May 23, 2025 • 37 mins
Honoring America’s fallen heroes ahead of Memorial Day weekend, with a powerful and emotional conversation featuring Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. This hour delivers a heartfelt tribute to military service members, first responders, and their families, while also spotlighting impactful charitable efforts and patriotic initiatives. Frank Siller shares the origins and mission of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, inspired by the heroic sacrifice of his brother, Stephen Siller, on 9/11. The foundation provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families and catastrophically injured veterans and is expanding its reach by building homeless veteran villages across the U.S., including in cities like Atlanta, Denver, Buffalo, and Puerto Rico. Siller emphasizes the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by service members and encourages listeners to support the cause by donating $11/month at T2T.org. Clay and Frank reflect on the bravery of the Greatest Generation, particularly those who stormed the beaches of Normandy, and draw parallels to the courage of post-9/11 veterans. They also discuss the upcoming 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, noting former President Donald Trump’s support for Tunnel to Towers and his plans to commemorate both milestones. Later in the hour, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey joins the show to discuss his state’s new “Troops to Teachers” initiative, which streamlines the process for veterans to become educators. Morrissey highlights the leadership and life experience veterans bring to classrooms and how this program addresses teacher shortages while honoring military service. He also praises President Trump’s policies, particularly on energy independence and deregulation, and outlines West Virginia’s economic revitalization efforts, including upcoming announcements tied to the WVU-Pitt “Backyard Brawl” football game. The hour concludes with Clay Travis reflecting on the importance of gratitude and historical perspective. He shares personal experiences, including a visit to Normandy and an analogy from Warren Buffett about the privilege of being born in America. Clay encourages listeners to appreciate the freedoms they enjoy, made possible by the sacrifices of others, and to take time this Memorial Day weekend to honor those who gave their lives for the country.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome back in our number three Friday edition headed into
the Memorial Day weekend holiday. And certainly there's so many
of you out there with friends and family who have
made the ultimate sacrifice to protect this country and everything
that it stands for. And I've talked about this before.
We were going to bring in Frank Siller here in
a moment. I don't know if he's had the opportunity
(00:23):
to do this. One of the greatest trips I have
ever taken in my life was I got to spend
an entire day touring the beaches of Normandy. I've talked
about it on the program before. We had a private
tour guide took the boys, all three of my boy's
wife met our tour guide in Normandy. He took us
(00:45):
around to all the beaches. So much of that area
still looks the exact same as it did eighty some
odd years ago. We toured the cemetery there where they
have so many American soldiers who are laid there in
the rows of white crosses. We bring in now Frank Siller,
who lost his brother on nine to eleven, which is
(01:05):
how Tunnel to Towers came to be one of the
truly great charities that exists anywhere. Frank, I know you
are a student of American history in many ways as well.
Have you ever had that opportunity of touring the beaches
of Normandy? And if not, has there been a place
outside of certainly New York City where you have been
(01:26):
raising money and fighting back against what happened on that
day on nine to eleven that you have toured that
has particular residence for you as you think about Memorial Day.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yes, well, of course, there's so many places that we
could go to honor those who have given the made
the ultimate sacrifice, and certainly in Narlington, which have been
to I mean it might take most Oh yes, yeah,
you should be there. But I was invited last year
for the anniversary of D Day to a parachute into Normandy.
(02:00):
Oh wow, And uh yeah, I was invited by these
great uh you know, the twelve Horsemen, the guys who
rode in in Afghanistan, you know, the Special Forces Green Berets,
and and I honestly because I didn't serve. I said
to him, there's two reasons why I'm not going to
do this, and number one, I said I didn't serve.
(02:22):
So I feel oh, they should do it because they're
going to have me on their plane that they were going.
And we do a lot of things together, and they
helped raise a lot of money for the foundation, and
they speak all over the country for us. And and
I said, the second reason is I'm not jumping out
of any plane. And I said, the second reason might
be might be the first reason. I don't know if
(02:43):
i'd have the courage to jump outside the plane. That's
why these heroes that that that do these things, Uh,
they're extraordinary. They were extraordinary that they had the courage.
And I only just jump out of a plane. They're
jumping out out of a plane that is being fired upon,
you know what I mean. So, uh, the heroes I
give us our country. We have to on this sacred
(03:05):
weekend we must remember them and their families what they've
done for us and this great country that we live in.
So and I know you're always preaching that to everybody,
and I thank you and Buck for doing it always.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Well.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
We feel fortunate to be able to talk to an
audience that has so many people who have given their
utmost along with their families to ensure the freedoms that
we all have. You mentioned not wanting to jump out
of an airplane. I've never jumped out of an airplane either.
But frank one of the baddest ass stories, and there
are a lot of those from the Greatest generation. The
(03:45):
majority of the guys that ended up in one hundred
and first Airborne and ended up jumping in, many of
them on d Day. The first time they ever went
up in an airplane, they jumped out of it.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Can you imagine? And like, if you, for anybody.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Out there that is listening to us right now, if
you can remember the first time that you were on
an airplane. Many of these guys are just farm kids.
They hadn't hardly been anywhere. They end up in uh In,
you know, the the rangers here jumping out of airplanes,
they had never even been in airplanes before. Think about this.
You take off, You're in the sky for the first
(04:23):
time ever in your life, and they're like, okay, kid,
you're jumping out now. I mean, it's just a different
level of bravery and and and balls. Frankly, then you
see almost anywhere, can you imagine?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
No, I can't imagine that. And that's and that's why
you know, we owe so much to the greatest generation.
I mean, god, what they did. But you know what,
you know, the f nine to eleven and when all
men and women went over in Afghanistan and Iraq and
for what that wolf of so many is, you know,
found out we still have the greatest generation.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
These kids that went and you know, to protect here
us here, so another nine to eleven what't happened are incredible.
And that's why the total of the Talents Foundation, we're
indebted to every single one of them, and why we've
made the promises that we've made, Clay, and you've been
to so many of our events. You see, you see
(05:19):
the great heroes that we have there and these families
once again have made the ultimate pay, the ultimate sacrifice.
And you know, we made a promise that you know,
go forbid. These great heroes don't come home and they
leave behind the young family, we're going to deliver them
a mortgage free home and or if they come back
catastrophically injured, we're going to build them a mortgage free
smart home, you know, to give back some of their independence.
