Tony Katz and the Morning News 3rd Hr 8-17-26

What is Toyota affordability? It all starts with buying smart, and your Toyota dealer has great deals available to qualified customers on reliable cars and SUVs, including the redesigned RAV-4, spacious Grand Highlander, sporty Camrys, and Corolla's. It means driving for less, with efficient hybrid and plug-in hybrid options available throughout the lineup, extending your overall driving range and delivering great MPGs, saving you money at the pump. And it means trading for more. Toyota is known for building long-lasting vehicles. And as the best resale value brand, according to Kelly Blue Book, your Toyota can be worth thousands more than average when it's time to trade in. That's Toyota affordability. Buy smart, drive for less, and trade for more. Shop Toyota.com or your local dealer for deals and details. Vehicles projected resale value is specific to the 2026 model year. For more information, visit Kelly Blue Books, KB.com. Toyota brand average resale value is 53% versus the average vehicle at 45%. Toyota, let's go places. The updates are all at WIBC.com. Tony Katz, 93 WIBC. Good morning. As we've talked about the flooding all over the area, certainly Marion County is not. Out of this, as the reporting goes from the WIBC Newsroom, the flood, the White River at Nore and 82nd is down earlier this morning to 18.5 feet, about three feet below the crest. Everything is moving further south. Ravenswood, an area of concern. Of course, you saw the videos at a Broad Ripple, Rocky Ripple. Over the weekend and everybody gathering together, getting the sandbags out there to deal with these issues. Now we're going to see where some long-term effects are of these rains, of these storms, of these floods, excuse me, on businesses. And on homeowners, I would ask Mayor Joe Hogsett to come on and discuss what it is that Indianapolis is doing. But since the mayor never comes on, the invitation remains. We'll see if in a time of flooding, he believes that in getting information to the people is more important than anything else. I leave that completely and totally up to him. You've got statewide seven people. have perished in these storms and in this flooding, all different age ranges. And there's one story of a bicyclist deciding to ride around a flood barricade and fell into a collapsed road. I don't know what one is supposed to say at that moment. That's a horror story. The barricade is there for a reason. You got to know that it's there for a reason. I don't. It's just terrible. I think you'll leave it at that. Good gosh.

We're going to have more of this. The full stories at WIBC.com. Coming up, the vice president, the former vice president, Mike Pence joins us. We'll take a look at what's going on in Iran and his new book, What Conservatives Believe, has the political right drifted too far into the populism. That story is coming up. Tony Katz, 93, WIBC. Good morning. What is Toyota affordability? It all starts with buying smart, and your Toyota dealer has great deals available to qualified customers on reliable cars and SUVs, including the redesigned RAV-4, Spacious Grand Highlander, sporty Camrys, and Corolla's. It means driving for less, with efficient hybrid and plug-in hybrid options available throughout the lineup, extending your overall driving range and delivering great MPGs, saving you money at the pump. And it means trading for more. Toyota is known for building long-lasting vehicles. And as the best resale value brand, according to Kelly Blue Book, your Toyota can be worth thousands more than average when it's time to trade in. That's Toyota affordability. Buy smart, drive for less, and trade for more. Shop Toyota.com or your local dealer for deals and details. Vehicles projected resale value is specific to the 2026 model year. For more information, visit Kelly Blue Books KB.com. Toyota brand average resale value is 53% versus the average vehicle at 45%. Toyota, let's go places. So in the many conversations that we have had about President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and really Republicans writ large. It's been a conversation about conservatism versus populism. Tony Katz, great to be with you. I have stated quite clearly for those who may not know, maybe new to the show. First of all, thanks for being here. Secondly, I'm a conservative. I'm not a populist. MAGA, Make America Great Again, is much more populist than I am. It doesn't mean that we don't have areas of overlap. It means that in the end, I don't believe in so much the expedient thing as I do in the right thing. So there is a difference here. The question is, is the Republican Party now in a place where populism is the name of the game and the conservatism is Passa? The former vice president of the United States, Mike Pence, joins me right now. He is the author of what conservatives believe rediscovering the conservative conscience, which you can find at Amazon.com, wherever fine books are sold. And, sir, I only thought I was just here to keep your seat warm until you came back to radio. Is that the announcement you're making here today? Right now? You're coming back. to WIBC? Well, not quite, but I'm awful glad to be on with you this morning. And Tony, just thanks for your clarion conservative voice. And also, obviously, you know, from our home here in Zionsville, you know, our hearts just go out to all the who your family's impacted by the flooding over the last several days. WIBC and you personally have done an extraordinary job. That's very kind of you. Making relief available.

