Virginia Republicans shocked the nation last November when they flipped their state — which Biden won in 2020 with an eight-point margin — firmly to the GOP. 
Republican Glenn Youngkin comfortably defeated Democratic contender Terry McAuliffe for the governorship, and Republicans clinched a majority in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Many stories emerged in the Virginia elections that will define national races in 2022 and beyond — most importantly, the central role of education and other “kitchen-table issues” that matter to American households. However, the elections were also marked by the emergence of a new conservative hero. A gun-toting, ex-Marine, Jamaican-American, business-owning, mother-of-three named Winsome Sears won the lieutenant governorship — becoming the first black woman in Virginia to attain statewide office in the process.
In an interview with The Daily Wire, Sears detailed her rise to stardom, her policy priorities, and how her victory could be replicated across the nation.
‘The American Dream’
In her own words, Sears “took the hard road” to public office. 
Her father left Jamaica for the United States with only $1.75 in his pocket at the height of the civil rights movement — 17 days before Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his landmark “I Have A Dream” speech. Despite the challenges still faced by black people, Sears’ father took any job he could find, put himself through school, and brought his young daughter to America. Today, he is “comfortably retired because he achieved the American dream.”
“So this is not my country necessarily, not my culture,” Sears explained. “And yet I am second in command here in Virginia.”
Sears won her first election in 2001 by defeating a 20-year Democratic incumbent for a seat in the House of Delegates. She has since served on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs&#8217; Advisory Committee on Women Veterans and the Virginia Board of Education. Before running for office, however, Sears led a men’s prison ministry and a women’s shelter, aiding with “long-term transition to help them get back on their feet.”
‘We Are The New Messengers’
Youngkin is the first Republican to hold the Virginia governor’s office since 2013, and Democrats controlled the House of Delegates, Senate, and governorship in both 2020 and 2021. Sears observed that when Democrats have “that kind of control,” they just “run with it” — but also noticed that they “went a bridge too far.”
“When you&#8217;ve got girls being in the same bathrooms as boys, and then rapes happen, then that&#8217;s a problem. And when you&#8217;re not trying to fix it — when you&#8217;re lying to the parents about these things — that&#8217;s a problem,” Sears said, referring to Loudoun County Public Schools appearing to conceal a sexual assault against a ninth-grade girl by a boy wearing a skirt, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-county-schools-tried-to-conceal-sexual-assault-against-daughter-in-bathroom-father-says">exclusively revealed by The Daily Wire</a>.
“When you&#8217;re trying to pit the races against each other, then that&#8217;s another problem. When the children aren&#8217;t learning anything, period, that&#8217;s another problem,” she continued. “When you have the masks on in school, and it&#8217;s really affecting children inordinately… that&#8217;s another problem that the Democrats had.”
“These were problems that were building up for the Democrats, and they weren&#8217;t listening,” Sears said. “We are the new messengers. We brought the new message that the people wanted.”
Sears hopes that the Virginia Senate — which is still controlled by the Democrats — will “get on board” alongside Republicans as they forward the interests of the electorate. In any case: “They&#8217;re three years old with their message. Ours is the newer message that the people want.”
“There are certain things that I&#8217;m about. I&#8217;m not going to be giving those away,” she said. “But you know, on certain things, you have to have a give and take in order to get done what you want.”
Although Sears affirms that she “can be congenial” and will “choose to say ‘No’ the nicer way until you show me that that&#8217;s not going to work,” she has earned a penchant for her blunt communication style. Beyond the viral campaign <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1455966499445817344?s=20&amp;t=q_NfZ0_k3SkorRx3kB7d7w">photo</a> in which she brandished a large rifle, Sears recently drew national attention for using her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/winsome-sears-improvises-after-someone-takes-her-gavel-resourcefulness-never-underestimate-it">high-heeled patent leather pump</a> to bring the Virginia Senate to order after a prankster stole her gavel.
At the same time, she recognizes that her party will likely be unable to “get the whole shebang” while the Senate remains hostile. “Democrats, as I said before, when they get the ship, they run. And now we&#8217;re having to try to get rid of some of the things that they have put forward. We can&#8217;t get the votes for it, because the votes just aren&#8217;t there. So I would hope that the folks give us some grace and understand that until we can change things, we get what we get and we&#8217;ll come back next year.”
‘Your Child, Your Choice’
During their first days in office, Virginia Republicans began to undo elements of the progressive agenda established by their predecessors. Youngkin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youngkin-cleans-house-at-state-diversity-office">cleaned house</a> in the state’s diversity office, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/glenn-youngkin-outlines-his-plan-to-make-virginias-education-system-number-one-in-nation">signed an executive order</a> nixing the use of Critical Race Theory in government schools, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youngkin-delivers-on-promises-in-first-week">began investigating</a> Loudoun County Public Schools, among other actions.
When asked about the issues plaguing government schools, Sears affirmed that she wants parents “to have school choice.”
“If the parents want to continue to send their children to public schools, that&#8217;s fine. Your child, your choice. If you want to send them to charter schools, which is a public school, that&#8217;s fine. Your child, your choice,” she declared. “You want private school, you want parochial schools, you want homeschool, whatever it is… let the parents make that choice for their children.”
“Competition is healthy,” Sears noted. “I mean, what are they afraid of? What are the teachers&#8217; unions afraid of? If you&#8217;re doing a good job, that&#8217;s wonderful. But if not, and parents decide that they&#8217;re going to send their children elsewhere, then who are you to stand in the door and block that parent from choosing that for their child?”
Sears noticed that critics of school choice are inconsistent in their arguments about state financing. “The pushback is, ‘Well, they don&#8217;t want public money going towards private entities.’ But wait a minute, let&#8217;s examine that. You have SNAP food benefits. Now isn&#8217;t that public money going towards private grocery stores? The government doesn&#8217;t have a grocery store that it tells the people, ‘You can only use your food voucher at the government grocery store.’ When it comes to Section 8 — we know that that&#8217;s public money going to private landlords… You see? So there is a problem there. And none of it makes any sense.”
‘We Need To Come Together’
In a recent interview with the <a href="https://richmondfreepress.com/news/2022/jan/13/im-tired-fighting-people-who-look-me/">Richmond Free Press</a>, Sears lamented that she is “tired of fighting people who look like me.” Similarly, when a black Republican in the House of Delegates was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/winsome-sears-proposes-starting-the-youre-not-black-enough-caucus-after-gop-delegate-is-barred-from-black-caucus">barred from joining the black caucus</a>, Sears had multiple pithy suggestions for new coalitions — such as the “You’re Not Black Enough Caucus” and the “Watch the Trolls Come Out Caucus.”
When asked to elaborate on her sentiment, she again mourned that “the people sometimes who come against me the most are the people who look like me.”
“I&#8217;m fighting for everybody. I&#8217;m fighting for black people, white people, Asians, Latinos, I&#8217;m fighting for everybody. I want everybody to have a fair shake,” Sears said. “We know that in math, for example, by the time children in Virginia reach the eighth grade, 35% of Asian children can&#8217;t do math. 45% of white children, 70% of Latino children, and 84% of black children can&#8217;t do math by the time they&#8217;re in the eighth grade.”
“So the problem that folks have is not that I&#8217;m a black Republican — the problem they have is that our children aren&#8217;t learning. That&#8217;s what we need to fight. We need to come together and fight for our children to get the best education possible.”
The need for educational excellence is heightened by the rising hegemony of Russia and China. “We&#8217;ve got to figure it out, come together, learn to get along, learn to love each other so that we can remain the number one superpower in the world.”
‘Our Message Is Working’
Sears believes that her party’s success in Virginia is indicative of what&#8217;s coming for the rest of the nation because “parents are always going to fight for their children.”
“People from all around the country are saying, ‘We now know that we too can achieve the same results that you had.’ Look at what happened in San Francisco. San Francisco recalled three people from their school board, and the mayor — who is a Democrat, and who is black — was agreeing to that, led the effort to do that. That was a shocker.”
“When you&#8217;re seeing bastions of Democrat leadership who are sounding more and more Republican — then you know our message is working,” she observed. “In fact, when President Biden gave his State of the Union speech, I could have sworn to you… I thought he was a Republican governor, or at least a Republican candidate for governor.”
“You know, people are understanding that common sense left the building, and they&#8217;re going to vote her back in. And that happens with voting Republicans back in.” 
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Winsome Sears

‘Our Message Is Working’: Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears On School Choice, Republican Landslides, And Achieving The American Dream