(05:41):
And we've been doing that for quite a while now,
and you know, this weekend we're giving the way twenty
five mortgage free homes to some of these great heroes
that made the ultimate sacrifice in their families.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That's a tremendous gesture. Especially we're sitting here now. I
think I've got the math right. Coming up on the
twenty fourth anniversary of nine to eleven, next year will
be twenty five, and I know there probably will be
even more attention being shined upon it. Can you believe
that it's been twenty four years since that day?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
No, I can't. It's you know, I look at my my,
my brother's My brother had five kids when he died
on nine eleven when he made that heroic run for
the tunnel to the towers with his gear on his back,
and you know he had his youngest child was nine
months old. Now, that nine month old. Two days ago
(06:35):
we did a house dedication up and up by Albany,
New York, for a spun home for specialist Mike Maynard.
And he, my nephew, spoke at this. Now he's twenty five,
and he spoke, and he spoke so beautifully about his
daddy's Steve Junior, ste Stephen still a junior. And I'm
(06:58):
looking at him, I'm saying I was I couldn't even
speak after them. I was so emotional, and I'm saying
it's twenty four years later, but it's so so painful,
and the loss is still there. And that's what all
these families go through, not just nine eleven families, all
these gold Star families. You know that, you know, all
these police officers and firefighters at diet around our country
(07:20):
every year, and you know, this year we're paying off
over two hundred mortgages for these great heroes, you know,
all over the country. And you know, so there's a
big price that's always made.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
No.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
I cannot believe it's twenty four years later, but we
must make sure that people don't forget. And you know,
on weekends like this, people I hope remember.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
You know.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I know they all want to have a nice barbecue,
me included. But we have this barbecue. We're we're talking
to my my grandkids, you know, we're telling them all
about you know what happened. I was at a dinner
last night where they raised a lot of money for
the foundation. They run by a guy who's a paratrooper
himself or a Vietnam War and Purple Heart recipient, and
he has this beautiful golf Course country Club in New Jersey,
(08:03):
evel Oaks, and he puts on this beautiful event. He
raised a half million dollars in the Funnel to Dallas
Foundation to make sure that we continue the work that
we do. And the General Flynn was there, He was
the keynote speaker. And it was a beautiful night. But
I had my grandchildren there. I had my grandchildren in
there to make sure some of them some are too young,
but you know some of them are not. They and
(08:25):
they were there and they hear these stories of heroism.
And you got to start teaching your kids and your
grandkids early on about America and why we are the
greatest country that ever existed.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Next year, President Trump will be in charge of the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our declaration of independence,
really our founding as a country. It will also be
the twenty fifth anniversary of nine to eleven. You know
President Trump pretty well, you and I feel like I
know him pretty well at this point too. But for
people out there who don't know him, Memorial Day, what
(09:01):
do you think it means to President Trump? And what
has President Trump meant for Tunnel to Towers in your
experience knowing him.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Well he is. He is a great supporter of Tunnel
to Dallas. There's no question about it. He loves what
we're doing. I've spoken to him several times about the foundation.
He knows everything about Tunnel to Dallas. This guy knows
everything about everything just about It's incredible the knowledge he has.
(09:29):
But he cares and such had a level. Let me
just tell you one quick story about President Trump. I
got a call around September eleventh, this past twenty twenty four,
just you know what, this past year, and he was
coming in to pay respect at ground zero and they
asked me to what she where should he go the
(09:52):
President's team, and I said, you really don't need me
for that, but I'll be more than happy to help you.
And I suggest this one firehouse, which anybody that knows
anything about the sacrifice that had made would suggests this
firehouse four and fifteen, which is that fire house that's
pretty close to ground zero. And so he goes. He
(10:14):
goes there, he's found at ground zero with the reading
of the names, and we go over there and a
motorcade to go to meet the families. They lost fifteen
families plus at this firehouse on nine to eleven, and
he stays there for an hour and talking to whatever
families are there that were of the fifteen that were there,
(10:38):
holding their you know, conversations with them, looking at the
internal memorial that they had inside the firehouse. He was
just he was so in tune to these families. And
I'm one of those families not from that firehouse. You know,
my brother was at Squad one. But he was so
gracious with his time and with his emotions.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
It was it was beautiful to watch.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Nobody saw that. The press didn't cover that, you know
what I mean, So nobody saw that, and he was
doing all that, and that's why he especially one on one,
he's incredible about how much he cares and if you
if you've made a big sacrifice, if you protected our
country or our community, he's even more in tune to
it and and wants to help out. So I know
(11:26):
that he has big plans for the two hundred and
fiftieth anniversary of this great country, and I know that
he wants to be part of that, and I know
he wants to help us with the twenty fifth anniversary
of nine to eleven. He wants to help the tunnel
of Talis Foundation because we don't waste people's money. You
could see where it goes. It takes care of mortgage
(11:46):
free homes for these great heroes that have done everything
for us. So he is something somebody I can rely
upon to help us on a mission to do good
and get the word out there to make sure that
we never forget no doubt.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
We're talking to Frank Seller a Tunnel the Towers. I
was with you in October of last year and saw
you raising millions of dollars at the Liberty Golf Course
in New Jersey. And then I was with you just
a couple of months ago down at Trump West Palm Beach,
and I saw you raise millions of dollars more.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
You don't stop.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
But for people out there that are listening to us
and are interested in helping you to help as many
people as possible that are making sacrifices, sometimes the ultimate sacrifice,
often the ultimate sacrifice for our country, how can they help?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Well, it's simple, go to ttwot dot org. Obviously it
stands for Tunnel to Towers, So t the number two
t dot org and donate eleven dollars a month. It's
not a lot. We're not asking you to do a lot,
but you should do something. Everybody who's listening, it's your
responsibility to do something to these great families that are
(13:00):
behind or if they're catastrophically injured, when we give them
a mortgage free smart home, it is your responsibility. Tunnel
to Towers are made a promise that we're going to
take care of every family who dies in the line
of duty and leaves a young family behind. We're going
to pay off their mortgages. We're going to game a
mortgage free home, and we're going to do that for
catastrophically injured. And now you know we're doing for homeless veterans.
(13:20):
Over ten thousand homeless veterans off the street the last
two years. I just finished. We just bought nineteen new properties.
We broke around Atlanta, Breading, Florida, Memphis, Bayville, New Jersey, Harrisburg, Denver, Buffalo,
New York, Detroit, in South Carolina, Jacksonville, Florida, Orlando, Sacramento, Cleveland, Bronx,
(13:43):
West Palm Beach. In Puerto Rico, we're building a homeless
veteran village in Puerto Rico. Because you cannot believe how
many great heroes have served us from Puerto Rico, served
Dark Country, Jackson, New Jersey, Portland, Charlotte, Kansas City, Seattle, Dallas, Austin,
Long Island, Las Vegas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Again,
we are doing this all over our country because there's
(14:05):
too many homeless veterans out there in the street and
it's disgusting and we can't let that be. So, you know,
we have a lot of work ahead of us, but
not eleven dollars a month. Fight Department says, many hands
makes light work. So go to ttwot dot org and
be part of those many hands so we could take
care of these great heroes.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Frank, I appreciate everything you do. Look forward to seeing
you again soon. And i'd encourage everybody to echo just
what he said ttwot dot org and join us in
giving a little bit to help a lot.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
God bless you and God bless America.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
That is Frank sillerttot dot org. I want to tell
you a lot of you out there are happy that
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(15:03):
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(15:24):
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(16:50):
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Join Clay and Buck as they laugh it up in.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
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Speaker 1 (17:09):
Welcome back in Clay, Travis Buck Sexton show man Frank
was great and I just want to reiterate again the
work that he does at Tunnel Towers, it truly is tireless.
