere around 60% of registered voters. But I don't know why anybody would delegate to a small percentage of the registered voters their right to have a voice in who their their senator will be. And and I think uh the better the turnout uh the more the better we will do. And I believe that it will demonstrate that once again uh that character does matter.
>> You may have some of those Texas voters going to the ballot box right now in their car listening and in these final moments. What's your final closing argument? What do you what do you say?
What's your message to them?
>> Well, the real question is, do do Republicans want to win? And I want to win. I've spent most of my adult life trying to build the Republican party in Texas and around the country through electing Republican senators. And I know that if you don't win elections, you can't govern and you have to play defense. We cannot turn this country back over to uh to the Teros uh who will govern like uh Barack Obama and and uh and Joe Biden. Uh uh Democrats have gotten so radical and so far left. It's not like any Democrats uh we've known in the past. Um so this is we're playing both defense and offense here, but I want to win. I want to help President Trump. I want to help uh America. and I think I'm the best qualified candidate in this runoff to do that.
>> It's remarkable to consider that James Telerico has made so many interesting uh statements that the Texas voters are like, what is he talking about? From God is non-binary to their six sexes. And I I think from the Texans I know that love eating red meat and ribs, his whole thing about saying he's vegan and then he shows up at a barbecue eating barbecue is among them. One of the most recent though uh sort of puzzling things he had to say is is this one. I want to play this for you Senator and get your reaction. Cut 17. Oh, I'm sorry. Cut 18.
>> I think about someone like Pope Francis.
I think about someone like Pope Leo.
These are spiritual heroes of mine. Um, both of them are firmly opposed to abortion rights. Um, so we disagree on that issue. Uh, I trust Texas women to make decisions about their own bodies, to shape their own destinies in consultation with their family members, their doctors, their faith leaders. I don't believe that's a place for government. I don't believe it's a place for politicians. I don't believe it's a place for the state.
>> I'm not sure Telerico's spiritual BFF would agree on that position regarding abortion. But you hear stuff like that, Senator, and you wonder how is that going to be the the candidate of of one of the two uh parties in Texas.
>> Yeah, I think Terico presents a target-rich environment uh and we'll need to be on offense the whole time.
The problem with the a Paxton candidacy is he'll be playing defense most of the time uh trying to defend his his uh irresponsible behavior um his lying to taxpayers, his senior staff, his uh his own family. Um and if if he does that, how how in the world can we trust him and what he has to say? So, I think Paxton will, this is what I think is being uh undervalued in terms of its impact on the general election. Is Paxton going to be playing defense almost on a daily basis? I, on the other hand, believe that I can go on offense because I won't have to defend all the baggage that Paxton has and I think have a chance of being more successful in the general election and helping Republicans up and down the ticket. uh which I which I am uh determined to do.
>> Should you win, Senator, and uh go back to Washington and win in the general.
You know, one of the criticisms, I believe it was in a a social media post today with President Trump leaning into this endorsement, saying that among the other things he's frustrated with was the Save America Act and and and that obviously is something that President Trump keeps indicating matters greatly to him. Would you see a path to passing the Save America Act if you return if you win and and were to return after the midterms?
>> Well, thanks for bringing that up, Griff, because I'm a co-sponsor of the Save America Act. Um, work with Mike Lee uh in the Senate and support the talking filibuster and efforts to get this done.
Um, what I can't do is I can't uh force other senators to vote the way I vote, but I certainly support it. And in a normal world, in a world where Trump derangement syndrome isn't uh the dominant force in the Democratic party, this would not be controversial. I mean, voting requiring American citizenship or requiring a a photo ID at the polls, I mean, that's that enjoys broad bipartisan support in every poll I've ever seen. So, I I support the effort to get this done and I'm committed to doing that. I said I'd even be open to revisiting the the filibuster and how it actually operates under these circumstances. Um, but there's a lot of misinformation out there u and people a lot of grifters who are trying to get famous and raise money claiming that I'm opposed to the president's agenda. And I think that's caused some confusion with the president himself, but I'm I've been supportive. Well, we'll see where this race goes. It's certainly one that the entire country is is watching. Center, thank you for taking time with us. Good luck. We'll see how it goes. And and uh you have said, by the way, I think it's worth giving you credit for it. You have said that, hey, this may be shifting and we'll see what the results are, but you will ultimately support that Republican ticket.
>> That's right. Thanks, Griff.
>> All right, Senator. Thank you very much.
We'll see what happens. And this is Griff Jenkins filling in on the Brian Kilme show. Don't touch that dial.
