Morning Brief 2022-06-10

June 10, 2022

Bottom of Hour 1
GUEST: Salena Zito
TOPIC: The first January 6th hearing & Salena's piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Rhetoric versus realism at the pump, and in the formula aisle.

Top of Hour 2
GUEST: Bill O'Reilly
TOPIC: Bill's top stories of the week

Top of Hour 3
GUEST: Michael Malice
TOPIC: Michael has purchased his first firearm!

Bottom of Hour 3
GUEST: Ryan Kelley
TOPIC: Kelley, a Republican seeking the Governorship in Michigan against Gretchen Whitmer, was arrested on a January 6th Capitol riot charge.

CB, RR, JB, SK, BM, NN

Domestic News...

Revealed: Ministry of Truth was formed to fight 'conspiracy theories' regarding COVID-19, 2020 election, domestic extremism
"The people that the Biden administration thinks are the real threat to America, it's not the drug cartels, it's not foreign threats. It's you, it's the American people," said Hawley.

Aware of Injuries Inside, Uvalde Police Waited to Confront Gunman
More than a dozen students remained alive for over an hour before officers entered their classrooms. The commander feared a risk to officers’ lives, new documents show.

Man attempting to 'forcibly enter' elementary school, patrol car fatally shot by police
A school resource officer went outside to check on the situation. The officer found the person and started engaging in a conversation with him, which led to a physical altercation were the suspect was attempting to take the officer's gun.

Michigan County Limits In-Person Responses To 911 Calls After Blowing Through Gas Budget
“We have exhausted what funds were budgeted for fuel with several months to go before the budget reset,” the sheriff’s office explained.

Sriracha Sauce Is Off The Menu Amid Chili Pepper Shortage
First, it was toilet paper. Then, it was baby formula. Now, it’s sriracha sauce.

Court rules Geico to pay $5.2 million to woman who caught STD in car
The woman contracted HPV from a man insured by Geico. She alleged he knew he had the virus but had unprotected sex with her in his car anyway. As a result, the woman notified Geico she would be seeking damages from the company.

"Baby Holly" found 41 years after parents murdered in Texas
An Oklahoma woman has been identified as “Baby Holly” — the infant who made headlines four decades ago when she vanished without a trace during her parents horrific 1981 murder in Texas.

Tech founder spends $93M to buy out three Miami homes from longtime owners
Phillip Ragon plans on demolishing the fairly modest beach houses, and replacing them with a large family home.

Life on tech billionaire’s Hawaiian island is so expensive only the super-rich could afford it
Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison's purchase of a Hawaiian island 10 years ago has made life there so expensive that residents who have been there for generations have been forced to leave.

2 workers fall into chocolate tank at Mars facility
The chocolate-coated victims weren’t hurt, but couldn’t get out of the tank on their own.

Politics...

Biden approval sinks to 22% among young adults, 24% among Hispanics: poll
Approval of President Biden’s job performance slipped to just 33% in a poll released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University — as even key Democratic voting blocs such as young people and racial minorities give the president a big thumbs-down.

DA refuses to release video from Paul Pelosi’s DUI arrest
"...the Napa County District Attorney’s Office has advised the release of records would jeopardize an ongoing investigation."

Democrat: "I believe I’m the only member of this House that is a victim of gun violence"
Who would expect her to remember Steve Scalise being shot up by a Bernie Bro when the news coverage of it only lasted for about 8 hours.

The Day Democracy Almost Died...

NYT Analysis: Trump Depicted as Would-Be Autocrat Seeking Power at All Costs
The House panel outlined a conspiracy to overturn a free and fair democratic election executed by Trump.

Trump accuses Jan. 6 committee of burying 'positive witnesses and statements'
"So the Unselect Committee of political HACKS refuses to play any of the many positive witnesses and statements, refuses to talk of the Election Fraud and Irregularities that took place on a massive scale, and decided to use a documentary maker from Fake News ABC to spin only negative footage."

