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--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Between two-factor authentication, strong passwords, and a VPN, you try to be in control of how your info is protected. But many other places also have it, and they might not be as careful. That's why LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it. Guaranteed or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit LifeLock.com slash podcast for 40% off. Terms apply.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): A Russian attack on Ukraine appears imminent as troops, tanks, and snipers amass along the border. What did President Biden discuss with Vladimir Putin in their meeting this week? And will diplomacy be enough to avert a military conflict? I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley. It's Wednesday, December 8th, and this is Morning Wire.
--:-- Host (John Bickley): The U.S. has officially announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. What led to the boycott, and why are some lawmakers saying it's not enough?
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): I've been leaning in hard, saying we ought to move the Olympics out of China. That's what we should have done. And the Supreme Court is currently deliberating on the merits of a pro-life law from Mississippi. With Roe v. Wade hanging in the balance, we'll discuss the cultural and political response to the future of abortion in America.
--:-- Host (John Bickley): Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know. This show is sponsored by Indeed. If you're hiring, you need Indeed. Where others see a challenging hiring environment, you have a golden opportunity to attract quality talent. With Indeed, you can attract, interview, and hire all in one place. Get started now with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com slash wire. That's a $75 credit at Indeed.com slash wire. Offer valid through December 31st. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): In recent days, tensions between the U.S. and Russia have become increasingly unstable after reports indicated a large military offensive against Ukraine may be launched by Russia in the coming weeks or months. People are now looking to President Joe Biden to alleviate the tensions. Here to give us the latest updates is Daily Wire's Ian Howarth.
--:-- Guest (Ian Howarth): So, the context here is that U.S. intelligence is indicating that Russia is readying a massive military offensive against Ukraine, with 175,000 troops along with armor, artillery, and other equipment being placed along the border. This attack could be carried out as early as next year.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): We continue to see a buildup of military, Russian military forces in the areas around northeastern and eastern Ukraine, but obviously in western Russia. This buildup is concerning to us. It is still not entirely clear what Mr. Putin's intentions are.
--:-- Guest (Ian Howarth): And on Tuesday, President Joe Biden held a two-hour virtual meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. And has much been reported on what was actually said? All we have access to right now is a White House readout of the two-hour phone call. It's not exactly detailed. It's just over 140 words.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): It said that Biden, quote, voiced the deep concerns of the United States and our European allies about Russia's escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine. According to the readout Biden quote made clear that the U and our allies would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation He also reiterated his support for Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for de and a return to diplomacy according to the readout The 145-word report concluded by saying that Biden and Putin tasked their teams to follow up, and the U.S. will do so in close coordination with allies and partners.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): And who are the allies and partners in the context of Russia? Biden has apparently been working with France's President Macron, Germany's Chancellor Merkel, Italy's Prime Minister Draghi, and the UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He spoke to these leaders on Monday and Tuesday, with the leaders discussing their, quote, shared concern about the Russian military buildup on Ukraine's borders and Russia's increasingly harsh rhetoric.
--:-- Guest (Ian Howarth): This is all according to another White House statement. Yesterday afternoon, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan did brief reporters on the outcome of the meeting between Biden and Putin. We still do not believe that President Putin has made a decision. What President Biden did today was lay out very clearly the consequences if he chooses to move.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): And has there been any response from Russia? First off, it's likely that a response from the U.S. will involve some form of additional sanctions. But as we discussed yesterday, Russia rejected this possibility as a threat, with Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov saying that if the new sanctions from hell are imposed, they will respond.
--:-- Guest (Ian Howarth): Russia has also demanded that NATO not get involved, and Putin was expected to tell Biden that Ukraine cannot be added as a NATO state, because, of course, if a NATO state is attacked, all other NATO states would mobilize in its defense.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Beyond what we already know, though, Moscow hasn't publicly commented on the talks. So for now, we're just going to have to wait and see whether Russia will launch an attack on Ukraine and whether the Biden administration would respond, and if so, what this strategy would actually look like.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Ian, thanks for the update. Thanks, Georgia.
--:-- [Word WIRE to 989898 to protect your savings today.]
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The U.S. government officially announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Monday. The decision was made in response to human rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party. Here to tell us more is Daily Wire sports reporter Joe Morgan.
--:-- Guest (Joe Morgan): I mean, not particularly. President Biden told reporters last month that he was considering a diplomatic boycott of the Games after many politicians from both sides of the aisle called for a boycott. The Biden administration slammed the PRC for their human rights abuses, saying that the U.S. representation would treat the Games as, quote, business as usual.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The athletes on Team USA have our full support. We will be behind them 100 percent as we cheer them on from home. We will not be contributing to the fanfare of the Games. Now, to clarify, this is a diplomatic boycott, not a full boycott. So the athletes are still participating.
--:-- Guest (Joe Morgan): Correct. Team USA will be over in Beijing. In fact, Jen Psaki said that the Team USA athletes will have, quote, our full support.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Okay, so how have politicians reacted to the announcement? Well, Republican Senator Tom Cotton called the move a, quote, half measure, calling for a full boycott of the Beijing Games, saying, and I am quoting here we must not expose Team USA to the dangers of a repugnant authoritarian regime that disappears its own athletes.
--:-- Guest (Joe Morgan): Cotton appears to be referencing women tennis player Peng Shui there right Yeah, more than likely. Obviously, the safety of Peng has been very much in the news, and the White House called for proof of her whereabouts in November.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Just last week, the Women's Tennis Association announced that they are suspending all WTA tournaments in China, including in Hong Kong, over concerns for Peng's safety. As the Daily Wire reported, Senator Ted Cruz went on Face the Nation in late November saying that he supports a diplomatic boycott of the games, but not a full boycott of the Olympics as it would punish the athletes.
