American Family Radio offers a Christian response to the issues of the day

>> Jeff Chamblee: Welcome to Today's Issues. Join us for the next hour as we offer a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Ed Vitagliano.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And welcome, everybody, to Today's Issues. Ed Vitagliano sitting in for Tim Wildmon. This week. I am joined in studio by Tony Vitagliano. Good morning, Tony.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Good morning.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Chris Woodward is in the studio with us. Good morning to you, Chris.

>> Chris Woodward: Good morning.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And Dr. Alex McFarland is, I think, still in South Carolina. Good good morning to you, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: I am. And good morning to all.

>> Ed Vitagliano: So this is. This is unique. Three straight days at home. This is kind of unusual for you, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah, it is. And, it's just a privilege to be on Today's Issues. It's privileged to be on the American Family Radio Network, anyway, but to, Because, you know, Bert Harper and I teach the Bible every afternoon on exploring the Word. But I'm also kind of a news junkie, so this is a privilege to be on.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, you're very. You're very well informed. You stay current with what's happening, and not just staying, informed on the what, but the why. And having, a biblical perspective on what's going on is critical. It's why people tune in to American Family Radio. They want to not only know what's going on, but why and how the Bible speaks to it. And that is important, Alex. Right. For. For Christians to have that kind of. When we talk about Christian worldview, that's what we're talking about, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. You know, many years ago, when I was a young Christian and I began to really listen to James Dobson and Chuck Colson and Don Wildmon. You know, my mother got the, AFA newsletter. You know, I just. By God's grace, I really got ramped up kind of quickly on worldview. And I remember the pastor that I was under at that time at the church where I got saved, rest his soul. But he. He said to me, and I'm quoting Ed, he said, well, that James Dobson is kind of an alarmist because we're a Christian nation and gay marriage will never be legalized by the Supreme Court. And he said, alex, I'm just kind of worried that, Chuck Colson, James Dobson, those guys are kind of alarmists. And, you know, they weren't Don Wildmon, I think, of D. James Kennedy, the late Jerry Falwell, Phyllis Schlafly. Phyllis Schlafly, that's right. they. They were right. We're in a Battle of worldviews. And in a way, we're kind of a little. Now, many, many, many Christians have been on point for decades. But I would say to the church at large, we have to realize that we are in a battle of worldviews, and every Christian, every citizen, needs to be informed and to take a stand.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, because it's winner take all. these are two mutually exclusive worldviews. I always like to go back. And we're preaching just a little bit, folks. Bear with us. I always go back to, President Abraham Lincoln during the middle of the Civil War, where when he gave his house divided speech making it clear that America could not be split indefinitely on the issue of slavery, that, that the country, if it was going to stay whole, it was going to stay united. and he quoted from Jesus, it had to decide which way it was going. And that's what we're in the midst of right now. It appears to me that this is a house divided moment, and you can't follow the path of secular progressive humanism, socialism leading to communism, all those kinds. You can't stay on that path and respect the ideas, the founding ideas of our founding fathers and survive as one country. And I think. I think we're seeing, with the assassination of, Charlie Kirk, I think we're seeing that neither, side is going to be able to simply stay put. Someone's going to have to win this and control the direction of the country. M. Because you can't keep going like we're going, I don't think. Yeah, I'll give you the last word on that, Alex, and then Chris will get us, ramped up on the news.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. Well, last night it was my privilege to speak at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, a, tpusa, thing in, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. And they showed video of Charlie Kirk. Well, they showed a lot of video from our August 21st conference. He and I did. But, Charlie Kirk said the most important thing is to fulfill the Great Commission, preach the gospel. The second most important thing for Americans is that we preserve the right to do the first most important thing, which is when people. To Christ.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Amen. I like that. That's good preaching. Yep. And I'm happy, to hear that it went well last night.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

Utah County Prosecutor announces seven charges against suspected shooter in Charlie Kirk shooting

>> Ed Vitagliano: all right, Chris, let's get started with the news of the day.

>> Chris Woodward: Well, the, the. The shooting death of Charlie Kirk occurred in Utah County, Utah. And yesterday the county prosecutor there rattled off a variety of charges against the man police say shot and killed Charlie Kirk. Wednesday, September 10th. I cut this down. It's still over a minute, but it's a, it's the Utah County Prosecutor, Jeff Gray, announcing the various charges for the suspected shooter. Clip 1.

>> Jeff Gray: I am filing a criminal information charging Tyler James Robinson, age 22, with the following crimes. Count one, aggravated murder, a capital offense. Count two, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, a first degree felony. Count three, obstruction of justice, a second degree felony for moving and concealing the rifle used in the shooting. Count four, obstruction of justice, a second degree felony for disposing the clothing he wore during the shooting. Count five, witness tampering, a third degree felony for directing his roommate to delete his incriminating texts. Count six, witness tampering, a third degree felony for directing his roommate to stay silent if police questioned him. And count seven, commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child, class A misdemeanor for committing homicide, knowing that children were present and may have seen or heard the murder and did so based on Charlie Kirk's political expression.