And if you go to any of these events, as
I have been very fortunate to do, when you see
the widows stand and talk about the difference that being
able to live in a home, often the home that
(17:31):
the family lived in before their loved one died, and
know that they can stay there and continue to raise
oftentimes their kids there as well. It really is a
transformative experience that he is offering to so many people,
and he does tireless work. So again, I'm just asking
you to join me. I try to make sure that
I donate, try to make sure I donate money as
(17:51):
well as time at t twot dot org. All right,
when we come back, we're going to head to West Virginia.
Patrick Morrisey, the governor there, is going to talk with
us as we can continue to roll through on the
Friday Memorial Day edition of the program.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
But I want to make sure that.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
All of you know that I'm actually hopping in the
car tomorrow and I'm headed up to the inndy five hundred.
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(18:26):
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(18:49):
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(19:11):
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Meat for life.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Welcome back in Clay, Travis buck Sexton Show.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Appreciate all of you hanging out.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
With us as we are rolling through the Friday edition
of the program headed into Memorial Day weekend. I hope
you guys are going to be safe wherever you are
across the country. We are joined now by West Virginia
Governor Patrick Morrissey. Appreciate him joining on with us right now.
And there's a lot we're going to dive into with you, Governor,
(19:40):
but right off the top, you wanted to tell us
all about what you've got going on when it comes
to helping veterans become teachers. It's a very great idea,
particularly here on Memorial Day weekend as we celebrate veterans
who gave the utmost. Where did the idea come from,
what is it like, and how is it going going
(20:00):
so far?
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Well, first of all, thank you so much for having
me on. And this is not an idea that I
came up with, but you know, I'm smart enough to
learn from people who are spending a lot of time
on these topics. And for those who don't know, there
used to be a federal program of troops to teachers
provision and program a number of years ago. But we
(20:25):
had a couple of legislators who were veterans who really
were thinking a lot about different ways that our former
troops could get into the classrooms because they know that
West Virginia is a state where we have a shortage
of qualified teachers, and so a number of these veterans,
over a multi year period, kept trying to push a
(20:46):
bill that would allow veterans to get into the classroom quicker.
And as you know, a lot of times in various states,
there's a slowdown. And how long did it take to
get into the classroom, to go through eighteen different hoops
and certifications to get through. We said, look, we need
to start to move that a lot faster. And so
(21:10):
now under this new Troops to Teachers law, we have
a chance to get these veterans into the schools quicker.
We're going to bypass some of the red tape that
exists right now. I'd like to get them even quicker.
But this is a way we begin to address our
school teacher shortage. It's also a way that we reflect
(21:30):
the great experience that these veterans have. It's pretty amazing.
You're looking for leadership, organizational skills, and knowledge, the ability
to relate to people. You can't really do much better
than vets. So we thought it was a great bill.
Kudos out to Tom Willis and Bill right No hour,
to the people that we're driving in the legislature. And
(21:53):
you know, when I heard about this bill, we got
involved and we knew that we act to tout it
so that we can get more vets into the schools.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
No doubt, West Virginia is maybe the reddest state in
the country. Now, how would you assess what West Virginians
think of the job Trump has done so far.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Look, I think West Virginias are very happy with President Trump,
and they know that he's shaking things up in Washington, DC.
He's striving for America's energy independence, which helps West Virginia
tremendously because West Virginia is America's energy state. He's looking
for ways to take on the swamp and return power
(22:33):
back to the states and to the people. We love
that he has common sense conservative ideas that we also
appreciate in West Virginia. So, look, I think he's doing
very very well. You know, he had a lot of
positive things in his first term. I think is even
stronger here in his second term of office. So I
was just at the White House a little bit earlier
(22:55):
today and I saw the President and a lot of
Cabinet members yesterday. And let me tell you, these guys
are working their tails off for the American people, and
I know that West Virginia is going to benefit and
it's been a pleasure partnering with them. You know, what
a change going from Biden to Trump for West Virginia.
It makes all the difference in the world.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
No doubt.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
And I'm curious. You've lived in West Virginia for I
think twenty some odd years now. I know you're originally
from the East Coast, but what do you think the
evolution of West Virginia's voting history. I live here in Tennessee,
and certainly there's been an evolution here too, but from
a place where Democrats were rock ribbed and felt very
confident that they were going to always get those votes
(23:40):
to a place now which, as I mentioned, I mean
right up there with Wyoming and a few other states
voted Trump and for you voted Red as aggressively almost
as any state.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
In the nation.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
What does that evolution reflect, not only about West Virginia,
but I think to a certain degree, and certainly Joe
Manchin would reflect this too, the Collie apps of the
Democrat Party when it comes to just being a party
that normal people with common sense supporting, I.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Think that's right. Look, all discussions have to start with
the fact that you had a series of presidents on
the Democrat side that sold out West Virginia. When you
have people openly talking about ending the use of coal
and showing great disrespect for our energy resources. That's never
going to put you on a favorable light in West Virginia.
(24:30):
And we had that. Even if you go back to
Gore in the two thousand race. If many people may
remember that George Bush won in West Virginia, and everyone
talks about Florida being the difference maker in two thousand,
but in reality, West Virginia's electoral votes were critically important
and for a long time prior to that were just
(24:52):
considered locks in the Democrat column. So I would say
that coal and our energy resources and just the common
sense conservative values that people show that the Democrat Party
has gone so far off the rails. And I think
people know that, you know, whether it's men playing sports
with women or some of these crazy issues pretending to DEI.
(25:17):
You know, we actually were doing some cleanup of DEI.
Even in West Virginia when I came in, there's still
some DEI we were working to clean up. So I
would say that West Virginians are looking for common sense
in their government. But we care about our freedoms and
we want to have the ability to really grow lift
up our standard of living, driver educational attainment, and I
(25:40):
think President Trump wants that, and people knows that while
the state has moved, no one is taken anything for granted.
