An interview with Chris McDaniel

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All right, guys, you have found that it is the right Side Radio program recording this episode on Friday, March the twenty first, and of course we apologized that we didn't release one yesterday because just a lot of stuff going on. As I've mentioned before, the delivery, you're out, and sometimes that takes toll on your fatigue level and that pulls you back and you're just not quite able

You'll hear.

Chris talk very candidly about how he feels about the legislature in general, and it's total, it's totally ineptitude, and the fact that the Republicans who have long claimed to be the champions of conservative values are the very ones who have been slapping conservatives in the face the last several years in many ways. For those of you who aren't as familiar with the process as might be eye opening for those of us who feel like we do know the process, it's probably going to be validating in

You know?

First off, you know, I mean you fought many battles up there in the in the Senate, you know, and how much how hard was it during those sixteen years to have to be away from family during session?

It was incredibly difficult. It's some of the things that I regret about the sixteen years. Of course, of course, I've always been involved in politics. I always involved in politics, probably two thousand and eight, and I've always fault for my convictions, the things that I believe would make this country better and to me in many ways, it hasn't stopped.

You talked about you know, you have always been in politics, you know, you started out the Right Side radio show.

Even before that. I mean, I've been involved in Republican politics since I was eighteen years old, No, probably before I was helping I was doing my best to get to kirk Ford I selected. So it was well prior.

To the of course, now you're you're doing the Chris McDaniel's America on the Midnight Ride network, so and of course still actively fighting for or against certain pieces of legislation. So despite the fact you're not a member of the body currently, you're still an active participant.

Well yeah, Once a senator, always a senator, And it doesn't change the influence that I still have. I have many many friends that still serve and we talk almost daily, so it's still an important point. Look at it this way, look at it this way. There are two ways to have influence in this world. One is you can have a very narrow feel of influence inside of capital building.

Is that part of the reason why why you were serving. You were very very active, especially during the legislative session with Facebook lives updating different things that were happening. I mean you did it outside of session too, but deuring session it seemed to be like at least two three times a week we would see you on Facebook Lite.

It was very important for me to remain accountable, to remain open to the people, and sometimes the people would disagree, and sometimes they would agree, but I still wanted them to know what my position was, and I wanted to do my best to represent their position. And you know, as you know, I think to this day, I probably have the largest social media followed any individual in the state,

Is there anything you miss about serving.

I miss nothing, absolutely nothing about it. And there's a reason for that. A the great majority of the politicians in this country are despicable, egoist, selfish, self centered. We'll stop my friend in the back for a dime. People that simply are despicable and can't be trusted. I don't miss being around those types of people. Now, I did not mean to infer that they're all that way. Are some good ones out there, but it is a distinct minority.

Just to be frank, was it always that way or did it develop well a little bit over time.

It's it was always that way, but like any new politician, I had not quite seen behind the veil yet. Once you witness the corruption, once you're in those back rooms and you see these conversations taking the place, it opened your eyes and put it this way. Every year I was there, it wasn't so much that it worsened. It just became more apparent that it was occurring. But I'll tell you again, I want to be clear about this. There are very few good people serving in politics. And

No.

Well, you know, one of the things that I think shruck may was, you know, after you were out, it seemed like there was a sense of relief, especially knowing that your oldest was going into i think his junior year of playing baseball. Your youngest this year is starting on the seventh grade team, so he's starting high school baseball himself. How awesome is it that you were outside of when you get pulled away from, you know, legal work.

It's incredibly important to me. I was blessed with a wonderful father and I lost him too young, and then I always wanted to emulate his influence my life with my own sons, and in many ways I've done that. Distinction is is that I miss way too much time, And frankly, I missed a lot of time fighting for people, fighting for their convictions, fighting for their viewpoints, and most

Let's talk about Cambridge for a second. You know, he's he's already signed with Meridian Community College. Uh, he's put up some monster home run numbers for a high school kid. Uh you know, I mean, just just tell me about what you see about Cambridge on the baseball I mean, his his own ball coach just the other day in a preview story, referred to him as probably Mississippi's best hitter.

Yeah, he is an incredible hitter. More importantly, he's an incredible human. Uh. You know, Baseball's a game and they'll be a they'll come up point a time in his life where he will have to give that game up. And so the reason I like baseball is that I believe it has helped him to become the man he is. The sacrifice, the rules, the regulations, the ability to learn to fail with dignity, these are all things that men have to learn, and he's learned it very well. But

You know, when he first started playing ball, it was on a T ball level and didn't seem as interested in it as he has become. Did you ever envision that baseball was going to become his love perhaps.