>> Chris Woodward: Now, that was again, Utah County Prosecutor Jeff Gray, who went on to say that Utah county is going to pursue the death penalty or seek the death penalty in this case.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Tony, this, the seven charges, against Tyler Robinson. We do want to do what we always do and just say he is the suspected shooter. in, in our country, you're innocent until proven guilty. but I, I read the email exchange he had with his roommate, who, according to press reports, is in the process of transitioning to become a trans, quote, unquote, woman. the, governor of the state, Governor Spencer Cox, said that, they were involved romantically. Okay. Tyler Robinson and his, roommate. So I read the exchange. We're going to talk a little bit more about this. Not to be voyeuristic or anything like this, but I think the trans issue is relevant to what allegedly happened here with Tyler Robinson and that Charlie Kirk was assassinated in large part because of his stand against the transgender movement. But in reading this email exchange, I was struck by, I don't want to say how ignorant Tyler Robinson was, but laying everything out, admitting that you have committed this murder and being very specific about what you've done with the, you know, with the weapon that was, again, allegedly used. The, the. All of this for, for a generation that is so tied into technology, even if you tell your roommate, delete it, it's not gone. I mean, you know, the, the, the, the phone carrier is going to have that kind of thing. I was just I don't know you, if you even have an opinion on this. I was just struck by that conversation. I don't know how this is going to play into the, the trial. It almost seems like you're you're, you're a very incompetent murderer if you're going to lay out your guilt in such a blatant way. Anyway, what, what, what is your thoughts about this?

>> Tony Vitagliano: Ah, a couple of things come to mind. First of all, I think it shows.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That.

>> Tony Vitagliano: these younger generation, people Tyler Robinson's age are much so quickly radicalized that they kind of jump, jump into the most radical, element. first. So, you know, it's not gradual. It's not gradual. Yeah. So that, that sticks out to me because, he is, he is so young and you know, I know there's maybe some conflicting reports or things that haven't been confirmed, but it seems to me like most of his ideological, transformation occurred while he was at college. and so to go from just leaving, you know, I'm not saying there, there wasn't tendencies or leanings before he left home. but to, to, to go off to college and transform into, into this ideologue and then to jump straight into, violence just shows that, there's a reason. Again, we talked about this yesterday. Maybe there's a reason why colleges have been targeted for decades now as basically farms for leftism. Because kids can just be radicalized just like, just like that. I mean, so quickly. The other thing that sticks out to me is to your point about the technology and because they're so young, kids are just so ignorant. They've been online their, their entire lives, some of them, and they share. You share everything. You share what you ate, you know, for supper that night. you're sharing, you know, what you're watching on TV right now. I mean you, you just share everything. So it's not surprising to me either that this, this person, Tyler Robinson just started sharing details about how he carried out this, this horrible crime. And maybe, you know, I don't know, there's also this other element of maybe wanting to be caught or feeling like he's going to be treated like a hero. Because we see with Luigi Mangione, yeah, he's not really villainized in the circles that Tyler Robinson, kind of floats in either. You know, there he's, he's a hero to, you know, these left, left wing extremists. So, you know, there may be a, a thought Process, too, where it's okay, you know, I'll. I'll. I'll be a hero anyways.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Even if I get caught. Those are just a couple of my thoughts, Alex.

Tony Bennett says suspected shooter Tyler Robinson may have been duped into radicalism

>> Ed Vitagliano: again, we want to be very careful and say suspected shooter Tyler Robinson. I will say the evidence looks like it is piling up against this young man, but what I want to talk to you about is. And I'm not, and I, like Tony said, we have some conflicting reports. I don't. I don't know how much of his transformation was he. He's dropped out. Right. He dropped out of college, didn't he?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, he only went, I think, less than a year.

