The Ed Morrissey Show

Jerome Powell declared war on inflation today, and I discuss that and more in my news roundup today. AmericanCommitment.org's Phil Kerpen dissects both the Inflation Reduction Act and Joe Biden's bailout of Academia, and discovers ties to ObamaCare in both. All that and more in today's podcast, including this week's commentary on Anthony Fauci.

A raid under false pretenses, a federal magistrate misled, property seized – and it's not the Mar-a-Lago search. Reason.com's Eric Boehm joins us to discuss a scandal he's been following at the FBI and why it shows that critics need to speak up rather than shut up. Plus, I take a look at Ron DeSantis' big gamble and win on school-board elections and other top stories of the morning!

Anthony Fauci's on his way out – and not a moment too soon. Andrew Malcolm and I discuss Fauci's departure, as well as Liz Cheney's, both of which will come in December. We also discuss more media bias issues. I review today's top stories and also my Townhall/SRN commentary on the Fauci announcement.

In today's news review, I cover the long-awaited departure of Dr. Anthony Fauci, plus other economic and polling data from the morning. Power Line's John Hinderaker and I discuss the FBI's serious credibility issues and their politicization, failures, and why we need to keep talking about both rather than shut up. We also discuss a renaming craze in Minnesota that John's Center of the American Experiment is now following and how its nihilism speaks to our cultural moment.

Veteran actor and director Nick Searcy discusses his new documentary "Capitol Punishment," a different look at January 6 and its aftermath on American liberty. We talk about a new kind of pressure to silence dissent and criticism of government and what that means not just in this context but more broadly. Nick also tells us about his Daily Wire feature film "Terror on the Prairie," a fun Western where Nick gets to be the bad guy, and his work in the upcoming Ronald Reagan biopic with Dennis Quaid, "Reagan."

Libs of TikTok got temporarily de-platformed in the wake of her criticism of Boston Children's Hospital and its transgender programs. Have mainstream media and Big Tech combined to lock out opposing viewpoints from the public debate – again? Duane Patterson and I look at the implications and discuss a new "crusade" by Ron DeSantis, this time using Florida's pension funds to go after woke corporatism.

One year has passed since Joe Biden's catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Where's the accountability for the failures – and where are the thousands of Americans he abandoned? Andrew Malcolm and I discuss this, and I also reveal that I conceal-carry an assault, high-capacity ... rosary. Plus: my Townhall Commentary this week!

How did protesters at UC Berkeley demand housing as a human right? By assaulting construction workers attempting to build low-income and homeless housing on campus. Reason.com's Emma Camp tells us about the peculiar NIMBYism of the social-justice left and why her Twitter handle has three Ms in it. Plus, I review the top stories of the day, including the one-year anniversary of Joe Biden's abandonment of thousands of Americans to the Taliban.

Did Merrick Garland call Donald Trump's bluff yesterday – and vice versa? Paul Mirengoff and I discuss Garland's presser as it happened and chew over all of the questions that remain about the DOJ's gambit and potential politicization. We also discuss Ron DeSantis' quiet fight against woke Academia and the Biden administration, plus Christian Toto and I discuss the woke retreat in Hollywood.

What do the latest CPI and PPI readings on inflation mean? Duane Patterson and I examine the numbers and point to data suggesting that a recession may be around the corner – or already underway. Plus, Beto explodes in a rally, and a new poll suggests a massive backfire for Democrats after the FBI raid on Donald Trump.

Republicans have embraced anti-trust legislation as a way to fight Big Tech censorship – but it will backfire, warns Robert Bork, Jr. The founder of the Anti-Trust Education Project and the publisher of his father's seminal treatise, "The Anti-Trust Paradox," tells why this approach is misguided and freighted with potential bad outcomes, both economically and politically. I also cover the news of the day, and my Townhall Commentary takes aim at the biggest story this week – the raid on Mar-a-Lago.

She was the one we all wanted -- a talented and graceful entertainer who left us too soon. Andrew Malcolm and I remember Olivia Newton-John, while we note that CNN's Brian Stelter only now seems to be discovering Hunter Biden. We discuss the implications of Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan trip, and I review the top stories of the morning -- especially the raid on Mar-a-Lago.

