In the first comments since the growing coalition of electoral challenges have been raised, Vice-President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, released a statement:
WASHINGTON – […] “Vice President Pence shares the concerns of millions of Americans about voter fraud and irregularities in the last election,” Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff said in a statement to The Hill.
“The Vice President welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence before the Congress and the American people on January 6th,” the statement continued. (read more)
Scoop: The @JoeBiden inaugural parade has been cancelled.
Earlier today President Trump reminded everyone about the January 6th rally in Washington DC. From what can be ascertained from social media and inbound grassroots communication to CTH, this is shaping up to be the largest DC gathering in recent history.
I’m not sure where John Spiropoulos is at the moment, but we know he is on the road conducting interviews with people heading to the event. John was traveling from California to DC via Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Virginia. CTH will resume sharing videos of John’s travels as soon as he files a report.
You can support John at his GoFundMe-Here, as well as GiveSendGo-Here Also any CTH member who would like the opportunity to meet up with John for his video segments can contact him via his email address: Spirovideo@aol.com
Additionally, for those traveling to Washington DC for the rally on January 6th, here’s some insider advice and helpful tips from a person who lives in the area – SEE HERE –
President Trump has confirmed that he will be participating at the masssive event. Based on a few tips CTH would recommend all attendees be at/near the Elipse, a 52-acre park south of the White House fence and north of Constitution Avenue and the National Mall, around 11:00am to Noon on the date of the event. [See Map Below]
As noted above The Elipse is mid-way (aligned with the Washington Monument) on the National Mall. The area in-around the Capitol building might not be open due to pre-inauguration event construction. So it is best to be fluid with your plans.
From the TIPS – Do not plan on having cell service. During the last 2 events, there were so many people there, I was unable to send any outgoing messages. Plan accordingly by having meetup times & locations with your group if you get separated. (LINK)
There are plans at most State Capitals for events in support of the DC rally. There is also a plan being developed for a national event to show support coast to coast at a specific time during the event. More details on how you can support that effort in the near future.
2020 has been a tumultuous year for all of us. As the eve winds down we are given to considering everything that has taken place. We are challenged; perhaps our center is askew; perhaps our faith holds a new perspective, or perhaps our exhaustion weighs heavy as we rush turning to the next chapter…. hoping, praying for a better tomorrow.
It seems a lifetime ago; a time of carelessness taken for granted; and yet, I remember it as if it were yesterday. Driving North to see family and randomly saying “let’s just turn left in Ohio & head west.” It seemed randomly nuts at the time; however, a decade later as I held her hand & gave permission to say goodbye, I was blessed to have made that decision.
Regardless of what tomorrow brings, we have choices. A new year’s perspective:
I have long felt that life is like a series of links in a chain. You might be driving down the road and you hear a song on the radio, or see a picture, and you feel a memory….
Something triggers that reminds you of a different time and place than where you are right now.
You reflect.
The memories you consider remind you of a totally different time in your life. Perhaps you lived in a different place.
Perhaps you were surrounded by different people. Perhaps a different job or completely different friends. You recognize those memories were constructed like frozen moments in time. They became individual links in the chain in your life.
We never actually realize, in the immediate moment, when one link closes and another link begins. But when we look back, we can clearly see distinct points where things changed, the link closed, and a new link began.
You see, the links are only visible in reflection.
As we reflect we find parts of the chain in our life where each link closes and connects with the other. A beginning, and an end. At the point where the links are joined we carry parts of the previous link forward to the next.
For many people those connections are bonded by family, or very strong life long relationships. Connections which continue beyond our geographic moments, jobs or temporary acquaintances.
But for everyone, the primary bonding agent brought forward from one link to the next is ourselves, our center, our values and core principles. Our beliefs.
The strength of the steel which comprises the links of our life is determined by forging in the fire of adversity, weakness, challenge, pain, loss, and painful growth. The steel is then cooled with the tears of triumph, hurdles overcome and resolve.
The forging makes the steel stronger and able to withstand the pressures that accompany the additional length. Slowly the chain becomes wiser as it lengthens. Able to reach further, form more significant benefits and become more useful.
Hope replaces fear. Love replaces loneliness. Success replaces adversity. These are successful links began and finished while contributing to the whole.
At times we may manipulate the links with avoidance. We hide from -or choose to avoid- an issue in our effort to begin a new link before the old one was naturally, and spiritually, prepared to be closed.
Eventually, as life continues and the chain lengthens, the weak link can fracture and we are forced to revisit/repair what we originally chose to avoid.
You see, in life we cannot control the universal laws that guide us. So if we manipulate circumstances to avoid confronting our own weakness, we cannot fully strengthen our life of links. Eventually, the weakness of our past will impact our future.
So what principles do we carry from link to link? What core values and beliefs stay with us throughout the journey of our lives? The answers to these questions are what makes us human spiritual beings.
We possess freewill able to make choices about what we do, and how we define our individual humanity; but can we then define ’right’ and ‘wrong’ according to our individual principles? Or are there principles that exceed our influence and definition?
Are there natural laws of right and wrong, good and bad, that cannot be subjected to the determination of man? These are the bigger questions, perhaps the more important questions; and yet, perhaps the ones we reflect upon the least.
Consider the example of the ‘Law of the farm’ vs. the ‘Law of the School’. Natural principles vs. those made by man.
A student can skip class, take few notes, pay only half attention, then stay up all night cramming for a test and manage a decent grade. It depends on the students goal: grades or learning.
The student can choose to manipulate the education, by avoiding the learning and capturing the grade. This is possible in the ‘Law of the School’.
