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Last night we witnessed something pretty weird and unique at the Iowa caucuses. For the first time in American political history a presidential candidate from the out-of-power party won the caucus without ever participating in the debates or even actively campaigning in the state. Pro-Trump people will hail it as a triumph, and the never-Trumpers as an abomination. But when it comes to Donald Trump and his long strange trip into, and then out of, and then perhaps back into the White House, what do the results say about the state of our country?

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Trumps candidacy so far is that the more his enemies (in both parties) try to take him down, the more popular he becomes. Indeed, no modern president has had so many forces arrayed against him. From rogue DAs who openly ran for office with promises to prosecute Trump, to a hostile Congress and their sham impeachments, to the courts in progressive states kicking him off their ballots, to the medias one-sided reportage, to Big Techs outright censorship, all the way to opposition from the wealthy donor class, Trump has had to battle wave upon wave of attacks and legal charges, frivolous and otherwise, all with one goal in mind to prevent him from sitting behind the Resolute Desk ever again. And it appears they will continue to do whatever it takes to knock him out of the running.

Those who oppose him are so entrenched in their manic disdain for this one man that, as Sam Harris has shown, they will rationalize ripping to shreds the credibility of our most important institutions in their jihad against the Teflon Donald. They would, to borrow an old phrase, destroy the village to save it.

In fact, so aggressive has their prosecutorial zeal towards this one man been that attempts to decapitate the Trump candidacy are being called Lawfare. And my hunch is that a lot of Americans dont like it. Im not even a Trump man (I prefer DeSantis myself having seen what hes done for Florida) and yet I have found myself repeatedly in print defending the besieged Donald from what I perceive as far greater threats to the country and our sacred democracy than who becomes the head at the end of one neck of the federal hydra. Americans are not always the quickest to realize what are bad policies and dangerous ideas. Nevertheless, we do catch on if they persist. And the overwhelming vote for Trump last night could very well be read as a repudiation of the machinations of political insiders and powerful interests weaponizing the law to take this man out in a way that would have made Lavrentiy Beria nod with satisfaction.

I wonder, is it just the instinctual revulsion to seeing the courtroom being wielded like a club by those who see themselves not just above the law but outside it that is at the heart of Trumps win? Perhaps. But then again, for many others, it could be the complete breakdown of trust in every major institution in the country. Once important pillars of the Republic a free and impartial press, enlightened education, equal and open exchange of ideas, corporate responsibility, a thriving middle class, a political leadership that caters to the needs and hears the concerns of its constituents, wise foreign policy, the legitimacy of the electoral process, and now even the law itself have been, in the eyes of millions, hopelessly corrupted by people with the ruthless drive to wield the power these combined institutions can bring to bear on the average citizen. This feeling has only been solidified by the clear leveling of all the barrels of government power aimed at this one man just to ruin him.

And given his willingness to withstand (perhaps even relish) the slings and arrows of his many enemies inside and outside the D.C. Beltway, Trump has taken on the moniker of martyr. His supporters see in him their own William Wallace or Thomas Becket. (At least the film versions). When Trump says Its not me theyre after, but you, this has real meaning for many who feel very much like they no longer have any say in their nations direction. One must think that more than a few of the 51% of those who braved the cold to cast ballots for Trump see him as their last hope to save the Republic from those detached insiders leading the country to destruction while pulling the strings of a mentally enfeebled president in name only.

It has often been said that Trump did not cause the divisions in our country so much as arise out of them his opponents might say exploited them. However one wishes to view Trumps victory in Iowa, it should be made clear that in this one state at least, voters took the measure of the man and weighed him against the charges hanging over his head and found the latter wanting. So many people I know on the Left are shaking their heads. How is it that a man indicted on 91 felony charges could get any votes for dog catcher let alone the highest office in the land? they ask in dismay. The answer is simple. The caucus participants considered who brought the charges and why and, as telling, whos been spared prosecution due to party affiliation, despite their own demonstrable crimes. Iowans saw through the charade. As the great litigator Vincent LaGuardia Gambini once told a jury, they simply concluded that everything dat guy just said is bulls***.

