Over the last few days, the focus of the media shifted entirely towards the grand opening of the Obama Center in Chicago. The grand opening made such a buzz that the media even forced themselves to slow down the endless abuse of the current president to instead focus on this obelisk of nostalgia constructed in honor of their beloved former President Obama. On this Friday’s CBS Mornings, co-host Gayle King and congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns defied the idea that CBS is now MAGA-coded and discussed their visits to the center’s opening ceremony with King in particular gushing over Obama’s use of the word “we.” Of course, Huey-Burns immediately poked fun at Donald Trump for not being invited to the event: I don't know about you but I was completely blown away by some of those musical performances. This event drew some of the biggest names in entertainment and politics including all the living American presidents except for one. In her report, she repeated the idea: HUEY-BURNS: Joining in on the celebration, all the living former presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Joe Biden. But President Donald Trump was not invited. Former president Obama criticized his successor without mentioning him by name. BARACK OBAMA: A belief in the peaceful transfer of power after the people have spoken in fair and free elections.   The Obama obelisk had its grand opening yesterday, so of course the media were all over it this morning. More than a decade since this guy was in office and they're still drooling over him. I guess if he's their only success in 25 years they have to stick with him. pic.twitter.com/y5X9yXCG2U — James Waterman (@jwatermaniv) June 19, 2026   After getting their digs in against the sitting president, CBS began their adoring praise of Obama, marveling at the self-serving celebrations of the opening ceremony. Eventually, Gayle King brought up how moved she was by Obama’s allegedly brilliant orations: I took a tour on Wednesday, three hours, and it wasn't enough time…But what got me yesterday were the performances, and Michelle Obama and Barack Obama’s speeches. We all know what great speakers they are, but I think it came flooding back to so many people, how much their words, and how powerful they are. Barack Obama said the most important words in the English language are ‘we’. And I think that speaks volumes for who they are and what they represent. ‘We.’   The CBS Mornings hosts drooling over Obama's use of "we". It's not actually that profound, but Obama said it, so its really one of the greatest rhetorical instruments in history. pic.twitter.com/TnKw5QOco9 — James Waterman (@jwatermaniv) June 19, 2026   Gayle King, of course, is a very close friend of the Obamas, being a massive donor to the Democratic Party and going on vacation with the ex-presidential family herself. With that background, it’s unsurprising that she plays off this fairly basic quote by Obama as a rhetorical masterpiece.  This is, however, part of a greater movement by the media, especially CBS, to pass Obama off as some kind of “virtuoso” miracle child who is unifying and non-partisan. Being their only real political success in the last 20 years, without him the media have nothing to work off of. Of course, they could have more to talk about if they just dedicated themselves to fair news coverage, but that would undermine their whole goal as partisan organizations. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read. CBS Mornings June 19, 2026 07:13:00 AM Eastern GAYLE KING: The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago opens to the public today on this Juneteenth holiday. Talk about timing. The former president led Thursday's dedication ceremony calling for Americans to defend democracy. Caitlin Huey-Burns was there and she is outside the Obama center right now. Caitlin, I was there too, boy, it was such a beautiful tribute to this president. Good morning to you. CAITLIN HUEY-BURNS: And good morning to you, Gayle. I don't know about you but I was completely blown away by some of those musical performances. This event drew some of the biggest names in entertainment and politics including all the living American presidents except for one. [Cuts to video] BARACK OBAMA: Hello Chicago. HUEY-BURNS: It was a homecoming ten years and $850 million in the making. On a brilliant sunny day, the south side of Chicago officially welcomed the Obama Presidential Center. B. OBAMA: We wanted it to be a vibrant, living celebration of community. HUEY-BURNS: Joining in on the celebration, all