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Biden DHS Still Colluding with Big Tech to Censor Dissent

By
Paul Crespo
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2
Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

ANALYSIS – Even as Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly shuttered its stillborn ‘Disinformation Governance Board’ (aka Ministry of Truth) after a huge outcry, new evidence shows that Team Biden is still trying to use DHS to collude with Big Tech to censor Americans on social media.

The latest information uncovered through an investigation by The Intercept points to a Facebook-designed portal that government officials could use to flag content they deem objectionable and request that the platform remove it. 

According to The Intercept:

There is also a formalized process for government officials to directly flag content on Facebook or Instagram and request that it be throttled or suppressed through a special Facebook portal that requires a government or law enforcement email to use. At the time of writing, the “content request system” at facebook.com/xtakedowns/login is still live. DHS and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, did not respond to a request for comment. The FBI declined to comment.

That the federal government believes it can directly help control what views and news can be disseminated online is beyond reprehensible.

As The Intercept notes:

How disinformation is defined by the government has not been clearly articulated, and the inherently subjective nature of what constitutes disinformation provides a broad opening for DHS officials to make politically motivated determinations about what constitutes dangerous speech.

In other words, governments don’t decide what is valid information and what isn’t.

Instead, that is what politics, a free media and the marketplace of ideas are for.

But Big Brother, especially under Democrats, is relentless in its appetite for control. (RELATED: Congressional Leaders Expose Scheme to Pump Liberal Misinformation Network Into Classrooms)

The Intercept continues to describe this Orwellian effort:

Key Takeaways:

* The work is primarily done by CISA, a DHS sub-agency tasked with protecting critical national infrastructure.

* DHS, the FBI, and several media entities are having biweekly meetings as recently as August.

* DHS considered countering disinformation relating to content that undermines trust in financial systems and courts.

* The FBI agent who primed social media platforms to take down the Hunter Biden laptop story continued to have a role in DHS policy discussions.

And all this has been corroborated by official documentation and other news reporting.

Earlier, NewsBusters reported that:

DHS continued its counter-“disinformation” work in a more cloaked fashion, and that the government specifically intended to target certain content areas including COVID-19, election security and “domestic violent extremism.”

Considering how much ‘accepted’ information about COVID was later proven false or questionable and how the FBI and DOJ have been falsely hyping the otherwise minor ‘domestic violent extremism’ threat, this effort is highly concerning.

Meanwhile, a DHS Office of Inspector General report recommended that DHS “develop a unified strategy to counter disinformation campaigns that appear in social media.”

All this portends an extremely dangerous trend that must be stopped in its tracks. 

It is critical that a GOP-controlled Congress investigate and help dismantle all these insidious DHS ‘disinformation’ efforts as soon as possible.

Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

MSNBC Abruptly Cuts Ties with Controversial Host After Berating Ron DeSantis

By
Madeleine Jackson
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11
Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Don’t mess with DeSantis.

On Friday, MSNBC suddenly announced its decision to cut ties with controversial host Tiffany Cross over her “bad judgment.” According to sources familiar with the matter, executives decided not to renew Cross’s two-year contract after growing tired of the host’s controversial antics.

“Repeated bad behavior on and off-air. Bad judgment,” a source close to the situation told Fox News.

Cross, who hosted the weekend program “Cross Connection,” will be replaced by rotating guest anchors until a replacement is named.

Cross was previously a fill-in host for Joy Reid’s weekend show “AM Joy” and got her own Saturday program in 2020. She has since made a name for herself over her vitriolic statements about conservatives, a move that would ultimately cost her job.

The reporting thus far does not indicate that ratings were a factor. An internal MSNBC ratings memo obtained by Mediaite earlier this year said that “The Cross Connection is the highest-rated weekend show on MSNBC,” and that the show’s audience “skews 55% female and 35% African American.”

