Podcasts about white house christmas

For over forty years, the White House Historical Association has partnered with Beacon Design,  a division of the ChemArt Company, to create the Official White House Christmas Ornament. The program was started in 1981 during the first term of the Reagan presidency when First Lady Nancy Reagan threw her support behind the idea. A new design has debuted annually with each ornament honoring a president's time in the White House, an anniversary, or historical event. Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association visited ChemArt to get a first-hand look at how the ornaments are meticulously designed and hand-assembled. The veteran and family-founded company based in Lincoln, Rhode Island makes each ornament with precision and care. Stewart toured the facility with Hamilton Davison, CEO of Beacon Design, and Dave Marquis, former president of ChemArt, to get a behind-the-scenes look at how these treasured family heirlooms are created. They also discussed the recently unveiled Official Commemorative Ornament of America's 250th Anniversary, which serves as the Official 2026 White House Christmas Ornament. It features the Declaration of Independence framed in 24-karat gold and is officially licensed with America250, a nonpartisan movement dedicated to inspiring civic participation and education in the nation. The Official Commemorative Ornament of America's 250th Anniversary is available for sale at shop.whitehousehistory.org. All proceeds from the sale of these Ornaments go directly to funding the Association's nonprofit, nonpartisan educational mission to share White House history.

For over forty years, the White House Historical Association has partnered with Beacon Design,  a division of the ChemArt Company, to create the Official White House Christmas Ornament. The program was started in 1981 during the first term of the Reagan presidency when First Lady Nancy Reagan threw her support behind the idea. A new design has debuted annually with each ornament honoring a president's time in the White House, an anniversary, or historical event. Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association visited ChemArt to get a first-hand look at how the ornaments are meticulously designed and hand-assembled. The veteran and family-founded company based in Lincoln, Rhode Island makes each ornament with precision and care. Stewart toured the facility with Hamilton Davison, CEO of Beacon Design, and Dave Marquis, former president of ChemArt, to get a behind-the-scenes look at how these treasured family heirlooms are created. They also discussed the recently unveiled Official Commemorative Ornament of America's 250th Anniversary, which serves as the Official 2026 White House Christmas Ornament. It features the Declaration of Independence framed in 24-karat gold and is officially licensed with America250, a nonpartisan movement dedicated to inspiring civic participation and education in the nation. The Official Commemorative Ornament of America's 250th Anniversary is available for sale at shop.whitehousehistory.org. All proceeds from the sale of these Ornaments go directly to funding the Association's nonprofit, nonpartisan educational mission to share White House history.

