Folks, he did it again. On Wednesday’s CBS Mornings, co-host Tony Dokoupil stood tall for the tens of millions of Americans who supported President Trump or simply identify as conservatives and independents by defending Trump’s insistence that the Smithsonians emphasize America’s greatness and not perpetually dwell on its shameful moments like slavery. And better yet, Dokoupil noted most people around the globe would admit, if pressed, that the world is a far better place because our country came into existence. Unsurprisingly, this call for “balance” and not viewing the country “with contempt” was greeted with scoffs from fellow co-host Gayle King and Vladimir Duthiers and an accusation this positive view of the country would “whitewash” history. Duthiers led off the “What to Watch” block with Trump’s Truth Social post announcing his team would be reviewing content because he claimed the museums are too focused on “how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was,” and “nothing about Brightness” or American exceptionalism. Duthiers went full Barack Obama circa 2009, arguing “American exceptionalism means something different to different people” and that he knows the topic well having spent many years living overseas and being asked about it. “I would always say that what sets the United States apart from other countries,” he explained, “is not our perfection, but it’s our relentless drive to reckon is imperfection and you know, scholars of American democracy have talked about this, that the uniqueness of America is the way we continually interrogate our own history.” He sounded like a tried-and-true college professor citing the usual buzzwords and invoking “protests” and “reform movements” that “enable[d] the change” with King saying the Smithsonian Institute currently shows “our complete history” (click “expand”): DUTHIERS: We celebrate achievements like the Declaration of Independence, the civil rights movement, while we openly wrestle with slavery, segregation, and inequality. Alexis de Tocqueville, in 200 years ago, he talked about this. He said what makes America great is her capacity for self-correction. So, these were forms that we have had over the course of our history. Judicial review, reform movements, protests, actually enable the change. They are a force and mechanism for progress in this country. KING: But it’s all part of our history. That’s what — DUTHIERS: That’s right. KING: I think is so great about when you — when go to the Smithsonian and see these museums, you get to see our complete history, which I think is very important for everybody. DUTHIERS: Exactly.     DOKOUPIL: But I think even striving —     KING: — which even makes us stronger, by the way, what we’ve been through and how we’ve come out on the other side. Dokoupil had tried to get a word in, but was repeatedly rebuffed by the two. Duthiers had to offer another set of takes, implicitly putting slavery as rooted in America’s origins: [W]hat makes America great doesn’t some from claiming flawless origins. We don’t have flawless — so what comes from it is the opposite — the courage to expose our flaws and argue over them in the open as we have done in our history and that reckoning and striving is what makes the U.S. not just a powerful nation but a great one. Dokoupil finally had the floor and he made the most of it, starting with from the premise that “American history shouldn’t be a thing of reverence” and it’s “not above critique, but we shouldn’t look at our history with contempt and I think there is some room for a correction back toward the middle.”     He then argued Smithsonian superintendent Lonnie Bunch and the President have similar views of how American history should be celebrated: Lonnie Bunch, who heads the Smithsonian and Donald Trump...are saying quite the same things. The mission of the Smithsonian is to forge a shared history, a shared future, not just context but hope to lead the country and communities together. That’s essentially the same language that Donald Trump is offering here[.] Dokoupil continued by suggesting a both/and approach to history in America’s story is told as “a journey toward greatness” that “is very real and we all have something to be incredibly proud of.” He closed by addressing Duthiers’s answer about how foreigners view America: “[I]f you ask someone is the world and its people better off because of the existence of America and its people? To me, the answer is unquestionably yes. And I think people walking in the Smithsonian...should get some sense of that.” All this was for naught in trying to find common ground as Duthiers snapped back that “[w]e shouldn’t whitewash who we are and where we came from” with King adding “exactly.” Dokoupil twice exclaimed “I don’t think you have to,” but that was all he would get in. Unsurprisingly, King argued there’s no need for any changes because there’s not “an overcorrection”: DUTHIERS: And — and so, that conversation needs to continuously happen so that we continuously get better. DOKOUPIL: Yeah. I don’t think it — KING: I don’t think they want to go through the exhibits and decide — I hope that they will take historians and experts who know exactly what it means because I don’t think there’s been an overcorrection. I think it’s just putting out the history that — that’s all part of who we are. Thankfully, Dokoupil got the final word and took the high road by not using the position to bash his colleagues: “This conversation is so healthy and so good and we’re having it on the 250th anniversary of the country. It’s wonderful. It’s wonderful.” Not be confused with being as conservative or even Republican, Dokoupil is the kind of journalist David Ellison should lean into when shaping the future of CBS News and his public calls to depoliticize it. With a balanced approach, man-on-the-street interviews, and making sure all voices are heard, that is what legacy media need to regain trust. To see the relevant CBS transcript from August 20, click here.