However, a farmer cannot take short cuts. A farmer cannot avoid tending to the soil, preparing the seed, fertilizing and nurturing the crop, and still gain benefit of an abundant harvest.
The farmer must necessarily do all of the appropriate work in order to benefit from it. Such is the ‘Law of the Farm’, the natural law.
When one considers the weakness remaining within a poorly constructed and manipulated link, perhaps established by selfish choices and driven by avoidance and fear, one can be faithfully assured those who have dealt dishonestly with us will have to visit the issues of their association again.
Conversely, no amount of manipulation or avoidance on our own behalf is going to improve the frailty of any link without first resolving the lack of character which created the weakness.
So we have choices in our lives. Decisions we each make regarding how we interact and participate in the lives and links of others; as well as how we choose to construct the links that compromise our own lives.
Do we base our sense of purpose around natural principles? Principles based on natural laws of right and wrong, good and bad, truth and lies. Do we forge strong links based on following our heart, our values?
If we can interact with others absent of a prideful self-driven agenda, or manipulative intent, we can then apply such principles and strength to our endeavors.
If we protect the integrity of the soil upon which we build the foundation of our lives, we can live without regret.
If we fertilize and cherish our crop, and the crop of our neighbor, with honesty and sincere appreciation for the souls we meet along our chosen path, we will live a life of abundance.
If we tend carefully to the consideration of everyone, yet holding true to our values and principles, we can strengthen ourselves amid the face of adversity and disenchantment.
If we do not hide from, nor ignore our individual and collective faults, we can build the chain of our life with strength, humility, and purpose.
I wish for each of you a long chain of bold, strong, beautiful links, polished with the reflective brilliance of Love, and the very happiest of blessings for a brand New Year.
Abiding love to all.
Steadfast,
~ Sundance
…Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
Today, our president, Donald J Trump released the following New Year’s Eve message from the White House. The message is focused on the success of Operation Warp Speed to deliver a vaccine against COVID-19 to the world, and optimistic outlook for the U.S. economy in the future.
Tina asked me to consider drawing a cartoon about Trump winning the ‘Americans’ most-admired man for 2020’ survey conducted by Gallup. At first I dismissed her suggestion, but then I considered this: For over a decade Obama has routinely won the title. Trump kicked Barack off of his pedestal.
One would expected Joe Biden to top the list, but he garnered a mere 6 percent. How can this be? Biden actually eclipsed Obama’s performance when it came to raking in votes in key states. Obama used to draw big crowds and fainting ladies. Trump attracted huge crowds. Biden never did. He attracted a few dozen people to his rallies, but mostly he stayed in his basement, isolated. Sleepy Joe did not inspire anyone. Very few saw him as admirable, yet he won the presidential race?
The most-admired victory only underlines the fact that our election was stolen. Trump won in a landslide. It’s time for him to take back what is his.
President Trump tweets his support for American voters to travel to Washington DC to have their voices heard on January 6th, the same date the Senate is scheduled to certify the results of a fraudulent election result. [Unofficial Information – Not From POTUS]
President Trump notes more information on the DC event will be forthcoming…
There are voices of patriotic Americans asking what could be achieved against the weight of the administrative state and corrupt Washington DC system standing in opposition to free and fair elections. The goal here is to mobilize the largest gathering in Washington DC in the history of political protest. If not now, then when? If not to fight for free/fair elections, then what other worthy cause holds the more righteous effort?
Perhaps the established classes will ignore… Perhaps the greater cause for our constitutional republic cannot be saved… But if we do not try then it most certainly will not be saved. A poignant reminder from Lulu:
“And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family?
Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand?…
[…] If…if… We didn’t love freedom enough. And even more – we had no awareness of the real situation…. We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward.”
The silent majority has watched as lesser numbered activist and agitating groups have rioted, burned and destroyed cities within multiple states… This peaceful assembly, if significant enough in scale, should strike fear into the hearts of those within DC who defend their interests against the interests of the larger American electorate.
The MAGA coalition is the most diverse, widest and deepest part of the entire American electorate. President Trump’s army consists of every creed, color, race, gender, ethnicity and orientation. It is a truly color-blind coalition of middle America patriots and middle-class voters that cuts through the political special interest groups.
Fellowship is critical to defeating those who rely on our division. Certainly there are many people -with life matters at their forefront- who will not be able to attend; however, if we can assemble three-percent of those who support President Trump, will will overwhelm every DC venue and hold the largest gathering in history in our nation’s history.
This DC event date of 1/6/21 falls on the day after the January 5th special election in Georgia. President Trump will be traveling to Georgia on January 4th to support that election effort. Despite the duplicitous action by the GOP in the senate, perhaps if Georgia can rally to the MAGA standard and push-back against the leftist advance, we will find at least one brave senator who will defy the machine and object to the certification of a fraudulent 2020 election.
Our dear friend of the Treehouse, John Spiropoulos, will be traveling to DC and will file ground reports along the way. Spiropoulos does outstanding video work and will have a support unit to assist him on the ground on January 6th.
John is departing from California on Tuesday:
“My route will take us through Flagstaff, AZ; Albuquerque,NM; Amarillo, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; Little Rock, AR; Nashville, TN and Blacksburg, VA. And, of course, I’ll be at the rally in DC.
Will be happy to interview any Treepers along the way. And I’ll be sending you reports as soon as possible.
