THE SHOW NOTES: Home Prices Dip, Russia's Collapse, & What Lab Leak?
Welcome! I’m off radio today but still wanted you to get the top headlines.
MUST READ: Biden reelection bid faces resistance from some Democrats - AP
HOUSING: US home prices posted their first dip in over a decade.
NEW: Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort settles case with Justice Department for $3.15M - NBC
BIDEN: Lesion removed from Biden’s chest was cancerous, doctor says - Axios
UKRAINE: Russian troops 'forced to fight with shovels' as ammo shortage undermines Bakhmut advance - NBC
Clip of the day:
Lab Leak?
Well-placed CNN insiders tell Fox News that former CEO Jeff Zucker would not let hosts chase down the COVID lab leak theory because he viewed it as a “Trump talking point.” The leak comes the week after the FBI and National Intelligence Council pin the pandemic on a Wuhan lab leak.
Parallel story: House Republicans discovered new emails showing Dr. Fauci concealed the fact he prompted then approved a paper written to disprove the lab leak theory in February of 2020. Fauci then appeared next to President Trump eight weeks later citing the paper as a reason the lab leak theory was implausible. “I don’t have the authors right now, but we can make it available to you.”
Russia’s Population Problem
How dire are things in Russia? Check out this quote from The Economist:
The life expectancy of Russian males aged 15 fell by almost five years, to the same level as in Haiti. The number of Russians born in April 2022 was no higher than it had been in the months of Hitler’s occupation. And because so many men of fighting age are dead or in exile, women outnumber men by at least 10m.
Asian Americans Ditch Democrats
The New York Times has an eye-opening piece analyzing the number of Asian Americans leaving the Democratic Party. In national elections since 2015, Asian American support for Democrats has dipped 15 points. The reason: increasingly progressive Democrats are leaving working-class minority voters behind. Here’s the paragraph that matters:
To a growing number of working-class voters, however, the newly upscale version of the party has become less appealing. The trend has long been evident among white working-class voters, and many liberal analysts have claimed that it mostly reflects racial bigotry. But recent developments have weakened that argument. Class appears to be an important factor as well. Since 2018, more Asian and Latino voters have supported Republicans, and these voters appear to be disproportionately working-class.
The rest of the news:
Offices sit empty as vacancy rates hit all-time high in Q4 - Yahoo
DHS has a program gathering domestic intelligence — and virtually no one knows about it - Politico
Ron DeSantis, Florida GOP, Breathing New Life Into Tort Reform - WSJ (paywall)
Russell Brand’s searing rant about ‘propagandist’ MSNBC goes viral - NY Post
Pentagon Sees Giant Cargo Cranes as Possible Chinese Spying Tools - WSJ (paywall)
4 Americans who traveled into Matamoros, Mexico, missing in possible kidnapping: FBI - Fox News
DeSantis’ sway over Florida Legislature unprecedented ahead of 2024 bid - MSN
Second Ohio Derailment Raises Ire in Congress on Rail Safety - Yahoo
Chris Rock Unloaded On Will Smith For Slapping Him At The Oscars During His Live Netflix Stand Up Special - Barstool
Clip of the day:
Market snapshot:
So we are going to crucify Fox for pushing Trump talking points about the stolen election, rightfully so.... but... then CNN CEO Jeff Zucker would not let hosts chase down the COVID lab leak theory because he viewed it as a “Trump talking point.... and that's ok.
On both sides the "news" was decided by narrative their audience wanted to hear.
But no consequences for CNN and the left et al.
Erick, I really appreciate your radio show. I see you as a "Watchman on the Wall" and like to hear your biblical world view guide comments on the news of the day. I also like your push to present facts and let your audience decide. That said, I have to admit that I an very sorry to hear that you do not plan to invite Trump to "The Gathering" political conference. Why not let all views be heard? I voted for Trump but am certainly interested in hearing from DeSantis (my current frontrunner), and others. Why not even invite Trump? He may decide not to attend but I believe he should be invited to allow for the potential of a full hearing of GOP primary candidates.