Trumps victory is both encouraging and concerning. It is encouraging in that it should tell those willing to use the law like a tinhorn generalissimo to silence opposition that it will not happen on Iowans watch at least. But the fact that such a message even needed to be sent shows in what a perilous position we find ourselves. More so than I think people understand. As mentioned above, if the citizenry no longer trusts the institutions, then a government built around democratic principles will collapse. It has to. If one doesnt believe the law is equally applied, that it is nothing more than one of many political arrows in the quiver to let fly whenever an upstart gets too close to tipping the establishment apple cart, then why obey the law at all?

Thus we see the true dangers of what is often called Trump Derangement Syndrome. When people are either so self-righteous, or, more likely, so cynical that they are willing to scrap the institutions and processes that keep us from falling into the abyss of totalitarianism to destroy one man, they become the very fascists they are too busy accusing others of supporting to see it in themselves. Or, worse, they dont care as power is the aim, not a representative republic or, as the preamble to the Constitution reminds us, to promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty.

Representative, democratically structured governments are a relative newcomer to the political universe. At our founding, we were a lone, bright star in a firmament of monarchs, tsars, emperors, and despots. Our revolution and the republic it ushered in was the exception, not the rule, to governance throughout all recorded history. A mere 248 years against over some 5,400. And as we have learned through many hard and bloody lessons in failed nation-building disasters since the great democracies put down fascism and then held back communism, it may not even be the natural state of humankind. The authors of the Constitution knew a dark truth: ambitious men left unchecked will chase power, and all the brutality and corruption that goes with it. That we have thrived in our brief moment in the sun is a testament not to us as a people, for we are no different than any others when it comes to human nature, but rather the strength and legitimacy of the institutions our Framers bestowed upon us. Without them we are just another oligarchy in the making.

Love him, hate him, or, if youre like me, take the good with the bad and judge him in a line-item fashion, there is no denying that Trumps victory in Iowa was a pivotal event in American politics. Whether it is for the good or the bad, only time will tell.

Benjamin Franklins famous warning to a woman who inquired after the Constitutional Convention ended as to what form of goverment theyd created for the new country rings in my ears louder today than it has in a long time. We have given you a Republic If you can keep it.

Last night Iowans tried to keep it. For a little while longer anyway.

* * *

Brad Schaeffer is a commodities trader, author, columnist, and musician whose eclectic body of writing can be found in the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, New York Daily News, Daily Wire, National Review, The Hill, The Federalist, Zerohedge , and others. His latest book LIFE IN THE PITS: My Time As A Trader On The Rough-And-Tumble Exchange Floors is available on Amazon and soon Audible.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Woman missing for more than 60 years found ‘alive and well’

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May 4, 2025

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Woman missing for more than 60 years found 'alive and well'

A woman in the US who has been missing since 1962 has been found “alive and well”, authorities have said.

Audrey Backeberg left her home in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in July that year when she was 20 years old, Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said.

Investigators pursued numerous leads over the years but the case eventually went cold.

However, during a review of cold cases earlier this year, a detective reassessed all the case files and evidence, and re-interviewed several witnesses – and found Ms Backeberg.

The 82-year-old was “alive and well” – living outside of the state of Wisconsin, the sheriff’s office said.

Ms Backeberg was married and had two children when she disappeared on 7 July 1962, according to the Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy organisation.

She left her home to pick up her salary but never returned, causing her husband to ask family members where she was.

Shortly afterwards their 14-year-old babysitter claimed she and Ms Backeberg had hitchhiked to Wisconsin’s capital city Madison and then caught a bus to Indianapolis, Indiana.

The teenager said when she arrived she became nervous and wanted to go home, while Ms Backeberg refused to return and was last seen walking near a bus stop.

Ms Backeberg’s marriage was troubled and there were allegations of abuse, the Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy organisation said, with a criminal complaint having been filed days before she went missing.

Her relatives insisted she would never abandon her children, the organisation added, and her husband passed a polygraph test and maintained his innocence.

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‘We talked for 45 minutes’ – detective

Detective Isaac Hanson, who found Ms Backeberg, said her sister’s Ancestry.com account was vital in helping him locate her address.

“That was pretty key in locating death records, census reports, all kinds of data,” he told local news station WISN.

“So I called the local sheriff’s department, said, ‘Hey, there’s this lady living at this address. Do you guys have somebody, you can just go pop in?’