I mean, you know, I love baseball. I've taken him to Rigley Field and Fenway Park and other baseball parks for as long as he's been alive. I remember having him in a stroller at Rigley Field, so he always was around the game, and I think he understood the historical significance of the game and what it means to families and to American society. But watching him play tea ball and that significant lack of focus was a bit hilarious, you know, playing in the dirt, running the wrong direction,

You know, he was named one of two team captains this year for his senior season. As a dad what's that mean to you to see your son be elected one of the two team captains.

I liked it, it was impressive, but I also had to remind him of the responsibility that entels. He's not just a captain to the starters. He's not just a captain to the seniors. He's a captain to all those young players that look up to him. And he needs to be kind, irrespectful, and most importantly fair to all those players. And he has been. But it's a great honor for him, and I know he's excited about it. So yeah, if he's happy, I'm happy, you know.

Talking with his coach the other day, he told me stories you know of you know Cambridge, you know, just being funny, always coming to get practice with a big smile on his face, talked about finding his TikTok videos. Is there any fun story you know about Cambridge you would like to share right now?

I don't know. There's so many. When you take a personality like his, which is open to the world and its experiences, and yet it's so kind and unpretentious and disarming and even goofy at times, there are dozens of hilarious stories to tell about Cambridge, MCDA. I tell you what, I'm gonna give out a thought over the next day or so. And I almost supplement that because there's got to be one that that will be more fitty than

Well, I got one that can relate to his pitching. Did you know he was going to have a great pitching arm when he tagged you in the eye with that book?

There's true stories of aut pitching. That's really funny. I was laying there in bed reading, getting ready to go to bed, and like a little ninja, he sneaks in. And he's a little fello at this time, maybe two maybe three, and he has one of those small hardcover books and it's thin, and instead of handed me the book so I could read it to it, I guess he thought it would be cute to try to impel me, and so he crow hops the book with his strongest throw and he hit me right in the corner of

Now you're daring a lot of times during weekend and sometimes in the afternoons, you'll leave the office and head out to a ball field and help him with the swing. You know, I mean, how first off, how impressive is it that he's willing to come to his dad and ask for help with that swing that you know he gets rave reviews on anyway, And how does that make you feel as a dad, know that he wants you to help when he feels like he's struggling.

I love that That's what daddies were supposed to do. We're supposed to always be there to help when our children are struggling, whether it's a swing or whether it's life. Didies are here to provide safety and security, and I think that's an important responsibility that I have. So for him to ask the advice on it really means a

Now let's talk about Chamberlain for a second. You know, he's he's made several All Star teams, much like his big brother did before him, and now this year is his first year as part of the high school program at Sal Jones's parted the junior high team as seventh grader. What do you see from from Chamberlain and how much do you think he might have picked up from that big brother?

A lot, very different personalities, both amazing and I can't love the more I love him. But he is very athletic, very driven, has a touch of perfectionism in him, and all of those things can be incredibly powerful when you're a baseball player. However, they can also be a weakness if you don't learn to control those impulses. Baseball's a

You know why. He may not have the power that his older brother has. He might one day, but he.

May not yet. He hit his first home run before age wise chrinologically speaking, he is first on run four games. Didn't now just develops power as he ages. But then again, he also developed size. Right now, he's sixty two hundred and fifty pounds. That's a big man. So we've got to see how Chamberain grows. He has good beat steed, so if he grows to a reasonable weight, yeah, he'll have tremendous power to you know.

One of the things that you know, I've always noticed when you were serving in the Senate and your boys were playing, you know, whether it was Cambridge or Chamberain, didn't matter, they were playing a game. You had your wife, Chill or me. Sometimes I can't put me in the ratcle, but call you and tell you after every at bat, after every inning pitch, what was going on, how they did.

Whether I was in Washington, New York, Chicago, or Jackson. I'm paying attention to those baseball games, and I want him to know I'm paying attention because I love him that much. So yeah, call Jill and ask for the update.

How still practicing the law? How hard is it to schedule everything around these games now? I mean, especially with this being Cambridge's senior year. I know you don't want to miss any, but is that feasible or you know, is that going to be possible.

I don't anticipate missing any now. You never can tell, because, as you know, the practice of law can be a bit stressful and can be very unpredictable. Of a recent judges don't seem to care a lot about my schedule. So you know, if a judge, I could tell the judge, I could try to tell him I've got a baseball came Thursday night or Thursday afternoon, but he may not

I mean, how how awesome would it be, you know, especially if it happens sometimes during Chamberline's career, if they you know, they start being able to broadcast these games online. How much would that improve for you on those rare instances where you can't get out of being.