Readers Pass

KENOSHA, Wis. — After dismissing six members of the jury, the remaining 12 jurors in the Kyle Rittenhouse case have been released to deliberate. In their instructions, Judge Schroeder reminded the jury that the decision is theirs alone. He cautioned them not to factor in anyone’s opinions, even the opinions of President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump.
“You will pay no heed to the opinions of anyone, even the President of the United States or the President before him,” Schroeder told the jury.
Meanwhile, news vans line the streets outside the Kenosha courthouse, and reporters far outnumber protestors. As of Tuesday morning, a small group of Black Lives Matter activists had gathered outside the building chanting slogans. Among them was Justin Blake, a prominent activist, and the uncle of Jacob Blake, the man shot and wounded by police while in possession of a knife and resisting arrest in August of 2020, the event which precipitated widespread rioting in Kenosha during which Rittenhouse shot three men. 
We spoke to Justin Blake about his thoughts on the case. Blake characterized the case as an example of “white supremacy,” alleging that Rittenhouse’s defense is directly funded by “the clan.&#8221; While Blake was severely critical of Judge Schroeder, accusing him of &#8220;racism&#8221; — evidenced by the judge&#8217;s ringtone (“God Bless The USA”), which Blake characterized as “Trump’s theme song” — he reserved his most potent criticism for President Joe Biden, who he claims has abandoned the black voters who put him in office. “[President Biden] has failed us,&#8221; Blake proclaimed emphatically. &#8220;We’ve heard nothing from them&#8230; We will never, in my life, vote for another Democrat again. We helped flip this state blue. What did we get? What African Americans always get, nothing.” Blake insisted that now may be the time to start looking to “a third party.” 
Both the prosecution and the defense gave closing arguments in the Kyle Rittenhouse case Monday. As of Tuesday morning, the jury was instructed to begin deliberations. 
The Case Against Kyle
In their closing, the prosecution relied heavily on the “active shooter” narrative, claiming that the three men Rittenhouse shot were acting in self-defense. Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger claimed that the men who pursued and were eventually shot by Rittenhouse were “heroes” for attempting to subdue Rittenhouse out of alleged concern that he was an active shooter threat. 
The prosecution attempted to frame Rittenhouse as the initial aggressor, and paint the three men he shot, Joseph Rosenbaum, Gaige Grosskreutz, and Anthony Huber, as acting in self-defense. Their legal argument is that Kyle cannot claim self-defense if he initiated the dangerous situation.
Prosecutors pointed to FBI drone footage they claimed shows Rittenhouse raising his gun in a threatening manner prior to the first altercation with Rosenbaum. The prosecution did not claim Rittenhouse pointed the gun at anyone specifically, rather that his posture was sufficiently menacing that it may have reasonably led others to think that Rittenhouse was an imminent threat. The defense disputed that characterization, saying the drone footage does not show Rittenhouse raising his gun. The defense argued that the footage shows the gun was situated on the wrong side of Rittenhouse&#8217;s body for him to be aiming it forward. 
The prosecution also questioned whether Rittenhouse should have resorted to deadly force, accusing him of “bringing a gun to a fist fight.” They argued that a skateboard is a children&#8217;s toy and could not be reasonably interpreted as a “weapon” capable of deadly force. Regarding Grosskruetz’s gun, the prosecution argued that it was not lifted and aimed at Rittenhouse the moment Rittenhouse discharged his weapon. 
Overall, the prosecution focused on dressing down Rittenhouse&#8217;s personal character for poor choices that evening. Prosecutors emphasized that he lied about being an EMT and when he initially claimed that Rosenbaum pulled a gun on him. They argued that at 17, Rittenhouse should not have inserted himself into a dangerous situation, and that the ensuing deaths were directly caused by Rittenhouse’s actions. 
The prosecution’s strategy was not without notable missteps. Binger downplayed damage from rioters, which could potentially play poorly with a jury of Kenosha residents. Binger appeared to dismiss “dumpster fires” that occurred that night and insinuated that Rosenbaum, who was involved in arson that night, was harmless, comparing him to “a little dog who barks.” He also called the men Rittenhouse shot “heroes” several times despite their extensive criminal histories, and their behavior at the riot that night, a claim which may seem a stretch to some jurors. 
The Case For Kyle
After the prosecution’s closing arguments, the defense took over to deliver theirs. The defense’s strategy was less methodical, but the video evidence appeared to cut in favor of the defense in multiple instances. 
The defense clearly established that Rittenhouse was being pursued during each instance in which he fired his weapon. One slow-motion video showed Rittenhouse first being pursued by Rosenbaum and then cornered between two cars, with Rosenbaum rapidly closing in on Rittenhouse to within 4 feet. 
Video footage also showed Rittenhouse being pursued by a group of protestors, before he was kicked in the head by an unidentified man and hit with a skateboard by Huber. 
The defense’s objective was to prove that Rittenhouse was afraid for his life in the moment he used the firearm in self-defense, and much of the footage seems to corroborate that claim. 
As of publication, the jury is deliberating whether Rittenhouse committed intentional homicide, or whether he acted in self-defense. Meanwhile 500 national guard service people are stationed to defend the city if additional rioting breaks out. 
This is an emerging story and will be updated as details come to light.

Jury Deliberates In Kyle Rittenhouse Trial

Updates From Rittenhouse Trial: Jury Is Out

It’s Saturday, October 2nd, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:
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1) YouTube Bans Vaccine ‘Misinformation’
The Topline: A new tech battle is raging after YouTube announced they were “expanding” their “medical misinformation” policies to include new guidelines on vaccines, meaning videos with what the platform deems vaccine misinformation would be removed. 
<div id="attachment_291905" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-291905" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-291905" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Photo-Illustration-by-Mateusz-SlodkowskiSOPA-ImagesContributorLightRocketGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/10/Photo-Illustration-by-Mateusz-SlodkowskiSOPA-ImagesContributorLightRocketGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/10/Photo-Illustration-by-Mateusz-SlodkowskiSOPA-ImagesContributorLightRocketGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/Contributor/LightRocket/Getty Images</div>
YouTube Policies
The guidelines expand previous policies which covered what YouTube deemed to be COVID-19 vaccine misinformation to cover all vaccines approved by local health authorities and the World Health Organization. 
YouTube said they will continue to allow content about vaccine policies, new vaccine trials, and historical vaccine successes or failures. Personal testimonials relating to vaccines will also be allowed, but only if the video doesn’t violate other Community Guidelines, or demonstrate a pattern of promoting vaccine hesitancy.
Other Platforms
YouTube is among the last major platforms to take this kind of action. 
In February, Facebook announced they planned to remove or demote posts which spread so-called “vaccine misinformation” or included content which discouraged vaccinations more generally in certain cases.
In March, Twitter followed, with users facing punishment of various forms for posting what they view as “harmful misinformation.”
Reaction 
The reaction to the move has been mixed. While there are many critics of YouTube’s policies in the U.S., the impact of YouTube’s decision is also felt abroad.
Russia is now threatening to ban YouTube unless the state-backed broadcaster RT’s German-language channels are reinstated. They were deleted for violating COVID-19 misinformation guidelines.
<div id="attachment_291906" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-291906" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-291906" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/AaronPBauer-GriffinContributorGC-ImagesGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/10/AaronPBauer-GriffinContributorGC-ImagesGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/10/AaronPBauer-GriffinContributorGC-ImagesGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/Contributor/GC Images/Getty Images</div>
2) Hollywood Labor Strike Vote
The Topline: It’s been 14 years since Hollywood last experienced a labor walkout, but negotiations are now faltering between production companies and a union representing crew members. 
The Strike
The 2008 Writer’s Strike involved 12,000 guild members and shut down a number of productions for over 14 weeks. 
This time, 60,000 crew members are involved, which would be the biggest entertainment industry walkout since World War II.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) represents workers behind the scenes like camera operators, costume designers, and prop makers. 
They’ve been in negotiations with the association of production companies which represents the large studios, as well as big broadcast networks and streamers. 
What They’re Asking
The union wants higher pay, more time off, and shorter working days, but a lot of the disagreement is a byproduct of the streaming revolution.
The last time the IATSE negotiated the terms of streaming contracts was in 2009 when streaming was just beginning to catch on. 
The previous agreement allowed smaller platforms, such as Apple TV and Paramount Plus, to pay lower rates. It also permitted all the streamers to contribute less to crew pensions and health plans, which the union wants to change as well.
What Now?
Since the deadline passed with no agreement, the IATSE is holding a strike vote this weekend.
Potential Impact: After the 2008 writers’ strike, dozens of shows experienced delays and some had fewer episodes or were canceled. It also permanently altered the entertainment landscape as reality shows experienced a boom while networks scrambled to find content. Viewers could experience something similar this time around.
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3) Texas School District Pushes Political Agenda
The Topline: To the outrage of many parents, a public school training told teachers to help students hide information about their gender identity from their parents in order to make school a &#8220;safe” place for them.
The Training
A school district outside Austin, Texas, called Leander ISD, hosted an optional teacher training in October of last year during a staff development conference, with a presentation given by two social workers employed by the district. 
The social workers told teachers in attendance they should discuss gender identity with their students and ask them what their preferred pronouns are. They also said teachers should ask students if they can use the preferred pronouns when they talk to their parents.
In the training materials, they cast parents as potential threats. One of the district social workers told teachers if a student has not told their parents about their gender identity, it may be because it is not “safe” for them to be out with their parents. 
She warned some students may have &#8220;non-affirming” parents, or even parents who are shaming about a student&#8217;s identity. The training also instructed teachers to ask students if they want to have a private conversation about their pronouns.
Parents React
The Daily Wire spoke to a mom who said she sees this as an attempt by the school district to deceive parents. 
A group of angry parents went to a school board meeting on September 9th to speak out against the training. 
One parent had discovered that the school had for some time been allowing their child to go by a new gender identity opposite of his biological gender. Other parents accused the school district of violating their trust and denying them the possibility of getting psychiatric care for their child.
Remember: This is the same school district where kids were reading books with explicit sex scenes and violent and disturbing content. 
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Weekend Sports Update 
NBA Vaccine Rules  
On Wednesday, the NBA announced that any player who misses a game due to a failure to comply with local vaccine mandates — specifically in San Francisco and New York — will not be paid for the game missed. 
The mandates only apply to players who play in the cities with vaccine mandates, and do not apply to visiting players. 
Saturday College Football
#8 Arkansas travels to #2 Georgia, #7 Cincinnati hopes for a marquee win when they travel to South Bend to take on #9 Notre Dame.
Lane Kiffin and his #12 Ole Miss Rebels return to Tuscaloosa in a matchup against Nick Saban and his #1 Alabama Crimson Tide.