>> We are not going to get any of this with speeches alone or with any politician alone.
No one is coming to save us.
We need one thing. something the man speaking after me has been fighting for for 60 years. We need a political revolution.
All over this country, working people, including Republicans, understand that the economy is rigged, that the campaign campaign finance system is corrupt, that in fact we need a political revolution.
That was Senator Bernie Sanders and Democrat main Senate candidate Graham Platner, the Nazi tattooed oyster men that keeps stepping in controversy after controversy. This is Griff Jenkins filling in for Brian Kilme on the great Brian Kilme show. And what's amazing to me is that Senator Bernie Sanders, who I have argued has become the face of the Democrat party because of his ability to continue to get socialist far-left progressive candidates into primaries, to win primaries, and to ultimately win elections like we saw here in New York City where I sit with Zoron Mom Donnie.
What's remarkable remarkable to me is that well, there's two things. first that it appears that Democrats are not vetting their candidates anymore because a lot of the controversies that Graham Platner are uh are dealing with right now are are controversies that a vetting uh campaign person would have certainly have found. The other surprising part is that Bernie Sanders continues to stand behind Graham Platner despite the damning evidence and receipts being brought as they say about these candidates. One of the main issues that should be a disqualifying issue for a senatorial candidate were the Reddit posts that people dug up that Graham Platner said about Private First Class Ted Daniels. Private First Class Ted Daniels is a Afghanistan Army veteran that had on his social media helmet cam video of a moment when he was shot where his unit came under heavy fire. They were being attacked and pinned down and Daniels felt that the best move he could move do was to move into the open in the line of the fire to draw away the threat against his unit. He was given a Purple Heart for his valor and he was shot and fortunately lived. On a Reddit post, you had Graham Platner who goes out there and says that he was a dumb mfer and that he didn't deserve to live. And so Fox News Digital went up to Maine and approached Graham Platner and said, "Hey, would you like to take that back?
Here's how that went. Listen, >> I did four tours of the infantry. Uh, any attempt to say that I disrespect veterans is slanderous and offensive.
>> Do you think you owe him an apology?
>> I uh do you know how many of my friends have purple hearts? Do you know how many of my friends got wounded?
>> So that's a hard no. By the way, uh to credit private first class Ted Daniels, he uh talked to the New York Post and said, "You know what? At this point, I don't want the apology. It wouldn't hold any water. No need for him to apologize.
What he wants is he wants Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and AOC and every far-left progressive that's supporting Graham Platner to say to Daniel's children's faces that they are supporting a candidate who doesn't want their dad to live. Now, I will also give credit to Democrat Congressman Jake Aenclauss, who by the way is a veteran, a Marine himself, who fought in Afghanistan where Private First Class Ted Daniels did. He's saying, "Hold on.
This this is unacceptable along with the Nazi tattoo." Listen here.
>> No weighing in on Graham Platner.
>> I've been clear about Graham Platner. I find that tattoo and his commentary about it to be personally disqualifying.
I hope Maine voters uh agree with me. Uh I think there would be a mistake for the Democratic party to think that Graham Platner's brand of uh uh of the Democratic Party is what wins us durable majorities throughout this country.
>> Wow. So, we'll see where where that goes. But here is up in Maine this candidate who gets into a whole number of controversies. And that's by far the only thing that is disqualifying for Graham Platner. Susan Collins is going to have her hands full though because you're seeing the energy in the Democrat party is in this far progressive socialist left and the the oyster with the Nazi tattoo seems to be only turning up the heat. We'll be back on the Brian Kilme show.
This is the great Brian Kilme show.
Griff Jenkins here pinch hitting for the great Brian Kilme. And what a day of news we have. I seem to say that every day. And one of the issues that election after election continues to be made clear is that the economy is at the heart of all politics.
James Carville, of course, coined with that phrase, it's the economy, stupid.
James Carville said a lot of pretty crazy things now lately, but that one still rings true to be fair to him. And whether you're on the east coast, the west coast, or in the heartland, the decisions you make as the head of a household or a spouse for your children are based on economic decisions.
And President Trump has taken a lot of different routes to restoring the economy after being decimated under the Biden administration. And we are fortunate to have joining us on the Brian Kilme show, a guy that actually can not speak in political oneliners, but drill into the actual issues on the economy and the policy.