It just the loss of life and the devastation of property. I really commend Governor Braun. I commend our delegation in Washington. And of course, President Trump for moving so swiftly to make resources available. But prayers in our hearts are with every Hoosier family that's listening, that's been impacted by these floods. And I know that help is there and more help is on the way. And we're going to be working on that as a station and, of course, as a state. The book is interesting in that you're making this contrast, this, this, this. conversation of there is such a thing as conservatism. It is different than what we're seeing. And it was always the contrast that I saw between you and President Trump and serving as vice president in that first term. As you describe it, what is the issue? What is the issue that Republicans have right now? Yeah, well, for decades, Republicans were really defined by that broad mainstream conservative agenda that you and I embraced, which is an agenda of a strong defense, American leadership in the world, limited government, less government, less taxes, and traditional values. Our battle for most of the decades in the last 50 years has been against a traditional liberal Democratic Party. But the first change I write about in my book is that the Democratic Party has been overtaken by the progressive left. I mean, you've covered it quite thoroughly here on your... broadcast, Tony. But, you know, we've seen the rise of socialist candidates, the open embrace of socialist and even communist ideologies within the Democratic ranks. And so that's one slide. But what I also wanted people to see, and you said at the opening of this segment, that there has been a new threat to that traditional conservative agenda that's emerged from the populist right that embraces. protectionism, isolationism with marginalized values like the right to life. And I say that, acknowledging first and former, the new Trump administration has gotten a lot right. I think standing up to Iran as no previous president ever did, taking the fight directly to the mullahs in Tehran, standing with Israel, extending all those tax cuts that we passed. a decade ago unleashing American energy. There's all been great progress there, but there are there are voices and forces afoot within the party that would that would want to change the Republican Party to that that populist kind of big government isolationist protectionist approach and I wrote the book to really start a conversation that I hope continues thoroughly over the next two and a half years. You know, the very concept of protectionism, talking to the former vice president of the United States, Mike Pence, when people hear that, they say, well, you have China which manipulates its currency, right? And they make our lives difficult and the power of the dollar difficult. You do have places where we could say this is unfair trade, that this is not a proper, valuable arrangement. You could take a look at just NATO spending where the United States was spending and other nations were not.

say what's wrong with a little bit of protectionism? How do you answer that? Well, number one, I say I 1,000% agree with everything you just said. In fact, I think the Trump Mike Pence years really changed the national consensus on China. We recognize that China had been engaged in decades of trade abuses, intellectual property theft. We impose $250 billion in tariffs on China. They're there to this day. China is the exception. Trade abusers are the exception. But a year ago, when the president came out with his liberation day, broad-based tariffs against friend and foe alike, I called it. It's essentially the largest peacetime tax increase in American history. I was pleased the Supreme Court turned it back. But as you can see in the headlines, the administration has come with a whole new range of tariff proposals that, you know, ultimately American businesses and American consumers. pay American tariffs. That's fundamental economics. It's one of the reasons why most Hoosiers understand that what we make here, what we grow here, we sell to the world. And our goal should be free trade with free nations. And I make that case in my new book, What Conservatives Believe. Talking to the former vice president, Mike Pence, the book is What Conservatives Believe, Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience. And what people like yourself will be called, and you've heard this a million times in your life, is that you, sir, are a neocon. And if they could then hiss at you and, like, put up the Cavorka as if somehow you were walking with plague, they would. The neocon labeling, does it move anymore? Does it mean anything anymore? Is there a value to being a neocon? Well, I don't know that these labels ever had much purchase. But look, you know, when Osama bin Laden attacked the United States 25 years ago next month. from his perch in Afghanistan. We took the fight to Afghanistan, never, never imagining that it would turn into a forever war. And I'm, I'm someone that believes that the proper use of the U.S. military is when you go to war, you go to war to win. You state your objectives, you achieve your objectives, you complete them. and you're out. And the truth is that the critics of forever wars from the president on down, and to me and my time, make a great point that we saw Afghanistan and Iraq evolve in the nation building. But that doesn't mean that you pull in the shutters and allow authoritarian regimes like Iran to menace, like Russia, to attempt to redraw international lines by force.