--:-- Guest (Joe Morgan): I think it's a mistake to have a full boycott of the Olympics. You know, Jimmy Carter tried that in the 1970s. All it did was punish a generation of athletes. We've got young men and young women, Americans, who spent their whole lives practicing for this moment. I don't want to punish those young athletes.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Has China responded to the announcement of the boycott? They have. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that China will take, quote, firm countermeasures.
--:-- Guest (Joe Morgan): Well, with the Olympics being less than two months away, I'm sure we'll have you on for more updates soon. Thanks, Joe.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Anytime, John. Daily Wire sports reporter, Joe Morgan.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): After the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding a Mississippi pro-life law last week, abortion advocates have reacted strongly to the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned. Here to give us some details on this is Daily Wire's Charlotte Pence Bond.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): So, the case in question is Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. and abortion advocates realize that the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade with this case. But even if they just uphold the Mississippi law, Roe v. Wade and other decisions would be seriously undermined.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Now, is overturning Roe v. Wade a real possibility based on what we've heard from the court so far? Well, many are saying that it is. If nothing else, the intense reaction from abortion advocates is really demonstrating that side's concern.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): On Twitter, for example, a video circulated of a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments celebrating abortion with phrases like my body, my decision, and abortion is unstoppable. And over the weekend, there was an opinion piece in the New York Times where the writer who was adopted discussed the pain of adoption. The title was, quote, I was adopted, I know the trauma it can inflict.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The title was, quote, I was adopted, I know the trauma it can inflict. Conservatives pointed out how this seemed to be making the argument that it would be better to be aborted than adopted. Right. So pretty strong reactions from the pro-abortion side, at least in popular culture.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): What about the political atmosphere? What's that looking like? Well, some politicians are calling for Roe v. Wade to be codified into law. Senator Bernie Sanders even went so far as to say this issue is worth abolishing the filibuster for.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): He posted on Twitter, quote, Democrats have been pushing for this for a while, and the House actually passed a bill doing just that in September with no Republican support.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar made a similar point over the weekend on Meet the Press after she discussed Justice Elena Kagan's points concerning Roe. This is how our country protected rights. And now they're willing to just flip it on its head. And so what is the answer? The answer may well be doing it through the political process now.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): I don't think that's the right thing to do, but it may be the way to do it. And I think the best way to do it is not a patchwork of state laws, But to put it codify Roe v Wade put it into law and we even have some pro Republicans that have signaled interest in doing that Democratic Senator Mark Warner also joined in tweeting quote all three of my daughters were born after Roe v. Wade. It's unfathomable that they could soon live in a world where they would have fewer protected rights than when they were born.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): It's time to codify abortion access in law. Last week, Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, said through a spokeswoman that she, quote, supports the right to an abortion and believes that the protections in the Roe and Casey decisions should be passed into law.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): So if Roe v. Wade is overturned, do we have any idea what the political fight's going to look like after that? Well, both sides are going to be more active and their attention will likely be on the states.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): Last week, I spoke with Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. She told me next steps are going to be getting pro-life lawmakers elected and laws passed that, as she put it, quote, reflect the will of the people, as well as providing even more help to those who need it.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Abortion advocates have also come out strongly in defiance of any attempt to dismantle the Roe precedent, saying they will mobilize to assist women in going to other states to get abortions.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): Now, we've heard a lot of pundits say that overturning Roe would galvanize the left. How critical of an issue is abortion to most voters right now? That's a good question.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): So the midterm elections are coming up next fall, but according to a new Politico morning consult poll, abortion doesn't appear to be a major factor for voters. More respondents said they would vote for someone who doesn't share their views on abortion than those who said they'd vote based on the abortion position of the candidate.
--:-- Guest (Charlotte Pence Bond): Right now, there are at least 21 states that have pro-life laws or constitutional amendments that would make them highly likely to move to prohibit almost all abortions in their states if Roe is overturned. So for those states, the stakes are high.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Definitely. The Supreme Court is expected to announce their decision next summer, so it's going to be a minute, but we'll be watching to see what happens. For sure.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Charlotte, thanks for reporting. That's Daily Wire's Charlotte Pence Bond.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Other stories we're tracking this week. 17 National School Board Association affiliates have cut ties with the National School Board Association over their coordination with the Biden administration and DOJ regarding investigations into parents as potential domestic terrorists.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The 17 affiliate organizations, which are reportedly considering forming a competing national organization, accounted for at least 40% of annual revenue for the NSBA.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): And former Empire actor Jesse Smollett asked the prosecutor to stop reading the N-word in court Tuesday as the attorney was reading Smollett's own messages aloud as evidence.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Smollett asked the prosecutor to spell or abbreviate the word so as not to offend, quote, every African American in this room.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): In response, the prosecutor invited the actor to read his own messages before the court, and Smollett complied.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Smollett is facing six counts connected to allegations that he staged a hoax hate crime against himself in 2019. We have a reporter in the courthouse and we'll bring you updates on the trial as they happen.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): If you like this episode and are interested in hearing more, subscribe to Morning Wire on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening and give us a five-star review. That's all the time we've got this morning. Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back tomorrow with the news you need to know.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): If you like this podcast, subscribe to our Morning Wire newsletter, available exclusively to Daily Wire members. Get the Morning Wire newsletter delivered straight to your inbox when you join at dailywire.com slash subscribe. Use code MORNINGWIRE to try a Reader's Pass membership and get your first month for only 99 cents.
