SPEAKING FROM THE OVAL OFFICE ONE LAST TIME AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES – PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN DELIVERED HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS LAST NIGHT. TOUCHING ON WHAT HE BELIEVES ARE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, BIDEN ALSO SPOKE ABOUT REFORMS HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MADE IN WASHINGTON AND ISSUED A STARK WARNING – DETAILING HIS CONCERNS ON WHAT HE SEES AS A CONCENTRATION OF POWER AMONG THE ULTRA-WEALTHY AS WELL AS THE RISKS OF TECHNOLOGY.
IN WHAT IS LIKELY HIS FINAL ADDRESS TO THE NATION AFTER A POLITICAL CAREER SPANNING FIVE DECADES – BIDEN OPENED UP HIS SPEECH SPEAKING ABOUT THE CEASEFIRE DEAL IN GAZA, ANNOUNCED EARLIER IN THE DAY, SAYING HE KEPT THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION FULLY INFORMED. HE THEN LISTED SOME JOB GROWTH FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC, MODERNIZATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE, AND MEDICARE REFORM – TELLING AMERICANS IT WILL TAKE TIME TO FEEL THE FULL IMPACT OF WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.
WITH INAUGURATION OF DONALD TRUMP JUST DAYS AWAY, BIDEN SAID HE WILL ENSURE A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER, BUT CAUTIONED.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. We see the consequences all across America. And we’ve seen it before. More than a century ago, the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trusts. They didn’t punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had. Workers want rights to earn their fair share.
REFERENCING PRESIDENT EISENHOWER’S CONCERNS ABOUT A MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX SIX DECADES AGO, BIDEN SAID HE’S EQUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGERS OF A POTENTIAL RISE OF A TECH-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power.
BIDEN NEXT REMARKED ABOUT THE RISE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – CALLING IT THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL TECHNOLOGY OF OUR TIME AND THAT THE US — NOT CHINA — MUST LEAD IN THIS RACE.
THE PRESIDENT ALSO SPOKE OF HIS HOPES FOR CHANGE IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL – CALLING FOR AN END OF HIDDEN FUNDING CALLED “DARK MONEY” FROM CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, A BAN ON STOCK TRADING FROM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND FOR THE U.S. TO ENACT AN 18-YEAR TERM LIMIT ON SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. HE ALSO CALLED FOR THE U.S. CONSTITUTION TO BE AMENDED.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. The president’s power is not limit — it is not absolute. And it shouldn’t be.
IN CLOSING, PRESIDENT BIDEN CALLED ON AMERICANS TO STAY ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRACY. TELLING THE STORY OF A VETERAN WHO WORKED AT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY — KNOWN AS THE KEEPER OF THE FLAME — HE SAID AMERICA WILL ALWAYS BE DEFINED BY ONE WORD – POSSIBILITIES.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
My eternal thanks to you, the American people. After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands — a nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it, too.
HOW THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS WAS RECEIVED DEPENDS ON WHOSE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT YOU CHOSE TO CLICK ON.
THE SPEECH GARNERED RESPONSES ON BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY MACE WRITING ON X QUOTE “JOE BIDEN DISCUSSING DEMOCRACY, A FREE PRESS, INSTITUTIONS AND THE ABUSE OF POWER IN HIS FINAL FAREWELL SPEECH IS RICH.”
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DARRELL ISSA WRITING QUOTE “JOE BIDEN’S GOING OUT OF OFFICE THE SAME WAY HE WENT IN: PETTY, PARTISAN, AND FRANKLY NOT TELLING THE TRUTH.”
AND REPUBLICAN SENATOR RICK SCOTT WRITING QUOTE “President Biden’s “farewell address” should have been a formal apology for the endless lawfare, inflation-fueling policies and reckless decisions made during his administration.”
MEANWHILE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY PELOSI WRITING “Tonight, President Biden delivered his farewell address to a nation that is stronger because of his leadership. In doing so, he honored the vision of founders, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and the aspirations of our children.”
AND FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WRITING ABOUT HIS FORMER VICE PRESIDENT – SAYING, “Four years ago, in the middle of a pandemic, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right. That’s what Joe Biden did… I’m grateful to Joe for his leadership, his friendship, and his lifetime of service to this country we love.”
THIS MORNING, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU’S OFFICE SAYS HIS CABINET WILL **NOT** MEET TO APPROVE THE DEAL FOR A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA… UNTIL HAMAS ENDS A QUOTE A “LAST-MINUTE CRISIS.”
THE DECISION COMES AFTER NETANYAHU’S OFFICE SAYS HAMAS WENT BACK ON SOME OF THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT — BUT DID NOT SPECIFY WHICH TERMS.
EVEN AS A DEAL SEEMS CLOSE OR EVEN IMMINENT — ISRAELI STRIKES HAVE CONTINUED IN THE GAZA STRIP, WITH THE TERRITORY’S HEALTH MINISTRY REPORTING AT LEAST 48 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER THE PAST DAY.