Purpose, trust and laughter matter.  SUMMARY Dr. Heather Wilson '82, former secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and Gen. Dave Goldfein '83, former chief of staff of the Air Force, highlight the human side of leadership — honoring family, listening actively and using humility and humor to build strong teams. Their book, Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership, challenges leaders to serve first and lead with character.   SHARE THIS PODCAST LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK    TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Leadership Is a Gift and a Burden – Leaders are entrusted with the well-being and development of others, but that privilege entails tough, sometimes lonely, responsibilities. Servant Leadership – True leadership is about enabling and supporting those you lead, not seeking personal advancement or recognition. Influence and Teamwork – Lasting change comes from pairing authority with influence and working collaboratively; no leader succeeds alone. Embrace Failure and Own Mistakes – Effective leaders accept institutional and personal failures and use them as learning and teaching moments. Family Matters – Great leaders recognize the significance of family (their own and their team's) and demonstrate respect and flexibility for personal commitments. Be Data-Driven and Strategic – Borrow frameworks that suit the mission, be clear about goals, and regularly follow up to ensure progress. Listening Is Active – Truly listening, then responding openly and honestly—even when you can't “fix” everything—builds trust and respect. Humility and Curiosity – Never stop learning or questioning; continual self-improvement is a hallmark of strong leaders. Celebrate and Share Credit – Spread praise to those working behind the scenes; leadership is not about personal glory, but lifting others. Resilience and Leading by Example – “Getting back up” after setbacks inspires teams; how a leader recovers can motivate others to do the same.   CHAPTERS 0:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome 0:00:21 - Guest Backgrounds and Family Legacies 0:02:57 - Inspiration for Writing the Book 0:05:00 - Defining Servant Leadership 0:07:46 - Role Models and Personal Examples   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Host: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 Guests: Dr. Heather Wilson '82, former Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. (Ret.) Dave Goldfein '83  Naviere Walkewicz 0:09 Welcome to Focus on Leadership, our accelerated leadership series. I'm your host, Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. I'm honored to welcome two exceptional leaders whose careers and friendship have helped shape the modern Air Force, while inspiring thousands to serve with purpose and courage. Our guests today are Dr. Heather Wilson, USAFA Class of '82, the 24th secretary of the Air Force, now president at the University of Texas El Paso. And Gen. Dave Goldfein, Class of '83, the 21st chief of staff of the Air Force. Both are United States Air Force Academy distinguished graduates. Together, they've written Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership, a powerful reflection on resilience, humility and the courage to lead to adversity. And our conversation today will dive deeply into the lessons they learned at the highest levels of command and in public service, and what it means to serve others first. Thank you for being here. Gen. Dave Goldfein 1:08 Thank you for having us. Naviere Walkewicz 1:09 Absolutely. This is truly an honor. And I mentioned that I read this incredible book, and I'm so excited for us to jump into it, but before we do, I think it's really important for people to know you more than the secretary and the chief. I mean chief, so Gen. Goldfein, you came from an Air Force family. Your dad was a colonel, and ma'am, your grandpa was a civil aviator, but you really didn't have any other military ties. Dr. Heather Wilson 1:29 Well, my grandfather was one of the first pilots in the RAF in World War I, then came to America, and in World War II, flew for his new country in the Civil Air Patrol. My dad enlisted by that a high school and was a crew chief between the end of the Second World War and the start of Korea, and then he went back home and became a commercial aviator and a mechanic. Naviere Walkewicz 1:52 I love that. So your lines run deep. So maybe you can share more and let our listeners get to know you more personally. What would you like to share in this introduction of Gen. Goldfein and Dr. Wilson? Gen. Dave Goldfein 2:02 Well, I'll just tell you that if you know much about Air Force culture you know we all get call signs, right. Nicknames, right? I got a new one the day I retired, and you get to use it. It's JD, which stands for “Just Dave.” Naviere Walkewicz 2:17 Just Dave! Yes, sir. JD. I will do my best for that to roll off my tongue. Yes, sir. Gen. Dave Goldfein 2:25 And I will just say congratulations to you for your two sons who are currently at the Academy. How cool is that? Naviere Walkewicz 2:31 Thank you. We come from a Long Blue Line family. My dad was a grad, my uncle, my brother and sister, my two boys. So if I get my third son, he'll be class of 2037, so, we'll see. We've got some time. Gen. Dave Goldfein 2:41 We have grandchildren. Matter of fact, our book is dedicated to grandchildren and they don't know it yet, but at least on my side, they're Class of 2040 and 2043 at the Air Force Academy. Naviere Walkewicz 2:52 OK, so my youngest will be cadre for them. Excellent. Excellent. Dr. Heather Wilson 2:57 And my oldest granddaughter is 4, so I think we'll wait a little bit and see what she wants to do. Naviere Walkewicz 3:04 Yes, ma'am. All right. Well, let's jump in. You just mentioned that you wrote the book primarily for your film book. Is that correct? Gen. Dave Goldfein 3:09 Yes. Naviere Walkewicz 3:10 How did you decide to do this now together? Because you both have incredible stories. Dr. Heather Wilson 3:14 Well, two years ago, we were actually up in Montana with Barbara and Craig Barrett, who —  Barbara succeeded me as secretary of the Air Force. And our families, all six of us are quite close, and we were up there, and Dave was telling stories, and I said, “You know, you need to write some of these down.” And we talked about it a little bit, and he had tried to work with another co-author at one time and it just didn't work out really well. And I said, “Well, what if we do it together, and we focus it on young airmen, on lessons learned in leadership. And the other truth is, we were so tired of reading leadership books by Navy SEALs, you know, and so can we do something together? It turned out to be actually more work than I thought it would be for either of us, but it was also more fun.   Naviere Walkewicz 3:59 How long did it take you from start to finish? Dr. Heather Wilson 4:02 Two years. Naviere Walkewicz 4:03 Two years? Excellent. And are you — where it's landed? Are you just so proud? Is it what you envisioned when you started? Gen. Dave Goldfein 4:10 You know, I am, but I will also say that it's just come out, so the initial response has been fantastic, but I'm really eager to see what the longer term response looks like, right? Did it resonate with our intended tenant audience? Right? Did the young captains that we had a chance to spend time with at SOS at Maxwell last week, right? They lined up forever to get a copy. But the real question is, did the stories resonate? Right? Do they actually give them some tools that they can use in their tool bag? Same thing with the cadets that we were privileged to spend time with the day. You know, they energized us. I mean, because we're looking at the we're looking at the future of the leadership of this country. And if, if these lessons in servant leadership can fill their tool bag a little bit, then we'll have hit the mark. Naviere Walkewicz 5:07 Yes, sir, yes. Ma'am. Well, let's jump right in then. And you talked about servant leadership. How would you describe it? Each of you, in your own words, Dr. Heather Wilson 5:15 To me, one of the things, important things about servant leadership is it's from the bottom. As a leader, your job is to enable the people who are doing the work. So in some ways, you know, people think that the pyramid goes like this, that it's the pyramid with the point at the top, and in servant leadership, it really is the other way around. And as a leader, one of the most important questions I ask my direct reports — I have for years — is: What do you need from me that you're not getting? And I can't print money in the basement, but what do you need from me that you're not getting? How, as a leader, can I better enable you to accomplish your piece of the mission. And I think a good servant leader is constantly thinking about, how do I — what can I do to make it easier for the people who are doing the job to get the mission done? Gen. Dave Goldfein 6:08 And I'd offer that the journey to becoming an inspirational servant leader is the journey of a lifetime. I'm not sure that any of us actually ever arrive. I'm not the leader that I want to be, but I'm working on it. And I think if we ever get to a point where we feel like we got it all figured out right, that we know exactly what this whole leadership gig is, that may be a good time to think about retiring, because what that translates to is perhaps at that point, we're not listening, we're not learning, we're not growing, we're not curious — all the things that are so important. The first chapter in the book is titled, Am I worthy? And it's a mirror-check question that we both came to both individually and together as secretary and chief. It's a mere check that you look at and say, “All right, on this lifelong journey to become an inspirational servant leader, am I worthy of the trust and confidence of the parents who have shared their sons and daughters with the United States Air Force and expecting us to lead with character and courage and confidence? Am I worthy of the gift that followers give to leaders? Am I earning that gift and re-earning it every single day by how I act, how I treat others?” You know, that's the essence of servant leadership that we try to bring forward in the book. Naviere Walkewicz 7:38 Right? Can you recall when you first saw someone exhibiting servant leadership in your life? Dr. Heather Wilson 7:46 Good question. It's a question of role models. Maj. William S. Reeder was my first air officer commanding here. And while I think I can probably think of some leaders in my community, you know, people who were school principals or those kind of things, I think Maj. Reeder terrified me because they didn't want to disappoint him. And he had — he was an Army officer who had been shot down as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He still had some lingering issues. Now, I think he had broken his leg or his back or something, and so you could tell that he still carried with him the impact of that, but he had very high expectations of us and we didn't want to disappoint him. And I think he was a pretty good role model. Gen. Dave Goldfein 8:47 You know, one of the things we say at the very end of the book is that we both married up. We both married incredible leaders, servant leaders in their own right. So in my case, I married my high school sweetheart, and we've now been together almost 43 years, coming up on 43. And when you talk about servant leadership, you know, very often we don't give military spouses enough credit for the enormous courage that they have when they deal with the separations, the long hours, very often not talked about enough, the loneliness that comes with being married to someone who's in the military. And so I just give a shout out to every military spouse that's out there and family to thank them for that very special kind of courage that equates to servant leadership on their part. Naviere Walkewicz 9:47 Excellent. Those are both really great examples, and I think, as our listeners are engaging with this, they're going to start to think about those people in their lives as well, through your descriptions. Early in the book, you make this statement: “Leadership is a gift and a burden.” Might you both expand on that?   Dr. Heather Wilson 10:03 So it's a gift in that it's a gift that's given to you by those whom you are privileged to lead, and it's not just an institution that, you know, it's not just the regents of the University of Texas who have said, “Yes, you're going to be the president of the University of Texas at El Paso.” It is those who follow me who have given me gift of their loyalty and their service and their time. It's a burden, because some days are hard days, and you have to make hard calls based on values to advance the mission and, as chief and service secretary, there are no easy decisions that come walking into that part of the Pentagon. The easy decisions are all made before it gets to the service secretary and chief and so. So there is that responsibility of trying to do well difficult things. And I think sometimes those are lonely decisions. Gen. Dave Goldfein 11:09 And I think as a leader of any organization, part of what can be the burden is if you care deeply about the institution, then you carry the burden of any failures of that institution, both individuals who fall short, or the institution itself. And we face some of those, and we talk about that in the book. One of our chapters is on Sutherland Springs and owning failure. There was no dodge in that. And there was, quite frankly, there was an opportunity for us to actually showcase and teach others how to take ownership when the institution falls short and fails, right? And you know, one of the interesting elements of the relationship between a secretary and a chief is that if you go back and look at the law and read the job description of the chief of staff of the Air Force, it basically says, “Run the air staff and do what the secretary tells you.” I'm not making that up. Because most of the decision authority of the institution resides in the civilian control, the military civilian secretary. So almost all authority and decision authority resides with the secretary. What the chief position brings is 30 years in the institution that very often can bring credibility and influence. And what we determined early in our tenure was that if we were going to move the ball, if we were going to actually move the service in a positive direction, neither of us could do it alone. We had to do it together. We had to use this combination of authority and influence to be able to move the institution forward. And so that was a — and we talked a lot about that, you know, in the book, and it sort of runs throughout our stories. You know, that that trust matters. Naviere Walkewicz 12:59 Absolutely. We're going to visit that towards the end of our conversation, because there's a particular time before you both — before you became the chief and before you became the service secretary, when you met up together. And I want to visit that a little bit. But before we do, Gen. Goldfein — JD — you shared a story in the book, and obviously we want everyone to read it, so I'm not going to go tell the whole story, but you know where you took off one more time than you landed, and you had to, you know, you were hit, you had to evade and then you had to be rescued. There was a particular statement you made to identify yourself. And many of our Long Blue Line members will know this: fast, neat, average, friendly, good, good. In that moment of watching the sun start to rise while you're waiting to be retrieved, how did that come to your mind? Of all the things you could be thinking of to identify yourself? Gen. Dave Goldfein 13:53 Well, you know, it's interesting. So, you know, for those who've never, you know, had gone through a high-speed ejection, people asked me, what was like? I said, “Well, I used to be 6-foot-3. This is all that's left, right?” And you know, my job once I was on the ground was, quite frankly, not to goof it up. To let the rescue team do what the rescue team needed to do, and to play my part, which was to put them at the least amount of risk and be able to get out before the sun came up. And at the very end of the rescue when the helicopters — where I was actually vectoring them towards my location. And I had a compass in my hand, and I had my eyes closed, and I was just listening to the chopper noise and then vectoring them based on noise. And then eventually we got them to come and land, you know, right in front of me. Well, they always teach you, and they taught me here at the Academy during SERE training, which I think has been retitled, but it was SERE when we went through it, survival training. Now, I believe they teach you, “Hey, listen, you need to be nonthreatening, because the rescue team needs to know that you're not — this is not an ambush, that you are actually who you say you are. Don't hold up a weapon, be submissive and authenticate yourself. Well, to authenticate myself required me to actually try my flashlight. And I could see the enemy just over the horizon. And as soon as the helicopter landed, the enemy knew exactly where we were, and they came and running, and they came shooting, and they were raking the tree line with bullets. And so, you know, what I needed to do was to figure out a way to do an authentication. And I just, what came to mind was that training all those years ago, right here at the Academy, and I just said, “I could use a fast, neat, average rescue,” and friendly, good, good was on the way. Naviere Walkewicz 15:53 Wow, I just got chill bumps. Dr. Wilson, have you ever had to use that same kind of term, or, you know, reaching out to a grad in your time frequently? Dr. Heather Wilson 16:04 Yes, ma'am. And, you know, even in the last week, funny — I had an issue that I had to, I won't go into the details, but where there was an issue that might affect the reputation, not only of the university, but of one of our major industry partners, and it wasn't caused by either of us, but there was kind of a, kind of a middle person that was known to us that may not have been entirely acting with integrity. And I just looked up the company. The CEO is an Academy grad. So I picked up the phone and I called the office and we had a conversation. And I said, “Hey, I'd like to have a conversation with you, grad to grad.” And I said, “There are some issues here that I don't need to go into the details, but where I think you and I need to be a little careful about our reputations and what matters is my relationship as the university with you and your company and what your company needs in terms of talent. But wanted to let you know something that happened and what we're doing about it, but I wanted to make sure that you and I are clear.” And it was foundation of values that we act with integrity and we don't tolerate people who won't. Naviere Walkewicz 17:30 Yes, ma'am, I love that. The Long Blue Line runs deep that way, and that's a great example. JD, you spoke about, in the book, after the rescue — by the way, the picture in there of that entire crew was amazing. I love that picture. But you talked about getting back up in the air as soon as possible, without any pomp and circumstance. “Just get me back in the air and into the action.” I'd like to visit two things. One, you debriefed with the — on the check ride, the debrief on the check ride and why that was important. And then also you spoke about the dilemma of being dad and squad comm. Can you talk about that as well? Gen. Dave Goldfein 18:06 Yeah, the check ride. So when I was in Desert Storm, an incredible squadron commander named Billy Diehl, and one of the things that he told us after he led all the missions in the first 30 days or so, he said, “Look, there will be a lot of medals, you know, from this war.” He goes, “But I'm going to do something for you that happened for me in Vietnam. I'm going to fly on your wing, and I'm going to give you a check ride, and you're going to have a documented check ride of a combat mission that you led in your flying record. I'm doing that for you.” OK, so fast forward 10 years, now I'm the squadron commander, and I basically followed his lead. Said, “Hey, I want…” So that night, when I was shot down, I was actually flying on the wing of one of my captains, “Jammer” Kavlick, giving him a check ride. And so, of course, the rescue turns out — I'm sitting here, so it turned out great. And so I called Jammer into a room, and I said, “Hey, man, we never did the check ride.” I said, “You know, you flew a formation right over the top of a surface enemy missile that took out your wingman. That's not a great start.” And he just sort of… “Yes, sir, I know.” I said, “And then you led an all-night rescue that returned him to his family. That's pretty good recovery.” And so it's been a joke between us ever since. But in his personal — his flying record, he has a form that says, “I'm exceptionally, exceptionally qualified.” So I got back and I thought about this when I was on the ground collecting rocks for my daughters, you know, as souvenirs from Serbia. I got back, and I looked at my wing commander, and I said, “Hey, sir, I know you probably had a chance to think about this, but I'm not your young captain that just got shot down. I'm the squadron commander, and I've got to get my squadron back on the horse, and the only way to do that is for me to get back in the air. So if it's OK with you, I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna get crew rest and I'm going to fly tonight.” And he looked at me, and he looked at my wife, Dawn, who was there, and he goes, “If it's OK with her, it's OK with me.” Great. Dawn, just a champion, she said, “I understand it. That's what you got to do.” Because we were flying combat missions with our families at home, which is, was not in the squadron commander handbook, right? Pretty unique. What I found, though, was that my oldest daughter was struggling a little bit with it, and so now you've got this, you know, OK, I owe it to my squad to get right back up in the air and lead that night. And I owe it to my daughter to make sure that she's OK. And so I chose to take one night, make sure that she and my youngest daughter, Diana, were both, you know, in a good place, that they knew that everything's going to be OK. And then I got back up the next night. And in some ways, I didn't talk about it with anybody in the media for a year, because my dad was a Vietnam vet, I'd met so many of his friends, and I'd met so many folks who had actually gotten shot down one and two and three times over Vietnam, in Laos, right? You know what they did after they got rescued? They got back up. They just went back up in the air, right? No fanfare, no book tours, no, you know, nothing, right? It was just get back to work. So for me, it was a way of very quietly honoring the Vietnam generation, to basically do what they did and get back in the air quietly. And so that was what it was all about. Naviere Walkewicz 21:25 Dr. Wilson, how about for you? Because I know — I remember reading in the book you had a — there was something you said where, if your children called, no matter what they could always get through. So how have you balanced family? Dr. Heather Wilson 21:36 Work and life. And so, when I was elected to the Congress, my son was 4 years old. My daughter was 18 months. First of all, I married well, just like Dave. But I also think my obligations to my family don't end at the front porch, and I want to make a better world for them. But I also knew that I was a better member of Congress because I had a family, and that in some ways, each gave richness and dimension to the other. We figured out how to make it work as a family. I mean, both my children have been to a White House Christmas ball and the State of the Union, but we always had a rule that you can call no matter what. And I remember there were some times that it confounded people and, like, there was one time when President Bush — W. Bush, 43 — was coming to New Mexico for the first time, and he was going to do some events in Albuquerque. And they called and they said, “Well, if the congresswoman wants to fly in with him from Texas, you know, she can get off the airplane in her district with the president. And the answer was, “That's the first day of school, and I always take my kids to school the first day, so I'll just meet him here.” And the staff was stunned by that, like, she turns down a ride on Air Force One to arrive in her district with the president of the United States to take her kids to school. Yes, George Bush understood it completely. And likewise, when the vice president came, and it was, you know, that the one thing leading up to another tough election — I never had an easy election — and the one thing I said to my staff all the way through October, leading — “There's one night I need off, and that's Halloween, because we're going trick or treating.” And wouldn't you know the vice president is flying into New Mexico on Halloween for some event in New Mexico, and we told them, “I will meet them at the stairs when they arrive in Albuquerque. I'll have my family with them, but I won't be going to the event because we're going trick or treating.” And in my house, I have this great picture of the vice president of the United States and his wife and my kids in costume meeting. So most senior people understood that my family was important to me and everybody's family, you know — most people work to put food on the table, and if, as a leader, you recognize that and you give them grace when they need it, you will also have wonderful people who will work for you sometimes when the pay is better somewhere else because you respect that their families matter to them and making room for that love is important. Naviere Walkewicz 24:36 May I ask a follow on to that? Because I think that what you said was really important. You had a leader that understood. What about some of our listeners that maybe have leaders that don't value the same things or family in the way that is important. How do they navigate that? Dr. Heather Wilson 24:52 Sometimes you look towards the next assignment, or you find a place where your values are the same. And if we have leaders out there who are not being cognizant of the importance of family — I mean, we may recruit airmen but we retain families, and if we are not paying attention to that, then we will lose exceptional people. So that means that sometimes, you know, I give a lot of flexibility to people who are very high performers and work with me. And I also know that if I call them at 10 o'clock at night, they're going to answer the phone, and that's OK. I understand what it's like to — I remember, you know, I was in New Mexico, I was a member of Congress, somebody was calling about an issue in the budget, and my daughter, who was probably 4 at the time, had an ear infection, and it was just miserable. And so I'm trying to get soup into her, and this guy is calling me, and she's got — and it was one of the few times I said — and it was the chairman of a committee — I said, “Can I just call you back? I've got a kid with an ear infection…” And he had five kids. He said, “Oh, absolutely, you call me back.” So you just be honest with people about the importance of family. Why are we in the service? We're here to protect our families and everybody else's family. And that's OK.   