that as the leader of the free world, I think the United States has always understood, that we have an opportunity to stand with those that are defending their freedom. And it's, I think the administration's in a better place on Ukraine right now, and I welcome that, but the stops and starts in support for Ukraine after that brutal and unprovoked invasion by Russia now more than four years ago. is again emblematic of this sentiment that says that we can't solve our problems here at home and still be leader of the free world. Do you believe that that is the issue with populism, that it leads to isolationism? It does, and even to worse. I mean, you've spoke forcefully about the way isolationism, particularly applied to Israel, drifts quickly into anti-Semitic rhetoric that has been increasingly tolerated for years on the progressive left. even among members of Congress who've engaged in anti-Semitic rhetoric. But it's even gained some purchase on the populist right. And there's no place in America for anti-Semitism or anti-Semitic rhetoric in any form. And so I think that's where it goes. I really do. Look, I understand the frustration that people feel as they look at a $40 trillion national debt. as they look at an increasingly dangerous world. But at the end of the day, I think hewing to our roots of the ideals and principles that are enshrined in our declaration are outlined and defended in the Constitution of the United States, that's still the pathway forward to a free and prosperous and secure America. Mike Pence, former vice president of the United States, The Book, What Conservatives Believe, Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience, Sir, I appreciate you taking the time. It's good to talk to you. I hope to get to do it again in the very, very near future. Thank you, sir. Tony, I'll look forward to it. And we'll be at the Indiana Historical Society Thursday. for a book signing and remarks if people want to join us this Thursday evening, 530 to 7. And if Tony Katz made a surprise appearance, that'd make my whole day. My gosh, now I'm on the clock and I'm under the gun, no pressure, no guilted like only my grandmother could, the vice president, Mike Pence, sir. It's on the calendar. It's happening Thursday. I'll talk more about it. Thank you, sir. What is Toyota affordability? It's buying smart. Your local Toyota dealer has great deals available today on RAV-4, Grand Highlander, Camry, and Corolla, with the features and style you deserve. It means driving for less, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid options across the lineup, delivering great MPGs. And it means trading for more. Toyota is known for building long-lasting vehicles, meaning your car will hold its value for years to come. Shop Toyota.com to find out more. Toyota, let's go places.

We have got Dow futures right now down 182 points. NASDAQ futures up 106, just proving that the stock market knows what it's doing. Tony Katz 93 WIBC. Good morning. Great to be with you on a very, very busy morning. West Texas crude is at $82.32 and $32 a barrel. Brent crude at $88.66 a barrel. The 10-year treasury at 4.708. We're going to be putting the 30-year fixed. If it stays another day, we're going to be putting that at 6.8. And it's going to hurt housing. Gold is at $4381 an ounce, silver per ounce, $65.17. Bitcoin at $63,547. President Trump threatening to bomb Oman if it gets in the way. The MOU, by the way, has expired. Remember the memorandum of understanding? Ah, it's a good time. It's a good time. It's like your first crush. You don't really remember, but you still have the feeling. Yeah. The feeling wasn't real either. I have no idea if he's going to bomb or not. But this brings us the story of North Korea, South Korea. And this very, very weird statement from the president is saying, you know what, we're not going to have. these exercises with South Korea. I would really cancel them because they're very rude to the North Koreans who have been just lovely to us. But since I can't cancel them, we're just going to limit the scope of the exercises is what we're going to do, right? Because North Korea has been unthreatening and respectful. I have instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce to joint military exercises while somewhat unrelated question mark. I recently asked the president of South Korea if they would like to join us in the denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. And they said, no thanks. Thank you for your attention to this matter, President Donald J. Trump. Yeah. I'm with you. North Korea is still a threat. Let's not be crazy. I also understand that like it or not, this is Trump's approach. Are you with me or not? And if you're not going to be with me on the denuclearization over there, clearly you have no problem with nuclear weapons. So we don't need to work these exercises with you. You guys figure it out on the peninsula. It's a statement. It is a very, very strong statement. I didn't say you liked it. I didn't say you thought it was even the best way to engage a statement. But it is one. If we're going to argue that the president has decided not to take Guff from these people and not to take it from foreign leaders and not just accept the, well, we have to do everything while they do nothing, he doesn't believe in any of that. And so we should be understanding each other always. That is what millions of Americans voted for. They see the taking it as weakness.

I see the show in the Pacific Rim is important regarding China. There are some who believe, well, that's over because we are moving the George Washington, the carrier, out of the area. We're heading it to the Middle East, and we no longer have a presence in the Pacific, which means the pivot to the Pacific is over. I would argue the pivot to the Pacific was over when the president made clear he was a big fan of the Monroe Doctrine and focusing on the Western Hemisphere. I thought that was the move, the pivot out. Not anything else. So I think it's people who are not so much Johnny come lately, but utilizing this is just a moment to say, oh, look, I can put out a really, really snarky post on X or tweets, whatever the case may be. I don't think we can or should leave the Pacific Grim and Toto. We have relations with Japan and other nations that we want to keep up. We have the August agreement regarding submarines between the UK, Australia and us, which is the only agreement right now that is still working, I think, in very, very full and proper effect as I know it. No, you can't be everywhere all the time. The question is, in the places we are, are we really capable? We used to be able to do two and a half fronts. Now it's only one and a half fronts. If that, we have a lot of work to do. And that work involves shipbuilding. You've heard it a million times. We've discussed it here. That is everything. And we are not hitting it hard enough at all. It's about time.

