In the 2 pm hour of CNN News Central on Monday‚ their Democrat commentator Maria Cardona came unglued about how fiendishly Donald Trump supports Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. CNN Republican analyst Alice Stewart staunchly denounced Putin as a murderous tyrant. CNN then played a package of video clips (mostly from 2019) they implied were Putin endorsements. Several were Trump claiming Putin "out-smarted Obama" when he took Crimea. They hated that idea when Trump said it originally. The Almighty Obama is never outsmarted. (Angry Yamiche Alcindor was Exhibit A.) Several of the clips were Trump saying he had a "good" or "lively" conversation with the Russian leader‚ which isn't really an endorsement. It's diplomat-speak. If Biden said he had a "good meeting" with Chinese dictator Xi Jinping‚ would CNN suggest that is like endorsing a dictator? All this was a setup for Cardona to make wild statements about Trump's love for murdering rivals‚ and no one interrupted to say they can't air these false statements as a news network. MARIA CARDONA: It is so incredibly ridiculous -- bone chilling‚ but not surprising‚ because clearly everything that you just played tells us what Alice [Stewart] just said as well‚ which is not just that Donald Trump is afraid to stand up to Putin‚ but that he admires Putin. And let's remember‚ during the whole arguments of presidential immunity Donald Trump had his legal team argue that the president of the United States could have Seal Team Six go after and take out his political opponent and the president would have political immunity. That's not what happened. In January‚ Obama-appointed judge Florence Pan threw this wild scenario at Trump's lawyer John Sauer to test how expansive Trump though immunity was:  FLORENCE PAN: Could a president who ordered Seal Team Six to assassinate a political rival‚ who was not impeached‚ could he be subject to criminal prosecution? JOHN SAUER: If he were impeached and convicted first.  PAN: So your answer is‚ is no. SAUER: My answer is qualified yes. There's a political process that would have to occur. Previously‚ we noted CNN's Jake Tapper didn't explain who appointed Pan‚ or note The Washington Post reported Sauer "predicted that if a president was involved in murder‚ he would be 'speedily' impeached." But let's check out the even wilder second half of Cardona's remarks‚ imagining how Trump caused Navalny's death and he was even envious of it: CARDONA: Who's to say that that did not inspire Vladimir Putin to at this moment in time‚ kill his most ardent opponent because he says‚ one of the most powerful politicians in the United States of America is not going to say anything against this. In fact‚ he's going to admire me for it. And who's to say? But in secret or maybe not so in secret‚ when this happened‚ Donald Trump didn't say‚ “you go bro‚ I wish I could do that here” and we need to do everything in our power to make sure that he does not get‚ Donald Trump does not get anywhere near the Oval Office because it has everything to do with the future of our democracy as well. The CNN anchors just blithely moved along and didn't challenge any of this crazy talk. 

A recent inspector general report found that‚ in some instances‚ the Internal Revenue Services lacks “adequate controls” to protect sensitive American taxpayer information from unauthorized access‚ Fox Business reported.An investigation conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that some former IRS employees and contracts still had access to certain “sensitive systems.”The inspector general launched the investigation after a former IRS contractor‚ Charles Littlejohn‚ leaked tax returns belonging to former President Donald Trump and “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals.” Littlejohn was sentenced earlier this year to five years in prison after he admitted to stealing the tax information and providing it to media outlets‚ Blaze News previously reported.According to the IG's report‚ the United States House Ways and Means Committee requested the investigation last year following the “massive leak of confidential tax information that the IRS is charged with keeping secure‚” according to a letter from the committee’s chairman‚ Rep. Jason Smith (R) from Missouri.In a statement‚ Smith said‚ “Alarm bells should have set off at the IRS when it was discovered that an IRS contractor stole and leaked thousands of individuals’ tax returns‚ including President Trump’s.”“Instead‚ it looks like the agency has done very little in response. The IRS has absolutely no excuse for the failure to protect confidential taxpayer information‚” he added.The recent report explained‚ “Subsequent to receipt of the Chairman’s letter‚ TIGTA agreed to conduct an evaluation addressing how the IRS grants access to and safeguards Federal Tax Information maintained on its various information technology systems (i.e.