I’m doing the road shoots myself. But I’ve hired one of my long-time cameramen to shoot at the rally in Washington. Better situational awareness and it’s too massive a crowd for my wife and I to navigate on our own.”…
Spiropoulos will monitor the comment section below and will tag people along the route who wish to participate. We will update this 1/6 event as the days get closer and we get more information from the Trump team.
The “Stop the Steal” group is meeting as outlined in the map below. That group has no connection to CTH and we are sharing this information caveat emptor:
Last week, we asked the listeners of the Ringside Politics program to nominate their “Heroes” and “Zeroes” of 2020. This is an annual exercise that always elicits excellent nominations. This year was no exception as 2020 has been eventful, disturbing, and extremely challenging. Everyone is eagerly anticipating the arrival of 2021 and the hope of better times ahead.
Over the past year, a multitude of people distinguished themselves as “Zeroes,” but very few took the type of courageous action necessary to be identified as “Heroes.” In this extremely elite group, one person stood alone, President Donald Trump, so it is only right that he received the overwhelming majority of votes from our audience.
The President was attacked not only by the media, but also by every conceivable element of the Deep State
While our listeners appreciated his leadership, President Trump was denounced and maligned by powerful forces throughout the year. The mainstream media continued to treat him as an enemy and coverage of the President was almost uniformly harsh and negative.
The President was attacked not only by the media, but also by every conceivable element of the Deep State. After facing a three-year, phony, Russian collusion investigation, the President was subjected to an impeachment hoax. This outrage was engineered by a leaker, who was politically motivated to create a firestorm that eventually resulted in the President’s impeachment.
Thankfully, the President was acquitted, but the whole episode was a needless distraction and another way for the Deep State to attack the Trump agenda. It was inflicted on the President despite a “perfect” phone call to the Ukrainian President.
Of course, there should have been an investigation related to Ukraine, but it should have revolved around former Vice President Joe Biden’s threats to withhold U.S. loan guarantees until the prosecutor investigating his son was fired. Fortunately for Biden, powerful Democrats are immune to prosecution from a Department of Justice that has been used to target President Trump and his allies.
Once the President survived impeachment, he was immediately thrust into the Covid-19 pandemic. Displaying extraordinary leadership, he created the Coronavirus Task Force and spearheaded the effort resulting in the manufacturing of tremendous supplies of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and ventilators for patients in serious condition.
The President also negotiated four peace deals with Israel and former enemies in the Arab world
His “Operation Warp Speed” has been universally credited, even by Biden, for the creation of several vaccines that were approved for widespread use in record time. This will possibly save millions of lives; however, the President receives mostly condemnation from the media and his innumerable political enemies for his handling of the pandemic.
Due to Trump’s leadership, our economy came roaring back from the depths of the Covid-19 recession by Election Day and the American people rewarded the President with over 74 million votes. It broke the record for most votes for a sitting President and was 11 million more votes than he received in 2016.
Clearly, he won the election, but it was stolen from him by corrupt Democrats in a variety of swing states. As the President fights this electoral fraud, the base of the Republican Party is solidly behind his efforts. Not surprisingly, the power structure in D.C. is opposing him at every turn. His legal challenges have been dismissed at every level of the judiciary, including the Supreme Court. He is also not receiving much support in Congress and practically none in the U.S. Senate.
Sadly, this is nothing new for the President. He withstood opposition in Congress to support the Keystone pipeline and our oil and gas industry, which resulted in our country becoming energy independent for the first time in decades. With no help from Congress, the President secured funding to build a 450-mile wall on the southern border.
President Trump wants peace through strength
The President also negotiated four peace deals with Israel and former enemies in the Arab world, as well as a historic agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. For his remarkable accomplishments, the President received four Nobel Peace Prize nominations.
While he destroyed the ISIS caliphate and ordered military operations that killed several terrorist leaders, the President wants to bring our troops home and end the endless wars. This “America First” platform fulfills his campaign promise, but it has generated tremendous opposition among the military industrial complex and the political establishment of both parties.
While the powerful insiders in Washington D.C. want war, President Trump wants peace through strength. He has rebuilt our military because he does not want to use it unnecessarily in far flung places around the globe.
Only President Trump could have accomplished what he did in 2020, the finest year of his remarkable term. No other President has faced as many enemies as Donald Trump as he received constant attacks from the Democrats, the Deep State, and foreign leaders, even from many that are supposedly U.S. “allies.”
His veto of the defense bill and his stated opposition to the horrible coronavirus relief package show the American people his commitment to his promises
What is truly remarkable is that the President was regularly criticized and opposed by congressional Republicans, even though he is tremendously popular with the rank-and-file membership of the GOP. Too many Republican leaders have lost their connection with their constituents and are beholden to the Washington D.C. bureaucracy and powerful special interest groups. The President is a threat to the D.C. establishment and the tenured class in the Beltway hate Donald Trump for what he has done to challenge their power.
As usual, the President and his 74+ million deplorables are together, while the swamp is firmly against them. If he does not succeed in his electoral challenges and must leave office, he should exit in a blaze of glory.
His veto of the defense bill and his stated opposition to the horrible coronavirus relief package show the American people his commitment to his promises. The President wants the American people to receive relief, but Congress wants to cram the bill with unacceptable pork and give crumbs to the suffering pandemic victims.
No other President would have stood up for the American people and taken on Congress and the Deep State. As usual, President Trump stands alone, which is why he has earned our Ringside Politics Hero of the Year award.