UNDER THE THREE-PHASE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT — FIGHTING WILL STOP IN GAZA FOR 42 DAYS. 33 ISRAELI HOSTAGES — INCLUDING 2 AMERICANS- AND HUNDREDS OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS WILL BE FREED IN THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH IS SET TO GO INTO EFFECT SUNDAY. THE REMAINDER OF THE HOSTAGES, INCLUDING ISRAELI MALE SOLDIERS, ARE TO BE RELEASED IN A SECOND PHASE. HAMAS HAS SAID IT WILL NOT RELEASE THE REMAINING CAPTIVES WITHOUT A LASTING CEASEFIRE AND A FULL ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL,
ISRAELI TROOPS **WILL** PULL BACK TO THE EDGES OF GAZA AND MANY PALESTINIANS WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO WHAT REMAINS OF THEIR HOMES — SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE TOOK TO THE STREETS TO CELEBRATE.
ISRAEL IS ALSO SET TO ALLOW A FLOOD OF HUMANITARIAN AID INTO THE REGION.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS REPORTING MEDIATORS FROM EGYPT, QATAR AND THE U-S ARE TO MEET IN CAIRO TODAY FOR TALKS ON IMPLEMENTING THE DEAL.
ON TRUTH SOCIAL, PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP SAID HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH ISRAEL TO MAKE SURE GAZA NEVER AGAIN BECOMES A TERRORIST SAFE HAVEN.
BACK HERE IN THE U-S — TO QUOTE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE — THERE’S GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS THIS MORNING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE WILDFIRES RAGING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THE N-W-S RED FLAG WARNING, FOR THE LOS ANGELES AREA, IS LIFTED AND STRONG WINDS THAT HAVE MADE IT MUCH HARDER FOR FIRE CREWS TO BATTLE THE FLAMES ARE DYING DOWN.
THE BAD NEWS, HOWEVER, IS DANGEROUS FIRE AND WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN NEXT WEEK.
THIS AS FIREFIGHTERS ARE STILL WORKING TO CONTAIN THE TWO BIGGEST, DEADLIEST, AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE FIRES, STILL RAGING RIGHT NOW — THE PALISADES AND EATON FIRES. ALSO, A NEW FIRE HAS BROKEN OUT IN THE SAN BERNARDINO AREA.
THE EATON AND PALISADES FIRES HAVE NOT GROWN MUCH OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, BUT THEY ARE BOTH, STILL LARGELY UNCONTAINED.
FIRE OFFICIALS REPORT PROGRESS IN THE DESPERATE FIGHT TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES.
MEANWHILE, THE LITTLE MOUNTAIN FIRE IN SAN BERNARDINO SPANS MORE THAN 30 ACRES AND HAS NOT YET BEEN CONTAINED.
POLICE ARRESTED A MAN IN CONNECTION WITH THAT FIRE ON TWO FELONY CHARGES — INCLUDING ONE OF RECKLESS BURNING.
TURNING BACK TO POLITICS — SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS CONTINUE TODAY AS PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S PICKS FOR INTERIOR SECRETARY, EPA ADMINISTRATOR, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY AND TREASURY SECRETARY ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM LAWMAKERS.
ON WEDNESDAY, PAM BONDI, TRUMP’S NOMINEE FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS ON THE HOT SEAT FROM DEMOCRATIC SENATORS — INCLUDING A QUESTION FROM SENATOR DICK DURBIN ASKING BONDI IF SHE BELIEVED TRUMP LOST THE 2020 ELECTION.
SEN. DICK DURBIN | D-Ill.
“To my knowledge, Donald Trump has never acknowledged the legal results of the 2020 election. Are you prepared to say today, under oath without reservation, that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020?”
PAM BONDI | ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE
“Ranking Member Durbin, President Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in and he is the president of the United States. There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024.”
SENATOR MARCO RUBIO, TRUMP’S PICK FOR SECRETARY OF STATE, ALSO HAD HIS HEARING WEDNESDAY. HERE NOW IS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN WASHINGTON.
OUR RAY BOGAN REPORTING FROM WASHINGTON D.C.
FINALLY THIS MORNING — A BIG WIN FOR BILLIONAIRE JEFF BEZEOS’ SPACE COMPANY BLUE ORIGIN AS ITS NEW GLENN ROCKET WENT BLASTING OFF INTO
ORBIT.
THE COMPANY’S FIRST ROCKET, POWERFUL ENOUGH TO LAUNCH SATELLITES TO SPACE, TOOK OFF AFTER JUST AFTER 2 A-M EASTERN TIME FROM CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION IN FLORIDA. ALL SEVEN OF ITS ENGINES FIRED SUCCESSFULLY.
BLUE ORIGIN IS MARKING THE MISSION A SUCCESS AFTER DEMONSTRATION TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD THE ROCKET — CALLED THE BLUE RING PATHFINDER — WAS SAFELY CARRIED TO ORBIT.
HOWEVER, THE COMPANY DID NOT REACH ITS BONUS GOAL OF GUIDING PART OF THE NEW GLENN ROCKET BACK TO A SAFE LANDING ON A PLATFORM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN AFTER TAKEOFF.
IT TOOK BLUE ORIGIN RIVAL SPACE-X TOOK FOUR TRIES TO GET A SIMILAR MANEUVER RIGHT.
HOWEVER — BLUE ORIGIN STRESSED ITS MOST IMPORTANT GOAL WAS FOR THE TEST SATELLITE TO REACH ORBIT
NASA INTENDS TO USE THE NEW GLENN ROCKET TO LAUNCH TWO ORBITERS TO MARS IN THE FUTURE.
