Today's Issues offers a Christian response to the issues of the day

>> Ed Vitagliano: Welcome to Today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day.

>> Fred Jackson: Here's your host, Tim Wildmon M. President

>> Ed Vitagliano: of the American Family Association.

>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning, everybody, and welcome to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR. Today's Monday, March 23, 2026. And joining me in studio for the program today is Ed Battagliano. Good morning, Brother Ed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Good morning, Tim and Fred Jackson.

>> Tim Wildmon: Good morning.

>> Fred Jackson: Good morning.

>> Tim Wildmon: See, Tim, Krish Woodward's out today.

>> Fred Jackson: Krish is in the office. He'll be with us tomorrow.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. I have an empty chair over here for him.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Be here tomorrow.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Kind of little sadness in your tone there.

>> Tim Wildmon: Didn't see Krish over here to my right. And sometimes he's here. But, you guys alternate Mondays, right?

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, we do.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, so, you think I know these kind of things?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I didn't know that. I didn't know that they alternate on Mondays.

Hawaii getting pounded by rain; flooding is widespread

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, so a lot to talk about today. We hope you had a nice weekend. the weather, at least where we live, has been very pleasant, am I right?

>> Fred Jackson: No complaints.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I walked out of the house this morning. Nice breeze, cool.

>> Tim Wildmon: It was like an October morning out there.

>> Ed Vitagliano: It was gorgeous.

>> Tim Wildmon: Pretty. it's a. But it's a nice weather for most of the country, I think.

>> Fred Jackson: Hawaii is the exception.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right now. Hawaii's getting just like pummeled rain. Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: flooding. Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Trouble in paradise right there. so there's a lot of flooding going on. Yeah. In the state of Hawaii.

Air Canada plane crashes into fire truck at LaGuardia; 41 people injured

All right, Fred, what's leading the news this morning?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, a very tragic story at laguardia Airport. I'll try to set this up because we already have air traffic control audio leading up to this crash. Basically, it is an airplane on approach to LaGuardia. They're given clearance to land, but, unbeknownst to the airplane, crew, the pilot and co pilot, a, airport fire truck had been dispatched to another Runway. There was a minor problem with another airplane and the collision occurred between the airplane and this fire truck. What you're going to hear is ATC Air Traffic control talking to both the airplane on approach and then talking to also the fire truck. Okay, so have a listen to this cut. Number one, truck one and company Laguardia tower.

>> Tim Wildmon: Truck one and company.

>> Fred Jackson: Truck one and company Laguardia Tower. Requesting to cross four at Delta truck one and company across four at Delta

>> Tim Wildmon: truck one and company four at Delta Frontier 4195.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Just stop there, please. Stop, stop, stop.

>> Tim Wildmon: Stop.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Truck one stop, stop, stop. Stop. Truck one stop. Stop truck one stop. Deltoid 603, go around Runway heading 2000.

>> Donald Trump: I see a collab with vehicle agent pole position.

>> Tim Wildmon: I know you can't move.

>> Fred Jackson: Just a horrible moment. It was a very, it was, it was a stormy night. Just after 11:00 clock last night, an Air Canada CRJ, nine, which seats about 80 people was on approach. It's given clearance to land, lands on that Runway. But at the same time, as you just heard, the air traffic controller had given permission to the fire truck to cross that active to get to this other Runway. And what happened was the plane crashed into that, fire truck said to report the pilot and the co pilot were both killed. If you've been near a TV or you've gone to your Internet this morning on your computer, you probably have seen this Air Canada RJ9, when it hit that fire truck, it kind of rode up on the fire truck and so you see the plane kind of tilted backwards, sitting on its tail. So, There were about 50 people aboard the airplane who were injured. most of those have been released from hospital, but there are some who are still in fairly critical condition. a little later on, this morning, a fox had released, audio of the air traffic controller talking to another pilot. And the air traffic controller says, I messed up. It was really sad, really sad. I mean being an air traffic controller is one of the most difficult jobs, especially at a LaGuardia or Kennedy or Atlanta. All of those, they have a horrible job. Catherine, Garcia is, with the Port Authority of NewSong York. She talks more about this crash. Cut number two. At approximately 11:40 last night, Air Canada Flight 8646, operated by Jazz, collided with the Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighter vehicle on Runway four. Initial numbers indicate that 41 passengers and crew were transported to the hospital, as well as the ARFF officers. At this time, we understand that 32 have been released, but there are also serious injuries. Now we also have audio of a passenger aboard that plane and he describes what it was like, at that moment of impact. Cut number three.

>> Tim Wildmon: We were coming in pretty fast. it was like a regular flight

>> Fred Jackson: like always, but as we were arriving

>> Tim Wildmon: we came down really hard and then

>> Ed Vitagliano: we stopped really quickly.

>> Tim Wildmon: And then in about two seconds later we just had an absolute like slam. Everybody was fine everywhere. I mean, like the plane started veering off left and right. and there was, I mean just, it was chaos. I mean it didn't feel like there was Anybody in control of anything.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. So there you have it. LaGuardia, at last report is likely to be closed until just after noon today, while they deal with this.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Now, as you said, Fred, and you, you were a pilot in the military and some training.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes. Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: So.

