?

The OL is bad, the D is bad, but the WRs were supposed to be elite. I think they may actually be the most disappointing unit on the team.

Mario can’t catch and makes boneheaded plays. Rice drops too many. Singer is a complete ghost. MJ3 is just ok. Hudson does nothing. Raleek quit.

Taj is solid and Branch is a complete stud but I’m ready to see what Duce, jakobi and Lemon can do.

CNN Poll: A majority of Americans believe Joe Biden, as VP, was involved with son’s business dealings​

By Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN

CNN — none

Most Americans say they think President Joe Biden was involved in his son’s business dealings with Ukraine and China while he served as vice president under Barack Obama, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

A majority, 61%, say they think that Biden had at least some involvement in Hunter Biden’s business dealings, with 42% saying they think he acted illegally, and 18% saying that his actions were unethical but not illegal. Another 38% say they don’t believe Joe Biden had any involvement in his son’s business dealings during his vice presidency. Just 1% believe Biden was involved, but did not do anything wrong.

A 55% majority of the public says the president has acted inappropriately regarding the investigation into Hunter Biden over potential crimes, while 44% say that he has acted appropriately.


The poll was conducted before special counsel David Weiss said in a Wednesday court filing that he intends to seek an indictment against Hunter Biden relating to gun charges by the end of the month. President Biden has denied being involved in any of his son’s business dealings, and House Oversight Republicans have not presented any direct evidence that the president personally benefited from any of them.

Mountains of evidence released by House Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee today point to a decade and more of influence peddling and financial fraud involving President Joe Biden, his son Hunter, and brother, James, and multiple business associates.

These documents will be reviewed on Thursday in the first special impeachment inquiry hearing of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.



Newly revealed materials confirm that Hunter Biden was traveling the world to sell influence and access to the Biden “brand,” meaning his father, Joe Biden.

Hunter has even referred to access to his father as “the keys” to “my family’s only asset.”



In just the last day, we have discovered:

A $250K wire for Hunter Biden in 2019 from China with Joe Biden's address as the beneficiary.

The wires were from Wang Xin and Jonathan Li, the latter of whom ran a Chinese private equity fund (BHR) which Hunter was listed as being on the board of directors. Hunter also arranged for a meeting between Li and Joe Biden while Joe was VP, while Joe allegedly gave Li's son a letter of recommendation.

Emails showing a U.S Attorney would not allow FBI agents to investigate the Bidens for FARA violations.

One document confirmed rumors that at one point the FBI and IRS investigated Hunter Biden for possible violations of the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), a federal law requiring disclosure of any lobbying activities on behalf of foreign powers. "Please focus on FARA evidence only," Delaware Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf emailed agents in August 2020 concerning a possible search warrant application.

Test message showing that James Biden suggested it was normal for Joe Biden to be involved in his son's business.

In an affidavit to the committee, Ziegler suggested agents believed there was evidence in a series of WhatsApp encrypted text messages that Joe Biden was involved in the CEFC business deal and others before it, but the FBI's interview with James Biden was constructed to avoid asking those questions.

To back up the claim, Ziegler attached a summary of one text messages between James Biden and Hunter Biden from 2018. "This can work, you need a safe harbor. I can work with you father alone !! We as usual just need several months of his help for this to work. Let’s talk about it. It makes perfect sense to me. This is difficult to fully vet without talking," the uncle wrote Hunter Biden.

A memo showing that Burisma received Joe Biden's talking points from lobbyists ahead of his trip to Ukraine.

Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings received Joe Biden’s planned talking points ahead of his December 2015 trip to Ukraine, according to a newly released memo from lobbying firm Blue Star Strategies.

Blue Star Strategies sent the memo to Burisma on Dec. 2, 2015, after an apparent call with “senior administration officials” and detailed then-Vice President Joe Biden’s messaging strategy for his trip to Ukraine, the memo shows.

