Friends,

Welcome back to our Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse. Today we examine:

— The Republicans are playing into Putin’s plan to take over Ukraine. Whatever happened to the GOP that was hawkish on Russia?

— Israel shifts to bombing southern Gaza. More children have been killed in Gaza since October 7 than all the children killed in every world conflict in 2022. Why isn’t Biden doing more to restrain Netanyahu?

— Biden’s confusion about the upcoming election, saying on Tuesday that he wouldn’t be running if Trump weren’t running, and saying on Wednesday that “fifty” Democrats could beat Trump. Why is Biden off message?

— Trump’s age and his gaffes. Why is he getting a free pass from the media?

— The jobs report has a lot of good news for Biden. So why aren’t more people enthusiastic about the Biden economy?

— Voters want to hear that Biden is on the side of the people rather than the powerful. Why isn’t Biden making this case? Why isn’t he advocating higher corporate taxes on companies with the highest ratio of CEO pay to median worker pay?

— Norman Lear died this week. He was one of the most creative and important forces in American entertainment — and, indirectly, American politics.

Here’s something I’ve been hiding for years — when I guest hosted for Bill O’Reilly on Fox News in 2001. It was a different era.

Have a look:

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