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My Eyewitness Take: Trump and Pelosi at the National Prayer Breakfast

I was there to see the contention between the President and the Speaker–and there was contention.

The last time I witnessed a National Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC was in the mid-Eighties. Ronald Reagan was President and Billy Graham was the keynote (more on that in a moment).

It was awesome.

This time around the keynote was a guy who I didn’t know (and interestingly, I don’t recall his name). However, he gave a compelling talk about loving your enemy. I must say, his speech hit me between the eyes. The day before I visited the Holocaust Museum (I’m a Jew who believes Jesus is Messiah).  I have to say, the museum’s opening feature literally left me gasping for breath. By the end of my three hours I was an emotional wreck.  Anyway, the thought of loving (and more importantly forgiving) the Nazi’s who slaughtered portions of my family is daunting.

Anyway, before the guy spoke all the people on the stage had a word or a prayer to share, including my congressional representative, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  Keep in mind, Pelosi is a Catholic. She shared (in my opinion) a non-inspiring prayer about the poor.

Shortly thereafter, an unseen announcer came over the public address system and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump!” which was followed immediately by Hail to the Chief.

All 4,000 people assembled in the Hilton Hotel ballroom stood to their feet looking straight ahead at both the stage and the two giant video screens to each side simulcasting the scene before us.

In walks the President. He was all smiles as he graciously waved to the adoring crowd. All stood, including Pelosi. Then, with a smirk, he reveals the front page of USA Today which in extra large bold type proclaimed, ACQUITTED.

In that moment Pelosi looked like she aged a decade.

Yes, given the setting, one could make the argument it was a bit juvenile of Trump to his the stage with the paper in hand, but I have to tell you I haven’t laughed that hard in years. Especially as I witnessed the scowl that instantly formed on Pelosi’s face.

Priceless.

The President took his seat and the keynote did his thing.  When he was done Trump took to the podium,  looked at the guy and said, “That was a good speech, but I’m not so sure if can do it.”

I appreciated Mr. Trump’s honesty regarding forgiving your enemies, especially given the crap he’s been rolled thought over the past couple of years. Forgiveness is not easy, even when aided by faith in God.

But here’s the Hidden Headline.  In his speech, the President talked about the recent Executive Order he signed allowing prayer in the public schools.  Everyone in the room rose to their feet in applause–except Nancy Pelosi.

Then Trump spoke of his commitment to the sanctity of life (ie, his stand against abortion). Once again Nancy–the catholic–sat on her rear end refusing to clap.

By the way, did you hear about this on a single news outlet (including Fox)?

NO.

Shame on Pelosi.

I’m not sure exactly where Donald Trump is regarding his faith in Jesus as Lord, but I can tell you God is pleased with a President who has placed his support in the column of both prayer and LIFE.

As for my first Presidential Prayer Breakfast, in the middle of the festivities the coffee I consumed kicked-in and I had to visit the restroom.  As I walked out of the restroom and into the totally empty hallway to get back into the auditorium there was Billy Graham.  Four years earlier (read this) I had interviewed Graham for the TV station I was working for in Reno. I walked up to him and introduced myself and without missing a beat he remember me.

Unreal.

Meantime… Kudos to Donald Trump, shame on Nancy Pelosi.

Talkers Magazine, Lead Story, January Edition


brian-sussman-radioBrian Sussman Exits KSFO, San Francisco. Eighteen-year KSFO, San Francisco talk show host Brian Sussman announces he’s leaving the Cumulus Media station where he’s been hosting the morning drive show.  Sussman says that in April of 2019 he resigned due to an impasse in
contract negotiations, but soon thereafter reached a temporary agreement to host the show four days per week through December (his brother, Brad Sussman, hosted the fifth day).  But in October, Sussman was required to go on medical leave through the remainder of the year.  That affected his plans for
continuing into 2020.  He tells TALKERS magazine, “Fortunately, I’m feeling great, but clearly all those years of scant sleep and starting show prep at 3:00 am finally caught up with me.  The KSFO listening family – both locally and nationally – are such a loyal band of patriots.  But what I’ll miss the most about our show is working with the best producer in talk radio, Sheri Yee, and my lovely and super-hilarious sidekick, Katie Green.  Thankfully, Brother Brad has been doing a great job filling in for me and I hope he’s the future!  Meantime, I appreciate KSFO’s management team for having been so considerate these past few months.”

