Join Tony Perkins on today’s edition of Washington Watch as he unravels the complex layers of political maneuvering that have led to the current government shutdown. With voices from both sides of the aisle, including insight from Congressman Michael Cloud and numerous experts, listeners gain an understanding of the issues at stake, from Obamacare subsidies to Medicaid funding and troop deployments in major cities. Amidst domestic tumult, global peace discussions involving Hamas and Israel take center stage, offering a glimmer of optimism for the future.
SPEAKER 15 :
From the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview, Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
SPEAKER 19 :
Democrats own this. They own any lapse in funding for critical food aid programs, just as they own every other negative effect of the shutdown.
SPEAKER 20 :
That was Senate Majority Leader John Thune saying Democrats are responsible for the fallout from the funding lapse as the government shutdown enters day six. Welcome to this October 6th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, it is day six of the government shutdown. Texas Congressman Michael Cloud joins me shortly to discuss whether there’s any sign of an agreement on the horizon. And over the weekend, a private memorial service was held for Dr. James Dobson, one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century. Dr. Dobson not only founded Focus on the Family, but several other organizations, including the Family Research Council back in 1983. Dr. Dobson played a key role in helping shape the faith and family values of an entire generation. Former Congresswoman Michelle Bachman will join me later as we honor his legacy. Well, House Republicans passed a plan to keep the government open through November, allowing time for the appropriations bills to make their way through the process. But Senate Democrats continue to push a rival bill that would increase federal spending by roughly $1.5 trillion. But that measure has repeatedly failed to gain enough support in the Senate. Will they drop it and allow the government to reopen? Joining me now is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper. So Casey, what are you hearing as this Democrat-led shutdown enters day six?
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, Tony. Well, we’re six days into the shutdown, but we’re not any closer apparently to seeing any kind of deal made. And House Speaker Mike Johnson, he’s urging Democrats stop the madness and come to the table.
SPEAKER 18 :
We need a handful of Democrats to stop the madness, reopen the government so that we can get to these critical debates about the year-end policy decisions with regard to the further reforms to healthcare.
SPEAKER 01 :
So the Senate is expected to vote down two plans to reopen the government today, one likely even during this program. And meanwhile, the House, they’re on recess, Tony, of course, and the Senate Democrats, they’re pushing their own plan, but that’s expected to fail as well. So Speaker Johnson, he says the Democrats are just playing politics instead of working on the real solutions. Meanwhile, the White House, they’re warning of job losses if the shutdown drags on, Tony.
SPEAKER 20 :
Well, obviously, we’re going to continue to watch it. But as you said, even in my conversations with members over the weekend, it doesn’t look good for this reopening anytime soon. So let’s move on, Casey. Cities like Portland and Chicago are dealing with ongoing protests and unrest but are rejecting federal assistance. What’s the latest on the move to send federal troops, National Guard, to many of these big cities?
SPEAKER 01 :
Sure, we have some big rulings coming in, Tony. So a federal judge in Oregon blocked President Trump’s plan to send National Guard troops to Portland. That judge said that there’s no need to send those troops despite the ongoing protests that we’ve seen in footage we’ve seen out of Portland. Now, Illinois and the city of Chicago, they filed their own lawsuit along the same lines of an argument saying, hey, we don’t want these troops either. But breaking news just came out actually that the judge declined that lawsuit. So it seems that Trump, at least for now, has the go-ahead. And the lawsuit, of course, it comes as the Trump administration, they’re planning to send 700 total troops, 300 from Illinois, 400 from Texas that have been federalized into the city of Chicago, which is known for its high homicide rate. Now, the president says that Democrat-led cities are plagued by lawlessness, and that Chicago is a good example of that. But local officials, they argue the federal involvement, it only makes things worse. And, of course, they say the lawsuit claims no American should face military action because of political reasons or disagreeing with the president.
SPEAKER 20 :
Casey, speaking of Blue Cities, there’s a new program in the Seattle schools that’s raising alarms among parents. What’s going on in Seattle?
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, this is a pretty troubling story out of Seattle, Tony. Seattle Public Schools are reportedly giving gender transition products like chest binders and tucking underwear to middle and high school students without telling the parents. Yeah, you heard that right. So these items are being provided by Seattle Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital, and they’re being put into school lockers without parental notification or consent, according to the report. And it’s all part of this growing push to promote gender ideology in schools and keep the parents in the dark. Now, the timing’s interesting because just before the Supreme Court tomorrow, actually, is Childs v. Salazar. It’s a major case where a Christian counselor in Colorado, she uses biblical and faith-based counseling to help teenagers struggling with their so-called gender identity issues. Now, this counselor, though, is in hot water because Colorado, like many states, has now banned using the Bible to counsel students who are thinking about some kind of gender transition. Naturally, she argues, hey, this violates free speech. It violates my religious freedom rights. In this case, Tony, before the Supreme Court, it could have precedent that affects laws that are similar in about 30 states.
SPEAKER 20 :
Well, I would say this is a critical issue. We’ve been tracking this issue. This is not the first time the issue of transgenderism has gotten to the Supreme Court. And this really calls for prayer as well as action. And tomorrow on Washington Watch, we’re going to have attorneys handling the case. They’re going to join us to kind of break down the oral arguments and unpack the importance, as you say, that this case has, not just for counselors in Colorado, but counselors all across the nation. Plus, moms and dads around the country as well. Casey, I want to turn to the Middle East. What’s the latest on the cease-fire negotiations between Hamas and Israel that’s taking place in Egypt today?
