In this interview segment, Hugh Hewitt welcomes Dennis Prager, who is recovering from a serious spinal cord injury, to discuss a range of political and personal topics. Prager critiques the rise of antisemitism in American politics, focusing on the Maine Republican nominee Graham Plattner, who bears a Nazi tattoo, and speculates on his electoral prospects. He praises Senator Susan Collins as a moderate voice and outlines what a typical Senate race would look like absent antisemitic influences. Prager argues that anti‑Zionism is a form of antisemitism, citing examples from the Democratic Party. The conversation shifts to the ongoing conflict with Iran, where Prager asserts that a true "win" would involve Iran abandoning its nuclear program. He then turns to a personal critique of the U.S. healthcare system, describing the challenges he faces as a partially paralyzed individual and the lack of support for spinal‑cord injuries. Throughout, Prager promotes his recent book "If There Is No God," his biblical commentary series (currently on Leviticus), and his radio show, urging listeners to purchase his works and tune in. The segment ends with a teaser for a follow‑up discussion on healthcare.
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joy because my old friend Dennis Prager is back with me. Dennis, of course, recovering from a serious injury. He's the author of If There Is No God, which if you haven't bought it yet, you ought to go out and get If There Is No God. Dennis, good to see you. I don't know where you are, but I'm very happy to see you. But I'm going to start with a very tough question. I know you're a news junkie even as you're in your recovery. Graham Plattner is going to be the nominee in Maine. He has a Nazi tattoo. He's said every anti-Semitic thing there is to say in the world. What percentage of the vote should he actually get in Maine without you being alarmed for the country?
That's a great question. I've always assumed that 12% is a given When I learned many years ago 12% of the American people believed that Elvis Presley was still living, so I adopted my 12% rule that on any given issue, 12% of the country, in any country, not just America, will believe untruths. But once you get past 20, I— my life has been dedicated to the proposition that among many other things, America was unique in its Judeophile sentiments. John Adams spoke about how the Hebrews have civilized humanity. And of course, George Washington sent that famous letter to the synagogue in Rhode Island. I mean, it's, it's been a blessing to the Jews, and the Jews by and large have been a blessing to America. To see antisemitism and hatred of Israel, the one Jewish state on earth, at the levels that we're seeing, that a man can have a tattooed swastika and run for office, that this is alarming.
Let me end with this. I think it's a tattooed SS Skull and Bones, but it's a Nazi tattoo.
That's enough, right?
So Susan Collins is the most moderate person in the United States Senate. She's right in the middle, right? So she's your old school New England Republican and she's chair of the Appropriations Committee. And I think she knows everybody in Maine and their children's names. She's such a good politician and such a smart person. What should that race be? In an ordinary election cycle that was not tainted by antisemitism everywhere?
The normal race between a Republican and a Democrat, I would imagine. The size of government, illegal immigration, the usual issues. I just want to say one more thing about the Jewish issue. I have spoken at countless churches and to Christian organizations, and I have quoted Genesis about those who bless Israel will be, will be blessed, and those who curse it— it didn't mean that the nation-state, the people of Israel. Will be cursed. And I said, it is not a coincidence that the country that has most blessed its Jews is the United States of America, and that is the country that has been most blessed on planet Earth. And then I would end, and should the day ever come that The— that America abandons its Jews, its blessings will cease. I believe that. And an atheist can believe that.
So, Dennis, if he— I don't think he's going to win. I think he's going to get blown out because Maine's full of normal people and people who need permits for their lobster boats and and they've got unique issues having to do with all sorts of growth issues and income tax issues, but they're not crazy. They're a little bit crunchy on the environment, but they're not crazy. I don't think he'll get 30% of the vote, but that he's gonna be the nominee, how troubling. You've spent your whole life working on being pro-Western, being pro-Israel, being pro-freedom, being pro-God. I mean, your book is, "If There Is No God," is a good argument for God. How troubling would it be if Graham Plattner even got within 15 points of Susan Collins, the most electable person in the United States right now?
I don't remember the exact statistic, but right now, a, a serious percentage of the Democratic Party is, is deeply anti-Israel. And if people say anti-Israel has nothing to do with antisemitism, let me just say this. If somebody said, I love Italians, but I would like to see Italy destroyed, would you take that person seriously? That's what anti-Zionism is. Zionism is simply the return of the Jews to Zion, a term that America's Christians use so often, and Zion as a city in so many states. And Zion National Park in Utah. This is, this is all it is.
Well, then let me, let me conclude this segment by asking you about, um, the war with Iran. There's very low support for it, but I think it's vitally important that President Trump see it through and win. Do you think he will?