Then-VP Biden's office exchanged nearly 20,000 emails with Hunter Biden, Jim Biden and their businesses associates sparking MORE questions about the extent of the 'Big Guy's' involvement​

By Stephen M. Lepore For Dailymail.Com 21:40 EDT 10 Oct 2023 , updated 22:18 EDT 10 Oct 2023

• It comes two months after a previous document dump said Rosemont Seneca exchanged over 1,000 emails during his time as VP
• The documents, also directly contradict Biden's repeated claim over the yearsthat he was never involved with or aware of his son's shady business dealings
• Ex-Trump adviser Stephen Miller's America First Legal, which obtained the emails, show 19,335 emails between the then-VP's office with Rosemont Seneca

New records reveal that then-Vice President Joe Biden exchanged nearly 20,000 emails with his son Hunter, brother Jim and business associates at Hunter's investment firm Rosemont Seneca.

It comes two months after a previous document dump said Rosemont Seneca exchanged over 1,000 emails during his time as the No. 2 most powerful politician in the world.

Trojans 38
Domers 27

I found this write up in an ESPN article re: our defense. Interesting take, what do you guys think?

We've talked about USC's defense before, but it's not getting better. Is there a path to the Trojans improving on that side of the ball this season?

Dinich: I've spoken with multiple coaches who have faced USC and said that yes, the scheme is complicated, but it's a good one when properly executed. The Trojans' offense is 118th in time of possession, which causes their defense to be on the field a lot. Because they run a lot of combo coverages that teams have found ways to attack by using different formations, shifts and motions, their defensive backs have been forced to adjust and figure out who is fitting the run on the fly.

One coach noticed they move their defensive linemen post-snap fairly often, so their run fits for their linebackers and support defenders aren't clearly defined, and that causes them to be out of position sometimes. "They are an athletic and twitchy defense, but when individual guys are put at the point of attack to make tackles, they aren't consistent with making them," one coach said. "They usually have guys there, but they have missed quite a few tackles, which also could be due to fatigue."

Rittenberg: Some coaches wonder if USC's larger program philosophies could be hurting the defense's ability to perform in games. A Power 5 coach noted how USC has made several of its major NIL investments at wide receiver -- Jordan Addison, Dorian Singer, Mario Williams, Zachariah Branch -- rather than at defensive line or cornerback, like Georgia and other national contenders do. "It's a different model," the coach said. "It's [Riley's] philosophy -- he's going to outscore you." A Pac-12 coach wondered if USC's defense sees enough varied offensive looks in practice. Although facing Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and the nation's top scoring offense in practice has its preparation advantages, there are also drawbacks.

"Their offense runs like five passing concepts from 10 and 11 personnel," the coach said. "How do you ever get better at fitting runs and aligning to multiple formations? You don't, and then you bust."

Dinich: It's possible that USC has also been used to playing with a lead, and its game against Arizona was really the first test where every defensive snap truly mattered. One coach who faced USC this season told me he thinks the Trojans' defense is "taking too much heat." He was the second coach who pointed out some injuries, and said the Trojans have a good scheme and talented players. "They do a lot of things, which might cause them to have some missed assignments here or there, but for the most part, they get after the QB," he said. "They have difficult coverage schemes."

Rittenberg: The hard thing to square with USC is the production plays -- 57 tackles for loss (tied for first nationally), 22 sacks (tied for fifth nationally), eight forced fumbles (tied for fourth nationally) -- and the breakdowns with assignments and tackling. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's analogy to me a few weeks ago about the baseball pitcher with high strikeouts, low walks and a bad ERA continues to fit this unit. Maybe it is the lack of adversity.

"You're like, 'Hey, go after the quarterback, have a tackle for loss, have a sack, don't worry about giving up a completion play,'" a Pac-12 coach said. "The amount of plays a team would have to make to get back in the game is pretty high. When they're up 35-7 against Colorado and Colorado's going to go as fast as they can and throw hitches and throw screens, you're going to get some plays out of it, but you're not going to get enough plays that are going to cause you to lose."