>> Ed Vitagliano: So, this would seem like you said air traffic control. You don't, you don't look away from your screen like everyone else does on a computer screen. You can look away and take a bite of your sandwich or, you know, you can't do that with air traffic control. There's, I know there's probably a lot of automated help, but there is so much going on, especially in the high traffic area like the Northeast. So that's one thing. But I wonder too, has an air traffic control been hit in terms of the government shutdown? are they affected in terms of having full stop.

>> Fred Jackson: I haven't heard that report.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. No, I was just wondering if, maybe being tired or, you know, overworked might have entered into it. I guess we'll find out. By the way, kudos to your, department, American Family News. This story is up on AFN with a video. AFN keeps, Fred, our. Those who read it and get the, daily email with the news stories. Keeps everyone up to date on what's happening. Why don't you just explain? Because this story's there. Just let our listeners know, know if they want access.

Air traffic control has been significantly affected by the government shutdown

You, guys, will remove some of the bias that is, in Associated Press stories, but let our listeners know how they can get to AFN and get it in their box.

>> Fred Jackson: Absolutely. You know, when we started AFN almost 30 years ago now, it was, it was our hope that we would have a news service, that would provide you with all the news of

>> Ed Vitagliano: the day right there.

>> Fred Jackson: There are some Christian news services out there that deal with just what we like to say, just the Christian news. but we wanted a one stop that. We kept everybody up to date with stories like this crash at LaGuardia last night. But we are there for free. Every day we send out an email with the top stories of the day. If you go to our website, afn.net, afn.net go to our website up in the right hand corner. You can sign up for a daily email and, we will send you a summary of the big stories of the day. And we do have stories obviously that impact our Christian listeners. And we go at those stories from a Christian perspective, politics, what's going on in our culture. Today we do a lot of stories on the battle over transgenderism. The mainstream media will favor the transgender side of things, but we want people to know from a biblical perspective, where does that story stand? So, go to afn.net, afn.net, put your email in. We promise one email a day, Monday through Friday.

>> Ed Vitagliano: By the way, I did look this up. I thought I had read something, here last week. it says from an NPR story, but other stories as well. Air traffic control has been significantly affected by the government shutdown. this says while controllers are considered essential workers and must work without pay, shutdowns leave to staffing shortages, mandatory overtime, increased stress, often causing major flight delays, cancellations, and reduced safety margins. Now, I'm not saying that is what caused this or contributed to this, but I do wonder, if, it's a major airport, if maybe some of that entered into it. Who knows? The, national, Traffic Safety Board is going to be looking at this. I guess we'll find out here in the days to come.

>> Fred Jackson: A lot of factors to this. As I said, the weather was bad, it's late at night. maybe they're about to change shifts. Atc, shifts. You know, he had. He had a plane on approach, he had an emergency sending out a fire truck. I mean, he's dealing with a lot of stuff here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: So, well, no condemnation here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: yeah. You know, it's a wonder if you consider how many flights there are in America each day in Canada. It's just a wonder there aren't more accidents than there are. But now the air traffic controllers, are they, When you say government shutdown. There was a government shutdown a few months ago. The government is, open and being paid for today, except for the Department of Homeland Security, so. But the air traffic controllers, they don't fall under that department, do they? Down.

>> Ed Vitagliano: No, not in. Not department, of Homeland Security, I don't think.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. So what I'm seeing is there's no government shutdown that relates to them. except there was a few months ago when everything was shut down. You understand what I'm saying?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: but that's no longer relevant to the air traffic controllers. It is.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

How many airplanes are in the air going every different direction right now

All right.

>> Fred Jackson: You know, whenever we talk about, air traffic, I invite people to go to, flight Aware.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: If you want a picture of what's happening right now in terms of how many flights are. How many airplanes are in the air going every different direction, I don't need to know.

>> Tim Wildmon: That I fly a lot and I really don't. I really don't need to. I look out my window and see other planes.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, that's close.

>> Tim Wildmon: That is pretty cool.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: by the way, the, the, I'm gonna ask elementary question and I should know the answer to this, but I think I do when, jets are in the air, airplanes of any kind, and they're traveling east, to west. West to east. Isn't there, don't they alternate the thousand foot.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Distance.

>> Fred Jackson: westbound is even numbers. Eastbound is odd numbers.

Two people killed in New York plane crash; several injured

Okay, so heading to Los Angeles, 36,000ft. Heading to NewSong York from Los Angeles, 39. 39.

>> Tim Wildmon: 39, 35.

>> Fred Jackson: 35.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I got you. Do you know that?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I did not.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, we're glad to provide that information to you.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, next time I fly a plane, that will come in handy.

>> Tim Wildmon: So if the pilot says we're going a certain.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. if he says we're. We're at 36,000.

>> Tim Wildmon: Need to go up there and knock.

>> Ed Vitagliano: We're going the wrong direction. Say now. Wait a second.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you need to go up there and knock on the door. See how that goes. Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: With two choices. I.

>> Tim Wildmon: Excuse me, sir. I think we're supposed to be at 35,000.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Are we heading west?

>> Tim Wildmon: What about north and south? What do you do then, Fred?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, there's. There's always a slight variance there.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.

>> Fred Jackson: You know, so if it's kind of north, northeast, you would go with the odd numbers. But, they keep that about a thousand feet in. But sometimes, you know, if, like you were saying, when you get aboard a plane, you're looking out the window. Man, that looks close.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yeah, it just goes underneath.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah, yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, wow.