It Took Only Minutes For Dem To Invoke KKK, Slavery During Jan 6 Hearing
“I am from a part of the country where people justified the actions of slavery, the Ku Klux Klan and lynching,” Thompson said. “I’m reminded of that dark history as I hear voices today try and justify the actions of the insurrectionists on January 6th, 2021.”

J6 Show Trial Committee Chair Called Clarence Thomas An ‘Uncle Tom,’ Mitch McConnell Remark ‘Racist’
The chairman of the January 6 committee previously called Clarence Thomas an “Uncle Tom,” claimed the justice disliked black people, and accused Mitch McConnell of making “racist” remarks.

Betsy DeVos says 25th Amendment discussed by Trump Cabinet after Capitol riot
DeVos said she explored the feasibility of using the 25th Amendment to oust Trump, but Pence quickly dashed any hopes of backing the initiative, so she tendered her resignation the following day out of dismay over the riot.

Democrats Don’t Just Fail To Apologize For Violence That Pushes Their Agenda, They Actively Incite It
If you disagree with Democrats, you’re an insurrectionist. But if you’re a Democrat actually inciting violence, you get away with it.

Ryan Kelley, a candidate for Michigan governor who was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, is arrested by the FBI
While it might sound like the FBI is just a political tool of the Democrat party, you must understand that Kelly was arrested on misdemeanor charges by the FBI, in part because he gestured “to the crowd” that it should continue moving.

Tucker Carlson unloads on Jan. 6 hearing
"This is the only hour on an American news channel that will not be carrying the propaganda lie. They are lying, and we are not going to help them do it. We hated seeing vandalism at the U.S. Capitol ... but we did not think it was an insurrection because it was not an insurrection."

Rikki: There will come a time when you don't recognize your own country...
ABC News uses 'he/him' on title banner under name of man during a news story.

Economy...

Average gas prices surpass $5 per gallon in US
It was only on March 5th that the average price surpassed $4/gallon for the first time since 2008.

CNBC CFO Survey: The recession will hit in the first half of 2023
Most of the CFOs agreed that recession would hit the first half of 2023. ALL of them agreed a recession was inevitable.

Consumers changing eating, shopping habits as inflation pushes up prices
“The stuff that we used to eat we’re not eating anymore. We’re eating more spaghetti and that type of stuff because it’s cheap — but it’s not healthy for you.” The family used to eat a lot of chicken, but it’s gotten so expensive that they're substituting less expensive, fattier hamburger.

Rents across U.S. rise above $2,000 a month for the first time ever
She keeps getting outbid when she makes offers to buy houses. And now with mortgage rates up sharply she says she's just been priced out completely. Meanwhile, continuing to rent is getting harder to afford, too. "My rent is increasing 22% this year," she says.

Sanders, Warren and other Dems unveil plan to expand Social Security by $2400/yr
Sanders' Social Security Expansion Act "would lift this cap and subject all income above $250,000 to the Social Security payroll tax," to pay for this new handout.

Famed economist Robert Shiller sees ‘good chance’ of recession
He placed the odds of a recession within the next couple of years at a “much higher than normal” 50%.

South of the Border...

Biden’s impotence on full display at Summit of the Americas
Biden has neither the vision nor the will to secure the cooperation needed from other nations to bring mass illegal migration under control. And the entire hemisphere will continue to suffer as a result.

WAR News...

Russia says it is planning to hijack a German space telescope
The Russian Space Agency has claimed it will confiscate a German telescope placed on a Russian-built spacecraft, after being banned from involvement in a cooperative X-ray telescope project with Germany in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine are battling over underwater mines as the global food crisis worsens
“The real issue going forward is that Russia seems intent on using this as an instrument of leverage.”

Putin, offering a glimpse into his sense of his own grandeur, likened himself to Peter the Great
Putin said that when Peter founded the city of St. Petersburg on the captured land, “none of the countries of Europe recognized it as Russian.” That remark seemed to be a reference to today, when no Western country has recognized Moscow’s claim to Crimea.

