Chuck Todd leaving 'Meet the Press,' to be replaced by Kristen Welker



Chuck Todd announced that he is leaving "Meet the Press" after hosting the Sunday morning political interview show for nine years. Within the coming months, Todd will be replaced by Kristen Welker.

Todd, 51, told viewers on Sunday, "It's been an amazing nearly decade-long run. I am really proud of what this team and I have built over the last decade. I've loved so much of this job, helping to explain America to Washington and explain Washington to America."

He continued, "When I took over ‘Meet the Press,’ it was a Sunday show that had a lot of people questioning whether it still could have a place in the modern media space. Well, I think we’ve answered that question and then some."

Todd addressed his critics by saying, "If you do this job seeking popularity, you are doing this job incorrectly. I'll take the attacks from partisans as compliments. And I take the genuine compliments with a grain of salt when they come from partisans."

Todd alleged, "I leave feeling concerned about this moment in history but reassured by the standards we’ve set here. We didn’t tolerate propagandists, and this network and program never will."

"If you ignore reality, you'll miss the big story," he said.

He stated that being a real political journalist "isn't about building a brand." But rather about "reporting what's happening and explaining why its' happening, and letting the public absorb the facts."

"But the key to the survival of any of these incredible media entities, including here at 'Meet the Press,' is for leaders not to overstay their welcome," he said. " I'd rather leave a little bit too soon than stay a tad bit too long."

Todd claimed that he let "work consume him for 30 years."

"I've watched too many friends and family let work consume them before it was too late," Todd stated. "I promised my family I wouldn't do that."

He said he "already had plans for his next chapter."

Todd said he would remain at NBC in a new role as a chief political analyst and focus on long-form journalism.

Todd said he has "so much confidence" in his replacement – Kristen Welker. He added that Welker is "the right person," and has been "ready for this for a long time."

Todd did not give a specific date of his last show, but said this would be his last summer at "Meet the Press." He also said that Welker would replace him in September.

Welker is a former chief White House correspondent, and has worked at NBC News since 2011. Welker has been Todd's chief fill-in at "Meet the Press" for the past three years.

Welker, 46, moderated the final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in 2020.

"Meet the Press" has aired since 1947, and is the longest-running show on American television.

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\u201cToday we close our show with an announcement from @chucktodd:\n\n"While today is not my final show, this will be my final summer here at Meet the Press. ... I am really proud of what this team and I have built over the last decade."\u201d
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press) 1685887245

MSNBC pollster shocked that Gen-Z people in focus group are hostile to feminism: 'Very extremist'



A pollster highlighted on MSNBC was shocked to find out that many in the Gen-Z demographic were hostile to feminism and identified it as an extreme political position.

John Della Volpe, director of polling for the Institute of Politics at Harvard's Kennedy School, said that the anti-feminist movement was gaining traction with members of Gen-Z.

"I think there's a certain stigma that goes along with being a feminist, at least in my mind," said Kate Manchester, a student at Gettysburg College. "Almost an extremist view, a lot of labels are viewed as something that's very extremist."

They also said that the #MeToo movement seemed like something that happened a long time ago and is no longer relevant to them.

"Feels like forever ago," replied Ziv Carmi, also a student at Gettysburg College. "I was, I think, a freshman in high school when that took off, all the allegations, I mean I honestly forgot, it feels like forever ago."

Della Volpe went on to say that many Gen-Z males are being recruited into what he would consider misogynistic viewpoints about females.

"There are plenty of people, who prey, I think, on these specifically young men trying to lure them in to a community where they feel better, where they can feel some strength," Della Volpe said.

"It turns into a community which has very different view, I think, of what's right and what's wrong. They talk very openly about their views of women, and the rules around rape. It's OK to rape women of a particular race," he claimed.

Della Volpe went on to say that his polling research indicated that people in the Gen-Z demographic are very motivated to vote in the midterm election and that he expects a Gen-Z wave of votes. He believes that should help Democrats as Gen-Z people identify politically far more with the left than they do with the right.

