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Every now and then there is an event that really kind of sums it all up.

Such is the case regarding the Adventure of Joe Biden and the Chinese Spy Balloon. The incident featured all of the hapless buffoonery of an administration that hardly seems capable of lifting a foot without landing on a misstep. The balloon saga, once again, occasioned the White Houses usual unfortunate mix of incompetence, lying, hiding, and being overruled. In other words, just another day in the Biden presidency.

Lets begin with the incompetence. When news broke that a Chinese surveillance balloon had been spotted over Montana last week, Joe Biden and his gaggle of nitwits appeared not only surprised but utterly without a plan. This, despite the fact that they had known for days that the balloon had entered US airspace, and by some reporting, known for weeks it was coming.

So what happened once the public became aware of it? Biden let the spy device traverse the entirety of the country before eventually shooting it down. Literally the plan was, were just gonna let it float around for a few days.

That brings us to the lying. When the news of the spy balloon dropped, The State Department told us Secretary Anthony Blinken was cancelling his planned trip to China because of Chinas irresponsible act. But again, shortly thereafter we learned that the White House had known about the balloon for days. So this wasnt some slap in the face of China for daring to violate U.S. airspace, as it was presented. Anthony Blinken knew perfectly well that this irresponsible act had taken place and was packing his pajamas for Beijing anyway. Until the public found out about the balloon.

This is approximately the point at which, as usual, Joe Biden went into virtual hiding. As the media swarmed like vultures around the story and calls to shoot the balloon down intensified the president had little to say and wasnt taking many questions. It was Biden in the basement all over again at a time when he should have been assuring the nation that somebody, anybody, actually knew what the hell was going on and what to do about it.

Finally, we get to Joe Biden being overruled, as we learned the president originally wanted to shoot it down on Wednesday, but his military advisers told him not to. Just like when he announced that the United States would go to war to defend Taiwan and his advisors overruled him, saying the policy hadnt changed, just like every time he tells us his handlers will get mad at me if he asks the wrong questions. Does Joe Biden ever make a decision on his own?

These four elements incompetence, lying, hiding, and being overruled are the four corners of the Biden administration. They use this playbook over and over.

Look at the classified documents scandal.

The incompetence was tracking top secrets all over the place like they were a bits of toilet paper stuck to his shoe. The lying was Joe telling us it was just a few items in the DC office when he already knew about the documents in Delaware. The hiding is the absurd claim that the White House cant talk about this because of the investigation, a claim denied by the Department of Justice. Finally, the president saying he doesnt know whats in the documents because, his lawyers had advised him not to even ask what was in the files, is a classic case of Joe Biden being overruled.

These four elements can be applied to pretty much every Biden debacle. And there is a good reason they do it over and over and over again because they know that even when theyre caught in a lie, the media will make excuses for them. Until that changes, nothing is going to change. The administration will continue gaslighting the American people as they seek to push Grandpa Joe either over the 2024 finish line or under the bus.

Whatever foul leviathan is actually running American policy out of the White House, because by his own admission its not Joe Biden, is absolutely ruthless. They will lie forever, safe in the knowledge that our news giants will protect them, usually by finding some way to make the story Trumps fault.

The bad news is we have two more years of this. The good news is nothing this administration has done in the first two suggests they can correct their course and restore Americas faith in Biden. There are those who say Bidens is the worst presidency, but maybe its not a presidency at all, maybe instead, it is a playbook of lies meant to capture as much power as possible while the old man dithers.

David Marcus is a West Virginia based columnist and author of Charade: The Covid Lies That Crushed A Nation. Follow him on Twitter @Blueboxdave

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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MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

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MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

NEW YORK — Dan Iassogna will be the umpire crew chief and work the plate during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

His crew will include Marvin Hudson at first, Chris Segal at second, Jansen Visconti at third, Jeremie Rehak in left and Erich Bacchus in right, Major League Baseball said Thursday.

Iassogna, 56, will work his second All-Star Game. He was at third base for the 2011 game at Arizona.

He worked his first big league game in 1999, was hired to the major league staff in 2004 and appointed a crew chief ahead of the 2020 season. Iassogna umpired the World Series in 2012, ’17 and ’22 along with eight League Championship Series and seven Division Series.

Segal, Visconti, Rehak and Bacchus will work their first All-Star Games and Hudson his second after being in left field in 2004 at Houston.

Tony Randazzo will be the replay umpire in New York.

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A’s Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

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A's Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is adding his name to the list of Home Run Derby participants.

Rooker announced Thursday that he’s participating in the event, which takes place Monday in Atlanta. He will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.

“Competing in the Home Run Derby has always been a dream of mine,” Rooker said in an Instagram post. “Can’t wait to make it happen next week in Atlanta! See ya there!”

Rooker, 30, entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.

His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among all American League players.

The only A’s to win the Derby were Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedes in 2013 and 2014.

Other announced participants include Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and Washington’s James Wood.

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O’s trade reliever Baker to Rays for draft pick

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O's trade reliever Baker to Rays for draft pick

BALTIMORE — The Orioles traded right-handed reliever Bryan Baker to AL East rival Tampa Bay on Thursday in exchange for the 37th overall pick in the 2025 MLB amateur draft, a sign that one of baseball’s most disappointing clubs could be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias wouldn’t completely commit to that idea. Speaking to reporters before Thursday’s split doubleheader against the New York Mets, he cited the 2024 Detroit Tigers, who traded players off their major league roster but held on to ace Tarik Skubal and then surged into a playoff spot.

Elias did, however, acknowledge the possibility of selling on a day that began with last-place Baltimore (40-50) sitting 12½ games behind the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays and seven out of the final AL wild-card spot.

“I think it’s a step in that direction,” said Elias three weeks before the July 31 deadline. “There’s no way around that. The timing of the draft, and when you have draft picks involved in the trades, kind of front-loads these decisions, and it’s earlier than my comfort level. But we thought it was a really good return and a good trade for everyone. So, we did it.”

The draft begins Sunday. In a corresponding move, the Orioles selected the contract of catcher David Bañuelos from Triple-A Norfolk.

After a dreadful start that brought the May dismissal of manager Brandon Hyde, the Orioles have steadied under interim skipper Tony Mansolino, playing to a 21-14 record since a loss to St. Louis on May 28.

Baker was a solid part of that, posting a 3.52 ERA, striking out 49 batters and posting a 1.096 WHIP in 38⅓ innings as the setup man for closer Felix Bautista.

“This is a team that is moving in the right direction, and we still have a lot of time left before the deadline, but this was a trade with the draft coming up in a couple days that we had to make a decision on,” Elias said. “We didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity. Hopefully, we can use the pick wisely, bring a lot of value back, and Bryan’s going to a good place.”

Mansolino is also hoping his team will get replenishments in the form of players eventually returning from the injured list. That sizable group includes several possible starting pitchers: Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder), Albert Suarez (shoulder), Tyler Wells (elbow) and Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery).

Meanwhile, Baltimore will now have four of the first 37 and seven of the first 93 draft picks.

“All the drafts are important, but when you have this amount of picks, it becomes more important, there’s no question about it,” Elias said. “There’s just a much bigger opportunity ahead of us, and the draft is a lifeblood for our franchise.”

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