SPEAKER 01 :
Sure. So we have some high stakes but sort of indirect talks that are taking place in Egypt to push forward President Trump’s peace plan to end the Gaza war. Now Hamas, they’ve only partially agreed and they rejected some major parts of that plan Maybe foremost was disarmament, which has really concerned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did say the hostages could be released any day now. Now, Trump and his team, which includes Jared Kushner, they’re pressing for swift action. Let’s get this done. The 20-point plan, it calls for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and a future for Gaza free from Hamas control, though Hamas isn’t totally on board with that. It’s still being worked out. And this 20-point plan, Trump’s really touting it. He’s trying to get the deal done to end this war that Hamas kicked off almost two years ago to the day. So Israeli officials, they made clear there’s no official ceasefire yet, Tony, only a temporary pause in the airstrikes. And they’re ready for the IDF to go back in if Hamas bucks this deal. All right. Thanks so much, Casey. Appreciate it.
SPEAKER 20 :
All right. Joining me now to discuss the latest on the government shutdown is Congressman Michael Cloud, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. He represents the 27th Congressional District of Texas. Congressman Cloud, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us. Well, thank you. Good to be talking with you today, Tony. Day six of the government shutdown. The Senate is set to reconvene at 530. And so that’s about 15, 20 minutes. And for the fifth time, they’re going to be voting on the House’s the clean CR, the pass out of the House. What are we hearing?
SPEAKER 06 :
Unfortunately, not too much out of the Senate. This is all really in Schumer’s hands. We’ve passed it out of the House with bipartisan support. This should be an easy win for the Senate to get this moving so we can continue the discussions. as we move forward on the appropriations bills that are designed to fund the government. But for people who, they will tout the slogan, people before politics, but this is all about politics. This is legislation that they voted on several times in the past, have encouraged us to support before. And now that the president’s in the White House and we’re working to keep the funding bill, funding going so that we can continue our work in Congress. They don’t want to see that happen. And so this is unfortunately all about the politics. Some of it might be local when it comes to Schumer with his district, what he’s facing. But yeah, this isn’t about the issues.
SPEAKER 20 :
But to be fair, some senators on the other side of the aisle have, I guess, seen the light, if you will. We now have three members of the Senate from the other side of the aisle that have joined the Republicans in voting for the CR. That’s up from one at the first vote, but we need eight.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 20 :
I think. Do you think the pressure will build enough that we might see eight Democrats join?
SPEAKER 06 :
You know, it’s going to get really tough, especially as, you know, I know the thing that’s on the concern of so many of us, you know, most Americans go about their work day and aren’t involved in the government day to day. This is one of those things where in D.C., a government shutdown seems to be all the news. Most Americans aren’t thinking about it every single second. But the one thing it does certainly affect is our men and women in uniform. And as we get close to their payday, it Hopefully the Senate Dems can see the right thing and move this forward so we can continue our work and make sure that they get paid.
SPEAKER 20 :
So let’s talk about really what’s at the heart of this, Congressman Cloud. The Democrats want to continue these subsidies to Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act, which were expanded during COVID. And they were funded with more government money through the rescue plan under Biden. And they’re expiring now. But it’s going back to what it was prior to COVID.
SPEAKER 06 :
Exactly. There’s a lot of fraud. There’s a lot of waste that’s gone on to the tune of $40 billion a year. And so a lot of what we’ve been doing and working on, whether it was in the legislation passed earlier in the year that they’re also trying to push back on in this the effort that they have going on, or what they’re talking about, the current issues with Medicaid. But the issues are is that the insurance company’s been profiting massively off of the fraud. We need to clean it up. Everything we’re working on is to make sure that this doesn’t happen. And so you have people who, for example, aren’t even getting a premium. You have a lot of people enrolled in Medicaid who don’t even know they’re enrolled in Medicaid.
SPEAKER 20 :
You have people making up to $500,000 qualifying under these subsidies for Obamacare.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, and they don’t even get like a $2 a month premium. So many of them don’t even know they’re enrolled. And so you had insurance companies running these schemes where they would hire people or people were getting paid to enroll people. They think they’re signing up for a gift card and instead they’re enrolled for Medicaid. Many of them don’t even know they’re enrolled in Medicaid. And so this is about us getting back to, and this was all supposed to be temporary COVID.
SPEAKER 01 :
Right, right.
SPEAKER 06 :
What we saw under COVID over two years was the government grew about 30% in two years. And we were told it was all going to be temporary, right? This is just to help us get through in a pinch.
SPEAKER 20 :
And there’s even more to it. There’s even more to it because under Obamacare, unlike the normal appropriations under the labor, HHS and labor funding, there’s no Hyde Amendment here. So this money is funding abortion, direct government funding for these health care plans that fund abortion. And that’s what the Democrats want $1.5 trillion to do in part.
