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--:-- John Bickley: Hundreds of thousands of Americans turned out on the National Mall to pray and show support for Israel. The calls for a ceasefire are outrageous. I'm Daily Wire, Editor-in-Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Wednesday, November 15th, and this is Morning Wire. The FCC will vote today on the Biden administration's controversial digital equity plan, which critics say gives the agency untapped power over the Internet.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Every single decision that an Internet company now makes can be second-guessed by bureaucrats working here at the FCC. And cheating allegations against the University of Michigan prompts the suspension of a famous coach and a restraining order against the conference.
--:-- John Bickley: Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Following days of anti-Israel protests in several major cities across the globe, a massive number of Americans descended on Washington on Tuesday to voice their support for Israel and fight back against rising anti-Semitism. Here with more on the massive demonstration and the latest from the ground in Israel is Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So, John, we've talked a lot about the large events in support of Palestinians, but this one was quite different.
--:-- John Bickley: Yeah, you're absolutely right. So on Tuesday afternoon, more than 100,000 people joined together in Washington to express their support of Israel, remember the victims of last month's terror attack, pray for those who remain in captivity, and importantly, call on lawmakers to continue standing with the Jewish state in the war on Hamas.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Also present were many of those lawmakers from both parties, including Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and even Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
--:-- Georgia Howe: So we are here, more than 100,000 people strong, to unequivocally declare never again. And here's new House Speaker Mike Johnson addressing calls for a ceasefire.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Israel will cease their counteroffensive when Hamas ceases to be a threat to the Jewish state.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A recent Rasmussen poll showed that 68% of Americans agree with Prime Minister Netanyahu's statement that, quote, a ceasefire is tantamount to surrendering to Hamas, while just 21% disagreed with that statement.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: But it's important to note, while the vast majority of the American people still appear to support Israel's effort to wipe out Hamas, we are seeing growing calls for a ceasefire from within the Biden administration.
--:-- Georgia Howe: So tell us about that friction within the White House.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, we've talked extensively about those demanding Israel lay down their weapons and end their war. While those calls initially were more isolated to a far-left faction of the Democrat Party, they have become increasingly vocal in recent weeks.
--:-- Georgia Howe: For example, on Tuesday, around 400 political appointees and staff members representing nearly 40 federal agencies signed a letter to President Biden calling on him to end his support of Israel war on Hamas and importantly publicly demand an immediate ceasefire.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: While the president and top cabinet officials like Secretary of State Antony Blinken have repeatedly said a ceasefire would only benefit terrorists in Gaza, there is undoubtedly growing support on the left for such a move.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, for their part, though, Israel is insisting there will be no such deal struck. What's the latest on the ground there?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, Israeli leaders have made clear that they will continue their war against Hamas with or without the support of their allies. Again, they view this conflict as an existential threat to their existence and say the time for diplomacy passed when Hamas broke the ceasefire in October and slaughtered more than a thousand people.
--:-- Georgia Howe: On Tuesday, the Israeli military continued their ground operation in the northern part of Gaza, moving into Gaza City, where they captured Hamas's parliament building and other government facilities. Much of the fighting now is centered around the Al-Shifa Hospital.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: That's the largest medical facility in Gaza. Israeli forces have largely surrounded that building. They say Hamas has built a large military command center under the hospital in a clear effort to deter airstrikes.
--:-- Georgia Howe: To that point, the IDF captured a children's hospital in another part of Gaza this week and posted videos online showing large weapons caches inside with RPGs, grenades, and ammunition alongside baby bottles and medical supplies.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Other footage shared online by the IDF shows terrorists firing rockets from hospital entrances before fleeing back inside. Now, for their part, Hamas and pro-Palestinian activists in the West say those videos are propaganda.
--:-- Georgia Howe: They still claim the terror group is not operating out of hospitals, mosques and churches, despite all that evidence to the contrary, including reports from our own American intelligence community.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, so important that the reality of what's happening on the ground keeps getting reported.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Cabot, thanks for coming on.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Anytime.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, will vote today on a controversial plan related to the 2021 infrastructure bill. Supporters say President Biden's proposal, known as the Digital Equity Plan, will provide equal access to the Internet and prevent digital discrimination, but critics are calling it an unlawful power grab.
--:-- Megan Basham: So it's a draft order that the FCC says is meant to prevent, as you said, digital discrimination. And it's being extrapolated from one page of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And that was passed on a bipartisan basis back in 2021. Now, I will say I have read the section. It's very short, and it seems pretty clearly written to prevent future discrimination and how new broadband infrastructure is put in place.
--:-- Megan Basham: Basically, it talks about Internet companies not discriminating and providing access. So it wouldn't, say, allow AT&T to roll out new broadband in wealthier white neighborhoods while ignoring poor minority neighborhoods.
--:-- Georgia Howe: But critics say the Biden administration is using this small section to give the federal government a whole new host of powers over the Internet that Congress didn't intend when they passed this bill.
--:-- Megan Basham: So I spoke to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, and he said the Democrat-controlled FCC is giving itself a roving mandate to regulate everything from internet pricing, promotional discounts, the equipment these companies give customers, customer service, credit checks, marketing, advertising.
--:-- Georgia Howe: My list here is very long. Here Carr In the name of equity the Biden administration has called on the FCC to regulate basically every single aspect of how the internet works We going to be sweeping into the FCC's jurisdiction for the very first time ever numerous industries that we've never regulated before.
--:-- Megan Basham: We are reserving to ourselves a right to decide where internet infrastructure can be built out and we are effectively able to regulate prices of broadband as well.
