Radio America Online News Bureau

wildfires

Stories That Need More Coverage: Unsustainable Debt, China’s Ambitions, Persecution of Christians & More

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Listen to “The Stories That Need More Coverage: Our Debt, China’s Ambitions, Persecution of Christians & More” on Spreaker.

Join Jim and Greg for a special edition of the 3 Martini Lunch, as they spotlight some of the most underreported stories of 2025. Which critical issues are the media ignoring entirely? And when the stories are covered, what vital context is missing? Today, Jim and Greg each offer three key examples where the press is failing the public.

First, Jim sounds the alarm on the national debt and the media’s refusal to grapple with the long-term consequences of unsustainable entitlement spending. With Democrats now opposing cuts proposed by DOGE, the press is fixated on the political drama while ignoring the looming fiscal disaster. Meanwhile, Greg blasts the media for siding with illegals in deportation cases while downplaying or completely ignoring the violent crimes committed by individuals living in the U.S. illegally.

Next, Jim flags the lack of serious reporting on China’s growing aggression in the South China Sea, warning that the threat is real but getting very little coverage or condemnation. Greg turns to California, where wildfire victims are still waiting on government permits to rebuild their homes, just as he and Jim predicted would happen months ago.

Finally, Jim asks why more Americans aren’t demanding that U.S. colleges prioritize American students over international applicants. And Greg calls out the media’s near-total silence on the brutal persecution and killings of Christians in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other parts of the world.

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Leavitt’s Strong Start, Sabotaging Trump’s Orders, California Dems Seek a Scapegoat

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Listen to “Leavitt’s Strong Start, Sabotaging Trump’s Orders, California Dems Seek a Scapegoat” on Spreaker.

Join Jim and Greg for 3 Martini Lunch as they dive into three key issues: the debut of the new White House Press Secretary, the manipulative tactics of anti-Trump bureaucrats, and California Democrats’ wanting to let people sue energy companies for natural disasters.

First, they praise new White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for her polished performance, sharp policy explanations, and ability to spar with reporters without heavy reliance on notes—offering a sharp contrast to Karine Jean-Pierre. Jim and Greg also highlight how many in the press corps immediately shift from lapdogs to pit bulls when a Republican administration comes in.

Next, they expose how left-wing bureaucrats intentionally misinterpret Trump’s executive orders to generate bad press or force policy reversals. Examples include the U.S. Air Force claiming it would stop teaching about the Tuskegee Airmen due to Trump’s DEI directives and the confusion over the federal spending freeze.

Finally, they analyze California Democrats’ push to let residents sue energy companies for damages from natural disasters, blaming fossil fuels for climate change. Jim explains why this legislation is more about political scapegoating than addressing the root causes of disasters.

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Colombia Caves on Illegals, CIA Points to COVID Lab Leak, Trump Won’t Let Bass Off the Hook

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Listen to “Colombia Caves on Illegals, CIA Points to COVID Lab Leak, Trump Won’t Let Bass Off the Hook” on Spreaker.

Join Jim and Greg for all good martinis on the 3 Martini Lunch podcast as they dive into Colombia’s brief resistance to the U.S. returning criminal illegals, the CIA’s admission about COVID-19’s likely lab leak origin, and President Trump’s push to speed up recovery efforts for California wildfire victims.

First, Jim and Greg recap the short-lived trade war with Colombia. Tensions flared when Colombia’s president initially refused to allow repatriation flights carrying criminal illegals to land in the country. In response, President Trump swiftly threatened major tariffs and other diplomatic penalties. Colombia quickly reversed course, agreeing to Trump’s demands and allowing the flights to proceed.

Next, Jim celebrates the CIA’s acknowledgment of what many had suspected all along: that the most likely cause of the COVID-19 pandemic was a lab leak from Wuhan, China. Most of us have known this for a long time, but the Biden-era CIA infamously decided it was unclear how it all started. But that doesn’t mean this is over. Jim says these new conclusions should lead to important new questions.

Finally, Jim and Greg discuss Trump’s recent call for faster action to help Los Angeles-area residents who lost their homes in wildfires. During a public forum with LA Mayor Karen Bass, Trump urged local officials to streamline bureaucracy, allowing fire victims to access their property and begin debris removal to make way for rebuilding.

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Special Counsel Blasts Biden, Kamala’s Unimpressive Exit, Biden’s Bald-Faced Border Lies

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Listen to “Special Counsel Blasts Biden, Kamala’s Unimpressive Exit, Biden’s Bald-Faced Border Lies” on Spreaker.

Join Jim and Greg for 3 Martini Lunch as they discuss Special Counsel Robert Weiss strongly rejecting President Biden’s explanation in the Hunter Biden pardon case, Kamala’s leadership failures during her final days in office, and President Biden’s stunning lies about border security.

After a quick discussion about the start of confirmation hearings for Trump cabinet nominees, Jim and Greg praise Special Counsel Robert Weiss for his strong denunciation of President Biden’s justification for pardoning Hunter Biden. Weiss rejects Biden’s claim that Hunter was unfairly targeted due to his family ties, pointing to the fact that eight judges weighed in on the process. Weiss also says Biden was wrong to “malign the public servants at the Department of Justice.”

Next, they highlight the snub by Harris and Doug Emhoff, who refused to invite Vice President-Elect JD Vance and his wife, Usha, to tour the vice president’s residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Additionally, Jim questions Harris’s absence during the wildfire crisis in California – hardly the approach of someone allegedly considering a run for governor.

Finally, they sigh as President Biden blatantly lies again – this time about the border. Biden alleges that illegal border crossings “came way down” as soon as he entered the White House. He also says Republicans killed the legislation that would have provided more “secret service” agents at the border.

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Trump Sentenced, Newsom’s Failures Exposed, Why DEI Is Destructive

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Listen to “Trump Sentenced, Newsom’s Failures Exposed, The Danger of DEI” on Spreaker.

Join Jim and Greg for 3 Martini Lunch as they react to Donald Trump’s sentencing in the Stormy Daniels case, Gavin Newsom’s poor preparation and response to California wildfires, and the DEI focus of some Los Angeles Fire Department officials.

First, they discuss Donald Trump’s sentencing following his 2024 convictions in Manhattan, which resulted in an unconditional discharge. While Trump faces no actual penalty, he is now officially a convicted felon—which is what Democrats hopede to achieve with this case.

Next, they turn their attention to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s handling of the recent wildfires. Jim and Greg highlight an encounter where Newsom faced a distraught resident who lost her home and children’s school. The governor’s unimpressive interaction and his even worse policies are on full display and may inflict long-term damage on his political plans.

Finally, they shake their heads at the Los Angeles Fire Department video explaining how having firefighters that look like the residents is a high priority and casually dismissing concerns about whether women firefighters could carry men out of a burning building. However, they are quick to stress that LA firefighters are working tirelessly and with great courage throughout these horrible fires. It’s the leadership that doesn’t always seem to be focused on what matters most.

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Mayor Bass Fails Los Angeles, Carter Funeral Intrigue, Biden’s ‘Bonkers’ Election Claim

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Listen to “Mayor Bass Fails Los Angeles, Carter Funeral Intrigue, Biden’s ‘Bonkers’ Election Claim” on Spreaker.

Join Jim and Greg for 3 Martini Lunch as they reflect on the litany of mistakes made by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in the past week, the early portions of the Carter funeral including some curious interactions among the presidents and vice presidents, and President Biden’s “flat-out bonkers” claim that he would have beaten Donald Trump in the 2024 election if he hadn’t dropped out.

First, Jim takes a deep dive into how Mayor Karen Bass is handling the wildfire crisis in Los Angeles. Despite emerging warnings about wildfire dangers, Bass chose to travel to Ghana and stayed there, even after the situation escalated. Her lack of candor and shaky public appearances since returning have also been painful to watch.

Next, they comment on Jimmy Carter’s funeral – both what was said in the early parts of the service and the fascinating interactions – or lack of interactions – among current and former presidents and vice presidents and their spouses. The Biden-Harris, Trump-Pence, and Trump-Obama exchanges were of particular note.

Finally, Jim and Greg react to President Biden’s stunning claim in a USA Today interview, where he asserted that he would have defeated Donald Trump if he had stayed in the 2024 race. Even CNN dismissed his comments as “flat-out bonkers.” Jim points out how recent events and Biden’s actions over the last four years make it clear that he is not equipped to lead the country.

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Have Dems Learned Their Lesson? LA’s Wildfire Nightmare, Trump’s Map Quest

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Listen to “Have Dems Learned Their Lesson? LA’s Wildfire Nightmare, Trump’s Map Quest” on Spreaker.

Join Jim and Greg for 3 Martini Lunch as they discuss hopes rising for the Laken Riley Act to pass the Senate, horror and blame as the California wildfires rage, and Trump’s new ideas for the western hemisphere.

First, they celebrate the passage of the Laken Riley Act in the House, with nearly a dozen more Democrats supporting it than in the past. Now, the focus shifts to the Senate, where seven more Democratic votes are needed to pass the bill. Jim and Greg are encouraged by the bill’s momentum and applaud Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman for speaking candidly to his party about the importance of the legislation.