Texas House Democrats spent weeks on the run in an attempt to derail a GOP mid-decade redistricting plan that would work in Republicans' favor — and now they’re being punished.“Democrats finally made their way back home from their safe havens of Illinois and New York. And you know, these leftists, they come back with their tail tucked between their legs after just acting like children,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales comments, annoyed.“They got upset that Mom and Dad gave a rule that they didn’t like, and they were like, ‘I’m going to pack my bag and I’m going to run away, because I don’t want to listen to your stupid rules,’” she continues.And in true childlike fashion, the Democrats are now getting upset that as a result of their actions, they’re being treated like children.“One of the very little things — the very few things — that the speaker of the House, Dustin Burrows here in the state of Texas, did was to implement a rule for these Democrats that they would only be allowed to leave the chamber under certain circumstances,” Gonzales explains.“You want to be children? We’ll treat you like children. So just like at school, you need a hall pass. Okay? You need a permission slip that is signed, and then and only then, you can be surveilled by a Department of Public Safety officer,” she continues.“Go do whatever you need to do. That’s fine. They won’t go in the bathroom stall with you. Okay?" she continues. "But they’re going to be watching you and make sure that you don’t go off and pull the stunt that you just proved that you have no problem pulling."Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred take to news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

A Chinese entrepreneur says he has finally solved the puzzle for those who do not want to get married.In fact, Zhang Qifeng, founder of Kaiwa Technology, says his product will assist not only men who are looking for a nontraditional wife, but also women who want a child but do not want to become pregnant.Qifeng, who previously developed service and reception robots, said his product would have a prototype within the next year and solve one of China's biggest problems.'Some people don't want to get married but still want a "wife."'For the low price of just $14,000 USD, Kaiwa Technology plans to fix China's population decline and aging society by introducing a "pregnancy robot," Newsweek reported."Some people don't want to get married but still want a 'wife'; some don't want to be pregnant but still want a child," Qifeng has decided. "So one function of our 'robot wife' is that it can carry a pregnancy," he added.Using a synthetic uterus already at a "mature" stage, the robot would serve as an incubator for 10 months while nutrients are delivered through an artificial umbilical cord.Still, what Qifeng is proposing could ultimately end up being illegal in China.RELATED: Our new robot overlords are algorithmically auditing you Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images "I initiated development to solve the population decline issue," Qifeng continued, per VN Express. "While commercial surrogacy is designated as illegal, I want to meet the demand of those who do not wish to marry but want to have children."The Ph.D. from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore said he hopes to work around the ban with the robots and build humanoids that "can carry a full-term pregnancy 'in the normal way.'""We want to integrate a gestation chamber into a humanoid robot," he said.Qifeng appeared to then describe sex robots, saying the 100,000-yuan wombs would need to be "implanted in the robot's abdomen so that a real person and the robot can interact to achieve pregnancy, allowing the fetus to grow inside."RELATED: IVF CEO says conceiving naturally is for those with 'genetic privilege' Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images. VN Express reported that Chinese infertility rates have skyrocketed between 2007 and 2020, from 11.9% to 18%. This issue has caused major city centers to cover artificial insemination and in-vitro fertilization under medical insurance for infertile couples.Kaiwa Technology will have to hurdle Chinese laws that have already shut down the idea of a "nanny robot" that monitors and cares for embryos in 2022. According to the Independent, fetuses cannot be developed in artificial wombs beyond two weeks in China.Qifeng has reportedly held discussions with provincial authorities in Guangdong, China, with no progress formally announced.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A federal judge appointed by former President Bill Clinton rejected the Department of Justice's latest push for transparency surrounding the case of Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman blocked the DOJ's request to unseal roughly 70 pages of grand jury transcripts and exhibits in Epstein's case, calling the motion a "diversion" tactic. 'The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison.'"The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein files," Berman wrote in his 14-page opinion."By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the government's possession," Berman added. "The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged conduct." RELATED: The brutal reality Democrats can't ignore Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images"The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice," Berman wrote. Berman's decision on Wednesday is the third instance in which a federal judge has denied similar motions made by the DOJ to unseal certain case material that pertains to Epstein. Despite the pushback from federal judges, the DOJ is expected to begin turning over roughly 100,000 pages of Epstein-related records to the House Oversight Committee on Friday. RELATED: Israeli government official arrested in child sex-crime sting, flees to Israel Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesBerman also justified his decision to block the release of additional Epstein files in order to protect the privacy and safety of victims. "Victims did not have sufficient notice before the government filed the instant motions to unseal," Berman wrote. "The government must ensure a proper review and redaction process in coordination with victims' counsel."