Naviere Walkewicz 26:23 Yes, thank you for sharing that. Anything to add to that, JD? No? OK. Well, Dr. Wilson, I'd like to go into the book where you talk about your chapter on collecting tools, which is a wonderful chapter, and you talk about Malcolm Baldridge. I had to look him up — I'll be honest — to understand, as a businessman, his career and his legacy. But maybe share in particular why he has helped you. Or maybe you've leveraged his process in the way that you kind of think through and systematically approach things. Dr. Heather Wilson 26:49 Yeah, there was a movement in the, it would have been in the early '90s, on the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Awards. It came out of the Department of Commerce, but then it spread to many of the states and it was one of the better models I thought for how to run organizations strategically. And I learned about it when I was a small businessperson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And I thought it was interesting. But the thing that I liked about it was it scaled. It was a little bit like broccoli, you know, it looks the same at the little flora as it does at the whole head, right? And so it kind of became a model for how I could use those tools about being data driven, strategically focused, process oriented that I could use in reforming a large and not very well functioning child welfare department when I became a cabinet secretary for children, youth and families, which was not on my how-to-run-my-career card. That was not in the plan, but again, it was a set of tools that I'd learned in one place that I brought with me and thought might work in another. Naviere Walkewicz 28:02 Excellent. And do you follow a similar approach, JD, in how you approach a big problem? Gen. Dave Goldfein 28:07 I think we're all lifelong students of different models and different frameworks that work. And there's not a one-size-fits-all for every organization. And the best leaders, I think, are able to tailor their approach based on what the mission — who the people are, what they're trying to accomplish. I had a chance to be a an aide de camp to a three-star, Mike Ryan, early in my career, and he went on to be chief of staff of the Air Force. And one of the frameworks that he taught me was he said, “If you really want to get anything done,” he said, “you've got to do three things.” He said, “First of all, you got to put a single person in charge.” He said, “Committees and groups solve very little. Someone's got to drive to work feeling like they've got the authority, the responsibility, the resources and everything they need to accomplish what it is that you want to accomplish. So get a single person in charge. Most important decision you will make as a leader, put the right person in charge. Second, that person owes you a plan in English. Not 15 PowerPoint slides, right, but something that clearly articulates in one to two pages, max, exactly what we're trying to accomplish. And the third is, you've got to have a way to follow up.” He said, “Because life gets in the way of any perfect plan. And what will happen is,” he goes, “I will tell you how many times,” he said, “that I would circle back with my team, you know, a couple months later and say, ‘How's it going?' And they would all look at each other and say, “Well, I thought you were in charge,” right? And then after that, once they figure out who was in charge, they said, “Well, we were working this plan, but we got, you know, we had to go left versus right, because we had this crisis, this alligator started circling the canoe, and therefore we had to, you know, take care of that,” right? He says, “As a leader, those are the three elements of any success. Put someone in charge. Build a plan that's understandable and readable, and always follow up. And I've used that as a framework, you know, throughout different organizations, even all the way as chief to find — to make sure that we had the right things. Dr. Heather Wilson 30:21 Even this morning, somebody came by who reminded us of a story that probably should have been in the book, where we had — it was a cyber vulnerability that was related to a particular piece of software widely deployed, and the CIO was having trouble getting the MAJCOMMS to kind of take it seriously. And they were saying, “Well, you know, we think maybe in 30, 60, 90 days, six months, we'll have it all done,” or whatever. So I said, “OK, let all the four-stars know. I want to be updated every 36 hours on how many of them, they still have, still have not updated.” I mean, this is a major cyber vulnerability that we knew was — could be exploited and wasn't some little thing. It was amazing; it got done faster. Naviere Walkewicz 31:11 No 90 days later. Oh, my goodness. Well, that was excellent and actually, I saw that in action in the story, in the book, after the attack on the Pentagon, and when you stood up and took charge, kind of the relief efforts, because many people were coming in that wanted to help, and they just needed someone to lead how that could happen. So you were putting into practice. Yes, sir. I'd like to get into where you talk about living your purpose, and that's a chapter in there. But you know, Gen. Goldfein, we have to get into this. You left the Academy as a cadet, and I think that's something that not many people are familiar with. You ride across the country on a bike with a guitar on your back for part of the time — and you sent it to Dawn after a little while — Mini-Bear in your shirt, to find your purpose. Was there a moment during the six months that you that hit you like lightning and you knew that this was your purpose, or was it a gradual meeting of those different Americans you kind of came across? Gen. Dave Goldfein 32:04 Definitely gradual. You know, it was something that just built up over time. I used to joke — we both knew Chairman John McCain and always had great respect for him. And I remember one time in his office, I said, “Chairman, I got to share with you that I lived in constant fear during every hearing that you were going to hold up a piece of paper on camera and say, ‘General, I got your transcript from the Air Force Academy. You got to be kidding me, right?' And he laughed, and he said, Trust me, if you looked at my transcript in Annapolis,” he goes, “I'm the last guy that would have ever asked that question.” But you know, the we made a mutual decision here, sometimes just things all come together. I'd written a paper on finding my purpose about the same time that there was a professor from Annapolis that was visiting and talking about a sabbatical program that Annapolis had started. And so they started talking about it, and then this paper made it and I got called in. They said, “Hey, we're thinking about starting this program, you know, called Stop Out, designed to stop people from getting out. We read your paper. What would you do if you could take a year off?” And I said, “Wow, you know, if I could do it, I'll tell you. I would start by going to Philmont Scout Ranch, you know, and be a backcountry Ranger,” because my passion was for the outdoors, and do that. “And then I would go join my musical hero, Harry Chapin.” Oh, by the way, he came to the United States Air Force Academy in the early '60s. Right? Left here, built a band and wrote the hit song Taxi. “So I would go join him as a roadie and just sort of see whether music and the outdoors, which my passions are, what, you know, what it's all about for me.” Well, we lost contact with the Chapin connection. So I ended up on this bicycle riding around the country. And so many families took me in, and so many towns that I rode into, you know, I found that if I just went to the library and said, “Hey, tell me a little bit about the history of this town,” the librarian would call, like, the last, you know, three or four of the seniors the town, they'd all rush over to tell me the story of, you know, this particular little town, right? And then someone would also say, “Hey, where are you staying tonight?” “I'm staying in my tent.” They said, “Oh, come stay with me.” So gradually, over time, I got to know America, and came to the conclusion when I had to make the decision to come back or not, that this country is really worth defending, that these people are hard-working, you know, that want to make the world better for their kids and their grandkids, and they deserve a United States Air Force, the best air force on the planet, to defend them. So, you know, when I came back my last two years, and I always love sharing this with cadets, because some of them are fighting it, some of them have embraced it. And all I tell them is, “Hey, I've done both. And all I can tell you is, the sooner you embrace it and find your purpose, this place is a lot more fun.” Naviere Walkewicz 35:13 Truth in that, yes, yes, well. And, Dr. Wilson, how did you know you were living your purpose? Dr. Heather Wilson 35:19 Well, I've had a lot of different chapters to my life. Yes, and we can intellectualize it on why we, you know, why I made a certain decision at a certain time, but there were doors that opened that I never even knew were there. But at each time and at each junction, there was a moment where somehow I just knew. And at South Dakota Mines is a good example. You know, I lost a race to the United States Senate. I actually had some interns — I benefited from a lousy job market, and I had fantastic interns, and we were helping them through the loss. You know, they're young. They were passionate. They, as Churchill said, “The blessing and the curse of representative government is one in the same. The people get what they choose.” And so I was helping them through that, and one of them said, “Well, Dr. Wilson, you're really great with students. You should be a college president somewhere. Texas Tech needs a president. You should apply there,” because that's where this kid was going to school. And I said, “Well, but I don't think they're looking for me.” But it did cause me to start thinking about it and I had come close. I had been asked about a college presidency once before, and I started looking at it and talking to headhunters and so forth. And initially, South Dakota Mines didn't seem like a great fit, because I'm a Bachelor of Science degree here, but my Ph.D. is in a nonscientific discipline, and it's all engineers and scientists. But as I went through the process, it just felt more and more right. And on the day of the final interviews, that evening, it was snowing in South Dakota, there was a concert in the old gym. I mean, this is an engineering school, and they had a faculty member there who had been there for 40 years, who taught choral music, and the students stood up, and they started singing their warm up, which starts out with just one voice, and eventually gets to a 16-part harmony and it's in Latin, and it's music is a gift from God, and they go through it once, and then this 40th anniversary concert, about 50 people from the audience stand up and start singing. It's like a flash mob, almost These were all alumni who came back. Forty years of alumni to be there for that concert for him. And they all went up on stage and sang together in this just stunning, beautiful concert by a bunch of engineers. And I thought, “There's something special going on here that's worth being part of,” and there are times when you just know. And the same with becoming cabinet secretary for children, youth and families — that was not in the plan and there's just a moment where I knew that was what I should do now. How I should use my gifts now? And you hope that you're right in making those decisions.   Naviere Walkewicz 38:43 Well, probably aligning with JD's point in the book of following your gut. Some of that's probably attached to you finding your purpose. Excellent. I'd like to visit the time Dr. Wilson, when you were helping President Bush with the State of the Union address, and in particular, you had grueling days, a lot of hours prepping, and when it was time for it to be delivered, you weren't there. You went home to your apartment in the dark. You were listening on the radio, and there was a moment when the Congress applauded and you felt proud, but something that you said really stuck with me. And he said, I really enjoy being the low-key staff member who gets stuff done. Can you talk more about that? Because I think sometimes we don't, you know, the unsung heroes are sometimes the ones that are really getting so many things done, but nobody knows. Dr. Heather Wilson 39:31 So, I'm something of an introvert and I've acquired extrovert characteristics in order to survive professionally. But when it comes to where I get my batteries recharged, I'm quite an introvert, and I really loved — and the same in international negotiations, being often the liaison, the back channel, and I did that in the conventional forces in Europe negotiations for the American ambassador. And in some ways, I think it might have been — in the case of the conventional forces in Europe negotiations, I was on the American delegation here. I was in Vienna. I ended up there because, for a bunch of weird reasons, then they asked me if I would go there for three months TDY. It's like, “Oh, three months TDY in Vienna, Austria. Sign me up.” But I became a very junior member on the delegation, but I was the office of the secretary of defense's representative, and walked into this palace where they were negotiating between what was then the 16 NATO nations and the seven Warsaw Pact countries. And the American ambassador turned to me, and he said during this several times, “I want you to sit behind me and to my right, and several times I'm going to turn and talk to you, and I just want you to lean in and answer.” I mean, he wasn't asking anything substantive, and I just, “Yes, sir.” But what he was doing was credentialing me in front of the other countries around that table. Now, I was very young, there were only two women in the room. The other one was from Iceland, and what he was doing was putting me in a position to be able to negotiate the back channel with several of our allies and with — this was six months or so now, maybe a year before the fall of the Berlin Wall. So things were changing in Eastern Europe, and so I really have always enjoyed just that quietly getting things done, building consensus, finding the common ground, figuring out a problem. Actually have several coffee mugs that just say GSD, and the other side does say, Get Stuff Done. And I like that, and I like people who do that. And I think those quiet — we probably don't say thank you enough to the quiet, hardworking people that just figure out how to get stuff done. Naviere Walkewicz 41:59 Well, I like how he credentialed you and actually brought that kind of credibility in that way as a leader. JD, how have you done that as a leader? Champion, some of those quiet, behind the scenes, unsung heroes. Gen. Dave Goldfein 42:11 I'm not sure where the quote comes from, but it's something to the effect of, “It's amazing what you can get done if you don't care who gets the credit.” There's so much truth to that. You know, in the in the sharing of success, right? As servant leaders, one of the things that I think both of us spend a lot of time on is to make sure that credit is shared with all the folks who, behind the scenes, you know, are doing the hard, hard work to make things happen, and very often, you know, we're the recipients of the thank yous, right? And the gratefulness of an organization or for somebody who's benefited from our work, but when you're at the very senior leaders, you know what you do is you lay out the vision, you create the environment to achieve that vision. But the hard, hard work is done by so many others around you. Today, in the audience when we were there at Polaris Hall, was Col. Dave Herndon. So Col. Dave Herndon, when he was Maj. Dave Herndon, was my aide de camp, and I can tell you that there are so many successes that his fingers are on that he got zero credit for, because he was quietly behind the scenes, making things happen, and that's just the nature of servant leadership, is making sure that when things go well, you share it, and when things go badly, you own it. Naviere Walkewicz 43:47 And you do share a really remarkable story in there about accountability. And so we won't spend so much time talking about that, but I do want to go to the point where you talk about listening, and you say, listening is not passive; it's active and transformative. As servant leaders, have you ever uncovered challenges that your team has experienced that you didn't have the ability to fix and you know, what action did you take in those instances? Dr. Heather Wilson 44:09 You mean this morning? All the time. And sometimes — and then people will give you grace, if you're honest about that. You don't make wild promises about what you can do, but then you sit and listen and work through and see all right, what is within the realm of the possible here. What can we get done? Or who can we bring to the table to help with a set of problems? But, there's no… You don't get a — when I was president of South Dakota Mines, one of the people who worked with me, actually gave me, from the toy store, a magic wand. But it doesn't work. But I keep it in my office, in case, you know… So there's no magic wands, but being out there listening to understand, not just listening to refute, right? And then seeing whether there are things that can be done, even if there's some things you just don't have the answers for, right? Gen. Dave Goldfein 45:11 The other thing I would offer is that as senior leadership and as a senior leadership team, you rarely actually completely solve anything. What you do is improve things and move the ball. You take the hand you're dealt, right, and you find creative solutions. You create the environment, lay out the vision and then make sure you follow up, move the ball, and if you get at the end of your tenure, it's time for you to move on, and you've got the ball moved 20, 30, yards down the field. That's actually not bad, because most of the things we were taking on together, right, were big, hard challenges that we needed to move the ball on, right? I If you said, “Hey, did you completely revitalize the squadrons across the United States Air Force?” I will tell you, absolutely not. Did we get the ball about 20, 30 yards down the field? And I hope so. I think we did. Did we take the overhaul that we did of officer development to be able to ensure that we were producing the senior leaders that the nation needs, not just the United States Air Force needs? I will tell you that we didn't solve it completely, but we moved the ball down the field, and we did it in a way that was able to stick. You know, very often you plant seeds as a leader, and you never know whether those seeds are going to, you know, these seeds are ideas, right? And you never know whether the seeds are going to hit fertile soil or rocks. And I would often tell, you know, young leaders too. I said, you know, in your last few months that you're privileged to be in the position of leadership, you've got two bottles on your hip. You're walking around with — one of them's got fertilizer and one of them's got Roundup. And your job in that final few months is to take a look at the seeds that you planted and truly determine whether they hit fertile soil and they've grown roots, and if they've grown roots, you pull out the fertilizer, and the fertilizer you're putting on it is to make it part of the institution not associated with you, right? You want somebody some years from now say, “Hey, how do we ever do that whole squadron thing?” The right answer is, “I have no idea, but look at how much better we are.” That's the right answer, right? That's the fertilizer you put on it. But it's just equally important to take a look at the ideas that, just for whatever reason, sometimes beyond your control — they just didn't stick right. Get out the Roundup. Because what you don't want to do is to pass on to your successor something that didn't work for you, because it probably ain't going to work for her. Dr. Heather Wilson 47:46 That's right, which is one of the rules of leadership is take the garbage out with you when you go. Naviere Walkewicz 47:51 I like that. I like that a lot. Well, we are — just a little bit of time left. I want to end this kind of together on a story that you shared in the book about laughter being one of the tools you share. And after we share this together, I would like to ask you, I know we talked about mirror checks, but what are some things that you guys are doing every day to be better as well, to continue learning. But to get to the laughter piece, you mentioned that laughter is an underappreciated tool and for leaders, something that you both share. I want to talk about the time when you got together for dinner before you began working as chief and service secretary, and I think you may have sung an AF pro song. We're not going to ask you to sing that today, unless you'd like to JD? But let's talk about laughter.   Gen. Dave Goldfein 48:31 The dean would throw me out. Naviere Walkewicz 48:33 OK, OK, we won't have you sing that today. But how have you found laughter — when you talk about — when the questions and the problems come up to you?   Dr. Heather Wilson 48:40 So I'm going to start this because I think Dave Goldfein has mastered this leadership skill of how to use humor, and self-deprecating humor, better than almost any leader I've ever met. And it's disarming, which is a great technique, because he's actually wicked smart. But it's also people walk in the room knowing if you're going to a town hall meeting or you're going to be around the table, at least sometime in that meeting, we're going to laugh. And it creates a warmth and people drop their guard a little bit. You get to the business a little bit earlier. You get beyond the standard PowerPoint slides, and people just get down to work. And it just — people relax. And I think Dave is very, very good at it. Now, my husband would tell you that I was raised in the home for the humor impaired, and I have been in therapy with him for almost 35 years.   Naviere Walkewicz 49:37 So have you improved? Dr. Heather Wilson 49:39 He thinks I've made some progress.   Naviere Walkewicz 49:41 You've moved the ball.   Dr. Heather Wilson 49:44 Yes. Made some progress. I still don't — I used to start out with saying the punch line and then explain why it was funny. Naviere Walkewicz 49:52 I'm in your camp a little bit. I try. My husband says, “Leave the humor to me.” Dr. Heather Wilson 49:54 Yeah, exactly. You understand. Gen. Dave Goldfein 49:58 I used to joke that I am a member of the Class of 1981['82 and '83]. I am the John Belushi of the United States Air Force Academy, a patron saint of late bloomers. But you know, honestly, Heather doesn't give herself enough credit for building an environment where, you know, folks can actually do their very best work. That's one of the things that we do, right? Because we have — the tools that we have available to be able to get things done very often, are the people that are we're privileged to lead and making sure that they are part of an organization where they feel valued, where we're squinting with our ears. We're actually listening to them. Where they're making a contribution, right? Where they believe that what they're being able to do as part of the institution or the organization is so much more than they could ever do on their own. That's what leadership is all about. Dr. Heather Wilson 51:05 You know, we try to — I think both of us see the humor in everyday life, and when people know that I have a desk plate that I got in South Dakota, and it doesn't say “President.” It doesn't say “Dr. Wilson.” It says, “You're kidding me, right?” Because once a week, more frequently as secretary and chief, but certainly frequently as a college president, somebody is going to walk in and say, “Chief, there's something you need to know.” And if they know they're going to get blasted out of the water or yelled at, people are going to be less likely to come in and tell you, right, what you need to know. But if you're at least willing to laugh at the absurdity of the — somebody thought that was a good idea, you know. My gosh, let's call the lawyers or whatever. But you know, you've just got to laugh, and if you laugh, people will know that you just put things in perspective and then deal with the problem. Naviere Walkewicz  52:06 Well, it connects us as humans. Yeah. Well, during my conversation today with Dr. Heather Wilson and Gen. Dave Goldfein — JD — two lessons really stood out to me. Leadership is not about avoiding the fall, but about how high you bounce back and how your recovery can inspire those you lead. It's also about service, showing up, doing the hard work and putting others before yourself with humility, integrity and working together. Dr. Wilson, Gen. Goldfein, thank you for showing us how courage, compassion and connection — they're not soft skills. They're actually the edge of hard leadership. And when you do that and you lead with service, you get back up after every fall. You encourage others to follow and do the same. Thank you for joining us for this powerful conversation. You can find Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership, wherever books are sold. And learn more at getbackupeadership.com. If today's episode inspired you, please share it with someone who can really benefit in their own leadership journey. As always, keep learning. Keep getting back up. Keep trying. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. This has been Focus On Leadership. Until next time. Producer This edition of Focus on Leadership, the accelerated leadership series, was recorded on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.   KEYWORDS Leadership, servant leadership, resilience, humility, integrity, influence, teamwork, family, trust, listening, learning, purpose, growth, accountability, service, courage, compassion, balance, values, inspiration.     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation  

