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MARCH 15,  2018

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

YOU NEVER KNOW – FROM FOX:  It could come down to a recount.  Democrat Conor Lamb has already declared victory over Republican Rick Saccone in Pennsylvania’s special House election, but Republicans say they aren’t giving up until every vote is counted.  The contest has still not been called, but Lamb leads Saccone by a few hundred votes. There’s no mandatory recount for a federal race in Pennsylvania, but Republicans have the option of petitioning for one.  "This race is too close to call and we’re ready to ensure that every legal vote is counted,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Matt Gorman said late Tuesday. “Once they are, we’re confident Rick Saccone will be the newest Republican member of Congress."  As of Wednesday morning, Lamb's lead stood at just 641 votes -- out of more than 224,000 votes cast, according to unofficial results. Election officials said there are about 200 absentee votes and an unknown number of provisional ballots still to be counted.  There may also be military ballots.  It's unlikely that Lamb's lead can be flipped, but in an election this close, extreme care is worth it.

THE NERVE – FROM BREITBART:  Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate, the illegal alien acquitted last year of murdering 32-year-old Kate Steinle in July 2015, has sued the federal government, demanding that it produce documents “pertaining to vindictive prosecution and collusion” with the state government in its prosecution against him.  In November, a San Francisco jury found Garcia-Zarate not guilty of murdering Steinle, agreeing that although he had the gun from which the fatal shot was fired, the discharge could have been accidental.  The jury did convict Garcia-Zarate of felony possession of a weapon. He had seven previous felony convictions and had been deported five times before finding “sanctuary” on the streets of San Francisco, a noted “sanctuary city.”  Watch, a "progressive" group will ask him to run for Congress, as a representative of the oppressed.

A CORECTION?  REALLY? – FROM FOX:    The online news site ProPublica said Thursday night that it had retracted part of an article alleging Gina Haspel, President Trump's new choice to head the CIA, oversaw the waterboarding of an Al Qaeda suspect at a so-called agency "black site" in Thailand.  "We at ProPublica hold government officials responsible for their missteps, and we must be equally accountable," editor-in-chief Stephen Engelberg said in a statement. "This error was particularly unfortunate because it muddied an important national debate about Haspel and the CIA’s recent history.  "To her, and to our readers, we can only apologize, correct the record and make certain that we do better in the future," Engelberg added.  Trump announced Tuesday that he had chosen Haspel to succeed Mike Pompeo, who is the president's pick to replace ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Several senators, including some Republicans, have said that Haspel must give a full account of her involvement in the CIA's interrogation program in the early days of the War on Terror.  We give credit where it's due, and, in an age of sloppy, irresponsible journalism, it's refreshing to see a liberal outlet admit to a serious editorial error.  We need more of this, we also need greater effort to make sure these mistakes are not made in the first place.

March 15, 2018       Permalink

HILLARY, WE HARDLY KNEW YE – AT 2:05 P.M. ET:  Apparently, the Democratic Party is now realizing about Hillary what the country realized a long time ago.  From The Hill: 

Democrats are angry that Hillary Clinton continues to discuss what went wrong during the 2016 presidential election against President Trump.

Even some of Clinton’s own former aides and surrogates say the former Democratic presidential nominee should back away from the discussion about her failed campaign because it’s harmful to the party.

During a conference in India this weekend, Clinton called states that supported her in the election more economically advanced than the states that backed Trump.

The remarks reminded many of the former secretary of State’s comments in 2016 that some of Trump’s supporters fit in a “basket of deplorables,” a line the Republican then used against her repeatedly during the final stretch of the campaign.

She also insinuated that women who voted for Trump were motivated by “ongoing pressure to vote the way that your husband, your boss, your son, whoever, believes you should.”

In interviews with The Hill on Tuesday, even the staunchest Clinton allies as well as longtime advisers say the comments were cringeworthy and ultimately detrimental to Democrats.

“She put herself in a position where [Democrats] from states that Trump won will have to distance themselves from her even more,” said one former senior Clinton aide. “That’s a lot of states.”