As President Donald Trump arrived for the pre-game coin toss in the Army-Navy game, audience erupted into cheers – deconstructing the popular media narrative. WATCH:
This afternoon President Trump presented the Medal of Freedom to Dan Gable, a collegiate wrestling champion & Olympic gold medalist. [Video and Transcript Below]
[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And today it’s my privilege to present our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to one of the greatest wrestlers in American history: Iowa legend, Dan Gable. He has been an incredible inspiration to so many people.
We’re joined today by Dan’s wonderful wife, Kathy, and their incredible and large family, including 13 grandchildren. Thank you very much. Thank you, Kathy, very much. It’s a great honor for us too. Thank you for being here.
We’re also joined by Iowa senators Chuck Grassley — where’s Chuck? Chuck? Congratulations on everything, Chuck. And Joni Ernst, who just had a big victory. Thank you, Joni. What a job. What a job. They had you down a couple of points, and you won by a lot. So, you know —
SENATOR ERNST: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: — it’s one of those things that you really — you should be very proud of yourself. You campaigned hard, and it was a tremendous victory. Thank you very much.
And also, Representatives Jim Jordan — where’s Jim? A great wrestler, a really great wrestler. I won’t go over the record because the only way you’re not great is compared to this guy, perhaps. (Laughter.) But he’s a warrior in every way, and we appreciate you being here.
And, Markwayne Mullin, thank you very much for being here. And I’m glad your son is doing well and setting records also. So these two guys are great. They’re really, really fantastic people.
Dan was born and raised in the working-class town of Waterloo, Iowa. His mother said she knew Dan would be a wrestler the day they brought him home from the hospital. Even as an infant, Dan refused to let his back even touch the ground. That’s sort of an interesting statement. (Laughter.) Probably so.
At four years old, his parents sent him to the local YMCA where he learned to swim, wrestle, and play football. When he reached high school, Dan decided to commit himself entirely to wrestling. His coach quickly saw his unmatched intensity and gave Dan the keys to the gym so he could come first thing in the morning to practice. At first, Dan was alone, but as he achieved one victory after another, the rest of the team followed his lead. He worked hard, but he was also born with something very special. It’s called talent. And talent, you either have it or you don’t.
During his time in high school, Dan’s beloved sister, Diane — toughest time in his life — was murdered. Afterwards, Dan poured even more of his energy into wrestling, and his exceptional success brought happiness and pride to his family, especially in overcoming this incredible heartbreak that they had with what happened to Diane.
As a high school wrestler, Dan went 64 and 0, not losing a single match. And I have to say Jim Jordan told me all about — I knew all about Dan, but he told me things that are pretty amazing. Right, Jim? Pretty amazing.
Dan then attended Iowa State, where he secured two NCAA wrestling championships — national wrestling championships; three Big Eight titles; and became a three-time All-American. He won 117 consecutive matches and lost only one. Well, you know, in politics, I won two, so I’m two and oh. And that’s pretty good, too. But we’ll see how that turns out.
After that lone defeat, Dan vowed that it wasn’t going to happen again. He couldn’t stand the feeling of losing a match. He rededicated himself to mastering the sport and soon adapted his wrestling style to reach new heights of greatness. Sports Illustrated labeled Dan the hardest-working athlete in the world by far, and detailed his rigorous routine of working out two to three times a day, every single day of the week. They estimated that Dan produced 60 pounds of sweat every seven days. That’s a lot. I’m not sure I want to hear about it, but that’s a lot. (Laughter.) That’s a lot of work.
In his pursuit of perfection, Dan suffered multiple injuries: his nose, multiple fingers were broken, and his feet. Very tough stuff. He pushed every single muscle to the absolute limit. Nobody has ever done it like him. But his unwavering grit and focus — it propelled him forward through all of that adversity. Tremendous adversity.
Before matches, Dan would repeat the words “cakes, carries, ducks, picks, shucks, sweeps” over and over again. I’ll have to ask Dan why. Why, Dan? (Laughs.)
MR. GABLE: Because they’re all moves that end the match —
THE PRESIDENT: Oh.
MR. GABLE — and you get your hand raised.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh. Wow.
MR. GABLE: So I — that’s — that was going through my head.
THE PRESIDENT: That’s pretty good.
MR. GABLE: I wasn’t worried about his moves; I was only worrying about my moves.
THE PRESIDENT: Wow. Well, you did the — whatever it was, you did the right thing. (Laughter.)
He had only two things in mind: scoring and dominating. In the midst of the Cold War, he was selected to represent Team USA at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The leader of the Soviet wrestling team proclaimed that he would search the USSR and find a wrestler that would defeat Dan Gable. That was his big ambition. And they found somebody that was considered one of the greatest anywhere in the world. But they failed. Dan won every match and did not give up a single point.
How many matches in the Olympics, Dan?
MR. GABLE: Six.
THE PRESIDENT: So you won every match, and you didn’t give up a point.
MR. GABLE: Right.
THE PRESIDENT: And that’s a record. It’s a record, I think, that still stands.
To do that, did the — the Russian in the final did not get a point?
MR. GABLE: The Russian did not get a point.
THE PRESIDENT: And what did you win that one by?
MR. GABLE: Only won it three-oh, but —
THE PRESIDENT: That’s okay. (Laughter.) That’s pretty good. What do you think, Jim? Have you ever heard of where you go six matches and don’t give up a point against great talent?
REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN: I watched — yeah, I watched —
THE PRESIDENT: You watched it, right?
REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN: I watched his final match against the Russian, yes.
THE PRESIDENT: No, it’s amazing. It’s really — to me, that’s amazing. Not — not giving up a single point.