The Rest of The Story

It’s a new year, a new decade, and a new chapter in my life’s sojourn.

It’s also time for a long overdue personal update.  The irony of it all–I’m penning this as I just discovered that I’ve again been named as one of the most-streamed radio programs in the country (pretty incredible, considering The KSFO Morning Show is not syndicated).

In a recent post I shared about the many highlights I’ve experienced during my lengthy media career in both television and (for the past nearly twenty-years) in radio on San Francisco’s KSFO.  I hope you’ll read that article, which proves I’ve had more fun while earning a living than a guy could ever ask for.  Yes, I avoided telling you of the crappy moments (and there have been more than a few doozies), but those will make for some hilarious stories and beneficial life lessons in future posts.

Now however, it’s time for the rest of the current story.  Certainly many of you have correctly surmised there is more to say regarding my absence from our beloved KSFO airwaves (recall from the last post, I was a listener before I ever became a part of the lineup).

If for the sake of no one else’s emotions but my own, I’ll keep this brief.

Last spring, my contract with Cumulus Media (the corporation that owns KSFO) was set to expire. Unbeknownst to our listeners, the company and I were unable to come to a financial agreement and on April 1st I resigned.

At the urging of management I returned to the bargaining table a couple days later and a temporary deal was struck for me to return to KSFO with a four-day-a-week schedule through the end of 2019.  My brother Brad was the designated fill-in for me each Monday. What was to happen in 2020 was unsure, but I was hopeful a new deal could be reached.  If not, I was prepared for saying goodbye to KSFO (trust me, I had and have plenty of other options).

Then, in early October, I was blindsided by some bizarre health issues. After some time in the hospital, a myriad of tests and a slew of doctors, it was determined that that I was beset with a serious condition that was likely triggered by long-term lack of sleep, unorthodox working hours, and stress.

Lack of sleep?  Unorthodox hours? Stress? Me?

Ever since I graduated college I’ve worked either late nights or super early mornings. After taking the reigns of The KSFO Morning Show in 2009, I’ve awakened each workday before 3AM and normally get only five or six hours sleep a night.

As for stress, as our producer Sheri Yee and my cohost Katie Green will attest, I thrive on it. Arguments, debates, deadlines, ratings–that’s what  I’ve always loved about media, especially talk radio.  And for me, the show prep never ends.  I overdo everything.  I can’t cut corners. To my detriment, I’m a perfectionist. Personal friends and family will also assert that the non-broadcast side of my life is busy as well.

According to my medical team, it all caught up to me.

Fortunately, I’m feeling great. In fact, my wife, family and close friends say I look revived; I guess 8-10 hours of sleep each night for this first time in my adult life is proving beneficial.  That said, my doctors are not recommending I return to morning radio.  And, I would agree that is wise counsel.

Brother Brad has done a fantastic job filling-in for the past three months, and I think he’d do a great job going forward.

While my well-being will not miss the grind of showing up for duty each day at 3AM, I will miss the best producer I have ever worked with, Sheri , as well as my faithful sidekick, the lovely (and hilarious) Katie Green.  Words are not adequate to describe my affectionate feelings for these two.

I also miss our incredibly faithful listeners and their, “I will now hang-up on myself,” routine.

As I take a deep breathe, allow me to humbly say that these past nearly two decades on KSFO have made for an exhilarating chapter in my wonderful life.