Gen-Z is defined loosely as the generation born between the years of 1997 and 2012, aged between 10 years old and 25 years old.

Here's the video of from MSNBC:

\u201cMTP REPORTS: In the past five years, an anti-feminist movement has gained traction among Gen Z men. \n\nJohn Della Volpe, director of polling at Harvard\u2019s Institute of Politics: \u201cThey talk very openly about their views of women, and where the rules around rape.\u201d\u201d
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press) 1666924800

Texas Gov. Abbott sends 2 buses of illegal immigrants to Kamala Harris' Naval Observatory home in DC, days after VP promised 'the border is secure'



Two buses full of illegal immigrants were dropped off outside Vice President Kamala Harris' home at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., on Thursday morning.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bused approximately 100 migrants to the outside of the official residence of the vice president, Fox News reported. The migrants, who were picked up in the Texas border town of Eagle Pass, were originally from Venezuela, Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico.

Wilder Alberto Pinto Sosa, a migrant who traveled from Venezuela with his 1-year-old son, told DC News Now reporter Lex Juarez that he has been treated with dignity and respect since arriving in the United States. He said his experience in the U.S. has been "much better than any other country I’ve passed through."

Juarez reported, "The group is heading to a local church to be fed and connected to resources to help them get to their final destinations."

\u201cThe group is heading to a local church to be fed and connected to resources to help them get to their final destinations.\n\nThe volunteers here to help said they were at Union Station waiting for the buses since 6 am, and didn\u2019t know the Naval Observatory was the drop off.\u201d
— Lex Juarez (@Lex Juarez) 1663243996

An illegal immigrant outside Harris' home at the Naval Observatory reported told Fox News national correspondent Griff Jenkins that he believes the U.S. southern border is "open."

"The border is open. Everybody believes that the border is open," a Venezuelan man told Fox News. "It's open because we enter. We come in, free, no problem."

When asked how the migrants came into the U.S., he added, "We came illegally.”

\u201cBREAKING: Two buses of 101 migrants mostly from Venezuela arrive outside @VP Harris house in DC sent by @GregAbbott_TX - one migrant telling me he believes the border is \u201copen\u201d @FoxNews\u201d
— Griff Jenkins (@Griff Jenkins) 1663242542
\u201cReporter: \u201cHarris said that the border is closed. Is the border closed?\u201d\n\nIllegal Immigrant: \u201cThe border is open\u2026everybody believes that the border is open. It\u2019s open because we enter. We come in, free, no problem\u2026We came illegally.\u201d\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1663246558

On Sunday, Harris proclaimed that the U.S.-Mexico border is "secure."

"The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system, in particular, over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed," Harris told "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd.

Todd questioned Harris about the record-high 2 million migrant encounters that have already occurred this fiscal year.

Harris – President Joe Biden's border czar – reiterated, "We have a secure border in that that is a priority for any nation, including ours and our administration."'

She again blamed the Trump administration for the border crisis: "But there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix given the deterioration that happened over the last four years."

Harris added, "We also have to put into place a law and a plan for a pathway for citizenship for the millions of people who are here and are prepared to do what is legally required to gain citizenship."

Harris accused Abbott and other Republicans of "playing politics" with the issue of immigration.

\u201cWATCH: The U.S. will have 2 million people cross its border for the first time. \n\n@VP Harris: \u201cWe have a secure border in that that is a priority. \u2026 But there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix given the deterioration that happened over the last four years.\u201d\u201d
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press) 1662985245

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had no idea that the buses were coming, according to her office.

Previously, Bowser responded to migrants who were shipped from Texas to Washington, D.C., by declaring a state of emergency last week and launching a $10 million Office of Migrant Services. Last month, the Democratic mayor requested that the D.C. National Guard be activated to tackle the influx of illegal aliens, but was denied by the Pentagon.