>> Tim Wildmon: I know.

>> Ed Vitagliano: A thousand feet doesn't look like much.

>> Tim Wildmon: No.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: By the way, there were two. Two people killed, sadly in the accident. yes. There in NewSong York. The Air Canada pilot and the copilot. Co pilot. it could have been. Well, we're. That's tragic enough. It could have been a lot, lot worse.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Could have. Could have had all the passengers killed in something like that situation. But. But, And a few of them are hospitalized and some of them have serious injuries. Serious injuries. But that's, LaGuardia Airport in NewSong York City. LaGuardia Airport in NewSong York city basically handles, probably 50%, 60%, I'm just guessing, of the, domestic, air traffic, into NewSong York City.

>> Fred Jackson: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: Newark Airport also handles a lot of the domestic, traffic into the city. JFK is basically for international flights. There are some, you know, domestic flights, but basically that's an international airport. I don't think there are any International flights in LaGuardia, with the exception of Canadian flights coming in. I would guess, that would be the case. Maybe Mexico. All ah, right.

President Trump says war with Iran will be settled in five days if everything goes well

You're listening to today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. Well, President Trump is making news and, you know, he doesn't make news very, very often, but, he's usually a low key guy. But now he's, saying that the Iranian, the war with Iran will be settled in five days if, quote, all goes well. In, quote, if everything goes well. What's going on here, Fred?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, some of our folks may have heard on the weekend, President Trump said a 48 hour deadline, for the Iranians to secure passage for all ships going through the Strait of Hormuz.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: He said, if you don't do that, Iran, we're going to start blowing up your power plants.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: All right. Which would lead the country of 91 million people without any power. so we heard this morning by way of President Trump on Truth Social, that, that apparently some talks aimed at settling the whole war took place during the weekend. And as a result of those talks going on, President Trump announcing this morning, okay, I am going to hold off on my threat to start bombing. And so needless to say, when the President, was getting set to leave Florida this morning, he's heading to Memphis, Tennessee today, he talked to reporters about all of this and he added at quite a few details as to what happened on the weekend with these talks. Cut, number eight.

>> Donald Trump: We have had very, very strong talks. We'll see where they lead. We have points, major points of agreement. I would say almost all points of agreement. perhaps that hasn't been conveyed. The communication, as you know, has been blown to pieces. They're unable to talk to each other. But we've had very strong talks. Mr. Witchkoff and Mr. Kushner had them. they went, I would say, perfectly. I would say that if they carry through with that, it'll end that problem, that conflict, and I think it'll end it very, very substantially. we have very much in mind our partners in the Middle East. We've had great relationships with a lot of them. As you know, a lot of them were surprisingly hit. And, I was surprised to see it and so was everyone else. But we have, they're very much in mind in the discussions. So the discussions took place yesterday. They Went into yesterday evening. they want very much to make a deal. We'd like to make a deal too. We're going to get together today, by probably phone because it's very hard to find a country, it's very hard for them to get out, I guess. But, we'll at some point very, very soon meet. We're doing a five day period. We'll see how that goes. And if it goes well, we're going to end up with, settling this. Otherwise we just keep bombing our little hearts out.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'm sorry, what?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Just keep bombing our little hearts. Well, listen, President Trump, he just has

>> Tim Wildmon: a way with words.

>> Ed Vitagliano: He does have a way with words. Let me just a couple of things here.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. First of all, President Trump is the most optimistic person I've ever, watched from afar. He just always believes in what he's doing and he believes this is going to work out. Okay. second of all, I would say

>> Tim Wildmon: nobody's ever seen anything like it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Nobody's ever seen anything like this guy. And that is working to his advantage.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because the fact that he just has been bombing at will and, and is basically something. He says things like, you know, we're running Venezuela, I might take Cuba, I don't know, I might take Greenland.

>> Tim Wildmon: Look out, Greenland, you're going to be ours.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Canada, 51st state. Okay. Now, what he's doing to Iran, M I, If I was an Iranian leader, okay, I would think, yeah, he'll do it. He'll blow up our power stations, power plants. He'll. Whatever he says he'll do, he'll probably do. So they don't have to deal with theoretical. When it comes to Donald Trump, he has. Whether you agreed with us going to war with Iran or not, he's handled it masterfully. Of course, the military's done all the heavy lifting, but in terms of green lighting it, the Iranian leaders, what's left of them, okay, they know he's fully capable of ending Iran as a functioning state, and he seems willing to do it. So if I were them, I would play ball. And,

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but you know what, what makes me wonder about this is, is, Iran could have avoided what we think might happen. Now, if you believe what President Trump is talking about, and I do, that they're having constructive talks with Iran. You could have avoided all this misery on your country. Had three weeks ago, you just agreed to what you're about to agree to now. it sounds like to me this is insanity on the, on their part.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But did you ever. Go ahead, Fred.

>> Fred Jackson: But here's the interesting point. He was asked there in this, what we call a scrum, just before he boarded Air Force One this morning.

>> Tim Wildmon: What's he in Memphis for, by the way?

>> Fred Jackson: He's there to celebrate the victory of the task force in Memphis, you know, arresting the bad guys, et cetera, et cetera. So they're going to give a little update what they've been able to do in Memphis.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'm sorry, interrupt, Jared.