>> Ed Vitagliano: So. So college and then, social media, online. This young man gets radicalized. I'm m thinking about the professors in a lot of these colleges and universities who are older, and who are training up these young people, as Tony puts it, you know, this is left wing, you know, farms. but it has always been. I think you might even said it yesterday, someone did this week. I think that young people are drafted into radical movements because they aren't as wise, they're not as cautious. Tony's laid it out perfectly here. You just think everybody thinks like you because your small circle of online friends or, you know, the people you hang out at the coffee shop or whatever think the way you do. And young people are drafted into this to become almost like cannon fodder for the cultural Marxists as they seek to overthrow our, republic. And I am absolutely not saying Tyler Robinson, if he is proven guilty of killing Charlie Kirk. I'm not saying he's a victim. I'm just saying he perhaps has been duped into becoming radicalized simply because these cultural Marxists need cannon fodder. Your thoughts?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know, we could do an entire week of shows on how we kind of got where we are. And, you know, it's. It's interesting how in the world today, you know, many people pride themselves on individualism. And I'm unique and I'm just autonomous. And yet young people on social media are such, they're very prone to what we might call group think. Yeah, groupthink. And, you know, there's cliques or. Ten years ago, sociologists were calling young people affinity groups, tribes, you know, because we all seek not only relationship and interaction with other human beings, but we seek validation. And another term that sociologists often use is echo chamber. So when people get in groups, and this is not necessarily bad. I mean, there are people that like, to play pickleball. And they, find groups online, and there are people that Christians. But when lonely people that feel victimized gather together, whether it be, you know, lgbtq, trans or gamers, or drug users, that echo chamber can get pretty dark. And, later on in the show, we're going to hear some incredible, content that Steve Jordahl has got with Ben Shapiro.

American Family Radio puts these kind of things in a Christian context

But it's just so sad because here's the other thing, and I'll throw back to you guys, all right? I'm a victim. I have to lash out. But this is also a generation that, for decades, young people have been taught there are no moral absolutes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right?

>> Alex McFarland: I'm not accountable to, not, not even going to answer to the authorities, ultimately, not even accountable to God. And this is so sad. But this is an opportunity that we as an entire nation turn back to God, turn back to his revealed moral truth, which includes the sanctity of human life. And we realize that, yes, every single one of us is accountable to God. We're answerable to God for the things we do.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Amen. Well put. And, folks, this is, by the way, why we exist. American Family Radio is to put these kind of things in a Christian context and bring this understanding to bear. Because a lot of people are asking why, why someone would shoot Charlie Kirk, do it in front of his wife. And I think one child was there. The three year old, I think was. Was at home with a caregiver. but there are biblical explanations for why people do these kind of things. All right, Chris.

>> Chris Woodward: One of the reasons why, some people have kind of held, or considered Tyler Robinson or even Luigi Mangiani, and they've considered them heroes for their actions, is because the media unfortunately, has purposely or inadvertently romanticized their actions.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Go ahead. Just, we mentioned, Luigi Mangione a couple times. Just remind our listeners.

>> Chris Woodward: Yes, Luigi, Luigi Mangione is the man that was arrested for shooting the United Healthcare CEO to death in New York. And in the days and weeks that followed that murder, a lot of people on social media and even people on television shows, news programs, talked about maybe, you know, Mangiani was in the right because of all the terrible things that the news outlet or the News personality said UnitedHealthcare and other executives do to people.

ABC News reporter Matt Gutman reported on alleged text messages between suspect and roommate

yesterday was a related situation, here because an ABC News reporter by the name of Matt Gutman went over on air some of the messages that Tyler Robinson supposedly had with his roommate, who again, the prosecutors call his boyfriend. And Matt, Gutman is being tear to shreds today for how he presented this story.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Clip 8 the thing that stood out to me, David, is those text messages. I don't know if we have seen, an alleged murder with such specific text messages about the alleged murder weapon, where it was hidden, how it was placed, what was on it. But also, it was very touching in a way that I think many of us didn't m. Expect a very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect's roommate, and the suspect himself, with him repeatedly calling his roommate who was transitioning, calling him my love and I want to protect you, my love. so it was this duality of someone who, the attorney said, not only jeopardized the life of Charlie Kirk and the crowd, but was doing it in front of children, which is one of the aggravating circumstances of this.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Tony, That. That was just bizarre. I don't know how someone like that keeps their job. That is. it's. It's bizarre in pointing that out because that's not. That's not even germane to the discussion. What he was reporting on. What he was reporting on are the facts surrounding the arrest of Tyler Robinson. And whether he's in love with his transgender boyfriend. Ah. Or not is besides the point. Who cares? it almost sounded like he was. It was a kind of an apologetic on behalf. He was trying to humanize Tyler Robinson. I don't know anyone who's saying Tyler Robinson's not human. Okay. People can be, People can have. Certain people there have affection for and love. I don't know how many movies I saw, you know, of the gangster movies of the. The 1950s, where they, you know, they're going to the electric chair when they're finally caught, and. And they're. They're talking about their mother.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. They all love their mother. Okay. Who cares?