The point the coach made about USC doing so much -- maybe too much -- has been echoed by others. You wonder if USC should mimic what coordinator Jim Knowles has done with Ohio State, which seems to be taking fewer chances this season but is limiting points (10.2 ppg allowed).

32 mins ago -

Scoop: Iran warns Israel through UN against ground offensive in Gaza​

• Barak Ravid

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Beirut. Photo: Marwan Naamani/picture alliance via Getty Images

Iran sent a message to Israel on Saturday stressing that it does not want further escalation in the Hamas-Israel war, but that it will have to intervene if the Israeli operation in Gaza continues, two diplomatic sources with knowledge of the situation told Axios.

Why it matters: The fighting between Hamas and Israel will turn into a regional war if Iran gets involved either directly or indirectly, such as through a militant group in Syria or by backing any Hezbollah decision to fully join the fighting.

• Iran's message, sent to Israel through the UN, comes as the Biden administration has been trying to deter Iran and Lebanon-backed Hezbollah, supported by Iran, from joining the war. This week, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier group and fighter jets to the region.

Behind the scenes: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with UN envoy to the Middle East Tor Wennesland on Saturday in Beirut, the two diplomatic sources said.

• Wennesland urged Amir-Abdollahian to help prevent a spillover of the conflict in Gaza and Israel to the wider region in the Middle East.
• The Iranian foreign minister replied that Iran doesn't want the conflict to turn into a regional war and wants to try to help with the release of civilians who are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
• But Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran has its red lines. He said that if the Israeli military operation continues — and especially if Israel follows through on its promise of a ground offensive in Gaza — Iran will have to respond, according to the sources.

Wennesland called Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and other officials and conveyed Iran's message, the sources said.

• Wennesland's office confirmed he met with Amir-Abdollahian on Saturday, saying they discussed "diplomatic efforts to release hostages, de-escalate and prevent a spillover of the conflict to the wider region."
• The Israeli Prime Minister's Office declined to comment. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What they're saying: Amir-Abdollahian, who earlier met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, said in a briefing with reporters in Beirut on Saturday that Israel must "stop the crimes against civilians in Gaza — because it might be too late in a few hours."

• "I know about the scenarios that Hezbollah has put in place," Amir-Abdollahian said. "Any step the resistance will take will cause a huge earthquake" for Israel.

The big picture: The latest fighting between Hamas and Israel began Oct. 7.

• Israel has continued its heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip after Hamas' attack on Israel last Saturday. Violence also has been escalating along the Israel-Lebanon border and in the occupied West Bank.
• More than 1,300 Israelis and 2,200 Palestinians have been killed.

Go deeper: UAE warns Syria's Assad not to get involved in Hamas-Israel war

Been hearing this all morning...now again just before the Huskies play the Ducks.

Let's see who the favorite is at the end of the day...

“Jim Jordan knew more about what Donald Trump had planned for January 6th than any other member of the House…”

And, he might be the next Speaker. God help us!!!

Thousands of Bedouins live in impoverished villages with no bomb shelters, rocket sirens or Iron Dome cover. At least 15 were killed in the Oct. 7 terror attack.
https://www.nbcnews.com/now
Oct. 14, 2023, 4:00 AM CDT
By Rich Schapiro and Khalid Razak

The shirtless man drops to one knee and begs for his life in Arabic, but he receives no mercy. A Hamas terrorist lifts his boot and lands two blows to the man’s bare torso. Then a second gunman kicks him in the side, followed by a third, propelling him to the ground.

The grim scene unfolded at the kibbutz Re’im on the morning of Oct. 7 and was recorded by a dashboard camera.

The victim was Osama Abu Asa, a security guard who watched over stores in the Jewish community 5 miles from the Gaza border. He was pleading in Arabic to the terrorists, for he was an Arab himself — one of thousands of minority tribespeople living in shantytowns in Israel’s Negev desert, essentially trapped between two worlds.

