November 20, 2023 Good morning, Leading the News . . . Speaker Johnson begins releasing 40,000 hours of Jan 6 footage . . . Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the House of Representatives will release more than 40,000 hours of footage taken at the
U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when protesters angry about the 2020 election results stormed the halls of Congress. Some video is already available to the public as of Friday, with the bulk of it to be released gradually over time, Johnson said. "When I ran for Speaker, I promised to make accessible to the American people the 44,000 hours of video from Capitol Hill security taken on January 6, 2021. Truth and transparency are critical," Johnson said in a statement. Fox News Lawmakers call for investigation into J6 committee following release of security footage . . . Republican lawmakers are calling for investigations into a House committee and its members after the release of security footage that captured the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah called for the investigation of the now-defunct United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, which determined
that the riot was an attempted coup by then-President Trump. They said the tapes present a much different view of the chaos at the Capitol that day. “The J6 committee was a sham,” Mr. Nehls said on X. “I knew it then. Everyone knows it now. Let’s investigate the investigators.” Washington
Times Israel Shifts to Tougher Phase of Its Gaza War . . . Israel is shifting the focus of its military campaign to southern Gaza, where it will likely face the
hardest stage of the six-week-old war as it seeks to crush Hamas and recover hostages amid a deepening humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces have largely succeeded in taking control of northern Gaza. But they have only partially destroyed Hamas’s military capabilities and haven’t captured or killed many of its top leaders, senior Israeli officers and
analysts say. Wall Street Journal
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Biden’s
birthday prompts debate about age and wisdom of America’s oldest president . . . President Joe Biden is marking his 81st birthday milestone Monday with a low-key family celebration as he braces for a strenuous election year ahead. But even as the first family keeps the celebrations muted and out-of-sight, the moment nevertheless highlights his greatest campaign liability – his advanced age and, along with it, perceptions among voters that his physical and mental fitness have declined.
Officials at the White House and the campaign privately acknowledge it’s an issue, and they work both to eliminate potential gaffes and project vigor. Biden was prescribed custom orthotics to help with his feet this year, after his annual physical determined that he experiences a “stiff gait.” In recent months, when Biden flies on Air Force One, he has started using a smaller, shorter set of stairs more frequently to board and deplane. CNN Biden Is a One-Term President
. . . By Mark Davis. There are so many murmurs about replacing Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee that a more central question can get sidelined: what are his chances of winning a second term if he is not removed from the ballot? Democrats are in a singularly unenviable position, eyeing a troubled nation led by a president in obvious decline, with no alternative nominee in sight. Everyone is free to mull some scheme featuring Gavin Newsom riding to the rescue,
or the spectacle of Michelle Obama lowered from the rafters at the Chicago convention to accept the anointing of delegates filled with joyful relief. Newsweek Trump and Smith lawyers to fight over gag order in Monday's oral arguments . . . Attorneys for Donald Trump and Jack Smith will face off Monday before a three-judge panel over whether a gag order restricting Trump's speech in the election subversion case in Washington, D.C., violates the former president's First
Amendment rights. The judges, two Obama appointees and one Biden appointee, will hear 20 minutes of oral arguments from both parties at 9:30 a.m. in Washington's federal appeals court. Washington Examiner Trump Goes Off On 'Birdbrain' Nikki Haley In Tear, Mocks DeSantis For 'Fall Like Nobody's Ever Seen'
Retiring Sen. Manchin looks to ‘mobilize the radical middle’ . . . Sen. Joe Manchin III said Sunday he will strive to energize political moderates following the conservative West Virginia Democrat’s announcement that he will not seek another Senate term next year. “Washington wants you and I to be divided, and the rest of America to be
