Last weekend’s bombing campaign against Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria enacted by U.S. Central Command in response to the Jan. 28 drone strike that killed three American troops in Jordan did not go far enough. Because they did not target any Iranians‚ any assets inside Iran‚ or any of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps vessels in the Persian Gulf‚ these strikes will ultimately fail to reestablish American deterrence and credibility in the Middle East. In the months since the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in response to the gruesome Oct. 7 attack‚ American troops have been under near-constant fire from rockets‚ artillery‚ and drones launched by Shia groups operating under the control of and resourced by the IRGC. More than 180 such attacks have injured dozens of American service members. Meanwhile‚ the Houthis‚ an Iranian-backed group based in Yemen‚ have unleashed chaos on the global supply chain and sent shockwaves through international markets by firing rockets and drones at commercial vessels navigating the Red Sea. Up until the deadly drone attack in Jordan‚ the response has been tepid at best—a handful of pinprick strikes on warehouses and facilities in Iraq‚ Syria‚ and Yemen. After each such response‚ the attacks by these groups resumed within days. The response to the attack in Jordan was supposed to be different. Three American soldiers were killed. Though this drone attack on a remote American outpost in northeast Jordan was consistent with the many that came before it‚ President Joe Biden promised a more forceful response. That response strike began with Central Command launching 85 strikes in the border region between Iraq and Syria‚ targeting these militia groups. Then‚ on Wednesday‚ Feb. 7‚ an American precision drone in Baghdad killed a senior commander from Kataib Hezbollah‚ a militia force that the White House holds responsible for the attack in Jordan. Concurrently‚ the U.S.‚ along with the U.K.‚ continue to conduct strikes on locations associated with Yemen’s Houthi rebels. These American strikes are a tactical response to a specific incident‚ not a comprehensive strategy to counter Iran’s malign influence in the region. Focusing on proxy groups in Iraq and Syria does not address the dark heart of the chaos and violence over the past four months. The IRGC will restock the shelves of these groups within a matter of weeks‚ and the feedback loop of attacks on American troops followed by hollow American responses will continue. More American troops will be injured‚ and the likelihood of another drone getting through and killing more Americans remains high. To restore deterrence‚ the U.S. should instead hit targets that Iran cares about: IRGC leaders‚ Iran’s military bases‚ or its spy ships loitering in the Red Sea. For more than a decade‚ the mullahs in Tehran have built a robust force of dozens of militia groups that operate in the region under the umbrella of the Iranian regime. The IRGC provides them with funding‚ weapons‚ and strategic guidance. While targeting these proxies may take out their rockets‚ missiles‚ and drones and disrupt their immediate activities‚ it does little beyond the short-term. Iran has an enormous supply of inexpensive but deadly drones manufactured by Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center‚ an Iranian company subordinate to the IRGC. Similarly‚ Tehran has a massive volume of missiles—the largest such arsenal in the Middle East—it can quickly ship to fighters in Iraq and Syria. Iran began investing in drones and missiles in the mid-1980s amidst its ruinous war with Iraq to compensate for its decisive disadvantage with America in conventional military capability. Now‚ this investment is paying off. Iran is playing a long game in the region‚ while the Biden administration aims to avoid escalation ahead of the November 2024 presidential election. Iran is a nation abundant in oil resources and possessing significant geopolitical influence. Rather than engaging in short-term strategies‚ Iran adopts a patient approach‚ focusing on goals decades off. The Shia nation emerged over two millennia ago and still thinks like an ancient empire. While the U.S. has superior military capabilities‚ Iran believes it has superior resolve. This resolve‚ Tehran believes‚ will ultimately prevail in any confrontation with the United States. The mullahs seek to outlast the United States in the Middle East‚ gradually expanding influence and undermining regional stability. Deterrence with any adversary is not a matter of force. For deterrence to work‚ an adversary must believe that the United States has the will to take away the adversary’s interests. In Iran’s case‚ regime survival lies at the top of those interests. The clerics in Tehran will only back down in the wake of any American attack if they believe their rule is at risk. Ahead of the most recent strikes‚ National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby repeated that the U.S. seeks to avoid war with Iran—a clear message that the U.S. has no interest in threatening the regime in Tehran. American airstrikes into Iraq and Syria in exchange for free shots on American bases is a trade-off that Iran is willing to accept. By targeting a militia leader in Baghdad in response to attacks on U.S. troops‚ the U.S. essentially exchanged a slap on the wrist for the loss of American lives. This pattern of response only encourages Iran and its proxies‚ reinforcing the perception that they can act with impunity. To effectively deter Iran and its proxies‚ the United States must adopt a more proactive and comprehensive strategy‚ inclusive of targeting Iranian assets directly‚ imposing meaningful costs for aggression‚ and signaling a willingness to escalate if necessary. The time for half-measures is over; the United States must take the required steps to confront Iran’s malign activities and secure a more stable and peaceful future for the region. This article was originally published by RealClearDefense and made available via RealClearWire. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post The US Strikes in Iraq and Syria Don’t Go Far Enough appeared first on The Daily Signal.