Polish president says talking to Putin is like negotiating with Hitler
“Did anyone speak like this with Adolf Hitler during World War II? Did anyone say that Adolf Hitler must save face? That we should proceed in such a way that it is not humiliating for Adolf Hitler? I have not heard such voices”

Finland Plans To Fortify Its Border With Russia
The amended legislation will permit fencing and new roads to facilitate border patrolling amid concerns Russia could flood Finland with asylum seekers as a means of applying political pressure.

Turkey threatens US allies and partners as Ukraine war gives Erdogan leverage
A cross-border assault could upend the U.S. approach to suppressing IS and perhaps even drive the most important American partner in the country into an alliance with Syrian.

MONDUCKVID-2219...

WHO expert group says lab leak theory needs more study
During initial investigations into how the global pandemic seeped into circulation, the WHO assessed it was “extremely unlikely” COVID-19 originated as the result of a lab leak. Now, the organization said the theory warrants further study.

Covid death rate for White Americans now exceeds Black/Latino/Asian Americans
The death rate for white Americans has recently exceeded the rates for Black, Latino and Asian Americans.

Diseases suppressed during Covid are coming back in new and peculiar ways
"We've never seen a flu season in the U.S. extend into June. Covid has clearly had a very big impact on that. Now that people have unmasked, places are opening up, we're seeing viruses behave in very odd ways that they weren't before," he said.

Airborne transmission of monkeypox 'has not been reported,' CDC says
It may spread through "saliva or respiratory secretions" during face-to-face contact, but these secretions "drop out of the air quickly," and studies have found that this method of transmission seems uncommon.

Deadly bird flu found in ducks on the Mall in Washington
People should avoid handling live or dead birds or coming into contact with their droppings as the virus can be easily moved around on shoes, the Park Service said.

Commie Update...

The US Military Is Almost Completely Dependent On China For Key Mineral Used In Ammunition
The U.S. military depends almost completely on China for a mineral essential to the production of ammunition and other defense products, Defense News reported Wednesday.

Panic buying in Shanghai as mass testing notices spark fears of new lockdown
On Thursday, Shanghai residents rushed to supermarkets to stock up on food and other daily necessities, forming long lines at checkouts and leaving shelves empty.

Entertainment...

Trump Broke Luke Skywalker. Cringe J6 Tweet Is The Latest Proof
Mark Hamill is wearing classic ANTIFA-chic of a black shirt, black beanie, black pants, and holding a bowl of pretty flavorless looking popcorn, while asking who else will be watching the J6 shot trial.

Britney Spears’ Ex Livestreams Attempt To Crash Wedding, Gets Tackled By Security, Police Called
Jason Alexander took to Instagram on Thursday to livestream his attempt to crash Britney Spears’ wedding.

Jurassic World: Dominion is ‘the worst’ in the franchise, critics say
The final film in the new trilogy is the worst reviewed of all six films in the franchise, currently holding a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Media...

WaPo Terminates Reporter Who Went On Weeklong Public Meltdown
Felicia Sonmez continuously targeted her colleagues in the newsroom and criticized the higher ups at her own newspaper beginning June 3 when political reporter Dave Weigel retweeted a joke she didn't like.

Middle East...

Biden overrules Trump policy on Palestinians
Biden’s move is viewed by some as rewarding the Palestinian leadership after a wave of terrorism during which two Palestinians wielding an ax and knife murdered three Israelis in the town of Elad in May.

Fatal blow to JCPOA if Iran doesn’t restore access within 3-4 weeks - IAEA
IAEA head Rafael Grossi said his agency would be unable to competently advise the US on Tehran's nuclear limits.

Environment...

Widespread power shortages are expected this summer, but Biden doesn't care
With all 50 states having now hit record gas prices this year, electricity is set to be the next casualty in a trail of Biden’s destructive policies. In 2021, Biden said that by 2020, “[We want to] make sure all of our electricity is zero-emissions.”

How a battery shortage is hampering the U.S. switch to wind, solar power
At least a dozen storage projects meant to support growing renewable energy supplies have been postponed, canceled or renegotiated as labor and transport bottlenecks, soaring minerals prices, and competition from the electric vehicle industry crimp supply.