‚ sensitive systems).”The IG noted that the “unauthorized access and disclosure of taxpayer information could undermine the taxpaying public’s trust in the Federal tax system to safeguard confidential tax information.”The inspector general’s investigation found that the agency grants access through its Business Entitlement Access Request System. The process for employees and contractors is the same‚ it added.The probe discovered that more than 91‚000 users had access to one or more of its 276 sensitive systems as of July. Over 5‚000 of those users were contractors. “Procedures to systemically remove users who no longer require access to sensitive systems were not always working as intended. For example‚ TIGTA identified 279 users who were listed in BEARS as separated who‚ as of July 13‚ 2023‚ continued to have access to at least one IRS sensitive system. However‚ for each of these individuals IRS network access was removed‚ which according to the IRS‚ reduces‚ but does not eliminate‚ the risk that a user can access a sensitive system‚” the report stated.Additionally‚ when an employee’s or a contractor’s background check came back “not favorable” those individuals were “not always remove[d]‚" it found.“Specifically‚ 19 contractors’ most recent background investigations were not favorable as of July 13‚ 2023. However‚ these contractors still retained their access to one or more sensitive systems because the IRS did not take action to suspend or disable the contractors from the IRS’s systems‚ as required‚” the report continued.The investigation noted that the IRS is taking steps to improve the security of its sensitive systems.“However‚ for some sensitive systems‚ the IRS does not have adequate controls to detect or prevent the unauthorized removal of data by users‚” the report stated.As a result of the probe’s findings‚ the IG made three recommendations to the IRS‚ including immediately suspending users who receive not favorable background investigations and the “timely” removal of workers who separate from the agency.While the IRS agreed to all of the IG's recommendations‚ it “disagreed” with the “characterization of the IRS’s ‘current security posture‚’” the report read.“The IRS disagreed with any inference that the 19 contractors TIGTA identified compromised sensitive information. All 19 contractors received prior favorable background investigations‚ and 15 contractors were reinstated after resubmitting their documentation. The remaining four contractors had their network access disabled and have been separated in the personnel system‚” it added.Additionally‚ the IRS stated that it “already takes steps to remove access when a contractor is identified as not having a favorable background determination.”IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testified before the committee last week‚ claiming that the agency has “taken a bunch of actions” to protect sensitive taxpayer information.The IRS did not respond to a request for comment from Fox Business.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

MSNBC host Katy Tur surprised her show guests on Friday by questioning whether former President Donald Trump received a fair shake in New York.On Friday‚ a New York judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million in a civil fraud case. The total penalty‚ when interest is calculated‚ is approximately $450 million. New York Attorney General Letitia James — a Democrat who campaigned on targeting Trump — celebrated the judge's unprecedented and highly controversial penalty.To frame her question‚ Tur cited an Associated Press analysis that exposed the unprecedented nature of the case and how New York's treatment of Trump is incongruent with past cases. She explained: They went back over 70 years and looked at all the cases that have been tried under this rule — [New York Civil Practice Law] 6312‚ which is used here — which doesn't have to show harm done. That's not the burden. You don't have to show that anybody was hurt by your practices. There's nobody you defrauded specifically.They went back and they looked at cases over 70 years — I believe it's about 150 cases — and found there was no case where there was a ban on doing business where there wasn't harm shown. So even though the threshold is "harm shown‚" in the past‚ it has only been used to ban someone doing business when it's been shown that somebody was hurt — say you're selling cosmetics that are poisoning you. There's somebody that was hurt there; the cosmetics company gets banned."Is this fair to go after Donald Trump like this in this environment‚ is my question‚" Tur said.The camera then panned to MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin and New York Times reporter Susanne Craig‚ both of whom appeared flabbergasted that Tur dared to ask that question. Neither Rubin nor Craig answered Tur's question. Instead‚ Rubin directed Tur to ask former New York Assistant Attorney General Tristan Snell. — (@) Snell‚ who prosecuted Trump over Trump University‚ argued the evidence in the fraud cause "went way over" the legal threshold‚ which is why the judge issued high penalties.Later‚ Craig defended big banks — which Trump allegedly defrauded — as the "victims." But Tur immediately made an inconvenient observation."Listen‚ I'm not arguing in anyone's defense; they have said they didn't feel like they lost‚" Tur pointed out of the banks with which Trump did business.New York real estate developers are concerned about the implications of the ruling because it's an open secret that every business does what Trump did: get the highest possible value for your properties while‚ at the same time‚ trying to minimize tax liabilities. It's why businessman Kevin O'Leary described the outcome as "un-American." O'Leary said if the court system were fair‚ they would punish "every real estate developer on Earth."Fortunately for New York real estate developers not named Trump‚ Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has assured them that there is "nothing to worry about."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

