Glenn: “The Constitution went on hiatus last night”

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; among them, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

That all men are created equal. All men. It doesn't matter where you're from. It doesn't matter if you're from Mexico or from the United States. All men are created equal.

Last night, the Constitution of the United States of America went on hiatus. I don't know if it ever comes back. But last night it was declared that we no longer have to live under the shadow of the Constitution.

OBAMA: If you've been in America for more than five years, if you have children who are American citizens or legal residents, if you register, pass a criminal background check, and you're willing to pay your fair share of taxes, you'll be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily without fear of deportation and come out of the shadows.

Well, we haven't had anybody in the fear of deportation for quite some time.

The problem with our nation right now is we don't even know who we are anymore. We're so busy lecturing other countries on exactly how to live their lives, and then listening to the lectures that are hypocritical from them as well. Mexico, telling us exactly what we should do on our border, yet that's exact opposite of what they do on their border.

Meanwhile, we're telling everybody how the banking system needs to work all around the world. We're telling them how to be free while we're cozying up to people like Saudi Arabia or China. We don't stand for anything. So we don't even know who we are anymore. We don't know where we got our laws.

Our laws come from some place. They come from God. We hold these truths to be self-evident. We don't even have to talk about them. We don't have to convince anybody. They're self-evident truths. That all men are created equal. Freedom is not just for Americans. It's for all men created equal and endowed by that creator with certain rights. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

They have a right to pursue happiness.

Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

That isn't a, oh, let me just cuddle everybody. That is a challenge to the rest of the world. What we have over here is so special, and we know it will set the whole world on fire in a good way. We know it will free millions and you can't get past your lumbering structures. You can't get past your lords and your ladies. You can't get past all the things that make you crippled nation and world. Those things. Corruption, kings, lawlessness. You tell others, you can't make it. You can't make it because you haven't passed this test. You haven't gone through this gate.

I met somebody yesterday. Wildly successful. He came in from Silicon Valley. He was standing in the audience. We did an audience show. He was sitting in the audience two days ago. I met him afterwards.

He said, I want to meet you. I wanted to see your operation. I'm so-and-so, and I work in this particular company out in Silicon Valley. His business partner was one of the founders of Facebook.

And so they're just sitting there. We're chatting.

And I said, so tell me about yourself because you look to be about 12.

And he said, yeah, I went to Stanford for a year and a half. And then I realized, this is a waste.

Yes, good. You don't need anyone to tell you -- I don't need that gate of yours anymore. I don't need that gate. I don't need that little piece of paper that hangs up on my wall. I'll be hired for my merit. I'll be hired because I've gone out and done something, not because I've gone and gotten a piece of paper from somebody for a bunch of memorization that means nothing. I'll do it myself.

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free. Somebody who says, I can do it. I just want a chance. Martin Luther King, that's what he was saying: Just give me a chance. Don't judge me on anything, except who I am as an individual. Just me on my character.

That's the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. Judge me on my character.

That is the meaning of the purple heart. Merit, merit, merit. What can you do?

Everybody is given life, and everybody is given a chance to do something. What is it you're going to do?

Well, I can't make it because I've had this problem or this problem. Everyone has problems.

Some, more than others. Some people are born into a lap of luxury. Some people are not. But those born in the lap of luxury. Nine out of ten times lose it all, including their soul because they've never had to work for anything. They've never had to do anything. They never have to struggle. Your struggles are a blessing.

All men are created equal. And our Statue of Liberty stands there with a worldwide beacon with a light in her hand. Come to our sunset washed gates. Come here to our gates. Come in. No matter what anyone tells you elsewhere. If you work hard, if you're smart, if you have a better idea, if you want to play by the rules, come here. And show the rest of the world what liberty does.

And if we really had a better understanding of what we're supposed to do, what we're supposed to be guarding, we would then encourage them, go back and now change your country. Go back now and take this information and spread it all throughout the globe.