Since April, Texas has sent approximately 10,000 migrants to Washington, D.C. Texas has sent migrants to other self-declared sanctuary cities, such as Chicago and New York City.

On Wednesday, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent two planes full of illegal immigrants to Martha's Vineyard.

Sen. Joe Manchin says VP Kamala Harris is 'dead wrong' to claim that the border is secure



Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia told Fox News anchor Bret Baier that Vice President Kamala Harris was "dead wrong" to claim that America's border is secure.

While massive numbers of migrants have been pouring across the southern border month after month, Harris told "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd that the U.S. border is secure.

"The border is secure. But we also have a broken immigration system, in particular over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed," the vice president said.

\u201cWATCH: The U.S. will have 2 million people cross its border for the first time. #MTP\n\n@VP: \u201cWe have a secure border in that that is a priority. \u2026 But there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix given the deterioration that happened over the last four years.\u201d\u201d
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press) 1662933125

U.S. Customs and Border Protection data indicates that from October 2021 through July 2022 there have been nearly 2 million southwest land border encounters.

Todd pressed the issue, asking the vice president whether she is "confident" that the border is secure.

"We have a secure border, in that that is a priority for any nation including ours," Harris said, indicating that it represents a priority for the administration.

But Manchin described the claim that the border is secure as "not accurate," adding, "I've been there. It's wrong."

\u201c.@BretBaier: "Vice President Harris said this weekend the southern border is 'secure.'"\n\nManchin: "It's wrong. She's dead wrong on that."\u201d
— Townhall.com (@Townhall.com) 1663108207

CBP press releases regularly highlight the apprehension of previously deported criminals who committed heinous crimes.

For example, authorities recently caught an individual who in 2019 had been "convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor in South Carolina and sentenced to five years in prison," according to a CBP press release. That individual, who had been deported in May of this year, was just arrested on September 2.

Similarly, on September 7, Border Patrol agents caught a person who had been deported in June of this year after getting "convicted, in December 2021 in California, of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age," according to another CBP press release.

Cases in which previously deported criminals illegally reenter the U.S. clearly illustrate the critical importance of border security as a matter of public safety.

Despite 2 million illegal immigrants stealing into US under her watch, Vice President Kamala Harris claims, 'We have a secure border'



In an NBC "Meet the Press" segment filmed in Texas, which aired on September 11, Vice President Kamala Harris discussed border security with host Chuck Todd. Citing the record-breaking number of illegal aliens who have stolen across the southern border into the U.S. over the past year, Todd asked Harris, "Would you call the border secure?"

Harris first responded by suggesting what needs to be done is "pass a bill to create a pathway to citizenship." She then answered Todd's question with a caveat: "The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system."

\u201cWATCH: The U.S. will have 2 million people cross its border for the first time. #MTP\n\n@VP: \u201cWe have a secure border in that that is a priority. \u2026 But there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix given the deterioration that happened over the last four years.\u201d\u201d
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press) 1662933125

So far in 2022, there have been over 1,946,780 encounters with illegal aliens at the southern border, surpassing last year's totals, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection had 1,734,686 such encounters. Over 69% of these illegal aliens are single adults. As a point of comparison, in former President Trump's final year in office, there were 458,088 encounters at the southern border.

Todd pressed Harris on whether she was indeed confident in the border's security.

Harris responded: "We have a secure border in that that is a priority for any nation, including ours and our administration."

She reiterated her earlier claim that it is a priority of the Biden administration to "put into place a law and a plan for a pathway to citizenship for the millions of people who are here and are prepared to do what is legally required to gain citizenship."

The amnesty push

Democrats have long sought to confer amnesty and ultimately citizenship on millions of illegal aliens.

Then-candidate Joe Biden indicated during his 2020 campaign that he would seek to work with Congress on "providing a road map for citizenship for nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants."

Upon taking power, the Biden administration introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, which would have set illegal aliens up for citizenship and provided green cards to others present in the U.S. illegally. Since Republicans would not support such a measure, the bill died.