Mere hours before being fired Cross raised eyebrows over her comments about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Sunshine state during an appearance with Comedy Central. She used her turn during the “One’s Gotta Go” segment to push for the release of Florida into the castration bin, attacking the governor and comparing his state to a set of genitalia that could use a trim.

“I say Florida literally looks like the dick of the country. So let’s get rid of Florida. Ron…” Cross said.

“Seriously, let’s castrate Florida. Here’s the problem, Ron DeStupid, Ron DeSantis, whatever you want to call Florida Man, he is so problematic,” she continued. “The people there passed Amendment Four, which gave returning citizens, those formerly incarcerated, the right to vote. He instituted a poll tax. He has done everything he can to keep Black and brown people from the ballot. He trafficks in stupidity and ignorance and I just think they are a problem for the rest of the country. Let’s get them out.”

Jimmy Kimmel Reveals How Many Viewers He’s Lost Over Hating Trump

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    10
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel admitted his aggressive hatred of Donald Trump over the years has cost him.

    During an appearance with the Naked Lunch podcast, Kimmel admitted he’s likely lost “half” of his fans due to his relentless bashing of Trump over the years.

    “There was at one time, maybe, I don’t know, like right around the beginning of this whole Trump thing where … that was kind of hinted at,” Kimmel said.

    “But I just said, ‘Listen, I get it. I don’t disagree. I mean, you’re right.’ I have lost half of my fans — maybe more than that,” he conceded. “Ten years ago, among Republicans, I was the most popular talk show host, at least according to the research that they did.”

    Eventually, Kimmel gave ABC an ultimatum. “If you want somebody else to host the show, then that’s fine. That’s OK with me. I’m just not going to do it like that,” he said. “They knew I was serious … I just couldn’t live with myself.”

    Along with defending his actions against Trump, Kimmel also swooped in to defend President Joe Biden, who has experienced record-low approval ratings.

    “He’s a nice old man who quite plainly cared about people through[out] his whole life. He’s certainly not evil. If you believe that, you’ve got some real problems.”

    Why U.S. Conservatives Love Hungary’s Leader Victor Orban

      By
      Paul Crespo
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      3
      burst

      ANALYSIS – The establishment media and liberal elites in the U.S.and Europe regularly condemn Hungarian president Victor Orban’s alleged ‘illiberalism,’ but U.S. conservatives see his domestic model, if not his foreign policy, as a welcome success story.

      Most recently American conservatives flocked to Budapest for a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in May.

      Sadly, I was unable to attend but would have loved to have been there.

      At the next CPAC in Dallas, Texas this August, Orban was given a standing ovation.

      So, what is it about Orban that American conservatives like so much? 

      First, let me say there are things not to like about him and his government.

      They have been somewhat authoritarian against the press and opposition parties. Though some would claim that this was a needed housecleaning of entrenched leftist interests.

      My biggest complaint though is Orban’s and his Fidesz party’s soft approach toward Russia and Vladimir Putin (in great part due to Hungary’s energy dependence), and his relative lack of support for his invaded neighbor, Ukraine.

      I’m also unhappy and extremely concerned by his close ties to Communist China. 

      Under Orban, Hungary was the first European country to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the country has been called Beijing’s closest European ally.

      This makes a mockery of Orban’s original anti-communist ideals and gives Beijing a strategic foothold in the heart of Europe.

      However, China’s growing influence in Hungary is increasingly unpopular and has created a growing backlash. It featured prominently in the opposition’s campaign against Orban in the recent elections (which Orban’s party won in a landslide).

      I would like to see Orban and his party go back to their roots in opposing Communist China, and all similar regimes, including Putin’s Russia.

      But most U.S. conservatives don’t look at Orban’s foreign policies. They are far more interested in his domestic policies. And they like what they see.

      And yes, I like them too.

      As James Crisp writes in the Telegraph:

      …American conservatives find Mr. Orban’s willingness to use the state to fight culture wars tremendously exciting.