Instead, what we do is we take our soldiers and we march them around the world and we say, we're right, and you'll do it this way. And we've grown arrogant and we have lost touch on even who we are. What is the law supposed to do? The law is supposed to praise those who do right. Praise and uphold and clear the path for those who are doing the right thing. And prosecute those who are doing wrong.

When that happens, everyone knows what the rules are. And you can make progress. Praise those who are doing right. Good job. How can I help you? How can I help you do more? How can I help you teach other people? What can I do to take some of these paths and straighten them out for you? Good job. You're making things better here for all people. Good job. You're playing by the rules.

And prosecuting those who don't. Can you imagine what your family would be like if your children, the good child in the family, the one that never has problems, always doing A's and everything else, can you imagine what your family would be like if you always prosecuted -- you said that one, you know what, you got an A, good, you're grounded. You're ground. Oh, you did an A, good. Well, you just don't have to study so much, do you, go out and mow the lawn. And the one sloughing off and doing nothing, always constantly in trouble, if you were coddled that person, what would your family be like? Is there a soul within the sound of my voice that thinks that's a good idea. No, of course, not because common sense says, eternal principles tell us that you praise those and help those who do right, and you prosecute those who do wrong.

The reason our country is in the trouble that we're in is because we are praising those who do wrong and prosecuting those who do right. You are punished for living a righteous life. You are -- if you believe in the Constitution, if you believe in God, you're an outcast in our society. We're not praising you. We're mocking you. We make you feel like an outcast. If you however believe in revolution, if you however believe in a you should march in the streets of Ferguson, well, he get a meeting with the president of the United States.

The rule of law is essential. If I take away and I do anything to hurt the rule of law, that I upset the balance of, praise those who do good, prosecute when who do wrong, if I upset the balance of that or indeed, as we have done, reversed that, what happens to your laws? What happens to the self-governance where people start to feel like suckers? And they're like, you know what, I won't play by these rules because everyone else gets ahead so I'm a sucker for doing and playing by the law. By doing right, I lose. We have taken the fundamental building block of America's belief that the good guys indeed in the end win. That's what makes us different. We like the underdog because we know the good guy, the guy who has just been in there plugging and he has everything against him, but he will live a right and righteous life, we know that guy wins in the end. Do we? Do we?

If you reverse the scale and say, prosecute those who do right and praise those who do wrong, the good guy doesn't win in the end. And so what happens to the rule of law? It completely degrades to the point of chaos. And once there is chaos, anyone, anyone that promises you, I will solve your problem, is embraced.

America, this has nothing to do with illegal immigration. This has nothing to do with this president. This has everything to do with, what kind of world do you want to live in? Do you want one that makes sense, is predictable, that praises those people who do right and punishes those people who do wrong. This has nothing to do with 5 million people. This has to do with the billions that live on earth. Because once we officially extinguish the rule of law, something that we can all believe in, something that we can all understand, not the 80,000 pages that are added every single year, the simple documents that say all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Once we take that simple idea and wash it out, how many billions of people will suffer?

The rule of law is essential. Because when there is chaos, the people will cry out for a strong man. With that being said, the rule of love is essential as well.

We must love others. And our love cannot stop at this border. We must be charitable. We must be kind. We must be loving. We must be patient. We must be tolerant, but not tolerant of those who break the law, but we must love them.

We have to be completely filled with love and completely filled with law. Now, only God can really do this right. 100 percent love, 100 percent law. That's justice.

How you do that in an earthly stance, I don't know. We can only do our best. And what our best requires is for us to be charitable, for us to go down and love the people who are coming across our border. It doesn't mean that we accept them here as citizens. We love them. We love them. We care for them. We listen to their plight. We hold them. We feed them. We send them home. But we love them.

Those who are in danger, we protect. But you cannot love somebody without law. You can't. Tell me how it would work out. If you weren't filled as a spouse with 100 percent love and 100 percent law in your own home, tell me how that would work out.