You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for December 23, 2025. 0:30 We react to a 6–3 Supreme Court ruling blocking the president from deploying the National Guard to protect federal officers and property in Chicago — at least for now. We dig into the shadow docket ruling, sharp dissents from Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch, and what this means for sanctuary cities nationwide. Is this a narrow procedural pause, or a dangerous precedent that weakens federal authority? This decision raises serious questions about executive power, immigration enforcement, and whether the Constitution now bends to sanctuary politics. 9:30 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Things You Need to Know. The US economy grew at an impressive 4.3% in the third quarter of this year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. President Trump is tripling the self-deportation bonus for illegal immigrants through the end of the year. Former Republican Senator Ben Sasse announced he has pancreatic cancer. 12:30 Get Prodovite Plus from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 13:30 A controversial ICE holiday stunt ignites debate with an AI video depicting a muscular, tactical Santa Claus as an ICE officer. We break down ICE’s nationwide enforcement push, including a $3,000 self-deportation incentive and paid airfare for illegal immigrants — and ask whether using Santa Claus crosses a cultural line. While acknowledging the legality of enforcement and self-deportation efforts, we question the optics, the use of AI over real artists, and the impact on children who associate Santa with Christmas, not immigration raids. Is this tough-but-fair messaging, or a step too far that politicizes a holiday icon? 16:00 We ask American Mamas Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson how they are celebrating Christmas this year. A heartfelt Christmas conversation with the American Mamas turns reflective as traditions, faith, and culture collide. From decorating habits and post-Christmas takedowns to honoring family traditions like a beloved Christmas soup party, the discussion quickly moves beyond schedules and decorations. We dive into growing nostalgia for “old-fashioned” Christmas, concerns about cultural and spiritual erosion, and a shared sense that faith itself is under pressure. As fewer Americans attend church but still celebrate Christmas, the Mamas explore whether a spiritual awakening is underway — and why more people are speaking openly about Christian values again. It’s a timely, emotional look at Christmas not just as a holiday, but as a cultural and spiritual battleground. If you'd like to ask our American Mamas a question, go to our website, AmericanGroundRadio.com/mamas and click on the Ask the Mamas button. 23:00 A bombshell claim out of Fulton County, Georgia is raising fresh questions about the integrity of the 2020 election — and why the story isn’t getting more attention. County officials have admitted that more than 315,000 ballots were counted without legally required signatures, despite Georgia law mandating them. With the presidential race in Georgia decided by roughly 11,000 votes and Fulton County overwhelmingly favoring Joe Biden, the numbers alone demand serious scrutiny. We compare this revelation to similar disputes in Pennsylvania and Arizona, question past Supreme Court rulings on standing, and contend that if the political roles were reversed, the media response would be deafening. Instead, the story is being buried because it challenges an outcome that was already deemed settled. 26:30 Early 2028 presidential buzz is already heating up, and a new straw poll is sending a clear message about where conservative voters are leaning. At Turning Point USA, JD Vance didn’t just win — he dominated, pulling in an overwhelming share of the vote and leaving every other potential contender in the dust. The margin was so lopsided it raised eyebrows even among seasoned political watchers, especially this far out from an election. We Dig Deep into what that landslide says about the future of the Republican Party, Donald Trump’s continued influence, and why candidates who don’t align with an America First tone may be effectively shut out. On the Democrat side, the picture looks far less settled, with shaky polling, internal contradictions, and big-name contenders facing tough questions about leadership, competence, and vision. 32:00 Get TrimROX from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 32:30 A rare dose of real accountability out of California? A new Los Angeles Times investigation is raising serious questions about how the Los Angeles Fire Department handled — and then quietly rewrote — its own after-action report following the devastating Palisades fire. According to the report, key details that reflected poorly on leadership and preparedness were stripped out, softened, or renamed before the public ever saw them. 36:00 We have a Bright Spot coming out of California and it's a major win for parents' rights and common sense. A court has struck down a controversial state policy that allowed teachers and school administrators to socially transition students at school — including changing names and pronouns — without informing parents. The ruling came after two California teachers, joined by parents and the Thomas More Society, sued the state, arguing the policy violated both their religious convictions and long-standing parental authority. 40:00 Just days before Christmas, the Trump administration is moving aggressively to crack down on fraudulent asylum claims — and it’s sending shockwaves through the immigration system. ICE attorneys are now filing motions to dismiss thousands of pending asylum cases without hearings, following a new directive that forces immigration judges to rule on third-country eligibility before asylum claims are even heard. The burden has officially shifted to asylum seekers to prove their claims are legitimate, a major change after years of overwhelming evidence showing most claims lacked merit. With as many as 85–95% of asylum applications previously found to be bogus, the administration is zeroing in on cases from countries like Iran, Nicaragua, and Russia. 41:30 And we finish off with the first White House Christmas. Follow us: americangroundradio.com Facebook: facebook.com / AmericanGroundRadio Instagram: instagram.com/americangroundradio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“This year very few Hanukkah candles were lit.” / “This is a strange Christmas Eve.” This is the story of 1941's wartime holiday season.  It's difficult to conjure up a more miserable picture than the Warsaw Ghetto, but Jewish residents are doing their best to stay close to their faith in spite of the dismal circumstances. In a sermon that draws parallels between this hungry, fearful group and the Maccabees of old, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira will bring a little light to these dark times.  Meanwhile, Christmas in the U.S. comes just as the country is shifting into gear for war with Japan and Germany. President Roosevelt projects confidence and hope at the annual White House Christmas tree lighting, and he's even brought along a special guest… (a much better orator than Santa).  Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and happy holidays to all.  ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of Audacy media network.Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

