Morning Brief 2022-07-18

TOP OF HOUR 3
GUEST: Megan Fox
TOPIC: Questions remain unanswered in rape of 10-year-old abortion patient.

CB, RR, JB, SK, BM

Domestic News...

Good guy with a gun takes out mass shooter who killed three in mall massacre
Four people were killed and two were wounded in a mass shooting at a shopping mall just south of Indianapolis Sunday evening, which ended when an armed good Samaritan took out the gunman.

Good guy with a gun takes out bad guy with a knife
A man who allegedly held a knife to a gas station clerk’s neck in Missouri was shot and killed Saturday morning by an armed store customer.

Houston cop thwarts possible mass shooting by bum-rushing heavily armed man
The incident took place in February, but Sgt. Kendrick Simpo is just now speaking about how he may have prevented a massacre.

Mom Shot At By Man Killed By Police Crashes Protest: ‘Is He Not A Bad Guy?’
A rally for a Minnesota man killed by police took a dramatic turn Saturday when the mom he had shot at hours before he was fatally shot crashed the protest to call Andrew ‘Tekle’ Sundberg “a bad guy.”

New report finds nearly 400 officers at Uvalde school shooting, blames all agencies for 'lackadaisical approach'
An investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives released a 77-page report regarding the police response to the Uvalde shooting on Sunday.

New San Francisco DA makes wave of firings. Progressives call it 'terrifying.'
Brooke Jenkins fired 15 people in her office on Friday. It comes in the first week after Jenkins was appointed to her role by Mayor London Breed following the recall of Chesa Boudin.

SFPD Seizes $200,000 of Allegedly Stolen CVS and Walgreens-Looking Items From SF Man’s Home
What looks to be a brazen stolen goods fencing operation, with items that sure appear straight lifted from shelves, was allegedly netting one man $500,000 a year as he just resold the stolen loot online.

Pennsylvania Outlaws Zuckbucks Ahead Of Midterm Elections
Pennsylvania has officially banned public officials from accepting and using funds from nongovernmental entities to conduct elections.

Lawsuit accuses DOJ of hiding records about bias in Hunter Biden and Durham probes
More than a year after Protecting the People's Trust filed a FOIA request for records relating to potential conflicts of interest, the department has yet to inform the watchdog whether it will comply.

Prominent Pro-Abortion Group Appears To Be Front For Radical Revolutionary Communists
A prominent pro-abortion activist group downplaying its association with the Revolutionary Communist Party shares significant infrastructure and leadership with the radical outfit’s other offshoot groups.

Woman Awakens From Two-Year Coma After Hatchet Attack, Names Her Assailant
She awoke and pointed her finger at the man who allegedly did it: Her own brother.

Orlando Amusement Park Forced To Pause ‘Insensitive’ Shooting Gallery Game
Users on social media blasted the game as insensitive in the wake of several mass shootings across the country.

Politics...

Poll: More Americans Plan on Voting for Republican Candidates in November
Americans are more likely to vote for a generic Republican congressional candidate than a Democrat, according to a Fox News poll released on Sunday.

Poll: More Trump Voters in Red States Say Secession Would Make Things Better
Red-state Donald Trump voters are now more likely to say they’d be personally “better off” (33%) than “worse off” (29%) if their state seceded from the U.S. and “became an independent country,” according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll.

Manchin says he won't support climate, tax provisions in sweeping Democratic bill
The West Virginian previously supported having both provisions in the package

Trump suffers huge fundraising dip, falls below DeSantis for 2022
The new numbers mark the first time Trump has raised less than $50 million in any six-month period since leaving the White House, and they put him below DeSantis, who raised about $45 million in the first half of this year, records show.

Newsom to DeSantis: ‘Stop Being a Bully, Stop Belittling People’
“He’s going after the gays, going after people, othering people across the spectrum, going after vulnerable minorities. I can’t take it.”

Newsom Calls on Democrats to ‘Wake Up’ to the ‘Ruthlessness of the Republican Party’
"You see what’s happening to all the progress we’ve made in the 21st century, all of the rights that we in many ways have taken for granted that have been afforded since the sixties are being rolled back in real time."