That's Judge Glock, the director of research and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Judge, it's so great to have you and you know, someone of your expertise. I have to really think about the questions I'm going to ask to make sure I'm setting you up to explain to people because Americans are are are confused maybe by this economy right now. We see obviously President Trump making all sorts of deals with countries just got back from China and we've seen and heard so much about the tariffs which have been so politicized and you wrote a great piece saying that industrial policy is not populist and you sort of start with the Biden infrastructure act which just sent a boatload of billions of dollars out to companies versus the industrial policy of the Trump administration. ation and I want to set you up to to sound off because it's so educational for the great listeners to the Brian Kilme show.
But before we get there because you understand the economy, I think a lot of Americans are wondering, hey, so gas prices are killing me. But at the same time, we're also seeing that GDP is growing. It's up a little bit.
And I'm hearing inflation is slowing ever so much. And so an average American rightfully wonders, is the economy good right now and is it good for me? What do you say to them?
>> Uh so it's clearly much better than it was just a few years ago, which I think we can all be very thankful for. So uh as you mentioned, inflation, the cost of living is probably the number one issue in American politics right now. And for good reason. Nothing impacts your average American uh as much as rising prices. Uh, and the reason President Trump is sitting in the White House right now is because of the inflation explosion that we saw during the Biden administration, which hit the highest level it hit in basically 40 years, almost 9% a year. That can be really devastating for people's daily lives, for their pocketbooks, for their uh for their household budgeting uh because wages did not keep up as fast. And so you actually saw a very sharp decline in real income for families during those Biden years. So inflation as you mentioned has come down and people are grateful for that but it's not down to the thing the level that most Americans want it to be or that it was say in the 2010s which was a much more manageable level of inflation. Right now, that 3% or so a year inflation is means your average dollar you're taking home, your fixed income bonds that you have, those are all still losing value at a pretty rapid clip. And Americans are really hopeful that that inflation get down maybe to the 2% target or if I if I had my way, of course, we get down to 0% and have none of your dollars lose value over the long term. But we got a long way to go to get there. And I think Americans are holding their breath until that happens.
>> A long way to go to get there. You're taking me back to the old Smokeoky and the Bandit theme song. I don't know if you remember Smoky and the Bandit, the movie. There's Eastbound and Down, loaded up and trucking. We got a long way to go. But you think about the reality of these gas prices right now affecting Americans. And we don't have a long runway. Even if President Trump gets a deal with Iran and the Straight of Hormus is opened up, it would take time for that to fall. Right.
>> It will. It'll take a little bit. And uh but the the oil markets right now are showing some optimism that the deal will be put in place, that the oil prices will begin falling later this year, and that we can expect to see some uh relief at the pump before too too long. Now, the old line in economics is a lot of these prices rise like a rocket and fall like a feather. And that might be the case here is that you saw this incredible runup right immediately after the Iran war. And it's going to take a long slow period of decline before they get back to those previous levels again.
And you know, gas prices are they're a big part of people's uh paycheck obviously, but I think the main reason they hit home so so hard is we have those giant numbers that we pass by uh on the highway and on the the big roads uh every day when we're driving by. And so on one level, it's just a symbol. We all know those numbers probably more or better than we know any other price in the entire economy. But another level, it's just a big chunk of uh cash that we all have to fork out. And it's going to be at least a little bit before they come down. even though I'm pretty optimistic they're going to hit their their previous level before too too long.
>> It's interesting because um the oil markets in terms of a a deal with Iran and and what's unfolding in the Middle East. It it and I want to get your read on it which will be more informed than mine but it does appear that the the oil markets seem to be showing some confidence that that that it's going to end up for the better.
>> Exactly. They they do not think the straits of Hormuz will be closed indefinitely. They think there will be a deal. They think the uh uh the ships and the tankers will start flowing out of the straits again, which is uh uh obviously much to be hoped for. And you know that I I tend to be a believer in markets and markets are are probably right in this case. Uh it's you and I can pontificate and we have good opinions and bad opinions maybe, but those people got their money on the line. when you got your money in the line, you have a good reason to make sure you're right about things. And right now, I think they're right that a deal is going to come and the prices are going to come back down. But again, they're predicting it'll take just a little bit.
>> I think they call that skin in the game.
Judge, I want to go into though because I thought your piece uh the industrial policy is not populist was so fascinating because when I look at and I think what was it 115,000 jobs added in April or something and and you look at the the increase in in jobs under the previous administration in this one and a glaring uh reality is that many of the jobs added under the B administration were government jobs and many of the Trump new administration jobs that are being added are private sector, but you in your piece lay out really the difference in industrial policy between the two administrations.
Walk us through that.
