Thanking Sponsors and Discussing God's Role in Government and Life's Purpose
Jenna Ellis: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, PreBorn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time she will choose life. But she can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside her. One ultrasound is just $28 and to donate, dial pound250 and say the keyword baby or visit preborn.com afr Jenna Ellis in the morning on American Family Radio.
Jenna Ellis: I love talking about the things of God. Because of truth and the biblical worldview, the U.S. constitution obligates our government to preserve and protect the rights that our founders recognize come from God, our creator, not our government. I believe that scripture in the Bible is very clear that God is the one that raised up each of you and God has allowed us to be brought here to this specific moment in time.
Affordability and Online Shopping Concerns: The Rise of Temu and Data Privacy Issues
This is Jenna Ellis in the Morning.
Jenna Ellis: Good morning. It is Wednesday, October 14, and affordability is still in the news. And everyone worrying about everything from $20 burritos to, how they can get the best deals online. And we've all seen those ads. Incredible deals, rock bottom prices, and the promise that you can buy just about anything for a fraction of what you'd pay somewhere else. that's the appeal of, of just one of these outlets called temu. If you have a Gen Z or in your household, you've probably heard of Temu, the massively popular online shopping platform that has attracted American consumers with seemingly endless discounts. But what if those bargains come with a hidden cost? What if the real price isn't just what you pay at the checkout, but what you're potentially giving away in personal information? That's the concern at the center of a lawsuit filed by Missouri's Attorney General against Temu. The, the AG alleges that the company has engaged in deceptive practices involving consumer privacy and personal data. And that raises some bigger questions about the digital marketplace overall. How much information are all of these shopping apps collecting? I mean, even Instagram, you know, some of Facebook, Marketplace, what are they doing with it? And do American consumers really understand what they're agreeing when they download an app? So joining us now is m, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway to discuss the lawsuit, what her office alleges TEMU is doing, and what consumers need to know before downloading their next shopping app. So good morning, Attorney General, and you filed this lawsuit yesterday and made some very serious allegations against temu. What, what initially prompted this investigation
Missouri Attorney General's Lawsuit Against Temu Alleging Deceptive Practices and Data Collection
Catherine Hanaway: well, we had some information from other states that already have sued Temu, but we were also getting a lot of complaints into our office. And the complaints that were coming to our office were more along the lines of I didn't get what I ordered. It wasn't the quality or the size or didn't even resemble what I ordered. And when I tried to send it back, there really was no way to get a refund. Once we started digging into it, what we found out is A, this is a company that's based in China and the CCP has access to the information that gets sent there. B, that even though, it may start out as somewhat innocuous, although I think that's arguable, this particular program morphs over time so that it has access to your microphone, to your camera, to location data that can place you within 10ft of where you actually are. And all that information is being sucked up into this app and shared maybe with the cp, certainly, with other online companies. It's super dangerous and people should remove this app as soon as possible.
Jenna Ellis: Wow. I mean this sounds a lot like what TikTok was alleging and why the federal government didn't allow TikTok to be downloaded on government phones and wanting to completely, get rid of that app in the United States. Obviously, you know, that, that changed once, bytedance divested more. But, for Temu, this is just a shopping app. I mean, is this essentially the allegation is that it's a front for for that kind of data gathering for China?
Catherine Hanaway: Absolutely. That is the core allegation, that the shopping, the great prices are just a cover for a sophisticated company that is built to collect and share your data. And one of the interesting things is that if you download applications through app stores, they do have a number of safeguards built in. And the updates that get placed through the app stores are looking for things like, you know, are there back doors, are there ways that they're looking at your camera listening to you, having access to your microphone. And the app stores don't allow it. Well, Temu goes around all those controls and morphs the app over time and they're reprogramming it all the time to collect more and more of your data and your dollars.
Jenna Ellis: Wow. And this is a really, serious concern. And obviously when, when people download a shopping app, there are some, you know, basic assumptions and and basic problems with consumer protection issues. I mean, Temu has basically become, you know, this, this, this meme and this kind of caricature for you. You definitely don't get what you order. And that's a whole separate issue. But but that's completely ah, separate to this whole data collection. And it seems like especially for you know, iPhones and Androids and here in America there should be some kind of regulation that doesn't allow for some of these workarounds. is this something that, you know, you've asked companies, like Apple for example, if their security measures on their phones have looked into this or what their responsibility is?
Catherine Hanaway: Yeah, we do believe that both on Android phones and on Apple phones they are taking safety steps to protect against this. Are they taking enough? That's a little bit more of an open question. But as I said, TEMU is very intentionally working around the safety measures that Apple and Android have in place. Thank goodness, here in Missouri we have something called the Missouri Merchandising Practices act, which gives us a lot of tools, both civil and criminal, to go after any company that, that is saying they're doing one thing, but in fact are doing another. And so we're going to go very hard against temu and we've just talked about a few of the things that we allege that they've done wrong. And it's everything from you know, stealing your data and sharing it with the Chinese government to counterfeiting Cardinals jerseys.
Consumer Caution Online: Navigating the Digital Marketplace and Protecting Personal Information
I mean once they went bad, they went bad on every single front you can imagine.
Jenna Ellis: Wow. And and I think for some, some people, I mean it's, it's obvious to a lot of perhaps the gen zers that this is a Chinese company that you know, you don't necessarily get exactly what you order, you know, some of those things and they're okay with that. it may be in some circumstances to a certain extent, but when this first came up, it wasn't widely known that this was, was a company in China. And so when you have the online digital marketplace or even ordering things like from Amazon for example, I mean there's such a volume now online that you can choose from. How can consumers be more careful before they download certain apps or before they give their information to sellers and especially online?
Catherine Hanaway: Well, I think the number one thing is try to work with just trusted brands. You know, there are certain brands that you have encountered first as brick and mortar that you've been doing business with for a lot of years. Those are probably the websites that you can trust more than others. the other thing is, you know, there are lots of reviews and comments out there online. Spend a little time researching where you're going and importantly, have conversations with your kids. Like your kids are more likely to be going to some of these places. They don't have the history that you have of, you know, real in person shopping. Their experience is primarily online. They're hearing from their friends, you know, what good sites might be and just ask them to take some of those safety measures that you are and frankly ask them to occasionally for you to look at their phone and see what all was on there.
Parental Monitoring of Children's Online Activity for Safety and Discussion
I know when our son was young, we actually mirrored his phone so that anything he was doing on his phone, my husband saw on his phone simultaneously. And it was irritating to my son, I have to admit, but super helpful to us and led to a lot of really good discussions that we could have with him. Like, hey, we saw this pop up. What do you know about it? Oh, you're texting with this person. How did you meet them? it is very, very helpful. And that goes beyond just sort of knowing where your children are. I mean, we were seeing keystroke for keystroke everything that was happening on his phone.
Jenna Ellis: That's really smart, especially in, the digital age where kids especially can get so sucked into, you know, a variety of different online, traps and, you know, dangerous situations.
Temu's Alleged Targeting of Minors Through Gamification and Lack of Age Verification
And your lawsuit also does allege that team you specifically targets children through advertising and gamification while failing to implement adequate age verification. So what did your investigation also find out about specifically the risks to minors?
Catherine Hanaway: Yeah, I mean, there's just no question that TEEMU is targeting minors and they are using all the little tricks of the trade like gamification and to make it more attractive to get kids to spend more time on the site. And they're doing nothing. In fact, I would suggest that they're, you know, purposely enticing kids there. They certainly are not, doing anything to verify that kids are of an appropriate age to be making purchases through temu.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah. And, speaking of just, protecting children as well, you also have, this issue with Xbox, Xbox Live that you post on social media has become a hunting ground for child predators in Missouri and beyond. You, posted, we're demanding that within 30 days Xbox Institute stronger protection for minors, clearer tools for parents to protect their kids, and accountability measures when predators are reported. what's going on with Xbox Live?