Stacey Abrams' blockbuster fundraising driven by out-of-state money
Abrams' campaign and leadership committee have reported receiving about $7 million from Georgia donors, or just over 14% of the nearly $50 million they've combined to raise this cycle.

Nancy Pelosi’s Husband Buys Millions In Chip Stocks Right Before Vote On Massive Chip Subsidy
Pelosi’s husband Paul bought up to $5 million in stock of a computer chip company ahead of a vote on a bill next week that would hand billions in subsidies to boost chip manufacturing.

Economy...

Bidenomics: Nearly half of small businesses fear shutting down amid elevated inflation
The small business network Alignable released the survey, which found that “47% of small business owners … say their businesses are at risk of closing by fall 2022, unless economic conditions improve significantly.”

Condition of economy 'terrible' as inflation hits fresh 40-year high: Investment expert
Many fault the White House for the economic woes. 55% say the Biden admin has made the economy worse, and more voters blame Biden (31%) for gas prices than think Russia (20%) or oil companies (14%) are responsible.

BlackRock Profit Falls 22%
The firm’s assets under management decreased to $8.5 trillion, from $9.6 trillion in the first quarter

Border...

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says illegals along the border are "being tricked" onto buses to capital
Bowser says she has "called on the federal government to work across state lines to prevent people from really being tricked into getting on buses" headed to the nation's capital from Texas and Arizona.

Attorneys general from 19 states file brief with Supreme Court to stop DHS immigration policy
The group of 19 is led by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich

GOP senators decry human smuggling cartels' shocking sexual abuse of migrant women
According to an Amnesty International report, about 60% of the women and girls who make the trek to the U.S.-Mexico border are raped.

WAR News... 

Germany Hopes to Outrace a Russian Gas Cutoff and Bone Cold Winter
Europe’s largest economy and key energy hub still depends on gas supplies now ensnared in conflict. Here’s how Germany is preparing and what is at stake.

Politico: Republicans wince as their Ukrainian-born colleague thrashes Zelenskyy
House Republicans gave Ukraine-born Rep. Victoria Spartz a coveted platform to speak out against Russia’s war. They’re coming to regret that.

MonkeyVID-19...

Thousands report unusual menstruation patterns after COVID-19 vaccination
Survey aims to document breakthrough bleeding and heavier-than-usual periods post vaccine.

W.H.O. Activates Monkeypox Emergency Panel as Case Numbers Soar
The U.N. subsidiary health agency is now aware of 9,200 cases in 63 countries at the last update issued Tuesday.

New York City Opens Mass Vaccination Sites to Combat Monkeypox Outbreak
NYC now has three mass vaccination sites set up to combat the growing monkeypox outbreak in its five boroughs.

Window to control monkeypox 'starting to close,' former FDA chief says
Scott Gottlieb says the window for controlling the spread of monkeypox is "starting to close" as cities across the country are struggling to vaccinate people against the virus.

Australia spent $2 billion on COVID camps that will likely never be used
Instead of admitting that the facilities were a vast waste of taxpayers' money, Australian politicians are now trying to find creative ways to utilize the facilities.

Commie Update...

Rescue-Fund Idea Floated In China To Stop Mortgage Crisis
Last week, housing ministry officials met with financial regulators and major Chinese banks to discuss lending matters.

Entertainment...

Ricky Martin slapped with restraining order after breakup with his nephew
A Spanish newspaper reported that Martin, 50, and Sanchez, 21, recently dated for seven months, during which time, Martin subjected Sanchez to abuse.

Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey shouts her abortion: ‘I wouldn’t have my life’ without it'
Grey repeated a false claim that thousands of women died from botched abortions every year before the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.

Jennifer Lopez announces marriage to Ben Affleck in surprise wedding
Lopez shared an intimate look at her Las Vegas wedding as she announced her marriage to Ben Affleck on Sunday afternoon.

Media...

Taxpayer-funded NPR Launches ‘Disinformation’ Reporting Team Ahead of Elections
NPR is launching a “disinformation” reporting team, prompting mockery online by those who pointed out the liberal network’s long, sordid history of suppressing information it did not want the public to hear.