I certainly won't, you know. I want to work hard
and run through the finish line every single day to
help West Virginia grow. And that's why we're talking about
doing our backyard brawl against all the states that we touch,
(26:02):
lifting ourselves up economically, really improving our educational system, and
getting our workforce participation numbers up. So we're doing a
lot of good things. But we know that the state
has evolved, but in part because the Democrats absolutely left
us in West Virginia, and people now know that got
(26:22):
some folks that really care about the state's future in charge.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Is Country Roads the best song about a state anywhere
in the country.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
You know, it's a great song. And I don't know
if you guys know this, but during the Super Bowl
there was a commercial and it was by Rocket Mortgage,
and you started hearing Country Roads, and I thought it
was pretty unbelievable because when they were talking about it,
I first thought it was a West Virginia tourism commercial
(26:55):
because in all its Country Roads and talking about West Virginia.
But in reaction was a commercial bank and we were
really we loved it. I mean, we thought it was incredible.
And wherever you go across the globe, people know that
there's an indomitable spirit coming out of West Virginia. Country
(27:15):
Roads reflects that. Guys. One thing I do want to
put on your radar screen. September thirteenth, we have a
backyard Brawl football game between WU and PET. But the
reason I mentioned this to you guys less about the sports,
but all leading up to it, we're going to backyard
Brawl economic announcements that whole week in Morgantown and in
(27:39):
West Virginia talking about the steps West Virginia's taking to
really climb up in the rankings, our comebacks beginning. So
we've got a lot of incredible history and culture in
West Virginia and now we're taking on some tough challenges.
West Virginia's on the rise and we're pretty psyched about it.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
It's the beautiful state, fabulous place to be. I went
to a wedding there and everybody got drunk in the
final song of the night was Country Roads, which was
a pretty awesome experience. So we will have you on
that week because that is a great rive oream a
college football guy, and everybody knows West Virginia pitt is
about as good as it gets. We'll have you on
that week to share some of the good moves that
(28:20):
you guys are making economically in the state, and we
appreciate the time and hope you and your family have
a good Memorial Day weekend.
Speaker 4 (28:25):
Governor Hey Simp, you guys appreciate your having me on today,
and Happy Memorial Day to everyone listening.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Appreciate that. Thanks so much.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Buck is not in today, as some of you may
have noticed, but I bet right now he is getting
nervous because the New York Knicks play tonight against the
Indiana Pacers and they had one of the all time
epic choke jobs just a couple of days ago. Sorry
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Speaker 5 (30:00):
With the biggest political comeback in world history. On the
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Speaker 1 (30:15):
Welcome back in Play Travis Buck Sexton Show, final segment
of the week. Buck, We'll be back with me on Tuesday.
I want to take an opportunity here to thank everybody
out there as we head into Memorial Day weekend for
being supporters of the show, for spending time with us.
(30:35):
Been nearly four years since Buck and I took over.
We don't take it for granted at all. And you
heard us talking with Frank Siller at the start of
the third hour, and if you if you missed that discussion,
I mentioned right off the top that one of the
greatest days that I have ever gotten to spend was
(30:58):
touring the beaches of Norman and what really stood out
to me there. And I hope all of you get
the opportunity at some point in time, particularly those of
you who are big history buffs like I am, whether
it's Civil war history, I'm a Civil War history nerd,
getting to walk around battlefields, read about what has happened before.
We're about to celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary
(31:20):
of the Declaration of Independence next year. We just had
the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Lexington Concord. Wherever
you go, I hope you are taking time to understand
the larger context of American history. But if you stand
on some of those bluffs, and if you look out
from the positions that the Germans occupied, it is hard
(31:43):
to believe that anyone was able to take those positions.
And I'm a big believer that actually seeing the terrain
of battlefields is incredibly valuable because it actually crystallizes what
the sacrifice was. Because even just walking some of the ridgelines,
(32:09):
even trying to climb a hill without somebody trying to
kill you, you can understand what exactly was given so that
all of us have the luxury to celebrate as we
all will a long weekend this year and for many
years to come. And so I just want to say
(32:31):
thank you for people who have family members who have
made the ultimate sacrifice, for people out there who are
dealing with memories, like Frank said, of loss, while also
celebrating the future and the sacrifice that was made that
allows us to all have the freedoms that very often
we take for granted every single day. And I think
(32:54):
about that in the context of so many young Americans
have no idea how they have it.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I don't know how many of you saw one of
the viral.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Videos recently of a young black woman who decided that
she couldn't stand the racism in America, so she moved
to Africa, and then she made a video coming back
talking about the fact that Africa wasn't that good, wasn't
that nice of a place? And you all know, I
was in Israel in December, and I love, honestly the
(33:27):
fact that everybody has to serve in the Israeli defense
forces as a part of living in that country due
to the threats and dangers that they experience, because I
think it really, in many ways, epitomizes your direct connection
to the freedoms that exist in the country. But I
truly do believe that if every American kid, every seventeen
(33:49):
or eighteen year old who is graduating right now from
high school, and certainly even those that are graduating from
college because we're in graduation season right now, if all
of them had to give two years to serve outside
of the United States and were not allowed to come
back into the United States, almost every single one of
(34:10):
them would kiss the ground when they come back into
this country. And Warren Buffett ninety four years old, step
down from Berkshire Hathaway just in the last month, and
he has a great analogy that I think brings this
home and for many of you, I think is particularly
useful as we go into Memorial Day weekend. He says,
(34:32):
if you think about the population of the world as
basically every person in the world is a marble, and
you were able to put all those marbles into one collection,
seven billion, roughly people around the world, And he said,
and you had a marble that you were holding, and
it represented where you live, what your relative wealth is.
(34:57):
If you had an opportunity to replace your marble where
you are right now, and you were to draw one
marble out, no American, no American, no matter how rich
or poor you are, should ever replace their marble and
(35:18):
take a risk about where else you might end up,
because even the poorest and the least advantaged among us
would be wildly wealthy in almost every other country and
the rest of the world. The poorest people in America
would be in the country's most populous country right now,
(35:41):
India would be among the wealthiest people in India, and
most people don't really have the perspective to understand that.
Why is that the case? Because of all of the
sacrifices that have been made, many of them by soldiers,
first responders, and police all around the world to allow
us to have spectacular weekends rolling in long weekends this year.
(36:04):
So I just think for that moment, just think about
that analogy. Gratitude probably the most single valuable of all emotions,
and it's one that we don't use as much as
we should. That Marble analogy from Warren Buffett has always
stuck with me, So hope you think about that a
little bit this weekend. I've had a great time hanging
out with all of you. We'll be back on Tuesday,
(36:25):
Buck and I both and we will be celebrating what
hopefully was a fabulous weekend for us and for you
as well. But again, as we come up on four
years being able to sip behind this microphone, we feel
a tremendous and enormous amount of gratitude and we thank
you every single day for all the time you spend
with us. So hope you go download the podcast. We've
(36:45):
got a great podcast network. If you missed the first
couple of hours of the show. I think you will
enjoy that as well, and be safe on the roads.