So yeah, I mean part of the piece was trying to show that, you know, that there's this general argument in the press that we live in a populist age, which I think is tough to argue with and that populists are suspicious of both business and government, which again I think is tough to argue with. But then you also hear the argument in the press, we live in a an age of industrial policy where the government is going to help out particular businesses in particular ways. Uh and to my mind, that's obviously antithetical to populism.
populists don't like the government giving special deals to businesses, tax credits and government loans and handouts and bailouts and all the rest of it. This is obviously one of the things that motivated the Tea Party in the 2010s, the bailouts of the big banks. And to my mind, with very good reason, the people are right to be suspicious about handouts to corporations and tax credits and so forth. And as I was trying to show, politicians have somehow been very capable at dressing up this industrial policy in populist language. And as you mentioned, I mentioned Biden administration, which in the infrastructure bill, in the in so-called inflation reduction act, which is obviously one of the great efforts in rebranding in American political history to take a big spending bill that was going to jack up prices and call it the inflation reduction act. Uh, and things like the chips act. All of those things the Biden administration said clearly this is for about good workers and uh getting good jobs uh in the American economy. Then you look at the act and you didn't have to look that hard and what did you see? The government giving hundreds of billions of dollars of tax credits to favored green corporations.
The government giving tens of billions of dollars to semiconductor uh uh firms that had no need for it. that were in one of the greatest booms in American economic history that were just flooded with cash and in the uh the infrastructure bill giving these billions to clean hydrogen uh hubs and electric vehicle companies and all of this. It was patently insane. Nobody on the campaign trail was saying please please uh voters vote for me so I will give hundreds of billions of dollars to uh green corporations and tax credits.
They didn't frame it like that but that's what these acts were actually doing. And so I was just trying to point out this incredible one could call it a disconnect or one could call it hypocrisy uh that we were all using this language of populism to talk about good manufacturing jobs or what the government was doing uh most especially under Biden but I think to some extent we can talk about that under Trump the government was trying to form uh industrial policy as a populist uh effort when it was obviously the most completely opposite to that in one format.
>> Yeah. And you know, uh, perhaps part of that new populist Democrat message is that you can't earn a billion dollars, but we'll have to leave that, Judge Glock, for another day. Thank you for joining us on the Brian Kilme show. It's great having you.
>> Thank you so much for having me.
>> All right, and this is Griff Jenkins filling in on the great Brian Kilme show. We'll be back after this.
Well, unfortunately, you're not with Brian Kilme today. You are with the great Brian Kilme show. However, it's Griff Jenkins filling in for the great Brian Kilme and we are talking about political issues that traditionally are often talked about but seem to have fallen to the wayside for uh social engineering issues if it's the Democrats that are driving it like talking about transgenders in sports. But we are talking about issues that matter to Americans regardless of whether you're Republican, Democrat, or independent.
And we just spent time talking there with Judge Glock about the economy, whether it's actually going well. And another thing that the Trump administration has done that matters to voters is is the issue of healthcare and a little bit of fraud. We'll get into that in a second, but but we have the honor now to bring on the program a guy that knows a lot about Trump RX. And I know you've heard about I don't know if you know exactly just how beneficial this could be specifically to you listening to that. John Stanford is the founder and executive director of Incubate, the national organization of venture capital firms united to support early stage life science innovation. And John, it's great to have you on the show. I think that uh if I'm correct me if I'm wrong, but you have met with uh Dr. Oz, you you've met with White House staff as they were rolling out the Trump RX and and ultimately this is Trump RX is and I'm paraphrasing for the layman, you can go deeper, is a bit of a sort of digital aggregator, a website or a coupon saver to help Americans to compare prices and and find out where discounts are available. Walk us through the significance. How is Trump RX going and and and will it work?
>> Well, Griff, first you did a terrific job. Uh so there's not too much deeper to go. So thanks for having me on. Um Trump RX is a a new form of way patients are going to access medicine because frankly our health insurance system is completely broken. And so a lot of credit to President Trump and it was great to see him join uh with Mark Cuban who's been on this and I was with Mark a couple weeks ago talking about health insurance has gotten so out of hand that it makes more sense for people to just pay cash for their medicines. And what President Trump has built through Trump RX, like you said, is this aggregator site. And so for anyone with any prescription should be checking it out because America's all about choice.
We're all about competition. Um, and the reality is we've gotten to a place with medicines where you want to be able to see, should I just be buying this thing to direct instead of through middlemen.
