Hour 2 - The Czar of Talk Radio

Hour 2 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show focuses heavily on the explosive intersection of Texas primary politics, Iran‑war fallout, and the response from Iranian‑American communities as global events reshape the 2026 landscape. The hour opens with guest Michael Berry, the “Czar of Talk,” who breaks down how the massive U.S.–Israel strike on Iran is consuming all political oxygen and disrupting expected turnout patterns in Texas—especially after a suspected terror‑motivated shooting in Austin heightened local anxiety. Berry explains that early projections of roughly 40% turnout may collapse, and notes that the biggest race in Texas—the Republican U.S. Senate primary—has become a referendum on longtime Senator John Cornyn, whom the MAGA base increasingly views as part of a McConnell‑aligned establishment. Berry outlines rising support for Ken Paxton and Wesley Hunt, and details why Paxton’s pro‑Trump credentials and Cornyn’s past criticism of Trump are shaping voter sentiment.

A major discussion emerges around Operation Chaos‑style crossover voting, as some listeners consider voting in the Democratic primary to help Jasmine Crockett win. Berry sharply warns against it, arguing that Republicans cannot afford to abandon their own primary when critical MAGA‑vs‑establishment battles are on the ballot. Clay and Buck analyze the likely outcomes: a Paxton‑vs‑Cornyn runoff in May and a Democratic matchup where either Jasmine Crockett or James Talarico could emerge, though Berry predicts Crockett’s base turnout—particularly among Black Democrats—may deliver her a surprise win. They discuss why Crockett would be a disastrous general‑election candidate in deep‑red Texas, while Talarico, though still weak statewide, may fare slightly better.

The hour then pivots back to the cascading impact of the U.S.–Iran conflict, noting that markets remain calm, oil prices are only modestly elevated, and equity indexes show virtually no disruption—an unexpected signal given the scale of military action underway. Clay frames this as evidence that global markets trust the Trump administration’s decisive approach. The hosts then play audio from jubilant Iranian‑American crowds celebrating the fall of Iran’s top leadership, as callers express overwhelming gratitude to Trump, describe family‑member reactions inside Iran, and voice hope for a post‑theocracy transition centered on freedom and possibly even a return of the Pahlavi royal family. Callers recount decades of repression, indoctrination, and religious authoritarianism, and describe the attacks as “necessary evil” to break the regime’s grip.

Buck offers geopolitical context, explaining that Iran has long been the world’s chief state sponsor of terrorism, backing Hezbollah, Hamas, militias in Iraq and Syria, and destabilization campaigns across the region. He outlines how Iran’s fall could ripple across Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria, reducing the reach of Iranian proxies and limiting China’s access to cheap Iranian oil. The hosts discuss the enormous cultural divide between Iran pre‑1979—educated, Western‑leaning, and socially liberal—and the regime that followed, suggesting that Iran is uniquely positioned for a modern rebirth compared to Afghanistan or Iraq.

Hour 2 closes with rapid‑fire topics: the possibility that Iran could be barred from playing in the U.S.‑hosted World Cup, which Clay argues the Trump administration should prevent to signal goodwill to the Iranian people; and a bizarre scheduling twist in which Seattle’s “pro‑gay‑rights” soccer exhibition accidentally matched Egypt vs. Iran, prompting humorous disbelief from the hosts. They finish by previewing further calls from Iranian‑American listeners and foreshadow a deeper breakdown of the Democratic Party’s challenge: how to oppose Trump’s Iran strategy without appearing to defend a fallen regime despised by both American voters and the global Iranian diaspora.

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