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Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Biden Defends His Decision to Withdraw From Afghanistan: “It was a hard decision but the right decision”

National Review: On Tuesday, President Biden reaffirmed his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in his fourth and final speech in front of world leaders at the United Nations Assembly. “When I came to office as president, Afghanistan had replaced Vietnam as America’s longest war,” Biden said. “I was determined to end it, and I did. It was a hard decision but the right decision.” The precipitous U.S. evacuation resulted in chaotic scenes emerging from Kabul, as Afghans scrambled to flee the country before the surging Taliban regained power. Amid the ensuing chaos, 13 American service members were killed in an ISIS suicide bomb attack that also took the lives of nearly 200 others (National Review). Senator Joni Ernst: Biden just defended his failed Afghanistan withdrawal at UNGA. This was the match that lit the world on fire. Biden and Harris abandoned women and girls to the Taliban and created chaos across the globe (X).

Antony Blinken Blows Off Congressional Hearing Of Disastrous Afghanistan Withdrawal

Free Beacon: Antony Blinken failed to attend a Tuesday hearing on the Biden-Harris administration’s bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan, defying a congressional subpoena and setting the stage for him to be the first secretary of state ever held in contempt of Congress. Blinken was mandated under subpoena by the House Foreign Affairs Committee to testify about the botched 2021 evacuation that brought the Taliban back to power and left 13 American service members dead. Blinken was expected to face tough questions about a recently unveiled congressional report detailing how the United States abandoned a “significant amount of classified information,” advanced biometric data, and millions in cash when it fled the war-torn country (Free Beacon). News Nation: Last week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul subpoenaed Blinken to attend the hearing, threatening contempt if he didn’t (News Nation).

Internal Teamsters Polling Swings in Favor of Trump After Biden Dropped Out of Race

EconoTimes: In a surprising turn of events, internal polling from the influential Teamsters union shows former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris among union members in all 50 states. This internal data could signal a significant shift in political loyalties within a key demographic that traditionally supports Democratic candidates. The Teamsters, one of the largest labor unions in the United States, represent over 1.4 million members across industries such as trucking, warehouse work, and construction. Historically, unions like the Teamsters have overwhelmingly aligned with the Democratic Party, advocating for workers’ rights and collective bargaining—a cornerstone of the party’s platform. However, this recent polling suggests that Trump’s appeal among working-class voters remains strong, particularly among union members, even as Harris serves as the current vice president (EconoTimes). America First Insights: While Teamsters is neutral, and national Teamsters polls swung around 32 points towards Trump after Biden dropped out, the battleground Teamsters are FAR WORSE for Harris (America First Insights).

Former CIA Director Leon Panetta Claims Israel Detonating Hezbollah’s Pagers is Terrorism

This attack is the opposite of terrorism. It was precisely targeted to hit Hezbollah terrorist, leadership. Townhall: Former CIA Director Leon Panetta called the mass detonation of Hezbollah pagers and walkie talkies a “form of terrorism.” “The ability to be able to place an explosive in technology that is very prevalent these days and turn it into a war of terror” (Townhall). Reporter Ken Klippenstein: Former CIA Director Leon Panetta calls Israel’s explosive pager operation “terrorism” in an interview with CBS: “I don’t think there’s any question it’s a form of terrorism.” “When you have terror going into the supply chain, it makes people ask the question: what the hell is next” (X)? Barry Tigay: Former CIA director Leon Panetta called Israel’s beeper operation a “form of terrorism.” It was not. It was a precise, counterterrorist operation. During the last presidential election, he was one of the 51 signers of the bogus letter claiming that the Hunter Biden laptop story “had all the earmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign.” He is an untrustworthy political operator (X).

Independent Senator Joe Manchin Refuses to Endorse Kamala Harris After She Threatened to End the Senate Filibuster

Daily Mail: Independent Senator Joe Manchin said he cannot back Vice President Kamala Harris for president after she said she supports ending the Senate filibuster to pass abortion protections in Congress. The outgoing West Virginia lawmaker who caucuses with Democrats has been one of the few holdouts to endorse Harris with just over 40 days to go before the election. On Tuesday, Harris said in an interview she backs ending the filibuster so Congress can pass legislation codifying Roe after several other attempts by Senate Democrats since the landmark Supreme Court decision was overturned failed. But Manchin opposes the move. ‘Shame on her,’ Manchin told CNN. ‘She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together. If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids.’ Democrats have been attempting to pass legislation to restore national abortion protections since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, but they need sixty votes to overcome the filibuster in the Senate. They currently only have a 51 seat Senate majority, and Republicans control the House (Daily Mail). CNN’s Manu Raju: Joe Manchin, a staunch defender of the filibuster, tells us he WON’T endorse Kamala Harris now over her vow to gut the filibuster to codify Roe… “That ain’t going to happen,” he said. “I think that basically can destroy our country and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person’s ideology…I think it’s the most horrible thing” (X). Senator Tom Cotton: Kamala wants to abolish the filibuster, but here’s the letter she signed as Senator pledging to support the filibuster to ensure the Senate “continues to serve as the world’s greatest deliberative body.” Her word is meaningless. She’ll say anything to get elected (X).

