March 1 is always an important day for me, because it was the day on which my boss, mentor, and friend Andrew Breitbart passed away suddenly in 2012. I have tried to mark his birthday (February 1), so that we remember him for his life and not just for his death. But I think people prefer marking March 1, just because it was a moment that brought all of his friends and fans together.
Twelve years is a long time; many people have come of age in the conservative movement who never met him, and only know the man through the legend.
What I can say is that he defined the term "happy warrior," and the idea that you can hate evil, and evil institutions, and still love people -- especially the people on the other side of the issue, as long as they are authentic about what they believe. (I'll never forget the leaders of Code Pink expressing genuine sadness when they heard he had died -- after clashing with him so often.)
I owe my happy life in L.A. to Andrew. He brought me out here; he shared his love of (and frustration with) the city with me; he gave me the means through which to provide for my growing family. I loved him deeply and I always will.
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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