the living former presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Joe Biden. But President Donald Trump was not invited. Former president Obama criticized his successor without mentioning him by name. B. OBAMA: A belief in the peaceful transfer of power after the people have spoken in fair and free elections. HUEY-BURNS: Obama seemed emotional as wife Michele recounted his legacy. MICHELLE OBAMA: And you did it all with such grace and class and cool that you made the hardest job in the world look like a walk in this beautiful park. NARRATOR: While the 500 invited guests included famous faces, a nearby park attracted an overflow crowd from near and far. AUDIENCE MEMBER: I just came all the way from Africa yesterday for this event. NARRATOR: The event honored the former president in words… MARTIN NESBITT: How y’all like my tan suit? NARRATOR: …and in song. STEVIE WONDER: ♪ Signed, sealed, and delivered. I'm yours ♪. HUEY-BURNS: Now, much of this was funded through private donations and much of the space is free to the public, including all of these gardens. But to visit this behind me you have to buy a ticket, and they're already sold out until November. The center is expecting up to a million guests per year, Gayle. KING: I know, Caitlin, I want to go back. Thank you so much. I took a tour on Wednesday, three hours, and it wasn't enough time. VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: A three-hour tour! KING: A three-hour tour, because I wanted to see and hear everything. I mean, the tickets are $30, which I think is reasonable, most of it is free. But what got me yesterday were the performances, and Michelle Obama and Barack Obama’s speeches.  We all know what great speakers they are, but I think it came flooding back to so many people, how much their words, and how powerful they are. Barack Obama said the most important words in the English language are “we”. And I think that speaks volumes for who they are and what they represent. “We”. DUTHIERS: I also loved seeing the living presidents all there— KING: Yes, yes, yes, yes. DUTHIERS: —for this opening. And the Bush Center also tweeted they were looking forward to working with the Obamas.

On his Fox News Channel show Thursday, Greg Gutfeld explained why one effect of socialism may well be the worst tax of all - and it's not financial. With socialism on the rise in the Democrat Party, the “Gutfeld!” host contrasted the difference between socialism and capitalism, noting that “One depends of enterprise and the other on envy.” “Socialism ignores human nature by taking away the incentive to do stuff for yourself. You start expecting, and then demanding, others do stuff for you,” Gutfeld explained: “This might be the worst tax of all. It’s not on your paycheck, but on your own individual ambition.”

Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s approval in his own state has fallen to a record low - a level that’s beneath that of Republican President Donald Trump, results of a new survey of voters reveal. Walz’s 39% voter approval in the blue state is the lowest of his tenure as governor and nearly half the 65% approval he enjoyed in May of 2020, according to a new KARE 11-Minnesota Star Tribune-U of M Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication Minnesota Poll conducted June 8-10. Walz’s popularity is down 10 percentage points, when his net approval dipped into negative territory for the first time. More than half (53%) disapprove of Gov. Walz, according to the latest statewide survey. Meanwhile, 41% of Minnesotans voiced approval of President Donald Trump in June, the survey finds. The governor’s mishandling of the rampant social program fraud in his state is, in large part, fueling his unpopularity, as KARE 11 reports: “Fraud in Minnesota’s social service programs is an important topic for a majority of voters, according to the new Minnesota Poll. The survey found 54% said they are very concerned about the level of fraud in state programs, 27% are somewhat concerned, 12% said they are not too concerned, 6% said they’re not at all concerned, and 2% said they’re not sure.” “Handling of fraud could present an opening for Republicans in the midterm elections,” the story reports, noting that more Minnesotans trust Republicans (45%) than trust Democrats (38%) to reduce fraud in their state. Another 3% said they weren’t sure who to trust. Walz, who was Kamala Harris’ running mate in Democrats’ failed presidential ticket in the 2024 elections, is not seeking a third term as governor in November’s election.