--:-- Georgia Howe: So I also texted with O.H. Skinner, who is the executive director of the Alliance for Consumers, and he told me this, I'm quoting, progressives and the Biden administration have had a consistent plan in recent years to impose mandates and bans to take away consumer choices, leaving only progressive lifestyle choices on the table for people.
--:-- Megan Basham: They have been doing this with cars, dishwashers, refrigerators, and countless other everyday items. And now they're seeking to do the same with mandates for the internet.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, when I heard the name digital equity, my mind immediately jumped to censorship. Does this also govern the content of what's shared online?
--:-- Megan Basham: Not directly, as it doesn't address, say, social media or search engines or that kind of thing. But Carr did express some concern about the administration using regulatory overreach as a broad means of exerting control.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This just goes to a broader view of seeking out control over every feature of the Internet, whether it's speech on the Internet, which they're doing right now through these cases where they're jawboning social media companies or doing it here at the FCC with respect to the infrastructure. of the internet itself.
--:-- Megan Basham: The one thread that connects all of these decisions is the Biden administration looking to exert influence and control over the internet.
--:-- Georgia Howe: As we're talking about that, it's worth noting that New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Monday that her state has launched a quote-unquote social media analysis unit, and they're collecting data and conducting surveillance efforts.
--:-- Megan Basham: So certainly we are seeing a trend of government officials looking to exert more control over the internet and how it's used.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, when would this go into effect?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, I believe immediately because Carr told me that he has no doubt that it is going to pass today. But as we so often and so many of our discussions lately, Georgia, when it comes to the internet and social media, he also told me he expects that it is very quickly going to end up before the courts.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Well, Megan, thanks so much for reporting.
--:-- Megan Basham: Anytime.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A controversy that's been hanging over college football for half the season came to a head last week when Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Patetti suspended Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh for the remainder of the regular season.
--:-- David Cohn: So, John, first, to acknowledge this up front, you're obviously coming into this conversation as a Michigan fan and alum.
--:-- John Bickley: That is very true, though I hope to be objective and fair, John.
--:-- David Cohn: I think you can be. So Jim Harbaugh's three-game suspension has been the biggest story in sports this week. First, catch us up here. How did we arrive at this moment and this punishment?
--:-- John Bickley: Sure. So reports began surfacing three weeks ago that the NCAA was opening an investigation into the Michigan football program specifically an analyst by the name of Connor Stallions who is alleged to have scouted Michigan opponents in person prior to those games.
--:-- David Cohn: Now, much of the media headlines have included the phrase sign stealing. However, the NCAA has no rules expressly forbidding observing another team's signals, but there is language in the bylaws against scouting your opponents in person.
--:-- John Bickley: That's correct. But despite allegations and media reports, the NCAA has yet to issue an official notice of wrongdoing to the University of Michigan.
--:-- David Cohn: If and when that does happen, the university will have 90 days to respond, which would be after this current football season ends. This is where the Big Ten comes into play.
--:-- John Bickley: Conference Commissioner Tony Patetti elected to suspend Coach Jim Harbaugh last Friday as the team was on a plane en route to play Penn State.
--:-- David Cohn: The university's legal team immediately attempted to file a temporary restraining order, but was unable to do so due to it being a federal holiday.
--:-- John Bickley: All right, so we have a ruling from the Big Ten Conference, not the NCAA. Has the Big Ten conducted its own investigation?
--:-- David Cohn: No. Not only has the Big Ten made this decision without conducting its own investigation, but in the letter presented to the school, Tony Patetti states, and I'm quoting here, this is not a sanction of Coach Harbaugh. It is a sanction against the university that, under the extraordinary circumstance presented by this offensive conduct, best fits the violation, unquote.
--:-- John Bickley: So a few more things here to keep in mind. A court hearing is scheduled for this Friday where a judge will hear arguments on whether to grant a restraining order that would fully nullify the conference's suspension.
--:-- David Cohn: Also, this move bans Coach Harbaugh from games only, which means he can still be present during practices as Michigan prepares for the last two weeks of the season.
--:-- John Bickley: All right, so he can't be on the sidelines during games, but he can run practice.
--:-- David Cohn: Exactly, which is obviously very important, particularly with what's coming up for Michigan.
--:-- John Bickley: This week's game is on the road against Maryland. Michigan is projected to be favored in that. But the next week is the highly anticipated matchup versus Ohio State, where both teams could meet undefeated, and the winner will likely go to the Big Ten championship and have a shot at the college football playoff.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, before you leave us, there's some other big news in college football, including a certain former FSU catch.
--:-- David Cohn: That is correct. Texas A&M has officially fired head coach Jimbo Fisher.
--:-- John Bickley: He was hired back in December 2017 and only managed to go 45 and 25 in six seasons at Texas A&M.
--:-- David Cohn: That was after spending eight seasons as the head coach at your alma mater, the Florida State Seminoles, where he did lead the Noles to a national championship.
--:-- John Bickley: I vaguely remember that.
--:-- David Cohn: I bet you do.
--:-- John Bickley: What's actually historic here is how much money Texas A&M is going to pay to fire him. The university is paying Fisher $77 million over the next eight years.
--:-- David Cohn: That's by far the biggest buyout in college football history.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, a lot of money on the line in college football these days.
--:-- David Cohn: Dave, thanks for joining us.
--:-- John Bickley: Thank you.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Another story we're tracking this week. The House passed a stopgap bill on Tuesday, likely averting Friday's government shutdown deadline.
--:-- John Bickley: Speaker Mike Johnson's continuing resolution will now head to the Senate where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has indicated that he would bring it to the floor as soon as possible.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know.
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