Don Wildmon: Who is negotiating with Iran right now

>> Fred Jackson: All right, so he was asked the question, well, who are you negotiating with? Because you kind of killed off a lot of the religious leaders. He would not answer that question. but it's not the, latest religious leader who we haven't seen. We've read statements from, but nobody has seen him. It's not him. All right, so there's a bit of a mystery as to who is, who speaks for Iran. Who's speaking for Iran right now.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: the speculation is it is someone who wants to bring this to an end, who perhaps. And right now Trump seems to be trusting this individual, that they would lead some kind of new government in Iran. So it's a bit of a mystery. Now, the other thing is that the president, in his truth social announcement this morning, said they wouldn't bomb over the next five days, the power, plants. But he didn't say we're going to stop bombing altogether.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: And the Israelis have not said we're stopping bombing because of this, apparently. Prime Minister Netanyahu is obviously aware of these negotiations that are going on. So it's going to be interesting to watch things today with regards to any military action going on today. Was Trump saying, okay, we're not going to bomb the power plants, but we may do some other things. So you may hear reports of some bombing going on today that's not clear

>> Ed Vitagliano: yet, because President Trump, in ordering Iran to clear the Straits of Hormuz, gave him 48 hours.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And that deadline is. Was supposed to. Originally. Supposed to expire tonight.

>> Fred Jackson: Correct.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But now he has given a, an extension while these talks supposedly are going on.

>> Fred Jackson: Right. That's where we are right now.

>> Ed Vitagliano: All right.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, hopefully, this all ends, to, you know, in the next few days. by this all, I mean the war and Iran surrenders, and says, you know, please stop. I don't know if they'll say please stop, but some kind of surrender to the US and to Israel because, you know, and, but I hate to be skeptical, but. And I do believe President Trump is telling the truth. When he says, there we. They are negotiating with Iran. But yeah, I don't know these people. By these people, I mean the Iranian Ayatollah, they're like, excuse the expression, hell bent on forcing their ideology on everybody who disagrees with them. And they have, you know, they're still launching weapons right now, missiles right now. Of course we are too. Yeah. But, you know, I guess I'm, I'm having a hard time envisioning Iran saying, you know what? We apologize to the people of America. You're not the Great Satan.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, they're not going to do that.

>> Tim Wildmon: And okay, yeah, I got a little carried away there with my antics. I'll just say I can't imagine them saying, we, we are, we, we were for ceasing, war with Israel and, and, and anybody else, America and anybody else, we're going to stop it. We're not going to initiate that and

>> Ed Vitagliano: we're not going to try to build back our news, you know.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I want to see if that

>> Ed Vitagliano: would be an amazing accomplishment.

>> Tim Wildmon: And we'll be back momentarily. Stay with us.

>> Don Wildmon: It's my turn.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Here is your host for my turn, Don Wildmon.

There's a man in the New Testament who is overlooked and under recognized

>> Don Wildmon: There's a man in the NewSong Testament who is surely one of the most overlooked and under recognized characters in the Bible. His name is Barnabas. What kind of person was he? Well, we are told that when the young struggling church at Jerusalem needed financial help, he sold his property and gave the income to the church. We are told also that on another occasion, he and Paul took an offering at the church in Antioch and carried it to Jerusalem to help those left needy because of a famine. Not only did Barnabas help with the financial needs of the people, but he helped them in other ways as well. When the church at Antioch needed more leadership, Barnabas went to Tarsus and persuaded Paul to return with him and help. But there is another quality that Barnabas had that even overshadowed those. After Paul had been converted to the Christian faith and wanted desperately to meet with the Christian leaders in Jerusalem, they refused to see him. They were suspicious of him, afraid he might still be seeking to do them harm. Paul searched in vain to get someone to take him to the church leaders. But no one dared take the chance. No one, that is, but Barnabas. Barnabas risked his all his reputation and even probably and possibly his life when, when he volunteered to introduce Paul to the church leaders. Barnabas reasoned that you should not hold a man's past against him when he had had a change in heart. Sometime later, when Paul was preparing for what is commonly known as the second missionary journey. He refused to include John Mark in his group. Mark had deserted Paul and Barnabas in the middle of their first journey, and Paul held this against Mark. But Barnabas was the type of person who dared to give a man another chance. So he separated from Paul and carried John Mark with him. He again risked his reputation to give a person another chance. I have often wondered where the world would be without Barnabas. There is a possibility that Paul would have never become one of the apostles and would not have been able to accomplish his great work. And there is a chance that John Mark would have turned his back on the new faith. If that had happened, we would be much the poorer. For it was Mark who wrote the first recorded account that we have of the life and teachings of Christ. If you doubt how great that contribution of Mark is, you must remember that of the 666 verses contained in Mark's gospel, all but 30 are copied by either Matthew or Luke in their works. Take away Mark's material and the material contained in the first three gospels would be little indeed. When Paul needed a friend but didn't deserve one, Barnabas was there. When Mark needed a friend but didn't deserve one, Barnabas was there. There's always a need for a Barnabas. You know, the world is a better place and much richer because of Barnabas. His kind is still needed today and will be as long as the world endures.

