Thursday 15 October 2020 | John Batchelor Show

Air Date:

October 15, 2020

Colleagues: Sebastian Gorka, America First radio and Fox; and Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents

Hour One
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 1, Block A: Victor Davis Hanson: @VDHanson; Hoover Institution, in re: The fragmenting of our civilization. They thought they’d be exempt from the virus by religiously wearing masks and following the protocols. In fact, about 75% of those found positive had carefully worn masks.
Hillary cooked u p the dossier; . . . these guys are so sanctimonious, but they have so much to hide. Hunter Biden: “Unlike Pop, I don't make you give half of everything to me.”
Scully of CSPAN claimed that his correspondence with Scaramucci was hacked, then acknowledged that it hadn't been.
“I’ve spent most of my professional life with academics and media people, and they’re not impressive, to be exact.” This hacking defense is so old by now. They all did it and think we’re stupid.
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 1, Block B: Victor Davis Hanson: @VDHanson; Hoover Institution, in re: Hunter Biden’s correspondence with Ukrainians and Chinese, not transparent exactly with whom. His laptop was legally given to the FBI, who had evidence that there was a crime committed even as President Trump was being pilloried for the matter.
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 1, Block C: Andrew C McCarthy, @AndrewCMcCarthy, Ball of Collusion; in re: Hunter Biden: we’re told that the lap top is in the possession of the FBI, and said to contain damaging info about Hunter. FBI is not supposed to take possession of anything unless it; being investigation. Why did the FBI and US Attorneys Ofc in Delaware have it? There’s supposed to be a predication for investigation. Grand Jury date was December 17, 2019. A lot of questions about why the government had the information and did nothing but see that it didn't see the light of day; it was relevant to the impeachment of the president of the United States.
I see a lot of backscratching and pay-to-play that smack of abuse of power, but can't find relevant sections of penal code.   Here, looks a though Hunter basically said, “I’m his son; pay me.” Yes,, except there’s evidence of narcotics use on the videos in the laptop.
Biden’s campaign: “No record of any official meeting with a Ukrainian.” But no response that the tales are fake.
Same ambiguous language with Chinese correspondence, and with the wife of the former mayor of Moscow. Is it illegal to take money from foreign powers? Yes - FARA (Foreign Agt Registration Act), need to register with the Justice Dept; and plain bribery, which is a crime if you can prove a quid pro quo. Sophisticated people usually provide enough deniability
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 1, Block D: Andrew C McCarthy, @AndrewCMcCarthy, Ball of Collusion; in re: Crowdstrike. The notion that the Russians were bad actors working in collusion with the Trump campaign was the predicate for the Mueller investigation. This is a major, major, issue. We were told that Assange was at the core of the problem, but when they tried to extradite him from Britain, didn’t assert that.   . . . Brennan is the most politicized intelligence official in the history of the country. . . . Unmaskings weren’t a crime; maybe an abuse of power.

Hour Two
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 2, Block A:   Sebastian Gorka, @SebGorka, America First radio, in re: The closing hours of the 2020 campaign. Sen Harris is off the trail because more than one aide tested positive for the virus. Biden: an individual travelling with Biden to Ohio and Florida tested positive, but not considered a threat. The president has been blasted for careless travel, but it turns out that the virus will find it way in. Kamala Harris Zoomed in to the hearings by video, then was seen in the same building getting in an elevator with half a dozen other people. . . . I refuse to wear a mask, “my body, my choice.” Trump: “Do not let this Chinese virus dominate your life. Be not afraid.”
       Hunter Biden, millions of dollars discussed in relation to Ukraine, China, and the widow of the mayor of Moscow. A scandal has erupted he likes of which brings down governments, not just campaigns. Recall that years ago Biden had to cancel his campaign because he was seen to have plagiarized a speech. Now, this is no longer a Hunter Biden scandal; it's a Joseph Biden scandal. FBI took possession of the laptop and [sat on it] for eleven months.   Is it possible that the VP didn’t know his son was influence-trading? A stretch. There’s a fact pattern: Hunter; the Biden brothers (multimillion contract for construction in Iraq with no knowledge of construction); and another son who . . . and the $1.5 billion from China.   Amy Coney Barrett is civilized and the epitome of patience. The Hawaiian Congresswoman demanded of this mother of seven, Have you ever sexually assaulted anyone? And Cory Booker demanded she denounce racism against Black people—when her two Black sons were sitting right behind her.
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 2, Block B:  Sebastian Gorka, @SebGorka, America First radio, in re: The inordinate energy of President Trump – crowds waiting for hours, it's electrifying. He wouldn’t have won in 2016 without votes from registered Democrats. Today in Greenville: he’s at his strongest when he goes off script. He pointed to the sky, said, “You can't recover from the flu in 32 hours without help from up there. I’m not the most famous person; Jesus Christ is.” The crowd went wild.   In 2016, he had seven events in five states.
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 2, Block C:  Conrad Black, @ConradMBlack, publisher, littérateur,commentator; in re: “Joe Biden is no Franklin Roosevelt.” Comments about court-packing, which was tried only by FDR.   Roosevelt didn’t seriously try after four years, he hadn’t named a single Justice; as concerned that the TVA and others might be voted away. Eventually, he named eight Supreme Court Justices. . . . Two branches attempting to emasculate the Executive. Very dangerous. .. . There are about seven million Catholics in this country; they don't want to be accused of taking instructions from a foreign source. “The dogma speaks loudly.”—Sen Feinstein. Amy Coney Barrett is impressive [under interrogati0n}; extremely learned, unpretentious, plain-spoken but fluent; extraordinarily knowledgeable. Thoroughly qualified.
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 2, Block D: Monica Crowley: @TreasurySpox & @MonicaCrowley @USTreasury /   Monica Crowley, TreasurySpox & @MonicaCrowley @USTreasury ; Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of the Treasury; in re: Washington stimulus package: incl adding in bonuses to the regular unemployment checks. Secretary Mnuchin continues to be in negotiations with Speaker Pelosi. Started in August, and still not succeeded. The other side has remained fairly intransigent; on the fiscal side, we still have hundreds of millions left. We’ve asked for targeted payments, e.g., the hospitality industry; all we have to do is turn the key, but can’t without Congressional legislative action. This is an unprecedented situation; I’m proud of the president and his economic team. Had to make vast, epic decisions rapidly. Kept tens of thousands of airline workers in their jobs; it was a private sector president who figured these out—in record time. Still need economic relief, and we’re trying desperately to get it out. Payroll Protection; PSP—we could get money out immediately if Congress acted.