MWP-211001 FULL

Saturday, October 2nd, 2021

Morning Wire

It’s Thursday, September 30th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:
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1) Military Leaders Contradict Biden
The Topline: After U.S. military leaders testified to Congress this week about the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden is facing further questions about the decision-making behind the widely criticized strategy.
Quote Of The Day: “Speaker of the House Pelosi called me to inquire about the president’s ability to launch nuclear weapons &#8230; She was concerned and made various personal references characterizing the president.”
– General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
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The Context
On Tuesday, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Milley, head of CENTCOM, General McKenzie and the commander on the ground, General Miller all testified that they recommended that 2,500 troops remain in place in Afghanistan.
However, Biden previously <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-transcript-abc-news-george-stephanopoulos-interview-president/story?id=79535643">claimed</a> in an ABC interview that he was never warned and had the full support of his military leadership.
George Stephanopolous: But your top military advisors warned against withdrawing on this timeline. They wanted you to keep about 2,500 troops.
Biden: No, they didn&#8217;t. It was split. Tha&#8211; that wasn&#8217;t true. That wasn&#8217;t true.
Stephanopoulos: They didn&#8217;t tell you that they wanted troops to stay?
Biden: No.
Criticism
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) tweeted, “Someone is lying,” saying either Biden ignored the advice of his top military advisors, or these advisors lied under oath. 
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) said Biden was “as dishonest as he is incompetent,” saying he lied about not being warned, lied we’d evacuate all Americans, and lied about the withdrawal from Afghanistan, claiming it was an extraordinary success.
Biden’s Ongoing Crises
The government’s estimate of the number of Americans still trapped in Afghanistan likely falls far short of reality, according to volunteers on the ground. The Biden administration also reportedly blocked a charter flight from Afghanistan to the U.S. which had over 100 American citizens and green card holders.
The border crisis also continues to unfold. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration on Tuesday, targeting the federal government’s “catch-and-release” policy.
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<div id="attachment_291157" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-291157" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-291157" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/David-McNewStaffGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/David-McNewStaffGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/David-McNewStaffGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />David McNew/Staff/Getty Images</div>
2) Record Shipping Backlog Worsens
The Topline: A record-breaking backlog in the global supply chain has left dozens of massive cargo ships stuck outside ports around the country.
The Backlog
Nearly half of all imported goods come into the U.S. through ports on the coast of California, which ordinarily have one cargo ship waiting to unload at most.
Currently, at two ports in Los Angeles, there are 62 cargo ships waiting to unload goods. The average ship is now sitting untouched for nine days before being offloaded. 
Once the ships are unloaded, the cargo containers are either loaded onto trucks or shipped via train, but there are also backups at railyards. The average shipping container is now sitting untouched for nearly 9.8 days at the ten largest rail yards in the country.
Why?
The labor shortage and COVID-19 precautions have played a role, as government health regulations slowed down the amount of time it takes to process each container being offloaded.
The problem is mostly impacting businesses relying on goods from Asia because the products are imported through California.
Possible Solutions
Many businesses are now lobbying for looser COVID-19 protocols at ports and others are chartering their own cargo ships or planes to cut out the middleman. 
The Biden administration has considered lowering the minimum age for truck drivers from 21 to 18 and loosening immigration restrictions for trucking companies so they can hire more workers from abroad. 
Going Forward: Consumers can expect an increase in waiting times for ordered items and an increase in prices.
Experts predict a toy shortage at Christmas this year and fewer Black Friday sales.
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<div id="attachment_291158" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-291158" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-291158" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wally-SkalijContributorLos-Angeles-TimesGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="396" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Wally-SkalijContributorLos-Angeles-TimesGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Wally-SkalijContributorLos-Angeles-TimesGetty-Images-300x198.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Wally Skalij/Contributor/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images</div>
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3) NBA Push Back On Vaccine Mandates
The Topline: On Monday, the main topic of conversation at NBA Media Day was the COVID-19 vaccine.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lte1noWElpg">Quote Of The Day:</a> “We&#8217;re talking about individuals&#8217; bodies. We&#8217;re not talking about something that&#8217;s, you know, political or racism or police brutality &#8230; So I don&#8217;t feel like, for me personally, that I should get involved in what other people should do for their bodies.&#8221;
– LeBron James
Players 
The league is reportedly 90% vaccinated, and referees and team staff who work within 15 feet of players are required to have the vaccine. 
Washington Wizards all-star guard Bradley Beal said he was unvaccinated.
Beal was the second-leading scorer in the NBA last season, is the eleventh ranked player in the NBA by <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32249592/nbarank-2021-ranking-best-players-2021-22-25-6">ESPN</a>, and is now the most high profile NBA player to say he has not received the vaccine. Beal missed the Tokyo Olympics after contracting COVID-19 and told reporters he is unvaccinated. 
He said he now has antibodies, and questioned reporters in the room about why vaccinated people are also getting COVID-19.
Can They Play?
Unvaccinated players can still play, but New York City and San Francisco will require professional athletes to show proof of at least one dose of the vaccine to play indoors, impacting 2014 number one overall pick Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors and Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets. 
Wiggins is not vaccinated and was recently denied a religious exemption by the NBA, so he won&#8217;t be able to play in his home arena if he isn’t vaccinated. 
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<div id="attachment_291156" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-291156" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-291156" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Rafael-HenriqueSOPA-ImagesContributorLightRocketGetty-Images-1.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Rafael-HenriqueSOPA-ImagesContributorLightRocketGetty-Images-1.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Rafael-HenriqueSOPA-ImagesContributorLightRocketGetty-Images-1-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/Contributor/LightRocket/Getty Images</div>
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Other Stories We’re Tracking
Youtube
On Wednesday, Youtube announced they are expanding their “medical misinformation policies” with new <a href="https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/11161123">guidelines</a> regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Content will be removed if videos allege that certain approved vaccines are actually dangerous and could cause chronic adverse health reactions, do not reduce transmission or contraction of disease, or contain misinformation on the substances contained in vaccines.
Oregon School Board
An Oregon school board voted this week to ban educators from displaying “political, quasi-political or controversial” symbols in the classroom. Among the banned items are Pride flags and Black Lives Matter symbols.