He's already winning. I, I mean, what does win mean? Does it mean the unconditional surrender of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard? Then I don't know if it will ever win. These people are fanatics, more so even than the Japanese government with its emperor. So we're already winning the real— the— but I could tell you the chief, uh, denominator of what a win is: getting rid of their nuclear weapons. And Donald Trump You can see it on the internet. Donald Trump in the 1980s said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
Yep. He's remarkably consistent. To me, a win is they announce they will abandon enrichment. We get all the highly enriched uranium and the strait is reopened. Bonuses, controls on the missiles, and open the internet up for your people and stop killing them. I'll be right back with Dennis Prager for another segment. Don't go anywhere. So good to talk to Dennis. His show is coming back on, uh, on the weeknights in LA on KRLA AM 870 and AM 590, The Best of Dennis Prager Show, and I cannot recommend it highly enough for you. His book is If There Is No God, continues to sell like hotcakes. I'm going to ask Dennis about healthcare when we come back. Stay tuned.
He's the sage from South Central, the one and only, the legend, Larry Elder. Speaking Unfiltered Truth, weekdays on Salem News Channel.
From the S&C Weather Center, I'm meteorologist Stephen Parr. Looking out across the country today, well, there's a little bit of snow up in the Rockies, especially in Colorado. Could see up to 6 inches of snowfall on some of those upper elevations. Also watching some thunderstorms from southern Arizona across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, all the way over towards Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Also some rain coming down from the Northern Plains down towards the Midwest, over towards Chicago, the Great Lakes, crossing towards Pennsylvania, sections of New Jersey. Also some rain still left up in parts of New England as we go through this evening. The biggest risk for severe weather down in South Texas. Let's take a look here from the Big Bend region over towards the valley towards San Antonio. Could see some flash flooding, damaging winds, and some large hail. Some of these storms also could see some pretty strong winds in parts of southern Louisiana from Lake Charles over towards New Orleans along I-10. 10 and down towards the coast, but we're not expecting a big outbreak. For Salem News Channel, I'm meteorologist Stephen Parr.
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Welcome back, America. I'm Hugh Hewitt with my old friend with whom I've been doing broadcast for about 35 years. We invented the presentation Ask a Jew. I just go around with Dennis and ask him questions. It was, it's fabulous. I hope to do that again. His brand new book is If There Is No God. It's in bookstores everywhere. It's at Amazon. It continues to sell like hotcakes. Dennis, I want to ask you a question. It's really more of a question for Sue, your wonderful and loving wife, but I want your answer. American healthcare gets a lot of critiques. You've been in it since your injury, a year and three quarters now. What do you make of American healthcare?
Oh, that's a very tough question, uh, for me to answer because you have to compare American healthcare to healthcare elsewhere. I can't compare it to an ideal healthcare system. That's, that's what I, uh, that's what I argue against. The left about. They compare America to a utopia, not to other countries. So I would have to do the same with healthcare. But I can tell you this, with regard to what I have— spinal cord injury— there is nothing that, uh, The— there is very little that the system helps with. Once you're out of a hospital, you're on your own. You have to pay all out of pocket, uh, and this is a very serious issue that my wife and I are addressing. Spinal cord injury means paralysis, which is my current state. Thank God I have my brain. Thank God. I mean, I've finished If There Is No God in the hospital paralyzed thanks to my dear friend Joel Alperson. So, uh, I'll give you a much better report a few months from now. But this is a very serious problem. People are left basically because it comes from the 1970s. They didn't include spinal cord injuries because people died then. But people don't die. I'm not dead.
So it's very much not dead, and I doubt you're going to be dead for a long time. That's why, you know, I've had a couple of exchanges with Sue, and I know how difficult paperwork is, but I think you will be in an excellent position as a free market conservative voice of influence to actually speak about what works and what doesn't work. Have you given any thought to doing that book?
On healthcare? Yeah, well, right now I have to finish my 5th volume of my commentary on the first 5 books of the Bible. I, I, I have Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers out, and now I'm finishing Leviticus, the toughest of the 5 books. So I can't worry about a healthcare book right now.
Well, you know, Dennis, the crowd that's lined up for Leviticus is limited, but the crowd that's lined up to hear what Dennis Prager thinks about everything else is very, very big. Leviticus is a little bit scary to me, but—
Let me just say one word about that. On the Liberty Bell is only one verse. And it's from Leviticus. I just— people give Leviticus a bum rap. Love your neighbor as yourself is from Leviticus. The most famous—
you told me that on an airplane. Blew me away because I thought someone had misquoted it. Maybe John Kerry said, oh no, you got it right. It's in Leviticus. Is that the middle verse? Is it the middle verse of Leviticus?
It's virtually the middle verse. Of the Torah, the first 5 books.
And so that makes it— assuming that we believe that there's importance to placement— that makes it a very important verse. Did we ever figure out why they put it on the bell?
They didn't put that on the bell. They put another verse: And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. Leviticus 25.
Oh, that is wonderful. What are you going to do for the, uh, 250th birthday, Dennis? Have you looked ahead that far yet?
Uh, I would love to be able to use a mouse. That's my, uh, my current ambitions. I gotta get my hands—
I hope you'll add to your list regular appearances on the Hugh Hewitt Show. I cannot tell you how good it is to see you. Not surprisingly, you're fully informed on everything in the world. So continued good luck to you and your rehabilitation. God's prayers on you and on Sue and the whole family.