I'll be at the NDY five hundred this weekend with
my wife, So if any of you are out there
among the three hundred and fifty thousand in the crowd
that also listen to the show, hope to see some
of you and say hi to you, and I hope
you and your families all have fabulous Memorial Day weekend.
(37:08):
Thanks to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice so
we could enjoy this weekend sleeve.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Travis and Buck Sexton on the front lines of truth.
Welcome back in our number three Friday edition headed into
the Memorial Day weekend holiday. And certainly there's so many
of you out there with friends and family who have
made the ultimate sacrifice to protect this country and everything
that it stands for. And I've talked about this before.
We were going to bring in Frank Siller here in
a moment. I don't know if he's had the opportunity
(00:23):
to do this. One of the greatest trips I have
ever taken in my life was I got to spend
an entire day touring the beaches of Normandy. I've talked
about it on the program before. We had a private
tour guide took the boys, all three of my boy's
wife met our tour guide in Normandy. He took us
(00:45):
around to all the beaches. So much of that area
still looks the exact same as it did eighty some
odd years ago. We toured the cemetery there where they
have so many American soldiers who are laid there in
the rows of white crosses. We bring in now Frank Siller,
who lost his brother on nine to eleven, which is
(01:05):
how Tunnel to Towers came to be one of the
truly great charities that exists anywhere. Frank, I know you
are a student of American history in many ways as well.
Have you ever had that opportunity of touring the beaches
of Normandy? And if not, has there been a place
outside of certainly New York City where you have been
(01:26):
raising money and fighting back against what happened on that
day on nine to eleven that you have toured that
has particular residence for you as you think about Memorial Day.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yes, well, of course, there's so many places that we
could go to honor those who have given the made
the ultimate sacrifice, and certainly in Narlington, which have been
to I mean it might take most Oh yes, yeah,
you should be there. But I was invited last year
for the anniversary of D Day to a parachute into Normandy.
(02:00):
Oh wow, And uh yeah, I was invited by these
great uh you know, the twelve Horsemen, the guys who
rode in in Afghanistan, you know, the Special Forces Green Berets,
and and I honestly because I didn't serve. I said
to him, there's two reasons why I'm not going to
do this, and number one, I said I didn't serve.
(02:22):
So I feel oh, they should do it because they're
going to have me on their plane that they were going.
And we do a lot of things together, and they
helped raise a lot of money for the foundation, and
they speak all over the country for us. And and
I said, the second reason is I'm not jumping out
of any plane. And I said, the second reason might
be might be the first reason. I don't know if
(02:43):
i'd have the courage to jump outside the plane. That's
why these heroes that that that do these things, Uh,
they're extraordinary. They were extraordinary that they had the courage.
And I only just jump out of a plane. They're
jumping out out of a plane that is being fired upon,
you know what I mean. So, uh, the heroes I
give us our country. We have to on this sacred
(03:05):
weekend we must remember them and their families what they've
done for us and this great country that we live in.
So and I know you're always preaching that to everybody,
and I thank you and Buck for doing it always.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Well.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
We feel fortunate to be able to talk to an
audience that has so many people who have given their
utmost along with their families to ensure the freedoms that
we all have. You mentioned not wanting to jump out
of an airplane. I've never jumped out of an airplane either.
But frank one of the baddest ass stories, and there
are a lot of those from the Greatest generation. The
(03:45):
majority of the guys that ended up in one hundred
and first Airborne and ended up jumping in, many of
them on d Day. The first time they ever went
up in an airplane, they jumped out of it.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Can you imagine? And like, if you, for anybody.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Out there that is listening to us right now, if
you can remember the first time that you were on
an airplane. Many of these guys are just farm kids.
They hadn't hardly been anywhere. They end up in uh In,
you know, the the rangers here jumping out of airplanes,
they had never even been in airplanes before. Think about this.
You take off, You're in the sky for the first
(04:23):
time ever in your life, and they're like, okay, kid,
you're jumping out now. I mean, it's just a different
level of bravery and and and balls. Frankly, then you
see almost anywhere, can you imagine?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
No, I can't imagine that. And that's and that's why
you know, we owe so much to the greatest generation.
I mean, god, what they did. But you know what,
you know, the f nine to eleven and when all
men and women went over in Afghanistan and Iraq and
for what that wolf of so many is, you know,
found out we still have the greatest generation.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
These kids that went and you know, to protect here
us here, so another nine to eleven what't happened are incredible.
And that's why the total of the Talents Foundation, we're
indebted to every single one of them, and why we've
made the promises that we've made, Clay, and you've been
to so many of our events. You see, you see
(05:19):
the great heroes that we have there and these families
once again have made the ultimate pay, the ultimate sacrifice.
And you know, we made a promise that you know,
go forbid. These great heroes don't come home and they
leave behind the young family, we're going to deliver them
a mortgage free home and or if they come back
catastrophically injured, we're going to build them a mortgage free
smart home, you know, to give back some of their independence.
(05:41):
And we've been doing that for quite a while now,
and you know, this weekend we're giving the way twenty
five mortgage free homes to some of these great heroes
that made the ultimate sacrifice in their families.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That's a tremendous gesture. Especially we're sitting here now. I
think I've got the math right. Coming up on the
twenty fourth anniversary of nine to eleven, next year will
be twenty five, and I know there probably will be
even more attention being shined upon it. Can you believe
that it's been twenty four years since that day?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
No, I can't. It's you know, I look at my my,
my brother's My brother had five kids when he died
on nine eleven when he made that heroic run for
the tunnel to the towers with his gear on his back,
and you know he had his youngest child was nine
months old. Now, that nine month old. Two days ago
(06:35):
we did a house dedication up and up by Albany,
New York, for a spun home for specialist Mike Maynard.