Honey, I love you. Okay, that marriage contract. I wasn't paying attention to that with Susan. But Susan -- you don't understand how hurt Susan is. You don't understand what was happening in Susan's life. Honey, I was just giving her a little love.

No. There's a marriage contract. There is the rule of law in our marriage, and I have to be filled 100 percent with the rule of law in my marriage and 100 percent with love, no matter what's happening. No matter what's happening in my wife's life or my life, it doesn't matter. The law stands.

At the same time it doesn't happen what's happening in my life, I must love my wife 100 percent of my being. And if those two things -- if they fall, there is no justice in your marriage. There is no justice in your family. And if those two things -- if we're not filled 100 percent with love and 100 percent with law, then there is no justice, and there is no United States of America. There is no promise -- we have extinguished -- imprisoned lightning. That torch that the Lady Liberty holds, we have extinguished it. In a nutshell, that is what happened last night.

What is the Secret Service trying to hide about Trump's assassination attempt?

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This past weekend we were mere inches away from a radically different America than the one we have today. This was the first time a president had been wounded by a would-be assassin since 1981, and the horrific event has many people questioning the competency and motives of the supposedly elite agents trusted with the president's life.

The director of the Secret Service apparently knew about the assassin's rooftop before the shooting—and did nothing.

Kimberly Cheatle has come under intense scrutiny these last couple of weeks, as Secret Service director she is responsible for the president's well-being, along with all security operations onsite. In a recent interview with ABC, Cheatle admitted that she was aware of the building where the assassin made his mark on American history. She even said that she was mindful of the potential risk but decided against securing the site due to "safety concerns" with the slope of the roof. This statement has called her competence into question. Clearly, the rooftop wasn't that unsafe if the 20-year-old shooter managed to access it.

Glenn pointed out recently that Cheatle seems to be unqualified for the job. Her previous position was senior director in global security at America's second-favorite soda tycoon, PepsiCo. While guarding soda pop and potato chips sounds like an important job to some, it doesn't seem like a position that would qualify you to protect the life of America's most important and controversial people. Even considering her lack of appropriate experience, this seems like a major oversight that even a layperson would have seen. Can we really chalk this up to incompetence?

Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

The Secret Service and DHS said they'd be transparent with the investigation...

Shortly after the attempted assassination, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Secret Service, launched an investigation into the shooting and the security protocols in place at the rally. The DHS promised full transparency during the investigation, but House Republicans don't feel that they've been living up to that promise. Republican members of the House Oversight Committee are frustrated with Director Cheatle after she seemingly dodged a meeting scheduled for Tuesday. This has resulted in calls for Cheatle to step down from her position.

Two FBI agents investigate the assassin's rooftop Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Why is the Secret Service being so elusive? Are they just trying to cover their blunder? We seem to be left with two unsettling options: either the government is even more incompetent than we'd ever believed, or there is more going on here than they want us to know.

Cheatle steps down

Following a horrendous testimony to the House Oversight Committee Director Cheatle finally stepped down from her position ten days after the assassination attempt. Cheatle failed to give any meaningful answer to the barrage of questions she faced from the committee. These questions, coming from both Republicans and Democrats, were often regarding basic information that Cheatle should have had hours after the shooting, yet Cheatle struggled with each and every one. Glenn pointed out that Director Cheatle's resignation should not signal the end of the investigation, the American people deserve to know what happened.

What we DO and DON'T know about Thomas Matthew Crooks

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It has been over a week since 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks narrowly failed to assassinate President Trump while the president gave a speech at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennslyvania. Despite the ongoing investigations, we still know very little about the would-be assassin, which has left many wondering if the agencies involved are limiting the information that Congress and the public are receiving.

As Glenn has pointed out, there are still major questions about the shooter that are unanswered, and the American people are left at the whim of unreliable federal agencies. Here is everything we know—and everything we don't know—about Thomas Matthew Crooks:

Who was he?