Thursday | September 30th, 2021

It’s Wednesday, September 29th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:
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1) Military Leaders Testify Before The Senate 
The Topline: In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was questioned over two issues: the much-criticized Afghanistan withdrawal and controversial phone calls with China.
Quote Of The Day:
“I think that our credibility with allies and partners around the world and with adversaries is being intensely reviewed by them… And I think ‘damage’ is one word that could be used. Yes. Yes.”
– General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
<div id="attachment_290700" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290700" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-290700" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Patrick-SemanskyAP-PhotoBloombergContributorGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Patrick-SemanskyAP-PhotoBloombergContributorGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Patrick-SemanskyAP-PhotoBloombergContributorGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Patrick Semansky/AP Photo/Bloomberg/Contributor/Getty Images</div>
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Afghanistan 
General Milley admitted the United States’ “credibility” was likely damaged by the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, but Biden’s Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he felt differently and defended the decision and execution.
General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, said he initially recommended the U.S. keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, saying that not doing so would cause the Afghan army to collapse and open the door for the Taliban to take over. Milley agreed with this sentiment, but it appears President Biden did not follow their advice, although the president said in an interview that no advisors told him to keep troops in the country. 
Calls With China
Earlier this month, Bob Woodward published a book detailing claims about a phone call General Milley had made to his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng. According to Woodward, Milley was worried Trump would “go rogue” and spark a war with China, so he called his counterpart twice and assured him the U.S. would not strike. During the calls, Milley also allegedly said he would warn China if he learned Trump was planning to attack.
On Tuesday, Milley defended the calls and said they’d been coordinated with the Defense Secretary and Acting Defense Secretary at the time.
Milley also said he did not believe Trump would attack China, adding that there were witnesses to the calls and he briefed then-Secretary Mike Pompeo and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about the second call. He also admitted to discussing the call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
<div id="attachment_290703" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290703" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-290703" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/FatCameraGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="398" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/FatCameraGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/FatCameraGetty-Images-300x199.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />FatCamera/Getty Images</div>
2) Judges Approve NYC Teacher Vaccine Mandate 
The Topline: A panel of judges in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan put forward a brief order on Monday ruling the vaccine mandate for New York City public school teachers can go forward after it was temporarily blocked.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0uRXj0pQ84">Quote Of The Day:</a>
“&#8230; the mandate has already worked ‘cause it’s encouraged so many people to get vaccinated to protect each other and our kids.”
– Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NY) on Monday
Background
In August, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and other officials announced that all employees of the city’s Department of Education would need to have at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 27th. 
The <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/578-21/mayor-de-blasio-chancellor-porter-commissioner-chokshi-department-education">order</a> applied to all public school staff — around 148,000 workers — and included school, central staff, and some DOE contractors. Cafeteria workers, safety personnel, and janitors are also included under the order. 
After some back-and-forth in the courts, the mandate was temporarily blocked and sent to a group of judges. On Monday, the judges said the mandate can go forward.
A Department of Education spokesperson <a href="https://abc7ny.com/vaccine-mandate-nyc-teachers-new-york-public-schools/11051781/">said</a>, “the mandate will go into effect on Friday end of day so that by Monday, October 4, 100% of educators and staff in our buildings will be vaccinated.&#8221;
Legal Challenge: An attorney who brought the lawsuit for the teachers <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/27/federal-judges-nyc-can-impose-vaccine-mandate-on-teachers.html">said</a> he and another lawyer are asking the Supreme Court to intervene. 
Pushback
Union leaders are saying the mandate will lead to staff shortages because it will result in thousands of teachers and staff being fired.
As of Monday, Mayor de Blasio <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/nyc-vaccine-mandate-for-school-staff-on-hold-state-health-worker-covid-order-takes-effect/3292703/">stated</a> that 87% of all DOE workers had gotten at least one dose, including 90% of teachers and 97% of principals. 
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<div class="mceTemp">3) Creators Sue For Marvel Stake</div>
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The Topline: Several comic book artists who helped create some of Marvel’s iconic characters now want a share of the studio’s earnings, but on Friday, Disney filed a countersuit to defend its sole ownership of the franchise. 
Financial Stakes
Collectively, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and the rest of the studios’ superhero movies have earned around $23 billion. The biggest of them, 2019’s &#8220;Avengers: Endgame&#8221; brought in $2.8 billion on its own.
The Case
Under the 1976 Copyright Act, authors or their estates can regain ownership of a creative work after a certain number of years, but it depends on the terms under which they created the material. 
This past spring, the heirs of several Marvel comic book writers filed a suit claiming they qualify to regain some of their rights, including Steve Ditko, who co-created Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, as well as Larry Lieber, Stan Lee’s younger brother who worked on Iron Man and Thor.
Black Widow, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, and several other superheroes are also involved.
Disney
In a countersuit filed Friday, Disney said the characters fall under the umbrella of “work made for hire.”  
The lawyer representing the creators told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/24/business/media/disney-marvel-copyright-lawsuits.html">The New York Times</a> they were all freelancers or independent contractors, “working piecemeal for carfare out of their basements.”
Big Picture: Intellectual property comes with hazards, and there can be risks with creating entertainment involving established characters.
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<div id="attachment_290772" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290772" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-290772" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Antonio-PerezChicago-TribuneContributorTribune-News-ServiceGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Antonio-PerezChicago-TribuneContributorTribune-News-ServiceGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Antonio-PerezChicago-TribuneContributorTribune-News-ServiceGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Contributor/Tribune News Service/Getty Images</div>
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Other Stories We’re Tracking
R. Kelly
On Monday, multi-platinum R&amp;B artist R. Kelly was found guilty of sex trafficking, bribery, racketeering, and the sexual exploitation of a child. The 54-year-old singer faces 10 years to life in prison.
Lancet Medical Journal
The prestigious medical journal The Lancet is being criticized for referring to women as “bodies with vaginas” on its latest cover. The quote in question comes from the featured article titled “Periods On Display.”

MWP-210929 FULL

Wednesday | September 29th, 2021

It’s Tuesday, September 28th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:
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1) Congress Prepares For Big Spending Week
The Topline: The House of Representatives will vote on raising the debt ceiling, keeping the government open, and approving $4.5 trillion in new spending by Friday.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu3IrfFrX64">Quote Of The Day:</a>
 “Try us. I got more than half of the caucus who feels very strongly we’re going to deliver the entirety of the President’s agenda to the President.”
– Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
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Spending Items
Government spending authorization is scheduled to expire at 12:01 Friday morning, which would mean non-essential parts of the government would shut down until Congress authorizes new spending. 
A debt ceiling of $28.5 trillion went into effect on August 1st. Since then, the government has been funding federal programs through what it calls “extraordinary measures.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-janet-yellen-ac00e6452c48fba9a2bd21d9f633e961">said</a> the government would run out of money sometime in October without a new spending bill. 
Congressional Republicans have said they would support a clean bill to fund the government, but Democrats paired government funding with a provision to raise the debt ceiling, which led Republicans to kill the bill on a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-27/senate-republicans-block-bill-to-raise-debt-cap-avert-shutdown">party-line</a> vote, 48-50, on Monday.
Remember: If the debt ceiling isn’t raised this week, nothing will happen right away. After the Treasury runs out of cash-on-hand, the federal government would still collect <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/no-the-us-will-not-default-on-its-debt-no-matter-what-2015-10-20">more than enough</a> tax receipts to make the interest payments on the national debt, as well as Social Security, Medicare, and many other government programs. However, it could result in freezing the salaries of some federal employees and putting others on furlough. 
Two ‘Infrastructure’ Bills
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wants to advance two bills this week. 
The first is the president’s $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act, which contains social policies like government-funded preschool and ‘free’ community college. 
The second bill is the trillion-dollar Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is largely traditional infrastructure. 
The Debate
House Progressive Caucus chair, Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), said its members will vote against the infrastructure bill unless the House first votes on the president’s bill to expand government programs. She also said House progressives won’t accept any bill with less than $3.5 trillion in government spending. 
 Nine lean-centrist House Democrats have said they will not vote for the $3.5 trillion bill until the infrastructure bill has been <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/infrastructure-bill-house-democrats-reconciliation-threat/">signed</a> into law. 
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has said $3.5 trillion is too expensive, and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) opposes the income and corporate tax hikes the bill will likely contain. 
Key Point: Unless the Democrats are able to win almost all of these votes, the bill can’t become law. 
<div id="attachment_290316" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290316" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-290316" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Andrew-LichtensteinContributorCorbisGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Andrew-LichtensteinContributorCorbisGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Andrew-LichtensteinContributorCorbisGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Andrew Lichtenstein/Contributor/Corbis/Getty Images</div>
2) New York Vaccine Mandate Threatens Healthcare Workforce
The Topline: Tens of thousands of New York healthcare workers are expected to lose their jobs this week as the state’s vaccine mandate for health workers goes into effect.
<a href="https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2021/09/24/gov--hochul-pushing-ahead-with-vaccine-mandate-for-health-care-workers#">Quote Of The Day:</a>
“What is looming for Monday is completely avoidable, and there’s no excuses.” 
– New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D)
Background
The vaccine mandate for health care workers was announced last month by former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY). As of Monday, health workers at all hospitals and nursing homes in New York must have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in order to keep their jobs.
Tens of thousands of workers still haven’t been vaccinated, meaning New York could face mass firings leaving health care facilities understaffed.
The state labor department said health workers fired for refusing to get vaccinated will not be able to collect unemployment insurance unless they had a medical exemption. 
The Response
On Saturday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) tried to prepare for a staffing emergency by releasing a plan to potentially deploy medically trained National Guard members to replace unvaccinated workers. 
Hochul said she may also call in recent medical graduates, retirees, out-of-state workers, or foreign workers to help.
The Numbers
As of last week, 85% of hospital workers in New York were fully vaccinated, while around 15% were not fully vaccinated. Among nursing home and adult care facility staff, 77% and 81% were fully vaccinated.
The estimated number of workers not fully vaccinated is as many as 95,000 people.
Legal Point: In New York City, a vaccine mandate for all public school workers was blocked by a legal challenge before it took effect. 
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3) Facebook Reveals New Censorship Guidelines
The Topline:  Facebook released its new content guidelines for suppressing posts on its platform, sparking controversy.
“Content Distribution Guidelines” 
Last week, Facebook made their “Content Distribution Guidelines” public, which they say are a list of policies explaining how they suppress certain content.
While Facebook’s “Community Guidelines” explain what is and is not deleted from Facebook, their “Content Distribution Guidelines” explain what is and is not suppressed on Facebook.
With almost 30 items split into three categories, the guidelines are very broad. 
The first category focuses on reacting to user feedback, the second claims to incentivize the spread of what they call “high-quality and accurate” content, and the third seeks to provide users with a “safer community.”
For Example: In the “Fact-Checked Misinformation” section, Facebook said posts can be downranked before they’re confirmed as misinformation.
Political Implications
In July, President Joe Biden’s Surgeon General called on “Big Tech” companies to impose “consequences” for users who violated platform policies.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has pushed Amazon to use its algorithm to throttle the sale of books which she characterizes as spreading “COVID-19 misinformation.”
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Other Stories We’re Tracking
Norway Ends COVID-19 Restrictions
On Sunday, dozens of brawls and public disturbances broke out in Norway as Norwegians <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-europe-norway-4d3b34ca4362afa87772df309881216d">filled</a> bars and restaurants while celebrating the end of COVID-19 restrictions. In an unexpected announcement on Friday, outgoing Prime Minister Erna Solberg said, “It has been 561 days since we introduced the toughest measures in Norway in peacetime,” adding “Now the time has come to return to a normal daily life.”
Brian Laundrie 
The FBI has <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/news/574069-attorney-says-items-taken-from-brian-laundrie-home-for-dna-matching">reportedly</a> asked for some of Brian Laundrie’s personal belongings to help them with DNA matching efforts. According to the Laundrie family lawyer, his relatives have complied with agency requests. The search for Laundrie continues after the remains of his fiancee, Gabby Petito, were discovered and her death was declared a homicide. 
Migrants Headed To U.S.
A new <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/thousands-mostly-haitian-migrants-traverse-panama-way-united-states-2021-09-26/">report</a> shows more migrants might be making their way to the United States. According to Reuters, two Panamanian government sources said up to 4,000 migrants, the majority of whom are Haitians, have gone through Panama heading to the U.S.