>> Tony Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Somebody who's going to the electric chair in a movie or. Or in real life, whatever happens in Utah, it's irrelevant. And I just found that a bizarre thing to say.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Yeah, it is very bizarre to almost, like, portray them as, like, this Bonnie and Clyde figure. You know, it's a. It's. I think that's what kind of came to my mind is because, you know, now. Now that we're, you know, I don't know. Forgive me, my history. I don't know how long ago Bonnie and Clyde, I think were probably the 30 30s. Yeah. So now that we're that far back, people kind of look at that, and there is, like, this element of romanticization because of their, Their, you know, they love each other. They loved each other, but also they were going around murdering people.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Like, that's, that's why they got hunted down and were taken out by law enforcement. so it's an odd, it's an odd thing to, to, to point to and to lock in on. Which to me just goes to show that while many, in the media have openly condemned this and openly spoken out against this, just this act of terror and murder, there is still this undercurrent in the media that wants to. That just kind of refuses to admit that this is just evil. And that evil, no matter what the person's personal life looks like, if you commit an act of evil like this, that's all society should care about, and that's all society should. Should focus on punishing. It's the same. It's. It's how you get more Luigi Mangiones. It's how you get more Tyler Robinson is by saying, like, well, you know, yeah, what he did was wrong, but there's also this human is human side of him, you know, that we need to focus on.

>> Chris Woodward: There is a reason the History Channel has never done a special on the love letters between Adolph and Ava Braun. I mean, you don't go down that point.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Yep. That's a great point.

Alex Frum: Government's job is to punish evil, not promote good

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, Alex, we are talking about. And again, I'm being very careful. I don't want AFR to get sued. Okay. suspected shooter Tyler Robinson. Okay. But the act that has been committed in the murder of Charlie Kirk, and there's a reason why there's a. There are aggravating circumstances that have led to additional felonies in this case, Robinson being charged, for example, with the commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child. Okay. Because the job, to Tony's point, the job of government, biblically speaking, in Romans 13, is to punish evil and promote what is good. And for that reason, it does not bear the sword in vain. Paul says in Romans 13, it says nothing about. And this is. This goes to the, to the whole point in government changing the Supreme Court, changing the definition of marriage to include same sex couples. The government has no biblical business trying to change the nature of marriage by decree. Okay? They have very specific tasks assigned by God. Obviously, governments break out of that fairly frequently. But the government's job in this case is to find the perpetrator and punish evil, not give its stamp of approval on Robinson's relationship with his transgender boyfriend.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, yeah. I mean, well, this is a defense tactic. And again, yes, he's, he's the accused, the alleged, but to try to elicit sympathy and to try to, really, you know, in the courtroom of public opinion right now elicit sympathy. That's not good journalism. And, and I hope people really won't be misled by that narrative.

>> Tony Vitagliano: How many members of the media have romanticized Charlie Kirk's relationship with his wife and his children? That's what I want to know. Yeah, I mean, that's, I would love to see.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's a good point. Yeah. They're not bending over backwards. Some probably have. I haven't watched all the news media, but this was a bizarre thing to say. I hope this individual is sanctioned by his own network. That's not professional. and as, we've been pointing out, they don't do it for any other criminal cases that I'm aware of, so. All right, folks, we're going to take a short break. When we come back, we will be discussing more about what's happening here and abroad. Mostly here, today. But, so we'll be right back.

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>> Jeff Chamblee: This is today's issues. Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts of today's Issues are available for listening and viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of, Today's Issues.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And welcome back. Ed Vitagliano sitting in for Tim Wildmon. This week I'm joined in studio by Tony Vitagliano and Chris Woodward. Dr. Alex McFarland, joins us remotely. Do want to remind you that, Steve Jordahl will be joining us as usual in the third segment at 1105. We're looking forward to it. He has Done a great job gleaning some, insights from Ben Shapiro, about radical movements in this country, the danger they pose and what they kind of think, what they have in common as well. You'll want to tune in for that. We'll probably cover a couple of other additional news items during Steve's segment, but we are looking forward to, seeing what Steve has found from this Ben Shapiro segment. It might have been a podcast or, from his own show. So that will be coming up in about 30 minutes. All right, Chris.

FBI Director Cash Patel and Democrat Adam Schiff had heated exchange yesterday

>> Chris Woodward: well, this very well could have been a lead story for much of yesterday afternoon, especially had there not been continuing coverage, and understandably so, of the shooting death of Charlie Kirk and the charges we've already played. Utah County Prosecutor Jeff Gray announcing yesterday there was a very heated exchange, between Senators and FBI Director Cash Patel. One of the more talked about exchanges involves FBI Director Cash Patel, going at it with Senator Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California. This exchange was very heated and certainly has gotten a lot of coverage. Now, just to provide a little context here, I'll share a link on this on our Today's Issues Facebook page. The exchange occurred or began when the Democrat, Adam Schiff, was trying to press Patel for details on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and why his associate, or alleged associate, Maxwell, her last name is, was transferred to a minimum security prison after US Deputy attorneys met with her in Florida. They also want to know why they won't be as forthcoming with Epstein materials as they said they would months ago. So that led to a very, heated exchange. I've got this in a couple of different ways, but just to set things up for you, let's play the short version here. Clip three.