LGBTQIA2S+...

Twitter locks out Libs of TikTok for exposing drag shows for kids
LoTT is posting public videos and event ads. She's not doxxing or personally harassing anyone. All she is doing is reposting videos of men in thongs gyrating before little kids, or teaching them how to do drag makeup, or having the kids themselves dance for crowds of sex-obsessed adults.

Education...

Disney exec who opposed Florida's parental rights bill OUSTED
A Disney chairman who voiced his opposition for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' anti-grooming bill has been ousted from the company.

Conservatives are all but shut out of university commencement ceremonies
Young America’s Foundation found that just three conservatives were invited to give commencement addresses at the top 100 schools as ranked by U.S. News and World Report: Glenn Youngkin, Tim Tebow and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece’s prime minister.

Technology...

Tech’s Decade of Stock-Market Dominance Ends, For Now
Big technology stocks are in the midst of their biggest rout in more than a decade. Some investors, haunted by the 2000 dot-com bust, are bracing for bigger losses ahead.

A.I. gurus are leaving Big Tech to work on buzzy new start-ups
Artificial intelligence gurus are quitting top jobs at companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI and DeepMind and joining a new breed of start-ups that want to take AI to the next level.

Elon Musk Raves About Diet Coke, Popcorn, And Movies
"I don’t even care if it lowers my life expectancy"

Science...

Israeli scientists solve mystery: How human brain processes, stores movement
Scientists have not known until now how this amazing organ in our heads remembers this wide range of motions and learns new ones or how it calculates how to move so we can take hold of a glass of water without dropping it or failing to grab it.

GM and Lockheed announce first products in commercial space market
Plan to produce an array of moon-roving vehicles for commercial space missions.

NASA Plans to Join U.F.O. Research Efforts
Dr. Zurbuchen said that examining U.F.O. reports could be “high-risk, high-impact kind of research,” possibly uncovering some entirely new scientific phenomenon — or possibly coming up with nothing new or interesting at all.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams says crystals give city ‘special energy’
Speaking to Politico in the spring, Adams said he discovered NYC’s iconic bedrock is comprised of unique gems and minerals and that “there’s a special energy that comes from here.”

Sports...

PGA Tour Suspends Players Who Jumped To Saudi-Backed LIV Tournament
A slew of members on the PGA Tour in recent weeks have announced they will bail from the top league in the world to join the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.

John Elway cost himself $900 million with one Broncos decision
Elway, the former Broncos quarterback-turned-executive, was offered the chance to purchase a stake in the team in 1998. It would have earned him around $900 million with the sale today — if he hadn’t turned it down.

NAACP Demands Redskins’ Jack Del Rio Be Fired For Comments Comparing J6 Riots and BLM Riots
Del Rio issued an apology, but NAACP President Derrick Johnson called for him to quit or be fired. “It’s time for Jack Del Rio to resign or be terminated,” Johnson said in a statement meant to raise funds for the far left group.

Animals...

Movie star chimp found alive after owner faked death to avoid PETA seizure
An elderly chimpanzee who appeared in the film “Buddy” with actor Alan Cumming was found alive last week after his former owner faked his death to avoid having him confiscated by PETA, according to Rolling Stone.

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2020: Nam diam saperet accumsan ea, id tacimates dignissim cum, id mea audiam ceteros.

Washington Post EXPOSED: How Watergate editors almost published a fake Pulitzer Prize-winning story

Episode 6 of Glenn’s new history podcast series The Beck Story releases this Saturday.

This latest installment explores the history of Left-wing bias in mainstream media. Like every episode of this series, episode 6 is jam-packed with historical detail, but you can’t squeeze in every story, so some inevitably get cut from the final version. Part of this episode involves the late Ben Bradlee, who was the legendary editor of the Washington Post. Bradlee is legendary mostly because of the Watergate investigation that was conducted on his watch by two young reporters named Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Bradlee, Woodward, and Bernstein became celebrities after the release of the book and movie based on their investigation called All the President’s Men.