MWP-210928 FULL V2

Tuesday | September 28th, 2021

It’s Thursday, September 23rd, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/morning-wire">here</a>.
1) Biden’s Foreign Policy Woes Continue
The Topline: While facing multiple ongoing crises both domestically and internationally, President Joe Biden spoke to the United Nations General Assembly for the first time as president earlier this week.
<a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/1440405831124615179">Quote Of The Day:</a>
“Joe Biden walked into the United Nations today and put a giant ‘kick me’ sign on Uncle Sam’s back.”
– Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR)
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<div id="attachment_288757" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-288757" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-288757" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Andrew-HarrerBloombergContributor-via-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Andrew-HarrerBloombergContributor-via-Getty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Andrew-HarrerBloombergContributor-via-Getty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Contributor via Getty Images</div>
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The Speech
In his address, Biden criticized China for their human rights abuses and dangerous rhetoric, without mentioning the country by name. 
The speech also focused on COVID-19 and climate change and pushed the idea that working together – along with significant American financial support &#8212; is the way to address the world’s problems. 
Biden celebrated the end of war in Afghanistan, though he failed to mention the Americans, green card holders, and Afghan allies still trapped in the country.
Criticism
Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, said the speech “ignored the reality and seriousness of America’s threats and enemies,” noting how Biden failed to mention China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea.
Boris Johnson 
After his U.N. address, Biden met with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, where the two discussed Northern Ireland, climate change, and Afghanistan.
Afterwards, Biden downplayed the chances of a U.K.-U.S. trade deal, which remains a priority for the U.K. government following the aftermath of Brexit.
White House staff also created controversy when they ordered reporters to leave after Johnson asked if the pair could answer questions from journalists.
Taliban
The Taliban has asked to address world leaders at the U.N. headquarters in New York City.
The request will be considered by a credentials committee, whose members include the U.S., China, and Russia. However, it’s unlikely a decision will be made until the end of this session, meaning Afghanistan’s current ambassador will remain in place, despite the fact that the Taliban said he “no longer represents Afghanistan.”
<div id="attachment_288758" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-288758" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-288758" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Jane-GershovichISI-PhotosContributorGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Jane-GershovichISI-PhotosContributorGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Jane-GershovichISI-PhotosContributorGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Jane Gershovich/ISI Photos/Contributor/Getty Images</div>
2) Female Athletes File Brief Supporting Abortion
The Topline: More than 500 female athletes have filed a brief asking the Supreme Court to reject a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Quote Of The Day:
“All of the Amici have exercised, relied on the availability of, or support the constitutional right to abortion care in order to meet the demands of their sport and unleash their athletic potential.” 
– “Amici” Brief, signed by female athletes in support of abortion
The Law
On December 1st, the Supreme Court will hear the case of the Mississippi law that would ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Legal experts say the ruling could set a precedent to overturn Roe v. Wade. 
The Brief
On Monday, over 500 women — including U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe — called on the Supreme Court to strike down the law in an amicus brief as part of the Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health case. Signers of the brief included 73 professional athletes, 26 Olympians, and 276 college athletes.
The brief argued the “enormous success” of women’s sports has been assisted by abortion. 
It includes numerous statements, including one from Captain of the 1992 Olympic swim team and Olympic gold medalist swimmer Crissy Perham, who said she had an abortion in college. 
She said she “wasn’t ready to be a mom, and having an abortion felt like I was given a second chance at life. I was able to take control of my future and refocus my priorities.” 
Perham went on to discuss the success she had in her professional career after having her abortion, including becoming an Olympian and eventually a mother. 
Megan Rapinoe said the U.S. is “trying to deny us control over our bodies,” which she said is “un-American” and “infuriating.”
The Bottom Line: The brief says men and women have a short window to “achieve their greatest athletic potential,” and not allowing women to have abortions could negatively impact their careers and economic futures.
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3) New Details In The Murder Of Gabby Petito
The Topline: In a case that has gained national attention, the remains of 22-year-old Gabby Petito were discovered at a national park near Grand Teton, Wyoming, and the main person of interest, her fiancé Brian Laundrie, is still on the run. 
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcwnqVf2jzg">Quote Of The Day:</a>
“I’d like to report a domestic dispute… We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl… And then we stopped, they ran up and down the sidewalk, he proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car and they drove off.”
– 9-1-1 Call
Background
Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie were travel bloggers with a fairly large social media following, documenting their outdoor adventures and road trips on YouTube and Instagram. 
Since June, the couple had been on a cross country trip, living out of Gabby’s van, and uploading videos and photos of themselves. Two months into the trip, on August 12th, police in Moab, Utah, responded to a 911 call regarding a domestic dispute involving the couple.
When police tracked them down, Gabby told them she was the aggressor and downplayed any violence from Brian, saying she had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, so police let them go, and the pair went on with their trip.
Gabby Goes Missing 
The last contact Petito had with anyone was a call with her mother on August 25th. She told her mom they’d be traveling up to Grand Teton and Yellowstone in Wyoming, which is where law enforcement say Petito went missing. 
On September 1st, Brian Laundrie returned to his family’s home in Florida without Gabby. 
When she was reported missing by her family on September 11th, Brian offered no answers as to where she was, and two days after being named a “person of interest” in the case, he disappeared, setting off a massive manhunt in Florida. 
Police have concentrated the search in a nature reserve in Sarasota County, but authorities say it could be difficult to find him as he’s an experienced hiker and outdoorsman.
National Interest
Petito and Laundrie were fairly popular on social media, and their lives were incredibly well documented in videos and pictures online. 
MSNBC host Joy Reid said race played a role in the nationwide attention given to the case, calling it “missing white woman syndrome.”
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<div id="attachment_288760" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-288760" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-288760" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Darrian-TraynorStringerGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Darrian-TraynorStringerGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Darrian-TraynorStringerGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Darrian Traynor/Stringer/Getty Images</div>
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Other Stories We’re Tracking
Debt Ceiling
The U.S. House <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/us/politics/spending-bill-passed-debt-limit.html">passed</a> legislation on Tuesday to raise the debt ceiling with zero Republican votes. The measure, which will fund the government through early December, faces an uphill battle in the Senate because Republicans have vowed not to support it.
Australia Protests
Violence broke out again in Australia this week over vaccine mandates. On Wednesday, police in Melbourne fired rubber bullets and tear gas at citizens protesting mandates for construction workers. The crackdown took place after around 400 people rallied at a war memorial on the third straight day of protests.

