As I write this, Donald Trump is at 51% of the vote in the Iowa caucuses, with almost all of the precincts reporting. Trump hit his majority and won with a record margin -- for Iowa, for any contested primary. Yes, he's the presumptive nominee. But it's more than that.
First: the voters have sent a message to Democrats that none of the stuff they have tried against Trump has worked. He is bigger than ever before, and it's not because of some "cult"; it's because the Democrats suck at governing, and now they're behaving like tyrants.
Second: the voters have sent a message to the judiciary. Judge Chutkan in DC made the point that Trump can't evade "justice" just because he's running for president. But now he's not just a candidate; he has massive support. Can you jail that man for trifles?
Third: this is a message for Trump. He lost Iowa in 2016; he won in 2024 by big margins. What changed? History, yes, but also -- Trump didn't do too much stupid stuff this rime.. He didn't snub voters or tweet nonsense. He was disciplined. He shook hands. He rallied.
If Trump can carry that discipline with him through the rest of the campaign, then he will be our president-elect, this time next year. Because nothing they have thrown at him has worked. Or will work. He is his own worst enemy and best opponent. Good luck to him.
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!
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