Xbox Live as a Hunting Ground for Child Predators and Coercive Tactics
Catherine Hanaway: Well, I'll give you just one very specific case that's already been charged. a man from Texas was on Xbox and specifically grooming a 15 year old in Columbia, Missouri, and then began, you know, producing and sending pornographic information to him. by the time the investigation exposed this man, he'd have over 3,000 communications, with the 15 year old in Columbia. And I have to tell you, this is not a particularly new means by which, predators are grooming children. doing so through games has been an issue for a long time. I used to be the United States attorney here in St. Louis, and that was almost 20 years ago now, which is kind of scary to me. but even then we had a case where a young man was being enticed through a game. And the way these predators go at it is they impersonate, being another young person, hey, I'm just a pal, let's just hang out and game. And then they start to have a dialogue. And in this particular case, I remember the dialogue was, hey, you look like you lift. I lift. Hey, why don't you just send me a picture of you just with your shirt off so I can see, like how cut you are. And eventually the predator said, hey, now I have these images and if you don't show me more, I'm going to send these images to your mother and say, hey, look what your kid's doing online. And so first there's the, you know, let's make friends. Then some coercion, then the threats to embarrass and expose the child.
The Importance of Parental Involvement in Monitoring Online Activity and Protecting Children
And fortunately, in the case that I'm describing, the young man who was being groomed by that predator went, wait a minute, I'm going to go to my mom first and have a conversation. And then the two of them came to law enforcement and we were able to get that predator. But this is a persistent problem and we need to make sure that the companies that are providing the platforms are doing everything they can to shut it down.
Jenna Ellis: Absolutely. And, you know, just all the more reason, for instances like that for the parents to already be involved so that there is no opportunity for any picture exchanges, opportunity for that type of coercion or, you know, blackmail with shaming. I mean, so many, different outcomes can be foreclosed if parents would, would look and take an active role in monitoring their children's online activity. And that just seems so basic and so helpful in, today's online, situation. And, last question for you as well, Attorney, General, really appreciate all that you do for this. you also had recommended, with respect to temu, that, people who already have downloaded this app, delete it. But if someone has already downloaded it and used it for purchases. Is deleting the app enough to protect their personal information or do they need to take additional steps?
Catherine Hanaway: Well, chances are if they've already downloaded it and used it, their information is out there to some degree. And so you definitely need to delete it. But then you need to become a very active observer of all the activity within your accounts to make sure that you're not getting charged, for things you didn't buy by companies you haven't dealt with. And then if you see something, please report it to us.
Reporting Online Issues to Authorities and the Need for Stronger Consumer Protection
our website is ago.mo.gov like Attorney General's office, you know, dot mo.gov and, all of our best cases start when real people actually report something to us. And, you know, that's who I swore to serve is the people of Missouri. And so we really do want to know about their problems.
Jenna Ellis: Awesome. Well, thank you so much. And we've got to take a break here. And even if you don't live in Missouri, you can report it to your own Attorney General. And hopefully, regardless of, what party affiliation they are, they would care about protecting, children online, care about consumer protection. we need stronger attorneys general across the country, like Attorney General Hanaway. I so appreciate her dedication, to the people of Missouri. You're very lucky to have her. here in my home state of Florida, we're very lucky to have James Uthmeyer, who is a great, aggressive. We have a few around the country. but, you know, get involved if you, if you see some of these things. It's not just a matter of taking steps, personally, obviously that's important. Always protect your children and yourself. Credit cards online. But you can also report this and hopefully save someone else further down the line. So really appreciate it. Again, Attorney General Follower on X. We will be right back with more
The Importance of Worldview in Elections and Encouraging Conservative Christian Voters
m.
Jenna Ellis: Hi, I'm Jenna Ellis. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. And that's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will help sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.netforward/give. That's afr.net welcome back to Jenna Ellis in the Morning on American Family Radio.
Jenna Ellis: Welcome back. And as I've been saying for a while now, the election and even recent elections in American history has really boiled down to a difference in worldview and two completely different views of reality where America was, founded upon where America is going and, when we look at some of the polls and we look at some of the personalities, this seems to be, you know, really tight, races. And, whether or not the Democrats are actually, you know, 1112 points ahead, nationally, that's a little bit scary. But when we can actually show the contrast in the worldview between the parties and the candidates, that really can change, a lot of minds and also hopefully encourage conservatives and Christians to actually get out and vote their values.
Contrasting Political Parties: Highlighting Republican Accomplishments vs. Democratic Policy Plans
And, Frank Pavone and Priests for Life, have some new election resources showing some of these contrasts between the Republican record of accomplishments and the policy plans of the Democrats. the website is Pro Life vote dot com. That's Pro Life vote dot com. And they're also putting out a lot of targeted ads. So let's welcome in Frank, Pavone. And, you know, this is, this is great. good morning, Frank. And I think we need to do more of this that isn't focused on the personality and the background necessarily of each individual candidate. I mean, we're not, you know, electing the homecoming king or queen. This isn't about who we like. More ultimately, we should be voting based on our values and based on policy.
Frank Pavone : Well, that's right. And thanks for having me on again, Jenna, and greetings, to our great audience. look, this is something that we've developed, going into this election cycle, really with the input of, not just our own team, but, you know, there are key political experts in our country that are urging the very same thing. whether it's the president himself, the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson has talked about this. He said that Newt Gingrich talked to him recently and said, hey, look, we had the Contract for America back in 1994. This year, it's the contrast for America. The contrast built on the fact that. And think about this, Jenna. I mean, I've been saying this a lot lately. We have never had a better record of conservative victories than we stand on right now, including just what happened over the past, you know, almost two years now. and we. And we've never had on the other side, a more radical, scary, destructive set of policy commitments on the part of these Democrats. So it's like this year, more than ever, factually based contrasts pronounced in sound bite form, but backed up by solid statistics and references and original sources. This is the way to go. And this can pay off more than ever before. I always say to people, look, never underestimate the intelligence of the American voter and, and their ability to put two and two together and never overestimate the amount of these factually based, contrasts that they have at their fingertips. Make the case for them, make it over and over again. So, like you said, @proivote.com, people will now find a one page, single sided, downloadable, easy to read contrast sheet that has, and I can read some of the examples here, but it has on one column the actual, not promises, the actual accomplishments that we can stand on now thanks to our Republican Congress and our president versus the policy, promises and plans of the Democrats. obviously on our side. For example, most secure border ever, no illegal entries into our country, highest number of deportations, lowest crime and murder rates in history, lowest poverty rate in decades, drastically reduced drug deaths. I mean, more Americans working than ever. I mean, these sound like pretty good things and they could all be backed up by fact. On the other side of the ledger, let Iran get a nuke, abused terrorists, end aid to Israel, increase inflation, increased taxes, increased government regulations, larger government bureaucracy, taxpayer funding of transgender surgery. Not to mention, of course, the difference of the two sides in what we often talk about, and that is the issue of abortion. Jenna, I think this is the year for contrasts. And that's why Pro Life Vote is offering these tools, not only this downloadable page, but also some ads that we put out showing these contrasts as well.
Jenna Ellis: And this is so fantastic because you're so right, Frank Pavone, that this is all about contrast. I mean, two completely different views of reality. And for people who are, who are still asking the question like, well, what does it matter? I mean, I'm not happy with either side, so, you know, why should I even get out and vote or I'm just going to leave it blank? I mean, that, that is, is literally just, putting your head, burying it in the sand and suggesting that somehow the positions of these two parties are somehow equally bad. And that is just absolutely not true. I mean, you have right on this platform page, which I love how you frame this @pro life vote.com, that, you know, you join the conviction that will, defy the historical pattern and need to gain seats in Congress rather than lose them. You go on. The first reason is because, we need to support the America first agenda. That's why, of course President Trump won a resounding victory in 2024 because people rejected, you know, the crazy, leftist view of America. But then this is what I love. The second reason is that the Democrat Party is crazier than ever. I mean, that's Just fundamentally true.
Focusing on Policy Over Labels: Understanding Worldviews and Communicating Values Effectively
I mean, when you look at the candidates that they are putting up, the worldview that is being perpetuated in this day and age when we have so resoundingly as a country, rejected all of the nonsense, the woke the dei, the trans surgeries that, you know, all of the insanity, and yet they keep going more and more and more insane. And they're framing communism as somehow a benefit and a solution to the economic crisis. And they're not explaining themselves well. And if you just take, you know, five minutes to explain to your neighbor or your family or, you know, your relatives what this worldview, differences between the parties, it just becomes so clear. And I think we need to do more of that, especially in the last few weeks before the midterms. Yes.
Frank Pavone : And, you know, something you said too, is, relates to the meaning of words. And this is why a lot of the polling is just downright, wrong, you know, because people are asked, answering questions based on their understanding of terms that are not defined. for example, when people say they prefer socialism. So instead of just using the terminology, and again, some of our key political commentators and experts, Newt Gingrich, Dick Morris, other people have been saying this. Don't argue just based on the terminology. If somebody says communism, socialism, you know, do people really know what it is that we're talking about? Talk about what you're talking about. Do you want the government to own the means of production? Do you want people to keep the things they earn that they work hard for? Or is the government going to take it and give it to someone else, put it in those very simple terms and ask them what they think about that. Not what they think about the label, what they think about the policy. And that's where then you start to see a big difference. for example, our friends over at McLaughlin and Associates, they did some polling showing that, hey, you know what? You know, it seems like when you poll Americans today, more and more are saying they like socialism. That's a very disturbing trend. But if you ask them, do you prefer, the big government and the government to control, the means of production, or do you prefer, you know, a free market, entrepreneurial kind of system? Then the numbers flip and they say, well, of course I, of course I want people to be free to, you know, build their businesses and enjoy their earnings. That's where we win. And, you know, it's the same thing, Jenna, with when we talk about pro life, pro choice. Pro choice sounds great. And yes, we're in favor of all kinds of freedom. But if you ask them, do you think a healthy baby carried by a healthy mother should be killed by abortion in the six month of pregnancy, vast majority of Americans are going to say no. Go to the policies, not just the words.
Jenna Ellis: Yes, and so, so true. And I'm reminded of, you know, some of these man on the street interviews where instead of opening with the attribution of a policy and statement or quotation to either, you know, Barack Obama versus Donald Trump, right? And then people get into their sort of siloed partisan tribalism if you just say, okay, here's, here's the quote. And people would say, oh yeah, I totally agree with that. And then they say, well, Donald Trump said that. And then they get all offended or they're like, you know, what about this? Well, Barack Obama said that and that, you know, that sounds really bad and you don't agree with it. And so it just shows that if you strip away the siloed tribalism and you just say, here are the policies, that's really what we need to be pulling for one thing. But that's also what we need to be messaging. And I think that's really going to be critical. And we're going to talk coming up in the next segment about ah, messaging and the White House press Secretary's first briefing which I just I.
Energizing Voters Through Issues and Resources: Advocating for Conservative Values
The White House does not need this distraction right now. But what we need to be doing as Christians and conservatives is focusing on the worldview and not the labels of Democrat versus Republican, but to get people outside of those, those types of either preferences or assumptions and really make them think about what do you believe on policy. Because that's where we can I think convert people to energize around values. And they can also think through why it's so important to actually get out and vote. Because the issues are what energize people. I mean, you know, yes, Donald Trump is one of the very few politicians that can turn out when his name is on the ballot. You know, people vote, his name isn't on the ballot this time and won't be, you know, again for president. And so we need to, instead of pushing personalities, we need to push the issues and to really connect the, the dots for people. And I think that this this pro life, pro life vote.com does this really well. We also have I Voter guide from AFA Action. I mean there are a lot of really great resources and I know that a lot of states in particular have you know, Their, their voter guides. That's what I. Voter guide, is in, I believe it's all 50 states now that you can at least get, you know, hear the issues. Take that and talk to your friends and family, talk to your neighbors. If your, you know, community Facebook page allows you to post on, you know, values and issues, start those conversations. I have conversations with, you know, neighbors at the dog park. I have conversations with, you know, the baristas at coffee shops. Because you can and you should. And so we need to be doing a better job of advocating for our values, not just, internally still talking amongst ourselves. so how do you encourage, people who say, well, you know, I'm not really sure if I know enough to, you know, share my values, to use this resource. Ah, Frank.
Studying and Advocating for Conservative Policy Positions: Resources and Effective Communication
To become, you know, better, advocates for conservative policy positions.
Frank Pavone : Well, we have to take some time to study. I mean, Scripture, you know, from beginning to end, urges us to take responsibility for knowing, the things we're talking about, backing up our values. So, you know, if people don't feel confident explaining their, positions, maybe that's, you know, your own conscience telling you, hey, let me just spend a little extra time doing some reading. I mean, it's easier than ever before. We have all of human knowledge at our fingertips on our smartphones. take a little time for study. But then resources like we [email protected] do make it very, very easy. I mean, this sheet here, it's got everything right there. And not only that, but we're going to be putting up, today even more of the background research that if people make an assertion like, hey, you know, on the Republican record, we've got the largest tax cuts in history. Democrats side, they want to increase your taxes. Okay, well, how do I back that up? And we're just going to put the links right there, and you can get them from any other places as well. So we do make it easy.
Frank Pavone : And remember, you don't have to be. You're not being asked to give a lecture or a talk, or write a paper. You're simply, you know, Jenna, as our friend Dan Bonzino always says, it's snap. Snapshots and sound bites and contrast. We've been talking about contrast here in our discussion. But the contrast also can be, you know, captured in sound bites and snapshots. And that's more effective than long explanations or papers. And again, these resources atPro Life Vote.com put it right there in your hands.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah, absolutely. And you can do that with your friends, your family, your friends. After church, you can, post on your own social media. I mean, your sphere of influence. Even if you, you know, necessarily have the platform that somebody like a Frank Pavone has, you still have influence where God has put you. And we need to be advocating first and foremost for the truth of the gospel of Christ. And we need to then, after we are winning people, to salvation, but also simultaneously, be expressed expressing why the Christian life and the biblical worldview is the best overall for human flourishing and to give us the freedoms, protect our rights that come from God so that we can, live out our Christian life in our families, in that sphere of government, in our churches, in that sphere of government and also in the public square and in civil society and those three institutions that God has ordained. So, so incredibly important. Thanks so much, Frank Pavone. You can follow him on X, you can go toprolifevote.com and you can also go to I voter guide dot com. Let's engage. We have two more weeks before the midterms and we need to be focused on our values and also getting out to vote. We will be right back with more.
Preborn's Mission: Saving Babies Through Ultrasounds and Supporting Mothers in Crisis
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Critique of New White House Press Secretary's First Briefing and Communication Strategy
Welcome back to Jenna Ellis in the Morning on American Family Radio.
Jenna Ellis: Welcome back. Well, the White House as the new press secretary, Katy Zacharia had her first briefing yesterday. And of course, all of the Leftist media is going to absolutely hate on her, say that she did a terrible job, and, they're never going to like anyone that Trump hires. but in a, in an objective analysis of the first briefing, my personal opinion, having, known all of President, Trump's press secretaries, previously, personally, actually working with several of them very closely during my time. my takeaway from this is that she was very nervous, understandably. she only got hired on Friday. she apparently came, From California to D.C. just a couple days ago. Monday was her first day and then yesterday was already in the briefing room, so obviously would be very nervous, came frankly a little bit unprepared, couldn't answer a couple of questions even from conservative media. So my personal takeaway, first of all is that she needs to get a lot better. we need good messaging coming from the White House. We are just a couple of weeks away from the midterms. We can't afford these types of distractions and these types of headlines. but also that probably she shouldn't have held a briefing this soon. Caroline Levitt, the last press secretary, had, several months to prepare before Trump came into his second term. She had already been his campaign press secretary. And then Kayleigh McEnany, prior to that had also been a campaign press secretary, knew the lay of the land of Trump world. And then even when she was named press secretary took, almost a month if I recall correctly, but at least several weeks before she held her first briefing. So this just seemed a little bit rushed. But, overall, let's talk about it with Todd Starnes, who is, a radio host, a Newsmax host, and author of a great new book, ah, the Golden Age How Trump Saved America. and also a lot of other great books including Star Spangled Blessings, Devotions For Patriots, Twilight's Last Gleaming, Can America Be Saved. These are all books that, you need to read by our good friend Todd Starnes. but Todd, overall, I just think that the timing here is not great to have, such frankly negative, headlines that, that really were just so unnecessary from the White House. If they had waited a few weeks, maybe until after midterms, this might have been better. And it just seems like they threw someone out here who, really just wasn't prepared to do this briefing.
Todd Starnes: Well, good morning. And I don't think she did a good job at all. And I'm not a member of the liberal media. so I'm really concerned about the decision making at The White House, really, over the past year or so. And the ultimate agenda here is to advance President Trump's agenda. That is the ultimate goal. And if there are staff at the White House or within the administration that were hired to do that and they cannot accomplish that task, they've got to step aside. there is no excuse for what happened yesterday. This is a very important role. the press secretary is tasked with the responsibility of defending the president's agenda before a hostile media. And clearly the new press secretary was not up for, for that task. Now, I'm willing to give a little bit of leeway. This was the first press briefing, but the second press briefing goes about the same way. Then I think we've got big problems here. Let me just say this. no fan of Megyn Kelly, but I think she actually, she has a pretty good grasp on the issues here. And this is a serious job for serious people. And that really is the bottom line. She did not come across as a serious person yesterday, and I don't think that she served the president well. again, I think it was a rush decision. there should have been time to get somebody in place. And again, this is a position that requires a little bit of gravitas, and we did not see that yesterday.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah. And for those who maybe didn't watch the briefing, it was only about 15 minutes, which was also a bit stunning. she only took three questions and they were all from, more conservative outlets. And so nothing from, the, the hostile press. And yeah, she just came across as completely unprepared. And for the people who are saying, oh, we'll give her some time and, you know, let's champion her, you know, I'm with you, Todd. Where, this isn't a job that, you know, we're, we want someone to grow into the position and we're really rooting for that individual. This is overall, we need to be concerned about the future of America, the success overall of the administration, and making sure to communicate that to the American people.
Addressing Tone Deaf Messaging and Disconnect Between Administration and Average Americans
And frankly, as you and I have discussed previously on the show, the White House has had, ah, not a great track record over the last, ah, year or so of really communicating and defending some of their decision making to the American people. Caroline Levitt did a fantastic job as press secretary. but the bottom line is that if there, if this individual Katy, can't, meet the task, our job and responsibility as conservatives and people who are concerned about this country shouldn't be. Well, let's give her some time. Let's kind of coddle her. I mean there was a lot of messaging on social media yesterday, to that effect. Almost the participation trophy effect. Quite frankly, to me, none of that matters. It matters ultimately that conservative values win. That the GOP maintains control of both chambers after the midterms, which is a very, frankly at this point, according to the polls, unlikely situation. And so, you know, when we're looking at this overall and we're looking at messaging not just for the position of the press secretary, but overall, it's really stunning to me, Todd Starnes, that it's seems like the White House is just not really that concerned overall about the midterms and about the lack of the President's agenda being successful. I mean we don't even hear about the SAVE act anymore, for example. We're not hearing about all of the issues that American voters are concerned about. And so there's this question that's hanging out there which is for Republicans saying, well, why should we even engage in vote? Now you and I know the answer to that. As Christians, it's our obligation and our duty. But I don't think that a lot of the GOP or the White House is really giving a great response to that.
Todd Starnes: Well look, I've been pretty vocal about the messaging and the communications part of this. and I think, I think that that it's just getting worse. There was a Mississippi senator, Senator Hyde Smith, who was Sandy, ah, Hyde Smith, who when asked about the rising prices of groceries in the great state of Mississippi, suggested that people just need to pick another protein. that was her response to reporters. in Tennessee a congressman said that if people can't afford ground beef, they should consider eating turkey. Let them eat turkey. these are tone deaf messaging points and that has got, that's just got to be fixed. There's just too much at stake here for silly mistakes out on the campaign trail. And one of the things I've recommended is that we need a fresh. The President needs to surround himself with a fresh set of advisors. I think there are far too many people from Mar a Lago in the White House and not enough people from Mayberry. And I think ultimately that's the issue. There is a disconnect, between the President right now and the average working American. Now that I'm not blaming the President for that. But I do believe that those who are responsible, ah, his closest inner circle, they're the ones that really need to take a long Hard look at this and understand that their, their policies and their agendas are hurting the President's agenda. I am still one of these people that is very bullish about the midterm elections. I have been telling my listeners for the past month, do not believe a single poll, don't believe any of the gotcha stories coming out. The only job we have is to get out and vote on election Day. And if we do that, I think we're going to be just fine.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah. And I hope you're right about that. And for people listening who are saying, you know, oh, stop criticizing the White House, stop criticizing, you know, the press secretary, instead of being, you know, down on her press briefing yesterday and the messaging and all of this stuff, why not just be a team player? I mean, I got a lot of that response yesterday when I said very bluntly as well, that I didn't think that she did a good job and that this was such an unnecessary distraction and at this moment from the White House in terms of messaging. But the point here is that we need to, one, always tell the truth, give an honest opinion. I'm not just going to defend something because it's coming from a Republican or, oppose something because it's coming from a Democrat.
The Importance of Truth Telling, Voting for Values, and Combating Political Distractions
we should always, be truth tellers. But also, even just as importantly, we need to remind people that, this is a very serious moment and that regardless of the things that aren't getting, getting done right now in Washington, we need to have another two years to push through good legislation, to have another opportunity. And we also need to remind, the White House that they need to step it up and, and Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune and then everyone there. I mean, it can't just be something where we are a team player, no matter if our own team isn't reaching the goals and, and winning the game and making the touchdowns, you know, whatever sports reference you want to make. And so I think it's important that instead of, criticizing the critiques, that we all look at this honestly and say, you know, this is really about two different views of reality here between the left that are the Democrat, socialist, Communists, and maybe, you know, some people in the GOP we might not prefer for whatever reason, but at least are not, going down the path of totally undermining America. And so, you know, when you say, Todd Starnes, you know, don't necessarily believe the polls, you know, get out and vote, I think that that's really wise advice because it can Be discouraging to look at that and say, well, we've already lost before we even get there, but we all need to participate. And so, you know, as we are just a couple of weeks out from the midterms, where do you see the, the push that the GOP really needs to make to encourage people to actually get out and vote and vote all the way down ticket as well, not just for the top of the ticket, but all the way down and on every issue and elected office, because they all matter.
Todd Starnes: Well, I really don't think there's anything the Republicans do at this point. You know, I've been a clock watcher for the past two years and I've been warning the RNC and Republican leadership, for the past two years that the agenda is not getting done at a quick enough pace. And the response early on was stop being a negative, Nancy. it's going to happen. Well, it didn't happen. And, this is not the time for even I told you so. It's just a matter of now that Republican voters are the ones who have to make the decision. Are they willing to set aside their disgust for the Republican Party and get out there and say President Trump and the administration from impeachment? Because that's what's going to happen if the Democrats gain control. they are going to impeach the president. They'll be going after Pete Hagstep, they're going to be going after every single administration official. And we know that because the Democrats have already said that's the game plan. So my recommendation to folks is to, really rally your neighbors, your family members, your church. we have to do what we can do, to get out the vote. There's another issue, though, and I think this is the, you know, setting aside the political embarrassment of the impeachment, because at the end of the day, it really doesn't matter all that much. But what does matter is we cannot allow Communism to get a foothold in the Congress. And the reality is we've got a number of communists that are running for office. And, these are competitive races. So we've got to make sure that we stop the Communist threat in its tracks and we deal with that on election day. And, you know, again, if people stay home, then the Democrats are going to win. But I want to circle back on the polling data. these polls are just so offensively bad. But, let me explain what's about to happen. And it's already started to happen. So now a lot of the polls are coming out and saying, oh, the Republicans are gaining some ground and now all the races are within the margin of error doing that intentionally because they don't want to be caught with their pants down if in fact the Republicans do pull off a big victory here. So again, these polls from day one have under sampled Republicans and that's the big problem here. So do not believe the polling data.
Jenna Ellis: Well, really wise, words and encouraging I think overall.
Critiquing Poll Data, Encouraging Voter Turnout, and the Message of 'The Golden Age'
And thank you Todd, Starnes for always being willing to critique and to comment fairly. And I think we need more of that analysis and we absolutely need more people to get out and vote our values and also more people to read your book, the Golden Age, How Trump Saved America. do you want to tell us about that really quickly?
Todd Starnes: Well, it's a fun book and it's an encouraging book and I hope people will be inspired by the message. we have been so encouraged by many in the secular media that have had me on. We just did a one hour book special. CNN select or rather C Span selected the book for their book of the month club. And had a wonderful time sharing the gospel message on C Span. On Tuesday, I'll be at the Reagan Presidential Library. we're doing a sit down interview for the book there. So it's a lot of fun and I really hope people understand the golden age is not about prosperity. The message of the book is that the golden Age for me is restoring the traditional values of our founding fathers back to the republic. And the book is available wherever you get your books across the country.
Jenna Ellis: Amazing. Well, Todd Starnes, thank you so much and you can follow him on X as well at Todd Starnes and go to Todd Starns.com and as always you can reach me and my team. Jenna.
Preborn's Impact: Rescuing Babies and Supporting Young Moms in Crisis
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Thanking Sponsors and Discussing God's Role in Government and Life's Purpose
Jenna Ellis: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, PreBorn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time she will choose life. But she can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside her. One ultrasound is just $28 and to donate, dial pound250 and say the keyword baby or visit preborn.com afr Jenna Ellis in the morning on American Family Radio.
Jenna Ellis: I love talking about the things of God. Because of truth and the biblical worldview, the U.S. constitution obligates our government to preserve and protect the rights that our founders recognize come from God, our creator, not our government. I believe that scripture in the Bible is very clear that God is the one that raised up each of you and God has allowed us to be brought here to this specific moment in time.
Affordability and Online Shopping Concerns: The Rise of Temu and Data Privacy Issues
This is Jenna Ellis in the Morning.
Jenna Ellis: Good morning. It is Wednesday, October 14, and affordability is still in the news. And everyone worrying about everything from $20 burritos to, how they can get the best deals online. And we've all seen those ads. Incredible deals, rock bottom prices, and the promise that you can buy just about anything for a fraction of what you'd pay somewhere else. that's the appeal of, of just one of these outlets called temu. If you have a Gen Z or in your household, you've probably heard of Temu, the massively popular online shopping platform that has attracted American consumers with seemingly endless discounts. But what if those bargains come with a hidden cost? What if the real price isn't just what you pay at the checkout, but what you're potentially giving away in personal information? That's the concern at the center of a lawsuit filed by Missouri's Attorney General against Temu. The, the AG alleges that the company has engaged in deceptive practices involving consumer privacy and personal data. And that raises some bigger questions about the digital marketplace overall. How much information are all of these shopping apps collecting? I mean, even Instagram, you know, some of Facebook, Marketplace, what are they doing with it? And do American consumers really understand what they're agreeing when they download an app? So joining us now is m, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway to discuss the lawsuit, what her office alleges TEMU is doing, and what consumers need to know before downloading their next shopping app. So good morning, Attorney General, and you filed this lawsuit yesterday and made some very serious allegations against temu. What, what initially prompted this investigation
Missouri Attorney General's Lawsuit Against Temu Alleging Deceptive Practices and Data Collection
Catherine Hanaway: well, we had some information from other states that already have sued Temu, but we were also getting a lot of complaints into our office. And the complaints that were coming to our office were more along the lines of I didn't get what I ordered. It wasn't the quality or the size or didn't even resemble what I ordered. And when I tried to send it back, there really was no way to get a refund. Once we started digging into it, what we found out is A, this is a company that's based in China and the CCP has access to the information that gets sent there. B, that even though, it may start out as somewhat innocuous, although I think that's arguable, this particular program morphs over time so that it has access to your microphone, to your camera, to location data that can place you within 10ft of where you actually are. And all that information is being sucked up into this app and shared maybe with the cp, certainly, with other online companies. It's super dangerous and people should remove this app as soon as possible.
Jenna Ellis: Wow. I mean this sounds a lot like what TikTok was alleging and why the federal government didn't allow TikTok to be downloaded on government phones and wanting to completely, get rid of that app in the United States. Obviously, you know, that, that changed once, bytedance divested more. But, for Temu, this is just a shopping app. I mean, is this essentially the allegation is that it's a front for for that kind of data gathering for China?
Catherine Hanaway: Absolutely. That is the core allegation, that the shopping, the great prices are just a cover for a sophisticated company that is built to collect and share your data. And one of the interesting things is that if you download applications through app stores, they do have a number of safeguards built in. And the updates that get placed through the app stores are looking for things like, you know, are there back doors, are there ways that they're looking at your camera listening to you, having access to your microphone. And the app stores don't allow it. Well, Temu goes around all those controls and morphs the app over time and they're reprogramming it all the time to collect more and more of your data and your dollars.
Jenna Ellis: Wow. And this is a really, serious concern. And obviously when, when people download a shopping app, there are some, you know, basic assumptions and and basic problems with consumer protection issues. I mean, Temu has basically become, you know, this, this, this meme and this kind of caricature for you. You definitely don't get what you order. And that's a whole separate issue. But but that's completely ah, separate to this whole data collection. And it seems like especially for you know, iPhones and Androids and here in America there should be some kind of regulation that doesn't allow for some of these workarounds. is this something that, you know, you've asked companies, like Apple for example, if their security measures on their phones have looked into this or what their responsibility is?
Catherine Hanaway: Yeah, we do believe that both on Android phones and on Apple phones they are taking safety steps to protect against this. Are they taking enough? That's a little bit more of an open question. But as I said, TEMU is very intentionally working around the safety measures that Apple and Android have in place. Thank goodness, here in Missouri we have something called the Missouri Merchandising Practices act, which gives us a lot of tools, both civil and criminal, to go after any company that, that is saying they're doing one thing, but in fact are doing another. And so we're going to go very hard against temu and we've just talked about a few of the things that we allege that they've done wrong. And it's everything from you know, stealing your data and sharing it with the Chinese government to counterfeiting Cardinals jerseys.
Consumer Caution Online: Navigating the Digital Marketplace and Protecting Personal Information
I mean once they went bad, they went bad on every single front you can imagine.
Jenna Ellis: Wow. And and I think for some, some people, I mean it's, it's obvious to a lot of perhaps the gen zers that this is a Chinese company that you know, you don't necessarily get exactly what you order, you know, some of those things and they're okay with that. it may be in some circumstances to a certain extent, but when this first came up, it wasn't widely known that this was, was a company in China. And so when you have the online digital marketplace or even ordering things like from Amazon for example, I mean there's such a volume now online that you can choose from. How can consumers be more careful before they download certain apps or before they give their information to sellers and especially online?
Catherine Hanaway: Well, I think the number one thing is try to work with just trusted brands. You know, there are certain brands that you have encountered first as brick and mortar that you've been doing business with for a lot of years. Those are probably the websites that you can trust more than others. the other thing is, you know, there are lots of reviews and comments out there online. Spend a little time researching where you're going and importantly, have conversations with your kids. Like your kids are more likely to be going to some of these places. They don't have the history that you have of, you know, real in person shopping. Their experience is primarily online. They're hearing from their friends, you know, what good sites might be and just ask them to take some of those safety measures that you are and frankly ask them to occasionally for you to look at their phone and see what all was on there.
Parental Monitoring of Children's Online Activity for Safety and Discussion
I know when our son was young, we actually mirrored his phone so that anything he was doing on his phone, my husband saw on his phone simultaneously. And it was irritating to my son, I have to admit, but super helpful to us and led to a lot of really good discussions that we could have with him. Like, hey, we saw this pop up. What do you know about it? Oh, you're texting with this person. How did you meet them? it is very, very helpful. And that goes beyond just sort of knowing where your children are. I mean, we were seeing keystroke for keystroke everything that was happening on his phone.
Jenna Ellis: That's really smart, especially in, the digital age where kids especially can get so sucked into, you know, a variety of different online, traps and, you know, dangerous situations.
Temu's Alleged Targeting of Minors Through Gamification and Lack of Age Verification
And your lawsuit also does allege that team you specifically targets children through advertising and gamification while failing to implement adequate age verification. So what did your investigation also find out about specifically the risks to minors?
Catherine Hanaway: Yeah, I mean, there's just no question that TEEMU is targeting minors and they are using all the little tricks of the trade like gamification and to make it more attractive to get kids to spend more time on the site. And they're doing nothing. In fact, I would suggest that they're, you know, purposely enticing kids there. They certainly are not, doing anything to verify that kids are of an appropriate age to be making purchases through temu.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah. And, speaking of just, protecting children as well, you also have, this issue with Xbox, Xbox Live that you post on social media has become a hunting ground for child predators in Missouri and beyond. You, posted, we're demanding that within 30 days Xbox Institute stronger protection for minors, clearer tools for parents to protect their kids, and accountability measures when predators are reported. what's going on with Xbox Live?
Xbox Live as a Hunting Ground for Child Predators and Coercive Tactics
Catherine Hanaway: Well, I'll give you just one very specific case that's already been charged. a man from Texas was on Xbox and specifically grooming a 15 year old in Columbia, Missouri, and then began, you know, producing and sending pornographic information to him. by the time the investigation exposed this man, he'd have over 3,000 communications, with the 15 year old in Columbia. And I have to tell you, this is not a particularly new means by which, predators are grooming children. doing so through games has been an issue for a long time. I used to be the United States attorney here in St. Louis, and that was almost 20 years ago now, which is kind of scary to me. but even then we had a case where a young man was being enticed through a game. And the way these predators go at it is they impersonate, being another young person, hey, I'm just a pal, let's just hang out and game. And then they start to have a dialogue. And in this particular case, I remember the dialogue was, hey, you look like you lift. I lift. Hey, why don't you just send me a picture of you just with your shirt off so I can see, like how cut you are. And eventually the predator said, hey, now I have these images and if you don't show me more, I'm going to send these images to your mother and say, hey, look what your kid's doing online. And so first there's the, you know, let's make friends. Then some coercion, then the threats to embarrass and expose the child.
The Importance of Parental Involvement in Monitoring Online Activity and Protecting Children
And fortunately, in the case that I'm describing, the young man who was being groomed by that predator went, wait a minute, I'm going to go to my mom first and have a conversation. And then the two of them came to law enforcement and we were able to get that predator. But this is a persistent problem and we need to make sure that the companies that are providing the platforms are doing everything they can to shut it down.
Jenna Ellis: Absolutely. And, you know, just all the more reason, for instances like that for the parents to already be involved so that there is no opportunity for any picture exchanges, opportunity for that type of coercion or, you know, blackmail with shaming. I mean, so many, different outcomes can be foreclosed if parents would, would look and take an active role in monitoring their children's online activity. And that just seems so basic and so helpful in, today's online, situation. And, last question for you as well, Attorney, General, really appreciate all that you do for this. you also had recommended, with respect to temu, that, people who already have downloaded this app, delete it. But if someone has already downloaded it and used it for purchases. Is deleting the app enough to protect their personal information or do they need to take additional steps?
Catherine Hanaway: Well, chances are if they've already downloaded it and used it, their information is out there to some degree. And so you definitely need to delete it. But then you need to become a very active observer of all the activity within your accounts to make sure that you're not getting charged, for things you didn't buy by companies you haven't dealt with. And then if you see something, please report it to us.
Reporting Online Issues to Authorities and the Need for Stronger Consumer Protection
our website is ago.mo.gov like Attorney General's office, you know, dot mo.gov and, all of our best cases start when real people actually report something to us. And, you know, that's who I swore to serve is the people of Missouri. And so we really do want to know about their problems.
Jenna Ellis: Awesome. Well, thank you so much. And we've got to take a break here. And even if you don't live in Missouri, you can report it to your own Attorney General. And hopefully, regardless of, what party affiliation they are, they would care about protecting, children online, care about consumer protection. we need stronger attorneys general across the country, like Attorney General Hanaway. I so appreciate her dedication, to the people of Missouri. You're very lucky to have her. here in my home state of Florida, we're very lucky to have James Uthmeyer, who is a great, aggressive. We have a few around the country. but, you know, get involved if you, if you see some of these things. It's not just a matter of taking steps, personally, obviously that's important. Always protect your children and yourself. Credit cards online. But you can also report this and hopefully save someone else further down the line. So really appreciate it. Again, Attorney General Follower on X. We will be right back with more
The Importance of Worldview in Elections and Encouraging Conservative Christian Voters
m.
Jenna Ellis: Hi, I'm Jenna Ellis. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. And that's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will help sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.netforward/give. That's afr.net welcome back to Jenna Ellis in the Morning on American Family Radio.
Jenna Ellis: Welcome back. And as I've been saying for a while now, the election and even recent elections in American history has really boiled down to a difference in worldview and two completely different views of reality where America was, founded upon where America is going and, when we look at some of the polls and we look at some of the personalities, this seems to be, you know, really tight, races. And, whether or not the Democrats are actually, you know, 1112 points ahead, nationally, that's a little bit scary. But when we can actually show the contrast in the worldview between the parties and the candidates, that really can change, a lot of minds and also hopefully encourage conservatives and Christians to actually get out and vote their values.
Contrasting Political Parties: Highlighting Republican Accomplishments vs. Democratic Policy Plans
And, Frank Pavone and Priests for Life, have some new election resources showing some of these contrasts between the Republican record of accomplishments and the policy plans of the Democrats. the website is Pro Life vote dot com. That's Pro Life vote dot com. And they're also putting out a lot of targeted ads. So let's welcome in Frank, Pavone. And, you know, this is, this is great. good morning, Frank. And I think we need to do more of this that isn't focused on the personality and the background necessarily of each individual candidate. I mean, we're not, you know, electing the homecoming king or queen. This isn't about who we like. More ultimately, we should be voting based on our values and based on policy.
Frank Pavone : Well, that's right. And thanks for having me on again, Jenna, and greetings, to our great audience. look, this is something that we've developed, going into this election cycle, really with the input of, not just our own team, but, you know, there are key political experts in our country that are urging the very same thing. whether it's the president himself, the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson has talked about this. He said that Newt Gingrich talked to him recently and said, hey, look, we had the Contract for America back in 1994. This year, it's the contrast for America. The contrast built on the fact that. And think about this, Jenna. I mean, I've been saying this a lot lately. We have never had a better record of conservative victories than we stand on right now, including just what happened over the past, you know, almost two years now. and we. And we've never had on the other side, a more radical, scary, destructive set of policy commitments on the part of these Democrats. So it's like this year, more than ever, factually based contrasts pronounced in sound bite form, but backed up by solid statistics and references and original sources. This is the way to go. And this can pay off more than ever before. I always say to people, look, never underestimate the intelligence of the American voter and, and their ability to put two and two together and never overestimate the amount of these factually based, contrasts that they have at their fingertips. Make the case for them, make it over and over again. So, like you said, @proivote.com, people will now find a one page, single sided, downloadable, easy to read contrast sheet that has, and I can read some of the examples here, but it has on one column the actual, not promises, the actual accomplishments that we can stand on now thanks to our Republican Congress and our president versus the policy, promises and plans of the Democrats. obviously on our side. For example, most secure border ever, no illegal entries into our country, highest number of deportations, lowest crime and murder rates in history, lowest poverty rate in decades, drastically reduced drug deaths. I mean, more Americans working than ever. I mean, these sound like pretty good things and they could all be backed up by fact. On the other side of the ledger, let Iran get a nuke, abused terrorists, end aid to Israel, increase inflation, increased taxes, increased government regulations, larger government bureaucracy, taxpayer funding of transgender surgery. Not to mention, of course, the difference of the two sides in what we often talk about, and that is the issue of abortion. Jenna, I think this is the year for contrasts. And that's why Pro Life Vote is offering these tools, not only this downloadable page, but also some ads that we put out showing these contrasts as well.
Jenna Ellis: And this is so fantastic because you're so right, Frank Pavone, that this is all about contrast. I mean, two completely different views of reality. And for people who are, who are still asking the question like, well, what does it matter? I mean, I'm not happy with either side, so, you know, why should I even get out and vote or I'm just going to leave it blank? I mean, that, that is, is literally just, putting your head, burying it in the sand and suggesting that somehow the positions of these two parties are somehow equally bad. And that is just absolutely not true. I mean, you have right on this platform page, which I love how you frame this @pro life vote.com, that, you know, you join the conviction that will, defy the historical pattern and need to gain seats in Congress rather than lose them. You go on. The first reason is because, we need to support the America first agenda. That's why, of course President Trump won a resounding victory in 2024 because people rejected, you know, the crazy, leftist view of America. But then this is what I love. The second reason is that the Democrat Party is crazier than ever. I mean, that's Just fundamentally true.
Focusing on Policy Over Labels: Understanding Worldviews and Communicating Values Effectively
I mean, when you look at the candidates that they are putting up, the worldview that is being perpetuated in this day and age when we have so resoundingly as a country, rejected all of the nonsense, the woke the dei, the trans surgeries that, you know, all of the insanity, and yet they keep going more and more and more insane. And they're framing communism as somehow a benefit and a solution to the economic crisis. And they're not explaining themselves well. And if you just take, you know, five minutes to explain to your neighbor or your family or, you know, your relatives what this worldview, differences between the parties, it just becomes so clear. And I think we need to do more of that, especially in the last few weeks before the midterms. Yes.