What we know:Thomas Crooks lived in Bethel Parks, Pennsylvania, approximately an hour south of Butler. Crooks went to high school in Bethel Parks, where he would graduate in 2022. Teachers and classmates described him as a loner and as nerdy, but generally nice, friendly, and intelligent. Crooks tried out for the school rifle team but was rejected due to his poor aim, and reports indicate that Crooks was often bullied for his nerdy demeanor and for wearing camo hunting gear to school.

After high school, Crooks began work at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as a dietary aide. In fact, he was scheduled to work on the day of the rally but requested the day off. He passed a background check to work at the facility and was reportedly an unproblematic employee. Crooks was also a member of a local gun club where he practiced shooting the day before the rally.

It was recently revealed that sometime before his attempted assassination, Crooks posted the following message on Steam, a popular computer application used for playing video games: "July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds." Aside from this, Crooks posted no warning or manifesto regarding his attack, and little other relevant information is known about him.

What we don't know:It is unclear what Crook's political affiliations or views were, or if he was aligned with any extremist organizations. Crooks was a registered Republican, and his classmates recall him defending conservative ideas and viewpoints in class. On the other hand, the Federal Election Commission has revealed he donated to a progressive PAC on the day Biden was inaugurated. He also reportedly wore a COVID mask to school much longer than was required.

Clearly, we are missing the full picture. Why would a Republican attempt to assassinate the Republican presidential nominee? What is to gain? And why would he donate to a progressive organization as a conservative? This doesn't add up, and so far the federal agencies investigating the attack have yet to reveal anything more.

What were his goals?

What we know: Obviously we know he was trying to assassinate President Trump—and came very close to succeeding, but beyond that, Crooks' goals are unknown. He left no manifesto or any sort of written motive behind, or if he did, the authorities haven't published it yet. We have frustratingly little to go off of.

What we don't know: As stated before, we don't know anything about the movies behind Crooks' heinous actions. We are left with disjointed pieces that make it difficult to paint a cohesive picture of this man. There is also the matter that he left explosives, ammo, and a bulletproof vest in his car. Why? Did he assume he was going to make it back to his car? Or were those supplies meant for an accomplice that never showed up?

The shocking lack of information on Crooks' motives makes it seem likely that we are not being let on to the whole truth.

Did he work alone?

What we know: Reportedly, Crooks was the only gunman on the site, and as of now, no other suspects have been identified. The rifle used during the assassination attempt was purchased and registered by Crooks' father. However, it is unlikely that the father was involved as he reported both his son and rifle missing the night of the assassination attempt. Crooks' former classmates described him as a "loner," which seems to corroborate the narrative that he worked alone.

What we don't know: We know how Crooks acquired his rifle, but what about the rest of his equipment? He reportedly had nearly a hundred extra rounds of ammunition, a bulletproof vest, and several homemade bombs in his car. Could these have been meant for a co-conspirator who didn't show? Did Crooks acquire all of this equipment himself, or did he have help?

There's also the matter of the message Crooks left on the video game platform Steam that served as his only warning of the attack. Who was the message for? Are there people out there who were aware of the attack before it occurred? Why didn't they alert authorities?

We know authorities have access to Crooks' laptop and cellphone that probably contain the answers to these pertinent questions. Why haven't we heard any clarity from the authorities? It seems we are again at the mercy of the federal bureaucracy, which begs one more question: Will we ever know the whole truth?

Who will be Kamala Harris' VP pick?

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Over the weekend, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and put forward his endorsement behind his Vice President Kamala Harris.

Glenn recently predicted that Biden would step down due to the mountain of pressure within his party to do so. But now that we are here we are faced with an all-new line of questions, like, who will be the candidate on the Democratic ticket? Who will be their pick for vice president?