 “I made my decision with the full knowledge that I would likely end up in a courtroom‚” former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn said. Littlejohn didn’t just leak years of Donald Trump’s tax returns to The New York Times in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election. He also leaked the tax returns of thousands of other wealthy Americans‚ along with other private financial information about them‚ to another left-leaning “news” outlet‚ ProPublica. Littlejohn’s crime has been referred to as the “greatest heist in IRS history.” After all‚ he stole and disclosed the tax returns of about 7‚600 individuals and 600 entities.  But federal prosecutors alleged that Littlejohn stole and leaked tax information of about 18‚000 individuals. The prosecutors said that “the tax returns are just the tip of the iceberg.” The Justice Department alleges that Littlejohn took his job as a contractor for the Internal Revenue Service with an eye toward leaking Trump’s tax returns and concocted an elaborate scheme to avoid detection. He “engaged in multiple discussions‚ including in-person meetings” with New York Times reporters‚ and as one report noted‚ “after initially handing over the trove of tax records‚ he then stole more records and provided the reporters with more information.” What did Littlejohn get for his egregious conduct?  A sweetheart plea deal from the Biden Justice Department‚ which is run by his appointee‚ Attorney General Merrick Garland.  Despite his likely committing many felony offenses‚ the Justice Department agreed to charge Littlejohn with‚ and allow him to plead guilty to‚ only one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax records. This inconceivable charging decision has sparked widespread outrage.   Rep. Jason Smith‚ R-Mo.‚ chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee‚ said that “the single-count charge DOJ brought in this case was wildly insufficient based on the defendant’s multiple thefts and disclosures.” Sen. Rick Scott‚ R-Fla.‚ whose tax information was stolen and leaked by Littlejohn‚ said: “By only charging Mr. Littlejohn with a single crime‚ instead of the thousands he committed‚ Biden’s DOJ completely underscored the reckless partisan political abuse of our justice system under the Biden administration. By harassing prominent Republicans and embarrassing Americans‚ Mr. Littlejohn’s crimes were entirely aligned with the agenda of the Biden administration.” Even the Biden-appointed federal judge tasked with sentencing Littlejohn‚ District Judge Ana Reyes‚ asked prosecutors to “[m]ake it make a little bit more sense” that he faced only one count despite all of his egregious conduct.   “The fact that he did what he did‚ and he’s facing only one felony count—I have no words for it‚” Reyes said. Neither do we. Fortunately‚ the judge imposed the maximum sentence of “five years in prison with three years supervised release and a $5‚000 fine.” Reyes said that although Littlejohn might have thought of himself as a good guy for doing this‚ he wasn’t. His “targeting the sitting president of the United States‚” she said‚ “was an attack on our constitutional democracy.” Of course‚ Littlejohn’s actions could have been anticipated because of the IRS’ lax protocols and inexcusable practice of rehiring those who have violated its policies.  The Government Accountability Office studied the IRS’ practice and found that between fiscal years 2012 and 2021‚ the agency investigated nearly 1‚700 instances of “alleged willful unauthorized access of tax data by employees” with violations being found in at least 27% of those cases.  The report also found that since 2017‚ the IRS has not met its goal of “investigating and closing unauthorized disclosure cases in 180 days.” More outrageously‚ in 2017‚ then-Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Russell George found that the IRS rehired 200 employees “between January 2015 and March 2016 that were terminated or separated from the agency that were either under investigation or had some misconduct that caused them to leave.”  The Washington Free Beacon reported that one employee had a “do not rehire” note in his file‚ but “the IRS rehired the employee anyway.” Littlejohn’s attorney asked for leniency in sentencing‚ saying that he acted “out of a deep‚ moral belief that the American people had a right to know the information.”  But the fact is‚ Littlejohn intentionally broke the law many times over many months‚ affecting many people. Given the gravity of his crimes and the duplicitousness and deliberateness of his actions‚ the Biden Justice Department certainly didn’t send a strong message that this type of conduct won’t be tolerated. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Leaker of Trump Tax Returns‚ and Thousands More‚ Gets a Slap on Wrist From Biden Admin appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Kamala: I Can Handle Things! I'm Smart!

Since late January of 2012‚ the Washington Examiner’s Paul Bedard has once a week featured a “Mainstream Media Scream” selection in his “Washington Secrets” column. For each pick‚ usually posted online on Monday‚ I provide an explanation and recommend a “scream” rating (scale of one to five). This post contains the “Liberal Media Screams” starting in January 2023. >; For 2021 and 2022‚ for all of 2020. For all of 2019. For all of  2018. (Re-named “Liberal Media Scream” as of June 11‚ 2018.) “Mainstream Media Screams” for: >; July-December 2017 posts; January through June 2017; July to December 2016; for January to June 2016; for July to December 2015; for January to June 2015. (2012-2014 are featured on MRC.org: For 2014; for June 17‚ 2013 through the end of 2013. And for January 31‚ 2012 through June 11‚ 2013.) Check Bedard’s “Washington Secrets” blog for the latest choice and his other Washington insider posts. Each week‚ this page will be updated with Bedard’s latest example of the worst bias of the week. (For more of the worst liberal media bias‚ browse the Media Research Center's Notable Quotables with compilations of the latest outrageous‚ sometimes humorous‚ quotes in the liberal media.)   â–  New on February 12: Liberal Media Scream: MSNBC host laughably says press against Biden See the posting on the Washington Examiner's site where you can watch the video and read Baker's assessment. A week later‚ Bedard's article will be posted here.   â–  February 5: Liberal Media Scream: Kristen Welker likes to lecture Republicans‚ too (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features a look at new Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker’s treatment of Republican leaders. And surprise — not — she continues to be just as biased as former host Chuck Todd. First‚ she lectured House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on the border bill released by the Senate on Sunday. “You are now the speaker of the House. Do you not have a responsibility to your voters‚ to the people who put you in office‚ to address what you have called a crisis and catastrophe? Isn’t something better than nothing?” she said. Then‚ she passed along the Democratic talking point that after three years of aggressively enacting open border policies‚ “Joe Biden said he would shut down the border.” From Sunday’s Meet the Press on NBC: KRISTEN WELKER: You have been calling for legislative change to actually deal with this problem. You are now the speaker of the House. Do you not have a responsibility to your voters‚ to the people who put you in office‚ to address what you have called a crisis and catastrophe? Isn’t something better than nothing? SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON: Kristen‚ we did that. We did that nine months ago. And since we passed our measure in the House to solve this problem‚ and the reason we had to do it is because we saw that President Biden was not fulfilling his obligation under the law. That’s why it is such a failure of leadership‚ but we did our part. And by the way‚ since then‚ in the nine months since that bill sat on [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer’s desk‚ collecting dust‚ 1.8 million illegals have been allowed into this country‚ welcomed into the country‚ sent around the nation into every community — communities near everyone listening and watching this morning. And that is a catastrophe‚ and the American people know it‚ and that’s part of the reason that Joe Biden has the lowest approval rating of any president facing reelection. WELKER: Even former President Trump‚ though‚ called for legislative change on this issue. You have one of the slimmest majorities in the House in history. Don’t you have to compromise to get something done? What you passed in the House can’t pass in the Senate‚ Mr. Speaker. You know that. JOHNSON: We are willing to work. We are willing to work with the Senate. I am not disclosing that‚ and I’ve been very consistent for the hundred days that I’ve had the gavel. We are willing to work‚ but they have to be serious about it. If you only do a few of those components‚ you are not going to solve the problem‚ and Kristen‚ that is not a Republican talking point. That’s what the sheriffs at the border‚ the Border Patrol agents‚ the deputy chief of U.S. Border Patrol‚ a 33-year veteran of the agency‚ told us. He said that it’s as though we’re administering an open fire hydrant. He said‚ “I don’t need more buckets‚” like the president has proposed. I need to stop the flow‚ and we know how to do that‚ but Joe Biden is unwilling to do it. WELKER: Let me ask you about your decision‚ and by the way‚ Joe Biden said he would shut down the border. He’s calling for more funding. He’s calling for you to pass this legislation. Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “A perfect example of a so-called journalist serving as an advocate for Washington’s media-political establishment‚ demanding a recalcitrant conservative get in line and adopt the approved narrative.” Rating: THREE out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  January 29‚ 2024: No Liberal Media Scream this week.   â–  January 22‚ 2024: Liberal Media Scream: Washington Post’s Rubin wants Trump ‘fascists’ reeducated (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features popular Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin doubling down on her Never Trump campaign. Appearing on the MSNBC weekend show Velshi exactly a year from Inauguration Day‚ the onetime conservative opinion writer said that the masses appearing at former President Donald Trump’s rallies “are part of a fascist cult.” And‚ she added‚ “they’re impervious to any kind of data‚ any kind of information. But what you have to do‚ if you care about democracy‚ is mobilize the people who already know that he’s a danger and reaffirm and reeducate the people who are perhaps kind of flirting in the middle — they’re soft Republicans‚ they’re never Republicans — about the danger of going back to Trump.” Rubin on MSNBC’s Velshi on Saturday: “Why it’s perhaps important to go to one of these rallies is to understand why he does have supporters. These people are part of a fascist cult. And let’s be honest‚ there are a lot of them. But a lot of them doesn’t mean that they are behaving logically or rationally. To the contrary‚ we’ve seen in other fascist regimes that millions of people‚ sometimes even a majority of the country‚ becomes intoxicated with an authoritarian figure‚ and these people are utterly irrational. If you speak to some of them‚ they will spit back these bizarro conspiracy theories. They actually believe in all of the mumbo-jumbo that he tells them. “So I think it would be a wake-up call about what these people are about‚ and‚ no‚ we’re not going to convince people who are part of the cult to switch. As you say‚ they’re impervious to any kind of data‚ any kind of information. But what you have to do‚ if you care about democracy‚ is mobilize the people who already know that he’s a danger and reaffirm and reeducate the people who are perhaps kind of flirting in the middle — they’re soft Republicans‚ they’re never Republicans — about the danger of going back to Trump. And I think that’s the job between now and November‚ and that’s the challenge for the Biden administration.” Brent Baker‚ the vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “How condescending of Rubin to be so comfortable denigrating supporters of a presidential candidate she despises with one of the most vile insults. Just because she hates Trump doesn’t make those going to his rallies‚ the very embodiment of democracy in action‚ ‘fascists.’ Whatever happened to liberals wanting to expand participation in the democratic process?” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  January 15‚ 2024: Liberal Media Scream: MSNBC’s Mika all in to help Biden’s reelection (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features Mika Brzezinski‚ the co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe‚ fawning over first lady Jill Biden in a sign of where the cable network stands before the 2024 presidential primary season begins. With easy questions quizzing Biden about her favorite emoji to dismissing chants of “Let’s go Brandon” that still follow the president‚ Brzezinski put on an able defense of the Biden White House. Among the questions posed to the first lady was this: “The division in this country‚ the cruelty of MAGA Republicans against your family. Does any part of you once in a while think‚ ugh‚ maybe we bow out?” The questions were part of Brzezinski’s Know Your Value “movement.” Our partners at the Media Research Center highlighted these from last Thursday’s show and today’s event at the White House: MIKA BRZEZINSKI: You’ve been married to President Joe Biden for 46 years. There have been Senate races‚ three presidential campaigns‚ eight years of your husband serving as vice president. Unthinkable personal loss and challenge‚ and now democracy is on the ballot. What do you think when you hear people say‚ “Well‚ I just can’t vote for Joe Biden this election?” What is it that they may not know about him at this point‚ especially when the alternative seems to want to change this nation so radically? BRZEZINSKI: Potentially another four years in the White House. With everything you do here‚ does yet another one give you any pause thinking of‚ like‚ the personal health and well-being for both of you? The division in this country‚ the cruelty of MAGA Republicans against your family. Does any part of you once in a while think‚ ugh‚ maybe we bow out? BRZEZINSKI: How have you been coping personally with the onslaught of accusations against your husband and your family‚ including and especially Hunter‚ the focus of a House Oversight Committee hearing holding‚ holding him in contempt‚ obsessing over him‚ showing pictures of him during vulnerable moments in his battle with addiction on the floor of the House. This would crush any family. BRZEZINSKI: What do you think when you hear Trump Republicans calling it “Biden crime family” or one congresswoman‚ “The Biden crime family sold out America‚” Marjorie Taylor Greene‚ “He’s a liar‚ he’s mentally incompetent‚” and let’s not even talk about what “Let’s go Brandon” means. But you have U.S. senators holding signs that say that. ….BRZEZINSKI: Your favorite emoji? JILL BIDEN: Oh‚ my gosh. The turquoise heart. BRZEZINSKI: Turquoise heart? BIDEN: Yeah. BRZEZINSKI: I don’t have the turquoise heart on my phone. What does that mean? BIDEN: It’s like the beach. It’s calm. BRZEZINSKI: Oh‚ I like that. BIDEN: Color of the sea. BRZEZINSKI: Do I type out turquoise heart? Comfort food? BIDEN: Oh‚ french fries. BRZEZINSKI: Umm. Yeah‚ yeah. Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Mika Brzezinski is all in on the reelection of Joe Biden. First lady Jill Biden picked well in selecting Brzezinski to interview her‚ confident she wouldn’t be challenged as they both could commiserate with how awful Trump is and how mean Republicans are to her family‚ topped by letting her tout the turquoise heart emoji. How informative.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  January 8‚ 2024: Liberal Media Scream: Stephanopoulos judges Trump an insurrectionist‚ unqualified for 2024 (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream is a five-screamer featuring an ABC host and former Clinton handler acting as judge‚ jury‚ and executioner of former President Donald Trump and his effort to remain on the 2024 primary ballots and let voters‚ not partisan state officials‚ decide his fate. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos‚ on his Sunday show This Week‚ was quizzing his panel about the campaigns in some states to declare Trump ineligible for election because an official decided that the former president triggered a 14th Amendment ban on insurrectionists. On his show‚ which occurred the day after the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot‚ one of his panelists suggested the Supreme Court will decide Trump is guilty but that it will be up to Congress and not the states to erase the GOP front-runner’s name from the ballots. “If you say he engaged in insurrection‚” Stephanopoulos said‚ “I don’t see how you can escape the plain meaning of the 14th Amendment and say he’s qualified to run for office.” Panelist Donna Brazile‚ an influential liberal and former acting Democratic Party chairwoman‚ told her host‚ “I totally agree with you‚ George.” From the roundtable on Sunday’s This Week on ABC: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Sarah‚ what’s your guess on what the court does here? SARAH ISGUR‚ SENIOR EDITOR OF THE DISPATCH: I think you’ll have the Supreme Court hold that he is not disqualified from being on the ballot. They’ll overturn the Colorado Supreme Court. STEPHANOPOULOS: The question is‚ how will they do it though? ISGUR: Correct. I think they’ll say that‚ in fact‚ the 14th Amendment makes clear it’s up to Congress. If Congress can requalify someone by a two-thirds vote‚ there’s no timeline on that. Which means that‚ you know‚ as one of the amicus briefs has pointed out‚ it’s really supposed to be post-elections about holding office‚ not running for office. And so I think they’ll say it’s really Congress’s job. The states can’t make up their own standard. Is it beyond a reasonable doubt? Is it more likely than not? Et cetera. What’s interesting to me will be whether or not the Supreme Court goes out of their way in order to get those three‚ Kagan‚ Sotomayor‚ Jackson votes‚ in saying‚ “Yes‚ it was an insurrection‚ and yes‚ he engaged in it‚ but it’s up to Congress.” STEPHANOPOULOS: I don’t see how they can do that‚ Donna Brazile. If you say he engaged in insurrection‚ was the question I asked Nancy Pelosi‚ I don’t see how you can escape the plain meaning of the 14th Amendment and say he’s qualified to run for office. DONNA BRAZILE: I totally agree with you‚ George. Brent Baker‚ the vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Another example of how Stephanopoulos remains a Democratic partisan first‚ a journalist a distant second. No true journalist would weigh in with a definitive conclusion on what the Supreme Court should do weeks before a ruling on such a contentious issue which divides Americans. Stephanopoulos has clearly put himself in the camp with those who want to deny the public’s ability to vote for whomever they prefer. So much for saving democracy from Trump when you want to subvert the process.” Rating: FIVE out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  December 25‚ 2023 and January 1‚ 2024: No Liberal Media Screams these weeks.   â–  December 18‚ 2023: Liberal Media Scream: Scaremonger Scarborough: Trump will ‘execute’ foes‚ crush ‘American experiment’ (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough’s latest anti-Trump ranting. The host‚ whose earlier claim that former President Donald Trump will “execute” foes should he be reelected won the Media Research Center’s “Worst Quote of the Year‚” said on Monday that Trump would destroy America’s democracy‚ too. “A year from now‚ it could be over‚ the American experiment at an end one year from now‚” Scarborough said in comments we graded a rare five out of five “liberal media screams.” His comments are clearly what the latest Rasmussen Reports survey was tapping into when it found that more voters than ever believe the left bias in the media has reached a new high. The comments also raise a question about what scaremongering liberal media figures will be saying in 11 months if Trump is on the verge of beating President Joe Biden. Scarborough on Monday’s Morning Joe in a discussion with Politico’s Jonathan Lemire: “One year from now‚ it could be over. American democracy could be over. Donald Trump‚ one year from now‚ could win. He’s told us what he is going to do. When I say American democracy is going to be over‚ I haven’t said this. Donald Trump is the guy who said it. He is the one talking about executing generals that are not loyal enough to him‚ a guy that’s talking about terminating the Constitution if it gets in the way of his power. He’s the guy that’s talking about taking off news networks he disagrees with. He’s the one talking about prosecuting and putting in jail people who disagree with him. He’s the one saying that. “So‚ a year from now‚ it could be over‚ the American experiment at an end one year from now. So‚ let me ask you‚ with that being the case and with Joe Biden’s poll numbers getting worse‚ why is the White House going around singing‚ ‘Don’t worry‚ be happy’? Because that’s basically what they’re saying. Why does Joe Biden still have all of his campaign people inside the White House? When are they going to go out and start working on the campaign — not of his lifetime‚ of our lifetime? When are they going to start acting like American democracy is on the line and stop telling everybody to not worry?” Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explained our weekly pick: “Saying day after day after day the same over the top ‘the sky is falling’ warning to try to scare his viewers about Trump ending democracy is doing nothing but making Scarborough look every bit as unhinged as he wants people to see Trump. It may be catnip for MSNBC viewers‚ but Scarborough has become a parody of someone stuck inside a Trump Derangement Syndrome whirlwind unable to make cogent criticisms.” Rating: FIVE out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  December 11: Liberal Media Scream: PBS runs interference for Biden over Hunter scandals (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the efforts of Public TV and a Washington Post columnist to deflect the latest criminal indictment of first son Hunter Biden away from President Joe Biden. Following the tax charges filed by the Justice Department against Hunter Biden‚ the PBS NewsHour was eager to tell viewers on Friday that it saw no connection to the president. Anchor Geoff Bennett started with the “context” that Hunter Biden “does not work in the White House for his father in the way that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump did. And the indictment does not in any way implicate President Joe Biden.” PBS guest Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post also ran block for Biden. “For Republicans to try to make a connection between Hunter Biden and trying to say that‚ 'Well‚ if you’re going to go after Trump‚ well‚ why shouldn’t we go after Biden?' these are two completely different cases‚” he lectured. From Friday’s PBS NewsHour: GEOFF BENNETT: So‚ let’s start with the latest legal trouble facing Hunter Biden‚ with the important context that Hunter Biden’s a private citizen. He is not seeking‚ nor has he ever held‚ public office. He does not work in the White House for his father in the way that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump did. And the indictment does not in any way implicate President Joe Biden. And yet this will certainly add to the problems‚ the political problems‚ facing this White House‚ as House Republicans‚ Jonathan‚ zero in on Hunter Biden’s business dealings as part of their own investigations. JONATHAN CAPEHART: As part of their own investigations that have been going on for years now‚ and they’ve been using the president’s son‚ the president’s troubled son‚ to try to sully the president. And so far‚ they’ve come up with nothing‚ even though‚ next week‚ apparently‚ they’re going to be voting on‚ you know‚ to authorize an impeachment inquiry‚ trying to make connections that aren’t there. Look‚ when you read the indictment‚ when you hear about the indictment‚ it’s bad. I mean‚ it’s not good. It’s not good at all. But we’re talking about someone‚ as you — I’m glad you put that proper context there. He’s an adult. He has not held office. He’s not sought office. He’s not working for his father. The only thing is‚ is that he — his father is president of the United States. He’s being held accountable. And I take — I agree with [Hunter Biden’s lawyer] Abbe Lowell that‚ if his last name weren’t Biden‚ he probably wouldn’t even have these charges. They would have worked it out. But he’s facing the consequences‚ and he’s going through the legal avenues that are afforded to him. And for Republicans to try to make a connection between Hunter Biden and trying to say that‚ 'Well‚ if you’re going to go after Trump‚ well‚ why shouldn’t we go after Biden?' these are two completely different cases. Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “You can almost feel through the screen how uncomfortable the PBS team was to even cover this story‚ but they realized they had to at least mention it‚ so they poured on the caveats so their audience wouldn’t be burdened with any information that might hurt their perception of President Biden. It’s the exact opposite tack they take with Donald Trump‚ where any allegations around him are amplified and discussed ad nauseam.” Rating: THREE out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  December 4: Liberal Media Scream: Media eagerly team with Liz Cheney to undermine Trump (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the remarkable teaming of the media with conservative Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney to stop former President Donald Trump’s 2024 bid. Repeating her success in winning Democrats to her cause after the Jan. 6 riots and in her No. 2 role on the House Jan. 6 panel‚ the media have eagerly opened its best shows for her to talk about her new book and campaign against Trump. The media have helped to promote her book and provided top platforms‚ notably on CBS Sunday Morning‚ where she warned that “one of the things we see today is sort of a sleepwalking into dictatorship in the United States.” In interviewing her about Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning‚ John Dickerson offered the perfect set-up question: “If a person is a member of Congress and they have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution‚ can they defend the Constitution and also endorse Donald Trump?” Cheney replied: “You can’t be for Donald Trump and for the Constitution. You have to choose.” The media's focus on the book has helped it into the No. 1 spot on Amazon on Monday‚ a day before it is released. From Sunday’s CBS News Sunday Morning: JOHN DICKERSON: After losing her 2022 Republican primary‚ Cheney traded the U.S. Capitol dome for the Thomas Jefferson-designed rotunda at the University of Virginia‚ where she has been lecturing on politics and writing a new book‚ Oath and Honor. Let me ask you about that oath. If a person is a member of Congress and they have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution‚ can they defend the Constitution and also endorse Donald Trump? LIZ CHENEY: No. It’s inconsistent. DICKERSON: So‚ they’re breaking with their oath by saying they would like him to be the next president? CHENEY: In my view‚ you know‚ fundamentally‚ there is a choice to be made. You can’t both be for Donald Trump and for the Constitution. You have to choose. DICKERSON: It’s a lot of people who are choosing Donald Trump. CHENEY: Yeah‚ it is. Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Usually‚ to earn such a laudatory CBS News segment for your book‚ it must be published by CBS-owned Simon &; Schuster. But Dickerson and CBS are so enthralled with her quest to destroy Trump and anyone Trump-adjacent that despite having Little‚ Brown and Company as her publisher‚ they went into full promotion mode‚ cuing up her talking points with no pushback.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  November 27: Liberal Media Scream: Post reporter says ‘sources’ fret public’s lack of credit for Biden ‘successes’ (Washington Examiner post) For this week’s Liberal Media Scream‚ we have the latest example of a journalist inside the Beltway concerned that President Joe Biden just isn’t getting the credit he deserves for "Bidenomics‚" the Middle East crisis‚ or pretty much anything else. Despite two years of polling that shows the public doesn’t buy the White House spin that their life is better under the Democratic administration‚ the Washington Post’s Leigh Ann Caldwell on Sunday’s Meet the Press cited “my sources” complaining that Biden is getting treated like the no-respect funnyman Rodney Dangerfield. “My sources are saying President Biden doesn’t get a lot of credit‚ not only on this‚ but on a whole host of things‚” she said in addressing the hostage releases over the weekend. But maybe there's hope‚ she added‚ that Biden will get the credit she says he deserves if his team just sells it better. "They have a lot of work to do to once again‚ like I said‚ try to get credit for the successes that he’s had over the past two years which he keeps on getting blamed for everything bad that’s happened." From Sunday’s Meet the Press: KRISTEN WELKER: Leigh Ann‚ I want to start with you. This is a huge test for President Biden. And obviously now‚ the pressure’s on to release the Americans. How is this playing for him politically‚ do you think? LEIGH ANN CALDWELL: Well‚ obviously it’ll be great if Americans are released with those hostages. But my sources are saying that President Biden also doesn’t get a lot of credit for his successes‚ not only on this‚ but on a whole host of things. So that does concern Democrats on Capitol Hill.... Yeah‚ Bidenomics has really been‚ become a negative word‚ especially among Democrats‚ because it’s not working. I was texting with some Democratic members of Congress last night just trying to get a read over the holiday weekend‚ what they’re hearing at home and what people are saying‚ and these members said that it is just not looking good for President Biden politically out there‚ that he would probably lose some swing states if the election were held today. So they have a lot of work to do to once again‚ like I said‚ try to get credit for the successes that he’s had over the past two years which he keeps on getting blamed for everything bad that’s happened. Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Caldwell maintained Democrats ‘have a lot of work to do to once again‚ like I said‚ try to get credit for the successes’ President Biden has ‘had over the past two years‚’ but she’s clearly just as invested as any liberal Democrat in advancing that narrative to help Biden. And in that interest‚ she reflects much of the press corps which want to influence the outcome‚ as proven by how complaints that Biden isn’t getting the credit he supposedly deserves have become a common media theme.” Rating: THREE out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  November 20: Liberal Media Scream: ABC’s Jonathan Karl says he wrote book to warn voters away from Trump (Washington Examiner post) For this week’s Liberal Media Scream‚ we feature the latest example of the legacy media going from self-appointed instant fact-checkers on former President Donald Trump to out-and-out enemies. The choice is ABC’s Jonathan Karl‚ who admitted that he wrote his latest book on Trump to warn America about him. Asked on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS why Trump is leading the Republican nomination contest‚ Karl said that “superficially” there’s “a sense” that things were better during the Trump presidency. And‚ he added of his just-released Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party‚ “that’s why I wrote this book.” He explained that “if people are going to go into this next election thinking about that‚ they also need to be thinking‚ not just about what Trump was‚ but what he is now and what he is proposing and planning to do‚ what a second Trump administration would look like. And I don’t think people have come to terms with that at all.” Karl on Thursday’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS: “I think part of what’s happened is people look back. There’s anxiety in the country. People have economic anxiety. There’s discontent with Joe Biden and I think there’s some superficially a sense like ‘Look‚ if we could only go back to four years ago‚ the world was relatively at peace‚ inflation was low‚ everything was —’ I think there is some of that and that’s why I wrote this book because if people are going to go into this next election thinking about that‚ they also need to be thinking‚ not just about what Trump was‚ but what he is now and what he is proposing and planning to do‚ what a second Trump administration would look like. And I don’t think people have come to terms with that at all.” Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Karl’s quest is the very definition of improper political advocacy by a journalist. His job is to report the news in an impartial manner‚ not jump into the fray when a candidate he hates gets popular‚ and write a book to convince voters they are making a bad choice. How could any Trump supporter‚ or any Republican‚ ever trust his reporting when they know he has a personal interest in directing the outcome?” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  November 13: Liberal Media Scream: CNN’s Hunt says no room for ‘happy and sunny’ in GOP (Washington Examiner post) For this week’s Liberal Media Scream‚ we feature the latest CNN absurdity‚ a blanket declaration that there is no place for happiness in the Republican Party. The claim came today from CNN’s Kasie Hunt‚ who was giving her early morning assessment on the decision by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) to drop out of the 2024 presidential race‚ joining former Vice President Mike Pence on the sidelines. “There’s just no appetite in the Republican base right now for someone who’s happy and sunny‚” she said‚ citing her election night sources. Of course‚ many pollsters would suggest that there is just no appetite in the Republican base for anybody other than former President Donald Trump‚ and GOP voters seem to be pretty happy with that. Hunt‚ CNN’s chief national affairs analyst‚ on Monday’s CNN This Morning: “The noteworthy thing to me about this — I mean‚ look‚ I think it was pretty clear that Tim Scott’s campaign never took off the way‚ frankly‚ a lot of people in Washington thought that it might. He had‚ you know‚ all the ingredients to be really successful in the traditional Republican Party. He had a lot of backing. Honestly‚ he wasn’t public about it‚ but a lot of the people who have been working against Donald Trump for more traditional candidates like Mitt Romney were working on his operation trying to figure out how they could make that happen. “But when I talked to sources‚ and I did a lot of this on election night last week‚ they keep saying to me that there’s just no appetite in the Republican base right now for someone who’s happy and sunny. They’re angry. The base is angry. And that’s a big part of why Donald Trump has had such a durable lead in this race because he campaigns in a much different way. Tim Scott tried to be the kind of ‘Morning in America’ Republican candidate‚ and it’s just not what people are into. So‚ you know‚ it does make sense. He saw the writing on the wall‚ especially about the fourth debate‚ and here we are.” Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “None of the GOP presidential candidates are coming close to Trump‚ so why the particular argument Tim Scott failed because he’s a ‘happy warrior’ and the electorate is motivated by anger? Trump fans would contend his rallies are peppered with funny lines and upbeat messaging about the basis for his movement‚ Make America Great Again‚ which in itself is a happy and aspirational quest for a return to the best of America.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  November 6: Liberal Media Scream: CNN’s Zakaria says Biden better on border than Trump (Washington Examiner post) For this week’s Liberal Media Scream we feature the zaniest pro-White House spin yet on the historic border crisis caused by President Joe Biden’s policies. While big city “sanctuary” mayors are crying uncle because the president’s policies are dumping in thousands of illegal immigrants without providing any money or help with housing‚ CNN’s Fareed Zakaria somehow thinks that the White House is handling the crisis well. Biden is “actually not doing a bad job‚” he said on Friday’s Real Time with Bill Maher. For proof‚ he cited the deportation of illegal immigrants‚ ignoring the enormous crowds of migrants waved into the U.S. every day and the high number of those who slip in undetected. Zakaria on Friday’s Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO: “Biden’s actually not doing a bad job‚ they have deported more people — if you think that’s right and I do because you want a system of laws‚ right? They have deported more people under the Biden administration than Trump did. They’ve been harder line. The problem for Biden is‚ and this is a problem for Democrats‚ you can’t take credit for it because then you’re going to outrage‚ the progressive wing is going to go nuts. And so‚ even the things he does‚ it’s like stealth enforcement. You can’t talk about it.” Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Talk about missing the forest for the trees. The only reason the Biden administration deported anyone was because of the Trump-imposed Title 42 to deal with COVID‚ which stayed in place for more than two years of his administration until he ended it in May. In the fiscal year that ended September 30‚ 2.4 million people crossed the southern border‚ the highest number since records started being kept in 1960‚ and that was the third straight record year‚ all under Biden.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  October 30: Liberal Media Scream: Speaker Johnson takes compare him to KKK and mass shooter (Washington Examiner post) We could see this coming from miles away. For this week’s Liberal Media Scream‚ we feature the predictably sad reaction of the press to the unanimous Republican vote to confirm soft-spoken Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as the 56th House speaker last week. Outlet after outlet tried to portray the Bible-toting Johnson as out of touch with America‚ instead comparing him to a KKK leader. It’s surprising liberal media outlets didn’t identify him with his middle name‚ James Michael Johnson‚ like mass killers. Even on CNN‚ analyst Gloria Borger conceded that the media was trying too hard to demonize the little-known lawmaker. It is “hard to demonize” him‚ she said‚ explaining‚ “He’s not the devil incarnate.” But Bill Maher and his crew didn’t get the memo. First‚ on his Friday show‚ Scott Galloway‚ a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business‚ said to audience applause‚ “The reason this guy is speaker is none of us have the time to read his resume and realize he’s David Duke-lite.” Maher pushed back on that characterization‚ but he offered his own invective‚ calling Johnson “a religious nut” before raising last week’s mass shooter of 18 in Maine: “Apparently he heard voices‚ and I thought‚ ‘Is he that different than Mike Johnson?’” From Friday’s Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO and Max: SCOTT GALLOWAY: The whole point here is that we separate church and state‚ that we believe in the peaceful transfer of power‚ and the reason this guy is speaker is none of us have the time to read his resume and realize he’s David Duke-lite. BILL MAHER: Well‚ we do now. I don’t know if he’s David Duke-lite — I read today he has an adopted black son. I don’t think David Duke would do that‚ but he is a religious nut. .... MAHER: When you’re this much of a religious fanatic‚ there is no room for real democracy. That’s not what you believe in. He said it today: Look in the Bible — that’s my worldview. I was reading about this horrible shooting in Maine. We don’t know much about the guy yet‚ but apparently he heard voices‚ and I thought‚ ‘Is he that different than Mike Johnson?’ I mean‚ degree‚ yes‚ but it’s thinner than you think. Brent Baker‚ the vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “What hypocrisy. You can’t decry how Donald Trump and MAGA have lowered discourse in America and undermined respect for democracy and then smear the incoming speaker of the House as no different than a racist Klan leader or a mass murderer. The comparisons are ridiculous and should be beneath anyone who considers themselves a serious political analyst.” Rating: FIVE out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  October 23: Liberal Media Scream: Morning Joe warns of Trump retaliation just short of firing squads (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features MSNBC host Joe Scarborough speculating on a second Trump White House‚ ranting that it will be one retaliation after another for slights he’s felt over the past eight years‚ starting with the media and courts. On his show this morning‚ Scarborough compared Trump to hard-line Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. “He’s wiped out the judiciary‚ he’s wiped out the free press‚” Scarborough charged. There was no mention‚ of course‚ of how Trump made history as president with his appointments to federal courts‚ including three of the current U.S. Supreme Court justices‚ or that he was among the most accessible presidents in recent memory despite his verbal hits on the press. But at least he offered that Trump won’t line up his enemies and shoot them. Scarborough’s ruminations came during an interview with the Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum‚ who just wrote an article titled “Netanyahu’s Attack on Democracy Left Israel Unprepared.” Joe Scarborough on Monday’s Morning Joe on MSNBC: “I always tell people‚ if you want to see what Donald Trump is going to do if he gets reelected‚ don’t think about him lining up people against the wall and having them shot." “Just see what [Viktor] Orban has done in Hungary where he’s bragged about having illiberal democracy‚ and he’s wiped out the judiciary‚ he’s wiped out the free press. And Anne [Applebaum]‚ I suppose‚ that’s probably what Donald Trump will look for as a blueprint if he gets elected again.” Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Left-wing paranoia perfectly encapsulated by Joe Scarborough. No matter how bad you think a second Trump presidency would be for the nation‚ the idea that just because he makes derogatory remarks about judges‚ prosecutors‚ and journalists means he wants to ‘wipe out’ the judiciary and free press‚ is ridiculous. And even if he were so inclined‚ the U.S. political system would never allow it‚ leaving Scarborough’s warning as little more than baseless scaremongering.