NY Mag column declares ‘death’ of ‘Democrats’ domestic ambitions:’ A ‘catastrophe’ with ‘a thousand fathers’
Jonathan Chait called the result of Democrat-controlled government 'a failure'

Canada...

"Canada is communist": Joe Rogan bashes Trudeau as a 'dictator' over pandemic response
Rogan admitted that he liked Trudeau before the pandemic ... And during the pandemic, I’m like, 'Oh, you’re a f***ing dictator.'

Europe...

Spanish farmers join the Dutch, Italian, and other Europeans farmers protesting restrictive green policies
The world cannot survive without farmers. These policies are destroying the continent and these protests will hopefully serve as a wake-up call for Europe.

Woke dance school drops ballet from auditions as it is ‘white’ and ‘elitist’
A top British dance school has dropped ballet from its auditions after branding it an 'elitist art form', built around 'white European ideas and body shapes'.

American singer quits Italian opera over blackface
"I cannot in good conscience associate myself with an institution which continues this practice."

Middle East...

Biden ends Saudi Arabia visit with no oil deal
Biden will conclude his visit to Saudi Arabia without striking a deal to boost oil supplies amid an international energy crunch and rising gas prices at home.

Biden Claims He Confronted Saudi Crown Prince Over Murder, Top Saudi Official Pushes Back
Biden previously pledged while running for president that he wanted to treat Saudi Arabia like a “pariah” state.

Top Iranian Official: We’re Capable of Making a Nuclear Bomb
Iran is technically capable of making a nuclear bomb, a senior aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Sunday, adding that the country would target “deep into” Israel if need be.

IDF chief Kohavi warns Israel might be required to act against Iran
In a clear warning to Iran, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi said that the military is preparing for the possibility that it would have to act against Iran's nuclear program.

Environment...

Four U.S. Natural Gas Facilities Destroyed in Two Weeks
Several fires and explosions have hit the energy industry as the United States is battling a national energy crisis.

Tesla Asks Texans To Limit Charging Cars During Heat Wave As Wind Power Slows
“The grid operator recommends to avoid charging during peak hours between 3pm and 8pm, if possible, to help statewide efforts to manage demand,” the alert added.

LGBTQIA2S+...

Photo: Two Biden Officials Represent America At French Ambassador's Bastille Day Celebration
Remember to clear your browser cache after clicking this link... you've been warned.

Biden’s Energy Dept Drag Queen Gets Top Secret ‘Q Clearance’ Alongside Six-Figure Government Salary
A FOIA request filed by The National Pulse reveals Sam Brinton’s taxpayer funded salary of $178,063, placing him amongst the top one percent of other federal salaries.

University of Pennsylvania nominates Lia Thomas for NCAA 'Woman of the Year'
The male athlete was nominated for the NCAA award, which recognizes female student-athletes.

Judge blocks Biden admin's transgender school bathroom rule, athletes
Biden's policy would allow boys to hang out in girls bathrooms and locker rooms.

"Openly queer teacher" admits to socially transitioning 3rd grade students
"I wear a bi flag watch band and bi flag bracelets. In my classroom I keep a rainbow flag," and adds, "my kids know what it means."

Transgender Felon Transferred From Women’s Prison After Impregnating Two Inmates
Officials moved 27-year-old Demi Minor to a prison for young adults. Minor, who is currently serving a 30-year sentence for manslaughter.

Education...

DeSantis' education message is winning in battleground states, teacher union poll finds
Florida’s governor was bitterly criticized on the left and in the media for his education policies and rhetoric, but battleground voters appear to favor much of what he's been saying and doing.

Technology...

Human-Like Robots Perceived as Having Mental States
New research suggests that when robots appear to engage with people and display human-like emotions, people might perceive them as capable of “thinking.” In other words, they are believed to be acting on their own beliefs and desires instead of just their programs.

Travel...

Airfares are finally starting to cool as peak summer travel season fades
Fares were one of the few categories to decline at a time when consumer prices rose at the fastest clip in more than four decades.