Osama Abu Asa.Courtesy Jawad Abu Asa

Abu Asa would not survive the morning: His body was later found with bullet wounds to the head and chest, his brother said.

“Osama was a good man,” the brother, Jawad Abu Asa, said in an interview, crying as he spoke. “He cared for his family, prayed on time and helped everyone, even the people of Gaza.”

Hamas’ surprise assault killed more than 1,300 people in Israel. The vast majority were Israeli Jews, but the dead also included Abu Asa and at least 14 other Bedouins, some of whom were killed in rocket attacks on their villages.

The Bedouins are descendants of Arab nomads who roamed the desert for hundreds of years, herding sheep, goats and camels.



A Bedouin shepherd takes care of his sheep in the village of Al-Khan Al-Ahmar in Israel, in January. Saeed Qaq / /SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images file


But in the aftermath of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, most of the Bedouins living in the southern Negev fled the area or were forced out, relocating to Jordan, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza. Israeli authorities concentrated those who remained into a smaller patch of desert, and later sought to move them into newly built townships.

But many refused, reluctant to give up their ancient way of life.

There are now about 300,000 Bedouins in the Negev.

An estimated 100,000 live in villages without electricity, running water and paved roads. Since the villages are not officially recognized by the government, it is illegal for the Bedouins to build permanent homes. They live in small hovels, under constant threat of demolition, in communities that lack rocket sirens, bomb shelters and cover from Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

For decades the Bedouins have sought to have their villages recognized by the Israeli state and provided basic services as well as protection from rocket attacks.

But their pleas have largely gone unheeded.

The Hamas slaughter of Bedouins has laid bare their precarious existence and exacerbated long-held grievances against the government.

“As citizens of Israel and as Palestinians, we are suffering twice,” said Bedouin leader Talab el-Sana, a former Knesset member and a lawyer who provides legal assistance to those who live in dire poverty in the unrecognized villages. “We suffer from Israel’s discriminatory policies and we suffer from attacks by Hamas, living without shelters and nothing to protect us from the bombs.”

At least seven Bedouins were killed by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, including a 6-year-old boy, according to local officials. Some eight others were gunned down while working in rural Jewish communities near Gaza, where Hamas is based.

Rocket damage in Arara, one of the seven Bedouin townships established by the Israeli government.Courtesy Jawad Abu Asa

Another seven Bedouins are believed to have been abducted by the terrorists and taken back to Gaza.

Yazan Zakaria Abu Juma, 6, was playing on a street in the Bedouin township of Arara when a rocket shell dropped from the sky.

“I was close to where the shell fell, and I saw people running terrified, trying to protect themselves,” said Abu Juma’s cousin, Khaled Abu Juma.

Arara is one of seven townships established by the government for the Bedouins from 1968 to 1989. As such, it has more services than the dozens of villages where Bedouins have stayed put.

Six people were killed by rocket fire in one of the unapproved villages, Al-Bat. The dead included two brothers, ages 11 and 12.

Faiza Abu Subaih, 57, was inside her makeshift home, making breakfast for her grandchildren, when rockets landed on the sheet metal roof without any warning, family members said.

Abu Subaih died on the spot, as did her 13-year-old granddaughter, May Zuhair Abu Subaih.
“If my cousin lived in a real house, she would not have been killed," Ali Abu Subaih said, referring to Faiza

Abu Subaih said most people in the village were in their homes when the rockets began to fall because it was an official holiday.

"There are no sirens in our village for this," he said.

Abu Subaih noted that he and his family have no interest in moving to one of the more urban townships because “we, Bedouins, have a different lifestyle than those who live in cities.”

But life at the more than two dozen unrecognized villages is harsh. Unlike the nearby Jewish communities, they lack basic infrastructure such as sewers and services such as trash collection. The few schools are often a long, bumpy bus ride away.

