SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:52 P.M. ET:   

PRESIDENT MOVES UP IN POLLS –  The RealClearPolitics average of polls now has presidential approval at about 40%.  That's hardly the catastrophe that the anti-Trump press has been screaming about.  And some respected polls have Mr. Trump higher.  Rasmussen is at 45.  CNN, incredibly, is at 43.  Economist/YouGuv is at 42, as is Harvard/Harris.  The trend recently has been upward, probably thanks to the tax reform legislation that Mr. Trump signed.  If he can keep up the momentum, and if the economy continues to make progress, I can easily see the president hitting 50%.  President Obama spent most of his presidency in the mid-40s.

TRUMP REPORTEDLY PASSES ON PRE-SUPER-BOWL INTERVIEW – FROM CNS:   Citing an unnamed source, Variety magazine is claiming “exclusive” news that President Donald Trump will break the tradition of presidents giving pre-game Super Bowl interviews on the game-broadcasting networks.  The “person familiar” with the news told Variety, exclusively, that Trump declined NBC’s request for an interview, even though he gave a pre-game interview last year.  I see no reason for the president to grant the interview.  This "tradition" has no real meaning, and simply boosts the network hosting it. 

HHS STRIKES A BLOW FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY – FROM BREITBART:   For eight years, the Barack Obama administration’s Health and Human Services (HHS) tried to force nuns and others of faith to act against their moral convictions by complying with mandates put forth in the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, including contraceptives, abortion, and assisted suicide.  But on Thursday, the agency announced a new division in its Office of Civil Rights (OCR), established to protect Americans from discrimination based on their religious beliefs.  Roger Severino, director of HHS’s OCR, announced the new conscience and religious freedom division and spoke about how the development was set in motion by an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.   A very good move.  Freedom of conscience has been under assault in recent years, almost entirely from the left.  This is an important step to restore the balance.

January 19,  2018