Don Wildmon: Two of my four Final Four picks are gone

>> Tim Wildmon: This has been My Turn with Don

>> Fred Jackson: Wildmon, a production of the American Family Association.

>> Ed Vitagliano: For he has rescued us from the

>> Tim Wildmon: dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Son he loves.

>> Tim Wildmon: Colossians 1:13.

>> Ed Vitagliano: American Family Radio

>> Tim Wildmon: this is Today's Issues.

>> Ed Vitagliano: 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.

>> Tim Wildmon: So my March Madness. And we're not talking about the war with Iran.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Your brackets.

>> Tim Wildmon: My brackets, kind of. I got two teams left, that were, two of my four Final four picks gone.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, who expected Iowa to beat Florida?

>> Tim Wildmon: That Florida. I picked Florida to go the Final Four. They're out. you know, the, Hawkeyes took them down. You know, they brought back Caitlin Clark to play for them.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I know. I didn't know that.

>> Tim Wildmon: Pretty remarkable.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, that's. That's. What a wonderful story that is.

>> Tim Wildmon: That is. So they took down the Gators and then, what? I picked Virginia to go to the Final Four. They were a 3C. And they lost last night to who? They. Who beat them. Who beat Virginia?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Tennessee.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, Tennessee. The Volunteers. anyway, for those who have brackets, what do you got left? what are you looking at?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I was looking at the. At the bracket.

>> Tim Wildmon: Just who's your pick to win it all? Do you have a pick to win at all in the men's?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I do. I forget who I picked.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, you just.

>> Fred Jackson: I.

>> Tim Wildmon: The only reason I have going on here at AFA and afr we have a lottery type thing. No, I'm just kidding.

>> Ed Vitagliano: It was Yukon. That's what I picked.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, you picked. You kind of went at.

>> Ed Vitagliano: All gone.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. No, people. We don't have a gambling operation going on here, so don't.

>> Ed Vitagliano: There's a gift card at stake and. And a half day of vacation.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yes. So it's. It's substantial. It is what you can win by if you win the men's and the women's tournament. We got the men's, women's tournament. Just a little fun thing we're doing here at the office, but we are keeping up with it. So who do you got when in the women's side. Do you know?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I forget, I forget who I picked. Yeah, I'm a hockey guy. I'm, just.

>> Tim Wildmon: You go with colors of teams, don't you? Whatever color you like.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I basically went with the top seeds.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because last year I said, I have a. I have a feeling I'm going with an upset here. No.

>> Tim Wildmon: And these, when you don't know squat about it, you go with the higher seed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: So I'm just. In case the Lord smiles upon me. I, went with high seeds so I can be in the. In the running for the gift card and the, extra half day of vacation.

>> Tim Wildmon: So the Lord cares about this?

>> Ed Vitagliano: No, he does not.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. I just want to make sure you said the Lord smiles on you.

>> Ed Vitagliano: He smiles on me every day.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's a good answer. Yeah, right there. All right, so we'll see how the, But March Madness is a lot of fun if you. Even if you're, just a peripheral sports fan. The. The drama of these games, because it's. It's. It's. It's. You win or you're going home. You're going.

Arizona plays Arkansas next in the NCAA tournament

Your season's over. So these teams are, like, playing their hearts out each and every game. And you see, they, occasionally, David does take down Goliath to, you know, in some of these games, and it's a lot of fun.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I think I had Arizona going To the Final Four. And they got beat. Didn't they get.

>> Tim Wildmon: No, Arizona hadn't got beat.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, no.

>> Tim Wildmon: Arizona plays Arkansas next. Okay, The Razorbacks. All right. by the way, the Razorbacks played High Point the other day. You ever heard of High Point?

>> Ed Vitagliano: The, end of that.

>> Tim Wildmon: Their university in North Carolina. Yeah, High Point University. I was not familiar with them, but their men's and their women's team both made the NCAA tournament. I watched them play Arkansas, and they have, a little. Little guard on the High Point team. Quickest guy ever seen in my life.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Basketball court. Just amazing. I forgot his name, but he, was just a little like. You ever seen a water bug out on the lake? Yeah, yeah, he was like a water bug out on the lake. I mean, bug. But I said it right. You looked at me like. I didn't say it right. Like water.

>> Ed Vitagliano: No, no, I was just trying to imagine a water bug. The water bug on the court.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, it's a little water, but he looks like a little water bug out.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Just going in between the old players.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's right. That's right.

Fred Vance: Vice President Vance says gas prices are temporarily inflated

All right. You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. Hey, that stock market likes what President Trump's saying about the war, doesn't it, Fred?

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, it was up around 1,000 points. I think it's 950 right at the moment, as we're speaking here.

>> Tim Wildmon: Keep going.

>> Fred Jackson: And the, price of oil down to six or seven bucks, a barrel.

>> Tim Wildmon: So that's good because gas is up, like, a dollar a gallon.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. Pretty crazy out there, you see?

>> Tim Wildmon: Are you watching this?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I watch it every time I fill my car up.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Do you think Democrats are going to put a little sign on the. A little sign on the. On the pump saying, I did this,

>> Ed Vitagliano: Remember with Biden, they.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I did this?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I did.