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California is going on defense against an investigation by the Department of Justice into mortgage fraud allegations.Schiff has begun a legal defense fund in anticipation of possible litigation on the claims that he named a Maryland property as his primary home in order to avoid the high property taxes in California.'This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job.'A spokesperson for Schiff confirmed the decision in a statement to Politico.“It’s clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Senator Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable,” read the statement from Marisol Samayoa. “This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job.”President Donald Trump excoriated Schiff, who has been a vocal Trump opponent, in a screed posted on social media in July."I have always suspected Shifty Adam Schiff was a scam artist. And now I learn that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division have concluded that Adam Schiff has engaged in a sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud," wrote the president.He went on to claim that Schiff designated the Maryland property as his primary home in 2009 and maintained that designation throughout numerous transactions until 2020."Mortgage Fraud is very serious, and CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice," Trump added.RELATED: Trump says Adam Schiff may be guilty of mortgage fraud: 'A SERIOUS lowlife' The Democrat responded with a snarky message on social media."Since I led his first impeachment, Trump has repeatedly called for me to be arrested for treason. So in a way, I guess this is a bit of a letdown," said Schiff, who voted for the impeachment when he was a member of the U.S. House."And this baseless attempt at political retribution won’t stop me from holding him accountable," he added. "Not by a long shot."Schiff is also accused of leaking confidential information in order to damage the president during his first term when the Democrat was on the House Intelligence Committee. A spokesperson for Schiff said those claims were "absolutely and categorically false."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Marco Rubio's State Department is standing up for free speech in the United Kingdom after the arrests of Christians participating in silent prayer.Individuals in the U.K. can face unlimited fines for protesting or silently praying within 150 meters, just under 500 feet, of an abortion clinic. The buffer zones were introduced last year.'The US State Department is right to call out this injustice.'Livia Tossici-Bolt, a 64-year-old retired medical scientist, was convicted in April for holding a sign reading, "Here to talk, if you want to," near a facility offering abortion services. She was sentenced to a conditional discharge and fined £20,000.Adam Smith-Connor, a veteran of the British Army Reserves, was fined £9,000 last year for silently praying near an abortion clinic. Rose Docherty, a 75-year-old grandmother, was arrested in Scotland in February for holding a sign that read, "Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want." The case against her was dropped last week.Isabel Vaughan-Spruce is under investigation for silently praying near a Birmingham abortion facility.RELATED: Vance bashes UK censorship — this time with gaslighting prime minister just feet away Livia Tossici-Bolt. Photo by Peter Nicholls/Getty ImagesThe Trump administration has been monitoring Tossici-Bolt's case and warns that individuals' fundamental rights are at risk in the U.K.During the Munich Security Conference in February, Vice President JD Vance accused European leaders of engaging in censorship. He later confronted U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer about this issue during a meeting at the Oval Office.“We do have, of course, a special relationship with our friends in the U.K. and also with some of our European allies,” Vance told reporters. “But we also know that there have been infringements on free speech that actually affect not just the British — of course, what the British do in their own country is up to them — but also American technology companies and, by extension, American citizens. So that is something we’ll talk about today at lunch.”Starmer responded to Vance’s comments, stating, “Well, we’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time.”The State Department's 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released earlier this month, stated that "the human rights situation worsened in the United Kingdom during the year.""Significant human rights issues included credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression, including enforcement of or threat of criminal or civil laws in order to limit expression; and crimes, violence, or threats of violence motivated by antisemitism," the report read.The State Department issued a warning to the U.K. this week about its buffer zone policies.RELATED: Abortion clinic ‘buffer zones’ turn the UK into a censor’s paradise Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesA spokesperson for the State Department told the Telegraph, "The U.K.'s persecution of silent prayer represents not only an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty, but also a concerning departure from the shared values that ought to underpin U.S.-U.K. relations.""It is common sense that standing silently and offering consensual conversation does not constitute harm."The spokesperson noted that the administration continues to monitor U.K. cases and "other acts of censorship throughout Europe."The U.K. has rejected the Trump administration's claims that the buffer zone policies violate fundamental freedoms."Free speech is vital for democracy, including here in the UK, and we are proud to uphold freedoms while keeping citizens safe," a government official told the Telegraph.Lorcan Price, Irish barrister and legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International, stated, "The U.K.'s treatment of individuals like Livia, Adam, Isabel, and Rose for the false 'crimes' of praying silently or offering conversation shows just how far the country has strayed from its own proud traditions of liberty. The U.S. State Department is right to call out this injustice. It is time for the U.K. government to restore fundamental freedoms and repeal buffer zone legislation."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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