A can of Coca-Cola for $13? Prices are rising on one of Europe’s most popular islands
Though Spain is generally considered a reasonably priced travel destination, the Spanish island of Ibiza has long been known as a place for living the high life.

Sports...

NASCAR's Bobby East stabbed to death at California gas station, suspect later shot and killed by SWAT team
On July 13 police officers responded to emergency calls reporting a stabbing at a gas station about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Florida Gators QB Anthony Richardson distancing from 'AR-15' nickname, branding
Richardson said that he will no longer use 'AR-15' as part of his personal brand because he doesn't want to be associated with the semi-automatic rifle by the same name, which has been used in mass shootings.

Animals...

Dog names are racist, according to scholars
Academics recently applauded a study purporting showing that dogs with “White” names resulted in shorter adoption times compared to “Black” names.

07-18-2006 - Glenn's brownout weekend during NYC heatwave... The lovely smell of NYC... Woman claims to be a descendant of Jesus... Senate OKs stem cell research bill...

07-18-2007 - Senate Dems demand Bush cut and run from Iraq... Glenn's night at the Opera, and father/daughter date... Michael Vick indicted on dog fighting charges...

RIGGED: Kamala Harris attempts to sway Fox interview in her favor, STILL falls short

Paul Morigi / Contributor | Getty Images

The election is mere weeks away and Kamala Harris just had her first adversarial interview since she began campaigning.

Last week, Harris sat down with Fox News journalist Bret Baier for an interview plagued with difficulties from the beginning. As Glenn recently pointed out, it seemed like Harris had done her best to ensure the interview was intentionally rigged against Baier. Despite being in front of Baier's diverse audience, she did not seem too interested in taking the opportunity to sell herself to a new demographic. Instead, Glenn hypothesized she was just after a quick soundbite to pander to her faltering core supporters.

However, the interview blew up in Kamala's face, and the American people took notice. Here's a rundown of Kamala's first Fox interview:

Rigged Interview

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

Harris and her team did everything possible to throw Bret Baier off his game and derail the interview in her favor. It started when Harris's team informed Fox that the interview, which was originally supposed to be an hour, would be cut in half. This left Baier scrambling to reformat his interview to better fit the new time requirement. Then Harris arrived at the interview ten minutes late, further shorting the interview.

The purpose behind Harris's tardiness became apparent during the interview. Every time Baier asked a question, Harris would launch into a lengthy word salad. Baier was forced to interject just so he was able to ask more than a couple of questions. Harris even pushed back, calling out Baier's interruptions, which of course, just wasted more time. Clearly, Harris or her staff realized that she could not sustain a hostile interview for any extended period, which is why Harris tried to filibuster away as much of the interview as possible.

When the brief interview was nearing the end of its allotted time, Harris's staff began signaling to Baier to end the interview. Despite the change in plans and late arrival, her staff was determined to end the interview as quickly as possible.

Harris's Agenda

CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA / Contributor | Getty Images

From the beginning of the interview, Harris was hostile. She was immediately adversarial and would spin every question into a criticism of Trump, no matter how pointed Baier's question was. Several times Harris had emotional outbursts, spewing classic anti-Trump rhetoric, regardless of its relevance to the question asked. Glenn pointed out that this was the reason Harris took this interview. Recently, many of her core supporters have been faltering as her sudden burst of televised appearances has revealed her paper-thin platform. She took this interview to get a good clip of her passionately bashing Trump on Fox News. This would bolster her core demographic, which she desperately needs.

Harris's Fumbles

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

Despite her best efforts to sway the interview in her favor, Baier still managed to pin Harris several times. Harris kept dodging tough questions Baier threw her way with the same tactic: she would promise to "follow the law" then deflect the question back on Trump. One of the more memorable instances of Harris's evasion strategy was when she was questioned if she supported prison inmates having access to taxpayer-funded transgender surgery. Harris insisted she would "follow the law" and then explained that Trump had followed the same law while he was in office. This response was, in essence, a non-answer. Harris was ignoring the obvious fact that as President, she would influence what the law would be and how it is enforced.