>> Tim Wildmon: When gas prices went up. That's kind of an original idea there.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: I have to come up with something different now. Vice President Vance is saying that the gas prices are temporarily inflated, and I tend to believe him. I know you have to be careful about all politicians on either side of the fence. They're always going to spend things the way they want it to be. Told they wanted to, they want it to be. So you have to look out for that. But I do think there is logic to President Trump. Excuse me, Vice President Vance, saying, you know, these are just temporary, increases in oil prices, and soon as oil prices come down, the gas prices at the pump will come down. But they have gone up like a dollar in the last two weeks or so.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: Am I right? Yeah. To your point, it's really interesting. Fox was interviewing, General Jack Keane retired this morning to react to Trump's announcement this morning. And he was saying, okay, good, to negotiate. However, if the United States does not leave this, this war, not controlling the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will have lost because this is all about oil.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: There's no question about it. He says coming out of these negotiations, the United States has to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is not going to be under the thumb of Iran going forward. that has to be part of the negotiations, because that makes sense. It makes a whole lot of sense. Now, if the Iranians are going to agree to that, that's a whole other thing. But Jack Keane is saying, no, victory has to be defined by ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is not under the thumb of Iran.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know what? okay, if you look at the map over there, you got Iran on one side. The Strait of Hormuz, divides Iran. And is it Saudi Arabia?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Fred Jackson: Well, the Emirates goes out.

>> Tim Wildmon: United Arab Emirates goes up. That's on the other side of, the straight of Hormuz. Iran on one side.

>> Fred Jackson: You've got that little finger that goes up there. And the straight of Hormuz is at the end of that finger. And the other side of the finger is Iran.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Okay.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And then you have the, United Arab Emirates. And then just to the southeast of that is really close. Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Dubai. Didn't realize how close Dubai was to.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, yeah, well, yeah. And it's basically right there. It's not. It's kind of very close to the,

>> Tim Wildmon: that's the only way out for ships coming from where to. Going to. Going to where?

>> Fred Jackson: Persian Gulf, back. Oh, two. Eventually the Indian Ocean.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Okay. So they have to go. And it's a.20 miles at its narrowest point.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Is what I've read.

>> Ed Vitagliano: across Oman. So you, you, you have the, the Persian Gulf. Then they have to, you have to go through the straits, the Strait of Hormuz, and then it's the Gulf of Oman. And then into the Indian Ocean.

>> Tim Wildmon: I think it's been renamed the Gulf of Trump. No, the Strait of Her. Trump.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Strait of Trump.

>> Tim Wildmon: None of her moots anymore. Trump just announced that this morning. Did you know this?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I did not.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: so listen, hopefully, and prayerfully, this thing gets over with.

Diego Garcia: I'm skeptical of the Iran nuclear deal

Pardon, me if I'm a little skeptical, because as the reasons I mentioned before the break, these guys in Iran are a different breed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: They're not. They're not rational human beings. They are ideologues. I'm talking about the religious leaders, and they're the ones who control the military. By the way, did you see where they execute. They're still executing people in public.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That. That's why I want this. I want the Iranian people to be free.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Of this murderous regime. No telling what kind of fear these people live under. Listen, even if they're Muslims, I don't hate all Muslims, but. And there are an increasing number of Christians in Iran. I, I just. To live under that kind of a dictatorship. They're butchers, man.

>> Tim Wildmon: Did you see what they did the other day with these, with that wrestler?

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Internationally known. He may be an Olympian, I'm not sure. But they, they executed him.

>> Fred Jackson: They hung him in public.

>> Tim Wildmon: In public. And, it was. That's what creates. If you wonder. You've heard this before. If you wonder for the people of Iran, you say, well, rise up. Well, like I heard the other day, a lady said, well, they can't rise up, at least right now, because there may be a lot of people who want freedom and want to get rid of the regime, but they're inside their homes. And the people who are keeping them, from protesting are, from m. Quote, rising up are the people outside of the house. Their houses that have guns and they're roaming the streets and they're executing people and there's their arresting them and they're intimidating. That's. That's why. And they, in case you remember those girls who. The soccer team who were in Australia, the Iranian soccer team girls.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: And half of them wanted to claim, asylum, and, you know, for political reasons, not go back to Iran. And then, Then, what? Two or three of them said, I change their mind because their families were being right. they were afraid what would happen to their families if they didn't go back.

>> Fred Jackson: That's right.

>> Tim Wildmon: To Iran. But so they, they, they. This is the way totalitarian governments, and regimes operate. It's with absolute, instilling terror in people to keep them in line. That's been that way down through history. Whether it's a secular, totalitarian government like communism, like in China. Same thing in the sense that they keep their people suppressed. And they will, they will, they will hang you, they will arrest you. They will, Whatever needs to destroy your house, you're building, whatever to keep the intimidation factor that's how they rule millions and millions of people the same way in Iran, except that it's, not secular, it's religious. it's a religious totalitarian authority there in government in Iran.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and, and to your point, I. What we don't want to see happen is for Iran to say, okay, okay, we'll make a deal. We'll make a deal. And then six months from now, they go, well, we're not keeping the deal. And then we got to go and do this all over again. And I, I understand that we want the Strait of Hormuz open and for oil prices to come down, but to me, I think this is a failure if there's not. No, it's not a full, complete failure because they have seriously degraded Iran's military. That's a good thing. But if we don't get regime change there in that country, I'm afraid we're just going to go back and be doing this again. I don't know. They may reconstruct their military in five years. who knows? I'd hate to have to do this all over again.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: there's just one more thing that we learned on the weekend that people need to pay attention to because Iran was able to launch a missile towards the, Diego Garcia. That is an island that the UK has in the Indian Ocean that, we, the United States have used as a launching base in the past. It's 2,500 miles from Iran. They were able to launch a missile to hit that, Diego Garcia. Why is that important? Because we now know they have the propulsion capability to send a missile that could reach Europe as well. We weren't sure about this. And, people like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned about this, and he said unlearning that, and I think the Israelis knew this already. He says the whole world needs to be put on notice. Cut number 10.