And you know, in DC, we've been talking about middlemen for the better part of a decade. President Trump cut the middlemen out of this site. And so now you as a patient, if your drugs on there, you can go on and buy it. And I think that's just a sign of how much work we have to do to reform our our broken health care system. And you're so right, John, to point out the fact that a guy like Mark Cuban, who has not been complimentary towards President Trump on a number of issues, says, "Wait a minute. This one, I'll cross the lines.
This is actually Americans, particularly uh seniors that are paying so much for drugs." And you know, I'm struck by when when they rolled out Trump RX and in this way that you know, you guys and that the White House has has come up with to find uh cheaper medicine. I thought, wait, hold on. I I remember covering Obamacare and Obamacare passed.
I I thought we were getting that. Wasn't Obamacare, the ACA going to deliver that, but it didn't.
>> It it really didn't. And the reason why is we continue to leave this bureaucracy in between the patient and their doctor.
You get sick, your doctor prescribes you a medicine, you should be able to take it. I mean, the insurers paint this position that we're going to all be wanting to take these drugs that we don't need. But who's out there wanting to take Kituda for cancer when they're not prescribed by their drug? And so we got to this place where we're totally out of whack, where it doesn't make any sense. If your doctor prescribes a drug and you have insurance, you should be able to access that drug, not two weeks later after you've spent six days on the phone getting prior authorization. And so we do great things in this country.
We invent the best medicines in the world, but we are standing between the patient being able to access them. And so I think we're going to see more of these cash markets in the years to come uh until we really find a way, you know, these out-ofpocket deductibles. We're not talking about $20 here, $50 there.
We're talking about asking Americans to pay the first five or 10 grand of their health care costs when they've been paying premiums for decades. And so, this is something that needs a lot of attention. I know the president's going to jump on this. I know he wants to see a lot more done to rein in these abusive reforms. You know, all the talk of PBMs.
There's more to do and I think that's where the president's going to put a lot of affordability emphasis.
>> I hope he does. And and like I said, we've taken the last half hour to hit the economy uh with Judge Glock in the previous one. We hit a little bit of health care here and you're so right and it matters. These are the kitchen table issues that matter to Americans. It's interesting because we were talking a little bit about Obamacare by the way.
Uh you talk about healthcare there. We are now seeing the uncovering of massive fraud nationwide. And on Fox and Friends this morning, I interviewed Montana's attorney general uh Kenudson, and he was talking about uh some $37 million in uh Medicare or Obamacare uh fraud that that the state of Montana clawed back. And you know, you look at some of the other cases. Are you seeing that that really one of the possible solutions to getting where you talk about better healthcare is to also fold in some of that fraud, address that as well.
>> I think it's certainly a place to look for where are the dollars going. You know, we spend so much. We spend a sixth of our economy on healthcare. And you know sometimes politicians on both sides but especially um on in the Democratic party a lot of people want to point to the drug development ecosystem. My peers who are trying to bring new medicines to patients but imagine if we targeted that energy somewhere else why are hospital why is an Advil in a hospital costing a thousand bucks instead of a nickel? You know these are the kinds of conversations we want to have. So something I'm excited about the current environment, the uncovering of this fraud, Trump RX, things like that. We need to be celebrating that this is where biotech and new medicine should thrive.
>> Yep.
>> We shouldn't be trying to squeeze that part of the ecosystem, the part we do really well, which China is nipping at our heels.
>> Oh, that's for sure. John, we got to leave it there. Great insight as always.
Thanks for joining us. This is Griff Jenkins from the Brian Kilme show.
Well, I hope the negotiations break down because every day that goes by is a gift to Iran. Uh it gives them 24 more hours to recover from the pummeling they took during the 6 weeks of USIsraeli attack.
Uh it gives them time to try and reconstitute their government which increasingly looks dysfunctional in decision-making capability. uh and it it postpones the day of reckoning ultimately uh when the threat that they pose to the to control over the straight of Hormuz is resolved in a way that they never come back and do it again. I I think the ceasefire was a mistake. I think these negotiations are mistake. I think we're on the verge of something that ultimately history will decide was a catastrophic loss for the United States. That was former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton just throwing all kinds of cold water on the Iran negotiations. This is Griff Jenkins filling in for the Brian Kilme show and we are lucky right now to have former GOP national spokeswoman Elizabeth Pipco joining us. Elizabeth, thank you. So I'm playing that because there's so much to unpack and like John Bolton, I get it.
So the the love is lost between Bolton and President Trump, but at the same time, the guy that was the national security advisor, the guy literally that should have been the individual worrying about the Iran threat, now witnessing the only US president of our lifetimes that was willing, really any in history, that was willing to take on an Iranian Islamic regime that for 47 years has been killing Americans, for which there are countless American heroes in section 60 in Arlington National Cemetery that are dead because of this IRGC regime.