      He has made gay marriage constitutionally illegal (civil partnerships are allowed) and banned content “promoting” LGBT lifestyles from schools.

      He has also banned same-sex adoptions and ended legal recognition for transgender people, making it impossible for them to legally change their sex.

      Then in September, he introduced a law forcing women wanting an abortion to listen to the fetus’ heartbeat first.

      And then there are his successful battles against immigration and adverse demography.

      The Telegraph continues:

      It is now illegal to claim asylum at the Hungarian border instead of at one of the country’s consulates, for example, and he has built not one but two controversial walls on the border with Serbia and Croatia.

      He has also ushered in rules which mean families having three or more children are effectively exempt from tax in a bid to push up Hungary’s population.

      Due to his policies, the fertility rate in Hungary has gone from 1.2 births per woman to 1.6, curbing the need for more immigrants.

      I would support all these policies, in whole or in part, here in the U.S.

      And compared to the militant secularism of the French right, American conservatives also find his party’s religiosity reassuring, and more aligned with traditional American Christian values.

      Meanwhile, the conservative right is winning in other places, such as Italy, with the surprising victory of Georgia Meloni, and soon in the U.S. with Republicans retaking the House, and possibly the Senate too.

      In France, in June, the conservative party of Marine Le Pen secured enough seats to form a parliamentary group, giving it more clout, for the first time in four decades.

      And the right is about to return to Israel under Bibi Netanyahu. 

      The only big loss globally was in Brazil, where Jair Bolsonaro apparently just lost to Socialist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. That loss is likely less due to ideology than personality, but it is a loss, nonetheless.

      The takeaway from all this though is that until recently there hasn’t been a global conservative movement with similar ideas to counter the vast ‘Socialist International.’

      But things are changing now. And Orban’s Hungary is at the center of it. Or maybe to the right of it.

      Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

      Amanda Head: Famous Doctor Says Fetterman Not Fit For Office

        By
        Amanda Head
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        1

        Despite how hard Pennsylvania Democrat Senate candidate John Fetterman tries to convince Americans he’s ready to serve as a U.S. Senator medical professionals are sounding the alarm.

        Watch what Amanda has to say below:

        Bipartisan ‘Stolen Valor’ – GOP and Dem Candidates Embellish Military Records

        By
        Paul Crespo
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        0
        President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

        ANALYSIS – Even with the decline in respect for the U.S. military due to extreme “wokeness” and other issues, Americans still hold military service in high regard. 

        This is especially true when it comes to those running for office.

        Having served is a powerful bona fide for both Republican and Democrat candidates.

        It was certainly important to my campaigns for the U.S. Congress, and for Florida Statehouse.

        When I ran as an anti-establishment GOP candidate, my motto was: ‘the Marine vs the Machine.’

        It’s no surprise then that lying about your military service is also a powerful temptation, not just for average joes who never donned the uniform pretending to be “super ninja, special ops warriors,” but also for budding politicos aspiring for public office trying to burnish their creds.

        Pretending to be in the military or lying about your service are all called Stolen Valor because you really are stealing the bravery, patriotism, and dedication of others who actually served in the roles they did.

        It is also illegal to lie about military service or veteran status to claim government benefits.

        But we still see it. Even in high-profile political campaigns where they should know they will be caught.

        Let me point out two current examples of political candidates from both parties who are reportedly guilty of “stolen valor.”

        The one who has been most in the news is J.R. Majewski, a robust, bearded veteran praised by former President Donald Trump at a rally before the GOP primary.

        He is running for Congress in Ohio.

        A damning Associated Press report in September found that he exaggerated his service, including claims he’d deployed to a combat zone in Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 

        He even said he endured hardships like not showering for 40 days.

        In fact, military records show that the closest Majewski got to Afghanistan was Qatar, abutting Saudi Arabia, our ally where I once helped set up the Defense Attaché Office (DAO) at the U.S. embassy.

        In Qatar, he loaded planes for six months.

