The Daily Signal - Rep. Jim Jordan Loses Second Speaker Vote, Biden in Israel, Law Firm Rescinds Offer to Students Who Signed Pro-Hamas Letter | Oct. 18

Starting point is 00:00:02 I'm Virginia Allen, and this is the Daily Signal Top News for Wednesday, October 18th. Here are today's headlines. Here in Washington, D.C., the House of Representatives is still without a speaker. The House cast votes to elect a speaker for a second time this afternoon. GOP House Speaker nominee Jim Jordan fell short of the 217 votes needed to win the position, Percy's ban. The tellers agree and their tallies that the total. total number of votes cast is 433, of which the Honorable Jim Jordan of the state of Ohio has received 199. So what happens next? Well, House Republicans are reportedly considering installing

Starting point is 00:00:56 North Carolina Republican representative Patrick McHenry as Speaker Pro Temp. McHenry is currently serving as the temporary speaker, but if named Speaker Pro Temp, this would expand the power he has so that the House can conduct most business. Congressman Jim Jordan says that he supports the idea because it's been two weeks since the House voted McCarthy out and the American people deserve to have their government functioning, according to Jordan. For some news from our executive branch today,

Starting point is 00:01:28 President Joe Biden landed in Israel early this morning and delivered remarks alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voicing support for Israel. Israel will be safe, secure, Jewish, and democratic state. Today, tomorrow, and forever. Biden also compared Hamas' attack on Israel to 9-11, but he cautioned Israel to not make decisions from a place of rage per CNN. Take a listen.

Starting point is 00:01:56 Justice must be done. But I caution this while you feel that rage, don't be consumed by it. After 9-11, we were in rage in the United States. while we sought justice and got justice, we also made mistakes. I'm the first U.S. President to visit Israel in time of war. I've made wartime decisions. I know the choices are never clear or easy for the leadership. There's always cost, but it requires being deliberate.

Starting point is 00:02:30 It requires asking very hard questions. It requires clarity about the objectives and an honest assessment about whether the path you're on will achieve those objectives. Biden also said that Israel has agreed to allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza from Egypt. Israel had said that they wouldn't allow any fuel, food, water, or other aid into Gaza until the nearly 200 hostages taken by Hamas were freed. But Israel now says that they will allow aid under the provision that it is subject to inspection. Biden was originally supposed to travel to Jordan after Israel to meet with leaders there,

Starting point is 00:03:11 but the trip was canceled after a rocket struck near hospital in Gaza yesterday. Hamas was quick to blame Israel for the explosion, but Defense Department Intelligence showed the strike was likely not from Israel, and a National Security Council spokesperson shared on social media that intelligence shows that Israel was not to blame for the attack. Israel showed photos and video of the area of the attack, suggesting it was a parking lot near the hospital rather than the hospital itself that was struck by the rocket. So who is responsible for that rocket that went off near the hospital?

Starting point is 00:03:50 Biden says that the blast appears to have been caused by the terrorist Hamas militants. It is believed that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group rocket misfired and hit the hospital in Gaza. instead of its intended target in Israel. Israel has also released audio of what appears to be to Hamas terrorists discussing the missile and admitting that it misfired. And surveillance footage also shows a barrage of rockets being launched from Gaza, followed immediately by the explosion near the hospital, indicating that one of the rockets did indeed

Starting point is 00:04:28 misfire. But yesterday, Detroit Democrat Representative Rashida Talib, was quick to blame Israel for the attack. She wrote on X, Israel just bombed the Baptist hospital killing 500 Palestinians, doctors, children, patients just like that. And she went on to address Biden in her post,

Starting point is 00:04:50 saying, this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire and help de-escalate. Your war and destruction-only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslim Americans like me. We will remember where you stood.

Starting point is 00:05:08 Following the U.S. intelligence report that Israel was not responsible for the attack, Talib did not correct her claim on social media, and she didn't respond to the Daily Signals' request for comment. Check out the Coalition for Jewish Values statement on Talib's remarks exclusively reported by the Daily Signal in today's show notes. Well, back in Washington, D.C., with the news that Israel and Hamas are at war, the Biden administration is now calling for aid for Israel and Ukraine. Biden is expected to ask Congress for $100 billion in supplemental funding for Israel, Ukraine, and domestic issues, including border security.

Starting point is 00:05:52 Several people who are familiar with the matter spoke anonymously to Politico, reporting that funding levels have not been for. finalized, but the request could be sent to Congress as soon as Friday. Senate Minority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell says he supports the large funding bill for Israel, Ukraine, and domestic interests. On Tuesday, McConnell said, this is all interconnected. You've got the North Koreans, the Iranians, the Russians, and the Chinese, sort of, on the same side against the democratic world. So there is a connection between all of this. I'm not surprised, frankly, that the administration seems to be inclined to send up a broad package. McConnell noted that the funding for the border needs to be credible.

Starting point is 00:06:40 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has also voiced his support for the funding. But some GOP lawmakers argue that funding for Israel should not be tied to Ukraine. Ohio Senator J.D. Vance joined Steve Bannon earlier this week and argued that the two conflicts are distinct. That effort is going to happen. Why? Because Biden and because neoconservatives in Washington, D.C., know there is no political will in this country to give Zelensky another $20, 30, $100 billion. So they are trying to jam this together to put people like me in a tough spot. Shut up about the Ukrainian problem because you want to be supportive to the Israelis. We cannot let it happen, Steve.

Starting point is 00:07:21 Of course, even if the Senate made movement on a spending bill, it wouldn't be able to make it through the House because currently the House does not have a speaker. And finally today, the prestigious New York City-based law firm, Davis Polk, has rescinded letters of employment to three students from Harvard and Columbia universities after the students signed onto letters backing Hamas and blaming Israel for the recent brutal violence. Davis Polk sent an internal email to its employees telling them the views expressed in certain of the statements signed by law school student organizations in recent days are in direct contravention of our firm's value system. For this reason, and to ensure we continue to maintain a supportive

Starting point is 00:08:10 and inclusive work environment, the student leaders responsible for signing on to these statements are no longer welcome in our firm, and their offers of employment have thus been rescinded. The New York Times reports that the law firm may reverse its decision for two of the students who are contesting that they did not authorize the pro-Hamas letters. But with that, that's going to do it for today's edition of The Daily Signal's top news. If you haven't had the chance, make sure that you check out our morning show. It's right here in this same podcast feed.

Starting point is 00:08:44 Tomorrow morning, I am so pleased to be sitting down with Yale Eckstein. She's the president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. She lives in Israel. Her family is in Israel. And her organization, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, is on the ground serving the needs of the Israeli people, taking food to bomb shelters. And so she takes some time just to explain what it's like there in Israel right now, the morale in the country, and what the Israeli people are saying about what is next. And make sure that you check out our conversation tomorrow morning. Also, if you haven't done so already, take a moment to subscribe to the DailySingle podcast wherever you like.

Starting point is 00:09:27 to listen to you're across all podcast platforms. But with that, have a wonderful rest of your day. We'll see you right back here tomorrow morning for my conversation with Yale X-D. The Daily Signal Podcast is brought to you by more than half a million members of the Heritage Foundation. Executive producers are Rob Luey and Kate Trinko. Producers are Virginia Allen and Samantha Asheras. Sound design by Lauren Evans, Mark Geinney, and John Pop. To learn more, please.

Starting point is 00:09:58 visit daily signal.com.

The Daily Signal - Rep. Jim Jordan Loses Second Speaker Vote, Biden in Israel, Law Firm Rescinds Offer to Students Who Signed Pro-Hamas Letter | Oct. 18

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