Hour Three
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 3, Block A: Ofir Akunis, @OfirAkunis; and Malcolm Hoenlein, @Conf_of_Pres; in re: Israel regional cooperation opportunities. Endorsement of the Abraham Accords, 80-13, by the Knesset. A wonderful day here. Moreover, you can see the joy of the citizenry. I want Egyptians, Jordanians and Palestinians to benefit from this, too. If Palestinians want to, they'll find open doors and open hearts. . . . Cyprus: much improved relations with Cyprus; Minister of Science and Technology, an agreement on research.   We’re in a new day in the Middle East. This is real.
     In July 2020, Ofir Akunis was appointed to his current position, Minister of Regional Cooperation. In this role, he coordinates Israel’s growing relations with the UAE and other Gulf States, and oversees joint projects with additional neighboring countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Greece and Cyprus. Additional responsibilities include strengthening partnerships with key communities in the Middle East, such as Christians, Druze, and Bedouins. With the vision of peace through strength, Minister Akunis is leading the way for a more peaceful and cooperative region.

Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 3, Block B: Ambassador Marios Lyssiotis, @CyprusinUSA; and Malcolm Hoenlein, @Conf_of_Pres; in re: Establishment of regional energy organization; Turkish regional aggression. Cyprus is looking for better days because of the gas in the Eastern Mediterranean. Incentives to cooperate together. Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum brings together producers, consumers, and transit countries. Stability and an attractive environment for investors. Greece and Cyprus: Turkey is rising, and creating tensions regionally—Libya, Syria, Iraq. Escalation in recent months. Cyprus is a small country without other resources; we find solutions through dialogue and negotiations. Unfortunately, Turkey hasn’t responded until now. Looking for solutions through the International Court of Justice; and in parallel, with our EU partners to give clear messages to Turkey that they understand, and so choose other means of settling issues.
Since September 2018, Marios Lyssiotis has been serving as the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the United States

Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 3, Block C: Sarit Zahavi, @ZehaviAlma, @Israel_Alma_org, major in the IDF Reserves; and Malcolm Hoenlein, @Conf_of_Pres; in re: Israeli northern border updates. Israel destroys two Syrian military posts in a warning to Assad. Highly unusual deed. Seeing expansion of Hezbollah, Iran’s mercenaries, now operating near the DMZ. Missile mfr in Beirut got a lot of publicity. Gen Yossi Kuperwasser a year ago spoke of the War of the North. These are preparations by Hezbollah for that war. . . . We saw snipers right around the UNIFIL outposts. Lebanese negotiations with Israel to delineate borders for [gas fields]. There is no government in Lebanon right now. The economic issues there [are paramount].
Sarit Zahavi is a major in the IDF reserves, served for 15 years in the military specializing in intelligence and holds an MA in Middle East Studies from Ben-Gurion University. Sarit is the founder and CEO of ALMA, an organization specializing in research and analysis of Israel’s security challenges on the northern border.

Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 3, Block D: Malcolm Hoenlein, @Conf_of_Pres; Conference of Presidents, in re: Twitter declared it will ban posts denying or distorting the Holocaust. Has also banned anti-Semitic stereotypes [although that may be more complicated]. Arms embargo against Iran will end soonest; Russia and China eager to sell advanced weapons to Ian, which will both supply its allies and use them to advance their own interests in Africa. Europeans say they want to extend the sanctions but lack the spine to do it. SkyNews/al Arabiya poll, Zogby Analytics; 60% of the people [of the Middle East] support normalization with Israel, except among Palestinians. About 2/3 of Palestinians are leaning that directions, posing problems for the PA. Qatar and Turkey replace as interlocutors . . . Grand Mufti speaks of jihad against Israel if an inch of land is stolen, as a personal religious requirement. Iran exercises pressure on Gaza and Hezbollah, and in internal fights. Erdogan calls Jerusalem his city. Rattles Palestinian cages. Lebanon, a failed state, and Israel talk via the US ambassador to Tunisia. Pressure from Hezbollah against any kind of meaningful discussions; billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of gas—could entirely transform Lebanon. Hezbollah opposes prosperity; it survives only on conflict.

Hour Four
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 4, Block A: 5/8 The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s, by William I Hitchcock
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 4, Block B: 6/8 The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s, by William I Hitchcock
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 4, Block C: 7/8 The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s, by William I Hitchcock
Thursday 15 October 2020 / Hour 4, Block D: 8/8 The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s, by William I Hitchcock