Hour 3 - Toxic Leftwing Empathy

<p>In Hour 3 of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Clay Travis delivers the final hour of the program with a blend of free speech debates, media accountability, public health policy, crime trends, and urban governance issues, reinforcing that this is the closing hour of the broadcast. This segment features an in-depth interview with Alex Berenson, along with broader commentary on First Amendment rights, COVID-era policies, political polarization, and public safety trends across the United States.</p> <p>A central focus of Hour 3 is the breaking update on Alex Berenson&rsquo;s high-profile lawsuit against the federal government, which resulted in a settlement acknowledging that the Biden administration applied pressure on social media platforms to suppress certain viewpoints. Clay frames this as a major development in the ongoing debate over free speech, Big Tech censorship, and government overreach, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Berenson recounts how he was removed from Twitter after questioning lockdown policies and vaccine claims, describing the broader environment of medical censorship, pandemic policy enforcement, and political pressure on tech platforms. The discussion emphasizes concerns about First Amendment violations and the need for clearer legal protections regarding government influence over online speech, highlighting that while the settlement is significant, it does not yet establish broad legal precedent.</p> <p>The conversation also explores the long-term impact of COVID-19 policies and vaccines, with Berenson offering his perspective on declining public trust in institutions and the end of widespread vaccine uptake. Clay and Berenson discuss how shifting narratives around COVID&mdash;such as masking, vaccine effectiveness, and the origins of the virus&mdash;have contributed to skepticism and a surge in conspiracy thinking, misinformation debates, and distrust in science and government messaging. This leads to a broader analysis of polling data suggesting that a significant portion of Democratic voters now believe various major events, including assassination attempts involving President Donald Trump, were staged. The hosts argue that this reflects the consequences of inconsistent messaging during the pandemic and growing political polarization and media distrust.</p> <p>Clay ties these themes into a larger discussion about the importance of independent media voices and open debate, noting that controversial perspectives once dismissed are now more widely accepted. He emphasizes the role of the show in providing a platform for viewpoints that were previously marginalized, framing it as part of a broader shift toward alternative media influence and audience demand for independent political commentary.</p> <p>The second half of Hour 3 pivots to domestic policy and public safety, beginning with updates on the Virginia Supreme Court redistricting controversy, where state-level Democrats appear to backtrack from a proposed plan to remove justices. Clay uses this moment to discuss political escalation, judicial independence, and the limits of partisan power plays, suggesting that even within political parties there may be resistance to extreme measures.</p> <p>A major emphasis in this hour is on crime trends and public safety data, with Clay highlighting a dramatic nationwide decline in homicide rates heading into 2026. He cites significant reductions in major cities such as Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Portland, framing this as evidence of changing law enforcement policies, immigration enforcement, and public demand for stronger crime prevention strategies. Clay attributes the improvement to a combination of factors, including increased support for policing, stricter enforcement of laws, and reduced illegal immigration, arguing that these shifts are contributing to improved urban safety and quality of life.</p> <p>This discussion transitions into a broader critique of what Clay describes as &ldquo;soft-on-crime policies and prosecutorial decisions,&rdquo; illustrated by a case in New York City where a victim declined to press charges, leading to a subsequent fatal incident involving the same suspect. Clay uses this example to argue against what he terms &ldquo;toxic empathy&rdquo; in criminal justice policy, suggesting that failure to prosecute offenders can lead to increased victimization and undermine public safety. This segment underscores ongoing debates around criminal justice reform, policing, and urban crime policy.</p> <p>The hour also touches on local politics and leadership performance, including criticism of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and discussion of rising voter frustration with issues like homelessness, public safety, and urban cleanliness. Clay highlights the emergence of unconventional political figures gaining traction by focusing on quality-of-life concerns and anti-establishment messaging, positioning this as part of a broader trend in American politics.</p> <p>Throughout Hour 3, Clay integrates listener feedback and talkbacks, reinforcing audience engagement and adding personal stories related to COVID policies, vaccine mandates, and employment consequences. These contributions highlight the human impact of policy decisions and deepen the discussion around public health mandates, workplace requirements, and individual rights.</p> <p>Make sure you never miss a second of the show by subscribing to the Clay Travis &amp; Buck Sexton show podcast wherever you get your podcasts!&nbsp;<a href="http://ihr.fm/3InlkL8">ihr.fm/3InlkL8</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>For the latest updates from Clay &amp; Buck, visit our website <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.clayandbuck.com%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMarkWeiner%40iheartmedia.com%7Cf1fb28049c334a2cc7f008dd5b6dc780%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638767249239931219%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=eECesiWyOO3YOybB4HVSIOqFBQ6FQ83xp%2FJ%2FhPDAKfM%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.clayandbuck.com/</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Connect with Clay Travis and Buck Sexton:&nbsp;</p> <p>X - <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fclayandbuck&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMarkWeiner%40iheartmedia.com%7Cf1fb28049c334a2cc7f008dd5b6dc780%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638767249239960597%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=WdpyZ8Gzbhog1ml43mVvOghWqLGt0rZcdfa%2FPC3pkYY%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://x.com/clayandbuck</a></p> <p>FB - <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FClayandBuck%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMarkWeiner%40iheartmedia.com%7Cf1fb28049c334a2cc7f008dd5b6dc780%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638767249239980082%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Nqqk%2FXJNrFqQd%2BUdWMs5Xw7DxzwpMExmpDda7Y9fNNY%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.facebook.com/ClayandBuck/</a></p> <p>IG - <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fclayandbuck%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMarkWeiner%40iheartmedia.com%7Cf1fb28049c334a2cc7f008dd5b6dc780%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638767249239998376%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=s%2F3CGsjjib9Gu8mBlf5ff31%2Fixq4YP17xzT17hhpJCc%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.instagram.com/clayandbuck/</a></p> <p>YouTube - <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fc%2Fclayandbuck&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMarkWeiner%40iheartmedia.com%7Cf1fb28049c334a2cc7f008dd5b6dc780%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638767249240017198%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=hoGZ3pur0U5mQzw7AMhVbUTvt98j6iiA3uSdRyW8ilE%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck</a></p> <p>Rumble - <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frumble.com%2Fc%2FClayandBuck&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMarkWeiner%40iheartmedia.com%7Cf1fb28049c334a2cc7f008dd5b6dc780%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638767249240034483%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=b2TrFHYPxraFqTGFla%2BJ7HG5kQ5p006bXVNPXSsFvAw%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://rumble.com/c/ClayandBuck</a></p> <p>TikTok - <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@clayandbuck">https://www.tiktok.com/@clayandbuck</a>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck" rel="payment">Follow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck</a></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>