divided because it’s a better business model for them,” Mr. Manchin told radio host John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable.” “I came to the conclusion I can’t change — I’ve been here 13 years. I’m not going to change it from within. And I’ve decided to go around and see if I can mobilize the radical middle.” Mr. Manchin admitted last week that he’s “absolutely” still considering a third-party independent White House run against President Biden. Washington Times Senate Democrats warn Manchin that running for president would risk disaster . . . Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) flirtation with a third-party presidential bid after announcing his retirement from the Senate is sparking anxiety among Democratic senators who warn that Manchin would make a big mistake if he challenges President Biden. Democratic lawmakers say that if Manchin runs for president as an independent it will hurt Biden’s re-election chances and could result in
what they view as the nightmare scenario of electing Donald Trump to a second White House term. The Hill What is a real disaster is that a feeble, senile, corrupt man running the country, and potentially
will be for another term. That could be catastrophic. The five seats Republicans could flip to secure a Senate majority in 2024 . . . Republicans working to
retake control of the Senate only need to net wins in two swing races for seats held by Democrats to secure the majority. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has worked since last year on recruiting the most electable candidates in must-win swing states in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the Republicans’ disappointing performance in the 2022 midterm elections. Washington Examiner RFK Jr: 'Democratic & Republican Parties Are Going To Try To Prevent Me From Getting On The Ballot'
Impeachment inquiry sharpens focus on millions in loans to Biden family . . . There are red flags aplenty: Loan repayments between Joe Biden and
his brother; Millions in promissory notes between Hunter Biden and a Democrat-donating Hollywood lawyer; and debt deals from Ukraine to China. As the House impeachment inquiry heats up, investigators are increasingly focused on a trail of red ink that has become a recurring theme in evidence chronicling the first family’s finances. Just the News
Prepare
for Pandemics or CBRN Threats? We must do both . . . U.S. Government and the media pay little attention to the biological threat compared to the shiny objects of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and hypersonic missiles. While those evolving capabilities will certainly shape dynamic and changing future battlefields, the threats posed by manmade chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons and natural occurring germs are a clear and present threat today that is
only growing given the sheer scale of violence the world is now experiencing. The U.S. Government must ensure the American people and warfighters, as well as its allies and partners, have the capabilities necessary to defend against and respond to the broad array of threats that can turn from regional to global in days. Real Clear Defense
Russia and the Growing Danger of Satellite Cyberattacks . . . To prove itself a formidable competitor in space, Russia is turning to space warfare. This includes anti-satellite tactics using cyber. Even in terrestrial cyber conflicts, Russia possesses the ability
to engage in advanced denial-of-service, ransomware, and other types of malware attacks. While no single agency oversees Russian cyberattacks, the amount of personnel involved in these operations continues to increase. There is a heavy reliance on criminal and civilian involvement to conduct offensive measures. Combining Russian interest in cyber and outer space has led to the “proliferation of handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) jammers, deployment of road-mobile jammers, and even
development and testing of space-based jammers.” Russia can hack American ground control systems for the GPS constellation. Global Security Review For detailed threat assessment, see Chapter 4 on Space Warfare and Chapter 5 on Cyber Warfare in my book Putin's Playbook
NATO in 'Race Against Time' to Prepare for Russia War . . . NATO must become capable of waging a major war with Russia within five to nine years to deny Moscow a "window of opportunity" to expand its open-ended war on Ukraine into a wider confrontation with the
Western alliance, a new report has warned. NATO risks having to play "catch up" with Russia, despite Moscow's disastrous war in Ukraine, according to the proposal published by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) think tank earlier this month. Russia, authors Christian Mölling and Torben Schütz said, "represents the greatest and most urgent threat to NATO countries." Newsweek If you want to take a look at the unclassified version of Putin's 5-point plan to defeat America in a war that Moscow believes is inevitable, get a copy of my book, Putin's Playbook How a Half-Million Migrants Moved North . . . A half-million people are expected to enter Panama from Colombia through the Darién Gap this year. Let that sink in. It’s a big number for a trail through dense jungle that only three years ago was traversed by about 20,000 souls annually. Many who have made
the trek this year are Venezuelans. There are also Africans, Cubans, Ecuadoreans, Middle Easterners and Chinese, among others. Most are heading north to the U.S. border. But they aren’t making the dangerous Darién journey on their own. Public officials in Colombia are helping them. Wall Street Journal International