>> Jeff Gray: I'm not surprised.

>> Cash Patel: I'm not surprised that you continue to lie from your perch and put on a show so you can go raise money for your charade. You are a political buffoon at best.

>> Chris Woodward: Now, that person speaking at the end there was FBI Director Cash Patel, and things carried on for another minute or so. I can play a little bit more of that. We've got the longer cut here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I want to hear it. Yeah, I want to hear. I want to hear Cash Patel hand Adam Schiff his head, metaphorically speaking, because this, this was quite a showdown between these.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Listen. I hear. I listen to screaming toddlers all day. So I'm not quite as enthusiastic about listening to Congressman.

Alex Epstein: I'm glad Schiff got an earful from FBI director

>> Chris Woodward: So this clip will begin. How that one left off there, Clip seven at best.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, you can take, people to believe that. Do you think they're stupid.

>> Cash Patel: No, I think the American people believe the truth, that I'm not in the weeds on the everyday movements of inmates. What I am doing is protecting this country, providing historic reform, and combating the weaponization of intelligence by the likes of you. and we have countlessly proven you to be a liar in Russia gate in January 6. You are the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate. You are disgraced to this institution and an utter coward.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I'm not surprised, I'm not surprised that.

>> Cash Patel: You continue to lie from your perch and put on a show so you can go raise money for your charade. You are a political buffoon at best.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, you can take and then take.

>> Cash Patel: It to the bank that the FBI.

>> Chris Woodward: Is protecting this country.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's probably good.

>> Chris Woodward: We should have finished. We should have ended that. We should have ended that with that song from, like People Let me tell you about My Best Friend or something like that. I don't know what it's called.

>> Tony Vitagliano: It's from that show from long time ago, Tuesday night. Yeah, right here where the kids are arguing. Oh, my goodness.

>> Alex McFarland: You're a buffoon.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Alex, listen, the reason I, I wanted to, I, I, when I first heard this, that's why I sent around the text to the, to our group here for that. I said, I want, tomorrow, I want to hear this. It was, it was superb. it's, it is disrespectful, generally speaking, for a witness to, to speak to a member of, the House or the Senate in this way. However, Adam Schiff and some of the other Democrats do this kind of insulting interrogation all the time. And, and I was glad to hear them get an earful from someone who stood up for themselves. And Adam Schiff has been neck deep in the intelligence fraud that has been going on in this country since really, since before Joe Biden was elected. During President Trump's first term. The intelligence community, some in it, I hope some of them go to prison for, for what they did. They knowingly lied, knowingly deceived, FISA courts, All the things we've talked about many times in this program. I'm glad Schiff got an earful from the FBI director.

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, yeah, you've heard the term political theater. I mean, this is it. And, that, this is like better than a sitcom or something, isn't it?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, the writing was better, I can tell you that. And the performance was better. so there's not a whole lot that's news worthy. I just wanted to hear it. I just wanted Our listeners to hear it.

>> Tony Vitagliano: And I'll say this. I. I'm kind of with you. I mean, there's. I've. Cash Patel has. Hasn't handled things, in my opinion, hasn't handled, some of these situations, in the best way. So I'm not sitting here being his. His cheerleader, but it is just like Alex said, it's just. It's political theater.

>> Alex McFarland: Like, it's very theatrical.

>> Tony Vitagliano: It is theatrical, and it's. They want. They want the clips like this, and they want people talking about what at, you know, the barbs that they get to throw. Adam Schiff stayed camped out of, he probably slept in a tent outside CNN's newsroom during the whole Russiagate thing. Just running in as soon as he heard something. Right. You know, they would just summon him like a court jester, you know, Shift, come tell us about. Any day now we've got Trump. You know, any day now, he's going down. He's going down. So, yeah, for. For Shift to. I can see how it would irritate Patel for. For Adam Schiff to be, lecturing someone in the intelligence agency that, they're not doing their job, properly so.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, by the way, I. I do want to just throw this out. Anyone can answer this. are we ever going to get to the bottom. I'm just going to go around the. The table, as it were. Are we going to ever get to the bottom of the Epstein, case, The Epstein file or the Epstein list, whatever we're talking about? No, Tony.

Chris: I doubt there's an Epstein list, and that's just my opinion

All right. And I. And I honestly don't know if there's an Epstein list. So we'll go, Chris.

>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Then we'll go, Alex.