“Ten minutes later, she called me, and we talked for 45 minutes.”

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‘She sounded happy’

Mr Hanson said Ms Backeberg may have left home due to marital issues, but it was unclear why she had stayed away for so long.

He said he had promised to keep their conversation private.

“I think she just was removed and, you know, moved on from things and kind of did her own thing and led her life,” he said.

“She sounded happy. Confident in her decision. No regrets.”

Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said Ms Backeberg made the choice to leave and her disappearance “was not the result of any criminal activity or foul play”.

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Sports

Jets-Blues Game 7 preview: Key players to watch, final score predictions

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31 mins ago

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May 4, 2025

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Jets-Blues Game 7 preview: Key players to watch, final score predictions

  • Multiple Contributors

May 4, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

It all comes down to this. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets host the St. Louis Blues in the 200th Game 7 in Stanley Cup playoffs history Sunday (7 p.m. ET, TBS).

One team will advance to the second round, while the other will get an early start to the offseason — and try to fix what went wrong.

For the Blues, this is the club’s 19th all-time Game 7, the most of any non-Original Six team. They have gone 10-8 in Games 7s, with the most recent one being the 2019 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, which they won 4-1.

This version of the Jets has much less Game 7 history on which to draw; their only Game 7 was a second-round victory over the Nashville Predators in 2018.

Who wins this one? We’ve gathered the ESPN hockey family to identify the key players to watch in the contest — as well as their final score predictions.

Who is the one key player you’ll be watching in Jets-Blues?

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: If he plays, it’s Mark Scheifele. The hit in Game 5 from Brayden Schenn and/or Radek Faksa generated quite a bit of conversation about what is arguably the most physically demanding series in the first round. Scheifele’s play this season and this series prior to the hit reinforces what makes him a legit top-line center in this league. We saw how the Jets maneuvered around his absence for the final two periods of Game 5, while Game 6 proved why they need contributions from everyone if he can’t go.

But again, that’s if Scheifele plays. He skated Saturday in a tracksuit, with Scott Arniel saying the center will be a game-time decision Sunday.

Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Connor Hellebuyck is the obvious answer here for me because he’s been “Vezina” at home (especially Game 2) and “Vezina from Temu” on the road.

Hellebuyck has allowed four or more goals in seven straight road playoff games, which ties the second longest such streak in Stanley Cup playoff history. But Game 7 is at home. The pressure is on but he’s in comfortable confines, surrounded by a “Whiteout.” Which version of Hellebuyck do we get Sunday night?

Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Connor Hellebuyck, of course. Has there been a Jekyll/Hyde performance like this in recent years?

The Vezina finalist can play lights-out at home and like a fish out of water on the road. Does that trend continue in Game 7? What version of the goalie shows up for this one?

But as a bonus, I’ll toss Pavel Buchnevich into this equation. He’s been driving the Blues’ offense, and if Hellebuyck is on his A-game then St. Louis is going to need Buchnevich to channel his hat trick energy from Game 3 to help the Blues pull off a stunning road win.

Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: Jordan Binnington renewed his title as one of the NHL’s most clutch goaltenders with his 31-save performance in Team Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship win over the U.S. — including six saves in overtime. He first earned it in 2019, backstopping the Blues to the Stanley Cup with Game 7 wins over Dallas and Boston.

Now he’s got a chance to reestablish those credentials.

Binnington had a 0.82 goals-against average and a .968 save percentage in those prior Game 7s. While Hellebuyck has been terrible in St. Louis, Binnington hasn’t been much better in Winnipeg, generating an .861 save percentage and a 3.44 goals-against average and giving up four goals in two of the three games. But as 4 Nations showed, Binnington can meet the moment. (Although this time, Kyle Connor will actually be in the lineup for the opposition. Not that we’re bitter or anything.)

The final score will be _____.

Clark: 4-3 Jets. There have been a few themes in this series. The first being that offense hasn’t been an issue — the teams have combined to score more than six goals in all but one game. The second is that the home team has won every game; I say that continues, and the Jets advance.

Öcal: 6-5 Jets. Hellebyuck doesn’t have his best game, but the Jets outscore that challenge, and Kyle Connor scores another third-period goal in this series to win it.