        While he did serve, he apparently exaggerated his combat service and misled the voters.

        In the wake of these reports, House Republicans withdrew an Ohio ad buy of close to $1 million originally designed to support Majewski.

        As the Daily Beast reports:

        The move [removing the ad buy] suggests the GOP has given up hope on what might have otherwise been an easy pickup during the elections, all but ensuring that Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the Democratic incumbent, whose victory was previously threatened by redistricting, will win the seat in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District.

        But now there are claims that a Democratic candidate for the statehouse in Washington is involved in an ongoing feud with his family about whether he too is lying about his military service.

        Fox News reported:

        The father of Clyde Shavers, Democratic candidate for Washington state’s 10th Legislative District, claims in a recently published letter that his son lied about the details of his service in the U.S. Navy, according to local outlet Herald Net.

        Clyde Shavers has run on a platform emphasizing his service in the U.S. Navy, claiming to have been a nuclear submarine officer — a position that requires a great amount of training and three separate courses.

        “Clyde was never a submarine officer, not even for a day,” Brett Shavers wrote.

        Fox News continued, writing that the father, “a Marine veteran, went on to dismiss any notions that his son served proudly in the military, going so far as to say Clyde Shavers has a “disdain” for enlisted service members.”

        Brett Shavers added, “Clyde has only disdain for the military. I have seen Clyde’s use of veteran status used heavily as a seal of endorsement of honor and integrity, even as he or his campaign continually use the phrase ‘son of a Marine’ for his credibility.” 

        Clyde Shavers has denied his father’s claims, saying that the letter is “inaccurate” and “all about politics.”

        While it isn’t clear from the letter or reporting if the father is accusing his son of not serving, or simply not serving in the capacity of nuke sub officer as he claims. 

        But the father does say his son hates the military, and enlisted troops, and is only using his alleged service to buttress his campaign.

        Perhaps the news media can look further into these allegations of ‘stolen valor’ about a Democrat just like they did with GOP candidate Majewski. 

        It shouldn’t be too hard to confirm or deny. 

        Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

        Kellyanne Conway Drops Major Hint on Trump’s Impending 2024 Announcement

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
        -
        5

        Longtime Donald Trump strategist Kellyanne Conway gave shocking insight into the former president’s long-awaited 2024 election announcement.

        When asked when Trump plans to make a formal election announcement Conway revealed the former president will likely make it public following the midterm elections.

        Conway noted that some in Trump’s circle had urged him to announce before the midterms, but she and others advised him against doing so and potentially stepping on Republicans’ chances of taking back both chambers of Congress. 

        “I give him a ton of credit for not announcing this year, for not stepping in the way of midterm candidates. […] I think you can expect him to announce soon,” Conway said at a Christian Science Monitor event.

        https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1588228184746631168

        Trump has recently made more subtle hints about his 2024 plans while in public. During recent appearances, Trump’s small but noticeable shift in language is considered a key indicator he’s preparing to make his announcement.

        Last year, Trump told Fox News and other outlets he would “probably” wait until after the 2022 midterm elections to formally announce whether he will launch another White House bid, saying the timeline was “probably appropriate.”

        However, at a rally in Robstown, Texas, on Oct. 22, Trump slightly altered his messaging, saying he will “probably have to do it again,” in what advisers close to him tell Fox News Digital is a “clear sign” of his plans.

        “I ran twice,” Trump said. “And now in order to make our country successful, safe and glorious again, I will probably have to do it again.”

        Trump advisors and those around him told Fox News Digital that they believe it is not a question of “if” Trump is going to run for president again in 2024, but “when” he is going to announce his campaign.

        In his final week of campaigning, Trump is focused on get-out-the-vote efforts, but sources close to him tell Fox News Digital that he sees his involvement in early primaries in key battleground states like Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida and Michigan as “key tests,” noting that the outcomes of those races will be “important” to, what some call, an “inevitable” decision.

