Radio America Online News Bureau

Rudy’s Bumbling Agents, Iowa’s Confusing Caucuses, West Virginia’s Wild Proposal

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Listen to “Rudy’s Bumbling Agents, Iowa’s Confusing Caucuses, West Virginia’s Wild Proposal” on Spreaker.

Nothing but crazy martinis today and the last one is a lot of fun!  Join Jim and Greg today as they try to understand how bumbling figures like Lev Parnas ended up as Rudy Giuliani’s key operatives in Ukraine.  They also shake their heads as Iowa Democrats plan to release three separate results from the caucuses next month, possibly giving multiple candidates the chance to claim victory. And they examine West Virginia’s offer for second amendment friendly counties in Virginia to switch states, leading Jim and Greg to wonder how the map would look if counties could jump to other states they find more ideologically similar.

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Tom Steyer Talks Debates, Climate, National Security & More

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Listen to “Tom Steyer Talks Debates, Climate, National Security & More” on Spreaker.

Businessman and activist Tom Steyer remains in the Democratic presidential race and on the debate stage long after other party hopefuls exited the race. But why is he there?  What does he bring to the campaign that other Democrats do not?

In a conversation with Greg Corombos, Steyer explains what compelled him to run after initially deciding not to be a candidate.  They also dive into Steyer’s signature issue of climate change.  What is his specific plan and is it realistic to think we can phase out fossil fuels entirely?

In Tuesday’s debate, Steyer claimed his international business experience has prepared him to be commander-in-chief.  But how does that kind of experience specifically prepare him for deciding whether to commit U.S. troops to combat?

In recent weeks, Steyer has climbed to double digits in polls of voters in the early primary and caucus states of Nevada and South Carolina.  What’s responsible for the surge?

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Virginia Embraces ERA; Fight Far from Over

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Virginia’s House of Delegates approved the Equal Rights Amendment Wednesday, with supporters hailing the vote as the final step for ratification and critics pointing out the opportunity to enact it ended 38 years ago.

The Democratic-led chamber voted 59-41 to approve the amendment, also known as ERA. The problem for supporters is that Congress gave the states until 1982 to reach the 38-state threshold needed for ratification.

Undeterred, activists plan to push Congress to change the deadline so the votes in Virginia and a few others states that took place well after the deadline can count towards ratification.

Independent Women’s Forum Senior Political Analyst Inez Stepman says it’s not that simple. She says Congress set the window for ratification as part of the amendment itself, which was approved by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. She argues a two-thirds majority would also be needed to change the deadline.

Listen to the full podcast as Stepman explains the political and legal wrangling to come on this issue. She also explains why she believes the amendment is wholly unnecessary.

Finally, Stepman explains how the ERA could actually erode equality for women and girls.

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Biden’s Bogus Argument, CNN vs. Bernie, ‘Bern’ Down Milwaukee?

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Listen to “Biden’s Bogus Argument, CNN vs. Bernie, ‘Bern’ Down Milwaukee?” on Spreaker.

Pull up a stool for another busy day on the Three Martini Lunch.  Join Jim and Greg as they call out Joe Biden for falsely insisting the Obama-Biden administration never used military action apart from congressional authorization.  They also hammer CNN for blatantly siding with Elizabeth Warren in her accusation that Bernie Sanders told her a woman could not get elected president – a charge Sanders strongly denies.  And they unload on the radical Bernie Sanders campaign field organizer caught on tape threatening to burn down Milwaukee and other cities if Sanders does not win the Democratic nomination at the convention this summer.

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Many in Middle East Celebrate Demise of Soleimani

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While the American media portrays the U.S. strike killing Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani as controversial and deeply destabilizing to the region, terrorism expert Brigitte Gabriel says throughout the Middle East the news is being cheered by people and nations increasingly worried about Iranian ambitions in the region.

Gabriel is the chairman of ACT for America, the largest grassroots national security organization in the U.S. and author of “Rise.” A native of Lebanon and fluent in Arabic, Gabriel says many media reports in the Middle East show people joyful of Soleimani’s death.

“The difference in coverage is shocking.  A lot of the Arab Street is celebrating the death of Soleimani.  They know that Soleimani was a bad man, not only in Iran but throughout the Arab Street, even in Egypt, even in Saudi Arabia. Even in those types of countries they understand. In Qatar, they understand the danger of Soleimani.

“In Iran, there are videos of people passing out candy. In the Middle East and Arabic culture, when they’re celebrating a good event (such as) a wedding, a birth, an engagement, they pass out candy and bake cakes. After the death of Soleimani, they were baking cakes and passing out candies in the street.  That was not covered in American media,” said Gabriel.

And why were the people in Iran and elsewhere celebrating Soleimani’s death? Gabriel says they all know Soleimani was critical to Iran’s territorial ambitions throughout the region.

