Biden would win a hypothetical 2024 rematch against Trump 46% to 45%

'A legal Hail Mary'

'Out the window'

Swift rounded up her gals to raise money for Gaza

If there ever was a band that defined the art of visuals in rock and roll‚ it was and still is KISS. Yes‚ I know they just played their last concert this month in New York at Madison Square Garden. But do you really believe it is their final concert? Do you remember the Kiss Farewell Tour in the 1990s? Of course‚ they are much older now‚ but if you saw my interview with Lester Chambers last week‚ who is 83 years old and still putting out new material‚ you can see that retirement is not a reality for many The post Our 10 Favorite KISS Albums Covers appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

After the goodness that was the last of three specials featuring the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the DoctorDonna‚ we’ve finally got our first good look at the Fifteenth Doctor‚ played by Ncuti Gatwa. We’ll see more of Gatwa‚ of course—in just a few weeks his first special comes out. But in the meantime‚ BBC Studios released a delicious musical number that we’ll see in that episode. The clip‚ titled “The Goblin Song‚” features a goblin-like race that’s very excited to eat a human baby. The song features a mosh pit of said goblins and includes lyrics like‚ “We’ve got a baby we can feast; we can dine for three days at least!” The catchy tune goes on to tastefully sprinkle the baby in the basket with seasoning as the wee one slowly makes their way down a conveyor belt‚ closer and closer to the giant maw of the Goblin King. The musical video also gives us extra glimpses of Gatwa as the Doctor with his new companion‚ Ruby Sunday‚ played by actor Millie Gibson. Hopefully‚ the two will save the baby in time (I’m optimistic)‚ although the fact that they unceremoniously drop down onto the baby-eating festivities suggests that their negotiations with the goblin-like aliens may include some carnivorous bumps along the way.  The Doctor Who Christmas Special‚ “The Church on Ruby Road‚” starts streaming on Disney+ on December 25‚ 2023. If you want to see Gatwa’s first appearance in the Whoniverse‚ the last special‚ “The Giggle‚” is now available on the platform for your viewing pleasure. 

The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a challenge to a Washington state law prohibiting counselors from engaging in conversations that encourage changes to a minor’s “sexual orientation or gender identity.” The law‚ adopted in 2018‚ threatens to fine counselors who violate it up to $5‚000 and to revoke their license. The Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear Tingley v. Ferguson‚ Christian family counselor Brian Tingley’s First Amendment challenge to the state’s “Counseling Censorship Law‚” though Justices Brett Kavanaugh‚ Samuel Alito‚ and Clarence Thomas noted they would have taken the case. “Under SB 5722‚ licensed counselors can speak with minors about gender dysphoria‚ but only if they convey the state-approved message of encouraging minors to explore their gender identities‚” Thomas wrote in a short dissenting opinion. “Expressing any other message is forbidden—even if the counselor’s clients ask for help to accept their biological sex. That is viewpoint-based and content-based discrimination in its purest form.” The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously rejected Tingley’s challenge‚ finding that “the law was a neutral law targeted at preventing the harms associated with conversion therapy‚ and not at the religious exercise of those who wish to practice this type of therapy on minors.” Thomas noted this is “not the first instance of the 9th Circuit restricting medical professionals’ First Amendment rights” and likely will not be the last. Alito wrote in his dissent that the case presents “a question of national importance.” “In recent years‚ 20 States and the District of Columbia have adopted laws prohibiting or restricting the practice of conversion therapy‚” Alito wrote. “It is beyond dispute that these laws restrict speech‚ and all restrictions on speech merit careful scrutiny.” “A practicing Christian‚ Tingley grounds human identity in God’s design rather than a person’s feelings or wishes‚” Tingley’s lawyers wrote in his petition to the Supreme Court. “Many of his clients agree and seek his counsel precisely because they want to align their identity with their faith. But Washington censors Tingley from speaking with clients in that way.” His petition notes that there are “no legal consequences” if Tingley tells his neighbor “about the emerging international medical consensus to treat gender dysphoria with watchful waiting instead of affirmation. Yet the same conversation with a client could result in him losing his license. Idaho and 11 other states wrote in an amicus brief filed with the court that “free citizens don’t need to choose between making a living in a licensed profession and retaining their right to speak freely.” “The First Amendment protects Americans from such fundamental compromises‚” the states continued. “Robust free speech also ensures that professions remain guided by truth rather than dogma. The First Amendment guards the medical field no less than the political arena.” Originally published by the Daily Caller News 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 Supreme Court Denies Christian Family Counselor’s Challenge to Washington’s ‘Censorship’ Law appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Just days after the indictment of Hunter Biden‚ the House is poised to advance its impeachment inquiry scrutinizing the actions of President Joe Biden. Biden‚ the White House‚ and Democrats have continued to say that the president has no links to son Hunter Biden’s business ventures.  