Shilton: 5-4 Jets. The Jets have been too good on home ice to let this one slip away. That’s not to say a St. Louis win would be surprising, but even if Hellebuyck is off, Winnipeg’s offense should be able to provide enough buffer that the Jets can squeak through with a narrow victory to advance.

Wyshynski: 5-3 Jets. The Jets would be toast if this game were played in St. Louis because it’s a demonstrable fact that Hellebuyck is a disaster on the road in the playoffs. He’s slightly below replacement at home in the postseason, but Winnipeg will take that considering his three removals on the road.

The Blues are first in the playoffs in 5-on-5 offense and goals-for percentage at home. But Winnipeg is second in both categories. Hellebuyck calms down, and the offense gets ratcheted up at home, especially now that Nikolaj Ehlers has a game under his belt, having not played since April 12 due to a foot injury.

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Environment

Meet Bodo – the 35 mph electric golf cart that thinks it’s a G-Wagen

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2 hours ago

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May 4, 2025

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Meet Bodo – the 35 mph electric golf cart that thinks it's a G-Wagen

Bodo G-Wagon electric golf cart; via Mecum Auctions.

With a fully-enclosed, G-Wagen-inspired body and an 80 mile electric range, the Bodo G-Wagon golf cart is the NEV you need when you decide it’s time to get serous one-upping the rest of the Palm Beach country clubbers.

If you love the look of the $230,000 Mercedes-Benz G580 off-roader, but think the 579 hp, 6,800 lb. electric 4×4 is probably overkill for occasional trips to the golf course and country club, this G-Wagen-inspired golf cart might be just what you’re looking for.

The shiny black 2024 Bodo G-Wagon sold at Mecum Auctions last month for $31,900, which seems like it might not be a lot of money to the sort of person who decides to take a flyer on a goofy, limited-use EV that ships with real, metal doors, power windows, heating and air conditioning, fully digital instrument cluster and infotainment, and a “posh,” caramel leather interior.

It even has windshield wipers, power steering, and a rear-seat entertainment system that’s built into the front headrests!

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It’s really nice in there

Under the hood, the Bodo packs a 15 kW (20 hp) electric motor drawing power from a 10 kWh li-ion battery that won’t deliver a scorching 0-60 mph time (it only goes 35), but will deliver you and your buddies from one end of any golf course in North America and back several times over, thanks to the G-Wagon’s 80 mile range.

The official Mecum Auctions listing goes into a bit more detail, and I’ve included it here, in case it gets deleted after a while and you’re just finding this for the first time in 2027:

Be the envy of any country club or golf community showing up with this 2024 Bodo G-Wagon Golf Cart. Perhaps more appropriately known as an E-Wagon, this baby G-Wagon is powered by a 15kW motor with a 10kWh lithium battery. Boasting an 80-mile range and a 35 MPH top speed, the Bodo is an enclosed, luxury golf cart that pampers occupants with heating and air conditioning, rear-seat entertainment, power windows, power locks and a posh, caramel-colored interior. With the Bodo fitted with power steering and 4-wheel power disc brakes with brake boost, drivers will think they’re in a full-size G-Wagon, thanks to the multiscreen entertainment cluster, the rearview camera, windshield wipers, turn signals, running lights and so much more.

Finished in black with the right amount of brightwork, the overall vibe is one of jaw-dropping, smile-inducing fun. While the Bodo would be an excellent choice for any golf community, it should also prove to be hugely popular around a race track or car condo community as well, or maybe even a neighborhood with its own airplane runways. Over the past decade in particular, the demand for unique, luxury golf carts has been on the rise, and understandably so. The number of luxury communities with specific interests in sports, aero and auto has also been on the rise, with people buying homes in these exclusive locations to better engage with like-minded people. All too often a golf cart is the perfect way to get around these gated neighborhoods, and this one is enclosed, comes with the amenities of a full-size car and is infinitely more stylish.

MECUM AUCTIONS

You can check out a few more photos of the 2024 Bodo G-Wagon golf cart that sold at Mecum, below – and if you want one for yourself, you’re in luck! I found this brand-new 2025 “G600 E-Wagon” (in white) for $23,900 at Gulf Carts in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Head on down to the comments and let us know if you buy it.

SOURCE | LOTS MORE PHOTOS: Mecum Auctions.

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