The first thing I should note is that I had an incredible time in Milwaukee. I have always loved the city, and even considered moving there once. It is neoclassical, Midwestern, cosmopolitan, and earthy at the same time. I went to a Brewers game, swam at Bradford Beach, drank a Leinenkugels shandy, and rode a scooter everywhere.
The debate itself: I found it more exciting than expected, but still sort of boring. It was nice to hear candidates talking about conservative policies, but I didn't hear much that blew my mind, though I was impressed with Gov. Doug Burgum's answer on abortion (which I happen to agree with, though it needed something more).
Trump is still the frontrunner, and remains irreplaceable -- not just because of the indictments, although they have given conservatives reason to rally around him, but also because he has an instinct for identifying the most important issues and for framing them in a powerful way. Whether he can beat Biden is another matter.
I would add this: Democrats trolled the debate with an airplane towing a sign that described the 2024 Republican primary as a race for the "extreme MAGA base." It was the first time I had seen a major American political party attack the voters on the other side, not just the politicians. Scary stuff, in the context of what's going on.
This is my first broadcast from the new office and studio in Washington, DC, where I'll be for a couple of years my neighborhood back in L.A. cleans up -- and as we follow the Trump administration from a little closer up than usual.
Topics:
- The anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump
- The escalating tariff battle with various different trading partners
- The future of the Middle East peace talks, and ongoing antisemitism
- The Jeffrey Epstein files and whether they mean anything at all
- The continued crisis of the Texas floods, and stories of heroism and survival
And more!
Special guests:
- James Rosen - Newsmax chief Washington correspondent
- Bob Price - Breitbart News Texas reporter, on the ongoing floods
- Robert Cahill - Trafalgar Polling, on a new alliance of reliable pollsters
- Rabbi Yaakov Menken - Coalition for Jewish Values - on Israel & antisemitism
Tune in: 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week’s portion tells the grand story of the prophet who tried to curse people of Israel and instead ended up blessing them.
I am reminded that these portions continue to be relevant anew, as this particular reading lent the title for Israel’s recent 12 Day War against Iran, “Operation Rising Lion.”
This week's portion includes the commandment of the red heifer -- one of the classic "irrational" commandments whose fulfillment is an expression of faith. It also includes the regrettable episode in which Moses strikes the rock.
I referred to this story in a wedding speech last night. Why was Moses punished for striking the rock in Numbers, when he struck the rock without incident in Exodus -- both for the purpose of providing water to the people?
The answer is that in the interim, the Jewish people had received the Torah, which is like the marriage contract between the people of Israel and God. In a marriage, you do not resolve things by breaking boundaries, but through love.
The additional reading, from Judges Chapter 11, is the story of Jephthah (Yiftach), a man whom the leaders spurn, but to whom they must turn to save the nation. The parallels to our present political circumstances are striking.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Fourth of July!
...