        A new report from The New York Times indicates Trump already has a potential date for the announcement and multiple advisers. According to sources close to the former President, Trump is eyeing November 14th as the potential date he announces his third presidential campaign.

        Trump’s daughter, Tiffany Trump is scheduled to get married at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Nov. 12. An announcement could come shortly after that event. 

        Trump Files Lawsuit Against New York Attorney General

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
        -
        3
        Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

        On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump filed a new lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James as he seeks to halt her attempts to appoint a watchdog to review a revocable trust Trump uses to manage his assets.

        According to The Hill, Trump filed a 41-page lawsuit with Florida’s Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court accusing AG James of embarking on a “crusade” against him as he seeks to stop the Democrat from imposing restrictions on his business and personal life. In the Florida lawsuit, Trump claims there would be a deprivation of privacy and property rights if James gains control over his personal revocable trust.

        Pending the outcome of the lawsuit, James asked a court to appoint an independent watchdog that would review the Trump’s financial procedures and disclosures, including for the movement of any assets.

        Last week Trump retaliated and filed a lawsuit in a Manhattan court seeking to stop AG James from appointing the monitoring agent, which he says would “nationalize his company” in violation of the constitution.

        “Crooked and highly partisan James now thinks it is the business of the State of New York to go after my revocable trust and pry into my private estate plan,” Trump wrote, “only to look for ways to recklessly injure me, my family, my businesses, and my tens of millions of supporters.

        “If I were not elected President of the United States, and now leading in the polls by substantial margins against both Democrats and Republicans, this would not be happening,” the former president wrote.

        A spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office said “multiple judges have dismissed Donald Trump’s baseless attempts to evade justice, and no number of lawsuits will deter us from pursuing this fraud.”

        “We sued Donald Trump because he committed extensive financial fraud,” the spokesperson said. “That fact hasn’t changed, and neither will our resolve to ensure that no matter how powerful or political one might be, no one is above the law.”

        In September, James filed a lawsuit against the Trump Organization and three of Trump’s children seeking $250 million for alleged tax fraud.

        Read Trump’s lawsuit below:

        160520052-complaintDownload

        ABC Military Journalist Disappeared After Being Mysteriously Targeted by FBI

        By
        Paul Crespo
        -
        1
        FBI Headquarters Washington DC [Photo Credit: I, Aude, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]

        In a very strange tale, Rolling Stone recently reported that an acclaimed military journalist who has exposed shocking military cover-ups, friendly fire deaths, and foiled terror plots, disappeared after his home was raided by the FBI in April.

        The magazine cited “sources familiar with the matter” as saying that the ABC producer James Gordon Meek was found with classified material on his laptop by the team of heavily armed FBI agents who appeared at his high-end, penthouse apartment in Virginia.

        But this made no sense to friends and outside observers who noted that anything like that on his computer would be for a story he was likely working on.

        Meek’s attorney, Eugene Gorokhov, told Rolling Stone: “Mr. Meek is unaware of what allegations anonymous sources are making about his possession of classified documents.”

        Prior to his 13 years at ABC, Meek was a senior investigator for the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.

        There was a great deal of speculation about what happened to Meek since he resigned from ABC immediately after the raid and declined a prestigious award soon thereafter.

        He totally disappeared for the next several months, fueling even more speculation.

        Some say his situation is a case of the Biden Justice Department targeting a journalist who had been extremely critical of Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan retreat.

        “Independent observers believe the raid is among the first—and quite possibly, the first—to be carried out on a journalist by the Biden administration,” the magazine reported.

        But later reports dismissed those concerns.

        As the Daily Beast reported:

        Inside ABC News, however, staffers were baffled by this framing, since Meek resigned from the network via email on April 27—the same day as the raid—citing “personal reasons” and told friends it was to “save colleagues and the company any embarrassment,” according to two people familiar with the situation.

