Good morning, and welcome to RedState's "Morning Minute" — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day. 

TOP O' THE MORNIN'

WATCH: Catherine Herridge Lights Up CBS, Explains What Happened With Firing and Files Seized

But thank God for journalists like Herridge, who are willing to put so much on the line to fight for the principles we should all hold dear. 

WH Weighs in on OJ's Death and You Won't Believe What They Had to Say

Seriously? Where are the condolences for Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman and their families, who have endured so much?

REPORT: Iran Attack on Israel Expected Within Next 48 Hours

We can only hope that by the end of Friday or Saturday, Iran hasn’t escalated this conflict into a full-blown regional Middle East war because that will be good for exactly nobody and has the potential to expand even further into a larger conflagration.

WHAT'S ON TAP?

Today on Capitol Hill...

It's Friday on Capitol Hill, and that means fewer hearings (but potentially more drama). The only hearing set for the day is that of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on "FY25 Budget Request for Missile Defense and Missile Defeat Programs."

But some of the other top congressional buzz will undoubtedly surround the ongoing battles over the FISA reauthorization bill, the Alejandro Mayorkas impeachment trial, and Speaker Mike Johnson's visit to Mar-a-Lago to meet with former President Donald Trump. 

White House What's Up

President Joe Biden will have a quieter day. Aside from receiving his daily briefing and delivering "virtual" remarks to the National Action Network Convention in the afternoon, the only thing on his schedule is heading back to Rehoboth for the weekend. 

Given the way things appear poised to pop off in the Middle East, however, he may not want to bust out the beach chairs just yet...

READ MORE: 

With the U.S. on the Brink of War With Iran, the Biden Administration Tries One Last, Desperate Ploy

Middle East Tensions Are About to Get Hotter (and It's All on Joe Biden)

Full Court Press...

Keep your eyes and ears peeled today — with the Manhattan criminal case against Trump set to begin jury selection on Monday, there are bound to be some last-minute developments. 

MORNING MUSING

It's a Friday in mid-April, but it isn't just spring (and allergens) in the air. My default setting is optimism, and I do my best to avoid going full Eeyore, but things feel...off. Yes, tensions are always rising in the Middle East, so the latest alarm bells may just be a familiar refrain. And maybe it's got nothing to do with that but instead, added turmoil here at home. We are getting ready to wander into truly uncharted territory as a former president goes on trial in a criminal case. Whatever the reason, my spidey senses are pinging. Hoping that's just allergies after all. 

LIGHTER FARE 

Back to the Chick-fil-A well...couldn't resist. 

Trump Indicted For Taking More Chick-fil-A Sauces Than He Actually Needed For His Order https://t.co/Oq1jU7nBlm pic.twitter.com/v9FJzR0t04

— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) April 11, 2024