I would never I would never miss a pitch. I'd never miss a pitch. I might have a my dad been sitting on my desk in front of the court with a volume down, but I would never miss a pitch.

You know, what's the difference between You know, you talked about working with Cambridge. He's always very receptive whatever you tell them. What's different when you're working with Chamberlain because you know they have different personalities and he might sometimes be harder to work with.

He's a bit more stubborn, which is common for younger brothers. You know, he's had to put up with his older brother playing with him and picking on him and pushing him around all these years, so he can be a bit more stubborn. But he's still a fabulous kid. And he does listen and he does his very best to implement the suggestions that I give him, and he's very coachable. He's very coachable, and like that about him. A lot of times kids can be stubborn and not coachable. He's

How much how much do you think he's driven by his brother's success to equal or surpass what his brother's not.

It's hard to say just yet, but I can tell you his brother's success has been a motivating factor in his love for the game. Is he competing with his brother directly now? Not yet, because he's so much smaller and so much younger. Will he be when he's a sophomore in high school. Probably so, because he's gonna want to at least live up to his brother's name. And Cambridge has had a spectacular career South John's he made five Ay'all state as a junior. He's doing well as

I've noticed he comes running up like he'll be off playing with friends. But whenever his brother comes up to a bat, it's not just him that runs up, it's him plus a whole host of little kids.

There's a whole bunch of kids. They come to the games and they love to watch Cambridge bad. I told Cambridge years ago that the most magical play, perhaps in all the sports, is a home run. It just has a there's a magnificent feeling about it, and they can change the whole direction of the game with one swing. And power hitters have a magic about them. And so when a power hitter comes to the play, you realize he may strike out, he may fly out, but it

I suppose you know, next year he'll be at Meridium Community College, not too far but not right down the road from the house anymore. Uh. I'm assuming that you're going to try to make as many games as you can. Of course, uh, being even a junior college, you may not be able to catch all the road games. But I'm assuming your your goal is to see as many of those games as she possibly can't.

I'm gonna I'm gonna be there as long as God allows me. I'm gonna be watching him play baseball, watching him race his family, watching him play catch with his kids every chance I get so, absolutely, I don't want to miss a thing.

And what about on the incidents is when Chamberlain's got a high school game and Cambridge has got a college game, where do you go from there?

I may have to find a way to video one of those. Each game would be dependent on the unique circumstances of the game. I'll give you an example. If Cambridge is playing his eleventh college game against a team in North Mississippi, and Chamberlain is pitching for the first time in a high school game, then naturally I'm going to choose Chamberlain's game. But it does create some difficulties.

Chris, when you served in the Senate, you always chose the same desk, the same seat, and I think You explained it to me that you chose that seat because it was the one that kind of stayed off camera a little bit. You could kind of could sit there and do your own thing. Whereas you know, if the baseball games your seasfront and center right behind home played, you know, you know, first off, you know which seat is.

Which seat do you prefer? Oh, watching baseball behind home played all day every day and it's not even close. To watch my son play is one of the great pleasures of my life, both of them. To watch my son's play is one of the great pleasures of my life. So not even was called.

You know, Chris, as as Cambridge moves on and he's going to be at college and you know, be harder for you to have those daddy's son patent practices. You know that you currently So how much are you going to soak up every minute that he asked you to step out on that field? And how much do you look forward to repeating that with Chamberlain?

Yeah, every time he asked I went yesterday to throwing that And we are already two games in the season and you realize that his baseball career at South Joines is going to end sooner than later, and I got Tierry yesterday walking off the field with it because it's one of the last times I'll be able to do that there. So yeah, I'm very aware of it. I'm very aware of the Yeah, how fight that all is

But knowing that you have Chamberlaine coming behind him, and that these moments, even though it won't be the same because it's a different son, but they're going to repeat themselves.

We hope. That's the thing. These moments are not guaranteed. You know, we're only here for a season, and our children go through changes of heart and minds. We're not promised that Chamberlain will play when I promise that he'll love the game the way Cambridge did. So although I'm looking forward to it and I hope he does, and I hope I get the chance to relive these moments with him, I'm also very much aware that those days are promised.

Two more questions. This one probably won't go in the story unless he does something crazy this week. Your boy's sitting close to records, you know, he's you know, currently three away from time the su Chann's record, four from breaking it. What as a dad, what's that going to mean to you? To see him set a record at his school?

