🔵 Introducing my new tequila, taking on Tucker Carlson, an interview with Rand Paul, a tale of 2 immigrants, and more

SAY HELLO TO COPAL — MY BRAND-NEW TEQUILA

Welcome back to The Rubin Recap. The tequila has landed! I broke it out on Thursday’s show this week to take a sip as, at long last, I was thrilled to introduce it. The name of the tequila is Copal, and it’s been three years in the making. Copal is a reposado made with 100% blue Weber agave, is aged in American whiskey barrels, and is additive-free. The flavor profile is light and exquisite, with hints of vanilla, orange and a special surprise.

This is truly a tequila like no other. It’s an elegant, smooth-drinking tequila. There really is not a better tequila brand out there, and I’m very proud of it and excited to bring it to my audience first. It’s also uniquely authentic, another thing I’m proud of. Our distillery is in Jalisco, Mexico, which, fittingly, is near the town of Tequila.

On top of that, I really wanted each bottle to be unique, so every single bottle is an original piece of artwork, which I thought was really cool and something that no one else is doing. We were able to achieve that through A.I. printing, and that is part of the reason that our release date was pushed back a couple of times.

Pre-orders are now open! And as a special incentive, if you order a bottle now at drinkcopal.com, I’ll sign a sticker to be placed on the first 5,000 bottles ordered through noon Eastern time on Saturday, June 21. Just forward your receipt to [email protected]. And rest assured it will be my real signature, written by me. We don’t use any autopens here!

Copal is available only online right now and begins shipping next week. Since many of you asked, there is a plan for it to be made available in stores and at bars and restaurants at some point in the future, but right now, the only way to secure a bottle of Copal is to order on our website. For more on the process we use to make the tequila, read this. And it’s a good thing the tequila arrived this week, because a few sips helped me deal with the news cycle, which was even crazier than usual. Let’s dive in …

TAKING ON 'KOOKY' TUCKER

Tucker Carson really showed his cards this week and made it clear he ain't playing with a full deck. As I said on Monday's show, it brings me no pleasure to call out Tucker Carlson publicly. Tucker and I have been good friends for many years. He wrote a blurb on the back cover of my first book, Don't Burn This Book. He's been on my show several times, including back in 2019 when he was in my home studio and had a memorable reaction to what he saw there. And I've been on his show numerous times. And I really tried to avoid going after him publicly -- and I’m not attacking him personally. But I am criticizing his ideas. Earlier this year, I text messaged him privately about what I've been seeing from him over about the last year or so. Don't get me wrong, he's done a lot of good since going independent after his departure from Fox News, but lately his rhetoric on the Israel-Iran conflict has been duplicitous and undermining to the White House’s Middle East policy.

Late last week, he posted a tweet in which he named several prominent conservatives, including some of his old Fox News colleagues, who he claims have been calling the White House "to demand air strikes and other direct U.S. military involvement in a war with Iran." This revelation means one of two things: Either someone in the White House is leaking the content of President Trump's incoming calls and Tucker is exposing that information, or Tucker is making stuff up. And I don't think it's the latter, so Trump should look to plug that leak ASAP.

But what's especially dishonest is the false dichotomy Tucker is setting up by saying people can either be "warmongers" or "peacemakers" on this issue. He leaves no room for nuance or middle ground, and touts himself as some sort of magnanimous peacemaker. He makes no mention of Iran's stated goal of destroying Israel's very existence, which it aims to achieve through several terror group proxies. It's sad, actually.

Then, he attacked President Trump directly, saying that if Trump involved the U.S. military in action against Iran, it would effectively mean the end of his presidency. Trump responded on Truth Social, saying, "Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, 'IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.'"

This went on all week until it came to head when Tucker released a combative interview with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. The interview was full of attempted gotcha moments -- at one point Tucker demanded to know why Ted Cruz didn't know the population of Iran -- which resulted in a windfall of memes on social media. Tucker, to put it as generously as I can here, was off his game to say the least, telling Ted Cruz he was unaware Iran has been plotting to assassinate President Trump. Even the mainstream media reported rather extensively on that story, so I'm not sure what his excuse is for missing it. 

And therein was the biggest gotcha moment of the exchange. Tucker committed a total self-own when he demanded Cruz explain why the U.S. isn't dropping nuclear bombs on Tehran if the country's leadership is trying to assassinate the U.S. president. Did Tucker forget about the "warmongers and peacemakers" construct he tweeted about? The same person who, just a few days earlier, blathered, "I would never be for killing anyone, I'm peaceful," is now ready to initiate a nuclear war? That's either an extraordinary turnaround or Tucker's belief system is nothing more than bumper-sticker philosophy because a few breaths later, he again stated, "I am against killing anybody." Ted Cruz, throughout the interview, put on a masterclass in responding to Tucker's wild attacks that came from every direction, particularly when he explained to Tucker, "Killing terrorists is a good thing. Killing people who are trying to murder Americans is a good thing because if you're America First, you want to protect Americans."

Again, it gives me no pleasure to have to say these things about the direction Tucker has take, but I feel obligated to call balls and strikes -- even if it's on our own side. And I was glad to see that Trump said Tucker called him to apologize. That might be the one smart thing he’s done over the last week. Watch my full analysis of the Tucker situation here.

IN TRUMP WE TRUST

I think one reason so many people despise Trump -- typically those on the Left, but some on the Right, too, like the Never Trumpers -- is that they are largely experts only at complaining about things, and destroying things. Trump, meanwhile, knows how to create and build things. He's been doing it his entire life, mostly with great success. Trump's skill at building is incomprehensible to his haters, and I think it's mostly what broke their brains, or has led to Trump Derangement Syndrome. 