He toppled Soviet preeminence in the sport. At that time, Russia’s — they had the greatest wrestlers in the world, they thought, except for Dan, and they sort of felt they couldn’t beat him. Defeated their wrestler in that final match and took home the Olympic Gold Medal.
As a wrestler, Dan set a pin streak record of 25 consecutive pins. Now, I’m larger than you, a little bit. Do you think I could take you in wrestling? Would I have a big advantage?
MR. GABLE: No, you would have no chance. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: What do you think? I agree. Do you agree with that, John? I do.
Q He’s the expert.
THE PRESIDENT: He is the expert. That is held to this day — 25 consecutive pins. He was also the first American to win consecutive World and Olympic titles.
Dan went on to coach at the University of Iowa, where he secured 355 victories and 15 NCAA team titles. And Jim Jordan told me that he was the greatest wrestler ever, but he may have been a better coach. Right, Jim?
REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN: Mm-hmm.
THE PRESIDENT: Now, has any team, in any sport, ever won 15 NCAA team titles? Because I don’t know. I mean, I think that’s a lot. That’s more than UCLA in basketball, right?
MR. GABLE: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT: So, I don’t know of any — has any — Jim? I don’t think so.
REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN: I don’t know. I think that may be (inaudible).
THE PRESIDENT: I think it’s incredible.
His team scored an average of 17 victories for every loss, and he was named the University of Iowa’s all-time winningest coach. And I think, probably, you look all over the country, you’d be the all-time winningest coach. So that’s incredible. Fifteen NCAA titles.
As a coach, Dan has trained, guided, and mentored 152 All-American athletes, 106 Big Ten champions, 45 national champions, and 12 Olympians. He was also the head coach of three U.S. Olympic teams. Dan has said, quote, “I never jumped for joy as a player, but I always jump for joy as a coach.” In other words, he did his job, but he was really rooting for those other people to do theirs. That’s great, Dan. That’s a great statement.
Dan has been inducted into the USA Wrestling Hall of Fame, the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame. In 2013, he helped ensure that wrestling remained a very important top Olympic sport.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has built a Dan Gable Museum in Dan’s hometown — a permanent reminder of the incredible journey that started in the great state of Iowa.
I love Iowa. I love Iowa, and I knew those polls were wrong. They had me losing Iowa, Dan, and we won Iowa by a lot. There were a lot of polls that were wrong. I love that state.
No one has done more to promote wrestling in America than Dan Gable. He is an athletic giant who conquered one of the most difficult and ancient sports in the world. He is the greatest wrestler, probably, ever. We’ve never had anybody like him. He has made our country very proud, and he is a true “GOAT.” Do you know what “GOAT” is? GOAT. “Greatest of all time,” right? He is the greatest of all time.
Today, in recognition of his really exceptional achievements, Dan will become the first wrestler in history to receive this, our most important award, along with the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I would now like to ask the military aide to step forward to present Coach Dan Gable with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
But before doing that, I’d like to have Dan say a few words. Please. Thank you. Dan, please.
MR. GABLE: Wrestlers are all sizes and shapes, so. (Laughter.) I asked how much time I had up here because I’m not used to a short talk, and they said I had three minutes. And I’m used to speaking to groups for 45 minutes and so on. And I had one company actually bring me in for four hours straight, talking. And I did it, and they brought me back four more years after that. So I must’ve did a good job.
I learned to become an assistant coach under a good mentor — a good head coach at the University of Iowa — and they sent me out into the community to promote the sport that they really weren’t excelling at and wanted to do more.
So, yeah, I learned to talk because I didn’t do it well, and talk helped. Yet, talk didn’t win me over; performance and lifestyle did. It wasn’t perfect because nothing is perfect. But no place on this Earth is perfect, and there’s always room for improvement. The success one has with others, as he mentioned, is more important than the success you have as yourself.
I wouldn’t be here on this podium if I just had won this Olympic Gold Medal. It has been a lifetime of work, learning from many others to be an outstanding competitor and person, then taking that knowledge and applying it to many, many others in different ways to have them perform at their highest so they can be real successful, and that group of individuals become team members. And because of their individual great performances, great, historic teams and family performances are the results.
Proof is in the results, and the proof is here today: my immediate family of 23, who are all right here, led by my wife, Kathy, of 46 years. They are living it and, because of this, they all have better chances of success. They are witnessing this historic moment of someone quite ordinary, mostly, going to the highest level as an athlete, and then helping others to do the same through the professional level of coaching. I did so for years, showing others that are just watching, reading, or listening who really strived to do the same, it works. It works. Living proof, right there.
For those that couldn’t be here because of limitations or have passed, especially my mother Kate, my dad Mack, and my sister Diane — whom he referenced was murdered in our home as a teenager because she fought for her life and didn’t give in — I know they are here and they’re all proud.
I thank you very much for giving this kid here the opportunity to reach this level of the highest award a civilian can get: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And, of course, for all those that push the authority — President Donald J. Trump, I thank you for that, including this family. Because, yes, I know this family has wrestled on and off the mat every day.
And to the sport of wrestling being the first to win this award, it becomes a higher challenge to all that participate. By the way, wrestling isn’t for everyone, but it should be. And now females are strongly participating across the world.
I’m so honored to be here. Three minutes, but they gave me maybe a little overtime — not much.
THE PRESIDENT: You take your time.
MR. GABLE: And remember: I’ve never left practice as an athlete or a coach when it was over either. Thank you. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
MR. GABLE: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Congratulations, everybody.
MILITARY AIDE: Danny Mack Gable is one of the greatest collegiate athletes and coaches of the 20th century. As a wrestler, he’s a three-time All-American, winning two NCAA National Championships and a Gold Medal in 1972 Olympic Games.