December 22, 2025 ~ Chris Renwick and Lloyd Jackson spoke with Rex Korson of Korson's Farm, supplier of this year's White House Christmas tree. Jamie Edmonds shared her own Christmas tree troubles. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Roger Stone, WABC Radio Host, joins John Catsimatidis & James Flippin as they substitute for Sid Rosenberg, to talk about his recent attendance at the White House Christmas party, highlighting his encounters with several key figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marla Maples. The conversation touches on various political issues including the situation with Venezuela, the pressure on Maduro, and narco-drug trafficking backed by China. Stone also speculates on President Trump's expected address, discusses economic policies, and critiques the handling of legal cases involving figures like James Comey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todd Shapiro, CEO of Manhattan and Long Island based Public Relations Firm, joins John Catsimatidis & James Flippin as they substitute for Sid Rosenberg, to discuss a variety of topics with radio hosts from 77 WABC. Shapiro provides updates on Mayor Adams, currently traveling for business, and reflects on the positive state of New York City, highlighting reduced crime rates and bustling activity at Penn Station post-COVID. The conversation also includes light-hearted banter about personal anecdotes such as Shapiro's towed car and humorous reflections on Jewish and Greek cultural practices. Shapiro praises the radio station's success and its hosts' significant influence, mentioning their participation in a White House Christmas party, and ends with a nod to an upcoming book party for Dr. Siegel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seth takes a moment to address the anti-Semitic mass shooting at a Hanukkah festival in Sydney, Australia.Then, Seth takes a closer look at Donald Trump delivering a thoughtful address about snakes during a White House Christmas reception.Following that, Gwyneth Paltrow talks about having to show restraint while decorating her house for Christmas, helping people find gifts with her Goop Holiday Gift Guide and bringing her son to the premiere of her film Marty Supreme.Finally, Seth celebrates the life of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele by sharing personal stories about Rob at Norman Lear's 100th birthday and watching his shows as a child. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BBC Winston Churchill 1941-12-24 - The White House Christmas Tree

