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JULY 17,  2016

No "Short Takes" tonight.  We've had too much news fitting too few hours.

WRAPUP – AT 11:40 P.M. ET:  There is nothing more to report right now on Baton Rouge.  There will be a news conference tomorrow, which coincides with the opening of the Republican National Convention, where security is the highest concern.

The key news point is learning more about the Baton Rouge assassin, whether he had confederates, and who influenced him.  After incidents like this there's usually a gap of a day or two as authorities and journalists gather information.  It took a few days to learn that the man who killed 84 innocent people in Paris last week had recently been radicalized by ISIS.  I would not be shocked if the Baton Rouge killer had some kind of radical affiliation that left its mark.

There is a sense of dread in much of the news reporting, a sense that the dogs of hate have been unleashed, and that Baton Rouge will happen again, and again.  I fear that this is correct.  We are in the midst of a wave of terrorism, foreign and domestic. 

BULLETIN – AT 5:02 P.M. ET:  The Baton Rouge shooter, who, according to police, murdered three officers this morning has been identified by CBS News as Gavin Eugene Long, an African-American male from Kansas City, Missouri.  He is 29.  Today is his birthday.  He is apparently a former Marine.  We don't know much more at this time.

We stress that this information comes from CBS and has now been confirmed by other news sources.  Incredibly the authorities in Baton Rouge held a 4 p.m. ET news conference and did not name the shooter, nor take any questions.  Some news conference.  Why bother?  President Obama just made a public statement, again not giving us the name of the shooter, but saying we don't know his motivation.  Maybe, but I doubt if he traveled from Kansas City to Baton Rouge with a rifle because he thought Baton Rouge was a great vacationland. 

We don't know if the shooter acted alone, or whether his birthday is of significance.  That information may come out tomorrow at another scheduled press conference. 

Tomorrow is also the first day of the Republican National Convention.  Trump must be exceedingly careful in how he handles Baton Rouge.  He must note it, but with respect, and must avoid anything overtly political.  Whatever he says should be written in advance, word-for-word, with his daughter supervising. 

1:31 P.M. ET:  Rather curious, but no description of the dead suspect in the Baton Rouge killings of three police officers has been released.  Nothing about him.   Police are still looking for two possible suspects, based on original witness reports.  However, a caution:  We don't actually know if there are additional shooters.  There could have been two innocent people running from the gunfire.

At this point there is more speculation than news.  Some have speculated that this could be a terrorist operation, as terror groups have urged followers to attack police officers.  Nothing so far backs up this scenario.

We are following.

12:25 P.M. ET:  CBS, NBC, and ABC are ignoring the Baton Rouge situation.  CNN and Fox are providing continuous coverage.  Latest available information, subject to change:  Three officers dead, three wounded.  One suspect dead, two at large.  We stress that these numbers are subject to change. 

It is believed that officers were lured to a location on a highway, where they were ambushed.  Again, descriptions at this time are vague.

Heard the mayor of Baton Rouge, known as the mayor-president, being interviewed.  He sounded like a borderline idiot, talking about how he was in contact with Valerie Jarrett at the White House.  Who cares?  Did he ask for an autographed picture?

Stand by.

BULLETIN – AT 11:32 A.M. ET:  There has been a shooting of police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Reports differ, but as many as three officers have been killed and approximately seven wounded.  Many or all of the wounded are said to be in critical condition.  The shooter or shooters are apparently still at large.

Baton Rouge was the scene several weeks ago of a black man killed by police in a violent confrontation. 

We are following this closely, and may be away from blogging for a time as we gather facts. 

Stand by.

July 17,  2016     Permalink

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