Over the years‚ we've often singled out Willie Geist as a favorite member of the Morning Joe cast. Not only for his amiable personality‚ but also for his approach to politics that is more even-handed than the decidedly Dem tilt of Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.  There was even that moment in 2012 when Willie ventured into Manhattan's ultra-liberal West Side to "campaign" for John McCain. Sure‚ it was a light-hearted stunt‚ but it did say something about Geist's more open-minded approach to politics.  In more recent times‚ Geist has firmly made himself part of Morning Joe's anti-Trump movement. But we've viewed that as more a matter of Willie's reaction to Trump's persona‚ rather than of Geist's views on particular issues. But that seemed to change this morning. The show had on John Della Volpe‚ the director of polling at the Harvard Institute of Politics‚ to discuss the Institute's recent poll of young voters. A notable finding was strong support for abortion rights and for referenda establishing those rights in law‚ post-Dobbs. That's when Geist made his disappointing statement: "We talked about the issue of abortion. One of your key findings‚ pro-choice Americans more likely to vote on abortion ballot measures. If there is something on the ballot in their state‚ they'll go out and vote‚ ideally‚ for candidates‚ as well." So Willie wants young people not only to support pro-choice referenda‚ but pro-choice "candidates" as well. Sad. We can only hope that in saying that supporters of abortion-rights referenda will "ideally" also vote for "pro-choice" candidates‚ Geist‚ rather than expressing his personal view‚ was putting himself in the mindset of Democrat activists. It's true that Democrats have sought to put abortion referenda on the ballot in many states as a tactic to drive Dem-friendly voters to the polls.  Note: Della Volpe is hardly an objective observer‚ given that he worked on Biden's 2020 campaign. So his findings might be taken with a "liberal" grain of salt. Here's the transcript. MSNBC Morning Joe 12/5/23 6:49 am ET MIKA BRZEZINSKI: The Harvard youth poll shares several key findings‚ including fewer young Americans plan to vote in 2024. With most of the decline coming from young Republicans and independents.  President Biden's advantage with younger voters narrows when potential independent candidates are introduced‚ like RFK Jr.‚ Joe Manchin‚ and Cornell West. And with support for abortion access increasing over the last decade‚ Americans who support a woman's right to choose are more likely to vote on abortion ballot measures.  Joining us now‚ the director of polling at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University‚ John Della Volpe‚ he's an MSNBC contributor. . . .  JOHN DELLA VOLPE: This is an opportunity we had to speak to a couple of thousand young Americans. There's been a lot of conversation the last month or so looking at cross-tabs of a couple of hundred young Americans.  . . .  President Biden is in solid shape‚ I'd say‚ in a two-way matchup against President Trump today‚ one. The second thing is‚ as you can see‚ it gets much more complicated with multiple candidates‚ independent candidates in the field‚ specifically Bobby Kennedy‚ two. And the third thing is‚ as you can see‚ as you just noted‚ abortion continues to be an incredibly important issue in the post-Dobbs environment. And we see that folks who align with the pro-choice movement are far more likely to engage. Not just politically‚ but actually deriving where they choose to live when they grow up -- when they are ready to move and settle down in a career. . . .  WILLIE GEIST: We talked about the issue of abortion. One of your key findings here: pro-choice Americans more likely to vote on abortion ballot measures. If there's something on the ballot in their state‚ they'll go out and then vote‚ ideally‚ ideally vote for candidates as well. DELLA VOLPE: Yeah‚  we had a series of‚ we updated a series of questions on abortion generally. All this is available on ourwebsite‚ of course. We see an eight-point increase over the last four‚ five years in terms of overall support of abortion access generally. And when we asked people‚ if there were a referendum or a ballot measure in your state‚ how likely would you be to participate? You can see that the pro-choice group is far more likely than other people to say they'll turn out on a local issue. GEIST: Yeah‚ so about two-thirds‚ nearly two-thirds of young Americans say legal access to reproductive health care‚ including abortion‚ is important when choosing where they live. So obviously‚ the issue of abortion is going to be important here.