“Iran’s tentacles reach throughout the whole Middle East as Iran tries to establish hegemony over the whole Middle East, ” said Gabriel. “My own country of birth, Lebanon, went from being the Paris of the Middle East to now being basically a terrorist hub controlled by Hezbollah, which is funded by Iran.”

Listen to the full podcast as Gabriel tells Radio America’s Greg Corombos why she believes Soleimani’s decades of carnage warranted the strike that killed him. She also discusses what can be done to encourage the Iranian protesters as they try to force massive change.

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Liz vs. Bernie, Warren’s Proposed Power Grab, Debates & Diversity

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Listen to “Liz vs. Bernie, Warren’s Proposed Power Grab, Debates & Diversity” on Spreaker.

Who knew you could have so much fun talking about Elizabeth Warren? Join Jim and Greg as they wade into Warren’s accusation that Bernie Sanders told her two years ago that a woman couldn’t get elected president.  They also shake their heads as Warren promises to cancel a lot of student loan debt on her first day in office without ever involving Congress. And they preview tonight’s final Democratic debate before the voting in Iowa and address the liberal concerns that there isn’t enough diversity on stage.

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Iranians Denounce Regime, Bye Bye Booker, Pelosi’s Impeachment Charade

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Listen to “Iranians Denounce Regime, Bye Bye Booker, Pelosi’s Impeachment Charade” on Spreaker.

Grab a stool and join us for the start of another crazy week in Washington. Today, Jim and Greg salute the Iranian protesters risking life and limb to protest the regime they despise and applaud President Trump’s very appropriate tweets in support of the demonstrators. They also welcome the news that Sen. Cory Booker is ending his 2020 presidential campaign and discuss why he never took off. And they slam House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her exceptionally weak answers as to why she pushed impeachment forward rather than fighting the Trump administrations over subpoenas in court.

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Dow Hits 29,000, Buttigieg Blame Game, Steyer’s Sudden Strength

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Listen to “Dow Hits 29,000, Buttigieg Blame Game, Steyer’s Sudden Strength” on Spreaker.

Lots of Friday fun on today’s Three Martini Lunch! Join Jim and Greg as they celebrate the Dow Jones crossing 29,000 for the first time on Friday and enjoy an economy that is staying stronger than many experts predicted. They also slam Pete Buttigieg for suggesting the doomed Ukrainian airliner was “caught in the middle of an unnecessary and unwanted military tit for tat” instead of simply stating that it was shot down by Iran. And they dissect the stunning news that Tom Steyer is suddenly in second place among Democrats in South Carolina.

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Rep. Wittman: Soleimani Strike Absolutely Justified

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Listen to “Rep. Wittman: Soleimani Strike Absolutely Justified” on Spreaker.

Many Democrats and some Republicans are furious that administration officials did not offer more specifics on what led to President Trump ordering the drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and several high-ranking figures of Iranian proxy militias in the Middle East.

In response, the House of Representatives spent much of Thursday approving a proposed update to the War Powers Act forbidding Trump from authorizing any strike on Iranian targets unless there is a confirmed imminent threat.

Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman sits on the House Armed Services Committee and attended the briefings offered this week by Trump administration officials, including Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley.

“We know from the intelligence and directly through Gen. Milley, who said that he looked at the intelligence. He saw that it was compelling and that an attack was imminent and it was very clear in its scale and scope.  Those are his words.

“He was unequivocal in saying that Qasem Soleimani was planning and coordinating and synchronizing significant combat operations against U.S. military forces in the region and that this attack was imminent,” said Wittman.

In this interview with Radio America’s Greg Corombos, Rep. Wittman also details what impact the Democrats’ proposed legislation would have on the president, why he’s voting against it, and why the bill wouldn’t make much difference even if it gets approved in the Senate as well.  Finally, Wittman reacts to the news that Iran shot down the Ukrainian airliner that crashed in Iran Tuesday night and how Democrats derailed an attempt by Republicans to commend the military and intelligence personnel responsible for carrying out the targeting and killing of Soleimani.

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Cliffhanger in Kansas? Mike Lee Rips Lame Iran Briefing, Pelosi’s Power on Display

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Listen to “Cliffhanger in Kansas? Mike Lee Rips Lame Iran Briefing, Pelosi’s Power on Display” on Spreaker.

No good martinis but plenty to talk about today!  Join Jim and Greg as they dissect Republican fears that the open U.S. Senate seat in Kansas could be at risk this year if primary voters nominated Kris Kobach, who lost the 2018 governor’s race there.  They serve up a double-barreled crazy martini as Utah Sen. Mike Lee fumes that Wednesday’s Iran briefing offered few specifics and that national security officials told lawmakers not to debate the issue in public. But they’re also surprised to see Lee planning to channel that frustration into support for the War Powers Act revisions restricting the ability of a president to order time-sensitive military action.  And they have a lot of fun as House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith tells CNN that its time for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to deliver the articles of impeachment to the Senate only to go on Twitter a short time later to say he “misspoke” and whatever Pelosi wants to do is fine with him.

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