Next, they dive into the devastating California wildfires, as shocking images and videos emerge from Pacific Palisades and beyond. Jim and Greg discuss the chaos of the situation, including Mayor Karen Bass being out of the country during the first few days of the crisis. They explore the conditions that turned these fires into a nightmare and examine how environmental policies that are meant to help are instead making the problem worse.

Finally, they discuss Donald Trump’s latest press conference and his interest in acquiring Greenland, the Panama Canal, and even Canada. He also proposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Jim and Greg explain what they think Trump is doing and get a kick out of the left once again getting hysterical over everything Trump does.

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2023 Martini Awards Part 5: Most Overreported Story, Most Underreported Story, Best Story of 2023

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Listen to “2023 Martini Awards Part 5: Most Overreported Story, Most Underreported Story, Best Story of 2023” on Spreaker.

It’s media day in our year-end Three Martini Lunch awards and Jim and Greg have plenty to say about how things were covered – if they were covered at all. Specifically, they look at the stories the mainstream media covered far too much, the ones they conveniently ignored because they didn’t fit their narrative, and they highlight what they saw as the best stories of 2023.

First, they dig into the most overreported stories of the year, with Jim choosing a specific angle of a story he thought was given far too much attention and Greg going with the non-stop chattering about a completely pointless topic.

Then it’s on to the stories the media didn’t cover much or didn’t want to cover. Jim points to media apathy concerning what may well be the greatest threat to American national security. Greg picks a horrifying tragedy that the media quickly stopped caring about when it reflected poorly on the left.

Finally, they reveal their selections for best stories of the year. Jim goes with a bright spot in an otherwise bleak story he covered closely this year. Greg opts for a member of Congress going above and beyond in a crisis – again.

Make sure to listen on Friday as Greg and Jim unveil their selections for Person of the Year and Turncoat of the Year. Plus, their predictions for 2024.

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Is Menendez Vulnerable? Major Maui Mistakes, Trump’s Odd Request

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Listen to “Is Menendez Vulnerable? Major Maui Mistakes, Trump’s Odd Request” on Spreaker.

Jim and Greg begin today’s podcast with a tribute to former New York Sen. James Buckley. The brother of National Review Founder William F. Buckley, Jr., Jim Buckley served the nation with honor in World War II and then in all three branches of the federal government, including chief judge of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. He was 100 years old.

Then they serve up their usual martinis, starting with a new Monmouth Poll showing New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez has just a 35 percent approval rating heading into an election year – thanks in part to yet another federal investigation examining allegations of corruption. They also wince at all the apparent mistakes made by local officials before and during the horrific wildfires that devastated Lahaina. Finally, they’re curious why Trump is urging all the other Republican presidential candidates to drop out if he has such a huge lead.

Timestamps:

0:21 – Remembering former Senator and Judge James Buckley.

3:04 – New Jersey Sen. Menendez suffers low approval amidst another federal probe. Could the GOP have a chance to unseat him next year?

10:17 – Government mistakes made the Hawaii wildfire devastation even worse.

17:36 – Trump urges all other GOP presidential candidates to drop out.

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Bipartisan Push on China, FBI & Catholics, Lake Likely to Run

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Listen to “Bipartisan Push on China, FBI & Catholics, Lake Likely to Run” on Spreaker.

Ricochet Editor-in-Chief Jon Gabriel is in for Jim. Before the martinis, Jon and Greg discuss the heartbreaking devastation in Lahaina caused by the wildfires on Maui. Then they are pleasantly surprised to see Republicans and Democrats working together to get to the bottom of the threat that Communist China poses to our nation and digging into many critical issues that other politicians seem content to ignore. They also fume as the House Judiciary Committee uncovers evidence that FBI Director Christopher Wray lied to lawmakers about the extent of FBI monitoring of Catholic churches. Wray says only one field office was engaged in such tactics but now we know there were at least three. Finally, they react to the news that Kari Lake is planning to run for U.S. Senate in Arizona. Jon, who is based in Arizona, explains why he suspects Lake will win the nomination but lose the general election and why Sen. Kyrsten Sinema may benefit the most if Lake gets in the race.

Timestamps:

0:40 – Horrific fire damage devastates Lahaina on Maui

2:20 – GOP & Dems working well together to examine the extent of the China threat in the U.S.

7:13 – House Judiciary Committee demands answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray now that three FBI field offices were involved in scrutinizing conservative Catholics.

11:28 – Kari Lake will reportedly run for U.S. Senate in Arizona

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