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  October 16: Liberal Media Scream: CBS anchor scoffs‚ ‘Indictment’ of Biden? (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the hypocrisy and bewildering ignorance of the media’s coverage of the classified documents cases both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump face. On the hypocrisy front‚ consider all the hours of TV coverage Trump received for his handling of documents compared to Biden. Also‚ consider how much time the networks gave the extraordinary two days of questions Biden faced last weekend from the prosecutor: just 48 seconds. Then watch as CBS Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan appears astonished that Biden’s case and charges are similar to Trump’s and that a House Republican chairman would even suggest that they should be handled the same way. “Indictment?” she interjected when her guest‚ Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH)‚ chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence‚ said‚ “President Biden needs the same consequence that they pursue with President Trump.” From Sunday’s Face the Nation on CBS: MARGARET BRENNAN: You were talking about classified documents mishandled by the current president‚ and you said that when it came to Biden and Trump‚ they’re both equally egregious with equal classification issues. This past week‚ President Biden was interviewed by special counsel Robert Hur. Will there be legal consequences? Will your committee do anything to act on this? I mean‚ what exactly do you mean equally egregious? REP. MIKE TURNER: Well‚ when you look at the documents‚ both the classification level and the subject matter‚ both sides‚ Trump and Biden's documents‚ if they had been released in the public or gotten into the hands of nefarious parties‚ would be damaging to the United States national security. When I look at those documents‚ there are documents on both sides‚ equally egregious‚ that would have negative consequences to our means‚ methods‚ techniques‚ and our allies. Now‚ in this instance‚ I think President Biden needs the same consequence that they pursue with President Trump. The actions are the same. And in this instance‚ if you notice— BRENNAN: Indictment? TURNER: You’re getting leak after leak after leak on the Trump documents. You’re hearing nothing on the Biden documents. So you’re continuing to see the inequality that comes out of the Justice Department as there’s silence on the other side with respect to Biden’s. And by the way‚ he was a serial classified document hoarder. I reviewed documents that were from all the time that he’s been in government. This really is a very serious breach by President Biden. BRENNAN: Just to be clear here‚ though‚ are you saying that President Biden had top secret and TS/SCI classification level documents in his personal home? TURNER: That’s public already‚ Margaret‚ so I’m not confirming something that people don’t already know. That is correct. BRENNAN: OK. So I think you’re saying that he should be indicted when you say treated the same? TURNER: I think they need to be treated exactly the same. Now‚ they’re continuing their investigation with President Biden. I don’t think if President Biden in the end has been found to violate the law‚ and I believe from what I’ve seen that he has‚ that he should be treated any differently than Donald Trump. Why would he? Just because he’s president or because he’s a Democrat? And that’s how the Department of Justice has been acting. They need to be treated the same. Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Brennan’s naivete about President Biden’s potential very serious misdeeds and seeming surprise that a veteran congressman would suggest he deserves to get treated just as harshly as former President Trump‚ reflects the larger disinterest in Biden’s behavior by the Trump-obsessed press corps. Indeed‚ special counsel Robert Hur interviewed Biden over two days last week‚ yet the ABC‚ CBS‚ and NBC evening newscasts offered a measly 48 seconds of coverage in total.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  October 9: Liberal Media Scream: CBS touts waitress jobs as sign Bidenomics works (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the transparent effort by the media to prop up Bidenomics at a time when most people believe costs and expenses under President Joe Biden are way too high. CBS led the way over the weekend when Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan said that a jobs report showing restaurant jobs up was proof Biden’s claims are right. She cited it to counter claims from 2024 Republican presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) that the economy is not doing enough for people. “That seems to undercut your argument that the economy’s broken‚” Brennan said. Scott slapped down that logic. He said‚ “Well‚ all you have to do is talk to the average American family and ask them what they feel — how they feel about Bidenomics. The answer is very simple. We’ve lost over $5‚000 of spending power since January of 2021. We should always celebrate the creation of jobs‚ but we should never forget that we went 52 consecutive paychecks — 52 consecutive paychecks — with a loss of spending power.” From Sunday’s Face the Nation on CBS: MARGARET BRENNAN: On Friday‚ we spoke with Republican senator and presidential candidate Tim Scott from his home state of South Carolina. Our conversation began on the economy and the surprisingly robust September jobs report. BRENNAN TO SEN. TIM SCOTT: Friday's jobs numbers shattered expectations. It showed some economic momentum. In fact‚ restaurant hospitality hiring is back to pre-pandemic levels. That seems to undercut your argument that the economy’s broken. SCOTT: Well‚ all you have to do is talk to the average American family and ask them what they feel — how they feel about Bidenomics. The answer is very simple. We’ve lost over $5‚000 of spending power since January of 2021. We should always celebrate the creation of jobs‚ but we should never forget that we went 52 consecutive paychecks — 52 consecutive paychecks — with a loss of spending power. BRENNAN: And you blame political leadership‚ not the Federal Reserve? SCOTT: Well‚ if you think about the fact that over the last‚ I guess‚ year and a half‚ we’ve seen 16% inflation since Joe Biden’s taken office‚ which led to 11 consecutive rate increases‚ that downward pressure on our economy certainly created cracks and fissures throughout the economy. That was caused by Joe Biden’s lack of leadership and understanding of how to create jobs in America. Brent Baker‚ vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Brennan put Democratic talking point spin ahead of reality in getting so excited about a jobs report largely built on gains in part-time employment and government jobs. Her priority was to undermine Scott’s very persuasive argument that Bidenomics is a disaster‚ something recognized by the vast majority of people outside of the media elite.” Rating: THREE out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  October 2: Liberal Media Scream: MAGA just racists‚ says MSNBC regular (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the continued smearing of MAGA by MSNBC‚ this time including the broken-record claim that supporters of former President Donald Trump are racists. Ignoring Trump’s support among black people‚ his friendships with notable African Americans‚ and his appointments of black people to top jobs during his administration‚ MSNBC let legal correspondent Elie Mystal rant that Trump is running for president again “on white grievance” and adding that “without racism‚ Trump is just dumber Chris Christie‚ all right?” From Sunday night’s The Mehdi Hasan Show on MSNBC: MEHDI HASAN: When you watch Donald Trump talking about “dampening the forest floor‚” and then you look at polls that show him neck and neck with Biden or maybe in the lead by 10 points or 5 points over Biden‚ do you put your head in your hair in your hands? ELIE MYSTAL: Look‚ Mehdi‚ not really. There is a recent poll‚ a study out of the University of Chicago that said the biggest indicator of whether or not you support Trump is whether or not you believe racism has been defeated‚ right? Whether or not you believe systemic racism doesn’t exist‚ whether or not you believe that what white people face more racism than people of color. Trump’s running on white grievance. It’s how he’s always been. It’s what he’s always done. And I feel like reducing it to racism always makes certain kinds of Democrats squeamish. We want there to be a bigger answer. We want to believe maybe Republicans actually think you should “dampen the forests.” We want to believe there is a reason. There’s nothing there there. All it is is white grievance. Without racism‚ Trump is just dumber Chris Christie‚ all right? And so‚ that is why he is where he is because he plays into the racism of his fans. Brent Baker‚ the vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “How convenient it must be to be so comfortable dismissing the political choice of a large portion of the public by tarring them all as a bunch of racists. Saves time on having to actually address what failures of your side the top candidate on the other side is fulfilling. But stay in your bubble‚ Mr. Mystal‚ and you may very well be surprised when those polls‚ showing Trump beating Biden‚ come true.