Meantime, I’ll keep bringing you my brand of “right-thinking from the left coast,” via both my blog and Hidden Headlines Podcast.  I’ll also continue producing the inspirational Another Chance podcasts which have gained an audience world-wide. If something does eventually come up in the world of traditional, broadcast radio I will certainly let you know!

Thanks for your steadfast support, kinds words, and thoughtful prayers.

Brian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hidden Headlines Podcast: Was Jesus Born on December 25th, and When Was His Birth First Celebrated?

Next week, on December 25th, billions of people will celebrate Christmas and in doing so will acknowledge the birth of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah of the God of Israel. In the process, many will attend midnight church services, some will light religious candles, and countless will worship in song,  Gifts will be given, food will be consumed, and beverages will flow. Some family gatherings will be awesome, some intolerable. All of these activities will top off a shopping spree wherein gifts will be given to friends and loved one on Christmas Day.

I should also mention that all of this will foreshadow mall madness which will occur the following day, as gifts are returned and retail prices are slashed.

But how much of this massive celebration actually has Biblical roots?  Seriously, I don’t mean to be a downer, but given all of the anxiety and expense associated with preparing  for Christmas, how much of this holiday can be authenticated in the Bible?

In this special holiday edition of Hidden Headlines you’ll discover answers to these questions:

 – Was Jesus really born on December 25th?
– Was Jesus’ birth important to his first generation of followers?
– Is Christmas in the Bible?
– When did Christmas become a significant holiday?
– Was Christmas originally connected to pagan holidays?
– Christmas or Easter–which is more significant?

You can listen to Hidden Headlines on this website, Apple iTunes, GooglePlay, or directly at Soundcloud, just click here

Enjoy Independence Day: My “World Famous Patriot Ribs” Recipe

These ribs really are world famous.  Since I originally posted this recipe 10-years ago, I’ve received positive feedback from people all over the planet (including from American states that are known for their own awesome ribs).

Well-meaning BBQ aficionados tell me my ribs should have a little more “bite,” but I’ve found the average consumer loves seeing that meat simply fall off the bone.  So, the Patriot Rib recipe is what it is—a delicious crowd pleaser!

By the way, I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit over the years, with the help of my professional chef son, so this is the latest and greatest version!

Here’s the recipe:

Remove the ribs from the wrapping. DO NOT rinse the ribs. Place the ribs bone-side down in a ceramic, or glass, baking pan. Cover both sides of the ribs with BBQ rib rub of choice (I prefer Kirkland’s Sweet Mesquite BBQ Rub from Costco, but if you have a favorite use it!).  By the way, St. Louis pork ribs work just as well as the baby backs (I cannot guarantee this recipe for beef ribs).

Next, give your hands a good wash  and then pour a nice stout beer (I prefer Guinness Stout)) into the pan, a little less than an inch deep.  Do not try this with anything other than a dark stout beer or the ribs will be ruined.

Cover with aluminum foil and let the ribs sit for an hour on the kitchen counter.

Preheat your oven to 320.  Bake the ribs (in the pan, with the beer, covered with foil) for two hours.

Next, turn off the oven. Let the ribs remain in the closed oven for another hour.

While the ribs are sitting in the oven, when appropriate fire up your BBQ/grill and get the cooking grate nice and hot.

Now we’re ready for “show time.”  Take the ribs out of the oven and directly onto the grate, bone side down. Slather your favorite BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Rays is a big winner in my household) on the meat side.  After three minutes flip the ribs and apply the sauce onto the bone side.  Let them cook for 5-minutes.  This will allow for some nice grill marks to develop and allow the sauce to caramelize. When 5-minutes are up, flip the ribs back onto the bone side and let them cook for another 2-minutes.

Finally, get those ribs off the grill and onto a big serving plate!  Don’t be surprised if a couple bare bones lay behind.  Once served, the meat will literally fall off the bone. If your guests want additional sauce on their ribs make it available—and don’t forget a roll of paper towels in the middle of the table.

God bless you, your family, and America! Enjoy the ribs!