It’s Good Friday, y’all. God’s blessings on all who commemorate today. Τετέλεσται!
It’s also the last couple of days of Passover, so I pray God’s blessings upon all my Jewish friends who are celebrating as well.
Kruiser is spending Easter weekend with his family, so you’re stuck with me today. The Sine Qua Non Sequitur is giving a TED Talk at The Villages today on the nutritional value of rutabagas and queso.
Holding the cherry-picking left accountable
On Thursday, there was a horrific shooting at Florida State University. My Townhall colleague Jeff Charles covered it here, but check this out: A left-wing X account called "PatriotTakes," which says it offers "Dedicated research monitoring and exposing right-wing extremism and other threats to democracy," posted a clip claiming that President Donald Trump's said of the shooting, "Things like this take place."
Trump on the FSU Student Union school shooting: “Things like this take place” pic.twitter.com/e1jvO6ltWv
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) April 17, 2025
But these numpties cherry-picked what they wanted lefties to think Trump said while using the full audio with the full quote!
Why didn't you include President Trump's full quote?
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 17, 2025
"It's a horrible thing — horrible that things like this take place."pic.twitter.com/R6WyPYbmMG https://t.co/LU0g4z63n7
"PatriotTakes" can go pound sand.
Maryland father, MS-13 gangster — tomato, tomahto
The biggest theme we’ve seen in this week’s news is immigration. Of course, it’s been a massive topic of conversation since Donald Trump descended the golden escalator nearly 10 years ago, but the new and improved Trump administration has made illegal immigration a centerpiece issue.
Witness the freakout over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the illegal alien with ties to MS-13. This supposedly benign “Maryland father” — a phrase that conjures up images of a cardigan-wearing, pipe-smoking dad in a ‘50s sitcom — was in the country illegally and, at the mildest, committed domestic violence.
Journalism pic.twitter.com/H3tDMLE9Qg
— Tony Kinnett (@TheTonus) April 17, 2025
That didn’t stop Democrats like Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) from traveling to El Salvador to grandstand for Abrego Garcia’s release. On Wednesday evening, Sarah brought you the story of Patty Morin, the special guest at Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s briefing who left the press gallery in stunned silence.
“Leavitt asked if anyone had any questions, but the press room was so stunned that barely anyone spoke,” Sarah wrote. “As the two women were walking out of the room, Patty turned to the media and said the words, ‘Tell the truth.’"
Matt wrote about how Leavitt detailed Abrego Garcia’s criminal history to the assembled media:
Leavitt went on to point out that not one, but two separate judges confirmed Abrego Garcia’s affiliation with MS-13 — a finding that has never been disputed. But the gang ties are just the beginning. “Just this morning, it was revealed through Maryland court documents that Abrego Garcia’s wife petitioned for an order of protection against him for two instances of domestic violence in May of 2021,” she told reporters.
It's an upside-down world that Democrats live in when a violent gangster is their hill to die on.
Clowncarville
You won’t believe who else is ready to swoop in and save Abrego Garcia. Okay, maybe you will. It’s James Carville.
Robert explained how Carville has wholeheartedly fallen for the flailing Democrats’ strategy of swinging far left and staying there:
Carville made a strong pitch for this strategy on Wednesday, coming out strongly for the absurd trip to El Salvador that Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Please Pay Attention to Me) took in order to rescue Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a wife-beating gang member that the Trump administration had deported, and that Van Hollen is determined to inflict upon unsuspecting Americans. If anything is a losing issue with the American people, who are tired of bringing large numbers of criminals among masses of unvetted migrants into the country, and suffering the rising crime rates that result, it’s this one. But Carville was determined that Democrats should be ready to go down with this particular ship…
The Constitution also says that it is designed to “insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence,” and “promote the general Welfare,” but Carville seems concerned only that the member of a murderous criminal gang isn’t too inconvenienced. “So if we pivot to another issue,” he said, “if we take care of the middle class, if we don’t have laws in this country, what good have we done? I just think that it is an outrage that this guy is out there. And if the Democratic Party can’t stand up for him, who the hell are we going to stand up for? Nobody. Nothing … You got to do everything you can to get this guy back home.”
“[News Nation anchor Chris] Cuomo responded gently that while Carville made an effective argument, Garcia was ‘a tough poster boy for the cause,’” Robert added. “Yeah, you could say that.”
Has Carville gotten hold of some bad étouffée? I didn’t think that even he was this crazy. We’ll have to do some massive screwing up to lose to these Democrats.
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Everything Isn't Awful
This turtle looks just like Crush from “Finding Nemo.” Righteous!
Life-saving turtle rescue!🐢 pic.twitter.com/M0RY7acMF0
— GoodNewsMovement (@GoodNewsMVT) April 11, 2025
PJ Media
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A Few of My Favorite Things (Right Now)
Here are some of the cultural items I've been into lately.
What I'm watching
I haven’t been watching anything new lately, but I wanted to share a truly heartwarming moment from one of the few reality shows I watch. I’ve been a fan of “Survivor” since the third season (I think), and what grabs me more than anything else is some of the human stories.
One of this season’s competitors is Eva, a PhD student who is on the autism spectrum. She revealed this fact to one of her original tribemates but kept it secret from everyone else — until her struggle in a challenge led to an admission that left even host Jeff Probst in tears.
What a powerful moment!
What I'm podcasting
Y’all know that I’m a bit of a Bible nerd, and Logos, my Bible software of choice, recently launched a podcast called “What in the Word?” This podcast features scholars discussing difficult or confusing passages of scripture.
Some of the passages the podcast has tackled include the “sons of God” and Nephilim from Genesis 6, the Olivet Discourse, and the Apostle Paul’s statement that “all Israel will be saved.” The scholars discuss multiple interpretations of the passages, and they’re willing to call balls and strikes on various interpretations.
I’ve only had issues with two of the scholars: one because of her association with other progressive (and reflexively anti-conservative) Christian podcasters and the other because of his obnoxious attempts to prove how hip he is. (Taylor Swift quotes? Come on!) It’s worth a listen; I listen to every episode twice so I won’t miss a nuance.
What I'm reading
It’s Holy Week, so I highly recommend “The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived” by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Justin Taylor, and Alexander E. Stewart. It’s a walk through Holy Week that looks at the events of each day with links to the corresponding scriptures.
I’m also listening to the audiobook of “Pro-Child Politics.” This series of essays discusses how we can look at a whole array of issues and put children first in each of them. It’s opening my eyes to a host of issues that affect children and families.
What I'm listening to
I haven’t discovered any new music lately, either, but I wanted to share an app that I enjoy. Radio Garden is a fascinating little website and app (for iPhone or Android) that allows you to listen to radio stations from all over the globe. It’s fun to explore!
Music bonus
Two of the all-time greats — and GOOD GRIEF, this level of talent is unfair!
Also, since it’s Good Friday, I’d like to leave you with these videos for musical reflection on Jesus’ sacrifice:
POTUS Press Today
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2025
In-Town Pool
TV Corr & Crew: CBS
Photos: AP, AFP, NYT, Reuters, Getty
Print: Axios
Radio: SRN
Secondary TV Corr & Crew: Newsmax
Secondary Print: Bloomberg
New Media: Gateway Pundit
EDT
9:00 a.m. In-Town Pool Call Time
12:00 p.m. THE PRESIDENT participates in a Swearing-In Ceremony for the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Oval Office
Closed Press
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