WHO director general Tedros Ghebreyesus traveled to Dubai last week to hype "Disease X‚" the yet-to-be-released sequel to COVID-19 that is supposed to scare nations around the world into embracing an internationally binding pandemic treaty. Although Ghebreyesus has fear-mongered about the hypothetical pestilence for several weeks‚ it appears he has finally let questions and concerns over his proposed remedies get under his skin. In his Feb. 12 address‚ entitled‚ "A Pact with the Future: Why the Pandemic Agreement Is Mission-Critical for Humanity‚" Ghebreyesus lashed out at critics who have suggested his proposed "collective action" amounts to an affront to national sovereignty‚ suggesting that "conspiracy theories" put "the health of the world's people at risk." Ghebreyesus painted himself as a prophet in the speech‚ noting that years ahead of the pandemic‚ he warned that the world would be ill prepared should a virus sweep the land. "Six years ago‚ I stood on this stage and said the world was not prepared for a pandemic and expressed my concern at the time that a pandemic can happen any time‚" said Ghebreyesus. "Less than two years later‚ in December 2019‚ COVID-19 pandemic struck. And indeed the world was not prepared." The WHO general director glossed over how the world was unprepared and in the dark largely on account of his organization and China. While Beijing covered up the spread of the virus‚ putting the world behind in taking action‚ Ghebreyesus reportedly provided smoke cover for Beijing's deceit at the outset; told the nations of the world not to restrict travelers from China or close their borders even though China had domestically; and then later granted Beijing a veto over the WHO's COVID-19 origins report. In his address‚ Ghebreyesus noted that some "progress" has been made since the pandemic in the way of internationalist schemes and collective action‚ such as "improvements in surveillance‚ pandemic fund‚ and also the establishment of the pathogen sharing app and building capacities in vaccine production. ... Still the world is not prepared for a pandemic." "History teaches us that the next pandemic is a matter of when‚ not if. It may be caused by an influenza virus or a new coronavirus‚" continued the bureaucrat. Blaze News reported last month that amidst elites' talk of "Disease X‚" Chinese scientists crafted a coronavirus variant called GX_P@V that kills humanized mice 100% of the time‚ usually with late-stage brain infections. The scientists from the country on which Ghebreyesus has lavished much praise and little criticism said their mutant virus "underscores a spillover risk of FX_P2V into humans." "Or it may be caused by a new pathogen we don't even know about yet or what we call 'Disease X‚'" said Ghebreyesus‚ whose largely American-funded organization warned of an "infodemic" or a "an overabundance of information" in 2020. The WHO leader suggested "Disease X" is not a novel term but indicated it has instead been used as a placeholder term since 2018 to describe pathogens that have yet to be discovered. "COVID-19 was a Disease X‚" said Ghebreyesus. "There will be another Disease X or a Disease Y or a Disease Z. And as things stands‚ the world remains unprepared for the next Disease X." The bureaucrat's preferred solution to this viral alphabet is the WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty: a legally binding pact "under the Constitution of the World Health Organization to strengthen pandemic prevention‚ preparedness and response." Ghebreyesus is scrambling to get the treaty finalized ahead of a May 27 vote by the World Health Assembly. In the meantime‚ critics are pointing out the treaty's apparent flaws. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) noted at a press conference earlier this month that the so-called pandemic treaty suffers from "a slew of significant issues surrounding the proposed treaty — including lack of transparency‚ the back-room negotiations‚ WHO overreach and infringement on U.S. sovereignty‚ unknown financial obligations for U.S. taxpayers‚ threats to intellectual property rights and free speech‚ funding for abortion‚ and how the treaty will benefit China at the expense of the United States." "Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic‚ the WHO caved to the Chinese Communist Party rather than following the science‚" said Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio)‚ chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus. "Now‚ the WHO wants to infringe upon our national sovereignty with their proposed 'pandemic treaty.'" At the same press conference‚ Tony Perkins‚ president of the Family Research Council‚ suggested‚ "This is a global power grab using any future emergency as a justification to use that power." Ghebreyesus claimed in Dubai that a "major barrier" to the successful implementation of his pandemic treaty is "the litany of lies and conspiracy theories about the agreement — that it's a power grab by the World Health Organization; that it will cede sovereignty to WHO; that it will give WHO power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates on countries; that it's an attack on freedom; that WHO will not allow people to travel; and that WHO wants to control people's lives." "If these lies weren't so dangerous‚ these lies would be funny‚" said Ghebreyesus. "But they put the health of the world's people at risk‚ and that is no laughing matter." "These claims are utterly‚ completely‚ categorically false‚" added the WHO head. After suggesting that the internationalist scheme bolstered individual nations' sovereignty and would not empower the WHO to intervene in the domestic choices of various countries‚ Ghebreyesus underscored‚ "We cannot allow this historic agreement‚ this milestone in global health‚ to be sabotaged by those who spread lies‚ either deliberately or unknowingly." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City says that it was tricked into hosting a funeral on Thursday for an atheist‚ trans-identifying activist‚ the New York Post reported.The cathedral hosted a funeral service for Cecilia Gentili‚ a 52-year-old Argentinian-born activist who advocated for the trans community‚ sex workers‚ and HIV/AIDs patients‚ the New York Times reported.More than 1‚000 people attended the service last week‚ arriving at the cathedral wearing miniskirts‚ fishnet stockings‚ and high-heeled shoes. The event began with a performance of "This Day" by actor Billy Porter. From the pulpit‚ Gentili's grieving friends called for easier access to so-called gender-affirming health care services. Rowdy attendees also reportedly danced in the aisles of the church to "Ave Maria‚" during which guests changed the words to "Ave Cecilia." A photo of Gentili was surrounded by the words "transvestite‚" "whore‚" "blessed‚" and "mother‚" along with text from Psalm 25‚ the Times reported. "This great whore‚ St. Cecelia‚ mother of all whores‚" stated one attendee who introduced Gentili. "Today we say we see you soon and that you will give us the strength‚ the courage to continue your legacy‚ to continue the challenges ahead."The funeral service ignited outrage from the Catholic community‚ who argued that Gentili's family and friends made a mockery of their faith.Rev. Enrique Salvo claimed that the church was tricked into hosting the funeral service. In a statement on the diocese's website‚ Salvo said‚ "Thanks to so many who have let us know they share our outrage over the scandalous behavior at a funeral here at St. Patrick's Cathedral earlier this week.""The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral Mass for a Catholic‚ and had no idea our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive way‚" Salvo continued. "That such a scandal occurred at 'America's Parish Church' makes it worse; that it took place as Lent was beginning‚ the annual forty-day struggle with the forces of sin and darkness‚ is a potent reminder of how much we need the prayer‚ reparation‚ repentance‚ grace‚ and mercy to which this holy season invites us." The event's organizer‚ Ceyenne Doroshow‚ admitted to the Times that she never told the church Gentili identified as trans.In a statement to the New York Daily News‚ Gentili's family claimed the service brought "precious life and radical joy to the Cathedral in historic defiance of the Church's hypocrisy and anti-trans hatred.""Cecilia Gentili's funeral service‚ which filled the pews in ways the Cathedral only can during Easter service and NYPD funerals‚ was a reflection of the love she had for her community and a testament to the impact of her tireless advocacy‚" the family told the news outlet. "Her heart and hands reached those the sanctimonious Church continues to belittle‚ oppress‚ and chastise‚ and she changed the material conditions for countless people‚ including unhoused people and those who needed health care."The only deception present at St. Patrick's Cathedral is that it claims to be a welcoming place for all‚" they added.At the cardinal's directive‚ the cathedral held a rare Mass of Reparation on Saturday to atone for the funeral service.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Studies show that in the United States‚ marriage rates have dropped 60% in the last 50 years. This appears to be due to a number of factors‚ including less societal pressure to tie the knot‚ glorification of individualism and independence‚ and a declining desire to have children‚ among other factors. But perhaps above all‚ the reason more and more people are opting for singleness might be‚ simply put‚ because marriage is hard. Jordan Peterson said it best when he explained what it means "to be all in.” Although being “all in” is cliche and easily tacked on to marriage vows‚ the sentiment of the saying holds a dark‚ albeit beautiful‚ truth. “The marriage vow is basically this: No matter what you tell me‚ I won’t run away. And that’s a b**** of a vow because when someone unveils their whole heart‚ they unveil themselves all the way down to hell. It’s not pleasant; it’s awful‚” Peterson said. “It’s just so radically countercultural‚” Isabel Brown tells Dave Rubin. “Every column in Cosmopolitan or Teen Vogue‚ every influencer video‚ every podcast … is all about what I want‚ what's going to make me happy‚ what's going to satisfy my needs‚ what's going to help me feel empowered‚ what's going to liberate me.” “And yet really healthy‚ beautiful relationships are never really about you. Like you’re not the main character. You're dying to yourself to put the needs and wants and desires of your partner first‚ and I just think that's really‚ really powerful‚” Brown continues. “You’ve got to show your wife or husband some of that dirt that's under there and how you clean it up together and build something better‚” agrees Dave‚ who’s a huge fan of Peterson. To hear more of Peterson's wisdom‚ watch the video below. Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Adam Silver can’t save the NBA or men’s basketball. It’s dead. Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game was just the latest in a decades-long series of obituaries detailing the tragic passing of American hoops. Despite a promise to deliver a more competitive All-Star Game‚ Sunday’s contest may have been the worst in history. In a game that featured 168 three-point attempts‚ the East beat the West 211-186. Twenty years ago‚ the NHL locked out its players for an entire season and radically changed its pay system. The NBA needs a similar fix. No one tried. No one competed. The players sauntered up and down the court‚ jacked up threes‚ and moved out of the way as players dunked. The fans in the stands spent more time gossiping than cheering. One of the players said the highlight of the night was a group of entertainers dunking with the help of trampolines between the third and fourth quarters. The truth is‚ NBA All-Star Weekend peaked on Thursday‚ when football legend turned podcaster Shannon Sharpe and comedian Mike Epps settled their beef. An anti-American culture Men’s basketball is dead. Silver cannot resuscitate what his predecessor‚ Commissioner David Stern‚ killed. Yes‚ David Stern killed American basketball. At the behest of Nike‚ Stern focused the game on international growth in general and pleasing China in particular. The modern‚ noncompetitive‚ woke NBA is a byproduct of globalism. In pursuit of more and more money‚ the NBA scrapped its American identity and values. It turned itself into a platform for the expression of anti-American sentiment‚ entitlement‚ victimhood‚ and narrative over authenticity.The NBA’s marketing strategy the past two decades has been: “Tune in to watch LeBron James and other tall black men overcome racism they never experienced.” The marketing is not just a turn-off to conservative sports fans. No. It’s much worse than that. It convinces the players they’re victims. It creates a sense of entitlement among the alleged competitors. How do you go from Michael Jordan playing all 82 regular-season games in nine of his 15 seasons to having to beg players to play 65? You create an anti-American culture that seduces multimillionaires into believing they’re victims of racist capitalists. Contempt for fans The NBA’s desire to be popular in China baited the league into embracing messaging that denigrates American culture. The Chinese Communist Party‚ no different from Cold War communism‚ loves to promote that America is a bastion for anti-black racism. Every time LeBron James claims American black men are hunted like animals‚ his popularity in China soars and his attitude toward American sports fans diminishes. No American sports league has a more hostile relationship with its fan base than the NBA. The players routinely beef with fans. The players instruct security to toss fans from the arena. Michael Jordan felt a duty to serve and entertain fans. Modern players struggle to tolerate fans. The players are elites. They look down on the very people who love them. The players believe the fans owe them. Adam Silver can’t fix this. His best efforts are failing. The in-season tournament to start the basketball calendar failed. It was a gimmick. The Lakers won it. They’re the ninth-best team in the West. The expanded playoffs and play-in games have rendered the regular season pointless. Seven-game series make it nearly impossible for a lower seed to pull off an upset. Pay for victories The NBA is a gossip and narrative league. The greatest competition is among individual-player groupies for Jordan‚ LeBron‚ and Kobe and a never-ending argument about their standing in the all-time great debate. The only way to fix American basketball is to shut down the NBA for a year or two and force a new system and pay structure on the players. Twenty years ago‚ the NHL locked out its players for an entire season and radically changed its pay system. The NBA needs a similar fix. The league needs to work toward attaching a significant portion of pay to wins and losses. To avoid players stacking rosters‚ each roster spot would have a specific value of one to 15‚ and the highest-valued player would earn more per win than the players ranked below him on the roster. For example: LeBron might be ranked No. 1 on the Lakers and Anthony Davis No. 2. LeBron might earn $200‚000 per victory. And Davis would earn $175‚000. The other major adjustment the league should make is raising players’ minimum age to 21. Because of name‚ image‚ and likeness‚ college players can now earn significant money. It would be much better for professional basketball if the players stayed in college three or four years and brought established brands to the NBA. The NBA needs a revolutionary war and makeover. Adam Silver is not the right leader for this war. He’s a peacetime consigliere. He’s not built for the kind of upheaval necessary to fix the NBA.