And he is rooting for negotiations to fall through lest he even forgets about the fact that the president is also looking to fundamentally change the Middle East if you can get countries like Saudi Arabia in the UAE and others to normalize relations with Israel. What do you make of this?
Well, it's it's a complicated topic because I think when it comes to John Bolton, everybody kind of looks at him in one specific way now. Everything that he did prior to serving President Trump is kind of out the window and now everybody sees him as, you know, the guy who parted ways with the president in, you know, not the friendliest terms. And so when you listen to him, it's hard to not, you know, think that it's personal.
I think most people either dislike him for his views already, or people on the right dislike him for the way that he kind of jumped ship and parted ways, let's say, with Donald Trump. So, I think it's hard to listen to him and actually take his word. At the same time, even if you were to give him full confidence, it's hard to take anybody's word who's not in the physical room having these conversations, right? It's very easy to sit on Twitter, for example, and argue about what should be done when it comes to Iran. Uh it's easy to criticize folks for not yet having a deal or for considering a deal to begin with when most people having those conversations or feeling confident to share their opinions online don't actually have any clue what is being discussed, right? They're not at the table. They have no idea. Just like it's easy to say, I wouldn't have wanted this conflict to start to begin with. If I were President Trump, I wouldn't have done this to begin with. Unless you have seen the threats that Iran poses, unless you have the actual national security information that protects our country, it is impossible to say what you would or would not have done. So, I think for John Bolton, his opinion, unfortunately, is irrelevant for all sorts of reasons, mostly the fact that he's not in the room. That's me being very kind to him.
But when it comes to the conflict in general, I think Donald Trump said it best. I believe it was yesterday. He said, "We're having a good deal signed or we're having no deal signed." So, I think for all those that are, you know, being critical again before the information has been brought out to the public by this president, I think we should feel pretty safe in the fact that he wants America's national security interest to be protected in a way like they never have before. You mentioned previous presidents failing every time to address this threat, kind of kicking the ball down, making sure the next administration has to deal with it. I'm constantly explaining to folks that that Obama uh Iran deal was a horrible deal.
It really just delayed the IRGC's ability to have a nuclear weapon. It did not actually stop them in any way. And that's why President Trump is actually dealing with this right now and trying to make sure no future president has to make the same decisions.
>> And it um you I'm glad you raised that.
It's exactly the position of President Trump that look, he is trying to choose.
He is trying to show patience, I would argue, for diplomacy, but at the same time saying that there's either going to be a good deal or no deal at all, which is where John B wants to take it, which is back to war fighting and the whole uh no dust, no dollars is a pretty simple way to communicate to the Iranian regime. It's unclear, by the way, we should point out exactly who we're negotiating with and who holds the power. I would say the IRGC commander Ahmad Vahiti does, but Marco Rubio does have a seat at that table. He is a player. He's overseas and he he's he's I think Elizabeth really cleareyed about explaining the situation, which the Iranians are clearly listening to. I want to play a little bit of this. It's a little uh hard to hear, but it's really important. This is cut three.
Listen, >> the streets have to be open. They're going to be open one way or the other.
So, they need to be open. what's happening there is unlawful. It's illegal. It's unsustainable to the world. It's unacceptable. Um I don't know of any country in the world that doesn't.
The Russians are not in favor of the tolling system. The Chinese are not in favor of the tolling system. I mean, there's no country in the world that's in favor of the tolling system except regime and Iran. So that's not acceptable. That need that cannot happen. The streets need to be open unimpeded without tolls and um and obviously that needs to happen immediately as soon as anything.
So obviously he's traveling and that's a pool uh audio, but I wanted to play it because you've got the threat of the uranium and President Trump is saying that there won't be a deal unless you hand that over. But the other part is a straightfor which is obviously causing political headaches do domestically because of high gas prices. But ultimately, Rubio there is very cleareyed about the global impact of opening up that straight and it sort of underscores uh the question of exactly how many cards is Iran holding about holding the straight hostage versus them being forced to the negotiating table because their economy is on the brink of collapse.
>> It is and I don't think enough people want to talk about that because they don't want to give the president credit for what he's been able to do in these last few months. And I think the reality is unfortunately that President Trump, Senator uh excuse me, Secretary Rubio, most people I think that are involved in this situation on the American side uh have a lot more uh invested interest really in keeping innocent Iranians alive than the IRGC does. And I think you mentioned it before you played that clip, the president, Secretary Rubio, these are folks that are practicing immense patience, very very heavily committed to the diplomatic process who want to make sure we don't have to use military uh capabilities which our country very much has to destroy Iran.