Clothes hang on a laundry line in Khan al-Ahmar, one of Israel's more than two dozen unrecognized villages, in January.Issam Rimawi / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images file

“They are the poorest of the poor in Israel, with the lowest education levels in the country,” said Yeela Raanan, general manager of the Regional Council for the Unrecognized Villages in the Negev.

Over the years, some Bedouin villages have gained recognition from the government. But 28 of the 46 remained unrecognized, Raanan said, leaving them in a form of limbo.

“The homes are built in the cheapest manner they can with the expectation that they will be demolished by the government,” Raanan added.

That makes them particularly vulnerable when war breaks out. Israel has distributed mobile concrete bomb shelters to some places in the south, but not to the Bedouin villages.

“Every time there is a war with Gaza, they are exposed to the danger of the missiles without anywhere to go,” Raanan said.



Children play next to a woman in the village of Khan al-Ahmar in Israel, on January.Saeed Qaq / SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images file

The mayor of the Bedouins’ largest town, Rahat, said he lost three of his own family members in last weekend's attack.

“We were surprised by what Hamas did,” Mayor Ata Abu Mudegem told NBC News. “We are peaceful Arabs who live in the south of the country.”

Bedouins have long played a crucial role in the Israeli military, prized for their tracking ability in the desert. Bedouin trackers are said to have uncovered one of the first Hamas tunnels along the Gaza border and stopped commanding officers from stepping on bombs hidden along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.

The military offers one of the clearest pathways for Bedouins to escape poverty, but it also means the prospect of engaging in warfare against members of their own people.

The brother of Osama Abu Asa, the man seen in the video, said he had never served in the Israeli army. The father of a 4-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl, he worked a security job at a school before he took on a new role two months ago watching over stores in Ke’im.

“My brother is an Arab just like them and not a soldier,” said the victim’s brother, Jawad Abu Asa.
The video that captured the beating came from Osama Abu Asa’s car. His brother said the gunmen took him to another location and shot him twice. Israeli solders later recovered the body and returned it to his family.

“Hamas are people who have no mercy in their hearts,” he said.

I hope you away-travelers saved your appetites and didn't load up on that deep-dish because this victory is going to be magically delicious!

We are going to win today, and it might not be close. The moist conditions will turn out to be a good thing because it will force Riley and Caleb to go for shorter, quicker routes and also to bank on Lloyd. Our defense won't need a stellar performance because the ND offense is...offensive.

...and now, to get you in the mood for the contest, please enjoy three Bushes pushing it!

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The quintessential Marv Goux moment for this series would happen in South Bend the Friday before the game in Notre Dame Stadium because that was where, as he told his USC players, "they got me." On a clip where he'd locate the exact spot on the field, he drew the entire USC team around him and prepared them for what was to come and what he expected from them.

Coach Goux would gather us around him, telling us a story about a young player at USC who, although undersized and outweighed, started at center and middle linebacker. This player was the pinnacle of desire and hard work, often leading by example and inspirational speeches during a game. His love of the game was unmatched.

As he spoke, he wandered around the field, always starting down by the end zone and slowly working his way out toward mid-field as he stayed in the middle of all the players. During much of the story, he would stare down at the field, kickin' and pawing at it with the bottoms of his shoes. From the first time I witnessed this ritual, it seemed that he was actually looking for something. I was wrong. He wasn't looking for something. He was looking for a spot. As he continued the story, this absolute pillar of strength and determination, the cornerstone of the entire football program at USC, a man who had been at McKay's side every step of the way, the defensive line coach, started breaking down.

I remember elbowing the guy next to me and asking, "What's happening to him?" A few years ahead of me, the player turned with tears streaming down his face, saying, "Shut up." Coach Goux started moving around the field, faster and faster, as we struggled to stay with him. In one lightning bolt of gut-wrenching passion, he screamed out, "Where is it, where is it?" as he crisply walked around, sometimes in circles like he was getting close, all the time looking down at the Notre Dame Stadium's grass. Tears flowing like a river.