He followed his career on the mat with an even more celebrated coaching career at the University of Iowa, leading the Hawkeyes to 21 Big Ten championships and 15 National Championships.
The United States is proud to honor Danny Mack Gable for his remarkable contributions to the sports world and to our great American story.
(The Medal of Freedom is presented.) (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: We’re very proud of you as a nation. And thank you for doing such a great job. We appreciate it.
MR. GABLE: We aren’t done yet. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Do you have any questions for Dan, please?
John? For Dan.
Q For Dan: You know, so many times, college wrestling isn’t appreciated in a way that other forms of wrestling are. Do you feel that this lifetime achievement award, for you, fully recognizes the sport of collegiate wrestling?
MR. GABLE: I look as it — as a inspiration and that others will have something that’s beyond just winning on the mat; that they’ll be able to want to do something like this. And so it’ll enhance our sport. Because it isn’t just like, right now, me and him wrestling and whoever wins the match gets a medal. It’s more than that. And that’s — opens the door right now for a lot of people.
Q How does it feel to be in the Oval Office for this today?
MR. GABLE: How does it feel?
Q To be here.
MR. GABLE: The one time — the one time I didn’t focus on what I needed to do, I lost. So you have to ask all them. (Laughter.) I don’t know, where am I? (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we’re very proud of you, Dan. And thank you very much. Thank you very much, everybody. We appreciate it.
Q Mr. President, how is Rudy Giuliani doing?
THE PRESIDENT: Rudy is doing well. I just spoke to him. He’s doing very well. No temperature. And he actually called me early this morning. He was the first call I got. No, he’s doing very well. That’s another champion. Greatest mayor in the history of New York. And what he’s doing now is more important. And he will admit that. He was the greatest mayor, did a fantastic job, especially when you see what’s going on nowadays, Dan. Rudy Giuliani was a great, great mayor. And what he’s doing now — and he will say it — is even more important.
Q A week from now, Mr. President, the electors will meet to cast their vote. There’s not a lot of time between now and then to make your case to overturn the vote. At this point, are you looking to change the outcome of the election or try to make the case to the American people that it wasn’t fair?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think the case has already been made. If you look at the polls, it was a rigged election. You look at the different states. The election was totally rigged. It’s a disgrace to our country. It’s like a third-world country — these ballots pouring in from everywhere, using machinery that nobody knows ownership, nobody knows anything about. They have “glitches,” as they call them. Glitches. The glitches weren’t glitches. They got caught sending out thousands of votes — all against me, by the way.
No, this was like from a third-world nation. And I think the case has been made. And now we find out what we can do about it. But you’ll see a lot of big things happening over the next couple of days.
And I — very importantly, we’re here for a different reason. We’re here to present our highest award, our highest achievement, really — something that really speaks to such incredible achievement — to a man who really is a great man and a great figure in sports, not just wrestling, in sports. One of our greatest athletes of all time. And I just want to say it’s an honor to be with you. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Smile, take a breath, take the lead from our president and enjoy the moment. Earlier today President Donald Trump presented the Medal of Freedom to the great Lou Holtz. [Video and Transcript Below]
[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. Today it’s my privilege to present our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to one of the greatest coaches in American history: the legendary Lou Holtz — a friend of mine. Great gentleman. Great man.
We’re delighted to be joined this afternoon by members of Lou’s wonderful family, along with the Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe — John, thank you for being here; and Senator Lindsey Graham, who I think most people know — I would say they know you, for the most part; and Pat Cipollone, a big fan of Notre Dame. Right? Thank you, Pat, for being here.
Lou was born during the Great Depression in the steel town of Follansbee, West Virginia. We love West Virginia. He grew up in poverty in a two-room cellar. But as Lou says, “I knew God and my family loved me, and their love was all the wealth I needed. That’s everything I needed. That’s all I wanted.”
As a child, Lou sat on his uncle and grandfather’s lap and listened to Notre Dame football games on the radio. They were big fans of Notre Dame, I guess, even before you. That wasn’t too long ago, was it? (Laughter.) They were big fans. And you — so he learned at an early age about Notre Dame.
At the age of nine, he took the field in his first game. He then played throughout high school. And Lou went on to attend Kent State, where he did very well, on an ROTC scholarship.
After graduation, Lou served as an officer in the United States Army and then pursued his dream of coaching. He wanted to be a coach right from the beginning because he knew he was a leader. He didn’t have to say it; he knew he was a leader.
In 1961, Lou made what he described as “the smartest decision of my life.” And I knew your wife, and I will tell you, that was your smartest decision, right? (Laughter.) We got to know her well. She was strong and good. He married his wife of 59 years. Beth passed away just a short while ago, and it was a very tough time, I will tell you. It was a very tough time for Lou and the family. But we know that she’s looking down from heaven right now with incredible pride. She’s so proud of this man. I got to know her over the last few years, and she was a — she was a great woman. But she’s looking down right now. She’s very proud of you, Lou.
In 1969, Lou became head coach of William & Mary. And over three seasons, he won the Southern Conference and led the Tribe to their first bowl game in 22 years.
And, by the way — and I have to tell you, when we were researching this out, I knew he was supposed to be a good coach, but I didn’t know how good he was, because these stats are very amazing. You’ll see. I was really very impressed, John, I will tell you.
Lou then became head coach of North Carolina State, which had won only nine games over the previous three years. Not too good. He took it off — he took it over, and under Coach Holtz, they won the ACC title and achieved the highest national ranking in NC State’s history.