But there is another true story about the Washington Post that you probably won’t see any time soon at a theater near you.

In 1980, Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee wanted to expand the Post’s readership in the black community. The paper made an effort to hire more minority journalists, like Janet Cooke, a black female reporter from Ohio. Cooke was an aggressive reporter and a good writer. She was a fast-rising star on a staff already full of stars. The Post had a very competitive environment and Cooke desperately wanted to win a Pulitzer Prize.

Readers were hooked. And outraged.

When Cooke was asked to work on a story about the D.C. area’s growing heroin problem, she saw her chance to win that Pulitzer. As she interviewed people in black neighborhoods that were hardest hit by the heroin epidemic, she was appalled to learn that even some children were heroin addicts. When she learned about an eight-year-old heroin addict named Jimmy, she knew she had her hook. His heartbreaking story would surely be her ticket to a Pulitzer.

Cooke wrote her feature story, titling it, “Jimmy’s World.” It blew away her editors at the Post, including Bob Woodward, who by then was Assistant Managing Editor. “Jimmy’s World” would be a front-page story:

'Jimmy is 8 years old and a third-generation heroin addict,' Cooke’s story began, 'a precocious little boy with sandy hair, velvety brown eyes and needle marks freckling the baby-smooth skin of his thin brown arms. He nestles in a large, beige reclining chair in the living room of his comfortably furnished home in Southeast Washington. There is an almost cherubic expression on his small, round face as he talks about life – clothes, money, the Baltimore Orioles and heroin. He has been an addict since the age of 5.'

Readers were hooked. And outraged. The mayor’s office instructed the police to immediately search for Jimmy and get him medical treatment. But no one was able to locate Jimmy. Cooke wasn’t surprised. She told her editors at the Post that she had only been able to interview Jimmy and his mother by promising them anonymity. She also revealed that the mother’s boyfriend had threatened Cooke’s life if the police discovered Jimmy’s whereabouts.

A few months later, Cooke’s hard work paid off and her dream came true – her story was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. Cooke had to submit some autobiographical information to the Prize committee, but there was a slight snag. The committee contacted the Post when they couldn’t verify that Cooke had graduated magna cum laude from Vassar College. Turns out she only attended Vassar her freshman year. She actually graduated from the University of Toledo with a B.A. degree, not with a master’s degree as she told the Pulitzer committee.

Cooke’s editors summoned her for an explanation. Unfortunately for Cooke and the Washington Post, her resume flubs were the least of her lies. After hours of grilling, Cooke finally confessed that “Jimmy’s World” was entirely made up. Jimmy did not exist.

The Pulitzer committee withdrew its prize and Cooke resigned in shame. The Washington Post, the paper that uncovered Watergate – the biggest political scandal in American history – failed to even vet Cooke’s resume. Then it published a front-page, Pulitzer Prize-winning feature story that was 100 percent made up.

Remarkably, neither Ben Bradlee nor Bob Woodward resigned over the incident. It was a different time, but also, the halo of All the President’s Men probably saved them.

Don’t miss the first five episodes of The Beck Story, which are available now. And look for Episode 6 this Saturday, wherever you get your podcasts.

UPDATED: 5 Democrats who have endorsed Kamala (and one who hasn't)

Zach Gibson / Stringer, Brandon Bell / Staff | Getty Images

With Biden removed from the 2024 election and only a month to find a replacement before the DNC, Democrats continue to fall in line and back Vice President Kamala Harris to headline the party's ticket. Her proximity and familiarity with the Biden campaign along with an endorsement from Biden sets Harris up to step into Biden's shoes and preserve the momentum from his campaign.

Glenn doesn't think Kamala Harris is likely to survive as the assumed Democratic nominee, and once the DNC starts, anything could happen. Plenty of powerful and important Democrats have rallied around Harris over the last few days, but there have been some crucial exemptions. Here are five democrats that have thrown their name behind Harris, and two SHOCKING names that didn't...