Then, in a split second, in a moment of recognition, this man exploded into a sick combination of Pain, Regret, Fear, Determination, Desire, Retribution, Passion, and Sorrow. Crying in an uncontrollable manner, bawling, and weeping. Coach Goux then snaps his head up to expose himself to us. So that we would always know. So that we will never forget. The face I looked into was unrecognizable to me. I didn't yet know what IT was. Coach Goux was possessed with all that his life had been and all that his life was at that point. Like a big cat, he spun around and ensured every player made direct eye contact with him.

"This is the spot," he screamed, looking down again. "This is the spot." Looking up at us, he said, "This is where they got me," his voice trailing off. Instinctively, we all started backing up, until Coach Goux stood alone, looking down at the grass and pawing at it with his shoes. I realized that the player in the story was him. For what seemed like minutes, you could hear a pin drop, as we watched this man deal with the moment that ended his dreams as a player, forever.

When he looked up again, the meaning, the feeling that makes this football program what it is. That thing that makes USC football special, whatever it is, shined like a lighthouse beam in the Indiana night from his eyes.

"I wouldn't trade my time as a USC football player for anything." Then he said while looking down and getting more and more animated, "I was clipped from behind right here," as he pointed at the grass. "Got me in my lower back and hip," he growled.

I don't recall seeing anger in a man's eyes, like his at that moment. "Get in here," he demanded as the entire team closed on him. "Tighter, tighter, until you can't breathe. Now listen to me. Notre Dame ended my dream as a player. They ended it right here, where we stand together. I'll never be able to forget it or change it. I can, however, bring a football team here every other year with the best players the world has ever seen. A football team that is a great big family. A team who loves each other will go to war for each other. A team that doesn't care about the last play. A team full of men whose only, living, breathing desire is to be allowed by God one more opportunity to hit a Notre Dame football player as hard as humanly possible."

The tears were flowing, and we were mesmerized by the entire experience. The team's emotions were on the table for Coach Goux to mold. He paused, so as to look you in the eye. Then he looked down and started to shake his head back and forth. Still looking down, he slowly said with a deep voice, "I can't hit them anymore, but God knows I want to. More than awakening tomorrow morning, I want another shot at a Notre Dame football player. Just so I could send the clear message that the University of Southern California's football team was in town and that today will end in pain for you, your team, your fans, and your school. That USC was here, and we're taking everything you have."

His head rose up. "There won't be anything left when we're done here," he screamed. At this point, the entire team exploded together.

"They got me, but they're not going to get you. They ****ed me right here, but they're not going to **** you. Not tomorrow, not tomorrow. Tomorrow, we wake as one. Tomorrow, we take the body. Tomorrow, every man on this team will attack his opponent in a way that has never been seen before. Tomorrow, we are relentless. Tomorrow, we play the most powerful brand of football ever seen. Tomorrow, we are devastating, play after play, every man until the final whistle. We won't even look up at the scoreboard during the game. If I see any man look up at the scoreboard, I'll kill him. **** the score, we came here for more than that. Tomorrow, we take a program's heart and tear it to pieces with our bare hands. Tomorrow, we play with Pride and Dignity. Every play, every player on the field for Notre Dame gets knocked to the ground. All of them, every play. Then, you reach down to help them back up. That's who we are. Tomorrow, we play like MEN. Tomorrow, we play like TROJANS.

If you didn't hear him on the podcast, here's more from InsideNDSports.com publisher Tyler James on this matchup from the Notre Dame perspective:

Stanford is taking Colorado to OT at Colorado! But SC destroyed Stanford and only beat Colorado by a TD! Colorado should be winning by 50 pts! This makes no sense my head is about to explode. Does not compute!!!!

can't believe there isn't a post regarding last night's game

This is a full one!