>> Chris Woodward: And then, Tony, I say no, and I have 25 years of newsroom experience to back me up on whatever they say they're going to do, they fail to do.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. Alex, what do you think?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I don't know. there's such, you know, mixed messages about it, but the. I think the left is trying to keep it alive in their hope that this will finally be something they can use to bring down Donald Trump. And, you know, whenever the left is just jubilant over, like, a possible news story, I've come to be suspect because, you know, we talk about the weaponization of the doj, and there's also the weaponization of journalism.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Alex McFarland: Although journalism, so called.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: But I. I really. I doubt there's a list, and that's just my opinion.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay, Tony, what do you think?

>> Tony Vitagliano: Well, you know, Ed I have full faith and confidence in the intelligence agencies and our justice system that, justice will be served, to those who do wrong. No. my answer is very bluntly, no. Yeah, I mean, obviously I believe, all of that should be divulged. And I agree with Alex. The only reason that the Democrats are wanting to release the Epstein list is because they know nothing's going to be released. And it's a chance for them to kind of to paint Donald Trump with whatever broad brush they want to, you know, try and implicate him in some way.

>> Ed Vitagliano: So they get to imply that his Justice Department is not going to release what's there in parentheses, knowing there may not be anything there, because that makes it look like Trump is using the Justice Department to protect himself.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Yep.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And listen, I don't know if, you know, we're just, we're not even through the first year of President. President, Trump's second term. I don't. Are. Ah. The, the Democrats may lose their collective minds trying to find something to destroy Donald Trump with. We'll get to the last days of the Trump second, administration and they're still going to be clawing at something and they've used. Now, if Trump, if Trump survives all the way to the end of his second term, they will have taken 12 years. The Democrats.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Instead of doing something constructive. Okay. With those 12 years trying to destroy Donald Trump. I don't know what it is about the guy that is so gotten under their skin. Maybe it's just his attitude and the fact that he disrespects them right back. I don't know. But this really. We talked about last week on Trivia Friday. We talked about, Moby Dick, the novel and the, and the, the white whale and, and spending your life trying to get it. And when you finally put a harpoon in it, it drags you to your death as well. I feel like the Democratic Party may destroy its near future trying to get Donald Trump.

>> Tony Vitagliano: That's a good point, Chris.

>> Chris Woodward: I. Democrats loved Donald Trump until he came down the escalator and said he was running for president as a Republican. From that day forward, they've hated him. I think this, you, know, people always say this presidential election is the most important election in our lifetime. That's kind of. I think the midterm coming up is the most important midterm we've ever had because, and Republicans are already kind of talking about 2028. You really need to pay attention to next year because if Democrats get back in control of the House and gain seats in the Senate, they will try to impeach him again. He's been impeached twice. Yeah, there's nothing to say. You can't be impeached three, four times.

>> Tony Vitagliano: And look, I want nothing more than for those who are. Who have committed heinous acts, whatever, whatever is outlined in the Epstein files. I want those people, right. Whoever it is, I want them to come to justice. and my personal opinion is that if Trump was implicated in any way, it would have come out very long time ago. They would have released the Epstein files with everything else redacted except the word Trump. Yes, that's what they would have. Yeah. They would have already done that. so. So believe me, if the Democrats want to keep pressing that issue until the Epstein files are released, that's fine with me. Yeah, it gets released. Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Have at it.

Alex McFarland has long been a staunch supporter of Donald Trump

>> Donald Trump: All right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Alex, you were one of the. One of the few people I remember in the run up to the 2016 election. You're one of the few people, as I recall, who was a Trump, apologist. You defended Trump, you promoted, you believed he was the right man, correct? me, if I'm wrong about that. But if that is accurate, you've been a, as far as I know, the longest person I know, longest standing defender of Trump. Why do you think the Democrats have so hated this man?