  Earlier this week, outgoing Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard released a batch of declassified documents which alleged that Dr. Anthony Fauci may have had a role in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, including funding gain-of-function research at the Chinese Wuhan Institute of Virology and suppressing the likely laboratory leak of COVID-19. Given the seriousness of the evidence against Fauci, it’s worth noting the elitist media’s years-long track record of blindly celebrating and defending the now-disgraced former NIAID Director.   TV journalists threw a fit back in 2024 when Congressional Republicans compelled Fauci to testify on about the origins of COVID-19. MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell took particular umbrage at Republicans’ question of the doctor, proclaiming:  Dr. Anthony Fauci has saved millions and millions of lives… The first thing we should all say to Dr. Fauci is always, ‘Thank you.’ CNN host Kasie Hunt bemoaned that while Fauci had “started out a national hero to all,” he had become “a villain for half the country.” Fauci was also described as a hero by NBC’s Hallie Jackson and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. As he often does, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough stuck his neck out a bit too far in his defense of Fauci, specifically denying the very claims that DNI Gabbard’s document dump appears to have substantiated. While praising Fauci’s performance during that 2024 hearing on Capitol Hill, Scarborough remarked smugly: There is an email that was presented yesterday … where Dr. Fauci said, ‘Well if you have evidence of [a lab leak] and you believe that, please present it to the FBI immediately.’  Does that sound like somebody who is trying to cover up the possibility of a lab leak? For seemingly the millionth time, the media threw their support behind a questionable figure because they liked that he was a thorn in Donald Trump’s side. And for seemingly the millionth time, their poor judgment has blown up up in their own faces in light of new evidence.

Nobody expects the Hispanic Inquisition! The View’s Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro interrogated their fellow ABC co-host Joy Behar during Friday’s episode all because Vice President J.D. Vance jokingly said she was his “best friend” during a White House press briefing. They also took issue with how she treated Vance “like a human being” during their interview earlier in the week. What sent Hostin, in particular, spiraling was Vance making a joke during a press briefing that his interview on The View was more hostile than the negotiations with Iran and that he and Behar were now best of friends: I have seen some progressive criticisms of me personally saying, 'what experience does the vice president of the United States have with hostile, high-stakes negotiations?' And I would point those progressive critics to the fact that just two days ago I spent over an hour on The View. So actually, I have great experience in very hostile negotiations. And I've used that - Look, Joy Behar is way tougher than the Iranians, and he and I are best friends now. “What?! What?!” an indignant Hostin shouted over the laughter and applause from the audience following the soundbite (clearly, they got the joke and thought it was good). “We were more difficult to deal with than the Iranian government?!” With the joke going over Hostin’s head, Behar had to explain it to her: “He's being funny I think.”   Sunny Hostin gets triggered because Vice President J.D. Vance made a joke about The View being hostile to him and holds an inquisition against Joy Behar, accusing her of literally being his best friend: VP J.D. VANCE: I have seen some progressive criticisms of me personally… pic.twitter.com/oEQW2EwW6h — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 19, 2026   Playing nice at first, Navarro quipped that Behar would have been a better negotiator than Vance. Behar also joked about how she would swoon the Iranians with her famous lasagna. But Hostin wasn’t in the mood for jokes: BEHAR: First of all, I'd make them a nice meal. My lasagna. We'd sit down and talk. It's like with J.D., he was here the other day. I respect the office. You know, I believe in reaching across the aisle. I do. This is why MAGA Republicans, they are coming around. HOSTIN: No, they are not! As if she just caught a spy in their midst, Hostin followed up by demanding to know why Behar was “so in love” with the Vice President and took his joke that they were best friends literally. Some of the other cast members had to jump in and defend her (Click “expand”): HOSTIN: But, I want to know, why were you so in love with J.D. Vance? BEHAR: I wasn't in love. Look, I'm not in love with him and I'm not in love with this administration. SARA HAINES: And he is not her best friend! BEHAR: You are watching me on this show. HOSTIN: He just called you his best friend! HAINES: That is not mutual! ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: She went on like a three-minute viral rant yesterday about this administration, and everyone is like 'how does she love them,' and then you're criticizing them saying to throw them out. Navarro admitted that what Behar said to Vance during his visit “was a backhanded compliment” when she said “you're pretty good for a Republican.” On a side note, faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin proved that what she was really looking for was some head pats from the show’s liberal matriarchs. She admitted that her initial reaction Behar’s comment to Vance was “Then I sat over here and was like, 'what about me?!'”   Hostin and Ana Navarro interrogate Behar about her alleged friendship with Vance and decry how she treated him "like a human being" during the interview: NAVARRO: I actually heard what you said to him. Right? Because he was sitting in the middle, you were here and I was here.… pic.twitter.com/fg5MubGD1u — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 19, 2026   Navarro then turned on Behar and suggested she played into Vance’s hands and respected his nice guy schtick too much (Click “expand”): NAVARRO: Listen, he came in strategically prepared to disarm us with niceness. He came in being affable and laughing easily and being very nice. I mean, it worked on you. Didn't work on me. HOSTIN: It didn't work on me either. FARAH GRIFFIN: I have to say - BEHAR: It did not work on me, Ana! HOSTIN: I think it did. BEHAR: It did not. I respect the office. I'm a civilized human being. Behar had to defend herself further by invoking the show’s founder, Barbara Walters and explain that she taught her to treat guests “like a human being.” “When someone comes on my show then you treat them like a human being. I learned under Barbara Walters. Physically, she was on top of me,” she said, trying to inject some levity. “When I first started coming on the show when I was a guest co-host, she told me when someone comes to your house, you treat them well. She did tell me that,” Hostin admitted. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View June 19, 2026 11:14:43 a.m. Eastern (…) VP J.D. VANCE: I have seen some progressive criticisms of me personally saying, 'what experience does the vice president of the United States have with hostile, high-stakes negotiations?' And I would point those progressive critics to the fact that just two days ago I spent over an hour on The View. So actually, I have great experience in very hostile negotiations. And I've used that - Look, Joy Behar is way tougher than the Iranians, and he and I are best friends now. [Cuts back to live] [Laughter and applause] SUNNY HOSTIN: What?! What?! ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: Our very own Joy. HOSTIN: We were more difficult to deal with than the Iranian government?! JOY BEHAR: He's being funny I think. ANA NAVARRO: Can I tell you something? I wish Joy had negotiated this Iran deal. It would have been better. BEHAR: Exactly. HOSTIN: It would have been better. BEHAR: First of all, I'd make them a nice meal. My lasagna. We'd sit down and talk. It's like with J.D., he was here the other day. I respect the office. You know, I believe in reaching across the aisle. I do. This is why MAGA Republicans, they are coming around. SUNNY HOSTIN: No, they are not! FARAH GRIFFIN: Some are. BEHAR: A lot of them are. A lot of them are. The Republicans themselves in Congress. HOSTIN: I think Republican are. Because if you look at it now, less - in country, less people identify as Republicans than ever before. So, I think there has been a shift. But, I want to know, why were you so in love with J.D. Vance? BEHAR: I wasn't in love. Look, I'm not in love with him and I'm not in love with this administration. SARA HAINES: And he is not her best friend! BEHAR: You are watching me on this show. HOSTIN: He just called you his best friend! HAINES: That is not mutual! ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: She went on like a three-minute viral rant yesterday about this administration, and everyone is like 'how does she love them,' and then you're criticizing them saying to throw them out. NAVARRO: I actually heard what you said to him. Right? Because he was sitting in the middle, you were here and I was here. And you said to him -- I mean, it was a backhanded compliment. You said to him, 'you know, you're pretty good for a Republican.' BEHAR: Yes! FARAH GRIFFIN: Then I sat over here and was like, 'what about me?!' HAINES: You don't even seem - because that's like a MAGA Republican. It's a different - NAVARRO: He also came in - Listen, he came in strategically prepared to disarm us with niceness. He came in being affable and laughing easily and being very nice. I mean, it worked on you. Didn't work on me. HOSTIN: It didn't work on me either. FARAH GRIFFIN: I have to say - BEHAR: It did not work on me, Ana! HOSTIN: I think it did. BEHAR: It did not. I respect the office. I'm a civilized human being. When someone comes on my show - HOSTIN: That's true. BEHAR: - then you treat them like a human being. HOSTIN: Well, Barbara Walters did say that. When someone - BEHAR: I learned under Barbara Walters. HOSTIN: Yeah, Barbara Walters told me that when I - BEHAR: Physically, she was on top of me. HOSTIN: When I first started coming on the show when I was a guest co-host, she told me when someone comes to your house, you treat them well. She did tell me that. (…)