SPEAKER 06 :
yeah it’s funding abortion it’s funding illegals uh coming into our country um we’ve this is something taxpayers are like you know they understand uh with medicaid meeting those who are vulnerable those who are but this is not what what the the left is trying to do with this they want this program as a matter of fact one of the things we’ve been working to deal with is the fact that they incentivize the program seven times more than the vulnerable to get able-bodied single adult males basically have no kids at home should be in the workforce they’re incentivized seven times more in many of these states to get those kind of people in the role as opposed to the the people that the the program was designed for and so anytime we say you know we’re gonna we’re gonna fix this we’re gonna clean it up we’re gonna get rid of the waste fraud and abuse we’re gonna make sure this is tailored to the people who it was designed to, you’ll see the left go crazy because they’re all about big government, running as much dollars as we can through that.
SPEAKER 20 :
We just have about a minute left. Ultimately, the way I see this, Congressman Cloud, is that they don’t want to let go of this because this is their way to take over health care permanently in this country. with government.
SPEAKER 06 :
Exactly. I mean, that’s that’s been the role all along. They’ve destroyed the doctor patient relationship. Everything has to go through the government or through an insurer right now. And what we’ve seen is profits for these companies going up, but the results of care and the health of the American people going down. So it hasn’t worked. Even if it was the very best intentions, it hasn’t worked. Many of us would doubt those intentions because it’s been not about getting Americans more care. It’s about getting insurance companies more customers. That’s what all the ACA was all about. And this continues to push that dynamic. And that’s what they’re working to protect.
SPEAKER 20 :
If not now, when? I think this is a great time to draw the line and say enough is enough. Congressman Michael Cloud, always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us. Thank you. God bless you. All right. Going to talk Israel and Hamas next. Don’t go away.
SPEAKER 10 :
Three years ago, the Supreme Court issued its historic Dobbs decision, a ruling that overturned Roe versus Wade, which for nearly 50 years imposed abortion on demand, silencing voters and bypassing the democratic process across the country. The Dobbs decision was a huge step forward against abortion, but it didn’t outright ban it. It returned the power to the people. Now, 29 states have laws on the books protecting life. However, there’s a catch. Abortion numbers since Dobbs have actually gone up with an increase of 12% since 2020, climbing from 930,000 to over 1 million in each of the most recent years. So how can this be? The answer is simple, the abortion drug. Today, over 60% of US abortions involve abortion drugs, many of these without medical oversight. In 2021, the Biden administration quietly removed bare minimum longstanding safety protocols for the abortion drug that have existed for 20 years to protect women from life-threatening risks and ensuring informed consent. The Biden DOJ then declared that they would not enforce the Comstock Act, which prevents the mailing of anything that causes an abortion. This is not only illegal, but also dangerous. A study shows nearly 11% of women who take the abortion drug end up in the emergency room with serious complications. Unless the Trump administration reverses these reckless Biden-era policies, pro-life laws will remain largely symbolic. Without a full review and repeal of Mifepristone, unborn lives will remain in grave danger and pregnant mothers will remain at risk. Let’s stand for life and end this mail order abortion drug pipeline. Sign the petition urging the Trump administration to take action at frc.org slash stop chemical abortion.
SPEAKER 02 :
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. Family Research Council invites you to join our Stand on the Word Bible reading plan as we reflect upon the life of Jesus, the Word who dwelt among us. Come with us and discover the glory of the Word. Read the Gospels and witness the life-changing story of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. Come read how Jesus transformed the lives of common people and how those same people transformed the known world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Come with us for 10 to 15 minutes a day and read the entire New Testament before the new year. Find our Bible reading plan in daily devotionals from Tony Perkins at frc.org slash Bible. Join us and stand on the word.
SPEAKER 20 :
This is Washington Watch. I’m Tony Perkins, your host. Thanks for joining us on this Monday. The website, TonyPerkins.com. Also, you can find Washington Watch and the Washington Stand on the Stand Firm app. Go to the App Store and get the Stand Firm app. You also can have access to my morning devotion, Stand on the Word. All that can be found. on the Stand Firm app. By the way, coming up next week, October 17th and 18th, the PrayVote Stand Summit in Southern California at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. To register and find out more, go to PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org. All right, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas commenced today in Egypt to hash out details for a ceasefire and hostage release deal based on President Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza. Now, the president told reporters yesterday he expects the negotiations to take a couple of days, and in a post on Truth Social urged negotiators to move fast. But with the two sides, will the two sides be able to close the gaps as quickly as everyone would like? Joining me now to discuss this, Victoria Coates, former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Trump. She’s now vice president of the Heritage Foundation’s Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy. Victoria, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 08 :
Of course, Tony. Great to be with you.
SPEAKER 20 :
All right. The timing of this can’t be lost on people because tomorrow is the second anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack against Israel. We’re still talking about hostages being held. Are we closer to seeing an end to this war and these hostages being released?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, we certainly are a lot closer than I would have thought two weeks ago. And all credit to the President and Secretary Rubio for using the United Nations General Assembly maybe for the first time for a useful purpose, which was to have a lot of bilateral meetings with Muslim-majority nations in the region to hammer out this 20-point plan. And so while you had postures like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer recognizing some fictional Palestinian state at UNGA, you had the president and the secretary actually carrying out diplomacy to try to get to an end to this war. And we all know the reason we have to get there now is the hostages. The president has been a relentless advocate for them, for getting them out, because it’s now two years tomorrow. Just inhumane doesn’t even begin to sum it up.