In this episode of LAB the Podcast, we sit down with artist Sarah Sisco, whose creative path has taken her from NBA portraiture to immersive church installations to the rare honor of joining the White House Christmas decorating team.Sarah shares how beauty shapes us, why constraints can actually unleash creativity, and how wonder-filled environments—from sanctuaries to living rooms—invite us into deeper joy and meaning. She offers inspiring, practical insights for cultivating beauty in our homes and churches, and opens a window into the behind-the-scenes world of White House Christmas design.Thank you for joining the conversation and embodying the life and beauty of the gospel. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow LAB the Podcast. Support / Sponsor: https://vuvivo.com/supportFor More Videos, Subscribe: @VUVIVOV3 | https://www.youtube.com/@VUVIVOV3Follow: @labthepodcast | @vuvivo_v3 | @zachjelliott | @sarahsiscostudiosSupport the show

Delaware's Diane Siebold and Pie Truono tell Rick Jensen about their adventure on the White House Christmas Tree Decorating Team

That's quite a family!

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: 6:05pm- According to reports from The New York Post and Fox News, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) appears to be closely associated to massive amounts of Welfare fraud identified in Minnesota. 60 of the 79 people indicted on fraud charges live in her district, she held events at a restaurant named in the fraud scandal, and one of her former staffers has been convicted of fraud. 6:20pm- Rep. Jasmine Crocket (D-TX) will run for U.S. Senate. In a campaign advertisement formally announcing her candidacy, Crockett plays audio of President Trump questioning her qualifications for public office. Is it a good idea to run against Trump in a bright red state like Texas? 6:30pm- At last week's White House Christmas tree lighting, President Donald Trump declared that he loves all U.S. citizens—even ones he dislikes! 6:40pm- Will Minnesota's massive Welfare fraud cost Governor Tim Walz reelection?

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Show (12/08/2025): 3:05pm- Speaking from the Oval Office, President Donald Trump—alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins—announced $12 billion in federal aid for farmers. The aid is meant to provide relief for farmers impacted by the United States' ongoing trade conflict with China. 3:25pm- While speaking with reporters from the Oval Office, President Trump was asked questions about Netflix's move to acquire Warner Bros. for $72 billion. On Monday, Paramount launched a hostile bid for the entertainment corporation—toping Netflix's offer by $10 billion. 3:30pm- Rosie O'Donnell's therapist told her to stop posting about Donald Trump on social media—but she just can't help herself! Now even her friends are concerned and, according to reports, actively begging her to disconnect. 3:40pm- While shopping at Whole Foods, a cashier told Rich that “smiling” is anti-social justice. 4:00pm- In a post to social media, New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani offered advice to illegal immigrants on how to avoid Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). 4:15pm- On Monday, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Trump v. Slaughter—which focuses on President Trump's unilateral decision to remove of Rebecca Slaughter, a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), before her term expired. Shouldn't the president be able to terminate the employment of people working within the executive branch? 4:40pm- A report from Ernesto Londono of The New York Times documents rampant fraud plaguing Minnesota—dozens of people have been charged with stealing more than $1 billion in taxpayer money from programs meant to feed hungry children and provide therapy for autistic children. Critics of Governor Tim Walz say his administration allowed the fraud to persist “partly because state officials were fearful of alienating the Somali community” who were largely responsible for the scams. 4:50pm- The internet is going “nuts” over Gavin Newsom's weird interview pose. 5:00pm- Drew Allen—VP of client development at Publius PR and the Editor of the Publius National Post. He is also the host of 'The Drew Allen Show' podcast—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his latest book, “For Christ and Country: the Martyrdom of Charlie Kirk,” which is available on December 10th. 5:25pm- In a video posted to social media, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) announced he will file articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over his targeted strikes on narco-terrorists. 5:30pm- Evan Rama & Param Patel—Co-Founders of Kupid Dating—join The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss their novel new dating platform sweeping college campuses across the country! https://kupiddating.com. 6:05pm- According to reports from The New York Post and Fox News, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) appears to be closely associated to massive amounts of Welfare fraud identified in Minnesota. 60 of the 79 people indicted on fraud charges live in her district, she held events at a restaurant named in the fraud scandal, and one of her former staffers has been convicted of fraud. 6:20pm- Rep. Jasmine Crocket (D-TX) will run for U.S. Senate. In a campaign advertisement formally announcing her candidacy, Crockett plays audio of President Trump questioning her qualifications for public office. Is it a good idea to run against Trump in a bright red state like Texas? 6:30pm- At last week's White House Christmas tree lighting, President Donald Trump declared that he loves all U.S. citizens—even ones he dislikes! 6:40pm- Will Minnesota's massive Welfare fraud cost Governor Tim Walz reelection?

Bill Frost (CityWeekly.net, X96 Radio From Hell) and Tommy Milagro (SlamWrestling.net) talk The Daily Show: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize, Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas, Merv, Down Cemetery Road, Man vs. Baby, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Sarah Squirm: Live + In the Flesh, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour: The Final Show, White House Christmas 2025 (aka The Real Nightmare Before Christmas, Landman and Platonic: Go for Seasons 3, Rasslin' News, The 10 Funniest South Park Characters, Clue: The Series, The Boys' final season premiere date, Movie Korner: Cool World, Pluribus, Stumble, Die Hard for Xmas, and more.Drinking: Festive Egg Nog with Spiced Rum and Greenbar UnRum & Cola from OFFICIAL TV Tan sponsors Outlaw Distillery and Boozetique.Yell at us (or order a TV Tan T-shirt) @TVTanPodcast on Threads, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, or Gmail.Rate us and comment: Substack, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, YouTube, Amazon Podcasts, Audible, TuneIn Radio, etc. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tvtanpodcast.substack.com

Riley Gaines unpacks the unexpected twist of Nicki Minaj cheering Trump's child savings accounts and Sabrina Carpenter blasting the White House for enforcing immigration law. She explains what the Trump Accounts really are, why they matter for families, and what this celebrity divide reveals. She also shares highlights from her White House Christmas visit and reflects on the victims whose stories are being ignored. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's show is PACKED. We break down the biggest political stories, media meltdowns, and wild cultural moments happening right now.From Candace Owens getting dragged on X, to Megyn Kelly putting Letitia James on blast, to the NARCO terrorist ship takedown that broke the internet, this episode covers everything the mainstream won't touch.We get into:• Melania's White House Christmas décor• Tim Walz's latest disaster in Minnesota• Terrifying Social Security predictions• Jake Tapper's meltdown over the drug-boat strike• Karoline Leavitt releasing Trump's MRI• Qatar influencer drama• AND some of the most viral TikToks of the weekSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW!Get the best tips on your dog's health with naturopathic Dr. Black's new book, A Natural Path to Pet Health. Visit https://RuffGreens.com/BookHead to https://BrickhouseSale.com today to secure your 30% savings before these Cyber Monday deals disappear! Don't miss out on this limited time.Give your loved ones something that lasts. Go to https://Superpower.com/Gift to get a free $49 premium gift box with your gifted membership. After signing up, they'll ask how you heard about them - please mention our show.Save 15% off and stay seven times warmer this winter with Heat Holders at https://HeatHolders.com with code CHICKS—plus get free shipping on orders over $25!Find the perfect gifts for the Moms and Patriots in your life. Visit https://TaylorSoapworks.com and use code CHICKS for 20% off non-sale items at checkout. Offer ends December 2nd.

