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JULY 16,  2016

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:34 P.M. ET: 

VALUE OF PERSONAL DEFENSE – FROM BREITBART:   The 28th Annual National Survey of Police Chiefs shows that “76 percent” of respondents believe armed citizens reduce violent crime.  An even higher percentage–nearly 88–stated their conviction that “any vetted citizen” should be able to purchase a gun “for sport or self-defense.”  According to the survey, nearly “87 percent” of police chiefs support national reciprocity of concealed carry permits. National reciprocity would treat concealed carry permits like a driver’s license, making the concealed carry permit of any state valid in every state. This would do away with the headaches law-abiding citizens get by trying to remember which states recognize their permit and which do not. It would also make life easier for patrol officers during a traffic stop by giving them a more unified set of permit rules to remember.  Some common sense from the chiefs.  There should, of course, be impartial studies of the effects of carry permits.  I'll bet they actually reduce crime.

THE NATURE OF OUR ENEMY – FROM AFP:   Muzaffarabad (Pakistan) (AFP) - A Pakistani social media celebrity whose selfies polarised the deeply conservative Muslim country has been murdered by her brother in a suspected honour killing, officials said Saturday, prompting shock and revulsion.  Qandeel Baloch, praised by many of the country's youth for her willingness to break social taboos but condemned by conservatives, was strangled near the city of Multan, police said.  "Qandeel Baloch has been killed, she was strangled to death by her brother. Apparently it was an incident of honour killing," Sultan Azam, senior police officer in Multan, told AFP.  But who are we to question another culture?  Right?  I mean, don't all cultures have validity?  No, they really don't.

THE LEVEL OF THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN – FROM THE HILL:   Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Saturday turned her fire on the newly minted GOP presidential ticket, calling Donald Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence “two small, insecure, weak men.”  She said Pence “is famous for trying to control women’s bodies,” and that the two Republicans’ “sexism” is “in line with the party platform.”  Warren’s tweetstorm came just minutes ahead of the scheduled joint appearance where Trump will introduce Pence as his running mate.  Warren is reportedly on the shortlist to be Hillary Clinton's running mate. Warren met with the presumptive Democratic nominee at her DC home Friday amid reports that Clinton is closing in on choosing a running mate.   Real class.  And the Dems accuse Donald Trump of running a crude campaign.

July 16, 2016       Permalink

TRUMP ANNOUNCES PENCE – AT 11:58 A.M. ET:  Donald Trump has just formally introduced Mike Pence as his vice-presidential candidate.  It was their first appearance together.  Reporters were, uh, dismayed.

Once again Donald Trump did the unconventional.  Whether it was attractive or not is up for debate.  Most presentations of vice-presidential choices are brief, focused on the chosen individual, and bland.  And most feature a lot of photo ops.  Trump, by contrast, gave a Trumpish, belligerent, somewhat rambling speech lasting 28 minutes, speaking mostly about himself, but also going through Pence's excellent record in Indiana.  He bashed Hillary unmercifully, to the point where Pence seemed almost an asterisk.  He then introduced Pence, who spoke much more briefly and conventionally, and well.  There was only a brief photo op. 

I wonder if Pence was wondering why he was there.

And yet, it is Trump's unconventionality that has proved so effective, at least so far.  He gets his next shot this week when he accepts the Republican nomination in Cleveland.  The whole country will be watching.  He can be unconventional, but he has to show that he can be president as well.  That is Trump's toughest challenge. 

July 16, 2016       Permalink 

LET'S NOT FORGET THIS – AT 11:16 A.M. ET:  There's been so much real news recently.  But in the face of that, let's not take our eye off one of the most important, and ominous, stories – Iran's frightening military buildup.  We're told by Grand Admiral Kerry that the Iranian nuclear deal is "working."  Really?  Then why is Iran feverishly developing intercontinental ballistic missiles, whose only purpose is delivering nuclear weapons?  From Fox: 

Two days before the anniversary of the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, the Islamic Republic attempted to launch a new type of ballistic missile using North Korean technology, multiple intelligence officials tell Fox News.

The test, in violation of a UN resolution, failed shortly after liftoff when the missile exploded, sources said. The effort occurred on the evening of July 11-12 near the Iranian city of Saman, an hour west of Isfahan, where Iran has conducted similar ballistic missile tests in the past.

It would be at least the fourth time Iran has launched or attempted to launch a ballistic missile since the nuclear accord was signed on July 14, 2015.

Iran is barred from conducting ballistic missile tests for eight years under UN Resolution 2231, which went effect July 20, 2015, days after the nuclear accord was signed.