Dr. Drew Pinsky didn’t believe the media twisted the truth until a certain real estate mogul entered the political fray.Dr. Pinsky‚ a board-certified physician and addiction medicine specialist‚ has been part of the media landscape for decades. He co-hosted radio’s “Loveline” call-in show‚ appeared on reality programs like “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” and hosted HLN’s “The Dr. Drew Show.”“No one ever told me what to say. There was no bias I could detect until I ran afoul of [journalists]. Then things came crashing down‚” Dr. Pinsky told Align. “It all centered around Trump derangement. … They became hysterical around this man.”“I don’t know what to believe. … Read widely and don’t take anything for granted. The truth matters … and the truth has been undermined for the past 20 years or so.”Case in point: Dr. Pinsky took part in a White House opioid symposium early in President Trump’s administration. The day featured vital information to help the public at large deal with the crisis‚ but when President Trump suggested that drug dealers should face the death penalty‚ that’s all the media cared to share.“It was a really important day. Nothing got reported. My Spidey sense started tingling‚” he recalled.Those senses did more than tingle during the pandemic. Media outlets overhyped how devastating COVID-19 could be to the average‚ healthy American‚ brushed aside natural immunity‚ and demanded that Americans keep six feet apart even though the protocol had no scientific basis.“Why don’t you just report the news?” he recalled asking at the time. He’s still posing those questions on “The Adam and Dr. Drew Podcast” and “Ask Dr. Drew.”“The press was the source of all the hysteria around COVID‚” he said.Since then‚ he’s gone on record saying the mainstream media cannot be fully trusted. He no longer accepts interview requests from print outlets‚ having been burned enough times to avoid those exchanges.He said that lack of trust‚ which extends far beyond him‚ is hurting the country.“I don’t know what to believe. … Read widely and don’t take anything for granted‚” he advised. “The truth matters … and the truth has been undermined for the past 20 years or so.”Dr. Pinsky isn’t a conservative and avoids tribal bickering when possible. His position on the morning-after pill riled elements of the right in the past. Now‚ it’s the left-leaning platforms and power brokers who get under his skin.And vice versa.He’s open to experts across the ideological divide and refuses the notion that some thought leaders are too problematic to interview. He recalled a recent chat with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‚ who said he was “brave” for interviewing him.“That’s the oddest statement I’ve ever heard‚” he said‚ praising the presidential candidate for not amplifying aggression in his commentaries.“We need more people like that‚” Dr. Pinsky said.“Platforming” people like Kennedy and Dr. Robert Malone‚ who helped create mNRA vaccines but it highly critical of the COVID-19 variations‚ is something he does when possible. And it’s left a mark on him.“I can tell you with absolute clarity I learned something from every one of them. ... I didn’t agree with everything [they said]‚ but I just listened to them and did my own thought analysis‚” he said.Much of his skepticism has centered around the recent pandemic‚ from the wisdom of vaccine mandates to the spurious science behind masks.He’s similarly cynical of how the media has downplayed President Joe Biden’s mental faculties.“Something’s going on‚” Dr. Pinsky said of Biden’s recent demeanor‚ having treated “many hundreds” of patients grappling with dementia over the years. Those patients often deploy “aggression and righteous indignation” when their mental clarity is challenged.Dr. Pinsky has maintained his medical practice for decades‚ but he’s kept up a steady side career as a TV pundit‚ show host‚ and occasional actor (“Wild Hogs‚” “New York Minute‚” “Family Guy”). He’s now an unofficial free speech warrior‚ aghast at the measures being taken to silence dissent across social media and elsewhere.He’s equally shocked by the relative silence on the subject from Hollywood celebrities.“It’s mind-boggling to me ... the very people who were speaking truth to power [are now silent]‚” he said. “I can’t make sense of it.”Dr. Pinsky’s curious mind has been obsessed with an unusual topic lately – the French Revolution. He noted how the era’s “Committee of Public Safety” sent thousands to their deaths via the guillotine.“Totalitarianism and reigns of terror are always perpetuated in the name of doing good‚” he said of the era‚ noting some eerie echoes between then and now like normalizing political violence. He hopes Americans figure out the current cultural crisis “before Napoleon gets in and stops us.”