It was one thing to hear our friend Curtis Houck refer to MSNBC’s Deadline White House as “Rich Liberal Wine Mom Story Hour” but hoo boy‚ it’s entirely another to actually sit through an episode of this dreck. Beyond dreck‚ today's episode featured extremely dangerous rhetoric.  Today’s episode featured Nicolle Wallace hosting A HALF HOUR of Liz Cheney’s book tour: just a couple of Bush alumni doing the “look at us” meme‚ comparing the Capitol riot of January 6th‚ 2021 to the Al-Qaeda terrorist attack on September 11th‚ 2001‚ and as you’ll see in this clip below- bemoaning the lack of a domestic equivalent of the Patriot Act with which to persecute domestic political opponents. Click "expand" to view the transcript of this segment‚ as aired on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House on Tuesday‚ December 5th‚ 2023: https://www.mrctv.org/node/584245 NICOLLE WALLACE: Do you think -- I’ve asked people that study democracies the same question. And do you think that the violence is ahead or behind?  LIZ CHENEY: I think that it may well still be ahead. I think the fact that- that‚ you know‚ you begin with former President Trump and the extent to which he continues to make actually even more aggressive and more extreme attacks and claims‚ the kinds of things he knows caused violence on January 6th‚ you see- even if you look‚ for example‚ at what was going on in the Speaker's race‚ when Members of the House Republican conference were receiving threats if they weren't saying that they would vote for Jim Jordan‚ and in one of the most chilling reported episodes‚ and I talked to a member who was in this meeting‚ when members were saying to Jim Jordan‚ look‚ we're getting threats of violence if we don't support you. Warren Davidson of Ohio‚ a Jim Jordan supporter‚ reportedly responded and said “well‚ that's not Jim Jordan's fault. That's your fault.” And think about‚ you know‚ what that means. That acceptance of violence in our political system.  WALLACE: Well‚ I want to ask you what it means because I don't know if I read it and felt it- obviously‚ I read it and felt all of the parallels to this time of great threat to the country that we served in government at the same time‚ and that was post 9/11. But what's so disorienting about this chapter is not just that we have fewer tools to address this threat‚ but that it masquerades and it burrows in under legitimate functions: as Speaker of the House‚ the front runner for the Republican nomination. And I wonder if you can talk a little bit about what you see as the way forward.  CHENEY: Yeah. Um‚ you know‚ part of the challenge is that it is‚ as you point out‚ is very disorienting. You remember after 9/11‚ Republicans and Democrats together stood on the steps of the Capitol and sang "God Bless America." After the attack… WALLACE: And voted 100-0 or 99-0 on the Patriot Act. I mean‚ the tools were passed. Everyone agreed on them‚ and the enemy was clear. This is the opposite.  CHENEY: Well‚ and I think this is a situation where you have the Republican Party actively trying to ensure that people- actively trying to ensure- to whitewash what happened on the 6th. And to collaborate with the former president‚ I think that's a really important point. Because the threat that he poses wouldn’t be so significant if people had done the right thing‚ had said “no‚ he’s not…that’s not who we are.” But instead there’s obviously‚ there’s this embrace of him‚ and this collaboration with the very damaging efforts he’s undertaking.  The rhetoric advanced here is extremely dangerous‚ and the talk of violence will actually beget violence. It wasn’t that long ago that a deranged‚ MSNBC-binging Sandernista shot up a baseball field full of GOP congressmen‚ nearly killing Rep. Steve Scalise. The constant threat of violence and demonization of half the country as dangerous extremists may very well end up creating a permission structure for political violence towards conservatives.  Look very closely at the transcript. The proposal to emerge from this exchange is “tools” with which to “address the threat” from “enemies”‚ and “enemies” is defined as those who “collaborate with the former president”. That’s half the country. In very short order‚ we’ve gone from “bucket of deplorables” to denouncing half the country as domestic terrorists. Small wonder Cheney didn’t propose sending Trump voters to Gitmo. Authoritarianism is already here‚ under the guise of “protecting democracy”. Chilling.   