>> Tim Wildmon: If you want proof that Iran endangers the entire world. The last 48 hours have given it. They have now the capacity to reach deep into Europe. They already have fired on European country Cyprus. They are putting everyone in their sights.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, so I, think that was a message to the uk, To France. If you think by not getting involved and helping the United States in this battle that you're going to be kept secure from all of this. Pay attention. The Iranians, they have been working under the guise of a, space initiative, etc. But really what a lot of people thought was they're developing rockets that they can put missiles on and send them wherever they want.

Let me ask you a question about the Strait of Hormuz

>> Tim Wildmon: Let me ask you a question about the Strait of Hormuz, because this is a critical point in the war.

>> Tim Wildmon: do we, the United States, depend on that? we depend on the oil coming through there, merchant M ships coming through there. Because, I thought President Trump said over the weekend, listen, we're going to get out of this. Straight up our moods. I'm paraphrasing because it doesn't matter to us because we don't have any, we don't do any business there anyway. I thought he said something to that effect. He. In other words, it's all on. You want it open. You people who, you got countries who depend on it, you do it well.

>> Fred Jackson: He talked about that this morning in his, brief remarks to reporters. And what we have to understand, oil is a global commodity and that if you cut back on availability to oil going to China, to Russia, to India, to Pakistan, whatever the case may be, that drives up the price for the

>> Ed Vitagliano: whole world because they've got to buy it from somebody else who has been selling it to Country X. Yeah. And then they say, oh, well, the price just went up because we have other.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes, it's the old supply and demand, thing. Trump was asked by a reporter this morning, but you're talking about part of the deal perhaps, is allowing tankers to leave through the Strait of Hormuz. Aren't you just, you know, giving up a, an ace, a card that you could play? And he said, no, no, no, no. We want that oil going to China and we want it going all of these other places because that will help bring the price down for American consumers as well.

Fred: Stock market volatility can wipe out your 401Ks

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. All right. You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. A lot of 401ks are happy today after being. Having a sad emoji the last few days. You know what I'm saying?

>> Ed Vitagliano: No, I'm not following you.

>> Tim Wildmon: The four, hundred 1Ks.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, 401Ks.

>> Tim Wildmon: I know you and I don't care because we don't. Our 401ks are stationary.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Ah. So this is the volatility. What's your, the saying you always, you always talk about, if you're in the stock market and you're young, it'll always come back.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, it will.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You're in the stock market and you're old.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. You're toast if it goes down your

>> Ed Vitagliano: toast because then you're, then you're stuck way. You may have to wait five years for you to recover.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. It's I don't do that anymore. Do you do that? No, I don't do that anymore. Quit doing that. The last time it took a nosedive.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: I mean, a real nose dive. like in stop, stop, stop.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Like 2008.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Yeah, 2000. And then it did it again to. Now. I know it comes back. I mean, we've had a quote roaring stock market for the last, what.

>> Fred Jackson: Few.

>> Tim Wildmon: At least since Trump's been back in.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Office. And even in Biden's time, it was doing pretty good. so. But yeah, no, you get, you get closer to retirement age, they're less risk. You're ready, you're gonna, you can handle that. Most people, say, yeah, I'm not going to do that. Not going to put it out. It just, it can just sit there.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: And have a little, you know, small, you know, but not, not put it where it can, You know, stock market can wipe out your.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I do look forward to gas prices plummeting.

>> Tim Wildmon: Do you.

>> Ed Vitagliano: In the next day. Because that's the way they go up. They, they, they skyrocket. When there's, like when we were talking about the first blows being exchanged with this.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: War with Iran, man, they went up 50 cents almost like over the weekend because the gas stations are having to speculate of what the price of oil will be that they'll buy when they have to fill up the gas tanks. So we'll see if it works the opposite.

>> Tim Wildmon: What the world ever runs out of oil, we're all in trouble, aren't we? We're gonna, we're gonna go. We're gonna go back to bike riding and hiking and walking and, I'm not.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Stay at my house. Okay, well, I'll send my wife. She can get on her bike and go to the grocery store.

>> Tim Wildmon: Talking about.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: You're the man of the house.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right. I guess someone's got.

>> Tim Wildmon: So send your wife out. Right. All right, Fred, what's next?

Democrats have shut funding down for the Department of Homeland Security

>> Fred Jackson: Speaking of protection, you probably have seen the stories over the last several days. Airports with tsa, TS guys not being paid guys and women not being paid. A lot of them.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's because the Democrats have shut it down.

>> Fred Jackson: That's right.