SPEAKER 20 :
I just want to make this comment, a side comment along the way. You mentioned France. Macron ought to actually think about creating a French state. Their government seems to be collapsing over there.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes, I had that thought this morning as well when we saw that the most recent French prime minister didn’t last a day in the job. And so, you know, what is he doing trying to create a Palestinian state?
SPEAKER 20 :
Were they not the first in this latest go around to call for that Palestinian state and kind of be the first domino to fall there?
SPEAKER 08 :
Oh, yes. And I mean, they’ve come to visit me and explain the foolishness of my ways and why they were so wise to do that. And it’s going to bring peace. Like, no, this is going to bring the opposite of peace. Thank heavens for President Trump getting in there and saying, here is a deal. The Arabs can agree to it. The Israelis can agree to it. We’ve never been there before, collectively. for a sort of grand bargain between the two parties. This is new.
SPEAKER 20 :
Victoria, let me ask you this question. So the Hamas, they’re saying, in principle, we agree with this, but we’ve got a few things we need to negotiate about. One of them is whether or not they leave completely, let go of power, and let go of their weapons. I mean, that’s got to be non-negotiable for Israel.
SPEAKER 08 :
It is non-negotiable. Those are, of course, key points in the president’s plan. And he’s been very clear. This is the plan. There’s very little room for negotiations here. And we know what Hamas is saying behind the scenes, that they’re looking for loopholes. They’re looking for cracks that they can exploit. The president was explicit yesterday and today. If you do that, if you try to string us along, you know, all hell will break loose. And we’re starting to get some idea of what that might look like. It’s not pleasant for Hamas or the people of Gaza. But if that’s what has to happen, that has to happen. President’s giving them another option.
SPEAKER 20 :
How long can they string this? Because they’ve done this before. You know, you’ve seen this. Not the first time that they have kind of said, yeah, yeah, we agree with this in principle, only to fail to come to the table in totality.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I think the difference this time is President Trump has demonstrated this year that if you try to string him along and do some kind of diplomatic dance, he’s going to call you on it. We can ask the Iranians how they feel about going over their deadline and allowing then Israelis to go in, their 12-day war culminating in the strike of the B2 bombers by a president everybody thought was desperate for a deal. Guess what? He wasn’t. He was desperate to end the Iranian nuclear program that was a direct threat to the United States. So I think he sees Hamas as a direct threat to Israel. Israel is a great and good partner of the United States. If he can get this resolved diplomatically, he would prefer to, but he’s going to get it resolved.
SPEAKER 20 :
Victoria, you’re not new to this. You’ve been working on this issue of Israel, Hamas, Palestinians, the PA, Palestinian Authority, all of that. And are there any aspects of the 20-point plan that you’re concerned about?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, anything that’s dependent on Hamas is a concern, that they’re going to be a rational, normal, good faith actor. So you always have to watch all of that closely. But what’s okay about it, Tony, is it is conditional. Israel stays in Gaza. The Israeli forces stay in Gaza until certain conditions are met, and Israel has to certify those. So there’s no imminent departure of Israel on some Hamas timetable. The other thing is this is the first deal that is not predicated on the formation of a Palestinian state. That aspiration is left open and I believe point 19 out of 20, but that’s an aspiration for the the Palestinian people living in Gaza, and they may or may not get to the conditions required to get to some kind of self-determination. We’ll see. But that’s not the predicate for this deal. So that’s where I think this is acceptable. If the hostages come out, if the Israeli defense forces can stay in Gaza for the foreseeable future, this is acceptable.
SPEAKER 20 :
Victoria, you just have about a minute left. In this plan, it does, in one of the points, I think it might be point 16, that Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. So that really solidifies the 2005 withdrawal. Any concerns about that?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, we’ll see. Again, I don’t know how desirable that is for Israel if we are trying to use this deal to get to broader normalization in the region. I would see that as more important if the other conditions are met, if Hamas disarms, if they sue for amnesty or leave the Strip, if all of that takes place and we can get to, say, the Israel-Saudi deal that we would all love to see happen, if this is sort of what paves the way to that, I can live with that. But again, we’re going to have to see what Hamas does.
SPEAKER 20 :
All right. Victoria Coates, always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you, Tony.
SPEAKER 20 :
Victoria Coates. Well, continue to pray, folks, as those negotiations continue. All right. On the other side of the break, Kansas Senator Dr. Roger Marshall joins me. So don’t go away. More Washington Watch right ahead.
SPEAKER 01 :
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SPEAKER 13 :
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Here at Family Research Council, we face many threats to the family, threats that have been with us for some time. Abortion, the gender ideology threat, the attacks on marriage, the attacks on parental authority, and the attacks on religious freedom. We have to promote, support, strengthen, and incentivize family growth so families take their place in society in a place of honor.
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I’m defending the family by working in the Center for Biblical Worldview to provide cutting edge research and resources for pastors, ministry leaders, and Christian parents.
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Through my work at the Washington Stand, I passionately defend what God has defined for marriage and family. I don’t see the Washington Stand as just a place to talk about cultural events. It’s a place to share biblical truth with the perfect outlet to advance and defend what God has defined as good, true, and beautiful. Because of you, we’re able to frame things in such a way that help Christians stand for truth on the things that matter most, like life, faith, family, and freedom. Thank you for standing with us.
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Thank you for your support. It is so critical to the work that we at Family Research Council are doing day to day as we support and strengthen the family. So thank you.
SPEAKER 20 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in on this Monday. There’s been growing pushback against the Food and Drug Administration’s approval last week of a second generic version of the abortion drug, Mifeprestone. The decision was made just weeks after President Trump’s health officials told concerned Republicans on Capitol Hill that they were conducting a review of the safety of Mifeprestone. Well, at the end of the week, I spoke with Senator Roger Marshall, Dr. Marshall of Kansas, for my weekend program this week on Capitol Hill. And this is what Dr. Marshall, who has practiced medicine for 25 years, he’s an OBGYN, he’s delivered more than 5,000 babies. I want you to hear part of that conversation.
SPEAKER 16 :
This is disturbing news from the FDA. You know, I never, of course, prescribed those pills, but I took care of the complications. So women would go to Wichita, get these pills prescribed, they come back, and lo and behold, they’re having complications. About 11% of women have complications from these drugs, these abortion pills. They have hemorrhaging, infection, sepsis are the three main problems. And what no one tells them is they’re going to have a lot of pain and cramping as well. So it is very concerning what’s going on. And certainly I’m asking the FDA to step up this review process.
SPEAKER 20 :
Yeah, I mean, that was just three weeks ago. The Secretary of Health and Human Services said that they’re going to look at this. There was another announcement about it. But yet the approval in the 11th hour before government shutdown is like they got this across the threshold to approve a generic version, making it cheaper. Clearly expanding it and creating more of a conflict among the states because we now have states like New York and California mailing these into pro-life states. In fact, the attorney general of Louisiana this week issuing an arrest warrant for a doctor in California.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, you know, Tony, there’s no other drug out there that would be allowed to be prescribed without a doctor seeing them in person, a drug with this many side effects. So this is the abortion industry came in under Joe Biden and allowed this to be prescribed like candy, right, without seeing a doctor in person. You know, and here’s my concern. So beyond just the side effects of this drug, women are typically off a month on their dates, how far along they are. The further you are along in this pregnancy, the bigger chance of the drug failing. failing not to cause the abortion. These are category X drugs and cause significant fetal anomalies fairly commonly. So, you know, one more piece of the picture that’s not being documented, one more reason why we need to demand an ultrasound be done before these abortion pills are prescribed. And again, I’m a little bit shocked that this came out at the 11th hour as well. And already today, I’ve got my phone calls out to the FDA and asking what’s happening here.
SPEAKER 20 :
And Dr. Marshall, to the underlying issue that you bring up, the policies were changed during the Biden administration during COVID. Telemedicine and no in-personal consultation. That’s been changed for pretty much everything else but the abortion pill. That policy remains in effect. for the most part, undermines what Dobbs recognized, and that was the Dobbs decision from the Supreme Court, recognizing that the states have the right to pass pro-life laws. That’s being undermined by this federal policy.
SPEAKER 16 :
Exactly. And certainly, we would like to think that President Trump has been the most pro-life president we’ve ever seen. Thank goodness for the Supreme Court nominees that he was able to appoint. I think that was divine that he was able to do that. But this policy’s kind of something that needs to be addressed by the administration. And I’ve been patient. You’ve been patient. I really think we need to take the next couple of weeks. Your listeners, you, me, all of our friends up here on Capitol Hill need to put pressure on FDA to say, what is going on with this? Why are we allowing this drug to be prescribed without an in-person visit with a physician as well as an ultrasound being done? This is not candy that they’re handing out. This is a serious drug with potentially life-threatening complications.
SPEAKER 20 :
And folks, if you’d like to weigh in on this, you can text the word life to six, seven, seven, four, two. That’s life to six, seven, seven, four, two. All right, Senator, just have a little over a minute left. I want to get your thoughts on the government shutdown. I know a lot of conversations taking place between senators. Do you see movement?
SPEAKER 16 :
I don’t see anything in sight right now. And the difference between this and others is this is absolutely a political shutdown that Chuck Schumer is responding to AOC, the Marxist left, the radical national media has pushed him into this corner, forcing him to do this. So he’s got to wait until AOC and Bernie and the national media say, OK, you’ve taken this hostage long enough. Now it’s go ahead in time to open the government back up right now. So we’re waiting to see who blinks first. I don’t think this is a policy issue. I think it’s political, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER 20 :
It makes perfect sense. 20 seconds left. Do the Democrats play pay a political price for this?
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, I do. I think every day Americans wake up and realize that a shutdown is not such a good idea as well. I think that they’re going to have to shoot the hostage over these ACA COVID-era subsidies. Again, COVID-era subsidies that need to end sooner than later. So I think every day the Democrats go down this hill and more and more Americans are disgruntled. Their favorability rating is 19 percent now, an all-time low.