As of now, the answer to the first question seems to be Kamala Harris, who received the support of the president and several prominent democrats. It's still too early to call for certain, and Glenn doesn't think it's likely, but assuming Kamala becomes the Democrat nominee, who will her VP pick be? There are endless possible options, but there are a 5 big names that could prove beneficial to Harris' campaign:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

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Governor Newsom has spiked in popularity within his party since his taking office in 2019 due to his scathing criticisms of President Trump and other Republicans. Newsom has been a popular contender as a possible Biden replacement, and a future presidential bid seems likely.

His widespread recognition may be a boon to Kamala's ticket, but the California governor comes with a dark side. Newsom was famously nearly recalled as Governor in 2021, hanging on to his office by a narrow margin. He also faced criticism for his hypocrisy during the COVID lockdowns, attending large gatherings while the rest of his state was locked inside. There's also the issue that both Newsom and Kamala are from California, meaning that if they were to appear on the same ticket, that ticket would lack geographical balance and would potentially lead to a Constitutional issue that would force the duo to forfeit all 54 of the states' Electoral College votes.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

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Another prominent Democrat Governor, Josh Shapiro has also been floated as a potential VP pick. Governor Shapiro has become a viable pick due to his well-received performance as Pennslyvania's Governor. The governor has good support within the swing state due to his handling of the I-95 bridge collapse, the train derailment in East Palestine, which had effects on his state, and the assassination attempt on the former president last week. Shapiro would bring much-needed support from the swing state if he was put on the ticket.

That being said, Shapiro has little time to build nationwide name recognition before the DNC in August and the November election. This would be Shapiro's debut on the national stage, and he would find himself in the most unforgiving situation possible.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

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Former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and opponent of Biden during the 2020 Democratic primaries, "Mayor Pete's" name recognition might be what Kamala needs on her presidential ticket. Buttigieg rose to popularity during the 2020 election due to his youth and status as "openly gay." Buttigieg has served as the Secretary of Transportation during the Biden administration for the past four years and has formally endorsed Harris.

Nevertheless, Buttigieg has some dark spots on his resume. The East Palestine train derailment disaster has besmirched his reputation as Secretary of Transportation. And while his youth may work in his favor when compared to the other elderly members of our federal government, it also means Buttigieg lacks the experience and prestige that other politicians enjoy.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

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Yet another governor of a crucial swing state, Whitmer was elected in 2018, two years after President Trump was elected, helping secure the state for the Democrats. Whitmer is known for her strong opposition to Trump, both during his presidency and his reelection campaign. Whitmer serves as co-chair for the Biden-Harris campaign and as vice chairperson of the DNC, which gives her influence over the Democratic party, something that would come in handy as a Vice President. Gov. Whitmer also established the Fight Like Hell PAC, which is dedicated to helping Democrats get elected and to stopping Trump by any means.

On the other hand, in a statement following Biden's resignation from the election, Governor Whitmer stated that her role “will remain the same.” It is also worth noting that if she were to be chosen as Kamala's VP, that would make their ticket all-female, which may foster some "woke points," but is politically risky.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

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Andy Bashear has seemingly beaten the odds twice, having been elected and reelected as the Governor of Kentucky, despite the deep-red nature of the state. Beshear, who has moderate tendencies, would be a boon to the Harris campaign as he has a track record of reaching rural, typically conservative regions where Democrats tend to struggle. He is also known for his propensity to talk about his Christian faith and willingness to work with Republicans, which are traits that might help win over moderates.

But, like Gov. Shapiro, Bashear has very little time to whip up national support and recognition. He also is unlikely to be very much help for the Harris campaign in winning over important swing states.

Five times Glenn had J.D. Vance on his show and where he stands on key issues

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We finally have an answer to the long-awaited question of who Trump will pick for his running mate, and it's none other than Ohio Senator and friend of the show, J.D. Vance. At the RNC in Milwaukee, Trump officially accepted the party's nomination as the Republican candidate and announced J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Glenn has had Senator Vance on the show several times to discuss everything from DEI to the Southern Border. If you are looking to familiarize yourself with the next potential Vice President, look no further, here are five conversations Glenn had with Trump's VP pick:

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