And he, my nephew, spoke at this. Now he's twenty five,
and he spoke, and he spoke so beautifully about his
daddy's Steve Junior, ste Stephen still a junior. And I'm
(06:58):
looking at him, I'm saying I was I couldn't even
speak after them. I was so emotional, and I'm saying
it's twenty four years later, but it's so so painful,
and the loss is still there. And that's what all
these families go through, not just nine eleven families, all
these gold Star families. You know that, you know, all
these police officers and firefighters at diet around our country
(07:20):
every year, and you know, this year we're paying off
over two hundred mortgages for these great heroes, you know,
all over the country. And you know, so there's a
big price that's always made.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
No.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
I cannot believe it's twenty four years later, but we
must make sure that people don't forget. And you know,
on weekends like this, people I hope remember.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
You know.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I know they all want to have a nice barbecue,
me included. But we have this barbecue. We're we're talking
to my my grandkids, you know, we're telling them all
about you know what happened. I was at a dinner
last night where they raised a lot of money for
the foundation. They run by a guy who's a paratrooper
himself or a Vietnam War and Purple Heart recipient, and
he has this beautiful golf Course country Club in New Jersey,
(08:03):
evel Oaks, and he puts on this beautiful event. He
raised a half million dollars in the Funnel to Dallas
Foundation to make sure that we continue the work that
we do. And the General Flynn was there, He was
the keynote speaker. And it was a beautiful night. But
I had my grandchildren there. I had my grandchildren in
there to make sure some of them some are too young,
but you know some of them are not. They and
(08:25):
they were there and they hear these stories of heroism.
And you got to start teaching your kids and your
grandkids early on about America and why we are the
greatest country that ever existed.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Next year, President Trump will be in charge of the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our declaration of independence,
really our founding as a country. It will also be
the twenty fifth anniversary of nine to eleven. You know
President Trump pretty well, you and I feel like I
know him pretty well at this point too. But for
people out there who don't know him, Memorial Day, what
(09:01):
do you think it means to President Trump? And what
has President Trump meant for Tunnel to Towers in your
experience knowing him.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Well he is. He is a great supporter of Tunnel
to Dallas. There's no question about it. He loves what
we're doing. I've spoken to him several times about the foundation.
He knows everything about Tunnel to Dallas. This guy knows
everything about everything just about It's incredible the knowledge he has.
(09:29):
But he cares and such had a level. Let me
just tell you one quick story about President Trump. I
got a call around September eleventh, this past twenty twenty four,
just you know what, this past year, and he was
coming in to pay respect at ground zero and they
asked me to what she where should he go the
(09:52):
President's team, and I said, you really don't need me
for that, but I'll be more than happy to help you.
And I suggest this one firehouse, which anybody that knows
anything about the sacrifice that had made would suggests this
firehouse four and fifteen, which is that fire house that's
pretty close to ground zero. And so he goes. He
(10:14):
goes there, he's found at ground zero with the reading
of the names, and we go over there and a
motorcade to go to meet the families. They lost fifteen
families plus at this firehouse on nine to eleven, and
he stays there for an hour and talking to whatever
families are there that were of the fifteen that were there,
(10:38):
holding their you know, conversations with them, looking at the
internal memorial that they had inside the firehouse. He was
just he was so in tune to these families. And
I'm one of those families not from that firehouse. You know,
my brother was at Squad one. But he was so
gracious with his time and with his emotions.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
It was it was beautiful to watch.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Nobody saw that. The press didn't cover that, you know
what I mean, So nobody saw that, and he was
doing all that, and that's why he especially one on one,
he's incredible about how much he cares and if you
if you've made a big sacrifice, if you protected our
country or our community, he's even more in tune to
it and and wants to help out. So I know
(11:26):
that he has big plans for the two hundred and
fiftieth anniversary of this great country, and I know that
he wants to be part of that, and I know
he wants to help us with the twenty fifth anniversary
of nine to eleven. He wants to help the tunnel
of Talis Foundation because we don't waste people's money. You
could see where it goes. It takes care of mortgage
(11:46):
free homes for these great heroes that have done everything
for us. So he is something somebody I can rely
upon to help us on a mission to do good
and get the word out there to make sure that
we never forget no doubt.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
We're talking to Frank Seller a Tunnel the Towers. I
was with you in October of last year and saw
you raising millions of dollars at the Liberty Golf Course
in New Jersey. And then I was with you just
a couple of months ago down at Trump West Palm Beach,
and I saw you raise millions of dollars more.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
You don't stop.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
But for people out there that are listening to us
and are interested in helping you to help as many
people as possible that are making sacrifices, sometimes the ultimate sacrifice,
often the ultimate sacrifice for our country, how can they help?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Well, it's simple, go to ttwot dot org. Obviously it
stands for Tunnel to Towers, So t the number two
t dot org and donate eleven dollars a month. It's
not a lot. We're not asking you to do a lot,
but you should do something. Everybody who's listening, it's your
responsibility to do something to these great families that are
(13:00):
behind or if they're catastrophically injured, when we give them
a mortgage free smart home, it is your responsibility. Tunnel
to Towers are made a promise that we're going to
take care of every family who dies in the line
of duty and leaves a young family behind. We're going
to pay off their mortgages. We're going to game a
mortgage free home, and we're going to do that for
catastrophically injured. And now you know we're doing for homeless veterans.
(13:20):
Over ten thousand homeless veterans off the street the last
two years. I just finished. We just bought nineteen new properties.
We broke around Atlanta, Breading, Florida, Memphis, Bayville, New Jersey, Harrisburg, Denver, Buffalo,
New York, Detroit, in South Carolina, Jacksonville, Florida, Orlando, Sacramento, Cleveland, Bronx,
(13:43):
West Palm Beach. In Puerto Rico, we're building a homeless
veteran village in Puerto Rico. Because you cannot believe how
many great heroes have served us from Puerto Rico, served
Dark Country, Jackson, New Jersey, Portland, Charlotte, Kansas City, Seattle, Dallas, Austin,
Long Island, Las Vegas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Again,
we are doing this all over our country because there's
(14:05):
too many homeless veterans out there in the street and
it's disgusting and we can't let that be. So, you know,
we have a lot of work ahead of us, but
not eleven dollars a month. Fight Department says, many hands
makes light work. So go to ttwot dot org and
be part of those many hands so we could take
care of these great heroes.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Frank, I appreciate everything you do. Look forward to seeing
you again soon. And i'd encourage everybody to echo just
what he said ttwot dot org and join us in
giving a little bit to help a lot.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
God bless you and God bless America.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
That is Frank sillerttot dot org. I want to tell
you a lot of you out there are happy that
you bought gold. Buck bought gold a decade ago. Do
you know what it's gone since then? Up one hundred
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As the stock market has been a bit wobbly, gold
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(15:03):
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(15:24):
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(16:50):
they do a lot of it with the Sunday Hang.
Join Clay and Buck as they laugh it up in.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
The Clay and Buck podcast feed on the iHeartRadio app
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Welcome back in Clay, Travis Buck Sexton show man Frank
was great and I just want to reiterate again the
work that he does at Tunnel Towers, it truly is tireless.