Another Clinton surrogate questioned the decisionmaking behind Clinton’s remarks. For months, some Democrats have been arguing that Clinton’s sentiments have been counterproductive to the party’s rebuilding efforts. And some have told her she should emulate former President Obama’s model to only make statements when it’s essential.

COMMENTS:  It might also be pointed out that Hillary is about 50 years out of date, and that she has no direct connection with the real world.  Other than that, and some character issues, she's adequate.

March 15, 2018        Permalink

WELL DONE – AT 10:32 A.M. ET:  The United States and its allies have joined together to condemn Russia.  I guess Trump isn't colluding with Moscow after all.  From Fox: 

The leaders of the United States, Germany and France have joined together with the United Kingdom in accusing Russia of being behind the nerve agent attack on an ex-Russian spy.

In a joint statement Thursday, President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May said they "abhor" the attack against Sergei Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury on March 4. A police officer who came to the pair's aid was also sickened.

"This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War," the statement said.

“It is an assault on U.K. sovereignty and any such use by a State party is a clear violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and a breach of international law. It threatens the security of us all,” they said.

The quartet stated “there is no plausible alternative explanation” to Russian responsibility for the attack on British soil and the Kremlin’s failure to respond to a “legitimate request” for an explanation “further underlines its responsibility.”

“We call on Russia to live up to its responsibilities as a member of the UN Security Council to uphold international peace and security,” the statement ended.

The leaders’ remarks come a day after Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats and suspended high-level contacts with Moscow over the incident.

Russia is expected to take retaliatory measures soon.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov wouldn't reveal how Russia will retaliate, but said the decision will come from President Vladimir Putin, "and there is no doubt that he will choose the option that best reflects Russian interests."

COMMENT:  Extremely serious stuff.  Handled well.  I don't know what the Dems will say.  Maybe they'll bring out their big anti-Russia guns, like Field Marshal Obama and Grand Admiral Kerry.  I'm joking.

March 15, 2018        Permalink

A WARNING – AT 10:18 A.M. ET:  We are wrapped up in politics, and endless speculation about White House firings and hirings.  But the real world goes on, and it is dangerous.  From the Washington Free Beacon: 

The United States is monitoring information indicating that North Korea may be running a large underground military base in Syria that could be used for advanced weaponry and nuclear-related work, according to regional reports and U.S. officials tracking the situation.

Regional reports have begun to surface indicating North Korea has neared completion of the construction of an underground military base located near Qardaha in Syria, the hometown of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"According to … satellite images and a military source the underground facility has been under construction for seven years, started by the beginning if the Syrian revolution in March 2011," Zaman Al Wasl, a Syrian news outlet, reported earlier this month. "The high level of secrecy and tight guard in the North Korean base raise speculations whether it's a nuclear facility or overseas depot for North Korean weapons."

U.S. officials told the Washington Free Beacon they are monitoring these reports and efforts by North Korea to help Assad rebuild Syria's chemical weapons factories.

"We are aware of reports regarding possible DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] assistance to Syria to rebuild its chemical weapons capabilities," a State Department official, speaking on background, told the Free Beacon. "We take these allegations very seriously and we are working assiduously to prevent the Assad regime from obtaining material and equipment to support its chemical weapons program."

The Trump administration has been engaged in efforts to counter North Korea's proliferation in Syria, particularly its efforts to supply Assad with chemical weapons.

COMMENT:  The name "North Korea" comes up once again.  One of the reasons that thoughtful people are concerned about North Korea is that it exports its horrors.  The above story is part reporting and part informed speculation.  We'll keep after it.

March 15,  2018     Permalink

MARCH 14,  2018

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

OH PLEASE – FROM PJ MEDIA:  Ava DuVernay, a black activist who directed a whole movie arguing that mass incarceration (a multi-racial problem) is a continuation of race-based slavery, suggested that racism explains why her latest movie, "A Wrinkle in Time," got bad reviews.  DuVernay gave a back-handed compliment to Vulture's Kyle Buchanan, who wrote about the "subtle, resonant" theme of the black main character's insecurity about her hair. "You were the only Caucasian journalist of any gender to see it, understand it and seriously ask me about it. Appreciate the chat, the sensitivity and the writing," the director tweeted.  This is the same person who directed "Selma," and twisted the history to play down or ignore white contributions to the civil rights movement, even though those contributions made the Civil Rights Acts possible.  Not to be trusted.

DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT – FROM COLLEGE FIX:  Saying “God bless you” after someone sneezes is listed as a microaggression on a lengthy “anti-oppression” guide posted online by Simmons College.
“This guide is intended to provide some general information about anti-oppression, diversity, and inclusion as well as information and resources for the social justice issues key to the Simmons College community,” it states, adding “this guide is by no means exhaustive.”  Yet it includes hyperlinks to more than 100 resources, such as articles and videos, and boasts eight different subsections: anti-oppression, anti-racism, anti-transmisia, anti-ableism, anti-Islamomisia, anti-sanism, anti-queermisia and social justice zines.  The guide’s authors explain that they replaced the typical suffix “phobia,” such as Islamophobia, with the term “misia,” because the term “phobia” is offensive to people with phobias.   I wonder if parents think this is worth
$50,000 a year...or more.

YOU GO LEFT, YOU GO DOWN – FROM FOX:  In a major embarrassment for NBC anchor Lester Holt, ABC's “World News Tonight” soundly defeated Holt’s “Nightly News” in the ratings last week, scoring victories in both the desirable demographic of adults age 25-54 and in total viewers.   NBC “Nightly News” has been the perennial ratings champ over the last two decades, but that lead is now gravely endangered following Holt’s disastrous trip to North Korea -- where he appeared to have been duped by regime propagandists -- and also following his controversial moderation of a presidential debate in the fall of 2016 where some critics said he behaved in an antagonistic fashion toward Donald Trump. “It’s a full scale fiasco. They're in panic mode,” an NBC insider, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, told Fox News about executives at the network.  Just give us a fair news report, journalists, and you'll see things improve.  But fairness is not what you're about, is it?

March 14, 2018       Permalink

TROUBLE ALREADY – AT 2:52 P.M. ET:  President Trump has nominated CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state, and CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to be director.  It was expected early that Haspel's nomination might face resistance because she was involved in "enhanced interrogation techniques" during the Iraq War.  But Pompeo is also facing some unexpected trouble.  From The Hill: 

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on Wednesday he would oppose President Trump's nominations of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be secretary of State and CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to lead the spy agency.

Paul said that he will oppose the nominations and "do everything I can to block" them.

"My announcement today is that I will oppose both Pompeo's nomination and Haspel's nomination," Paul said.

Paul is the first Republican to come out against the two nominations, which were announced by Trump on Tuesday. Last year, he was the only Republican to vote against Pompeo for CIA director.

The senator pointed to his previous statement that Pompeo doesn't believe "enhanced interrogation techniques" to be torture, as well as his support for the Iraq War, in explaining his opposition. 

"I'm perplexed by the nomination of people who love the Iraq War so much that they would advocate for a war with Iran next. I think it goes against most of the things President Trump campaigned on," he said. 

Paul said he is opposing Haspel due to her involvement in the enhanced interrogation program during the George W. Bush administration. He said she showed "joyful glee at someone who is being tortured." 

"I find it just amazing that anyone would consider having this woman at the head of the CIA," Paul said. 

And he's a Republican, we think.  Democrats, even those who voted to confirm Mike Pompeo for CIA director, are now suddenly having second thoughts about him.  Or, the leftist party establishment is ordering that they have second thoughts.  Several senators are now saying that they're "reconsidering" their past romance with Mike.

I suspect Pompeo will pull through, possibly with a few Dem votes.  Haspel will be a more difficult run,.

March 14, 2018       Permalink

THE STUDENTS ARE MARCHING – AT 12:40 P.M. ET:   Turn on your TV sets and you'll see joyous journalists covering today's student march against guns.  Determined little faces are pouring out of schools throughout the country, with some students even going to Washington.