Pretty incredible? Again, we're not promised those days. Those days we assume that he'll hit a number of home runs, and only because he has a track record of hitting home runs. He may get hurt, he may get flat, he may go into a slump. A dozen things could happen to prevent any of these things from coming to fruition. And yet if they do, I think he would be absolutely wonderful because all of a sudden now he would be essentially passing a legend to become Amminians as a

All Right, I'm gonna fast forward to the end of the season. Yeah, South Jones playing for the state championship, and there were we're going to where we want to be and at the end of the game they win, your son gets to hold up that trophy. Yeah, tell me as a dad, what's what's that moment gonna feel.

Like I won't be able to see it because of the tears and it's time to cost the championship. It's just because he works so hard, so amazing. Need to think about We'll have to wait to see absolutely.

Trying to think. Is is there anything you know you want to just add for your voice?

You know.

You've said a lot.

I think it's once you get the story read and I'll be able to go back and do a few things. But just for purposes of listen to you, I'll just say that I've been very blessed that it's hard to express the love offer them. They're very different children, but both equally amazing, and I just so hope that I can help the opportunity to watch them grow and to be successful or whatever they choose to do. More importantly, I wanted to be happy. And as long as they're happy, I'm happy.

And I'm going from the Senate floor to the ball field. Just sounds like it suits you so much, and it sounds like you're you're just a in a happier spot being able to watch them play.

Very much so being around baseball fans, being around these kids, it's just a far better environment with far better people, People of integrity, of kindness, and compassion. And those are the types of people I prefer to spend my time with, not selfish and ego driven politicians.

And in this instance, you're referring to the other parents, to the players, and the coaches.

All of them, all of them, I mean, you know some You'll always have a few fans sometimes can get rowdy on both sides, but for the most part, these these people on around with the baseball games, they are all really good people. It doesn't matter if they're on the opposing team or opposing players. They're good folks and they're not driven by the selfish and nasty attributes to drive politicians. And so if I have a choice to spend time around regular Mississippians as opposed to politics, I'm

I've got one more question and this that'll wrap it up. You know, obviously, when you go to a home game, you're recognized, you know, because you grew up here.

People know.

How often are you recognized on when you go on the road to watch Cambridge play? And is it usually cordial.

All the games? That's why people might wonder why I have this beard. It helps me to hide a little bit. Now. There's never I've never been anywhere where somebody doesn't want to tell politics. And that's fine, that's fine. I understand that was part of what I did for sixteen years, and I enjoyed talking politics. As to the question of whether it's cordial or not, almost always, almost always not

Thank you got an idea for how a good interview there, and I enjoyed sitting down with Chris on that. But what I want to play now before we close this show up is, of course I did sit down with his two sons and I asked them a question about their dad's service, and I want to play that because I think, again, I don't think Chris has heard this,

I am beyond proud of him because he did stuff that no other senator has ever done in say, Mississippi, and quite frankly, he's probably the best I said, they're ever in Mississippi to ever be in the legislation. The countless things that are incredible. He tries, He tries so hard, and he's uh, he's stressed a lot on some of the work. But uh, he is one of a kind and he will not nobody really does what he does because he's straightforward, simple, and he's gonna be You'll give

Move the phone closer to Chamberlain. Chamberlain, say what.

You tell me?

What what? What about your dad's work as a senator makes you most proud?

It is the fact that he like doesn't give love everyone like sometimes like when he is there and is that all of his confidence kind of like he said, solve as a confidence and what he's doing for the same city.

Helped me. Guys kind words. You can tell a lot about a man by the way that his children talk about him. And there you hear both Cambridge and Chamberlain speak very, very highly of their father, and they are very proud of the work that he did in the state legislature, much like their father is proud of the

I was like.

One, like, what was it?

You just.

Awesome? Congratulations, that's so cool.

It's freaking proud of you. So that who you heard in that video? Of course you heard Chris telling him he had tied the record. You also heard his head coach, Mason Strickland in the background, and I think you hear Chris's wife Jill as well. But it's a a cool moment.

Escape to Borrow River Resort.

Hey everyone, this is Jack Fairchild's the Right Side Radio program and license reviewed, and I want to talk to you for a second about my pillow. My pillow is quite simply the finest pillow on the market. My pillows patented interlocking fills adjust to your individual sleep needs regardless of sleeping position. This innovative fill then holds that position all night, helping you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer.