Today's Issues continues on AFR with your host, Tim Wildman
>> Steve Jordahl: Today's Issues continues on AFR with your host, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Fred, I'm within 20 seconds of sneezing.
>> Fred Jackson: I'll stay.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm gonna have to use to open up the show here on this, half hour.
>> Fred Jackson: All right.
Steve: When I sneeze at work, my eyes start watering
Welcome back to this Monday edition of Today's Issues. Fred, along with Tim. And joining us now is Steve. What?
>> Steve Jordahl: Paisley. Hey, everybody.
>> Tim Wildmon: Paisley Jordan. Now, I didn't say I don't know what it was a false alarm there.
>> Steve Jordahl: But I hate it when that happens.
>> Tim Wildmon: I know. By the way, when you sneeze, do you have to close your eyes or sneeze without closing?
>> Steve Jordahl: Cannot sneeze without closing your eyes.
>> Tim Wildmon: I hear that's. That's what I've always heard. So is that, like, physically impossible or.
>> Steve Jordahl: That's what I hear. I don't.
>> Tim Wildmon: Or do your eyes pop out of your head if you sneeze?
>> Steve Jordahl: I just don't think it's. I think it's, the reflex of sneezing also closes your eyes. I believe that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Are you a doctor?
>> Steve Jordahl: Well, I am not, but I have played one on the radio.
>> Fred Jackson: Well, he also sneezed about 10 times at our story meeting newsroom this morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, really?
>> Fred Jackson: I'll keep watching on you, Steve.
>> Tim Wildmon: Ten times? You might want to leave the room after three.
>> Steve Jordahl: I did get some Kleenex. Yeah. for some reason, there's something in the air here at work that's not at home. I'm fine. When I get here at work, I start sneezing, my eyes start watering. I got hay fevers, like, inside the building somewhere in Tupelo. It follows me into the building.
>> Fred Jackson: It's all Tupelo's fault.
>> Steve Jordahl: Whatever it is, it doesn't happen at home.
>> Tim Wildmon: Maybe it's Tupelo honey or something knows what that is.
>> Steve Jordahl: Could be.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're listening to Today's Issues. Tim, Fred and Steve here on the program.
Walker and Wesley are leading a tour to Greece and Israel in 2026
Hey, before we jump into the news that Steve is going to tell us about, I wanted to remind you that, those of you who want to go to Israel, you want to go to the Holy Land. That's on your bucket list. We try to go every March, so, you know, a couple of times that's been delayed from COVID and then the war. But, we're going in March, like, in whenever that is eight, nine months from now. We're going in March, and we've. We've already got 55 people. We have space for, like, 1, 110 or something like that. So it's half full. Okay. Two buses, talking about, and so that's normally what we take when we go to the Holy Land. So we're going there in March and then we're also going. I'm not going. But, Walker and Wesley, my sons, are leading a tour to Greece and what's called the Footsteps of Paul. They're going, they're going to follow the, the Footsteps of Paul.
>> Steve Jordahl: They have to. What does that mean? He does a walking tour.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's a walking tour. So you're going to walk like, I don't know, 120 miles from Athens to Corinth. Yeah, but it's, it's over like a seven or eight day period. So you might want to, you might.
>> Steve Jordahl: Want to exercise to get ready for it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Bring a couple pair of shoes. I'd say that they're comfortable for walking. So, no, they're Footsteps of Paul, metaphorically, well, literally. But, they're not walking, they're getting on a bus. Okay. And going to these places. But, so that's also in March. So we, we coordinated these tours. So if you want to do both, you can, go. So you can go to Israel with us and then if you want to join Walker and Wesley in Greece, that we've arranged for a flight from Israel to Greece to join them. you know, so we can do that. If that's something you want to do, is do both tours at the same time. That'll put you going from home like two weeks and. But, anyway, so for information, the itinerary, the cost, everything you want to know about these trips to Israel and to Greece, you just need to go to this website, wildmon group.com wildmon m group.com and you can read about the dates, the itinerary, the cost, everything you want to know about the trips to Israel and to Greece in March of 2026.
Steve Witkoff says President Trump is getting frustrated with Hamas over hostages
What's your first story, Steve?
>> Steve Jordahl: Let's talk about, what's going on in Israel and the war with Hamas. So, President Trump was talking about getting the hostages back, and he wanted, he was all on board with negotiating. Let's talk, let's figure out how to, you know, get the hostages back and end the crisis. But, surprise, surprise, Hamas was not playing ball and was going back on his word.
>> Tim Wildmon: How many hostages are still alive that are.
>> Steve Jordahl: I don't know if they know how many are still alive.
>> Fred Jackson: there was a number back a few weeks ago, around 45 hostages. And they Said fewer than half of those are alive. Now, of course, you're depending on Hamas to tell you those figures at this point, whether you trust Hamas.
>> Tim Wildmon: So what's, what's the story, Steve?
>> Steve Jordahl: The Jewish Telegraphic Agency says as of now, there are 20 Israeli hostages presumed to be alive in captivity, along with 30 believed to be dead.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, so what's the situation now?
>> Steve Jordahl: Well, President Trump is getting frustrated with Hamas, and he is now taking, the. I don't know if he had reins on Benjamin Netanyahu, but he's telling the President, the Prime Minister there, to finish the job. This is, from cnn. Trump's optimism seems to have vanished. The president pulled back his negotiator. That would be Steve Witkoff. He's, not. He's no longer negotiating. and he said President Trump did. It's time for Israel to escalate its military campaign and finish the job, whatever that means to, to both of those parties.
>> Fred Jackson: I think the only way this war is going to end if Hamas at some point surrenders. I mean, that's, that's the only.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hasn't it really ended? I mean, for all practical purposes, I haven't heard of any military. I haven't heard of any, armed, action against Israel in a long time.
>> Steve Jordahl: Well, no, but what they are doing is the Hamas is still a force. And in fact, you're seeing now on the news these, talks about the starving people, in Hamas. There's a famine going on in Hamas. President Trump, what now? There are. There's reports of, starvation in, in Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Steve Jordahl: And the. President Trump is saying that he's going to set up US Feeding stations and everything. But here's the problem. The UN has been involved and there are neck deep in cahoots with Hamas. They, they take the food that's coming in, they give it to Hamas. Hamas holds, holds it hostage, have to sell.
>> Tim Wildmon: Who's going to volunteer to go over there? Well, I'm sure they'll work.
>> Steve Jordahl: There are, There are ministries, actually. There's, There's. I talked to. Well, not last week, I think.
>> Tim Wildmon: Go into Gaza.
>> Steve Jordahl: There are people that are taking.
>> Tim Wildmon: You want to be kidnapped? They help. A ransom.
>> Steve Jordahl: They are going to do that under, under guard. I guess that's what they're doing. They're armed guards, I think.
>> Tim Wildmon: So, that's. Anyway, that's a, that's a, Other than Israel, Israel has to maintain security for their people and their country. Israel. And sometimes that requires heavy, force To do so. And, and that's unfortunate, but that's the world we live in. So I'm not sure what exactly. President Trump, he said that kind of thing before though, about six months ago. He said something about there'll be hell to pay if you don't release the hostages. I'm talking about Hamas and, and I don't know if that's different than today's thing about now he's finished the job. What does that, what does that mean?
>> Steve Jordahl: Well, it means whatever Benjamin,
>> Tim Wildmon: He was going to do that any.
>> Steve Jordahl: Yeah, I think the Benjamin Netanyahu will not abide Hamas being in power in the Gaza Strip at all. They got to be, they've got to surrender or be taken out and killed.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, I'm saddened that anybody would starve, especially women and children who have nothing to do with non combatants in the war, with Hamas. But you know, until, until Hamas, stops threatening Israel. You know, I'm talking about declaring that from the river to the sea we want to wipe out all the Jews. Then Israel has to, check every pallet of goods that comes into Gaza, whether it's by boat or by truck from Egypt for example, or if it comes in, through Israel. I'm not sure if they do that or not. But to allow into help, these people who are suffering in Gaza, but they can't allow weapons to be smuggled in either. You see what I'm saying? Israel can't, they can't afford that and they're not going to. So when that happens, Israel's accused of starving people. You see what I'm saying? It's a no win situation from a.
>> Steve Jordahl: Public relations standpoint and the UN cannot be involved. I mean, they are, but they, they are.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, everything has to be checked by the Israeli security forces. They, they have to. But even, they'll be derelict.
>> Steve Jordahl: But even when it's just food going in, the UN gives it to Hamas, which holds it hostage. And well, that's sell it.
If Palestinians keep electing Hamas as their leadership, problems will continue
>> Tim Wildmon: That's the people, that's the people's, that's the people who live. There's problems. And if they, it's an unfortunate situation. But if, if, if they keep electing Hamas as their leadership, then that's what they're going to get. And you know that. It's, it's, that's just the way it is.
>> Steve Jordahl: So.
>> Tim Wildmon: Next story.
Dan Bongino is the Deputy Director of the FBI
>> Steve Jordahl: All right, we are hearing, I want to read a tweet of some social media here from Dan Bongino, who is the Deputy Director of the FBI.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is it Dan or Don?
>> Steve Jordahl: Dan. D A N. Dan.
>> Tim Wildmon: Dan. Dan Bongino.
>> Steve Jordahl: Dan Bongino.
>> Tim Wildmon: Bongino.
>> Steve Jordahl: Dan Bongino. Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: You used to see him on Fox all the time, right?
>> Steve Jordahl: Yeah, he had a show on Fox. He had a very successful, podcast until he got, he was former Secret Service. Everybody was hoping he would go in and reform the Secret Service. After Butler, he didn't get that job. Instead, he got the Deputy Director of the FBI. And it's not a bad gig either. No, it isn't. there's a lot to do. His job, what he wants to do. He and, Director Kash Patel are depoliticizing the FBI, which under the President, Otto Pen, was just furiously, political. And they were behind all the raids of Mar? A Lago, and just, they. Very, very political. So this is what Dan Bongino writes. During my tenure here as Deputy Director of the FBI, I have repeatedly relayed to you that things are happening that might not be immediately visible, but they are happening. The Director and I are committed to stamping out public corruption and the political weaponization of both law enforcement and intelligence operations. It is a priority for us. Listen here. But what I have learned in the course of our properly predicated and necessary investigations into these aforementioned, matters has shocked me down to my core.
>> Tim Wildmon: Down to the core.
>> Steve Jordahl: Down to his core. He says we cannot run a republic like this. I'll never be the same after learning what I've learned.
>> Tim Wildmon: What do you learn?
>> Steve Jordahl: Well, he's not saying it's in the middle of the investigation. We will find out and do when. The investigation.
>> Fred Jackson: He's made that comment since the Tulsi Gabbard.
>> Steve Jordahl: He has, and I think it has to do with that and more. Yes, I have a feeling it has to do with not, not only the, the Gabbard, President Obama, what they're calling, well, treason. Ah, yes, some are calling it that, but, no, but I have a feeling that, that what he is talking about is deeper than just that. So we will find out. But I just, I wanted to read that because a lot of people are kind of impatient. They wanted heads to roll as soon as, they Trump got reelected and started putting people in to clean up Deep state. They, they want to see results, but, they are being careful to do things, the way that they're going to last. They're being by the book, as Dan Bongini would say. So just so you know, things are.
>> Fred Jackson: Going on There you have played for us this morning was interviewed. Lindsey Graham was being interviewed, on this. And what's going on. Being challenged by the NBC.
>> Steve Jordahl: Yeah, so Lindsey Gray was on Meet the Press over the weekend. Christian Welker was the host there. And I'll play. We'll play a clip of this, and I want you to listen to the tone that, Christian Welker takes. totally dismissing any thought of wrongdoing by President Obama. It's not. She's not being coy or unbiased, in the least. Let's listen to cut, 10.
>> Speaker D: As you know, former President Obama has weighed in through a spokesperson. He says that's just patently false. I actually spoke to Susan Miller, who's a former senior CIA officer who helped oversee the 2017 intelligence assessment on Russian interference. She says it's completely false that Obama or anyone else asked them to change. Change or sway their investigation. She says.
>> Speaker E: They all say.
>> Speaker D: She says, and she's a Republican, says they all would have quit if that had happened. Senator, are you trying to rewrite history to distract from the Epstein matter? Senator?
>> Speaker E: No, I'm, I'm trying to, To. To let you know and the media know that we found something we didn't know before. at the end of the day, I'm not calling for a prosecution against President Obama for treason, but I am calling for an investigation. Mr. Miller also said there was no credible evidence that President Trump colluded with the Russians.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, this is the expected. The narrative coming from the left now is that, Trump administration, Tulsi Gabbard, have cooked up all of this, to deflect from, the Epstein investigation, which the left, wants to try to convince the American people that somehow, Trump was heavily involved with what Epstein was doing. Now, that's their charge. you know, it's kind of interesting. the host for NBC there, her name again, Kristin Wilker. Kristin Wilker. She is accepting as truth the Obama spokesperson saying it's all a lie. Basically what she's saying. Anything that the pro Obama people say, it's got to be true. Anything that the Trump administration says, including Tulsi Gabbard, it's got to be false. This was expected, Tim. Honestly, this. This is the left. You know, we read in the newsroom, we read the mainstream media stuff every day. They might. They are lap dogs for the Democratic Party.
>> Steve Jordahl: Just try to imagine in your mind if it's even possible. Kristin Welker defending President Trump.
>> Tim Wildmon: Kristin Welkers, who. Exactly.
>> Steve Jordahl: Now, she's the host of Meet the Press on NBC.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
Tim Miller: Americans don't have appetite for a special counsel investigation
>> Tim Wildmon: I haven't seen that in years, but I do see. Again, I do see. When you see a summary of the news from Sunday, they'll say clips from Meet the Press. So, so Lindsey Graham was on there fielding this question. That's what you're saying?
>> Steve Jordahl: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. I'm going to make a confession here. this story bores me. What I'm saying. Maybe Trump, maybe I'm the only one. The whole Russia story and Obama and, and whether what he. That doesn't. That's just me talking. Okay. That means, I know it's very important. Okay. A very important story. But I'm going like, tell me something I don't know from what, 10 years ago. When was that?
>> Steve Jordahl: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: and, you know, after, after what was found out about Hillary Clinton and her campaign and what they did to, and, what they did to General Flynn and how they tried to cut off President Trump at the knees from the get go. All that's well documented. We already knew all this stuff. pretty, pretty much the reason I saw what Tulsi Gabbard is talking about, which I respect her and she's got a job to do, but it's, and I don't know what is it? Dan Bongino, what, what if he's referring to the same type thing? But I'm going like, you're not going to know. Americans don't have the appetite for a special counsel investigation into Obama, and what he did as far as the Russia, Russia. they don't. People don't want to go through it. We got tired of that with the one about, that what was a Mueller, how ridiculous that was. And two years, two years of unlimited money and investigate lawyers investigating Trump and his team. And they, and the best they could do is we don't have anything except maybe we think that something, something may have happened. Remember that?
>> Steve Jordahl: Yeah, I do. And there was nothing there. But I think the reason that this is capturing some attention now is because, that the, President Trump is in charge of the Justice Department. And yeah, they're referring these things that President Trump has said that he's not interested in doing a special counsel on this, but he, they have referred a lot of these, actions to the Department of Justice and Trump supporters are wanting something to happen.
>> Tim Wildmon: Somebody break the law?
>> Steve Jordahl: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is that what they're saying? What they're saying who broke the law?
>> Steve Jordahl: Well, they're saying President Obama broke the law.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's possible, but he has Immunity.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, he has immunity. But there are other people who apparently were in that Oval Office meeting in early December 2016. we're talking about John Brennan, we're talking about James.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is that when they started to cut out, try to cut off Trump at the knees and.
>> Steve Jordahl: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. And, and, but we knew all this.
>> Fred Jackson: Already however, where charges may be laid is that people like Comey, people like Brennan gave testimony, under oath.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: That none of this was happening.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: So they can, they can still be charged.
>> Steve Jordahl: And there are receipts now, there are emails that. Because no one thought that he was going to win in 2016. So.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Just because I'm not interested in this story doesn't mean it's not important. I don't want to suggest that, but I'm, I think a lot of people are like had it with this, the whole last 10 years of back and forth. We, I think most people know they were out to get Trump. Okay. From the very get go it was shocking that he beat Hillary Clinton and at that point they tried to basically, as I say, use a metaphor, cut him off at his knees. And the things that they did with. To protect Hillary Clinton on the. Remember what James Comey and the FBI, the current. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: And I'll tell you Tim, to your point, Wall Street Journal poll on the weekend shows that Democrats are now have the lowest rating from voters in 35 years. Now what does that tell you? They, they. The Epstein thing is not catching on with the American people. So the Democrats aren't giving the American people anything to improve their standing since the last election.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. The Democrat Party is just Their polling numbers are terrible.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: In terms of national polling.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: As they look forward to the midterms which they hope to win.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: In the midterms. And who knows who'll be their presidential candidate. well, you know, we'll see what happens there. I don't see any leaders on the Democrat side.
>> Fred Jackson: No.
>> Tim Wildmon: You see any new leaders emerging?
>> Fred Jackson: No.
>> Tim Wildmon: Really?
>> Fred Jackson: Well, leaders loosely defined.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. I'm talking about people who maybe who could run for president and win.
>> Fred Jackson: Well, who's getting a lot of airtime right now in the legacy media? People like Mamdani, he's getting all kinds of.
That's one reason why Democrats poll numbers are so low
I mean he's a Marxist and aoc.
>> Steve Jordahl: Yes. And What's the gal from, other gal from New York anyway? Aoc.
>> Fred Jackson: Aoc.
>> Steve Jordahl: yeah. And a couple of the squad, the young people coming up are as radical and as left.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's one reason why their poll numbers, the Democrats poll numbers are so low.
>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yes. And I mean the frustration on the more middle of the road Democrats. They're going on TV and they're saying, who was it? Senator, Kelly on the weekend.
>> Tim Wildmon: what do you say? Arizona.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Former astronaut.
>> Fred Jackson: He was saying, we're basically, I'm paraphrasing it. We're a mess. Referring to the Democratic Party.
>> Tim Wildmon: They are.
>> Fred Jackson: We're a mess.
>> Steve Jordahl: It's a dumpster fire.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: And I mean, that doesn't instill any.
>> Tim Wildmon: Confidence to see it. You know, you hate to see it.
>> Fred Jackson: Well, that's what the Republicans are saying. you guys go ahead and continue to be crazy.
>> Tim Wildmon: Bless their hearts.
Dextero is developing a chip that tastes like a 9 volt battery
All right, we got about a minute or so left. All right.
>> Steve Jordahl: Hey, would you like to taste a new chip? It's from a Dextero. And, they decided they're going. They, they want to capitalize on how flavors are, trigger memory. And so they are having a chip that's supposed to taste like when you put your tongue on a 9 volt battery. Ever do that as a kid?
>> Fred Jackson: No.
>> Steve Jordahl: You never did?
>> Fred Jackson: I did not.
>> Tim Wildmon: Listen, I wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I knew not to do that.
>> Steve Jordahl: I know.
>> Fred Jackson: Are you going to confess?
>> Steve Jordahl: I did. Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: What was it? What was it? Was it some kind of dare people did?
>> Steve Jordahl: Yeah, yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: It made it out of a, All we did was.
>> Fred Jackson: Hey, Tim, I may explain some things.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, well, sticking your. Sticking a battery in your mouth, what was the point of that?
>> Steve Jordahl: It's just. It tingles.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh.
>> Steve Jordahl: Well, it, it.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, all I know is we used to try to put.
>> Steve Jordahl: Right there.
>> Tim Wildmon: We used to try to put people's hands in warm water while they slept.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know about this one. And the result was, we got to end the show right there. You remember this? I remember spending night. We were spending that with my buddy and we were about eight years old and he said, hey, my big brother's asleep on the couch. Let's just put his hand in some warm water.
>> Fred Jackson: Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: And, and things got warm. People can ask their parents about that or read about that somewhere. I'm not going to go into it. we'll thank, you for. Thank you, Steve.
>> Steve Jordahl: My pleasure, Fred.
>> Tim Wildmon: Brent Creely, our producer, Chris Woodward. thank you, Chris. And, we had a chairman, Brendan Carter from the fcc. He was on with us for a few minutes, today. So have a great rest, of your Monday, everybody, and we'll see you back here tomorrow.