Harris's other major blunder occurred after Baier asked her how her presidency would differ from Biden's and how she would "turn the page" on our current situation. In classic Harris fashion, she immediately deflects on Trump, framing our current situation as somehow a byproduct of Trump simply existing within the political sphere. This convoluted web she spun was so twisted that Harris herself lost track of what she was saying gave up, telling Baier, "You know what I'm talking about." Baier admitted he was just as lost as she was, and she simply went back to attacking Trump.

POLL: Are your kids eating POISON?!

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

More Americans than ever are sick, life expectancy is falling, and our children are in rough shape... What happened!?!

In his newest TV special, Glenn delves into the toxic garbage that the FDA allows to be put into our food and the devastating effects it has on our bodies. The stats are staggering: nearly one-third of all Americans have at least one chronic disease, almost40 percent of school-aged kids have a chronic disease, and U.S. life expectancy is at a 20-year low and is still plummeting. Not to mention the skyrocketing rates of ADHD and Autism diagnoses in our children.

Why does the FDA allow our food to be poisoned? Glenn unveils that the FDA is owned by the monopolistic food manufacturers that put the products in the food and by Big Pharma which sells the cure. In fact, 46 percent of the FDA's budget is paid for by food manufacturers, and a whopping 6,500 FDA jobs are funded by Big Pharma. On top of that, it's up to the food manufacturers to run tests, gather data about the safety of their food, and present it to the FDA. Seems like a conflict of interest, don't you think?

Glenn wants to know what you think. Do you/your kids eat foods with toxic ingredients such as artificial food dyes? Do you trust the FDA to keep your food safe? Can the system be fixed? Let us know in the poll below:

Do you/your kids eat foods with toxic ingredients such as artificial food dyes?

Do you trust the FDA to keep your food safe?

Could Trump/RFK Jr. fix/replace the FDA?

Can Trump win THESE critical swing states?

Michael M. Santiago / Staff | Getty Images

The election is less than three weeks away! And if you are in a state with early voting, it may be even sooner than that!

Like most elections, the 2024 election victor will be determined largely by whichever candidate can win the most swing states, i.e. states that are nearly split 50/50 Democrat and Republican. If Trump is to win the election, he has to win a majority of the seven swing states, which are: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

In order to keep you informed on how Trump is polling in these seven states, how he did against Biden in 2020 and what issues are important to the voters of each of the states, we compiled the relevant information for your convenance below:

Arizona

Michael M. Santiago / Staff | Getty Images

In 2020 Trump lost Arizona to Biden by just over 10,000 votes, or 0.4 percent of the state.

The border state is up in the air again for 2024 and unsurprisingly immigration and border security is the top issue for voters. After border security, long-term water supplies and education rank at the top of Arizona voter's concerns, with inflation and cost of living coming in at number four.

Polls currently place President Trump ahead of Kamala with 48.4 percent of the votes compared to her 46.8 percent.

Georgia

Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Images

In 2020, Trump lost Georgia to Biden by just over 10,000 votes, or 0.3 percent of the state.

Georgia voters are most concerned with abortion access (for or against), followed by environment, climate change, and the economy.

Polls currently place President Trump ahead of Kamala with 48.7 percent of the votes compared to her 47 percent.

Michigan

Scott Olson / Staff | Getty Images

In 2020 Trump lost Michigan to Biden by approximately 150,000 votes, or 2.8 percent of the state.

In Michigan, like many Americans, voters are most concerned by the economy. The economy is trailed by renewable energy and abortion as top issues for Michigan voters this election.

Polls currently place Kamala Harris ahead of Trump with 47.7 percent of the votes compared to his 46.9 percent.

Nevada

Ethan Miller / Staff | Getty Images

In 2020 Trump lost Nevada to Biden by approximately 30,000 votes, or 2.4 percent of the state.

In Nevada, the top issue is for voters is the economy, which is followed by affordable housing. Following affordable housing, immigration ranks high among concerns of Nevada voters along with democracy and crime.

Polls currently place Kamala Harris ahead of Trump with 47.8 percent of the votes compared to his 47 percent.

North Carolina

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

In 2020 Trump won North Carolina against Biden by over 70,000 votes, or 1.4 percent of the state.

