The Pour Over Today - Henry Kissinger Dies, Upcoming Santos Vote, & More | 12.1.23

Episode Date: December 1, 2023

Today we’re talking about the storied life of Henry Kissinger, a foiled murder-for-hire, the upcoming vote to expel Rep. George Santos, and other top news for Friday, December 1st. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over Today. Sponsored by the Beyond the Crucible podcast

Today we're talking about the storied life of Henry Kissinger, a foiled murder for hire, the upcoming vote to expel Rep. George Santos, and other top news for Friday, December 1st. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over today. Here's the quote of the day. The Bible is one of the greatest blessings bestowed by God on the children of men. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture for its matter. Let's start with some espresso shots. Henry Kissinger died Wednesday at 100 years old. The storied but controversial diplomat advised every president

from JFK to Biden, serving as Secretary of State under both Presidents Nixon and Ford. His diplomacy shaped a number of U.S. foreign policies, including the following. 1. Relaxed relations with the Soviet Union. 2. Open relations with China, meeting every Chinese leader from Mao in 1972 to President Xi in July. 3. America's ceasefire with Vietnam, earning him the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize. And 4. Shuttle diplomacy with the Middle East. Israel was one of Kissinger's first major foreign policy tasks, and, in the face of the Israel-Hamas war, some of his latest diplomatic comments.

Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Gaza was extended again through yesterday, though three people were killed in a shooting at a crowded Jerusalem bus stop. Even as the world mourns the loss of Secretary Kissinger, join us in prayer for long-term peace in the Middle East, confident that God is able to spread across the globe the peace that he has given to those who trust him. The following is an excerpt from Book of Common Prayer. Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn, but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love, so mightily spread abroad your spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace,

to whom, by dominion and glory, now and forever. Amen. An Indian government official is allegedly behind a failed hit job on an American citizen. The target was Gurpanwan Singh Panum, a lawyer with the New York-based group Sikhs for Justice and an advocate for the independence of the northern Indian state of Punjab. Indian national Nikhil Gupta says he was hired by an Indian government official to arrange Panum's murder. However, the plot was foiled when Gupta accidentally hired an undercover U.S. federal agent to execute the hit. The plan to kill Panum, a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, was also potentially connected to the June killing

of another Sikh separatist in Canada. Allegations that India's government is targeting critics on foreign soil would complicate the U.S.-Indian relations that the White House has been seeking to strengthen to counter Chinese and Russian regional influence. Here's a verse to consider when global news makes you feel like you're inside a spy movie. The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so that we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

1 Timothy chapter 2 verses 1 through 3. Rep George Santos expects to be expelled from the House of Representatives, likely today. According to a recent House Ethics Committee report, Santos spent campaign funds on Botox, OnlyFans, luxury clothes, and reimbursing himself for personal loans he never made. He's separately been caught lying about where he went to high school and college, his career, his heritage, family connections to several tragedies, including 9-11 and the Holocaust, and more. Santos defied calls to resign again yesterday, saying the committee's report was littered in hyperbole

and warning that expulsion without a legal conviction would be a dangerous change of precedent. If the vote succeeds, Santos would become only the sixth representative to ever be expelled from the House. His empty seat would narrow an already razor-thin Republican majority and trigger a special election in New York. razor-thin Republican majority and trigger a special election in New York. Our hope is never contingent on a political outcome or what's happening on either side of the aisle. It's much more secure than that. As believers, we have reasons to praise the incorruptible leader of leaders. In all you do, seek to walk in his holy ways. 2 Samuel 22, verse 31 says, 2 Samuel 22, verse 31 says, As for God, His way is perfect.

The Lord's word is flawless. He shields all who take refuge in Him. Today's episode is sponsored by Beyond the Crucible. Unless you've recently resettled here from Mars, you know what it's like to live in a fallen world. We all face daily setbacks, losses, and heartbreak, but our hardest moments can actually lead to powerful transformations. Want to know more? Check out the Beyond the Crucible podcast, hosted by Warwick Fairfax, who at 26 years old launched a $2.25 billion takeover bid for his

family's 150-year-old media business and lost it all. Just like a crucible melts down metal so it can be transformed, our crucible moments can push us from brokenness to breakthrough. The Beyond the Crucible podcast features guests who've endured life-altering traumas and tragedies and bounced back to lead purposeful, significant lives. Subscribe to Beyond the Crucible wherever you get your podcasts. lives. Subscribe to Beyond the Crucible wherever you get your podcasts. summaries of their Spotify listening stats. Surprising no one, Taylor Swift was the number one artist globally, hauling in 26.1 billion streams this year. Flowers by Miley Cyrus was the most streamed song, and Joe Rogan remained atop the podcast charts. Nikki Haley got a boost in the Republican primaries race for second place following some deep-pocketed endorsements from the Americans for Prosperity, backed by the Cook Network, and J.P. Morgan's billionaire CEO Jamie Dimon. Haley closely trails Florida Governor DeSantis, who sparred with rival California Governor Newsom

on Fox News' Great Red vs. Blue State debate last night. Tesla began delivering its wedge-shaped bulletproof Cybertruck yesterday after two years of delay. Elon Musk said Tesla has already received 1 million refundable reservations but recently sought to temper expectations on how quickly they could ramp production. Cybertruck joins Rivian's R1T and Ford's F-150 Lightning in the all-electric truck market. and Ford's F-150 Lightning in the all-electric truck market. Someone check on Hugh Jackman. Wolverines are now listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to dwindling snow in the mountains where they build dens.

The endangered species list is shrinking but for the wrong reasons. 21 native species were recently removed after being declared extinct. A ransomware attack prompted Ardent Health, a multi-state hospital chain headquartered in Tennessee, to divert patients from one emergency room to another and postpone certain elective procedures. The majority of the problem was resolved by late Tuesday, but an investigation into whether any patient health or financial information was compromised is ongoing. And that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcasts app, give us a five-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode.

We appreciate your support and hope you have a great weekend. We'll see you on Monday.