Scholars and "experts" are trying to give President Joe Biden a rare polling victory.The 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey‚ conducted from Nov. 15 to Dec. 3‚ polled more 150 historians and American political science scholars — so-called "experts" in their field of research — and asked them to rate each president on a scale of "0-100 for their overall greatness." The lower the score‚ the worse the president; the higher the score‚ the better.Here is how the scholars ranked the top-five U.S. presidents‚ followed by their average "greatness" score:Abraham Lincoln: 93.87Franklin Delano Roosevelt: 90.83George Washington: 90.32Theodore Roosevelt: 78.58Thomas Jefferson: 77.53And to the absolute shock of no one‚ the group of professional academics said Donald Trump is the worst president in U.S. history‚ giving him an average score of 10.92.But to the surprise of nearly everyone‚ these scholars listed Biden as the 14th-best president in American history‚ with an average score of 62.66.That means they believe Biden is a better president than Ronald Reagan — who won the most lopsided Electoral College victory in 1984 — and George H.W. Bush‚ Ulysses Grant‚ Woodrow Wilson‚ Andrew Jackson‚ James Monroe‚ William McKinley‚ and James Polk‚ all of whom are historically recognized as above-average presidents.The survey‚ unfortunately‚ did not include the experts' justification. Thus‚ it remains unclear why they rated Biden as one of the best modern presidents despite being one of the most unpopular presidents in post-depression American history‚ even more unpopular at this point in his presidency than Trump was in February 2020.Justin Vaughn and Brandon Rottinghaus‚ the professors who conducted the survey‚ suggested that Biden's signature achievement is getting Trump out of office."Biden's most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump‚ resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership and is gearing up to keep the office out of his predecessor’s hands this fall‚" they wrote in an essay for the Los Angeles Times.The results‚ for many people‚ perfectly demonstrate the growing rot and unseriousness — not to mention liberal drift — of American academia.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Members of the dance team for the New York Police Department received national attention this week‚ though likely not for the reasons they'd hoped after a performance on a local news broadcast went viral on social media.Before the clip hit the internet‚ most Americans — and perhaps even most New Yorkers — likely had no idea that the NYPD has its own dance team‚ but it does. Founded in 2022‚ the NYPD Dance Team‚ one of nearly 50 department sports teams‚ practices twice a week and performs all over the city‚ including at schools and in parades‚ as part of the department's commitment to community outreach. Friendships within the group and the exercise involved also help members "decompress" from the stresses of law enforcement‚ said team president Autumn-Rain Martinez‚ an officer with the 108th Precinct in Queens. The team's Instagram account bio claims that members are "[s]taying mentally and physically well through DANCE!"Anyone employed at the NYPD‚ both uniformed officers and civilians alike‚ is permitted to join‚ regardless of experience. The team‚ currently composed of only women‚ even held tryouts last month in hopes of attracting more members‚ especially men. "As long as you have the passion‚ that's what we care about the most‚" Martinez claimed.Perhaps to increase the group's profile even further‚ the team went on a morning show for WPIX-TV last week and performed a routine to "Club Can't Handle Me" by Flo Rida that was then almost universally panned by viewers on social media. The segment is about six minutes long‚ and the routine begins at the 2:45 mark: The most common criticisms seem to relate to the women's appearances and varying degrees of talent. Popular meme-sharing X account Planet Of Memes called the performance "next level cringe‚" while another user tactlessly joked that the clip looked "like an opening for a weight watchers infomercial."Still others complained that the group was a waste of precious time and resources. "NYC crime at an all-time high..." wrote one user‚ "people being murdered‚ shops looted‚ drugs flooding the streets‚ homeless crisis and the city is being overrun by illegals. The solution? NYPD Chief: Dance!""Library closed on weekends but we got a NYPD dance team‚" quipped yet another user.Indeed‚ despite the spike in violent crime in the city‚ Democrat Mayor Eric Adams‚ himself a former cop‚ ordered cuts to all uniformed departments to pay for the surge of illegal immigrants in the city. As a result‚ the NYPD went on a hiring freeze and still had to cut 10% of its 33‚000 officers‚ as Blaze News previously reported‚ bringing staffing levels to their lowest point in 40 years.This year‚ the budget for the NYPD is reportedly a staggering $10.8 billion. It is unclear how much the department allocates for the dance team or any of its other after-hours recreational activities‚ which include hockey‚ paintball‚ baseball‚ and even chess.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!