The secretary of state’s trip to Jordan comes after he met with officials in Israel.


Oct. 13, 2023, 5:48 AM CDT / Updated Oct. 13, 2023, 8:49 AM CDT
By Rebecca Shabad

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman to discuss the fallout from Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, especially repercussions in the occupied West Bank.

During their meeting, Blinken reiterated "the United States’ unequivocal condemnation of the abhorrent terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel" and "detailed U.S. efforts to coordinate with partners to prevent the conflict from widening," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a readout.

"The Secretary extended his condolences to the families of Palestinian civilian victims of this conflict, and reiterated that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to dignity, freedom, justice, and self-determination," Miller said.

Blinken also thanked Abbas for his efforts to "further calm" the region and he "reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to cooperation with the Palestinian leadership and people on efforts to ensure security for all," Miller added.

The secretary's trip to Jordan, along much of Israel’s eastern border, comes after he met with officials in Israel, as well as people directly affected by the attack and war, which has killed more than 1,300 in Israel, including at least 27 Americans. In Gaza, more than 1,500 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, with fears of a humanitarian crisis mounting.

Blinken also met in Jordan with King Abdullah II, who has been in touch with President Joe Biden since the crisis in Gaza erupted. The Jordanian leader has served as a key mediator in Middle East-related negotiations for decades.
Blinken and Abdullah discussed "the horrific Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel," Miller said in a separate statement. They also talked about “efforts to secure the release of all hostages and prevent the conflict from widening."

Blinken “underscored that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination and discussed ways to address the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza while Israel conducts legitimate security operations to defend itself from terrorists,” Miller added.

Abbas heads the Palestinian Authority, which partially administers the West Bank. His Fatah movement is a rival of Hamas, which controls Gaza.
Abbas is under pressure from Palestinians because of the Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the Gaza Strip and the devastating Israeli airstrikes on Gaza in response to Hamas’ attack. The Israeli military on Friday ordered residents of northern Gaza to evacuate south, raising fears that a potential ground assault may be imminent.

While Blinken met with Israeli officials Thursday, Abdullah spoke with Abbas separately and discussed “ways to stop the all-out aggression against our Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,” according to the Palestinian News & Information Agency, or WAFA.

During their conversation, Abbas called for an immediate end to aggression toward Palestinians and the need to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as water and electricity in the enclave that Israel cut off as part of a total siege. The news agency said Abbas called for political action to end Israel’s occupation but also said that on both sides of the conflict, civilians, prisoners and detainees should be released.

Abbas reaffirmed his belief that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the legitimate group representing all Palestinians, not Hamas, a reminder of how opposed the two groups are.

“We emphasize the policy of the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, which renounce violence and adheres to international legitimacy, peaceful popular resistance, and political action as a path to achieving our national goals of freedom and independence, leading to ending the occupation and embodying the independence of our Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders,” Abbas said in a statement.

It’s unclear how much influence Abbas might have under the current circumstances, as the PLO and Hamas have largely been adversaries for almost two decades, with Hamas dismissing all agreements between the PLO and Israel.
In a 2006 election, the secular Fatah party of which Abbas serves as chairman lost its majority in the Palestinian territories to Hamas. Hamas took violent control of Gaza in 2007 and, since then, there has been ongoing conflict between Hamas and the PLO.

Blinken, who has been addressing concerns about the residents of Gaza, said Thursday that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had discussed “possibilities for safe passage for civilians who want to leave or get out of the way in Gaza.”

“That’s a conversation, a discussion, that we will pursue in the coming days, including with some of the countries that we’ll be visiting,” he said.

After Jordan, Blinken is expected to meet with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Qatar.

Ken Tran
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – House Republicans, befallen by disorder and infighting, nominated Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio., for speaker after an internal secret ballot vote behind closed-doors Friday, marking another step towards electing a new leader as the lower chamber is in its 10th day without a speaker.