Already, equally determined little faces in the admissions offices of some of our "leading" universities are assuring these worthies that, if they're disciplined for leaving school because of an unauthorized absence, it won't be held against them when they apply for admission.  Why follow rules when liberal politics are being pursued?

Once again we'll be told that we must, in order to be worthy of living, "believe the children."

One of the best lessons I learned in real journalism is always to be skeptical of children.  They're children.  Unformed.  Vastly inexperienced, and immature in an increasingly immature nation.  Student movements usually don't end well.  The student movement against the war in Vietnam was manipulated by far-left groups loyal to the North Vietnamese cause.  The North Vietnamese have openly admitted that.  Their "movement" contributed to the victory of a totalitarian regime, and the crushing of any hopes for democracy in South Vietnam.  But you may be sure that the "student movement" simply moved on to another cause.  People of Vietnam?  That's yesterday's march.  From Fox: 

Thousands of students walked out of classrooms nationwide Wednesday to protest gun violence and call for new gun control measures on the one-month anniversary of the Parkland school shooting that left 17 dead and sparked a grassroots wave of activism.

From Maine to Hawaii, students left school to demonstrate against gun violence in what could be the biggest display yet of the student activism that has emerged in response to last month's massacre at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

In nearly 3,000 reported protests nationwide, students from the elementary to college level took up the call in a variety of ways. Some took part in roadside rallies to honor shooting victims and protest violence. Others held demonstrations in school gyms or on football fields. In Massachusetts and Georgia and Ohio, students went to the statehouse to lobby for new gun regulations.

The coordinated walkouts were loosely organized by Empower, the youth wing of the Women's March, which brought hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to Washington, D.C., last year. The group urged students to leave class at 10 a.m. local time for 17 minutes -- one minute for each victim in the Florida shooting -- and suggested demands for lawmakers, including an assault weapons ban and mandatory background checks for all gun sales.

COMMENT:  Gun violence is a serious subject.  I'd like to see it taken seriously by the marchers.  Some of the proposals, like increased background checks, are reasonable, but I doubt if a single life will be saved by today's march.  This is a subject that requires real study, with real statistics, and common-sense answers.

And the first answer has little to do with gun control.  It has to do with making sure that schools have at least the same level of security as jewelry stores.  Mass shootings at schools succeed when there is no defense for students.  We would not think of having a school without fire alarms and fire drills.  Yet we leave schools undefended, even declaring some of them "gun free zones," an open invitation to a shooter.

A serious approach to gun violence would begin with an understanding that the object of public service is to serve the public, not to feel good about ourselves or go on marches.  The real work here, as always, will be done by mature adults who devise workable solutions that actually have an effect. 

It will also take brave reporting by disciplined journalists who have the capacity to report something other than the cries of a mob, even a well-meaning mob of kids.

March 14,  2018     Permalink

PENNSYLVANIA – AT 11:46 A.M. ET:  Sorry for our late start.  I've been trying to get all the background I could about last night's special Congressional election in Pennsylvania.

Oh, to begin.  This wasn't emphasized enough in the "reporting," but whoever won last night, and there is still no official winner, will only serve briefly.  The election was held to fill the unexpired term of a resigned congressman.  There'll be another one in November, but the 18th Congressional District won't exist.  Due to redistricting, last night's winner will be running in a newly formed district, probably more Democratic and liberal.

Conor Lamb, the Democrat, is claiming victory.  An excellent candidate, he is ahead in the count by, maybe, two or three tenths of a point.  Absentee ballots are still to be counted.  Chances are, he will squeeze through, and run again in November.

The "journalists" of CNN are having a field day.  John King, who normally sounds marginally sober, was already speaking of a "blue wave," and actually used the Senate race in Alabama as an example.  In that case, the Republicans, in a Republican state, worked hard to lose an election by putting up Judge Roy Moore, a toxic candidate with a questionable background.  The Democrats put up a candidate who ran far to the right and sounded like a typical Republican. 

There may well be a blue wave in November, but it didn't begin last night in Pennsylvania, and it certainly didn't begin in the oddball Senate race in Alabama.

March 14,  2018     Permalink