Frank Pavone : And, you know, something you said too, is, relates to the meaning of words. And this is why a lot of the polling is just downright, wrong, you know, because people are asked, answering questions based on their understanding of terms that are not defined. for example, when people say they prefer socialism. So instead of just using the terminology, and again, some of our key political commentators and experts, Newt Gingrich, Dick Morris, other people have been saying this. Don't argue just based on the terminology. If somebody says communism, socialism, you know, do people really know what it is that we're talking about? Talk about what you're talking about. Do you want the government to own the means of production? Do you want people to keep the things they earn that they work hard for? Or is the government going to take it and give it to someone else, put it in those very simple terms and ask them what they think about that. Not what they think about the label, what they think about the policy. And that's where then you start to see a big difference. for example, our friends over at McLaughlin and Associates, they did some polling showing that, hey, you know what? You know, it seems like when you poll Americans today, more and more are saying they like socialism. That's a very disturbing trend. But if you ask them, do you prefer, the big government and the government to control, the means of production, or do you prefer, you know, a free market, entrepreneurial kind of system? Then the numbers flip and they say, well, of course I, of course I want people to be free to, you know, build their businesses and enjoy their earnings. That's where we win. And, you know, it's the same thing, Jenna, with when we talk about pro life, pro choice. Pro choice sounds great. And yes, we're in favor of all kinds of freedom. But if you ask them, do you think a healthy baby carried by a healthy mother should be killed by abortion in the six month of pregnancy, vast majority of Americans are going to say no. Go to the policies, not just the words.
Jenna Ellis: Yes, and so, so true. And I'm reminded of, you know, some of these man on the street interviews where instead of opening with the attribution of a policy and statement or quotation to either, you know, Barack Obama versus Donald Trump, right? And then people get into their sort of siloed partisan tribalism if you just say, okay, here's, here's the quote. And people would say, oh yeah, I totally agree with that. And then they say, well, Donald Trump said that. And then they get all offended or they're like, you know, what about this? Well, Barack Obama said that and that, you know, that sounds really bad and you don't agree with it. And so it just shows that if you strip away the siloed tribalism and you just say, here are the policies, that's really what we need to be pulling for one thing. But that's also what we need to be messaging. And I think that's really going to be critical. And we're going to talk coming up in the next segment about ah, messaging and the White House press Secretary's first briefing which I just I.
Energizing Voters Through Issues and Resources: Advocating for Conservative Values
The White House does not need this distraction right now. But what we need to be doing as Christians and conservatives is focusing on the worldview and not the labels of Democrat versus Republican, but to get people outside of those, those types of either preferences or assumptions and really make them think about what do you believe on policy. Because that's where we can I think convert people to energize around values. And they can also think through why it's so important to actually get out and vote. Because the issues are what energize people. I mean, you know, yes, Donald Trump is one of the very few politicians that can turn out when his name is on the ballot. You know, people vote, his name isn't on the ballot this time and won't be, you know, again for president. And so we need to, instead of pushing personalities, we need to push the issues and to really connect the, the dots for people. And I think that this this pro life, pro life vote.com does this really well. We also have I Voter guide from AFA Action. I mean there are a lot of really great resources and I know that a lot of states in particular have you know, Their, their voter guides. That's what I. Voter guide, is in, I believe it's all 50 states now that you can at least get, you know, hear the issues. Take that and talk to your friends and family, talk to your neighbors. If your, you know, community Facebook page allows you to post on, you know, values and issues, start those conversations. I have conversations with, you know, neighbors at the dog park. I have conversations with, you know, the baristas at coffee shops. Because you can and you should. And so we need to be doing a better job of advocating for our values, not just, internally still talking amongst ourselves. so how do you encourage, people who say, well, you know, I'm not really sure if I know enough to, you know, share my values, to use this resource. Ah, Frank.
Studying and Advocating for Conservative Policy Positions: Resources and Effective Communication
To become, you know, better, advocates for conservative policy positions.
Frank Pavone : Well, we have to take some time to study. I mean, Scripture, you know, from beginning to end, urges us to take responsibility for knowing, the things we're talking about, backing up our values. So, you know, if people don't feel confident explaining their, positions, maybe that's, you know, your own conscience telling you, hey, let me just spend a little extra time doing some reading. I mean, it's easier than ever before. We have all of human knowledge at our fingertips on our smartphones. take a little time for study. But then resources like we [email protected] do make it very, very easy. I mean, this sheet here, it's got everything right there. And not only that, but we're going to be putting up, today even more of the background research that if people make an assertion like, hey, you know, on the Republican record, we've got the largest tax cuts in history. Democrats side, they want to increase your taxes. Okay, well, how do I back that up? And we're just going to put the links right there, and you can get them from any other places as well. So we do make it easy.
Frank Pavone : And remember, you don't have to be. You're not being asked to give a lecture or a talk, or write a paper. You're simply, you know, Jenna, as our friend Dan Bonzino always says, it's snap. Snapshots and sound bites and contrast. We've been talking about contrast here in our discussion. But the contrast also can be, you know, captured in sound bites and snapshots. And that's more effective than long explanations or papers. And again, these resources atPro Life Vote.com put it right there in your hands.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah, absolutely. And you can do that with your friends, your family, your friends. After church, you can, post on your own social media. I mean, your sphere of influence. Even if you, you know, necessarily have the platform that somebody like a Frank Pavone has, you still have influence where God has put you. And we need to be advocating first and foremost for the truth of the gospel of Christ. And we need to then, after we are winning people, to salvation, but also simultaneously, be expressed expressing why the Christian life and the biblical worldview is the best overall for human flourishing and to give us the freedoms, protect our rights that come from God so that we can, live out our Christian life in our families, in that sphere of government, in our churches, in that sphere of government and also in the public square and in civil society and those three institutions that God has ordained. So, so incredibly important. Thanks so much, Frank Pavone. You can follow him on X, you can go toprolifevote.com and you can also go to I voter guide dot com. Let's engage. We have two more weeks before the midterms and we need to be focused on our values and also getting out to vote. We will be right back with more.
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Critique of New White House Press Secretary's First Briefing and Communication Strategy
Welcome back to Jenna Ellis in the Morning on American Family Radio.
Jenna Ellis: Welcome back. Well, the White House as the new press secretary, Katy Zacharia had her first briefing yesterday. And of course, all of the Leftist media is going to absolutely hate on her, say that she did a terrible job, and, they're never going to like anyone that Trump hires. but in a, in an objective analysis of the first briefing, my personal opinion, having, known all of President, Trump's press secretaries, previously, personally, actually working with several of them very closely during my time. my takeaway from this is that she was very nervous, understandably. she only got hired on Friday. she apparently came, From California to D.C. just a couple days ago. Monday was her first day and then yesterday was already in the briefing room, so obviously would be very nervous, came frankly a little bit unprepared, couldn't answer a couple of questions even from conservative media. So my personal takeaway, first of all is that she needs to get a lot better. we need good messaging coming from the White House. We are just a couple of weeks away from the midterms. We can't afford these types of distractions and these types of headlines. but also that probably she shouldn't have held a briefing this soon. Caroline Levitt, the last press secretary, had, several months to prepare before Trump came into his second term. She had already been his campaign press secretary. And then Kayleigh McEnany, prior to that had also been a campaign press secretary, knew the lay of the land of Trump world. And then even when she was named press secretary took, almost a month if I recall correctly, but at least several weeks before she held her first briefing. So this just seemed a little bit rushed. But, overall, let's talk about it with Todd Starnes, who is, a radio host, a Newsmax host, and author of a great new book, ah, the Golden Age How Trump Saved America. and also a lot of other great books including Star Spangled Blessings, Devotions For Patriots, Twilight's Last Gleaming, Can America Be Saved. These are all books that, you need to read by our good friend Todd Starnes. but Todd, overall, I just think that the timing here is not great to have, such frankly negative, headlines that, that really were just so unnecessary from the White House. If they had waited a few weeks, maybe until after midterms, this might have been better. And it just seems like they threw someone out here who, really just wasn't prepared to do this briefing.
Todd Starnes: Well, good morning. And I don't think she did a good job at all. And I'm not a member of the liberal media. so I'm really concerned about the decision making at The White House, really, over the past year or so. And the ultimate agenda here is to advance President Trump's agenda. That is the ultimate goal. And if there are staff at the White House or within the administration that were hired to do that and they cannot accomplish that task, they've got to step aside. there is no excuse for what happened yesterday. This is a very important role. the press secretary is tasked with the responsibility of defending the president's agenda before a hostile media. And clearly the new press secretary was not up for, for that task. Now, I'm willing to give a little bit of leeway. This was the first press briefing, but the second press briefing goes about the same way. Then I think we've got big problems here. Let me just say this. no fan of Megyn Kelly, but I think she actually, she has a pretty good grasp on the issues here. And this is a serious job for serious people. And that really is the bottom line. She did not come across as a serious person yesterday, and I don't think that she served the president well. again, I think it was a rush decision. there should have been time to get somebody in place. And again, this is a position that requires a little bit of gravitas, and we did not see that yesterday.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah. And for those who maybe didn't watch the briefing, it was only about 15 minutes, which was also a bit stunning. she only took three questions and they were all from, more conservative outlets. And so nothing from, the, the hostile press. And yeah, she just came across as completely unprepared. And for the people who are saying, oh, we'll give her some time and, you know, let's champion her, you know, I'm with you, Todd. Where, this isn't a job that, you know, we're, we want someone to grow into the position and we're really rooting for that individual. This is overall, we need to be concerned about the future of America, the success overall of the administration, and making sure to communicate that to the American people.