Jordan, the House Judiciary Committee chair, defeated Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., who made a surprise entrance into the speaker’s race hours earlier as an anti-Jordan alternative.

The conference’s nomination however, is just a formal endorsement from the majority of GOP lawmakers. For Jordan to become speaker, he will still have to rally an overwhelming majority of House Republicans behind him to win a vote on the floor with 217 votes, the magic number needed to get the top job.

It’s uncertain if Jordan will be able to persuade Scott’s supporters to flip ahead of a possible floor vote which could happen as early as Friday afternoon.

A House divided​

The divisions within the House Republican conference were on another display Thursday evening when House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., withdrew from the speaker's race despite the conference's formal nomination of him just the day before. Scalise defeated Jordan for the nomination in an internal secret ballot vote of 113-99.

Moments after being nominated and just when it appeared GOP lawmakers could elect a new speaker, it became apparent Scalise did not have the support necessary to unite House Republicans, mainly due to his leadership position commonly being viewed as a continuation of the status quo after McCarthy's ouster.

Scalise's opponents instead pushed for Jordan to serve as speaker even though the Ohio Republican lost the nomination. With Scalise dropping out of the race, Jordan is widely perceived to be the most competitive speaker candidate but it is unclear if he can shore up enough support to become the speaker.

Ahead of a looming government shutdown and a key U.S. ally in Israel fighting a quickly intensifying war with Hamas militants, a sense of urgency has arisen within House Republicans to elect a new speaker.

Jordan's potential ascendancy to the speakership would be a significant turn-around for the Ohio Republican who entered Congress in 2007 as a conservative bomb-thrower who was a thorn in the sides of GOP leadership. He was also a co-founding member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and served as the group's first chair.

Also a close ally to former President Donald Trump, Jordan did not vote to certify President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election. As chair of the powerful Judiciary Committee, Jordan is one of the few key lawmakers spearheading House Republicans' impeachment inquiry into Biden.

Despite his hard-right conservative credentials, Jordan has slowly drifted toward GOP leadership as an ally, notably supporting McCarthy's speakership bid back in January when the California Republican endured 15 ballots in pursuit of the gavel.

Scott on the other hand entered Congress in 2011 and is considered a rank-and-file member. Scott's candidacy for the speakership reflects the anger and heightened emotions that have taken hold over House Republicans as they seemingly cannot coalesce behind a single leader.

"It makes us look like a bunch of idiots," Scott told CNN about the speaker's race Thursday evening.

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Four-star point guard Trent Perry from Harvard-Westlake will be making his college commitment announcement tonight at 7:45 p.m. (halftime of his team's game at the Top Flight Invite/Border League event in Las Vegas. The announcement will be shown on ESPN+, and Perry will decide between USC, Gonzaga, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford and TCU. The Trojans head into the announcement as the favorite.

He took an official visit to USC over the summer and he continued making trips throughout the fall including his final OV that was out to Stanford just a couple weeks ago.

Andy Enfield and associate head coach Chris Capko have done a nice job in their pursuit of the top-60 prospect. UCLA had been the front runner early in the summer but eventually the Trojans moved into the spot of favorite. I've watched a lot of Perry over the last couple seasons and he continues to make improvements heading into his senior season.

He will be a nice piece for the Trojans if he does end up going with USC, and he has the ability to play on or off the ball if needed. Harvard-Westlake is well coached and lost just two games last season. He will head to college well prepared to be an immediate impact player.

Below is some video I shot of him last season at the Classic at Damien.

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This is a good one! Check it out:

Our resident TrojanSports.com analyst Max Browne joins me to cover the storylines of the week -- including Lincoln Riley's outspoken thoughts on the defense -- and to look ahead to USC-Notre Dame.

Notre Dame insider Tyler James also joins the show to break down the Fighting Irish and share his score prediction.

And the LA Times Ryan Kartje discusses his feature story this week on Lincoln Riley and how the last year has made him think about his football future.

LISTEN HERE