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Thursday, November 14, 2024

Biden, Trump Meet in the Oval Office

ABC: The two men, seated by a roaring fire, shook hands. Biden spoke first, calling for a “smooth transition” and telling Trump he will do “everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated.” Trump followed by thanking Biden. “Politics is tough, and it’s, in many cases, not a very nice world but it is a nice world today,” Trump said. “And I appreciate it very much. A transition that’s so smooth, it’ll be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that, Joe.” They did not answer questions. First lady Jill Biden joined President Biden in greeting Trump upon his arrival, according to the White House. She gave Trump a handwritten letter of congratulations for Melania Trump, which also expressed her team’s readiness to assist with the transition (ABC). Savanah Hernandez: Look how happy Joe Biden is sitting next to Donald Trump at the White House right now. Even Biden is happy Trump is the 47th President (X). Eric Daugherty: TOTAL MAYHEM among the press as Donald Trump and Joe Biden joke about the hounding reporters (X). Andy Ngo: This doesn’t look like an administration believing it is handing over power to a would-be fascist dictator who will end democracy. Did Democrats traumatize, divide and incite hatred and fear in this country to try to win (X)?

Republican Senators Elect John Thune to Be Leader

Wall Street Journal: Republican senators chose John Thune of South Dakota as their new leader, in a vote that tested how much lawmakers want to shake things up as they enter an era defined by the populist energy that propelled President-elect Donald Trump back to the White House. Thune, 63 years old, emerged as the winner in the secret ballot, beating Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) and Sen. Rick Scott (R., Fla.). Thune and Cornyn have both served as top lieutenants to outgoing leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) and were seen as providing continuity for the party. The new majority leader will guide the Senate as Republicans work to pass tax cuts, consider Trump-nominated judges and cabinet officials and navigate battles over government spending, foreign aid and the debt ceiling (Wall Street Journal). Hill: Thune is well-liked among his Senate Republican colleagues and his affable, humble approach to managing the conference has earned the trust and confidence of fellow GOP senators. He announced his intention to run for leader shortly after McConnell said in February that he would retire from the GOP leadership at the end of this year (Hill).

Donald Trump Brings Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard Into Cabinet

Daily Wire: President-elect Donald Trump nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), one of his most ardent supporters, to serve as the next Attorney General of the United States. “Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice,” Trump posted on social media. Trump said that ending the weaponization of the justice system was one of his top priorities and that Gaetz would focus on that issue along with prosecuting drug cartels (Daily Wire). Katie Pavlich: Former Democratic Congresswoman, Democratic National Committee Chair and Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard has been nominated as the next Director of National Intelligence…For months, Gabbard has been on the campaign trail advocating for a Trump presidency. In October, she officially joined the Republican Party…Gabbard left the Democratic Party in October 2022 and never looked back (Townhall).

Chuck Schumer Asks Republicans for Bipartisanship Amid Their Sweeping Victory

Reporter Julia: Chuck Schumer warns Republicans they must work with Democrats: “To my Republican colleagues: I offer a word of caution in good faith. Take care not to misread the will of the people and do not abandon the need for bipartisanship. After winning an election, the temptation may be to go to the extreme…it’s consistently backfired on the party in power” (X). Katie Pavlich: The man who threatened Supreme Court justices by name and helped smear Brett Kavanaugh wants to play nice now that he’s lost (X). Carrie Severino: When I hear the name Chuck Schumer, “bipartisanship” does not come to mind: “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions” (X).

Jack Smith to Resign Before Trump Takes Office

Townhall: With the election of Donald Trump, the cases against the former and future president look to be winding down, including when it comes to those brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith. On Wednesday morning, eight days after the election, it was reported that Smith would be resigning before Trump takes office on January 20 (Townhall). New York Times: Mr. Smith, who since taking office two years ago has operated under the principle that not even a powerful ex-president is above the law, now finds himself on the defensive as he rushes to wind down a pair of complex investigations slowed by the courts and ultimately made moot by Mr. Trump’s electoral victory. Mr. Smith’s office is still drawing up its plan for how to end the cases, and it is possible that unforeseen circumstances — such as judicial rulings or decisions by other government officials — could alter his intended timeline (New York Times).