Over the first six months of his second term, he’s been trying to envision, facilitate and build a new and better world, putting aside ancient hatreds, as he did during his visit to Saudi Arabia, and inviting everyone who is able to see his vision to take part in creating it.

Some of those on the Right who are attacking him over his methods have some justification in doing so because of the policies of presidents in the not-so-distant past. Remember -- Trump became the standard bearer of the Republican party by blasting the party establishment's handling of numerous issues, including the war in Iraq following 9/11.

However, what Trump is now manifesting is the total reverse of those failures.

For whatever reason, Trump's loudest and most passionate critics just cannot see that, and it’s my job -- and your job, too -- to help them envision it rather than turn on the man who repeatedly has done what everyone said couldn’t be done. Look at his record since he came down the escalator at Trump Tower a decade ago (the anniversary of that memorable moment was just this week). He hasn't been right 100% of the time on every minute issue, but, directionally, he's been right about almost everything over the last 10 years. And he's been remarkably consistent for a politician. Of course, Trump is not the garden variety politician, which is why he resonates with so many Americans.

Policy aside, people need a little imagination and faith right now. In Trump we trust.

That’s the America First approach that will bring us to The Golden Age. 

A TALE OF 2 IMMIGRANTS

I had to pull out my trusty Ilhan Omar puke bucket this week. Fortunately, I didn't need to use it, but it was a close call given that the congresswoman from Minnesota made a real run at winning The Rubin Report’s "Douchebag of the Week” award for what she had say about the U.S. this week. She finished a close second in the voting. Omar is a first-generation immigrant from Somalia who has risen to the highest corridors of power in the United States. And she has openly supported terrorist groups and repeatedly made racist remarks about everyday Americans, married her brother, and possibly broke immigration laws. And still, this week, she added to it all by using a broad brush to paint America as "one of the worst countries on Earth." You can't make this up -- watch:

Even through the Ilhan Omar puke bucket (I should really look into making the bucket available in our online merch store) was at the ready, I didn't throw up, an outcome I attribute to the fact that I've been doing some intermittent fasting this week and hadn't had anything to eat yet that day.

Now, contrast Omar's remarks with the words of another immigrant who said she came to the U.S. from Brazil more than 25 years ago and took to social media to put a spotlight on the word assimilate. In the video, she breaks down the definition of the word and urges immigrants coming to the U.S. today to "not be an invasive species." It's poetic that she brought up the word assimilate, because assimilation has become a forgotten concept in 21st-century America. Assimilating is what makes America -- or has made America -- the unique melting pot that it is. At least that’s what I was taught in 4th grade. This woman also mentioned some traditional Brazilian foods in her video, but interestingly failed to mention the country's No. 1 export: the Brazilian wax. OK, that's neither here nor there, but watch:

VOTE FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION POWER RANKINGS

The Rubin Report is nothing if not interactive with the audience, and I want the same to be true for The Rubin Recap. And while we're at it, why can't the show and the newsletter intertwine the interactivity? Well, I'm in charge of both, so there's no reason they can't. Going forward, the votes you make here in this section will dictate the outcome of a segment seen on the show. How's that for intertwined interactivity? And the only way to vote is to be subscribed to the newsletter -- so look at you, all ahead of the game and everything.

Speaking of the game, last week we introduced the "Top 10 Trump Peeps" power rankings for members of Trump's Cabinet and other key players in his administration. My director, Connor, had the privilege of putting together the inaugural "Top 10 Trump Peeps' ranking, but from here on out, dear readers, I am putting that responsibility in your capable hands. So, vote below in the poll to determine the power rankings, and vote carefully. Choose the member of Team Trump who you think is crushing it the most right now. The power rankings will next be updated in July, so be sure to get your votes in now and in next week's edition of The Rubin Recap.

CONGRATULATIONS TO WHOOPI GOLDBERG FOR WINNING D-BAG OF THE WEEK!

As I mentioned above, the voting in this week’s competition was a photo finish, but congratulations to Whoopi Goldberg for the asinine comments she made on The View this week that put her ahead of Ilhan Omar. Whoopi routinely makes asinine comments, of course, but she really leveled up this week when she said that life in the U.S. for modern black Americans is the same as it is for gay people living in Iran — where being gay is punishable by violent death. And that level of asinine was enough to clinch her the Rubin Report “Douchbag of the Week” award. Big ups, Whoopi!

TWEET OF THE WEEK

WHAT TO KNOW

• T-minus 7 days until my new tequila is officially released into the wild. But pre-ordering began on Thursday, and I’m autographing a sticker that will be added to each bottle sold until Saturday, June 21, at noon Eastern time. The wait is over, people. Pre-order now. And follow Copal on Instagram here. And stay tuned for a tequila taste test coming up soon on the show.

• Don’t miss Friday’s Rubin Report roundtable with the great Clay Travis and Arynne Wexler. We talked about ICE raids in sanctuary cities, “Alligator Alcatraz,” and even a little WNBA controversy. Watch the full episode here.

• A new episode of Actual Friends came out at 3 p.m. on Friday and the debate got a little heated this week — subscribe here and tap that notification bell so you don’t miss any episodes.

• On Thursday’s episode, in the Community Q&A, a viewer named Rochelle asked what I thought about the new Naked Gun movie starring Liam Neeson coming out later this summer. My answer was that I think it was a shame that a classic comedy franchise like the Naked Gun movies was taken away from David Zucker, the original co-creator, who happens to lean a little conservative, and handed to a director like Seth McFarland, who’s a lefty. I recently interviewed Zucker about that and a whole lot more. It’s one of my all-time favorite interviews — check it out here. 

• Have a question that you want featured in a Community Q&A? Get in touch here.

• Don’t forget — the Don’t Burn This World Tour continues later this year. Get all the details here.

• Get all your Rubin Report merch at our online store here.

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Until next week … — Dave