During a Monday interview on FNC’s “Fox & Friends,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich sounded off on Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) recently calling for protesters to “get more confrontational” amid the Derek Chauvin trial for the death of George Floyd. Gingrich ripped Waters for her rhetoric, saying she is “openly encouraging violence.” He called for a “nationwide movement” to help prevent looting and violence in the streets under the guise of protesting. “[T]he more patient we are, the more radical they are. So, you have over a year of violence in Portland, Oregon. You have an expectation of violence. Why should we expect violence if the criminal justice system works? Why should we tolerate violence? Why should we tolerate National Guardsmen being shot at? I think we have to really rethink our whole approach to making sure we stop people from being violent if necessary by doing the opposite of what Rashida Tlaib wanted and actually increasing the prisons. You cannot have a country which cowers in fear and which has radicals who wander around openly encouraging violence.” He added, “I think it’s going to require a nationwide movement that says we are going to protect our people. We are going to protect our property. We are not going to tolerate criminals in the street. You know, when somebody is out looting, that’s not a protest, that’s a criminal. And they should be treated as criminals. And the fact that you have a congresswoman who is actively encouraging criminals, and also you have a congresswoman in Rashida Tlaib, who literally wants to abolish the police and close all the prisons … this is madness.” Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent ...
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GOP Rep. Comer: D.C. Statehood Vote About ‘Creating Two New Democrat Seats’
Monday on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” Rep. James Comer (R-KY) railed against providing Washington, D.C. statehood. The House this week will vote on whether to Washington, D.C. a state. Comer said the vote is a “Democrat political power grab to create two new Democrat Senate seats.” He warned the power shift would allow Democrats to end the filibuster and pass “liberal progressive legislation.” “They shouldn’t be a state because our founding fathers made it clear they wanted the capital city to be independent of any states,” Comer advised. “Washington, D.C. is the best-represented city in America in Congress. Each member of Congress spends half their year in Washington, D.C. If Washington, D.C., needs something, then the members of Congress will make sure of it. Plus, the 23rd Amendment gives Washington, D.C., three Electoral College votes in the presidential election. So, pound for pound, Washington, D.C. has more input than any major city in America on presidential elections.” He added, “This vote this week on making Washington, D.C. the 51st state is about one thing: creating two new Democrat Senate seats. That’s all. We can argue the merits. I can give you dozens of reasons why it’s a bad idea. But at the end of the day, it’s about a Democrat political power grab to create two new Democrat Senate seats so they can end the filibuster and they can pass all the liberal progressive legislation that Nancy Pelosi is forcing down the throats of the Democrats in the House. So, I’m going to do everything in my power to be against this bill, and I think every Republican in the House and Senate will vote against D.C. statehood.” Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent ...
Joe Biden’s audacious gambles
Sign up to get our new weekly column as a newsletter. We're looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. (CNN) Tom Stoppard's play, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead," begins with the two minor characters from "Hamlet" betting on the toss of a coin. It comes up heads ... and heads ... and heads -- 92 times in a row -- and Guildenstern has to keep handing over his money. "I'm afraid it isn't your day," says Rosencrantz. "Life is a gamble, at terrible odds," says another character near the end of the 1966 play , "if it was a bet you wouldn't take it." This week President Joe Biden continued taking some hard bets, hoping the coins will land his way. He set the pattern in January, days before he took office, by outlining a huge Covid relief package amounting to $1.9 trillion and then topped it last month with a proposal for a $2 trillion infrastructure bill. On Wednesday he made another consequential gamble by announcing he would pull all US troops out of Afghanistan , a decision his predecessors were tempted to make, but didn't. Along with new tensions with Russia and China, Biden is facing leadership challenges in the wake of the mass shooting in Indianapolis, police violence in Minnesota, Chicago and elsewhere and the stubbornly high rate of Covid-19 cases. The White House revealed that he would speak to a joint session of Congress on April 28 -- ratcheting up the stakes of the prime-time presidential ritual by scheduling it just two days before his 100th day in office, a milestone that shapes perceptions of new presidents. Read More When Biden goes to the Capitol that was overrun by rioters enraged that he, and not Donald Trump would be certified as the winner of the 2020 election -- and when he enters the House chamber that had to be defended at gunpoint on that chaotic January 6 -- it will be a defining moment, either an opportunity to show that he ...
Jennifer Garner Almost Walked Away From ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ If It Wasn’t For Matthew McConaughey
Jennifer Garner has revealed that she might’ve walked away from her role in “Dallas Buyers Club” if it wasn’t for Matthew McConaughey. The 48-year-old actress made the comments during her appearance on “Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan,” the clip was noted by Fox News in a piece published Thursday. (RELATED: Ben Affleck Breaks Silence For First Time Since Entering Rehab) “So I took it, and that was why,” Garner shared. “Because it was time for me to go back to work.” (RELATED: Report: Jennifer Garner Says She’s Slowing ‘Things Down’ With New Beau) WATCH: “This movie shot so fast there was never a 10-minute break,” the “Peppermint” star added, while she explained the environment on the set was challenging because it was shot in 21 days due to McConaughey and Jared Leto’s severe weight loss for their roles. So, there was no time to step away and pump breast milk for her child. Garner continued, “My boobs were freaking out. It was bedtime, and we were doing some scene that was supposed to be light, and I started crying and I was like, ‘I have to quit. I have to go home and be with my kids. I just can’t do this anymore.'” The “Alias” star went on to explain how it was the “Interstellar” star who came up to her and asked what’s going on and made things right. “And sweet Matthew McConaughey pulled me aside and said, ‘What is going on with you?'” Garner shared as she appeared to get emotional recalling how he got the crew to take a break. “And from then on, whenever I needed to, I would give him a high sign and I would go take care of it,” she added. “He said, ‘You can do both. You’ve got it. You can do it.'” The superstar actress continued, “How much do I love that guy? I know, a lot.” ...
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Says NBC Series ‘Young Rock’ Based On ‘Moments’ In His ‘Life’
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said the new NBC series “Young Rock” is based on actual “moments” that happened in his “life.” In a clip shared on social media Monday, the 48-year-old actor explained that fans will witness things that happened during his childhood in the new sitcom. “This entire series has been inspired by moments in my life,” Johnson shared. “Growing up it’s my mom and I following my dad around the world as he wrestled.” (RELATED: Dwayne Johnson Says He Experienced ‘Racial Prejudice’ As A Child) WATCH: “It’s my earlier years when I was a teenager,” he added. “I went to three or four different high schools. By the time I was 14, they all thought that I was an undercover cop.” (RELATED: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Considers Running For Office) “When I was growing up there wasn’t a real consistency in terms of home life,” he said. “Which eventually led to me buying a car from a crackhead. There was another crackhead who woke up in the backseat,” Johnson continued, describing a scene that will be featured in the show. The “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” star captioned the same clip on Instagram, “This whole thing will never not be surreal to me, but it’s been so nice to see a) everyone’s excitement to watch the show and b) for those (critics and industry folk) who have already seen our season premiere – give their praise to all the actors playing my family.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by therock (@therock) “I think they did a great job, too and I know my family are looking down feeling very proud and grateful,” ‘The Rock’ added. The season premiere of “Young Rock” airs Tuesday night at 8/7c only on NBC. ...