MWP-210923 FULL V2

Thursday | September 23rd, 2021

It’s Tuesday, September 21st, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/morning-wire">here</a>.
1) Pfizer Announces Vaccine Data For Kids 
The Topline: On Monday, Pfizer <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-positive-topline-results">announced</a> that a more limited dose of its COVID-19 vaccine produced “robust” results for 5 to 11-year-olds.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCxFAAwI6yw">Quote Of The Day:</a>
“I believe that mandating vaccines for children to appear in school is a good idea.”
–  Dr. Anthony Fauci, last month
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Pfizer Vaccine For Kids
Vaccines are currently only approved for children 12 and up, but this might soon change. Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, say they saw positive results when they gave younger children one-third of the adult dose of the vaccine.
The children who received the modified dose — administered in two stages — showed similar levels of antibodies as vaccinated teens. Remember: Pfizer’s data has not been <a href="https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/572996-groundbreaking-study-finds-pfizer-vaccine-safe">peer-reviewed</a> or published yet.
Side Effects
Pfizer says the younger children they tested suffered no more severe side effects than teens or adults: mostly soreness, fatigue, or headaches.
The company says it found no cases of myocarditis — the heart inflammation found as a side effect primarily in teenage boys — but the company can’t rule it out.
Timeline
Pfizer says it will seek emergency authorization promptly — but first, it has to submit its research to the FDA. Once that happens, acting commissioner Janet Woodcock has said the FDA could approve the vaccine in “a matter of weeks.” Dr. Scott Gottlieb — her predecessor, who is now on Pfizer’s board — said the vaccine could be ready by late October or November. 
COVID-19 And Kids
Children have a smaller number of serious infections than adults. According to the CDC, a total of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/index.htm#SexAndAge">439</a> children under the age of 18 have died from COVID-19 as of September 15, out of <a href="https://www.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report/">almost 5.3 million</a> infections. 
Only <a href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Provisional-COVID-19-Deaths-Focus-on-Ages-0-18-Yea/nr4s-juj3">280</a> children between the ages of 5 and 18 have died with the disease over the course of the pandemic. 
The number of children being hospitalized with COVID-19 rose over the summer but now appears to be declining. Children make up less than 2% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations nationwide. 
Doctors say many of those hospitalizations come from <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kids-hospitalized-covid-experts-arent-sure-re-sicker-rcna2041">co-infections</a>, where the child has another condition in addition to COVID-19.
Vaccine Mandates
The nation’s largest school district, LAUSD, the Los Angeles United School District, already <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/will-more-schools-follow-los-angeles-lead-and-require-covid-19-vaccination">demands</a> that all students age 12 and up be vaccinated to receive in-person instruction. 
Dr. Anthony Fauci has endorsed mandating vaccines for children to go to school. 
Looking ahead: This likely won’t stop with children who are five years old since infant testing is underway in some areas. Pfizer and Moderna have announced they currently are, or plan to begin, testing children as young as 6 months old by the end of the year.
<div id="attachment_288177" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-288177" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-288177" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Al-DragoStringerGetty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Al-DragoStringerGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Al-DragoStringerGetty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Al Drago/Stringer/Getty Images</div>
2) Democrat Immigration Proposal Faces Major Setback
The Topline: Over the weekend, the Biden administration was dealt a setback, as their plan to include sweeping immigration reform as part of a spending bill was rejected by an official advisor to the United States Senate.
The Ruling
Reports from late Sunday evening said the Senate parliamentarian indicated that Democrats can’t include a so-called “pathway to citizenship” for illegal immigrants in their latest multi-trillion-dollar spending bill. 
In addition, Democratic Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) are opposed to the bill and could jeopardize its passage. 
Reactions
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released a statement saying, “Democrats will not be able to stuff their most radical amnesty proposals into the reckless taxing and spending spree they are assembling behind closed doors.”
Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted, “This ruling by the parliamentarian is only a recommendation. Senator Schumer and the White House can and should ignore it.”
What Does It Mean?
The Parliamentarian of the United States Senate is an official advisor to the Senate on the interpretation of the body’s standing rules and parliamentary procedure. The parliamentarian serves at the pleasure of the Senate majority leader, with Elizabeth MacDonough holding the position since 2012 after being appointed by former Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Remember: This is an advisory position, and the presiding officer can overrule the advice, but doing so would be unusual.
The parliamentarian is able to decide what is allowed under the Senate’s reconciliation process. The reconciliation process speeds up the passage of budget-related legislation, allowing it to be approved by a simple majority, rather than the sixty votes needed to end debate and block a filibuster.
With the parliamentarian saying, “policy changes of this proposal far outweigh the budgetary impact,” any hopes progressive Democrats had of including a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants into the bill have been challenged. 
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3) Hollywood Divided Over Vaccine Mandates
The Topline: Many of the world’s biggest stars have expressed support for COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but a few celebrities have recently gone against the trend.
Quote Of The Day:
Eighty percent of the artists that you all are following right now feel like I feel about the vaccine and are too afraid to speak on it. 
&#8230;It’s disgusting that a person can’t speak about just questions or thoughts they’re having about something that they’re going to have to put in their body.
– Rapper Nicki Minaj, Instagram Post
Nicki Minaj
Last week, Grammy-nominated rapper Nicki Minaj tweeted that she didn’t go to the Met Gala because event organizers had implemented a vaccine mandate.
MSNBC’s Joy Reid, late night host Jimmy Kimmel, and several other celebs slammed her comments as harmful.
Minaj essentially said she’s still researching and people shouldn’t be bullied into getting the shot.
Other Stars Speak Out
Some other stars like Eric Clapton, Gisele Bündchen, and Saturday Night Live alum Jim Breuer have expressed similar concerns.
Supermodel Doutzen Kroes put out a statement against mandates, saying, “I will not be forced to take the shot. I will not be forced to prove my health to participate in society. I will not accept exclusion of people based on their medical status … Freedom of speech is a right worth fighting for.”
Remember: The <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/latest-data-on-covid-19-vaccinations-race-ethnicity/">latest stats</a> show only about 43% of the black community is vaccinated, so Minaj and others are speaking for a significant portion of the population.
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Other Stories We’re Tracking
Elon Musk
Elon Musk has committed $50 million to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital as part of a larger fundraising effort associated with the Inspiration4 launch. The fundraiser is on track to meet its $200 million donation goal. St. Jude’s Children&#8217;s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, treats childhood cancer free of charge. 
Del Rio
The U.S. is continuing to fly Haitian migrants who amassed at the southern border in Texas back to their home country. Around 14,000 migrants were huddled under a bridge in the border town of Del Rio and several flights a day have been scheduled this week to remove them. 
2021 Emmys 
The 2021 Emmy awards show was skewered on social media when viewers observed very few stars were wearing masks or practicing social distancing, while staff and servers on-site were masked.

MWP-210921 FULL

Tuesday | September 21st, 2021

It’s Saturday, September 18th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/morning-wire">here</a>.
1) Disappearances In Communist China
The Topline: Four years ago, the wife of Chinese businessman Desmond Shun disappeared in what’s suspected to be another case of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targeting influential citizens. Then, on the eve of the release of his <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Red-Roulette/Desmond-Shum/9781982156152">book</a> exposing Chinese political corruption last week, his wife suddenly reappeared. 
Quote Of The Day:
“I decided to publish the book because, in my view, this is bringing international attention to her case. It&#8217;s probably the last resort.”
– Desmund Shun
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Disappearances
Shun joined Morning Wire to discuss corruption in communist controlled China and his wife’s sudden reappearance. 
Shun said his wife disappeared for four years with virtually no warning, adding that the Chinese government takes people for certain amounts of time and when people return, they usually don’t say anything about their experience for fear of repercussions from the Chinese Communist Party. 
Last week, after media outlets reported on Shun’s situation, his wife contacted him by phone and warned him not to publish the book, claiming she was back in her apartment in Beijing. Shun said she could be taken by the government again at any time. 
<div id="attachment_287291" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-287291" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-287291" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Holger-HillGetty-Images.jpg" alt="University student sitting in an empty lecture hall reading a text book - stock photoHolger Hill/Getty Images" width="700" height="559" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Holger-HillGetty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Holger-HillGetty-Images-300x240.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Holger Hill/Getty Images</div>
2) Decline In U.S. Men Attending College
The Topline: A generation of American men, especially working class white men, are opting not to go to college, while women continue to earn degrees and graduate at a considerably higher rate than their male peers.
The Decline
Over the last year, colleges saw a steep drop in enrollment among men — many of whom seem to have decided the expense and trouble of getting a degree is no longer worth it. 
Men now make up only two out of every five college students in the U.S. 
Over the past five years, U.S. colleges and universities have lost about 1.5 million total students, and male students made up 71% of the decline. 
By the end of this past school year, 59.5% of college students were women, an all-time high. Only 40.5% were men.
The Gap
The disparity exists at both two-year and four-year colleges, but it’s the most stark at private four-year schools, where during this past year female students comprised 61% of the student body.
Some universities are even quietly trying to recruit more men, while others are now accepting a higher percentage of men than women to balance out the student body. 
The decline in college enrollment is also most dramatic among poor and working-class white men. Minority men from the same economic background are now enrolling more frequently than their white counterparts. 
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3) The 2021 Emmys
The Topline: The 2021 Emmy awards will air tomorrow night and this year’s nominations provide a window into how the television industry is changing &#8212; and how it’s staying the same.
Streaming
The biggest trend is the near-total domination of streaming over traditional broadcast networks.
For Example: In the award category for Outstanding Comedy Series, all but one of the eight nominees originated on streaming platforms. For Outstanding Drama Series, only two of the eight nominees air on broadcast.
Ratings
This trend doesn’t dovetail with ratings. Going by the sheer number of viewers, traditional broadcast and cable networks vastly outperform streaming.
The most recent Nielsen ratings <a href="https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2021/the-gauge-shows-streaming-takes-a-seat-at-the-table/">report</a> showed that streaming accounts for around 26% of the audience share. Together, cable and broadcast draw 64% of the audience.
Nielsen ratings have adapted their metrics to capture streaming views, as well, revealing how a popular streaming show is much different from a popular TV show of the past.
Emmy ratings have been on a downward trajectory for a while, with every year essentially a new record low since 2015 — around when streaming platforms started to become popular.
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<div id="attachment_286829" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-286829" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-286829" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/A083A4CD-C266-42EB-B5D2-7F96B5979EDE_1_201_a.jpeg" alt="School bus stop sign for children to pass - stock photo A STOP sign is out by the school bus and children can be seeing crossing the road in front of the school bus. FatCamera via Getty Images" width="700" height="394" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/A083A4CD-C266-42EB-B5D2-7F96B5979EDE_1_201_a.jpeg 724w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/A083A4CD-C266-42EB-B5D2-7F96B5979EDE_1_201_a-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />FatCamera via Getty Images</div>
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Other Stories We’re Tracking
Essential Worker Shortage
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/16/us/school-shortages-bus-drivers-workers.html">Schools</a> around the country are experiencing serious employee shortages and are now making efforts to fill roles, including cafeteria personnel and substitute teachers. Massachusetts is even enlisting the National Guard to assist with bus driver shortages.
Ocasio-Cortez Ethics Complaint
The Conservative group American Accountability Foundation filed an ethics <a href="https://9b57ee93-8fae-434e-a844-6b3e2e6dcd24.usrfiles.com/ugd/9b57ee_0bbb09db34774fedae37979172f56e21.pdf">complaint</a> against Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for “accepting an impermissible gift to attend” the New York Met Gala without having a “permissible exemption.&#8221; Ocasio-Cortez’s <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/572508-conservative-group-files-ethics-complaint-over-ocasio-cortez-appearance-at-met">office</a> <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/conservative-group-files-ethics-complaint-against-aoc-attending-met-gala-n1279308?utm_campaign=morning_wire&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=housefile">told</a> NBC News they are “confident [they] complied with all ethics rules.&#8221;