>> Tim Wildmon: Democrats have shut funding down for the Department of Homeland Security.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes. And tsa, more and more TSA officers are saying, okay, you're not paying me, I'm not coming to work. Can't blame them. there were reports on the weekend in Atlanta, people were waiting six hours to get through that checkpoint. Now, six Hours, six hours. By the time you get there, your flight has gone. So the irritation level going up and up and up. Well, it was announced, on the weekend that President Trump is sending ICE officers into some of the busy airports. In fact, one of those airports is Atlanta. Now, you mentioned it, Tim, what is

>> Tim Wildmon: ICE going there for?

>> Fred Jackson: They're going there to help out. What? TSA agents are already there, all right? They're not going there for Border Patrol. Now, Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader in the House, says this is terrible. They're going to be grabbing people's children and deporting them. I want you to listen what he had to say. Cut number five.

>> Ed Vitagliano: The last thing that the American people

>> Tim Wildmon: need are for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the

>> Ed Vitagliano: country, potentially to brutalize or in some instances, kill them. We've already seen how ICE conducts itself.

>> Tim Wildmon: These are untrained individuals when it comes to doing the current job that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That they have, for the most part,

>> Tim Wildmon: let alone deploying them in close exposure in highly sensitive situations at airports across the country.

>> Fred Jackson: Well, I'm not sure if Hakeem, Jeffries is simply ignorant of what's going on or he's just being a politician. These ICE agents that are showing up, and we do know they're at Atlanta M and several other airports this morning, they are unmasked. They are there to help tsa.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Are they dressed in TSA uniforms?

>> Fred Jackson: No, they're not the ones that I have seen so far. they are there to kind of direct traffic. there are some reports that they will be used to help actually, guide people as they're going through those checkpoints, et cetera, et cetera, watch over people as their luggage is being checked, that sort of thing. They are not there. They're not targeting illegal immigrants. That's not their job there. But, Hakeem, Jeffries, trying to make it sound like they're going to, as you heard him say, they may kill people at the airport.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, that was so. I just. Who believes this stuff?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and you want to say, well, Congressman, there are trained people to do this. You just won't pay them. You've got government shut down.

>> Tim Wildmon: Let me just tell folks something I didn't even know I learned over the weekend, okay? Under the department of, in the last bill that was passed to fund the government. When was that last? Was that the Big Beautiful bill? One big beautiful. Anyway. Okay.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because we haven't had a reconciliation bill

>> Tim Wildmon: this year, so it was, the money to pay for the ICE agency. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Right? That there, those agents are being paid, it's been approved through 2019, 29.

>> Fred Jackson: 29.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but we paid them through 19. Two guys.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay.

>> Tim Wildmon: Why do you always have to correct me?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I was gonna say wrong. You just misspelled.

>> Tim Wildmon: I was gonna say they were, they were paid through 19 and they're also paid through 2019. 2029. Now is that. That make it clear?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely, that's clear.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, so they're paid through 2029. ICE agents, the Democrats are. They don't want the ICE agents paid because they want the ICE, because ICE, they view ICE as, unnecessary. Now, now, I don't know if all of them say it like this, but they, they want, they either want to eliminate them all together, that is ice, because they don't believe in borders and certainly don't believe in border influence, or they want to handcuff, them, the, the ICE agents, because of the. And they want to exploit the two deaths of the people in, Minnesota to, to strike fear in the hearts of American people that this is a rogue agency. Well, you heard him right there.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. You're liable to kill people.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's what they're going. Well, liable to kill people. They're going, they're go. They're just going to go in and start shooting people in the airport. That, that's the image you get from what this guy Hakeem Jeffries, he's a Democrat leader. Yeah, but, but, so, so the, so what the Democrats are doing there by not agreeing to put that. To pay the, for the agency, the Department of Homeland Security, that's the only agency that's being stopped from government funding. So when that's a partial shutdown of the government because Department of Homeland Security's they're a pretty big agency, pretty big deal. They include the TSA agents that work the airport. okay, so here's my point. The Democrats are not paying. They're not paying the TSA agents. So these TSA agents all over America at the airports, they've been working for what now four to six weeks, I think it is, without pay. And some of them are saying we can't go on like now. I know they're going to get back pay when everything is resolved. But as for now, the Democrats are not, they're not bending, they're not going to want to pay for the Department of Homeland Security, which puts a lot of other agents, a lot of other people at risk to the airports, the travelers. I don't understand. I thought that ICE was being the ones unfunded.

No ICE is funded, so they're only hurting the TSA agents

That's the reason I thought. Well, that's. This is why the Democrats are doing it. But no ICE is funded, so they're only hurting the TSA agents, namely, and therefore the American air traveler who are standing in these lines because TSA is losing people. I don't know what the. I don't know what the ultimate point here is. Well, I think the end game for

>> Ed Vitagliano: the Democrats put pressure on Republicans because people are angry about the travel delays and the canceled flows.

>> Tim Wildmon: The Democrats who are not funding them, I don't know how they get angry at Republicans.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, they're. They're just simply saying, then contact the Republicans and tell them to do XYZ to ice, and then we'll fund it.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, well, if the Democrats didn't have the mainstream media in their favor, this would be a big political loser for them. And it may yet be. We'll have to see how this, all plays out. But, anyway, we'll be back momentarily with more of today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Tim and Ed talk with Fred on top news headlines of the day including President Trump's discussion on Iran.