Welcome to the RedState Weekly Briefing — where we recap the most popular stories of the week for you. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger if you’re in a celebratory/holiday mood), and enjoy this 21st Century Weekend Edition of your favorite online publication!
#1 – Joe Biden Just Handed Donald Trump the Mother of All Mandates — by Teri Christoph
You often hear pundits mention “political capital,” which is the intangible yet significant currency that politicians need to achieve their agendas or secure approvals for nominees. It was believed that after being given a considerable amount of political capital on November 5th, Trump would have to spend some of it to push through his more controversial nominees, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pete Hegseth, with the GOP-controlled Senate. While this may still be the case, Joe Biden recently provided him with an unexpected gift:
The mother of all mandates.
#2 – National Christmas Tree Lighting Interrupted by Joe Biden Being a Complete Weirdo — by Bonchie
Jumping ahead to Thursday, Biden attended the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. Instead of simply enjoying the event, the president decided to do something unexpected. He took off his beanie, resulting in some amusing photos, and muttered insults at the press.
#3 – Pardon Fallout: A Visibly Shaken Chuck Todd Turns on Joe and Jill Biden in Must-Watch Moment — by Sister Toldjah
Nevertheless, his point about the Bidens deciding Joe should run amid all the personal family chaos surrounding Hunter Biden and the loss of Beau that was going on at the time (not to mention Joe Biden’s declining health, which Todd admittedly helped hide from the public) was a good one, and is one people should factor in when considering Joe Biden’s deeply troublesome political and personal “legacy” (which pundits obviously are doing as we speak).
#4 – JD Vance Delivers the Perfect Response to John Bolton’s Freak-Out Over Kash Patel — by Bonchie
Instead, the Cheneys and Boltons of the world continue to speak as authorities about supposed “norms” that have led to nothing but death and destruction. That wasn’t lost on JD Vance, who delivered the perfect response.
John Bolton has been wrong about everything so I guess Kash must be pretty awesome. https://t.co/V2wYNcqhmh
— JD Vance (@JDVance) December 1, 2024
#5 – FBI Statement re: Trump’s Patel Pick Drowned Out by Chorus of Whoops From Former Agents — by Susie Moore
Following the announcement, the FBI a rather bland statement via a spokesperson.
FBI statement tonight:
“Every day, the men and women of the FBI continue to work to protect Americans from a growing array of threats. Director Wray’s focus remains on the men and women of the FBI, the people we do the work with, and the people we do the work for”
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) December 1, 2024
Sure, Jan. I can’t imagine Chris Wray’s given a moment’s thought to where he’ll land after January 20, 2025. Not an ounce of energy spent attempting to ensure nothing will come back to bite him.