Like in many other state, the economy is the leading issue among voters. The economy and inflation is followed by abortion rights and illegal immigration in top concerns for North Caroling voters.

Polls currently place Donald Trump leading Kamala with 48 percent of the votes compared to her 47.6 percent.

Pennsylvania

JIM WATSON / Contributor | Getty Images

In 2020 Trump lost Pennsylvania to Biden by approximately 80,000 votes, or 1.2 percent of the state.

The people of Pennsylvania are the most concerned with jobs, wages and the economy. Behind the economy, Pennsylvanians are most concerned with the future of democracy, immigration, and gun policy.

Polls currently place Kamala leading Trump with 48.1 percent of the votes compared to his 47.4 percent.

Wisconsin

ALEX WROBLEWSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

In 2020 Trump lost Wisconsin to Biden by approximately 40,000 votes, or 0.7 percent of the state.

The primary concern of voters in Wisconsin is the current high cost of living. Behind the cost of living, healthcare and education are high among the concerns of Wisconsinites, with the economy as a whole coming in fourth.

Polls currently place Kamala leading Trump with 48.1 percent of the votes compared to his 47.5 percent.

Counting cookies? Here are the CRAZIEST ways people predict the election.

Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Every four years, America faces the same question: who will win the presidential election?

Top political scientists and media companies devise elaborate polls, complex formulas, and sophisticated projections to calculate who will win the election at any given moment. Even Stu has thrown his hat in the ring with Plusecast, a one-stop shop for all your polling questions. But these methods aren't the only ways to predict who will be the next commander-in-chief.

From cookies to football, here are some unorthodox ways to predict the next president:

The Cookie Poll

Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Can cookies really predict the next president? According to Busken Bakery, they are more accurate than you might think.

Busken Bakery, has been using cookies to predict the winner of presidential elections since Regan beat Mondale in 1984, and has only been wrong once. Their method is simple: they sell cookies with the faces of both candidates and tally the sales of each. Whoever sells the most cookies is predicted to win. The simplicity of this method is its strength, and the only time it was wrong was the 2020 election. Currently, President Trump is far outstripping VP Harris, selling 23,477 cookies compared to her 8,781 cookies (as of 8/15). Busken posts daily updates on their Instagram, here.

Busken isn't the only bakery to make presidential predictions. Lochel's Bakery in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania has gained popularity recently. Lochel's has correctly predicted three of the last four elections by selling red and blue cookies printed with the names of the candidates. The current count for Lochel's is 28,212 for Trump and 2,097 for Harris. Again, Lochel's posts daily updates on their Instagram, here.

According to the cookies, this election is looking pretty sweet for President Trump!

Vegas Odds

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

It's time to put your money where your mouth is.

It's not just political scientists who cook up election predictions. Casinos and sports betting services get in on the action. What could be a better way to predict an election than by asking people to put their hard-earned dollars on the line?

The big casinos and sports betting sites all have odds on the election, and Trump tends to be the favored candidate. If you are unfamiliar with betting odds in the U.S., the simple explanation of how they work is the smaller the number the better the odds. Here is the spread for three of the big betting sites:

bet365- Trump: -138, Harris: +110

BetMGM- Trump: -137, Harris: +110

Caesars- Trump: -145, Harris: +120

While you shouldn't take this as a sign to put all your money (or any) on President Trump, it is an optimistic sign!

The Redskins Rule

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The Redskins Rule is a well-documented correlation between the outcome of the presidential election and the performance of the Washington D.C. football team, the Redskins (now The Commanders). The rule is that if the Redskins win their last home game before the election, the incumbent party will win the election. If the Redskins lose, the challenging party will win the election. This rule is surprisingly accurate and held true for every election between 1940 and 2000.

If this rule is to be believed, the determining game is on Sunday, October 27th when the Redskins/Commanders play the Chicago Bears in Washington D.C. If the Bears win, that should mean Trump will win the election. If the Redskins win, then Harris will win.

But there is the fact that the rule has been broken several times since 2000. Has the charm worn off? And does it even count anymore if the team is no longer called the Redskins? Only time will tell!