Austin
in Kyiv: US will 'stand with Ukraine … now and into the future' . . . Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv this morning for meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials on an unannounced visit intended to reassure Ukraine that despite dysfunction in Congress, America will not abandon its commitment to aid Ukraine as long as it takes to defend its sovereignty against Russian aggression. “I’m here today to deliver an important message,” Austin posted on X,
formerly Twitter. “The United States will continue to stand with Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Russia’s aggression, both now and into the future.” Washington Examiner Blah, blah, blah -- devise a real counter-strategy to China, before it's too late. If you don't want to lose Taiwan the way you lost Ukraine, that is. Finland accuses Russia of flooding borders with Middle Eastern migrants in retaliation for cooperation with US . . . Finland has accused Russia of flooding its borders with migrants from the Middle East and Africa over its decision to increase defense cooperation with the United States, a
claim which Moscow denies. As many as 300 migrants from Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and Syria have arrived in Finland this week, Reuters reported, citing the Finnish Border Guard. The arrivals have prompted Finland to erect barricades at the border with Russia to stop the migrants from crossing freely into the country. Fox News Doesn't everyone want their country to be flooded with Middle Eastern migrants? 🤔 No? Wouldn't it be racist not to let them in? 😉 Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack an Israeli-linked ship in the Red Sea and take 25 crew members hostage . . . Yemen's Houthi rebels seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in a
crucial Red Sea shipping route Sunday and took its 25 crew members hostage, officials said, raising fears that regional tensions heightened over the Israel-Hamas war were playing out on a new maritime front. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they hijacked the ship over its connection to Israel and would continue to target ships in international waters that were linked to or owned by Israelis until the end of Israel's campaign against Gaza's Hamas rulers. Washington Examiner
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Money ‘Slow-Moving Train Wreck’: There’s A Powder Keg Inside The American Economy — And It Might Blow Up . . . The commercial real estate sector is facing the possibility of a substantial number of bankruptcies that could ultimately hamper economic recovery and
threaten the wounded banking industry. Overall 30 day+ delinquencies on commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), meaning the number of borrowers for commercial properties that failed to make a required payment in at least the last 30 days, increased from 2.96% from one year ago to 4.63% as of October. Daily Caller Talking turkey: Why the cost of the holiday dinner has risen so much in recent years . . . The soaring food prices over the
past few years will take a toll on families nationwide this week as they prepare their Thanksgiving spreads. Food prices have been driven up in part because of supply-side factors, such as the higher cost of the fuels needed to transport grain and livestock, as well as the broader inflationary environment. Inflation has soared in recent years, and the overall consumer price index is up more than 18% from the start of 2020. Washington Examiner Black Friday shopping shocker: 35% of items will offer no savings vs. pre-Black Friday prices . . .
Black Friday shopping shocker: 35% of items will offer no savings vs. pre-Black Friday prices WalletHub report shared intriguing shopping realities for this 2023 holiday season. Black Friday is coming up quickly — and many companies already have released their deals and steals well ahead of the big shopping day right after Thanksgiving. The study also found that 35% of items will offer no savings compared to their pre-Black Friday prices. Fox Business
US confident Arab states will not weaponise oil, says Biden adviser . . . The White House’s chief energy adviser has said he is confident that Arab oil producers will not weaponise energy, despite mounting anger across the Middle East over Israel’s siege and bombardment of Gaza. Amos Hochstein told the Financial Times that the level of collaboration between the US and Gulf producers, including Saudi Arabia, had been “very strong” over the past two
years. Financial Times Arab states will do what's good for them, not what's good for Washington and wishful thinkers on Team Biden. STEPHEN MOORE: Will New York Politicians Tax Wall Street Out Of Existence? . . . Wall Street icons including Carl Icahn and Paul Singer — both of whom have moved their financial operations