What will be the impact of Senate Democrats' doubling of the IRS and spend-o-rama on green-energy subsidy initiatives? AJ Kaufman and I discussed the bill's political impact while the debate raged on Sunday. We also take a look at the outcome of Republican primaries in Missouri and Arizona and looked ahead to Wisconsin, Minnesota, and others.

What can we glean from today's surprising – and somewhat contradictory – jobs report? And where does the Schumer-Manchin-Sinema deal go from here? Also, Florida attorney Brant Hadaway returns to discuss Ron DeSantis' "alpha male" move in Hillsborough County in suspending a prosecutor who pledged to ignore state statutes on sex changes for minors and abortion. Who's the actual authoritarian in this issue?

Will Democrats tear themselves apart over the "so-called Inflation Reduction Act"? Bernie Sanders spent last night tearing it down as a "climate suicide pact," while Kyrsten Sinema is demanding business-friendly changes too. Duane Patterson and I game that out, plus discuss Carolyn Maloney's weird pseudo-walkback on Biden 2024. We also game out the Republican presidential sweepstakes a bit as it looks as though Chris Christie plans a comeback.

Vin Scully, a living legend, has passed onto his well-earned reward, leaving me with lots of beautiful memories. Kyrsten Sinema is still stalling on the reconciliation bill; is Joe Manchin getting nervous? Plus, we have a long conversation with Brant Hadaway and Leslie Manookian of the Health Freedom Defense Fund about their latest filing in the CDC mask-mandate fight. There's more at stake than just masking – much more!

What does the strike on al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri really mean? Andrew Malcolm and I unpack that, but first, we have fun with the rebuke to "The View" from Gov. Ron DeSantis' media team. We also talk about Joe Biden's fabulism and whether that has put an effective end to Biden's presidency.

For the first time in over a century, Congress appears serious about allowing Puerto Rico to choose their own destiny – statehood, independence, or an autonomous free-association relationship with the United States. The bill has gotten hung up, however, and former Gov. Luis Fortuño says AOC is behind it. Find out why and where Fortuño sees Puerto Rico's role in America's future!

Meet Rob Davies, a member of our VIP Gold club as well as a candidate for Pennsylvania's state senate. Davies gives us the lowdown on voter priorities in the Keystone State, discusses the reasons why the GOP needs to keep control of the legislature, and why voters tell him that election security is still a big issue in PA. We also talk about Mehmet Oz's Senate campaign and why Davies thinks he's being underestimated.

The latest economic report shows a second successive quarter of contraction. Duane Patterson and I parse out the data, discuss the Biden administration's dancing around the word "recession," and why this won't be the last bad economic indicator for Biden and Democrats. We also wonder if Manchin double-crossed Mitch McConnell and whether Chuck Schumer can hold his new reconciliation deal together once Kyrsten Sinema and House progressives take a hard look at it.

How have federal mandates on racial classifications changed American law, policy, and ethnic tensions? David Bernstein discusses his new book, "Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America," and how the unintended consequences of these policies have done damage to communities. Plus, my review of the day's top stories and my commentary for Townhall!

Andrew Malcolm and I review the top media-related stories of the week, plus analyze where Biden can go next. Will a recession drop him further in the polls, or will the media try to tar Republicans with it instead?

Could the collapse of Elon Musk's Twitter bid have been predicted? Edward Niedermeyer, author of "Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors," breaks down the myths and realities surrounding America's richest industrialist. Plus, I look at predictions for the midterms and remind people that the environment in this cycle is very different than we have experienced in decades.

With Joe Biden's presidency collapsing, why have we seen no changes in his Cabinet? What does that say about his policies – and those of the Democrats? AJ Kaufman and I discuss the implications of that, the weird attacks on Joe Manchin, and why Republicans need to worry about the upcoming primaries in Missouri and Arizona.

What do a Minneapolis theater, a Portland lesbian bar, and a made-up sport all have in common? Duane Patterson and I discuss cancel culture and the nihilism of the left on display in Minneapolis with Dave Chappelle's show cancellation. We also discuss generic-ballot concerns and why a new AARP poll from a bipartisan partnership shows Republicans still in good position for a midterm wipeout.