Transcript
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Looking ahead to a huge week in Washington. Down to the wire on the plan to avert a government shutdown. Jim Comey has been indicted and Israel Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is at the White House to talk about peace in Gaza. All of that and so much more today on 10 Minute Drill.
B (0:16)
Everybody get up.
A (0:17)
Get up. The story of America is the story of an adventure.
B (0:23)
I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. We are a nation under God, and I believe God intended for us to be free.
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Before we get into the news of the day in Washington, there were two tragic violent events over the weekend. First in North Carolina, a shooting at a waterfront bar in Southport in what authorities have described as a highly premeditated attack. Three people were killed and eight were injured when a former Marine opened fire on a dockside restaurant. Then on Sunday morning in Michigan, another former veteran opened fire on on a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints congregation in Grand Blanc, Michigan. The shooter reportedly crashed his vehicle into the entrance, got out, opened fired on members of the church, and then set the church on fire, potentially using an accelerant like gas to spread the blaze around the church. So far, there's been reportedly five victims. They have accounted for everyone who was there, but unfortunately there are still many victims in the hospital.
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This was an evil act of violence. That's exactly what this was. And this is not Grand Blank. This does not define grand blanken who we are. We are a community. And I am confident that together we're going to build a stronger community.
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Due to this incident, a second attack on a church in just a matter of months. And as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, this affected me deeply. And my prayers are with the victims, their families, the community around there, and also our country, as I hope that we can somehow move past this crazy spate of terrible violent incidents around our country. Today, leaders in Washington are scrambling on the last day to avert a government shutdown. Over the weekend, there was lots of jousting back and forth in the media between Democrats and Republicans about who would be to blame for a potential government shutdown. Yesterday, White House press Secretary Caroline Levitt framed it this way. There is zero good reason for the Democrats to vote against this, especially when the Democrats have voted for this 13 previous times. As recently as March, as we've talked about here on 10 Minute Drill, Democrats did the interesting strategy of laying out the fact that they would accept blame for this because their base was itching for a fight with President Trump. So they were supportive of running into a government shutdown. But what we've seen since then in the last two weeks is Democrat leaders getting cold feet. The facts here are this is a clean continuing resolution. It follows on spending plans that Democrats have previously voted for to 13 times with nothing new added to it. But a part of Democrats strategy in trying to reframe this and try and potentially blame Republicans has been to bring in other issues. For example, health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. Republicans have said we can negotiate those ahead of the end of the year. But Democrats adding them into this debate right now is just an effort to try and save face and reframe this debate. The bottom line that we all understand here is the fact that Democrats have followed their base as they've led them to their lowest approval rating in history. But the other most important dynamic to understand here is that as Democrats have painted themselves into this corner, their rhetoric has made it more difficult for their leadership to find any kind of exit strategy. Here's Chris Murphy. We have no moral obligation to pay the bills for democracy's destruction. So as you hear that kind of insane rhetoric from Chris Murphy, remember he, he has voted for this budget 13 times. So when he says it funds the destruction of our democracy according to his own rules, he has voted to destroy democracy 13 times. Again, absurd, cartoonish nonsense, but it highlights the fact the Democrats have painted themselves into a very tough corner that any sort of solution they get to get out of this, they're going to get attacked by their own base because people like Chris Murphy and AOC have said that they're going to fund the destruction of our democracy. Another dynamic that's really important to remember here, Chuck Schumer's concerns about getting primaried by Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. But one other element to this fight that came up last week. If there is a government shutdown, the White House, particularly Office of Management and Budget, will have the power to determine what is essential. And with that they'll be able to make pretty extensive cuts to government that Doge was not able to get to. Now, Democrats forgot about this part of a shutdown. The fact that suddenly they're saying so much of the government that they say is essential every day they have shut down for a political purpose. Like they are having to argue against the fact that they have set up this problem for themselves with no plan to get out of it. Later today, the Senate will vote on the House Clean continuing resolution bill and that will determine whether or not the government shuts down tonight at midnight or not. Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the White House, where President Trump unveiled his 21 point plan for peace in Gaza. This afternoon, after extensive consultation with our friends and partners throughout the region, I'm formally releasing our principles for peace. There are a lot of details in that 21 point plan, but two of the key points that Israel is focused on. First, the release of all the hostages that Hamas has continued to hold despite numerous warnings from President Trump. And then second, Hamas being completely obliterated and not a part of the future governing coalition of Gaza. Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren wrote about this in the free press. International guarantees and humanitarian aid won't matter if Hamas refuses to play by the rules. Ahead of this meeting last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the United nations where he received a very interesting response. Now, as those diplomats and diplomatic staff are walking out and you hear boos, consider the fact these are diplomats, this is the United Nation, and people are walking out of an address by one of the leaders of a country in the hottest conflicts in the world right now. Now, I was a two time participant and actually champion in model United Nations. And to me, the idea of walking out when someone's speaking, when you're there, your purpose there at the United nations is to focus on peace and bringing peace in the world. These people can't even sit through an address, which I think is outrageous. But one major reason, confidence in the United nations and their role in the world right now is so low. According to Gallup, over 60% of Americans disapprove of the United Nations. And this is one of many reasons why. Last week, former FBI Director Jim Comey was indicted by a grand jury on two charges giving false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. Comey could face up to five years if convicted. Now, a lot of Democrats have immediately jumped to his defense and argued that this is an attack on our democracy, an attack on our system, an attack on norms. But none of them are defending Comey on the merits because it does sound like he may have lied to Congress. Here is Speaker Mike Johnson on that.