Sen. Dick Durbin: ENDORSED

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

High-ranking Senate Democrat Dick Durbin officially put in his support for Harris in a statement that came out the day after Biden stepped down: “I’m proud to endorse my former Senate colleague and good friend, Vice President Kamala Harris . . . our nation needs to continue moving forward with unity and not MAGA chaos. Vice President Harris was a critical partner in building the Biden record over the past four years . . . Count me in with Kamala Harris for President.”

Michigan Gov. Whitmer: ENDORSED

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

The Monday after Biden stepped down from the presidential VP hopeful, Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement on X: “Today, I am fired up to endorse Kamala Harris for president of the United States [...] In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a presidential candidate they can count on to focus on lowering their costs, restoring their freedoms, bringing jobs and supply chains back home from overseas, and building an economy that works for working people.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: ENDORSED

Drew Angerer / Staff | Getty Images

Mere hours after Joe Biden made his announcement, AOC hopped on X and made the following post showing her support: "Kamala Harris will be the next President of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November. Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Let’s get to work."

Rep. Nancy Pelosi: ENDORSED

Anna Moneymaker / Staff | Getty Images

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is arguably one of the most influential democrats, backed Harris's campaign with the following statement given the day after Biden's decision: “I have full confidence she will lead us to victory in November . . . My enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris for President is official, personal, and political.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: ENDORSED

Drew Angerer / Stringer | Getty Images

Massasschesets Senator Elizabeth Warren was quick to endorse Kamala, releasing the following statement shortly after Harris placed her presidential bid: "I endorse Kamala Harris for President. She is a proven fighter who has been a national leader in safeguarding consumers and protecting access to abortion. As a former prosecutor, she can press a forceful case against allowing Donald Trump to regain the White House. We have many talented people in our party, but Vice President Harris is the person who was chosen by the voters to succeed Joe Biden if needed. She can unite our party, take on Donald Trump, and win in November."

UPDATED: Former President Barack Obama: ENDORSED

Spencer Platt / Staff | Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama wasted no time releasing the following statement which glaringly omits any support for Harris or any other candidate. Instead, he suggests someone will be chosen at the DNC in August: "We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. I believe that Joe Biden's vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond."

UPDATED: On Friday, July 26th Barack and Michelle Obama officially threw their support behind Harris over a phone call with the current VP:

“We called to say, Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.”

The fact that it took nearly a week for the former president to endorse Kamala, along with his original statement, gives the endorsement a begrudging tone.

Prominent Democratic Donor John Morgan: DID NOT ENDORSE

AP Photo/John Raoux

Prominent and wealthy Florida lawyer and democrat donor John Morgan was clearly very pessimistic about Kamala's odds aginst Trump when he gave the following statement: “You have to be enthusiastic or hoping for a political appointment to be asking friends for money. I am neither. It’s others turn now . . . The donors holding the 90 million can release those funds in the morning. It’s all yours. You can keep my million. And good luck . . . [Harris] would not be my first choice, but it’s a done deal.”

How did Trump's would-be assassin get past Secret Service?

PATRICK T. FALLON / Contributor | Getty Images

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday was targeted in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. It occurred just after 6:10 p.m. while Trump was delivering his speech.

Here are the details of the “official” story. The shooter was Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was 20 years old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He used an AR-15 rifle and managed to reach the rooftop of a nearby building unnoticed. The Secret Service's counter-response team responded swiftly, according to "the facts," killing Crooks and preventing further harm.

Did it though? That’s what the official story says, so far, but calling this a mere lapse in security by Secret Service doesn't add up. There are some glaring questions that need to be answered.

If Trump had been killed on Saturday, we would be in a civil war today. We would have seen for the first time the president's brains splattered on live television, and because of the details of this, I have a hard time thinking it wouldn't have been viewed as JFK 2.0.

How does someone sneak a rifle onto the rally grounds? How does someone even know that that building is there? How is it that Thomas Matthew Crooks was acting so weird and pacing in front of the metal detectors, and no one seemed to notice? People tried to follow him, but, oops, he got away.

How could the kid possibly even think that the highest ground at the venue wouldn't be watched? If I were Crooks, my first guess would be, "That’s the one place I shouldn't crawl up to with a rifle because there's most definitely going to be Secret Service there." Why wasn't anyone there? Why wasn't anyone watching it? Nobody except the shooter decided that the highest ground with the best view of the rally would be the greatest vulnerability to Trump’s safety.

Moreover, a handy ladder just happened to be there. Are we supposed to believe that nobody in the Secret Service, none of the drones, none of the things we pay millions of dollars for caught him? How did he get a ladder there? If the ladder was there, was it always there? Why was the ladder there? Secret Service welds manhole covers closed when a president drives down a road. How was there a ladder sitting around, ready to climb up to the highest ground at the venue, and the Secret Service failed to take it away?

There is plenty of video of eyewitnesses yelling that there was a guy with a rifle climbing up on a ladder to the roof for at least 120 seconds before the first shot was fired. Why were the police looking for him while Secret Service wasn't? Why did the sniper have him in his sights for over a minute before he took a shot? Why did a cop climb up the ladder to look around? When Thomas Matthew Cooks pointed a gun at him, he then ducked and came down off the ladder. Did he call anyone to warn that this young man had a rifle within range of the president?

How is it the Secret Service has a female bodyguard who doesn't even reach Trump's nipples? How was she going to guard the president's body with hers? How is it another female Secret Service agent pulled her gun out a good four minutes too late, then looked around, apparently not knowing what to do? She then couldn't even get the pistol back into the holster because she's a Melissa McCarthy body double. I don't think it's a good idea to have Melissa McCarthy guarding the president.

Here’s the critical question now: Who trusts the FBI with the shooter’s computer? Will his hard drive get filed with the Nashville manifesto? How is it that the Secret Service almost didn't have snipers at all but decided to supply them only one day before the rally because all the local resources were going to be put on Jill Biden? I want Jill Biden safe, of course. I want Jill Biden to have what the first lady should have for security, but you can’t hire a few extra guys to make sure our candidates are safe?

How is it that we have a Secret Service director, Kimberly Cheatle, whose experience is literally guarding two liters of Squirt and spicy Doritos? Did you know that's her background? She's in charge of the United States Secret Service, and her last job was as the head of security for Pepsi.

This is a game, and that's what makes this sick. This is a joke. There are people in our country who thought it was OK to post themselves screaming about the shooter’s incompetence: “How do you miss that shot?” Do you realize how close we came to another JFK? If the president hadn't turned his head at the exact moment he did, it would have gone into the center of his head, and we would be a different country today.

Now, Joe Biden is also saying that we shouldn't make assumptions about the motive of the shooter. Well, I think we can assume one thing: He wanted to kill the Republican presidential candidate. Can we agree on that at least? Can we assume that much?

How can the media even think of blaming Trump for the rhetoric when the Democrats and the media constantly call him literally worse than Hitler who must be stopped at all costs?

These questions need to be answered if we want to know the truth behind what could have been one of the most consequential days in U.S. history. Yet, the FBI has its hands clasped on all the sources that could point to the truth. There must be an independent investigation to get to the bottom of these glaring “mistakes.”

POLL: Do you think Trump is going to win the election?

Kevin Dietsch / Staff, Chip Somodevilla / Staff, Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Image

It feels like all of the tension that has been building over the last four years has finally burst to the surface over the past month. Many predicted 2024 was going to be one of the most important and tumultuous elections in our lifetimes, but the last two weeks will go down in the history books. And it's not over yet.

The Democratic National Convention is in August, and while Kamala seems to be the likely candidate to replace Biden, anything could happen in Chicago. And if Biden is too old to campaign, isn't he too old to be president? Glenn doesn't think he'll make it as President through January, but who knows?

There is a lot of uncertainty that surrounds the current political landscape. Trump came out of the attempted assassination, and the RNC is looking stronger than ever, but who knows what tricks the Democrats have up their sleeves? Let us know your predictions in the poll below:

Glenn's Show Prep