Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America applaud the Trump administration for rolling back the burdensome EPA clean power plant regulations and giving the states more flexibility in how they deal with emissions. They also unload on CNN and other media outlets for reporting on tearful reunions among family members living in North and South Korea after nearly 70 years, blaming the separation on the Korean War rather than a brutally repressive communist regime in North Korea. And they shake their heads as President Trump takes to Twitter and muses about pulling security clearances based on what former national security officials say about him on cable television.
News and Politics
Dems Slip in Generic Ballot, Ingraham Immigration Furor, Richard Gere for Congress?
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America look at generic congressional ballot polls showing the Democratic blue wave might not threaten Republicans as much as was previously thought. They also think Laura Ingraham took the wrong tone during an immigration rant on Wednesday night, and they suggest the immigration discussion focus on policies and beliefs rather than demographics. And they continue to knock Republicans and Democrats for prioritizing celebrities in politics above genuine discussion of ideas, with actor Richard Gere’s name being tossed into the ring for New York’s 18th Congressional District and lawyer Michael Avenatti heading to Iowa to explore a presidential bid.
FDA Buys Aborted Baby Fetal Tissue for Mice Research
By Joshua Paladino
The Food and Drug Administration requested “fresh” human fetal tissue from aborted babies in order to create mice with a functioning “human immune system.”
The FDA signed a contract on July 25 with Advanced Bioscience Resources, a non-profit organization in Alameda, California, to obtain human fetal tissue.
According to the General Services Administration, taxpayers footed a $15,900 bill for the FDA to obtain the samples of aborted babies.
CNS News reported that the FDA implants human stem cell, liver, and thymus into severely “immune-compromised” mice to create “humanized mice.”
The Family Research Council petitioned the House Appropriations Committee to pass a bill prohibiting the Department of Health and Human Services from funding research that uses human fetal tissue from aborted babies.
The FDA defended itself in a statement, saying “research involving human fetal tissue accounts for a very small fraction of the FDA’s total research.”
The FDA said it is “committed to ensuring that its research is conducted responsibly, conforms with all legal requirements, and meets the highest ethical standards.”
GOP Leads Ohio House Race, Republican Rep. Indicted, John Hinckley Requests Release
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America cheer the narrow lead of Republican Troy Balderson over Democrat Danny O’Connor in the special election for Ohio’s 12th Congressional District, but they fear the low GOP-voter turnout in a strong red district bodes badly for Republicans in the 2018 midterm elections. They also suspect Democrats will use the insider trading indictment against New York Rep. Chris Collins to paint Republicans as a party of corruption and greed. And they’re perplexed by the public support for the release of John Hinckley, Jr., who shot four people during the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
Broward County Accountability, Libs Target Internet, Maduro Assassination Attempt
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are pleased to see a key figure from the Florida high school shooting replaced in the Broward County Sheriff’s Office but are irritated the media has stopped covering Sheriff Scott Israel, who still has his job despite failing to perform his duties before and during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. They also reject Democrats’ call to regulate the internet as a public utility in the wake of Facebook, Apple, and YouTube’s ban of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. And they mourn for Venezuelans as dictator Nicolas Maduro survived a botched drone assassination attempt, and they discuss regulations on drones and the potential to use them for terrorism.
New Iran Sanctions, Warren Calls Justice System Racist, Trump’s LeBron Tweet
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America commend the Trump administration for reinstating sanctions on Iran after rescinding the failed nuclear deal, which the rogue regime did not follow. They also denounce Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth’s Warren’s far-left rhetoric about the criminal justice system and they blame the divisive discourse for the lack of meaningful reforms. And they are frustrated that President Donald Trump tweeted about LeBron James’ intelligence rather than thanking the NBA star for funding education and extolling the benefits of charter schools.
Unemployment Drops Again, New York Times Hypocrisy, Democrats Court NeverTrumpers
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Chad Benson of Radio America celebrate a positive July economic report, as unemployment drops to 3.9 percent and the economy adds 157,000 jobs. They also criticize The New York Times for hiring reporter Sarah Jeong, who made racist comments about white people. And they break down reporter Bill Scher’s unappealing offer for Never-Trump Republicans to join the Democratic Party, as long as they accept that their policies will not win.
Absurd Anti-Kavanaugh Arguments, Birth Rates Dropping, Netflix Cancels Louis Farrakhan’s Film
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Chad Benson of Radio America watch in amusement as Democrats invent ridiculous arguments against Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation, such as Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s (D-Conn) statement that President Donald Trump “would be a monarch if Brett Kavanaugh becomes a Supreme Court justice.” They also worry about America’s fertility rate falling to a 42-year low and the factors contributing to the decline, such as low marriage rates and the prevalence of birth control. And they are happy to see Netflix cancel the show of the Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan.
Facebook Fights Fake Accounts, Trump Defends Manafort, Howard Schultz 2020?
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Chad Benson of Radio America are glad Facebook has uncovered and eliminated coordinated activity involving fake accounts that promote fringe political movements on both the far right and far left, thus debunking the idea that Russia wants to elect Republicans. They also fail to see why President Donald Trump keeps sticking his neck out for Paul Manafort, since the charges are separate from the Russia collusion investigation. And they discuss former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’ potential partnership with former John McCain presidential campaign adviser Steve Schmidt to mount a 2020 presidential run.
Trump Sets Judicial Confirmation Record, Big Business Supporting Dems, Bill Kristol 2020?
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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Chad Benson of Radio America congratulate President Donald Trump for appointing more judges to regional circuit courts than any president has at this point in his term. They also criticize big businesses that are supporting Democrats in 2018 because of Trump’s trade and immigration policies. And they think the only major support for a Bill Kristol 2020 presidential campaign would come from the Kristol household.