During a congressional hearing on Tuesday‚ Riley Gaines spoke out against allowing biological males to compete in women's sports‚ concluding her opening statement by calling out Democratic Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania. Gaines said that if her testimony makes her "transphobic‚" then she thinks Lee's opening remarks make her a "misogynist."Shortly after the next witness began delivering remarks‚ Lee interrupted‚ and in what was apparently a reference to Gaines' comments‚ moved to get "the gentlewoman's words taken down." But shortly thereafter‚ Lee moved to withdraw the point of order.Lee had said during her opening statement that she expected to hear "transphobic bigotry" during the hearing.Gaines said that a school that knowingly permits a male to take a space on a women's team or to play in a women's game is denying an opportunity to a female and running afoul of Title IX. "Inclusion cannot be prioritized over safety and fairness‚" she said. Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services Hearing www.youtube.com Gaines is urging women to refuse to compete in events against biological males and offering to financially compensate those who miss out on money for taking such a stand. "Any woman who doesn't compete and loses out on prize money‚ I will happily pay the fee out of my own pocket. In any sport. Stop. Playing. Their. Game‚" she wrote when sharing an OutKick tweet about two transgender cyclists taking the top two finishes in women's races. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina has announced plans to retire from Congress after finishing his current term. By the time his term ends in early 2025‚ McHenry will have been serving in the House for two decades."I will be retiring from Congress at the end of my current term. This is not a decision I come to lightly‚ but I believe there is a season for everything and—for me—this season has come to an end‚" McHenry said in a statement. "I look forward to what the next season brings for my family and me."The lawmaker expressed optimism about the future of the House of Representatives."There has been a great deal of handwringing and ink spilled about the future of this institution because some—like me—have decided to leave. Those concerns are exaggerated‚" he asserted. "I've seen a lot of change over twenty years. I truly feel this institution is on the verge of the next great turn. Whether it's 1974‚ 1994‚ or 2010‚ we’ve seen the House evolve over time. Evolutions are often lumpy and disjointed‚ but at each stage‚ new leaders emerge. There are many smart and capable members who remain‚ and others are on their way. I'm confident the House is in good hands."Earlier this year‚ after Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his post as House speaker‚ McHenry acted as speaker pro tempore. Weeks after the removal of McCarthy‚ Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was selected as the new House speaker. Former Green Beret Pat Harrigan has announced a bid to fill the congressional seat. "Harrigan brings seven-figure resources and has hired Congressman McHenry's former campaign Manager‚ Eduardo Andrade‚ to manage his campaign‚" a press release notes. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah indicated that he will file a measure to defund the United Nations. Some House Republicans will also push legislation to yank funding away from the globalist organization."Tomorrow I will file by bill to #DefundTheUN. Please like and repost if you'd like to see that bill become law‚" Lee tweeted on Wednesday."So will I :)" GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas wrote in response to Lee's post. — (@) "The UN doesn't deserve a single DIME of American taxpayer money‚" a tweet from the "Rep. Chip Roy Press Office" X account reads. "That's why Rep. Roy is looking forward to introducing House legislation alongside @RepMikeRogersAL and @SenMikeLee that would DEFUND it."While the prospect of pulling funding from the U.N. will certainly appeal to conservatives‚ such legislation will likely be dead on arrival since it will likely not have enough support to move through Congress.In addition to expressing support for cutting off U.N. funding‚ Lee has also suggested‚ "While we're at it‚ let's expel them too." — (@) During remarks last week‚ U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres‚ a climate alarmism proponent‚ spoke of "the sickness bringing our climate to its knees. A sickness only you‚ global leaders‚ can cure." He asserted that "Earth's vital signs are failing."Some of the nations that are currently members of the U.N.'s Human Rights Council include China and Cuba.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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A hoard of five Bronze Age axe heads in excellent condition have been found in the Starogard Forest District in Kociewie‚ Poland. Preliminary estimates date them to about 3‚500 years ago. While individual finds of these types of axes have been found in Poland before‚ the last one was discovered 20 years ago in the Lublin area the this is the first time a hoard of five has ever been discovered. The axes were first discovered by metal detectorist Denis Konkol who was searching the area with the explicit permission of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments. As soon as he spotted the axes‚ he secured the area and alerted authorities. And the conservator of monuments from GdaÅ„sk then excavated the site. The five axe heads were less than a foot underground‚ buried beneath a layer of turf and humus. Their large size‚ slender necks leading to broad‚ semi-circular blades classify them as TautuÅ¡iai type axes (after the village in Lithuania where they were first discovered)‚ which dates them to between 1700 and 1300 B.C. The type is quite rare as they do not originate in the area and the axes show little evidence of wear and tear. Archaeologists believe they may have been deposited as offerings or been hastily concealed by a trader. Traditionally‚ Bronze Age deposits in the region yielded predominantly bracelets or breastplates‚ making the discovery of these axe heads a distinctive archaeological marvel‚ according to [Igor Strzok‚ the Pomeranian Provincial Conservator of Monuments]. The practice in the case of these types of discoveries is to widen the excavation to a radius of up to a few hundred feet beyond the find site. This time the team did not find any more Bronze Age artifacts‚ but they did discover a fibula (a brooch used to fasten garments) that dates to around 2‚000 years ago. The axes and fibula have been transferred to the Archaeological Museum in GdaÅ„sk for further study and conservation.

A special election to pick a successor to Rep. George Santos‚ R-N.Y.‚ who was expelled from the House last week‚ will be held Feb. 13‚ New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday.