December 15, 2025 • 8 mins
NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor & Host of 'On Balance,' Leland Vittert, checks in to discuss a weekend full of tragic news, storylines that stood out in 2025, and what to watch for from 2026.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's go to the hotline and bring in News Nation
Chief Washington anchor Leland Vinner. You can watch him on
NewsNation weeknights at nine. You can also check out his
free War Notes newsletter at warnoes dot com, and don't
forget to pick up his book, Born Lucky, a great
holiday gift. Leland gotta tell you, it's a very depressing
(00:21):
Monday morning. I mean, it's just one story after another,
from the ISIS attack in Syria that left three Americans
stead to what happened to Brown University, then what happened
in Australia. Then you have Rob Reiner and his wife
being looks like stabbed to death, and I mean, it's
just a lot of bad news to start the week.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Well, that is all true. I think there's obviously a
lot of good in the world. Yeah, I think there's
also a lot of reason to be happy this holiday season,
this Christmas season. But I think you're right. I think
what I think what is most apparent and what we
(01:04):
are all realizing is how dangerous.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Of a world did need.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, And that I think is something that we're really rerealizing.
Americans are, by their very nature good people, and we
want the best in the world, and we want we
look for the best, and we sort of see the best.
That's what's one of the things that makes America exceptional.
And this is a very difficult reminder that not everybody sees.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
The world the way we do.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
And the anti Semitism, this is a topic that you
and I have discussed numerous times throughout the course of
this year, that we're seeing at home abroad, and then
it leads to this horrific tragedy in Australia. And speaking
of some of the good in the world, I mean
that fruit shop owner who intervened and took down one
(01:57):
of the gunmen. I mean, talk about just a pure
act of herorism. It's incredible to continue to see that
video we played over and over again. But anti Semitism,
you know, I had a story in South Florida last week.
You had a Jewish teacher outside a Jewish day school attacked.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
I mean, it's been one thing after another.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah, I'm sort of overcalling this anti Semitism. This is
jew hatred. This is reliving and bringing up a I
think probably the oldest bigotry and hatred in the world.
Under this sort of quasi free Palestine, umbrella that somehow
(02:42):
is allowing some to create a moral equivalence. I'm really
tired of it, and I think that we need to
really be honest with ourselves about why this is happening
and where it is coming from. And that is a
(03:03):
the both on the left and on the right, the
willingness to accept hating Jews and attacking Jews because it
aligns with their own separate political ideas. I think it's
something that is Unamerican and really dangerous.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
We're join my News Nation Chief Washington anchor Leland Viiddard.
What do you make of the situation tied to the
Brown University mass shooting. You had a suspect in custody,
details that seem to indicate they got their guy, but
then you know, overnight we learned that suspect released and
now a manhunt is underway.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, the mass shooting world is something that is obviously
a epidemic in America. I am reminded any time someone says.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Well, the answer is more gun control.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Round University was.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
A gun free campus, right, and Australia is basically a
gun free country, and that's where the worst mass shootings happened,
at least in the past couple of months, so I'm
reminded that that more gun control is probably not the answer.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
But these are terrifying moments, and again.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
That there is a feeling in America that things are
out of control, and that is a really scary thing
for many many Americans. And I think that's why you're
seeing such discontent in Americas, because people feel things are
out of control and that's dangerous.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Looking back at twenty twenty five, you know, if you
had to summarize the year, especially when it comes to
politics and news, all that we've covered, what's really stood
out to you about twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
The violence of action of the Trump administration tearing down
the system and breaking norms that we knew that Trump
was elected to destroy the system, right, That's what.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
He That's what he promised to do.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I think everyone has been surprised at the speed at
which he has been able to do it and the
amount that the institutions that in Trump one were impediments
have now become enablers. I've passed no judgment on that,
but you know the fact now that corporate America that
(05:34):
was really sort of a.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Counterbalance to Trump in Trump.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Won, is now fully on board with Trump and all in.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
You know, American CEOs during Trump one were sort of
gaining popularity by standing up to Trump or by sort
of saying that we're going to moderate what Trump wants
to do. And now you have America's biggest CEOs lining
up to kiss Trump's behind and to enable him and
(06:07):
to support him, and to give him money and to
give him wins.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
That's a huge change.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
And final question for you, what will you be looking
for from twenty twenty six?
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Uh, well, hopefully my golf game gets the.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Optimistic to the day.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Is the only the only thing, the only thing that
I can.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Say in twenty twenty six I know for sure as
a miracle, will still be the greatest country on Earth.
And the Son's going to rise in the west. The
Son's gonna rise in the east.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Other than that, it's good luck predicting its seature.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
It's true.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Uh, I mean, it's just you just cannot do that
in this world.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
The one thing that does seem I think to continue
to be an issue is in you and I talked
about this a billion times, is the economy. Yeah, and
that is that is so hoping that there is a
level of anger in America about the economy that I
don't know how gets fixed.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
News Nation Chief Washington anchor Leland Viddert. You can watch
him on Balance with Leland vittert weeknights at nine on
News Nation. You can find his free War Notes newsletter
at warnoes dot com, and of course make sure to
pick up his book Born Lucky for someone special in
your life.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
They're going to love that read this holiday season.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Leland.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
It's been a real pleasure talking to you every week
this entire year, and we look forward to doing it
again in twenty twenty six. We appreciate your insights into
all the big news stories and it was great to
see you. Got to get to hang for a little
bit this year, so that was fun we did.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Ryan, is always good to see you. Merry Christmas to
you and yours. Happy New Year, and my thanks to
your listeners for making Tampa one of the biggest markets
for On Balance every night. So listeners are loyal listeners
and loyal viewers.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
All right, well, thanks again and we'll talk to you
in the new year.
Let's go to the hotline and bring in News Nation
Chief Washington anchor Leland Vinner. You can watch him on
NewsNation weeknights at nine. You can also check out his
free War Notes newsletter at warnoes dot com, and don't
forget to pick up his book, Born Lucky, a great
holiday gift. Leland gotta tell you, it's a very depressing
(00:21):
Monday morning. I mean, it's just one story after another,
from the ISIS attack in Syria that left three Americans
stead to what happened to Brown University, then what happened
in Australia. Then you have Rob Reiner and his wife
being looks like stabbed to death, and I mean, it's
just a lot of bad news to start the week.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Well, that is all true. I think there's obviously a
lot of good in the world. Yeah, I think there's
also a lot of reason to be happy this holiday season,
this Christmas season. But I think you're right. I think
what I think what is most apparent and what we
(01:04):
are all realizing is how dangerous.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Of a world did need.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, And that I think is something that we're really rerealizing.
Americans are, by their very nature good people, and we
want the best in the world, and we want we
look for the best, and we sort of see the best.
That's what's one of the things that makes America exceptional.
And this is a very difficult reminder that not everybody sees.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
The world the way we do.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
And the anti Semitism, this is a topic that you
and I have discussed numerous times throughout the course of
this year, that we're seeing at home abroad, and then
it leads to this horrific tragedy in Australia. And speaking
of some of the good in the world, I mean
that fruit shop owner who intervened and took down one
(01:57):
of the gunmen. I mean, talk about just a pure
act of herorism. It's incredible to continue to see that
video we played over and over again. But anti Semitism,
you know, I had a story in South Florida last week.
You had a Jewish teacher outside a Jewish day school attacked.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
I mean, it's been one thing after another.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah, I'm sort of overcalling this anti Semitism. This is
jew hatred. This is reliving and bringing up a I
think probably the oldest bigotry and hatred in the world.
Under this sort of quasi free Palestine, umbrella that somehow
(02:42):
is allowing some to create a moral equivalence. I'm really
tired of it, and I think that we need to
really be honest with ourselves about why this is happening
and where it is coming from. And that is a
(03:03):
the both on the left and on the right, the
willingness to accept hating Jews and attacking Jews because it
aligns with their own separate political ideas. I think it's
something that is Unamerican and really dangerous.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
We're join my News Nation Chief Washington anchor Leland Viiddard.
What do you make of the situation tied to the
Brown University mass shooting. You had a suspect in custody,
details that seem to indicate they got their guy, but
then you know, overnight we learned that suspect released and
now a manhunt is underway.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, the mass shooting world is something that is obviously
a epidemic in America. I am reminded any time someone says.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Well, the answer is more gun control.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Round University was.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
A gun free campus, right, and Australia is basically a
gun free country, and that's where the worst mass shootings happened,
at least in the past couple of months, so I'm
reminded that that more gun control is probably not the answer.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
But these are terrifying moments, and again.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
That there is a feeling in America that things are
out of control, and that is a really scary thing
for many many Americans. And I think that's why you're
seeing such discontent in Americas, because people feel things are
out of control and that's dangerous.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Looking back at twenty twenty five, you know, if you
had to summarize the year, especially when it comes to
politics and news, all that we've covered, what's really stood
out to you about twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
The violence of action of the Trump administration tearing down
the system and breaking norms that we knew that Trump
was elected to destroy the system, right, That's what.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
He That's what he promised to do.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I think everyone has been surprised at the speed at
which he has been able to do it and the
amount that the institutions that in Trump one were impediments
have now become enablers. I've passed no judgment on that,
but you know the fact now that corporate America that
(05:34):
was really sort of a.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Counterbalance to Trump in Trump.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Won, is now fully on board with Trump and all in.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
You know, American CEOs during Trump one were sort of
gaining popularity by standing up to Trump or by sort
of saying that we're going to moderate what Trump wants
to do. And now you have America's biggest CEOs lining
up to kiss Trump's behind and to enable him and
(06:07):
to support him, and to give him money and to
give him wins.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
That's a huge change.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
And final question for you, what will you be looking
for from twenty twenty six?
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Uh, well, hopefully my golf game gets the.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Optimistic to the day.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Is the only the only thing, the only thing that
I can.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Say in twenty twenty six I know for sure as
a miracle, will still be the greatest country on Earth.
And the Son's going to rise in the west. The
Son's gonna rise in the east.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Other than that, it's good luck predicting its seature.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
It's true.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Uh, I mean, it's just you just cannot do that
in this world.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
The one thing that does seem I think to continue
to be an issue is in you and I talked
about this a billion times, is the economy. Yeah, and
that is that is so hoping that there is a
level of anger in America about the economy that I
don't know how gets fixed.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
News Nation Chief Washington anchor Leland Viddert. You can watch
him on Balance with Leland vittert weeknights at nine on
News Nation. You can find his free War Notes newsletter
at warnoes dot com, and of course make sure to
pick up his book Born Lucky for someone special in
your life.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
They're going to love that read this holiday season.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Leland.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
It's been a real pleasure talking to you every week
this entire year, and we look forward to doing it
again in twenty twenty six. We appreciate your insights into
all the big news stories and it was great to
see you. Got to get to hang for a little
bit this year, so that was fun we did.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Ryan, is always good to see you. Merry Christmas to
you and yours. Happy New Year, and my thanks to
your listeners for making Tampa one of the biggest markets
for On Balance every night. So listeners are loyal listeners
and loyal viewers.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
All right, well, thanks again and we'll talk to you
in the new year.
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