And if you go to any of these events, as
I have been very fortunate to do, when you see
the widows stand and talk about the difference that being
able to live in a home, often the home that
(17:31):
the family lived in before their loved one died, and
know that they can stay there and continue to raise
oftentimes their kids there as well. It really is a
transformative experience that he is offering to so many people,
and he does tireless work. So again, I'm just asking
you to join me. I try to make sure that
I donate, try to make sure I donate money as
(17:51):
well as time at t twot dot org. All right,
when we come back, we're going to head to West Virginia.
Patrick Morrisey, the governor there, is going to talk with
us as we can continue to roll through on the
Friday Memorial Day edition of the program.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
But I want to make sure that.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
All of you know that I'm actually hopping in the
car tomorrow and I'm headed up to the inndy five hundred.
I've never been before. I know there's going to be
three hundred and fifty thousand people there, and I am
spending the day on Sunday with my guy Ben, who
runs Good Ranchers. He and his wife, see, they have
a crazy idea. They just want all of you to
(18:26):
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(18:49):
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(19:11):
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Meat for life.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Welcome back in Clay, Travis buck Sexton Show.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Appreciate all of you hanging out.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
With us as we are rolling through the Friday edition
of the program headed into Memorial Day weekend. I hope
you guys are going to be safe wherever you are
across the country. We are joined now by West Virginia
Governor Patrick Morrissey. Appreciate him joining on with us right now.
And there's a lot we're going to dive into with you, Governor,
(19:40):
but right off the top, you wanted to tell us
all about what you've got going on when it comes
to helping veterans become teachers. It's a very great idea,
particularly here on Memorial Day weekend as we celebrate veterans
who gave the utmost. Where did the idea come from,
what is it like, and how is it going going
(20:00):
so far?
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Well, first of all, thank you so much for having
me on. And this is not an idea that I
came up with, but you know, I'm smart enough to
learn from people who are spending a lot of time
on these topics. And for those who don't know, there
used to be a federal program of troops to teachers
provision and program a number of years ago. But we
(20:25):
had a couple of legislators who were veterans who really
were thinking a lot about different ways that our former
troops could get into the classrooms because they know that
West Virginia is a state where we have a shortage
of qualified teachers, and so a number of these veterans,
over a multi year period, kept trying to push a
(20:46):
bill that would allow veterans to get into the classroom quicker.
And as you know, a lot of times in various states,
there's a slowdown. And how long did it take to
get into the classroom, to go through eighteen different hoops
and certifications to get through. We said, look, we need
to start to move that a lot faster. And so
(21:10):
now under this new Troops to Teachers law, we have
a chance to get these veterans into the schools quicker.
We're going to bypass some of the red tape that
exists right now. I'd like to get them even quicker.
But this is a way we begin to address our
school teacher shortage. It's also a way that we reflect
(21:30):
the great experience that these veterans have. It's pretty amazing.
You're looking for leadership, organizational skills, and knowledge, the ability
to relate to people. You can't really do much better
than vets. So we thought it was a great bill.
Kudos out to Tom Willis and Bill right No hour,
to the people that we're driving in the legislature. And
(21:53):
you know, when I heard about this bill, we got
involved and we knew that we act to tout it
so that we can get more vets into the schools.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
No doubt, West Virginia is maybe the reddest state in
the country. Now, how would you assess what West Virginians
think of the job Trump has done so far.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Look, I think West Virginias are very happy with President Trump,
and they know that he's shaking things up in Washington, DC.
He's striving for America's energy independence, which helps West Virginia
tremendously because West Virginia is America's energy state. He's looking
for ways to take on the swamp and return power
(22:33):
back to the states and to the people. We love
that he has common sense conservative ideas that we also
appreciate in West Virginia. So, look, I think he's doing
very very well. You know, he had a lot of
positive things in his first term. I think is even
stronger here in his second term of office. So I
was just at the White House a little bit earlier
(22:55):
today and I saw the President and a lot of
Cabinet members yesterday. And let me tell you, these guys
are working their tails off for the American people, and
I know that West Virginia is going to benefit and
it's been a pleasure partnering with them. You know, what
a change going from Biden to Trump for West Virginia.
It makes all the difference in the world.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
No doubt.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
And I'm curious. You've lived in West Virginia for I
think twenty some odd years now. I know you're originally
from the East Coast, but what do you think the
evolution of West Virginia's voting history. I live here in Tennessee,
and certainly there's been an evolution here too, but from
a place where Democrats were rock ribbed and felt very
confident that they were going to always get those votes
(23:40):
to a place now which, as I mentioned, I mean
right up there with Wyoming and a few other states
voted Trump and for you voted Red as aggressively almost
as any state.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
In the nation.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
What does that evolution reflect, not only about West Virginia,
but I think to a certain degree, and certainly Joe
Manchin would reflect this too, the Collie apps of the
Democrat Party when it comes to just being a party
that normal people with common sense supporting, I.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Think that's right. Look, all discussions have to start with
the fact that you had a series of presidents on
the Democrat side that sold out West Virginia. When you
have people openly talking about ending the use of coal
and showing great disrespect for our energy resources. That's never
going to put you on a favorable light in West Virginia.
(24:30):
And we had that. Even if you go back to
Gore in the two thousand race. If many people may
remember that George Bush won in West Virginia, and everyone
talks about Florida being the difference maker in two thousand,
but in reality, West Virginia's electoral votes were critically important
and for a long time prior to that were just
(24:52):
considered locks in the Democrat column. So I would say
that coal and our energy resources and just the common
sense conservative values that people show that the Democrat Party
has gone so far off the rails. And I think
people know that, you know, whether it's men playing sports
with women or some of these crazy issues pretending to DEI.
(25:17):
You know, we actually were doing some cleanup of DEI.
Even in West Virginia when I came in, there's still
some DEI we were working to clean up. So I
would say that West Virginians are looking for common sense
in their government. But we care about our freedoms and
we want to have the ability to really grow lift
up our standard of living, driver educational attainment, and I
(25:40):
think President Trump wants that, and people knows that while
the state has moved, no one is taken anything for granted.
I certainly won't, you know. I want to work hard
and run through the finish line every single day to
help West Virginia grow. And that's why we're talking about
doing our backyard brawl against all the states that we touch,
(26:02):
lifting ourselves up economically, really improving our educational system, and
getting our workforce participation numbers up. So we're doing a
lot of good things. But we know that the state
has evolved, but in part because the Democrats absolutely left
us in West Virginia, and people now know that got
(26:22):
some folks that really care about the state's future in charge.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Is Country Roads the best song about a state anywhere
in the country.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
You know, it's a great song. And I don't know
if you guys know this, but during the Super Bowl
there was a commercial and it was by Rocket Mortgage,
and you started hearing Country Roads, and I thought it
was pretty unbelievable because when they were talking about it,
I first thought it was a West Virginia tourism commercial
(26:55):
because in all its Country Roads and talking about West Virginia.
