Hour 2 - Howard Kurtz and Karol Markowicz
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
iHeartPodcasts
4.3 • 11.1K Ratings
🗓️ 14 August 2025
⏱️ 37 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Hour 2 of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show features a dynamic and wide-ranging conversation centered on media bias, political accountability, and national security, with guest Howie Kurtz from Fox News’ Media Buzz and commentary from Karol Markowicz of the New York Post. The hour begins with a critical look at the mainstream media’s reaction to President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown in Washington, D.C. The hosts and Kurtz highlight how Democrat-aligned outlets like CNN and MSNBC reflexively oppose Trump’s initiatives, even when crime statistics and public sentiment support his actions. They note that even left-leaning voices such as Joe Scarborough have acknowledged the severity of urban crime, underscoring the disconnect between political elites and everyday Americans.
The conversation shifts to allegations against Senator Adam Schiff, who is accused of leaking classified information to damage Trump. Kurtz expresses caution due to the anonymous nature of the whistleblower but acknowledges the broader pattern of political targeting. The hosts then explore the decline of legacy media, focusing on the Washington Post under Jeff Bezos. Kurtz laments the departure of top journalists and the erosion of editorial independence, arguing that podcasts and talk radio now drive the national conversation more than traditional newspapers.
A major segment of the hour anticipates the upcoming Trump-Putin summit, with the hosts predicting that the media will frame any diplomatic progress as capitulation to Russia. Kurtz and Markowicz agree that if Trump can broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, it would be a win for global stability, but expect the press to revive the discredited Russia collusion narrative. The show also breaks news of Melania Trump suing Hunter Biden for $1 billion over defamatory comments linking her to Jeffrey Epstein. The hosts praise Melania’s assertiveness and frame the lawsuit as a bold defense of her reputation.
Markowicz delivers a passionate rebuttal to claims of an Israeli starvation campaign in Gaza, criticizing the New York Times for misleading coverage and defending Israel’s humanitarian efforts. She calls out both left- and right-wing figures who fell for propaganda, labeling them “marks” for anti-Israel disinformation. The hour also includes listener feedback, including a humorous exchange about Clay’s frequent use of the word “fabulous,” and a lighthearted segment on fishing experiences in Alaska and the Gulf Coast.
The episode concludes with a discussion on New York City politics, including Mayor Eric Adams’ handling of crime and the potential impact of local leadership on national Republican messaging. Markowicz warns that Democrats may attempt to mask urban decline ahead of the 2026 midterms, while the hosts reflect on how past mayors like Bill de Blasio inherited safe cities and squandered public trust.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:04.3 | All right. |
| 0:05.0 | Second hour of Clay and Buck kicks off right now. |
| 0:08.1 | And we are joined by Howie Kurtz. |
| 0:11.5 | He is the host of Media Buzz over on Fox News. |
| 0:15.3 | And Howie, appreciate you making the time for us. |
| 0:18.3 | You've had Clay on and me on many times in the past. |
| 0:21.3 | Great program you do there over at Fox. |
| 0:23.8 | You're focused on all the news, but obviously the media angle in particular. |
| 0:27.3 | Let's start with this one. |
| 0:28.8 | Have you been surprised at how the Democrat aligned, or I should say more Democrat favoring? |
| 0:36.3 | However you want to put it. |
| 0:37.4 | The CNN MSNBC Industrial Complex going after Trump on the crime thing, |
| 0:42.6 | even though some of their own Democrat talking heads are saying, |
| 0:45.9 | this is not a winning issue for us, guys. |
| 0:49.5 | It's stunned because there is this sort of knee-jerk reaction among media liberals that if it's Trump, |
| 0:56.3 | it's a police state, he's authoritarian, and yet, you know, numbers aside, we can argue about the |
| 1:02.1 | numbers. I mean, people here are scared. There's been a wave of carjackings. There was 16 carjackings |
| 1:08.3 | in July alone. And that's scary stuff. |
| 1:11.8 | I know people that have happened to. |
| 1:13.8 | And so you would think it'd be a welcoming of some extra firepower, FBI, National Guard, and all of that. |
| 1:21.9 | And instead, a lot of folks on the left are using it as an opportunity to beat up on the president. |
... |
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