0:00 Tim Walz Somali fraud scam excused by The View: Robby Soave | RISING 9:53 Leaked FBI report rips Patel, Bongino as incompetent, obsessed with social media | RISING 18:31 Dave Smith, Obama bro blast Pro-Israel account for labeling Ms. Rachel 'antisemite' | RISING 23:35 CNN pollster breaks down Trump plummeting in polls, nearly as bad as Nixon: Lindsey Granger | RISING 33:11 Meta employees allegedly compared Instagram to a 'drug': bombshell court docs | RISING 42:52 Melania Trump unveils White House Christmas decorations | RISING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TRENDING - Brian Walshe finally explains what happened to wife Ana before she disappeared — and it's a doozy, US Marshals offer reward for arrest of Travis Turner, the missing Virginia football coach wanted on child porn charges,Luigi Mangione fans line up for chance to see alleged cold-blooded killer in NYC court, White House Christmas decor theme unveiled: 'Home is Where the Heart is', Portland sparks outrage for city's woke 'tree' lighting ceremony.

TRENDING - Brian Walshe finally explains what happened to wife Ana before she disappeared — and it's a doozy, US Marshals offer reward for arrest of Travis Turner, the missing Virginia football coach wanted on child porn charges,Luigi Mangione fans line up for chance to see alleged cold-blooded killer in NYC court, White House Christmas decor theme unveiled: 'Home is Where the Heart is', Portland sparks outrage for city's woke 'tree' lighting ceremony.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Megyn Kelly is joined by Dave Aronberg, MK True Crime contributor, and Mike Davis, founder of the Article III Project, to discuss the dismissed federal criminal indictments against James Comey and Letitia James, the judge's reasoning, what's going to happen next, the new evidence on New York Attorney General Letitia James' taking investment property deductions for many years, Katie Couric's ridiculous comments about the media, Jen Psaki comparing the White House press corps covering President Trump to the Kremlin, the left's disgusting comments about Erika Kirk, Erika's reaction to the media's commentary about her hug with JD Vance, the lack of faith in today's world, Jennifer Lopez's revealing outfits while performing at a billionaire's wedding in India, Melania Trump's classy look at the White House Christmas tree event, and more. Davis-https://article3project.org/Aronberg-https://substack.com/@davearonbergJohnson-https://www.youtube.com/bennyjohnson  Shen Yun: Visit https://ShenYun.com/Megyn to buy tickets and waive fees.Grand Canyon University: https://GCU.edu/MYOFFERAll Family Pharmacy: Don't miss All Family Pharmacy's Black Friday BOGO—buy one get one free at https://AllFamilyPharmacy.com/MEGYN before December 2.SimpliSafe: Visit https://simplisafe.com/MEGYN to claim 50% off & your first month free!  Follow The Megyn Kelly Show on all social platforms:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MegynKellyTwitter: http://Twitter.com/MegynKellyShowInstagram: http://Instagram.com/MegynKellyShowFacebook: http://Facebook.com/MegynKellyShow Find out more information at:https://www.devilmaycaremedia.com/megynkellyshow Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 25, 2025 ~ Rex Korson, owner of Korson's Tree Farm, joins Chris, Lloyd, and Jamie to share the farm's experience winning the title of 2025 NCTA Grand Champion Growers and presenting one of their trees to First Lady Melania Trump as the Official White House Christmas Tree. Photo: Mark Zaleski ~ USA TODAY NETWORK Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

-The White House Christmas tree arrives today. -President Trump to sign an executive order capping prescription drug prices at the lowest cost offered to any country. -Carl Higbie makes a bold prediction about NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani after his meeting with President Donald Trump. -Rudy Giuliani joins Rob Schmitt to express his concerns about the new NYC mayor-elect. -Newsmax's Greg Kelly reacts to Marjorie Taylor Greene's resignation from Congress. -“This is the new McCarthyism" :  Alan Dershowitz joins "Sunday Report" to discuss the Epstein files. Today's podcast is sponsored by : WEBROOT : Live a better digital life with Webroot Total Protection. Newsmax Daily listeners get 75% off at http://webroot.com/Newsmax  Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at ⁠http://Newsmax.com/Listen⁠ Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at ⁠http://NewsmaxPlus.com⁠ Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : ⁠http://nws.mx/shop⁠ Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: ⁠http://nws.mx/FB⁠  -X/Twitter: ⁠http://nws.mx/twitter⁠ -Instagram: ⁠http://nws.mx/IG⁠ -YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV⁠ -Rumble: ⁠https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV⁠ -TRUTH Social: ⁠https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX⁠ -GETTR: ⁠https://gettr.com/user/newsmax⁠ -Threads: ⁠http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX⁠  -Telegram: ⁠http://t.me/newsmax⁠  -BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com⁠ -Parler: ⁠http://app.parler.com/newsmax⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to be a White House Christmas helper? Apply now! Tim Philips on Tariffs heading to SCOTUS. Today's National Days. Eben Brown on the 80th anniversary of Hiroshima.

Joyce talks about Congress Democrats walking out of vote to objecting to the redistricting in Texas on the basis of gerrymandering and how Democrats are breaking the law by walking out on vote, the White House already thinking about Christmas, Pam Bondi asking for an investigation regarding the Obama administration's election interference, Israel launches total occupation of Gaza, and The Presidential fitness test. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well folks, it's that time of year again and we've done our best to make the nice list! So come around the hearth and celebrate with us we we talk about some of our favorite holiday history. Matt talks reminds us about a classic poem we all know and love, Meghan talks traditions from across the ocean, and Zachary has a few things to say about White House Christmas trees. So grab a cup of hot cocoa, snuggle all warm in your beds, and help us ask... what the heck history? What the F**k After Dark Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan joins to share his inspiring Christmas message about the true meaning of the day. Also, an inside glimpse at this year's White House Christmas decorations and their theme of 'peace and light.' Plus, the remarkable story behind the family that donated the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. And, the TODAY anchors come together for a festive cookie swap, sharing their favorite family recipes and the cherished memories behind them.

In our latest edition of Holiday Trivia, a rundown of some of the quirky food, drinks, and celebratory ephemera at the White House during the most wonderful time of the year. Have an opinion on the pronunciation of "praline?" Send us an email!  CLICK HERE: Visit our website to donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, featuring illustrations by Tom Toro.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to attend a White House Christmas party!? Well Nora and her best friend Laura Manley have the answer! Listen in as the two best friends recount their attendance at one of the world's most exclusive parties!

In this episode of Normal World, Dave Landau, 1/4 Black Garrett, and Angela take aim at Kamala Harris' latest speech, poking fun at her cryptic self-quote, “I ask you to remember the context in which you exist,” and her over-the-top self-congratulation. They dive into a hilarious debate over Taco Bell's questionable new chicken nuggets and reminisce about Flavor Flav's reality TV antics, his odd friendship with Hunter Biden, and the quirks of fast food nostalgia. The conversation shifts to Justin Trudeau's political troubles, exploring his party's calls for his resignation and tying in sharp jabs about his legacy. They also cover the latest additions to the National Film Registry, blending nostalgic love for classics like Dirty Dancing with ridiculous takes on modern picks like Spy Kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House Christmas party just happened and the guest list was honestly shocking. We'll tell you who was there and then try to figure out why next.

Today on the Woody and Wilcox Show: Woody's review of Aaron Rodgers documentary; Steve Harvey's wife is trending; Astronauts stuck on the ISS experience another delay; Woody's Cologuard results; Woody Game Wednesday; Questions on pre-visit questionnaire for doctor's appointments; Royal honey pack story; Wal-Mart employees will start wearing body cams; Flava Flav at the White House Christmas party; Federal Trade Commission now requires all fees to be disclosed before checkout; And more!

Should you be worried about condition called 'holiday heart'? The worst gift wrappers are older men from the midwest, Are Americans getting dumber? New study shows alarming IQ decline, Flava Flav was a guest at The White House Christmas party and his appearance kind of threw Joe Biden off during his speech

Poznaj wyjątkową świąteczną ozdobę Stowarzyszenia Historycznego Białego Domu na 2024 rok - hołd dla 39. prezydenta USA, Jimmy'ego Cartera. Mosiężna ozdoba pokryta 24-karatowym złotem jest pełna symbolicznych elementów nawiązujących do życia i osiągnięć prezydenta Cartera.