Democrat Radicals Introduce Legislation to Refund UNRWA

Daily Wire: Hard-left Democrats introduced a bill to restore U.S. funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), an organization that has been accused of supporting terrorist groups. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), André Carson (D-IN), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024, which seeks to have the United States resume funding the organization, a practice halted by former President Donald Trump in 2018, restored by President Joe Biden when he took office, then halted again when it was found that UNRWA staff members were directly involved in the Hamas massacre of more than 1200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023 (Daily Wire). Rep. Jayapal has expressed anti-Israel sentiments in the recent past. RNC Research: Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal attempts to appease so-called “Free Palestine” protesters after they hijacked a leftist conference: “We have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state” (X)!

Kamala Harris Still Dodging the Media Just Before the Election

Daily Caller: CNBC host Joe Kernen grilled Democratic Delaware Sen. Chris Coons on Tuesday about Vice President Kamala Harris’ “rope-a-dope” strategy to avoid press appearances before the election. Kernen accused the Harris campaign of deliberately helping the vice president duck interviews until the election in November, saying that Americans would like her to publicly answer questions about her policies. Coons, who advises the campaign, argued Harris participating in debates is enough for the American people to understand where she stands (Daily Caller). Axios: Harris has been a candidate for 59 days and Walz for 44 days because of President Biden’s sudden withdrawal as the Democratic nominee on July 21. During those 59 days, Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance have participated in more than 70 interviews and press conferences with TV and print reporters while Harris and Walz have taken part in seven. Vance alone has participated in more than seven times more interviews and press conferences than Harris and Walz combined during that time (Axios).

Donald Trump on Kamala Harris’ Border Visit: “What a disgrace that she waited so long”

Newsmax: Vice President Kamala Harris’ plans to visit the border in Arizona are ill-advised as there is “never going to be a good time” for her to talk about the administration’s actions or her own as the “border czar,” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said Tuesday on Newsmax. “Her administration took 94 executive actions to dismantle the most secure southern border that we have ever had, and has allowed 10-15 million illegal immigrants to come into the United States, bringing fentanyl, bringing migrant crime,” Whatley told “Newsline” (Newsmax). Donald Trump: After almost four years, Border Czar Kamala Harris has decided, for political reasons, that it’s time for her to go to our broken Southern Border. What a disgrace that she waited so long, allowing millions of people to enter our Country from prisons, mental institutions, and criminal cells all over the World, not just South America, many of those coming are terrorists, and at a level never seen before! She’s trying to con the public like she did a good job at the Border when, in fact, she has destroyed the very fabric of our Nation allowing 21 Million people in from places unknown (Truth Social).

Judge Eliminates Affirmative Action Program Giving $37 Billion to Business Owners Who are Women, Racial Minorities

Daily Wire: A federal judge this week ruled against a Biden-Harris administration program that allocated around $37 billion in federal road contracts for businesses owned by women and racial minorities, raising questions about the future of a decades-old affirmative action program. Since the 1980s, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program has required around 10% of federal dollars allocated for road construction contracts to go to women and certain racial minorities. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Biden signed in 2021, reauthorized the DBE and set aside $37 billion for eligible recipients. This year, two small businesses sued the Transportation Department, saying that the DBE program caused them to lose out on business. On Monday, Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ruled that the Biden-Harris administration could not enforce the DBE’s affirmative action quotas against the businesses (Daily Wire).

10.

Maryland Sues Owners of Cargo Ship That Collided Into, Collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge

Just the News: The State of Maryland has filed a lawsuit against the owners and managers of the cargo ship that caused the collision and collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Attorney General Anthony Brown announced the state will be seeking to recoup damages following the bridge collapse that has crippled the region. The state did not specify an amount they are seeking in damages. The lawsuit indicated “an amount to be determined at trial.” The announcement comes nearly a week after the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it has filed a lawsuit against owner Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and manager, Synergy Maine Group, seeking over $100 million. Similarly to the Justice Department’s lawsuit, Maryland argues that the ship’s electrical and mechanical systems weren’t properly maintained, ultimately causing the ship to lose power and collide with the bridge (Just the News).