MWP-210918 FULL V2

Saturday | September 18th, 2021

It’s Thursday, September 16th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thursday-september-16-2021">here</a>:
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1) Top General Faces Calls To Resign
The Topline: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley is facing widespread calls to resign after reports emerged claiming he’d promised a Chinese military leader he would warn China in advance if then-President Donald Trump planned to attack the country.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN-lC1Q-uHU">Quote Of The Day:</a>
“I hope these reports are inaccurate, but he does need to resign. He needs to resign, and if he won’t resign, he needs to be fired.” 
– Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) 
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The Report
This story comes exclusively from Bob Woodward and Robert Costa’s new book, Peril, in which the authors say General Milley was concerned President Trump might launch an attack on China, so twice he called his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng, of the People’s Liberation Army. 
In one of the conversations, he reportedly said, “If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time. It’s not going to be a surprise.”
The book says Milley told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) he agreed President Trump was “crazy” and was so worried Trump could start a nuclear war that he made his fellow military commanders swear an “oath” not to act unless Milley was involved. 
Response
General Milley has confirmed he made the calls but did not comment on what was discussed. He also admits to holding a meeting to discuss “nuclear weapons protocol,” but he maintains he did nothing illegal.
President Trump has called for Milley to be tried for treason, saying, “I never even thought of attacking China.”
Calls To Resign
Critics say if Milley were to insert himself into the chain of command on nuclear issues, he would be subverting the civilian command of the U.S. military. Prominent Republicans in Congress have called for Milley to resign, be fired, or even face court-martial. 
General Milley is scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on September 28.
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2) Newsom Wins Recall Election
The Topline:  The California recall election has been called for Democrat Gavin Newsom, who will remain governor.
Results
With over 9 million votes counted so far, the race has been called for Gavin Newsom, with the “no” vote leading the “yes” vote by almost 30 percent, or well over 2 million votes. There’s still around 30% of the expected vote to be counted, but given his comfortable lead, Newsom is projected to remain in office. 
The Background
In August, the race was very tight, but in the days leading up to the election, the “keep” vote began showing momentum in the polls. Political analysts have cited three main reasons for the outcome:
<ol>
<li> Newsom essentially mobilized the entire national Democratic Party apparatus to protect his position. </li>
<li> The Democratic Party successfully repositioned the election from being a referendum on Newsom’s performance as governor to being a referendum on their characterization of Larry Elder as Donald Trump 2.0.</li>
<li> Due to California’s recall policies, Newsom was able to amass over $70 million in campaign funds, while Elder had about a quarter of that amount.</li>
</ol>
Political Point: For a recall election to even happen in a deep blue state like California should be a warning sign for Democrats, especially since the policies promoted by Newsom and President Biden aren’t as popular in other areas of the country as they are in L.A. or San Francisco.
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3) Texas Judge Blocks Group’s Enforcement Of Pro-Life Law
The Topline: A Texas judge temporarily blocked some pro-life groups from enforcing the state’s new abortion law banning most abortions after six weeks and allowing citizens to take legal action against abortion providers.
The Ruling
A judge in Texas <a href="https://www.axios.com/texas-abortion-ban-planned-parenthood-injunction-6adc256a-54fd-4530-bdcd-7b6660571b02.html">issued</a> a temporary injunction preventing Texas Right to Life, and others, from suing specific Planned Parenthood facilities — or their doctors, and staff — until a final judgment is handed down.
A trial on the merits of the case has been set for April of next year, so the injunction will likely last until at least that time. 
Response
Abortion activists are generally supportive of the court’s decision, but they’re not entirely happy about the ruling, which only applies to the group named in the lawsuit, meaning the law is still in effect for everyone else in the state.
Texas Right to Life <a href="https://texasrighttolife.com/texas-right-to-life-defeats-planned-parenthoods-attempt-to-block-heartbeat-act-enforcement/">pointed</a> out that, even though they are prevented from suing at this time, the law still remains in effect more broadly, which they consider a win. 
Planned Parenthood was also attempting to reveal the names of pro-life advocates, which Texas Right to Life says was also defeated by this ruling. 
The Law
The new law <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-rejects-abortion-providers-request-to-stay-texas-heartbeat-law">bans</a> most abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected, which is usually around 6 weeks. It also allows private citizens to sue abortion providers and those who “aid and abet” illegal procedures.
While “heartbeat bills,” or laws that prevent abortion after a fetal heartbeat, have been passed in other states, they typically don’t go into effect because the courts block them as abortion providers sue. This is because past Supreme Court rulings have decided that states have to allow pre-viability abortions — which is typically up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Remember: The Supreme Court didn’t rule on the constitutionality of the Texas law, so they can still make a decision on it as more people sue.
Biden Administration
Last week, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sues-texas-for-law-protecting-unborn-babies-with-heart-activity-clearly-unconstitutional">announced</a> it’s taking legal action and suing the state of Texas over the new law which they claim is unconstitutional.
<div id="attachment_286708" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-286708" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-286708" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tayfun-CoskunAnadolu-AgencyContributor-via-Getty-Images-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="365" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Tayfun-CoskunAnadolu-AgencyContributor-via-Getty-Images-1.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Tayfun-CoskunAnadolu-AgencyContributor-via-Getty-Images-1-300x157.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Contributor via Getty Images</div>
Other Stories We’re Tracking
Protests
Protests against vaccine mandates are heating up across the country. In New York City, protesters marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, some shouting chants against President Biden. The demonstrations come after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last month that all public school teachers and staff must get vaccinated by Sept 27.  
Women’s Soccer
On Tuesday, the U.S. Soccer Federation agreed to the demands of female soccer players by offering <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-soccer-caves-offers-identical-contracts-to-mens-womens-teams">identical pay structures</a> for the men’s and women’s national teams. The organization said in a press release that U.S. Soccer “firmly believes” the “best path forward for all involved” and “for the future of the sport” is a “single pay structure” for both teams. 
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A previous version of this article stated that, as alleged in the new book &#8220;Peril,&#8221; Milley was concerned about the launch of a nuclear attack. It should have stated that he was concerned about the launch of an attack, not a nuclear attack.

MWP-210916 FULL

Thursday | September 16, 2021

It’s Tuesday, September 14th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/morning-wire">here</a>.