Democrat lawmakers tried to get amnesty provisions into the Build Back Better Act, which would have provided amnesty to at least 7 million illegal aliens and work authorizations to many more. The bill passed the House but was not taken up by the Senate.

Is the border really "secure"?

In response to Harris' remarks on "Meet the Press," Rep. Mayra Flores (R-Texas) told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that Harris "has done nothing for us in South Texas to secure the borders. She's useless."

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) tweeted on Sunday that "VP Harris and President Biden are clueless when it comes to border security. Let's call this for what it is: an Open Border Policy."

\u201cShe can\u2019t be serious. VP Harris and President Biden are clueless when it comes to border security. Let\u2019s call this for what it is: an Open Border Policy.\u201d
— Doug Ducey (@Doug Ducey) 1662932901

In another tweet, Ducey wrote: "Border security is clearly NOT a priority for the Biden Administration. They have NO IDEA what's happening at their nation's southern border."

Referencing the recent revelation that over 66 suspects on a U.S. terror watch list had been caught illegally crossing the border, Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) wrote: "How many got away undetected? Border security is national security. Under the Biden administration, we have neither."

\u201cThere have been 66 known terrorists apprehended at our southern border in FY22, more than double in the previous 5 years COMBINED.\n\nHow many got away undetected?\n\nBorder security is national security. Under the Biden administration, we have neither.\u201d
— Congressman Michael Cloud (@Congressman Michael Cloud) 1662567910

In August, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) suggested that "The Biden Regime has facilitated an invasion of our sovereign borders of more than 4.2 million illegal aliens since January 2021."

\u201cFor the seventeenth straight month, more than 150,000 illegal aliens crossed the southern border including 200,000 illegal aliens in July 2022. The Biden Regime has facilitated an invasion of our sovereign borders of more than 4.2 million illegal aliens since January 2021.\u201d
— Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS) 1660753064

According to Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, the perception that illegal aliens are permitted into the U.S. under the Biden administration's policies has spurred more criminal traffic across the border. "In my experience, we have seen increases [in illegal immigration] when there are no consequences."

Harris' past remarks regarding border security

Harris stated on ABC's "The View" in 2019 that illegal aliens should not be treated as criminals. "It should be a civil enforcement issue, but not a criminal one," she said. "We can't treat people like criminals when they are crossing the border."

In her 2019 book "The Truths We Hold," Harris noted that "a wall on the border with Mexico was a total waste of taxpayer money."

She explained to NPR that she "would not enforce a law that would reject people and turn them away without giving them a fair and due process to determine if we should give them asylum and refuge."

When Trump suggested he would send the U.S. military to secure the southern border until the border wall was completed, Harris claimed that doing so was about "vilifying people" and that there were more pressing issues such as "climate change, because guess what, guy, it's real and it's a crisis."

Arkansas Governor: Social conservatives 'don't need to use the instrument of the law' to change the culture



Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) criticized Republican lawmakers on Sunday for advancing so-called "culture war bills," like the legislation banning transgender hormone therapies or surgeries for minors he recently vetoed, saying that conservatives should rely on churches and communities to change the culture.

On "Meet the Press" Sunday, host Chuck Todd interviewed the governor about his veto and asked him about other GOP legislation — like bills dealing with transgender athletes or banning critical race theory curricula in schools — describing such bills as "culture war bills."

Hutchinson argued the Republican Party must stand by "the principles of limited government" even as social conservatives fear they are losing the culture to progressive ideologues warping the law to enforce their worldview.

"Just because you want to keep things as they have been, perhaps, you don't need to use the instrument of the law. You don't need to use the state to accomplish that purpose in every instance," Hutchinson said.

Since the Arkansas legislature overturned Hutchinson's veto of a bill banning transgender surgeries and other hormone prescriptions for people under 18 last week, the governor has been on the defensive against outraged social conservatives who felt betrayed by his decision.

