The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (10/23/2023):

3:05pm- In a new editorial, center-left writer Matthew Yglesias argues that retail theft has become professionalized. Though progressive Democrats like Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez argue that shoplifting is done by the needy, Yglesias contends that narrative is inaccurate—with most retail theft being the result of criminals simply seeking an expedient way to attain money. The Washington Post notes that many cities are becoming “pharmacy deserts” with drugstore chains closing in major cities as a result of unchecked thefts. You can read Yglesias’s full article here: https://www.slowboring.com/p/taking-retail-theft-seriously. And you can read more about pharmacy deserts here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/22/drugstore-close-pharmacy-deserts/

3:15pm- While appearing on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, Secretary of State Antony Blinken answered questions about potential Iranian involvement in Israel’s fight against Hamas terrorists, explaining: “we expect that there is a likelihood of escalation—escalation by Iran proxies directed at our forces.”

3:30pm- While speaking with Jonathan Karl on ABC News, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned about potential escalation in the Middle East as Iranian-backed proxies begin to involve themselves military—even targeting U.S. forces stationed in the region.

3:45pm- During Monday’s White House press briefing, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby was asked how the Biden Administration can guarantee that American aid provided to Gaza won’t unintentionally end up in the hands of Hamas. Kirby said he was “not blind to the potential concerns” but did not explain how the administration would guarantee Hamas did not derive financial benefit.

3:50pm- According to investigative reporter Jennie Taer of The Daily Caller, “[f]ederal officials are warning that members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hezbollah could be crossing through the southern border.” You can read the full report here: https://dailycaller.com/2023/10/22/hamas-hezbollah-southern-border/

4:00pm- Rich is joined by 1210 WPHT producers Anthony and Dan who are at Citizen Bank Park ahead of tonight’s Game 6 playoff matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks. The series is best of seven. The Phillies currently lead the series 3-2. You can listen to their podcast, The Other Side with Dan and DiRenzo, here: https://www.audacy.com/1210wpht/podcasts/the-otherside-with-dan-and-direnzo-389572

4:05pm- Guy Ciarrocchi— Fellow at The Commonwealth Foundation & Columnist at Broad + Liberty—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his latest article at Real Clear Pennsylvania, “Time for Suburban Democrats to Prove They’re Moderates.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.realclearpennsylvania.com/articles/2023/10/20/time_for_suburban_democrats_to_prove_theyre_moderates_987589.html

4:30pm- According to The New York Times, there are nine declared Republican candidates for the vacated House speakership: Representatives Tom Emmer, Austin Scott, Byron Donalds, Kevin Hern, Gary Palmer, Jack Bergman, Mike Johnson, Pete Sessions, and Dan Meuser. While appearing on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy endorsed House majority whip Emmer. You can read more about the declared candidates here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/22/us/politics/republican-house-speaker-candidates.html

4:40pm- Jennifer Stefano— Executive Vice President of the Commonwealth Foundation & Columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss her latest editorial, “Jewish Donors and Allies’ Letters to Penn Expose the Moral Rot in American Higher Education.” You can read the article here: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/university-pennsylvania-antisemitism-liberal-arts-education-20231023.html

5:05pm- Leaked audio captures Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)—a candidate for Mayor of Houston—berating a staffer in an incredible, profanity filled rant.

5:15pm- During introductions for a press conference touting “Bidenomics,” President Joe Biden accidentally introduced himself to the press instead of allowing a staffer to handle pre-planned introductions.

5:25pm- In an editor’s note released on Monday, The New York Times conceded that their reporting on an October 17thexplosion at a hospital in Gaza relied “too heavily on claims made by Hamas.” You can read the editor’s note here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/pageoneplus/editors-note-gaza-hospital-coverage.html

5:35pm- In a message posted to the social media platform X, James O’Keefe writes: “A school district in New Jersey has been socially transitioning students behind parent's backs, according to email and video obtained exclusively by OMG. Kingsway Regional School District in Kingsway, New Jersey, has adopted a ‘tiered’ policy for classifying students who want to transition without their parent's knowledge. ‘I had one of my students reach out to me about their preferred name for next year. Do we know how we can input their name into Genesis without it being visible by families?’ states an email from School counselor Fallon Corcoran to counselor Michael Schiff, referencing Genesis, a student database. A source within the school recorded Fallon stating, ‘I am not calling home...everything we talk about stays between us.’ According to emails obtained to OMG, Kingsway Regional has developed a tiered ranking system to classify students. Students in the second tier are allowed to use the gender and name of their choice, and that information is kept from parents. In one email we obtained, a teacher or school counselor writes that they ‘heard from [redacted] student over the summer with questions about sharing her preferred name and pronouns with teachers but does not want her family to be aware.’ We reached out to Kingsway Regional Superintendent James Lavender, who said the policy was handed down to the district by the New Jersey department of education.” You can watch the video associated with the message here: https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/1714443734157316227?s=20

5:50pm- House majority whip Tom Emmer is viewed by many as the frontrunner to win the Republican nomination for speaker. However, a decade ago, Emmer was an advocate for implementing a national popular vote—ostensibly eliminating the electoral college. Does this past advocacy disqualify him from the speakership?

6:05pm- According to The New York Times, there are nine declared Republican candidates for the vacated House speakership: Representatives Tom Emmer, Austin Scott, Byron Donalds, Kevin Hern, Gary Palmer, Jack Bergman, Mike Johnson, Pete Sessions, and Dan Meuser. While appearing on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy endorsed House majority whip Emmer. You can read more about the declared candidates here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/22/us/politics/republican-house-speaker-candidates.html

6:10pm- House majority whip Tom Emmer is viewed by many as the frontrunner to win the Republican nomination for speaker. However, a decade ago, Emmer was an advocate for implementing a national popular vote—ostensibly eliminating the electoral college. Does this past advocacy disqualify him from the speakership? You can watch Emmer advocate for a national popular vote to determine the presidency in an August 2011 interview with Triad Strategies: https://vimeo.com/28012929

6:30pm- Scott Presler—Executive Director of Early Vote Action—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his goal of making Joe Biden a one term president. Presler is traveling across the country to turnout the Republican vote in the most important swing states across the country: Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. You can learn more about Early Vote Action, and find out where Presler will be appearing in Pennsylvania this month, here: https://earlyvoteaction.com/learn/resources/about-us/

6:50pm- On HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher slammed woke university students who sided with Hamas following the October 7th terror attack in Israel. Maher argued: “The same students who will tell you that words are violence, and silence is violence, were very supportive when Hamas terrorists went on a rape and murder rampage worthy of the Vikings…If ignorance is a disease, Harvard Yard is the Wuhan wet market.”