See, some things do stick with you. Tony Katz 93 WIBC. Good morning. What a morning it's been. It's time to play America's favorite game. What the heck is that television theme song? Here's how we play our game. Producer Carl has selected a television theme song from yesteryear. I have to guess what it is. I'm allowed to utilize the chat room for help as we live stream on YouTube. Check it out for yourself. Just go to WIBC and subscribe. Or I'm allowed to phone a friend. My phone only connects to Matt Bear, though. On Mondays, we play Redemption Monday. This is a song that I missed, and I now have a chance to redeem myself. And get it. Correct. I'll go to Matt first because I have to. Matt Bear. Matt Bear, what is this television theme song? Clifford the big red dog, Tony. Bravo. This is the theme song, too many a Cinemax plot line. That's such a good reference. I'm taking that with me. Taking that all the way to the bank. This is the theme song to women in prison. You've been redeemed. Finally. Yeah. The chat room has been joking with this for like for two months now. Everything is women in prison. By the way, that was that was the name of a television show. And not just your ex-husband's fantasy. Nope, no, actual, actual television show. Uh, okay, turn that off. Uh, on Tony cats today at noon, we're going to dig into this reserve currency conversation, uh, that the vice president is having because, um, uh, No, not my guy. Not my guy, right? Which brings up this whole Mike Pence conversation, and he'll be at the Indiana Historical Society. Thursday. You can get your tickets at IndianaHistory.org and evening with Mike Pence. His book will be there. You'll get a copy of the book. You'll get it signed. Tickets are there at IndianaHistory.org. No, I don't agree with the man about everything. I don't. But on... On the very concept of conservatism over populism, yeah, I am very, very much there. And no, I don't listen to the people who call him a traitor. I think it's all just a bunch of nonsense. I do think that part of him needs to get a little more understanding and aggression on... on the fight characteristic. It's not always about turning the other cheek. It's not always about just absorbing the hit and moving on. No, you must culturally be a participant in the arena. And so if there's anything that I think that I've learned from...

From watching this, and if you guys knew me before Trump was on the scene, you know, the culture conversation has always been a big one for us. It's always been right there. It's the coming from Los Angeles and being around that whole scene and the Breitbart scene and these people who made the TV and made the films and FOA, things like that, it was. The storytellers tell the story. Why aren't we telling a story at all? Why is there no fight in this regard? And it's gotten better, but it's not there. And so this would be my argument to the vice president that this, in terms of a principle, yes, I am not there with the populism. In terms of an attitude, yeah, they're right. They are. They are. Give me the attitude without the populism and hot, diggedy, you are on to something. So that's Thursday night at the Indiana Historical Society there. Starts at 5.30. You get your tickets at IndianaHistory.org. Also, all the talk of the flooding today. Now, we're not done with this. We have a lot to cover on this story. We've been doing it at WIBBC.com all weekend. Incredible work from the news team there. Been doing it just great and getting information out. We'll have the mayor of Carmel's who think I'm on tomorrow. I'm trying to get the mayor of Anderson on. I want to speak to Cambridge City. I want to speak to Newcastle what it is that they're dealing with. We all understand we're going to be damage reports with a B, right? This is going to be a billion dollars. We all get that. We all get the fact that very often when we see a natural disaster, we see a calamity, and you see the press talking about it, they're trying to hype it up because there's ratings that can be connected, et cetera. I believe we're underplaying it. I don't think we understand the level of damage yet. I don't think we're anywhere close to understanding the level of damage yet. And I am very concerned, you know, places like BroadRipple, we're going to see damage and these things in Noblesville, we're going to see damage. I'm concerned about Anderson. And I'm concerned about how that gets rebuilt and redone. I want to see it. I want this water to recede and let us see what we're really dealing with. But these first responders, these people who came out and did the sandbags, we really live in an incredible place, guys. Absolutely incredible. And here at WIBC along with Fox 59 CBS4, we're going to be doing a whole bunch. So we've got more of that coming down the line. Look forward to sharing that with you. I'll catch you at noon. What is Toyota affordability? It's buying smart. Your local Toyota dealer has great deals available today on Tacoma, Tundra, and Forerunner with the space and features for any adventure. It means driving for less with available hybrid options delivering great MPGs without sacrificing power. And it means trading for more. Toyota is known for building long-lasting vehicles, meaning your truck will hold its value for years to come. Shoptojota.com to find out more. Toyota, let's go places.