Iran is “called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology,” according to the text of the resolution.

The landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers does not include provisions preventing Iran from conducting ballistic missile tests.

Iran claims its ballistic missile tests are legitimate because they are not designed to carry a nuclear warhead.

The most recent test was the first time Iran attempted to launch a version of the North Korean BM-25 Musudan ballistic missile, which has a maximum range of nearly 2,500 miles, putting U.S. forces in the Middle East and Israel within reach.

COMMENT:  So what are the Iranians claiming – that a missile with a 2,500-mile range is being developed to carry 100 pounds of dynamite?  Please.  These missiles are being prepared for the day when the nuclear deal expires and Iran will be back in the nuclear business legitimately.

July 16, 2016        Permalink

ISIS TAKES "CREDIT" – AT 10:58 A.M. ET:  ISIS has now taken "credit" for the Nice, France, massacre.  From AP:

NICE, France (AP) -- The Islamic State group claimed Saturday that the Tunisian man who barreled his truck into a crowd in the French resort city of Nice was a "soldier" of the group. It's the first claim of responsibility for an attack that claimed 84 lives at a July 14 fireworks display for France's national holiday.

The claim - circulated on social media by a news outlet affiliated with the group - didn't name Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, the 31-year-old Tunisian who authorities say was behind the wheel as a truck crashed into revelers Thursday night. But the statement quoting an IS security member said the man was following calls from the group to target citizens of countries fighting it.

The veracity of the group's claim couldn't immediately be determined, but French officials didn't dispute it.

And, from CNN:

(CNN) The man who used a 20-ton truck to plow down hundreds of people in Nice this week, killing 84, somehow became radicalized very quickly and hadn't even yet shown up on any anti-terrorist intelligence radar, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Saturday.

"It seems that the attacker got radicalized very rapidly," Cazeneuve said of Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31.

The minister said Bouhlel had not been known to the intelligence services previously, and he noted that authorities now face a new scenario with individuals who are becoming very sensitive to the messages of ISIS.

Earlier Saturday, a statement from ISIS' media group, Amaq Agency, said that an ISIS "soldier" carried out the attack in Nice.

COMMENT:  Let's see if President Obama can acknowledge the truth, or will say that we're still investigating the motivation of the killer.  Maybe the guy was upset by the prices of ice-cream sundaes on the Riviera.

July 16,  2016     Permalink

JULY 15,  2016

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET:

TRUMP LEADS ANOTHER POLL – FROM THE L.A. TIMES:   As the presidential race moves into a key two-week period, with the announcement of running mates and the party conventions, Donald Trump has taken an apparent slim lead over Hillary Clinton, based on strong support from white voters, particularly men....It comes amid a flurry of other surveys, both nationally and in battleground states, that show support for the former secretary of State declining since last week when FBI Director James B. Comey characterized her handling of classified material while in that office as “extremely careless.” Comey also said her conduct and that of her aides did not clearly violate the law or warrant prosecution...In the new tracking poll, through Thursday night, Trump led Clinton 43% to 40%. That’s within the poll’s margin of error of 3 points in either direction, meaning the apparent lead could be the result of chance.  Like other polls, this one shows a much greater Clinton decline than a Trump gain.  It's turning into a "who do you like less" contest.

NICE, FRANCE – The portrait of the terrorist killer being sold to us by many officials is that of a disturbed, angry recluse with family and financial problems, and a petty criminal, but not necessarily a jihadist.  I'd reserve judgment on that.  He's a young man, 31, from Tunisia, he followed a truck-based attack plan outlined in detail in an Al Qaeda magazine, and he struck on Bastille Day, making a political statement against France.  He apparently didn't hurt any of the people with whom he's recently had trouble.  Some experts point that a number of jihadist terrorists, including some of the 9-11 hijackers, haven't had a public relationship with Islam, and some have been radicalized online.  Investigation continuing. 

UNBELIEVABLE – FROM BREITBART:   Black Lives Matter (BLM) supporters have claimed the deadly terrorist attack in France was “to make people lose attention” [sic] in their movement and focus on “white” lives instead.  “Ok I’ve come to the conclusion that what happened in Nice was to make people lose attention off [sic] #BlackLivesMatter and focus and unite against us”, wrote Twitter user Semsa, who is based in London but says “Egypt’s the motherland”. She has since made her account private.  “Don’t #PrayForNice we are fighting a civil war against whites. #BLM”, tweeted Franklin Omar, an activist who also appears to be from London, and describes himself as a “Muslim”.  Radical nutbags, who will deliver nothing to African-Americans.

