SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

AND NOW THE EAST COAST'S TURN – FROM THE NEW YORK POST:  The NYPD was out in full-force at NYU on Thursday night as protesters gathered to voice their disgust with conservative actor and Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, who was inside holding a seminar for the school’s College Republicans.  “Just saw 4 vans of cops unload outside of the NYU Anti-Fa protest of Gavin McInnes’ talk,” Jason Miller tweeted at around 7 p.m. Thursday.  “They are threatening to arrest everyone in the herd now, each cop with roughly 8-10 zip ties in tow,” he said.  NYU Local, the university’s independent news source, also took to Twitter to alert the public of the situation taking place outside the Kimmel, Rosenthal Pavilion on Thursday night.  “Arrests happening outside of Kimmel,” they tweeted.  As of 9 p.m., it was still unclear how many people were taken into custody.  Looks like a repeat of the 1960s on our college campuses.  I don't see too many on the left denouncing the violence. 

REAL CLASS – FROM DAILY CALLER:    WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democratic Senate leaders refused to meet with Judge Neil Gorsuch Thursday.  The act appears to be revenge against Republicans for holding the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia open and not holding a hearing for Obama Supreme Court appointee Merrick Garland.  The White House requested that Gorsuch meet with Schumer, but aides said he declined in order to learn more about the nominee’s record, The Washington Post reported.  “By refusing to meet with Judge Gorsuch, Senate Democratic leadership is taking Washington gridlock and obstruction to a new low and placing Senators McCaskill, Donnelly, Heitkamp, Tester, and other Democrats up for reelection in 2018 on the endangered politicians list,” Carrie Severino, chief counsel of the Judicial Crisis Network, said in a statement.  Absolute lack of class.  The Democrats are doubling down on the kind of tactics and smallness that have placed them in the worst position their party has been in since 1920.

THE DYING PARTY – FROM DAILY CALLER:   After the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court drew some Democratic opposition this week, President Trump’s senior adviser predicted that it’s going to cost them in the end.  “The Democratic party — we’re seeing it unravel in front of our eyes, and we’re seeing it be revealed in front of our eyes,” Conway said during an appearance on “Fox and Friends” Thursday.  “[They are] a bunch of crybabies who say that they’re going to oppose Supreme Court nominees before they even know the person’s name and his academic credentials and his impeccable judicial record. They are holding up our nominees to the Cabinet. This obstinance and obstruction is the modern Democratic party.”  “I think it’s going to cost them because they’re hysterical about everything now,” she predicted. “Everything makes them cry and scream.”  She is right.  They should be sent back to running student governments at marginal high schools.  Obama put them where they are but they will never acknowledge it.

February 2, 2017