Leland Vittert’s War Notes: Losing Late Night 👎

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NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonight's 9 p.m. ET show, delivered straight to your inbox.

Losing Late Night 👎

Tonight📺: Watch NewsNation's Veterans Day special, "America's Greatest Warriors," at 10 p.m. E.T.

📍Last month, I spent the day walking around The Plain at West Point, New York, with the deputy head of history.
- 🎖️It's one of the top-10 stories of my life.
- 📺Tonight, Bill O'Reilly and I will take a look at America's greatest generals —
  - Fun🤭: A West Point colonel took my side in the argument of who is America's greatest general.

👋See you in St. Louis: The "Born Lucky" journey continues back in my hometown of St. Louis.

📚I'd be honored if you joined us in person on November 22 — I'll sign books and have something special for anybody who purchases a book there.
- 📍Come out to Hearth & Soul in Ladue on November 22 at 12 p.m.
  - 💵$10 donation to Autism Speaks
- 📍And St. Louis County Library - Clark Family Branch at 7 p.m. CLICK HERE for details.
  - 👀See you there!!!!

War dogs🐕: Today is not just about honoring veterans who've served America but also the four-legged warriors next to them, military dogs.

🐾The smaller heroes, saving countless soldiers' lives and keeping this country safe
Tonight📺: Retired Marine Corps service dog Anita joins us with her handler, retired Marine Corps Sergeant Drew Guidotti.
- ‼️And Vice President of the U.S. War Dogs Association and retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Chuck Rotenberry

Old as Dirt 🧓🏼

🗣️The "Schumer Shutdown" language from Republicans worked — now, leading Democrats keep calling for an end to his Senate leadership.

🤦🏼‍♂️And not just politicians – Schumer lost late night.
- 🎤"They f---ing caved on the shutdown, not even a full week removed from the best election night results they've had in years," said "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart.
- 🎤"Crumbled like a granola bar in your backpack," said Stephen Colbert.
Zoom out👀: The leading Democrats in Congress are old as dirt.
- ‼️In the House —
  - 🧓🏼The five oldest Democrats are above the age of 80.
- ‼️In the Senate —
  - 🧓🏼The five oldest are between 79 and 83 years old.
- Improvement➕: Not too long ago, the combined age of the top three in Democratic House leadership was older than the Republic itself.
Kennedy moment 🕯️ — The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans!
- 📝They're plotting their revolt.
  - 👋🏼Starting with removing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
    - 🎤"Sen. Schumer has failed to meet this moment and is out of touch with the American people. The Democratic Party needs leaders who fight and deliver for working people. Schumer should step down," says Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., on X
      - 👀Other Democrats went even further —
        🎤"Just a moral disgust," said Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
        🎤"I think he's been in trouble. I think he is in bigger trouble now," said David Axelrod on CNN.
        🎤"I think he's lost his fastball," said Tommy Vietor on "Pod Save America."
        🎤"The leadership of the Democratic Party, in many respects, is way out of touch with where Democrats in general are," said Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on MSNBC.
Saving grace💭: To quote one of Trump's favorite lines — "To be the man, you gotta beat the man."
- 🤷🏼‍♂️There is nobody actually challenging Schumer — yet!
  - 👀Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., might primary him in 2028, but so far, he just looks weak — not out.
  - 🤷🏼‍♂️What Senate Democrat has the street cred to take him on now?

Watch tonight📺: Retired Congressman Dean Phillips warned of this two years ago — he ran against Joe Biden to try and force a primary and reckoning in the Democratic Party.

Look back🔙: This is no different than what happened in the Republican Party starting in 2009.

50 Years ‼️

🤷🏼‍♂️More than anything, to be a successful president, you must be surrounded by people who will tell you the truth — not what you want to hear.

‼️Think Lincoln's team of rivals.
- 🗣️Generals who will tell them things aren't going well on the battlefield
- 🗣️Advisers who will level when a policy is failing
- 🗣️And confidants who can keep them in touch with real Americans
🤦🏼‍♂️Trump appears to lack that — what is the other explanation for a president that keeps saying prices are down and the economy is great?
- 🌚Last night —
  - 🎤Laura Ingraham: "Is this a voter perception issue of the economy, or is there more that needs to be done by Republicans on Capitol Hill or done in terms of policy?"
  - 🎤President Trump: "More than anything else, it's a con job by the Democrats."
🤦🏼‍♂️High prices aren't a con job.
BaconOmics🥓: During the election, President Trump promised to lower the price of bacon.
- 🎙️"Even I won't buy bacon anymore, it's too expensive. I said, 'I'd love to have some lovely bacon, darling,' and she said, 'No, I'm sorry. It's too expensive,'" said Trump.
  - 🥓Bacon is up 5.8%.

👀Does the president have anybody telling him how much things are and how much people are hurting?

Problem🤦🏼‍♂️: Bill O'Reilly told us last night what we've been saying for months —
- ‼️The continued affordability crisis isn't the biggest problem.
- 🚨Trump denying the affordability crisis is.

Watch tonight📺: White House Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro joins us on what the president is being told.

Bonus🏠: Houses are so expensive you need 50 years to pay them off.

😡Yet the White House is reportedly mad at the aide who convinced Trump a 50-year mortgage is a good idea.

No Coincidences ⚠️

📰The Daily Caller headlines: "EXCLUSIVE: US Nuclear Bomber Fleet Shares Fence With Trailer Park Linked to Chinese Intel-Tied Fraudster"

💵You see, it's one thing for a Chinese couple to buy a trailer park.
- 🫣It's another to go to great lengths to hide who they are.
- 🫣And use shell companies to conceal their identities.
🏠The trailer park sits at the foot of the runway.
- ✈️B-2 stealth bombers take off on the runway — over the Chinese-owned trailer park.
  - This is alarming🚨: Especially when the park is traced back to a convicted fraudster with alleged ties to China's Communist Party.
🤦🏼‍♂️This isn't the first
- 😳Chinese companies have bought land near other U.S. military bases —
  - 📍Fort Benning
  - 📍Naval Station Norfolk
  - 📍Camp Pendleton

Watch tonight📺: Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., represents Whiteman Air Force Base and the trailer park — why is this so hard for America to protect itself from continued Chinese bad acts?

WATCH ON BALANCE WEEKNIGHTS AT 9P/8C

Every night during On Balance, Leland Vittert asks "why?" about the most pressing matters of the day, with an intellectual, balanced and sometimes irreverent take on the news.

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