from Wall Street to South Florida. These may seem to be just a few high-profile cases of billionaires saying adios to Wall Street. But they aren’t isolated examples.The exodus of people and money out of New York has gone from a trickle to a stampede in recent years. Since 2012 more than two million more New Yorkers have left the state than residents who entered. Coincidentally — the number of people that have come to call Florida home has increased by almost exactly that amount. One of
those people was one of the world’s richest men, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, left Seattle and his $150 billion fortune and relocated from Seattle for Miami. New York wasn’t on his short list. Daily Caller Microsoft Hires Sam Altman Hours After OpenAI Rejects His Return . . . The board of directors of OpenAI, the high-flying artificial intelligence start-up, said in a note to employees on Sunday night that its former chief,
Sam Altman, would not be returning to his job, while naming his second interim replacement in two days. Hours later, in another head-spinning move, Microsoft said it was hiring Mr. Altman and Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and a company co-founder who quit in solidarity with Mr. Altman. The two men will lead an advanced research lab at Microsoft. New York Times
Culture and Censorship The Regime strikes back against Elon . . . The liberal establishment are not fans of Elon Musk. This much, anyone with a brain knows. Ever since Musk bought Twitter, and destroyed their central method for imposing struggle
sessions/professional ruin on dissenting Americans, they have been desperate for something, anything, that will let them take him down. They think they’ve found it now. This past Wednesday, the following tweet appeared. JACK POSOBIEC | Human Events Mavericks' Kyrie Irving wears keffiyeh to postgame press conference . . .Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving sparked discussion on social media Saturday when he showed up to the team’s postgame press conference wearing a
keffiyeh. Irving spent four minutes talking to reporters after the team’s 132-125 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He had 39 points, four rebounds and six assists in the game. Fox News
Women
in America Are in Danger—And Many Don't Even Know It . . . As studies consistently show, females are far more likely to be injured or die in a crash than men. We're 9 percent to 28 percent more likely than men to die in comparable vehicle crashes, and 73 percent more likely to be seriously injured. There is an obvious reason: an enormous equality gap in vehicle crash safety tests. Right now, the government regulator of auto safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), doesn't require equal tests or use dummies that reflect the bodies of women—or anyone who isn't a 5'9" man who weighs 171 pounds. Newsweek Think Twice Before You Fly . . . The Competency Crisis In Aviation Gets Worse. A recurring theme we've covered here has been the impact of affirmative action in aviation, most recently earlier this month ("How COVID And Affirmative Action Gutted Aviation Safety"). Zerohedge Musk threatens
‘thermonuclear lawsuit’ against media watchdog, calls advertisers ‘oppressors’ . . . Elon Musk lashed out at large advertisers and Media Matters, a media watchdog group, on Friday after several major brands decided to pause spending on X, the social media platform he owns and runs as CTO. Musk wrote late Friday night, “The split second court opens on Monday, X Corp will be filing a thermonuclear lawsuit against Media Matters and ALL those who colluded in this fraudulent attack on our
company.” He added, “Their board, their donors, their network of dark money, all of them...” and “the discovery and depositions will be glorious to behold,” in subsequent tweets. CNBC Former first lady Rosalynn Carter dead at 96, days after entering hospice with husband Jimmy . . . Former first lady Rosalynn Carter – the Georgia-born humanitarian, champion of mental health and wife of 39th President Jimmy Carter – died on
Sunday at the age of 96. A statement from the Carter Center said that Rosalynn died peacefully at home, with her family by her side. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said. New York Post
Macron’s wife admits her mind was 'a mess’ when she dated her high school aged ex-pupil . . . French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte Macron revealed her relationship anxieties from the early days of dating the future French leader – including concerns he would "fall in love with someone his age" after moving schools. "My head was in a mess," Brigitte Macron said during a rare interview, given to the outlet Paris Match, and reported in the Daily Telegraph. "For me, such a
young boy was crippling." The couple’s age difference – she, 70, and he, 45 – has remained a hot topic for the couple: Macron addressed the difference during an interview in 2017 with Elle France, telling the outlet "there are times in your life where you need to make vital choices." Fox News Hmm. 🤔 Comedy skit on Israel and Palestinian conflict by Sasha Baron Cohen
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