SPEAKER 20 :
All right, Dr. Marshall, thanks so much for joining us. That was part of my conversation with Dr. Roger Marshall of Kansas during the weekend program this week on Capitol Hill. You can watch the full episode by going to the Stand Firm app. If you don’t have the app, go to the App Store and get the Stand Firm app. And you can watch that whole interview. By the way, I need your help on this. We need you to speak into this issue. Text the word LIFE to 67742. The Trump administration must take immediate and decisive action to end this Biden era policy that has allowed these dangerous abortion drugs to be mailed into states across the country, even pro-life states. So sign the petition and call on the Trump administration to restore and strengthen the FDA safety standards for Mifeprestone and protect unborn children and respect the law of the laws of these pro-life states. So text the word LIFE to 67742. That’s LIFE to 67742 and call upon the Trump administration to protect the rights of states to protect the unborn. All right, after the break, I’ll be joined by former Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann to talk about the life and legacy of Dr. James Dobson, whose memorial service was held over the weekend in Denver. So stay with us.
SPEAKER 09 :
Family Research Council is committed to advancing faith, family, and freedom from the East Coast to the West. So FRC is going to Southern California for this year’s Pray, Vote, Stand Summit, October 17th and 18th at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. Join us for this powerful gathering of Christians desiring cultural renewal and spiritual revival. The Pray, Vote, Stand Summit brings together Christian leaders, issue experts, and government officials for a time of prayer, inspiration, and action. Together, we will seek God’s guidance for our nation and engage in meaningful discussions on the intersection of faith, government, and culture. If the spiritual foundations and the cultural walls of our nation are to be rebuilt, we all have a role to play. May we each find our place on the wall as we build for biblical truth. Register now at PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org.
SPEAKER 03 :
Jennifer, it’s so exciting to be here with you today talking about our new book, Embracing God’s Design. Who is actually going to benefit from reading this book in your view?
SPEAKER 14 :
There’s so many different audiences that can benefit. The first one are counselors themselves, right? Because we have some material in there where we really address the gender dysphoria diagnosis and what is wrong with it. We have information for people who are wanting to go back to embracing God’s design for their life.
SPEAKER 03 :
This is really magical to have the therapist and the individual who suffered come together and write about why this is happening and why we’re seeing this.
SPEAKER 14 :
And we brought all of that experience to the table. We want to see people walking in the fullness of who God has called them to be and not a false identity.
SPEAKER 03 :
Order today at embracethedesign.com.
SPEAKER 11 :
How should Christians think about the thorny issues shaping our culture? How should Christians address deceitful ideas like transgenderism, critical theory, or assisted suicide? How can Christians navigate raising children in a broken culture, the war on gender roles, or rebuilding our once great nation? Outstanding is a podcast from The Washington Stand dedicated to these critical conversations. Outstanding seeks to tear down what our corrupt culture lifts up with an aim to take every thought and every idea captive to the obedience of Christ. Whether policies or partisan politics, whether conflict in America or conflict abroad, join us and our guests as we examine the headlines through the lens of Scripture. and explore how Christians can faithfully exalt Christ in all of life. Follow Outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week.
SPEAKER 20 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us on this Monday. All right, next week, like-minded believers from across the nation will gather at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills in California for the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit, a powerful time of truth, conviction, and courage, something that’s very much needed in our day and age. So one of the questions we’re going to be wrestling with is, how do we communicate truth in an increasingly hostile world? Well, together, we’re going to confront some of the most pressing questions of our day and equip you to be able to talk about them as well. How should Christians approach the rise of artificial intelligence? Is America on the verge of spiritual awakening? What about the sanctity of human life? And why must believers stand with Israel? We’re going to talk about that. We’re also going to hear profiles in Christian Courage from leaders who are standing strong, state representatives, pastors, and others who are standing and living out their faith in the public square. So I want to invite you personally to join us October 17th and 18th at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills for this inspiring and motivating gathering. Come ready to be informed, equipped, and encouraged to stand for truth without fear. To learn more, enter register, visit PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org. Our word for today comes from 2 Corinthians 1. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experience in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril and he will deliver us on him. We have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer. So Paul begins this letter affirming his calling. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. Yet that divine calling did not spare him from hardship. On the contrary, he faced pressures so severe that life itself seemed uncertain. But those trials had a purpose, to teach him and us to rely not on our own strength, but on the God who raises the dead. Paul could testify that God had delivered him, was delivering him, and would deliver him again. The same God who sustained Paul will sustain you as you trust him. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. Well, over the weekend, a private memorial service was held for Dr. James Dobson, who went home to be with the Lord on August the 21st, one of America’s most influential Christian leaders of the last half century. Dr. Dobson helped birth and give life to many ministries, including the Family Research Council. And he had a hand in bringing me to FRC over 22 years ago. And I want to take the rest of our program to remember Dr. Dobson and celebrate a life well lived and his legacy. And joining me now to do that, former Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, who was also a part of the memorial service for Dr. Dobson over the weekend. She serves on the board of the James Dobson Family Institute. Additionally, she is the dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University. She’s also the chair of the FRC Board of Directors. Michelle, thanks for joining me.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thank you, Tony.
SPEAKER 20 :
Your thoughts on the service? I just thought it was a wonderful gathering.