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  September 25: No Liberal Media Scream this week.   â–  September 18: Liberal Media Scream: Meet the Press’s Kristen Welker debuts as Chuck Todd clone (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the debut of Kristen Welker as host of NBC’s Meet the Press. But other than a new face‚ there was no change from the lefty bias of the declining show’s MC. To help Welker's first episode‚ former President Donald Trump agreed to appear. In return‚ he faced the usual liberal fact-checking interruptions‚ especially when answering questions about abortion. Several times‚ Welker tried to quiet Trump’s charge that Democrats favor abortion right up to birth. “Democrats aren't saying that. Democrats are not saying that‚” she said. Her performance won failing grades from conservatives‚ who weren’t expecting a big shift from the bias of former host Chuck Todd. Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway was first out with an analysis headlined‚ "NBC’s Kristen Welker Lied Repeatedly About Democrats’ Extreme Abortion Position." “Kristen Welker brazenly and repeatedly lied in a bizarre‚ conspiracy-laden debate with former President Donald Trump on Sunday‚” she wrote‚ adding‚ “Welker interrupted her own pre-taped debate with the president to insert her own ‘fact checks’ that were false or were not responsive to actual claims Trump made.” From Sunday’s Meet the Press on NBC: DONALD TRUMP: Roe v. Wade. For 52 years‚ people‚ including Democrats‚ wanted it to go back to states so that states could make it right. Roe v. Wade‚ I did something that nobody thought was possible‚ and Roe v. Wade was terminated and put back to the states. Now‚ people‚ pro-lifers‚ have the right to negotiate for the first time. They had no rights at all because the radical people on this are really the Democrats that say after five months‚ six months‚ seven months‚ eight months‚ and even after birth‚ you’re allowed to terminate the baby. KRISTEN WELKER: Democrats aren't saying that. Democrats are not saying that. Does it bother you‚ though‚ that women say their lives are being put at risk? Do you feel you bear any responsibility because‚ as you say‚ you are responsible for having Roe v. Wade overturned? TRUMP: What’s going to happen? It’s an issue that’s been going on for a long time. It’s a very polarizing issue. Because of what's been done and because of the fact we brought it back to the states‚ we're going to have people come together on this issue. They're gonna determine the time because nobody wants to see five‚ six‚ seven‚ eight‚ nine months. Nobody wants to see abortions when you have a baby in the womb. I said with Hillary Clinton when we had the debate‚ I made a statement: Rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month‚ you're allowed to do that‚ and you shouldn't be allowed to do that. WELKER: Again‚ no one is arguing for that‚ that's not a part of anyone's platform‚ Mr. President. TRUMP: The Democrats are able to kill the baby after birth‚ and nobody wants that. WELKER: Democrats don’t want that‚ either. Kevin Tober‚ news analyst for the Media Research Center‚ explains our weekly pick: “Kristen Welker either never read the 2020 Democratic platform or she's purposefully trying to gaslight her viewers in the guise of a ‘fact check’ of Trump. The current platform of the Democratic Party poses no limits on abortions. Instead of pointing this fact out‚ Welker decided to scold Trump for telling the truth‚ which apparently isn't allowed on NBC. If this is what we can expect from Welker as the new moderator of Meet the Press‚ Chuck Todd might as well have stayed on as the moderator. Different anchor‚ same liberal media bias.” Rating: FOUR out of FIVE SCREAMS.   â–  September 11: Liberal Media Scream: Chuck Todd puts self among the greats (Washington Examiner post) This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the departure of one of our favorite representatives of bias‚ Chuck Todd‚ the outgoing host of NBC’s Meet the Press. Signing off from his daily and Sunday shows‚ Todd said he hoped he helped educate viewers on the issues of the day and that he would now turn more to nuance and bridging divides. As he looks to his future as the network’s political analyst‚ he said he would follow the paths of two of the network’s past greats‚ David Brinkley and Tim Russert. “I will continue‚ of course‚ to be a big part of NBC’s political coverage because‚ as Tom Brokaw said to me‚ ‘Look‚ some networks do some things well‚ but nobody does politics like NBC.’ And he was referring back all the way to David Brinkley. And that is sort of the tradition I’ve always said‚ from Brinkley to Russert‚ and that’s the stuff I want to carry on‚” Todd said. His final comments on both shows are in this clip: Todd‚ at the end of Friday’s daily Meet the Press NOW on the NBC News NOW streaming channel: “On my first day on the jo

Several major credit card companies have decided to move forward with a plan to track purchases made at gun retailers in California‚ CBS News reported Monday.American Express‚ Visa‚ and Mastercard will implement a new merchant code for firearm and ammunition retailers‚ allowing banks to track "suspicious" purchases to comply with a new California law. Adopting the code will not provide information about the specific items purchased at the retailer‚ as credit card companies do not record data at an SKU level.Retailers are assigned merchant category codes based on the types of items they sell. According to Mastercard’s quick reference booklet‚ gun stores are currently assigned the “miscellaneous” or “durable goods” merchant category code. Other businesses listed under those codes include gas lighting fixtures‚ musical instruments‚ fireworks‚ fire extinguishers‚ grave markers‚ luggage‚ and wood chips.In 2022‚ the International Organization for Standardization approved a unique code for firearm retailers. California then passed a law requiring retailers to adopt the ISO’s new code by May 2025The three major credit card companies previously agreed to assign the new code to gun retailers to allow banks to track firearm purchases more easily. In September 2022‚ 24 Republican state attorneys general wrote a letter to the companies‚ urging them to reconsider‚ Blaze News previously reported. According to the AGs‚ implementing a unique code could violate citizens’ rights.“Categorizing the constitutionally protected right to purchase firearms unfairly singles out law-abiding merchants and consumers alike‚” the letter argued.Supporters of the law believe that the implementation of a unique code could prevent mass shooting incidents. Conservatives argue that the move will infringe on Second Amendment rights and potentially cause banks to flag and report so-called suspicious purchase patterns that target law-abiding Americans.In March 2023‚ the companies agreed to halt their plans to implement the new code‚ citing pressure from Republican politicians‚ Blaze News previously reported. On Monday‚ CBS News stated that American Express‚ Visa‚ and Mastercard have since reversed course and once again plan to adopt the new code to comply with California’s law.The news outlet reported that the credit card companies told congressional Democrats last month that the new code would be available and ready for use in California by May 2025.Mastercard executive Tucker Foote wrote to lawmakers‚ “The applicable standalone merchants in California primarily engaged in the sale of firearms will be required to utilize the code.”Visa senior vice president Robert B. Thomson III's comments to lawmakers seemed to indicate that the company will continue to pause the adoption of the code at least until California's new law goes into effect in 2025. CBS News reported that Thomson assured Democrats that Visa would endeavor to comply with the state's rule.Thomson wrote‚ "With respect to the [firearm merchant code]‚ there continues to be a tremendous amount of regulatory and legislative uncertainty.""Given the conflicting state laws on this topic and the likelihood that other states will enact legislation to either restrict or mandate the code‚ our implementation pause remains in effect‚" Thomson added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

No joke.

Authorities identify murder suspect only as "29-year old male"

The stage is being set for the Democrats to ditch Sleepy Joe