As the House draws closer to formalizing the inquiry as an impeachment investigation‚ the president has doubled down on denials that he was involved with his close relatives’ overseas business deals.  Biden’s continued denials contradict evidence released by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee‚ as well as testimony from two IRS whistleblowers and one of his son’s business partners.  The House Rules Committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday on sending a resolution on impeachment to the full House floor.  Here’s some fact-checking on Biden’s persistent denials. ‘Never Discussed With My Son’ Last Wednesday‚ a reporter asked Biden: “Can you explain to Americans amid this impeachment inquiry why you interacted with so many of your son’s and brother’s foreign business associates?” Biden called the assertions “lies.”  “I’m not going to comment‚” he said at first‚ then added: “I did not. That’s just a bunch of lies. I did not. They are lies.” House Oversight Chairman James Comer‚ R-Ky.‚ responded in a post on X‚ writing that while Biden was Barack Obama’s vice president he “Dined at Cafe Milano with oligarchs from around the world that sent his son money.”  ? Joe Biden:Dined at Cafe Milano with oligarchs from around the world that sent his son money.Joined by speakerphone with Biden family associates over 20 times.Used aliases as Vice President to email with his son’s business associate.@POTUS just continues to lie.? pic.twitter.com/dXy5u76b2x— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) December 6‚ 2023 In 2019‚ when questions emerged about business ventures by Joe Biden’s son Hunter and brother James‚ the then-presidential candidate denied he had been involved in discussions about them. “First of all‚ I have never discussed with my son‚ or my brother‚ or anyone else‚ anything having to do with their businesses‚ period‚” candidate Biden said on Aug. 28‚ 2019.  “What I will do is the same thing we did in our [Obama-Biden] administration‚” he said. “There will be an absolute wall between the personal and private‚ and the government. There wasn’t any hint of scandal at all when we were there. And I will impose the same kind of strict‚ strict rules. That is why I have never talked with my son or my brother‚ or anyone else in the distant family‚ about their business interests‚ period.” Biden repeated this assertion several times during the presidential campaign that led to his victory over incumbent Donald Trump.  However‚ in a deposition to the oversight committee staff‚ Hunter Biden’s former business partner‚ Devon Archer‚ gave several examples of interaction between father and son.  These included a 2014 meeting between Biden‚ then vice president‚ and his son’s business associates at Cafe Milano restaurant about 2 miles northwest of the White House‚ and another meeting at the restaurant in 2015.  The 2014 meeting included billionaire Yelena Baturina‚ the widow of former Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov‚ who invested in Rosemont Seneca Thornton‚ one of the younger Biden’s business operations.   Archer also testified that‚ when vice president‚  Biden was on speakerphone with his son’s business associates “maybe 20 times.”  The FBI recorded an interview with Rob Walker‚ another associate of the Biden family‚ in which Walker said the elder Biden attended a meeting about CEFC‚ a Chinese energy company that his son was in business with.  Walker is the same Biden associate who once wrote in an email about the split of financial proceeds: “Ten [percent] held by H for the big guy.”  The “H” was presumed to stand for Hunter‚ and the “big guy” was presumed to be Joe Biden. (One former business partner of the president’s son‚ Tony Bobulinski‚ has said he had no doubt that Biden was “the big guy.”) Gary Shapley‚ an IRS supervisory special agent who is one of the two whistleblowers‚ testified before the House Ways and Means Committee. At one point‚ Shapley read from a transcript of the FBI’s interview with Walker.  “We were at the Four Seasons and we were having lunch and he stopped in‚ just said hello to everybody‚” Walker said in the FBI interview of the former vice president’s meeting with CEFC representatives in 2018.  “I don’t even think he drank water‚” Walker said. “I think Hunter Biden said‚ ‘I may be trying to start a company or try to do something with these guys‚ and could you?’ And I think he was like‚ ‘If I’m around‚’ and he’d show up.”  The FBI agent asked Walker‚ according to the transcript: “So you definitely got the feeling that that was orchestrated by Hunter Biden to have like an appearance by his dad at that meeting‚ just to kind of bolster your chances at making a deal work out?”  Walker answered: “Sure.” The FBI agent followed up by asking: “Any times when he [the elder Biden] was in office‚ or did you hear Hunter Biden say that he was setting up a meeting with his dad with them while Dad was still in office?” Walker answered: “Yes.”  According to Shapley’s testimony‚ evidence showed that on July 30‚ 2017‚ Hunter Biden demanded payment of $10 million from CEFC‚ the Chinese energy company‚ in a WhatsApp message to CEFC executive Raymond Zhao. In the same message‚ the younger Biden claimed that his father was seated “next to” him at the time. “I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled‚” the WhatsApp message shows Hunter Biden writing. The younger Biden adds: “Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand‚ and now means tonight. And‚ Z‚ if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you‚ Zhang [Jianjun Zang‚ CEFC’s executive director]‚ or the chairman‚ I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.” On Dec. 5‚ the House Ways and Means Committee released 327 emails that showed that while serving as vice president‚ Joe Biden used aliases to correspond directly with his son’s business associates.  Of those‚ 54 emails were exclusively between Joe Biden and one of Hunter Biden’s business partners‚ Eric Schwerin‚ who was in charge of structuring the Biden family’s various shell companies.  Another 38 emails were sent from White House staffers to an email account in the name of an alias for Joe Biden‚ with copies to  Hunter Biden.  ‘No Evidence That President Biden Was Involved’ Democrats and left-leaning news outlets consistently have relied on the line that even if Hunter Biden did something wrong‚ nothing links that wrongdoing to Joe Biden.  Rep. Dan Goldman‚ D-N.Y.‚ a member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee‚ told MSNBC last week: “There is no evidence‚ none whatsoever‚ and I don’t care how much they say otherwise‚ I have looked at it‚ there is no direct evidence that President Biden was involved in any way‚ shape‚ or form in Hunter Biden’s business dealings.” NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker said on the air Sunday:  “Republicans are moving to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden despite there not being a link yet.”  However‚ the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has produced at least three examples of payments to Joe Biden that were connected to business deals cut by Hunter Biden and other family members.  The committee last week released bank records that showed his son’s company‚ Owasco PC‚ made direct monthly payments to Joe Biden in 2018‚ each for less than $1‚400. Abbe Lowell‚ an attorney for Hunter Biden‚ said in a formal statement to The Hill that these payments were for a truck. “The truth is Hunter’s father helped him when he was struggling financially due to his addiction and could not secure credit to finance a truck‚” Lowell said. “When Hunter was able to‚ he paid his father back and took over the payments himself.” Hunter Biden is under federal investigation‚ allegedly for using Owasco PC’s corporate account to commit tax crimes. Owasco PC also has links to the Chinese energy company CEFC‚ where the younger Biden was a partner.  The committee discovered that the president’s brother‚ James Biden‚ wrote a $200‚000 check in 2018 to him and noted it was a “loan repayment.” The check was cut the same day that James Biden got a $200‚000 payment from a rural health care company called Americore Holdings LLC.  The panel also released bank records of a $40‚000 check in 2017 to Joe Biden from James Biden and his wife Sara‚ which committee Republicans say is linked to China’s CEFC.  During a presidential debate with Trump on Oct. 22‚ 2020‚ Biden asserted: “My son has not made money‚ in terms of thing about‚ what are you talking about? China.” Money From China During the Oct. 22‚ 2020 presidential debate with then-President Donald Trump‚ Biden said‚ “My son has not made money‚ in terms of this thing about‚ what are you talking about‚ China.” Biden pointed to Trump as “the only guy who made money in China.” On March 20 of this year‚ a reporter asked Biden about newly released bank records that showed family members made about $1 million from Chinese sources. The president responded: “That’s not true.” In May‚ the House Oversight and Accountability Committee released financial records showing that Hunter Biden and other Biden family members received several million dollars from Chinese nationals and companies.  “In 2017 alone‚ bank records show President Biden’s family and their related companies received millions of dollars from Chinese foreign nationals’ companies‚” the committee’s report from March says. “This amount does not include payments from Ukraine‚ Kazakhstan‚ Mexico‚ Romania‚ Oman‚ or other foreign business deals the committee is investigating; it also does not include any payments related to Hunter Biden’s interest in BHR Partners or Jonathan Li.” Li joined Biden and Archer in 2012 to found BHR Partners‚ also called Bohai Capital‚ a company linked to the Chinese government. The same committee report also noted “the Biden family’s troubling receipt of payments from China‚ particularly the individual Ye Jianming and his company‚ CEFC‚ to show what was from 2015 to 2018 a growing interest by people closely tied to the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] in cultivating a relationship with the Biden family.”   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 ‘Bunch of Lies’: Fact-Checking Biden’s Claims Amid Impeachment Inquiry appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Terrisa Bukovinac is running for president of the United States as a Democrat. She also is staunchly pro-life‚ and her campaign is airing “explicit anti-abortion ads” in the Boston and New Hampshire markets beginning tonight. While the Democratic candidate has little to no chance of ousting President Joe Biden‚ her campaign is boosting her national profile and allowing her to shine a light on the unborn‚ the cause that is most important to her. Bukovinac is most known for her work with the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising‚ a pro-life group comprised of largely left-leaning individuals who advocate for the unborn. The Department of Justice has targeted multiple members of PAAU with prosecution for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act for their actions in protesting abortion facilities. The Terrisa Bukovinac for President Campaign will begin airing its ads on Monday during Jimmy Fallon’s show on NBC in Massachusetts and New Hampshire‚ where she is on the ballot for the Democratic primary. The ad shows the tragic and gruesome reality of babies killed during abortions and condemns Biden’s “extreme‚ out-of-touch abortion platform.” The baby remains shown in the ad are those of “The Five” babies that Bukovinac and fellow PPAU member Lauren Handy recovered from an abortion clinic in Washington‚ D.C.—Washington Surgi-Clinic‚ run by abortionist Cesare Santangelo. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser continues to stonewall investigations into the babies’ deaths. “These are the faces of a genocide‚ supported by Joe Biden and my own Democratic party‚” Bukovinac says. “I am challenging you to never vote for a pro-choice Democrat again.” WARNING‚ GRAPHIC: “This effort is part of the campaign’s strategy to engage voters on the atrocity of later abortion during the 2024 presidential election by embracing the power of visual storytelling to expose the brutality of abortion‚” Bukovinac’s campaign said in a release. Her new ad aims to “disrupt the consciences of the American people‚ particularly leftists who are complicit in abortion by supporting pro-abortion candidates.”  “Pretending like millions of pro-life Democrats like myself don’t exist isn’t a winning strategy‚” she said in a statement. “The right to life must be protected at every age‚ everywhere‚ and that is why I am on the ballot as a presidential candidate—to be a voice for the innocent and oppressed and rekindle the debate inside the Democratic Party. ” NBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story. 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 Pro-Life Democrat Running Against Biden Will Air Graphic‚ ‘Explicit’ Pro-Life Ad on NBC appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The presidents of Harvard University‚ the University of Pennsylvania‚ and MIT appeared before a House committee last Tuesday to answer for their shameful inaction in the face of antisemitic rhetoric and attacks on their campuses. Their craven responses were as noncommittal as their handlers obviously wanted‚ which served only to indict their institutions. Indeed‚ the whole nation has watched aghast over the past couple of months‚ as students have shown themselves to be in a state of moral confusion inculcated by the universities and their DEI departments’ promotion of an “an oppressed v. oppressor” narrative‚ which identifies terrorists as the oppressed and the women they raped as their oppressors. The hearing by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce was called to examine what specific steps these three universities had taken following their campuses’ embrace of the Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel and killed 1‚200 civilians Oct. 7. But all of higher education was put on the stand. Everything from the rot of so-called diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion—or DEI—and the new racial segregation on campus to academia’s rigid‚ intolerant ideological partisanship and its funding by nefarious foreign entities‚ was laid bare for the nation to see. For three institutions that collectively took