But in reaction was a commercial bank and we were
really we loved it. I mean, we thought it was incredible.
And wherever you go across the globe, people know that
there's an indomitable spirit coming out of West Virginia. Country
(27:15):
Roads reflects that. Guys. One thing I do want to
put on your radar screen. September thirteenth, we have a
backyard Brawl football game between WU and PET. But the
reason I mentioned this to you guys less about the sports,
but all leading up to it, we're going to backyard
Brawl economic announcements that whole week in Morgantown and in
(27:39):
West Virginia talking about the steps West Virginia's taking to
really climb up in the rankings, our comebacks beginning. So
we've got a lot of incredible history and culture in
West Virginia and now we're taking on some tough challenges.
West Virginia's on the rise and we're pretty psyched about it.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
It's the beautiful state, fabulous place to be. I went
to a wedding there and everybody got drunk in the
final song of the night was Country Roads, which was
a pretty awesome experience. So we will have you on
that week because that is a great rive oream a
college football guy, and everybody knows West Virginia pitt is
about as good as it gets. We'll have you on
that week to share some of the good moves that
(28:20):
you guys are making economically in the state, and we
appreciate the time and hope you and your family have
a good Memorial Day weekend.
Speaker 4 (28:25):
Governor Hey Simp, you guys appreciate your having me on today,
and Happy Memorial Day to everyone listening.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Appreciate that. Thanks so much.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Buck is not in today, as some of you may
have noticed, but I bet right now he is getting
nervous because the New York Knicks play tonight against the
Indiana Pacers and they had one of the all time
epic choke jobs just a couple of days ago. Sorry
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Speaker 5 (30:00):
With the biggest political comeback in world history. On the
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Speaker 1 (30:15):
Welcome back in Play Travis Buck Sexton Show, final segment
of the week. Buck, We'll be back with me on Tuesday.
I want to take an opportunity here to thank everybody
out there as we head into Memorial Day weekend for
being supporters of the show, for spending time with us.
(30:35):
Been nearly four years since Buck and I took over.
We don't take it for granted at all. And you
heard us talking with Frank Siller at the start of
the third hour, and if you if you missed that discussion,
I mentioned right off the top that one of the
greatest days that I have ever gotten to spend was
(30:58):
touring the beaches of Norman and what really stood out
to me there. And I hope all of you get
the opportunity at some point in time, particularly those of
you who are big history buffs like I am, whether
it's Civil war history, I'm a Civil War history nerd,
getting to walk around battlefields, read about what has happened before.
We're about to celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary
(31:20):
of the Declaration of Independence next year. We just had
the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Lexington Concord. Wherever
you go, I hope you are taking time to understand
the larger context of American history. But if you stand
on some of those bluffs, and if you look out
from the positions that the Germans occupied, it is hard
(31:43):
to believe that anyone was able to take those positions.
And I'm a big believer that actually seeing the terrain
of battlefields is incredibly valuable because it actually crystallizes what
the sacrifice was. Because even just walking some of the ridgelines,
(32:09):
even trying to climb a hill without somebody trying to
kill you, you can understand what exactly was given so that
all of us have the luxury to celebrate as we
all will a long weekend this year and for many
years to come. And so I just want to say
(32:31):
thank you for people who have family members who have
made the ultimate sacrifice, for people out there who are
dealing with memories, like Frank said, of loss, while also
celebrating the future and the sacrifice that was made that
allows us to all have the freedoms that very often
we take for granted every single day. And I think
(32:54):
about that in the context of so many young Americans
have no idea how they have it.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I don't know how many of you saw one of
the viral.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Videos recently of a young black woman who decided that
she couldn't stand the racism in America, so she moved
to Africa, and then she made a video coming back
talking about the fact that Africa wasn't that good, wasn't
that nice of a place? And you all know, I
was in Israel in December, and I love, honestly the
(33:27):
fact that everybody has to serve in the Israeli defense
forces as a part of living in that country due
to the threats and dangers that they experience, because I
think it really, in many ways, epitomizes your direct connection
to the freedoms that exist in the country. But I
truly do believe that if every American kid, every seventeen
(33:49):
or eighteen year old who is graduating right now from
high school, and certainly even those that are graduating from
college because we're in graduation season right now, if all
of them had to give two years to serve outside
of the United States and were not allowed to come
back into the United States, almost every single one of
(34:10):
them would kiss the ground when they come back into
this country. And Warren Buffett ninety four years old, step
down from Berkshire Hathaway just in the last month, and
he has a great analogy that I think brings this
home and for many of you, I think is particularly
useful as we go into Memorial Day weekend. He says,
(34:32):
if you think about the population of the world as
basically every person in the world is a marble, and
you were able to put all those marbles into one collection,
seven billion, roughly people around the world, And he said,
and you had a marble that you were holding, and
it represented where you live, what your relative wealth is.
(34:57):
If you had an opportunity to replace your marble where
you are right now, and you were to draw one
marble out, no American, no American, no matter how rich
or poor you are, should ever replace their marble and
(35:18):
take a risk about where else you might end up,
because even the poorest and the least advantaged among us
would be wildly wealthy in almost every other country and
the rest of the world. The poorest people in America
would be in the country's most populous country right now,
(35:41):
India would be among the wealthiest people in India, and
most people don't really have the perspective to understand that.
Why is that the case? Because of all of the
sacrifices that have been made, many of them by soldiers,
first responders, and police all around the world to allow
us to have spectacular weekends rolling in long weekends this year.
(36:04):
So I just think for that moment, just think about
that analogy. Gratitude probably the most single valuable of all emotions,
and it's one that we don't use as much as
we should. That Marble analogy from Warren Buffett has always
stuck with me, So hope you think about that a
little bit this weekend. I've had a great time hanging
out with all of you. We'll be back on Tuesday,
(36:25):
Buck and I both and we will be celebrating what
hopefully was a fabulous weekend for us and for you
as well. But again, as we come up on four
years being able to sip behind this microphone, we feel
a tremendous and enormous amount of gratitude and we thank
you every single day for all the time you spend
with us. So hope you go download the podcast. We've
(36:45):
got a great podcast network. If you missed the first
couple of hours of the show. I think you will
enjoy that as well, and be safe on the roads.
I'll be at the NDY five hundred this weekend with
my wife, So if any of you are out there
among the three hundred and fifty thousand in the crowd
that also listen to the show, hope to see some
of you and say hi to you, and I hope
you and your families all have fabulous Memorial Day weekend.
(37:08):
Thanks to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice so
we could enjoy this weekend sleeve.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Travis and Buck Sexton on the front lines of truth.
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