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, wow. You know, that, that would be a great, dissertation topic. And I got.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Give me the top two reasons.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, because he's a straight shooter. I mean, and this guy passionately, passionately loves America. And, you know, I was on the road in the summer of 2015. He, he announced his candidacy in June of 2015. And I was on the road. And, you know, Ted Cruz was a, ah, Republican favorite. And I've interviewed Ted Cruz. He's great, great brother in the Lord, a great patriot. But, I was just on the road, and everywhere I went, everybody all summer long was talking about Donald Trump. And so I was at the Values Voters Summit in the fall of 2015, and, you know, I bumped into, Robert Jeffers and also Jerry Falwell Jr. At that time and then. And we were all talking about Donald Trump. And I will tell you, I honestly believe us three, you know, Jerry, ah, junior, Robert Jefferson and myself, we were like the first three evangelicals that were seriously talking about Trump. And I was in the lobby of the conference, Vaye's Voter Summit. They were having a candidates for him. And, I asked Tony Perkins, I said, hey, You've got everybody here, Rubio and everybody. Why not Donald Trump? And he was like. He, asked me, and I love Tony Perkins. He was like, do you really think he's serious? I said, yeah. I said, trust me. I'm on the road, like, in a different church every weekend. And I'm telling you, all across America, people are talking about Trump. Well, Trump walks in the lobby by himself at the Values Voter Summit. And he was sharp enough to hear about it. And I just walked. He walked up to me and he extended his hand. And, I. The first thing I thought was, I was like, wow, he is really, really tall. And I said, I'm praying for you. And Donald Trump said, don't stop. That's what he said. Don't stop. And all of a sudden, all these people started coming around. I mean, it was like one of the Beatles had walked in. I'm serious. And, And Krista Johnson, my former secretary at North Greenville University, who now works for Tony Perkins, Krista was there, and I said, go get Tony Perkins. And within a few minutes, Trump was on stage speaking. And, anyway, I just. I just had this gut feeling. So Tim Wildmon called me. I was on npr, and, Tim Wildmon called me, and he said, hey, do you. Do you really think that Donald Trump. I mean, is he viable? Is. I said, tim, I can't explain it, but this guy is going to be the next president. And I'm not all that smart about political things, guys. I just. I'm on the road in 25 or 30 states a year. Have been for 25 years. And every. The buzz was all over Donald Trump back in late 15 and early 16.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, that's. We were there.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Alex McFarland, great guy. Always liked Alex. He's good. I appreciate the comments, especially the tall.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Not the tall being tall. Very tall.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, well, I'm. I'm not quite 5 8, so most M. Everybody's tall to me.

>> Ed Vitagliano: We were there, Tony, you and I, we. We were there. I actually spoke at that Values Voter Summit. I think I was like, two hours before Trump spoke, and I told my wife afterwards, I said, I don't think anybody's listening to me, because they're all so excited that Trump was going to be there. And I was. I was coming down off the platform into the back, and Trump walked in with his entourage. I almost walked over to shake his hand. and he is tall. but I thought, I don't want to get tackled in front of people if he's got Security. but I do, I do remember that. And I think, I think. I think you just kind of toss those two things out, but I think you're spot on. I think he, was an outsider. He was not an establishment player. And there are establishment players in both parties, okay. That have been enjoying the gravy train for decades.

The Democrats have spent 12 years obsessed with torpedoing President Trump

Okay. And that's why he didn't even get a lot of cooperation from some in the Republican Party. But he also loves America, and that really set the left off, because some in the Republican Party and some in the Republican Party, you can't do that America first stuff.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: anyway, I don't want to go back and rehash, you know, 2016, but it is striking to me that if Trump, for health reasons or God forbid, someone else tries to take him out, already two assassination attempts on him that we're aware of, that where aware of if he makes it to finish his second term, which, folks, we need to pray that President Trump does finish. Okay. That'll be 12 years that the Democrats have spent obsessed with torpedoing this man. And I'm telling you, it is the kind of obsession, like in Moby Dick, that can take someone or even a political party down, the tubes. And that plus all the other craziness in the Democratic Party, they are in danger of becoming irrelevant over the next decade.

>> Chris Woodward: I fear that, when Donald Trump ends his time here on Earth. When his time ends here on earth, I should say, I fear if a Democrat's in office, he or she is going to probably try to fight the whole traditional let the body lie in state thing. I guarantee you somebody is going to float that idea. They're that Vindicator. It's petty, but I could see it happening.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah.

President Donald Trump heads to Windsor today to meet with Prince Charles and Camilla

>> Ed Vitagliano: All right, what you got next?

>> Chris Woodward: Well, speaking of President Donald Trump, he's across the pond today. we were joking before the show that, King Charles had the. Had the audacity to have people in red Croat red coats greet the American President.

>> Tony Vitagliano: We need a 52nd state. Yeah, we've already got Canada lined up. We're gonna say look pretty good right about now.

>> Ed Vitagliano: All right, state number 52. So we'll show you guys.

>> Chris Woodward: The President said he's over there for a couple of things. Trade also, he wants to row bebos with, Charles and Camilla, who are great, beautiful people. clip six.

>> Donald Trump: The first time this has ever happened where somebody was honored twice. So it's a great honor, basically up, there also on trade. Ah, they want to see if they can refine the trade deal a little bit. We made a deal and it's a great deal and I'm into helping them. Our country is doing very well. Primarily it's to be with Prince Charles and Camilla. They're friends of mine for a long time, long before he was king.

>> Tony Vitagliano: We're going to trade them some tea. We're going to give them back some tea. Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: American tea. That's right. You're going to, you're going to drink it and you're going to like it.

>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: So, we're watching them.

>> Chris Woodward: I mean, they're in Windsor together today. They're climbing steps to go into some sort of building.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Chris Woodward: heavily funded by taxpayers somewhere.

>> Tony Vitagliano: In all seriousness, though, it is, it is incredible to see the way, the difference in how Trump is treated globally, than this previous administration. I mean, Biden, you know, probably didn't even know where he was half the time. but for Trump, I mean, from what I've heard of and seen, it's kind of unheard of what the UK is doing for Trump, visiting, like, they rarely, they rarely do. Yes. It's, it's, it's historic. So, Toronto. Trump really has restored, globally America's, reputation, in my opinion. He's, he's presents us as being strong. You know, a lot of people have differing opinions on the tariffs, but that was a way to kind of reestablish that America is not going to be taken advantage of anymore. We're not going anywhere. and we're, you know, we're here to stay, so.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and I'll say this, Alex, I think Tony's exactly right on this. The, I just want to say this one thing, and I want to get back to Biden for just a second, but there is, for the last seven or eight years, it's, almost like a meme. There's a video, I don't even know what the original. It's in a sports bar. Okay. And there's a huge crowd. I don't know what they were watching because that's probably long gone. I don't know whether it was a soccer game or the super bowl or whatever. And, and there's something happening on the big screen at this sports bar and the crowd goes crazy. Now, this has been used over and over again. You substitute whatever was on that big screen t with something else, and then the crowd goes crazy and you're making fun of. Of what they're cheering. Well, I saw this morning on that big screen, someone had put Joe Biden Walking up the stairs to Air Force One. Slowly, the tension builds in the crowd, and he makes it to the top and turns around successfully making it up the stairs. And the crowd goes crazy. Okay? And to me, that is the way the world treated Joe Biden. He was not taken seriously. He was not feared. And Trump, the United States of America, is an alpha male, okay? On the world stage. We may not always be that. We may get replaced like all the other alpha males through history, but right now, we're the big dog. I think our military is larger than the next five combined or something crazy like that, okay? And Donald Trump makes sure everybody knows it. I just read on Fox we've got a new B21 stealth bomber, the Raider, that is entered into production. It's, come on, 28% under cost, and it is sixth generation. Nobody else has got anything like it. That's not a guarantee that we're going to win the next war. God forbid if one comes. But, but Alex, Donald Trump is the president of the strongest nation in the world, and he doesn't mind showing our enemies and our friends that we take that role seriously.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, yeah. And, you know, I want to say, whenever we speak, about the negatives, whether it be the Clintons, Obama, Biden, Kamala Harris, you know, I can honestly say I, I have, and I do pray for these people. I pray for their soul, I pray for their welfare. But, you know, like with Biden, who was just feeble and continually fell. Do you know, on three separate occasions, his handlers tried to create a photo op of him riding a bike and look like a virile, you know, in good shape. Three times they did a photo op with him riding a bike. Three times he fell over off the bike. And one time in Northern Virginia, many people will remember this, he was in Northern Virginia at some park. They helped him up on a bike and they wanted to film him riding a bike. Well, Joe Biden fell off. Somebody on Google Maps dropped a pin and called it Biden Falls, Virginia. Do you remember that? Seriously? Because there's, like, Falls Creek, Virginia. Yes, well, and, and it, it stuck. Now with about 24 hours later, Google tried to remove it, but it was on, atlases all over the Internet. Biden Falls.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I actually didn't know that. That's, that's very funny. And listen, but. Oh, go ahead. I'm sorry, go ahead.

Chris: It made us look weak on the world stage

>> Alex McFarland: And, and, and, and so now there's a huge bike rally that happens there. People go, seriously? And it's. Yeah, yeah, but I mean, it made us look weak on the world stage.

>> Chris Woodward: That's new meaning to riding with Biden.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. Listen, and, and to your point, we're not making fun of old people who fall.

>> Alex McFarland: No.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. That's not the point. The point is we had an older person who was feeble running the nation and our enemies were taking advantage of.

>> Chris Woodward: It over and over.

>> Alex McFarland: That he was fit for office.

>> Tony Vitagliano: Yes, exactly.

>> Ed Vitagliano: The deception also enters into it. All right, Chris, thank you. I'm not sure what we started off talking about, but it got fun. I hope our listeners enjoyed that. That was Biden falls. That's made my day.

>> Chris Woodward: Get rid of my bike.

>> Ed Vitagliano: All right, we're going to take a five minute break for news and when we come back, Steve Paisley Jordal will join us. We're going to be talking about some of the things in common with the radical movements facing America.

>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Ed, Tony and Alex talk with Chris on top news headlines of the day including a discussion on a Utah prosecutor is seeking the death penalty in the case of Charlie Kirk's murder.