in around $10 billion in taxpayers’ money in grants and contracts between 2018 and 2022‚ it was a dereliction of duty. Beneficiaries of government dole in that Olympian magnitude have a responsibility to hold themselves accountable. At the hearing Tuesday‚ the schools failed miserably. Harvard President Claudine Gay‚ University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill‚ and MIT President Sally Kornbluth basically stuck to giving name‚ rank‚ and serial number. They repeated carefully rehearsed phrases obviously precleared by lawyers and comms teams. Gay in particular kept restating the same phrases‚ not even bothering to find different variations. One formulation she clung to (as though it were a talisman that would save her from the bad men and women that had her pinned) was: “We are deeply committed to free expression‚ but not when it violates our policies against bullying‚ and intimidation‚ and harassment. Then we have strong disciplinary processes in place.” Gay invoked “processes” in other contexts‚ too‚ despite diminishing returns that‚ by the end of the ordeal‚ had turned the term into an object of derision. “I didn’t ask about your processes‚” an obviously exasperated Rep. Nathaniel Moran‚ R-Texas‚ spat out at one point. “I am asking for action. How many students have been disciplined? How many have been held to account?” Crickets. On questions about expelling foreign students‚ who have obviously been a substantial part of the anti-Jewish demonstrations‚ Gay’s magic words were: “Our international students are an enormous source of pride for Harvard and part of our strength as an institution. But we hold those students accountable to the same set of disciplinary processes that we hold all of our students accountable to.” Harvard’s president repeated this again and again‚ only demonstrating that someone had sat with her and worked out messaging. “Antisemitism has no place at Harvard” was another incantation Gay hurled over and over‚ despite the enormous evidence showing Jewish students being harassed at Harvard and the school’s long and shameful history of Jew hatred. But her robotic answers notwithstanding‚ Gay didn’t have the most horrific answers of the day. That dubious distinction goes either to Magill or Kornbluth. It’s a tossup‚ so I’ll let the reader decide. Magill’s moment came in an answer to Rep. Elise Stefanik‚ R-N.Y. Stefanik asked‚ “Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Penn’s code of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment?” To which the smiling Magill eagerly affirmed‚ “It is a context-dependent decision.” “That’s your testimony today? Calling for the genocide of Jews is dependent upon the context?” said an incredulous Stefanik. “That’s the easiest yes‚ Ms. Magill!” Kornbluth’s drop-mic moment came in an exchange with Rep. Burgess Owens‚ R-Utah‚ a former NFL star with a Super Bowl XV ring to prove it. He asked Kornbluth about the segregation of dorms and other places on campus. “You have blacks-only dorms. Is it OK for whites to set up whites-only dorms where minorities are excluded?” asked Owens. “It’s not exclusionary; it’s actually positive selection by students‚” said Kornbluth‚ almost cheerily. “We’re talking about segregation‚” shot back Owens‚ a courtly and dignified black man who was born in 1951 and who‚ therefore‚ must have seen his share of racism. “It’s happening on your campuses!” “There is a distinction between sending an exclusionary message and looking to other students for common experiences and support‚” said Kornbluth‚ who may be highly accredited but apparently ignores that this is precisely how racists who supported Jim Crow would have defended segregation. On second thought‚ perhaps it’s best to prepare beforehand with lawyers and communications people. Magill particularly has come under intense pressure to resign‚ and if her tone-deaf retort doesn’t convince the board that the “context” requires her departure‚ not much will. [Magill‚ who had led Penn since July 2022‚ stepped down Saturday amid building criticism‚ but will remain a tenured law professor there‚ The Associated Press reported. Scott Bok‚ chairman of Penn’s board of trustees and a Magill supporter‚ resigned hours later‚ AP reported.] As the House hearing made clear‚ if higher-ed institutions indoctrinate the young into the narrative favored by the Left and keep out conservative professors‚ students‚ and ideas‚ most Democrats will run cover for them. But these institutions‚ and those running interference‚ are obviously blind to the hit that this lopsided political approach is taking on their all-important brand. If prospective employers‚ and the country at large‚ suspect that graduates from elite institutions will know no philosophy‚ no arts‚ no science—no beauty‚ truth‚ or good—but only how to “out-woke” each other‚ who will hire them? This commentary was published originally by the Washington Examiner 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 College Presidents Expose Moral Rot in Their Institutions appeared first on The Daily Signal.