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1) Elder Confident On Eve Of Recall Election
The Topline: The California recall election takes place today with conservative radio host and author Larry Elder leading the way among candidates seeking to oust Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. 
<div id="attachment_285914" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285914" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-285914" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RINGO-CHIUContributorAFP-via-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/RINGO-CHIUContributorAFP-via-Getty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/RINGO-CHIUContributorAFP-via-Getty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />RINGO CHIU/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images</div>
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Recall History
Since 1913, the state of California has seen a total of 179 recall attempts. Of those attempts, only 11 collected enough signatures to even qualify for the ballot, and just 6 of those resulted in the actual recall of an elected official. Only 2 statewide recall attempts, including Newsom, have been governors.
Polls
FiveThirtyEight’s aggregate of several polls put the “keep” Newsom vote at around 57% heading into the vote and support for the recall in the low 40s. In early August, it was 50/50.
Multiple polls in the final days before the election showed Elder with a lead as large as 25 to 30 points among the contenders. If Californians vote to remove Newsom, Elder will almost certainly be the new governor. 
Remember: Only a simple majority is needed to remove Newsom.
Larry Elder
Elder told Morning Wire he feels good about the final polling data going into the election because he believes Democrats vote early and Republicans tend to be less trusting of mail-in voting and more likely to vote in person.
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<div id="attachment_285915" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285915" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-285915" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Jasmin-Merdan-via-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Jasmin-Merdan-via-Getty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Jasmin-Merdan-via-Getty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Jasmin Merdan via Getty Images</div>
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<div></div>
<div id="attachment_279556" class="wp-caption alignnone">2) Governors Challenge Biden’s Vaccine Mandate </div>
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The Topline: <a href="https://twitter.com/The_RGA/status/1437219476898910213">More than 20</a> Republican governors have promised to legally resist President Joe Biden’s mandate forcing private businesses with at least 100 employees to vaccinate their workforce or be subjected to weekly testing. 
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=au2g88HKk6U">Quote Of The Day:</a>
“At the end of the day, we don’t live with a one-person rule in this country. We live in a constitutional system.”
– Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL)
Legal Arguments 
To this point, vaccine mandates have been issued at the state level. Several governors believe the Constitution doesn’t endow President Biden with the power to mandate vaccines on private employers. 
The federal government <a href="https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/current-constitutional-issues-related-to-vaccine-mandates">traditionally</a> only issues vaccination requirements for legal immigrants and federal workers.
Republicans also say the president’s call to levy a fine of $13,600 for each separate violation will harm businesses and individuals. 
This mandate, they argue, is also counterproductive. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts said if Americans are dubious about the government’s statements about the vaccines, they’ll only be more suspicious when the government forces it on people.
White House
Biden administration officials have appeared publicly confident regarding the mandates. The president responded to the impending lawsuits over the weekend <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRoiyIzSqCw">saying</a>, “Have at it.”
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<div id="attachment_285916" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285916" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-285916" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Stephanie-KeithBloombergContributor-via-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="401" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Stephanie-KeithBloombergContributor-via-Getty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Stephanie-KeithBloombergContributor-via-Getty-Images-300x201.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg/Contributor via Getty Images</div>
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3) NYC Schools Reopen With Restrictions
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The Topline: Public schools in New York City opened for in-person learning Monday for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, but classrooms have numerous restrictions in place.
COVID-19 Restrictions
With the city refusing to offer remote learning, kids are returning to school wearing masks. Some schools won’t let kids use lockers and others have disabled water fountains. New York’s Education Department suggested sports and clubs, particularly band and choir, are too risky because of the amount of breathing involved.
Field trips, group projects, and parties are also banned. Students will have to eat lunch outside and aren’t allowed to talk with friends. They will also need to fill out a daily symptoms report each morning before school.
Why The Rules For Kids?
Experts say teachers unions are the key factor in the new restrictions. Although kids present the lowest risk for severe complications from COVID-19, teachers unions insist the risk to adults is high. Part of their argument stems from the fact that children under twelve years old can’t get the COVID-19 vaccine. 
Teachers can get the vaccine, however, which has been shown to be highly effective at protecting against severe illness, so the impositions on children are controversial. 
Other States: In Bedford, Massachusetts, students will also have to eat outside without tables while sitting in chairs spread apart and facing in one direction. 
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<div id="attachment_285917" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285917" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-285917" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Allen-J.-SchabenContributorLos-Angeles-Times-via-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="417" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Allen-J.-SchabenContributorLos-Angeles-Times-via-Getty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Allen-J.-SchabenContributorLos-Angeles-Times-via-Getty-Images-300x209.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Allen J. Schaben/Contributor/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images</div>
Other Stories We’re Tracking
Varsity Blues Trial
The trial began Monday in Boston for two parents accused of fraud and bribery in the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal. John B. Wilson of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, and Gamal Abdelaziz of Las Vegas, are being tried jointly in a US District Court in Boston. Both have pleaded not guilty. 
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MWP-210914 FULL

Tuesday | September 14th, 2021

It’s Saturday, September 11th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/morning-wire">here</a>.
1) First Responder Remembers 9/11
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The Topline: Twenty years ago today, America suffered the deadliest terror attack in U.S. history. 
Among the innocent civilians killed in the attacks were hundreds of first responders who raced towards danger to save others.
Morning Wire spoke with Stephen Dillon, a former New York Police Department Officer and 9/11 first responder. 
Dillon, a detective at the time, was called into duty after the second plane struck the World Trade Center. He lost friends and colleagues in the attacks. 
Quote Of The Day:
“Oddly enough. I remember&#8230;what a beautiful day it was. It was clear blue skies&#8230;and I just remember thinking…’how can this happen on a day like today? And then once I got into Manhattan and I saw the destruction&#8230;life is not going to be the same for a while here in the city or as a cop.”
– Stephen Dillon, Former New York Police Department Officer and 9/11 First Responder
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<div id="attachment_285239" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285239" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-285239" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Photo-by-JAVED-TANVEERContributorAFP-via-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Photo-by-JAVED-TANVEERContributorAFP-via-Getty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/Photo-by-JAVED-TANVEERContributorAFP-via-Getty-Images-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />JAVED TANVEER/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images</div>
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2) Biden And The 20th Anniversary Of 9/11
The Topline: President Biden is facing new waves of pressure from critics, this time on the subject of September 11th and the possible resurgence of al-Qaeda.
<a href="https://youtu.be/ZLr9nr28yW8">Quote Of The Day:</a>
 “I think the whole community is kind of watching to see what happens and whether or not al-Qaeda has the ability to regenerate in Afghanistan. You know, we put the Taliban on notice that we expect them to not allow that to happen.&#8221;
– U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin
September 11, 2001
Al-Qaeda terrorists coordinated the 9/11 attacks, but U.S. policy at the time drew no distinction between terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda, and those who harbored them, like the Taliban. 
After twenty years of conflict in the region to eradicate terror, President Joe Biden is being widely criticized for the immediate consequences of his foreign policy.
Biden Faces Criticism
The first point of criticism relates to Biden’s decision to unilaterally withdraw from Afghanistan, which has not only resulted in the complete return of Afghanistan to Taliban control, but the resurgence of other terrorist groups in the region, including al-Qaeda. 
Many are now condemning the potential inability of the U.S. to prevent the resurgence of the terrorist group behind 9/11, especially since much of the responsibility for preventing terrorism now rests on the shoulders of the Taliban. 
Transparency Concerns
The second layer of criticism relates to an ongoing push by hundreds of family members of 9/11 victims for the U.S government to release information regarding the attack. Many have argued that details are being hidden by the Department of Justice and the FBI regarding the alleged involvement of Saudi government officials in the attacks.
The group, called “Members Of The 9/11 Community,” wrote a letter saying President Biden is not welcome at all three 9/11 memorials he will be visiting on Saturday, unless he fulfills his commitment to “seek full truth and accountability.” 
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<div id="attachment_285240" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285240" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-285240" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/AHMAD-AL-RUBAYEStaffAFP-via-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="475" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/AHMAD-AL-RUBAYEStaffAFP-via-Getty-Images.jpg 600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/09/AHMAD-AL-RUBAYEStaffAFP-via-Getty-Images-300x204.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/Staff/AFP via Getty Images</div>
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3) Who Is ISIS-K?
The Topline: The terror group ISIS-K has been discussed frequently after they claimed responsibility for the recent attack on the Kabul airport in Afghanistan which killed at least thirteen U.S. service members and over a hundred Afghans. 
ISIS-K
The group is a branch of the Islamic State technically called Islamic State-Khorasan. Khorasan is a wider historical region including <a href="https://www.csis.org/programs/transnational-threats-project/past-projects/terrorism-backgrounders/islamic-state-khorasan">parts</a> of Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
According to Katherine Zimmerman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the group was officially recognized in early 2015. Zimmerman told The Daily Wire they started to form in the fall of 2014 from disaffected members of the Pakistani Taliban in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region. She said at the time they were accusing the Taliban of compromising with the west and not pursuing global jihad.
Who’s Who?
The main groups Americans hear about are the Islamic State, the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. 
Zimmerman told The Daily Wire one of the main differences between these groups has to do with how each one treats fellow Muslims. 
The Taliban and al-Qaeda believe other Muslims need to be taught true Islam in order to then be held accountable for their actions. The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11451718">word</a> “Taliban” means “students” in Pashto, which is one of the official languages of Afghanistan. Since the Taliban is in control now, however, they will be strictly enforcing Sharia law. 
The Islamic State is more extreme and fringe because they believe any individual — especially Muslims — who haven’t yet answered the call to jihad and joined the Islamic State are not actually Muslims. She said this distinction is extremely important. 
She said the Islamic State sees it as a duty to enforce its interpretation of Islam with force; Muslims who resist or reject it must be killed. The Taliban, by contrast, believes they need to teach Muslims their interpretation of Islam, and people will adjust once they’re exposed to it. 
Experts say the Islamic State is actively recruiting and ISIS-K has worked to expand its network into more urban areas, like Kabul, as seen by the recent terrorist attack.
Terror Threats
A 2018 <a href="https://www.csis.org/programs/transnational-threats-project/past-projects/terrorism-backgrounders/islamic-state-khorasan">report</a> by the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that Islamic State-Khorasan “disregards international borders and envisions its territory transcending nation-states.”
The same report said the group’s &#8220;global aspirations include &#8216;[raising] the banner of al-Uqab above Jerusalem and the White House.'&#8221;
The Islamic State isn’t the only terror group for the U.S. to be watching. There’s also concern about al-Qaeda re-emerging.
A United Nations <a href="https://www.undocs.org/en/S/2021/486">report</a> from June of this year referred to an even earlier report and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/26/taliban-bin-laden/">said</a> “the Taliban and Al-Qaida remain closely aligned and show no indication of breaking ties.” It also said al-Qaeda was present in 15 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.

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Georgia Howe