        Although the FBI declined to comment on the probe, the DOJ was more forthcoming, suggesting in a statement to Confider that the raid was not actually about Meek’s reporting work, despite what the Rolling Stone article seemed to indicate. “While the department cannot speak to any specific case or activity, the Department strictly adheres to the Attorney General’s July 2021 memorandum prohibiting the use of compulsory process with regards to members of the news media acting within the scope of newsgathering activities,” wrote Dena Iverson, principal deputy director in the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs.

        ABC News sources similarly poured cold water on the idea that Meek was being probed for his journalism: “If the purpose of the FBI’s search is to find classified documents the first call you’d be making would be to ABC’s lawyers because you want the protection of the company,” one such insider told Confider. “We would’ve defended him; ABC’s lawyers would be right there,” another network insider said.

        In the aftermath of the FBI raid Meek also suddenly ended his involvement in a book he was co-writing with Lt. Col. Scott Mann, a retired Green Beret, entitled ‘Operation Pineapple Express: The Incredible Story of a Group of Americans Who Undertook One Last Mission and Honored a Promise in Afghanistan.’

        Mann told Rolling Stone: ‘He contacted me in the spring, and was really distraught, and told me that he had some serious personal issues going on and that he needed to withdraw from the project.

        Interestingly, Meek, who has not been charged with any crime, has since reportedly deleted photos of firearms and ammunition from his personal Facebook page.

        Meanwhile, more recent reports have shown that Meek is now living discreetly with his elderly mother in McLean, Virginia.

        The Daily Mail reported: “‘Missing’ ABC producer James Gordon Meek has emerged from hiding – but refuses to discuss the mysterious FBI raid that brought his storied journalism career to an abrupt halt.”

        The reasons for the raid and his ‘disappearance’ from journalism remain a mystery.

        Biden Learns the Reason Democrats Don’t Want His Support on the Campaign Trail

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
        -
        1
        Don Lemon via Wikimedia Commons

        Joe Biden just got a brutal reality check from nonother than CNN host Don Lemon.

        While co-hosting his new morning show position, Lemon claimed Democrats are ashamed of Biden and are intentionally avoiding inviting him onto the campaign trail in the final days before Election Day.

        Lemon, whose words pack a punch considering his own well-documented support of Biden, says candidates are wary of the President’s low approval ratings and “don’t want to be seen with him.” Instead, candidates have opted to invite former President Obama on the trail in hopes of currying favor with undecided voters.

        “That’s a big factor in where Biden has been these last few days,” anchor and former Daily Caller reporter Kaitlan Collins said. “He is not going to the places that you’re seeing former President Obama go to. It’s because of that approval rating.”

        “A lot of people are not, you know, they don’t want to be seen with the president, quite frankly, and they don’t even want to answer the question about whether they should be running with him or having him on the campaign trail or whether he should be running in 2024,” Lemon added.

        According to The Daily Caller, a number of recent polls have signaled Biden’s downturn among Americans

        A recent CNN/SSRS poll found Biden’s approval rating at 41% among registered voters, the second lowest of presidential approval ratings ahead of the midterms. The poll surveyed 1,290 registered voters between October 26-31 with a 3.4 margin of error.

        Several polls throughout his presidency have consistently found the president’s approval ratings to stand between 30%-40%. More Americans continue to hold a negative view of Biden. Currently, 42% approve of Biden, while 53% disapprove, according to FiveThirtyEight.

        Democrats have been hesitant to publicly support Biden’s second term and a number of lawmakers have already signaled their plans to support other Democrats candidates.

        Ohio Democrat Senate candidate Tim Ryan hasn’t been shy about the fact he hopes Biden will abandon his 2024 plans. During an October debate against Republican opponent J.D. Vance, Ryan said Democrats need a “generational change.” (RELATED: Ohio Democrat Candidate Says Biden Should Not Run for President in 2024)

        “I’ve been very clear. I’d like to see a generational change,” Ryan at the time.

        “Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, the president, everybody,” the Senate candidate added. “We need a new generation of leadership.”

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