Lou went on to coach, and so I guess you were making a lot of money by this time because they were trying to get him to go to all these different schools. He was a hot coach. Nothing like being hot, right? (Laughter.) He had his choice. He had his choice to go into a lot of different places.
Lou went on to coach at the University of Arkansas. He built the Razorbacks up from a five-and-five record into a top five team in the nation. They won everything.
Lou left Arkansas with the best win-loss record ever and a very fat bank account. (Laughter.) He then coached at the University of — you were making a lot of money all of the sudden. Huh? I know how that works.
He then coached at the University of Minnesota, which was ranked dead last in the Big Ten. Before he signed his contract, he prayed, and then he did something that was unprecedented. He inserted a clause — with great negotiation talent, which he has — that they call today the “Notre Dame clause.” It stipulated that if Lou did really well and went to a bowl game, he would be free to go to Notre Dame should they ask him to go.
So he had something going, right? You great football player. You are — you are some player, I’ll tell you. (Laughter.) You are something. You just — just — and you’re — you weigh about 30 pounds less than you weighed when you played in the NFL, right? (Laughter.) I’m very impressed.
In just two years, he secured a top 20 ranking and propelled the Golden Gophers to victory at the Independence Bowl. So he was on his way to Notre Dame. He knew it. Nobody else did. I guess the Notre Dame officials knew it.
He was offered a coaching job at Notre Dame immediately, and he also took it immediately, as much as he loved the team that he just left. When he became the head coach a year later, the Fighting Irish were losing team. They were doing very, very poorly. Lou got to work and quickly returned Notre Dame to the status of a football powerhouse and the legend that they were.
At the end of Lou’s first season, the team faced off against their archrivals, the University of Southern California Trojans. The Fighting Irish were down 17 points in the fourth quarter, but they soon pulled off — Notre Dame — one of the greatest comebacks in college football history. They scored two touchdowns in less than eight minutes and then kicked a field goal in the final two seconds of the game. At that moment, Holtz said he felt the spirit of Notre Dame. He loved Notre Dame. And do you still remember that game?
MR. HOLTZ: Oh, very — my son roughed the punter.
(Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, I — (laughs) — you weren’t too happy about that.
MR. HOLTZ: Oh, no. I understood why a certain species of animals devour their young. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: So your son has a little of you in him as well. (Laughter.)
For the next decade, the Fighting Irish won 80 percent of their games and went to nine consecutive New Year’s Day Bowls. And in 1988, the cover of Sports Illustrated said, “Notre Dame is back.” “Notre Dame is back.” He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and many other covers. Notre Dame remained number one in the country for the longest stretch in the school’s history.
See, I didn’t know all this stuff. I knew you were a great coach; I didn’t know you were this good, to be honest. (Laughter.) This is beyond a great coach. So you had the longest streak in the history of Notre Dame at number one. What do you think about that, Lindsey? Sounds like you in the Senate.
SENATOR GRAHAM: Yeah. (Laughter.) Except we don’t play with a helmet.
THE PRESIDENT: He had an easy race. You know, he had an easy race. The problem was his opponent had $140 million. That’s — that was a record, I guess. Wasn’t it, huh? Guess what? Here’s Lindsey.
During the tenure at Notre Dame, he coached a — Lou coached a record number of games, secured 100 victories, and delivered Notre Dame’s most recent national championship. So he did some job at Notre Dame.
Then Lou became the head coach at the University of South Carolina, which he loves. He loves South Carolina — which had won only one bowl game in 108 years. He was going to take it easy, and then he gets another offer. Man, oh, man. I’m watching that money just pile up. (Laughter.)
He was going to go and just relax now. He did his thing at Notre Dame. He won national championships — the longest streak. Then he goes to University of South Carolina, and I can imagine why. He loves — you do like money a little bit, don’t you? Right? He was offered a big deal. Lou tripled that number and secured a top 20 ranking immediately.
Over the course of his career, Lou won nearly 250 games — and is one of the highest ever, by the way — and is the only coach in NCAA history to take six different teams to a bowl game. Think of that.
Wherever Lou went, football glory followed. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. And I will say this about Lou: Everybody loves him. Everybody respects him. He’s tough as hell, and yet they all respect Lou. They just — it’s amazing. They love him, and they respect him. Sometimes it’s a combination that doesn’t come together, you know? They respect, but you are — you are something. “I never coached football; I coached life,” he said. And it’s true. His players really always loved him.
He’s turned his inspirational story and motivational message into three best-selling books. He’s also been an exceptional philanthropist. That’s all that stuff that he collected. He’s opened educational opportunities for students, provided insulin pumps to diabetic children.
And we’ve just brought down the price and the cost of insulin. Right? You’re shaking your head. It’s amazing what we did, right? Insulin — you couldn’t buy it. It was destroying families. People were going without it. Now it’s $35, right? You can’t believe it. I see you’re an insulin pro. You’re involved, right? Family.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: That’s great. No, it’s — we’ve done a great job with — with costs. But insulin, maybe, Lindsey, is one of the best — $35. They were paying 10 times that amount. You couldn’t get it. So we changed that around, Lou.
And supported cancer research. And has traveled to 13 countries to visit the American troops. Lou’s leadership and his faith and kindness have inspired and uplifted millions of fellow citizens.
He’s one of the greatest titans in American football history. And his towering reputation will endure forever in the chronicles of athletics, but more importantly, in the chronicles of life — because he’s really a life teacher. That’s what he is; he’s a life teacher. He teaches people how to live and how to live properly, and how to live with dignity.