July 15, 2016       Permalink

BULLETIN – TRUMP ANNOUNCES PENCE – AT 10:54 A.M. ET:   Donald Trump has just announced, via Twitter, his choice of Indiana Governor Mike Pence as vice-presidential candidate on the Republican ticket.

Trump had previously been scheduled to hold a live press conference at 11 a.m. today to make the announcement, but held off out of respect for the victims of the attack in France.  However, we understand that Pence had only until noon today to take himself off his state ticket as candidate for re-election to the governorship.  That would have been picked up by the media, probably forcing Trump to make his Twitter statement.  From Talking Points Memo:   

After a week of veepstakes chaos, speculation and changed plans, Donald Trump used Twitter to announce that he had chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) to be his vice presidential candidate:

I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M.

Pence was on a short list that reportedly also included New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Outlets began reporting mid-day Thursday that Pence had been selected, and the campaign had an official unveiling event planned for Friday in New York. After the attack in Nice, however, Trump announced that he would be delaying the event. As Trump's Tweet Friday said, the campaign is now planning an event for Saturday morning.

COMMENT:  Now everything is set for the Republican convention, which starts Monday.  I think this convention is far more important than most.  It will be the first chance for Trump to address the nation as the formal nominee of his party.  It will be a critical speech in which he must fight the portrayal of him as an out-of-control lightweight, yet maintain his image as a smash-the-establishment renegade.  Not an easy task.  We'll know the verdict in a week.

July 15,  2016     Permalink

LEFTIST WHACKJOB – AT 9:51 A.M. ET:  We recall with great warmth Bernie Sanders's appointment of Dr. Cornel West to the Democratic Party's platform committee.  West, whom I personally diagnose as borderline insane, is a hard-leftist African-American academic who wound up "teaching" at Princeton after the president of Harvard, where he'd been employed, suggested he do some serious work.  Racist!

Now West is taking another walk, after enjoying the hospitality of the Democrats.  From The Hill:

Activist Cornel West is endorsing Green Party candidate Jill Stein after previously backing Bernie Sanders’s presidential bid.

“This November, we need change,” he wrote Thursday in an op-ed for The Guardian. "Yet we are tied in a choice between [Donald] Trump, who would be a neo-fascist catastrophe, and [Hillary] Clinton, a neo-liberal disaster."

West then said he would back Stein over the alternatives.

“I am with her – the only progressive woman in the race – because we’ve got to get beyond this lock-jaw situation,” added West, a member of the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) platform drafting committee.

West said he could not in good conscience follow Sanders’s lead in supporting Clinton’s campaign earlier this week.

“I have a deep love for my brother Bernie Sanders, but I disagree with him on Hillary Clinton,” he said of the independent Vermont senator.

“I don’t think she would be an ‘outstanding president,’” West added of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. “Her militarism makes the world a less safe place.”

West added the presidency of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton’s husband, is responsible for many of the nation’s problems today.

COMMENT:  What a loyal Democrat.  I wonder if Bernie had ever met him before appointing him to the Platform Committee. 

The beneficiary of West's new love, Jill Stein, makes Bernie Sanders look like an arch-conservative.  She's as far left as they get without getting arrested.

I love the factionalism of the left.  Just like the circus.

July 15, 2016       Permalink 

TERROR UPDATE – AT 9:29 A.M. ET:  The latest on the terror attack in Nice, France, which killed 84 people yesterday.  From Fox: 

A father and son from Texas and 10 children are among the 84 people murdered Thursday night when a terrorist plowed an explosives- and weapons-laden truck into a crowd of thousands gathered along a seaside promenade in Nice, France, to watch the city's Bastille Day fireworks.

The driver, who sources identified to Fox News as a 31-year-old Tunisian national, left a mile-long swath of carnage along the seaside walkway before police killed him in a shootout. French authorities did not hesitate to pronounce the attack, which began at 10:40 p.m. local time, an act of terrorism.

"Such a monstrosity," French President Francois Hollande said Friday morning. "France is deeply saddened, but it is also very strong. I can assure you we will always be stronger than the fanatics who are trying to attack us."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but two sources, including a U.S. counterterrorism source who collects and monitors jihadist social media, told Fox News that accounts linked to ISIS were “celebratory” and their followers were told to use the hashtag “Nice.”

COMMENT:  France has been a terror target for decades, despite its largely pro-Arab policies.  The perpetrator in this case was not on the French terror watch list, but, according to several reports, was known to local authorities for petty crime.

This will not be the last attack.  They are coming more frequently now.  Orlando was hit only weeks ago, although Field Marshal Obama refused to link it to Islamic terrorism, despite the history of the killer.

July 15,  2016     Permalink