That's what we want to avoid. And I think economic pressure is the best pressure. That's what any leadership, whoever remains, is worried about.
They're actually not worried about the livelihood of those protesters that they were slaughtering themselves before this started. And Griff, you mentioned it before you played that clip as well.
Senator, excuse me. Wow, I'm living in the past. Secretary Rubio, he's >> It's an easy mistake to make. I make it all the time.
>> He's not speaking to Americans here, right? He's speaking to the Iranian leadership that is listening. That's what you said. And I think the secretary knows this is the best way to do so because he can sit very safely over here and let them know exactly what we're thinking, exactly what we will not put up with. Right. And it's also Russia, it's also China. Our adversaries all around the world are listening to the secretary wondering what he's thinking, what we're going to put up with, and what we will allow to continue while we, like you said, wait it out for those diplomatic um resolutions really to to work out. Because if they don't, they know very much so what we're capable of and what will happen to whatever remains really of the IRGC.
>> Yeah, we'll see where it goes. And you know, for John Bolton, it's like gone are the days when politics stopped at the wat's edge, rooting against a good deal, which would be historic, unprecedented. I want to shift gears, though, with you because I I I know you'll have something to say about this.
We'll go from Tehran to Texas. Texans are at the polls as we speak, choosing between Ken Paxton and John Cornin. We had John Cornin on the program earlier, and we talked to him. He made his case and his case is is is a is a valid case.
He's saying that he is the better candidate to face James Telerico, who seems to be a newer version of Betto Oor if you consider the number of crazy things he keeps saying about God being non-binary, uh, six sexes, not two, and a long list of things which include, by the way, I'm a vegan. Then he's, uh, in photos eating barbecue. But but Cornin's arguing that the legal baggage that Ken Paxton brings into this changes the dynamic of the race because if Paxton wins and it does look like he probably will because of the weight of a Donald Trump endorsement which he got that that the the Republican candidate Paxton will be totally on the defense whereas John Cornin can just be on the offense all the time simply going after Telerico and all the weird positions. and things he said. How do you assess it?
>> Well, look, he's obviously right that I think Texans that are heading to the polls are thinking about this, right?
They might even prefer to vote for Paxton, but then of course worry about what comes next. I mean, Telerico is, you know, their their nightmare of a candidate, I think, for most Texans. So, I completely agree with Cordin's analysis that that is maybe a great way to try and, you know, win over whatever he can, whatever, you know, is left when it comes to undecided voters uh who have to vote today. However, I think when you have already served the people of Texas, when you're really advocating for yourself to get that privilege continuing on, you should have more of an argument than I'm going to be a better guy to win against a Democrat.
Right? You should have a better argument about what you've been able to bring to the table. I think it's very important to be able and sit there and own your record and say, I have been able to deliver A, B, C, and D, and this is what I will do next. And he's unable to do that. Unfortunately, there's a reason this is happening. It's because when President Trump said we need to pass the Save America Act, several uh senators across the country did not want to stand with him. That's what the people of Texas are thinking about today. And I think for Paxton, that's a good thing because they're not voting really based on who's going to have a better chance against Telerico, though it's in the back of their minds. They're voting based on who's going to deliver for them. And I think it's actually very unfortunate. If you've had that privilege to serve good American people for this long and you can't point to your own record as the main reason you should continue in that seat, that's a problem. Oh, you hit the nail on the head, Elizabeth. And and President Trump uh was on social media this morning leaning into his endorsement of Pakistan. and he cited specifically that Save America Act bill by the way that Cornin was a co-sponsor of but yet it does sort of as as you're you insightfully point out it sort of lays bare the president's frustration with the inaction of the Senate and leaving Cornin there doesn't do anything to move the needle on that. Uh, I wonder though, you know, when I look at James Telerico and even more so up in Maine, the Nazi tattooed Oysterman who is disparaging uh veterans like uh uh Graham Platner up in Maine. You you wonder are have Democrats stopped vetting their candidates?
>> People ask me this all the time and I think it's, you know, a combination of things. I think number one, they are vetting, but they're vetting for very different things, right? They're vetting for if this man has maybe ever posted something positive about President Trump. They're vetting for things that are going to upset that far-left fringe fraction of their base. They're not vetting for basic things anymore. I feel like basic political discourse, basic, you know, values that we used to hold, basic requirements that we wanted for our politicians, those kind of went out the window when President Trump won in 2016 and everyone decided that the race was really for those who like him versus those who hate him. that's all that they want in these different um races around the country. It's very disappointing.
