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

JERUSALEM – It's being noticed that not a single Democrat attended the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem, despite the fact that it was President Harry S. Truman, a Democrat, who made the United States the first nation to grant de facto recognition to Israel when it was founded in 1948.  The Democratic Party is, today, truly the party of Barack Obama.  I'm sure the Dems didn't show because they were afraid to offend the big Hamas vote.  At the same time, Willie Brown, iconic African-American Democratic leader and former mayor of San Francisco, pleaded with Democrats to end their chronic Trump bashing.  The Democratic pros know that the bashing is turning voters off and making the Democratic Party into nothing more than an attack machine.  Not popular.

GROUNDED – FROM CBS LOCAL:    NORTH TEXAS – Starting July 1, ferrets, goats and hedgehogs can no longer fly American Airlines, even if they’re support animals.  They’re just three of a somewhat lengthy list of barred animals the airline has put out in response to an increase in customers transporting a service or support animal onboard their aircraft — more than 40 percent from 2016 to 2017.  “We support the rights of customers, from veterans to people with disabilities, with legitimate needs for a trained service or support animal,” AA said in a statement. “Unfortunately, untrained animals can lead to safety issues for our team, our customers and working dogs onboard our aircraft.”  Some of the changes include additional restrictions on animal types, including sugar gliders and snakes.  There are already reports of a revolt in the goat community over this bigoted act.  A new movement, "Goat Flights Matter," is being formed.

ANOTHER SANDERS? – FROM AMERICAN MIRROR:  Levi Sanders, the only biological son of Vermont senator and 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, is running for Congress in New Hampshire, and he’s speaking his mind about problems in the Democratic Party.  Among the biggest issues is Democrats don’t make voters feel good enough about themselves, he said, unlike the “incredible job” Donald Trump and the Republican Party are doing, the Independent reports.  “The Democratic Party has done a very poor job of bolstering people’s confidence and self-esteem, and that has significant consequences when it comes to reaching out to low-income and working-class people,” Sanders said, pointing to Hillary Clinton’s penchant for talking down to voters.  “When Hillary Clinton used the word ‘deplorable’ that had a significant effect on so many people. They basically said ‘We understand that Donald Trump is not a nice guy, but he is one of us.’ He said ‘Yes, I know I’m a billionaire, but I’m like your weird uncle. I’m not politically correct and I’m not judging you’ and that’s the key.”  Well, one member of the Sanders family has common sense.  That's reassuring. 

May 14, 2018