So I’d like to now ask the military aide to come forward and prepare for me to give our highest medal. We have the Congressional Medal of Honor, and we have the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And I will say, I give away a lot of Congressional Medal of Honors, and that’s a tough one to get. You know, that’s a tough one to get, because they come in with — when they come in, a lot of times, mostly, they can’t come in for obvious reasons. But they come in where — they’re unbelievably brave people. And they have had more bullet holes and bullets shot at them and in them. That’s the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Your route is a much easier one. (Laughter.) As tough as it may have been, it’s a much easier one.
MR. HOLTZ: That’s true.
THE PRESIDENT: I always say that about the two.
MR. HOLTZ: I’ll remember that. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: It’s — your route is a much easier — the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
So I’d like to ask first Lou to say a few words, and then we’re going to present. Thank you very much.
MR. HOLTZ: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. I’m humbled by the various comments and the opportunity to receive this award.
But I want to assure you how proud I am not only to receive the award; I’m even prouder to receive it from President Donald Trump, who I think was the greatest President during my lifetime. And the things you’ve done for this country have given people the opportunity. (Applause.)
As far as making money — I do have to correct one thing, Mr. President. You talk about making money. When I went to Notre Dame, they had a policy: The head football coach was not allowed to make more than the president of Notre Dame. The president of Notre Dame was a priest who took a vow of poverty. (Laughter.) I made 95,000 (inaudible).
I get this award; I accept it humbly. And you don’t go in life saying “I want to win this award.” You just wake up one day and it happens. But this award, as great as it is, does not define who Lou Holtz is.
My beautiful family, my precious wife, my friends: You have determined who I am, and I just try to be a solid person. As I think it was said, the two most important days of your life was the day you were born; the other is the day you discover why you’re born. When we discover we’re born basically we are able to help other people and overcome problems and difficulties that are going to come our way. And I just cannot be prouder to be a part of this country. I could not be prouder to receive this award from an individual I respect and admire as much as President Trump.
Thank you, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. So nice. Thank you. (Applause.)
MILITARY AIDE: Attention to orders. Louis L. Holtz, an American sports legend, is awarded the Medal of Freedom. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Coach Holtz’s achievements include 249 wins, 12 bowl game victories, and a national championship. He is the only football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games. His tenure at Notre Dame was historic, securing 10 straight winning seasons and the 1988 National Championship.
Off the field, he’s a staple of sports television, a powerful motivational speaker, a devout Catholic, and a dedicated philanthropist. The United States proudly honors Louis L. Holtz for his contributions to our nation.
Signed, Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States of America.
(The Medal of Freedom is presented.)
THE PRESIDENT: Beautiful. (Applause.)
MR. HOLTZ: Thank you. Whoa. Okay, that’s it. (Laughter.)
Q Mr. Holtz, congratulations. How are you feeling?
MR. HOLTZ: I feel so indebted to so many people in my life that had such a positive influence on it. For a guy that graduated in the lower third of his high school class, I feel fortunate to be able to be here but also to be part of this great country and to be next to an individual that I respect as much as him.
So I say it: You’ve honored a lot of people. You go look at all the people — in Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus — they’re recognized for what they did. I’m recognized for what other people did. I never made a block or a tackle, but I did try to teach people to make good choices. That’s all I’ve ever tried to do. But thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Such a great statement. Thank you, Lou.
Q Mr. President, Mitch McConnell says COVID relief may be in sight. Will you support this bill? Do you support —
THE PRESIDENT: I will. And I think —
Q — the 900-billion-dollar —
THE PRESIDENT: — we’re getting very close. And I want it to happen, and I believe that they’re getting very close to a deal. Yeah.
Q And you’ll support it? You’ll sign it?
THE PRESIDENT: I will. I will. Absolutely. Yeah.
Q Okay. And, Mr. President, can I ask you to respond to the comments by your Attorney General who indicated he has not seen, at this point, any evidence of fraud enough to overturn the election results? Given that, why is now not the time to concede?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, he hasn’t done anything. So he hasn’t looked. When he looks, he’ll see the kind of evidence that right now you’re seeing in the Georgia Senate. You know, they’re going through hearings right now in Georgia, and they’re finding tremendous volume. So they haven’t looked very hard, which is a disappointment, to be honest with you, because it’s massive fraud.
Whether you go to Wisconsin, where we just filed a case, or Michigan, or if you look at what’s happening in Georgia, as an example, or Pennsylvania; if you look at Nevada, which is moving along very rapidly, or Arizona — you saw those numbers come out yesterday — we found massive fraud. And in other states also. This is a — probably the most fraudulent election that anyone has ever seen.
Q Do you still have confidence in Bill Barr?
THE PRESIDENT: Uh, ask me that in a number of weeks from now. They should be looking at all of this fraud. This is not civil; he thought it was civil. This is not civil; this is criminal stuff. This is very bad criminal stuff.
So I just say this: We went through an election. At 10 o’clock, everybody said, “That was an easy victory for Trump.” All of a sudden, the votes started disappearing — miraculously disappearing. We found much of it, but we found far more votes than we need in almost all of these states. And I think I can say in all of these states, far more votes than we need to win every one of them.
And I want to just thank my team because my team is doing an unbelievable job. And more importantly, I want to thank the 74 million-plus people that voted, which, Lou, is the largest amount of people that a sitting President has ever had — 74 million-plus. And because the level of — of loyalty, I’ve never seen anything like it. All over the country, they know it was a fixed election. It was a rigged election. They know it, and I appreciate their support.
I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
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