Addressing Tone Deaf Messaging and Disconnect Between Administration and Average Americans
And frankly, as you and I have discussed previously on the show, the White House has had, ah, not a great track record over the last, ah, year or so of really communicating and defending some of their decision making to the American people. Caroline Levitt did a fantastic job as press secretary. but the bottom line is that if there, if this individual Katy, can't, meet the task, our job and responsibility as conservatives and people who are concerned about this country shouldn't be. Well, let's give her some time. Let's kind of coddle her. I mean there was a lot of messaging on social media yesterday, to that effect. Almost the participation trophy effect. Quite frankly, to me, none of that matters. It matters ultimately that conservative values win. That the GOP maintains control of both chambers after the midterms, which is a very, frankly at this point, according to the polls, unlikely situation. And so, you know, when we're looking at this overall and we're looking at messaging not just for the position of the press secretary, but overall, it's really stunning to me, Todd Starnes, that it's seems like the White House is just not really that concerned overall about the midterms and about the lack of the President's agenda being successful. I mean we don't even hear about the SAVE act anymore, for example. We're not hearing about all of the issues that American voters are concerned about. And so there's this question that's hanging out there which is for Republicans saying, well, why should we even engage in vote? Now you and I know the answer to that. As Christians, it's our obligation and our duty. But I don't think that a lot of the GOP or the White House is really giving a great response to that.
Todd Starnes: Well look, I've been pretty vocal about the messaging and the communications part of this. and I think, I think that that it's just getting worse. There was a Mississippi senator, Senator Hyde Smith, who was Sandy, ah, Hyde Smith, who when asked about the rising prices of groceries in the great state of Mississippi, suggested that people just need to pick another protein. that was her response to reporters. in Tennessee a congressman said that if people can't afford ground beef, they should consider eating turkey. Let them eat turkey. these are tone deaf messaging points and that has got, that's just got to be fixed. There's just too much at stake here for silly mistakes out on the campaign trail. And one of the things I've recommended is that we need a fresh. The President needs to surround himself with a fresh set of advisors. I think there are far too many people from Mar a Lago in the White House and not enough people from Mayberry. And I think ultimately that's the issue. There is a disconnect, between the President right now and the average working American. Now that I'm not blaming the President for that. But I do believe that those who are responsible, ah, his closest inner circle, they're the ones that really need to take a long Hard look at this and understand that their, their policies and their agendas are hurting the President's agenda. I am still one of these people that is very bullish about the midterm elections. I have been telling my listeners for the past month, do not believe a single poll, don't believe any of the gotcha stories coming out. The only job we have is to get out and vote on election Day. And if we do that, I think we're going to be just fine.
Jenna Ellis: Yeah. And I hope you're right about that. And for people listening who are saying, you know, oh, stop criticizing the White House, stop criticizing, you know, the press secretary, instead of being, you know, down on her press briefing yesterday and the messaging and all of this stuff, why not just be a team player? I mean, I got a lot of that response yesterday when I said very bluntly as well, that I didn't think that she did a good job and that this was such an unnecessary distraction and at this moment from the White House in terms of messaging. But the point here is that we need to, one, always tell the truth, give an honest opinion. I'm not just going to defend something because it's coming from a Republican or, oppose something because it's coming from a Democrat.
The Importance of Truth Telling, Voting for Values, and Combating Political Distractions
we should always, be truth tellers. But also, even just as importantly, we need to remind people that, this is a very serious moment and that regardless of the things that aren't getting, getting done right now in Washington, we need to have another two years to push through good legislation, to have another opportunity. And we also need to remind, the White House that they need to step it up and, and Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune and then everyone there. I mean, it can't just be something where we are a team player, no matter if our own team isn't reaching the goals and, and winning the game and making the touchdowns, you know, whatever sports reference you want to make. And so I think it's important that instead of, criticizing the critiques, that we all look at this honestly and say, you know, this is really about two different views of reality here between the left that are the Democrat, socialist, Communists, and maybe, you know, some people in the GOP we might not prefer for whatever reason, but at least are not, going down the path of totally undermining America. And so, you know, when you say, Todd Starnes, you know, don't necessarily believe the polls, you know, get out and vote, I think that that's really wise advice because it can Be discouraging to look at that and say, well, we've already lost before we even get there, but we all need to participate. And so, you know, as we are just a couple of weeks out from the midterms, where do you see the, the push that the GOP really needs to make to encourage people to actually get out and vote and vote all the way down ticket as well, not just for the top of the ticket, but all the way down and on every issue and elected office, because they all matter.
Todd Starnes: Well, I really don't think there's anything the Republicans do at this point. You know, I've been a clock watcher for the past two years and I've been warning the RNC and Republican leadership, for the past two years that the agenda is not getting done at a quick enough pace. And the response early on was stop being a negative, Nancy. it's going to happen. Well, it didn't happen. And, this is not the time for even I told you so. It's just a matter of now that Republican voters are the ones who have to make the decision. Are they willing to set aside their disgust for the Republican Party and get out there and say President Trump and the administration from impeachment? Because that's what's going to happen if the Democrats gain control. they are going to impeach the president. They'll be going after Pete Hagstep, they're going to be going after every single administration official. And we know that because the Democrats have already said that's the game plan. So my recommendation to folks is to, really rally your neighbors, your family members, your church. we have to do what we can do, to get out the vote. There's another issue, though, and I think this is the, you know, setting aside the political embarrassment of the impeachment, because at the end of the day, it really doesn't matter all that much. But what does matter is we cannot allow Communism to get a foothold in the Congress. And the reality is we've got a number of communists that are running for office. And, these are competitive races. So we've got to make sure that we stop the Communist threat in its tracks and we deal with that on election day. And, you know, again, if people stay home, then the Democrats are going to win. But I want to circle back on the polling data. these polls are just so offensively bad. But, let me explain what's about to happen. And it's already started to happen. So now a lot of the polls are coming out and saying, oh, the Republicans are gaining some ground and now all the races are within the margin of error doing that intentionally because they don't want to be caught with their pants down if in fact the Republicans do pull off a big victory here. So again, these polls from day one have under sampled Republicans and that's the big problem here. So do not believe the polling data.
Jenna Ellis: Well, really wise, words and encouraging I think overall.
Critiquing Poll Data, Encouraging Voter Turnout, and the Message of 'The Golden Age'
And thank you Todd, Starnes for always being willing to critique and to comment fairly. And I think we need more of that analysis and we absolutely need more people to get out and vote our values and also more people to read your book, the Golden Age, How Trump Saved America. do you want to tell us about that really quickly?
Todd Starnes: Well, it's a fun book and it's an encouraging book and I hope people will be inspired by the message. we have been so encouraged by many in the secular media that have had me on. We just did a one hour book special. CNN select or rather C Span selected the book for their book of the month club. And had a wonderful time sharing the gospel message on C Span. On Tuesday, I'll be at the Reagan Presidential Library. we're doing a sit down interview for the book there. So it's a lot of fun and I really hope people understand the golden age is not about prosperity. The message of the book is that the golden Age for me is restoring the traditional values of our founding fathers back to the republic. And the book is available wherever you get your books across the country.
Jenna Ellis: Amazing. Well, Todd Starnes, thank you so much and you can follow him on X as well at Todd Starnes and go to Todd Starns.com and as always you can reach me and my team. Jenna.
Preborn's Impact: Rescuing Babies and Supporting Young Moms in Crisis
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Jenna Ellis discusses the pressing issues surrounding consumer privacy and the alarming practices of the online shopping platform Temu with Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway. They delve into the lawsuit filed against Temu, which raises concerns about deceptive practices and the potential sharing of personal data with the Chinese government. The conversation also touches upon the importance of parental involvement in monitoring children's online activities and the need for stronger consumer protection measures.
Live
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