SPEAKER 07 :
It really was. And I think the team with the James Dobson Family Institute, they’re now in the process of doing the post-production. So I want to let your viewers know they’ll be able to watch this service. And many of your viewers watched Charlie Kirk’s memorial service and were so deeply touched by it. The same will happen with Dr. Dobson’s service. So they’ll add some post-production, and then people will see it. And it really was… in some ways very much like Charlie Kirk’s memorial service and that we began with worship just as Charlie’s was and then we went into the explanation of Dr. Dobson’s life. It wasn’t just venerating a man, it was venerating a man who’d surrendered his life completely to the Lord and how the Lord used that surrendered life to advance his kingdom.
SPEAKER 20 :
The one difference I would say between the two is that this one was solely focused on the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER 07 :
On the kingdom of God, yes. It wasn’t meant to be a political service.
SPEAKER 20 :
There was nothing political about this service, although Dr. Dobson touched on it. But I thought, you know, and having known Dr. Dobson for decades, I guess about 30 years back when I was in the legislature and did the covenant marriage. I flew out to Colorado Springs and did a program with him and then worked with him from that point forward, did the Family Policy Council, which he was the visionary of… Well, and he loved you, Tony.
SPEAKER 07 :
Dr. Dobson loved you. He appreciated you. He was so proud of the Family Research Council and very proud that you were the leader of the Family Research Council. As you said, he was the originator of this organization and encouraged people to donate to this organization. And I’m so grateful that he did because really his presence and the gravitas that he had enabled this organization to start. And he was thrilled that it continued and that it saw 40 years while he was alive. That’s tremendous.
SPEAKER 20 :
Yeah, I’m going to play a clip from him in just a moment. But I want to, I just, in fact, I was talking with, I think, Elsa. Elsa. So Prince. Prince.
SPEAKER 07 :
And she was there.
SPEAKER 20 :
She was a founding member of her husband. Actually, Ed was a founding member. Former late husband was a founding member of the family. Yeah. And helped start Family Research Council with Gary Bauer. But we were talking about. You know, I go to weddings, I go to funerals. I do both, actually. I officiate weddings and I officiate funerals. And I have to say that the older I get, the more important the funerals become because it causes you to reflect on what’s important in life.
SPEAKER 03 :
It’s the brevity of life.
SPEAKER 20 :
And I thought it was, you know, Dr. Dobson lived to be 89 years old. And I had a lot of conversations. We traveled. In fact, one of the road trips we took was in, I think, 2004, when you were running for president.
SPEAKER 07 :
I was running for the United States Congress. And we went to… And it was a very difficult year. The headwinds were strong with Republicans.
SPEAKER 20 :
And we did a big event in Minneapolis. Yes, you did. Dr. Dobson, Gary Bauer, myself, and a couple of others. And we had traveled the country that year doing these events. And one of the statements, one of the… I really enjoyed what Ryan and Danae had to say.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes, those are the children of Dr. and Shirley Dobson.
SPEAKER 20 :
Yes, they’re adult children. And they’re the ones who know him the best. Yes. And Ryan made the comment, and I remember this because I was there. We were in Nashville, and Dr. Dobson, we had a, before the big event, we had a donor dinner, and Dr. Dobson had gotten a call that Ryan and his wife had had their first baby, Lincoln. Yes. And so Dr. Thompson, I mean, he is just all over the place. And he gets up and he says, we just had a grandbaby. I’m leaving. And so he laughed and we had to do the big arena event without him.
SPEAKER 07 :
Because for him, it was always family first. And you heard that message from Danae and you heard it repeated with Ryan. Yeah. And Ryan said the same thing. And he was very honest. He was very authentic. And he said, I was reckless. I did a lot of crazy things. But he said, my dad was always with me. And he said that my dad’s main concern is that I would never have bitterness against God and that I would be there, that I would be there. In fact, the wristbands that they gave us, you got one at the service, the wristbands that they gave us said, be there. Yeah. Because that was Dr. Dobson’s prayer for his children first, but for all of us, that we would come to know the Savior. So his ministry focused on salvation. It focused on discipleship. It focused on marriage and family and parenting and protecting human life and public policy. All the things that the Family Research Council plays out. But one thing I want your viewers to know is that this service, they’ll love it when it comes out, when they can see it. But it really was about faith and family and freedom. Consistently throughout. And it was a ceremony that was worthy of this man because I agree. I told Dr. Dobbs many times because I had a lot of chances. He asked me to join his board, and it was one of the greatest honors of my life. And what Jim wanted was friendships. His whole thing was friendships. People can’t even believe how humble this man was. He was extremely humble and he just wanted to know you. He wanted to know who you were. But he was a surrendered saint. Everything about him, extremely hardworking individual. And he worked right up until the end when he was 89. He worked right up to that. He poured everything out for the advancement of the kingdom. And this service was worthy because it gave you the full picture of Dr. Dobson’s profound life. Other than Billy Graham as the chief evangelist of this last half century, I think there’s no one that contributed more to advancing the kingdom than Dr. James Dobson.