Send us a textDavid Lee Csicsko's distinctive artwork, stained glass, and mosaics beautify train stations, hospitals, churches, and universities across the United States. His many credits include designing the Obamas' White House Christmas in 2012. David's lively illustrations can also be seen in The Skin You Live In from the Chicago Children's Museum, now in its 18th printing. Through his use of color, bold graphics and playful patterns, David Lee Csicsko celebrates the richness and diversity of life.He's created five books for Trope Books, LGBTQ ICONS, SCIENCE PEOPLE, ICONIC COMPOSERS, FASHION ICONS and ICONIC ARTISTS.Unlock the secrets of artistic evolution and interconnectedness as we journey through the pulsating worlds of Toulouse-Lautrec and his 1890s Paris, right through to the revolutionary pop art of Andy Warhol and the trailblazing creativity of Jean-Michel Basquiat. We promise a vibrant tapestry that connects the dots between different art movements and eras, exploring how artists like Keith Haring echoed the innovative spirit of their predecessors. From the aristocratic roots and artistic challenges of Toulouse-Lautrec to Warhol's iconic Campbell's soup cans, this episode reveals how these creators were not only shaped by their times but also became shapers of history.Our guest, David, guides us through the intriguing life of Alexander Calder, whose engineering precision transformed the art world with his kinetic mobiles. Discover how Calder's encounters with the likes of Picasso and Mondrian in 1920s Paris ignited his imagination, leading to groundbreaking creations that redefined modern art. We also uncover the fascinating journeys of surrealist artists like Remedios Varo, who defied exclusion in Paris to thrive in the vibrant artistic community of Mexico, alongside iconic figures such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.Celebrating artists who dared to break norms, we shed light on the self-taught trailblazers who carved their unique paths, like Lee Goethe, whose artistic genius gained recognition only posthumously. The stories of these passionate creators, alongside those of iconic art innovators, invite you to connect with the personal side of art. With insight from our featured artist Cisco Kid, who shares his own creative journey, this episode not only inspires but also challenges you to see art through a new lens, where history and creativity converge to shape our world.Support the showif you enjoyed the show be sure to check out my info:https://app.wingcard.io/ROB3SA64

What's This Year's White House Christmas Ornament? (Hour 4) full 1271 Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:06:00 +0000 yS1QQj5C527FSj6ghkYlFpZgvrGchWVN news Richmond's Morning News with John Reid news What's This Year's White House Christmas Ornament? (Hour 4) On Richmond's Morning News, John Reid discusses the top stories of the day from around the world, nationally, in Virginia, and right here in the Richmond area.  Listen to news you can use, newsmakers, and analysis of what's happening every weekday from 5:30 to 10:00 AM on NewsRadio 1140 WRVA and 96.1 FM!   2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavepodcastin

A Trump nominee withdraws and more need to follow suit. The GOP has been asleep at the wheel as senate and house seats are going toward Democrats. Glenn Beck hung out with Donald Trump last night at Mar-A-Lago. Joe Bden is in Africa giving away American dollars while US citizens struggle to survive in North Carolina. That time Hunter deButts got a presidential pardon. What the writer of ‘YMCA' thinks about Donald Trump using it so much at his events. What astronauts are eating while they wait for rescue. Who did it better with White House Christmas decorations? A tale of two cities when it comes to fixing illegal immigration. Are foreign hackers behind incursions into the communications of recent Trump nominees. The Babylon Bee has gotten a hold of some of Kash Patel's plans for the FBI. Cars sized drones over New Jersey? Spotify Wrapped is out! Another man wins a competition for women.  00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED 01:09 Hillsborough Sheriff Chronister Withdraws 03:06 Pete Hegseth Might Withdraw? 08:17 Glenn Beck Dances with Trump 09:24 Biden Almost Falls in Angola, Africa 10:23 Trump Attends a Memorial Service 11:04 Biden Calls Angola a City 12:37 Biden Talks Trains in Africa 15:04 Biden Promises More Money for Africa 16:13 FEMA By the Numbers 20:06 Federal Judge Upset at President Biden 21:27 Hunter DeButts is Not Real…Or is He??? 31:32 Chewing the Fat  49:46 Christmas Decorations in the White House 54:02 Chicago Residents are Going MAGA 1:00:02 Eric Adams Looks Forward to Helping Trump & Border Czar 1:07:49 Banana Update  1:14:21 Kash Patel's Plans for the FBI 1:19:48 Mysterious Drones Flying in NJ 1:24:28 Spotify 2024 Wrapped Released 1:27:35 Spotify - Most Listened Song 1:32:14 Another Trans Win over Women 1:35:06 Jeffy Almost Dies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's top stories, including a missing woman from Hawaii is spotted crossing over to Mexico. An update on the JonBenet Ramsey case. Biological males competing in women's sports is discussed. A look at the White House Christmas decorations. Mom's playing cupid with their adult kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larry O'Connor and Julie Gunlock discuss Black Friday- who's does the shopping? The White House Christmas Tree- was it a good idea to choose this one? Some think New York should secede! Boise Idaho Volleyball team. Where to find more about WMAL's morning show:  Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor,  @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc.  Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Friday, November 29, 2024 / 6 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Larry O'Connor and Julie Gunlock a talk with guests: David Mcintosh- President of Club for Growth, and Stephanie Carls: - retail insights expert at BlackFriday.com. Also what might be the next gathering location for conservatives? Re-visiting the White house Christmas Tree decision. Where to find more about WMAL's morning show:  Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor,  @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc.  Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Friday, November 29, 2024 / 8 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF - A 2-year-old migrant girl told border police she came to the U.S. alone to find her parents, a trip to the Masters triggers a political feud in Hillsborough County, Jill Biden unveils White House Christmas tree from NC farm damaged by Hurricane Helene, America's most loved and hated Thanksgiving menu items, Pinellas County Commissioner tells Rays to put the end of the stadium deal in writing, Trump announces he'll impose 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China on day one, Ocala woman who fatally shot neighbor gets 25 years in prison, and a Microsoft outage caused Outlook and Teams to be down for hours on Monday.

-It's showtime: Rob says Colorado's removal of Trump from the ballot should be the last straw. -MTG says the Biden Administration has pushed beyond impeachment, and now faces accusations of treason. -Karin Lips, President of the Network of Enlightened Women, joins Rob to discuss how to fight leftist indoctrination on college campuses. -Trump points out that Biden “completely failed to even mention the birth of Jesus Christ” during the White House Christmas tree lighting. -Today on the Newsmax hotline: Judge Andrew Napolitano joins Rob to discuss the disgraceful decision to ban the leading GOP candidate from the ballot in Colorado. To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday…E-mail Rob Carson at : Carson@newsmax.com Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (www.patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at www.Newsmax.com/listen Download the free NEWSMAX app at www.newsmaxtv.com/app or go to www.NewsmaxTV.com to watch the real news! Free Trial of Newsmax Plus available at www.NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Today's podcast is sponsored by The Wellness Company. Rest assured knowing that you have emergency antibiotics, antivirals and anti-parasitics on hand to help keep you and your family safe! Go to www.twc.health/Carson and use promo code CARSON to save 10% on your emergency medical kit!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jill Biden promotes the White House Christmas video, featuring a weird display of woke tap dance; a Christian beheads a Satanic statue at the Iowa State Capitol; and a Hamas terror plot is foiled in Europe while the United States keeps pressure on Israel. Click here to join the member exclusive portion of my show: https://utm.io/ueSEj Ep.1870 - - -  DailyWire+: Want to work at The Daily Wire? For more information, click here and select “Careers”: https://bit.ly/3lfVtwK Watch Lady Ballers, the #1 Streaming Movie in America here: https://bit.ly/3R1dM5b Get your Ben Shapiro merch here: https://bit.ly/3TAu2cw  - - -  Today's Sponsors: ExpressVPN - Get 3 Months FREE of ExpressVPN: https://expressvpn.com/ben Helix - Get 20% off plus 2 free pillows at https://helixsleep.com/BEN Trust and Will - Get 10% off today! http://www.TrustandWill.com/Shapiro  Stamps - Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at https://www.stamps.com/shapiro. Thanks to Stamps.com for sponsoring the show! Renewal by Andersen - Get your FREE Consultation. Text SHAPIRO to 200-300 Grand Canyon University - Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University: https://www.gcu.edu/ - - - Socials: Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3cXUn53 Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3QtuibJ Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3TTirqd Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RPyBiB

Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” talks to Jeffrey A. Tucker and Ronald Coleman about Joe Rogan blowing the minds of his guests with the prophetic predictions of Soviet defector Yuri Bezmenov concerning the Marxist takeover of academia and elite Ivy League institutions; pro-Palestine protesters taking over UPenn; Hunter Biden considering fleeing the country as the odds of him going to jail increase; Jill Biden's bizarre White House Christmas video featuring radical activist dance group Dorrance Dance going viral; and much more. WATCH the MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE segment of the show here: https://rubinreport.locals.com/ Check out the NEW RUBIN REPORT MERCH here: https://daverubin.store/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today the Chicks chat about Chris Cuomo's epiphany after seeing the uncensored footage of Hamas, Jill Biden's horrible White House Christmas video, Senator Kennedy's quip, and SO much more!Please support our great sponsors at:Start saving on your heating bill today! Visit http://www.edenpuredeals.com and enter Code CHICKS50 to save an extra $50 on the GEN40. Heat your office or home now, cools the same space this summer!Visit https://www.AMAC.us/CHICKS to sign up for your FREE one-year membership. No Credit Cardrequired, sign up today!Visit http://fogchicks.com and use promo code CHICKS to save 15% off your order plus Free RushShipping.Visit http://www.knowyourriskradio.com to get their FREE Common Sents Investing Guide or call 866-779-RISK.Visit https://Mypillow.com/CHICKS - Enjoy all the great savings – Code CHICKS.

On this episode of "The Federalist Radio Hour," Common Sense Society Executive Editor Christopher Bedford and Federalist Culture Editor Emily Jashinsky discuss the First Lady Dr. Jill Biden's White House Christmas decorations and the backlash against her aesthetically off-putting "interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite" video.

In this edition of Is Henry KisTrender Dead?, Jack and Miles discuss the passing of one of the worst humans to have ever lived, Henry Kissinger, Julianna Margulies ripping her mask off (for Israel), George Santos still refusing to resign, The Daily Wire casting for a new animated series (with some curious names attached), and a brief history of the White House Christmas Trees!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is this... a metaphor? Whether an act of God or nature, the White House Christmas went from vertical to horizontal last night. Grace considers what this might mean on an existential level. She discusses the uptick in shoplifting and other in-store criminal activity and more, so tune in!

The White House Christmas tree toppled over last night, which means one thing and one thing only: today's Chump Line is GREAT! Then, Howie shares a very strangely worded study about the low uptake when it comes to electric vehicles. Don't worry; he reads between the lines and provides a straight-to-the-point analysis.