The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (02/29/2024):

3:05pm- On Wednesday, during a speech from the Senate floor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that he would be stepping down from his leadership position at the end of the term in November. Though, he does not plan to resign from the Senate. McConnell, now 82-years-old, has served in the U.S. Senate for nearly 40-years and has been the leader of the Senate Republican Conference since 2007. So, who will replace McConnell in November? Audrey Fahlberg of National Review writes: “November may be a long way off, but the shadow race to succeed McConnell is now coming into public view after unfolding behind closed doors for months. Leading the race are the ‘three Johns’—Senate GOP whip John Thune of South Dakota, conference chair John Barrasso of Wyoming, and former whip John Cornyn of Texas—all of whom have spent the past year or so privately signaling to colleagues that they would be eager to fill the role when the time came for McConnell to step aside.” You can read more here: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/with-mcconnells-announcement-the-race-for-senate-gop-leader-emerges-from-behind-closed-doors/

3:15pm- In a recently published article for The Washington Post, Danielle Paquette writes about how Republicans have become growingly reluctant to send tens-of-billions of dollars in additional aid to Ukraine. Paquette blames partisan politics, but could it be that the hesitancy stems from the lack of a coherent plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine—coupled with the Biden Administration’s refusal to spend money to secure the U.S. Southern border? You can read Paquette’s article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/02/29/ukraine-support-alabama-political-divide/#

3:35pm- On Thursday, President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump are visiting the U.S. Southern border in two separate trips. President Biden will be visiting Brownsville, Texas. During an interview with Fox News, President of the National Border Patrol Council Brandon Judd criticized Biden’s selection of Brownsville, explaining: “he’s not going to any location where he’s going to be able to evaluate what he needs to do.” Meanwhile, Trump’s visit will take place in Eagle Pass, Texas—a city impacted by massive amounts of migrants crossing the border unlawfully.

3:40pm- In an interview with NewsNation, Democrat Congressman Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX) told viewers that President Joe Biden should speak out against cities that embrace “Sanctuary City” status.

3:45pm- President Joe Biden continues to insist that he has no control over the influx of migrants crossing the U.S. Southern border unlawfully. But as Rich Lowry notes in his most recent article for National Review, “Joe Biden was inaugurated on January 20, 2021. Less than two weeks later, on February 2, he issued the executive order that began the unraveling at the border in earnest. The border crisis isn’t something that happened to President Biden. It’s not a product of circumstances or understandable policy mistakes made under duress. No, he sought it and created it, on principle and as a matter of urgency.” Lowry continues: “The February 2 action… put on the chopping block numerous Trump policies that had helped establish order at the border, from Trump’s expansion of expedited removal, to his termination of a parole program for Central American minors, to his memorandum urging the relevant departments to work toward ending ‘catch and release.’ Most importantly, it went after two of the pillars of Trump’s success at the border: the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), or so-called Remain in Mexico, and the safe-third-country agreements with the Northern Triangle countries that allowed us to divert asylum-seekers to Central American countries other than their own, where they could make asylum claims.” You can read the full article here: https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/02/the-day-joe-biden-blew-up-the-border/

3:55pm- The Rich Zeoli Show has won the 2024 Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters award for Outstanding Radio Personality/Team. The show also won the award last year. Rich wonders why Matt hasn’t submitted a package for a Marconi Award…and a Nobel Prize?

4:05pm- While speaking with Charlamagne Tha God, Dr. Phil claimed that Facebook and Instagram suppressed a recent video he posted documenting chaos at the U.S. Southern border.

4:10pm- MSNBC legal analyst and University of Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade told Rachel Maddow that the First Amendment’s protection of free speech makes America vulnerable to misinformation. McQuade insisted that no one is endorsing a weakening of the First Amendment—right before she hinted that regulating speech might be beneficial.

4:25pm- While speaking from Eagle Pass, Texas, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he met with the parents of Laken Riley—a 22-year-old University of Georgia student who was murdered by an undocumented migrant last Thursday. Trump stated, “[President] Joe Biden will never say Laken Riley’s name, but we will…We’re not going to forget her.” He went on to explain that undocumented migrants are pouring across the U.S. Southern border unchecked as part of the “Joe Biden invasion.” During his visit to Eagle Pass, Trump was accompanied by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) who, similarly, called on President Biden to use executive action to halt the ongoing chaos at the border.

4:45pm- While speaking from Brownsville, Texas, President Joe Biden said this administration—as well as local Texas officials—are working hard to create a “safe, secure border.” Biden then emphatically stated “it is time to act,” calling on Congress to pass legislation that will guarantee border officials have the resources they need while drastically increasing the number of judges available to process the asylum claims of migrants entering the country. But wouldn’t expediting asylum claims potentially encourage more migrants to flood the U.S. Southern border?