In a Washington Post op-ed, Hutchinson wrote he was "being attacked by some of my Republican colleagues for not being pure enough on social issues and for vetoing a bill that limited access to health care for transgender youth."

Appearing on several programs news programs to defend his veto, Hutchinson has made repeated appeals to limited government conservatism in support of his position.

"I signed two [bills] that I thought made sense. One was girls in sports, trying to protect women's sports. The other one was supporting medical conscience, that doctors can claim a conscience reason if they want to deny a particular procedure, but they have to do emergency care. And so those are two bills that I signed," he told Todd.

"The third one was not well done. It did not protect the youth. It interfered with the government getting into the lives of transgender youth, as well as their parents and the decisions that doctors made. And to me, it's about compassion. But it is also about making, having the laws make sense in a limited role of government," he continued. "And that's the case that I made in the Washington Post column that as Republicans, we need to get back and ask the question, 'Is this the appropriate role of government? Are we restraining ourselves?'"

Hutchinson said that conservatives shouldn't use the "instrument of law" to defend the culture.

"There is the church. There is society. There is your community. And that's where the culture is, is impacted or reflected in the future. And so again, there's too much," he said. "As a Republican Party, it's the principles of limited government and it's pushing freedom and choice in the free market. That's what the party is about. We've got to apply those principles even when it comes to the social war."

Todd challenged Hutchinson's argument, asking why he supports laws restricting abortion if his belief is that that government should not be involved in decisions between parents, children, and doctors.

Hutchinson answered:

Absolutely. And that's an appropriate question. But, as you know, there's a big difference in the case of abortion, and I've signed a multitude of pro-life bills. I believe in protecting the life of the unborn. The distinction is that medical science is clear as to the life of the unborn. And so science -- we're reflecting that in the laws that we pass. In this case, when we're talking about transgender youth, parents are involved in the decision making. The science is not as clear. And you have a physician that's involved. And so you can't apply each of those to each other. This is a separate issue. You have to evaluate them separately. But in this case, clearly, I don't believe that this is something the government should be telling the youth, "You cannot have this treatment that your parent and a doctor recommends," even though you could -- everybody's heart probably is in the right place in looking after the youth. It's not an appropriate role of government, compassion says. Particularly, one of the reasons I vetoed it was there was not a grandfather clause. It would interrupt the treatment that they were having at the time.

Watch:

TODAY: Gov. Asa Hutchinson tells Chuck Todd that Republicans looking to fight over cultural issues should use their… https://t.co/xuvQitBCRK
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press)1618163017.0

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: 'If you're tired of lockdowns ... wearing masks, or you wish you were in church this morning,' then vote for Joe Biden



Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said that if Americans are weary of coronavirus lockdowns and the fallout from socioeconomic restrictions related to the pandemic, they should vote for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Election Day instead of President Donald Trump.

"If you're tired of lockdowns, or you're tired of wearing masks, or you wish you were in church this morning or watching college football or your kids were in-person instruction, it is time for change in this country, and that's why we've got to elect Joe Biden," Whitmer told Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press" Sunday.

EARLIER: @GovWhitmer says “if you’re tired of lockdowns or you’re tired of wearing masks or you wish you were in ch… https://t.co/k9jfI0v2mN
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press)1603031325.0

What else did Whitmer say?

Whitmer blasted Trump during the interview, accusing the president of inciting violence and not doing his job.

"The Trump virus response is the worst in the globe — I mean, in the world it's the worst," she said. "Eight million people have contracted COVID-19, 220,000 dead. We've got people in food pantry lines who never would have imagined that they'd be there. And no light on the horizon because our numbers keep going up. This is a gravely serious moment for all of us."

What was the reaction?