But I think for them, they would have actually not wanted to support him if he was more of a moderate, if he was more common sense, if he had said something positive about folks on the right. For them, this tattoo does not bother them.
I was very happy to see, I think, a Democrat from Massachusetts, a congressman yesterday said that that tattoo is disqualifying in his eyes, but it is much more than that tattoo. I think standing on a stage with Bernie Sanders and pledging socialism should be disqualifying. Unfortunately, that's a benefit for many on the left right now.
>> And it does seem, by the way, that and and that's such a good point about the the one box basically they vet for is do you hate Donald Trump? Yes. Have you said anything nice about him ever? No.
Perfect. We'll run you despite the Nazi tattoo on your chest or any of the other issues. But it it's interesting uh when you look at sort of the nationwide impact and you can look no further than the election in New Jersey of Anala Mahia, a very far-left progressive. You you see that the Bernie Sanders far-left progressive socialist energy is the driving energy right now in the Democrat party. You agree?
>> 100%. And and for those that say that it's not, I I would ask them to try and hold a rally and see how many people you can fill, right? See who fills that arena. Is it a moderate candidate or is it a far-left candidate? Is it someone who gets, for example, an endorsement of Nancy Pelosi or someone who gets the endorsement of Bernie Sanders? Everybody knows where the energy is and they can try to shy away from that, but we all know that's what the DNC is actually most worried about going into these midterms and going into 2028. They have to kind of keep a certain message publicly while internally making sure that they're letting their own folks know that they are as far-left and as progressive as they want them to be because that is the only way to rally folks to get them angry enough to vote in midterms, for example, and to make sure that they know that they're working for them. This is what the fringe wants.
And I keep calling it the fringe because I think deep down I'm hopeful. But I think if you ask majority uh blue voters under the age of 30, they would say socialism is the future. And that is a major problem that the Democrat party allowed to happen. It's a frightening prospect for the country and the country that the younger gen Z's jinzers will live in. But you're right about one thing. If you get a an old guy from the northeast chanting about fought in the oligarchy, the oligarchy billionaires, then you're going to turn out more people. Elizabeth Pipco, thank you so much. Great insight as always.
>> Thank you for having me.
>> All right, this is Griff Jenkins on the great Brian Kilme show. We'll be back.
Every racetrack was Kyle Bush's home. He competed like he had something to prove every single race when in reality he'd already proven everything.
>> That's Steve O'Donnell, the NASCAR CEO, weighing in and saluting the legendary NASCAR driver Kyle Bush. This is Griff Jenkins filling in on the Brian Kilme show. And you know, as a race fan and and fans of motor sports, from the Indy500 to NASCAR, uh, our worlds have been rocked by the tragic death of Kyle Bush, 41 years old. But to Steve O'Donnell's point, he sure had proven everything. Literally 230 NAS 234 NASCAR victories against the three S cup series. And you know, it's there was a moment at the Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend on Sunday when these tributes were happening and you had Kyle's family and his and his young son Brexton who was going to grow up and be a racer just like his dad. You had Daniel Suarez who won the Coca-Cola 600 that day talking about just how much Cal Bush meant to him and it was one of the more touching tributes. Uh I I I can remember listen here >> my relationship with Cal back in 2015.
Cal and I we we used to be on the phone every single week because he was helping me trying to understand what I needed to look for trying to understand the race track. Back then we didn't have SMT. We didn't have data. So everything was by field. If you had experience, you had an advantage. He didn't have to help me, you know. He didn't have to help this Mexican kid that can barely speak English. He was a real legend of the sport and he took the time every single week to help me. And uh and that for me spoke very very highly of not who he is as a driver, but who he is as a person.
And that tribute by Daniel Suarez is so very important because those of you who watch NASCAR well know and even if you just watched from a distance, everybody knew Kyle Bush was the guy that fans love to hate. He was the villain because of his antics, particularly after races when he would lose. Dale Nhard Jr.
giving a similar tribute because those two had a feud. They hated each other and many of the Dale Nhard Jr. fans hated Cal Bush with a passion because of the rivalry, but yet dealer Jr. also speaking to the character that Cal Bush really was as a human and it just simply talks and shows and demonstrates what a fierce competitor he was. Cal Bush number eight, a legend. This has been Griff Jenkins with the great honor filling in with Brian Kil for Brian Kilme on the Brian Kilme show. Hope everybody has a good day and don't remember don't forget to remember Cal Bush.
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