Republicans Launch Multiple Investigations Into FEMA’s Relief Distribution Policies

New York Post: Congressional Republicans are vowing to launch multiple investigations into the Federal Emergency Management Agency after a fired supervisor claimed that she and other staffers were instructed to ignore Trump-supporting homes as part of disaster recovery efforts (New York Post). Daily Wire: Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) indicated that the committee would ask Criswell about Washington’s Tuesday interview with Roland Martin, where she claimed FEMA has a widespread policy of avoiding “politically hostile” homes. She said that FEMA’s suggestion that she made an independent decision to avoid certain homes is a mischaracterization, stating that it is agency policy (Daily Wire).

Houthi Terrorists Attack Two U.S. Warships

Daily Wire: The Houthi terrorist organization announced on Tuesday that it launched attacks against U.S. warships that were transiting the Bab el Mandeb strait. Pentagon press secretary Air Force Major Gen Pat Ryder told reporters during a press conference that “the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer, USS Stockdale and USS Spruance were attacked by at least eight one-way attack uncrewed Aerial systems, five anti-ship ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles which were successfully engaged and defeated.” There was no damage to the ships and no personnel were hurt, he said. The attacks from the Houthis came after U.S. forces conducted several precision airstrikes against facilities used by the Iranian-backed terrorist group in Yemen over the weekend (Daily Wire). Visgrad 24: They launched 8 suicide drones, 5 anti-ship ballistic missiles and 3 anti-ship cruise missiles at USS Stockdale and USS Spruance in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, trying to kill American sailors. The U.S. responded with airstrikes today (X).

“Wanted” Posters of Jewish Staff Displayed Around University of Rochester

Daily Wire: Last weekend, at the University of Rochester in upstate New York, hundreds of posters of Jewish faculty members emblazoned with “Wanted” were posted around the campus. The posters, which revolved around Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, featured comments such as “ethnic cleansing,” “displacement of Palestinians,” “racism,” and “hate speech” (Daily Wire). Eyal Yakoby: The pro-Hamas students and faculty plastered the University of Rochester with wanted posters of Jewish faculty. These faculty were not Israeli, they were Jewish. This is textbook antisemitism. Reform has never been more needed at American universities (X). Rochester Beacon: “I want to be as clear as I can that the University of Rochester strongly denounces the recent display of ‘Wanted’ posters targeting senior University leaders and members of our faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees,” UR president Sarah Mangelsdorf said in a statement late Tuesday afternoon. “This act is disturbing, divisive and intimidating and runs counter to our values as a university (Rochester Beacon).

Los Angeles Times Owner Announces a New Editorial Board Will Be Formed

Just the News: Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, owner of the Los Angeles Times, announced that a new editorial board where “all voices are heard” will soon be formed. The LA Times editorial board did not endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election for the first time since 2008, which didn’t sit well with some staffers, such as editorials editor Mariel Garza, who resigned (Just the News). Reporter Bill Melugin: LA Times owner says after election results, the entire LA Times Editorial Board will be replaced – signaling they were out of touch with voters. Some of their recent opinion pieces include: 1. We should publicly mock the deaths of the unvaccinated during COVID. 2. Larry Elder is the “black face of white supremacy.” 3. Repeatedly endorsing soft on crime DA George Gascon, who just got blown out by over 20 points in his re-election bid (X).

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FBI Raids Home of Polymarket CEO on Suspicion of Influencing Election

New York Post: FBI agents raided the Manhattan apartment of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan early Wednesday morning — just a week after the election-betting platform successfully predicted Donald Trump’s stunning victory. The 26-year-old entrepreneur was roused from bed in his Soho pad at 6 a.m. by US law enforcement who demanded he turn over his phone and other electronic devices. It’s “grand political theater at its worst,” the source told The Post. “They could have asked his lawyer for any of these things. Instead, they staged a so-called raid so they can leak it to the media and use it for obvious political reasons.” Coplan was not provided with a reason for the raid, but the source suspects it was political retribution since Polymarket accurately predicted an easy Trump triumph over Vice President Kamala Harris – as opposed to traditional polls. The source also speculated that the government is likely piggybacking off liberal media reports that accuse Polymarket of market manipulation and rigging its polls in favor of Trump (New York Post). Mario Nawfal: Polymarket, a transparent prediction market charging no fees, denies any wrongdoing. Coplan was not arrested (X).