2024, I believe all of us at RedState agree, was one long and crazy news cycle. It started off with the sprint to Super Tuesday as the Republican presidential primary was at the top of all conservatives' minds, then went into overdrive for a 17-day period in June and July when three massive events shifted the course of the election: the Biden/Trump debate, the coup that ended Joe Biden's re-election campaign, and the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. After that 19-day period, the news cycle didn't take a breather (and I have to give a huge shout-out to my editorial team and writers, who have gone above and beyond for that entire time frame).
RedState's liveblogs of those pivotal events, and the party conventions, debates, and election night, were some of our highest-traffic posts for the year. Other than those liveblogs, here are RedState's top 10 stories for 2024 (in terms of pageviews):
1. Las Vegas Police Recordings Released From Biden's Medical Event and Code 3 Transport to Airport
Back in July, RedState broke the story of President Biden's suspected transient ischemic attack (TIA) during his visit to Las Vegas. Biden spoke at the NAACP convention and was scheduled to speak at another convention the next day after a photo op at a legendary Mexican restaurant in the city. At the end of that visit, sources told RedState that Biden had a medical emergency that was determined to be a TIA, and both the Secret Service and Las Vegas Metro Police Department scrambled to get him to the area's only Level 1 trauma center before Biden's traveling physician instructed them to instead head to the airport because they had all of the medical equipment necessary to treat Biden aboard Air Force One. When the police radio recordings of that day were released in August, we were the first site to publish them and the story went viral.
2. NYC Man Convicted Over Gunsmithing Hobby After Judge Says 2nd Amendment 'Doesn't Exist in This Courtroom'
From Jeff Charles:
A Brooklyn man has been convicted of 13 weapons charges after having been arrested and charged in 2022 for building his own firearms. Dexter Taylor’s ordeal could become a landmark Second Amendment case in light of the Bruen ruling handed down in the same year.
The jury found Taylor guilty of second-degree criminal possession of a loaded weapon, four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, five counts of criminal possession of a firearm, second-degree criminal possession of five or more firearms, unlawful possession of pistol ammunition, violation of certificate of registration, prohibition on unfinished frames or receivers.
3. HUGE: Border Patrol Turns on Joe Biden, Proclaims Support for Texas National Guard
Back in January, Bonchie brought us this story of Border Patrol agents refusing to carry out Biden's ultimatum that Texas National Guard forces be removed from Shelby Park and other "disputed" areas.
Rank-and file BP agents are not going to start arresting TX NG members for following their LAWFUL orders. That's fake news.
TX NG and rank-and-file BP agents work together and respect each other's jobs. Period. If TX NG members have LAWFUL orders, then they have to carry out those orders.
TX NG members realize that rank-and-file BP agents have their orders as well. Lawful orders, no matter how unpopular or distasteful amongst rank-and-file agents, must be followed. Unlawful orders (as determined by competent legal counsel and not what some outhouse lawyer behind a keyboard says) will not be followed.
4. More Tales From the Swamp - Here's Where Missing Congresswoman Kay Granger Was Found
Just a few weeks ago, RedState's Becky Noble was ahead of the curve in bringing this massive story to RedState's readers. Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) last recorded a vote back in July, and her offices had been closed up since November. Where was she found?
The newspaper discovered that Rep. Granger was now the resident of a local memory care and assisted living home and had been for some time after she was found confused and wandering around her neighborhood. Assistant Executive Director for the memory care/assisted living home, Taylor Manzeil, confirmed that Granger was a resident, saying, "This is her home."
Given the extremely narrow majority that Republicans have in the House and the crucial bills being voted on, ignoring Granger's disability and not taking action to fill that seat is inexcusable.
5. Biden Freaks Out in South Carolina and Starts Screaming About Trump
A VERY confused Joe Biden starts absolutely SCREAMING as he recounts the recycled "suckers and losers" hoax — slurring the entire way.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 28, 2024
The man is NOT well. 😳 pic.twitter.com/4c7QRL5sr7
All the way back in January (and even before that) Republicans were calling out Biden's extremely obvious mental capacity deficits, but Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre continually derided videos such as this one as "cheap fakes" and claimed they were presented without context - even though they were live televised events.
As our Nick Arama wrote in that story: "Seriously, he is not well and we are in danger with this man occupying the highest office in the land."
6. WATCH: The Look on Kamala's Face When the Teleprompter Goes Out at Labor Event in Flint, MI
From Nick Arama:
Kamala: "I come from the Middle Class."
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 4, 2024
Wow. I didn't know that. You're telling me now for the first time. pic.twitter.com/hJd5wPYCUH
7. Kamala Harris Got Into Law School Via a Program She Didn't Qualify For
Jim Thompson highlighted one big problem with DEI/affirmative action programs: fraud and abuse by people who don't qualify for this preferential treatment.
8. Ben Shapiro Took on 25 Kamala Harris Voters in a Debate, and the Results Were Incredible
From Bonchie:
Surrounded by 25 Kamala supporters and leftists, @benshapiro patiently explains what abortion actually is:
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) October 24, 2024
Pro-abortion woman: “Why does the definition of abortion have to do with the death of a fetus?”
Ben: “Because that’s literally the definition of an abortion.” pic.twitter.com/SfiGokQ2eo
9. Kamala Harris' New Nickname Is So Funny and So Right on Target
From Nick Arama:
A friend just sent me this & I love it so much. pic.twitter.com/yPWplky2a6
— Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) August 30, 2024
Unfortunately, this Gen Z "influencer" doesn't know that "mala" in Spanish means "bad," and it gets worse...
Say it with me, Spanish speakers!
— Roxanne Hoge (@RoxanneHoge) September 1, 2024
¡Que Mala! 📣https://t.co/S7KgFugJR6
10. The Fallout From the Kamala Harris 'Drunk' Video Gets Even More Brutal
Many of us suspected that the Vice President's favorite brand of Copium during the campaign was chardonnay (even Saturday Night Live!) but it was clear that fortified grape juice became her solace after her brutal loss. Sister Toldjah brought us this roundup, and former RedStater Dan McLaughlin pointed out that posting a video in which Harris was so obviously inebriated was a huge betrayal by Harris' staff.
No video like this would ever have been released by a politician who is not hated by her staff. https://t.co/q7Mbbq5SzB
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) November 26, 2024
Now, this list isn't the top 10 in terms of which events in 2024 are the most important long-term; it's simply a list of the stories our readers found the most compelling this year. In my opinion, the biggest stories of the year (in no particular order) were the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the Nancy Pelosi-led coup against Joe Biden, and the fallout from the debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The IRS whistleblower story was also massive and led to Hunter Biden being convicted on federal charges in two states, even though he was eventually pardoned. And, of course, Donald Trump's resounding and massive general election victory, enabled by the first true coalition movement in the United States and the RedState-facilitated ouster of RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, was groundbreaking and ushered in a new era in Republican and American politics.
All in all, 2024 was a great year for Republicans and for RedState, and a fitting way to celebrate our 20th anniversary.
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