5:05pm- While speaking from Eagle Pass, Texas, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he met with the parents of Laken Riley—a 22-year-old University of Georgia student who was murdered by an undocumented migrant last Thursday. Trump stated, “[President] Joe Biden will never say Laken Riley’s name, but we will…We’re not going to forget her.” He went on to explain that undocumented migrants are pouring across the U.S. Southern border unchecked as part of the “Joe Biden invasion.” During his visit to Eagle Pass, Trump was accompanied by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) who, similarly, called on President Biden to use executive action to halt the ongoing chaos at the border. Meanwhile, speaking from Brownsville, Texas, President Biden said this administration—as well as local Texas officials—are working hard to create a “safe secure border.” Biden then emphatically stated “it is time to act,” calling on Congress to pass legislation that will guarantee border officials have the resources they need while drastically increasing the number of judges available to process the asylum claims of migrants entering the country. But wouldn’t expediting asylum claims potentially encourage more migrants to flood the U.S. Southern border?

5:10pm- President Joe Biden continues to insist that he has no control over the influx of migrants crossing the U.S. Southern border unlawfully. But as Rich Lowry notes in his most recent article for National Review, “Joe Biden was inaugurated on January 20, 2021. Less than two weeks later, on February 2, he issued the executive order that began the unraveling at the border in earnest. The border crisis isn’t something that happened to President Biden. It’s not a product of circumstances or understandable policy mistakes made under duress. No, he sought it and created it, on principle and as a matter of urgency.” Lowry continues: “The February 2 action… put on the chopping block numerous Trump policies that had helped establish order at the border, from Trump’s expansion of expedited removal, to his termination of a parole program for Central American minors, to his memorandum urging the relevant departments to work toward ending ‘catch and release.’ Most importantly, it went after two of the pillars of Trump’s success at the border: the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), or so-called Remain in Mexico, and the safe-third-country agreements with the Northern Triangle countries that allowed us to divert asylum-seekers to Central American countries other than their own, where they could make asylum claims.” You can read the full article here: https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/02/the-day-joe-biden-blew-up-the-border/

5:25pm- On Wednesday the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear Donald Trump’s claim that, as president, he had presidential immunity and, consequently, cannot be criminally prosecuted for allegedly plotting to overturn the 2020 election. On MSNBC, Rachel Maddow told her audience that if the court rules in Trump’s favor he may never leave the White House—and will be president forever. “Professor” Rich Zeoli provides the audience with an incredibly hilarious (though, perhaps not entirely accurate) history lesson that you won’t soon forget!

5:50pm- Jess Bravin of The Wall Street Journal writes: “The Supreme Court agreed to consider whether Donald Trump must stand trial on charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election, after lower courts rejected his claim that he is entitled to absolute immunity because he was president at the time. The court’s move means it will have final say on an issue the judiciary never confronted before Trump. But it also means the former president has bought himself more months before any trial, which had been scheduled to start in early March before the immunity battle scuttled those plans. The court scheduled oral arguments for the week of April 22. A decision is likely before July.” You can read the full article here: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/supreme-court-to-say-if-donald-trump-must-stand-trial-in-2020-election-conspiracy-case-1b7f4e3f?mod=hp_lead_pos1

6:05pm- While speaking from Eagle Pass, Texas, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he met with the parents of Laken Riley—a 22-year-old University of Georgia student who was murdered by an undocumented migrant last Thursday. Trump stated, “[President] Joe Biden will never say Laken Riley’s name, but we will…We’re not going to forget her.” He went on to explain that undocumented migrants are pouring across the U.S. Southern border unchecked as part of the “Joe Biden invasion.” During his visit to Eagle Pass, Trump was accompanied by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) who, similarly, called on President Biden to use executive action to halt the ongoing chaos at the border. Meanwhile, speaking from Brownsville, Texas, President Biden said this administration—as well as local Texas officials—are working hard to create a “safe secure border.” Biden then emphatically stated “it is time to act,” calling on Congress to pass legislation that will guarantee border officials have the resources they need while drastically increasing the number of judges available to process the asylum claims of migrants entering the country. But wouldn’t expediting asylum claims potentially encourage more migrants to flood the U.S. Southern border?

6:10pm- Chief National Correspondent for The Daily Caller Henry Rodgers writes: “Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup sent a letter Thursday to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf regarding an investigation into possible political interference on the accelerated approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The Daily Caller first obtained a copy of the letter, which mentions a recent Select Subcommittee hearing where Dr. Peter Marks’ testimony suggested that the FDA’s approval of the COVID-19 vaccine may have been rushed in order to meet timing set by government entities. On the day immediately following the FDA’s approval of the vaccine, the Biden Administration called for COVID-19 vaccine mandates.” You can read the full report here: https://dailycaller.com/2024/02/29/exclusive-covid-committee-food-drug-administration-fda-rushed-vaccine-approval/

6:15pm- Flashback: Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) ridiculously suggested that if Donald Trump’s presidential immunity claims are proven to be valid, then the sitting president would be incentivized to assassinate political rivals to avoid impeachment.

6:35pm- During a House hearing on Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed that he sometimes goes several days without communicating with President Joe Biden.

6:50pm- What’s worse: a Leap Year birthday or a birthday on Christmas?