SPEAKER 20 :
And his orientation was the family. family and that’s where the transformation took place and I remember when I came here 22 years or so ago and in our first week we I was here he wanted me to come it was in August and we went to Georgia for actually Alabama for a rally on the Ten Commandments with justice Roy Moore and And that was my first week, and so I’m speaking on the steps there. And then there became some complications with me actually moving here to D.C. From Louisiana. From Louisiana. And so I, for the first year, just commuted. In fact, I’ve been doing that for 22 years. But there was some question as to whether or not I would continue that. And I remember Dr. Dobson came to our home in Louisiana, had dinner with us, and spent time with my kids, who at the time only had four, but they were all young. And And after he spent time with the kids, he came back to the board and he said, this is the right thing for Tony because his family is healthy and well. And he understood that. The sacrifice that you make. But he understood that the family was the most important thing. So it was what was best for the family, whether it was me as the leader of the Family Research Council or it was for a clerk working at a store. What was best for the family was best for society and for every organization.
SPEAKER 07 :
And for an organization. And he did that as well. He had an annual event called The Gathering. And I was able to be at his events because I served on his board. We had Charlie Kirk there at the last gathering. the last gathering that he attended before he died. And the one thing he did, he pulled Charlie aside and had private time with him and talked with him about his kids because he saw that Charlie was living the life that a young James Dobson had lived. And he told him, the most important thing is that little girl. And that little boy and Charlie and all this busyness, the main thing is you have to have time with those kids and be with those kids. And then we went on to find out through Erica Kirk that Charlie’s last book was on the Sabbath and the importance of his family and that he literally put his phone in a drawer and didn’t look at his phone. And it was focused on Erica and the children. And he was trying to live this life that Dr. Dobson had counseled him would be the wisest way for him as a Christian leader to do. You did that. as a young man your children are now adult children they benefited from that wisdom because you serve in a high capacity very public life but you also you’re a minister to your wife you minister to your children and you made sure that they had the primary situation as a matter of fact it was said that dr dobson had a private phone installed in his office so that whether it was Danae, Ryan, or Shirley, they could call any time. And so if he was in a board meeting, he’d leave the board meeting, and he would take the call for any reason and talk to his family. And each one of them said Shirley Dobson was there, and she didn’t speak, but each one of them said that, my dad, I knew that I was first and that our family was first. He walked what he talked.
SPEAKER 20 :
And the kids gave testimony of that at the funeral and the memorial service. It was precious. It was powerful.
SPEAKER 07 :
It was a privilege to be there. And your viewers can all be there, too, once the funeral is released from the film version.
SPEAKER 20 :
We just have a few minutes left. I want to play a clip. I had the ability, the opportunity, the privilege of sitting down, probably one of the last interviews that he did. I think so. Now, this was about two years ago, but it was
SPEAKER 07 :
With our 40th anniversary. With our 40th anniversary.
SPEAKER 20 :
And this is actually a portion that has not aired. We did not use this in the 40th celebration. But I want to play it here and then we’ll talk about it as we close out the program. Speaking of that long game. and that long view on the issue of life, the sanctity of human life. I mean, that’s what brought me into the political arena 30 years ago. It’s a passion of yours. And we took a lot of criticism for being involved in elections, electing pro-life candidates, pro-life presidents. but look where it’s led us to a point where we’ve in our lifetime we’ve seen the overturn of roe v wade and an opportunity for the nation to get it right when it comes to the sanctity of human life you know i don’t consider myself a prophet and i’m not one but i did have a perspective on where things were going and i saw that the family was going to be decimated
SPEAKER 17 :
I saw that the institution of marriage was going to be targeted. And I saw some of these movements. Roe v. Wade had just been passed in 1973. This was 1977. So I had a lot of reason for concern. That’s why I left the university. and trying to do what we could to save some. During the 80s, I would talk like this, and people would say, I don’t really understand what you’re saying, or they didn’t get it. And now they come up to me and say, I heard it, I didn’t believe it, and now I do.
SPEAKER 20 :
Now they’re experiencing it.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah. It’s come full board.
SPEAKER 20 :
You know, Michelle, when you understand the Word of God and as God lays out certain things, you can see what’s coming. Dr. Dobson saw that. We see that. And now it’s an opportunity for the church to respond.
SPEAKER 07 :
It is, and the church is responding, and they did respond. And the reason why Roe v. Wade was overturned was because the church did get involved. Pray, vote, stand. They did all of that. And now the church is going to do that in this area of chemical abortion. That is the next step that we have to deal with, because that’s horrendous. It’s occurring now in America. People don’t realize that, even though we had the overturning of the decision. So this is our next step that we’re working on. And Dr. Dobson led the way. He was a great intellect. He served on the medical school faculty at the USC School of Medicine. He was an intellect, and so he put aside his career, which was very high-powered, in order to advance the kingdom of God through the areas. And so that’s what’s happening here now with Family Research Council, too. We’re taking that admonition and moving forward.
SPEAKER 20 :
Michelle Bachmann, I want to thank you for joining us today. It was great to see you this weekend in Denver, and it’s great to see you here today in Washington, D.C.
SPEAKER 07 :
It’s always good to be with you, and Family Research Council’s doing great under your leadership. Thank you.
SPEAKER 20 :
Thank you, Michelle. And, folks, I want to thank you for joining us as well and encourage you with the words of the Apostle Paul found in Ephesians 6, where he says, when you’ve done everything that you can do, when you’ve prayed, when you’ve prepared, and when you’ve taken your stand, by all means, keep standing.
SPEAKER 15 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council. To support our efforts to advance faith, family, and freedom, please text GIVE to 67742. That’s GIVE to 67742. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information, please visit TonyPerkins.com.