Some Twitter users who commented on the "Meet the Press" clip said Whitmer's insistence on Americans voting for Biden if they want lockdowns to end and if they want to go back to church sounded like a thinly veiled ultimatum:

  • "Wait, so if we elect Biden, magically we'll be able to lift lock downs, stop wearing masks & go back to church? That's ALL we have to do, elect Biden?" one commenter said. "Something smells like a lie here."
  • "So is she basically admitting that they are 'punishing us" unless we vote for Biden? That's what it sounds like to me," another commenter said. "I would rather be locked down for the next 4 years than put a criminal who sells out America with our tax dollars into office. No thanks."
  • "So what's her point, she's holding people hostage until Trump [is] out?" another user asked. "Dictator much???"

Anything else?

In part of her interview not shown on the above video, Whitmer said Trump is inciting "domestic terrorism" due to "lock her up" chants at his Michigan rally Saturday night, the Associated Press said, and that his words are "incredibly disturbing."

"The president is at it again and inspiring and incentivizing and inciting this kind of domestic terrorism," Whitmer told "Meet the Press," according to the AP. "It is wrong. It's got to end. It is dangerous, not just for me and my family, but for public servants everywhere who are doing their jobs and trying to protect their fellow Americans. People of good will on both sides of the aisle need to step up and call this out and bring the heat down."

Earlier this month she accused Trump of being "complicit" with "hate groups" — not unlike the group federal authorities arrested for allegedly plotting to kidnap her and overthrow the state government.

Also this month Michigan's attorney general indicated she would no longer enforce Whitmer's executive orders on the coronavirus after the state Supreme Court ruled the emergency powers that the governor seized were unconstitutional — a ruling Whitmer was not happy with, to say the least.

Booker suggests Amy Coney Barrett will 'delegitimize' SCOTUS if she doesn't recuse herself from election-related cases



Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) suggested Sunday that Amy Coney Barrett will "delegitimize" the Supreme Court if she does not preemptively recuse herself from cases related to the 2020 election.

What's the background?

After Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) explained why confirming a new Supreme Court justice prior to the election is crucial.

"Democrats and Joe Biden have made clear, they intend to challenge this election, they intend to fight the legitimacy of the election," Cruz said. "We cannot have Election Day come and go with a 4-4 court."

"A 4-4 court that is equally divided cannot decide anything. And I think we risk a constitutional crisis if we do not have a nine justice Supreme Court, particularly when there's such a risk of a contested litigation and a contested election," the Texas senator explained.

What did Booker say?

Despite Cruz's warning, Booker suggested on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Barrett, if confirmed prior to Election Day, should not have a say in any election-related case.

"I'm going to make it very clear. One of the things I want to ask her is will she recuse herself, in terms of any election issues that come before us, because if she does not recuse herself, I fear that the court will be further delegitimized."

Booker then turned to bash President Donald Trump.

"In other words, President Trump has said, 'I will not accept the result of the election unless I win. I'm going to push it to the Supreme Court, and oh, by the way, during the election I'm going to put somebody on the court, as well.' So I hope to have a conversation with her, and I'm blessed to be on the [Senate] Judiciary Committee, and I'll have that, as well. And hopefully, I'll have a good, informed dialogue back and forth," Booker said.

Booker went on to claim the Republican Party, by supporting Barrett's nomination, is "undermining their legitimacy, the legitimacy of the Supreme Court."

WATCH: Democratic Senator @CoryBooker says he intends to have a "good, informed dialogue" with Amy Coney Barrett.… https://t.co/0avmJVSMjU
— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press)1601217144.0

Democrats are working overtime to delegitimize Barrett's nomination. They're claiming her nomination is part of a power-grab by the president, and that she would take health care away from Americans.

However, there remain some honest Democrats who admit that, despite disagreeing with Barrett's judicial philosophy or the circumstances of her nomination, she remains "highly qualified" for the job.

"I want to be extremely clear. Regardless of what you or I may think of the circumstances of this nomination, Barrett is highly qualified to serve on the Supreme Court," Harvard Law School's Noah Feldman wrote in an essay. "And when she is confirmed, I am going to accept it as the consequence of the constitutional rules we have and the choices we collectively and individually have made. And I'm going to be confident that Barrett is going to be a good justice, maybe even a great one — even if I disagree with her all the way."